The late Errol Mahabir was remembered yesterday as a giant of a man both locally and globally as hundreds turned out at the St Paul’s Anglican Church, San Fernando, to bid him a final farewell. 

He was cremated at a private ceremony at Belgrove’s Funeral Home.

Among the mourners were a cross-section of major stakeholders from both sides of the political divide, business and energy, as well as prime ministers past and present, including Basdeo Panday, Patrick Manning and Dr Keith Rowley. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was a no-show even though many of her colleagues in both the Lower and Upper Houses were present.

Rowley and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi sat in the front pew where Mahabir and his wife, Yvonne, sat every Sunday morning. Manning, accompanied by his wife, Hazel, sat directly behind Rowley. 

Rowley and Manning exchanged greetings during the sign of peace observance. 

Neither of them was called upon to speak at the service, but as he left the three-and-a-half hour long programme Manning, who served with Mahabir in the late Dr Eric Williams’ cabinet, told reporters Mahabir was the greatest. 

“He was one of the greatest politicians, one of the greatest in San Fernando and one of the greatest in T&T,” said Manning.

Mahabir’s friend of five decades, Peter George, who delivered one of nine tributes, described him as a trailblazer.

George said: “He was a pioneer among a group of nation builders who all helped to shape our society and charted the course for the country that has made us the envy of the Caribbean.”

George also remembered the selflessness of the man who, in spite of his large portfolio, made time to assist his colleagues often at great personal sacrifice.

“He understood the expectation that the country placed on government and he knew he would not and could not let them down,” George said, as he lauded Mahabir’s ability to balance both public and private life. 

“Errol Mahabir was not an ordinary man, he was a master politician and statesman. Errol Mahabir made politics look easy.”

Stating that the late minister was a consummate listener who took into consideration all viewpoints before making a decision, George said this was evident in the role Mahabir played as the architect of our energy sector, most notably in the creation of the National Gas Company and the National Energy Corporation.

Mahabir’s three children, Jenny, Colin, Derek, his nephews, nieces and grandchildren remembered him as the patriarch of the family, who stepped into the role at the young age of 25 when his own father died. He later became surrogate father to his many nieces and nephews upon the death of his siblings and, throughout his lifetime, their confidante, friend and inspiration.

Colin, referring to commentators who described his dad as the best labour minister, told the present minister with this portfolio Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, who was among the mourners, that she had big shoes to fill.

Colin also remarked that the man who loved music and could play the piano to soothe the soul wanted a concert rather than a service. A combination was achieved as two of his granddaughters—Ashleigh and Candice—who brought him joy with their melodious voices when he was alive, were joined by other distinguished singers including Raymond Edwards, Marvin Smith (of GML) and Faye Alibocas to raise the roof of the church on Harris Promenade. 

The congregation had to restrain themselves from bursting into applause every time the singers delivered with precision the lyrics to some evergreen tunes like, “You Raise Me Up,” “ The Prayer,”, “The Holy City,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,”, “Oh My Papa,” to welcome him and “My Way,” as the casket was wheeled out of the church he faithfully served during his lifetime.

Colin said the family had decided to establish the Errol Mahabir Memorial Concert every year on the anniversary of his death—September 19.

Proceeds from the concert will be used for the advancement of talented people who are interested in furthering their musical career. 

In the midst of the sorrow, chief celebrant Canon Knolly Clarke, Mahabir’s friend and priest of longstanding, brought much needed comic relief as he referred to the late San Fernando mayor, energy and labour minister as “Errol Mc Leod”, the former labour minister and trade unionist.

Canon Clarke said Mahabir was an Anglican to the bone, a Christian to the bone, who worshipped every Sunday morning with his wife of 60 years, when he (Clarke) was rector of the Promenade church. He said Mahabir’s contribution to the Anglican Church was not only monetary but in whatever capacity he was needed. He said Mahabir was instrumental in the establishment of a Garden of Peace at the Anglican Cathedral in Port-of-Spain, and in this garden his ashes would be kept.

Roman Catholic Priest Fr Garfield Rochard, who delivered the homily, said he was privileged to be a part of Mahabir’s family and to see his offspring grow up. He said Mahabir was instrumental in getting Williams to consent to the establishment of the Vatican Embassy in T&T.

Head of the Police Central Division Senior Superintendent Johnny Abraham has been transferred to the Port-of-Spain Division. 

His transfer is part of several changes within the Police Service which the organisation’s communication manager Ellen Lewis said yesterday was a normal exercise which occur from time-to-time.

She noted that transfers within the service were based on certain exigencies that may exist.

Abraham is expected to replace Senior Supt John Clarke, who is expected to move to the rank of acting Assistant Commissioner of Police. The changes were made by acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams. The full list of transfers was not readily available yesterday.

Also transferred was Senior Superintendent Patsy Joseph and Superintendent Johnny Phaloo of the South Western Division. They have been reassigned to the Western and North Eastern Divisions respectively.

Abraham confirmed his transfer in a telephone interview yesterday evening.

“There is work to be done in Port-of-Spain,” was all he was prepared to say at this time.

His move has spurred the Chaguanas Chamber to begin a lobby to persuade Williams to leave him in the borough.

President of the chamber Ritchie Sookhai said: “The chamber is concerned that they have decided to move him at a time like this, when crime is on the upsurge in Chaguanas. 

“Mr Abraham has done a wonderful job in putting the lid on crime in the central region and we as a business group would consider a lobby to keep our ace crime fighter who is needed right now to keep him here.”

Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodan said he had no official communication of the transfer but stated while they would miss Abraham, if his move was a promotion or if his capacity could be utilised in another area, he was very happy for him. 

“We may be a little sad in Central because the entire community had a good relation with Johnny Abraham as it related to crime prevention and crime fighting but we wish him well in his future endeavour.” He said Chaguanas’ loss is Port-of-Spain’s gain.

The Court of Appeal yesterday overturned the seven-month sentence on a Claxton Bay mother who in 2013 stole a purse from a female passenger in a taxi in order to buy food for her children, then aged six, four and one.

Michelle Cudjoe, a mother of three, who was 24 years old at the time, was charged for aggravated robbery under Section 24:1 (a ) of the Larceny Act. 

Appeal Court judges Paula Mae Weeks and Alice Yorke Soo Hon, sitting in the San Fernando Supreme Court, quashed the decision of Deputy Chief Magistrate Indra Ramoo-Haynes to impose a custodial sentence against Cudjoe.

In upholding the appeal against conviction, the judges found the magistrate did not take into consideration a number of factors, that she had pleaded guilty, acknowledged what she did was wrong and that she had no previous convictions. 

The judges said while it was not necessary for the magistrate to take those factors into consideration, she did not explain the reasons for arriving at her conclusion in the appeal.

The judges also found that a fine was not appropriate because Cudjoe had no means of paying. They instead ordered that she sign a bond for two years, from September 30, to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

Cudjoe was also ordered to report to the San Fernando Probation office on the last Friday of each month, agree to counselling and to enrol in an adult skill programme.

Justice Weekes warned if she breached the bond, the court will consider a custodial sentence. 

Cudjoe’s attorney Lisa Singh Phillip, who appeared on behalf of the Legal Aid and Advisory Authority (LAAA), agreed to the bond. 

State attorney Anjelica Teelucksingh also agreed that custodial sentence was not the appropriate sentence given her circumstances. 

Facts of the case

In October 2013, Cudjoe and a teenager boarded a taxi in San Fernando. 

On reaching St John’s Village, she snatched the purse, which contained among other things a cellphone and $93, from a female passenger in the car. 

The two women were subsequently arrested and charged but neither the phone nor money were recovered. 

The teenager pleaded not guilty and was placed on bail. 

Cudjoe pleaded guilty and in a plea of mitigation she told Ramoo-Hayes she was a single mother and needed money to buy food for her children, Kerdellia, Kadisha and Kerdel.

The matter caught the attention of Legal Aid and Advisory Authority (LAAA) director Israel Khan, SC, who directed attorney Lisa Singh to file a notice of appeal on the grounds of the severity of the sentence and further that it was her first offence.

Three days after her imprisonment, Singh made an application for bail before Ramoo-Haynes but it was denied. An application was then made before Justice Geoffrey Henderson in chamber who granted the bail. 

Managing director of ANSA Coatings Limited Roger Roach is concerned that foreign paint distributors are enjoying an unfair advantage in the local market. He is calling for local paint to be used on all government projects.

“Our industry now seems to be facing a clear and present danger, driven by what may be perceived by some as less than fair competition,” Roach said in his address at the launch of the Penta Paints’ Point Fortin Colour Studio on Tuesday evening.

He said he supported recent calls by the T&T Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) and the Joint Consultative Council (JCC) in its call for the government to work closely with stakeholders to ensure there is more local content in state-funded projects. 

“We support and welcome the passing of Procurement legislation and will support this new government in its developmental plans for economic diversification which in our mind, must have at the forefront a direct policy for increasing the role of local manufacturing companies,” Roach said.

He told guests at the launch, which included Point Fortin Mayor Clyde Paul and National Security Minister Edmund Dillon: “We are deeply concerned that foreign paint distributors with limited investments in capital and human resources within T&T were being specified and mandated to be used on government funded projects.”

He described it as a critical situation which he hopes the government will investigate and rectify.

“Our local coatings industry has an estimated annual turnover of over $300 million and we employ over 600 persons. We have over $400 million invested in property, plant, inventory and equipment and contribute tremendously to beautification and development of our communities,” he said.

Dillon and Paul thanked Penta for choosing Point Fortin to make their investment. Pointing out Point Fortin is the town that oil built, Dillon said with the economy contracting and energy prices on the decline diversification must be pursued.

Paul asked Penta to assist local artists to paint murals to make the borough beautiful once again. He also encouraged them to paint the walls of the Mahaica Oval which is in need of a facelift, saying it will have a dual effect of enhancing the aesthetics as well as providing free advertisement for Penta.

The Penta Paints’ Point Fortin Colour Studio is the second such outlet being operated by franchise holder Selvyn Lewis. The first is in San Juan. Lewis said this new outlet is particularly meaningful for him, because he is from Point Fortin, although he left 15 years ago to study and embark on a business career.

He has partnered with former OWTU branch president at Trinmar, Ernesto Kesar, in the venture.

Assistant Police Commissioner in charge of South, Cecil Santana, said vagrants were being recycled in the southern city and has called on mayor Kazim Hosein to help address the social issue.

Santana’s comments came as he addressed a police town meeting at City Hall, San Fernando, on Wednesday night.

Many complaints were raised about the homeless who are freely roaming the streets of the southern city. Even Hosein talked about some of them walking almost naked.

Stating this was a social problem, Santana said there was little the police could do. 

“We take them off today, we charge them, take them before the court and by Saturday they are out. It is a recurring problem. They (he did not identify who they were) just recycling vagrants in San Fernando.”

Santana asked the mayor for some kind of policy or recommendations through the council to rid the streets of the city of vagrants.

Hosein said he had allocated money from the mayor’s project fund to refurbish the Revival Time Assembly quarters on King’s Wharf to feed and clothe the homeless. 

He said he was recommending that people stop feeding them which encouraged the homeless to take up occupation on the streets.

Residents also complained about the traffic gridlock, vending, noise pollution as it related to the blasting of music on High Street and residential areas. 

The mayor also raised the issue of the congestion along Harris Promenade in front of the San Fernando Police Station, caused by the parking of vehicles involved in road traffic accidents.

Santana assured the matter would be addressed.

He renewed a call for citizens to partner with the police in their effort to make T&T a crime-free environment. 

He said while there had been and increase in homicides in the southern region, which they are hoping to bring under control, there had been a reduction in other serious crimes

“Despite this, we know that the TTPS is being judged by the number of homicides. 

“Nevertheless, we have undertaken several initiatives and are doing everything possible to bring a measure of reduction in these homicides and by extension some level of safety to the citizens of T&T,” he added.

He said the police had been conducting a number of anti-crime exercises, including roadblocks and traffic exercises with an emphasis on drunk driving and recovery of guns.

“We have seen some success. Recently officers of the Southern Division recovered several high-powered guns and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition,” he added.

Underscoring that 80 per cent of the homicides are caused by the use of firearms, Santana said the more illegal guns they took of the streets, the more likely they would see a reduction in homicides.

He called on citizens to supply them with information regarding crimes occurring in their districts, who the perpetrators were and where they were hiding the guns by using several hotline, including 800-Tips, 999 or 555.

He asked those gathered at City Hall to consider, “that the lives taken by firearms you did not tell us about, could be your own.”

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has confirmed that 50 murders were recorded last month, making September the most violent month for 2015.

He attributed the spike to the number of guns, including high-powered rifles, being brought into the country illegally through the country’s porous borders. However, he said, over the last ten days there had been a drop in the violence, with a total of seven murders being recorded.

Williams said statistics showed that of the over 300 murders the country has recorded to date, 82 per cent had been committed with firearms.

Firearms entering this country illegally were having a significant impact on the country, Williams said during an interview on i95.5FM yesterday.

“Eighty-two per cent of all the murders committed in 2015 have been committed with firearms. So firearms are making a major impact on the violence in T&T. 

“So we have murders and then we have shootings and woundings. So firearms are again being involved. So within the realm of crime, firearms are contributing significantly and that is negatively impacting this country and we have to find a way to fix the problem we are confronted with.”

Speaking about proper border patrol, Williams said if the Government could stop the flow of illegal firearms into the country the police could guarantee taking them off the streets. 

For the year, he said, police had taken 477 guns off the street and 6,400 rounds of ammunition. In 2014, Williams said, they took a total of 585 illegal guns off the streets.

In relation to the poor crime detection rate, Williams said the police had changed its approach, introducing hot spot policing in 256 areas within the nine police divisions, targetting concentrated areas within a 100-to-200 metre radius. He said this had resulted in the TTPS recording its biggest drop in crime. 

“When we introduced that in 2013 we saw crime drop by 26.3 per cent, which really means that the numbers moved from 17,841 down to 13,147. That has been the biggest drop ever in the history of the police service in any one year.”

The closest they came to that, he said, was during the state of emergency (SoE) in 2011 when they recorded a 21.1 per cent drop.

“What we saw after the SoE is that crime went back up. With the SoE we got a 21.1 per cent drop, with hot spot policing we got 26.3, which is higher than the SoE, without locking down people. What we are seeking to do is to see this as a sustainable strategy,” Williams said. 

The State has announced its intention to challenge the decision of the High Court that 32 police sergeants who claimed they were illegally bypassed must be promoted.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, who was ordered to promote the officers to the rank of inspector, yesterday confirmed that the State had indicated its decision to challenge the ruling of Justice Margaret Mohammed, who ordered him to retroactively promote the officers as of December 19, 2012.

However, one of the attorneys who represented the officers in their petition, Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, said yesterday this pending appeal did not act as a stay. 

He said the officers would have to be promoted and paid arrears, benefits and allowances due to them since that date as the court had ordered. 

In an interview on i95.5FM yesterday, Williams said he was contacted by an attorney from the Deputy Solicitor General’s Office who indicated the state’s intention to appeal.

“The State has indicated they were not satisfied with the position taken by the judge and they would be appealing,” Williams said.

He said the case was one of a series of matters dating back to 2012 for which there were other court rulings in the opposite direction. 

“So you have a series of issues and the officers have been taking matters before the court. You cannot stop a person from pursuing their rights and they have pursued their rights,” he said.

Williams said all he did was carry out the ruling of one of the substantiative decisions of the court to publish an order of merit list of promotion.

In light of that, he said, “these officers are saying I unfairly treated them. So it is really about a court decision I complied with and made promotions consistent with that ruling.”

He said it was now a matter of the State doing what was necessary by appealing the ruling and having the Court of Appeal make a determination. He said once this happened, whatever the determination, “then you seek to enforce it.”

Attorneys representing the officers, including Maharaj, Alvin Ramroop, Kinglsey Walesby and Ronnie Bissessar, claimed that the merit list system used to promote some of the officers’ colleagues over them was unfair, given that the same system previously had them higher on the merit list and in line for promotion. They also argued that some of the officers had been acting in the position of inspectors and failure to promote them led to financial stress. 

Yesterday, Williams said everything which highlighted conflict would negatively impact on the police service’s image and this situation reflected conflict. 

“It will have a negative impact on the police service and its image and it doesn’t give the public that positive image that everything is flowing smoothly in the police service,” he said.

State way too late—Ramesh

In an immediate response yesterday, one of the attorneys who represented the officers, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, said the State, like anybody else, had the right of appeal under the Constitution of T&T. 

However, Maharaj said, while it had that right, the State had not put in any affidavit to contradict the evidence put forward by police officers, even though it was given the opportunity by the judge to do so. 

Neither the State nor Williams filed any objection to the lawsuits. 

Maharaj said it was therefore mindboggling that the State would now want to appeal, given that it might be very difficult for it to succeed because there was no answer to the officers’ claims that they were denied promotion. 

He also said the pending appeal did not act as a stay and so the acting CoP would have to carry out the order of the judge to promote and pay them. He said if Williams wanted to suspend that order he would have to convince the judge as to his reasons for doing so.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has defended his right to transfer ace crime fighter, Senior Supt Johnny Abraham, from the Chaguanas to Port-of-Spain Division. 

Williams said yesterday that his dissatisfaction with the level of crime in the PoS division propelled his decision to move Abraham, saying his shift there could assist in cleaning up the city’s crime woes.

He denied there was anything sinister in the move, as transfers took place every month in the service as he carried out his mandate to manage it and place officers where their services were required.

In an interview on i95.5FM yesterday, Williams said the PoS division had the largest percentage of serious crimes, woundings and murders in T&T.

He said he was unhappy with the crime statistics in the PoS Division, so when the head of the division applied for long vacation leave he seized the opportunity to make a positive impact on crime in that division by placing Abraham in the position 

Of the murders in the country, he said, “Twenty-two per cent of all the murders in T&T are committed in the Port-of-Spain Division, 35 per cent of all the serious crime in T&T are committed in the Port-of-Spain Division. 

“We have nine police divisions, so if one division is contributing in such a large way, from a policing perspective, it is one of the most important divisions to control.

“If you cannot control crime in the Port-of-Spain Division your national picture is affected. In looking at the Port-of-Spain Division, you have to find a leader who can get there and take charge and seek to impact on crime.”

He contended, “Johnny Abraham is a senior superintendent, he is a very active, 24/7 operational person on the ground.”

He said Abraham, whose transfer has raised the ire of the Chaguanas Business Association, would get the resources required to fight crime in Port-of-Spain.

Williams said prior to Abraham’s transfer he spoke with him and shared with him his intention; Abraham consented to the change.

“He agreed to support what was my intention and he is doing that. He is working hard and he has agreed to give 100 per cent.”

Responding to mounting pressure by the business community to have Abraham remain in Central, Williams said, “I cannot look at T&T only in the context of Chaguanas. I have to look at T&T as the entire T&T. 

“I am running a police service and dealing with crime across T&T and I have to find the right placements and that is exactly what I did.” 

Minister in the Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis says education in T&T is very costly and urged graduating students of the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) not to waste the State’s assets or the collective efforts of their families by missing the opportunity to learn. 

Referring to the $9.4 billion allocated to his ministry, Francis told the graduating class at the Point Lisas Campus on Wednesday to consider themselves privileged as generations before were not as fortunate.

“Education is a privilege and not a right,” Francis said, adding that taxpayers were making the ultimate sacrifice to pay for their education and the best way to reward this sacrifice was to go out there and do something purposeful with the education they have earned.

“Free education is a myth of the imagination. Education in this country is tremendously expensive,” he said. He asked how many of them had listened to the budget which allocated $9.4 billion to the ministry, an increase from the $9.1 billion allocated last year.

“That is about six times the entire GDP of this nation in 1981. That is an enormous amount of money and you are fortunate to live in a society that has decided your education is so fundamentally important to your development that it’s worth all of us paying for,” he said.

Lovell told the graduates that 50 years ago, members of their own families who many have been as intelligent and gifted and desirous of seeking tertiary education would have been denied the opportunity because of their economic background and sometimes because of where they lived.

Lovell, a former history lecturer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), related to the audience that he and his siblings are products of parents who never attended secondary school but they made sure their three sons were university graduates.

“Not because they were not intelligent or had no desire. My mother passed for Naparima Girls’ High School, which is now one of the top schools in the nation.”

He said coming from a rural community prior to Independence, where one had modest economic means and when you were in a system where secondary schooling was not a status, one had little chance of attending secondary school. 

He added: “My mother and father lived that reality and when they had three terrible boys they made the tacit decision that while they were not able to realise their educational dreams that would never happen to their sons.

“My father literally worked his fingers to the bones to ensure that we would not be denied the opportunities and that has left me with a legacy of understanding the true meaning of education for myself and my family.”

Lovell said: “As a nation, we are still in the midst of a tremendous experience that is called T&T and smart, educated young people are needed to play a critical part in achieving that independence or else the nation will be doomed.”

Hard work, discipline, respect and attention for her teachers led to her success, says one of the top performing students in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

Ashisha Nirupa Persad, a former student of Naparima Girls’ High School, said she was not surprised by her achievement after she was announced as one of two President’s Gold Medal winners by Education Minister Anthony Garcia.

“I am really excited to bring some glory to my school,” she said in an interview at the school yesterday.

Shivrani Prabhudial, of Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College, was announced as the other girl who copped the President’s  Gold Medal. She will be honoured by her school this morning.

The diminutive Persad, who stands just over four feet, also broke the school’s dry seven-year spell since they won their last Presidental Medal, making it 13 to date.

Persad is the second of two daughters for Dr Rambachan Persad and mother Carmen, a financial manager, of Gulf View. 

Her elder sister, Sitara, who also attended Naps Girls’ also won an open scholarship (mathematics) in 2012 and is pursuing engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

Saying her sister is her inspiration, Persad also intends to head to MIT in the next year, after taking some time off to relax, to pursue a similar path.

Surrounded by her proud parents, principal Caroline Bally-Gosein and teachers, Persad said having earned ten distinctions at the CSEC level which won her the President’s Medal, Gold, in 2013 and ten distinctions as well in CAPE in the area of information technology, mathematics, physics and chemistry and Caribbean communication over the two years. 

Her dad said he too was not surprised that his daughters had both won scholarships because of their dedication and discipline. 

“I always thought they had it in them to excel and they have done that, so I an very proud and very happy for their accomplishment,” he said. 

He and his wife also showered praises on the principal and staff for their commitment and dedication to the all- round development of students at the school.

“She is a joy to have as a child,” mom Carmen said.

Forty-five girls, including Persad, set a new record for their alma mater by winning an unprecedented 45 of the 443 national scholarships based on the CAPE results released yesterday.

They also set a new record of 17 of the 102 open scholarships awarded, beating last year’s record of 10 open and 23 additional.

Principal Caroline Bally-Gosine was overjoyed with the school’s results.

“This is the icing on what I was hoping to be a very large cake and I am not disappointed,” Bally-Gosine said yesterday as she hugged and congratulated Persad for bringing glory once more to the Presbyterian-run all girls high school.

“I am truly happy with the results. It is the first time the school has won 45 scholarships and also the highest number of open scholarships. This success is indeed an inspiration to our Sixth Form students and our younger girls,”she added.

However, the principal said the crowning glory would by no means lull them into complacency but drive them to further excellence.

“At this school we don’t just aim for academic excellence, we focus on the holistic, overall development of the child but we aim to break more records. 

“There is always room for improvement and when we examine what we have done we will not rest on our laurels. We intend to better and break this record.”

Mayor’s Congratulations

San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein also extended congratulations to Ashisha and the 44 other scholarship winners, saying they have brought great pride to the city of San Fernando.

He also congratulated his alma mater, Naparima College, on its achievement of 40 scholarships and encouraged all the young men “to step up to the challenge set by our young women.”

To the winners, he said: “Your success continues in the legacy of excellence long established by the primary and secondary schools of our city. 

“Our schools’ performances show that San Fernando is not only the energy capital but the educational capital of T&T.” 

​

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has his eyes on the job of Opposition Leader as he entered the election race yesterday, confident that he will emerge victorious as the United National Congress’ (UNC) new political leader.

Moonilal, who had been gauging party support over the last two weeks before making his decision, extended an invitation to MPs and other UNC members to join his campaign to defeat former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on December 5.

He also announced his decision to step down as Opposition Chief Whip in the Parliament, saying it would be unethical to serve in that position to his opponent in the race for leadership. 

“It is clear in our constitutional arrangement that the political leader of the party is distinct from the Opposition Leader. The Opposition Leader is chosen by those members of the House. If the majority so wish to choose someone who is in Opposition to the Government, we will first concentrate on the party but I am convinced that whoever emerges successful as political leader will indeed have very little difficulty in assuming the position of Opposition Leader once that person is a member of the House of Representatives," Moonilal said, at his Debe constituency office.

 Moonilal did not announce a slate, but said that would be revealed when he launches his campaign on November 12, at the Rienzi Complex, Couva. He also announced that the colour of his team would revert to the original colour of the UNC, which is orange and not the yellow now being worn. 

"We must allow our MPs to make up their minds, to look at the situation, to consult with their constituents, their family. I am not pushing any colleague to support me or not. I will embrace all who join me, but I will also understand those who chose not to join me.” 

Surrounded by a handful of supporters at his Oropouche East constituency office, Moonilal paid tribute to Persad-Bissessar’s leadership and dignity and her government’s ‘unparalleled record of performance,’ but he said the time had come for the party to move on.

He said many people he spoke to could not understand how the party with its unparalleled record of performance in government could have experienced such a shocking electoral defeat at the September 7 polls. 

“Almost two months after the election, many of our members are still analysing and internalising the election results.”

He said while Persad-Bissessar would have taken them to victory in 2010, along the way, many of their followers and supporters who worked hard to give them that historic victory would have been left behind.

After Persad-Bissessar led the party to five consecutive defeats, Moonilal called for the rebirth, renewal and restoration of the party, “if we are to rise again.”

“We have to foster a culture of loyalty to the party and not to individuals. We must be active, not passive. The party must be democratic, not autocratic,” Moonilal  said.

He said his decision came after extensive discussion with supporters, including party founder former prime minister Basdeo Panday, because it was not just a question of running or not running for the post.

He said the meeting discussed the state of the party, dreams and aspiration of members and helped to fashion and formulate a new vision and policy.

“Because the future of the UNC is the future of T&T. We are a critical national institution,” he said.

Moonilal said the victory of Dr Keith Rowley and the People’s National Movement (PNM) on September 7 had to do with the support he got from the membership.

“Despite Dr Rowley's shortcomings and whatever we may think of him, he had the support of a very great institution, a strong institution, well organised, well structured, functioning, the PNM that lifted what we believe to be a poor candidate for prime minister and, unless you do not build a party this way, you can have the best candidate in the world, you will not be successful unless you build the institutions.”

Kamla welcomes challenge

​Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday wished her opponent Dr Roodal Moonilal the best of luck in his bid to dethrone her.

But UNC founder Basdeo Panday predicted that Moonilal would lose the battle on December 5.

He said this had nothing to do with “whether Moonilal is good, bad or indifferent, but because I believe the elections will neither be free nor fair.

“How can the election be free and fair when the person conducting the election is also contesting the election?” Panday asked.

“Dr Moonilal came to see me and I told him the elections are irrelevant at this time because they are going to be rigged and the only way he can win is to ensure the elections are free and fair.”

Persad-Bissessar has stated her intention to have an independent election committee to oversee the process, pointing out that no member of the UNC executive or candidate can serve on that committee. 

Persad-Bissessar welcomed the challenge yesterday, saying, “We have a healthy democracy in our party. Any member is free to put in a nomination. It is their right if they choose so to do and the membership would decide at the end of the day.”

She confirmed that Moonilal called her before making public his announcement at his Oropouche East constituency office, Debe.

“I spoke with him and I wished him good luck and I hope he wishes me good luck as well. It’s a healthy democracy. That is the process and at the end of the day the membership would decide which way we go forward with the party. We are all members of the UNC family. It is a free country. I am not worried. Let the membership decide, whichever way it goes.”

Persad-Bissessar, however, reserved comments on the appearance of her former press officer Francis Joseph who chaired Moonilal’s news conference. 

Joseph resigned his position from the Office of the Prime Minister on October 8, following the defeat of the Persad-Bissessar administration and election of the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s People’s National Movement (PNM) Government.

Joseph said he was hired by Moonilal in his capacity as an events manager. He said he was not a member of his slate or of his campaign team.

​

Second-time drunk driving offender Shyams Mohammed was fined $10,000 when he appeared before a magistrate in the San Fernando Traffic Court on Monday.

Telling him that the circumstances which brought him to the court were quite serious, Magistrate Natalie Diop ordered that he pay half of the fine immediately, and allowed him 20 days to pay the balance, or serve 16 months with hard labour.

Mohammed, who was fined for a similar offence last December, was arrested on November 7 at Ste Madeleine. An officer on mobile patrol duty at Palm Drive observed Mohammed slumped in the driver’s seat.

He approached the vehicle and enquired from Mohammed if he needed assistance. The officer said he detected a strong scent of alcohol on his breath and noticed that his eyes were red and his speech slurred.

Mohammed was taken to the nearby police station and was given instructions to take a sample of his breath. However, the court was told he kept blowing and stopping and so the officer was unable to get a proper reading.

He was subsequently charged with failure to provide a sample of his breath for reading without reasonable cause. Mohammed pleaded guilty.

Court prosecutor Sgt Dianath Harricharan also produced a criminal record which showed that on December 12, 2014, Mohammed was also fined $7,000 for a similar offence. He was also charged with disorderly behaviour. 

In the same court, Shameel Mohammed (no relation) also expressed remorse through his attorney Marissa Bobb and volunteered to enrol in the Arrive Alive defensive driving programme.

Magistrate Diop agreed and adjourned his matter to January 12.

The father of three and part owner of an automotive parts place was also arrested on November 7 along the Tarouba Link Road. He admitted to officers who stopped him that he went to a birthday party with a relative and drank six beers.

He said he had a meal and thought that would have balanced it off.

Pennywise Cosmetics Limited opened its third in-house pharmacy at its Gulf City Mall branch on Monday and according to director Satnarine Paladee the diversification into pharmaceuticals has created additional permanent jobs at a time when other companies are reducing staff.

He said each of the pharmacies located at Trincity Mall, Port-of-Spain and Gulf City has created employment opportunities for ten more people, in addition to a similar number at its warehouse. 

With the anticipated opening of its fourth pharmacy at Grand Bazaar next February 2016, Paladee said another ten jobs would be added. The company is also building its own mall along the Gulf City Link Road which will include a personal care supermarket, the first of its kind in the Caribbean. 

Paladee said in addition to job creation, the intention was to bring benefits to customers by keeping the prices competitive and offering special discounts and deals to loyal customers. He said a loyalty card for frequent customers should be available within the next five to six months.

He said the company was keeping prices for pharmaceuticals low even as the cost of doing business was rising by using the same kind of mark up they used for cosmetics. In time, customers will be able to purchase prescription drugs at the same prices available in the US, he added.

Paladee said he was not concerned about competition from other pharmacies located in the mall.

“I believe all can co-exist. Each one, I am sure, has their own clientele who will come to them. I mean, we are not here to fight with them, but to bring the cost down for the consumers. People have a way of making things work and I am sure we will all be able to survive.”

The pharmacy team is headed by pharmacist Nadia Ramsawack and will be managed by Dr Shivum Paladee, son of Pennywise CEO Dalvi Paladee.

Tests done for H1N1 by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on swabs taken from a Point Fortin security officer have come back positive.

San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) medical director Dr Anand Chatoorgoon said yesterday the tests confirmed their suspicion that the patient, who has been warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the past two weeks, had indeed contracted the disease.

Relatives of the patient told the T&T Guardian yesterday the officer was still not out of danger as he remained hooked up to life support at the ICU. Medical professionals have advised them that the patient’s heart, lungs and kidneys were now severely affected by the virus.

All personnel entering the ICU are being asked to wear protective clothing but the relatives said they were now very concerned about their own safety since they made visits prior to the confirmation without the necessary gowns and masks. “We have been taking our own precautions to prevent the spread of the virus by getting vaccinated,” one relative said.  

On October 16, the virus, also known as swine flu, claimed the life of Siparia resident Cherrie Ryce. Doctors at the SFGH are still awaiting test results to confirm whether the disease also caused the November 2 death of Shannon Nashaud, 16. Autopsy results showed that Nashaud, of Couva, died from pneumonia, one of the symptoms of the H1N1. 

Chatoorgoon also confirmed yesterday the Point Fortin officer was the only H1N1 patient at the hospital at the moment. “We are supporting him maximally. We are doing everything we can possibly do for him but we haven’t changed treatment because we would have been treating him for the swine flu for a while,” he added.

Concerning risks to family members, Chatoorgoon said once they took the necessary precautions by donning masks and gowns on their visits there should be no risk.

On whether other patients in the ICU could be infected, Chatoorgoon explained that while they did not have any isolation units in the department they have tried to screen the H1N1 patient so there would be no obvious risks. He added that the risks were really from nurse to nurse.

“Nurses are the important people but once the nurses take the normal infection prevention control measures it should be okay,” he explained.

Chatoorgoon also responded to reports that some frontline medical staff workers, including those dealing with blood testing, have not been vaccinated against the virus and have been advised to seek the immunization privately. The MD said vaccinations were available for whoever wanted it. 

“Not everybody wants it. I did not take it,” he said. 

A release from CARPHA on October 23 stated that for the year to date it had received 284 samples for influenza-virus testing. Forty-seven  of these tested positive and 14 of them were typed as Influenza A H1N1.

Former Oropouche West MP Stacy Roopnarine has finally come out in the open and  has declared her support for Vasant Bharath in the race for leadership of the United National Congress (UNC) December 5, internal elections.

Roopnarine’s announcement comes hours before another contender for leadership of the UNC Dr Roodal Moonilal was scheduled to announce his slate of candidates in his bid to dethrone political leader Kamla Persad Bissessar.

Political sources claim Moonilal was counting on Roopnarine’s support in his quest, as he had opposed Persad Bissessar’s decision to replace her as a candidate in the last general elections.

In a release issued a short while ago, Roopnarine, the chairperson of the UNC Women’s Arm, said her decision came after much consideration and consultation with members of the women’s arm and the wider membership.  

However, she said other members of the women's arm do not share her endorsement of Bharath, and have pledged support for other candidates, as is their democratic right to do, but she believes Bharath is the best choice for leadership.

Roopnarine said the UNC’s focus must be on building the organisation from the ground up. 

In the face of two confirmed cases of swine flu and reports of other cases, the public is being advised that there is no need to panic.

The assurance came from medical director of the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH), Dr Anand Chatoorgoon, yesterday who played down the spread of the virus.

He said there were no unique symptoms of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) which is spread by droplets from an infected patient. 

“H1N1 is with us all the time. It is not that we never have it. Every now and again patients get infected with influenza viruses. 

“There are many types of influenza and H1N1 is one. If we suspect someone has pneumonia that is galloping unusually fast and getting severe that they need to go on a ventilator, then we have a high index of suspicion this could be H1N1. So there is nothing specific about H1N1,” he added.

He said three patients, including the two deceased—Cherrie Ryce who died from H1N1 on October 16; Himraj Mungroo, 60, of Quarry Road, Quarry Village, who died earlier this month and another case involving a security officer, being treated—are all from south Trinidad but did not indicate that the virus was confined to any particular part of the country.

He also confirmed that test results done by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on swabs taken from 16-year-old Shannon Nashaud came back negative for H1N1. 

Autopsy results showed that Nashaud, of Couva, died on November 2 from pneumonia, one of the symptoms of the H1N1. 

He said Mungroo presented with fever, diarrhoea and developed breathing complications but he got worse and died.

Chatoorgoon said there were varying degrees of the flu, in that some people have the mild form while others develop the severe form. 

He said if the immune system of patients was compromised, “in that if you are fat, diabetic, are on durgs, steroid, have cancer, patients are more susceptible and develop complications.”

Chatoorgoon said the latest patient, while still critical, was improving. 

“I think his lungs are getting better, although with ICU one can never tell,” he added.

Weeks after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar chastised Couva North MP Ramona  Ramdial for her indecision in not openly demonstrating her support for her bid to retain leadership of the United National Congress (UNC), Ramdial has decided to go it alone in a bid for deputy political leader. 

Ramdial said after much introspection and consultations with her constituency, executive and party groups, she knew she had to run.

"I have decided to declare my intention to run as an independent candidate for the position of Deputy Political Leader," Ramdial said.

In a statement issued last night, Ramdial said: "At this juncture the party is bigger than the individual and the UNC needs rebuilding urgently if we are to present ourselves as a viable option for government in 2020.

 
"Therefore the onus rests on the membership of the UNC to choose a strong national executive that will be able to effect change and rebuild the structures which we can rely upon to win the next General Election."

Ramdial said she firmly believe the membership will vote across slates to ensure the best leaders are chosen and advocated against any and all negative or destructive campaigning. 

There is a three way race for leadership with the main contenders being the incumbent Persad-Bissessar and challengers Dr Rudy Moonilal and Vasant Bharath.

Ramdial. the only independent thus far, ahead of the November 20 nomination day said: "There must be no fracturing regardless of the outcome. Ours are a party based on unity and love, bringing all together under the UNC umbrella offering hope for a brighter day.”

Ramdial said she is qualified for the position based on her experience, humility, hard work and impregnable defence of the party's name throughout her term as Elections Officer on the National Executive, Director of the UNC Academy and as a Member of Parliament and Minister in the former People’s Partnership Government. 

She will square off against  former Oropouche West MP Stacy Roopnarine who is contesting the same position on the Bharath slate, as well as attorney Larry Lalla and trade unionist James Lambert, the latter two who were announced last night as contenders on Moonilal's slate.

Bharath  is expected to announce his slate on Saturday. Persad-Bissessar is yet to indicate any intention to identify her slate ahead of the December 5 internal elections.

Mickela Panday has put to rest speculation that she intends to follow in the footsteps of her father and contest the top or any other post in the December 5 internal elections of the United National Congress (UNC).

Panday, daughter of UNC founder former prime minister Basdeo Panday, announced yesterday that she would be sitting this election out because of numerous irregularities in the process.

The young attorney, who has represented the party in the Oropouche West constituency, made it clear that although she was approached by both Dr Roodal Moonilal, who is contesting the top position on the Loyalist slate and Vasant Bharath, who is expected to announce his slate today, she would not be joining either of their slates. She said she also could not endorse any of the candidates who sat idly by for five years and did nothing to save the party.

Panday said instead of fighting for a position, she would embark on a campaign to restore democracy to the party.

“This election should not be about who will be leader, it should be about how we can save the party from those who sat by and did nothing as it was dying a slow death. But our members need to first understand, believe and accept, it is not the leader or the national executive that holds the power, it is the members themselves.”

Flanked by UNC foundation member John Humphrey, former Tabaquite MP Dr Adesh Nanan and former executive member Vashist Maharaj, in the Basdeo Panday Foundation Conference room at the Rienzi Complex, Couva, Panday declared, “My campaign begins today.”

She said she would be sensitising the membership to the irregularities and illegalities in the electoral process.

“As long as the party is run by people perceived to be corrupt, it will never see power. We cannot expect to do the same thing over and over and get different results.”

She also questioned the validity of the elections, “given the constitutional term limits of both the incumbent leader and all other 17 members of the national executive officers had expired. Surely, if you are not duly elected, it follows you can’t make decisions and speak on behalf of the membership.”

She said she gave consideration to heading a slate after being approached by people to do so, although people she respected, including her father, advised against it unless the elections would be free and fair.

Nevertheless, Panday said, she felt it important to give people the benefit of the doubt and so she attempted to get basic information, such as whether her name was on the UNC’s current membership list, but she encountered a brick wall every step of the way.

Panday said she was shocked at the irregular and highly unreasonable request that she, a life member who has never sought political membership of another party in the country, should submit her name to the office for verification. She said she was still awaiting confirmation of her membership number and to ascertain that her name was on the electoral list. She said impossible and unrealistic two-day deadlines were also set for registration of new members and to date she was still awaiting membership forms for new members.

“Why would a political party be afraid of people joining?” she asked.

“It is unacceptable in a party where the incumbent leader continues to preach democracy, such dictatorial decisions are being taken. 

“In these circumstances and without a valid, updated membership list, I am convinced the election will not be free or fair. Not only will my contesting indicate an acceptance of this madness, it will guarantee things never change and we will be destined to continuously repeat our mistakes of the past and never move forward.”

She added, “Immediately, we have to take steps to return our party to the ideological position on which it was founded, to restore the democracy and dignity of the party, so that all of its members, old and new, can hold their heads up high and be proud of their party.”

She said her campaign to educate and remind members of the ideology that led to the foundation of the party would start next week.

“After such time, the members will have to decide if they wish to participate in the elections on December 5, and if they decide not to, they must demand those strangling the party release it and hold free and fair elections that not only the members, but the public at large, can have confidence in.”

Kimberly Farrah Singh may have won the battle to represent T&T in next month’s Miss World Pageant in China but her struggle to get there is far from over.

Speaking on her behalf yesterday, one of the attorneys Rondell Donowa, who made her victory possible, said she still needed a substantial portion of the $35,000 required for air travel.

He said she was scheduled to leave for China Saturday but because of the cash flow problem, the reservation has been extended until next Thursday.

Donowa said the road ahead would be tough for Singh who has to make the journey to China alone as there was no money for not even a chaperone. 

He said they were also trying to source a wardrobe, including a national costume and a gown for the competition.

“We are pleading on her behalf if any organisations which want to come together to assist,” Donowa said.

He said attorneys representing both Singh and Miss World franchise holder Vanessa Sahatoo-Manoo met on Tuesday to chart a way forward and had agreed on a number of areas.

“Both parties were very upbeat and willing to put this issue behind them and move forward for the greater good because at the end of the day we are representing Trinidad and Tobago.”

Donowa said both Sahatoo-Manoo and Singh were advised not to make any public statements at the moment as they tried to heal the rift. 

He added: “The franchise holder indicated she was making progress in terms of sponsorship and Kimberly is also seeking sponsorship from certain persons. 

“We (the attorneys from Fortitude Chamber who fought her case) are trying to make this is possible for her because we see her as a young person, like ourselves, who needed her just due and we were successful.”

He said Singh, who continued to train while her firing was in arbitration, is also making progress.

“She is fine tuning things with regards to a stipend and getting the national costume and wardrobe. 

“A number of clothing stores have committed to assist. She is also receiving a lot of assistance from the past Miss World delegate Sara Jane Waddle and she is doing well.”

The issue

Singh was dethroned and replaced by the first runner-up Daniella Walcott. 

She took the matter to court and it was referred for arbitration.

On Monday, arbitrator Ernest Koylass, SC, ruled that while Singh breached specific terms of the beauty pageant agreement, such breaches were not fundamental enough to warrant her termination as Miss World T&T.

He, therefore, ordered that she be reinstated and that each party bear their own legal costs of the arbitration and that both parties attempt to agree on the way forward to arrive at a mutually accepted resolution of this matter. 

Attorneys for Kimberly Farrah Singh:

• Prakash Maharaj.

• Rhon Mitchell.

• Frank Gittens.

• Rondell Donowa.

Attorneys for Vanessa Sahatoo-Manoo:

• Kevin Ratiram.

• Charlene Kalloo.

Caught in the act of breaking into a jewelry store in San Fernando, a Jamaican national wanted by Interpol jumped 25 feet off a building, breaking both legs in the process as he tried to evade the police.

The dash for freedom proved unsuccessful for the 28-year old Jamaican, a resident in Port-of-Spain who is known by two different names. He was detained and is now warded at the San Fernando General Hospital under police guard.

A bag with cutting implements was also recovered by police. Police believe he is the mastermind behind a spate of ten other rooftop burglaries in and around San Fernando. Upon his release he will be questioned in connection with a number of break-ins and larceny in the Port-of-Spain, Central, Southern and South Western Divisions.

His arrest comes after months of investigation into several rooftop burglaries which resulted in millions of dollars in losses to the various business owners.

According to reports, around 4 am yesterday, Cpl Christopher Emrith, PC Collin Pereira and PC Ali from the Criminal Investigators Department (CID), San Fernando, were on patrol along High Street when they received information from jewelry store owner, Jitendra Desai, that a man was seen breaking into his building from the roof.