N Touch

Time will tell on CLF

Time will tell whether or not the estimated $15 billion owed by CL Financial (CLF) to the State will be recovered. This was the word yesterday from well-placed sources in the wake of last week’s ruling in the Port of Spain High Court to liquidate the beleaguered conglomerate.

Sources told Newsday, “The purpose of a liquidation is to recover as much as possible from an insolvent (bankrupt company.”

The sources added that, “Only time will tell how much taxpayers money injected into bailing out CLF can be recovered.”

On Friday, Justice Kevin Ramcharan okayed the liquidation of CLF by granting the order sought by the Government to recover the debt owed to taxpayers as part of the 2009 bailout of several of CLF’s subsidaries.

Woman SRP wants to wear hijab on duty, files lawsuit

A Woman Special Reserve Police (SRP) constable in the Central Division has filed a constitutional motion against the State so that she can be permitted to wear her hijab while on duty.

WSRP Sharon Roop, who is based at the Central Operations Centre at the Chaguanas Police Station as a wireless operator, said she was a practising Muslim and is being denied her constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religious beliefs.

Roop, an officer for eight years, is represented by attorneys Anand Ramlogan,SC, Jayanti Lutchmedial and Robert Abdool-Mitchell. The lawsuit will be heard by Justice Margaret Mohammed.

In pleading with the court to grant her reliefs sought, Roop said she was advised by the TTPS’ legal officer that the Acting Commissioner of Police was unable to accede to her request to wear a hijab on duty “until there is a change in the legislation”.

In her lawsuit, Roop said three years ago she began wearing the hijab (which covers a woman’s hair) and asked her superiors to be able to wear the head wear while on duty.

She said she was advised to write to the Commissioner of Police to seek permission to wear the hijab with her uniform and provided photographs of ways in which the head wear could be worn with her uniform.

She also provided photographs of law enforcement officers in several non-Islamic countries, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, who have been given the permission to wear the hijab while on duty in uniform.

Roop said she has received no response from the office of the Commissioner.

She has also written to the Minister of National Security and the TTPS Social and Welfare Association.

Roop said when she is on duty she is prevented from truly practising her religion and following its teachings because she is not allowed to wear the hijab.

“I am forced to remove my headscarf before exiting my vehicle on the police station compound and throughout the day, I am left feeling naked, exposed and ashamed because I am forced to disobey the religious instructions which I have received,” she complained in her lawsuit.

Roop also said she was turned away from the Women’s Police Bureau of the TTPS and told she could be disciplined and prosecuted for not wearing her uniform as prescribed.

She was also told she could not wear darker coloured stockings to cover her legs while on duty and to wear the night uniform during the day was a breach of the TTPS Regulations.

“I was very disheartened and discouraged by this response as no one seemed to understand the emotional and psychological impact of being forced to disobey my religion,” she said.

“As it stands I am being forced to choose between prasticing my religion and being a member of the TTPS,” she said, adding that she cannot afford to resign her job because she is a single mother.

Roop said the situation has caused her immense mental anguish and she has had to seek counselling with the police psychologist to cope with the stress and has been subjected to bias and discrimination by certain senior officers.

Roop further said in her lawsuit she was advised by a senior officer of the Central Division that she could not be trusted in the wireless room ‘when things were getting hot’ in Enterprise, Chaguanas, and an attempt was made to have her transferred.

She said the TTPS Regulations make no allowance for items of clothing prescribed by certain religious faiths and because of this she is prevented from observing practices associated with her religious belief.

Freedom under attack

Media workers sometimes have to take risks when doing their job. They venture into ravaging hurricanes; cover conflict in war-torn regions; and tell stories that the powerful would rather not be told. But no media worker expects to encounter danger while simply standing on a public pavement, on a public road, in a public space.

One report of acts of intimidation and assault is bad enough, but three such reports in the space of one week demand action. The law enforcement authorities, the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago and the Police Complaints Authority must conduct expeditious probes into the reports of three media workers from various media houses, including Newsday, being subject to assault, having damage done to their property, and, in one case, being threatened with death.

That these incidents appear to have taken place in broad daylight and with some degree of involvement by persons said to be tied to law enforcement is troubling. They threaten to undermine Trinidad and Tobago’s standing in the world when it comes to press freedom.

Our global ranking in the World Press Freedom Index rose to 34 in 2017, but this masked an actual drop in our global score. Should authorities be unable to come to grips with the disturbing rash of incidents this week, we could well be in store for a severe loss of confidence. The Government, Opposition and Independent parliamentarians must all roundly condemn any act of violence or intimidation directed at the media. Our leaders have a responsibility to set the example for all others to follow.

The facts in relation to these incidents remain nebulous. We accuse no particular company or entity of wrong-doing until the facts are properly established. But assault, threat of death and destruction of property are in no way justifiable. Worse, are the reports suggesting abuse of police power in the hours after the incidents. It is essential that the Police Service, in particular, address this matter given the damage to its reputation which it has sustained due to two recent matters: the day of “Total Policing” and high-profile political claims of prosecutorial victimisation.

This issue is, however, not only one involving the media – which enjoys the Constitutional right to freedom of the press. The reports also raise the prospect of an affront to the freedoms all citizens enjoy, including the right of the individual to life, liberty and security of the person and the enjoyment of property, as well as freedom of movement.

In a modern democracy, if questions involving the public interest are raised, all have a right to engage in a discourse on these matters and to get the facts.

The principle of fairness dictates that all sides have a chance to tell their story. While the source of the attacks will be a matter for the agencies to establish we warn that no individual should be driven to respond to legitimate inquiry by the use of violence and intimidation. It is no good shooting the messenger and leaving the real issues unresolved. The truth will out.

None of this is to say the media is not itself accountable and does not have to abide by rules as well. But attacks on the media are separate and apart from the standard of journalism.

In fact, these attacks heighten the need for the media to have the freedom it has in the first place.

Let all be warned that the media will not be cowed from pursuing matters that are in the public interest. In fact, actions of intimidation only serve to increase attention on the issues which were being examined in the first place.

Melan’s body not home yet

The body of Trinidadian Melan Salvary-Doyle who drownded along with her grandson Oliver Gedio, three, during the floods as category five Hurricane Irma ravaged St Martin, remains in Guadeloupe.

Salvary-Doyle’s body was taken to Guadeloupe for an autopsy was then expected to be flown back to Trinidad for burial.

The grandmother of six was seeking shelter during the hurricane when she and her grandson were swept away in the flood waters.

When contacted yestterday, Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Affairs Minister Charles Fernandez said Salvary-Doyle’s return for her final farewell would be delayed for at least a couple of days since the helicopter that was being used during evacuation left around midday on Saturday for maintenance.

“We were planning to return her body Monday or Tuesday and of course we have this threat from Tropical Storm Maria so everything had to be put on hold,” Fernandez said.

In light of the possibility that Tropical Storm Maria may hit the islands again, the minister said by tomorrow they would decide whether to open shelters, depending on TS Maria’s path.

Asked if the islands were equipped to handle another storm ater Irma’s devastation, Fernandez said: “Nobody is ever really equipped for a storm or a hurricane, but we have a lot of relief for Barbuda and we are allowing them in a limited capacity to travel back and forth. We are going to try and make it the best we can. I think we will be pretty much okay for now, I don’t know what the storm will bring depending on how devastating it is that is another story. We are as prepared as we can be I think,” he said

Previously Fernandez had stated that they had received more than enough relief supplies from several countries, but they were looking for financial aid to rebuild Barbuda which was amlsot totally torn apart.

However, he said it did not have to be just money, but building materials.

“We have gotten some committments even if it is not financial because we are looking at rebuilding, so we think it would be appropriate to give building materials. We have a number of people who have come in and are committed to help rebuild our hospital and the schools so that is what we are doing so nobody has to put money and they are not sure how the money would end up

“We are quite prepared to say look, you don’t have to put money. You can send building materisals, you can work through your organisation to rebuild the schools. We don’t want anybody to feel we just want the money to put in the bank and probably be misued. We also have an accounting firm to account for all supplies coming from the National Office of Disaster Services.

The director went publicly on television Saturday night and gave the assurance that everything is being accounted for, and he is quite confident that all the protocols necessary for transparency would be adhered to,” Fernandez said.

Man drowns in Guapo

Ramlal Pooran, 37, of Duncan Village, San Fernando, drowned while bathing at a beach near Point Fortin on Thursday evening.

His partly decomposed body was washed ashore on Saturday afternoon in the vicinity of a beach known as ‘Platform Three’ in Cedros. According to a police report, at about 5.30 pm on Thursday, Pooran went with friends to a beach in Guapo Village near Point Fortin when he and his friends were in the water holding on to a piece of styrofoam to stay afloat.

When the water became rough, Pooran went under while his friends managed to get to safety.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Pooran’s sister Vimla said that her brother could not swim and was very cautious about entering the sea. “My brother would not go into an area where he cannot stand in the water because he cannot swim. I have a lot of questions. How did my brother reach so far out in the water?” Vimla asked.

She said her family was only notified on Friday that her brother had drowned. “They had a responsibility to tell us that Pooran was missing and we only found out on Friday evening when we inquired where was Pooran. So, I think something is very sketchy about the story told to police officers,” she said.

Pooran, she said, was looking forward to celebrating his birthday on Friday “He had been speaking about his birthday celebrations for weeks. He was already in the planning stages of buying food and drinks and to get family members together,” the grieving sister said.

Pooran was the father of a 13-year-old boy. An autopsy is expected to be done Forensic Science Centre today. Cedros Police officers are investigating.

Four held in Forklift theft

A raid in Enterprise, Chaguanas, on Saturday afternoon ended with the seizure of a white Nissan forklift and the arrest of four men in connection with the find.

According to reports at around 5:30 pm on Saturday, Senior Superintendent Persad, Corporal Villaroel and PC’s Fortunae and Armstrong and other officers of the Stolen Vehicles Squad, acting on an anonymous tip visited a house in Crown Trace, Enterprise, where they conducted a search of the premises.

The officers discovered a while Nissan forklift behind the house, covered in a tarp.

The four occupants of the house were arrested and are being questioned by investigating officers.

Newsday understands that the forklift was reported as stolen from a warehouse in Central earlier this month.

Port Authority fixes problems plaguing Cabo Star, truckers travel in comfort

​Truckers are now travelling in a comfortable state on the cargo ferry, the Cabo Star, after the Port Authority moved to fix various issues which had previously rendered their inter-island journey “inhumane”.

President of the Truckers and Traders Association, Horace Amede, told Newsday Tobago last Thursday that truckers were now more comfortable after several adjustments were made on board the ferry by the Port Authority following their grievances aired at a September 6 meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Land and Physical Infrastructure in Scarborough to enquire into the procurement and maintenance of the inter-island ferries.

Secretary of the Truckers’ Association Samuel Applewhite, had told the Committee that a lack of adequate toilet facilities on board the Cabo Star had left some truckers with no other alternatives but to resort to using the face basin for urination, or urinating over the side of the vessel. Applewhite also noted a lack of sleeping accommodation for truckers which he said posed a health hazard for them. And the ferry’s cafeteria supplied just snacks which was inadequate to feed truckers, he added.

Amede had told the Committee that the Cabo Star has just two toilets, unlike 15 toilets on the predecessor cargo ferry Warrior Spirit and with the Superfast Galicia having three toilets plus toilets within each of 15

cabins. “Replace the boat (Cabo Star)! It’s definitely not working,” he had declared, also lamenting the many hours that truckers remain unable to shower on board the vessel. Asked about any remedies, Amede had told the Committee that the ferry’s air condition must be fixed; it needed to be fumigated for mites, roaches and rodents; and parking lines must be re-painted to properly accommodate the trucks. Speaking to Newsday Tobago last Wednesday, Amede said he was satisfied with the work done on the vessel by the Port.

“There is a fully functional cafeteria that has water and refreshments for the guys. We are not seeing as much rats and rodents as we saw before. They changed the schedule for the sailing times to the way it was when the Superfast Galicia serviced the islands.

“After we asked and pleaded with the port to change the times, it is now back to normal where the vessel leaves at 2pm from Trinidad and 11pm from Tobago,” he said.

“We have functioning toilet facilities, some of the cabins were made available, from (last) Monday for truckers to rest, and the air conditioning unit is working,” he added.

“Not everything has been completely addressed but they are not things that the truckers cannot deal with and bear with for the rest of the time the vessel is contracted to transport cargo,” he said, citing as an example the fact that there were not sufficient cabins to accommodate all the truckers as “only five or sometimes six cabins available.”

“They say that the boat will be here for a year so we will have to wait and see what is happening, we don’t know what will happen after the inquiry. We can’t say anything further until the Joint Select Committee findings and based on that we will announce what the truckers decide. As for now, we are in a better position now than when the boat first arrived in July,” he said.

Garcia congratulates new UWI chancellor

Education Minister Anthony Garcia has offered the support of his ministry to newly installed Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Robert Bermudez.

In a statement yesterday, the ministry said in addition to his words of congratulations, Minister Garcia offered the support of the Ministry in continuing a strong and dynamic relationship with the UWI.

Minister Garcia stated “It is my hope that the Ministry of Education and by extension the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, can work with the University of the West Indies to continue the development of human resource in innovative ways that aid to strengthen the Caribbean economy.”

Chatoor, Santana retain 5,000m titles

Graham Chatoor and Chisara Santana both defended their 5,000-metre titles when the Subway Maracas Open Water Classic was held at Maracas Bay, yesterday.

Chatoor of Marlins won the overall title, and men’s open title, in one hour, 10 minutes and 10 seconds, finishing ahead of Malik Nelson of Atlantis Aquatics (1:10:28) and Gabriel Bynoe of Tidal Wave Aquatics (1:12:28).

Santana led a clean sweep for Tidal Wave Aquatics in the 5,000m women’s open winning in 1:15:52. Shania David clocked the same time as Santana, but the latter got the nod. Shania’s younger sister Sabrina copped third spot in 1:20:05.

Chatoor was elated with his victory. “It feels really great. I won last year so it is great to come back and win again,” Chatoor said.

The 17-year-old said the tough conditions and new course resulted in him completing the race in a slower time. “The course was a lot different so I had to get use to it while I was swimming. There were a lot more currents than last time so the time might have been a bit slower, but overall it was good.”

Chatoor, who won last year in 1:05:57, said all the training paid off. “I had a lot of really tedious, long distance training so that definitely helped.”

Santana was thrilled with the victory as her preparations could have been better. Santana said, “It is really good, I feel amazing. I was not really training well over the past two months so I was kind of unsure about it, but I had self confidence and I put in all that I had (yesterday) and I got good results and I am really grateful.”

The 16-year-old, who said part of the course was rough, tried to stick to her strategy. “My strategy was for the first, fourth and fifth lap I would sprint. But for the first lap I went a little off course so I had to get back…up to speed.”

In the 3,000m men’s open event, which replaced the 2,650m event, Josiah Parag of Blue Dolphins won in 40:54. Defending champion Kael Yorke of Tidal Wave Aquatics could not complete a hat-trick of titles, finishing second in 41:00, while Nikoli Blackman of Marlins was third in 41:02.

Courtney Lawrence of Marlins won the 3,000m women’s open in 46:07, followed by Jada Chai of Atlantis Aquatics in 48:00 and Gabriella Acosta of Tsunami Swim Club in 48:20.

President of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) Wendell Lai Hing thanked the sponsors for the support. “Subway has once again come forward and helped us a lot. They are our title sponsors and they have pumped a lot of money into this together with Dasani and Powerade,” Lai Hing said.

RESULTS (clubs in brackets)

5,000m Men’s Open –

1.Graham Chatoor (Marlins) 1:10:10

2.Malik Nelson (Atlantis Aquatics) 1:10:28

3.Gabriel Bynoe (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:12:28

5,000m Women’s Open –

1.Chisara Santana (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:15:52

2.Shania David (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:15:52

3.Sabrina David (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:20:05

3,000m Men’s Open –

1.Josiah Parag (Blue Dolphins) 40:54

2.Kael Yorke (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 41:00

3.Nikoli Blackman (Marlins) 41:02

3,000m Women’s Open –

1.Courtney Lawrence (Marlins) 46:07

2.Jada Chai (Atlantis Aquatics) 48:00

3.Gabriella Acosta (Tsunami Swim Club) 48:20

1,000m 12 and Under Girls –

1.Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 14:43

2.Savannah Chee-Wah (Marlins) 15:16

3.Neishelah Caseman (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 15:27

1,000m 12 and Under Boys –

1.Zachary Anthony (Marlins) 16:03

2.Liam Carrington (Atlantis Aquatics) 16:21

3.Giovanni Rivas (Team Rivas) 16:27

1,000m 13 and Over Boys –

1.Sheni St Hillaire (Point Aquatic Darts) 12:03

2.Derell Augustine (Point Aquatic Darts) 15:17

3.Jonathan Constantine (Silver Sharks) 15:18

1,000m 13 and Over Girls –

1.Ileana Bocage (Flying Fish) 17:38

2.Kirsten St Omer (SJC Triathlon Club) 17:38

3.Aliyah Williams (Unattached) 17:45

Police recover 100 stolen vehicles in 2017

For the year so far, the newly-formed Stolen Vehicle Investigation Unit of the Police Service has recovered 100 vehicles.

According to data from the unit, the vehicles were stolen from mainly in Central, East and West Trinidad area.

Last week Friday, officers of the unit which is based at the Arouca Police Station, arrested a man whom they described as the ‘Don” of the car stealing racket.

According to a police report, the unit recovered several vehicles last week that were reported stolen by their respective owners. This brought the total to approximately 100 vehicles which have been recovered in bushy areas and at what police have described as ‘well-outfitted garages’.

The report stated that for 2017, the type of stolen vehicles recovered consisted of B-12, B-13, B-14, B-15s, Almeras, Laurels, Tiidas, Elantras, Toyotas, Navarra Hilux, Mazdas and even a Range Rover.

According to the report, most of the vehicles were stolen from North Trinidad. The second largest was from East Trinidad in places such as Tunupuna, St Augustine and Arouca.

The members of the unit who retrieved the vehicles from garages and from abandoned tracks and dirt roads were: Inspector Robert Joseph, Cpl Joel Sifontes, PCs Valmiki Lalsingh, Joel Keer, Leon Paul and WPC Rhonda Reyes.

The report further noted that 40 percent of the stolen vehicles were repainted, chassis numbers defaced and the vehicles equipped with false registration plates. The report said investigations by the unit have led police to the conclusion that the purpose for which the vehicles were stolen as for the commission of a crime such as murders and robberies.

Approximately 75 persons have been arrested since January and are currently facing charges in the court.

According to the report, it appeared that car thieves were staking out vehicles at malls and major shopping districts. It also said many of the vehicles were stolen at gun-point.

A Tobago vision for survival without ferry

The events surrounding the ferry fiasco have brought on a feeling of dejection and hopelessness among many Tobagonians. We feel as if our prospects for growth on the island have been set back a million years. The fact that this situation was inflicted on the island by a government headed by a son of Tobago depresses us even further.

What social and economic progress can Tobago look forward to now with the massive losses being incurred daily, by almost everyone on the island – from hoteliers, to vendors, to professionals to taxi drivers – everywhere things keep getting worse and worse. Our misery grows each passing day because we do not see a speedy solution in sight – no proper cargo and passenger ferry on the horizon, and moreso, no compensation for all the losses that all of us are incurring.

Over the last five months we Tobagonians have had to face the fact, for the first time in all our lifetime, we cannot count on a daily ferry service bringing in goods and taking us to Trinidad to

conduct our business. For as far back as the majority of us can remember, a boat has always arrived in and taken off from Tobago, on a daily basis – even thrice per day in recent years. We just took it for granted that a boat was available to us every day… just get a ticket and things are on track. Never did we foresee that a day such as this would ever come.

Ferry as a lifeline

The question is, what are we in Tobago to do now because we are all adversely affected in so many ways? The ferry fiasco and the lack of a solution changes things drastically for us as it goes to the very core of our existence as Tobagonians. It is already inpacting our future and the future of our children and grandchildren. The ferry is our lifeline in more ways than one.

Things are compounded by the fact that all our representatives who fought so hard to represent us in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and the Parliament are silent about the fiasco. Not a word to us, not a consultation to get our views, no leadership… nothing. That is what bothers me most of all, their allegiance to a political party has completely trumped the interest of Tobago… so for them, its stay quiet and hope that it goes away.

So, we in Tobago have to grow up fast and make some far-reaching decisions on the way forward. It is not just about talking, quarrelling, protesting or swimming.

Tobagonians speak out

First of all, we in Tobago have to decide how mad are we about the ferry fiasco. Is it that we intend to stay silent and let a few

carry the burden of speaking out? Is it only the dramatics like ‘WATSON SWIMMING’ – where we see ourselves as SPECTATORS – that we are prepared to show up for? Like an exciting Carnival lime? Remember when Watson called us out to march a few weeks ago, only a handful of persons were there.

Secondly, are we in Tobago satisfied to ride out this problem until the next due election date. Or a we going to demand that we go back to the polls in the hope that credible alternatives to the present representatives would emerge. In other words, are Tobagonians going to find their voices to say at last that enough is enough. Or will we continue to suffocate ourselves under the PNM ‘til ah dead’ routine. Even PNM people no longer believe that the party can bring solutions to the problems any more. They just hanging on for … so.

Also, are Tobagonians at last going to demand of our opposition forces here on the island that they band us together in a dynamic united group and disassociate ourselves from all Trinidad-based political parties? You see I am arguing that the time is now for a serious vision to be mapped out for us in Tobago. None of the two existing national parties can or will do it.

For instance, I am saying that at the same time that this PNM government was dropping the ball on the Tobago ferry, if the opposition parties were concerned about us, they would have been vocal in sounding the alarm about it. They should have been pointing out the problem and that there is trouble ahead for Tobago. It was an ideal subject for a motion of urgent public importance in the Parliament. That is what happens when an opposition cares about people and what is happening to them.

So, we have to accept that none of the two parties cares one hoot about us. I don’t have to remind us that the THA itself has also failed us at our greatest hour of need. It was created to do exactly what it did not do in this ferry issue… sound the alarm and demand a solution WELL IN ADVANCE, NOT STAY DUMB! The recent refusal of our Chief Secretary and his Secretary for Agriculture to go before the JSC and the reasons advanced is so laughable and ridiculous that it fit for inclusion in my book of sweet jokes! They have all failed Tobago … failed badly.

A role in the process

So where do we go from here folks? For starters, the Port Authority has publicly invited tenders for the supply of a Roll On/Roll Off Passenger Fast Ferry on a two-year Time Charter. The deadline for submission of tenders is September 20, 2017. I am thinking that the Chamber of Commerce, the Truckers and the THA, either together or individually, ought to move swiftly to identify REPUTABLE suppliers in Europe and wherever and urge them to submit tenders. Do your research now and get a good operator or two to apply. That is the first step to Tobago’s maturity. We must play a role in this process.

If we truly love this piece of island and are CONCERNED about our welfare and that of our children, we the people of Tobago, and our Assembly have to intervene and not continue to stay on the sidelines, like if we are spectators. The time is now for our young leaders and older heads, too, to stand up and declare that Tobago needs a new vision for survival. A vision which reduces dependency on the ferry service from Trinidad. A vision which allows the island to continue to operate efficiently – ferry or no ferry. A vision for true and practical self-dependence for a change.

Lesser Antilles on new hurricane watch

Tropical Storm Maria was upgraded to a hurricane on Sunday. She follows in the wake of Irma, Jose and Lee, who has been downgraded to a tropical depression and poses no immediate danger.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Metorological Office, Maria was moving west-north west at 24 kilometres per hour.

Meteorologist Anton Wiltshire said Dominica was under a hurricane warning rather than a hurricane watch while St Lucia was under a tropical storm warning.

TS Maria is expected to be passing over Dominica and Guadeloupe, but because of the size of Maria she could affect other islands north of Dominica as well as south as far as St Vincent. He said TT would not be directly affected by Maria, but there was the possibility that we could be affected with instability associated with the passage of storm.

He explained that instability in the atmosphere could generate showers and thunder showers.

No more storms have been forcecasted after Maria, at least for now, which would be a relief after several islands were devastated after the passage of Irma and Jose, especially Antigua and Barbuda, St Martin and also the Florida Keys.

Barbuda was declared 95 per cent demolished as most of the buildings were destroyed. A hurricane warning is in effect for Dominica, while a hurricane watch was upgraded for Antigua, Barbuda, St Kitts, Monsterrat, Guadeloupe, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten, St Martin, St Barthelmy and Anguilla.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for St Lucia while a tropical strom watch is on for Martinique, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines. Asked about the tremendous heat TT has been experiencing these past few days, Wiltshire attributed this to TS Maria.

“She would be drawing a lot moisture into her and as she draws that moisture she is going to pull that moisture from over us and most of the islands that are south of her right now”, he said.

Before 10 am yesterday, the Met Office had registered 34.6 degrees Celsius.

New UWI Chancellor Installed

New University of the West Indies Chancellor Robert Bermudez, second from right, poses with UWI vice chancellor Sir Hillary Beckles, President Anthony Carmona, and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, at an installation ceremony at the UWI St Augustine Campus on Saturday.

Bermudez was announced as Chancellor back in April by Education Minister Anthony Garcia, who stated that Bermudez brings “a wealth of business experience” to the role.

UWI’s new Chancellor is the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bermudez Group of Companies, and is also a non-executive director of the Massy Group.

BPTT pledges annual scholarship for junior Renegades

BP Trinidad and Tobago will increase its support for the Renegades Steel Orchestra in 2018. In commemoration of the Junior Renegades’ tenth win of Junior Panorama in 2017 and the steel orchestra’s 70th anniversary to be elebrated next year, the company announced a new annual scholarship for one qualifying Junior Renegades band member each year.

The announcement was made at a private screening of the’ to be a Renegade’ documentary held for the band at the Government Campus Plaza Auditorium. Norman Christie, BPTT Regional President announced the new bursary by saying:

‘One of the most powerful levers for change is education. To this end and in commemoration of the fourth consecutive Junior Panorama title won by the Junior Renegades, it is my pleasure to announce the establishment of the BPTT Renegades Bursary.

This annual bursary, will be offered to a member of the Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra who has been accepted to pursue tertiary level education at an accredited institution.’

Minister of Culture, Nyam Gadsby Dolly, Minister of Agriculture, Clarence Rambharat, former Mayor of Port of Spain Murchison Brown, former Minister of Culture Joan Yulle Williams and Nneka Luke, CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company were among those that attended the private screening of the BPTT sponsored documentary with BP Renegades band members, senior members friends and family of the Charlotte Street based steel orchestra.

Following the movie, Danielle A. Jones, BPTT Manager Corporate Communications recognised the family members of the BP Renegades for their support of the band and community: ‘The greatest gift you can give a child is to expose them to the arts and culture of Trinidad and Tobago,’ said Jones, ‘we (BPTT) thanks the parents, Aunties, uncles, grannies and grandparents for exposing their families to pan.. We even thank the godparents, like my godmother who first took me to push pan for the Renegades on Charlotte Street in the 1990’s and helped inspire this film.’

TT Girl Guides in India

The Girl Guides of Trinidad and Tobago (GGATT) are in India where the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is holding its 36th WAGGGS World Conference.

Some 146 member organisations are currently in Delhi, India for the triennium event which brings together the main decision-making body of WAGGGS.

The 3 representatives of Trinidad and Tobago are: Jacqueline Dolly — Chief Commissioner (as Head Delegate), Amy Charran — Young Leader (as Youth Delegate) and Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing — Council Member (as Observer).

WAGGGS is the world’s largest international, voluntary movement for girls and young women.

There are over ten million girls in 146 countries, and over 4,000 members in Trinidad and Tobago.

A statement from the GGATT said the organisation encouraged and supported girls and young women to develop their full potential as leaders and active citizens of the world.

Focus on CJ Archie as law term opens

Focus will be on Chief Justice Ivor Archie today when he opens the 2017/2018 Law Term amidst calls by senior legal practitioner for a boycott of the event.

Archie, who has been called on to resign as Chief Justice, following the imbroglio of the resignation of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar and who has adamantly said he will not be doing so, is expected to address the criticisms levelled against him and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) of which he is chairman.

Questions have been raised on the JLSC’s ability to make appointments since the resignation of two members, retired judges Roger Hamel-Smith and Humphrey Stollmeyer in June, particularly the appointment of seven new Masters to the Family Court.

There has been no announcement of replacements for either Hamel-Smith or Stollmeyer.

Today’s ceremonial opening will begin with an inter-faith service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Hart Street, from 10 am. Chief Justice Archie will then lead a short procession of judicial officers, lawyers and other dignitaries to the Hall of Justice on Knox Street.

Archie will inspect the Guard of Honour by the Police Service before making his way to Convocation Hall, where he will deliver his annual address and declare the new law term open. Rumours are also rife that in addition to leading members of the inner bar, several judges may also not attend today’s opening.

Ayers-Caesar’s abrupt resignation in April, which in a lawsuit against the JLSC she has denied, left some 53 cases in limbo. While some of these preliminary inquires have restarted, others are still in doubt. There has been no official word from Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard on what action he will take on some of these cases, which includes decade-long murder inquiries.

Gaspard in May called for a definitive statement on the status of Ayers-Caesar, saying he could not exercise his powers unless he is officially told whether the former chief magistrate resigned.

Government has announced a decision to file an Interpretation Summons to have the court pronounce on the matter and sources say this is expected to be completed this week for filing.

At a meeting between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in mid-July, Persad-Bissessar rejected the proposal by the Prime Minister for a legislative resolution to the Ayers-Caesar debacle.

Ayers-Caesar was appointed a judge of the High Court on April 12 and resigned after prisoners whose cases were left unfinished rioted.

Ayers-Caesar is also challenging the revocation of her appointment as a judge and she will know next week if she has the permission of the court to pursue her legal action against the JLSC.

September is World Alzheimer’s Month

World Alzheimer’s Month, launched in 2012, is the international campaign mounted every September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia. World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on September 21 each year.

Since two out of every three people globally believe there is little or no understanding of dementia in their countries, the impact of World Alzheimer’s Month (WAM) is growing, but the stigmatisation and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem which requires global action.

The Alzheimer’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago (AzATT) joins Alzheimer’s Disease International during the 6th global observance of WAM in its effort to highlight the importance of early detection and diagnosis of dementia through use of the theme “Remember Me”.

On World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21st , AzATT has planned two main events – an annual seminar at the Scarborough Library in Tobago and an outreach programme on the ground floor of the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) Arcade on Abercromby Street, between 10 am and 5 p.m, starting on Monday 18 until Thursday 21.

Details of other activities can be found on AzATT’s website alztrinbago.org.

AzATT President Ann Smith reminded persons of the signs of dementia: “Dementia is not a part of normal ageing. The ten warning signs are: memory loss that affects day-to-day activities, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation in time and space, poor or decreased judgement, problems keeping track of things, misplacing things, sudden changes in mood and behaviour, trouble with images and spatial relationships and withdrawal from work and social activities.

Smith to interested and dedicated individuals: “Last November when we were looking for members to join the Board, a number of you expressed a preference for working on a Committee rather than joining the Board. Now is the time to join us. We would like to see this enthusiasm and commitment in the following committees-Fundraising; Events and Special Projects; Education, Training and Outreach; Public Relations and Communication; and Volunteerism and Membership. A Director is expected to sit on each Committee but will not necessarily be the Chairperson of the Committee.

“We believe that you possess talent, knowledge, skills and experience which would be of great benefit to the Association and that with your involvement we can further develop the organisation.

“If you are keen to make a difference by becoming more involved in the work of the Association, either on a short-term or long-term basis, or if you wish to find out more, please contact us,” says the president.

Two out of 10 TRHA ambulances working

Two out of ten ambulances bought by the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) in the last two years are “functional” and providing service to Tobagonians.

So revealed Health Secretary Dr Agatha Carrington who, in responding to questions at the post Executive Council media briefing last Wednesday at the Administrative Complex in Calder Hall, said she expected that other ambulances would be “fixed” shortly.

“I would admit, having purchased ten ambulances over the last two years, the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) has not embarked on an appropriate preventative maintenance system and therefore of the ten, we have two functional.

“I intend as Secretary to ensure that this does not reoccur, so they have procured all the spare parts that were required and we

expect that within short order, that all the ambulances will be back up and running,” she said.

Responding to concerns articulated by residents in Charlottesville at a TRHA health consultation last Tuesday night on poor service as regards ambulances, Carrington said “we see those areas as being critical.”

“… there is a commitment by the TRHA to ensure that the preventative maintenance arrangement for the ambulances is allocated to the Charlottesville district (so) we do not have the reoccurrence of a situation that has happened over the last two weeks – the ambulance is out of service,” she said.

“We cannot make excuses to the population, we have to ensure that it is fixed,” she declared, adding “we expect to have some of the other ambulances brought on board because we have various issues, we have brakes to be fixed.”

Carrington said she expected some improvement in terms of the services “within the next few days because some of the repairs are indeed minor.”

“ I’ve been told they are replacing tires and brakes and all of that. I expect that they will be up in about a day or so,” she said.

More sponsor support for ICATT’s accounting conference

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT) is hosting its 2017 annual ICATT International and Finance Accounting Conference in Port of Spain in November.

Already the event is gaining significant sponsor support with the addition of six companies to the line-up. Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA), Deloitte, EOG Resources, Ernst and Young (EY), KPMG and National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIBTT), a statement from ICATT said.

The conference will be held on November 9th and 10th and is to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on the theme — “Driving the Upturn — The Transformation to Longer-term Prosperity” which will focus on strategies to stimulate the local economy to achieve a sustainable recovery, the institute said. The six new sponsors join existing gold sponsors, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), PKF, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre Management Co. Ltd (TTIFC).

Silver sponsor is the CPA, affiliate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) and Bronze Sponsors include Baker Tilly Montano Ramcharitar, First Citizens Bank and Massy Group.

Sally’s Way takes Mayaro by storm

Multiple award-winning film, Sally’s Way, pulled in a new cadre of fans when it was screened to a packed auditorium at the BPTT Mayaro Resource Centre (MRC) last Sunday. The Mayaro screening of the local movie, attended by two of the principal actors as well as its director and producer, won resounding applause from the enthusiastic audience when it ended its 90-minute run.

“I really enjoyed the uplifting message of Sally’s Way. It demonstrates that once you put your mind to it, you can overcome daunting challenges. There are young girls everywhere who face the same predicament as Sally, so the theme is very heartwarming. I think the acting was very good and it shows that there is great talent in the film industry in Trinidad and Tobago,” said UTT student Adana Lambkin, 18, who lives in Mayaro.

Similar sentiments were offered by other movie-goers from Mayaro/Guayaguayare for the film which was screened two weeks earlier in Carenage. Both screenings were facilitated by energy company BP Trinidad and Tobago and underscored the company’s longstanding support of the arts and culture of Trinidad and Tobago, including the film industry.

Sally’s Way chronicles the travails of Sally who is worried of being sent to an orphanage when her grandmother, her only living relative, is hospitalised. Taken in by the well-to-do Dindial family for whom her grandmother worked as a maid, Sally has to endure the taunts of the Dindial daughters and their unwelcoming mother. She also faces bullying at school. Buoyed by a positive attitude, Sally eventually wins over the Dindials and make her way by selling water to residents.

Welcoming guests to the screening, Kerneisha Prince-King, Manager of the BPTT Mayaro Resource Centre, pointed to some of the major cultural initiatives supported by BPTT over the years, such as multiple-Panorama champions BP Renegades and its equally successful junior band, the legendary Marionettes Choir and Pan-in-Schools Workshops.

“We are very happy to offer the people of Mayaro/Guayaguayare the opportunity to view Sally’s Way, which carries a very positive message of overcoming great odds, and to get an insight into the working of the local film industry. It is heartwarming to see so many children, accompanied by their parents, come out for this special occasion to make it a true family affair,” Prince-King told the audience before the start of the film.