According to reports, Eddison Almandoz went to the St Joseph police station and reported seeing someone jump from a window on the top floor of his neighbour Joseph De Four’s house in North Street at 12.20 am.

When police went to the house they did not see De Four and the house did not appear to be ransacked.

Police returned at 7 am in company with De Four’s neighbour Nelson Hublin. About 50 feet from the house, they came upon De Four body lying face down in bushes.

District Medical Officer Dr Shivonne Ramroop later viewed the body and ordered it removed to the Forensic Science Centre for autopsy. Foul play is not suspected in the man’s death.

In an unrelated incident, investigations are continuing into the discovery by TT Coast Guard officers of over $160,000 in marijuana during a routine patrol at sea on Tuesday night.

According to a TT Coast Guard press release, officers intercepted a 28-foot-long pirogue five nautical miles off the coast of Chacachacare Island, with two occupants on board. While searching the vessel, 24 packets of marijuana were found. Each packet weighed about 13 kilos.

The men were detained by Coast Guard officers and later handed over to the Organized Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau of the TT Police Service.

Charges of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking have since been laid against the men who appeared yesterday before a Por-tof- Spain magistrate.

“I warned him a lot to be careful,” said a relative who gathered with other family members at the Forensic Science Centre on Tuesday awaiting the autopsy results.

“You know how these youths are. There are certain places you cannot go, if you live in a certain area. Just walking across a road over an imaginary border line can get you killed. Youths out here should be more careful. You can’t live on Muslim side and go over on Rasta territory…

you would collect a bullet. Is war going on now,” said the relative, referring to the Muslim and Rasta gangs.

According to reports, gunshots rang out just before 8 pm at St Francois Valley Road in Belmont.

When residents checked they found Fortune on the road in a pool of blood.

He was rushed to Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Relatives said Fortune had just finished school at Carapichaima Secondary and had aspired to be a footballer. Relatives added that he was last seen alive at about 2 pm on Monday. He was described as a quiet individual. No motive has yet been established in this murder.

The sad story comes as we face on-going political and economic uncertainty, caused by government investment falling to its lowest level since the start of 2016 and many developed markets still firmly in austerity mode. Additionally, pressures also rose from changes in the political landscape stemming from the recent US election, uncertainty over US/China trade developments and concerns over Brexit as well as forthcoming European Elections Globally, almost half (43 percent) reported worsening business confidence. But here in the Caribbean, the news isn’t all gloom and doom especially as the report indicates that the general picture is that US confidence is holding up.

Strong growth in the US is great news for our region as they are the Caribbean’s biggest trading partner.

Recent actions by their government to stimulate the economy have indicated that on the back of planned tax cuts and increases in to government spending, growth in the US will accelerate in 2017.

There’s been a marked improvement in the capital expenditure index, which can be attributed to expectations of a big increase in government infrastructure spending. Furthermore, the employment index also rose, which reflects the improving health of the US labour market.

With these marked results of success in the US market, this is great news, particularly for the Caribbean’s tourism sector. Visitors from the United States account for a large part of this Tourism in the region, with 14.3 million American visitors to the Caribbean in 2015 alone who all benefitted from a stronger US economy at the time.

The Caribbean economy has faced its share of trials in recent times; Trinidad and Tobago in particular, where the decline in energy prices over the past couple of years has also created significant problems, and this is reflected in the low overall level of confidence in the economy.

The fiscal deficit has ballooned, which has reduced the scope for a stimulus package, and the government expenditure index is very weak. The current account, meanwhile, has deteriorated sharply.

But the Caribbean’s banking sector also remains in good shape despite the economic downturn, while the collapse in the oil price has forced the governments to take steps to diversify the economy and explore a number of different revenue streams to provide for sustainable growth.

The US confidence will also positively impact on other tradedependent economies such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam as well as impact on capital investments for emerging markets such as South Africa, Colombia and Turkey. Yet emerging markets are also less dependent on the dollar than before, so we are unlikely to see a repeat of the crises of the 1990s.

In other emerging markets, the research has found that while the hard economic data from China has continued to improve as economic stimulus starts to take effect, which is also seen in Brazil. In India, ongoing implementation challenges in a demonetisation campaign may cause growth to slow in the short term, but long-term prospects, which have been boosted by recent economic reforms, remain positive.

But uncertainties remain in other parts of the world. In Europe, the resignation of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in December 2016, combined uncertainty over the outcome of elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany – which could lead to major policy shifts for regional trade and the future direction of the Eurozone – all contribute to a gloomy outlook going into 2017. In the UK, business confidence fell sharply ahead of Brexit negotiations. However, despite these concerns, the global economy may be on course for growth in 2017 as China responds positively to its economic stimulus programme and the US maintains a partial recovery.

The GECS findings highlight is that businesses and economic forecasters feel that 2017 could mark a new Age of Uncertainty for the global economy.

On a positive note, some of the underlying strengths of OECD and non-OECD economies suggest growth can be maintained and even improved over the next few years. However, there is no escaping that this is a challenging economic environment.

There are prospects of decent growth but risks remain.

One thing for certain is that an economic turnaround will not happen overnight. But it is vital for an economy and it is up to policymakers to demonstrate clear ideas to boost business confidence and avoid a further downward drift.

Accountants are crucial to steering the world’s businesses through these difficulties; after all Accounting is the backbone of the business financial world.

Through contributing to discussions about economic growth, managing finances and promoting good financial governance, they enable CFOs to successfully navigate businesses as they face tough times ahead and take advantage of challenging circumstances.

Fieldwork for the Q4 2016 GECS took place between November 24 and December 13, 2016 and attracted 4,551 responses from ACCA and IMA members around the world, including more than 350 CFOs.

Each team in the National League will use a Tablet to score as oppose to the manual system used by many of the teams in the past.

Chief Executive Officer of the TT CB Suruj Ragoonath explained the new scoring system at the launch at the National Cricket Centre in Couva, yesterday.

Ragoonath said, “It’s a scoring system that is going to be used by scorers via a tablet device, we want to move away from the manual scoring on paper. This type of scoring would be real time, you can just log on to the website (www.ttcb.co.tt) and you would be able to follow any match that is being scored.”

He added, “The system in itself displays scorecards, statistics, individual players as well as teams, it is done in real time, and you can look at the system and see a player’s pitch map, wagon-wheels and strike rate.”

President of the TT CB Azim Bassarath said it was always his goal to start using a digital system. Bassarath said, “It was a goal of mine when I assumed the presidency of the TT Cricket Board, to introduce digital scoring at the club level. Under my leadership the TT Cricket Board continues to be a pioneer, we are the first organisation in the western hemisphere to introduce CricHQ platform. Bassarath is hoping the other Caribbean countries follow TT ’s vision. “The benefits of CricHQ will only serve to strengthen our cricket and I am confident that the other West Indian territories will follow our lead. We must continue to push the barrier and find ways to improve if West Indies cricket is to become a dominant force in world cricket again.”

While Pan Trinbago has received $87 million in Government subventions over the past three years, she said from now, payment to pannists will be made directly from the National Carnival Commission (NCC), bypassing Pan Trinbago, and will be subject to a verification exercise.

Gate receipts from Panorama 2016 – which PanTrinbago indicated to be $8.5 million – will be collected by the NCC and not PanTrinbago, as was the case in the past.

While she could not say exactly how many pannists were paid for performing at Panorama last year, she was confident the issue would not derail Carnival 2017. “The Cabinet has been noting with growing concern, allegations of financial mismanagement by Pan Trinbago,” said Gadsby-Dolly. “These concerns began when there was a public furore regarding non-payment of player remittances for 2016, and it has been steadily growing with allegations becoming more and more damning as time goes by,” she added.

“This is a valid concern to Cabinet, because PanTrinbago receives large amounts of public money,” the Minister said adding that Pan Trinbago’s allocations for hosting Panorama were $34 million, $30 million and $23 million for 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.

“So in order to reassure the public that the monies given towards the organisation are used to ensure the Panorama competition comes off and for the purposes for which it was allocated, Cabinet has directed that immediately following Carnival 2017, there is going to be a forensic audit into Pan Trinbago.” Gadsby- Dolly added that she expects Pan Trinbago’s full cooperation.

She said the NCC has been directed to collect gate receipts for Carnival 2017, to allow government a clearer understanding of exactly what revenues Panorama earns. She said some pannists were already paid for 2016, but could not say how many. She confirmed that her Ministry had sent 2016 monies to Pan Trinbago to pay players.

Efforts to reach Pan Trinbago’s acting president Richard Forteau proved futile as all calls to his cellular phone went straight to voicemail. However, substantive president Keith Diaz – who is on extended sick leave after suffering a heart attack recently – yesterday told Newsday he is keeping abreast of the goings on at the organisation. Told about the forensic audit, Diaz said, “I went to see two lawyers this morning and I will have my day in court.

That is all I am prepared to say for the time.” NCC chairman Kenny de Silva said the commission is ready and able to manage financial affairs of the Panorama competition this year. “That is something I have been committed to for a very long time. All Special Interest Groups must submit its audited accounts.

But now that it has come to a crisis situation and with more challenging times ahead, it just can’t be business as usual,” De Silva said.

(Additional reporting by JOAN RAMPERSAD)

Acting Supt Beverly Rodriguez of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) revealed this yesterday indicating that in the zero to five years category, offences for males numbered 65, while for females, the figure was 171, a total of 236.

The most prevalent offence was sexual penetration followed by sexual touching. Rodriguez spoke at the weekly press briefing at Police Administration Building, Port-of- Spain. She said the figures were of great concern to the CPU and Police Service. She disclosed that for the same eight-month period 986 matters were investigated.

For 2016, 2,122 cases were under investigation. She added that 591 matters in 2016 were brought to the stage of prosecution, while 271 cases were prosecuted in 2015.

Giving the gender and age breakdown of sexual offences involving children for the period May 2015 to Dec 2016 Rodriguez said, “Males between zero and five years, 65 reported cases, males between six -11 there have been 260, males between 12 to16, 254, males between 17 to18, 29.” She continued, “Females between zero and five, 171, females between six to11, 601, females between 12 and 16,775 and females between 17 to18, 85.” Rodriguez explained that there are a number of contributing factors that are responsible for sexual offences committed against children. “Each case is treated and judged on its own facts which could lead to peer-pressure and lack of communications. Family members who are related to these victims are among the largest and are the majority of the offending persons.” Rodriguez encouraged young persons to come forward and inform their parents, guardians, or care-givers of any sort of inappropriate touching.

“If you feel uncomfortable in any way by inappropriate touching of any sort committed by relatives…

a brother or uncle, it must not be encouraged. It must be told to your parents immediately, tell your parents,” she said. Rodriguez said CPU was established to fulfil the requirements of the Children’s Act 12 of 2012, The Children’s Authority Act Chapter 46:10 and the Children’s Community Residences, Foster Homes and Nurseries Amendment Act 2008. The role and function of the CPU is to investigate recent reports of crimes against children including:- sexual offences, sexual abuse, physical abuse abandonment /neglect and ill treatment.

The CPI measured perceptions of corruption within the public service by polling the opinions of business leaders and country experts and ranks 176 countries on a scale of one to 100. The lower the score, the more corrupt the country is perceived as being. “A poor score is a likely sign of widespread bribery, lack of punishment for corruption and public institutions which do not respond to the public’s needs,” said Dion Abdool, chair of the TTTI.

TT was one of the lowest scoring countries in the Caribbean region, with only Guyana and Haiti having lower CPI scores of 34 and 20 respectively, putting them at rankings of 108 and 159. Jamaica moved up to TT’s old spot at 39 out of 100, earning it a place at 83. Meanwhile the Bahamas had the highest regional score of 66, garnering it a ranking of 24 out of 100. Internationally, Denmark was the country with the highest CPI score, of 90, while Somalia placed last out of the 176 countries with a score of 10.

Overall however, more countries had worsening ratings, with the report saying that over two-thirds got score of 50 or less. The TTTI noted that TT’s scores were part of a global trend which indicated a need for urgent action. Part of the action needed to be taken locally said TTTI, was operationalisation of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act as well as enactment of the Whistle Blower protection Bill, now before a parliamentary Joint Select Committee.

“The solution lies with us,” said Abdool as he presented the results.

Managing Director and CEO of the JMMB, Nigel Romano said during his presentation, “The broader national level, it is most important that our political leadership engages with all stakeholders in the country, in a very real conversation around solutions. Leaders need to create buy in up front.” TT is tied with the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Gabon, Peru, Thailand and Niger.

Scores are taken from 13 data sources collected from 12 different organisations. A country must have scores from three of these to be listed on the CPI. Trinidad and Tobago had scores from five, including the Economist Intelligence Unit, the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, the World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey and the International Country Risk Guide of Political Risk Services and Global Insight. The CPI polls perceptions of corruption over two year periods, the results for 2016 being representative for the period 2014 to 2016.

The incident came days after 14 students of the Rio Claro Vedic Primary School were rushed to San Fernando General Hospital with similar symptoms. It is believed that the primary school students inhaled pesticide from a nearby farm. Investigations are continuing into the incident at the Rio Claro West Secondary School.

Reports are that at about 9.15 am, while classes were in session at the secondary school, students and teachers complained of feeling unwell. The students and teachers complained of headaches, nausea, burning sensations in their stomachs and respiratory problems. School sources said there was a pungent stench in the air at the school’s compound early yesterday morning.

A media release yesterday from Mayaro Member of Parliament Rushton Paray stated that the students and teachers who sought medical treatment were in stable condition and resting comfortably at their respective homes.

He said five of the students were also vomiting and complaining of abdominal pain.

“They were all placed under thorough examination. Thirteen students were transported to San Fernando, 11 to Sangre Grande and one to a private medical facility,” the MP’s release stated.

Paray is calling on the Agriculture Ministry and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to collaborate in addressing the issue of chemical usage among agricultural practitioners who operate in fields near educational institutes and residential homes.

He further thanked the doctors and nurses of the Rio Claro Health Centre for their expeditious management in attending to the students and teachers of the school.

Newsday was told that despite the students and teachers falling ill, a decision was made to allow classes to continue.

We also recall the recent murder of Brazil schoolgirl Rachael Ramkissoon, 16, in seeking alternative transport after missing her regular school bus, and recent claims at a Police Service town meeting in Morvant that a serial rapist is posing as a PH driver.

The fact is that once you are in a car you are virtually at the mercy of the driver, even as the Arouca victim managed to escape by throwing herself from the moving vehicle.

However, we must also guard against superficial, knee-jerk reactions.

Anyone reading the victim’s account of her fears of ending up in the grip of an alleged kidnaping ring will surely be moved to call for a curbing or even elimination of the PH trade, but does a crackdown amount to using a sledgehammer when in fact a surgeon’s scalpel would be more apt? This does not by any means take away from the deep fear that the Arouca woman may have felt on being taken off the route that led to where she was going. Her alertness is an example for all.

The PH trade in and of itself is not inherently evil, and we would like to think that the priority of most drivers is to make an honest dollar by providing a much-needed service to populations living in areas that are under-serviced by traditional and regulated modes of transport.

It is also a productive pursuit and a ready source of income to people otherwise disadvantaged by the likes of immigrant status and under-education.

So, how does one protect the travelling public, while allowing the laws of demand and supply to operate in the provision of local, off-route transport? It seems to us that the PH issue must be disaggregated.

Firstly, what are the disincentives to drivers registering as an “H” for hire taxi? Is it cost, bureaucracy, stigma, poor roadworthiness of vehicles, inability to comply with police certificates of good character and/or motor insurance provisions? Secondly, what is the legal “mischief ” arising from PH cars that must be remedied? While the recent debate over whether Uber can operate in TT lawfully is likely being driven by the Government’s concerns over the threat of lost revenues from this private service, the greater concern in the public’s mind over the Uber or “PH” phenomenon is surely passenger safety.

An overall clampdown on PH drivers could well provoke widespread alienation among precisely those people who are the eyes and ears of their local communities, even as the criminal element simply shifts its theatre of operations into another guise. A better idea might be the installation of CCTV cameras at every taxi/PH taxi hub to deter criminals.

This is not a new issue but one that rears up every few years, especially after an abduction. Former transport minister Jack Warner had proposed a sticker to identify approved PH cars, but that suggestion petered out. We recall that in 2010, PH drivers formed themselves into an Auxiliary Transport Association, but which was vigorously opposed, curiously enough, by at least one maxi-taxi association.

As of present it is up to the stranded individual traveller to use his/her discretion as to whether to set foot in a PH car. Most times the traveller is safely conveyed to their destination, but sadly there are sufficient criminals posing as drivers to continue to raise periodic alarm in the population.

While we offer some concerns and solutions, others such as the police, the public and the drivers themselves must engage to forge a proper way forward, including regulations governing the PH trade.

Occasionally, Iceland makes the news. In the 1990s it was mainly because Bjork was among the biggest singer/songwriter stars in the modern music firmament, with dozens of her releases making the top 40 and top 20 charts. She is still considered one of the best female singers of all time. Any variety of music lover should sample her eclectic music and experience the sheer innovation of her pulling from all musical influences.

Iceland made the news again in 2008 when it famously ran out of money. It was the only country to collapse during that global financial crisis, with no foreign currency at all until the IMF bailed it out.

Now Iceland is on the international news agenda because of the murder of a 20-year-old woman whose body was found a few days ago after she had gone missing a week earlier. That is shocking news in a country of 330,000 people with an annual average murder rate of 1.8 people, and where there were no murders at all in 2003, 2006 and 2008. It has rattled Icelandic society.

The murder suspects are two fishermen from neighbouring Greenland, which also enjoys a very low murder rate. What is of interest to many Greenlander women, who have demonstrated in solidarity with their neighbours, is the fact that three women in Greenland have had rare violent deaths this year, two suicides and the murder of the third. That hardly compares with the killing spree that is on in TT, with the disappearance of young women becoming a sport, but it is enough to make us reflect on this cycle we find ourselves in.

I heard a radio interview with an Icelandic woman who remarked that people in Iceland have no reason to be violent or to kill anyone because they have everything they need, including a good public welfare service, the police are unarmed and no one carries weapons. What she did not say is that in common with many countries where the sun does not shine for several months a year, the incidence of depression, mental illness and alcohol abuse is extremely high.

It may be untrue (and who knows these days what is and what isn’t?) but I was told of an early middle-age woman in TT recently escaping capture because she was deemed “too old” when the two men, in a passing car, who had grabbed her finally saw her face.

We cannot claim to be suffering from SAD, and certainly the majority of Trinis do not have everything we need or want but there is something perverse in the preying upon young, vulnerable women. If girls simply disappear we could deduce that they are being trafficked, but the recent spate of disappearances have mainly resulted in death.

Was death unintended or the objective? The answer is irrelevant because we live in violent times, we always have done, but the comparative security, and technical and social advances of the last 50-60 years, lulled us into thinking that the base nature of the human being had changed.

It is clear that our socialisation is ongoing business and we have failed quite miserably in our politics and policies.

Law and order is breaking down here fast, and that places new burdens upon us as individuals, but it is hard to contain violence in an uncertain world so delicately poised for eruptions.

I suspect, sadly, that it will get worse since so many of our problems are structural and we just don’t seem to have the imagination or will to change anything.