The rest of her body also bore multiple stab wounds. Joseph’s estranged boyfriend, Keyon Roberts, 29, who police believe carried out the gruesome killing and later committed suicide by setting himself ablaze in an outdoor bathroom, died as a result of third degree burns to 90 percent of his body. He was burnt alive. His uncle Ronald King had responded to Roberts’ cries for water to put out the flames on his body as he lay dying on the ground. It is believed he doused himself with kerosene before setting himself on fire.

Both victims were found naked at the time of death. Reports are that the couple who had been in a relationship for the past five years had recently separated and were trying to reconcile the relationship when the tragedy occurred.

On Monday morning, relatives woke up to the murder/ suicide horror that left the small community of Parforce Road Extension, Gasparillo in total shock although they were aware that Joseph was a victim of domestic violence. Yesterday, members of the two grieving families were still trying to come to terms with the loss.

Roberts was involved in two ongoing relationships – one with Joseph and the other with the mother of his two young daughters.

Joseph’s grieving mother Roxanne told Newsday, “I normally read these things on papers but when it hits home, it is a different feeling. I only feeling a raw pain on the inside. I can’t eat, everything just coming back up. I can’t sleep.” Roberts’ grandmother Jocelyn King said her grandson disappointed her. “I don’t know why he did that.” Funerals for the victims are still being planned and are expected to be done next week.

Investigators, who have so far not ruled out foul play, said the man appeared to be in his 30’s.

Yesterday’s discovery was made by someone who, police say, may have gone to the river to fish. The paved Connector Road, which has no street lamps, is often used as a short cut to the M2 Ring Road, Golconda. According to a police report, at about two o’clock yesterday afternoon, the bloated body, clad in a black tee shirt and a three quarter pants, was spotted floating in the river and the police was contacted.

Undertakers with the assistance of police officers had to go down a slight incline and, with the use of a piece of rope, pull the body out of the water and onto the roadside. Police said the body might have been in the water for more than 48 hours. It was later viewed by District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Mandoor and ordered to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital to be transferred to the Forensic Science Centre St James for an autopsy. Officers led by ASP Ali Mohammed and including Insps Gajadhar, Persad, Sgt Morrison and officers of the Homicide Region Three responded to the report.

According to police reports at about 11pm, Toondarsingh the driver of a Nissan B 14 was heading north along the Solomon Hochoy Highway when he crashed into a garbage truck proceeding in the same direction. The accident, police said occurred near the Claxton Bay overpass. Police said Toondarsingh’s vehicle slammed into the back of the garbage truck and he had to be freed from the wreckage by fire officers.

The driver of the garbage truck sustained minor injuries. An autopsy performed at the Forensic Science Centre revealed Toondarsingh died from multiple blunt force trauma to his body. Speaking to Newsday yesterday, a close female relative said Toondarsingh was on his way home when the accident occurred. She said there are all kinds of speculation as to what caused the accident.

“We don’t know if he was sleeping , or if he got a ‘bad drive’, we don’t know. I was not there,” she said.

Toondarsingh plied the Chaguanas to San Fernando route. Relatives described the taxi driver as fun-loving and family oriented.

“He was the one always making everyone laugh. It is really sad what happened and he would be missed by everyone,” the emotional relative said. Up to late yesterday funeral arrangements were still being finalised. Officers of the Couva Police Station are continuing investigations.

The report stated that Richard was last seen wearing a dark coloured jersey, a three quarter pants and a pair of Puma sneakers.

Yesterday when contacted, the distraught attorney told Newsday, “We have not heard anything as yet and right now we are having a difficult time dealing with this.” The Anti Kidnapping Unit and officers of the Couva Police Station are continuing investigations.

Responding to a question from Opposition Senator Wade Mark in the Senate yesterday, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said, “One road fatality is one too many.” Sinanan disclosed that by the end of this week, an article will be published, inviting suppliers to tender for the option to provide certain speed measuring devices.

He said this will be an open competitive bid and the cost of acquiring these devices will be less than that to acquire similar devices previously.

Sinanan said there are currents six spot speed enhancement cameras and nine speed guns. Explaining the former do not require a police officer to operate them and more of them will be acquired over time, Sinanan said they will be introduced on a phased basis.

The minister said among the other measures being taken by the ministry’s Traffic Management Branch to improve road safety in TT are the installation of high tension barriers along the Uriah Butler and Churchill Roosevelt Highways; the provision of road studs on highways and main roads and the embarkation of reform of the legislative framework governing the fixed points penalty trafficking system and the introduction of a demerit points system in TT.

Indicating that Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi will soon pilot legislation in Parliament with respect to this system, Sinanan was confident that it would, “create the platform for more orderly road use and result in a further reduction in road fatalities and accidents. He said there was, “a reduction in road fatalities in 2016 over 2015” and was optimistic this trend would continue this year.

Government senators said they did not have the document. Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the information which Small was referring to information contained in the report of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives.

He said when the Senate debates money bills, it does not debate that report. Small replied that he had referred to such information in the past but would be guided by Senate President Christine Kangaloo’s ruling on the matter. Kangaloo then suspended the sitting for ten minutes to sort the matter out. During the suspension, acting Leader of Government Business, Paula Gopee-Scoon, Leader of Opposition Business Wade Mark and Co-ordinator of the Independent bench Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir were seen actively discussing the matter amongst themselves on the fringes of the Parliament Chamber When the sitting resumed, Kangaloo said, “This document…

that is named Senate document…

contains what I would say to be background information. If you actually read the front of it…it talks about the variations which then leads to the bill that is before us.

She said when Imbert introduced the bill, “he dealt specifically with the items set out in the bill.” Kangaloo added, “Therefore I don’t think that we should be referring or asking too many questions on what is listed in this Senate document…

those items that don’t form part of the bill.” The sitting resumed and the bill was passed.

Earlier in the debate, Imbert reiterated the purpose total revenue for 2016 was $44.9 billion, expenditure was $52.2 billion and the deficit was $7.2 billion. Gopee- Scoon said the transfer of $370 million from the Energy Ministry to the Social Development Ministry, benefitted 28,000 pensioners in TT. However Mark was sceptical.

“Behind these numbers, we have a story,” he stated.

Mark warned that Government was leading the country into a debt trap, “the economy has crashed and we are in the negative zone.”

Responding to a question in the Senate, Deyalsingh said the centre has a staff of over 13 persons on a rotational basis. Those persons include doctors, registered nurses, primary care physicians and enrolled nursing assistants.

“From the oil spill the major health risk that we have to manage would be respiratory distress,” he stated.

Deyalsingh added, “For that, equipment available and functioning are nebulizers, oxygen tanks and concentrators.” The minister said the question of keeping the centre open 24 hours a day, “may not arise.” He explained this was because, “to date, no resident has presented themselves to the facility seeking any emergency care out of the oil spill.” Deyalsingh said the centre ‘s opening hours are 8 am to 9 pm (Monday to Friday), 8 am to 4 pm on Saturday and 8 am to noon on Sunday.

Where have we heard this before? Is it on the previous occasion when another person was shot to death? No. In fact it was on the occasion of the last 400 and more murders committed last year and the 400 plus the year before, and before that, and on and on.

This commissioner wants the public to support the police and makes this clear on every occasion on which he speaks. It has been repeatedly pointed out that the police are the reason for that lack of cooperation but our respected commissioner does not seem able to grasp the concept.

Here is what his public relations officer says: the police have solved(?) seven murders for the year so far and recites that as a percentage of the number of murders in 2017 (27 at the time), but is forced to concede that of the seven murders solved(?) only two were committed in 2017; the others are for previous years.

With this standard of forthrightness, it is no wonder that the country cannot trust the police and there is little hope for an improvement in the future.

It may be true that as a foreign diplomat John Estrada may have been stepping out of his crease with his statement that the commissioner should fire himself, but he may be excused as a former citizen, whose “navel string is buried here”. The truth is that he was simply saying something that needed to be said out of concern for the country where he was born.

The solution appears to be beyond the capability of the people with responsibility for providing solutions, as so many other things, but concerned citizens must be wondering where it will all end.

Karan Mahabirsingh Carapichaima

From the drive-by shooting death of Balmatie Bachan to the strangling of Rachael Ramkissoon and the shooting of 28 others stems the question: What is the cause of this killing spree? I have heard people attribute the rise in poverty as a possible reason, but none of these murders have been related to robberies, which would have been the obvious result of people becoming impoverished and desperate.

Is it gang violence? If so, what is the gain to be had from killing people such as Ramkissoon, who from all accounts had nothing to do with gangs.

Another plausible explanation is that of drugs. The battle for turf and the preservation of the lucrative trade in drugs and firearms have led to a wide-scale war that is targeted at anyone who stands in the way, real or perceived. In light of this, it is reasonable to assume that no one is safe, as it is possible that in this context mistaken identity and collateral damage are distinct realities.

Clearly there seems to be cluelessness by law enforcement to make a dent in this crisis and an apparent breakdown of the wheels of justice, which appear to have come to a halt. With the appearance of inaction or ineffectiveness of these institutions along with the indifference signalled by the politicians who have so far dragged their feet on important matters relative to crime, the criminal elements have decided that they now have licence to operate with impunity, and this explains the lawlessness that has engulfed our nation.

How do we proceed? The Police Service needs to address the low-morale situation as too many officers are facing criminal charges. This as well as the present leadership crisis evidenced by the requested resignation of two senior officers for non-performance can demoralise the rank and file of the service to go the extra mile in the face of the current challenging circumstances.

While I acknowledge and compliment the hard-working, dedicated and committed officers in the service — and there are many — an acting police commissioner and a lethargic Judiciary cannot adequately support those in the trenches. With little to inspire, the door remains open for unwanted inducements.

Decisive action is needed as the country is crying out for a positive, visible response to the situation. Perhaps we could begin with a 24/7 Judiciary to treat with the backlog of cases and to improve the time frame for trial of people charged with various offences. The immediate appointment of a Commissioner of Police will benefit the sagging Police Service and the entire country.

Our politicians need to dispense with their narrow partisan positions and do what is right for all citizens. Replace the empty rhetoric with visible, positive action which will provide some reassurance in these perilous times. The country needs it.

Garvin Cole via email

The new minister is perhaps the prototype of the future, a down-to-business individual, more interested in performance and results than mudslinging.

Unlike others who are egregiously careless on some days and willfully misleading on others, he will have to take more care so to be truthful and avoid misleading statements.

It might get dicey for him, as this ministry has famously underperformed.

The quintessential illustration of his capabilities will be plotting a way forward that is politically and logistically possible.

Colin Fortune Arima