This law also permits the Commissioner or a police superintendent to grant or cancel permission given to anyone to discharge fireworks.

The ministry reminded citizens to follow specific safety tips to ensure their use of fireworks do not cause accidents and injury.

These include keeping pets indoors if possible or ensuring their enclosure/kennel is comfortable and securely locked if pets are kept outside; make sure it is legal to use fireworks if your area; never light fireworks indoors or near dry grass; always have a bucket of water and/ or a fire extinguisher nearby, know how to operate the fire extinguisher properly; supervise children around fireworks at all times; stand several feet away from lit fireworks; if a device does not go off, do not stand over it to investigate it, put it out with water and dispose of it and always read the directions and warning labels on fireworks.

The ministry said, if a device is not marked with the contents, direction and a warning label, do not light it.

Williams is expected to travel to Australia to be the recipient of an award from members of the International Women’s Police Association.

He will then travel to China to attend an INTERPOL conference for commissioners of police then proceed on a short vacation with loved ones.

Sources revealed that Phillip was also due to proceed on a three-month course in Washington which would have started in a few days’ time and Acting Deputy Commissioner Deodath Dulalchan would have acted as commissioner in the absence of Williams.

However, sources also revealed that Phillip and Acting Deputy Commissioner Earla Christopher, who was supposed to travel to Australia to attend a conference, were called to a meeting on Saturday and informed that they were not granted permission to leave the country.

It remained unclear why leave for the two officers was not granted.

As a result of the new development, Assistant Commissioner of Police Surujdean Persad will act as deputy commissioner of Police in charge of crime.

Efforts to contact both Williams and Phillip proved futile.

Phillip was reported to be in meetings with the Director or Public Prosecutions yesterday seeking direction in an investigation against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan.

Sources also revealed yesterday that, prior to proceeding on leave, Williams sent messages to several senior officers that they were transferred to various sections and branches.

The sit-down was scheduled for 11.30 am yesterday at the Office of the President, however, waiting members of the media were informed that the songstress had cancelled the meeting because she was feeling unwell.

Newsday understands Caesar wanted the meeting postponed to another day this week but the Office of the President said they were unsure if that could be achieved. Attempts made by Newsday to get further comment from the Office of the President were unsuccessful.

The 78-year-old gospel star, known as the “First Lady of Gospel Music,” was scheduled to perform at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, last night at the Trinidad Revival Independence Concert, hosted by religious non-Governmental organisation Men on the Move.

Calls made to Men on the Move’s administrative department to get further comment on Caesar’s health condition, went unanswered.

“Why the change of heart?” she asked in a statement yesterday, noting his previous warning that the port construction could see a government doing a compulsory acquisition of lands at Toco, only for them to be given to their political financiers.

The MP hit Rowley for his Government’s incompetence on the sea bridge issues, as voiced by the Tobago Chamber of Commerce, the Tobago Hoteliers and Tourism Association, the Tobago Truckers Association and the Tobago Unique Bed and Breakfast and Self-Catering Association.

She said Rowley had recently reaffirmed the need to construct a ferry port at Toco, to create economic activity and link the people of Tobago and Toco, but she said this was a sharp departure from his previous condemnation of such a proposal when he was in the Opposition.

“He clearly cannot be trusted to lead this country if he cannot stay true to his own convictions.” She related Rowley’s stance in a parliamentary debate on crime July 28, 2000 when as an Opposition member, Rowley was very critical of any activity in Toco.

The MP quoted Rowley. “The basis for this port, is some Tobago to Toco ferry. Nobody in Tobago wants it; nobody in Tobago or Toco appreciates it; but that is the grease to have the product created.” “By saying that it is a Tobago to Toco ferry, the (past) Government is giving the impression that it is a public purpose and, under that category, the Government is now going to proceed to take away people’s homes to create this port. So, here we have a situation where those who are living on the land enjoying it now, protected by the law, the Government is seeking to find a mechanism to acquire their land, then give that land to other private citizens to make money. This Toco ferry port has nothing to do with the people of Tobago and Toco.” “Dr Rowley needs to come clean and let us know what has brought about his change in position,” she said. “When in Opposition he was critical of this project and declared that it was a money-making initiative by the then government.

“Does this change of heart allude to him or PNM financiers benefitting from this project?” She said National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCO) head Herbert George had said the Sangre Grande to Toco proposed highway to facilitate the ferry port, could cost $5 billion.

“The Prime Minister needs to tell us where this funding is coming from and how much will it cost to build the ferry port as well,” Gayadeen-Gopeesingh said. “This level of inconsistency and incompetence has trickled down to his Government ministers where we are now seeing esteemed ministerial positions being treated like CEPEP and URP ten days projects

PC James Moses was responding to questions posed by Scotland pertaining to the identification of the accused when he lost consciousness in mid-sentence and collapsed on the witness stand. Acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle and officers of the court rushed to Moses’ assistance and resuscitated.

The matter has been adjourned to September 12

PJ Williams, who is from Central Trinidad, was selected by Pan Am Badminton for Badminton Referee training in Canada last month.

He attended the Pan Am Junior Badminton tournament held in Toronto Canada along with representatives from Mexico and Argentina.

All three candidates were successful in exams set by Pan Am Assessors. They can now wear the official Red shirts which is reserved for Badminton Referees.

Williams now joins a list of nine accredited Referees who can be selected to officiate at the highest level of badminton in North, Central and South America.

His first assignment was the Carebaco Under 19 International held here earlier this month.

Williams, who has played badminton for the last 40 years, qualified as a Pan Am Umpire last year, becoming only the 4th international Badminton Umpire from Trinidad and Tobago. Since becoming involved in officiating, he has also tutored 16 new umpires for Trinidad and Tobago.

Carmona, a former judge, may have been attempting to be flashy, saving the best for last. But the error was obvious to anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the law. If a Cabinet is to comprise, at the barest minimum, a prime minister and an attorney general, and if it is for the prime minister to appoint that attorney general, then a prime minister must be in office first before an attorney general can be appointed.

This blooper resulted in a spectre the likes of which this country had never seen. The swearing-in ceremony for the two ministers had to take place a second time, this time behind the closed doors of the Office of the President.

It turns out that event was not such a rarity after all.

The circumstances surrounding the botched appointment of Robert Le Hunte last Thursday as Minister of Public Utilities do not have to be fully explained for us to apportion blame.

That blame must fall squarely on the arms of the State that are involved in the vetting and appointment of ministers.

To varying degrees all of them must take some share of responsibility: President Carmona, Prime Minister Rowley, Attorney General Al-Rawi, the Office of the Solicitor General, and Le Hunte himself.

The President may have no choice but to act on the advice of the Prime Minister when it comes to Cabinet appointments, but surely no president can be forced to make an invalid move. Does the Office of the President not take legal advice on matters before it, particularly appointments? Was this not the very heart of the recent Privy Council ruling which found the President to be accountable when it comes to the exercise of his power to appoint to various boards? Does the Office of the President – which in theory has at its disposal all of the Silk in the land – have adequate and independent legal counsel? Was that office able to conduct checks in relation to this appointment, unfettered? And while Rowley has attributed the whole fiasco to a “communications glitch,” where did that glitch occur? Did the Office of the Prime Minister, as well, conduct checks? Did the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor? The biggest mystery here is how this could have happened in the wake of the Marlene Mc Donald affair. It was essential that this appointment not have any irregularities.

It is, however, to the credit of the Office of the Prime Minister that once the matter was discovered it was disclosed. For it seems there were no other institutions upon which the public could have counted on to pick up on the matter.

How could a corporate citizen like Le Hunte, who comes from a background where due diligence is par for the course, miss this matter? A communication glitch is one thing, but a failure to assess the situation on his own terms is another.

In both instances, the new appointee is placed in a terrible position.

Either he is a part of a system that cannot get the most basic tasks right, or he has not been thorough enough when it comes to the very first thing he had to do as a minister: raise his hand and take the oath.

We call for the State to implement a far more rigorous process of ministerial appointment, whether through formal means or protocols at the Office of the Prime Minister, to prevent a recurrence of this embarrassing episode for all concerned.

Talented, courageous and meritorious individuals who come forward to serve the public should not be embarrassed like this

However, in recent times, mold has received much negative publicity and there has been growing concern about exposure to mold. Whether in your home or office, mold growth is usually an unwelcome visitor, mostly associated with spoilage, contamination, bad odors and allergies.

But are these claims justified? This article seeks to clarify what mold really is and how it can affect you, your loves ones and your business.

What is mold? Mold is a type of fungus that is uniquely distinct from plants, animals and bacteria. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of mold and they are found virtually everywhere. In the natural environment, mold serves a critical role by decomposing dead plant and animal matter, allowing nutrients to be recycled.

Mold growth starts off as a spore (microscopic seed-like structure) drifting on air currents. When this spore settles on a suitable surface (eg leaves, paper, leather, wood) and moisture becomes available, this spore germinates by sprouting a network of root-like structures.

Continuous growth results in the visible masses that can be seen with the naked eye and the subsequent release of more spores into the air.

Mold can present itself in a variety of colours (eg white, black, green, gray, brown) and textures (eg powdery, fluffy, cotton-like). In the indoor environment, mold can seem to suddenly appear and spread quickly if not addressed.

Why the concern about mold now? Mold issues have gained momentum recently for a number of reasons: We spend more time indoors – It has been estimated that on average a person may spend up to 90% of his/ her time indoors. “Indoor air quality” refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment. If there is a source of mold indoors, the indoor air quality can become compromised and this may increase exposure 2 to 5 times.

Buildings and homes are becoming more air-tight – Locally there has been a rise in the installation of air-conditioning systems. To keep cool air in, buildings and homes are being sealed up without taking into consideration the need for adequate air exchanges. For example, split air-conditioning units recycle indoor air without the introduction of fresh filtered air. This can lead to a buildup of indoor pollutants such as mold spores.

Society is more empowered – Over the last decade there has been a surge in human rights movements.

People are more inclined to demand better customer service and stand up for workers rights. Products contaminated by mold can lead to a recall based on consumer feedback.

Homes damaged with mold can lead to loss of tenants and insurance claims. Offices and work places contaminated with mold can lead to involvement of Workers Unions and the Occupational Safety and Health Authority.

Information is more readily accessible – Social media and smart devices literally allow information to be shared across the globe in real time with the touch of a button. This has resulted in a more sensitized public. Attention grabbing headlines from the media about mold have included phrases such as “Sick Building Syndrome” and “Toxic Black Mold”.

Mold is a money making business – The simple truth is mold has evolved into a money making. Once mold is established, there can be a hefty cost for removal, clean-up and long-term prevention, most of which require hiring of a professional or consultant.

And in these difficult times, every penny counts.

How mold affects us? Whether we realize it or not, mold can affect us, our loved ones and our business in a number of ways, each having financial implications.

Health Effects A US-based study done in 2012 indicated that mold adds $3.5 billion dollars to the annual US health care bill and 21 percent of all asthma cases in the US are attributable to dampness and mold exposure. Almost everyone knows someone with allergies, asthma or other respiratory illness, what do you think the cost for Trinidad and Tobago is? Sick building syndrome (SBS) describes a range of symptoms thought to be linked to spending time in a certain building. “Toxic Black Mold” is reported to be the leading cause of sick building syndrome and building related illness. Occupants may report experiencing acute healthor comfort-related effects which may include: headaches, dizziness, nausea, aches and pains, fatigue, inability to concentrate, shortness of breath and/ or tightness of chest, eye, nose and throat irritations.

Each component of mold growth can potentially cause illness: Mold spores are the tiny seed-like structures that mold releases during reproduction. These spores can remain airborne for long periods and when inhaled, may trigger allergic reactions.

Pieces of mold growth (the root-like structures) may break off when dried out or disturbed, become airborne and also cause allergic reactions.

Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (mVOCs) are gases released by mold growth. This is the characteristic musty, earthy or stale odor that may indicate that mold is present. Some of these compounds are toxic and have been linked to neurological disorders.

Those most affected by mold include young children, the elderly, pregnant women, recovering cancer patients, those with pre-existing conditions (e.g. asthma) and persons with compromised immune systems.

Join us next week as we continue this look at mold.

For more information, please contact CARIRI’s Environmental Microbiology Laboratory for more information at emicro@cariri.com or 285-5050 ext 3504, 3509 or 3512

This warning was sounded by a magistrate yesterday to a motorist in the San Fernando Magistrates’ court, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and also, exceeding the speed limit.

“The court has to ensure the public safety, and yours as well. Putting all that into the mix, you took quite a dangerous course,” Magistrate Natalie Diop told Nicholas “Rico” Mohammed, 25, who was arrested on Tuesday night along the northbound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway. Mohammed was fined a total of $8,000 for both offences.

The legal speed limit on the highway is 80 kilometres per hour and 65 kilometres per hour on secondary roads.

Brought in handcuffs into the courtroom, Diop read the charge that when a breathalyser test was done on Mohammed, it was revealed that the alcohol content in his breath was 75 microgrammes.

The second charge alleged that he exceeded the speed limit by 53 kilometres per hour.

The prosecutor, Sgt Chanardath Jhilmit, said it was at about 9.29 pm when WPC Rajpatie Mahabir who was on a speed-test exercise with other police along the highway, stopped Mohammed’s vehicle – TDJ 6786, in the vicinity of Corinth. She told him that he had exceed the legal limit of 80 kilometers per hour. The officer then detected, the prosecutor added, a strong scent of alcohol which emanated from Mohammed’s breath.

Asked why he opted to drive whilst drunk, especially a heavy goods vehicle and, to compound matters, was speeding, Mohammed told Diop that he had suffered a bout of frustration while at work that night. A mechanic by trade, he said that he had applied for a loan, but the bank turned down his application.

“I was trying to get over something in my personal life. I have been really stressed out.

So, after work I went out, had a few beers and when I was finished, I was just trying to get home safe and was unaware I was over the speed limit.” Before passing sentence, Diop told Mohammed, “In your attempt to get home safe, you acted in a manner that made you unsafe.

You are now worse off than you were last week, because you are now standing before the court as an accused.

Your duty is to keep yourself safe as well as others.” Diop fined him $6,000 on the drunk driving charge, failing which he will serve nine months in jail. For exceeding the speed limit, he was ordered to pay $2,000 or serve two months. He has four months to pay the fines.

“It is heartbreaking and difficult to know what he has to go through, but we would always be there for him,”she said.

The family, Babwah said, is still struggling to come to terms with the murder of Harrylal but are still awaiting the results from the DNA testing before preparations begin for funeral arrangements.

On August 25, Michelle Harrylal, 26, her common-law husband Michael Applewaithe, 35, and another male were discovered in the ashes of the burnt out house.

It is believe intruders invaded their home while they slept, tied them up and set the house ablaze. At about 8 am, a villager in a car was alerted to the tragedy when he saw Harrylal’s four-year-old son wandering barefoot along the roadway.

The villager said the boy appeared to be traumatised.

The crying child told the woman his mother was burnt in a fire and is in heaven.