The John Leotaud-trained bay daughter of Forest Dancer/ Wheels Of Law not only beat four others by eight lengths, but returned the good time of one minute 21.75 seconds (hand timed) just over two seconds adrift of the 1350 metres track record.

Desert Dancer made it a double in the next race for trainer Leotaud, when the tjhjree-year-old gelding mastered his field in winning the 1350 metres for horses rated 75-50.

Favourites or near favourites had a good day yesterday with the biggest tote payout coming on Helena’s Pride who returned $10.45 and $2.75.

Ex-top jockey Vernon “Mal” Lewis saddled his first winners as a trainer yesterday, first with Helena’s Pride and later with Pearl Secret, both trained by Chjester Roberts.

Top rider of the day was shared by former champion jockey Brian Boodramsingh and apprentice Ridge Balgobin, both booting home two winners each.

And with the two victories, Balgobin (14) now takes a twowin lead over Jovika Boodramsingh in the race to the champion apprentice title.

Champion rider Prayven Badrie (37) (managed one success yesterday, to reduce the lead of challenger Ronald “Tiger” Ali (41) who had a blank day.

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Also, she expressed that the Ministry’s launching of “My Book of Rights and Responsibilities” and “Reach Out: A Guide to Child Friendly Services” is the Government’s way of trying to safeguard the children of the nation.

“…Universal Children’s Day is a day to celebrate children for who they are, and also a day where we tell the entire world that children are valuable and important citizens. It is a day we educate children about the reality that there are children around the world today who are victims of violence, abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

And it is a day we reaffirm our commitment to works toward ensuring that no child is forced to live a life of violence, abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

As the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, we want to save you from all the bad things I just mentioned. And for this reason, we’re always looking for ways to protect you and teach you how to protect yourself.

The two books we’re launching today, are just some of the tools we’ve developed, and they serve as a testament of our love and commitment.

“For those who love to read and explore new information, you will be excited to go through these books. However, for those of you who lack the passion for reading, I want to encourage you to read them. The books are more than just pages or words. They are tools to improve your life, and they provide the guide to help you as your journey through life to become positive citizens of our country and a positive human being in this world. It is in this context that I’m truly proud that today we are able to present to you …My Book of Rights and Responsibilities as well as Reach Out: A Guide to Child Friendly Services (over 17 child related organisations)…” The books are also available for online download on the website of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), www.opm-gca.gov.tt.

Moreover, each school will receive a hard copy.

The Trinidad schools won for their application of scientific knowledge and technological solutions to improve the conditions of their schools and community in the Improving Innovation Capacities in the Caribbean (INVOCAB) competition.

INVOCAB is a three-year project of the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Scientific Research Council in Jamaica, and is funded by the European Union. Sixteen primary and secondary schools in TT and Jamaica participated in the initiative.

El Dorado East Secondary and Bon Air Government Primary schools were awarded first place last Friday in a ceremony at the Teaching and Learning Complex, UWI, St Augustine.

Four primary schools and four secondary schools benefited from the project.

Among primary schools, Malabar Government Primary took the prize for Most Creative Project; while St Dominic Savio RC was awarded Most Enthusiastic School; with the Gladiator Award going to Santa Rosa Government Primary; and Best Group Hospitality going to Bon Air Government Primary.

In the main awards, Bon Air Government Primary won for their presentation, “Energy Rescue.” Second place went to Santa Rosa Government Primary with their project “Grow My School.” Malabar Government Primary placed third with their project “Mango Time.” Among secondary schools, San Juan North Secondary received the prize for Most Creative Project; while St Augustine Secondary was awarded Most Enthusiastic School; with the Gladiator Award going to St Joseph’s College; and Best Group Hospitality going to El Dorado East Secondary.

In the main awards category, El Dorado East Secondary took first place with with St Augustine Secondary placing and San Juan North Secondary taking third place.

“Customers using Linx honestly feel they can come in and purchase anything for $1.20, but most places do not because whenever you swipe your Linx card, the bank charges the merchant 75 cents for every Linx transaction.

“We could sell a pencil for $1.50 of which we make a 25-30 cents on a pencil, are you going to take a Linx that would cost you 75 cents? It’s a no win situation,” Jadoo told Sunday Newsday last Friday.

Jadoo said customers would come in to purchase a $10 telephone card using Linx, however, his profit was jus 25 cents, a profit of 2.5 per cent.

“It is unfair and unjust. The banks can say anything that they so desire because they are still making their 75 cents. You can lose how much, that does not concern them.

“When I go to the United States and use my credit card, I have to pay the bank charges, why don’t we reverse the same thing here? Instead of the merchant who has to pay so much money, why does not the customer pay the charge of 75 cents. You use your card, you pay, Why must I pay when you use your card?” Jadoo asked.

He predicted that soon many merchants would start returning their Linx machines.

“The banks are seeking their interest. They don’t care if you lose and I find that is very unfair and unjust.

That is why gas stations do not want to accept Linx because the banks are looking to make a profit and to hell with everybody else,” Jadoo said..

“A lot of people have gotten rid of Linx because of the cost factor. Let the customer pay for the service charge, same as the bank.

“They want to pay you half of a per cent interest in the bank, and they are charging you nine and a half per cent, tell me where the equity is in that,” he added.

A bank source said Linx fees would depend on the type of merchant and the bank.

“The fee would vary from the type of merchant and their business and the risk associated with that business. It is a convenience for consumers but what you don’t see is what is connecting that terminal to everything.

“There are servers, wires, transmission. What the consumer and the merchant is not seeing is the infrastructure that transmits that signal to be processed,” the source said.

The source noted that it was illegal for merchants to demand that customers pay for purchases that were over $20 with their Linx.

“That is not part of the agreement, there is no minimum for Linx. You can buy something for a dollar and use Linx. However, you can’t force a merchant to sell you his goods,” the source said.

President of the Bankers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT), Anya M Schnoor, said in most developed and developing countries there was a push to reduce the use of cash which was costly to move, store and comes with security concerns.

She said the LINX network has existed in TT for a number of years and provided a safe and secure and channel for clients and merchants to make and receive payments.

“The cost to build and maintain this system and to ensure it remains up to date with all the necessary fraud and other technology enhancements comes with a cost and as such the cost of 75c per transaction we believe is more than reasonable. The system performs the same functions regardless of the size of the transaction,” Schnoor said in an email message.

“In terms of individual business owners making decisions regarding limits on LINX transactions, this is not a legal issue as far as I am aware. BATT would however encourage the continued use of the LINX platform as we continue our drive to digitize and improve the service we provide to all our customers,” Schnoor said.

Imbert made this observation as he opened debate on the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Bill, 2016 in the House of Representatives.

Quoting from a recent report from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), Imbert said, “We are not compliant with FATF (Financial Action Task Force) requirements with respect to regulation and supervision of private members’ clubs which operate as casinos.” The minister said CFATF also noted that in TT there is no adequate anti-money laundering or anti-terrorist financing regime for the supervision of these clubs. He explained this meant, “there is no measure in place which prevents criminals or their associates from holding key positions in a private members club.” Imbert said this point is further reinforced by a report done in July by Gaming Laboratories International which indicates that in this country there is, “no transparency into the operations of casinos.” He told MPs that Government engaged the services of the New Jersey, USA-based company in May.

Indicating the bill is the same one brought by the former People’s Partnership (PP) government which lapsed when Parliament was dissolved last June ahead of last September’s general election, Imbert said amendments to certain pieces of legislation have caused gambling to explode in TT.

He said TT’s gaming industry is considered to be the most unregulated in the Western Hemisphere.

Imbert stated there are at least 200 clubs conducting casino style activities and 20,000 amusement gaming machines operating in 4,000 bars and recreational clubs in TT. He also said the industry employs 7,000 persons directly and has an annual turnover of approximately $12 billion.

Speaking later in the debate, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi caused a stir when he remarked that while Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal was housing minister, “know criminals turned up to perform HDC (Housing Development Corporation) contracts.” When Moonilal objected, Al-Rawi said he was talking from a factual statement.

“There is nothing wrong with that construction.

I did not say the Honourable Member put them there,” the AG replied.

“Was it (Energy Minister) Mr Franklin Khan’s wife? Was it Mr Imbert’s wife?” countered Moonilal. Imbert objected and demanded Moonilal withdraw that statement. Upon the insistence of Deputy Speaker Esmond Forde, Moonilal said, “I withdraw the question.

No problem.” Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly claimed that government ministers’ wives have been recipients of HDC contracts under the Dr Keith Rowley Administration.

Imbert and Bolt (a company in which his wife Suzanne is a director) have initiated legal action against the Trinidad Express on this issue.

The Finance Minister has also said he intends to take legal action against Persad- Bissessar as well.

Al Rawi explained that under the Constitution, House Standing Orders and Mays Parliamentary Practice, parliamentarians take ownership for what they say and do not need to produce evidence.

“I take ownership of those statements,” the AG declared. Referring to an electronic article from 2013 which Imbert directed him to, Al Rawi said the individual he was referring to was “the infamous Spanish” and it was reported that Moonilal met that person while he was acting prime minister. Going back to the Bill, Al Rawi said he hoped the Opposition would join Government in aiming a dagger, “at the heart of criminality.”

The woman’s bloodied body was found during the early morning hours on Thursday.

Police said that robbery appeared to be the motive as one thousand dollars, the elderly woman kept in a purse, was missing.

Her house was ransacked and there was evidence that an attempt was made to burn it down.

Grieving, shell-shocked relatives yesterday wondered aloud, what manner of person could beat an elderly woman until she is dead and then go home to sleep? Ali lived alone at Seecharan Trace, Farnum Village in Guaracara and sold flowers which she grew at her home to supplement her pension income.

Ali, a mother six and grandmother of six operated the plant and flower business at her humble, wooden home. She sometime stayed at her daughter’s home some miles away at Wellington Road in Debe but preferred to live alone so that she could tend to her flowers and also conduct business. She was last seen alive by relatives on Tuesday tending to her garden of anthuriums and other flowering plants.

A police report stated that at about 3.30 am on Thursday while Ali was asleep, bandits broke down the front door to the house.

Police believe they ransacked the three-bedroom house and took $1,000. It is believed that Ali ran out of the house in an attempt to escape as she held on to a cellular phone. As she ran in the yard, one of the intruders struck her with the concrete block causing the old woman to fall. What happened next, police said, was nothing short of absolute brutality.

The men used the concrete to bash in Ali’s head and chest until she stopped moving, her arms spread wide with one hand still clutching her cellular phone.

After committing murder, the killers left the bloodied concrete block on top of Ali’s chest. Police said an attempt was made to set fire to the house, perhaps to destroy evidence of the robbery, but it failed with the wooden walls of the kitchen room left scorched.

On Thursday, relatives in Debe began telephoning Ali but got no answer. They then contacted a neighbour and asked him to check on her. It was this person who discovered Ali’s stiff body in the yard surrounded by plants and flowers, with the concrete brick on her chest. Ali’s grandson Mark Baboolal, said that last month she held a prayer meeting at the very house where she met her death, to give thanks to God for granting her 74 years of life and blessing her with children and grandchildren.

“She was a perfect human being.

How could people hit an old woman with a brick on the head and go home to sleep comfortable in the night? She was always grateful to God for giving her life. My grandmother was a very nice and a quiet person,” the grandson said. The 24-year-old man believes his grandmother may have tried to fight with the bandits which infuriated them and caused them to bludgeon her in such a brutal manner.

Overcome with grief, Baboolal engraved the words “In loving memory Zorida Enayat Ali 19- 07-42 – 17-11-2016” on the back windscreen of his car. On the front windscreen, he engraved: “ R.I.P Mama. I love you.” An autopsy was expected to be performed yesterday at the Forensic Sciences Centre in St James, to confirm cause of death. Detective Cpl Bridgemohan of the Homicide Bureau, San Fernando, is spearheading investigations. No arrest has been made.

Residents of the Maloney Housing Development yesterday woke up to sight of over 60 heavily armed police and soldiers surrounding their community as part of a joint anti-crime exercise aimed at flushing out criminal elements and to seek out illicit arms, ammunition and drugs.

At the crack of dawn the large contingent of police and army officers descended upon the Maloney Housing Development ordering residents to open their doors as some officers accompanied by sniffer dogs searched apartments and homes as part of the exercise.

While some persons welcomed the presence of the officers others were displeased claiming that Maloney was no longer a crime hot spot and that there were only a few undesirables living within the community.

Despite their protestation officers continued their almost five-hour operation searching not only homes but vehicles and areas outside apartments, some using metal detectors in a bid to search for illegal arms and ammunition concealed under the ground. School children appeared to be most affected by the exercise because the presence of the officers disrupted the normal activities of parents getting children prepared for school.

However, head of the Northern Division Senior Superintendent Mc Donald Jacob, along with other senior officers including Superintendent Nelson, Inspector Birch and others explained to residents that it was part of the commitment by the TT Police Service to reclaim the country from the hands of criminal elements and return the Northern Division to being a Division with one of the lowest statistics relating to crime.

Northern Division accounts for more than 98.1 percent of the overall murders in this country, and the percentage increased over the past two weeks with the two triple murders in the La Horquetta district.

Within recent times Task Force officers from the Northern Division were mandated to carry out surveillance at the Maloney Housing Development following a murder in that area.

Newsday understands that Acting Police Commissioner, Stephen Williams who has decided to seek a personal interest in the Northern Division due to the high incidence of murders instructed that the joint police/ army patrol be carried out yesterday.

It was there that an exchange during Prime Minister’s Question Time, grew hotter than a ‘chulha’ (traditional East Indian mud oven or fireside) between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition MP for Princes Town Barry Padarath. It resulted in Padarath being later ejected from the House by deputy Speaker Esmond Forde (Tunapuna MP).

Earlier, Rowley threw the Opposition into disarray with the revelation that his predecessor Kamla Persad- Bissessar hosted a Divali function at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on October 16, 2014 which cost taxpayers $1,677,719.79.

The Prime Minister made this disclosure in respone to a question from Persad-Bissessar’s former aide Padarath (now the Princes Town MP) about a $350,000 bill for roti.

As Rowley gave his answer, Padarath shouted across the floor at him three times, prompting Deputy Speaker Forde to eject Padarath from the Chamber for 15 minutes.

“We want the bill!” Padarath shouted as he left. Later during the sitting, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young showed reporters a thick file laden with invoices and other documents outlining all the expenditure for the October 2014 function, which Rowley spoke about earlier in the House.

The documents showed that catering for the event cost $394,568.75. The cost spent by the former People’s Partnership (PP) government on decorations and entertainment for the event were $487,400 and $98,200 respectively.

The event’s other costs for printing and packaging ($128,752.50); shuttle/ parking ($69,750); tents/infrastructure ($454,116.54) and ushering/ambulance/ cleaning ($44,932) were also shown in the documents which Young showed reporters.

As he countered Padarath’s demand to make the roti bill for the PP Divali function public, Rowley promised to show the documents to reporters once the names of groups and persons to which these costs were paid, were not made public.

Declaring that Padarath and the entire Opposition did not understand the issue at hand, Rowley quipped,”It is not about roti. It is about profligacy in its general sense.” Opposition MPs thumped their desks as Padarath continued to shout at Rowley, “Do you have a bill to show $350,000 in roti?” The Prime Minister countered, “I am not surprised that the Member for Princes Town is behaving like that.” Government MPs pounded their desks as Rowley declared, “The profligacy of which I speak is similar to an employee in the Prime Minister’s Office…carrying a handbag for $1.5 million and $600,000 in overseas travel allowance to carry a scarf!” Stating that he had seen documentation (including invoices) which showed the catering cost for the October 2014 Divali function was $394,568.75, Rowley said, “The actual roti on the plate was a quarter million dollars.” Young later reinforced the Prime Minister’s point that the meal served then was “a vegetarian diet.” In contrast, Rowley explained that a Divali function held under his administration at the Diplomatic Centre, “cost us under $300,000.” Opposition Leader Persad-Bissessar was not in the Chamber when Rowley gave his response to Padarath or when Padarath was told to leave for 15 minutes. She appeared in the Chamber after Padarath returned.

Persad-Bissessar was cautioned by Deputy Speaker Forde about having her back to him and speaking to Padarath, while Finance Minister Colm Imbert was speaking on the Gambling Bill.

The Siparia MP apologised to Forde and left the Chamber before the House adjourned at 4.30 pm.

Rowley first made the disclosure on the roti issue at a PNM public meeting in Cocoyea on Wednesday night.

When Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh later questioned why the House was adjourned to December 2 and there was no Private Members Day sitting, Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis indicated that the Opposition had failed to file a single matter on the Order Paper for debate for Private Members Day.

TT’s historian and genealogist, Shamshu Deen addressed the gathering saying that Samoonadrie was not a citizen of India, as she was not yet born when her mother Makhani decided to embark on the journey to Trinidad. “It was from the village from Kranti in the district of Mujaffarpur, in Bihar that Makhani left on August 12, 1912,” he said, adding that Samoonadarie’s mother then left Calcutta, aboard the SS Mutlah, a final vessel coming out of India bound to the Caribbean.

In her final year on earth, Shamshu says, Samoondarie visited the National Trust Council of TT and she was also filmed by a television company of India for a documentary on people of the diaspora. Adlene Martinez (grand-daughter) gave the eulogy saying her grandmother was a beautiful woman who found work at the Ste Madeline factory where she met her husband Doon. Martinez said Samoonadarie and Doon worked at the factory all day and on evenings they did gardening together. At the age of 36, she lost her husband and she took responsibility of taking care of her three kids single-handedly.

“Known to us as Nanny this wonderful human being, would stop at nothing to educate her children as they all went to become professionals leading successful lives,” Martinez said. Her daughters Monica (deceased) and Phyllis, 76, were both started in business at a very young age. Phyllis, her surviving daughter, wept openly at the funeral, sometimes screaming out for her mother. Phyllis built her career as an aestheticism having been trained in the UK, France and Germany.

The officiating priest, Alister Bhola said Samoonadir is known as “Nanny” to all villagers and she remains the most admired individual for living a highly religious life. “She would constantly ask for ‘Thanks Giving’ service as she loved to have people at her home,” he said, adding that “Nanny” will be remembered for her faith in God.

Among those who spoke highly of Samooondarie was Pundit Atma Maharaj who said, the village has lost a great soul. Samoondarie he said, remained in the community of “indentureship” and all the hardships associated with the journey of East Indian labourers

Hitting the $350,000 price tag, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said, “Look at this, if I give everyone of you two roti, I can’t spend that kind of money.” If the “Roti Wars” began as Rowley’s attempt to distract from the political hot potato of recent alleged contract awards to Cabinet wives, they yesterday culminated in the ejection from the Lower House of Princes Town MP Barry Padarath who wanted to see the roti bill.

Otherwise, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar took a personal jibe at Rowley at a recent UNC rally in Freeport. “I do not think there is any greater embarrassment for a person who has more children ‘outside’ than ‘inside’,” she said.

A fiery Rowley responded at a PNM rally in Cocoyea Village, San Fernando.

Claiming Persad-Bissessar to be bankrupt of ideas on local government, he said, “You know what her issue is? That I have more children outside than inside.

You understand? But I want to tell Kamla Persad-Bissessar tonight, that is none of your goddamn business.” Also, adding his bite to the fray was Minister of Public Utilities Fitzgerald Hinds, dubbing UNC “vampires” to be dispatched by a balisier.

He related as saying, “The UNC is badly wounded. We need to finish them out.

Kill them dead.” Predictably, Hinds’ choice of words provoked a prompt and irate outcry from the UNC, which did not regard them as mere banter but rather as a violent threat.

We step in to remind all political parties they had signed up last year to the voluntary Code of Political Conduct, which promotes respect, tolerance, harmony and peace, and decries divisiveness.

The code bans character assassination and criticism of a candidate’s private life or family. It promotes elections being “peaceful” and “free from violence”, with parties committed to “tolerance, harmony and peace”.

Thankfully, tolerance, harmony and peace, despite vocal tremors at times, have always characterised the history of our elections. But the personal attacks, sometimes in a most disparaging light, have also remained a part of the culture and need to stop. It is this extra mile that the framers of the code wanted our politicians to walk.

One of the principal protagonists, Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris, did not give the code a shelf life for merely between elections when it was launched.

“We don’t expect to have 100 per cent compliance immediately, even though I suppose all of that would be welcomed,” the archbishop said, “but we do hope that the code would help us so that ten years from now we could look back and say, ‘Yes, our political culture has changed,’ and not a people who focus on the character assassination but on the projects, the ideas, the philosophy and the development which we all seek for our country.” With the Rowley administration’s aim at a total transformation of local government — to undertake among others roles school upkeep, land tax collection and social benefit award — there is enough food for thought for politicians to chew over, rather than descend into debate about vampires, roti dinners and outside children.

With just a few days to go before the polls, who will be the bigger person and end the “nasty” diatribe first and now.