On Wednesday a First Citizens Bank manager’s cheque made out to Sammy in Alleyne’s name and in the sum of $757,032.15 was handed over to the businessman’s attorneys after they threatened to go after the Crime Watch host’s million-dollar property in Endeavour, Chaguanas. Following the payment of the debt in full, Alleyne’s attorneys yesterday filed a notice of discontinuance in the high court, bringing an end to the matter.

Alleyne had appealed to fans for donations, he said in a teary-eyed live Facebook post.

Among the items seized from Alleyne’s home were a television, stove and refrigerator.

These items are expected to be returned to him.

Alleyne had also accused Sammy’s attorney Om Lalla of unfairly targeting him by sending bailiffs to his home.

On August 28, his Crime Watch programme was taken off the air after CNC 3 cut ties with him. Alleyne has continued his programme first using the Facebook live feature and is now with the local cable channel Synergy.

Also representing Sammy were Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Derrick Balliram.

Among other things the bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Commission for the purpose of regulating the Gaming and Betting Sectors which are, both on a global and national level, vulnerable to infiltration by money launderers and terrorist financing. The bill also seeks to provide safeguards to prevent minors and vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

Persons commit an offence under this legislation if they knowingly employ a minor to perform any function relating to gambling.

Under Section 84 (1) of the Bill, a person who commits an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 and six months imprisonment.

Persons making a false statement of intent, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $5 million and to imprisonment for five years.

Before Imbert begins the debate on this Bill, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will field questions from the Opposition during Prime Minister’s Question Time, as today’s sitting is the second one for the House this month. The Prime Minister may also make a statement in the House today regarding the Alutrint project which was scrapped under the PP.

At a post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in St Clair on October 20, Rowley said TT owes China hundreds of millions of dollars due to the scrapping of that project.

Imbert expressed his optimism as he announced that debate on the Tax Information Exchange Bill 2016 will resume in the House of Representatives in December, after the November 28 local government elections.

Addressing a news conference at the Eric Williams Financial Complex in Port-of- Spain on Wednesday, Imbert said, “As soon as this local (government) election is over, we will be back in the Parliament and the first order of business will be FATCA.” With Parliament expected to take its Christmas recess around mid-December, Imbert was optimistic that the Bill will be passed in the House before that and brought to the Senate in January.

Reminding reporters that the Treasury asked Government to submit a detailed action plan for implementation of FATCA requirements, Imbert said this involved passing the legislation and put the necessary systems in place to allow the Board of Inland Revene (BIR) to report to the Treasury on US citizens and corporations doing business in TT. He explained the BIR has a discretion right now and, “the whole point about FATCA is that discretion is taken away.” Imbert said Government told the Treasury the legislation should be passed by the end of February 2017.

“We put a self imposed deadline on ourselves.

Then between then and September we will have to implement the legislation,” Imbert added.

Indicating, “we are on track with that at this point in time,” Imbert said he had no idea how the Treasury will operate under the incoming Trump Administration.

“I am assuming that the arrangements that we have with the Treasury will remain. I can’t assume anything else,” he said. Noting that US Ambassador to TT John Estrada tendered his resignation after the election, Imbert said this would have happened even if Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton won the election. The minister said it remained to be seen whether Estrada continues as ambassador under Trump or a new ambassador is chosen. Estrada offered assistance to Government in September in discussions with the US Treasury on FATCA.

The champions this year will take home $30,000 while the runners- up will get $7,000. The third and fourth-placed teams receive $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.

Speaking to Newsday ahead of the title match, Boys Town manager Daryl ‘Blem’ Miranda expressed full confidence in his troops to get the win and capture the coveted first prize. And with former Boys Town stars Irvin and Sean Reyes suiting up for ‘Cool It’ this year, it provides another twist in an intriguing narrative.

“We have everybody (available), everybody up to mark. My supporters coming to give the (Take That and Cool It) players a hard time, especially Irvin Reyes. They could know a little secret but we know things about them too. We know them strong point and them weak point,” he said.

Who are the favourites tomorrow? “We have the edge because we have the momentum right now.

The season start kind of rough for we but I always tell my players have faith and we go make it into the (Big) eight. Once we make it into the eight we go win the competition, yuh understand,” he added.

The Boys Town manager noted he is satisfied with how his team is playing currently and has given them some advice for the final.

“Just not to give them no room to shoot. Just to lock down Irvin Reyes and try not to give them room. No free-kick, try to lessen on the fouls because they have real men could kick good, Sean (Reyes) could kick and I have to try and prevent that.” ‘Blem’ said there has been plenty picong among his former players but despite that says they are all one family.

Irvin has boasted he will retire from all football if Boys Town win but ‘Blem’ think he should reconsider his decision as of all the finals his team has played he is most confident about this one.

‘Cool It’ boss Sherwin ‘Pigeon’ Joseph is equally confident though and believes his team is peaking at the right time.

“Honestly, they go put up a little fight but they eh ready yet. Right now we clicking at the right time.

The defence, the forwards and we playing as a unit. Going into the final, we is the team to beat,” he declared.

He brushed aside the idea though that Boys Town have the edge after winning eight straight games including beating ‘Cool It’ in the league stage. ‘Pigeon’ pointed out that that defeat was a result of them playing a weakened team in that match as they had already secured their spot in the ‘Big 8’ and did not want to pick up any injuries.

“The only thing about Boys Town is right now they have the luck going with them. If we didn’t give them the passage (they wouldn’t be here) but take out the passage, we unbeaten in about nine games. We not taking them lightly but we giving 150 (percent effort).

All the players say if we don’t win this year we go never win again.

We had something for Biche (G Madrid) and we put them to rest.

For the last three years every year we beat Boys Town so we full of confidence,” he stated

In the semi-final phase, Grande Praise had a 3-2 aggregate win over West End, in their two-leg contest, while Church on the Rock hammered former champs Curepe Amen 6-0.

Church on the Rock will be seeking another title this month, as they will oppose West End in the League Final on November 20 at the Arima Municipal Stadium.

This game will also get going at 3 pm.

In related news, D’Abadie Deliverance Sanctuary and Reformation Life Centre took the top two spots in the First Division, and they will both advance to the Premiership, at the expense of New Testament Warriors and Khandahar Open Bible, who will demoted to the First Division in the 2017 season.

Shiva Boys have captured the SSFL Premiership crown and will be looking for additional silverware at the expense of the Presentation San Fernando outfit who have been consistent throughout the season.

In the semi-final phase on Monday, at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, Shiva Boys pipped Fyzabad 1-0 while Presentation San Fernando needed kicks from the penalty spot to oust 2015 Intercol winners Naparima, after the scoreline read 0-0 at the end of regulation time.

Nigel Bennett temporarily silenced the over-600 cheering Arima Boys RC fans when he scored in the ninth minute.

But the cheering turned into roar when Jaheim Suhuny grabbed the equaliser.

And when Suhuny blasted home in the 26th minute, there was a loud crescendo as Arima went into the halftime interval ahead 2-1.

Kyran Melville doused the cheering again when he scored the equaliser in the 38th.

And what followed was DeNoon’s goal which left the Arima team and their supporters dumbfounded.

Earlier, Enterprise Government edged San Fernando Boys RC 2-1 to reach the final.

In Under-12 seven-aside action at Coaching School Ground in Tobago, Whim Anglican whipped San Fernando RC 4-1 on a hat-trick by Orlando James and another goal from his brother Kyle. Christopher Weekes got the consolation.

St Agnes Anglican edged Siparia Boys RC 2-1 to set up an all-Anglican schools final.

Jelani Cox scored for the winners in the 11th minute and Jocian Alexander got the second, but after the interval, Siparia battled on relentlessy but could only score once by Leroy Jones.

Defending Under-15 girls champions Bon Accord Government waltzed into the final, thumping Bon Air Government 5-1 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella with Diamond Arthur and Jeninifer Maxime scoring a double each and Dineashia the other goal. Luann Craig got the consolation goal.

They meet Sangre Grande Government who shut out Moruga RC 4-0 with Aalagah Trim scoring all four goals

This was confirmed by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and will see Haiti and Suriname join Trinidad and Tobago as the three second-placed teams from the recent Caribbean Cup semi-final qualifying round, vying for the opportunity to advance to a final playoff against the fifth placed team of Central America.

TT will face Suriname on January 4 followed by a clash between Haiti and Suriname on January 6.

TT will play the final match of the playoffs against Haiti on January 8.

The venue for the games will be confirmed by the TT FA (TT Football Association) shortly but is likely to be played at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

The four teams which have qualified directly to the Gold Cup from the Caribbean include Martinique, Curacao, French Guiana and Jamaica which defeated Suriname 1-0 in a rescheduled match in Kingston on Sunday.

The Jamaicans with six points, topped their qualifying group ahead of Suriname (three points) and Guyana (point-less).

The Central American Cup (Copa Centroamericana), from which the fifth-placed team from that region will be determined, will be played in Panama.

The competition, which is also the region’s qualifying event for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, will be played from January 17-28.

The Christmas- themed event will feature exciting track cycling races including the Santa Sprint, Parang Tempo, Feliz Elimination and Pastelle and Points Race, as a number of Trinidad and Tobago’s top cyclists prepare for the forthcoming 2017 Racing Season.

The tournament is open to cyclists who were born in 2001 or before, and have ridden on a banked 250m velodrome, prior to the tournament, and is registered for the 2017 season. Admission is free to the public and there will be over $7,000 worth in prizes to be won.

Speaking at a press conference called at the front of the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports office, Ramsey Moore said that the Tobago House of Assembly has dealt another devastating blow on sport on the island.

“Over the last five years, the Tobago International Rugby Tournament was held here but there will be none this year. This is because Barbados will host the tournament and why is that, because there was too much procrastination by the THA (Tobago House of Assembly).

No support was provided to the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Federation and as a result Tobago has lost out again,” she explained.

Over 600 players and officials, which would usually come to Tobago are now expected to journey to Barbados in the first week of December, according to Ramsey Moore.

“We have lost out big time. We must be concerned about sport tourism, somebody in the THA needs to answer and answer now, why did they allow this to happen.

The person who owns the tournament is a citizen of this country but he has taken it to Barbados because the Barbados Rugby Association grabbed the idea and they are now providing financial support and marketing support.

That is a slap on the sport in the island of Tobago,” Ramsey Moore said.

Contacted on the issue, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport, Huey Cadette said that it is the prerogative of the organisers to determine what territory they want to host their tournament.

“They felt that Tobago in general has not given the tournament the level of support that it should.

What I do know is that for the hosting of the tournament last year, the cheque might have been made out to the name of what was listed and there was an issue, so there was genuinely a delay in changing it and that should not have happened.

Sometime earlier this year, they indicated that they would be moving the tournament to Barbados,” Cadette explained