On Tuesday, between 6 pm and 10 pm, over 25 officers from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the TT Police Service led by Sgt Marcelle and Customs and Excise officer Murray went to the Santa Cruz home of a 36-year-old contractor and carried out a four-hour long search. Although the businessman was not present his relatives were told the police and Customs are probing the use of false documents to clear containers. The businessman’s name is on the false documents.

Well placed sources reveal that during the high profile investigation which began on Sunday customs and excise discovered a quantity of duplicate bogus documents which were used to clear containers during a period of time. This led to four searches thus far. Investigators believe that they may be able to make a major breakthrough in this investigation shortly.

Last Friday, officers went to the Port in Pt Lisas where a freight container was identified. Officers searched the container which was found to contain a quantity of plywood, some bogus documents and they also found two blue crocus bags containing over the US cash which is believed to have originated from the US Virgin Isles.

During the examination doctors told the stunned mother that her daughter was 21 weeks pregnant.

The doctors advised the woman to take her daughter to the police.

On a report being filed with the police, officers alerted the Child Protection Unit and officers from that unit visited the police station and interviewed the child. Police and officers of the Child Protection Unit have been given the name of the man who is believed to be having sexual relations with the teen and a search is on for his arrest. Investigations are continuing.

After making this announcement during debate on the Finance Bill and four related motions, Young said, “So in total we have recovered just short of $1 billion.” Observing that former works minister Dr Suruj Rambachan seemed amused by the announcement, Young said while there were standing orders in place under the former People’s Partnership (PP) government, “a number of the international financial institutions when the standing orders were demanded … did not pay as they were supposed to pay … they refused.” He opined, “Maybe another government who signed Contract Addendum Number 2 on the eve of an election … waiving our rights to terminate a contract on the basis of bankruptcy … and gave that away … would have said well …

we’re not doing it.” Young said the Government’s legal team pursued the matter vigorously in the Commercial High Court in London and the court dismissed the argument by Banco Santander for an appeal or a stay.

“That would not have taken place if there was not a proper management and a proper performance by the Government,” he added.

Declaring the Opposition is speaking with a “forked tongue” on economic issues, Young disclosed that between June and September 7, 2015, “there was a massive increase in short-term borrowings which the country has not been told about.” He said the Estate Management Business Development Corporation (EMBD) was “forced by Cabinet to borrow $400 million in August 2015 and told who to give that money to, in the form of ten contractors.” After indicating shortterm loans of $1.6 billion and $1 billion were taken out by TTEC and WASA respectively under the PP, Young said together with EMBD “those are just three examples totalling just over $3 billion in debt which cannot be repaid.” While the PP boasted of no taxes during its five years in office, Young said it got revenue by taking $10 billion “from the coffers of NGC” (National Gas Company).

Finance Minister Colm Imbert remarked, “Oh Lord” as Young said the country will known “what is the true story with the Beetham Wastewater Plant.” Young also said the PP borrowed money to insert into the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund. He then reminded MPs that it was the PP that offered the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) “zero, zero, zero for the period 2011 to 2014 and refused to budge.”

He predicted the same thing would happen when the PNM returns to the polls in 2020 because the people are “getting angry with the Government.” Rambachan noted Trump’s victory also happened in the year marking the 70th anniversary of adult suffrage in TT. Responding to an earlier contribution by acting Attorney General Stuart Young, Rambachan claimed the Government would not have been able to recover the $256 million Young spoke about if proper contractual arrangements were not left in place by the former People’s Partnership government. “Bolt of lightning,” quipped Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal.

After describing the online tax on goods which enter the country by air freight as discriminatory, Rambachan highlighted what he said was a case where one business in his constituency paid $60,000 in taxes for gaming machines while another paid only $3,000.

Rambachan said he was also alarmed to learn that young children were being encouraged to gamble by machines being advertised in certain places as “for amusement only.” Opposition MPs thumped their desks as Rambachan insisted that the Gaming Bill must be passed. Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Young asked whether the Government could count on the Opposition when the Bill comes to Parliament. Rambachan replied that the matter cut across political lines and the United National Congress is “a responsible Opposition.”

And in an interview afterward he said the election was an example of “democracy at work”. He said the election was successful and that Trump’s statement early yesterday following his victory indicated that he had a message of unity. He said, “What you are seeing is democracy in action and it is a time when we have these presidential elections, where our people, our country, our citizens get to discuss the issues in a broad way and we agree to disagree but at the end of it, we come back together as a nation and there will be a very peaceful transition.” His address dealt with the need for the protection of critical infrastructure which he defined as the systems which supply electricity, transportation, the stores in which people shop and a nation’s communication systems.

He said that in the U.S. more than 80 percent of the critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector and because of this the U.S. government is constantly seeking more efficient and useful ways to share information and speaks regularly with the private sector.

He said that a secure, functioning and resilient critical infrastructure requires the efficient exchange of information, including intelligence, between all levels of government and the owners and operators of critical infrastructure. The ambassador said that in a crisis people come together to deal with challenges but the will to come together was also important and it was also important that the government and those who owned and operated critical infrastructure come together before a crisis and develop a plan which would determine their ability to respond quickly in the event of a crisis.

Yesterday, relatives were still struggling to come to terms with the senseless killing of one of their own while another remained in custody pending further investigations.

A file is expected to be submitted to the Office of the Director of Prosecutions on how to proceed with charges on the suspect said to be mentally ill. At about noon on Tuesday, Boatswain, of Myers Lane, Enterprise, was involved in an altercation with a close male relative.

It resulted in him being chopped on the face and neck and the wounded man being dragged through the house and into the back yard where he was set on fire.

One witness recalled seeing Boatswain‘ s body covered over with newspaper, two pieces of wood and “already burning.” Ghanit Boatswain described his dead son as an “angel” and referred to his killer as a “demon.” The suspect is said to be an outpatient of the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital and suffers from a “chemical imbalance in the brain.”

In a congratulatory message, Khan who provoked heavy criticisms for his support for Trump over the weekend by wearing a T-short expressing support for him said in a statement, “ This victory also demonstrates the power of the people and democracy in the face of unrelenting aggression by established institutions such as the media, and including factions within the Republican party itself.” Trump’s victory, he said, “is the crowning achievement of a campaign whose brilliance demonstrated the vitality of American democracy to the entire world, while keeping them captivated and amazed.” Noting that the elections has returned the House of Representatives and the Senate under the control of Republicans, Khan said it was imperative that Trump “imbue his presidency with solidarity and strength, and through the power of his example and the adherence to solid principles, he will be able to guide America out of the turmoil they currently find themselves.”

Persad-Bissessar added that as Opposition Leader and Prime Minister she had worked with the US Government to pursue these initiatives and she now looks forward to continued progress in the development of common goals. “Allow me to take this opportunity as well to congratulate the American people for their expressed and demonstrated commitment to the principles of self-governance and the democratic electoral process in the recently concluded elections,” she said. “I pray that God will continue to bless the United States of America and the continued friendship between our two great nations.”

On Election Day, Persad-Bissessar in a Facebook statement had favoured Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton. As Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar had hosted the former US Secretary of State.

“Congratulations Hillary on a dignified and positive campaign that has energised women everywhere who look forward tonight with great anticipation that you will shatter the toughest glass ceiling to become the first female President of the United States,” Persad-Bissessar had said. “You have inspired and empowered millions of girls and women across our planet.”

“I think it is very important to be frank about the issues that we have to deal with,” Petrotrin president Fitzroy Henry said in a closing presentation at the AmCham’s 20th anniversary HSSE conference at Hyatt Regency, Port-of- Spain yesterday.

Henry was speaking a day after Khan hauled Petrotrin over the coals for not taking enough responsibility for the environmental and social impacts of oil spills. He also hinted that the State company was less than forthcoming about their culpability for the environmental disasters.

In a presentation where Henry readily admitted Petrotrin’s faults, the president said the company aimed high, but did not always meet the mark.

In response to questions from Newsday, Henry said he did not think the minister’s statements on Tuesday set an adversarial tone to his dealings with Petrotrin going forward.

“We have to work with the ministry and we will and if there is a view on how we need to deal with issues, we are going to take it on board in terms of how we plan.

That is fair. Our commitment is to work with the ministry, because the ministry is a key stakeholder for us.” Henry said given the company’s importance to the country’s economy, there could be no other approach but to face the problems Petrotrin had head on.

The teenagers, of Limefruit Road, Freeport, were arrested by officers of the Central Division after they were found tending to plants in a marijuana plantation located in a forested area.

Over 500 fully grown marijuana trees and seedlings were seized and destroyed during the operation, police reported yesterday.

In a similar exercise in Gran Couva yesterday, officers also seized 157 kilos of cocaine with a street value of over $450,000.

They also seized 150 kilograms of marijuana with a street value of $180,000. The exercise was led by Snr Supt Mc Intyre and Supt Smith.