He said he was providing clarification in reply to concerns arising after a recent CNC3 television news programme that, he said, had only broadcast snippets of his interview with a reporter.

Maraj assured, “Of statements made that we are ‘closing down,’ these are exaggerated and erroneous.” Clarifying the school’s identity, Maraj said SBCS began operation in 1987, well before GATE was introduced in 2006. In that 19-year period, most of the SBCS’s development took place, including the establishment of three of its four campuses. “SBCS was created not because of or for GATE but for our learners,” Maraj said. “In fact, over our 30-year existence we have graduated over 6,000 learners, many of whom are successfully employed locally and internationally.” He said graduates hold qualifications (such as ACCA, CIPS and BTEC HND) from renowned foreign partner universities (such as the University of London, University of Greenwich, Heriot-Watt University, University of Sunderland and University of Leicester) are all internationally accredited and globally respected.

Maraj vitally clarified the SBCS’s status regarding accreditation versus registration.

“Like all tertiary education providers, SBCS is registered with the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) and we were among the first private institutes to do so,” Maraj said. “Once registered, all of our transnational programmes and foreign awarding bodies went through the process of being recognised by ACTT and are thus listed on their compendium.

This was a precondition for GATE.

“Accreditation, however, only applies to local programmes.” He added that each of the SBCS programmes had to undergo a rigorous assessment by the ACTT, including a market case justification, such that he believed his programmes met the country’s developmental needs

He believes increased patrols by either the police service or traffic wardens will discourage private individuals from using their cars as taxis.

He said, “For years we have been trying to get police and traffic wardens to their job and stop the PH drivers.” He is pleading with the relevant authorities to do more as the PH drivers are undermining their livelihood.

He said PH drivers often become aggressive when corrected by himself or other drivers and cited an incident where two of those drivers were arrested for throwing bottles at him after he spoke to them, but they were later released.

Alexander said the association has written to the police on numerous occasions and have not gotten any response or seen any action taken.

He scolded members of the public calling them “part of the problem.” Citizens, he said, patronise the PH drivers and, as a result, give them no reason to stop their illegal activity.

Up to last evening, the residents were still without an electricity supply and employees of T&TEC were busy trying to restore it.

Residents said that shortly after midday, they observed a “tornado” which ripped off the rooftops of several houses. Debris were swirling all around for only a few minutes.

When it ended, galvanised roofing sheets were hanging off electrical lines and the supply went in the Aripero, Rousillac area.

Mother of a three-month-old baby girl Alana Mayers, 31, recalled that she heard a whistling sound and then observed her roof “peeling off.” “The sun was very hot and I was by my cousin’s house located in the same yard. I saw the roof peeling off due to the strong breeze. After it happened the rain drizzled a little bit. The entire roof came off,” Mayers said. She lives on Southern Main Road, Aripero Village, Rousillac.

Following the freak storm, chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh, together with other officials, met with affected residents to bring relief.

“They promised to bring mattresses and see what they can do.

They said they had to make some calls. T&TEC people were on the scene just after it happened,” Mayers said. Another resident, Elvis Harricharan, recalled that the strong winds ripped off part of his roof at his home resulting in an estimated $25,000 in damage. “Leaves and branches were in the air. I saw my roof blown off from where I was at the back of the house. All of the galvanise that blew off landed on the electrical lines which began to spark and then electricity went,” Harricharan said. Harricharan, a hair stylist, said the ordeal happened quickly .

“In a minute or two it did all this destruction in the bedroom and toilet area. To experience something like this was really unbelievable,” Harricharan said. “Right now, we are securing the area with tarpaulins that the corporation gave us.” He added, “We are also doing some work to repair the damage on the rooftop.” Ramadharsingh promised that the corporation would obtain items on credit for the affected residents. The chairman added that SRC distributed mattresses and tarpaulin to the affected residents to “ensure they can rest tonight in a safe and dry home.” There were no reports of any injury, up to last evening.

The 4×400 relay team comprised Renny Quow, Machel Cedenio, Lalonde Gordon and Richards.

Cedenio is also from Point Fortin but is yet to return home.

Point Fortin’s “Golden Boy” will be driven through the streets of Point Fortin in a motorcade beginning from 1 pm. He will be accompanied by the mayor and other officials.

At 3 pm, Richards will be presented with the keys to the borough at Victor Chin Kit Park located on the Main Road, Point Fortin, after the motorcade. Plans for today’s event were finalised yesterday when Richards met with Point Fortin Mayor Abdon Mason at the borough corporation headquarters in Mahaica, Point Fortin. The mood was joyous as the mayor and council members welcomed the IAAF Gold Medal winner to the Borough’s auditorium.

Having produced the top SE A student for 2017 in Lexi Bachan, Mason said the spotlight was once more on Point Fortin with the international gold medal winner.

Mason said, “As we plan to celebrate the victory by the T&T team who won gold in London recently, we take a look at the progress of our people both in academics and in sports.” He added that the win had thrown new light on the fact that the youths of Point Fortin had the ability to excel at the international level. At 11 am today the mayor will be hoisting the flag of Trinidad and Tobago at the borough coroporation after which a street parade will follow and then a motorcade beginning from the borough headquarters. As the borough celebrates the victory of two of its sons Mason is now looking at the completion of the major sporting facility in Point Fortin, Mahaica Oval.

“When I spoke to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley he assured me that the Mahaica Oval is the next project to be undertaken by the government following the completion of the Diego Martin Sporting Complex,” Mason said. He said he had faith in the Prime Minister and was looking forward to getting Mahaica Oval completed during his tenure as the mayor. He is also looking forward to the completion of the the Point Fortin Hospital and the Civic Centre, James Park and Coronaton Park.

“I believe in my people and I know there are lots of other sportsmen and women of Point Fortin who are competing at a national level in various disciplines and this is why I am eager to fix all the sporting facilities in the borough,” Mason said, adding that MP Edmund Dillon had also made requests for these facilities.

Mason also said both Bachan and Richards were inspiration for other burgesses and also for the country to work hard and aim high.

Speaking afterwards, an obviously elated Richards said words could not express how he felt to be back home with his people having won gold in London. “It is an amazing feeling,” Richards said. “It’s really great that all the hard work through the years has paid off and we are able to win the top medal for the people of this country.”

The kind of reception you get fluctuates from day to day. If it is not a long wait in the immigration line, it is harassment from Customs officers.

Returning citizens are often sleepy, hungry and tired and are in a hurry to get out of the airport.

Some may have pick-ups waiting for hours.

All over the world the priority is to get people out of the airport environment as quickly as possible.

Not in Trinidad. The aim here is to punish for having left the country.

The people who run the Immigration and Customs Departments forget that along with returning residents are tourists and investors.

The Government’s goal to attract tourists and investors sounds hollow.

Some years ago a sensible government recognised that people who travel abroad are bound to buy gifts and wisely allocated a personal allowance which is inscribed on the Customs form.

It also instituted a green line to facilitate speedy exit.

Apparently these have been thrown in the dustbin and the present administrators of the airport have gone back to the old bureaucratic system with the addition of total scanning.

Since people coming from the US are given a thorough checkout before embarking, I suspect the aim here is to raise money to replace what is wasted elsewhere.

The airport is a sensitive area.

Visitors get their first impression of the country there.

Residents are accustomed to the discourtesy and sometimes crass behaviour of airport personnel, and do not complain.

Workers at the airport need to meet certain aptitude standards and should be trained accordingly.

But one is not sure what the official objective is. As for the taxi drivers, that is a whole sorry story.

R RAMSARAN St Augustine

This time, according to their 69-yearold legal guardian, the harassment is coming from a neighbour who, he claims, positions himself in front of their home exposing his private parts and scaring the girls to the point they are now afraid even to venture outdoors on their own.

The latest incident, according to the relative, occurred just after 8 pm on Sunday and was captured on camera and uploaded to social media.

The video was recorded by a neighbour.

Newsday received a copy of the footage in which a man is seen removing his trousers and exposing himself.

A report was made to the Couva Police Station and one of the girls was taken twice to the station the following day but relatives said no statement was recorded from her.

Newsday was also informed it was not the first time the villager had engaged in the lewd and disgusting behaviour while on the public road.

But despite the many reports to the police, he has never been charged.

“All they would do is come and warn him,” the relative said.

“And as they turn their backs, he will behave the same way again.” The relative said because of what he calls the police inaction, he was moved to raise his concerns over the safety of his young relatives at a recent police town meeting in the Central Division.

He said promises were made to investigate but, to date, the situation remains the same. The pensioner is now appealing for help from the authorities to protect the girls who are 11 and 14 years old from further psychological damage.

“These children are still healing from what they went through in their early lives and don’t deserve to be exposed to this kind of behaviour again. They even ‘fraid to go in the front porch. And you know how children like to go in parlour? They don’t even want to go.” Recalling was happened on Sunday, the man said the 11-yearold girl was in the gallery when she ran inside and told him what the man was doing.

He came outside in time to see the man exposing himself and making suggestive remarks towards the child. Relatives said they called E999 and also visited the police station but police visited and just warned the man and his relatives who were in the road liming.

Newsday spoke to a senior officer who confirmed that a report was made. They said they have warned the man about his behaviour and had spoken to him on several occasions in the past but, so far, there is no evidence to have him charged with any offence.

To Nicole Gopaul, I would like to say that contrary to your statement at Alliyah’s funeral, “the devil did not take your child”.

The devil has no control over life or death. That control belongs to God. Alliyah was loaned to you and your family for only eight years. In that short time, she touched many lives. You should be strengthened by the fact that unknown to her family, she seemed prescient of what was to come.

She asked you to hold a thanksgiving for her life some weeks ago.

Be thankful that you did before she passed. She also asked about heaven mere days ago. In her own way, she was trying to say without saying. As a wise king of old once said, on the passing of his son, “I shall go to him, he shall not come back to me.” Be comforted.

Linus F Didier Mt Hope

“Emmanuel was a respectable businessman even at this tender age,” Indarsingh said, adding that members of the Bethel Church of God in Calcutta, Freeport, where the funeral was held, supported him by purchasing vegetables he planted himself.

“He was brutally murdered and this act sends off an alarm in the neighbourhood as Emmanuel was a true example of how a young man should conduct himself in society.” Indarsingh said Emmanuel sacrificed his secondary school education to take care of his mother Abia Williams and his siblings Sapphire, Caleb, Meda and Joshua.

“He should be given a national award for single handedly being able to provide for a family of six.” Indarsingh said when he visited the family’s home he saw a field of melongene that was ready for harvesting and sale.

Minister Kenneth Bynoe slammed the media for, according to him, carrying false reports on the Bethel House of God. “We have been erroneously reported by the media and these lies are now being looked at worldwide through social media,” Bynoe said.

“Many irresponsible people are voicing their opinions on Facebook and this has thrown our church in a bad light.” He denied reports that the ravine where Okera’s body was found is located behind the church. Okera, he said, was bent on becoming successful and was working around the clock to make it happen.

“While Emmanuel did could not go to school himself, he was seen accompanying his siblings to school each morning on foot.” Bynoe said Okera spent a lot of time with Pastor Dalton Bruce, resident pastor of the Bethel House of God, so much so that many people referred to him as “Papa Bruce” since he knew whatever was needed for the church before the ministers in the church. He said he remembered one day when he was painting the floor of his house and Okera showed up. “I was taking my time painting slowly and he told me there was quicker way in which to do the job. He then took the paint and threw it on the floor and started spreading it out. In a short time the entire floor was painted.” His mother said Okera was the best gift from God after eternal life. “His death has affected me greatly but I will keep my eyes on him in the spiritual realm,” she said. “He is saved, never to be killed again. I will live for God until I see him face to face soon and very soon, Lord help me.”

In a release issued late Tuesday evening, the board said it received information on that day which suggested the compromise and has commissioned an investigation into the procurement process. To this end the board said, it has put measures in place to ensure the investigation is satisfactorily executed.

“Furthermore, steps have been taken to facilitate the investigation consistent with proper industrial relations practices.” Two members of staff including chief executive officer Leon Grant were suspended on Tuesday.

Efforts to contact board chairman and deputy chairman to get more information on the board’s investigation were futile.

Asked about the investigations by the board, the suspensions and the seizure of a computer, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said, “That is the day to day running of the port. I have no report of any internal investigation.” On the sole investigator appointed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to investigate the circumstances surrounding the procurement of the Ocean Flower II from the Vancouver-based Bridgeman’s Services Group, Sinanan said, “I welcome and I look forward to the findings.” On the Integrity Commission probe, he said, “I have no idea of that.” Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar called on Rowley to bring clarity on how the port “can undertake an investigation into itself while the prime minister and Cabinet purport to appoint a ‘sole investigator’ into the procurement of the seabridge vessels.” She said Rowley must say who or which organisation is conducting the investigation and who they are reporting to.

It is reported, she said, that Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) is PATT’s selected investigator, and if this is true, “We ask on what basis and process has this company been selected?” She said PWC is banned in India and this week they were slapped with a $45 million fine in Britain for misconduct over its auditing function.

Now 23 months in office, she said, Government has engaged only two auditing firms, PWC and Ernst and Young, which have allegedly received over $30 million in contracts of which 90 per cent has allegedly been paid out when Government claims to be cash-strapped. She called on the PATT board and Sinanan to resign immediately.

She said if Sinanan does not resign forthwith, Rowley should move with alacrity to fire him just as he did with Port of Spain South MP Marlene McDonald, “not once, but twice.”

Expressing their discontent with the Government’s stance on GATE, the UNC Youth said the new system could see many students being left behind due to fewer opportunities to access education.

The statement said an air of uncertainty existed over the means test to ascertain the financial standing of students wanting to benefit from the programme, a position diametrically opposed to what existed previously. “It is to be noted that the criteria to be applied for the ‘means test’ is hidden under a cloak of secrecy,” the statement said. “This further erodes the trust the population has for this PNM Government as it has a track record of offering secret scholarships and slush funds for only a select few.” The UNC Youth also bemoaned the timing in which tertiary level institutions were notified of their standing as it pertained to the new rules.

“The new school year is less than one month away and we are of the view that the Government should have acted in a more responsible manner in order to have these tertiary level institutions ensure their accreditation credentials are in order before the start of the new school year under the new GATE scheme.

This new policy is counter-productive, as it would leave busy classrooms empty and doors of schools shut especially at a time where education is vital in keeping the youth off the streets.” The UNC Youth accused the Government of a betrayal that was further underscored by it allegedly changing its position from their 2015 manifesto promise of not restricting GATE.

“We also wish to warn the Government of the opening of the floodgates of litigation, as its new policy is discriminatory.

Persons who are 50 years and over will now be unable to access GATE funding which amounts to discrimination based on age.

This litigation will of course be an additional cost to taxpayers due to yet another faux pas of the Rowley-led administration.

“The UNC Youth Arm holds steadfast to its position that an education thrust leads to national prosperity and any sitting government should encourage the development of our citizens and not seek to restrict access to education.”