In his appeal issued yesterday morning, as contained in a statement, Rowley said those assigned must do so, “without compromising principles and within all contractual safeguards to ensure that an acceptable service is restored at the earliest opportunity.” Rowley’s statement follows calls by the Opposition for him to account to citizens on the ferry fiasco.

He apologied to citizens, particularly Tobagonians for, “whom the service is more of a life line,” affected by the cancellation of the contract with Bridgeman’s Services Group for the vessel which should have been delivered by an extended August 1 deadline.

“The unsuccessful attempt to find a replacement passenger ferry is a matter of great disappointment to me and I am sure the majority of Tobagonians who rely on this service for their comfort and livelihood,” he said.

He understood the efforts, he said, “ made by those charged with the responsibility and the particular difficulties which they faced in the process at the time when the port sought a vessel which we all anticipated would have been on the route by this time.” He assured that “Government is not unmindful of your plight and is currently engaged in making all reasonable efforts to remedy the situation in the short term.”

Alexandrov said you can tell a lot about a society by the way they treat their dead. He said crime in this country has quadrupled in the last 17 years.

“Forensic pathology is not just butchering the body, but coming to a conclusion. The problem with the systems in Trinidad is that they are outdated. You have a district medical officer who is appointed to handle the body and the crime scene and this person has no idea about forensic pathology.

It’s ridiculous,” he said.

Contacted yesterday for further comment, Alexandrov told Newsday things at the Forensic Science Centre in Port-of-Spain are a “disaster.” He said this country’s pathology field should be operating at a 21st century standard not a 19th century standard.

He lamented the centre is still understaffed.

“For the amount of autopsies this country does a year, which is about 1100, we should have ten pathologists. Do you know how many we have? Four, and three of them are women.” He said since the other pathologists are women, a lot of the heavy turning and handling of bodies fall on him. He said he has spoken to administration about the issues faced but no permanent solution has been presented.

Moonilal, who was housing minister under the PP and line minister for the Estate Management Business Development Corporation (EMBD) insisted, “When we were in office, we kept the supply flowing.” At the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on Thursday, Rambharat said the EMBD purportedly issued letters of award to six contractors to operate its sand pits on June 10, 2015.

Rambharat said the PP was aware that these sandpits were being operated without a mining license.

He said the EMBD’s checks found no evidence of this and asked Moonilal to assist in finding any documentation that would verify or disprove this. Moonilal refused to assist Rambharat and accused him of causing a construction crisis in the country. “He should resign,” Moonilal said.

He quipped, “Minister Rambharat should spend more time doing his ministerial work rather than on the shooting range.

“On Thursday, Rambharat said interim measures have been implemented to keep the sand pits in operation.

He said the EMBD will issue a request for proposals that will see the pits being operated in a more efficient manner.

He said instead of sand pit operators being paid a flat fee to operate the pits, the fees paid to them will now be directly linked to the amount of sand mined from the pits.

In a statement, the PSC said it held a meeting with KPMG TT representatives at its offices in Tunapuna on July 20 to discuss the implementation of the project

The PSC said the recruitment phase of the project is expected to take four months to complete

The firm will support the commission in designing and managing the advertising, application and assessment processes to ensure the Police Service, “has the leadership it requires to meet the needs of the organisation and to satisfy the requirements of safety and security for all of TT now and into the future.”

At Morvant Recreation Grounds league leaders Real Dimension will play MIC-IT St Ann’s Rangers who will also be hoping to keep pace with the other teams in the top half of the table.

The last game today will be between QPCC and St Augustine at CIC grounds. Tomorrow in the First Division St Augustine Juniors will play Sweaters Women at Constantine Park while Defence Force will play Malvern at headquarters Grounds.

STANDINGSSUPER LEAGUE DIVISION: 1 Flow Sports Premier Real Dimension 21; 2 Trincity Nationals 15; 3 Petrotrin 12; 4 QPCC 11 ; 5 Mic-It Ann’s Rangers 11; 6Tobago Chicas 10; 7 St Augustine 8; 8 National U17 4; 9 Club Sando 3.

First Division: 1 St Augustine FC 11 ; 2 Sweaters Women 10; 3 Defense Force 7 ; 4 Jewels FC 6; 5 Malvern 3; 6 Mic-it St Ann’s Rangers 1.

As far back as 1991, the Ministry of Education in London measured the distance from home to school when deciding which young people qualified for free bus passes. You walked if the Minister of Education said your school was too close to home or your parents got you a bus pass.

On public record is the fact that means testing for free university education was based strictly on earnings of parents. Students with exceptionally high marks got special scholarships. Between mandatory bank statements, the Social Work Department double checked which families genuinely needing assistance. Parents signed on the dotted line regarding the veracity of statement of earnings.

In order to off set “freeness” to local students, British universities charge foreign students and their governments higher tuition fees.

The means testing of families is as inescapable as breathing.

This is the 21st century. We live in a world where nothing is for free.

The present Minister of Education is merely doing what is done all over the world. He is not deliberately distressing anybody.

University aged students are old enough to know that there is no Santa Claus.

Let us all try to get real.

Lynette Joseph Diego Martin

CAREBACO is currently taking place at the National Racquet Centre (NRC) in Tacarigua and the host nation is making the most of home court advantage.

Leading the way yet again was Nadav Singh in the Boys Singles Under 11 (BS U-11) category.

Singh emerged victorious over Jamaican Jelanie Nelson in their match after three sets, winning first set 21-14, losing out in the second 18-21 and responding strong in the third 21-11. Aditya Maharaj defeated countryman Hassan Khan 21-12, 21-8 strolling to the semi-finals where he will face Singh.

TT will also have another representative in the BS U-11 second semi-final as Andrew Babwah booked his spot, getting past Jorie McBean of Jamaica.

Babwah took three sets to overcome his rival, winning the first set 13-21, losing the second 21-14 and rallying to a 21-16 victory in the final set.

He will face Nathan Singh after the Bajan pulled off an upset over TT ’s Jace Smith 21-10, 21- 19 to block an all-local semifinal in the category.

A similar tale took place in the BS U-15 category where TT will have three athletes battling for a place in the final during the semis.

Reece Marcano defeated counterpart Je Marc Tagallie 21-10, 21-3 and will face Justin Samaroo, who got the better of Reval Jaggessar after three sets 21-10, 12-21, 21-17 in the quarter- final.

TT will be represented in the second semi-final of the category by Zion St. Rose after he overcame local athlete Donovan David in their quarter-final match up 21-10, 21-18. He will be battle Dominick Scanterberry of Barbados.

In the Girls Doubles U-13 category, TT girls will clash in the first semi-final. Janiah Boodoosingh and Sonja Cassie will battle Amara Joachim and Danae Mootoosingh in what is anticipated to be a thrilling contest.

The Mixed Doubles U-15 category features TT ’s pair of Zion St. Rose and Kyra James facing Surinamese rivals Kevin Karg and Erisa Blue in the semis.

Reece Marcano and his partner Cathline Ramroop will square off against Jason Chen and Chole Poeketie, also of Suriname, as the TT athletes will be vying for an all-local final in the Mix Doubles U-15. Action continues throughout the weekend at the NRC from 9 am till 6 pm daily.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the National Security Ministry, provision for Neptune’s appointment is made in Section 19 (1) and (3) of the Prisons Act. Neptune was a member of the Police Service from 1988 to 2007.

He served as Legal Advisor to the Homicide Bureau of Investigation South during the period 2003 to 2007. Neptune became an attorney in 2001.

He practices family law, property/conveyancing law, non-contentious probate law, immigration law, criminal law, industrial relations/labour law, civil litigation, public law and contract law.

According to Section 20 of the Prisons Act, the Inspector of Prisons has specific responsibilities.

These include inspecting all books and related papers, inquire into all matters relating to the prison and examining every prisoner or other individual who he finds in the prison and thinks it fit to examine.

There will be three matches kicking off at 4 pm __ Defence Force versus Club Sando Moruga at the Defence Force Ground in Chaguaramas; Police against FC Santa Rosa at the St James Barracks and Queen’s Park against UTT at the Hasely Crawford Stadium Training Field in Mucurapo. And, at 6 pm, Bethel United will oppose Cunupia FC at the Mt Gomery Recreation Ground and Siparia Spurs will meet WASA at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground. Leaders in League Two Prisons FC will fancy their chances of full points against cellar-placed Marabella FCC at the Youth Training Centre (YTC) Ground, Arouca from 4 pm while, at 6 pm, Harlem Strikers will entertain Youth Stars at the Frederick Settlement Recreation Ground in Caroni and Perseverance Ball Runners will host Central 500 Spartans at the New Settlement Recreation Ground, Caroni

TT was totally outclassed in this encounter as the goals leaked as early as the third minute when Martias Paredes gave the Argentines the 1-0 lead.

He scored two other goals in the next two minutes to record a hattrick in five minutes. Rounding off the scoring and the 5-0 lead in the first quarter were Ignacio Ortiz (eighth minute) and Gonzalo Peillat (10th minute). TT had an improved performance as they regrouped and settled to the pace of the defending champions and number one ranked team in the world. The South American team was only allowed to score three more goals with a double from Santiago Tarazona in the 27th and 47th minute, while Marc Ganly had one goal in the 41st minute.

In the 38th minute, TT `s captain Akim Toussaint scored the lone goal in the match and his second of the tournament. In the semi-final battle of North American teams, Canada defeated USA (4-3) on penalties after the game was tied 1-1 after regulation time.

Both goals were scored in the first period with Canada opening the scoring through Gordon Johnston in the eighth and Paul Singh for USA in the 14th. Today will be the final day of competition as Argentina will face Canada in the final for the fifth straight time at 5.45 pm, while TT will do battle against USA at 3.30pm for the bronze medal.