The women’s scratch had a promising field of young females making their debut, however, the experienced Campbell held off her competitors to claim gold in the Women’s 10Km Scratch Race (40 laps).

Heat Wave Cycling Club’s Costa sisters, Jessica and Alexi, secured the silver and bronze, respectively, in the event.

In the Men’s 15Km Scratch (60 laps), Alexander opened a lead, in lap 30, over the rest of the field and never looked back as he pedaled to gold.

PSL riders Jovian Gomez and Akiel Campbell took silver and bronze in the category, respectively, where Campbell copped the U-23 Gold medal in the event.

Junior cyclist, Tyler Cole (Team DPS), was unable to claim a medal due to being a junior cyclist at the event, however, that did not stop the young rider from leaping out of the bunch and linking up with Gomez where they worked together to lap the main field and applied some pressure on Alexander. PSL’s Campbell and Varun Maharajh tried valiantly throughout to also take a lap on the field but Alexander ensured that the two remained in no man’s land and a half a lap down.

The Women’s Team Sprint also pedaled off on Thursday night where Kollyn St. George and Dominique Lovell of Breakaway Cycling Club rode away with the gold medal in a time of 38.21 seconds.

They were closely followed by Team DPS cyclist Tamiko Butler and her partner Alexandra Bovell (Unattached) with their time of 39.38 seconds.

Jessica and Alexi joined forces for the team sprint as the Costa sisters copped the bronze medal in a time of 42.29 seconds.

They also took part in TT ’s first ever Women’s Team Pursuit at a national event as they were accompanied by Christiane Farah and Bovell, setting a new national record with a time of 5:24.93 seconds.

Last night, the Men and Women Keirin events were contested along with the Points race events.

Cycling action continues today, starting at 11am and 5pm.

Admission is free to the public during the morning session and costs TT $20 for the evening session.

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

In the community where this unfortunate incident occurred there is a very determined and hard working community activist who visits the neighbourhood police station on a weekly basis to follow up on progress into the investigations of criminal matters, like the one above.

When she made one of these visits recently and enquired into the robbery of the banker, the constable on duty responded positively and reached behind his desk to offer up a muddy handbag containing a mud-soaked empty wallet, identity cards etc.

Further questioning revealed that the station was in possession of the handbag, found in a nearby river, for a number of days, even though the retired banker and his wife reside less than half a mile away.

Now, you may find this statement strange, but I understand the police’s lackadaisical response to this matter, because their current work rule gives them no incentive to perform well. As it currently stands in the Public Service, which includes the Police Service, whether you perform or not makes little difference to your career prospects.

In this intolerable situation, the only solution is to amend the constitution to remove the inability of public servants and critical state service employees to be hired and fired like anyone else in the private sector.

The original intent of this protection to workers employed by the state was to prevent state coercion, but it has effectively made misbehaviour by public workers impossible to deal with and the consequence is most apparent in the Police Service.

Gregor y Wight Maraval

I would like to remind our officers of the important role that they play in the society and nation- building as whole. Society does not just see your responsibility as one of only protection but as guidance officers to many. Police should be encouraging and mentoring them along the right part. You are leaders in your own right and there are still many citizens who look up to you.

How you carry about yourself both on and off the job is important not just for yourself but the nation at large.

To our officers and this is in no way condemning anyone but the time has come where more is required urgently of you. Please, respect that uniform for it stands for something — a standard of excellence in all areas. I still believe that the day could come when negative comments of our men and women in uniform would be a thing of the past. But the responsibility is in your hands officers to make this hope become a reality. I know you can do it.

Arnold Gopeesingh San Juan

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.

The rest will depart on August 20 and 22.

One of the organisers Sheriff Mohammed, said his group would be leaving with 58 pilgrims tomorrow at 1 am, to start their journey to the pilgrimage in Mecca.

Mohammed said they received the group visa’s last Wednesday from the Saudi Arabian diplomats and everything was in place for the group to leave the country.

“I want to say special thanks to the Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ protocol department,” Mohammed said.

“It feels good to know everyone has their documents for the trip. All the pilgrims are looking forward to the trip.” He continued, “They have formed a WhatsApp group to get the feeling of the Hajj and get in the mood of spirituality.” Another organiser, Zabar Baksh, said their group of 60 people would be leaving Trinidad on August 20.

He said despite the challenges to get foreign exchange, which is a big issue in Trinidad and Tobago, everything was ready for their travel. “We eventually got through for those travelling to Saudi Arabia. I personally will not be going on the trip. Since 2012 I got sick and I have not been going but my son and someone will be leading the group.” In a press release yesterday, the Airports Authority of TT said they received a request to film the departure of pilgrims journeying to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the request was approved by the Authority.

The release added that the Airports Authority customarily approves requests for the use of its facilities by various religious and culture groups.

This was announced by Group Human Resource Director and Media Sector Head Teresa White, in response to Newsday’s questions about an on-going restructuring exercise at GML.

“There’s been an extensive consultation with the union; we cannot deal directly with the employees because of the industrial relations regulations.

The union has been informed of the names. We’ve agreed with the union (on) the process, the selection criteria.

We’re doing it strictly on a LIFO (last in, first out) basis; as is deemed best practice.” The question was posed during a press conference on ANSA McAl’s results for the six months ended June 30, 2017. The event was held on August 10 at the TATIL building, Maraval Road, Portof- Spain. Speaking about the media sector’s performance, ANSA McAl Chairman, A.

Norman Sabga, said while they were still “in the process of restructuring” GML, those in charge had been able to “reverse the loss in the first quarter (of 2017) to pre-tax profit in the second quarter (of TT $0.27 million) and we believe there are good things to come for the remainder of the year.” Adding to what White had said, Sabga told Newsday that while they have “introduced new technology which is going to automate certain aspects of the print side of the business, (GML’s) retrenchment is going to be less than that of the Express newspaper, significantly less, and we’re trying to preserve as many of the jobs as we can.”

The game yielded the second consecutive hattrick for St James Division in the league, with Marvin Harper finding the back of the net on three ocassions, while Aton Thomas, Michael Harris and Akhel Fairbain copped one goal apiece.

The victory allowed them to maintain their number three spot on the standings with 12 points, just behind City Hall and Transport and Cleansing which are both on 13 points.

In last week’s other matches, Transport and Cleansing’s Nicholas Solomon scored twice to help secure a 2-1 victory over Public Health.

Akeem Patterson got the lone item for Public Health. City Hall proved victorious over St James Medical with an impressive 6-0 scoring that featured a beaver trick from N’Kosi Raphael, and two goals by Nicholas Andrews.

Central/Eastern’s Jahi Mollick ushered the team to a 2-0 win over Western Division with both goals.

The teams are vying for the first place prize of $3,000 along with trophies and medals. Second and third place will win $2,000 and $1,000 along with medals, respectively.

In addition to the winners, prizes are accorded to the player with the most goals and the best goal.

The best goalkeeper, the most valuable player (MVP), the most disciplined team and the best uniformed team will also earn prizes.

RESULTS St James Division 6 (Marvin Harper 3, Aton Thomas, Michael Harris, Akhel Fairbain) vs Central Market 0 Transport and Cleansing 2 (Nicholas Solomon 2) vs Public Health 1 (Akeem Patterson) City Hall 6 (N’Kosi Raphael 4, Nicholas Andrews 2) vs St James Medical 0 Central/Eastern 2 (Jahi Mollick 2) vs Western Division 0 STANDINGS AFTER FIVE ROUNDS 1 City Hall 13 points; 2 Transport and Cleansing 13; 3 St James Division 12; 4 Central/Eastern 8; 5 Public Health 6; 6 St James Medical 4; 7 Central Market 1; 8 Western Division 0.

An official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Port of Spain confirmed that since Monday, 11 employees who are all Indian nationals, have refused to report for duty because wages have not been increased for the past six years.

On Thursday, the commission opened its doors to Indian nationals seeking visas and information regarding business prospects in TT, but Newsday learned that three TT nationals stationed there and High Commissioner Dave Persad, were the only persons who turned up for work at the New Delhi offices.

Efforts to contact the High Commissioner yesterday proved futile, but a source in the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the action taken by Indian employees which stemmed from the refusal by the TT government to increase salaries since 2011. Attorney Dave Persad was appointed by the current government as TT’s High Commissioner to India with accreditation to Indonesia, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Newsday learned that the Indian staff who have refused to turn up at the commission office since Monday, comprise consulate employees such as those working in the registry, reception, drivers, cleaners and gardeners. They comprise 11 and are paid in rupees which is India’s national currency.

The Trinidad and Tobago government foots the bill.

There are two staff members from Trinidad and Tobago, excluding the commissioner, who is the Head of Chancery and the financial attache, posted at the commission. Ministry sources said that Commissioner Persad has been meeting with the disgruntled workers.

“He has been trying his utmost best, but it seems the employees have put their foot down and are not letting up.

Remember, this is a problem we the government inherited from the People’s Partnership administration,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry source said.

Newsday was told that the strike has adversely affected the work of the commission, even in promoting economic relations between Trinidad and Tobago and India as well as the other accredited countries. One of the main functions of the commission in relation to promoting business, is to attract investment from India, Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

The commission also provides visas, passports and advice to TT nationals living in India and the other accredited countries.

The ministry source said if the staff refuse to show up to work for a protracted period, the functions of the Commission will cease and there is a possibility the Consulate would be closed down.

Elijah Holder pleaded guilty before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay. Prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan said that on July 7 at about 7:50 am, police from the San Fernando station went to a house at Agnes Street, Marabella, where they confronted a man and a woman. They asked about a bedroom that was locked, Dubay heard, and the man and the woman said the person who occupied the room was not at home at the time. Seedan told Dubay the police broke down the door and found a black bag which contained 120 grammes of marijuana, a gun and a magazine which had 17 bullets.

The prosecutor said the items were seized and the man and woman were taken into custody. He upon further investigations police released the couple, however, a warrant was issued for Holder’s arrest.

Dubay heard from Seedan that on Thursday, police went to Agnes Street, Marabella and arrested Holder.

Attorney Ainsley Lucky in making a plea on Holder’s behalf, said the defendant is a landscaper and he did not own the gun, ammunition and marijuana, but was keeping them for someone else.

Dubay fined Holder $10,000 for possession of the gun. In default of payment he would serve three years in jail with hard labour.

For the possession of ammunition, Holder was fined $6,000. He would serve 18 months if he fails to pay and for possession of marijuana, he was fined $3,000 or in default of payment would serve nine months in jail.