Investigators searched the property of the incarcerated man and found a Hyundai Tucson, a Nissan Sylphy, a Nissan B15 and a Nissan B12, all bearing false registration plates.

ASP Michael Sookar led officers including Sgt Sterling Taylor and Cpl Shiraz Ali, on the search as part of a police exercise in the north coast between 6 am and 2 pm on Wednesday, during which a quantity of marijuana and two guns were found in other Las Cuevas districts.

The officers first went to the Maracas Bay fishing depot where they found two kilos of marijuana worth $20,000.

They then went to St Michael Village and searched an abandoned lot where they found a Beretta pistol and a magazine with two rounds of .38 ammunition

A decree nisi is a court order that does not have any force unless a particular condition is met.

Once the condition is met, the ruling becomes a decree absolute (rule absolute) and is binding.

Archie gave a brief outline of statistics at the ceremonial opening of the 2017/2018 law term on Monday.

More detailed statistics will be made available when the Judiciary’s annual report is ready in a month or two.

Archie said, “In the final analysis, although this is not the only nor is it necessarily the best way of judging the effectiveness of a judiciary, public perception is influenced by disposition rates.” In the High Court Criminal Division raw data shows an eight per cent increase of indictments over the previous year and the highest total over the past six consecutive law terms.

“However, it takes five years on average to dispose of 70 per cent of matters filed in any given year, which does not compare favourably with civil matters,” Archie said.

He said he looked forward to increased use of plea-bargaining and trials without jury now that the latter is on the statute books.

According to a police report, at about 7 am, Goorachan parked his vehicle in the parking lot of the health facility. As he walked towards the health centre, a man confronted Goorachan and gunned him down. Eyewitnesses said the gunshots caused people at the centre to scamper. The killer escaped in a car which sped off along Grant Street.

Goorachan worked at the health facility for the past two years. Police were yesterday viewing CCTV footage which recorded the murder. Goorachan’s grandmother Olive Goorachan, 80, who lives in Mayaro said news of the murder had left her heartbroken.

“I still can’t believe it. He lived in Barrackpore and only two months ago came to visit me.

I was so happy, I did not know it would have been the last time I would be seeing him,” she said.

Goorachan said she could not understand why someone would want to kill her grandson. “He was a nice boy, hard working and respectable. I just don’t understand who would do this and why. Four years ago, Goorachan’s father died from heart failure. Olive said the crime situation has gone from bad to worse. Goorachan was an only child.

Another relative said Goorachan had his entire future ahead of him.

“He had plans of starting a selling and buying car business which he often spoke about. We were told the killer did not take anything from him (Goorachan) so it is a clear this was a ‘hit’. But why,” the relative asked.

The weeping woman, who did not give her name, went with other relatives to the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday where an autopsy confirmed the 47-year-old was shot in the back.

“I know he is going to Heaven. Just looking at him…he seemed so much at peace,” the woman said. “He did so much good during his time and impacted positively on so many people, especially his family, that I know he is bound for Heaven. I know he is at rest.” She described him as an Angel who did everything he could for the benefit of the people around him.

Relatives said that in Mack’s final moments, he was thinking about helping others. They said when a car-load of gunmen opened fire along Lady Young Avenue on Tuesday evening, Mack pushed Jhamali Haywood to the ground, being shot in the back in the process.

Haywood, who was still shot, survived the ordeal. Another man, James Julien, 25, was also killed in the incident.

Mack’s relatives lamented the state of the country in terms of crime when a law-abiding citizen such as Mack, who was on his way to a parlour to purchase bread, could lose his life via a bullet to the back.

“It seems the youth of today do not care,” a relative said. “For some reason there is something that older generations learned about respect that is not being taught to children today.” No arrest has been made and investigations are continuing.

The first event hosted by Phillips was held in 2005 at what is now known as Nelson Mandela Park. It was a Criterium race which is a short course racing style with numerous laps.

The race has since evolved into Phillips’ signature event, the “Michael Phillips Republic Day Classic” and will be hosted this year on the Diego Martin Highway on the portion which is blocked off every Sunday morning from 6am – 10am for the “Keep Moving” programme which he also runs.

This year’s Michael Phillips Republic Day Race will feature a host of exciting races ranges with participants ranging from ages 6 – 70 with the final event featuring cyclists from around the world who will battle for the top prize of $2000.

Last year’s defending champion, Jymes Bridges (Antigua and Barbuda) of Team DPS, will be back to battle the best for his chance at the top step on the podium again. Some of the top local names to look for are Tyler Cole (Team DPS), Akil Campbel (Team PSL), Joshua and Adam Alexander (Team Raiders) and of course Emile Abraham (Tobago – Team Pharmaco),who after announcing his official retirement from cycling two years ago, has not quite been able to stay away and is currently the US Masters 40 – 45 Crit National Champion.

Top participants:
Denmark – Nicklas Pedersen
Argentina – Jose Luis Rivera
Colombia – Sebastian Caicedo
Colombia – Camilo Pedroza
Colombia – Cristian Torres
USA – Aria Kiani
USA – Ben Foster

TEAM PHARMACO
USA – Corey Davis
USA – Winston David
GUYANA – Raynauth Jeffrey
USA – Jake Silverbug T&T – Emile Abraham
USA – Caroline Baur
USA – Parker Kyzer

TEAM RAIDERS Adam Alexander Joshua Alexander (Rider present at conference) Raphael Meran – Dominican Republic (Ride present at conference) Adderlyn Cruz (Rider who was present at conference) Maximo Rojas – Venezuela Andrez Diaz – Venezuela Stalin Quinterio – Dominican Republic

TEAM PSL Nick Stapler – Holland (Big Name) Marloe Rodman – Jamaica (Came 2nd last year)
TEAM DPS Jyme Bridges – Antigua (Defending Champion) Tyler Cole – T&T

The SE A has usually been scheduled for the second week of May, after the Easter vacation, but Cabinet, under advisement of the Education Ministry, has changed the schedule to the last week of the second term.

“When this Government came into office we were besieged with a number of requests by a number of stakeholders to give their views on the education system. They said they were asking to make an input and this was discussed at the level of Cabinet and we held a national consultation in February 2016. “Many felt that the SE A being held in May did not make sense. We conferred with our major stakeholders on this issue and it was agreed to move forward the date of the SE A exam,” Garcia said during a news conference at the Education Ministry’s head office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

The minister said a meeting had been held on May 2, 2017, among the ministry, TTUTA and the NPTA, represented by both presidents Lynsley Doodhai and Zena Ramatali respectively.

Garcia said it was also agreed that the Continuous Assessment Component (CAC) was put on hold as TTUTA and the NPTA felt the CAC imposed a burden on students who had to write the exam.

Garcia said Doodhai stated when school reopened in April after the Easter vacation they were overworked as they were in school preparing for their exam.

“He urged to let students relax during the days leading up to the exam . He had publicly voiced that the SE A exam be brought forward from May to March,” Garcia said, adding that Ramatali had also assented to the suggestion.

“We were taken by surprise to learn of this media release where two of our major stakeholders who always gave active support to the view that the exam should be brought forward.

“I find it extremely strange that these two organisations should now issue a joint release criticising the decision of Cabinet afer Cabinet was advised by the Ministry of Education.

“The ministry is not at war with any of its stakeholders,” Garcia said..

Yesterday, the two constables, assigned to the Besson Street Police Station, remained in custody and were still being interviewed by officers of the Organised Crime Narcotics And Firearms Bureau (OCNFB). Sources revealed that the constables’ homes in Laventille were searched on Tuesday night and again on Wednesday but nothing illegal was found. It is alleged that the two officers left the Port-of- Spain CID on Tuesday claiming that they were going on enquiries. The officers then allegedly picked up a 24-yearold El Socorro man in a marked Police-issued Xtrail and took him to the South Western Peninsula .

While in the district, the El Socorro man allegedly collected four crocus bags containing high-grade marijuana that allegedly came from Venezuela, three hand guns with ammunition and a quantity of alcohol .

The items were placed in the vehicle and were supposed to be transported to El Socorro for packaging and sale .

However, officers of the South Western Division Task Force, led by Sgt Shaheed Ali and acting on a tip-off, attempted to stop the vehicle in Cedros shortly after 5 pm on Tuesday .

A roadblock was then put in place in Rousillac and the vehicle was stopped .

The police vehicle was searched, the drugs guns and alcohol were found and the two constables, along with the 24-year-old man, were taken into custody.Senior police officers, led by ACP Crime Irwin Hackshaw, condemned the alleged actions of the officers and said they had brought the Police Service into disrepute .

His comments were echoed by President of the Police Social and Welfare Association, Acting ASP Michael Seales .

Yesterday, sources at the OCNFB said they were now working on information that police vehicles were being used to transport drugs from the South Western Division to El Socorro for an extended period .

They added that, based on information received, a very senior officer was aware of the alleged illicit operation and supported the actions of some junior officers including the two constables detained on Tuesday .

A relative said she last spoke to Thomas, a PH driver, mere minutes before he was killed. He called family members at about 11.40 am on Wednesday, to tell them he was hired for a driving job.

“He said he was getting a work and would be home later,” said the relative. “We began thinking it was strange he did not come home at 5 pm and at 7 pm we started getting worried.

Then we turned on the news,” she added.

Reports are that just before midday on Wednesday, gunshots were heard at Springvale Road off Trou Macaque Road in Laventille.

Residents made a report and police responded, only to find Thomas’ body slumped over the steering wheel of his white Nissan AD wagon. Thomas worked in CEPEP three years ago but quit to ply his car for hire. He was a father of six. No arrest has been made.

Bridgemans Services Group Limited placed their bid shortly before the bids closed at 3 pm on Wednesday. The bid was submitted through a representative of the company. According to well-placed sources, the other companies which placed bids for the passenger ferry for a contract to service the sea bridge are: * Bridgemans – tendered one boat (Ocean Flower 2) * Sea Jets – tendered five * Getaway Cruises – tendered three * Fortune Maritime – tendered one * Ocean Star – tendered One Paragon, which had applied during a previous bid, declined this time around.

On Monday, the Board of the PATT will begin opening the bids and all documents will be photocopied and given to the board members for perusal. It remained unclear how soon a decision would be made on which company would be chosen to service the sea bridge.

On Wednesday the Ocean Flower II docked at Chaguaramas off Carerra island with the captain and 12 crew members.

It was revealed that Lester Kenny the owner of Ken Shipping and Marine gave notice to immigration that the vessel was due to arrive at Chaguaramas and the scheduled date and time.

The boat’s engines were serviced in Panama but when the vessel arrived shortly after midday on Wednesday there was a lot of smoke emitting from the engines.

Andrew Purdey, Bridgemans vice president, said the arrival of the boat was preplanned and that it was in Trinidad for dry docking. He expected the dry docking to take about two weeks and then a decision would be taken on the future use of the vessel.

Well-placed sources said Bridgemans had been working closely with a team of legal maritime experts who had been perusing the cancelled contract first offered to the Ocean Flower II. The experts had reportedly told Bridgemans the company had an irrevocable standby letter of credit in the amount of US$3 million which was contained in the charter party agreement that was not cancelled along with the contract.

In the interim, the parents have given Education Minister Anthony Garcia up until next Monday to find a permanent solution to the problem or expect a wave of protest from Tuesday. The decision to withdraw their children was taken by the school’s Parent Teachers Association (PTA) at a meeting on Tuesday evening on the grounds of health and safety concerns.The PTA’s PRO, Nichelle Sookdeo, said children had been falling ill.

A letter to the effect was drafted by Sookdeo and sent to acting Principal Judy Nathai and Garcia. Up until yesterday there was no response.

Meanwhile, the parent body of the Capde- Ville Government Primary school which is experiencing similar sewer problems, is also contemplating their next move after dialogue and written complaints have failed to effect any kind of relief.