A MAJOR drug smuggling ring with links to Venezuela was smashed following the arrest of two men, one of whom is an illegal Venezuelan immigrant, and seizure of over $20 million in high-grade, compressed marijuana from a San Fernando house during the early morning hours yesterday. In addition to the drugs, police also found a bulletproof vest, two ski masks, a pair of leather gloves, two scales (used to weigh the drugs) and an American arms and ammunition magazine in the house. Both suspects were expected to be charged last night with several offences including trafficking in marijuana and are scheduled to appear before a San Fernando magistrate today. Police sources told Newsday they believe a large portion of the seized marijuana was destined for America and Europe while the rest would have been sold in this country to supplement local consumption, which has suffered because of a sustained police assault on the local marijuana cultivation and trade.
According to police reports, a team of San Fernando CID officers — on orders from Head of Southern Division, Snr Supt Desmond Lambert — were carrying out a special night-time patrol exercise when around 12.10 am, they spotted two occupants in a white Toyota Corolla car slowly cruising west along Gulf View Link Road. On seeing the approaching police vehicle, the driver of the car attempted to speed off, but the car was intercepted by the officers, led by Cpl Matthew Noel and including PCs Neptune, Ramdass, Cowie and Sookoo. On searching the vehicle, the officers found a small quantity of marijuana. Both the driver, a 29-year-old man from Park Street, San Fernando and the passenger, a 44-year-old man from Campana Village, Venezuela, were questioned by the officers who subsequently accompanied them to the 29-year-old suspect’s house.
During a search of the said house, the officers found over 200 cellophane-wrapped, waterproof packets of compressed marijuana with a combined weight of 287 kilos (574 lbs) along with other illegal items. The officers radioed for back-up and heavily armed police officers arrived minutes later at the house to oversee the loading of the large quantity of marijuana into police vehicles, which transported the drugs to South CID Headquarters at San Fernando Police Station. Snr Supt Lambert yesterday praised his officers for their vigilance, which resulted in the arrest of the two men and seizure of the large consignment of marijuana. Lambert told Newsday that police would contact the Immigration Department for assistance since the Venezuelan suspect is an illegal immigrant. Investigations are continuing.
The Consumer Affairs Division has called on the management of Erin Farm Meat Packers Limited to offer consumers redress for the purchase of goods which have been recalled after a recent random sampling confirmed the presence of the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. A release from the Ministry of Health on Monday advised the public to dispose of a number of Erin Farm products including Chicken Franks, Spiced Ham and Turkey Ham. Code numbers for the defective goods were also given. Manager of corporate communications at the Consumer Affairs Division, Arlene Stephens, in an interview yesterday, noted that while the Ministry of Health, in advising consumers to dispose of the infected goods, was protecting the public’s health, Erin Farm had to bear some corporate responsibility.
“They need to say what they intend to do to compensate affected consumers,” she asserted. She advised that consumers contact the suppliers from whom they purchased the foodstuff to determine the mechanism set up by them to provide redress to affected persons. An official of Tru Valu Supermarket, Long Circular Mall, revealed that affected customers would be refunded for their purchases of the affected goods. They were required to walk with either a proof of purchase, or the items before this refund could be effected. When Newsday contacted the head offices of Hilo Food Stores, we were told that Erin Farm Meat Packers would be giving a statement on the matter today. Attempts to reach Leong Poi, director of Erin Farm Meat Packers, proved futile as he was in a Board meeting all afternoon. However, we were informed that the executives of Erin Farm Meat Packers would be holding a press conference tomorrow.
A LARGE piece of St Joseph’s colonial history was destroyed last night, when fire swept through and gutted four buildings each reportedly over a hundred years old, situated at the corner of King and Abercromby Streets, St Joseph. Police and fire officials were at the scene of the fire up to 9 pm last night, interviewing persons and trying to ascertain the exact cause of the blaze, which police believe was electrical. “These buildings were built over a hundred years ago and a large portion of their architecture was constructed with wood. The wooden buildings built side by side and a strong breeze, were contributing factors to the fire spreading so quickly,” said one fireman, who asked not to be identified. According to police reports, the fire started around 6.15 pm when smoke was seen coming from a Mazda 323 car parked on the road opposite the houses.
A police source told Newsday they received reports from residents, that a sparking T&TEC overhead line fell on the car, igniting it. The sparks from the lines, which were connected to one of the gutted houses, caused that building to catch fire and a strong, steady breeze, did the rest. A report was made to the nearby St Joseph police who in turn contacted the Tunapuna fire station. Fire Tenders from Port-of-Spain Fire Headquarters, Tunapuna and San Juan stations responded to the call. A team of St Joseph police officers led by Sgt Hendron Moses, and including Sgt Fredericks, Ag Cpl Bernard and PC Boodoo also arrived on the scene and kept a large curious crowd at bay, as the firemen struggled to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other houses. Owners of buildings next to the burning structures reportedly doused their property with water using garden hoses in an effort to prevent the flames from spreading.
Police sources said the first house which caught fire and which is located next to Nyabinghi’s Club, was owned by Frank Fulchan and his wife Seemattie. “I living there about 12 years now….I don’t know what going to happen now. My house burn down flat,” stated a dazed Frank Fulchan as he stood on the road looking at the smouldering ruins of his home. The second building, situated adjacent to Fulchan’s house, was owned by the nearby St Joseph RC Church. The third building (adjacent to the one owned by the Church), was owned by Janet Gouveia and her family. A fourth house, located behind the three buildings, was also destroyed. Residents told Newsday that the Gouveia family had recently moved out of their house, which was unoccupied. Officials from TTEC immediately cut power to prevent any further sparks. The power cut plunged the surrounding area into darkness. Even power to the traffic lights at the busy Eastern Main Road and Abercromby Street intersection was cut. TTEC and police officials are due to revisit the scene of the fire this morning, to continue investigations.
BUSINESSMEN in Port-of-Spain are adamant that they are not going to pack up and go because of the “renewed kidnapping activity which we know can destroy the economic and social fabric of Trinidad and Tobago.” Speaking through the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association, the businessmen noted that the criminal behaviour (kidnapping), will affect the confidence of investors, the creation of jobs and the motivation and ambition of a wide cross-section of those in business and those wanting to go into business. They also pointed to the indescribable anguish of family and friends during the uncertain days and nights, while awaiting the safe return of their loved ones.
DOMA feels that the greatest victory for the criminal element would be for its members to start fighting among each other or to run from the very grave threat that looks over them. “To fight among ourselves would be a signal of disunity and this association has maintained that disunity may be interpreted as the weakness of society by lawless individuals and thus may act to encourage them to be more bold in their current behaviour,” said DOMA. Claiming that it understands the fear that has gripped the majority of citizens, DOMA said: “We too are afraid for ourselves and our families, but we do not believe that we should give up on the dream of building a great nation, because of the selfish intent of a minority of lawless individuals.” It noted that not only businesspeople had suffered at the hands of criminals. “Many of our fellow-citizens from all walks of life and almost every neighbourhood have been injured or killed by murderers, kidnappers and thieves.” DOMA failed to see why its members cannot work together and with the authorities to bring this very dangerous and destructive criminal behaviour to a halt.
THE murder trial of former Government Minister Dhanraj Singh will begin today before Madame Justice Paula Mae Weeks in the Port-of-Spain Assizes. The State’s special prosecutor British Queen’s Counsel Sir Timothy Cassel was expected to have flown in from London last night. Both parties are expected to be ready to proceed with the trial today, since the court may not entertain any attempt to delay its start. That means Sir Timothy may have to make his opening address after a jury is empanelled.
Singh is charged with the 1999 Old Year’s Day murder of Hansraj Sumairsingh, then Chairman of the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation. Sumairsingh, 45, a UNC councillor, was found shot at his Mayaro beach house. Singh, the former Minister in charge of Local Government is accused of ordering Sumairsingh’s death. He is being defended by attorney Karl Hudson-Phillip QC, Prakash Ramadhar, Rajiv Persad and Jennifer Hudson-Phillip. Sir Timothy and Assistant DPP Devan Ramper-sad are prosecuting.
THE SENATE yesterday adopted the Third Special Report of the Joint Select Committee appointed to consider and report on the Police Reform Bills, but not without criticism from Opposition and Independent Senators. AttorneyGeneral Glenda Morean appealed to senators not to “throw taxpayers’ money down the drain” by allowing the report to lapse with the proroguing of Parliament which begins today. However Senate Minor-ity Leader Wade Mark maintained that the way in which Government was seeking to adopt the report was wrong. Mark said he was infor-med that his UNC colleagues on the Committee, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Gillian Lucky, signed the report, he subsequently learned this was untrue. The UNC chairman then claimed that while he was speaking with Lucky on the matter, a junior parliamentary clerk relayed the details of that private conversation to Morean. “They (Government) can proceed without us,” he declared.
Independent Senator, Professor Ramesh Deos-aran, said while he signed the report, he was saddened his motion for televised parliamentary debates did not receive similar treatment. The report was eventually adopted minus the Opposition’s support. Last week in the Lower House, Legal Affairs Minister Camille Robinson-Regis alleged that Mark, Persad-Bissessar and Lucky had given a private undertaking to sign the report but reneged on it publicly. Lucky denied the charge. Opposition Senator Arnim Smith appealed for legislation to be brought to Parliament to renew public confidence in the Police Service. AG Morean reminded Smith that this was the purpose of the Police Service Reform Bills, which the UNC has refused to support until there is constitutional reform in Trinidad and Tobago, and was optimistic that he would support the bills.
Meanwhile in debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) Bill 2003, UNC Senator Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan claimed that Government did not want to release the contents of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Consultation Four Report because it would reveal IMF criticisms of why the Government was not putting money into the Interim Revenue Stabilisation Fund. She further alleged that given the current rate of natural gas consumption in TT, “the energy wealth will be exhausted in a decade”. Last Friday during debate on the same bill in the Lower House, Prime Minister Patrick Manning dismissed UNC claims that the nation’s energy reserves would be depleted in 20 to 40 years.
THE Morne Diablo Anglican church was packed both inside and outside at yesterday’s funeral for 16-year-old drowning victim Nikeila Ayana Rogers. Rogers’ mother Judy-Ann George, who lives in the United States, could not make it back home in time to attend the funeral. Rogers was George’s only child. Rogers was dressed all in white and lay in a coffin, lined with white velvet. Delivering the eulogy at the service, Rogers’ close friend, Natasha Blanche, remembered her as “loud and outspoken, someone who loved herself and was never careless.” Officiating at the funeral was Father Selwyn Nurse, who reminded the gathering, “We cannot deny the reality of life. Death continues to perplex us.”
He pleaded with the congregation, “Let us do something to honour Nikeila’s life as she would have wanted us to. Do not allow sorrow to overshadow the wider picture.” The funeral was attended by several of Rogers’ classmates from the Siparia Senior Secondary School. In their grief, the crying students held onto each other, sometimes even sharing the same handkerchief to wipe their tears. One cried loudly, “Nikeila left me and gone!” Following the service, Rogers was buried at the Batchyia Cemetery. Nikeila drowned while bathing last Saturday at the Morne Diablo beach. Her best friend Rafi Fermin also drowned.
THE San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) yesterday received a supply of vital drugs that were in short supply for the past three months. The supply of just over 100 boxes were delivered hours after the chief pharmacist at the hospital’s dispensary, Leaflet Ryan, met with Minister of Health Colm Imbert yesterday. The hospital’s dispensary has been without vital drugs to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy and heart ailments. Pharmacists have been forced to turn away patients seeking drugs, which were prescribed by doctors both at the hospital wards and at the outpatient clinic. The shortage forced the pharmacists to issue a public statement last week on the chronic shortage.
Ryan, when contacted yesterday, declined to disclose the purpose of the meeting which Newsday learnt was privately conducted between the Minister and the chief pharmacist. A source from the ministry told Newsday, however, that the drugs, mostly tablets, were a two-week supply of vital medication for which the hospital’s dispensary had been lacking for over three months.
THE neo-natal unit at Mt Hope Women’s Hospital reopened at the east wing yesterday with restricted access being enforced. Ten babies, who showed varying stages of the enterobacter, were transferred to another area for a week while the unit was sanitised. Several of them have since been discharged after receiving treatment. Contacted for comment yesterday, Dr Esau Joseph, the hospital’s Medical Chief of Staff, referred Newsday to the communications office of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA). Communications Officer Lisa Lalsingh said a release would be sent out.
When Newsday visited yesterday afternoon the neo-natal unit was back at its old location. A doctor on duty said “the unit had moved back in the morning and was still settling in.” He described the area as “cleaner” although some things remain unchanged. The doctor said the unit was not equipped as it should be but, the Ministry had said it would address this issue. Although the sanitisation exercise was over inside the unit, there were chairs and incubators in the hallway which were to be taken away and cleaned. A father who was visiting his newborn said eight babies were moved back to the neo-natal unit. Commenting on the restricted access he said the doctors “don’t want anyone to bring bacteria into the ICU.” His brother was not allowed to visit.
While it is normal procedure for parents to be given gowns and caps when visiting, he said they were also told to wash their hands. The gowns and caps are being kept in bags with the name of the parent visiting. The Health Ministry is yet to reveal the findings of an investigation it ordered into the “unsanitary conditions” at the neo-natal unit and to determine who is responsible. Health Minister Colm Imbert was reportedly out of the country yesterday. The deaths of 13 infants last month was being investigated.
OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark yesterday questioned why Government didn’t take action to force local banks to reduce their charges, in the same way it did with poultry producers. Government had threatened the chicken producers with the removal of the import surcharge in an effort to get them to reduce chicken prices. However, Finance Minister Conrad Enill, in responding, told the Senate yesterday that banks dealt with long-term finance “and therefore this Minister will not do anything to interfere with the financial services sector.”
Enill stressed however that Government would continue to ensure that whatever benefit it gave to the banks was passed on to consumers. He also noted that there was a Banking Ombudsman to whom consumers could take complaints about bank charges. Enill’s comments came in response to a question by Mark who asked what steps Government was taking to arrest the “continued imposition of excessive bank charges levelled on private citizens?” The official reply to the question came from Attorney General Glenda Morean who stated that Government was committed to working with all stakeholders — the Central Bank, commercial banks and banking customers, to ensure that consumers were treated fairly. She noted that the Minister of Legal Affairs, Camille Robinson-Regis had raised an alarm on the issue of bank charges and fees, against the background of numerous reports lodged with the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Legal Affairs as well as letters and articles in the press on the issue.
She said two months after Robinson-Regis’s comments (which were made during last year’s Budget debate) collaborative meetings were held with Governor of the Central Bank and representatives of the Banking Association. She said “immediately” steps were taken by Central Bank in collaboration with the Consumer Affairs Ministry to establish a consultancy aimed at analysing the operations of the banking sector. It collected data on the scope of information on fees charged by banks such as bank charges, saving accounts and loan charges.
