THE EDITOR: because of ASPIRE and its kind, for a baby to be in thewomb of its mother is distinctly hazardous to its health and life, even though it is in the only place in the whole wide world where it can be. The abortionists’ efforts, legal or illegal, frustrate the best intentions of Nature who has prepared the womb as a safe haven. While sadly deploring their ignorance, one might excuse the ignorant who genuinely have good intentions. But it is my contention that ASPIRE is not ignorant of the evil of what it is proposing. There is no other way to explain their efforts to hide behind double-speak. In order to gain acceptance and promote their murderous agenda, the Communists of old used that technique, viz claiming to be exactly the opposite of what they were. If you tell a lie often enough, you eventually come to believe it yourself! Communism failed. It was against man’s nature. So too will any society that seeks to dash its foot against the stone of basic human integrity and respect for life.
In the modern version of double-speak, ASPIRE shouts (literally, by the way, as anyone who tries to debate with them finds out!) “We want to have abortion legalised — and that makes us pro-life!” Please!! Or again: “The Pro-life movement favours abortion!” Can you believe that?! Shades of George Orwell. Or when they present Sheila Briggs to the public as a “Catholic theologian.” Its double-speak only betrays ASPIRE’s awareness of the crassness in its approach, and makes it obvious that its proponents take us for morons! The vicious double-speak, by the sheer weight of repetition, is designed to confuse the masses into acceptance of its programme, especially “the poor,” whose cause ASPIRE claims to espouse, but whose babies it proposes to have killed, albeit legally and clinically, with an intent similar to those who preferred electrocution to hanging in the execution of criminals.
Nature itself is outraged by the crime of abortion, whether it be legal or illegal. And we Trinis must stand beside Nature in its outrage. That is the only way to true liberation. If we are to make any inroads into the violence of our society, it must start with respect for Life itself, and we must take our lead from nature, who has so wonderfully provided for the safety of the young and defenceless — in the womb of its mother. We look to the Government to protect us and our unborn children. We look to our Government to stand proud amongst the Nations of the World, and tell the IMF and whoever else where to get off if they wish to link their aid to population control through abortion. We expect our Government to repudiate the tainted efforts of international agencies who seek to coerce us with their money into immoral attitudes and policies. I am reminded of St Peter’s words to Simon the Magician: “May your money perish with you!” (Acts 8:20). We stand by our Government who, in the face of powerful international and vested interests, has the courage to declare “This Government is Pro-Life” (Prime Minister Manning, Friday August 9) — as distinct from ASPIRE’s “Pro-Choice.” We too say No! to the legalisation of abortion. Let us instead use our resources to encourage the practice of chastity, and to provide humane assistance to mothers and babies alike who need it at a time when they need it most.
FR GERARD E FARFAN
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: The regular quarterly or semi-annual surveys by Market Facts and Opinions of the media and the use of those survey results in pursuit of the mighty advertising dollar combined are killing consciences and whatever smattering of professionalism may be left in the media. The TT Republic constitution guarantees freedom of the press (media) but, because of the twin evils above, the principals have used them as an excuse to avoid the freedom’s concomitant responsibility. I will give one of the most recent glaring examples. There is this female history teacher who is an assistant host on a popular radio-station, whose proud station ID is “First! Fast! Accurate!” and “The Most Powerful Name in Talk Radio!”
One morning last week (September 1 – 5) she was severely critical of the government for not pursuing a more active role in implementing the death penalty. It was even opined that the Attorney-General herself may be personally against it and that is why she is not more active in its implementation. She was more than intermittently almost drowned out by her two male co-hosts and senior principals at the station, in agreement with her views. The inseparable twins who hold the positions of programme director and news director were not simply oblivious, but completely ignorant that less than a week before on their own station on Marathon Friday (August 29) Mrs.Glenda Morean, Attorney-General, made a definitive policy statement on her government’s policy on the death penalty.
One would assume that if the station addressed serious issues by having guests that its listeners can be authoritatively informed, the least hosts on that station, who insist on their right to express their opinions and label people sycophants, could be expected to do is to keep themselves informed and updated on current information and facts. Here is what AG Morean had to say not only for those three klutzes but the interested serious citizen.
“There are over 200 persons under the death penalty now but some are due to have their sentences commuted because of the five-year time limit.
“The problem here is that other countries in the region, like Barbados and Jamaica, have tried to enact legislation to get around the five-year problem. But as long as there is the right of appeal to the ICHR and all the different avenues for appeal and subsequent to that the Committee on the Power of Pardon after which you have the further right to go for judicial review of any decision, that automatically takes you out of that five year period and you well find that, quite apart, not by legal but by judicial edict, the death penalty is abolished.
“I am not saying this is what had happened, but effectively we have been unable to implement the death penalty. “I have a committee that monitors what is happening with the condemned persons and to see where we have reached at each stage with their particular applications. The law provides for time frames within which things are supposed to be done. “You cannot go and execute a person while these applications are pending because we subscribe to the rule of law and we ourselves can’t act outside the law. “I can’t say who does or does not believe (in the death penalty). The fact is that that is the law and we are here to uphold the law. The position of the government is that the law is to be implemented.”
DESMOND ROXBOROUGH
La Florissante
THE EDITOR: Good governance involves the prudent use of scarce resources to address areas of greatest need. This point seems to have escaped those who decided to repave large sections of the Butler, Beetham, and Churchill-Roosevelt highways, while totally disregarding important roads in rural areas, which have been rendered almost impassable by neglect over many years. During the periods that I have been stuck in traffic on the highways mentioned. I had the opportunity to check their condition, and I can declare without fear of contradiction that the surfaces of these highways remain in excellent condition and the repaving is a scandalous waste of taxpayers’ money.
I can understand now that the Minister of Works has been elected to office, he could have forgotten the areas outside of the city, therefore I must point out some of the roads that are in a deplorable condition. These include Gran Couva Road, Todds Road, Naparima Mayaro Road, Caparo Valley Road (between Tabaquite and Brickfield), and Durham-Mills Road in Caparo. I am sure that there are many others in other parts of the country. It would seem that in the frenzy to pave no needs assessment was done, because surely the repaving of these roads is not a priority. It could also be that the Ministry of Works needs to give the impression that things are being done, however, as a citizen I must request that the right things be done to improve the quality of life for country dwellers. If this government is truly one for all of TT, I expect the Prime Minister to halt this senseless waste and direct efforts toward the rehabilitation of the rural roads mentioned above.
DAVID SUBRAN
Chaguanas
FIVE days of tearful, fervent and constant prayers by a Claxton Bay family for the safe release of their kidnapped relative, businessman Vernon Roopnarine, went unanswered when a body found yesterday dumped at the bottom of a Petit Valley precipice was positively identified as Roopnarine. Screams and cries of agony rent the air at the house of mourning in Sum Sum Hill yesterday when relatives broke the news to an ill Shafira that her husband’s body was found. When Newsday visited the victim’s home yesterday to speak to grieving relatives, we were told to come back later, since Roopna-rine’s wife of 33 years had taken the news of her husband’s death very badly and was not in any condition to speak to the media. Roopnarine, 56, the proprietor of Refinery and Industrial Fabricators Limited at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, was snatched around 9.30 pm last Thursday outside his home in the presence of his 20-year-old daughter, Nathalia. Two days later, a $3 million ransom demand was made for his safe release.
According to reports, the kidnapping came after several prank calls were made to the family. Police sources said relatives were unable to come up with the ransom money, prompting the kidnappers to threaten Roopnarine’s life if the ransom was not paid. They eventually made good on their threats. Yesterday around 5 am, a passerby was alerted to a foul stench emanating from the bottom of a precipice in an area known as “the spring.” A check was made and Roopnarine’s body, bound and gagged, was found. Officers of the Four Roads Police Station as well as homicide officers and officers of the Crime Scenes Unit were called in. The body was later viewed by Dr Chai Hong and ordered removed to the Forensic Sciences Centre. An initial check revealed that the body may have been dumped at the site about 48 hours before the discovery as the body displayed signs of early decomposition. Police investigators believe that Roopnarine was killed elsewhere and his body dumped at Morne Coco Road. Investigators who visited the scene told Newsday they suspect the man may have been strangled. An autopsy will be carried out today.
Police officers investigating the kidnapping and murder of Roopnarine said yesterday that they are exploring a drug link to his death. Investigators explained that they are working on information that a relative close to Roopnarine may be involved in the illicit drug trade. They feel that Roopnarine was kidnapped and murdered to send a message to the relative. While reporters spoke briefly with a female friend of the dead man’s family at the house of mourning where several persons had gathered, cries were heard from the upstairs section of the house. The female friend said Roopnarine’s wife, who is diabetic, did not take the news “too well” and that she (Shafira Roopnarine) was “only fainting.” Up to late yesterday, no arrests had been made. Couva police and Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) officers are continuing investigations into the kidnapping while Western Division police are probing Roopnarine’s murder.
THE MAN accused of killing a woman at Movie Towne in June was yesterday freed of the murder. Instead, Brent Miller, has been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony in the preliminary inquiry against Jamaat Al Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr on a charge of conspiracy to murder two expelled members of the Muslimeen. Bakr’s case is listed for September 29. All charges laid against Miller were dismissed by Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls yesterday, after a letter of discontinuance was submitted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson. “You are a very lucky man Mr Miller,” Mc Nicolls remarked. “The DPP has submitted a letter of discontinuance in the case, therefore all charges laid against you have been dismissed.”
When contacted, Miller’s attorney Wayne Sturge said he did not know of the DPP’s intention to discontinue the case. He also said his client was now in protective custody. Miller, 25, of St Ann’s, was earlier charged with the June 4, 2003 murder of Jilla Bowen which took place at the Movie Towne Complex, Invaders Bay, Port-of-Spain. Bowen, the 32-year-old mother of a six-year-old girl, was shot in her head while in the company of two men who were also shot in the legs and lower torso. They were reportedly sitting on a bench at the time of the incident. He was also charged with eight other offences: attempting to murder Salim Rasheed, attempting to murder Adil Ghani, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. These charges were laid indictably by Sgt Nandram Moonilal of the St James CID. A relative of Miller was seen jumping with joy outside the court after hearing of the news from a police officer.
A 41-YEAR-OLD father of three, whose death was classified as “natural” a year ago, may very well have been murdered. This according to police who say they are awaiting instructions from Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson, to have the man’s body exhumed, for further forensic testing to prove or disprove the murder theory. Investigators sent the file to the DPP two months ago after receiving information that Pooran Herve, who lived at San Pedro in Poole Village, Rio Claro, was involved in an altercation at a bar, which led to him being cuffed and then thrown to the tiled floor of the bar.
He never regained consciousness and died some four hours later, while awaiting medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of the Mayaro Hospital. Yesterday his wife, Lackani Herve, visited Newsday’s South Bureau complaining that her husband’s killer was still at large and the police were not doing anything about it. However, when Newsday contacted police yesterday, a senior officer said the District Medical Officer who attended to the body was not aware of the circumstances of the case and thus ruled that Herve’s death was natural. “The DMO said it was either a case of high blood pressure or that he fell…the person in question probably being drunk,” police sources said. Sources added that when investigators learnt that there was some kind of altercation prior to Herve’s death, they contacted the pathologist, who said he could not do anything about the finding now (since the body was already buried). The investigators then contacted the State Counsel and the file on the incident was sent to the DPP.
Investigators are now awaiting instructions from the DPP’s office. Another post mortem will be carried out, if the body is exhumed. Meanwhile, life for widow Lackani Herve has been very difficult since her husband’s death. The unemployed mother of three, said she now depends on Government’s public assistance of $428 to take care of herself and her last child. “My two daughters are not living with me, but my son just passed for St Stephen’s College and his school registration fee alone was $300. This month I could not even buy groceries,” the grieving woman said. “It is hard. It real hard. And my husband’s killer is still on the loose. I want somebody to do something now,” she pleaded.
Twenty-four people were arrested in an early morning exercise carried out by officers of the Port-of-Spain CID and the Inter-Agency Task Force. Reports revealed that officers went to several areas in Laventille and Beetham where they carried out a series of raids and searches. Four women, believed to be part of a gang, were arrested in the exercise. Officers also seized a pistol and several rounds of ammunition. A 19-year-old man wanted for questioning into a murder at Beetham Estate on August 1 was also arrested. The exercise was coordinated by Supt Errol Denoon and led by Inspector Brereton, Ag Inspector Singh and others.
POLICE have launched a major manhunt for three bandits who on Monday night chopped, tied up and left for dead a security guard before making off with over $18,000 in cash and items from a Freeport foam factory. Investigators believe Estate Constable (EC) Anthony Chase, employed with SMART security firm, would have bled to death had he not untied himself during the wee hours of yesterday morning and sought help. His left forearm and right index finger were almost severed in the cutlass attack. According to police reports, around 10.45 pm on Monday, EC Chase, of Orange Field Road, was on duty at Vicmol Factory, off Bholai Trace, Chase Village, when three men — two armed with cutlasses and the third with a firearm — attacked the guard.
The men chopped EC Chase about his arms. When he collapsed, the bandits tied Chase up with his own belt and pieces of cloth. As a helpless Chase lay bleeding profusely, the intruders ransacked the factory and stole $16,000 in cash, a radio and a grinder valued $2,000. They then escaped on foot. Some five hours later, at 3.30 am, a still badly bleeding Chase somehow managed to untie himself and walked to a nearby company where he called out to security guards on duty for assistance. Chase was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he was treated and subsequently transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Up to late yesterday, no arrests had been made and Cpl Satnarine is continuing investigations.
AT FIRST it sounded like a “scratch-bomb.” But seconds later, it turned deadly. One security guard was shot and wounded. And within minutes, a 17-year-old youth was killed by police. All this happened within a short time at the International School at Westmoorings on November 20, 2002. The head of security at the International School related yesterday how one of his colleagues was shot by a gun-toting youth at the school. Anthony Ralph, who admitted to being an untrained security guard, tried unsuccessfully to restrain the youth, who raised his arm and shot another security guard, William Ramnarine, near the guard booth in front of the school.
Ralph said the youth with the gun ran into the school while he stopped a police vehicle with three officers and spoke to them. He led two of the officers up the stairs to the Commons Room before he beat a hasty retreat because he was unarmed, he had no bullet proof vest “and there was no reason for me to stay there.” He admitted to fleeing the scene. Ralph was the only witness to testify at the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of 17-year-old Phillip Seerattan, who was shot dead by police at the school on November 20, 2002. The inquest is being heard at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner. Prior to testimony being given yesterday, the court visited the scene of the shooting at Westmoorings.
Patricia Roberts is looking after the interest of the Seerattan family, while Martin George represents two police officers — PC Gary Moore and WPC Saud Weekes. Lydia Mendonca appears for the International School with Inspector Lynette Fergu-sson as the court prosecutor. Hearing resumes this morning. Ralph, who was appointed head of security in July 2002, said he reported for duty at the International School at 11.30 am on November 20, 2002. He remembered that around 2.30 pm, he was in the office of the Business Manager when he heard a loud explosion. “I left the room to investigate and as I reached the front of the office area, I saw a young man standing between officer William Ramnar-ine and myself. Ramnar-ine was standing in front of the receptionist’s booth. “The guy (Phillip Seerattan) was dressed in all black. I approached and on reaching him, he raised his right arm and pointed the gun at Ramnarine. I heard a loud explosion. Ramnarine was shot. I held on to this guy by the shoulders. The gun was still in his hand. I shoved him, moved him away from Ramnarine and pushed him off.”
Ralph said the guy was still holding the gun. “The guy (Seerattan) turned around, looked at me and proceeded into the office area. The gun was still at his side. I allowed him to go.” At this point, the Coroner asked Ralph if he was the head of security at the school. “You just allowed him to go? Why did you not do something?” Mc Nicolls asked. Ralph said although he had been employed at Securicor for seven years, he has had no security training whatsoever. He then continued his evidence. Ralph said after Seerattan went into the school, he went to Ramnarine’s assistance and took him to the cafeteria. He met the principal, Barney Latham, and spoke to him. The head security officer also informed the guard at the entrance of what was happening. Ralph said he met an East Indian man, later identified as Seerattan’s father, coming up the driveway. He also noticed a police vehicle approaching. He spoke to two officers, namely Moore and Weekes, who were pointed out in court. “I told them that the guy was located in the Commons Room. We proceeded to that area. They had their firearms. The man was carrying a big gun and the woman a side firearm. I was in front of them. I pointed to the area and I gave them a layout of the room. I told them to be careful and I went back downstairs.”
Ralph said he returned to where the police vehicle was parked. About five minutes later, a student came downstairs. “I then heard several shots, it could be about five or six, I wasn’t really checking,” he told the Coroner. By that time, other police vehicles arrived on the scene and Ralph showed them where to go. He then went to the cafeteria and saw Ramnarine. His wounded colleague was being attended to by the school nurse and other teachers. The ambulance came and took Ramnarine away. Ralph said he never saw Seerattan again, neither did he see PCS Moore and Weekes.
Under cross-examination by Patricia Roberts, Ralph could not say if Ramnarine had issued a visitor’s pass to Seerattan on that fateful day. He contradicted his earlier statement by saying he heard the first explosion at 2.49 pm. Although he was a security guard, he admitted to having no knowledge of weapons. “I have knowledge of street sense,” he told the court. Ralph denied he was frightened that day, although he fled the upstairs section of the school leaving the two policemen to find Seerattan. I had no bullet-proof vest, I was unarmed, there was no reason for me to stay there. “
ABOUT 200 students of the International School in Westmoorings were on the premises when shooting erupted on November 20, 2002. This was revealed by principal Barney Latham during a visit of the Inquest Court to the school yesterday. He explained that the elementary school ends at 2.15 pm, while the senior students are released 15 minutes later. On the day of the incident, when 17-year-old Phillip Seerattan was shot dead, Latham said there were about 200 students still on the premises. Some, he added, were waiting for parents to collect them, while there were a large number in the gymnasium.
Altogether, there were 245 students enrolled at the school at the time of the incident. It is rare for an inquest court to visit the scene where someone has died. Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner, led the “court” to see what happened on that fateful day. At the centre of the 35-minute visit was Latham, Principal of the International School since July 2000. Latham pointed out to the court, the procedure relating to visitors to his school. However, he expressed his concern at the media coming onto the premises to film what he called the “security areas.” The attorneys in the case had no problems with the media being there when asked by coroner Mc Nicolls. In the end, photographers were kept outside, while reporters were allowed to go on the tour where the shootings occurred. But the Coroner found out yesterday that the room where Seerattan was shot has been renovated.
