Dr Keith Rowley was brutally frank in Laventille yesterday as he delivered the feature address at the sod-turning ceremony for the Beverly Hills project.

In a tough talking speech, the planning and development minister fired verbal shot after shot at the people of Laventille, warning them that the crime and killing had to stop now. He said Government was fed up of gun crimes in Trinidad and Tobago, particularly in Laventille. Rowley warned that Government was moving to target the handlers of illegal guns. “And we are going to be rough and tough,” he stated, to loud applause from his Laventille audience. He noted that “one bullet” (a murder) could cost the state as much as $7 to $8 million in legal costs. “And that doesn’t include the split peas and rice you have to feed them in jail,” he said. “Ask yourself what that $8 million could do for you in Laventille, if only John did not kill Harry,” he added. Rowley  used the opportunity of the “good news” of building homes in an underprivileged community to verbally cane his political opponents, as well as school and lecture in almost censorial terms to the people of Laventille. Saying that the killing had to stop, Rowley said the Government only knows about the killing after it is done. “But some of you parents know about it before,” he chided. “True, true,” his listeners stated. “And worse than that, some of you encourage it,” he rebuked. “Yes, yes,” his audience stated. 

Earlier the PNM supporters revelled in Rowley’s thrashing of the PNM’s detractors. Little did they know that he had saved some of the fire for them, expressing his concerns and dissatisfaction with some of the practices of the people which have led to the crime onslaught in the area. Government could look after the externals — the building of homes, he said. “What happens inside your homes was your responsibility,” he stressed. “If you bring up young men and you let them believe somehow that all they have to do is lie down on yuh bed, eat yuh food, wake up any hour in the morning, look at the neighbour daughter, get her pregnant at age 14, 16, without being able to support that child. And not being able to discipline themselves to waking up rain or shine to have a bath, get dress and go to a work place and stay there…if you don’t tell yuh boy children that that is the life they should lead then they could take up the easier life and carry a gun.” But, of course, he added poignantly, that that only lasts until they meet the fastest gun. And he advised mothers to tell their “girl children” “not to even smile” at any man who has no interest in doing a day’s work for a day’s pay. The speech resonated with the audience who paced their applause after every point was made.

“It is only effort that allows you to take advantage of opportunity,” Rowley said.  He asked, in a tone of lament, what had happened to the skilled labour that the urban communities had almost specialised in producing — the plumbers, the carpenters, the jointers. Rowley made no apologies for government’s housing programme, described as “over-ambitious” by “its detractors.” In fact, he took pride in this. “Aim for the clouds and if yuh miss you would fall on the tree-tops,” he said, quoting the good old advice that his elders gave him when he went to high school. “Aim for the tree-tops and if you miss you will fall on the houses…Never aim for the ground.” He didn’t make any apologies either for spending the people’s money on the people’s needs. Saying that the housing programme would not only provide better living, but would lay the foundation for thousands of sustainable jobs, becoming an engine pulling the economy to growth, Rowley stressed: “[It was] Making the national cake wider… Our policy is not to take out slices (of the cake) and put it into our wives’ bank accounts abroad. Our policy is to spend the money here on programmes that create happiness,” he said. And for those who were accusing the government of house-padding, he had this to say: “What are we padding for in Beverly Hills, this morning? We have all the votes in Beverly Hills already.” Government was merely delivering on its promise to the people in Laventille, as it does to the people over all Trinidad and Tobago, he stated. Rowley was angry too that because some people deemed certain seats to be marginal, the view was that  government couldn’t or shouldn’t address the needs of the people there. “The only margin that we acknowledge is the margin of victory that will come to the PNM in any election in any time in  this country,” he boasted, to loud applause. IDB representative Mr Calder Hall listened intently to the minister’s address while his colleague Martin Joseph smiled broadly. And Rowley stressed that at the end of the day what was rewarded was the good work of the government. “Fortunately we do not reward graft, corruption, theft and lack of integrity,” he said.

PNM MP Fitzgerald Hinds yesterday defended his statements in the Parliament on Thursday, saying that race was a reality in the world today and in Trinidad and Tobago.

“One would be foolhardly to attempt to do or say otherwise,” he said. He said he heard many of his colleagues in the PNM dispassionately discuss “the business of race.” He said one could discuss race dispassionately without being horrible, nasty and racist, which is ungodly. Hinds said that what he was trying to do in the debate on Thursday was quite in sync with what the PNM always did. “That is to say that we ought not to see race as an issue on which to decide on the way people are treated. We are an inter-racial party with respect for all religions, all races and that is what I was trying to say,” he said. Hinds said he called as an aid the text of the founding father, “Inward Hunger.” He said Williams’ point was that there were those who were trying to use race to farther their political ends. Noting that Williams described this as a danger that beset Trinidad and Tobago, Hinds stated:  “I was making the point that it was a danger then and it still is a danger now.” “So that the very thing that I am being accused of — that is to say being racist — is the thing that I was speaking against,” he added.

Hinds said he was trying to point out to members of Parliament that there were those who were trying to use Williams’ “innocent words” to construe it as though he was a racist, which was unfair to his legacy. Told that the East Indian community was no longer a minority, Hinds said he was merely quoting Williams who had described them as a “recalcitrant minority.” He said he made the point in the debate that recalcitrant meant uncooperative, out of control and there was nothing inherently racist about this description. “I was actually analysing what Dr Williams had said…And now I find myself being the subject of scrutiny for what I have said. It is quite peculiar. But this is Trinidad and Tobago. It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. Asked whether he ignored the call which was being made to him (by Leader of Government Business Ken Valley and Prime Minister Patrick Manning) as he rose to speak, to give way to Pennelope Beckles and to allow her to wind-up the debate, Hinds said he didn’t know anything about that.

MURDERED Trinidadian Pra-matee Rampersad-Celestine had money problems and depended on her former common-law husband, Cyprian Diaz, father of two of her children, Michael and Randy, for support.  That’s the view of Joel Stuart, chef at the contentious Philadelphia restaurant where the former couple worked.

Diaz, 57, a Trinidadian, is now in the Philadelphia County Jail charged with murdering Rampersad-Celestine and her New York-born husband Eugene Celestine on June 17 in West Philadelphia. He has also been charged with possession of a firearm in a public place, possession of a firearm without a licence and possession of an instrument of crime. Speaking from a restaurant late Thursday night, Stuart, 30, whose parents are Trinidadians from Diego Martin said reports that Rampersad-Celestine and Diaz were the owners of the restaurant were not true. Stuart, who refused to be photographed, pointed out that the two were illegal immigrants and although Rampersad-Celestine had married an American, she had no social security number and could not get the lease for the property, which is owned by a man identified as Emmanuel Charles.

“He (Eugene) was married to the woman for so long, and she just could not move forward.  Pramatee’s problem was money,” Stuart said. He added that Diaz tried to get the lease as well, but Charles refused him because he was an immigrant.  As a result, Stuart said, Diaz had been paying the restaurant rent (US$800) for the past three months. He said Celestine was not “well-off” and worked as a security guard at the Superfresh Supermarket. According to Stuart, Rampersad-Celestine and Diaz started working together in the kitchen of the restaurant about three months ago. On the day of the killings, Rampersad-Celestine and Diaz were expected at work. Instead FBI officers showed up at the restaurant and informed staff of the murders.  Stuart said Diaz and the married couple lived together at apartment 106, 54th and Arch  Street, West Philadelphia and there was apparently some agreement for the couple to rent Diaz a room in the two-storey house. Stuart said from his observation Rampersad-Celestine and Diaz were still having an intimate relationship.

“I am telling you it was a love nest, an abomination that exploded.  It was that love nest that caused this foolishness, he (Diaz), husband, wife, living in the same house.  It was a big orgy.  It’s a crazy and filthy story,” he said. Stuart said all three used to live in New York first, but the Celestines moved over to Philadelphia sometime last year because Rampersad-Celestine had a live-in job in the suburbs of Pennsylvania.  He said Rampersad-Celestine appeared to be running from Diaz. Diaz moved to Philadelphia in December of 2002. “She  brought him here and this is what happened,” a pensive-looking Stuart said. He also said Diaz told him that when he came to New York in May 2001, authorities in New York seized his passport. Stuart said he could not say why Diaz’s passport was taken, but it was never given back to him.

A police officer’s brother became the country’s 116th murder victim for the year after being shot three times in the head while driving his car along La Pump Trace, Trou Macaque Road, Laventille/Morvant early yesterday.

Curt Montrichard, 39, alias “Chachie Boy” was discovered slumped in the driver’s seat of his car around 6.45 am yesterday. An anonymous caller telephoned the Besson Street Police Station yesterday and informed them that a body was in a car at La Pump Trace. When officers went to the scene, they saw Montrichard’s blood-stained body in a vehicle. Officers of the joint police/army patrol, along with Supt Errol Denoon, ASP Murrain, Inspectors Ramnarine, Brayton, Sgt Sahadeo Singh and others went to the scene. Homicide and officers from the Crime Scenes Unit also rushed to the area, which was cordoned off. Undertakers, who were summoned to the scene, sought assistance from residents and police to remove the 200 lb-plus body to the nearby hearse. The body was ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre.

Residents of the area told Newsday that Montrichard was a car thief, sold drugs, was a member of the Gambino gang and constructed houses which he rented. They added that he was one of the best “getaway” drivers in the country, and coupled with that he was described as a “Robin Hood” of the area. According to residents, Montrichard ensured that his neighbours never went hungry, and he was always on hand to provide food and money to those persons in the area who were living in poverty.

One man sporting a rasta hairstyle said that Montrichard was in the process of constructing two homes in the area, and had already located tenants for the houses. “The man use to really sell drugs, but he was always helping out people in the area,” said another resident. Police investigators claimed that Montrichard was a known drug dealer. They added that based on information received, Montrichard’s death was a planned execution. They added that it was gang-related and feel that the persons responsible for the killing is from the St Barb’s area. Relatives of the dead man were hostile towards the media and shouted obscene language when reporters attempted to interview them at their home. Officers of the Besson Street Police Station are investigating. Late yesterday, an 18-year-old suspect was being questioned in connection with the murder.

Vincent Marchan, the cricket coach accused of stealing over $6,740 worth of official Australian cricket gear from the Australian national team, appeared in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Marchan, 41, certified coach and part-time taxi driver, reportedly removed numerous items, including bats, sneakers, sunglasses and electronics, from the Hilton Trinidad on May 21. The Australian team was in Trinidad for the recently concluded Test Series. When asked whether he had any relatives, Marchan, dressed in a sport shirt, track pants and sandals, informed Magistrate Jillian David that he had one but had no way of contacting him. Acting Inspector Daniel of the St Joseph CID then told the court that police had conducted enquiries but were not able to find a fixed place of abode for the cricket coach. David then revoked Marchan’s $10,000 bail. Marchan was re-manded into custody and will reappear on July 7.

Three men armed with guns held up a cashier at the Boundary Road, San Juan branch of Singer yesterday and escaped with $5,000.

Reports revealed that around 11 am, the three men armed with guns entered the Singer compound and announced a robbery. As the bandits were leaving, a man who was in the store fired two shots at the bandits. The shots missed the fleeing men. Officers of the San Juan Police Station are investigating.

“Don’t mess with the nation’s children,” warned Justice Pamela Elder yesterday  as she imposed two life sentences on a 45-year-old man found guilty of  rape and buggery of a seven-year-old girl.

The judge also called on Parliament to extend flogging for sexual offences against children. Elder said  the sentences will run concurrently, but ordered that convict Patrick Squires, not be released before 20 years. In passing sentence, Justice Elder expressed regret that she did not have the power to order that Squires be flogged as part of his punishment and called on law makers to look at the Corporal Punishment Act to see if it could be extended to sexual matters committed against children. She went on to say that such acts of rape and buggery were every parent’s nightmare: “It will cause the blood of any reasonable loving father to boil.”

In this case, she noted that the parents could have been tempted to take the law into their own hands, but they very wisely turned to the court for justice. She warned: “Let this be a message to those who sexually violate girls. Don’t mess with the nation’s children.” Squires was before the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court charged with the rape and buggery of the girl on a date unknown in August 1999. He was defended by attorney Nathaniel King while State attorney Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo prosecuted. During the school vacation, the child’s mother had allowed the girl to spend some time with Squires at his Chaguanas home. The child’s mother had known Squires for some 12 years prior to the date of the incident and the child called him “uncle”. One night, Squires came into the child’s room with no clothes on and forced himself on top of her. He then raped and buggered her.

YESTERDAY’S 164th sitting of the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport development project lasted just over an hour but no evidence was taken.

The session was held “in camera” where former NIPDEC Chairman Edward Bayley’s attorneys made submissions. Bayley is represented by attorneys Sonny Maharaj SC and Stuart Young. Following the submissions, Noel Garcia, NIPDEC’s former General Manager, was told to return on Monday when he is expected to be questioned by Maharaj. Prior to the “in camera” session, Chairman Clinton Bernard said he wanted to make a statement but he never did. He did not say what the statement was about. He also appeared reluctant to allow Maharaj to make further submissions, telling him the Commission had given him (Maharaj) a lot of leeway so far. But Maharaj noted that two weeks ago when he was allowed to make “in camera” submissions,  he was advised to look at certain areas of the evidence. In that regard he announced his intention to make further “in camera” submissions. The inquiry is expected to wrap up in early July. So far 66 persons have given evidence.

A 30-YEAR-OLD man was granted $120,000 bail after he appeared before a San Fernando magistrate yesterday charged with having sex with his two daughters, aged nine and 11.

The man appeared before Senior Magistrate Patrick Wellington to answer the indictable charges laid by WPC Forrester of the San Fernando CID. He is facing a three-count indictment for allegedly assaulting his daughters between December 31 and June 19. Although police prosecutor Cpl Wendell Fernando objected to bail, Magistrate Wellington granted bail to be approved by the Clerk of the Peace on condition that the accused leaves the  residence he shared with his daughters. The accused man’s attorney Kevin Ratiram asked that his client be released immediately, pointing out to the magistrate that his client was arrested since 3 pm on Tuesday and had spent more than 48 hours in police custody without being charged. Ratiram added that his client was fingerprinted only on Thursday. After granting bail, Magistrate Wellington adjourned the matter to July 7.

Samdaye Bahadoor, 43, who is struggling to take care of her Downs Syndrome daughter and crippled, bed-ridden mother, now fears for her life after being  assaulted by a male relative who  has threatened to kill the entire family.
    
The unemployed Chaguanas woman is now appealing to Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy to intervene since the Chaguanas police have done nothing to protect her from the 22-year-old man, despite her numerous reports to the station. Bahadoor said she had taken out a restraining order against the relative but even that failed to stop him from threatening and attacking her. “I don’t know why he interfering with me. I doh have nothing with he,” she cried. Bahadoor said she moved her to parents’ home at Old Southern Main Road, Montrose, six years ago. She lives with her mother Sonia Dahall, 75, who suffered a stroke 16 years ago and is paralysed and bed-ridden and her 13-year-old daughter Reshma, who has Downs Syndrome. The frustrated woman explained that three years ago, the relative began threatening her and even broke into her home and assaulted her. Recalling the most recent incident on Thursday night, Bahadoor said: “I was standing in my gallery when he started cursing me.”

She said the relative started pelting her with bottles, as she stood in the gallery. Bahadoor said she made a report to the Chaguanas  Police Station but the officers did not arrest the man, nor did they warn him about his actions. “I don’t know what to do. This is not the first time he do this,” she said. Bahadoor said she used to stay downstairs with her mother but moved to the top floor of the house because she was afraid of the man. She recalled incidents where the man broke into the house and banged her head against walls and even threatened her with a cutlass. “I am alone. I cannot fight him off and I need help,” she said. “Most of the times we stay lock up in the house,” she added and pleaded with the police to intervene before “something terrible happens”.