MILLIONAIRE pastor Vishnu Lutchmansingh was yesterday served with a High Court injunction preventing him from carrying on his Faith Sanctuary Church service on yet another parcel of land. The lands are located at Harmony Hall, Reform Village near Marabella in South Trinidad and is owned by two companies managed by poultry businessman, Shaheed Mohammed. It was only on Saturday, Lutchmansingh was served with two notices by Caroni (1975) Limited, ordering him to desist from clearing lands at Chin Chin Road Junction, Cunupia, to contruct a Faith Sanctuary Church.
At Harmony Hall, Lutchmansingh has been operating his Faith Sanctuary church under a large mobile tent on three lots of land for the past year.
Filed by Nashville Farms Ltd and Heritage Farms Ltd, the injunction named Lutchmansingh and Faith Sanctuary as defendants. The two companies are subsidiaries of Nutrimix Feeds Ltd of Barrackpore, of which Mohammed is managing director. The injunction was filed in the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, Friday last. The two companies are seeking an injunction to restrain Lutchmansingh from entering and assembling for religious service on 13,477 square feet of land. It further seeks to have Lutchmansingh remove the tent and vacate the lands.
According to a writ, filed by Seenath Jairam SC, instructed by attorney Helen Lochan, the plaintiff companies stated that Lutchmansingh was granted a bare licence to use the premises. However, according to the writ, the companies revoked the licence on May 15. The companies are also seeking damages from Latchmansingh for alleged trespassing. Yesterday, the companies’ representatives unsuccessfully attempted several times to serve the injunction on pastor Lutchmansingh. When Newsday visited the tent yesterday, construction workers with tools were milling around. Pastor Lutchmansingh could not be reached yesterday. The injunction comes up for hearing in court on June 11 in the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain.
AFTER nearly two and a half hours of deliberation at Whitehall yesterday evening, Cabinet reached a consensus on the fate of beleaguered national airline BWIA. However speaking to reporters after yesterday’s special Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Patrick Manning was tight-lipped about what exactly that decision was. “We came to a consensus,” he said. The Prime Minister said the Inter-Ministerial Committee formed to deal with BWIA will meet at 8 am today with the airline’s government directors at Whitehall and then meet separately with the company’s other directors and managers. Manning stated that once these meetings are completed, Government will hold a press conference and give a comprehensive statement on what it intends to do about BWIA.
Asked if this meant Government was willing to provide additional monies to BWIA, Manning said he preferred to reserve comment until the news conference. Questioned whether Government would assist BWIA in retrieving two of its Boeing 737 aircraft that were recently seized by lessors International Leasing Finance Corporation, the Prime Minister replied: “That is a matter for BWIA.” Manning said full details will be given by Planning Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who is chairing the Committee in the absence of Public Administration Minister Dr Lenny Saith. Other members of the Committee include Ministers Ken Valley, Colm Imbert and Conrad Enill. Asked whether the duration of the Cabinet meeting meant there was division over how to resolve the BWIA issue, Manning described the discussions as “very amicable” and reiterated that a consensus was reached.
San Fernando CID are investigating whether an attempt was made to kidnap an 11-year-old pupil of the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School yesterday. The child, a Standard Five pupil, is the daughter of a Princes Town businessman. She told police around 8 am, she alighted from a maxi and was walking towards her school, located on the corner of Carib and Coffee Streets, San Fernando. The girl said she observed a Black B 13 Sentra slowing down and one of the tinted windows winding down.
She said as the car approached her she saw a man pointing at her. She got scared. The child reportedly hid behind the maxi taxi and then ran to the security booth where she told the guard what had happened. The police was immediately contacted. When contacted yesterday a school official confirmed the incident. The official said that in light of the recent kidnappings of children they have been warning the pupils to stay away from strangers. Investigations are continuing.
MURDER ACCUSED Kamal Pooran has been cleared of a tuberculosis condition. It was a bright-looking Pooran that turned up in the San Fernando High Court yesterday morning, allowing the day’s hearing to continue without a hitch. Justice Herbert Volney addressed Pooran’s defence attorney: “I am in receipt of a medical report on behalf of your client. I see no good reason why this trial should not continue”. Wearing a bandage on his left cheek, Pooran listened attentively from the witness box as trial judge Justice Volney began proceedings.
Newsday learnt that tests conducted at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) where Pooran was warded last week, diagnosed him as having an abcess in his throat. On May 6, Pooran, 25, went on trial for the murder of Rio Claro taxi driver Surujbally “Billy” Mohan. Pooran, is jointly accused with Ramzan Asgarali, 22. Midway into the trial on May 15, Pooran complained of stomach illness and nausea, and on one occasion vomitted while sitting in the prisoner’s dock of the First Criminal Assizes. Justice Volney instructed that the prisoner be taken to the San Fernando General Hospital, where doctors suspected he was suffering from tuberculosis.
Yesterday, the trial resumed with Asgarali’s attorney, Chaitram Sinanan, cross-examining police Sargeant Clyde Philip on the witness stand. Sgt Philip maintained that Asgarali voluntarily gave police a statement. The senior police officer denied that Asgarali was not allowed to read the statement which he signed, nor that a Justice of the Peace was present at the time. The case continues today.
Police have questioned a close relative in connection with the kidnapping of six-year-old Marc Prescott, who was snatched outside his school almost two weeks ago. The relative was questioned over the weekend, according to an inside source. However police have not yet obtained any solid leads. Newsday understands that the Homicide Bureau has also become involved in the investigation. Prescott, a Second Year pupil, of San Fernando Boys’ RC school, was snatched on May 14 and a demand for $150,000 had been made. Since the kidnapping, the abductors spoke twice to the boy’s father, Wayne Prescott, an off shore worker. Education Minister Hazel Manning, along with other persons have made several appeals for the child’s release. But to no avail. A relative told Newsday yesterday that they were very worried and have been constantly praying for Marc’s release.
UNC Senate Leader Wade Mark will renew his ongoing CEPEP grilling of Public Utilities Minister Rennie Dumas with questions about the criteria used by the Solid Waste Management Company (SWMCOL) to award contracts to individuals and companies hired by the Community Environment Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) and the qualifications of persons comprising the SWMCOL panel to select companies/contractors for CEPEP. Tomorrow’s sitting of the Senate could also see a resumption of hostilities between Mark and Government Senator Danny Montano when Works Minister Franklyn Khan attempts to lay the Civil Aviation Bill in the Upper House for a second time. When Khan tried to lay the Bill in the Senate last Tuesday, Mark kept his seat and protested to Senate President Dr Linda Baboolal that the UNC had come prepared to debate the Anti-Kidnapping Bill, which will be debated tomorrow after the Civil Aviation Bill. This sparked a war of words between Mark and Montano. Baboolal was forced to suspend the sitting.
Attorney General Glenda Morean-Phillip will lay two Bills to amend the Commissions of Inquiry Act and the Supreme Court of Judicature Act. The Opposition will present motions asking Government how it proposes to deal with terrorism or terrorist groups in the country, to enact Equal Opportunity Legislation, regulation of the banking industry and what steps it will take to enact legislation similar with the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 200. However, its no-confidence motion against Baboolal is missing from the Senate Order Paper. Debate will continue on motions by Independent Senator Ken Ramchand on constitutional reform and a Technical University of Trinidad and Tobago and his colleague Professor Ramesh Deosaran’s motion for live televised parliamentary debates.
OPPOSITION Chief Whip Ganga Singh yesterday wrote to Police Commissioner Hilton Guy offering to meet Canadian forensic investigator Bob Lindquist and members of the Police’s Anti-Corruption Bureau at noon tomorrow at the Opposition Leader’s office on Charles Street, Port-of-Spain, to turn over information regarding alleged corruption at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). In the letter, Singh said he had “been making every effort to bring to the attention of relevant authorities, the corrupt practices at WASA”.
“In this regard, you would have received a delivery by hand on April 17, 2003, a copy of a letter together with attached documents that I sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr Geoffrey Henderson. The DPP responded on April 22, 2003, indicating that I should await the outcome of Mr Bob Lindquist’s investigation,” he stated. Singh reminded the Commissioner that “the relevant authority to investigate and secure evidence is the Police Service”. He added that “in this regard, I wish to advise that I will make myself available to assist the Anti-Corruption Squad accompanied by forensic accountant Mr Bob Lindquist in their inquiries”.
Asked if he had been contacted on the matter by Attorney General, Glenda Morean-Phillip, Singh said the AG’s office tried to contact him last Friday but he was unavailable at the time. He added that it was the police and not the AG who were responsible for gathering evidence in such matters. Singh also said the UNC would not appoint former PNM MP, Dr Joe Laquis, a temporary senator so Laquis could respond to statements made about his involvement in alleged corruption at WASA. Laquis turned Sunday to the UNC to ask the Opposition to make him a temporary senator after his own party, the PNM, refused to permit him to answer Singh’s charges in Parliament. Prime Minister Patrick Manning said Laquis would not be made a temporary PNM Senator.
Trade and Industry Minister Ken Valley said yesterday Government is looking to increase workers’ social wage as he opened the Trade and Investment Convention 2003 yesterday at the Hilton. The seminar, organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association, RBTT and the Tourism and Industrial Development Company (TIDCO), included exhibitors from around the region. Valley said social wage includes access to good housing, cheap, reliable transport, proper healthcare and education.
“Thus money wage by itself does not determine the standard of living of the worker,” he said, adding that the plan to build 10,000 housing units a year over the next five years is part of Government’s plan to increase social wages. Government raised the minimum wage earlier this year and Valley said this was because it was concerned about wages at the bottom of the scale. Labour costs were one of the four areas Valley touched on four issues which impact on the manufacturing sector. The others were export competitiveness, industrial policy in terms of picking winners and integration. He said now that expansion is taking place in the energy sector, Government is turning its attention to make sure other sectors benefit as well. RBTT chief executive officer Suresh Sookoo said the business community in the region needs to invest in itself if it wants to develop.
His Excellency, President George Maxwell Richards, yesterday presented a $15,000 cheque to the All In One Development Centre in Beetham Gardens, Laventille. The funds were raised at the annual Max Richards and Friends premium all-inclusive Carnival fete earlier this year. In addressing the small gathering of community members, teachers and students, President Richards said: “The quantum of the cheque was dictated in a very large measure, by what we understood to be the immediate urgent financial needs of the centre. Since that time however, I have been given to understand that the needs are probably a little bit greater and with this in mind, I would wish really, on my own behalf to make a most minuscule contribution to the work of the school.”
The President’s personal contribution was another cheque for $5,000. He then praised the centre for the tremendous work being done, especially with very little, by the way of materials and financial resources. “It is therefore my hope that this visit today will in some way serve as a catalyst or a stimulus, which might encourage others to come to the assistance of what is a most worthy cause, or perhaps be even more generous than we have been,” urged the President. Principal of the Centre, Wayne Jordan Patrick profusely thanked the President after warmly welcoming him to the Centre. He described the visit as historical and the first of its kind since the Centre’s inception in 1985 as a shed. Patrick, holder of a National Medal of Merit, also spoke of his admiration of His Excellency’s earthly ways, which he said he intends to copy and hoped many others would follow.
Earlier at the simple ceremony, David Picou of the Max Richards and Friends Committee praised Patrick’s dedication towards the cause and revealed that the principal, once a winner of (US)$10,000, selflessly used the entire prize money to improve and partially furnish the Centre which provides an education and tender loving care for both pre-school and primary school children of the area. Picou said that many of these 81 children had never seen the insides of a school before, while some others are mentally challenged. However they were all ecstatic when they saw the Head of State in the flesh and after being prompted by the principal, they gave three loud cheers to President Richards for the contributions presented to the Centre. Then upon the President’s departure, the children all waved and said in upbeat voices: “Goodbye! Goodbye! Come back again eh?”
An Arima man was yesterday sentenced to seven years hard labour for the manslaughter of his brother-in-law by Justice Alice Yorke-Soo Hon in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal High Court. Calvin “Carlos” Thompson, 35, of Tumpuna Road, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Clifford Le Blanc, 45, at Tumpuna Road, on September 22, 2000. Thomas and Le Blanc lived at the same house, which belongs to the Thompson family. State prosecutor Dinanath Ramkissoon presented evidence indicating that the two men got into an argument. Thompson then asked Le Blanc to leave the house. Le Blanc said he would leave in the morning yet Thompson continued to argue. A struggle ensued and Thompson took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Le Blanc. Le Blanc received two stab wounds and two cuts. He died as a result of a stab wound to the heart. Justice Soo Hon declared, “Respect for human life is now a thing of the past.”
She added that “the taking of your brother-in-law’s life is indeed a heinous act”, and she was unable to find any “exceptional circumstance” that would cause her not to impose a custodial sentence upon the defendant. Before passing sentence, Justice Soo Hon said she also took into account six factors favourable to the defence. Firstly, Thompson pleaded guilty to the offence and did not seek to pursue a course of lies. Secondly, he had no previous convictions and his attorney, Israel Khan, stated he was not predisposed to violence. Thirdly, the attack took place in the kitchen where Thompson took a knife which shows he was not pre-armed. Fourthly, when Thompson was arrested by the police he immediately showed remorse by saying, “Boss, I real sorry. I get plenty lash.” Fifthly, a medical examination showed that Thompson sustained injuries, including nasal bleeding and a fractured nasal bone as a result of the struggle. Sixthly, Thompson already spent two years and six months in jail for the offence.
However, Justice Soo Hon added that a young man of 45 with a profession, a wife and child had his life “snuffed out”. The judge told Thompson that though the deceased told him he would leave the house in the morning, he continued to argue. Thompson’s sister told him to behave himself yet he persisted in continuing with the argument. The judge stated that Thompson was “out looking for trouble” and she would not be able to place him on a bond as his attorney requested. As the judge passed sentence, a woman in the back whispered, “Thank you, Jesus.”
