In a sternly worded letter, which conveyed his strong objections to inflated salaries in the public sector, Prime Minister Patrick Manning took the unusual step of calling on the chairman of WASA to ensure that the salary and emoluments paid to WASA’s CEO, Errol Grimes, have not been increased to $50,000 “in defiance of the agreement of the Cabinet”.

The letter was dispatched yesterday, following a report in the media that Grimes was still receiving a $50,000 salary. However, the report was inaccurate. Public Utilities Minister Rennie Dumas assured Newsday that Grimes is, in fact, receiving a $36,000 salary. According to sources, a compensation package of $44,000 is to be forwarded to Cabinet for its approval. This package was recommended by the Public Sector Negotiating Committee.

Dumas said he gave the instructions in January that Grimes and others revert to the old salaries, and it was implemented in either January or February.  But he noted the affair involving Grimes and his salary had become “a mess of confusion and comess”. “We seem to have a Grimes complex. He has become a symbol for all the things we want to clean out and damage,” Dumas said, wondering if all the attention had to do with “persecution or public policy”. The minister called for “gentleness and sanity”. Manning’s letter, which was hardly gentle, pointed out that the Minister of Public Utilities had “given the Cabinet the assurance” that he had instructed that the salary of $50,000 not be paid to Grimes, since approval, “which was required in advance, had neither been sought nor obtained from the Public Sector Negotiating Committee”.  Noting that the matter was of “national concern” and was “highly publicised”, the Prime Minister demanded a response from the chairman, “within 24 hours”.

Chairman Roland Baptiste said yesterday: “We will respond because we followed the instructions of the Government. I will respond to the Honourable Prime Minister immediately.” Dumas said the whole question of salaries for WASA contract officers would be reported to the Cabinet and the whole issue cleared up by mon-th’s end. Dumas also stressed that the Cabinet would be considering the legal implications of asking Grimes to return monies paid to him during the period when he was collecting the $50,000 salary. “If an employer tells you that you are entitled to this sum and then the employer changes its mind…Mr Grimes is not responsible… He is a worker who had his compensation package determined by a process,” the minister stated. He said there may have been some “improper public management procedure” involved, but the “viciousness” against Grimes was unwarranted.

Dumas said in this period, “as in the last (UNC) period”, there was no attempt to do what was procedurally correct. He said the Public Sector Negotiating Committee was chaired by Wade Mark and neither Mark, nor the line minister, Ganga Singh, attempted to do the correct thing and put the compensation issue before the committee.

A 60-year-old Diego Martin grandmother was burnt to death yesterday after the maid locked her in and set the building on fire.

Police described it as “a senseless act.” After commiting murder, the 35-year-old maid is reported to have drank a toxic substance believed to be gramoxone. Up until late last night, the maid was in a coma at hospital. According to police reports, around 4 pm, Cynthia Weilung  was locked in her home at Team Drive, Majuba Crossing, Diego Martin while watching television, and the building set ablaze.  Moments later the maid, who five months ago was taken off the street by Weilung and offered the job, drank  poison and collapsed at the front of the burning house.

Weilung’s granddaughter Tiffany, on seeing smoke billowing at the back of the house telephoned the police. West End police arrived on the scene along with fire officers who had to cut down the front iron gate to access the burning house.  Weilung’s home, which is an annexe at the back of the house was completely destroyed while the front of the house, where her only son, Peter Anthony, lives with his wife Simone and their daughter Tiffany, was untouched by the blaze.

When firemen extinguished the blaze, they came across the charred, unrecognisable and smoking remains of Mrs Weilung, among the ruins. A shaken Peter Anthony, who along with his wife are employees of Republic Bank Ltd, said he did not know why the maid whom he called “Joyce” would want to kill his mother. Anthony’s wife Simone, was too distraught to speak. Homicide Bureau officers and West End police were still at the scene late last night searching for clues. While at the scene, police officers said they heard the maid had died at hospital, but up to news time this could not be confirmed. West End police are continuing investigations.

A heart attack claimed the life of Boodhanie Heeralal, the 55-year-old grandmother who was struck by a jet ski in a Penal water park on Monday.

An autopsy report from the Forensics Sciences Centre where the post mortem was conducted on Heeralal’s body yesterday, stated the cause of death as mio-cardial infraction, atheroscleric coronary artery disease. The report also stated that there was blunt carnio cerebral traumatic injury (injury to the head) caused by unnatural circumstances. Heeralal, of Seurage Trace, Debe, died at the San Fernando General Hospital hours after the jet ski ploughed into her and her ten-year-old grand-daughter, Dianne Beepath.

The accident occurred at the Jovi’s Water Park at Well Road, Charlo Village, where Heeralal and her family went on an outing on Easter Monday. Police have questioned a 19-year-old man of Savonetta, who reportedly lost control while driving a Yamaha twin-carburettor Wave Runner that crashed into Heeralal and her grand-daughter. Cpl Minors of the Siparia CID is leading investigations. Heeralal is expected to be cremated today at the Shore of Peace, Mosquito Creek, following a service at her Debe home, from 11.30 am.

A 19-year old woman and a 38-year-old truck driver were arrested on Monday and charged with a total of 14 offences.

Also on Monday, a Chaguanas man was charged with seven traffic offences. At around midday on Monday, officers of the Central Division Task Force led by Cpl Ajith Persad and including PCs Khelawan Ramsook and Curtis Pierre were on patrol in Enterprise Village, Chaguanas, when they saw a man driving a motor cycle without a front number plate.

A check revealed that the motorcyclist did not have a drivers permit’s. He was taken to the Chaguanas Police Station where he was charged with seven offences. At Mulchan Siewchan Road, the officers saw a female driver parked in the middle of the roadway and speaking on her cell phone. A check was carried out and the woman could not produce a driver’s permit. She was arrested along with a 38-year-old truck driver and they were both charged with a total of 14 offences. When they appeared before Chaguanas Magistrate Margaret Alert, all three pleaded guilty and their matters were adjourned to Friday for sentencing.

EMPLOYEES of the National Insurance Board (NIB) were yesterday spitting fire over alleged deductions of thousands of dollars in their salaries for “sick-out” action taken in March.

The employees who are negotiating for better terms and conditions for the period 1999 to 2001 told Newsday the negotiations are at a standstill, but when they received their payslips, they found monies had been deducted. They concluded the deductions were for “sick-out” action taken by the majority of permanent workers on March 14 and 17, 2003. The workers even accused their bargaining union Public Services Association (PSA) of knowing of the plan by the NIB management to deduct the salaries and of doing nothing about it.

Newsday was told that the deductions ranged from $300 to $600 based on the individual salaries. The employees are also upset about the promotion system at the government agency. Newsday was told the promotion system at NIB is not based on qualifications but rather persons are promoted allegedly because management can control them. However the NIB shop steward Terrance Regis, told Newsday while he could not confirm the workers had embarked on “sick-out” action, he was investigating complaints about the deductions. He said there might have been “sporadic absenteeism” which could have affected the Board’s operations. He said he was trying to “get the picture if that is so or not”.

Questioned about the promotion issue, Regis also confirmed the staff has had that grouse for a number of years. He said the union is trying to have included in its agreement a transparent promotion system. He described the current system as being “shrouded in mystery” which is considered by many to be characterised by nepotism. On the actual state of negotiations, Regis said NIB was offering a ten percent increase — two percent, two percent and six percent to cover the three year period. He said a proposal asking for “$1,000 across the Board for all employees in addition to a 15 percent increase” had been submitted to the Board for its consideration for which the union was awaiting a response. However Regis stressed that what the workers want is to have salaries comparable with those received by other state agencies like WASA, TTEC and TSTT.

Efforts to get a comment from the NIB management and PSA President Jennifer Baptiste-Primus  about the deductions proved futile.

OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday, will deliver the feature address at the United National Congress (UNC) 14th anniversary celebrations at the Centre Pointe Mall Chaguanas on Sunday.

Several stalwarts of the UNC will also be honoured during the celebrations. Last week, Panday signalled his intention to stand for re-election as leader when the UNC holds internal executive elections in July.  Party sources said it was uncertain whether anyone would challenge Panday for leadership of the UNC and it was unlikely that any challenger would be successful.

Following last October’s general elections defeat to the People’s National Movement (PNM), Panday said he desired to step down as leader and a transition team was established to honour his wishes. The UNC leader reversed his decision following meetings then between former UNC deputy leader Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and several high-ranking party members. Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan admitted to speaking with Maharaj about the UNC’s political future while top party financier, FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner, refused to comment on reports that he held secret talks with Maharaj.

BRIAN LARA has already scored 20 centuries in his career as the World’s Record holder, and to crown it all he recorded his first on his home soil — the Queen’s Park Oval — during the current Test Series against Australia, in the second Test match.

Brian made a disciplined 122 to pave the way for a fight back by the West Indies team, but this was not to be as the Regional team crumbled giving the Aussies victory by 118 runs. Previously, Brian was dismissed twice in the nineties failing to get to the three-figure mark at the Queen’s Park Oval, but on this occasion he seemed to be pleased with his performance and just hoping that “we could have done it”. When he reached his century, Brian punched the air and jumped gleefully. In response he raised his hands and applauded the crowd.
 

HARRY NARINE, Retired School Principal of San Fernando.
It was a fantastic innings when you consider the bowling strength of the Australians — the world  champions.  He must be congratulated on scoring his first century on his home ground.

HOWARD MAHARAJ of Freeport.
I just could not imagine seeing a better century than what Brian Lara registered during this final day’s play. He showed class and gave a lesson to other members of the team, and to the entire Caribbean cricketing enthusiasts.

SUREN DHANIRAM, Principal of the Avocat Hindu School and former secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control:
This century at the Queen’s Park Oval is long overdue and to cricket fans in the country it is most welcome. It will inspire confidence on the whole team as the series continues.  As the captain Brian is leading by example and his century in this match has come at no better time.

COLIN CUMBERBATCH, Professional Photographer from Antigua:
Considering the state of the game, it was an appropriate century fashioned from exquisite timing and placement of shots that beat the field with amazing regularity. When you look at the configuration of the two teams, it is obvious that the Australians have the edge, and it is against this background that Brian’s century should be weighed and measured.

GORDON BROOKS, Photographer from Barbados:
Having come so close on two occasions, Brian must be praised for his effort at this time. It is a credit to his ability as a player and to me it was a century from the top drawer of the game. The team needs such an effort from the captain to help in the motivational process in future games.

PAULINE DURITY, an Irish woman, who has been residing in Trinidad for the last 35 years:
There is no way to explain this brilliant century on Brian’s part. I have been a fan of Brian Lara since he started playing cricket and I am here to applaud his 20th century.

CHERRY SINGH, Former West Indies and Trinidad’s Women  leg break bowler:
I hope that Brian’s century would push other members of the team to play better for the West Indies. Brian Lara is really great and no wonder he holds the world record score of 375 not out against England. His century could not have come at a better time.

ROSEMAAL DE FREITAS of Chaguanas.
I am proud of him. I heard it on the radio and rushed to the Oval to see him make the century.  He made it before I reached here, but that apart, I wish to congratulate him for his magnificent innings.

THE teenaged son of a police sergeant was arrested in San Juan on Tuesday night by North-Eastern Division police who searched him and found a loaded Italian-made pistol, believed to have been stolen from the home of a businessman.

The teen and two other men, who were held in a car, were to have gone on ID parades yesterday. The Tuesday night raids were the latest in an on-going exercise ordered by North-Eastern Division Head, Snr Supt Desmond Lambert, aimed at clamping down on gangland activities in the Morvant and San Juan areas. The officers involved in the raids, in which the policeman’s son was held with the pistol, were from Morvant CID and North-Eastern Division Task Force. According to reports, around 11pm, PCs Russel Maraj, Sunil Ramoutar and Liston Taylor were on patrol along Laventille Road, San Juan when they spotted a burgundy Mitsubishi Lancer parked on the side of the road.

On seeing the approaching police vehicle, three men in the car ducked in an effort to hide from the officers. The suspicious officers ordered the men out of the vehicle. They were searched and the policeman’s 18-year-old son, who was seated in the back of the car, was found with a Pietro Beretta .320 semi-automatic pistol which was loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. The pistol has a modified barrel which can accommodate a silencer. The teen, who lives at First Street, San Juan, was arrested along with his two friends and taken to the Barataria Police Station where they were questioned. PC Russel Maraj is expected to charge the teen with possession of arms and ammunition and he is expected to appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate today. Meanwhile, police are trying to trace the pistol to its owner via the serial number. The pistol is believed to have belonged to a businessman whose home was broken into some months ago.

A POLICEMAN was bitten on the chest on Monday by a man he attempted to arrest for using obscene language.

C Nicholas Joseph of the Cedros Police Station lost a chunk of flesh when the man bit and held on tightly. The incident happened around midday at the corner of Mc Donald Street and Bonasse Village. Joseph had just completed duty at the station and was waiting for a taxi when the man confronted him. Joseph warned the man about his use of obscene language and the man struck PC Joseph with an umbrella. A struggle ensued, during which the man bit off the flesh inches below the policeman’s left breast. Joseph was rushed to the Point Fortin Area Hospital where he was treated and warded. The attacker, who is known to policemen in the Cedros area, had recently been arrested and charged with several offences. Acting Cpl David Subero of the Cedros Police Station is investigating.

FOUR TIME winner of the Chutney Soca Monarch title Rikki Jai , who tied with Heeralal Rampartap for first place in this year’s event, refused to accept the $60,000 prize offered by Southex Promotions.

However, Heeralal collected his cheque during a ceremony at the Hospitality Suite at Carib Brewery Limited yesterday. Jai told Newsday he entered the competition with the aim of winning a first prize of $100,000.  “I competed among the best in this field and I won the competition together with another singer, then we should both get the deserving first prize of $100,000 each. I am not accepting the cheque for $60,000 because I believe the winner of such a prestigious title deserves the prize that was advertised,” he said.

Jai said the winner should not just take with what is offered and stay quiet. “Why should the promoters dictate to us what we should settle for?” he asked. “Then there should be no judges in this competition. The promoters should decide who they want to give whatever sum of money to and also which artiste they prefer,” he said angrily. Southex Promotions held their Chutney Soca Monarch at Skinners Park, San Fernando, in February. Other winners included Rooplal Girdharie who placed third and collected $10,000. Although Marcia Miranda and Nigel Salikram placed 4th and 5th respectively, they and all the other finalists collected $5,000 each.  There was a poor turn out of winners at the prize giving function yesterday.  Chief co-ordinator of this event George Singh told the small gathering the prize money will increase for next year’s competition. He assured winners that some $300,000 will be handed out in the 2004 competition.