AN autopsy carried out on Thursday on the body of career burglar Fitzroy Malcolm, 42, who was shot to death on the roof of the St Clair home of RBTT Chairman Peter July on Tuesday night, confirmed that he died of gunshot wounds.

However, the police probe into the fatal shooting is continuing with investigators awaiting the results of ballistic tests to determine the calibre of the slugs retrieved from Malcolm’s chest and abdomen. Sources said the findings of these ballistic tests could prove vital to their investigations, since an RBTT guard who confronted Malcolm at July’s home on Tuesday night claims he did not fire the shots which killed Malcolm.

Sources said the results of the ballistic tests should show if the bullets were fired from the security guard’s gun or from another. The guard’s .38 revolver and five spent shells have been seized by the police who also recorded a statement from him. Police also seized a firearm belonging to a neighbour of the Julys. The autopsy carried out by Pathologist Dr Hughvon des Vignes at the Forensic Sciences Centre yesterday revealed that Malcolm died of shock and haemorrhage consistent with multiple gunshot wounds. Malcolm was found prowling around the yard of July’s home on Tuesday night by RBTT security guards. One of the guards said he fired a warning shot in the air, and Malcolm climbed onto the roof of the house. Moments later, three more shots were heard and Malcolm slumped to the roof where he eventually bled to death.

Police sources told Newsday that if the security guard was telling the truth and did not fire the fatal shots, investigations would now centre on trying to find out who did, since no one has come forward to say they did the shooting. Contacted for comment yesterday, a spokesman from the Cor-porate Communica-tions Department of RBTT said the shooting incident was not the subject of a police investigation and the bank was not in a position to make any statements. Malcolm has been described by police as a career burglar whose criminal record included 19 previous convictions for burglary and ten cases pending before the Magistrates Courts. St Clair detectives’ Ag Insp McEwen Allen and Sgt Glen Hackett are spearheading investigations.

FORMER Attorney-General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj became the saviour of 25 Central Trinidad tenants when he obtained a court order on Holy Thursday night to prevent the destruction of their homes.

When Newsday visited the area yesterday, former Caroni (1975) Limited employee, Harripersad Ragoo recalled that he first started renting land at Endeavour Branch Road in 1966. “From 1966 to 1980, nobody ever came to collect rent,” he said. He stated that in 1980, a woman named Ballul Ali claimed to be the landlord and ordered the 25 tenants not to pay any rent until she gave them instructions to do so. “Up to now, no rent collected,” Ragoo added. He said a woman named Sakina Gafoor subsequently claimed to be the landlord and told the tenants that she planned to sell the land at $30,000 an acre. However, Ragoo said nothing ever came of that particular initiative. “In 1998, Imitiaz Mohammed come and say he is the owner of the land. I say I didn’t know that,” Ragoo stated.

He said Mohammed subsequently held a meeting with the tenants where he made an offer to them of one lot of free land but the tenants rejected it.. “Saturday morning I working on a piece of drain, I see this bulldozer cross that line. This man started pushing down all my crop without any notice, court order or anything,” Ragoo declared. Pointing towards the now barren patch of land beside his home, Ragoo said that land was previously covered with several fruit trees whose produce he used to “sell to earn a little dollar”. The man added that had his neighbours not formed a human barricade in front of his house, his home would have suffered the same fate as his crops. Ragoo said last Sunday, the tenants had to form a human barricade once again to prevent another house from being bulldozed.

He stated that in the wake of that incident, he went to the Land and Rentpayer’s Association and attorney Prem Persad-Maharaj filed an injunction preventing Mohammed from demolishing his home. However Ragoo said that when Mohammed returned on Thursday morning, renewing his threats to break down their homes, they realised that the first injunction did not offer protection for all of the tenants’ homes and they sought legal help from Maharaj. Attorney Garnet Mungalsingh said that together with Maharaj and Persad-Maharaj, the matter was brought before Madame Justice Mira Dean-Armorer at the Hall of Justice on Holy Thursday and at 9.30 pm the judge granted an injunction to prevent Mohammed from demolishing their houses. Mungalsingh added that the substantive matter will be heard in the San Fernando Chamber Court on Monday, April 28. Ragoo said while the tenants were confident that Maharaj would successfully argue their case in court, they could not help but feel very uneasy about the whole situation. “We feel real threatened about that. We always have to be looking out expecting that something could happen any time,” he stated.

Another tenant, 80-year-old Jassodra Edoo, said she has lived at Endeavour Branch Road since 1983. Saying that she has survived four heart attacks and an ulcer to date, Edoo stated that she became gravely ill with worry when attempts were made to demolish the two houses last weekend. She added that the entire episode has been especially traumatic for the older tenants who practically carved a home for themselves during a time when there were few amenities at Endeavour Branch Road.

FATHER Kennedy Swaratsingh, the priest who was almost ‘crucified’ before Easter, has asked people to be mindful not to nail others to the cross because of the “back biting, mauvais langue, gossip and false accusations”.

He continued, “We must be mindful of the ways in which we continue to place people in tombs because of our unwillingess to give others a chance.” Without any references, Father Swaratsingh pleaded with his parishioners of St Patrick’s RC Church, Newtown, to be careful how they proceed with their Godly duties, in the process mindful of the way they treat others.

Fr Swaratsingh was the centre of controversy over the last three weeks. Allegations were made and Archbishop Edward Gilbert stepped into the picture. He held a meeting with the parishioners at St Patrick’s RC Church last week, but only found a church fully behind their priest. Last Tuesday, the Archbishop ruled — the allegations against Fr Swaratsingh were unfounded and that he be allowed to continue at St Patrick’s.

Yesterday, Fr Swaratsingh led his parishioners up Lady Chancellor Hill, St Clair, for the annual Stations of the Cross procession. Unlike other churches and priests, he told his flock that he was not bringing along a huge cross, but asked parishioners to walk with small crosses. The walk began at the foot of Lady Chancellor Hill at 5.10 am and proceeded northwards. The place was quiet except for the barking dogs in the upscale neighbourhood. There were just over 100 parishioners when the journey started, but by the time it ended at 6.50 am, the figure had grown to more than 300. One of the persons taking part in the march was Donna Carter, former PNM Minister. BWIA President and CEO Conrad Aleong put aside the airline’s financial worries to participate for a brief period, while former Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier John Sandy joined the journey twards the end.

Fr Swaratsingh, who is also known as the “singing priest”, stopped and prayed at each of the 14 stations. There was a wide cross-section from the parish, young and old and Fr Swaratsingh kept asking if everyone was alright. There was a bit of humour on reaching the 13th station. The cross was missing and some parishioners had already moved ahead. Fr Swaratsingh jokingly said, “like somebody had use for it”.

Finally, the parishioners reached the 14th and final station at the top of Lady Chancellor Hill. In thanking everyone for coming, Fr Swaratsingh reflected a bit. “We must be mindful of the crosses we carry, we must mindful of the way we refuse to help others carry their crosses. We must be mindful that we refuse to show the face of Jesus to the world. We must be mindful that unlike Jesus, we refuse to carry our own crosses because of selfishness.” He continued, “We must be mindful of the times when unlike the women who wept for Jesus we refuse to care for those we meet on our life long journey. We must be mindful of the way we nail others to the cross because of back biting, mauvais langue, gossip and indeed false accusations. “We must be mindful of the ways in which we continue to place people in tombs because of our unwillingness to give others a chance.”

FATHER Clyde Harvey yesterday called for prayer for the Catholic Church as they face their issues of misconduct and irresponsibility within the institution. The San Fernando parish priest made the call as he led thousands up the San Fernando Hill for the traditional Good Friday Stations of the Cross.

The sunrise service drew a crowd of approximately 3,000 worshippers, who braved the intermittent rain for the traditional religious observance. The two-hour march to the hilltop culminated with a series of intercessory prayers for the ills affecting society. During this time, Father Harvey asked the gathering to remember in their prayers the Catholic Church as they undergo their various problems. He appealed to worshippers : “It is not easy to be a Catholic these days, it is not easy to be a Christian, but we need to show the world what brings us together. We pray for the universal and local church as we continue to face various problems..issues of priestly irresponsibility and misconduct..Pray that the church remains truthful to the teachings of Jesus Christ”.

Father Harvey also expressed his personal sadness on the church’s troubles when, he said, there was much work to be done in society. Asked by reporters to comment of the clearing of Father Kennedy Swaratsingh of  allegations, he told reporters: “It is  very very sad. I feel very saddened we have a world at war, we have a nation adrift (but) one or two of our priests have had some very difficult experiences and the only thing that makes the headlines that is Catholic is the theatrics of a priest in a parish. The church has a much more important, much more difficult role to play in this country than to be getting into that type of headlines. I feel sad and I hope that we could really get down to the work that is the work of the church.” 

Another focus for prayer  was the crime situation, and placards bearing messages of topical issues such as : “Never again War”, “No to violence, yes to peace”, “Speed kills, stop the carnage”, “Jesus fell but didn’t stay down”, and others with political undertones “Corruption always stinks”, and “politics can be honest”, were held high throughout the march. Father Harvey lamented that society seems to be accustomed to the evil which exists. He said: “We are so accustomed to kidnappings, gang rape, drugs, murder, incompetence and inefficiency. In other words we are becoming accustomed to evil and that can never be right”. Father Harvey remembered in prayer the nation’s leaders and protective services, “so that they may not cower to the problem but lead the nation thoughout his struggle”. He also pleaded for prayer for criminals who may be plotting and planning crimes to execute on the innocent during this religious holiday season.

GUARDIAN Angels founder, Dr Fuad Khan, has revealed that kidnappers were targetting potential victims based on race and their positions in society.

He urged UNC supporters to unite against PNM-supported criminal gangs who were wreaking havoc in the country. He was addressing a UNC cottage meeting at the Woodland Hindu School, Oropouche, on Thursday evening. Khan said the abduction of the three children in the San Juan/Barataria constituency revealed the ‘modus operandi’ of the kidnappers. “Nobody can tell me that is not happening to anybody who is not a UNC person,” he said. Khan added: “People are targetted because of their race and because of their position in life.”

The San Juan/ Barataria MP also called for unity among supporters saying the “biggest problem” facing a UNC revival was the in-fighting among members. He said while supporters were blaming the leadership for the party’s election loss, the PNM was “flying straight through the loopholes and destroying us”. “The biggest problem is ourselves,” he said, adding no single MP could satisfy the expectations of every person within their respectative constituencies.

The former Junior Health Minister also slammed Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s meeting with alleged “community leaders” saying the “PNM is linking with criminals to suppress us.” He said the PNM administration had embarked on a massive campaign of discrimination against UNC supporters through hiring practices within the protective services and community improvement projects such as CEPEP and URP. “How many of your sons or daughters have ever applied to the Police Service and got in?” he asked. Khan said the Government was continuing an Eric Williams policy of ensuring almost 90 percent of the protective services were manned by PNM supporters. And questioned why the Manning adminstration was not implementing the Equal Opportunities Act, he said if an uprising should ever occur over the Caroni issue, “they will send the PNM police to shoot us.” The outspoken MP also knocked Government’s housing development scheme saying the marginal constituencies were being targetted to influence future voting patterns.

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has put forward several proposals which it expects will form the basis of an agreement with the major interest groups that will resolve the longstanding impasse at Pigeon Point.

These proposals have been discussed with the marine operators, fisherfolk, Club Pigeon Point officials (owners of the property) and other interest groups according to a release from the Office of the Chief Secretary (OCS). The THA said it was convinced that despite the initial problems, the environment for the adoption of a mutually acceptable resolution had been fostered, and it was against this backdrop that the discussions had been undertaken over the past months. “The Assembly’s major objective has always been to facilitate a resolution that would preserve the rights of the public, while enabling the various interest groups maximum scope and opportunity for development,” it stressed.

The proposals cover the main problem-related issues of “dignified public access” to the beach at Pigeon Point; access for bona fide fisherfolk and other marine operators; anchorage for fishing vessels and other craft at Wind Hole; access road (to the Pigeon Point area) from Bon Accord; management of the jetty at Pigeon Point; and the question of the status of craft vendors and other occupiers of land at the entrance to Club Pigeon Point. The THA said it was heartened that, despite some reservations, “the major interest groups have indicated a commitment to an agreement based on those proposals.” On the question of ‘dignified public access, it was noted that there have been demands for motor vehicle access.  However, after consultation with the relevant THA officials, “it was determined that constant vehicular traffic along the beachfront could destroy the very ambience that the THA is committed to preserve,” the release said. Accordingly, the THA said it was prepared to favourably consider the offer by club Pigeon Point of a 10ft wide strip of land that would allow free, unhindered access to any section of the beach.

It was proposed that this strip of land would be marked by a fence — which would define the western boundary of the Pigeon Point estate, and that provision would be made for parking facilities just outside the boundaries of the property. With respect to access for bona fide fisherfolk and marine operators, it was stated that “Club Pigeon Point would allow bona fide fisherfolk and marine operators — to be determined by an appropriate THA agency in consultation with Club Pigeon Point — public access, free of charge, utilising the present roadway through Pigeon Point.” With respect to the issue of anchorage for fishing boats and other craft at Wind Hole — a naturally sheltered lagoon area at Pigeon Point, it was noted however there has been “some disagreement” among the various sectors, with the fishermen’s representatives claiming that the site proposed by Club Pigeon Point would be inappropriate for the construction of the Fishing Facility. In light of this, the THA’s proposal is that “the Director of Marine Resources and Fisheries, after consultation with the relevant experts and representatives would advise on the scope of the facility and the most appropriate site”.

On the question of establishing an access road from Bon Accord, it was stated that after discussions and a study of the available reports, “the THA is convinced that there are environmental, technical, financial, legal and time implications. These have not been adequately addressed, and therefore the proposal is that the implications should be addressed expeditiously so as to inform the feasibility of using the access road as means of accessing the proposed (fishing) facility.” In the meantime, it was advised that bona fide fisher folk and marine operators should retain access through Pigeon Point (property) until a suitable alternative is made available. With respect to management of the jetty at Pigeon Point, it was stressed that the THA “will determine how the Pigeon Point jetty is managed.”

RESIDENTS of Macaulay Village in Claxton Bay continue to suffer at the hands of rustlers who steal and slaughter their live stock.  Yesterday, 70-year-old Pooran Kunjebe-harry and his wife Subhagia Kunjebeharry, 55, of Cement Line, Macaulay Village, Claxton Bay made the horrible discovery of their cow slaughtered some distance from where it was tied at Lalloo Trace E, Macaulay.

Around 6 am, Kunjebeharry’s wife went to untie the cow and found it missing, she grew quite worried. She immediately returned home to tell her husband. Minutes later the elderly husband and wife along with their 26-year-old daughter, Marla Sankar went back to where the cow was tied and started searching. The three family members combed the area  and eventually ended up half a mile away into a hilly area. It was there that they found the remains of the slaughtered animal which was tied to a blood-stained iron post. The guts, foetus and tail of the cow were all near the post.

Around 8:30 am they reported the matter to the nearby St Margaret’s Police Station. Three police officers from the police station among them PC’s Reid and Fridaye visited the house of the family shortly after midday. The three officers along with some of the family members drove to where the carcass was discovered earlier. While searching the area one of the police men found the head of the cow in the near-by bushes 25 metres away. The rope with which the animal was tied was also found.

Another resident of the area Vaughn Lewis, 31, also said that last Sunday three of his lifestock –  a cow, a bull and a heifer were stolen. He estimated the loss at around $7,000. Kunjebeharry recalled seeing four strange men near to where the cow was grazing on Thursday afternoon. He said that he thought they worked in the  area. Some residents said that rustlers familiar with the area usually steal  and butcher the animal then sell the meat. They said the rustlers have unlimited access since there are many means of entry to the unprotected land. The elderly Kungebeharry, deeply saddened, had to be comforted by his relatives. The lifestock was valued at near $4,000. PC Reid of the St Margaret’s Police Station is conducting enquiries.