Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday met with Opposition leader Basdeo Panday in a last ditch effort to lobby support for Government’s Anti-Kidnapping Bill which goes before the Senate today. However, Panday maintained that the United National Congress (UNC) would not support the Bill until there is Constitutional reform.

“There is a feeling out there, Government either cannot, will not or is unable to protect the population from criminals, murderers, robbers and kidnappers,” Panday told the media yesterday afternoon after the meeting. He announced that he would seek a meeting with the Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee about plans to expand community watch groups.

There’s no need to overreact or panic about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the mystery pneumonia which has claimed the lives of 80 people and infected over 2,000 others.

There are not many new cases occurring in the world every day and most of the existing patients have been quarantined. The likelihood of contracting SARS is minimal. These assurances were given by Counsellor for the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China Dong Xiaojun at a media briefing yesterday at the Embassy, Alexandra Street to respond to local concerns about SARS, “clarify the facts.” He said it is advisable to take precautions but inadvisable to magnify the disease. “SARS is not that scary, much less scary than AIDS.”

To illustrate his point he said SARS has been clinically proven to be less infectious than the common flu. Xiaojun said even with a vaccine and medical care available influenza killed between 250,000 and 500,000 people annually worldwide. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a travel warning not to go to Hong Kong and Southern China unless it is necessary, and airlines have experienced a decrease in travellers to these areas, Xiaojun said the Chinese government had SARS under control. He said it is safe to live, work, study and travel in China. The Canton Trade Fair, which is reported to be attended by a delegation of local businessmen is still taking place and international conferences and other activities have not been cancelled.

Highlighting that it is safe to travel to China, Xiaojun said the President of Guyana Bharat Jagdeo visited from March 26 to April 2. By April 6, a total of 1,268 SARS cases were reported in inland China, the majority — 1,203 in the Guangdong province. Xiaojun said the situation there has been improving with the number of cases dropping in March to 36 — a 47.5 percent reduction compared with February. A combination of modern and traditional Chinese medicine is being used to treat SARS cases. Xiaojun said while Guangdong has been hardest hit, when compared with the 80 million people living there, the percentage of infections is very small.

The Chinese government has established a Steering Committee to guide the prevention and control of SARS. An inter-ministerial committee headed by the Deputy Secretary General of the State Council has also been established to coordinate and solve the problem. Xiaojun said the Chinese government and its health experts have been cooperating with the WHO. Xiaojun said it is “irresponsible” to claim that SARS was exported from the Chinese mainland or Hong Kong just as HIV/AIDS did not originate in the US.

Asked about criticism by the Director General of the WHO, Gro Brundland of the Chinese government being slow to release information about the disease, he said the Chinese government has not received a formal complaint from the WHO. Xiaojun said the first case was detected in November and people may have interpreted disease as the common flu.

This past weekend was one of the most joyous weekends Ravi Hoosein and his 17-year-old wife, Aarika, had spent since the teenage woman gave birth to triplets on February 26 this year. After six weeks of uncertainty and the death of one baby — the only male in the set, Alex — the couple was able to take their remaining two girls home with them.

Up to last Thursday afternoon, doctors at the San Fernando General hospital had not told the couple when they would have been able to take their children to their home at St John’s Road, Claxton Bay. However, when the parents turned up at the hospital last Friday morning, they were greeted with the news that they had been hoping for over several weeks. According to Aarika, she was simply overwhelmed by the thought of finally being able to have her children at her own home.

The relieved mother described the entire time since the triplets’ birth as a “tough and hectic” experience, not knowing whether her two girls would have survived or died like their brother. For the entire six weeks, Aarika told Newsday, she was constantly worried about her children’s health and she prayed throughout for their well-being. The mother said every time she had to leave the babies to return home, she felt sad and even wondered silently whether she could have “stolen them”.

Husband Ravi indicated that his wife was “always very sad, especially after Alex died”. He said his wife cried constantly every time someone mentioned Alex’s name and that even now she still cries sometimes. He said while Aarika is feeding the girls she sometimes goes very quiet and he knows it’s because she’s thinking about Alex. However, now that the girls, Arianna and Ariel, are at home, Ravi stated, his wife is concentrating on talking of them and she appears a lot better. He said she now spends all her time with them, never allowing them to be out of her sight for very long.

Ravi told Newsday that he too now feels very relaxed, admitting that before they came home he was always tense and spent a lot of time wondering how they were doing. Proud of his babies, Ravi said despite the fact that his daughters were born all of six weeks ago, he wasn’t able to hold them until they arrived at the family’s home on Friday. He said he felt “a joy inside” and he intended to spend a lot of time with the girls. “It is so amazing. They are so cute, I just feel to hold and hug them all the time,” he said happily.

RETIRED Commodore Mervyn Oliver Williams, the first national of this country to become Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard and Chief of Defence Staff, was buried yesterday after a military funeral filled with pomp and splendour.

The Church of the Assumption in Maraval was packed to capacity, many of them VIPs in the political and military spheres. Following the 90-minute service, the casket was placed on an open carriage which was accompanied by Coast Guard officers and soldiers in a march along Long Circular Road to the Military Cemetery, Long Circular. Williams, 74, holder of this country’s highest award, the Trinity Cross, as well as a Medal of Merit, was described by his son, Reginald, as a true patriot who was willing to lay down his very life in defence of his country. “My father was a truly wonderful man, who was devoted to his wife and family and also loved his country,” Reginald said at the start of the funeral service.

Prominent among the mourners were Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Education Minister Hazel Manning, former Senate President Emmanuel Carter, International Criminal Court (ICC) judge Karl Hudson Phillip QC, former President Sir Ellis Clarke, former First Lady Zalayhar Hassanali, Ann-Margaret Robinson, daughter of former President Arthur NR Robinson, National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee, Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy, cultural aficionado Aubrey Adams and former Miss Trinidad and Tobago Nicole Dyer. Also attending the funeral were retired Brigadier Joseph Theodore, Major General Ralph Brown, Brigadier John Sandy and Brigadier Carl Alphonso.

In the eulogy, retired Chief of Defence Staff Major General Ralph Brown described Williams as a “most extraordinary soldier and man”. Former Defence Force Chaplain, Fr Kennedy Swaratsingh delivered the homily, during which, he sang a verse from David Rudder and Carl Lewis’ hit song “Trini to the Bone”. Fr Swaratsingh said in a day and age where many people considered Trinis as being most unpatriotic, Commodore Williams stood out as a “shining example”. “I can only pray and hope that his life would serve as an inspiration to the young ones for how to be patriotic,” Fr Swaratsingh said. Major General Brown said had it not been for Commodore Williams’ “astute” handling of the 1970 mutiny, history could very well have told a different tale.  Ironically, one of the main “lieutenants” in the 1970 mutiny, Raffique Shah, was at Williams’ funeral and recounted old battle stories with retired soldiers. Williams leaves to mourn his wife of 46 years, Evelyn. and three sons, one of whom, Mark, is a Lieutenant Commander.

OFFICIALS of the National Westminster (NatWest) Bank in London flew into the country late Sunday to testify for the State in  matters against former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, who is facing three charges of knowingly making false declarations, sources said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Trevor Paul confirmed and told Newsday yesterday that security measures are in place for the London witnesses for the duration of the summary trial , which is expected to begin today. The prosecution, which will be led by English Queen’s Counsel Timothy Cassell, originally intended to call three witnesses from the NatWest Bank, a female fraud liaison officer, a manager and a computer records official. However, sources said only two of the witnesses flew in for the trial, which was adjourned on the last occasion on February 24 after the defence team sent a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting an adjournment because Panday needed to be at the side of his wife, Oma, who was due to have surgery abroad.

A 28-year-old woman who was kidnapped outside her Cunupia home on Sunday night, managed to free herself around 2.30 pm yesterday and made her way to the Cumuto Main Road where she flagged down a passing police vehicle.

Natasha Ali, who appeared dazed and in a state of shock alerted police officers that she was kidnapped on Sunday. She was taken to the Arima Hospital where she was treated for cuts and bruises. Late yesterday, she was resting comfortably at her home while friends and relatives gathered outside to lend support. Police investigators told Newsday that Ali who works in her father’s business place Patos auto supplies reported to them that she left her home on Sunday to visit friends in San Juan. She claimed that around 10 pm, she drove into the yard of her home when she was confronted by three men who pushed her into the grey Audi car and drove to an unknown location. She added that her hands and feet were bound and she was blindfolded.

She said she was kept among bushes for the entire night. Ali claimed that the kidnappers asked her several questions but they did not harm her. She suffered mosquito and insect bites but she prayed throughout the night hoping to be reunited with her family. Ali’s chance for freedom came around 2 pm yesterday when she realised that the kidnappers had long abandoned her. She managed to untie herself and made her way out of the bushes located somewhere between Wallerfield and Cumuto close to the car race track. She walked for more than 15 minutes until she saw the Cumuto Main Road.

Cpl Brown and others from the Cumuto Police Station who were on their way to join other officers for a roadblock exercise in La Horquetta were stopped by Ali who informed them that she was a kidnap victim. She was taken to the Arima Hospital and treated. Police investigators claimed that around 1 am yesterday, a male caller telephoned the home of Ali and told her father Rasheed that his daughter was kidnapped and if they wanted her back home they had to pay $100,000 for her safe return.

The Cunupia police were alerted and a party of officers led by Snr Supt Carmona, ASP Bernard, Inspector Kirk and others went to the scene. They were later joined by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad. An emotional but relieved Ali told Newsday that he kept praying for the safety of his daughter and now that she is back home he intends to have a prayer meeting at his home. He thanked the police, friends and relatives who supported him in his ordeal. In 1996, Jennifer Ali, another daughter was kidnapped. An undisclosed amount of cash was paid for her freedom. Ali said that he is is now living in fear for the safety of his family and is contemplating his future in the wake of a spate of kidnappings. Cpl Issac of the Anti Kidnapping Squad is investigating.

A PETITION went out last Friday opposing the appointment of John Grant to the post of Commissioner of Police, President of the Police Social and Welfare Committee, acting Insp Christopher Holder said yesterday.

Holder said the petition went to divisions of branches and sections in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS). He said he expects the petition to be out for about “a week or two” after which it will be sent to Prime Minister Patrick Manning. Holder said the association viewed the pending appointment as a retrograde step inimical to the best interest of the service as there were already two Deputy Commissioners of Police (Everald Snaggs and Trevor Paul) who are able, competent and suitable for the post of Commissioner. Both Paul and Snaggs refused to comment yesterday, but both have acted as Commissioner of Police on several occasions. Hilton Guy is expected to proceed on pre-retirement leave from either June or July.

Holder said he views the pending appointment as an affront and insult, since it was done without consultations with the major stakeholders. He also said such an appointment would only serve to stagnate the lower ranks right down but could open the “flood gates” to several other such appointments. “As an organisation we must be ever vigilant to ensure that not only Mr Grant is not appointed, but also no other appointments or extensions of a similar nature are contemplated or effected,” Holder said.

BAGHDAD: A US armoured force punched into the heart of Baghdad yestrerday and established a stronghold in one of President Saddam Hussein’s palaces, while troops in central Iraq found a cache of suspected Iraqi chemical weapons.

The US military said the assault on central Baghdad by over 100 tanks and armoured vehicles was a show of force, designed to demonstrate that troops could enter the capital at will, rather than a final attack on the city of five million. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he did not know what had happened to Saddam or where he was but asserted that he no longer ran much of Iraq and was running out of soldiers. “There are three possibilities: He’s either dead or injured or not willing to show himself,” Rumsfeld told a news briefing in Washington. Iraqi state-run television showed footage of Saddam, wearing military fatigues, and his son Qusay meeting top aides. It was not clear when the meeting took place.

As darkness fell, US troops remained in the presidential compound on the west bank of the Tigris river, apparently determined to stay the night and deliver a powerful message to citizens and Saddam loyalists that his time was almost done. US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers said Iraqi resistance was sporadic and not coherent, but he said tough fighting might still lie ahead. Still, the ability of the government to mount an organised defence seemed low. In Baghdad, hospitals battled with a constant stream of civilian dead and injured.

Doctors said they were running short of anesthetics and medical equipment. Nine Iraqis, including a baby, were killed when an air raid flattened two houses in a smart suburb of western Baghdad in what witnesses said was a US air raid. At the Kadhimiya hospital in the north of Baghdad, doctors said they had taken in 18 dead and 142 injured in two days, while the Kindi hospital had four dead and 176 injured.

Senior US government sources said last night they believe Saddam Hussien and his two sons Odai Saddam and Qusay Saddam Hussein are dead after a house in an upscale residential district of Baghdad was bombed last night.

According to reports, intelligence sources found out that Saddam was holding a meeting with his sons and top officials in the house. US planes dropped four 2,000-pound bombs known as “bunker busters” which left a huge hole in the residential compound and if Saddam and his Group who were seen going into the compound were there they would have died. The compound was said to be between two of Saddam’s palaces. The bombs were powerful enough to penetrate the bunker. The location was under heavy surveillance. However the deaths were not confirmed even though Saddam and his group were seen going into the house. But it will take some time to go through the rubble to positively confirm the reports.