The 2003 offering from Masquerade/Funtasia’ “Colours of The Wind” earned Downtown Band of the Year honours. At a news conference late yesterday, Mayor of Port-of- Spain Murchison Browne announced the results of the downtown festivities. In second place was Poison with their “Fleurs de Passion” presentation.
Legends “Bedazzled” came in third, Barbarossa’s “Comme Se Comme Sa” fourth and Callaloo Company’s “Ship of Fools” in fifth position. De Midas and Associates’ “The Awakening” took the Medium band of the year crown, while the small band honour went to The Boss with “Festival of the Hopee Cochinas” the mini band crown went to Jackman and Associates with “Sioux Festival”. Browne added that, “We witnessed one of the brightest Carnival in many a year.” The Mayor offered glowing praise to the NCC in their running of the parade, and added that “before the NCBA took over, downtown was a compulsory site.” He went on to say that all but one major band passed through downtown this year. Poison was also praised repeatedly by the Mayor who said that for a 32-section, 10,000 member band to cross the stage in 70 minutes was very commendable. The Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defense Staff were also lauded for their efforts. He said that just as criticism is passed, praise should also be offered, and all defence personnel were commended by the mayor.
Ken Marcelle, 21, a self-employed sign-painter of south Manzanilla Road, Manzanilla, drowned while bathing in the sea off Toco.
Marcelle was a member of a Seventh-Day Adventist camp of youngsters who went to spend the Carnival weekend at Cumana.
After some of the bathers returned to the house, young Marcelle went to the back of the building, despite being cautioned and decided to take another dive into the sea. His body disappeared and up until late last evening his body was not recovered. Jean Marcelle, mother of Ken, has two other sons aged 16 and 19. Around midday she received a telephone call stating her son was in an accident. Later, at about 2 pm one of the Seventh-Day pastors came to her house and told her Ken had drowned while bathing in the sea. The boy’s father, Michael Marcelle, said he had warned the mother not to send their boy on the outing because he had a bad dream, but she still allowed him to go. The father said he dreamt his son would get into trouble. The Seventh-Day Adventist group, Toco police and the Coast Guard, all tried to search for the body but their efforts up until late, were in vain.
AMERICAN attorney-at-law Johnnie Cochrane yesterday said the Trinidad and Tobago justice system is not inferior to its United States counterpart, and it’s up to the lawyers in the various systems to argue their cases to the best of their ability.
Speaking with Newsday at the Hugh Wooding Law School in St Augustine, Cochrane said he did not believe the American judicial system was superior to the British system (upon which all Caricom nations base their judicial practices) or vice versa. “Not really deficient. One of the young people asked me and I told them how I believed in jury trials. They told me in civil cases when you are asking for large verdicts it’s a lot tougher to get that from a judge than a jury. You have to deal with the system that you’re in. I’ve had cases before judges too. You have to have passion and believe in what you do, and when you do that you can make a difference. Whatever is your system, you work within that,” he declared.
Cochrane also revealed that during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago, he was able to make important business contacts and spoke highly of a meeting he held with TIDCO officials earlier in the day. “ It’s a very important place and a very good place to do business in the future,” he said. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said several potential investors were in the country over the Carnival period and hinted that new ventures could be in the offing. In an earlier lecture to the students, Cochrane told them that the three keys to their success were “preparation, preparation, preparation”. “Never let anyone outwork you, or out-prepare you. You have an obligation when you become successful to return from whence you came,” the attorney declared. He urged the students to believe in themselves and believe in God. Asked by attorney Israel Khan SC whether the jury’s decision in the OJ Simpson case was prejudiced by the publicity surrounding it, Cochrane said the evidence was clear in that case. Present for the lecture was Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson, several members of the Judiciary and prominent local attorneys.
HILTON TRINIDAD launched its Carnival Learning Tree charity yesterday with soap opera star Victoria Rowell (Drucilla on the Young and Restless) and prominent US Attorney Johnny Cochrane being the first to plant trees in the front lawn area.
The event was informal and Cochrane joked with Rowell as she shovelled dirt on the roots of the newly planted tree: “You’ve done this before.” The lawyer himself said of the occasion: “This is wonderful.” Trees were planted for Laventille, Morvant and Belmont. Hilton General Manager Ali Khan said Rowell is a single mother and famous actress, with her own charity for foster children, while Cochrane is known for helping the depressed as well as minorities. Khan said guests will be invited to buy a tree for US$50. Among the varieties available are mango, avocado, jasmine, coconut, palm, soursop, cassia. They will receive a plaque with their names, the date the tree is planted and inscription of their choice. Guests can also purchase book ends for US$100 or an entire book case (10 trees) for US$500. Khan said the money will go into the Hilton Kids in the Caribbean Charity, then distributed to junior and primary schools in the areas targetted. If any money is left it will go to assisting secondary schools.
Rowell said she is happy to encourage prosperous futures and spoke of her life saying that many people gave her encouragement during the 18 years she spent in foster care. The actress has her own charity, Rowell Foster Children’s Positive Plan (www.rowellfosterchildren.org.) She said: “We want foster youths to see opportunities out there, and not see limitations.” Rowell said she has received many invitations to visit Trinidad and Tobago and decided to come this year despite the threats of terrorism.
WORSHIPPERS filled Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church on Harris Promenade, San Fernando, at noon yesterday for the Ash Wednesday Mass.
In his sermon, officiating priest, Fr Seamus Maguire, urged the congregation to “be penitent” and “feel the fast”. He explained that the Lenten season was about “going into the desert” and “there has to be some difference in your lives in order to get closer to God”. According to Fr Maguire, one can do so by extra prayers and fasting. The American priest said to fast “you must have motives and love God” He said it was necessary to “realise how much you have not thanked God enough”. Fr Maguire explained that the ashes were used as a sign of penance in the days before Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. He reiterated that “prayer and penance are important to strengthen our willpower”. For Christians, Ash Wednesday is the first day of 40 days of fasting, prayer and penance. It culminates with the solemn celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.
AFTER a hectic and long Carnival weekend, thousands of people, both locals and foreigners, flocked to Maracas Bay yesterday — Ash Wednesday — for the traditional yearly cool-down.
This year’s soca hits blared loudly from two large sound systems on the beach, as the massive crowd paid homage to the sun, sea and sand. Richard’s Bake and Shark, an eating establishment which has become part of the Maracas Bay experience, did a thriving business. In the early part of the day, foreigners, most of whom were already tanned from the Carnival sun, outnumbered the locals three to one, but by three o’clock, bus, jeep, maxi and car loads of locals flocked to the beach.
Lifeguards and police officers were out in full force yesterday to ensure the safety of bathers and the maintaining of law and order. Coordinating police operations yesterday were North-Eastern Division Heads — Snr Supt Desmond Lambert and Supt Waldron Bishop. Also out in full force were officers of the North-Eastern Division Task Force under supervision from Ag Cpl Laurence. When Newsday left Maracas around 3.15 pm, lines of cars slowly meandered along the North Coast Road, towards the Bay. However, while police reported no major criminal incidents at the Bay, a car with two male occupants swerved off the North-Coast Road and plunged 20 feet down a precipice. However, the two walked away from the car and received a stern lecture from the police, while they waited for the wrecker to arrive.
Scheduled to perform live in a beach-front concert put on by Radio Masala 101.1 FM were Rupee, Iwer George and Militant. The concert was slated to start at 11 am and end at 6 pm, but when Newsday left none of the artistes had reached the stage, although JMC Triveni did perform earlier, much to the delight of the massive crowd. Fay-Ann Lyon’s winning Road March hit “Display”, was blasted numerous times by the DJ who also offered up Destra’s “Carnival”, Bunji Garlin’s “Snake Oil” and Machel Montano’s “Mad Man”, to name a few. Some of the female tourists sun-bathed topless much to the delight of several men, who while maintaining a respectful distance, got quite an eye-full. Another popular liming spot yesterday was Manzanilla, with reports reaching Newsday that many thousands jammed the Manzanilla beach front. The Ash Wednesday beach cool-down at Maracas Bay and Manzanilla has become the traditional after-Carnival lime with locals marking down the date on their Calendar.
FORMER CHAIRMAN of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Lennox Denoon appeared in the Scarborough Magistrates’ Court yesterday on two firearm and ammunition charges. He pleaded guilty on both counts and was fined $150 by Magistrate Joan Gill.
Denoon was charged with discharging a firearm within 40 yards of a public road and possession of ammunition in excess of what is allowed under the terms and conditions of the Firearm User’s Licence. An officer attached to the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU) laid the charges since the incident occurred in close proximity to where OCNU officers were carrying out a drug bust. The court heard that on February 15 OCNU officers were conducting an operation on Carrington Street, Scarborough, at 11.15 pm, when they heard a gunshot that apparently came from a car nearby. A plain-clothes officer went to the car and found Denoon sitting in the driver’s seat with a .38 revolver in his hand. When he was questioned about his actions, Denoon replied loudly: “I am Lennox Denoon and I just wanted you to know that I was passing through.” The police then took the gun from Denoon and upon inspection, found four live shells and one spent shell in it. Denoon had the licence for the firearm with him. He was taken to the Scarborough CID and charged. Police later visited Denoon’s house and found 22 live rounds of ammunition. He was then charged for possession of 33 rounds of ammunition, eight above the allowed limit of 25 in accordance with his licence. The revolver, the ammunition and the licence were admitted into evidence.
In his plea for leniency, attorney Neville Gibbs said Denoon fired a warning shot in the air after he noticed strange activities involving plain-clothes men in a drain off the road. Gibbs told the court the area was close to the popularly known “Ants Nest” drug den and Denoon owned a business on the street. He said drug addicts had vandalised Denoon’s business before. He said Denoon spotted a car parked in the middle of the road and when he saw the skirmish, he shot into the air. He told the magistrate Denoon was a “very prominent member of the society”, a former chairman of the THA, a Justice of the Peace and someone who had given several years service to Tobago. Gibbs said Denoon had the firearm for 12 years and that this was the first incident he had been involved in. Ironically, the Scarborough Magistrates’ Court was officially opened by Denoon on August 6, 1996 and a plaque bearing his name is at the main entrance to the court.
Denoon was the National Alliance for Reconstruction’s (NAR) Chairman of the THA up to 1996, before Act 40 gave new autonomy to Tobago and changed the post from Chairman to Chief Secretary. He was succeeded by leader of the NAR, Hochoy Charles who served from 1996 to 2001. He recently began showing up at official THA functions and even jointly turned the sod with Chief Secretary Orville London, to begin construction of the $8 million Scarborough esplanade project. “For him to be coming to court after all these years is very unfortunate,” Gibbs said. After listening to Gibbs’ leniency plea, Magistrate Gill reprimanded and discharged Denoon on the first charge. On the second charge of possessing ammunition in excess of what his licence permitted, he was fined $150. Magistrate Gill warned however that Denoon’s stature in society was not an excuse for contravening the law. She pointed out that possession of a firearm was a privilege, not a right. As he left the court, Denoon smiled and told reporters: “I didn’t think I was still newsworthy.”
THE FIRST full fledged Ghanaian trade mission to visit Trinidad and Tobago wants to deepen economic, cultural and commercial ties between the two countries.
Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift, who received a courtesy call from the 17-member delegation at his Knowsley office yesterday, described the mission as historic. In welcoming the delegation which has been here since Carnival Sunday, Gift said their presence marked a milestone in the evolutionary development in the pace and direction of relations between the two countries. The delegation, led by Hilton John, President of the Ghana/TT Business Chamber, is expected to meet with several Chambers of Commerce and visit petrochemical and industrial estates, before leaving Trinidad on March 13.
Trinidad and Tobago enjoys a favourable balance of trade with Ghana of over TT$1.4 million annually. While it is a small amount, Gift expressed confidence that things would improve following the delegation’s visit. He expressed the hope that the volume and value of trade and investment between the countries would increase. He also said the Foreign Affairs Ministry was looking at the economic and trading possibilities and existing agreements are to be revisited.
Honourary Consul to Ghana, Angela Gouveia, blamed the lack of trade between the two countries on transportation problems. She said to get to Ghana, one had to travel via New York and it was expensive.
John, in his brief remarks, said it was a great experience for the delegation to visit Trinidad and Tobago and he expressed the hope that bridges will be built between the two countries. Another member of the delegation, Fred Oware, said the group had a wonderful experience at the just concluded Carnival and realised that Trinidad is much more than calypso and mas. He said they were committed to forming some kind of joint venture partnership. Today Ghana will celebrate its 46th anniversary of Independence and in observance of the occasion, an art exhibition will be held today at 10 am at the Normandie Hotel.
SENATOR Christine Kangaloo, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (Social Services Delivery), yesterday gave the assurance that recipients of public assistance will begin receiving their increased cheques this month. She said administrative problems related to the increases had been ironed out.
In addition, cheques covering arrears will be distributed from April, Kangaloo said at a press conference yesterday. She said the budgetary allocation for public assistance was $125,400,000, and approximately 25,000 persons will be receiving cheques. A single member household will now receive $320 a month, instead of $222, while a two member household will get $560 a month, an increase from $428. A household of three persons will now receive $770 a month instead of $625, and there is now a maximum grant of $940 instead of $720. Public assistance is granted to needy persons who are unable to earn a living because of some physical or mental disability. It is also granted on behalf of needy children, and to heads of households where the parent is dead, living in an institution, or where the child has been deserted or abandoned by a parent, or not being maintained by the parent even though ordered to do so by a court. Kangaloo said there were recommendations to increase the disability grant in 2004.
A BEACH LIME on Carnival Tuesday turned tragic for a 56-year-old man who was killed on the spot when the car he was travelling in plunged into a drain at Dow Village, South Oropouche.
Father of two, Dean Elahie, and his friend, Christopher Sahadeo, 42, both of La Plaisance Road, La Romaine, were returning home when the accident occurred. Elahie was reportedly pinned in the car and the Fire Service had to use the jaws of life to remove his body from the wreckage. Sahadeo was seriously injured and is warded in stable condition at the San Fernando General Hospital. According to police reports, at around 7.20 pm Sahadeo was heading towards San Fernando along Southern Main Road. In the vicinity of Foul Play Depot he tried to negotiate a corner and his car ran off the road and crashed into a drain.
Sahadeo was pulled out of the car by a passerby. However, Elahie who was seated in the front passenger seat, was trapped in the vehicle. District Medical Officer Dr Bhimsingh viewed the body and ordered its removal to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital. A post mortem yesterday revealed that Elahie died from head injuries. Visiting the scene was a party of officers led by Insp Ramkhelawan and including Sgt Rampersad, Cpls Small and Ramjag and police photographer WPC Johnson. Cpl Small is continuing investigations. When Newsday visited Elahie’s relatives and friends yesterday, they were busy setting up a tarpaulin for tonight’s wake. His brother in law, Roy Ramsawah, 47, said Elahie, who rented an apartment a short distance away had been separated from his wife, Tara, and lived alone. Elahie’s wife and two daughters had migrated to Canada. The deceased worked at Ramahase Tailoring, at Cipero Street, San Fernando. Ramsawah said his brother-in-law and Sahadeo, went on a beach lime to the Vessigny Beach Resort and were returning home when the accident occurred. “He did not take part in Carnival and whenever there is a public holiday or anything like that, he goes on the beach,” he said.
