Within one day of the flood waters barely receding a few inches, out steps the former prime minister and her used to be BFF and favourite minister of national security, praising themselves all over social media for past services rendered.

I read former Capt Gary Griffith’s letter with both disgust and pity.

Disgust that a Sandhurst- trained officer could stoop to self-praise for performing national duty and pity that he does not yet comprehend that he is no longer national security minister.

It is unfortunate that he describes the present-day hard working and dedicated public officers as ignorant (not sure which university Gary attended).

He moaned at great length that his baby, the National Operations Centre is no longer in proper use.

The captain forgets that he was around when SAUTT was disbanded and the much needed OPVs were written out of the crime plan of another minister of national security. Those were good ideas flushed down the drain. Your turn to weep today, Griffith.

I am disappointed that Persad- Bissessar and the UNC Opposition have found it necessary to play politics with the tragedy that has struck some families.

The UNC said the Prime Minister “was slow in response.” Did it expect him to be personally handing out mattresses and bottled water? The tone of the politics will inevitably descend further into the mud and flood waters when comparisons are made as to how much more money each person got from which government.

Perhaps Griffith has a telephone number for members of the public to call regarding how long it took for help to reach them because he was not personally there to direct operations.

LYNETTE JOSEPH Diego Martin

The fact that many citizens will now have to dig deep into their pockets and find thousands of dollars to replace the loss of property due to flooding, could the Valuation Division of the Ministry of Finance give some guidelines as to the assessment of the rental value of such homes that are prone to flooding for the purpose of calculating the property tax? Furthermore, where the property tax has been paid, could such citizens sue the State for loss of property.

IMAAM IQUBAL HYDAL Felicity

Help the authority install pumps so it can best discharge flood water. Help it run mains that won’t burst. Help WASA integrate pumps into public waterways.

TSTT can also help WASA with wireless technology for remote turning on and off of pumps. It can help WASA with remote sensors for monitoring water levels. Regional authorities can be help to mitigate flooding with available technologies.

A few borrowed pumps from the oil industry can bring this flooding to an abrupt end. Where there’s no will to solve problems, problems linger.

Why aren’t flood prevention pumps built into public drainage networks? Prevention of property damage would pay for the pumps.

Is it only oil and gas in the ocean TT is faithful to pump? Where are the high-powered water pumps to transfer this water to WASA’s auxiliary water catchment tanks for use in the dry season? We can pump oil and gas across the ocean. We can store thousands of cubic feet of oil and gas for future use. But we can’t harvest surface storm water out of flood zones for dry-season use? TT is technology blind.

Great is the lack of vision in TT , for now.

B JOSEPH via email

And scores of children from several primary schools and kindergartens also descended on the Square where various national sporting organisations (including the National Association of Athletic Administrators (NAAA), Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TT VF), Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board (TT HB), Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union (TTR FU) among others) set up booths, gave demonstrations and exhibited skills, drills and exercises to the young kids.

The children hailed from Rosary Boys, St Rose’s Girls, Belmont Boys RC, SERVOL, Gail Cabral, La Seiva RC and Movant Police Youth.

Among the high profile guests at the event were 1976 Olympic gold medallist Hasely Crawford, and Olympians Michelle-Lee Ahye, Keston Bledman, Renny Quow, Lalonde Gordon, Janeil Belille, Sparkle Mc Knight (athletics), sailor Andrew Lewis and boxer Nigel Paul.

Paralympic athletes Nyoshia Cain and Shanntol Ince were also in attendance as were top national athletes, boxer Michael Alexander and Daneil Williams.

Olympic Day is commemorated annually by over 200 National Olympic Committees worldwide. The aim is to educate children on the role of sport in society and the values espoused by the Olympic Movement.

In keeping with these objectives, the activities strive to encourage the nation’s youth to Strive for Excellence, to celebrate Friendship and to demonstrate Respect.

Samuel was speaking on Thursday during the debate on the Criminal Procedure (Plea Discussion and Plea Agreement) Bill 2017.

He said in plea bargaining the prosecutors are the ones who have the “big guns”.

“From a defendant’s perspective plea bargains are geared to extort a guilty plea.

Plea bargains are not there to help the accused but they are there to possibly tell the world that there is a deficiency in the justice system.

To tell the world that in a time where there is a lack of confidence in the systems in Trinidad and Tobago. Plea bargaining will suggest we are attempting to cover up inefficiencies. The inefficiencies of the police service to effectively investigate and detect and because there are inefficiencies there are prosecutorial inefficiencies.

In other words, things cannot happen in the normal process of court and history proves there are more cases that are being lost, so we have found a shortcut to commit people to prison,” he said.

Samuel said no where in the Bill does it refer to the victims understanding when a plea bargain is being arranged.

He said in Canada, the victims have a say, they have a right to submit a victim impact statement at the sentencing stage.

He said the victims must have access to the information about any pre trial arrangement that relates to a plea that may be entered by the accused on trial.

“So there must be information given to the victims if the State decides we are going to enter into a plea. The victim has a right to know.

This bill does not suggest that until it reaches the court,” he said.

He said there is an imbalance with plea bargaining and with that imbalance justice cannot be served.

“At the end of the day it is the person with the upper hand that wins.

At the end of the day it’s the people with the support mechanisms that wins and we call that plea bargaining we call that justice.

We say to our citizens that we are offering you something but really what we are doing is finding a shortcut for a clogged system. Unfortunately I see no bargain, unfortunately I see no justice, unfortunately I see people being taken advantage of,” Samuel said.

In a telephone interview on Thursday, Daly said, “When you look at the media release there are three sentences that cannot be interpreted than anything other than the language of a decision having been made.” He was referring to a letter an attorney representing the CJ wrote to former attorney general Anand Ramlogan,SC, in which he said “no such decision was made” at a meeting of stakeholders on May 24.

Ramlogan on June 12 wrote to attorney Ian Roach, who represents Archie, seeking answers on the consensus arrived at a meeting of stakeholders on May 24, when it was reported these stakeholders agreed to have all 53 cases restarted de novo (new trial). However, in his letter to Ramlogan dated June 20, Roach said, “Your letter proceeds on a wholly erroneous premise. My instructions are that no such decision was made in your letter.” On May 25, a release by the Judiciary’s Court Protocol and Information Manager Alicia Carter- Fisher, announced that a decision was made at the stakeholders meeting of May 24. In the release, Carter-Fisher said, “consensus was reached and the meeting agreed to have all 53 matters restarted de novo.” It was also announced that Ag Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle Caddle would preside over all indictable cases, while all summary matters would be taken over by an assigned magistrate at the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court. All other Eighth Court matters which were not started will be managed by the acting deputy chief magistrate, the statement further noted.

Speaking with Newsday on Thursday, Daly pointed to the key sentences of the release sent by the Judiciary on May 25, which he (Daly) said it were obvious consequences of a decision having been arrived at when the parties met with the CJ.

“It is not conceivable that it is a question of interpretation or misinterpretation as the Chief Justice’s attorney is now saying,” Daly said.

“It (the wording of the Judiciary’s media release) is entirely consistent with an administrative decision having been taken,” he said.

In his letter to Ramlogan, Roach also indicated that “no further directives were issued to any judicial officer as to how they should deal with the matters which may come before them.” He also told Ramlogan that “no person or persons arrogated unto themselves the power to determine the future conduct” of his client’s case.

“Your client’s legal representative is free to make any representations or submissions he considers appropriate before the presiding magistrate and have same dealt with at that time. That is the protection of the law and the right to a fair hearing that the Constitution guarantees to your client,” Roach further advised Ramlogan. Several of the affected part-heard cases are expected to be called next Tuesday.

The CAZOVA Men’s Championship, also known as the Caribbean Volleyball Championship, will take place from July 4-9, and it will also be the second round of the FIVB (World Volleyball Federation) 2018 Men’s World Championship qualifiers.

Among the participating teams are TT , Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Curacao and Haiti.

And, from July 14- 16, the second leg of the World Grand Prix will be contested with the national women’s team playing host to the likes of Australia, Cameroon and France.

This is the first time a Caribbean Zone team will be hosting, as well as participating, in this prestigious event. TT will be meeting Australia on July 14, followed by encounters against France (July 15) and Cameroon (July 16).

According to Everald “Gally” Cummings, who is a former Trinidad and Tobago men’s team midfielder and coach, this is a skill that is generally lacking in the game at all levels in the twin-island republic.

“Players get inside the box and they seem hesitant to shoot and pass on the responsibility to another player, who might be in a more difficult striking position and miss a golden opportunity to score,” said Cummings. “And this is noticeable even at the senior level.” He has dedicated some time to impart to the young boys and girls (between ages 7-17) this skill which he mastered during his playing career (as early as age 15) as a national and professional footballer.

This year he hopes to do some screening so that players with the most potential can benefit. Players who were exposed to the programme last year will also benefit.

The GFFS has sought sponsorship to facilitate participation and has requested that players be fully sponsored so that there will be no registration fee.

First Citizens has again come on board and Amalgamated Security is a new sponsor who will support the programme this year.

The programme will be launched in the Central region in early July. Players will be drawn from Enterprise, New Settlement, Felicity, Edinburgh 500 and the environs.

Details of other clinics will be released as arrangements are finalised.

The GFFS expresses its appreciation to individuals, members of the private and public sector as well as the media who supported the programme last year and looks forward to their collaboration this year

Bethelmy was part of the elite few who saw the beginning of Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT), along with the likes of Englishman Ron Goodsman, general manager; Canadian programme director, Barry Gordon, Scotsman Bill Corkhill, Neville Welch, Lloyd Rohlehr, Mervyn Telfer, Raffie Knowles, Holly Betaudier, Bruce Reed, Miley Duke, Clyde Alleyne, Melina Scott, Errol Harrylal, Charlie Moore, Compton Welch, Ethel Bethelmy, Doreen Gilbert, George Tang, Louis Sorzano, Shaffick Mohammed, Joan Cipriani, Bernard Bonsor, Wendell Case, Charles Deighton Paris, Claude Daniel, Ann Winston and George Carghill.

Bethelmy began her stint as secretary to PD Barry Gordon and for the next 25 years served in her capacity as programme controller, then programme director until her sudden departure from the station in 1987.

Wendell Case, one of the station’s first engineers told Newsday yesterday that it was a sad time for him.

“My memory of her is that she was a very upright, dainty and ladylike person. I always felt she would have made a very good general manager.

I felt when they were changing managers they didn’t have to go anywhere to find one because she was right there.” Ann Winston, another of Bethelmy’s colleagues in the programming department and friend said, “She became the backbone of TTT as a local person involved in television, and she was a magnificent PD who gave it her all.

As a person, I found Ethel had a big heart.

And though she was a taskmaster, she had great integrity and reasoning, and did her job to be best of her ability.” Former operations manager Lancelot Sarjeant described Bethelmy as a lovely, small lady, very efficient and a very principled person. However though she fully supported shows produced by her dearest and closest friends, the deceased Holly Betaudier, Hazel Ward, Horace James and the Mohammed brothers, Sham and Moen, Sarjeant said she was not an ardent supporter of local content simply because it never used to attract advertising and because of the opposition she got.

“As programme controller she had a relationship with big foreign programming and it was her job to select the best foreign programmes and airtime positions on the programming schedule to attract advertisisng. Her relationship with the sales department and foreign market was very good. But that aside she agreed, in principle, we should have had dedicated sales representatives to handle local programming only.” But in contrast to Sarjeant, former head of news Jones P Madeira said, “She was a dedicated programme director who wanted to see more efforts at local programming in all spheres of television in the country, from entertainment to news. And she conceptualised morning television which did not fly back then. As good as it was, TTT couldn’t sustain it.” Bethelmy’s funeral service will take place on Thursday next week at the Church of the Nativity, Crystal Stream, Diego Martin from 10 am.

She leaves to mourn her children Marissa and David, and syblings Patricia, Yvonne, Margot and Patrick.

Hearing of Jones’ constitutional claim came up before Justice Devindra Rampersad in the Port of Spain High Court yesterday, when it was also indicated that the Trinidad and Tobago Council of Evangelical Churches will reconsider its position on wanting to intervene in the claim. The matter has been adjourned to July 25.

Jones’ constitutional claim challenges Sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act, which criminalises buggery and serious indecency even between consenting adults.

“The very existence of these sections continuously and directly affects the claimant’s private life by forcing him to either respect the law and refrain from engaging – even in private with consenting male partners – in prohibited sexual acts to which he is disposed by reason of his homosexual orientation, or to commit the prohibited acts and thereby become liable to criminal prosecution,” Jones’ fixed date claim form states. Jones is also claiming that the long-standing legislation contravenes his constitutional rights to privacy and freedom of thought and expression in addition to being in direct contradiction to this country’s international human rights obligation.

His lawyers are also contending that the legislation opens his client to public prejudice and ridicule as it labels him and other homosexuals as criminals.

“He is accordingly the subject of extensive societal prejudice, persecution, marginalisation, a lifelong entrenched stigma that he is an unapprehended criminal by virtue of being homosexual and he experiences the lifelong fear of being punished for expressing his sexuality through consensual conduct with another adult,” the lawsuit adds.

He is being represented by Richard Drabble, QC, Rishi Dass and Antonio Emmanuel. Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein is appearing for the Attorney General.

Jones’ lawyers will also argue that since the controversial legislation amended in 1986 and 2000 repealed and replaced pre-Independence sexual offences legislation, covered by the savings clause, it is open to review.