Vendor Vashti Jagdeosingh said the decision to lock the market’s main entrance came from Arima Borough Corporation CEO Cheryl Sirju-Chong, in an attempt to crack down on reports of drug use and illegal vending.

“I don’t mind them (the Arima Borough Corporation) doing something to put an end to all these robberies, but locking the gate isn’t helping the situation one bit. The robberies have continued and the illegal vendors are still here causing trouble for us,” Jagdeosingh said.

Jagdeosingh said that with the main gates locked, vendors have now been forced to enter and exit the market through a narrow side entrance and says that in addition to being a serious fire hazard it also discourages customers from purchasing goods from the vendors.

“There are twenty-plus people within a confined space, if an accident occurs and we have to leave the market in a hurry all of us are going to rush towards that one narrow door. Also, a lot of customers see the main entrance closed and think that we are closed and the few that can see us in here don’t want to have to crawl through this narrow space just to buy from us.” Newsday understands that a meeting between Arima Mayor Lisa Morris Julian, officials of the Borough Corporation and the vendors was scheduled for yesterday but neither the mayor nor Borough officials were present.

Vendors said they intend to keep up the pressure until the situation was resolved.

Newsday attempted to contact Major Julian but was unsuccessful.

In a media release issued earlier in the week however, Julian expressed her support for the efforts by the Municipal Police to quell incidences of illegal vending and robberies at the market adding that the council maintains a zero tolerance approach to illegal activities.

He made this suggestion on Thursday at the Network of Rural Women Producers ‘Mango in Sando 2017’ forum. The meeting, geared mainly for secondary school students was poorly attended as the forum was held at a time when many students are in the middle of exams. The forum was held at the City Hall auditorium a day after US 24-hour diner franchise Denny’s announced it was closing its local outlet citing a lack of forex as one of the main reasons for doing so.

Students of San Fernando East Secondary did attend and received sound advice from Regrello and other speakers.

“When you follow the Americans and go to PriceSmart and you buy strawberries, apples and grapes, you are exhausting our foreign exchange and impacting negatively on our economy. You need to learn about and appreciate local produce,” Regrello said.

Reminiscing on his youth, Regrello said “back in the day”, mango trees were never allowed to stay laden for long. Today, the sweetest of Julie mangoes are left to fall to the ground and rotten.

Regrello urged students to spend their money on local fruits which are fresher and more nutritious than imported items and which will assist TT in saving forex.

Network president Gia Gaspard Taylor, speaking later at the forum, said there is economic value not only in mangoes but local products on a whole. Taylor said the Network submitted a proposal last year to the Agricultural Ministry seeking government’s financial and technical support for development of a local mango industry.

Dr Kumar Mahabir, assistant professor at UTT, spoke to the audience on the history of mangoes which were brought from India to the New World through trade and indentured labour.

He also lectured on the traditional medicinal use of mangoes.

Police sources said they have information that the gang leader used gang members and relatives to have the weapons smuggled.

Yesterday sources revealed that the man had been carrying out a brisk gun smuggling trade between Canada and this country.

It is believed some Customs and Excise officers may have been on the payroll of this gang leader.

Sources revealed that information gathered thus far is that the gang leader was running his illegal gang related activities from behind prison walls and officers of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit (CGIU) were able intercept telephone calls in relation to the guns.

Relatives of the gang leader were expected to be interviewed yesterday.

Police continued to search for a Maraval man whose name is listed as one of the persons who was supposed to collect at least three of the barrels on Wednesday.

A 27-year-old San Juan woman remains in custody.

On Wednesday, officers of the Customs and Excise Division searched four barrels at the Piarco Air Services Customs Bond at El Socorro and seized three AR- 15 rifles, a sniper rifle, a shotgun, 300 rounds of assorted ammunition and several magazines for the guns.

The weapons seized were in ten parts in the four barrels. Sources revealed that local police along with Customs and Excise are now in direct contact with police and Customs in Canada to assist them in tracing the weapons which came from Canada

At the annual TT CB (TT Cricket Board) North-South Under-17 Classic last Saturday, Joseph led the South team to a three-wicket victory over their Northern counterparts at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva.

The attacking left-hander struck 54 in his team’s total of 174 runs for seven wickets in 24.1 overs while, along with Tariq Mohammed, featured in a match-winning 91-run first wicket stand, in response to North’s 173 all out in 39.1 overs.

Both Joseph and Mohammed got the nod of national selectors Boya Sahadeo (chairman), Kelvin Williams, Glen Dwarika, Robert Mahabir and Rajendra Ramadhin.

Former national Under- 15 player Leonardo Julien, who was at the helm of the North team, was named as vice-captain of the national Under-17 outfit. Julien’s Northern counterparts Leonardo Francis, Michael Ambard, Giovani Letren, Rivaldo Ramlogan, Sachin Soodeen, Samir Ali, Ronaldo Forrester and Joshua James (Tobago) got selected while Joseph’s other Southern teammates Avinash Mahabirsingh, Jayden Seales and Nicholas Ali made the final 14-member squad shortlisted for training.

Brandon Singh and Vanir Maharaj were named as reserve players.

Coach of the team is David Furlonge, who is currently the coach of the successful Queen’s Park squad, while national off-spinner Surujdath Mahabir (president of the Secondary Schools Cricket League) is the manager.

SQUAD: Mbeki Joseph (captain), Leonardo Julien (vice-captain), Michard Ambard, Nicholas Ali, Sameer Ali, Ronaldo Forrester, Leonardo Francis, Joshua James, Giovani Letren, Avinash Mahabirsingh, Tariq Mohammed, Rivaldo Ramlogan, Sachin Soodeen, Jayden Seales; David Furlonge (coach), Surujdath Mahabir (manager).

Seepersad, 35, of Diamond Village near San Fernando, had been warded at the San Fernando General Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit following the incident. Since the incident, Seepersad had been handcuffed to his hospital bed after he had surgery and on Wednesday when he was discharged by doctors, police went to get him. Seepersad was escorted to the nearby San Fernando Police Station where he was placed in a cell. He was then slapped with the five charges.

Yesterday, Seepersad was taken before Senior Magistrate Cherril- Ann Antoine in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court who read to him the charges, the first of which alleged that on May 24, at Coffee Street, San Fernando, he parked his vehicle on the Diamond Village Taxi Stand. The second charge alleged that Seepersad, being a person in charge of a vehicle, by furious driving, caused bodily harm to Woman Police Constable Francis Benjamin.

That charge was laid indictably contrary to Section 26 (1) of the Offences Against the Persons Act.

Antoine read a third charge to Seepersad that he assaulted Benjamin in the execution of her duties. And a fourth charge alleged that on the same day and place, he assaulted Police Constable Shiva Ramnarine in the execution of his duties. A charge that by furious driving, he did attempt to cause bodily harm to Ramnarine, was read to the defendant.

The charges relating to the assault on the two police were laid indictably and Seepersad was not called upon to plead. On the other charges, he pleaded not guilty. Attorney Alvin Pariagsingh pleaded for bail on the ground that the “PH” driver was the father of two young children and had been shot and wounded shot in the stomach. He had a previous conviction for driving under the influence alcohol for which he was fined, and, an obscene language charge as well.

Pariagsingh was told by Antoine that the two charges were not of such a serious nature that would have influenced the quantum of bail.

The magistrate fixed bail in the sum of $50,000 to cover all the charges, with a surety.

He is to reappear on July 2. The alleged victims were not present in court for yesterday’s hearing.

Contacted for comment, Ali was thanking God for sparing his life as the stab could have easily severed a vein leading to his heart. Ali returned to the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday for a review of a 5 cm stab wound under his left shoulder blade. On Thursday morning he was rushed to Couva District Health Facility and then transferred to the Hospital where he was treated and later discharged.

It was at 8 am when Ali who owns and operates Old Mac Agro Supplies Limited and Trinidad Parboil Limited, was speaking to an employee about his conduct at the workplace when tempers flared.

Ali asked the worker to leave his office. The man snatched a knife and stabbed Ali under his shoulder blade.

Ali thanked doctors and nurses at both the Couva health centre and San Fernando General Hospital for the “excellent treatment” given to him. Ali’s stabbing comes less than a week after President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce Vishnu Charran called for changes to be made to legislation to allow easier access to licensed firearms for members of the business community.

Couva police are continuing investigations.

Last year the young pannists from Flabej had their dreams crushed when they were not able to participate in the 20th Annual World Championship of the Performing Arts due to a lack of funds.

This year they are hoping their dreams become reality as the 21st edition of the championship comes around.

According to leader/ manager John Douglas: “We are at it again hoping to acquire the necessary funds to take 15 members of the band and five parents to the World Championship of the Performing Arts in Long Beach, Hollywood, California, USA.

“It has not been an easy task raising the funds, I have written to many companies seeking assistance and to date they all blanked us. I am now seeking help from the government through one of their funds.” But the management is not just begging, they held two concerts over the past weekend in an effort to help themselves.

Last Friday, Newtown Playboys Pan Theatre on Tragarete Road was vibrating as the Single Pan Champions and Flabej Now performed for patrons.

On Saturday, the Arima Angel Harps Pan Theatre was the venue for the second concert. The young pannists from Flabej Now ranging in ages from five to 24 performed various symphonic melodies at both concerts as did both bands which hosted the events.

Douglas says it will cost each person US$3,400 for the trip to California for the World Championship, this includes airfare, accommodation, ground travel and meals. The event runs from June 30 to July 9.

He is hoping he will be able to take his young charges to show off their musical prowess and bring their dreams to reality.

Here are some highlights from the concert at Newtown Playboys.

He said the reports are without depth and substance and he didn’t see anything in it that would merit sending it to a joint select committee.

Dr Gopeesingh made the comments while responding to a motion in the House on Wednesday, by Leader of the House and Minister of Planning and Development, Camille Robinson-Regis that a Joint Select Committee be set up to consider the First Report of the Committee which was set up to review levels of health care delivery by the Regional Health Authorities; And to Rationalise the System of Public Sector Doctors in Private Practice as well as a second report of the committee to review the levels of health care delivery by the regional health authorities and rationalise the system of public sector doctors in private practice.

The reports, known as the Welch Reports, were laid in the House on November 9 and March 24, 2017, respectively.

Robinson-Regis asked that the Joint Select Committee review and analyse the reports; consider their findings and recommendations and report their observations no later than June 5, 2017. Dr Gopeesingh said that the best people to talk to about the health system were the specialists in the country and wondered whether the Welch Committee had talked to any of these specialists.

He said there were 200 specialists and there was no indication in the report that they had been spoken to in the preparation of the report. Citing his own extensive experience in the health system, he said the issues dealt with in the Welch Report were management issues and questioned the motive for bringing the motion to the House as he said that there had been exhaustive reports on the local health system, including the Gladys Gafoor Commission which produced 1,500 pages of recommendations.

He added that there were 180 doctors in the country who are waiting for jobs and most of them had completed their studies on scholarships. He said the specialists trained at the University of the West Indies were among the best in the world.

Also speaking on the motion was member for Oropouche East Dr Roodal Moonilal, who said if the Government believed that the findings of the committee had merit then they could have simply implemented the policies rather than asking the Opposition for support. He also said there is already a Standing Joint Select Committee on Health and it would be better to send the report to that Committee.

He asked why it was necessary to replicate a Joint Select Committee of which he said there were already 17. He said it was simply a case of wasting Parliamentary time, having important ministers wasting time on a Committee, adding that in any case the time set out by the Leader of Government Business was too short as June 5, 2017 was only a few days away.

He said setting up a Joint Select Committee was not important, but what was important was getting drugs in the hospital and that the Government had alternatives to what they wanted to do which,he said, was wasting time when they could be doing something tangible.

Speaking first on the motion was Dr Lackram Bodoe, who said that after crime and the economy, health care is of great concern to the nation. He said that the country’s health care is in crisis and has deteriorated under the current Government. During his presentation, he was pulled up repeatedly by the speaker of the House, Bridgid Annisette George, who reminded him that the motion was not an opportunity to debate the report itself.

The “Ladies Eagles” are all University students making their second visit in 10 years to TT to engage in various humanitarian activities such as visiting The Cyril Ross home for the HIV kids, St Dominic’s and the St Jude Home for Girls.

The Ladies Eagles also partook in coaching sessions with a number of coaching schools.

TT Under 20 coach Nicola Williams, noted, “I was happy to play the match to compete against other female players.

Despite losing 3-0, I am happy that we showed good organisation and exerted our style of play into the game. We need to work on our aggression to win the ball back and put our opponents under pressure.

“The Charlotte team was older than us and able to win more balls in the air – scoring their first goal from a cross and the last from a corner.

Their pace did trouble us on the wings and they were able to get behind our defence a number of times. Our goalkeeper Rebecca Almondoz was able to make a number of saves.

They were also quick to close us down and although we were able to combine and switch the play to find space in the other side we didn’t do it often enough and lost the ball under pressure.

“We have been playing local boys teams to give the players the weekly rhythm of a match where other countries have players playing in full-time leagues. Next month players will join the WOLF league for competition and I will be able to travel around and watch their performance along with scouting any new talent,” Williams added.

“I hope to finish July with an international match of our age (Under-20) to evaluate how our preparation is tracking. This month has seen some foreign based players return for the summer college break so reintroducing them into the team is very important.”

Lifeline which celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year, was almost closed down after finances and volunteers became scarce.

Lifeline director Lucretia Gabriel said she was grateful for the support extended by TSTT and is optimistic this gesture would help maximize the organisation’s reach and continue to assist those in need of help.

“We are grateful for this gesture from TSTT to help Lifeline maximise our reach and availability to those who need us the most.

“We know sometimes it might be difficult to take that step and reach out to someone and just talk, but we want everyone who accesses our service to know that Lifeline is ready to listen,” Gabriel said.

TSTT Vice President (Marketing) Camille Campbell said the gesture marked the first step in what her company hopes is a long and beneficial relationship with Lifeline, adding she believes that by increasing the ease of access to the hotline, many lives could potentially be saved.

“This toll-free service is the first that we will provide and we are continuing to work with Lifeline to include additional features to help provide a complete commu n i c at i ons solution that will enable Lifeline’s trained volunteers to serve those in need with greater flexibility and at the optimum convenience for callers,” Campbell said.

Earlier this year, 24-year-old UWI engineering student Matthew Levi Caesar left relatives and friends stunned and deeply traumatised when he committed suicide by drinking a poisonous substance on a football field at campus. Caesar’s death has since shone a light on the issue of depression and suicide especially among youths.

lifeline can be reached at 800-5588 and two other toll-free lines, 231-2824 from Digicel, and 220-3636 from FLOW. People wishing to donate to Lifeline can make deposits to Republic Bank account number 1601 0513 1401