Rowley, for the first time, publicly disclosed that A&V Drilling and Workover Limited owner Nazim Baksh is his friend. Rowley said he does not disown his friends when allegations are made against them but also that his friends do not receive special treatment from his administration.

He also disclosed that Cabinet is now discovering a problem relating to natural gas production and exports. Reminding reporters Government recently dealt with a red sand shortage issue, Rowley said the gas matter is now being reviewed. He described it as a very large problem which is, “in fact, very real.” Rowley said Persad-Bissessar has had a lean period “bussing marks” since the People’s National Movement (PNM) has been in office.

While she can make politics out of any issue she wishes as Opposition Leader, Rowley described her ‘fake oil’ outburst at a UNC rally last Sunday as, “a bit of an overreach.” “You can behave as an effective Opposition Leader. I think the country’s better for that…but ‘jamettery’ is not really the way to deal with this thing if you are going to get the best out of it,” Rowley said, adding, “Sometimes that kind of behaviour itself might be an impediment to getting to the root of the problem.” The word ‘jamette’ comes from the French Patois word ‘diametre’ and means a loose, low-class and socially unacceptable person (usually a woman).

‘ALL AH WE TIEF’ SCENARIO Rowley said by Persad-Bissessar making the issue political, it could make the miscreants happy by creating an ‘all ah we thief ’ scenario. “I don’t subscribe to that and the PNM does not subscribe to that,” Rowley declared. He said Persad-Bissessar is well aware, “you don’t just refer a matter to the Fraud Squad.” He said Petrotrin submitted preliminary reports on August 8 and 17, on this matter.

Rowley said in both cases, Petrotrin said it had more work to do in determining what the matter is.

(See Page 10A) Expressing his hope that Petrotrin will appoint independent investigators soon to examine this issue, Rowley said if the final report confirms the preliminary findings, “then it goes on to the Fraud Squad and wherever else you want to send it.” Saying all citizens must be concerned about this issue regardless of political persuasion, Rowley said, “If this particular matter pans out, it raises greater and more serious concerns about what goes on in Petrotrin.” Rowley said he was concerned to the point of frustration that mechanisms to accurately report the State’s revenues on certain commodities have broken down over time.

PM CALLED BAKSH In confirming Baksh is his friend, Rowley said, “I am not carrying any chip on my shoulder…my shoulder is very square.” The PM said he first heard the news about the ‘fake oil’ scandal while in the US for a medical check-up.

Confirming that he telephoned Baksh about the scandal, Rowley said Baksh flatly denied the allegations.

Reiterating that this matter is being handled by Petrotrin, Rowley said, “We are all to be held accountable for our own individual conduct.” Rowley said the selection of Baksh’s daughter Allyson as a government senator was based solely on her own merit. While she participated in the PNM’s 2015 general election campaign, Rowley said, “I don’t think she should be pilloried for anything which does not concern her.” Rowley, who is PNM political leader, said he did not know if Baksh or his company contributed financially to the party. While indicating he would be surprised if Baksh did not contribute, Rowley said, “I don’t know what all of my friends are doing all of the time. I am glad to know there are people who I can count among my friends.” In an immediate response, the UNC’s Women’s Arm slammed Rowley’s “jamettery” description of Persad-Bissessar’s behaviour as distasteful and demanded an immediate apology from Rowley to all women. The Women’s Arm said it continues to be dissatisfied with Rowley’s references with regard to women.

“We hope this alarming occurrence will be rectified since it is reckless and demeaning,” the Women’s Arm said.

“And I can tell you they had quite a lot planned,” Roget said.

In response to a question about what would be the union’s response if Government broke the moratorium, he said it would be “most unfortunate.” “And there’s a phrase, ‘All hell will break loose!’” he added.

Speaking with journalists outside the Prime Minister’s office in St Clair following several hours of talks, Roget announced that the trade union movement had agreed to return to the tripartite consultative process in exchange for a promise from Rowley that there would be no more retrenchment of Government workers until the end of the year.

He said this included workers in all entities controlled by Government and any new plan to retrench workers after the moratorium expired would be brought to the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) for discussion, giving the trade unions an opportunity to put forward suggestions for avoiding the planned retrenchment.

Yesterday, the trade unions also complained to the Prime Minister about the refusal of ministers to meet with them.

“Their commitment just was not there,” Roget said. “And, therefore, we got a commitment from the Prime Minister and information that those ministers were communicated to and instructed that they should meet with the labour movement.. and have discussions aimed at treating with all of the issues within the respective line ministries.” On the issue of the alleged “fake oil” fraud at Petrotrin, Roget said the matter was not discussed at the meeting and declined to make a statement. He added, however, the union had their own views on the scandal.

“I can assure you that issue is far from over,” Roget said.

Asked if he was more satisfied Wednesday than their previous meeting with Rowley on August 23, Roget said, “We will hold our breath on that. Let us see how the thing will work going forward.”

At secondary school in Trinidad, Ali would encounter the great cubist painter LeRoy Clarke. Clarke’s ‘Lam’ like images painted on the scale of Diego Rivera’s murals proved to be an ennobling experience for the young student. Douens in the eyes of Ali was a repainting of the French Creole folklore characters already depicted in the works of Alfredo Codallo but now through the lens of an African mythology. A lifelong friendship between the two gentlemen ensued that is cherished to this day, said a media release.

While enrolled at the University of the West Indies Ali expanded his visual arts skills by pursuing silk screen, lino block and woodblock printing, lithography and watercolour painting at workshops hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Art Society at the National Museum and Art Gallery.

At the UWI, he was influenced by Kenwyn Crichlow and Keith Cadette who enlarged his ideas about composition and colour theory. After he left Trinidad on a Commonwealth split site doctoral award to complete his PhD at Hughes Hall, Cambridge, Ali continued to paint. During this time he became fascinated by the depictions of the natural world based on internal geometric planes used by Paul Klee and the symbolism of the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt. It was there that he best understood Derek Walcott’s elevation of the fisherman not the woodcutter; the breadfruit not the oak, and the impressionism of Camille Pissarro which Walcott continuously alludes to in his poetry.

Later Ali would meet Isaiah James Boodhoo as he painted canvases inspired by the metaphors in Walcott’s Star Apple Kingdom. More recently he has enjoyed the rich surfaces of Richter’s abstract works, painted to the music of avant-garde composer John Cage. Ali’s haunt is the Pompidou, Paris.

The exhibition opens tomorrow from 5 pm to 8 pm and closes September 27 at 6 pm with previews today from 4pm – 6 pm and tomorrow from 10 am – 2 pm.

Police reported that shortly after 10, the four men forced their way into the house and held up the family at gunpoint. The house was ransacked and thousands of dollars in jewelry and household items were seized. One of the intruders then took the 19-year-old to a bedroom where he sexually assaulted her.

The bandits later fled the scene. A report was made to the police and officers quickly set up roadblocks. With the assistance of the National Operations Centre (NOC) Air Division, police subsequently captured a suspect from the Claxton Bay area. Although none of the loot was recovered, police said the suspect confessed to the crimes.

The suspect, who is in his early 20s, remains in police custody assisting with investigations. The teen was taken to hospital where she was medically examined and also treated. She is said to be receiving counselling.

Investigations are continuing.

Police said that at about 5.30 pm, the bandit stormed Flourishing Supermarket in Cipero Road, Retrench Village, San Fernando and announced a hold up. He proceeded to rob the cashier of over $1,000.

The guard, whipped out his firearm, confronted and shot the bandit. Eyewitnesses contacted the Ste Madeleine Police Station and police found the bandit bleeding in the supermarket.

He was taken to San Fernando General Hospital where he remains warded in stable condition under police guard. The bandit’s gun was seized and the money returned to the owner of the business.

Another weapon was also found at the supermarket and when officers determined it to be unlicensed, they arrested the guard.

Police said the guard will be charged with possession of an illegal firearm and possession of illegal ammunition.

The bandit, when he is discharged from hospital, will face a number of charges including attempted robbery and possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.

Ramnarnine noted there are attempts to spin this matter and to deflect and questioned why. “The facts remain that this was detected in January, 2017,” he wrote in a Facebook post in response to a controversy in which Petrotrin is now embroiled, as it relates to allegations of being billed for fake oil by A&V Drilling Workover Limited to the tune of almost $100 million..

In an earlier telephone interview, Ramnarine said he has been in the industry for a long time and has heard talk about over inflating oil, but nothing like this was brought to his attention as minister.

President General of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget said he did.

“With regards to this specific matter of pilferage of oil or over reporting of oil, during my tenure, I was not aware of any reports. I have been around the industry for a long time and you hear about such incidents, which speaks to how Petrotrin manages its custody transfer of oil.

“Seems to me that is the gap in which the abuse could take place.

Also, the allegations are not limited to this particular lease operator, but extend to employees of Petrotrin as well,” Ramnarine submitted.

Ramnarine said this is a very serious matter and one which the President Fitzroy Harewood must give priority.

At the same time he expressed disappointment on the silence of Petrotrin, while Energy Minister Franklyn Khan and his Permanent Secretary Selwyn Lashley take the lead.

“Petrotrin seems to be hiding behind press releases and the skirts at the Ministry of Energy.

They need to come out and tell the nation what is happening.” Ramnarine said what makes the matter worse is the delicate and fragile nature of the State company which has been asking its workers to make sacrifices and here it is millions are being lost through corruption.

“This is a very serious matter that has possible criminal implications.

The matter is very damaging to the reputation of Petrotrin and to the reputation of the country and warrants some investigation by the Integrity Commission and by the Fraud Squad.” Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has given the undertaking to have the matter investigated and take corrective actions.

However, another one of the UNC’s former Energy Ministers, Carolyn Seepersad- Bachan is on record as saying that the overstatement of fiscalized crude oil production by lease operators to Petrotrin is a recurring problem. She said various audit reports over the years have pointed to that fact and in 2010, her ministry engaged Petrotrin in discussions with a view to addressing this critical issue.

This event, hosted by the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago, will host around 300 participants at this year’s event.

Aqua Warriors national swimmers Abrisse Trim, Jacob Cox and Rochelle Pierre alongside teammates Justin Thomas and Dante Williams will all brave the water conditions and 300 competitors at the Bay to compete at this year’s Open Water event.

Aqua Warriors assistant coach and swimmer, Rochelle Pierre, alongside, Dante Williams, are taking part in the highly competitive 5,000 metre open water event which is scheduled to commence at 8am. In the 1,000 metre open water category, Abrisse Trim, Jacob Cox and Justin Thomas will compete against the masses and this event commences at 10am.

The team of five, along with Head Coach Mosi Denoon, leave Tobago tomorrow for the Open Water Classic.

Four members of the Broadbridge family including son environmentalist Stephen Broadbridge, sat in the public gallery alongside relatives of Smith and Nedd in the Port of Spain Eighth Court.

Smith, 34, a joiner and Nedd, 32, a janitor, both of Seales Avenue, Morvant appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle. Smith’s attorney Roland Bain complained that his client was denied medication on one occasion last week while in police custody.

The attorney did not identify Smith’s medical condition. Bain said Smith also had a concern for his personal safety and asked that personal items confiscated by police including clothing, $1,809 and keys to his workshop and vehicle, be returned to the accused man’s mother once they are not deemed part of the police’s inquiry.

Arrangements have been made for the items to be collected while Nedd’s attorney Darryl Worrell asked that his client’s cell phone be returned to Smith’s mother or any other relative. Worrell’s request was denied since, according to prosecutor Insp Winston Dillon, the cellphone forms part of the investigation.

Worrell complained that when Nedd was arrested on September 5, she was not allowed legal counsel although she was told at the time that she was not a suspect.

He said she was placed in a holding cell and not told that she was being held in a homicide inquiry.

The attorneys’ complaints were noted by the acting chief magistrate. The couple will return to court on October 12. Broadbridge, 80, was found stabbed and her throat slit at her Fondes Amandes Road, St Ann’s home on September 2. Smith and Nedd were charged by Ag Insp Glendon Richards. Insp Creighton Hudson, Cpl Ameer Mohammed and PC Nikruma Porter are involved in the investigation spearheaded by Ag ASP Suzette Martin.

I Am is a Trinbagonian story, it addresses the real circumstances behind people that we traditionally stereotype relative to their address without taking the time to understand who they are. The story revolves around six individual characters all born in hard-hitting circumstances up the hill and behind the bridge, the core of all their stories grounded in series of events that unfolded in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1990s, said a media release. The story examines a range of emotions as the players navigate their way through a series of life-changing trials, some unfolding as a result of the 1990 insurrection, how it affected them and those around them.

Different circumstances shape each of the characters and before you judge who you think they are, it’s important to get to know what shaped their reality.

I Am will be re-staged at the Sundar Popo Auditorium, Southern Academy of the Performing Arts tomorrow. The production is the most recent of four fulllength dance/theatre productions by the Ibis T&T family spanning a period of six years.

Ibis T&T Performers founded by Sherma Burke Forde has embraced the objective to empower and train young theatre practitioners in southern Trinidad as well as preserve and promote the value of the performing arts, the release said.

The production is written and directed by Arthur Lewis with choreography by some of San Fernando’s leading choreographers headed by Forde. Musical director Jillann Walters will be joined by some of the finest musicians and singers including Ancil Valley, Justin Zephrine, the St Hillarie Brothers, Lois Lewis and Juenes Agape amongst others.

For more info: Ibis Facebook page Individuals Blended in Synergy

Among those grateful to be back on Trinidad soil were a group of teachers who were on contract to teach at schools in St Martin which was almost obliterated by the monster storm. Another group, mainly comprising people of the Muslim faith said they were in St Martin doing charitable work when the storm hit.

Some of those arriving said the storm was a terrifying experience that they did not know if they would survive.

A teacher who did not give her name, said that the hotel she was in when the storm struck was completely destroyed – except for the room she was in.

The Trinis were evacuated to Antigua and from there, arrangements were made for their return home last night.

Hurricane Irma claimed the lives of over 40 people when it slammed into several Caribbean islands before making a beeline for the southern United States, hitting Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Over 15 deaths were attributed to Irma in the US.