He made the comment during an interview with radio station i95.5FM. On Friday, Chief Education Officer in the Education Ministry Harrilal Seecaharan told a Joint Select Committee meeting that 19 teachers were under probe for sexual abuse in cases that including incidents of inappropriate touching, “sexting” (the sending of sexually explicit messages and images), hugging and sexual intercourse with students. The matters are being probed by the Teaching Service Commission and Seecharan assured the teachers had been removed from the system pending the outcome of investigations.

He reported at least one of the matters is 13 years-old and stressed the need for such issues to be dealt with in a faster manner.

“TTUTA would not condone any such conduct on the part of teachers,” he said.

He stressed that one of these cases is too much. He also advised members to be careful when interacting with students “because it is easy for an accusation to be levelled against you”. He suggested that for field trips there are teachers of both sexes as a precautionary measure. Doodhai said that we live in a very litigious society and it is easy for someone to be stigmatised or accused of sexual offences.

Attorney-General Faris Al-Rawi said the bill enacts lessons learnt from the 2008 global financial crisis and 2009 local crisis, and fills gaps in the current law. He justified the bill by saying insurance companies were backed by insufficient capital to justify the size of their exposure to risk, citing the case of CL Financial whereby a $300 billion conglomerate was backed by its insurance arm having just $3 million capital in its statutory fund. He urged a shift from this “de minimis” (that is, minimal) model, to a riskbased capital model.

Better corporate governance via board, shareholders, auditors and accountants, and regulators, would also be provided by the Bill, he said.

Contagion risk, seen in 2009, also needs attention in the bill. Saying 37 percent of TT’s GDP lies within the insurance and pensions sectors, he said these are large sections of the economy that constitute a risk that must be well-managed. Al-Rawi hailed the work of past JSCs under their past chairmen, former finance ministers, Winston Dookeran and Larry Howai.

Declaring the bill to be “a dagger in the heart of crime and criminality”, he cited similar law and order bills such as the Gambling Bill and Firearms Bill, as proof of the Government’s anti- crime thrust, declaring, “One, one cocoa does fill basket”.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh declared the Opposition’s support for the bill

She made this disclosure in response to a question in the House of Representatives.

Also in the House, Tobago East MP Ayanna Webster-Roy, delivering a response on behalf of Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe, said, Tobago received 52 cruise ship visits in from October 2015 to May 2016 compared to 45 visits from October 2014 to May 2015.

Webster-Roy also said passenger arrivals in Tobago from October 2015 to May 2016 was 72,529 persons compared to 56, 134 persons from October 2014 to May 2015.

She said this figure represented a 29 percent year on year increase.

The body is reportedly that of Steven Boodoo, 27, of Montrose, Chaguanas, who was last seen on January 30. According to reports officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit went into the forest after hikers reported finding a body hanging from a tree.

His body was found hanging from a tree as reported, and with a rope around his neck and feet bound.

Police say that an initial inspection of the body showed no visible marks of violence.

Addressing reporters prior to the start of the clean-up campaign, Hosein said the initiative would not only ensure a cleaner environment but also bring communities closer together as more contractors as well as members of the business community were supportive of the campaign.

“I am so happy to see people who want to give back to the country, and at minimum cost to the government,” Hosein said, adding, “this is really bringing the community and the country together, the opportunity just came and they buy into it.” “The last time this was done was 1986, 31 years ago by the NAR, but the support so far has been overwhelming as we move to each corporation, more and more volunteers and the business community, contractors coming out,” he said.

Hosein said the exercise included the cleaning up of schools, institutions, residences, and open lots; desilting of drains, disposal of bulk waste, derelict vehicles and dilapidated buildings. Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan said the cleanup campaign, themed “Team up to clean upwe do it better”, would move into all eight electoral districts.

“This is an historic day in Chaguanas with this massive clean-up and we want to call on the burgesses and the residents to also pitch in and do their part too because this cannot be an effort of just the Ministry and the Chaguanas Borough Corporation and the workers alone, it has to be a team effort with everybody,” Boodhan said.

“All of us have one common goal and objective and that is to make our environment clean, and everything is in order to sustain quality living,” he said, and noted Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce president, Richie Sookhai as well as Chaguanas East and West MPs Fazal Karim and Ganga Singh also participated in the project.

Traditional mas characters such as Dame Lorraines and Blue Devils pranced along Frederick Street with no accompanying music, while onlookers lined the street.

A woman, incensed as the poor showing shouted that Carnival is dying.

“Over the years, I have grown accustomed to taking the launch of downtown Carnival.

This year is the worst I have ever seen. You have a parade of Carnival characters and no music.

This is madness,” Patricia Picou said.

“This launch is more like a funeral.” She said this launch was a poor reflection of the planning for downtown Carnival and questioned if TT Carnival can still rightfully claim to be the Greatest Show on Earth. Masquerader Vernon Mohammed said he felt hurt to know that after weeks of preparation, the event turned out “so poor.” Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez said a music truck did not have one of the required permits.

“The truck was to come from Memorial Park to downtown but the people did not have the required permit. It would have been a breach of the Traffic Laws. Something went wrong…

but that is life,” Mayor Martinez said.

He said two awards will be presented to calypsonian Lord Nelson (Robert Nelson) and Edghill ‘MX Prime’ Thomas for their contribution to TT culture. Martinez said from what he saw at Woodford Square, “Carnival 2017 has begun.”

This was how Imam Ameer Hosein described a man who remains in police custody for the killing of Penal resident Nadia Simms. In saying there can be no forgiving the act, Imam Hosein called for the full brunt of the law to be brought down on the suspect who was the last person Simms was seen with when she left her home last week Saturday to attend a job interview.

“The person who has done this…he is nothing less than a low-down beast in human form! A lion in sheep clothes. A weak man,” Hosein told mourners at the funeral service for Simms held at her home in Rampersad Trace, Rochard Road, Penal.

Even the suspect’s own relatives, in an earlier interview said when he drinks alcohol, he “becomes a monster”. (See Page 17A) On Thursday at about 11 am, hunters discovered Simms’ decomposing body in a shallow grave in the forested area off St Clyne Road in Santa Flora. The gruesome discovery came four days after Simms left home to meet with the suspect who promised to get a job for her. An autopsy performed at the Forensic Sciences Centre in St James, proved inconclusive because of the advanced state of decomposition.

Yesterday, mourners flocked to the family’s home to bid a final farewell to Simms, who on Tuesday, would have celebrated her 26th birthday. Imam Hosein did not mince his words in describing the person held for Simms’ murder.

“This evil, vile, despicable animal on two feet who did this crime, deserves the full depth of the justice system which all law-abiding citizens place their hope and trust in.” Hosein is the leader of the Penal Rock Road Mosque.

The religious leader said that, “weak people sweep things under the carpet”, and often in an emotional state of weakness, they make a huge mistake with a sense of remorse that befits forgiveness.

Forgiveness for a wrong, he said, comes when there is sincere repentance from the person who committed the act.

Imam Hosein insisted that the suspect should not be forgiven for this “evil”, as the Holy Q’uran states if a person kills an innocent person, it is as though he/she has taken the lives of all mankind.

“So right now, what I feel in my heart is that this man has taken the lives of all of mankind and no forgiveness can be due to him, because you give him that chance again, he will do it again. “He will do it again and we do not know how many times he has done it already,” Hosein said.

Simms was laid off her job as a waitress two weeks ago, at an establishment where the suspect was a regular customer. CCTV footage in the Penal restaurant showed Simms meeting with the suspect and had lunch last Saturday at 1 pm. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, her body was not shown at the funeral. Instead there was a photo collage of her on top of the sealed coffin.

“I appeal to those in the protective services to try their utmost best. We owe it to Nadia to bring justice and solve this matter…God is the final adjudicator of what happens to us. We ask Allah for justice.” Hosein urged mourners to take all precautions in protecting themselves and their loved ones.

He told mourners to refrain from thinking that Simms made a bad decision. “Nadia was vulnerable, she was taken advantage of. She was murdered when she innocently went looking for a job. This was in no way her fault.

I pray that God Almighty fix this wrong for us,” Hosein said. Following the service, Simms body was taken to the Platanite Cemetery for burial. A 31-year-old Siparia yam vendor remains in police custody.

The student who was clad in her school uniform told police she voluntary went with the man and he did not force her to do anything. However, because she is a minor according to law, the man will face a number of charges including abduction and unlawful sex with a minor.

It was reported that at about 2.50 pm on Wednesday officers of the Rio Claro police station received an anonymous tip-off that a girl in school uniform and a man were entering an abandoned house in the Rio Claro district.

Officers responded and allegedly found the schoolgirl and the man having sexual intercourse on the floor inside the abandoned house. The two were taken into custody and officers of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) were summoned. The child’s parents were called in and expressed shock and horror when told what had happened.

The child was later taken to a health centre where she was medically examined as part of the investigations.

Charges are expected to be laid against the Mayaro man. The teen will receive counselling.

According to reports, officers of the Task Force began searching for Joel Charles alias “Bobo Dog” of La Canoa, Santa Cruz after officers received information that he was hiding out in a busy area at Upper La Canoa Road.

Yesterday, at about 1.30 pm, officers who were in the La Canoa area, found Charles and called on him to surrender. He is said to have pointed a firearm and began shooting at officers who returned fire.

Charles was shot by police and later died at hospital. Yesterday, the scene was visited by Assistant Commissioner of Police Surujdeen Persad and Senior Superintendent Sagramsingh.

Police investigators described Charles as one of the most wanted in the North Eastern Division and was linked to a series of serious criminal offences.

The area was cordoned off and crime scene investigators carried out a search of the shack where Charles was hiding out with the hope of recovering any drugs or illegal arms and ammunition. Police also recovered a firearm on the body of Charles. Investigations are continuing.

The names of the artistes were revealed at a launch on Thursday at Kapok Hotel, St Clair in Portof- Spain.

R&B and Neo Soul singer, D’Angelo (Michael Eugene Archer), Vanguard Jamaican singer/songwriter Grace Jones, dancehall legend Shabba Ranks (Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon), Reggae band Morgan Heritage, local soca band Kes, and Barbadian jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman, will grace the stage in Tobago.

As the news broke, fans took to the social-media platform, Facebook, to share their views on the line-up. One commentator said, “Uninspiring, lack of imagination, out of touch are some words to describe this line up…Suggestions: Fantasia, Angie Stone, Avery Sunshine, Kem, Maxwell, Music Soul Child.” Acts such as Angie Stone, Maxwell, Toni Braxton and George Benson have graced the TJE stage already.

Another said, “Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, Toni Braxton…

George Benson….. I swear D’Angelo has about three good songs…..

awaiting next year’s line-up.” One expressed, “I’m coming with my 12 members don’t matter whose [sic] preforming [sic] we jamming still Tobago rock them we coming to jam we don’t business,” playing on the lyrics of this year’s popular Carnival hit Full Extreme by MX Prime and the Ultimate Rejects.

Another said, “Yes I must see Grace Jones. She is legendary!” Chairman of the Tobago Jazz Experience committee, John Arnold, said despite budget constraints, the committee sought to deliver an “exceptional” event.

He told members of the media, “This year we have had a significant cut to the festival budget.” The budget this year is $12 million. Last year’s was $15 million.

The experience incorporates film this year, with a Jazz Film Festival workshop on producing and fund-raising on April 22 and a film screening starting off the nine-day experience. The TJE has partnered with the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company to host these events.

This year there will also be no Mt Irvine Jazz on the Beach as the organisers are seeking to re-brand the event. To compensate for the lack of Jazz on the Beach and also the absence of a show on April 29, the TJE organisers will host a free Jazz Beach Lime at Pigeon Point from 11am to 6pm. At Jazz on the Move, artistes will perform at hotels through the island again during the festival.

World Music Night and Beach Jazz Fiesta will be held on April 28 and 30 respectively and the events will cost $500 a night for general admission and $1,000 for VIPs.

Asked about the air bridge and transport for the event, administrator for the Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Umslopagaas Job, said, “Presently we are in discussion with Caribbean Airlines and we are expecting a positive outcome.”