Sangre Grande police are said to be investigating the incident which has left Tristan Khan warded at the Sangre Grande District Hospital after undergoing emergency surgery yesterday where surgeons attempted to repair the damaged socket so that Tristan could hopefully regain use of his arm. Only time will tell if the surgery was a success.

Distraught mother Shareefa Ali, posted photos of her son lying on a gurney at hospital, to her Facebook account, generating hundreds of comments.

Tristan was playing with friends at the Mayaro Recreation Ground during his school’s second recess break at 2 pm on Wednesday when the bully spotted him and attacked. The bully stamped on Tristan’s back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

As he lay helpless, Tristan was cuffed and kicked by the boy who then began to jump up and down on his right arm.

Tristan would later tell teachers that he actually heard the bones at the socket of his right elbow cracking as the student continued his attack. Another student who witnessed the attack ran to the school to inform teachers. Tristan was taken to the Mayaro Health Centre and transferred to Sangre Grande Hospital.

“My son said he heard his elbow break,” Christopher Khan said.

“The school called me and said to come down because my son was hurt while playing in the yard.

They never told me it was that boy who attacked him. My wife went down because I couldn’t and it is only then that she found out what really happened,” Khan said.

“I am so frustrated because they are saying his elbow was damaged so severely he might lose the use of his arm. I am going to take action on this immediately, because it is not fair for my boy at age nine, to face a life without the use of his arm. If you hear how my son was crying.” Frustration turned to anger, Khan said when he went to the Mayaro Police Station to make a report. “They told me they couldn’t do anything about that because it was a matter between minors. But today when the story started to spread on social media, the police called me asking for a report. Can you image this?” Minister in the Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis said he was not able to give a definitive statement regarding the incident until a full investigation is conducted.

“I have heard from the parents and I have heard from the school supervisor, but I have not gotten the school’s point of view as yet. I have asked that a full investigation be done, so that by tomorrow (today) I should have all the necessary information,” Minister Francis said.

“My main concern is for the child and I would urge his parents to remain with hope. I broke my leg and the doctor told me I would never walk again, but I was back playing basketball in two years time. The fact that he is nine could work in his favour because children heal faster as their bodies are still in the growth stage.” Khan said this was not the first time his son had been bullied by the boy. “First, they talked to the boy, then they put my son on one side of the class and that boy on the next side of the class. That was all they did. And it is not just my son, it is all the children in the class this boy has terrorised. He likes to rough play and my son doesn’t like that at all,” Khan said.

President of the National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA) Zena Ramatali called for the introduction of anti-bullying policies.

“The violence is a reflection of what is happening in wider society and all stakeholders need to come together to find a solution.

We are calling for anti-bullying policies to be introduced in all schools,” Ramatali said.

(See Page 11A)

The incident happened in Cocoyea Village late Monday evening where the 41-year-old man was arrested at his home following the alleged attack on the wife and his two children.

Yesterday, Wayne Griffith stood before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John charged that on Monday he attempted to murder his six-year-old son who was chopped across the forest with a meat cleaver.

The court heard that the victim remains warded at San Fernando General Hospital in a stable condition.

The accused was also charged with assaulting his common- law wife and his 14-yearold daughter. The attempted murder charge was laid by Cpl Shawn Mohammed while the two other charges were laid by PC Sheldon Gosine.

Court prosecutor Cleyon Seedan objected to bail on the ground that a tracing of the accused man was not yet done to provide the court with information on whether he has charges pending or convictions.

The prosecutor said that there is a fear for the safety of the virtual complainants since their only home is the one they shared with the accused.

All charges were laid indictably and the accused was not called on to enter a plea.

The accused man was remanded into custody and ordered to return to court on Monday when the issue of bail will be determined.

Investigators must bring the case of the death of the 25-yearold Penal resident to a swift conclusion, culminating with the initiation of criminal proceedings against the perpetrator. The case must be based on sound evidence and justice must be allowed to take its course.

The death of Simms will make many question whether young women are being specifically targeted.

But, of course, the scourge of crime affects us all, whatever our gender. Both women and men suffer with each killing. Both have found themselves as targets.

The discovery of Simms’ body in a shallow grave in Santa Flora, not far from a penal institution, also adds further urgency to the question recently raised about whether citizens should be permitted to bear arms and to carry things like pepper spray and tasers.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar and former security officials have made this call, which has also been supported by the president general of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union, Nirvan Maharaj.

For our part, we do not think the solution is to allow more guns on the street. While there is no doubt that the current licensing programme needs to work more efficiently, the issue is the proliferation of unauthorised guns outside of the scope of regulation. Further, technology to track guns appears to have fallen behind somewhat.

Empowering people to have guns in their homes, cars and when they go out opens the door to a whole other set of problems.

There is the potential for abuse, children may be affected, the public could be caught in the crossfire and there may be a disproportionate use of force by untrained civilians.

In fact, accounts of police shootings over the years suggest that guns often sit uneasy even in the hands of legitimate and well-intentioned law enforcement officers.

The vast majority of murders are already committed using guns.

More guns could turn the country into the Wild Wild West, if it has not already attained that status.

However, a distinction can be drawn between authorising guns and allowing the use of pepper spray and tasers. In relation to the latter, we support the calls that have been made. While such items pose hazards and risks, they do not suffer from the same drawbacks as the use of firearms. Pepper spray and tasers of a certain range could be authorised to allow individuals to momentarily fend off assailants who are not armed.

But in reality, it is always inadvisable for any victim to engage physically with an attacker, especially one who is armed. If that attacker is armed with a gun, a taser will not be as useful. Yet, a gun shootout would not necessarily balance the scales in favour of escape. Where tasers and pepper spray might be useful are in fending off unarmed assailants, deterring attacks and in raising awareness of the need for security precautions.

Though it is highly unlikely there are people in this country who are unaware of the crime situation, how many people have access to training and guidelines that would allow them to minimise risk in their daily lives? People must seek out resources that are available, such as via the Internet.

Interestingly, one strategy to bolster security is the new wave of taxi services that have hit our shores. These services allow users to track drivers, picture them and to be aware of car numbers in advance.

It is hoped that citizens will be able to empower themselves in order to not become targets.

At the same time, we should not have to face this issue in the first place. We hope no stone is left unturned in this latest murder case.

Turning a blind eye to his narcissism and his megalomania, I tried to embrace my misplaced optimism to find a glimmer of hope for Trump, but he proved that optimists have no place in Trump’s America.

The terrible US Presidents of the past basically screwed up their own country, but Trump’s outdoing them by knocking the entire world off balance.

He turned the stoic Chinese into laughing Buddhas when he pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Chinese know those 12 countries that border the Pacific Ocean are responsible for about 40 percent of the world’s economic output so the Chinese are going to fill that void faster than you can say Donald Trump.

North Korea is threatening to step up its nuclear missile shenanigans, and Trump is goading North Korea with inane tweets that include reactions to North Koreans’ nuclear missile threats. “It’s not going to happen,” Trump tweeted.

That’s a dare and Trump should not be playing that dangerous game.

Meanwhile, Trump had the world up in arms when he signed an order to ban citizens of seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia) from entering the US. He left Germany and England stunned as they pondered how this would affect dual citizens from their countries.

That ban, which included people with valid visas and permanent residence cards, created havoc in the airports as these travellers weren’t allowed in the US. It affected US businesses that employ some of these people who were turned back at US airports.

Thankfully, US law prevailed over Trump wielding his executive pen like a sword, which he uses to slice laws and slash basic human rights. The American Civil Liberties Union stepped in with a class action suit that was upheld by a federal court.

The only comforting statement I’ve heard in the US in the past week was from someone who said, “I hope Trump enjoys losing because he is going to be doing a lot of it.” There are likely to be many more lawsuits under Trump.

I haven’t even touched on all the ethical violations that are going to pile up as some of his political decisions touch on his businesses.

There’s too much to untangle.

Let’s not touch the Mexican wall right now, but what about California talking about seceding from the union? Under Trump, we are having discussions that date back to the Civil War in 1861.

Poor California. I’ve lived there.

It’s a progressive place. Californians don’t suffer fools.

One lessons Trump has taught us for sure is the importance of voting in an election. Trump didn’t have to be on the road to becoming the worst President ever. People who didn’t vote put him there just as much as people who did vote.

Let that be a lesson to you. Vote.

Always vote, and try to have some sense when you vote.

In the meantime, Trump is going to learn the hard way that he is not a dictator or a king. He’s a president, well on his way, it seems, to becoming the worst President ever.

Tissue samples have been sent for further tests which hopeful would shed light on how Simms died.

The autopsy was conducted by Pathologist Dr Eslyn Mc Donald-Burris at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.

Simms’ body was found in a shallow grave in Santa Flora on Wednesday, four days after she went missing.

Simms left her home to go to a job interview. She was last seen at a restaurant having lunch with a man who is now in police custody.

Yesterday, Simms’ relatives demanded justice. “He should be hanged! He is a monster who should not be allowed to live,” relatives of 25-year-old Simms said.

Simms’ aunt Jennifer Hamid said the family has not been functioning properly since the discovery of her body.

“How can one function? Nadia did not deserve this. She was an innocent girl who had her entire future ahead of her and was robbed of life by this monster,” Hamid said.

“She believed this man would help her find a job. She was fooled by this man. We had hoped and prayed she was alive and would walk through that door back to us. It hurts so much…it is hard for us to come to terms that she is now gone forever,” Hamid cried.

On Wednesday, four men hunting iguanas in the forests off St Clyne Road in Santa Flora came across the shallow grave with sections of Simms’ body protruding from the loose earth.

The suspect, a 31-year-old man remains in police custody

“These men committing these ills against women have to stop looking at them as a means of taking out their frustration and anger. That is not the way we are called to live. We are called to live in the community of love with one another and I think the time has come for all our leaders to come together to find a solution to stop the threat not only to women but children as well,” Rev Williams said.

Speaking yesterday at the Parish Schools Candlemas Service at the Cathedral off Queen Street in Portof- Spain, Williams called on Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon to come up with community- based self-defence courses tailor-made for women. He said there is a need to go back to the old time days and virtues of a person being their brother’s keeper. He said until justice is served and seen to be served, crime will continue unabated. “The police must work harder to find these people. Over the years you had people committing crime and not being caught.

Most remain free to this day and they need to be brought to justice.

Too many families are left heartbroken due to gruesome acts committed against loved ones.” Williams said society is lacking spiritual values as today’s children are not given rules and training to set them on the right path of life.

He said TT must find a way to bring spirituality back into the workplace, school and homes. “Government is there because of the people and they (government) must find ways and means of assisting people where you have a lot of crime taking place in the country. It seems like there is no respect for women in our society.” He went on to say, “Religious Education is missing in schools and needs to be brought back into the school curriculum.

“You must put God first. People do not things in moderation, spirituality must return if we are to have a generation of love, peace and benefits of people living in harmony with each other. There are a lot of crimes committed on children, recently a teenager was shot in the head, a one-yearold child was raped…

something is definitely wrong and the solutions to crime must be found now,” he said.

According to reports, Kimraj Jawahir had accompanied his two sonsin- law to a garden at Marcano Trace, Biche and when the trio returned to the car, Jawahir sat in the front passenger seat waiting for the others to get in and head back to his Navet Village, Biche home.

Police reported that a gunshot was heard and Jawahir was seen slumped on the car’s dashboard bleeding from a bullet wound on the left side of the head.

Officers of the Eastern Division were alerted as well as a District Medical Officer.

Yesterday, Snr Supt John Trimm along with Inspector Ken Lutchman and Sgts Garcia, Samaroo together with PCs Thom, Mendoza, Henry and West visited the scene along with District Medical Officer Dr Kartic.

Newsday understands the victim’s wife Varna Harricharan, who is six months pregnant, was inconsolable and began experiencing abdominal pains.

She remained confused about why her common-law husband was killed.

Relatives prevented her from going to the murder scene.

No arrest has been made into the nation’s 55th murder and investigations are ongoing.

Al-Rawi said this was all part of Government’s thrust to combat terrorism inside and outside of this country’s borders.

He explained that the amendments which will be laid in the House of Representatives today, significantly strengthen the current Anti-Terrorism Act on several levels.

Al-Rawi said the legislation will extend the scope of the Act to cover terrorist acts committed outside of TT; extend specific offences for the provision of services for the commission of terrorist acts or the financing of terrorism and the collection of property, redefine terrorist acts and expand the definition of a terrorist, “to include persons who contribute to the commission of a terrorist act.” After explaining the latter included individuals or entities financing terrorist activities, the AG said, “We are criminalising the joining of a terrorist organisation and attending or receiving training.” Al-Rawi said this covers persons who go to other jurisdictions where they receive terrorist doctrine and training.

Noting the penalties in the Act are “very serious” but the former People’s Partnership (PP) government did nothing to activate them, Al-Rawi said a person who knowingly attends terrorist training or receives that training through electronic means is liable on conviction to 20 years imprisonment. He added that persons who join a terrorist group are liable upon conviction to a fine of $5 million and 25 years imprisonment.

Al-Rawi also said Government is proposing to amend the law to criminalise the movement of children by FTFs. “We are criminalising travel for the purpose of committing a terrorist act and deeming persons who commit such an act as FTFs,” he stated. Al-Rawi said the power of law enforcement agencies, “to gather information to cover documents, computers and electronic devices” as part of their investigations into terrorist acts will be broadened.

He disclosed that for the first time, the National Security Minister will have the power, “to designate a geographical area and say to travel to or remaining in that area would constitute a presumption that the travel was for a terrorist act.” Explaining that this will only be part of a country, Al-Rawi said persons travelling to such areas will be required to give notice, “both when you go and when you come back.” Al-Rawi said when persons leave TT to such destinations, they are actively tracked by local law enforcement agencies in “active cooperation” with this country’s international partners.

Indicating that the Traffic Division of the courts deal with 23,000 cases annually, Al-Rawi said only 30 percent of these cases result in a conviction. He added the remaining 70 percent, “just fall apart.” The AG explained that in all of those cases, a police officer is required to appear in court. As he told reporters that government ministers cannot arrest anyone or remove evidence from a crime scene, Al-Rawi said it was “a very big deal” for him to be part of any move which frees up police officers to deal with more serious criminal matters.

He further explained that through a proposed system which included violations that could be tagged on to a person’s driver’s licence.

Prior to this, Acting Commissioner of Police, Tobago Division, Garfield Moore,- expressed grave concerns with regards to the increase of illegal firearms coming to the island, during a town meeting on Tuesday night. The following day, at about 9pm, a man only identified as Kersen was called out his Les Coteaux home by unknown men when he felt a burning sensation in the legs. Reports state the victim was shot twice and has since been hospitalised in a stable condition.

Eighteen hours later there was another report of a robbery with the use of a firearm.

Police reports indicate two men,one armed with a firearm, entered Kerr’s Jewelers at, Brunette Hill, uptown Scarborough and announced a hold-up.

A struggle ensued between owner Denny Jones and the robbers leading to Jones jumping out the window of the two-storey building in an attempt to escape.

Police responded and locked down the area in search for the suspects who escaped on foot.

Police presence was increased from uptown Scarborough Market Square to the bottom of Burnette Hill, where the incident transpired.

Traffic also had to be temporarily diverted after the attempted robbery.

When Newsday Tobago visited the scene minutes after the incident occurred, Jones was seen groaning in pain. He injured his left knee and had minor cuts to the head and right foot sole. Two women, who seemed to be close relatives of Jones made attempts to calm him and dress the wounds as he waited for the ambulance to arrive.

A trail of blood believed to be from the suspects was seen in front of Courts Appliance and furniture store meters away from the scene. Also, a pair of black Nike slippers was also left behind.

Many passers-by were startled to learn about a robbery and “possible” shooting taking place in the capital of Tobago in broad daylight.

One elderly woman exclaimed, “What going on in Tobago here, people don’t care again!” In his feature speech, at the first town meeting for the year in Whim, ACP Moore made reference to the islands’ second murder victim of Dale (Redman) Bousher of Plymouth, who was shot in the head and the recent shootings in Crown Point and Signal Hill, last month. He said the public’s support is urgently needed to curb the steadily increasing crime situation on the island. “We have developed a trend between 2014 to 2016 where crime in Tobago has been increasing; violent crimes in particular. In light of this, we went to all communities last year to make a call to help us get rid of firearms we had very little success.” He admitted the Tobago Division is aware of the firearms issue.

“In light of this, we went to all communities last year to make a call to help us get rid of firearms.We had very little success. In fact, I was embarrassed in Trinidad and out of all the divisions in the entire police service, we would have only recovered 12 guns last year.In Trinidad they recovered 60, 92,159… We know Tobago has plenty guns and we have been saying it but the police cannot do it alone.” He added.

When contacted to verify information on the incidents, yesterday evening, ACP, Moore explained he and most of the senior officers from the Tobago Division, including Acting Senior Superintendent Joanne Archie were presently in Trinidad at the time, so he was unable to provide information from police report on what occurred