They are called upon to recant and to apologise.

They are made, quite often, to lose their livelihood. It is fast becoming detrimental to actually speak one’s truth.

Former Port-of-Spain mayor Raymond Tim Kee gave voice to an opinion to which many people subscribe and was vilified and hounded out of office.

While he awaits his fate, Police Inspector Michael Seales has suffered a similar fate because he had the temerity to be candid.

Police Complaints Authority Director David West gave utterance to a belief that lots of citizens embrace and is on the brink of becoming another casualty of having the courage of his conviction.

When a person makes a statement which he or she sincerely believes to be a truth, an apology then, to my way of thinking, is a totally empty gesture.

To quote an old maxim: a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.

TYRONE EVANS Belmont

Chapter 4 Verse 6 of the Holy Qur’an advocates: “And test the orphans until they reach the age of marriage.

Then if you find in them maturity of intellect, make over to them their property…” The renowned translator of the Qur’an, Maulaana Muhammad Ali, in his commentary on this verse, states: “According to Abu Hanifah, majority is attained at 18 years, but if maturity of intellect is not attained at 18, the limit may be extended.” The Government is therefore on the right track in following the edict laid down by Abu Hanifah, who is considered in Islam as the Great Imaam.

Imaam Iqubal Hydal Muslim marriage officer

It is clear, given the horrid reports which appear regularly in the news, all of which highlight the plight of youth, that the young demographic of this nation is in crisis without any “saving grace” from those in authority.

The prolonged silence from the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs on youth-centric issues clearly demonstrates the fact that not only has he neglected the youth aspect of his portfolio but his sustained inactivity within the past 15 months has led to a breakdown, if not destruction, of the theme we once so proudly boasted throughout our nation, “A place, a plan and purpose for all youth”.

The minister must be reminded that young people are not only the future of our country. He must realise that effective engagement of our dynamic youth force, which allows for the contribution or creation of youth as equal partners in national decision making, will almost certainly allow for the cemented sustainable national development of TT .

The minister therefore has to break his silence and laissez-faire attitude towards youth development and begin examining, as well as realigning if not redeveloping, a proper equitable framework that addresses the critical issues affecting young people.

It is imperative that his ministry works to address the crime and abuse which affects the youth while even developing strategies which reduce youth unemployment as well as youth underemployment.

These are not Herculean tasks given that the structures would have been put in place before with the initial stages of a TT Youth Commission being undertaken in 2014, which the nation is yet to be updated on since the change in administration in 2015.

The only way the Minister of Youth Affairs can help take this nation forward is by proper consultation with all youth stakeholders.

Nicholas Morris via email

Now, while I have utmost respect for the Quran, Islam and all religions for that matter, allowing ten-12- year-old girls to enter the institution of marriage is like allowing five-year-old children to address Parliament once they have learned to speak.

Gregory Wight Maraval

Quoting the figures outlined in the Review of the Economy 2016 document, Imbert said on Wednesday he was amazed that Opposition MPs consistently get the revenue and expenditure figures for 2016 wrong, every time that they talk about them. He explained the document clearly showed that total revenue for 2016 was $44.9 billion. “It is not $56 billion,” Imbert added. He indicated the same document also shows expenditure and the deficit for 2016 were $52.2 billion and $7.2 billion respectively.

Reminding the Opposition that they were in government for the last five years and some of them served in administrations before that, Imbert declared, “This has been the way which the government fiscal accounts has been reported since I have been a Member of Parliament, which is for 25 years.” Government MPs thumped their desks as he stressed, “Whether it is a UNC (United National Congress) government, a PNM (People’s National Movement) government or a PP (People’s Partnership) government….This is the way the fiscal accounts are reported.”

He told MPs, “When you are doing a budget…if you pay close attention…you will see that the appropriation bill and the figures given in the estimates and the review of the expenditure are slightly different.” Imbert said the reason for this is because, “ you don’t include in the appropriation, capital repayments and sinking fund payments.” He stated, “That is just not done. It is not part of the appropriation because they are charges on the Consolidated Fund and therefore, you don’t appropriate them.”

Imbert further explained that the Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF), “is counted within the estimates of recurrent expenditure as part of the appropriation for the Ministry of Finance.” He said when one is looking at expenditure on the development programme,” you have to simply add the appropriation for the Consolidated Fund.” Against this background, Imbert said Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh was wrong to claim there was $700 million in the IDF which was available for use. “You could only spend what you earn,” he reminded MPs.

After explaining that the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF), “contains surpluses that have already been appropriated,” Imbert said any money utilised from the HSF, “goes to an area which in government accounting is called below the line.”The minister said the financing element of the budget, “is your deficit and that is below the accounting line.” He continued, “When you use money from the HSF to deal with your expenditure, that goes into your financing component. It is not added to your revenue.” Imbert added, “ So when you take money out of the HSF, you can’t count it as revenue because it is already revenue that was earned in a previous year and has been appropriated.”

As he reminded Opposition MPs that the PP government, “used the exact same rules,” Imbert appealed to them, “Please go and do a simple course in government accounting. Please. I’m begging you because it is embarrassing to come into this Parliament and hear the same errors being made over and over and over.” The minister said the only thing the debate was about was to deal with the use of savings from the fuel subsidy to pay for increases in pensions and grants to senior citizens.

Ronald Mohammed, 59, pleaded guilty to his 20th charge before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John in the San Fernando First Court. He pleaded guilty to stealing Sunita Jugmohan’s purse at Southern Specialist Centre, Quenca Street on Tuesday. He also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of rum, a can of preserved fruit and two cartons of juice. He entered a guilty plea as well for possession of a ball-pein hammer, a wrench and a screw driver.

Court prosecutor Cleyon Seedan said that at about 12.25 pm on Tuesday, police officers from San Fernando CID, acting on a report, spotted Mohammed on Quenca Street with a bag in his hand.

Mohammed ran, the court heard, but was later apprehended and when officers searched the bag, they found the items.

Mohammed told Magistrate Forde-John that he stole the money and other items but pleaded for leniency saying his house was burnt last December and he had been on the streets since.

“For three days I was like going mad…I only now catch back myself,” Mohammed said.

Magistrate Forde-John was not moved by his excuses saying that before this latest case, Mohammed had chalked up a career tally of 19 criminal offences over a 25-year period. “You have been in the system for the past 25 years. Your last conviction was in 2014,” Forde-John said.

She sentenced him to 60 days in prison for breaking and entering and stealing the rum, juice and preserved fruit, 30 days for stealing the $800 and 14 days for possession of house breaking implements. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently rather than consecutively, which means, all together, Mohammed will serve 60 days in prison.

Nicholas Koomalsingh, a director of FGCL, purchased the vehicle on the company’s behalf from M Rampersad for $345,000 in December 2013. Justice Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell in a judgement, stated that the warranty provided that Hilux vehicle be taken in for service for three years or up to 50,000 km.

Further, that the vehicle be serviced according to a fix schedule, failing which the warranty would be rendered void.

The vehicle was taken in, the judge stated, initially for service, but Koomalsingh had admitted that he had racked up a high mileage over a short period of time. The vehicle sustained worn-out brakes and wear and tear. Justice Donaldson-Honeywell in a 16-page judgement, stated that even when Koomalsingh missed two service appointments, M Rampersad waived the provision in the warranty, by word of mouth, for the purpose of facilitating the service to the vehicle.

In June 2104, Koomalsingh reported that there was a “rough changing of the gears”. Again, Justice Donaldson-Honeywell stated, he did not take the vehicle to be checked at that time, but did at the mandatory 30,000 km and 35,000 km service appointments.

The problem was not solved. The judge noted that by Koomalsingh’s own evidence, he had signed off on five arrival/delivery receipts notes confirming he received the vehicle in good condition after each service.

“On none of the said receipts was it endorsed that the claimant had a concern about the transmission,” the judge stated. Attorneys Prakash Ramadhar, Michael Rooplal and Andy Bhajan represented M Rampersad. Attorneys Keston McQuilkin and Krystal Ann-Harper argued the case for Koomalnsingh. Justice Donaldson-Honeywell in referring to FGCL’s expert witness, found that he had not done a full examination of the vehicle and that the claimant (FGCL) failed to bring credible evidence to establish on a balance of probabilities, that the vehicle malfunctioned due to a manufacturer’s defect.

The judge stated that she agreed with Ramadhar’s submission, that by the claimant’s expert witness’ own evidence, further examination of the vehicle had to be conducted. In fact, she stated that the insistence of the claimant to have the transmission replaced, notwithstanding his expert witness’ testimony that the valve body could have been repaired or replaced, reeked of haughtiness, thus depriving his own self of trying to determine the root cause of the problem.

Justice Donaldson-Honeywell stated that apart from failure to prove that M Rampersad was more likely to be blamed, the claimant had not also proven at a prima facie level as well, that the latter company was responsible for the malfunctioned transmission. She dismissed the claimant’s case and ordered that he pay M Rampersad $42,879.84 as legal costs.

The top cop made reference to Section 123A of the Constitution, whereby the Commissioner of Police shall have complete power to manage the TT Police Service and is required to ensure that the human, financial and material resources available to the Service, are used in an efficient and effective manner. Williams stated that the performance target of the TTPS for 2016, was set at a five percent reduction in serious crimes and ten percent for reduction in murders.

These targets, Williams noted in his letter to Ramdeen, were not met by his (Ramdeen) clients Snr Supt Simbonath Rajkumar and Snr Supt John Trimm and it was because of this, he (Williams) is seeking to have both officers proceed on forced early retirement. Williams said his view is that both senior officers did not make a significant contribution towards the Police Service improving its performance and achieve set crime reduction targets for murders, woundings and shootings in 2016.

He also stated that the executive of the TTPS held weekly Compstat meetings throughout 2016 with Divisional Heads and he would have taken into consideration the weekly account of each officer at these meetings.

The Acting CoP also provided data on the monthly serious crimes reported for the years 2015-2016 for both Divisions of the two senior officers identified as Senior Superintendents Simbonath Rajkumar and John Trimm, and repeated that the time for the officers to make their representations would be on or before January 20, 2017.

In his letter, with regard to woundings and shootings in Northern Division during the tenure of Rajkumar, the Acting Commissioner revealed: “Data for woundings and shootings reported for the six months of May to October 2016, when compared with the same period for 2015, shows an increase from 19 in 2015 to 48 in 2016. This represents a 153 percent increase in woundings and shootings.” He added that woundings and shootings for those six months contributed to Northern Division recording a total of 78 in 2016, as compared to 45 in 2015 – an 81 percent increase.

The Acting CoP also noted that kidnappings, burglaries and break-ins increased under Rajkumar in Northern Division. With respect to Trimm, the Acting CoP noted that serious crimes increased from 641 in 2015 to 833 in 2016. He also noted that the increase in woundings and shootings, in Eastern Division, moved from 47 to 63 – an increase of 32 percent. He also noted an increase in burglaries and break-ins. Robberies, Williams said, increased from 80 in 2015 to 135 in 2016, an increase of 69 percent.

Contacted yesterday on the Acting CoP’s response and reasons given to compel him to seek the early retirement of both Rajkumar and Trimm, Rajkumar said: “Yes there were increases and while the Acting CoP was on leave, I communicated with him and requested additional resources to deal with the situation.

I never received any additional resources.

“But when the leadership was changed in November of last year, additional resources were given to the Northern Division by him (Williams) and he himself took command of that Division and posted an additional Senior Supt to assist in that Division together with help from soldiers, IATF and other agencies. Contacted for a comment, Trimm said the matter is now in the hands of his attorney and he did not wish to comment

Claiming that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley continues to show he is incapable of dealing with the crime menace, Persad- Bissessar said, “While Rowley tries to deflect and shift blame to others, our citizens no longer feel safe in their own homes.” Alleging that Government is using public relations and misdirection to mask its incompetence in curbing crime, Persad-Bissessar said, “The Prime Minister must stop trying to shift blame, and take tough action to protect the people of TT and ensure their safety and security.” She said her former administration, “ had a plan that was working, and the country saw a reduction in serious crime.” However Persad-Bissessar claimed the People’s National Movement (PNM) stopped many anti-crime measures implemented by her administration and failed to put forward proposals or initiatives to deal crime. She said the latest announcements made at Wednesday’s conference, “show that the Government is bereft of ideas to tackle crime head-on.” Accusing Rowley of having a “dismissive attitude towards the upsurge in criminal activity”, Persad-Bissessar said this is unacceptable, especially since he is Prime Minister and chairman of the National Security Council. She declared, “What is needed now is a leader with the courage to make the tough decisions needed to address the issues facing the country, and Rowley has shown that he is incapable of leading this country.” Persad-Bissessar said multiple attempts have been made to engage the Government on this important issue. She added that the United National Congress (UNC) continues to be willing to work with all stakeholders, including the Government, in the national interest, to deal with crime. For his part, Tabaquite MP Suruj Rambachan said a new thinking is needed against criminals.

“In my view, the person we need heading the Police Service is an operational leader. It needs a more aggressive leadership,” he said.

“Putting more and more police won’t stop crime. It needs a new strategic thinking, identifying the patterns taking place – less talk, more action.” Rambachan said criminals have no respect for law and order. “They have declared war on the police and the citizens. They are not afraid.” He viewed the Government as inept against crime and the stalled economy. “They are just waiting for the oil price to go back up,” he surmised.

“The Government’s approach is to blame and to excuse themselves.

They are failing to inspire the population, to make sacrifices in the short-term. The country remains very dividied, which is a PNM strategy but which is very detrimental to the country itself.”

This was among other considerations offered by Christopher Narine- Thomas, chairman of the Energy Chamber’s Energy Efficiency and Alternate Energy Committee. He was speaking at a forum entitled ‘Connecting Citizens with their Ene rgy Resources’, held by the TT Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TTEITI) at the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce head-office in Westmoorings.

Narine-Thomas delivered the feature address, noting that many households are using electricity as if it were a commercial entity. He noted that 43 percent of households fell in the highest band of electricity use in TT. “People in residential spaces are approaching commercial rates of consumption,” he said. TT was using electricity on a developed nation status, he said. Narine-Thomas noted that subsidies on gas which led to the subsidy on electricity often led to inefficiencies in the system.

People could easily turn off things such as water heaters and use less air conditioning units which would result in great savings to the country. As a means of energy conservation as well as utilising energy saved to channel into other money-earning avenues, Narine-Thomas suggested that there over a cap and those who went over should pay an unsubsidised fee.

“A fourth tier pricing should be created for the more affluent in society,” he suggested.

A representative of the Ministry of Public Utilities referred to the Trinidad and Tobago as the most lit country in the world, noting that many in the country often left their electricity on. He also spoke to the country’s potential move toward the use of renewable energy such as solar energy. Solar energy, he said, each year the costs for setting up solar energy declined each year and that by 2024 solar would become competitive with coal, one of the cheapest sources of energy in the world. Better technology has led to cheaper solar installation in the world. Noting the other Caribbean countries such as Barbados and St Lucia have utilised residential solar energy, there problem was an issue of scale as opposed to TT which had an issue of economics.

Solar energy would become economic in TT by 2027. “Every few months it gets closer and closer to where we are, the Government has set a target of ten percent renewable energy by 2021 and so a lot of people ask if that is achievable. “From the scale perspective we have the scale to get it done it depends on what part of the electricity sector and the pricing that you’re looking at…” He said despite claims that there was “variability of generation-sun does not shine at night and the wind does not blow all the time,” solar and other sources of renewable energy could easily be implemented in TT if backed up by the use of natural gas.