In January and February, the annual rains hit the Serengeti and the animals can be seen grazing in immense numbers and it is time for female wildebeest to start giving birth. Predatory activity by lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs is also at its peak.

By March or April, the Serengeti has dried out and the massive grouping of animals of approximately 1.5 million wildebeest, 300,000 zebras, and large numbers of antelopes gather up their young and begin their long clockwise trek from Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains, first northwards where their mating season begins and then north-eastward to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.

There is no start or finish to this 1,800-mile journey in search of food and water, and the exact timing and route of the migration changes from year to year, depending on the rains.

One of the most spectacular sights of the migration occurs from July through September when the herds gather to cross the Grumeti River inTanzania and the Mara River in Kenya and are attacked by waiting crocodiles. It’s a tough journey and every year an estimated 250,000 wildebeest fail to return to the Serengeti where their journey began.

But between January and April of every year there is another spectacular, but little known, migration taking place in the Caribbean where the seas off the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic is the destination for several thousand migrating North Atlantic humpback whales, drawn to the breeding and calving grounds at Silver Bank, Navidad Bank and Saman? Bay in the Dominican Republic’s 2,500 square kilometre Marine Mammal Sanctuary.

Whale watching has become an increasingly popular activity worldwide, and the DR is fortunate to have one of the largest and best humpback breeding sanctuaries in the world.

Whale watching is a thrilling experience for anyone interested in nature and in the preservation of our natural resources and the DR Government enforces strict whale protection laws and guidelines to ensure the safety of these wonderful animals.

Between January and March, Rinc?n on the west coast of Puerto Rico is well placed for viewing migrating humpback whales. To the east of Puerto Rico, humpback whales also pass through the waters of the US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and Nevis during their annual migration.

In the seas around Guadeloupe, sperm whales are most likely to be seen and pilot whales, orcas, and migrating humpbacks are often sighted. In St Lucia’s waters, between December and April, migrating sperm whales, short-finned pilot whales and occasionally humpbacks, Bryde’s whales, and orcas may be sighted.

Dominica, the “Nature Island of the Caribbean”, is the whale-watching capital of the Eastern Caribbean.

It is one of the rare places where sperm whales live year-round. In addition, from January to March, migrating humpbacks, pilot whales, false killer whales, and orcas also visit.

For more than 100 years fishermen from the island of Bequia hunted humpback whales. In 1986 the International Whaling Commission permitted fishermen from St Vincent and the Grenadines to kill four humpback whales annually.

Recently, the National Trust of that country has been successful in converting former whale hunters into whale-watching tour operators.

Whales are more valuable alive than dead.

In the seas around Grenada, as with other parts of the Caribbean, January to March is the peak season and Cuvier’s beaked whales and orcas are seen. Bryde’s, pilot, and sperm whales can be seen yearround in these waters.

During the mid-1800s, before the decline in the Caribbean whale population, whales were caught in Trinidad waters and whaling stations operated at Gasparee and Chachacare Islands.

T o d a y whales are rarely seen in Trinidad and Tobago waters.

Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen said that predators, psychopaths, socio paths and gangsters are on the loose and threatening the lives of citizens of TT. He made this declaration as he attempted to raise the issue of murders, especially the murder of youths as a matter of definite, urgent public importance in the Senate. Charging that the Government is oblivious to the rising fear and despair of the population to the levels of crime, Ramdeen said, “Our cities towns and villages are now under attack by predators, psychopaths, socio paths and gangs who are daily becoming bold in their activities.” The senator said, “On Friday last, we lost one of our children Rachael Ramkissoon, she was strangled, she was only 16.” Ramdeen continued, “On Saturday, the criminals took to the highway and shot to death Balmatie Bachan, a passenger in a car along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway.” For the record, 27 murders have been committed within the first 17 days of this year with the last five being committed within a ten-hour period between Monday evening and yesterday.

“Not one person has been charged,” Ramdeen said. With criminals becoming “more brave and brazen”, Ramdeen said, “we cannot continue to lose our citizens at a rate of one per day.” However, Senate President Kangaloo turned down Ramdeen’s request, indicating she was not satisfied his motion qualified under the Senate’s Standing Orders.

This from Stacy Roberts yesterday as she reacted to the death of her son Jamal Matthias, 17, who was one of two persons shot dead by police during an anti-crime exercise at Ramkissoon Trace in San Juan on Monday night. Sharmatee Mongroo, mother of the other victim – Kerron Mongroo, 23 – yesterday claimed her son was unarmed when he was killed by police.

“All I want to do right now is bury my son,” Roberts said. “I cannot even call for justice, because what would I get? My son is already dead,” she added. The anti-crime exercise was conducted at Ramkissoon Trace, Santa Cruz Old Road in San Juan at about 9.30 pm.

After police locked down the area (cordoned off and guarded all entry and exit points), officers were attacked by gunmen and returned fire. When the smoke cleared, Mongroo and Matthias were on the ground bleeding from gunshot wounds. They died while en route to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EW MSC) in Mt Hope. Police sources said they recovered firearms at the scene.

Roberts told reporters yesterday that hours after her son left home, she heard of the shooting incident. Admitting that he was a hardened child, Roberts said her son did not deserve to die like this. “He attended a school in Woodbrook, but at that time, he was most hardened,” said Roberts.

“So I took him out to learn a trade. He used to do all kinds of things. He would do mechanics and he liked to work on cars.

I would always tell him about the friends he kept. He had gotten in trouble recently with a different set of children, but he still wouldn’t listen.” Sharmatee Mongroo, mother of 23-year-old Kerron Mongroo, yesterday claimed that he was among friends playing cards when police ambushed them. She was told by neighbours that they heard her son begging for his life, just before he was shot.

“Neighbours told me that the police came with masks on their faces and they had a road block down the road. They came charging at them with their guns in hand. What did they expect them (the card players) to do? This is not right. I need justice for my son,” Mongroo said.

She added that her son was very careful not to get into any trouble with the law after he was held on “trumped up” gun charges in 2015. He did not have any further charges and was not wanted in connection with any other matters, according Mongroo.

“Even if they came looking for someone, why shoot my son? they could have done something else instead of shooting him.

They could have handcuffed him…arrested him, because I know he did not have anything on him,” said the mother of five.

Autopsies are expected to be conducted on Mongroo and Matthias today at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. Investigations

The Ministry of National Security,. in a press release yesterday stated. that seven committee members. received their instruments of appointment. and terms of reference. from Minister Edmund Dillon,. which was signed by Rowley. The. release said the committee will. be chaired by Professor Ramesh. Deosaran and include other members. of the committee being Ag. Deputy Commissioner of Police. Harold Phillip, Assistant Commissioner. of Police Erla Christopher,. Permanent Secretary (Retired). Jacqueline Wilson, attorney Allan. Meiguel, Security Management. Consultant Dr Levi Guy-Obiakor. and Ag Assistant Superintendent. of Police (Police Social Welfare. Association) Anand Ramesar.

Dillon thanked committee. members for their willingness to. serve on the committee and noted. the importance of the exercise. aimed at getting a good understanding. of the manpower and. resources required to achieve the. strategic aims of the Trinidad and. Tobago Police Service. “The objectives. of the Committee will include. examining the existing manpower. strength at all ranks and related. units of the Police Service; an. examination of the developmental. policies and the current standards. and practices in the recruitment,. deployment, training and career. progression of officers; making a. qualitative and quantitative assessment. of the extent to which the. expected levels of efficiency, effectiveness. and accountability have. been achieved,” the release stated.

Dillon further stated that it is. the Government’s expectation that. this manpower audit will be the. first step toward reforming the. administration and operations of. the Police Service, as well as enhancing. the nature and quality of. the relationship it shares with the. public.

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The third charge read to Walters by the magistrate is that on a date unknown in April and July 2016, he committed an act of grievous sexual assault on the woman.

On those three charges, Forde- John informed Walters that he was not being called upon to plead because the charges were laid indictably. The fourth charge read to Walters is that on a date unknown between August 21 and October 2016, he attempted to bugger the woman. The fifth charge alleges that on a date unknown also in August 2016, and during the period of October, 2016, he committed an act of grievous sexual assault on the woman.

The sixth charge alleges that on a date unknown in August 2016, he committed an act of grievous sexual sexual assault on her.

The seventh charge alleges that on a date unknown in August, Walters had sexual intercourse with the woman against her will.

Court prosecutor Cleyon Seedan told Magistrate Forde-John that he was not objecting to bail but would like conditions imposed so as to maintain the integrity of the matter before the court.

The charges were laid by WPC Karyn George of the Gasparillo Police Station. Attorney Frank Gittens who represented the defendant, said that Walters is gainfully employed and lives in Gasparillo.

Magistrate Forde-John granted Walters bail in the sum of $150,000 with a surety. She warned the defendant that he must not make physical contact with the alleged victim, including through cell phones and social media networks. Walters was ordered to report to the Gasparillo Police Station. The case was adjourned to April 24.

Angela Badree, of 7 Rajack Street, Williamsville, has sued the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) for the negligence of the medical staff who placed her blood in a bottle that was wrongly labelled and which led to her receiving the wrong blood type.

Badree, who has been told that she can no longer work, three years after the botched transfusion, still experiences pain and discomfort and her mobility has been severely affected. The once active pensioner now walks with a walking stick or uses a wheelchair and has to get help to move around.

Badree was expected to undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery, scheduled for February 21, 2014. She was told she needed to pints of blood before the surgery.

Over a two-day period – February 18 and 19 – Badree was given B Positive Blood on four occasions on the instructions of a doctor at the hospital.

Her blood type is A Positive.

The procedure had to be stopped at intervals after Badree complained of a series of ailments including, uncontrolled itching, pain and shortness of breath. The procedure was eventually stopped on February 19, by another doctor.

Her surgery was cancelled and after she began passing blood in her urine, Badree was advised to get a blood test done at a private nursing home. Several days later on February 27, Badree said she was told by a doctor at the hospital that she was transfused with B Positive blood when in fact her blood type was A Positive. She later learned her blood was placed in a bottle that was labelled with someone else’s name and she experienced an acute reaction to the transfusion .

Badree’s lawsuit contends that despite her complaints, medical staff at the Port of Spain General Hospital conducted the transfusion four times instead of rechecking and reverifying her name, blood group and hospital information.

According to the nurses’ notes obtained by Badree’s lawyers, Anand Ramlogan, SC, Jayanti Lutchmedial and Trishana Ramnath, it documented the distress she experienced during the failed transfusion attempts.

Notes of an inquiry conducted by senior haematologists at the hospital also noted that “at no time was a sample of blood sent to the lab for a cross match when units of blood was returned to the blood bench.”

This was revealed yesterday when the man accused of killing Banfield, Dale Seecharan, reappeared in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court yesterday.

Sitting in for Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar was Magistrate Cheron Raphael, who adjourned the matter to January 30.

Seecharan’s attorney, Larry Williams, enquired whether the DPP’s Office received the file to have a State attorney appointed to prosecute his client. In response, police prosecutor Insp Winston Dillon said as far as he was aware the file was “still in transit.” Williams then questioned the slow pace with which the State was moving with the matter.

“It has been about a month now that this man has been charged and up to now the file has not reached the Office of the DPP? What was the police doing for all that time, still gathering evidence?” Williams asked.

He was reminded that there was a process to be followed.

“And you know how the process goes Mr Williams, the file is in transit,” said the magistrate.

Seecharan is charged with murdering Banfield sometime between December 4 and December 9 at Charlotte Street in Port-of-Spain.

Banfield went missing on December 5 and three days later, her decomposing body was found at the warehouse of IAM and Company.

Seecharan, who was an employee at the store, was charged for the murder about two weeks later.

Present also was the accused, Dipchan Deonanan, 52, who is facing the charge of indecently assaulting the girl in 2014. In December last year when Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John realised that the mother had failed to obey a summons which she had been issued for her to bring the child to court to testify, she issued a bench warrant for her arrest. The mother, who is 46 years old, was arrested and last week Wednesday she appeared in court in handcuffs to explain why she disobeyed the court’s summons. Forde-John placed the mother on $10,000 bail and postponed the case to yesterday whilst ordering her to bring the child to court to testify. The magistrate also threatened the mother with incarceration if she failed to do so.

Deonanan is charged with indecently assaulting the girl on June 11, 2014. She was nine years old at the time. The accused was arrested on June 17, 2014 and was granted $150,000 bail.

She adjourned the matter to May 24.

In his contribution to debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Marriage) Bill 2016, Mark said the UNC’s position on the issue of child marriage was made clear by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar last May. Not referring to any person or group by name, Mark said the UNC has always facilitated, “the views of powerful organisations in this country”, even if it did not agree with those views.

He said, “It is a position we have taken in the past, we have taken it in the present and we shall take it in the future.” Alleging that the executive of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and Muslim groups in the country have not been consulted on the bill, Mark warned Government against using its power in Parliament whimsically and capriciously to pass the bill. He called for the legislation to be referred to a joint select committee (JSC) for the next three to six months so that “a happy compromise” can be reached amongst all stakeholders.

Stressing the bill will impact on four major religious groups in TT, Mark said Government cannot say, “Away with the Hindus, away with the Muslims, away with the Orishas, away with the Christians. He called on Government to ensure there is genuine consultation on the legislation and not to “bring the hammer down on the heads of people” because it believes it has power in Parliament. Mark told senators that the Executive is always accountable to the Parliament.

While supporting the legal age of marriage at 18 years, Mark said exceptions could be made in the cases of persons between the ages of 16 to 18 years.

He said those exceptions should involve the consent of parents, consent of a judge, the involvement of the child and adequate legal aid.

Saying that 2,500 children under 18 years are raped annually and there are 2,000 unofficial rapes annually, Mark said the Government is being, “very quiet on this matter.” After he alleged that Government is starving the Children’s Authority of resources, Mark asked government senators, “Is the Government prepared to legalise abortion?” Mark said some of these unplanned pregnancies are the result of rape and statutory rape is a crime in TT.

Reminding senators that persons under the age of 18 years cannot vote, Stewart said, “The concern is here is that why should we as a nation continue a practice that allows girls to become brides and boys to become bridegrooms at an an age where they cannot give consent to sex.” She continued, “Anyone under the age of 18 years, if you engage with someone over the age, it could be called statutory rape. So we are saying yes to statutory rape if we continue to allow these laws on our law books.”

Telling senators she was married on New Year’s Day at the age of 30 years, Stewart said marriage involves maturity and responsibility.As she reflected on her childhood memories from her home in Tobago, Stewart said no 12 year old child should have a memory of, “walking down the aisle to meet someone as old as Mommy and Daddy.”

The senator also indicated that research conducted by different international organisations such as UNICEF that girls who are married under the age of 18 years are more prone to various mental illnesses.

Stewart told her senatorial colleagues that they were being offered a “once in a generation opportunity” to do something to prevent children from being deprived of their childhood.