However, many would suggest that in the dissemination of this information, that the communication personnel undertake a careful scan of the messages, to have them come from more pertinent portfolios. True the Prime Minister is the boss, but quite a lot of his messaging last night could have been delivered by his Minister of Labour, or Energy, or Finance, leaving the Prime Minister to utilise his office and considerable political capital to address the wider political-economy issues that have material bearing on the economy.

One such issue is the need for a wage policy for the country. In spite of the free play of market forces, the intervention in the labour market has been limited and ineffective. On the other hand, the system of wage adjustment has turned wages into a largely dysfunctional mechanism as factor prices, and highly inequitable as factor incomes. While we have dealt with a national minimum wage, the need for evolving a national wage policy has to be based on additional principles such as rationalising the wage criteria and wage differentials, and making wage adjustment functional.

Approaching wages as incomes rather than prices and attempting a workable wage productivity link-up, is an issue that this government should have been dealing with as a priority since assuming office. Surely speaking to the key elements making up a framework of such a policy is badly needed now. Had a wages policy been in place such theatrics would not have been the order of the day, since all stakeholders would have contributed to its establishment. This is political economy in action.

Concomitant with the wages policy has to be a rationalisation of the employment numbers at the Petrotrin for instance.

There are some who think that the company may be over staffed by as many as two or three times its required workforce.

Surely, the days of using the company as an employment agency to address the shortage of capital endowment is long over.

Unemployment levels remain low. Now was the time to address the issue and show leadership.

It would have helped Petrotrin’s bottom line.

Last night’s address could also have been a vehicle to discuss the National Plan with the many attendant questions. For instance, what priority is given to oil exploration? How important is it? What initiatives are being undertaken given the coming on line of the Juniper fields to have successful exploration identify more successful finds that can signal replacement fields to come on line in the future. After all, the PM could have outlined what was required to mitigate the fall in production in oil and gas and how long that would take. Having prefaced the difficulties faced in the energy sector the PM should have spoken of the need to use what was left of this sector as a buffer to provide our national plan with the time for economic transformation including diversification.

The Prime Minister told us about the Bonds used to finance the refinery. Did any of these bonds have a call option that suggested if the debt/GDP ratio changed there could be a call on these? What would happen to the reserves? What is the plan for repayment of these bonds from 2019? What is happening to the level of contingent liability of the government? We appreciate the information but there were indeed some missing links.

Andy wrote children’s literature, which as my dear friend Betty Peter, author of Brown Sugar and Spice, always says, is treated like second class literature.

Those of us who write chapter books for children from eight to 12 know how vitally important literature for this age group is. There is a dearth of Trinidadian literature for this age group, but Andy did more than his part to help fill this gaping hole. Andy, a former British West Indies Airline (BWIA) pilot, wrote collections of stories any child could enjoy. But like the late Roy Galt, his stories particularly targeted boys.

His first book, Grommit the Vulture, introduced young readers to a rescued vulture that tells his own story. Grommit, published by Macmillan Caribbean, showed how vultures are important to the environment.

When Macmillan stopped publishing children’s books, Andy decided to self publish. “Who has time to wait for a publisher?” he once shrugged in a conversation.

Encouraged by the positive response of young readers, Andy penned three collections of short stories filled with lively illustrations that gave the books a feel of comics.

First came Three Scary Stories from the Caribbean that in 2009.

This included three stories: “Camping and Cricket on the Beach”, a shark story; “Staring Death in the Face”, a story about a boy who meets up with a raging bull, and “A Fishing Trip Gone Wrong”, a story featuring boys stranded on an island off of Trinidad.

All of Andy’s books featured brave, adventurous boys who battle the elements.

He wrote Hemingway like stories for young readers: classic man-against-nature stories, fastpaced, gripping tales that captured any readers’ attention, but were tailor- made for boys — especially reluctant readers.

The following year, Andy introduced Adventure Stores from the Caribbean with “A Most Unlikely Saviour”, a stranded sailor story; Curore, a folkore horror story and “Kite Flying in the Savannah” that combined adventure and kite flying with all its aerodynamic glory.

Andy’s books always featured the great outdoors and some aspect of Trinidad culture – old-time fun in a present setting. Both Andy and Roy Galt succeeded in getting boys – at least the boys in their books—away from their computers and outside where they lived adventures.

In 2014, Andy gave young readers Unbelievable Stories from the Caribbean, with “Where Monsters Roam”, a rip-roaring story of a fishing competition, “Bush Medicine”, the story of a local woman who brings a man back to life after he has drowned, “Slither”, a frighteningly funny story about a pet snake and “Life in Paradise”, the story of a local man and a foreigner who decide to change places.

It is a miracle that we have these four wonderful books because it’s really difficult to imagine adventuresome Andy ever sitting sitting down to write stories. But he believed in reading.

I will miss Andy’s phone calls filled with excitement about his latest book and his trips to my house to deliver those stories, which he loved to talk about. I had the great pleasure of teaching Andy’s son, Edward, and I am sure that Edward will keep Andy’s books in print.

Please look for them in local book stores, and when you find them, cherish them because they truly are a treasure.

Rest in peace, Andy. We will miss your adventurous stories, but your legacy lives on.

An angry Ramrajie Prabhoo, 53, called on Prime Minister Rowley to intervene to save the chutney artform which she said is slowly being destroyed.

She said it was important the Prime Minister intervenes since the competition receives financial support of the government and complaints on this issue over the years have fallen on deaf ears.

Prabhoo said traditional singers are unable to make a breakthrough to winner’s row because they have kept chutney in its purest form while, “one man” who mixes and/or remakes Bollywood songs end up winning one million dollars almost every year.

“As children, we worked tirelessly to build the chutney culture and today what we hearing? No chutney in the chutney!” As someone who had laboured long in the culture, Prabhoo said it hurts to see her and other singers efforts at composing original melodies, completely ignored by show organisers.

“Too much Bollywood is killing the artform,” she cried.

“We too talented for that.

Chutney must be traditional! You have to keep the culture alive. All this Bollywood thing, all this Michael Jackson thing, this man’s melody and that man’s style and a set of drama (on stage) and that is winning money!” She called on Singh to put the 2017 chutney monarch edition on hold and review the criteria of the competition.

Apart from borrowed melodies, Prabhoo said there is too much drama on stage.

Artistes, she added, usually travel abroad to purchase props and don’t focus on singing. “It is being overdone and has now become unbearable.

East Indian artistes can no longer sing East Indian songs, you have to sing, jump and wave and put your hands in the air. That is what you have to do and if you don’t do that, you are not an artiste.

Look at me, I like to put on my sari, but I does feel shame now. I want Prime Minister Dr Rowley who is looking at every cent being spent, to look into this private event that is funded by government and poor taxpayers,” she said.

Prabhoo’s son Naresh, 40, who is also a singer, called for quality performances and not quantity as he is not happy with the direction chutney music is going. Echoing similar sentiments, singer/comedian Kenneth Supersad said he remains baffled that a Bollywood melody can win a chutney soca competition.

Efforts to reach promoter Singh yesterday for a comment proved futile.

Police said that at about 8 pm, Learie Timothy, 38, was at his Pine Avenue, Oropouche Road home when a heated argument broke out with the woman.

She later armed herself with a knife and dealt Timothy several stabs as he turned and ran out of the house and collapsed in the yard.

A report was made to police and officers led by ASPs Robain and and Joseph, Inspectors Ken Lutchman and Harris, WPC Sgt Lopez and Cpl Castillo visited the scene and took Timothy to the Sangre Grande District Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The suspect was arrested and a bloodstained knife seized by police. In an unrelated incident, a 37-year-old Valencia man who was reported missing on Wednesday by relatives, was found dead in a forested near his Orchid Drive home shortly after 4 pm yesterday.

According to reports, Renaldo Campo was reported missing by relatives and officers from the Anti Kidnapping Unit, Canine Unit and Eastern Division Task Force carried out a search for him.

Dogs from the Police Canine Unit led officers to Campo’s bullet- riddled body.

The bodies of Campo and Timothy have been taken to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for autopsy.

The murder toll stands at 13 for the year. Investigations are continuing.

According to reports, Samuel was driving his station-wagon west along the Beetham Highway when he realised one of the vehicle’s tyres was flat. He parked on the shoulder of the highway to change the tyre when two men approached and announced a robbery.

One of the men pointed a gun at Samuel and ordered him to hand over his jewelry. The bandits relieved Samuel of a gold chain and bracelet valued at close to $10,000.

As the bandits were running off, Samuel is said to have drawn his licensed firearm and fired several shots. Samuel noticed one of the bandits liming.

Constable Singh and WPC Joseph of the Highway Patrol and Traffic Branch responded to a report and went in search of the bandits. Officers, acting on information, went to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where they arrested a man of Beetham Gardens who at the time was seeking medical treatment for gunshot wounds to his legs. The suspect remains warded under armed police guard. Based on further information received, officers have issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect. Detective Constable Purcell of Besson Street CID is investigating.

When Newsday contacted Samuel for a comment on the incident yesterday, he declined to do so.

According to reports, Jerome Jones, 26, of Morvant was standing in front of his car at Chrissie Terrace in Enterprise, Chaguanas at 1.30 pm on Wednesday, when he was accosted by two men, one armed with a gun.

The men robbed PC Jones of a cellphone valued $4,000, 700 in cash and other valuables. They then ordered him into the trunk of his car and drove to an area known as Palmiste which is close to Longdenville where PC Jones was later released and told to run.

The bandits then drove off.

PC Jones made a report to the Chaguanas police and a party of officers under Sgt Andy Mohammed responded and carried out a search.

The victim’s car was found abandoned at Dam Road in Longdenville.

Newsday Tobago learnt that at approximately 12 noon, a fishing vessel overturned at sea with three persons onboard, two females and a male driver from Plymouth.

Police sources confirmed that 16-year-old Shaniqua Toppin succumbed to her injuries on arrival at the Scarborough General Hospital. Her mother Sherylyn Toppin,who was also a passenger on-board the vessel managed to swim to safety to get help.

According to Divisional Fire Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, his unit recieved the distress call at approximately 1pm.

“We got information that the three; the mother, her teenage daughter and the boat driver Kervyn Guy of Plymouth left the bay enroute for a fishing expedition.

When they were 100 metres out to sea they were confronted by a wave. They were able to manouvre one and then came in contact with another. This trumped the boat over throwing the occupants overboard,” he said.

Thomas said there were then some efforts of self rescuing but this failed.

“The boat operator fled the scene and the mother swum to shore and she did say that her daughter did not surface. The mother ran to the roadway to get help where she met a truck driver who dropped her off at the nearby Mt Irvine Beach facility where the lifeguards there were summoned,” the Division Fire Officer said.

This prompted a search, he said and as a result the body was retrieved some 75 feet down on a precipice.

“The body remained unresponsive however she was transported to the Scarborough General Hospital.

Newsday understands there was no safety equipment including life jackets on-board.

While police are still searching for the 18-year-old killer, relatives of the slain man say that the stabbing incident which claimed Small’s life stemmed from a previous incident which occurred months ago, where the victim attacked the killer.

“This whole thing come like a kind of demon that possessing this family,” said one of the cousins of the slain man. “it is like the the house they live in have a kind of heaviness in it. It always have some kind of bacchanal.” In a brief conversation with Small’s mother, Sue Hannibal, Newsday was told she had intentions to move out of the house due to the number of altercations which occurred there. The death of one of her six children has served to bolster her decision to move from the house. “I am so hurt to know that this tragedy had to happen to my family. I am still going to leave, because there are too many bad memories in that house.” According to earlier reports, Small was at his Second Caledonia, Morvant home when at about 12.30 on Wednesday, he was stabbed multiple times about the body by an 18-yearold male relative. Small succumbed to his wounds while being transported to the Port of Spain General Hospital.

Relatives told reporters yesterday they did not believe the killer intended to take Small’s life, but only planned to wound him, in retaliation for being attacked by Small months ago.

“They had an altercation before, where Small had attacked him (the killer). He attacked him while he was sleeping. He went over to his bed and started to hit him, and I think he stabbed him while he was sleeping. Even though he said that he was good, and they made up, he must have held it to heart.” said one relative.

Investigations are ongoing.

According to police, Kimberly Ferdinand, of Demerara, Wallerfield was last seen leaving her mother’s workplace at Agape Training Centre, on Pro Queen Street, Arima.

When the teen did not return home, her mother became worried and made a report at the Arima Police Station.

Kimberly was last seen in long black jeans, black sandals, and a brown top. She is said to be of African descent, of slim built and is five feet, three inches tall.

Persons with information on her whereabouts are asked to call 800- TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, or at any police station.

Ramdeen, who is the legal counsel for acting Senior Supt John Trim and acting Senior Supt Simbonath Rajkumar, said while the CoP did have the power under 74 (2) b to retire an officer from the Police Service, he was concerned about the procedure that has been adopted. He questioned whether, in that section, if there was any place for the CoP to use that section on the basis that an officer did not make a significant contribution to the Police Service.

Rajkumar and Trim received letters from Williams on Monday advising they proceed on early retirement.

“There is no text in the Police Service Act, there is no text in the amendment of the Constitution that gives the CoP the power to tell an officer and unilaterally come to a determination that, in his view, the officer has made no significant contribution to the Police Service, and he is now going to exercise his powers to retire this officer from the Police Service.

“It is clear that you have no jurisdiction or power to do that which you seek to do by your proposed action and if you pursue this course of action, it would only result in an arbitrary and perverse decision that would be susceptible to challenge and will be challenged,” Ramdeen said during a news conference yesterday at his office, Cornelio St, Woodbrook. He said his clients are prepared to make representations as to why Williams could not exercise the powers vested in him by Section 74 (2) b. He said his clients believe that Williams’ actions are unlawful, procedurally improper, illegal, unreasonable and unconstitutional.

Ramdeen said his clients would only make representation when they are provided with all the relevant information that they are entitled to consider and address fairly. He said they would only make those representations and engage in a process that was fair and procedurally proper, and satisfy all of the requirements of natural justice “If you attempt to proceed with your proposed action without answering this request, I hereby give formal notice that my instructions are to seek injunctive relief without further notice,” he said.

Ramdeen said the Police Service Act sets out the way in which the performance of an officer in the First Division was appraised in the Police Service Act.