The middle-aged woman stood before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John who in December, issued a warrant after the child failed to turn up in court for the case.

In a previous sitting, the man’s lawyer Jeevan Rampersad argued in a no-case submission that his client be freed on the grounds that the virtual complainant (the 12-year-old child) is no longer interested in the case as she has been repeatedly absent from the court.

It was then that Magistrate Forde- John issued an arrest warrant for the child’s mother who had ignored a summons to attend court with the child. The woman was arrested last week. Magistrate Forde-John yesterday asked the woman to explain her action saying that disobeying an order of the court could attract as severe a punishment as jail. The mother claimed that both she and her daughter suffer with asthma and were too ill to attend court.

The accused who is out on bail has been attending court at each sitting ever since he was arrested and charged in 2014.

“You were informed to bring the juvenile to court as a witness.

Did you relay this information that you were ill, to the court,” the magistrate asked yesterday. The mother said she took the child to a health centre. She then produced a document which was handed to the magistrate. Magistrate Forde- John then asked court prosecutor Cleyon Seedan his view on whether it would be prudent to keep the mother in custody until the case is called again, next week Tuesday.

Seedan said he would arrangements for the female police officer who laid the charge against the accused, to liaise with the mother to ensure the child is brought to the court for the next hearing. Magistrate Forde-John placed the mother on $10,000 own bail and instructed her to return to court with the child on January 17.

Later in the sitting, Senate President Christine Kangaloo turned down a request from Mark for the Senate to debate murders in the country as a definite matter of urgent public importance.

Dillon told senators the matters referred to by Mark took place last September. “Since that time, the TT Police Service has put several initiatives in place to complement its normal operations to deal with criminal activities,” the minister said. He explained these initiatives pay special attention to the areas in which teenage victims live, include, “enhanced mobile and foot patrols in the main shopping locations and inner city, during the days and times when there is an expectation there will be a high occupancy of teenagers within those areas.” Dillon said law enforcement agencies also, “conduct of raids of abandoned buildings in an effort to minimise the opportunity to establish hiding places for narcotics, illegal firearms and ammunition.” He identified community outreach patrols; high focus on areas where schools and youth facilities such as early childhood care and education centres are located and enhancement of initiatives like police youth clubs as other measures being taken to deal with teenage murders.

In the first incident, the victim, Marcus Small, 25, of Second Caledonia, Morvant, was at his home at about 12.30 pm when he had an argument with an 18-year-old male relative who is said to have pulled out a knife and stabbed Small about six times.

The killer then ran away, leaving Small covered in blood.

Anxious relatives took Small to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police led by Senior Superintendent Sagramsingh and under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner Surujdeen Persad launched a manhunt for the suspect, who remained at large up until yesterday.

In the second incident, at about 3.30 pm on Tuesday, the victim Nigel John, 33, was at his home at Cayenne Street, St Augustine, when he had an argument with a 40-year-old male relative, who reportedly began stabbing him.

John’s family took him to the Eric Williams Medical Complex but he died of his injuries about an hour later.

Police arrested the suspect and handed him over to Region Two homicide officers, who are continuing enquiries.

A source close to the family told Newsday Tobago that Dumas complained of feeling unwell on Monday evening at his Plymouth family home and as a result was rushed to the Scarborough General Hospital where he remains warded and is said to be receiving round-the-clock monitoring.

The source dispelled rumours that Dumas suffered a mild stroke and was unable to talk as a result, explaining that doctors were still in the process of analysing his condition before the family is given a full report.

In giving an update on his condition at yesterday’s post Executive Council media briefing, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Tourism and Transportation and Deputy Chief Secretary Tracy Davidson Celestine said she has not been authorised to give any information.

“I do not have the authority to do such but, what I can say is that we are keeping him in our prayers at this point in time,” she said.

Dumas is the current Education Officer of the Tobago Council of the People’s National Movement (PNM) prior to which he was elected to the House of Representatives on November 5, 2007 as the Member for Tobago East.

He was appointed Minister of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development in November 2007. Prior to this, Dumas served in the Senate as an Opposition Senator during the 6th Parliament, and as a Government Minister during the 7th and 8th Parliaments.

According to data compiled by the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch Records and Statistics and Roadway Surveillance Unit, in the year 2016, TT continued to experience a sustained reduction in road traffic deaths and fatal road traffic accidents with 135 road deaths, and 114 fatal road traffic accidents compared to 147 and 128 respectively in 2015.

The data was provided by Singh yesterday, during the weekly press briefing at Police Administration Building, corner of Edward and Sackville Streets, Port-of- Spain.

He said the figures represent an eight percent reduction in lives lost, and an 11 percent reduction in fatal road accidents.

“Pedestrians formed the largest category of road user deaths in 2016 accounting for 33 percent of road deaths. Two thousand and sixteen saw an eight percent increase in passenger deaths with 42 passengers being killed on the roadways in 2016 compared with 39 in 2015.” He continued, “There was a large reduction in motorcyclist deaths in 2016 which saw a 55 percent reduction with five motorcyclists being killed in collisions in 2016 as compared with 11 on 2015. Bicyclists saw a 50 percent decrease with one recorded bicyclist death in 2016 compared with two in 2015.” However, Singh noted that there were significant reductions in road deaths recorded in five of the nine policing divisions including Eastern with 43 percent; North Eastern, 50 percent; Southern, 41 percent; South Western, 37 percent; and Central with 30 percent.

He said both the Tobago and Port-of-Spain Divisions experienced significant increases in road traffic deaths.

Singh said along the Beetham Highway and Churchill Roosevelt Highway (CRH), the TTPS saw considerable increases in road fatalities with 50 percent and 53 percent increase respectively in 2016.

The Diego Martin and Sir Solomon Hochoy Highways (SSHH) were the only highways that experienced significant reductions in road deaths with a 50 percent, and 38 percent reduction respectively in 2016.

He said persons aged 25-34 represented the highest risk category of road traffic deaths accounting for 23 percent while the second largest age group being 15-21 years accounting for 16 percent in road deaths.

Singh also noted that private motor vehicles accounted for 65 percent of fatal road traffic accidents in 2016 with Transport (T/ Goods) registered vehicles being the second largest group being involved in 23 percent of fatal accidents.

It is understood that Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) are entrusted with the responsibility of giving appraisals for officers seeking promotion to the rank of Senior Superintendents (Snr Supt).

It is the Commissioner’s view that inefficient senior officers are being given the highest grades in appraisals done by ACPs thus facilitating promotion to Snr Supt. Appraisal point system sees an officer graded from point five (the lowest grade) to the highest grade of point one.

Well-placed sources said a Senior Superintendent who on Monday was given a letter by Ag Commissioner Williams advising that he proceed on early retirement, received grade one in his performance appraisal for 2016, undertaken by an ACP. Another senior officer who also got a similar letter from Commissioner Williams on Monday, is yet to receive his 2016 appraisal report. Newsday was told that the Ag CoP is considering writing to the Police Service Commission (PSC) on a very senior officer whom he feels should be ordered to proceed on premature retirement, because of non-performance.

Contacted yesterday on whether he had any knowledge of Ag CoP Williams’ plan to send home ACPs, President of the Police Social Welfare Association (PSWA) Insp Michael Seales said, “my thoughts are simply that the provisions of the Police Service Act provides for the Acting Commissioner to act as he thinks fit and this is a novel situation and a very sensitive one.

There are three Deputy CoPs (DCP); 13 ACPs, 20 Snr Supt and over 30 Superintendents. Newsday understands that 169 officers comprise the Police Service First Division while officers from the rank of Constable up to Inspector, comprise the Police Service’s Second Division. Under existing laws, the PSC can remove a Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner.

Meanwhile, an Ag Snr Supt and an Asst Superintendent, the latter being on continuous sick leave for several months, are now in line to be called in by Ag Commissioner Williams and handed compulsory early retirement notices. These letters call on the recipient to within seven days, respond on whether they will proceed on early retirement, or if not, provide the Ag Commissioner with reasons for their refusal to do so. Twenty-one First Division officers are earmarked for early retirement orders from the top cop who is exercising powers given under the Police Service Act.

Ag CoP Williams has been using appraisal reports as well as crime statistics from respective divisions as his yardstick to determine who will be sent on early retirement.

First Division officers are planning on holding an emergency meeting to discuss the Commissioner’s latest moves.

In a press release, the Chamber said they believe firmly if similar measures undertaken by the Acting CoP are initiated throughout all of TT’s public institutions, the effect could make a huge difference in the way business is conducted in this country.

“In an unprecedented move, at a time when the overwhelmingly high crime rate and its devastating effects remain our biggest challenge in TT, the action taken by the Acting Commissioner of Police can only be hailed as a step in the right direction,” the Chamber release stated. The Chamber further stated, “until and unless we foster a culture of positive work ethic and productivity across all our institutions, we will continue to find ourselves throttled by inertia and ultimately accomplishing very little or nothing at all.”

“While many may welcome such a move, it is more than a case of too little too late, as I have mentioned this for the last two years, that there has been a reluctance by the Acting Commissioner to press this button. The question must be asked, why has he not acted in this manner over the last three year and why only now,” Griffith said. He said if the Acting Commissioner decides to use data of crime statistics to fire a senior officer on the basis of non-performance, then by that same token, the Acting Commissioner should do the honourable thing and also resign with immediate effect, as the buck stops with him.

He also pointed out there is indeed substance to fire senior officers for poor performance and one can refer to the turnaround of the New York Police Dept. under then Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Commissioners Bernard Kerik and Bill Bratton, where officers in command of precincts were indeed fired. However, Griffith noted that there were specific attainable goals, time lines and a structure to measure performance and make officers accountable. “Because without a proper structure, such actions by the acting commissioner can lead to legal action being taken against the State.”

The ECA yesterday said because the agreement arrived at on Monday (January 9) is an interim one, “there will be on-going negotiations to arrive at a final settlement for the two negotiation periods in question (2011 – 2014 and 2014 – 2017).”

“While the proposal for funding this increase by reducing waste and improving efficiencies is a welcomed initiative, these benefits will not be immediately realised based on Petrotrin President, Fitzroy Harewood’s admission that the company continues to take ‘the strategic decisions to restructure’.”

“There is therefore an immediate need,” the ECA continued, “to fund the next payroll, which will reflect this five percent (wage) increase at the cost of approximately TT $80 million dollars…Where will this money be sourced?”

The ECA said it would continue to monitor these developments and that it remains “optimistic for a speedy resolution” as negotiations continue between Petrotrin and the OWTU.

“We encourage good sense to prevail in the national interest as we collectively endeavour to overcome our current challenges and achieve a better quality of life for all,” the ECA stated.

Speaking with reporters following the opening of the $4 million dollar CNG compressing, storage and dispensing equipment at Carrousel Service Station, Cocoyea, San Fernando yesterday, Hosein stated that NP was at present in negotiations with the OWTU for the 2011-2014 and 2014-2017 period.

“Currently we are in the same position that Petrotrin was, we have agreements outstanding for 2011- 2014 and 2014-2017,” Hosein said, adding, “2011 is at the Industrial Court and another hearing in March.” “We expect being reasonable people, we will get together and come up with reasonable initiatives to ensure that the company continues to survive,” he said.

“We cannot continue in that paradigm of confrontation every Monday morning,” he said.

“I believe in the tripartite arrangement.

I told the union already we no longer have to fight Butler’s battle or George Weekes’ battle, in the sense that we own a lot of the infrastructure and therefore, as responsible people, what we need to do is sit around the table collectively and see how we can bring about better terms and conditions and profitability back to these companies,” he said.

He said the company was putting in place a new structure with new initiatives “to make us a lot more efficient because the issue we have to deal with as a country is productivity, the cost of which we do our business, which is a serious issue.”