Seales said the only contention so far is that both men were given top scores from their senior officers in their performance appraisals.

This is now going to leave black clouds hanging over heads of these two officers. Is there something concerning some other form of wrongdoing by these offers we ought to know about?. Why is this a sudden event.

Are these two officers being made scapegoats and this is just another attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of our ordinary citizens to quell their anxieties? Laventille ,for example, has had for decades and still has high levels of crimes in the district especially murders.

Many of the killings are still not resolved.

I however, cannot recall a senor police officer responsible for that district being blamed for what could be considered non-achievement and being sacked from his job.

There is something very odd and fishy here, and I won’t be at all surprised if the PM does not make some comment tonight (yesterday) about the dismissal of these two senior police officers.

GA Marques via email

That one, has to do with the $28,000 housing allowance. Before I go any further, let me interject, that we are talking about The President (whoever he or she may be) __ the highest office holder in our Republic and the flagship bearer of this country. An office, we as citizens, journalists included, must not treat with scant courtesy. Not because some of President Carmona’s critics seem not to be schooled in manners, we all must behave the same way. If we have to comment or question the actions of the office holder, in this case President Carmona, then let us do it as professionals and not as rabble-rouser.

It seems to me the way we have been behaving is nothing short of persecuting this president. Let us not follow other countries, we, especially editors, must ensure these high standards are kept, moreso, for the prosperity of the upcoming generation.

It is common knowledge that the President cannot respond every Monday morning to allegations made against him or his office . The office does not allow the President to get into a tit-for-tat sparing with someone. A good example of presidential decorum was President Carmona not responding to Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s response to him (PM) being informed of a meeting called by the President with the Minister of National Security and other top security personnel.

As a result, the President and his office become soft targets.

Politicians and knowledgeable citizens are the ones who should be defending the OTP, sorting out relevant information that may have missed fatigued journalists or mal informed members of the public.

I believe Independent Senators should not remain mum in matters like these. They need to ascertain the truth and speak out on their findings.

The President has responded to matters raised in the public domain he believes he should respond to, and if certain parties are not satisfied and need to pursue some of the matters further, then they must do it with the required decorum and not turn it into a persecution.

Some people are under the misguided impression or are deliberately being fed the erroneous or twisted information that the President can allocate money to himself as in the present circumstances.

This is far from the truth, he cannot. For example, monies for his travels must be approved by Cabinet and his housing allowance must be approved by agencies such as the Auditor General’s Office. If there is an issue with that allocation, as it is, then as the Prime Minister suggested, it is the Auditor General that must explain the circumstances that led to the allocation – not the President. I believe an explanation on the housing allowance was given and it had to do with the inadequate and deplorable conditions of the Flagstaff house the President and his family were being housed in. That house, if I remember the report correctly, was intended for only three months but the president’s family had to endure some 18 months instead.

Whether the President was entitled or not to the allocation is a matter that will have to be properly determined with all the facts and not by an attorney sitting in London and opined on limited information.

What is disturbing through, is whether that London based attorney’s opinion, founded on limited information, was intended for publication.

If that attorney did in fact sanction release of that opinion to the public, especially in a matter impacting negatively on a sitting head of state of a foreign country, may have triggered ethical consequences.

Not only is Carmona the President of a country with republican status but he was also a judge locally and with the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is also a Senior Counsel which is the same as a Queen’s Counsel and should have been given such respect and not treated with contempt.

We could disagree but let us respect each other.

Dr Robert William s via email

Driving north along the street that passes in front of the Chaguanas Court, I encountered a young couple crossing the street ahead of me. So engrossed were they in their conversation that they appeared unaware of my oncoming car. I sounded my horn to alert them, only to be faced with a glare and a barrage of angry words from the “gentleman” who was dressed in the paramilitary, commando-style outfit favoured in recent times apparently by the majority of police officers while on duty.

I was quite taken aback by his reaction as he was at the time in the middle of the road but had made no move to hasten his steps, preferring instead to berate me for having the temerity to bring to his attention that there were other users of the road.

It is this aggression with which many police officers address members of the public that widens the divide between the two interdependent groups and undermines any attempt by the police executive to garner public support. The officer was not even easily identifiable as a police officer, dressed as he was in all black with the word “POLICE” emblazoned on the back of his upper body which was at no time turned in my direction. The recent action by the Commissioner to take action against non-performance must go much further and engage the entire service.

Karan Mahabirsingh Carapichaima

Originally scheduled to begin on Wednesday last, amidst all the uncertainty of who will be staging the event and if pan players were going to boycott the competitions to protest lack of payment for 2016, the start of the competition was put on hold.

Coming out of the last meeting between band representatives and Pan Trinbago executive members on Tuesday at City Hall, Port-of-Spain, spokesman for some of the disgruntled players, Dane Gulston, told Newsday, “We came to a compromise in terms of where Panorama and elections (of an executive) are concerned. We agreed for the executive to continue until after carnival and for Panorama to go on.” However when asked if the executive had consented to stepping down after Carnival and the players’ proposed interim team handle the business of Pan Trinbago for a 90-day period, Gulston answered in the negative.

He also pulled back on the circular that was out on social media, containing names like Keith Byer, Desiree Myers, Keron Valentine and Nigel Williams to form an interim executive committee, stating that it was just a mere proposal but none of the persons were approached on the subject.

And with talk that the National Carnival Commission (NCC) may be taking over the running of Panorama, questioned how he felt about that possibility Gulston said: “I personally wish that the NCC will join with Pan Trinbago to run Panorama the right way.” He explained that included using Pan Trinbago personnel to take care of the human resource factor and for the NCC to control the finances.

He added, “My stance is what is right for the panman. Yes we still have things pending like the players’ remittance but Panorama has to go on. I know there is also talk of the $1,000 being reduced to $500 for the players. Basically it seems that the government and the Minister wants the executive changed so I know it will have to change but we will deal with it after carnival.”

THE final of the International Soca Monarch Competition is tentatively scheduled for the Nelson Mandela Park in St Clair on February 24 – dubbed “Fantastic Friday,” from 10 pm.

Caribbean Prestige Foundation’s CEO, Peter Scoon, told Newsday there was no confirmed venue to date but a decision will be announced tomorrow at the launch on the Brian Lara Promenade in Port-of-Spain.

Meanwhile, registration for the competition is ongoing strictly online via the website at www.socamonarch.net and will close on January 14.

Scoon said: “Registration is on target. It’s going very well to date.” The launch at the Brian Lara Promenade tomorrow runs from 5 pm till midnight. On Sunday preliminary judging will take place at the NLCB Corporate Booth at the Queen’s Park Oval.

On January 18, the semifinalists will be announced on CNC 3’s 7 pm news broadcast, and on January 25, they will draw for appearance positions at the NLCB Oval Booth between 10 am and noon. The semifinals will be held at the Arima Velodrome from 4 pm to 12 midnight on January 25.

The finalists will be announced on CNC 3’s 7 pm news broadcast on February 8 and will draw for their appearance positions on February 22, at the Hyatt Regency from 10 am to noon, two days before the grand final on February 24..

But in an interview with Newsday yesterday, he said if the band did indeed infringe any law regarding the use of national emblems it would have altered its design.

The Cocoyea, San Fernando J’Ouvert band has received strong social media criticism for its costuming which bears the colours of the national flag with a similar black and white strip on some of the designs.

The band launched its 2017 presentation on Sunday.

In an interview with Newsday, Harris said, “This is our eleventh year and we have been successful for 11 years.

This is not the first time people have been trying to put negative things on social media about the band. This is nothing new to me.” He added that he was happy for the publicity.

“We are not using any flags in the band. No one is wearing a flag. No one is disrespecting the culture. We are being patriotic to our country by using the national colours,” he said.

No one, Harris contended, would wear the flag to, “roll on any ground,” as was being said on social media.

Harris said many people went to football games at the National Stadium with the national colours on and was not said to be in breach of the law.

The National Emblems of Trinidad and Tobago (Regulation) Act states, among other things, that the National Emblems Committee shall advise the Minister of National Security on: The grant and refusal of licences; the texture, workmanship and quality of material to be used in the manufacture of the Coat of Arms, the National Flag or any replica…; the fees to be payable as royalties by persons to whom permission has been granted to sell or offer for sale articles on which are imposed representations of any of the national emblems.” It adds further, “Any person who mutilates, cuts or tears or in any way defaces the Coat of Arms or the National Flag, whether by writing, printing or stamping thereon or otherwise without lawful authority on the use, etc., of the Coat of Arms, is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $750 or to imprisonment for six months.” Attempts to contact a member of the committee were futile.

Harris said if what he is doing is illegal, the law should come and deal with them but people on social media could say what they want.

He said only media houses have contacted him so far. The band’s fans, he said, have been defending the band.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young, Portof- Spain South MP Marlene McDonald, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie were the MPs chosen.

Acting Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Paula Gopee-Scoon, indicated that Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, Government senator W Michael Coppin, Opposition senator Gerald Ramdeen, Independent senators Hugh Russell Ian Roach and Taurel Shrikissoon and herself will be senators on that JSC.

Davis was beaten to death during the early hours of that morning, at Foxy’s Sports Bar along the Southern Main Road.

He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries.

Yesterday, police officers from the Homicide Region C (South) escorted Maharaj to the San Fernando Magistrates Court where he appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde-John who read the charge to him and told the accused that he was not called upon to plead. Attorney Shane Patience represented Maharaj who was remanded into custody.

Police Constable Gopaul laid the charge.

The woman, from Corinth on the outskirts of San Fernando, together with the three male suspects, remained in custody up to yesterday.

The suspects are between the ages of 25 and 30.

Police reports are that at about 2.30 pm on Tuesday, they were tipped off about a robbery in progress and went to the mini-mart where they saw two of the male suspects leaving. The female suspect and another male, described by police as the “planners of the crime,” were nearby in a vehicle awaiting the others.

Police arrested all four and recovered a quantity of cigarettes and cash stolen from the mini-mart as well as knives and cutlasses used to commit the crime. A fifth accomplice managed to evade police and remained on the run up to yesterday.

Investigators said only two weeks ago, bandits robbed the same minimart.

The suspects were expected to be put on several identification parades and, if charged, will appear in the Siparia Magistrates Court.

Sgt Gookool of the South Oropouche Police Station is heading investigations

Ryan Maharaj, 34, his brother Ravi, 37, and James Joseph, 50, all of Gasparillo, were receiving treatment at different wards of the hospital. Ravi, who sustained the most injuries, is improving but is still at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

In an interview with Newsday yesterday, Ryan recalled briefly that while they were working on a panel, it “just exploded.” He had visible burns to the right side of the face.

“We were working on a panel and it just exploded. Ravi received the most burns and has burns to his hands and face. He is still at ICU. Joseph received minor injuries and he is still in hospital,” Ryan said while outside the Burns Unit of the hospital.

Reports are at that about 9.45 am on Tuesday while performing a routine assessment of an electrical panel at the company’s warehouse at Otaheite Industrial Estate at South Oropouche, it exploded.

The three electricians sustained burns and were rushed to the hospital.