“A (Honda Civic) vehicle was proceeding south and a next (white panel van) was proceeding north.

At the same time, an ambulance was proceeding west along the Bus Route at the intersection. But the vehicle that was heading north to south had the right of way. The ambulance was proceeding west and made contact with said vehicle,” the officer said. At the time, the ambulance was conveying an ill person to a medical institution for treatment.

The incident occurred near Bon Air Gardens. The extent of the injuries and the identities of the injured persons were not known up to press time. In an unrelated incident, a 46-year-old man is the nation’s second road fatality victim for 2017.

Krishna Jagdeo, it was reported, was struck along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the Demerara Heights area as he attempted to cross said highway at about 9 pm on Monday. Motorists and nearby residents came to his aid. Jagdeo was thrown several feet into the air by the vehicle which did not stop as its driver continued on his way.

An emergency response team from Global EMR, Highway Police and Soldiers from the nearby Cumuto Camp, also rendered assistance, alongside the curious on-lookers.

The police took Jagdeo to the Arima District hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver involved in the incident remains at large. Investigations are ongoing by police officers from Arima Police Stationon.”

Police responded and found David Cooper, 37, of no fixed place of abode mortally wounded.

He was taken to the Port-of- Spain General Hospital and died at 1 am. Police said that Cooper was shot several times by a person unknown in the park. Portof- spain CID officers are continuing their investigations

“We are not making people experts or professionals, but teaching them to identify red flags and how to make the appropriate intervention and referral,” said Pooran Sankar, Regional Manager of the Psychiatric Department of the SWRHA. Because religious leaders are often the first to be sought out by persons afflicted by mental health issues, said Sankar, it was necessary to train them in how to respond in a helpful and appropriate manner. Sessions involving teachers, students, and Christian religious leaders from the region were hosted over the last three months. The next session will involve Hindu leaders from the South-West region.

Asked how the response of religious leaders were to the scientific approach to dealing with issues of mental health, Sankar said, “I am proud to say that the religious leaders are well aware that they need to be concerned about the development of the whole man, not just spiritual issues, because people are people.” Featuring prominently in the workshop was the issue of depression.

According to Psychiatrist in training Dr Andrea Homer, depression is not merely sadness, but sadness alongside many other symptoms that requires the diagnosis of a professional. Some cases of depression were “triggered” by traumatic experiences, but some were “triggerless” and caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.

Although therapy is always helpful, she said, sometimes medication is necessary. Other presenters included Mental Health Officer, Merene Singh and Clinical Psychologist, Giselle Dumas. Imam Sheraz Ali of the Nur-e-islam Masjid in El Socorro said he found the session inspiring and couldn’t wait to implement what he learned in his community.

“Faith and science work hand in hand,” said the Imam. “It is important for us to understand it and use it. Science is from Allah, all knowledge comes from the Creator.”

PanTrinbago member and ace pannist from Trinidad All Starts pan theatre Dane Gulson reiterated a call by several panmen for the Pan Trinbago executive to step down. “The meeting really is basically to talk about 2017 Panorama and other matters that we have pending right now. Matters in terms of some of the players’ remittance of pay, because the Tobago and North (zone members) got their money, but the East and Southern region players have not.

“They got cheques last week which bounced when members went to the bank to try and cash them. We, as everyone will know, are trying to get the present executive to step down because of certain inconsistencies.” Panmen last night claimed that $1.5 millioon was deposited in Pan Trinbago’s First Citizens Bank account to pay oustading monies owed to panmen for the 2016 compeition, but there was no way to confirm this as members of the Pan Trinbago executive were in the meeting and their cellular phones were switched off.

The meeting, held at City Hall in Port-of-Spain saw a very large turn out of the pan playing fraternity.

Pan Trinbago’s acting president Richard Forteau chaired the meeting in the absence of substantive president Keith Diaz who is on sick leave after suffering a heart attack last week Friday.

Police confirmed that no one was wounded in the drive-by shooting, however a vehicle belonging to the Nicholas family was damaged as a result.

Reports are that at about noon on Monday, residents of Lazarie Street in Mon Repos observed a white Toyota car along the roadway. Several gunshots ran out and the driver of the vehicle sped off. Police and relatives found the vehicle, which was parked in front of the house, with several gunshot holes and the windows shattered.

No arrests were made up to yesterday and police investigators believed that the target may have been a close male relative of Nicholas.

On July 15, 2013, Senior Magistrate Debra Quintyne, in the Princes Town courthouse, committed Nicholas and five of his colleagues to stand trial in the High Court for allegedly murdering Abigail Johnson, Alana Duncan and Kerron ‘Fingers’ Eccles.

Johnson, 20, of Burton Trace, St Mary’s Village in Moruga; Duncan, 27, of Duncan Village in San Fernando; and Eccles, 29, of St Mary’s Village in Moruga, were shot and killed on July 22, 2013, at the corner of Gunness Trace and Rochard Douglas Road in Barrackpore.

Also committed alongside Nicholas are acting Sergeant Khemraj Sahadeo and Constables Renaldo Reviero, Glenn Singh, Safraz Juman and Antonio Ramadin. All six accused officers were members of the Southern Robbery Squad. Just about three months after the shooting deaths in 2011, police arrested the officers who have since been remanded into custody.

The Preliminary Inquiry, which lasted some eight months (a total of 20 hearings) saw 55 State witnesses testifying among them former accused turned-State witness, WPC Nicole Clement.

These reports are reports into the administration and operation of Petrotrin, Udecott and NGC. The briefing takes place during the tea break in the Senate which holds its first sitting for the year at Tower D from 1.30 pm today. The main item on the Senate Order Paper is debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Marriage) Bill 2016.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi will start the debate on this legislation which is designed to amend the Marriage Act, Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, Hindu Marriage Act; Orisa Marriage Act and the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act.

The bill requires a three-fifths majority for passage in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The House sits on Friday at Tower D from 1.30 pm.

According to reports, the officers, acting on information, proceeded to a house along the Penal Rock Road in Penal.

At the time there were occupants in the house who fled upon seeing the team of police officers.

Reports said that the occupants escaped in some nearby bushes.

Police officers searched the house and found the weapons and currency in one room. Police said six firearms including three rifles, a shotgun and two 9mm pistols along with 24 rounds of ammunition were seized.

In addition, police officers also discovered Venezuelan currency in (100) and (50) Bolivar bills together with 1.1 kilogrammes of marijuana.

Malikah, who lives at Vistabella, San Fernando, was reported missing by her father Marlon when she did not show up at her aunt’s home in Princes Town on Sunday.

According to police, Malikah left her home to visit an aunt at Indian Walk, Princes Town. She never showed up at her aunt’s residence.

Her father said that calls to his daughter’s cellphone went unanswered.

He said his daughter left home shortly after 7 am on January 7. In a media release yesterday, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) confirmed that the teenager was found. Police officers thanked the public for their assistance in ensuring her safe return.

No further information was divulged to the media in the release.

Only on Sunday another 14-yearold girl, Mariah Modeste, who was reported missing for seven days, was reunited with her family.

Investigations into both cases are continuing

“By allowing a youth voice to occupy the Independent bench of the Senate, my appointment has demonstrated the commitment by President (Anthony) Carmona to the youth of Trinidad and Tobago,” said Edwards in a statement yesterday. “I hope to bring a youth and civil society perspective to the Senate that is informed by my interactions with many youth organisations and individuals across the country and the Commonwealth.”

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is one of the highest honours given to people of Indian origin residing overseas.

Dookeran was the only Caribbean national on the list of 30 individuals from around the globe and previous recipients included two former Prime Ministers, Basdeo Panday and Kamla Persad-Bissessar respectively and former PNM Minister, Dr Lenny Saith.

Dookeran is currently in India where he accepted the award.