“Why the change of heart?” she asked in a statement yesterday, noting his previous warning that the port construction could see a government doing a compulsory acquisition of lands at Toco, only for them to be given to their political financiers.

The MP hit Rowley for his Government’s incompetence on the sea bridge issues, as voiced by the Tobago Chamber of Commerce, the Tobago Hoteliers and Tourism Association, the Tobago Truckers Association and the Tobago Unique Bed and Breakfast and Self-Catering Association.

She said Rowley had recently reaffirmed the need to construct a ferry port at Toco, to create economic activity and link the people of Tobago and Toco, but she said this was a sharp departure from his previous condemnation of such a proposal when he was in the Opposition.

“He clearly cannot be trusted to lead this country if he cannot stay true to his own convictions.” She related Rowley’s stance in a parliamentary debate on crime July 28, 2000 when as an Opposition member, Rowley was very critical of any activity in Toco.

The MP quoted Rowley. “The basis for this port, is some Tobago to Toco ferry. Nobody in Tobago wants it; nobody in Tobago or Toco appreciates it; but that is the grease to have the product created.” “By saying that it is a Tobago to Toco ferry, the (past) Government is giving the impression that it is a public purpose and, under that category, the Government is now going to proceed to take away people’s homes to create this port. So, here we have a situation where those who are living on the land enjoying it now, protected by the law, the Government is seeking to find a mechanism to acquire their land, then give that land to other private citizens to make money. This Toco ferry port has nothing to do with the people of Tobago and Toco.” “Dr Rowley needs to come clean and let us know what has brought about his change in position,” she said. “When in Opposition he was critical of this project and declared that it was a money-making initiative by the then government.

“Does this change of heart allude to him or PNM financiers benefitting from this project?” She said National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCO) head Herbert George had said the Sangre Grande to Toco proposed highway to facilitate the ferry port, could cost $5 billion.

“The Prime Minister needs to tell us where this funding is coming from and how much will it cost to build the ferry port as well,” Gayadeen-Gopeesingh said. “This level of inconsistency and incompetence has trickled down to his Government ministers where we are now seeing esteemed ministerial positions being treated like CEPEP and URP ten days projects

PC James Moses was responding to questions posed by Scotland pertaining to the identification of the accused when he lost consciousness in mid-sentence and collapsed on the witness stand. Acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle and officers of the court rushed to Moses’ assistance and resuscitated.

The matter has been adjourned to September 12

He was speaking to Newsday following a tour of Customs bonded areas and bonds controlled by private cargo handling companies at the south terminal.

During a tour of the airport and Customs areas at the new and old terminals, general manager of the Airports Authority, Hayden Newton, said the authority did not have uninhibited access to the customs bonded areas. In fact, he said, Airports Authority security officers had occasionally been detained by customs officers because they were said to be preventing the Customs officers from doing their jobs.

Airports Authority security officers also complained that they sometimes found some of the closed circuit television cameras in the northern terminal blocked or turned toward the ceiling or other areas where there was nothing to be seen.

The accusations were immediately denied by the comptroller of the Customs and Excise Division, Glen Singh, who was also on the tour.

Singh said he was not aware of the situation and would have to investigate.

The managers of the bonded areas involved also denied the charges and said the authority could have access to the camera feeds once it requested such access.

Hinds said, “In this world you need cross referencing, you need checks and balances, you need different organisations to be a check and balance on the next.” He said it was unthinkable that the security arm of the Airports Authority, which had the responsibility for security of the airport, ran into blind spots for whatever reason. He said it was a matter for concern and one the committee would pursue with rigour and vigour.” Speaking to Newsday following his tour of the airport and the Port of Point Lisas, Hinds said the committee still had a lot of questions and would tally all the questions and responses and make recommendations to Parliament as the committee was mandated to do.

He said he hoped the information the committee submitted would lead the Government ministers who were responsible for the various entities – in this case the Minister of Works and Transport – to use the information to fix the weaknesses and vulnerabilities which the committee might identify.

And, in so doing, make the ports more secure in the interests and security of the people of TT.

In response to a question, Hinds said he had seen lots of gaping loopholes in the security arrangements at the facilities the committee had visited but said he did not want to preempt the work of the committee before it had a chance to study the information collected during its visits.

“With these facts, we will put our minds and hearts together and come up with a picture of the situation,” Hinds said. “And on the basis of that picture, we will make our suggestions or recommendations.”

It takes a lot to establish a brand and it would have been a big and difficult decision to cast off ttt in favour of CNMG that never tripped off the tongue, that few ever came to know the meaning of and which struggled hard to be trusted.

I am assuming the intention in abandoning the brand was to establish an umbrella organisation (Caribbean New Media Group) under which television and radio would sit side by side as equal partners and in which new digital media platforms would be developed as quintessential elements of a future-focused broadcasting landscape.

Again, I am guessing the thinking was that ttt had a certain amount of unwanted baggage that it was best to jettison with the creation of a whole new set of distinct broadcasting entities in one stable.

CNMG was a great investment on the part of the then government.

Overall, the creation of a forward-looking, public-owned media group in the early part of this new century that could deal with the move away from analogue to digital broadcasting was a very good idea.

It was strategically correct and could have worked, but it fell flat on its face because of the lack of expert and visionary leadership, of experienced management at the required level and finally because of the shortage of financial resources.

The human resources were fine and CNMG enjoyed nearly adequate staffing levels when I first came across it in its early stages.

They were a good group of people with experience, passion and eagerness to take broadcasting forward, but with no hesitation I can say that the problem lay at the most senior levels of the organisation and the inadequate structure at the very top. It would also be safe to surmise that there would have been the inevitable pressure from government. No quasi-state organisation is free of downward pressure and often the interests of the organisation are not completely in sync with government’s.

Therefore, in public service broadcasting, there needs to be a clear line drawn between the broadcaster and the government about the entity’s remit and its independence and a charter set out that cannot be reneged upon on either side.

For that to happen a lot of groundwork needs to be put in and a proper in-house senior management structure must exist that can at once represent the interests of the broadcaster, its staff and those who use its channels and, most importantly, with the CEO deliver the remit.

This management board, led by the CEO, should be answerable to a board of trustees selected to represent society in its broadest sense.

The role of trustees would be to safeguard the interests of both the broadcaster and society and be the buffer between the broadcaster and the government. No CEO should ever be called into a meeting by any minister and instructed what to do or who to hire.

It is not a popular opinion to express but I doubt the expertise required to head the new organisation exists here, not for what is really possible, which makes the structure of the organisation, the appointment of a very able senior management team and the agreed reporting lines even more important; and I fear for radio as the poor cousin within a broadcasting organisation dominated by the more expensive demands of television.

It has been reported that only radio was making money within the CNMG group, which leads to another pertinent matter better agreed upon in advance, ie, what is the purpose of a public service broadcaster, to make money or serve the public, and are they ever compatible?

This warning was sounded by a magistrate yesterday to a motorist in the San Fernando Magistrates’ court, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and also, exceeding the speed limit.

“The court has to ensure the public safety, and yours as well. Putting all that into the mix, you took quite a dangerous course,” Magistrate Natalie Diop told Nicholas “Rico” Mohammed, 25, who was arrested on Tuesday night along the northbound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway. Mohammed was fined a total of $8,000 for both offences.

The legal speed limit on the highway is 80 kilometres per hour and 65 kilometres per hour on secondary roads.

Brought in handcuffs into the courtroom, Diop read the charge that when a breathalyser test was done on Mohammed, it was revealed that the alcohol content in his breath was 75 microgrammes.

The second charge alleged that he exceeded the speed limit by 53 kilometres per hour.

The prosecutor, Sgt Chanardath Jhilmit, said it was at about 9.29 pm when WPC Rajpatie Mahabir who was on a speed-test exercise with other police along the highway, stopped Mohammed’s vehicle – TDJ 6786, in the vicinity of Corinth. She told him that he had exceed the legal limit of 80 kilometers per hour. The officer then detected, the prosecutor added, a strong scent of alcohol which emanated from Mohammed’s breath.

Asked why he opted to drive whilst drunk, especially a heavy goods vehicle and, to compound matters, was speeding, Mohammed told Diop that he had suffered a bout of frustration while at work that night. A mechanic by trade, he said that he had applied for a loan, but the bank turned down his application.

“I was trying to get over something in my personal life. I have been really stressed out.

So, after work I went out, had a few beers and when I was finished, I was just trying to get home safe and was unaware I was over the speed limit.” Before passing sentence, Diop told Mohammed, “In your attempt to get home safe, you acted in a manner that made you unsafe.

You are now worse off than you were last week, because you are now standing before the court as an accused.

Your duty is to keep yourself safe as well as others.” Diop fined him $6,000 on the drunk driving charge, failing which he will serve nine months in jail. For exceeding the speed limit, he was ordered to pay $2,000 or serve two months. He has four months to pay the fines.

Woods, of Indian Walk, however admitted villagers become unruly and not only cursed police officers, but seized a pair of handcuffs which fell out the hands of the police as they tried to handcuff another villager known as “Fathead”.

They also seized a spent shell after the melee which erupted at Teesdale Road Junction, Indian Walk. Video footage of the incident have since been uploaded on social media.

“We are fed up with the police,” Woods said. “The men in here are always the usual suspects. Is stereotyping all the time. My husband is a rasta, he is a mason, a quiet person who don’t interfere with anyone and he was on his way to work with a bag filled with tools. He did not have a gun.” She said it was the reason the community immediately came to his defence and the situation escalated.

Woods told Newsday because of Jules’s past experiences with police, he opted to run away instead.

Only last year and two other men were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, she said.

She alleged when Jules ran into the bushes, police fired two shots at him. It is one of those shells that residents recovered and refused to turn over to the police when they came to investigate allegations.

They however handed members of the St Mary’s Police Post the handcuffs which the officers lost in the melee.

Yesterday in a media release, police said a warrant is to be issued for the arrest of a male suspect who allegedly assaulted police officers during the conduct of their duties.

Once held, he is expected to face charges including assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and using obscene language.

Meanwhile, police are also searching for an individual who allegedly seized the gun which police claimed fell from the initial suspect.

The charges were laid after Inspector Ken Lutchman presented a file to Gaspard in relation to the alleged kidnapping of two Sangre Grande teens. The five are two 28-year-olds from Barrackpore, a16-year-old, a 32-year-old and a 54-year-old man.

Charges were laid by Corporal Randy Castillo and the five are expected to appear before a Sangre Grande magistrate tomorrow.

Others involved in the investigation were Sergeant Happa and PC Amit Samuel.

Last Thursday, members of the Anti Kidnapping Unit were on the hunt for the teen cousins after they were allegedly taken from their father and uncle, Dale Lutchman during a family hunting trip in Sangre Grande. The mother of one of the teens allegedly received a phone call demanding a $350,000 ransom for the safe return of the boys. They were found walking in Penal the next day. Police later deemed the kidnapping to be fake.

All relatives know is that late Monday evening while at her aunt’s home at Techier Village, Point Fortin where she had been spending a week-long vacation, Tinniyah received a phone call (on a borrowed phone) after which she left the house telling them she was taking a walk outside.

Tinniyah has not been seen or heard from since. Checks with relatives and friends have so far proven futile. Speaking from his home at Lake View, La Fortune, Point Fortin yesterday, her distraught father Errol Rauseo pleaded with the public to help him locate his last child who, he said, will enter form four at Holy Name Convent, Point Fortin.

He described her as five feet, two inches tall and brown in complexion with shoulder length hair.

He said she was last seen wearing a black track pants with green stripes and a pair of slippers.

Anyone with information can contact 555, 999 or 800-TIPS or any police station.

Yesterday, Subway and the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago held a recognition ceremony at the Centre of Excellence for the successful national junior swimmers.

Morean, who was a member of the 15 to 17 girls team said all the preparation leading up to the meet paid off. Morean said, “All the athletes would have worked extremely hard in preparation for these games, and as the saying goes ‘hard work breeds success.’ The respective coaches all pushed us and I make special mention of my club coach Mark Alexis of the Tsunami Swim Club.” Morean recalled the challenges the team had to overcome such as a sudden change in the start time of the meet. “Guyana to many of us taught us what it meant to adjust with the challenges that confronted us. For instance the meet was scheduled to start at 6 pm on the opening day, but suddenly we were told that the starting time was brought forward to 3.30 pm because there were no lights. Also the water in the pool was extremley hot at times.” Despite the challenges in Guyana, the 40-member TT team were resilient and finished with 105 medals to finish on top of the medal standings, followed by Suriname and Guyana.

Morean said it was an honour for her to be selected as the captain of the team. “It was indeed a memorable, fun-filled experience for me. This was my second time representing my country, but my first as captain, an opportunity I embraced.” Coach Sharntelle Mclean was proud of her team for their positive attitude in Guyana. Mclean said, “It was very intense for matters outside our control, but the swimmers remained focused and they had one target, one goal at hand and they definitely answered to that. The swimmers amidst all that they had to take on with regards to the sun, with regards to changes in events, changes in the schedule of the meet they were still able to focus. They were motivated to bring home the fourth title and for that congratulations to you definitely.” Morean and Mclean thanked all the supporters and sponsors that helped make their trip a success.

The four-day certification course is part of the strategic plan of the Futsal Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FATT) which is the National Governing Body for the sport of Futsal. The course which runs daily from 9 am to 5 pm will incorporate blended learning of theory and practical sessions for a maximum of 30 football coaches, both male and female.

The course is being facilitated by a qualified FIFA and CONCACAF Futsal Instructor with over two decades of international experience in the sport.

“This course is one of the first in its kind in the Caribbean” said Geoffrey Edwards, President of the Association. “Coaches are one of our main stakeholders, as such, the FATT thought it fit to firstly educate them to ensure proper development and promotion of the sport in Trinidad and Tobago.” This initiative comes on the heels of the appointment of Nigel Roberts as one of the four Referee Assessors to the CONCACAF Futsal Club Championship which took place from August 21 to 26 in Honduras.

Registration for the CONCACAF Futsal Coaching Course is currently open and costs TT $1,000. This includes course material, certificate and refreshments.

For more information call 787- 7678.