Yesterday, two of the suspects were released pending further investigations.

However, the main suspect, a 27-year-old man of Almond Court in Morvant remained in custody at the Cunupia Police Station. According to reports, the man’s fingerprints were found in an office inside the liquor mart, in an area blocked off to the general public. This led officers to check their criminal finger print data base, which brought back a perfect match with the main suspect’s finger print. According to reports, at about 5 pm on Wednesday, officers of the Central Division, under Sgt Andy Mohammed went to Almond Court in Morvant where they executed a search warrant and detained the main suspect, a quantity of alcohol. The cash was also seized. Officers also took into custody the suspect’s 26-year-old brother and another 26-year-old man from Mausica. The three were taken to the Chaguanas Police Station and later separated and placed at different police station. After intense interrogation, two of the three suspects were released.

Yesterday, the main suspect continued to be interviewed and police believe they may be able to recover more of the stolen loot. More arrests are also expected. Police also believe they may be able to make a major break through into this latest investigation. At around 8 pm on Tuesday, a 54-year-old security guard was on duty at Rhum Runners, located at Southern Main Road, Cunupia, when he was accosted by four men and a woman, all armed with guns.

The guard was tied up and blindfolded and taken to a stock room where he was left. The bandits then broke several locks to the establishment and removed $1.2 million and a quantity of alcohol. They then removed the DVR from the surveillance cameras and then fled the scene.

The guard managed to untie himself and made a report to the Cunupia police. Officers responded immediately and finger print experts who were later called to the scene managed to lift workable prints. The main suspect is expected to be placed on an identification parade shortly before charges are laid.

Speaking with reporters prior to entering a third conciliatory meeting between the company and the union at the Ministry of Labour, St James Street, San Fernando yesterday morning, OWTU president general, Ancel Roget, said the matter was on the brink of resolution should the government propose a reasonable wage offer.

“We are negotiating directly with instructions coming from the Cabinet and the Ministers and that is what we are going to examine here this morning because the company asked, on the last occasion, for one week to get a mandate from the Minister of Finance since the Minister of Finance and the Cabinet said they did not have the authority,” Roget said.

“If it’s reasonable, we will examine it in its entirety and inform the workers and advise accordingly and if it is unreasonable, well of course we will reject it. Zero-zero- zero that is most unreasonable and we will reject that,” he added.

Roget continued: “If at this point, the Cabinet responds negatively and they are not prepared to give the appropriate instructions, the Minister of Finance, if he is not prepared to give the appropriate instructions to bring these negotiations to a close, we are going to initiate and effect an effective strike action on Petrotrin.

“We are very close to the full declaration of war, because this is war,” he said, and pointed out that Petrotrin was in trouble because of “past and present governments” as well as bad management and poor leadership decisions.

“Petrotrin is existing today, only held together only on the basis of the workers working,” he said.

Roget then warned that should an unfavourable proposal be tabled by the cabinet appointed committee, the union would announce its course of action at a mass meeting at the gates of Petrotrin’s Pointe-a-Pierre oil refinery today.

In our view the country is too experienced in hosting Carnivals for us to have the annual continuation of this undignified wrangling over monies, between cultural organisations and the Ministries of Culture and Finance.

TT needs a more predictable system to dispense State monies to the umbrella groups representing pan, kaiso, mas, soca and soca chutney and the like, and greater communication from the government on its related intent and capacity to fund should be transmitted very early to avoid any bacchanal wrought by uncertainty.

Equally important, each of these bodies must be held to greater accountability in their handling of State funds and do more to wean themselves off these subsidies. In trimming the fat, one must ask if a million-dollar first prize for Soca and Calypso Monarchs is now too generous? Yes, the injection of Statefunds to different areas of Carnival generates earnings across the economy — to persons working in Carnival activities and spaces.

But Carnival should start to pay its own way and it is only fair to ask the various sectors to start to plough back some of their profits into the festival, and ease the load on the overburdened Treasury.

While some $262 million was initially allocated to the National Carnival Commission (NCC) last year – of which just $230 million was spent – the allocation for fiscal 2017 is some $168 million, according to the National Budget’s Draft Estimates of Recurrent Expenditure.

So, a $100 million drop from last year’s initial allocation to present for the NCC likely signals a significant drop to Carnival’s umbrella bodies.

A document, The Strategic Map of the NCC for 2013 to 2017, has its mission, “To preserve the traditional heritage of TT Carnival whilst ensuring its sustainable development as a viable industry”.

This map employs a lot of business terms in its vision to move Carnival from a festival to an industry, speaking of “Carnival products”, “business development”, “revenue generation” and “value for money”. The map says Carnival is a worthy “investment”, so connoting profit-generation over mere consumption.

The economic lull now gives an apt opportunity for the Government to state its views on the Strategic Map and Strategic Plan, drafted by the former People’s Partnership Administration. A University of the West Indies study, “The Economics of Carnival”, suggested that an extra-large Carnival band comprised of 3,000 revellers each paying $3,000 per costume, can gross some $9 million to $12 million in revenues.

The study claimed that five top extra-large bands earn $45 million to $60 million. Annually.

State subsidy of Carnival can be reduced by ensuring that proper VAT and income tax is paid on all earnings from the festival. We must also mull how can Carnival be massaged for other revenue- earnings, such as “getaway tourism” for citizens seeking serenity in the sister isle of Tobago, or by increasing the “spend” of the 45,000 expats and foreign tourists who attend each year. So, amid the mass hedonism, some clear heads and acknowledgement of today’s reality must plan the sustainability of TT’s signature festival and allow us to play on while paying mas.

Lambert, 20, of Port-of-Spain was arrested on Wednesday on Charlotte Street, when she was unable to produce a license for the sale of fireworks by police officers, who were conducting a crackdown on illegal fireworks vendors.

Lambert pleaded guilty to the charge but claimed that the fireworks she was selling did not belong to her. Magistrate Ayers-Caesar told Lambert that the matter was not going to be discussed in detail in the court and urged her to seek legal advice from an attorney, before returning to court. Bail was set at $5,000 and Lambert is expected to return in court on January 26. The charge came as part of larger efforts by police to crack down on the sale and use of illegal fireworks throughout the Christmas vacation.Make this c o u n t r y a better place.

According to reports, officers under the supervision of divisional head Senior Superintendent Jacob detained five members of a gang during the exercise. They later went an area near a chicken farm where they dug up an area of the ground and came across a buried length of PVC pipe. In the pipe, the lawmen found the semi-automatic pistol, ammunition, magazines and drugs.

Although no one was arrested in connection with the find, police believe that the items belong to gang members from the area.

Forde-John opined that perhaps the reason for the rampant crime is the prevalence of guns, such that people can find these instruments of fear and death strewn about if one were to believe what the accused man told her. The accused, Tony Jeffrey, 28, of Springvale in Claxton Bay, told the court that he found a gun and six rounds of ammunition on the roadway in Claxton Bay on Wednesday.

Appearing before Magistrate Forde-John, Jeffrey was charged with unlawful possession of a Springfield Armoury pistol and six round of .40 ammunition. The court heard that police officers confronted Jeffrey at 3 pm at Cedar Hill Road. Officers in a marked police vehicle, received a wireless message and immediately proceeded to Cedar Hill, where they confronted Jeffrey who was standing on the road.

He was searched and in his front pants pocket, officers found the pistol and four brass-coloured and two silver-coloured bullets. PC Davin Nagessar of St Margaret’s Police Station, who laid the charge, showed the gun and ammunition to the defendant who acknowledged he (Jeffrey) found the items at the side of the road. Jeffrey’s attorney Ainsley Lucky told Magistrate Forde-John that his client is a married father of two.

Lucky said that Jeffrey had consumed a few drinks, found the gun not too far from where he was standing. “And, Your Worship, he was foolish to keep it,” Lucky said.

Magistrate Forde-John asked, “So he found the gun?” When Lucky replied in the affirmative, the magistrate asked rhetorically, “How come I don’t see guns on the ground?” The attorney chuckled.

“Perhaps is because you don’t come to Claxton Bay.” The comment evoked laughter in the courtroom as Magistrate Forde-John retorted, “Guns can be found everywhere. Seriously, I suppose it is the reason why we are where we are today. This is a lawless country.” Magistrate Forde-John then went on to tell the accused Jeffrey and his attorney that had it not been for the keen sense of observation of police officers involved in the exercise, there could have been other crimes.

The magistrate said that owing to the fact that Jeffrey had no previous conviction and he had pleaded guilty, she would not impose a custodial sentence. She fined him $6,000 and ordered that $2,000 be paid forthwith.

Joel Pompey, 59, of Peaseville, Upper Seventh Avenue appeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar to face one count of murder, one count of possession of an illegal firearm, two counts of possession of ammunition and one count of attempted murder.

The charges were laid indictably and as such Pompey was not called upon to enter a plea. As the charge of murder is non-bailable, the accused will remain in custody pending the outcome of the case. In addition to these offences, Pompey was also charged with assault of Constables Cato and WPC Ramdeen while in custody at the Morvant police station. On these two charges, Pompey entered a guilty plea.

Court prosecutor, Sgt Benjamin submitted to the court the items recovered from the scene which included a firearm, seven rounds of ammunition, a black-coloured cloth and a purple- coloured piece of plastic.

Pompey, a retired employee of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), was expected to appear in court on Wednesday but complained of feeling unwell.

Pompey was expected to return to court following a medical examination at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, but was unable to do so due to delays at the Hospital.

Pompey was arrested and charged for the murder of his 15-year-old stepson Josiah Martinez who was shot dead on December 16, at the family’s Barataria home. The case was adjourned to January 26

While 2016 brought mixed reports of crimes in different districts said Ramdhanie, overall murders and violent crimes continued at worrisome levels.

He urged the Government and the arms of the criminal justice system (the Police and Prison Services and the judicial system), academia, community groups, the private sector and individuals to work together to reduce crime in 2017 and beyond. “They need to create the enabling environment for crime reduction,” said Ramdhanie.

“With a strategic, targeted approach with concrete steps, and with an increased use of technology, crimes can be reduced and the crime detection rate for many types of crimes and their subsequent conviction rate can also be increased.” Ramdhanie urged that the criminal justice system be revamped to be more effective and that the causes of crime be tackled.

“Crime is not a criminal justice system problem only. It is much wider and deeper than that.

Everything that is done here ties back into crime — the education system, the social services system, the religious and value system, the economic system, the political system, the health system, regional and international affairs,” Ramdhanie explained.

“They all are intrinsically related to one another and they impact on human behaviour — criminal and non-criminal.

We cannot blame one part of the system only.” Ramdhanie was confident that if all persons take responsibility, the crime situation can be remedied in this relatively small twin-island State.

Malcolm Emmanuel, 24, appeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar charged for being in possession of a stolen Samsung Smart television set which was allegedly found at his home in Upper Wharton Street, Laventille on December 26.

Emmanuel’s attorney Ronald Daniels asked the court to grant bail as his client has no previous convictions.

“He did submit himself voluntarily to police officers when he learned that he was a person of interest in their investigation, and later to the court to answer the charges,” Daniels said. “I know that it would not be a bold request to offer my client own bail for his cooperation with the investigation thus far.” However, the court prosecutor objected to bail being granted on the grounds that Emmanuel had two matters of disturbing the peace and assault and battery pending before the courts. Daniels said that the matters were close to conclusion and that Emmanuel would be prepared to return to court pending the outcome of these matters. Bail was granted in the sum of $5,000 and the matter was adjourned to January 3.

WASA Corporate Communications Manager Daniel Plenty told Newsday yesterday that WASA was aware of the problem and was taking steps to address the leakage.

Two WASA trucks and a crew of eight were on the scene yesterday morning. A crew member told this newspapers that the crew was waiting on instructions from the engineer to tell them what to do.

Residents in the area who preferred anonymity said that they have made several complaints to WASA about the leakage that was eroding the school’s driveway and also affecting the foundation of the walls of a nearby house.

They said that on several occasions WASA crews have visited the site. “They will come. They will look. They will dig up a bit and then leave,” she said. A resident told Newsday that at least five houses are affected by the water which began as a small stream but has now grown into a ravine into which some of the water flows before it gets to the underground drain. One resident said that she contacted the office of the Chief Executive Officer on several occasions and assurances were given that the matter would be rectified. As recent as two weeks ago, the resident said that she wrote to the Chairman of WASA board of directors and got no reply. She said that she has also written to WASA’s legal counsel and received no response either. “No one has responded or even acknowledged that they receive my letters,” she said. Over the Christmas holidays, she said that St Francois Valley Road was without pipe-borne water for three days, but the water was flowing freely from the leak.

“Some of the water is running over in people’s yards,” she said and drivers have to slow down on approaching the area. “It was already happening in the dry season.

Now it is worse with the wet season,” she said.