His nude body was later found with a towel nearby.

According to police, at about 1 am, neighbours heard gunshots and contacted police.

Two men were seen fleeing the scene. Police arrived and found Pascall’s body.

Pascall was a plumber at TCL and completed the 5 pm – 12 am shift before he went home and was killed. His mother Marilyn Gonzales-Pascall, 57, said she was awakened by a telephone call from a neighbour informing her that her son was shot dead. Gonzales-Pascall lives a short distance from her son.

“I did not hear any gunshots as I was sound asleep. The neighbours told me they heard gunshots and my son screaming.

They killed him in cold blood,” the emotional woman said. Gonzales-Pascall said she last time she spoke to her son was at about 5 pm on Wednesday, when he left for work.

“I just can’t believe this is happening. Crime is out of control in this country, I never thought crime would be in front my doorsteps.

I am hurting as a mother,” she said. “My son was loved by everyone in the village and everywhere he went. He was the type of person who was always making jokes. I don’t know why anyone would want to do this to him,” she said.

Pascall was the third of four siblings. He had a passion for cricket and played in several clubs across the country. No motive for the killing has been established, no arrest made and investigations are continuing.

These are just a few of the many private businesses that not only create employment for thousands of our citizens but contribute to our national wealth through taxes and foreign exchange income from tourists.

One would think that any government faced with a reduction of income from traditional sources in the energy sector will do everything possible to encourage private sector investment and development. The reality is that doing business in TT is not easy.

Security is a major challenge. It is almost impossible for most business personnel to access legal firearms for personal protection while criminals buy and sell guns and ammunition without fear of repercussion – this is despite being targeted for robbery and kidnappings. Daily, it is not uncommon for one to spend four hours in traffic.

There is only one narrow roadway from Westmoorings to Chaguaramas, where the headquarters of our military and our major marinas are located.

There is limited access to the coastline along the south and north of Trinidad.

Water supply is intermittent and it is illegal to access water from rivers or wells without permission from the water authority.

Legally accessing alternative sources of water is not only bureaucratically burdensome but expensive.

Accessing government services is a major hurdle. It is common for one to spend over four hours to complete a vehicle transaction at the licensing office. Similar lengths of time are usually required to submit forms for taxation, government insurance services, registration of businesses and accessing banking facilities. Agricultural access roads are few and there are very little incentives for food production and food processing.

The days of government accessing easy money from the energy sector are over. The new economic reality challenges us to support multiple sectors of business.

This new economic climate must be anchored in a new vision, one where the businessman is a partner and friend and not a person to be taxed and stifled. This new path requires a new network of roads, a light rail system owned and operated in partnership with the business community and a licensing structure that minimises the time one spend doing vehicular transactions.

Business personnel who meet the requirements for legal firearms should be given a permit without having to wait years for response to their application.

Agriculture must once again be a major player in earning foreign exchange.

WASA should change their regulations regarding accessing underground water and water from river tributaries.

In general, our laws and regulations need to be modernised to support a renewed energy and drive towards building a better TT – one that encourages partnership with our business community.

God Bless Our Nation.

Steve Alvarez via email

A University of Belize release said stated Sankat has assumed the vice presidency for the July, 2017 to June, 2018 academic year, after which he will take over the presidency of the 69-year-old organisation, for the following 2018 to 2019 academic year.

Sankat, was asked by CSUCA Secretary General Dr Alfonso Fuentes Soria to assume these leadership positions of the consortium based in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

CSUCA membership comprises Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Sankat is due to preside over is his first meeting on September 7 and 8 in Managua, Nicaragua.

It is expected that Sankat will provide leadership to the organisation as it relates to quality, standards and mobility in higher education in Central America.

The objectives also include the development of strong sporting and cultural relationships among the institutions and the exchange of staff, students, library information and joint academic programmes.

The event was entitled Emancipation, and Charles and his band did three onehour shows starting at 2 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm.

There was standing room only for the 9 pm show which started on time with Charles and his band, including international drummer (Dejembe) David Archee, playing Culture Shock.

They followed with Fee Fi Fo Fum and then gave the audience a taste of the calypso- infused Fela Kuti’s Opposite People. As the jam continued with several musical selections, members of the audience were singing at the top of their voices.

Charles’ visit home was two-fold–to play at Emancipation and to participate in an outreach programme at various children’s homes on July 27 and 28 to talk to the children and enlighten them about a future in music.

In an interview, posted yesterday, on the Track Alerts website, the 30-year-old said, “I feel very good, I feel very confident. All the hard work has been done and at this point it’s just to be confident, trust the coaches, trust what you have been doing and have fun and execute.” Baptiste has a total of two bronze medals at the World Championships level __ in the women’s 100 metres in Daegu, South Korea in 2011 and in the women’s 4x100m relay in Beijing, China two years ago.

She acknowledged, “Last year wasn’t that great for me. I would not say I’m not at my best, I’ve had better seasons, but I’m very close to it.

“I’ve been (at major meets) for a very long time so it’s just that experience, and all that accumulates over time.” Baptiste is among a group of 23 TT athletes who will be in action during the August 4-13 event.

Among the men are Keston Bledman and Emmanuel Callender (100 metres), Kyle Greaux and Jereem Richards (200 metres), Machel Cedenio, Lalonde Gordon and Renny Quow (400 metres), Mikel Thomas and Ruebin Walters (110m hurdles).

In the men’s 4×100 metres relay, Bledman, Callender, Kyle Greaux, Moriba Morain and Dan-Niel Telesford will comprise the team while, in the men’s 4×400 metres relay, Cedenio, Gordon, Quow, Jereem Richards, Jarrin Solomon and Joshua St Clair will feature.

Double Olympic medallist, javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott, will be seeking his first medal at the World Championships stage.

Among the women Baptiste, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Semoy Hackett and Khalifa St Fort will be running in the 100m, while Ahye will also be competing in the 200m along with Hackett and Kayelle Clark. Domonique Williams will participate in the 400m, Deborah John was a late inclusion and will run in the 100m hurdles, while Sparkle McKnight will face the starter in the 400m hurdles.

The women’s 4x100m relay team will comprise Baptiste, Ahye, Hackett, St Fort, Clark and Kamaria Durant.

This year marks the 16th edition of these Championships and various pundits, including 1976 Olympic 100m gold medallist Hasely Crawford have already weighed in on their expectations for the team competing this year.

The general consensus is that medalling in any track and field event is no easy task however with hard work and determination anything is possible. It is a competition that sees Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt as the main attraction however Trinidad and Tobago will surely be looking to do their absolute best at the event.

No doubt I am mindful of the importance of establishing a pride in history because I have just returned from doing research in Nashville, Tennessee for the second year in a row. Once again, I am awe struck by the way the city of Nashville packages and markets its history every day of the year .

People in Nashville take pride in their city and their history. Nashville’s attention to detail in the tourist industry is astounding .

The Nashville airport provides a row of wooden rocking chairs in the baggage claim area for weary traveLlers to sit on while they wait for their luggage. Need I point out how dull, uncomfortable and inhospitable our airport is? There isn’t enough seating anywhere .

Everywhere you walk in Nashville there are signs pointing out something of historical significance .

There seems to be a surprise at every turn: statues of country music icons like Ray Aiken or a bust of an early French trapper adorn the walking tour .

The plaque on an empty office by my hotel says it was the law office of President Andrew Jackson .

Signs mark important civil rights demonstrations or historical buildings like a church used as a hospital during the Civil War .

Downtown, it is impossible to go anywhere and not hear live music .

One corner had a music box on the corner so that pedestrians can hear music while waiting to cross the street. Why can’t we hear calypso on our street corners – and I don’t mean calypso blasting from speakers playing pirated CDs .

The downtown Walmart, has Nashville t-shirts and cups, but also little Nashville party emergency kits. Even Nashville’s pralines (a maple fudge with pecans) comes in packaging marked “historical” .

Nashville boldly markets food evokes the south. Signs advertise voodoo chicken and one sign brags “Catfish served every day.” The art exhibit in the Nashville library didn’t allow anyone to forget that a teenage Oprah Winfrey once lived with her father in Nashville .

Pictures documented Nashville’s hidden history including the building where Lay’s potato chips became a business. The exhibit included a guest book that encouraged everyone to point out any hidden historical treasures that might not have been documented in the exhibition .

New buildings have their own sense of character and are not permitted to cast ugly shadows over historical buildings. Modern architecture doesn’t compete with the historical buildings or overwhelm the historical architecture of the city .

My hotel preserved the Cutler Mailing system of the historical building (named after James G .

Cutler). Running alongside the elevator on each floor, guests could see the beautifully ordained bronze mail shoot that allowed people in newly developed high-rise buildings of the 19th century to send mail to the bottom floor .

Nashville played a crucial role in the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. It had the first integrated lunch counters in the south when students led a protest to the Mayor’s office after someone destroyed Antiguan-born Zephaniah Alexander Looby’s home with dynamite. It is a southern city and historically speaking that possessed all the problems of segregation that southern cities had, but it worked hard to overcome much of its baggage from the past and package it as a lesson for all. It did not remain stuck in the past. It built a city on its history, and Nashville is much richer for it .

Why can’t we do this here?

A release stated Pantin is a highly experienced film and music manager who recently met with Carlysle “Juiceman” Roberts, Musical Director and principal shareholder of D’ All Starz, to finalise details of the agreement.

Roberts stated, “Mr Pantin’s appointment is a continuation of the re-branding process for the band, formally known as Roy Cape All Stars, following the retirement of Dr Roy Cape. We are extremely ecstatic to have Ian on board with us, and we’re all looking forward to working with him.” Pantin has been in the entertainment arena for a quite some time, having worked with Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) and the Asylum Band for a number of years, and in 2013, Pantin teamed up with Roger Alexis to release the film “I’m Santana The Movie.” Commenting on his appointment, Pantin explained, “I’m a grateful and humble beneficiary of the numerous legacies of the band’s founder, Dr Roy Cape, who has given so much of his talent and expertise to all of us over the last 57 years.

The cultural achievements forged by Pappy, coupled with the commitment from the long-standing members of the band, are invaluable.” To Juiceman and all the current members of D’ All Starz, Pantin said: “I recognise your contributions over the last 37 years and sincerely thank you for the trust you are placing in me. I am truly honored to be formally instated as the General Manager of the band, and I am proud to commit to D’ All Starz family without reservation.

The Knight Riders left Trinidad on Wednesday for the match, before the team returns home for five matches at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair, between Monday and August 14.

In a recent interview with Newsday, TKR coach Simon Katich, expressed his belief in the team’s quality spin attack which will play a key role, but also stated the team’s top order must perform for TKR to have a successful run in the tournament.

Team manager, Colin Borde believes the squad depth will be pivotal when the team plays the following five matches in eight days. The St Lucia Stars had their most successful season last year, and much of that was as a result of Johnson Charles’ impressive season with the bat.

In an interview on CLPT20’s website, when Charles was asked about what is required for the Stars to go all the way this year, he was confident by stating, “All we have to do now is maintain and improve on our performances. It is going to take a lot of work because all teams are coming after us. It is a hard competition, so we just have to maintain and give our all.” Charles also expressed in the interview, “It will take a lot of hard work because every batsman is coming out there to perform and get the most runs.” The two sides last met in an eliminator match where TKR emerged victorious by nine wickets with nine balls remaining.

Brendon McCullum struck an unbeaten 49 runs and Ronsford Beaton took three wickets for 23 runs as TKR progressed to the next round.

Squads – TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS: Dwyane Bravo (captain), Brendon McCullum, Darren Bravo, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Hashim Alma, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, Ronsford Beaton, Kevon Cooper, Nikita Miller, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Javon Searles, William Perkins, Hamza Tariq, Mehidy Hassan Miraz.

ST LUCIA STARS: Darren Sammy (captain), Shane Watson, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jerome Taylor, Kamran Akmal, Marlon Samuels, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kyle Mayers, Shane Shillingford, Eddie Lee, Keddy Lesporis, Sunil Ambris, Obed McCoy, Timil Patel, Jesse Ryder, Mitchell McClenaghan.

Except that, without seeking to minimise the woman’s predicament, it mirrors what other persons are faced with all the time, whether they are guilty of a crime or not.

It is a frightening thought that by itself should turn anyone away from a life of crime, but is clearly no deterrent, as the crime statistics demonstrate. What is responsible for the terrifying conditions existing in jails and prisons and detention centres in the country, with the many billions of dollars spent on this area of governance annually? Every person who has been arrested and held in such conditions should be entitled to compensation for having to undergo such inhumane treatment, whether guilty or not.

The conditions described in the lawsuit should exist nowhere in the world; they belong in the 19th century, and even then would have been considered unacceptable.

The Minister of National Security should get on the case of whichever officer of his Ministry is responsible for dealing with this problem and ensure that it is corrected post haste. Sorry, I forgot, this is Trinidad and Tobago, there is no one responsible.

Karan Mahabirsingh Carapichaima

Imbert also said contrary to claims made by CLF founder Lawrence Duprey, the true cost of legal fees in the CLF matter was $250 million and not $3.5 billion. In addressing these issues at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Imbert identified Peter Permell and Carlton Reis as two of the “mouthpieces” for the shareholders. He said information available to Government shows Permell has no shares in CLF and cashed in his Clico policy in May 2012. Imbert said a search of the Companies Registry shows that Reis was appointed a director of Dalco Capital Management Company Ltd in 2015.

He said Dalco was incorporated in 1998 with Duprey listed as the owner. Last Jaunary, Imbert said Duprey transferred his shares in Dalco to Reis.

“All that is fine. There is one little problem. That the shares were transferred at a value of $99,” Imbert said. He recalled that Reis publicly claimed CLF was worth $40 billion. With Dalco owning 26 percent of CLF, Imbert said this worked out to $10 billion.

“The stamp duty on a transfer of shares worth $10 billion, is $50 million,” he stated. However, Imbert observed, “The stamp duty on a transfer of shares worth $99 is 50 cents.” On this basis, Imbert said his ministry will be investigating this matter to find out why a company supposed valued at $40 billion by one of its owners, had its shares transferred for $99, “instead of at a rate of $10 billion, attracting stamp duty of $50 million.” He said that $50 million was taxpayers’ money which goes into the Consolidated Fund.

Turning to CLWB, Imbert said money flows out of that company will be investigated too.

He said Government’s research has discovered that CLF owns a mere 17 percent in Angostura.

Imbert said 45 percent of Angostura is owned by a company called Rum Pro. This company, Imbert continued, is owned 100 percent by Scotland incorporated CLWB. He said CLWB is owned by Clico (42 percent), CLF (38 percent) and Clico Investment Bank-CIB (20 percent). He reminded reporters that CIB is in liquidation with Government trying to recover monies from it.

In spite of all of this, Imbert said, “For some reason, all of the profits flowing from these companies have been finding their way into the bank accounts of CLF.”