The Youth in Action Five-a-Side Football Tournament, which was opened on Republic Day, at the Phase Two, Beetham Estate Basketball Court was witnessed by a supportive community gathering.
Among those present were Community Development Fund Chairman Edgar Zephrin and Member of Parliament Laventille East, Eulalie James. In his address at the open-air ceremony, Zephrin urged the young players ranging in ages from nine to 15 to be serious about the competition. He implored them to be disciplined, respectful to both officials and fellow players and he also asked the community to help make the competition a success. Before kicking the ball to start the tournament, MP James pledged her support to the Beetham Gardens Organising Committee in their effort to highlight the positive aspects of the community. Organising Committee chairman Stevenson Westfield welcomed the participating teams and supporters to the competition. SS Stars and Foundation began their exhibition match to the delight of the spectators. The competition continues on weekends at the basketball court.
CENTRAL ZONE leaders Carapichaima and 2002 winners Presentation College, Chaguanas will face off in a top-of-the-table clash at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva today.
Carapichaima hold a one-point lead over Presentation, and this afternoon’s result will go a long way in determining the fate of the 2003 zone title. Mid-table teams Tabaquite and Union Claxton Bay will contest the zone’s other fixture at the Tabaquite Grounds. The “Westmoorings Tigers” St Anthony’s face a stern test against third-placed Malick at home in the North Zone. The Tigers have a one-point lead over second-placed QRC, who will fancy their chances in front of their partisan crowd against the struggling St Mary’s. Fatima are favoured to defeat Morvant/Laventille at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo while Diego Martin battle Mucurapo at the Fatima Grounds.
East Zone leaders, the “Dial Dynamos” Arima will host the inconsistent “Blue Thunder” El Dorado at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima while current runners-up St Augustine will meet bottom-placed San Juan at St Augustine. St George’s can close the gap with the top two with a win at home over neighbours Barataria while Toco and Hillview square off at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground. In the South Zone, Fyzabad welcome reigning Zonal champs Princes Town while second-placed St Benedict’s head to the Mayaro Recreation Ground to face Mayaro. All matches begin at 3.45 pm with the exception of a double-header at Skinner Park, San Fernando which starts at 3 pm. At that venue cellar-placed Presentation aim for their second straight win against Vessigny while leaders Naparima square off against Pleasantville.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning said yesterday he has asked National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee, for a report on Monday’s traffic gridlock because he says, he doesn’t understand why there was a need to shut down streets in the city.
Everyone, including Members of Parliament and guests to the ceremonial opening of Parliament, was blocked out from the streets around the Parliament as a result of the security arrangements for the Abu Bakr inquiry. The chaotic traffic situation resulted in the late arrival of many persons to the Red House, with the President addressing a half-empty Chamber. Yesterday Manning commented on the situation: “I have raised that question with the Minister of National Security and he would let me know exactly what happened, and why. I had no reason to believe that there was any special reason for any particular lockdown on that day…I was not aware of any special need for that. I just couldn’t understand why such unusual arrangements were put in place,” he stated.
On the question of the prayer said by Rev Cyril Paul at the opening of Parliament, Manning reiterated that the prayer was inappropriate. Told that both the President and Rev Paul were talking about deficiencies they perceived in the functioning of Parliament and of MPs not pursuing the people’s interest, Manning said that as far as he was aware, Rev Paul was saying a prayer, and was not required to make a statement. “There is a difference between a prayer and a statement,” Manning said. But whether you pray, or whether you say it, weren’t the comments critical either way? “Which is exactly the point I was trying to make — that a prayer is not the appropriate place (mechanism) to do that,” the Prime Minister responded. He added: “Constantly I make the point that if politicians today are not held in the regard in which they would like to be held…then they have nobody to blame but themselves. And one of the things I try to do is to insist that certain standards are maintained within the Parliament itself…If MPs on our side say things with which I do not agree, or if I disagree with their attitude, or the manner in which they say something, I talk to them quietly afterwards. We don’t go on the front page (of the newspapers) with that.” While the PNM “does its part” to try to uphold standards in Parliament, the Prime Minister said he could not speak for “others.”
Manning was also questioned on the plan to develop Caroni Limited which was presented by private investors to Dr Lenny Saith and Sen John Rahael. The PM said that “so far” it was “nothing more than a PR exercise” with Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj emerging at the forefront of what appeared to be “merely a strategy to create a political issue where none exists. And he (Maharaj) is trying to eke out political space in anticipation of the formation of a new political party,” Manning asserted, adding that there had been nothing “concrete” in the plan presented by this group. On Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s pledge that the UNC’s policy of non-cooperation would continue, Manning said Panday and the UNC would continue to pay the political price for such “irresponsibility” as they “pussyfooted” on the issue of crime. On the Opposition leader’s insistence that constitution reform had to be put on the table before anything else was addressed, Manning said the PNM did not need the UNC to tell it that constitution reform was necessary. Pointing to the party’s election manifesto, the Prime Minister said the PNM had been pursuing an agenda of constitution reform. But, “We do not propose to rush into it,” he said, emphasising Government commitment to proceed on the basis of the widest possible consultation with the national community.
On Panday’s criticisms of President Max Richards for not delivering the “traditional” throne speech outlining Government’s legislative agenda, Manning said Panday’s posture was “one step away from saying that we should have retained the monarchy.” He said since Trinidad and Tobago became a Republic the country had slowly moved away from the motion of a “throne speech” and had replaced it with a statement by the President “who in his own deliberate judgement in addressing the Parliament chooses a topic of national interest.” Stating that the President (in this statement to Parliament) expressed a point of view that he feels would redound to the benefit of the country’s governance, Manning insisted that Richards’ speech was “entirely in order.”
Rev Cyril Paul told Newsday yesterday that said his first reaction to Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s comment about his prayer at Monday’s opening of the second session of the eighth Parliament, was one of surprise.
“I had been listening to all that has been going on and so I prepared a prayer, especially for Parliament,” he told Newsday yesterday. He went on: “I said a prayer that was helpful and challenging, and above all, to lift Parliament a few stages higher.” Paul who operates from the Tunapuna Presbyterian Church, caused a stir when within his prayer he said: “We ask Your forgiveness for the times when in our desire to score points we make statements and say things which we know are not true and responsible. We ask Your forgiveness as parliamentarians for the times we fail to do our work conscientiously and well, and we depend on charisma, clout, bluff or exaggeration to save the day for us.”
Commenting on Paul’s prayer following the opening of Parliament, the Prime Minister said that he would have preferred if the prayer was different. However, Rev. Paul defended himself yesterday: “My prayer was a good and responsible prayer. I know how to prepare my prayers.” He added that there were a lot of good elements in his prayer, identifying thanksgiving, confession and intercession. “The Prime Minister and I, get along very well, but what is ironic is, he said the President’s speech was a good speech, yet, he had a problem with my prayer. Both of us (the President and himself) walked the same road,” Rev Paul said. When asked if he was targetting any particular politician, the Reverend answered: “I wasn’t targetting any special politician. That prayer was for the whole of Parliament. The prayer was for the country and the people, everybody.”
POLICE are still searching for the bandit who accidentally shot and killed his partner in crime while they were robbing a Marabella businessman on Monday morning.
Jerry Fraser, 30, of Loukie Trace, Penal, was shot in the chest, after his accomplice’s gun accidentally went off while he (the accomplice) was pistol-whipping Daryl Seecharan in front of Seecharan’s Market Street home. Fraser’s partner then escaped with the businessman’s cellular phone and gold chain, leaving Fraser bleeding and mortally wounded on the ground. An autopsy on Fraser’s body, carried out at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, revealed that he died from a single gunshot wound to his chest. Head of the Southern Division —Snr Supt Desmond Lambert — is leading a team of investigators probing the incident.
The Board of Directors of the TT Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) has declared a $58,089,512.64 payout for the 41st distribution of the Growth and Income Fund. This distribution was in respect of the period January 1 to June 30, 2003.
Unitholders in the Growth and Income Fund received their portion of the 41st distribution on September 16. All unitholders on the register as at June 30, as well as the initial capital contributors who are also unitholders in the First Unit Scheme would have been the beneficiaries of the distribution of 40 cents per unit. This payout will bring the total distribution since inception of this fund (exclusive of the bonus distribution of $32 million made September 1, 2003) to $627.34 million. For the year 2003 to date, distributions totalling $269.32 million were paid out to investors in both the First Unit Scheme and Second Unit Scheme. The Corporation has now paid out a total of $2.16 billion to its unitholders in both schemes since its inception in 1982. The price of a unit on the First Unit Scheme began the year at $13.30 (offer) and $12.65 (bid). The price of the unit continues to rise steadily with the price as at September 23, 2003 rising to $14.35 (offer) and $13.65 (bid). The resultant yield for the year from January 1 to September 17 is 10.7 percent.
A FORMER Coast Guard officer who was trained in drug interdiction, was arrested at the Piarco International Airport on Monday afternoon with cocaine with a street value of $4 million.
The father of two was arrested by officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit. Reports revealed that around 5.45 pm on Monday, OCNU officers, acting on a tip, executed two warrants on the former Coast Guard man who was at the holding bay of the airport waiting to board flight BW 900 to London. After being arrested, the luggage belonging to the 31-year-old man was searched and the drugs were allegedly found carefully concealed in a rubber compartment of the luggage. The drugs were weighed and then taken to the office of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit. The man was taken to the Piarco Police Station where he was charged. He told police officers that he lived in Mayaro and Arouca. Police sources revealed that the man was wanted on two warrants for breaching a protection order. When he appeared in court late yesterday, he was refused bail and ordered to re-appear in court on October 9.
CHIEF JUSTICE Sat Sharma sworein two Trinidad and Tobago attorneys to sit on the Caribbean Judicial and Legal Services’ Commission (CJLSC) based on a request from various Chief Justices of the CARICOM region, and not because of any instruction from Attorney General Glenda Morean, as was being alleged by the United National Congress (UNC).
In dismissing, yesterday, the High Court case filed by UNC MP Chandresh Sharma, Justice Jamadar chastised the applicant (MP Sharma) for not furnishing the court with facts to support his contention that CJ Sharma “appointed” the members of the commission. “In fact the evidence is, the Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, acting ‘on behalf of the conference of heads of the Judiciary of the member-states of the Caribbean community’ issued an invitation ‘to witness the installation of the members of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission,” Justice Jamadar stated in a seven-page judgement. Allan Alexander SC and Kenneth Lalla SC, were sworn in as commissioners on August 21, in a ceremony at the Hall of Justice, presided over by CJ Sharma. The rest of the commissioners are to come from the respective CARICOM member-states. The CJLSC’s function is to appoint the judges who are to preside on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
MP Sharma sought judicial review of CJ Sharma’s decision to swearin/appoint the commissioners. British Queen’s Counsel Dr Fenton Ramsahoye argued that CJ Sharma could not, as head of the Judiciary, appoint upon instructions from the Executive (via the AG). Ramsahoye, instructed by attorney Anand Ramlogan, contended that the protocol and agreements establishing the CCJ, ought to have been incorporated into local legislation before the CJ could have acted. Jamadar agreed, however, with Anthony Jacelon SC, instructed by Kerwyn Garcia, that the State, by virtue of its treaty-making power, can act under international law. Justice Jamadar stated in his judgement that the applicant (Chandresh Sharma), provided no factual evidence that the Executive (AG), instructed CJ Sharma to perform the swearing-in. Stating that it was the CARICOM secretariat which was involved in the exercise, the judge stated: “Indeed there is no evidence to suggest that the Executive was in any way actively involved in this occasion.”
INVESTIGATIONS into what was thought to be the latest kidnapping in the Southland, in which a 16-year-old schoolgirl claimed she was abducted by three men and taken to Gulf City Mall, turned out to be false and the teenaged “victim” has since been charged with wasteful employment of police time.
The 16-year-old girl is expected to appear before a San Fernando Magis-trate today to face the charge, laid by WPC Bruce of San Fernando CID, after appearing late yesterday evening before a Justice of the Peace. According to police reports, the teen, who lives at Siparia/Erin Road, came to the San Fernando CID around 10 am on Sunday and reported to Insp Brereton, Sgt Bellingy and WPC Bruce, that on Saturday night she boarded a cream-coloured Datsun 280C taxi at Chancery Lane. She said in the car at the time was a male passenger and the taxi-driver. The driver left the stand and drove to the PTSC compound near the San Fernando wharf where the male passenger alighted the vehicle and three men entered the car. The victim said that as the car was turning into Gulf City Mall, the men attacked and blindfolded her. She was later ordered to call her boyfriend from a cellular phone and ask him to meet her at the mall. The teen told police that when she called her boyfriend and asked him to meet her at the mall, he refused. She claimed the men drove for a while and dropped her off in the Marabella district. She then made her way back to San Fernando and came to the police station and reported the incident.
POLICE Constable Khemraj Khelawan yesterday hobbled into the Couva Magis-trates’ Court on crutches and was granted $50,000 bail by Magistrate Gloria Jasmath, before whom the officer appeared on a charge of vehicular manslaughter.
PC Khelawan, 30, was charged indic-tably with causing the unlawful death of 68-year-old Ralph Baksh, who was knocked down and killed on March 11. Khelawan, formerly attached to a station in the central division, was arrested on Monday and charged by PC Rukam Jagger-nauth of the Couva Police Station. Khelawan appeared in court dressed in a track pants, a pair of white sneakers and a sports jersey. He hobbled into the court with the aid of a pair of crutches. His right foot was heavily bandaged. Attorney Keith Beckles asked Jasmath to grant his client “reasonable bail,” saying that Khelawan was “incapacitated” as a result of injuries to his leg, head and face, which he sustained during the incident in which the manslaughter charge arose. Beckles further explained that the defendant had to receive 46 stitches to close a wound on his right leg. While the case was being heard in court, some of PC Khel-awan’s relatives stood outside the courthouse and waited. Jasmath eventually granted Khelawan $50,000 bail and adjourned the matter to October 10.
