THE BALISIER is blooming in Central Trinidad with a significant number of former United National Congress (UNC) supporters now joining the ranks of the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM).

Prime Minister Patrick Manning made this revelation when he addressed a news conference after a meeting of the PNM General Council at Balisier House yesterday. The Prime Minister and PNM political Leader said the party’s recent membership drive throughout Trinidad and Tobago has resulted in 7,000 persons joining the PNM and he was very pleased about that. “We are particularly pleased with the response coming from Central Trinidad. There was a significant influx of people who traditionally have not supported our political party,” Manning declared. Reiterating the PNM’s longstanding “open-door” policy, the Prime Minister said the party’s General Council will do all in its power to ensure that new members feel welcome within the PNM and are allowed to contribute fully to all areas of the party’s development.

Manning said several constituencies across TT have already elected new executives and these will be going into pre-conference mode in preparation for the PNM’s annual general convention which will run from October 25 to 26 at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre. He said there were no nominations for any of the party’s executive posts at this time. Manning also said Laventille MPs Fitzgerald Hinds and Eulalie James praised Government’s efforts “to bring about social change in the Laventille area” by transforming the Old Government Rum Bond on the Eastern Main Road into a training facility for the youths of Laventille. The Prime Minister added that the facility will be fully on stream in eight months’ time.

Manning said the emergence of private entrepreneurs from the ranks of CEPEP companies “testifies to the fact that the concept of CEPEP was well formulated in the first place and we believe that the Government will succeed in our efforts with this major programme of empowerment for the traditionally dispossessed.” The Prime Minister declined to say when the 2003/2004 Budget will be presented but stated that there was still work to be completed Government sources have identified October 6 as Budget Day with the Ministries of Health, Education and National Security receiving increased financial allocations.

WITCO Desperadoes Steel Orchestra is the Republic Pan Fiesta champion.

The Laventille-based, ten-times National Panorama winner, captured the title and $50,000 prize at the final of the inaugural competition staged before a large crowd at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, last Saturday night. Playing a Clive Bradley’s arrangement of the Winsford des Vignes’ composition “This Melody Sweet,” Despers scored a whopping 276 points, ten more than it earned in leading the preliminary round, to beat reigning National Panorama champion Exodus Steel Orchestra into a second place tie with Tobago-based Katzenjammers, each scoring 272 points.

Exodus played a Pelham Goddard arrangement of  “Fire Down Below,” composed by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe and sung by the late Anne Marie Inniss, while Katzenjammers offered an Auburn Wiltshire arrangement of Sharpe’s composition “This Feeling Nice,” sung by Denyse Plummer. The bands will share the combined second and third prizes of $40,000 and $30,000, respectively. Fourth place and $25,000 went to Phase II Pan Groove which scored 271 points for its interpretation of Clive Bradley’s “Party” arranged by Sharpe. A presentation of Pan Trinbago in collaboration with the National Carnival Commission (NCC) the event required competing bands in both single pan and conventional bands categories to perform a selection written by an established composer of songs for the Panorama competition not played before in the said competition.  In the single pan band category Peake’s Yacht Services Scrunters Pan Groove emerged winner of the $20,000 first prize with 266 points, playing Sharpe’s “This Feeling Nice” arranged by Seoin Gomez. In second place was Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz playing Sharpe’s arrangement of Ken “Professor” Philmore’s “Pan By Storm,” earning $18,000. There was a tie between La Creole Pan Groove and Shades In Steel for the third spot worth $15,000.

The conventional bands were judged by Merle Albino De Coteau, David Waddell and Andy Chichester, with Victor Mc Gill as alternate judge. Single pan bands’ adjudication panel comprised Lorna Conyette, George Sambra and Clement Danclair, with Joslynne Sealey as alternate. Of the total 26 bands competing in the finals 11 selected Sharpe’s compositions, while the remaining 15 opted for works by Ray Holman, Clive Bradley, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Robert Greenidge and Winsford Des Vignes. The Fiesta was in tribute to pannist/arranger/composer Ray Holman. Holder of a national award, the Humming Bird Medal (Silver) for his contribution to the development of music for the steelpan, Holman began his steelband career with Invaders Steel Orchestra in 1957. He won the soloist competition in the 1964 Steelband Music Festival at the age of 20 years, the youngest player, at the time, to accomplish the feat. In 1972, he made Panorama history when he became the first person to compose, arrange and play his own composition. The song was titled “Pan On The Move,” the band was Starlift Steel Orchestra. It placed third in the contest. Holman, whose musical compositions span 40 years, was hired in 1998 by the University of Washington in Seattle as a visiting artiste to teach pan music to students. A prize-giving function will be held soon at which two original, hand-crafted gold and diamond steelpan pendants, donated by Kanhai Raggubir Jewellry, will be presented to Holman and the composer/arranger whose selection was played the most times in the Fiesta. The final was attended by Minister of Culture and Tourism Pennelope Beckles and Minister of Community Development and Gender Affairs Joan Yuille-Williams.

A 26-year-old Laventille man was shot in the foot while celebrating the victory of Witco Desperadoes, which copped the first prize at the Republic Pan Fiesta competition held on Saturday night at the Queen’s Park Savannah..

Reports revealed that around 1.30 am, Leslie Nicholas was standing close to Despers Pan Tent, Laventille, when several loud explosions were heard. Reports revealed that Nicholas felt a burning sensation on his left foot and realised that he had been shot. He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and warded. A party of officers led by Cpl Sookdeo and including PCS Edwards and Chulhan of the Besson Street CID went to the scene and carried out inquiries. An eyewitness told officers that a group of men who were upset over the victory of Despers at the pan competition held on Saturday night, went to the area where celebrations were taking place and started firing in the direction where people were standing. More than 35 shots were reportedly fired by the gunmen. Up until late yesterday no arrests were made.

When Newsday visited the area, panmen complained that they had asked for a police presence or even patrols in the area between midnight and yesterday but they were blanked. They claimed that if police officers had even maintained a presence in the area, the gunmen would have been apprehended and weapons seized. Checks with Besson Street police revealed that patrols were carried out in the area. They claimed that the person or persons who shot Nicholas carried out the act  shortly after a patrol was carried out.

ATTORNEY GENERAL Glenda Morean-Phillip summoned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson to a meeting to discuss the plight of state attorneys in the Office of the DPP.

Morean-Phillip confirmed to Newsday yesterday that she met with Henderson on Friday after it became obvious that state attorneys were protesting conditions under which they work. The AG said Henderson will now meet with the state attorneys to find out what problems they are encountering before he returns to a meeting with her. Morean-Phillip said she could not comment on the protest action by the state attorneys until she has had a chance to hear their complaints. But former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj admitted that the State will have a difficulty satisfying the needs of the attorneys as they fall under the umbrella of the Salaries Review Commission (SRC). Maharaj said when he was Attorney General, state attorneys complained about their terms and conditions of employment. “I took the matter to the Cabinet. I argued for an allowance for the state attorneys pending a review by the Salaries Review Commission. I requested that the Commission conduct an assessment of the terms and conditions for state attorneys.”

Maharaj said that sometime before the 2001 general election, the issue of the allowance was raised in the Cabinet. “I had a battle in the Cabinet for these attorneys. There was a position taken that the state attorneys should not get the allowances unless the Salaries Review Commission say so. I took the position that we could not wait until the system collapsed. I said there was need at that point to give them the allowances.” Maharaj said the salaries and conditions of service of the state attorneys were well below that of other sectors of the public service, including teachers. “You could well imagine when a brief is handed outside the department and a state attorney sees the fee for the outside lawyer which is 12 times what he or she gets a month.”

Maharaj said the Government was not interested in the state attorneys. The former AG said he was waiting to see what will play out. The state attorneys have complained about the onerous workload in the Office of the DPP. There are 34 attorneys who prosecute daily in over 40 Magistrates’ Courts along with nine High Courts and two Courts of Appeal. There are just four attorneys, including the DPP Henderson who enjoy over 10 years’ experience. Despite the workload and the shortage of attorneys, the state attorneys believe they have demonstrated competence, preparedness, and acuteness in meeting every legal challenge. State attorneys stayed away from the Port-of-Spain High Court last Friday in protest. However, Newsday was unable to find out if the protest will continue today.

MINISTER of National Security Howard Chin Lee will present a proposal to Cabinet this week for the purchase of special equipment to be used in the fight against kidnappings.

Minister Chin Lee said the idea is to advance Trinidad and Tobago’s security systems, using the special technology being used in the United Kingdom. He added that the go-ahead for implementing these systems depended on Cabinet. The minister pointed out that while the perception exists that kidnappings are on the rise, this is not so. Up until yesterday, 174 persons were kidnapped for the year so far. During the same period last year 147 persons were kidnapped. In August this year, 10 kidnappings took place while up until yesterday for the month of September five kidnappings took place. The last kidnap victim is Tricia Suryadevera, a 27-year old Princes Town businesswoman who was dragged out of her business place by three gunmen last Monday and bundled into a car.

A $2 million ransom was demanded for her safe release. Kidnappers have since refused to lower their ransom demand despite pleas by Teeluck Shirkissoon, the father of the victim. Up until yesterday, the victim was still in the custody of kidnappers. The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association led by Gregory Aboud said on Friday that crime was destroying jobs. On Friday Doma gave a $10,000 donation to the Crime stoppers programme. Aboud noted that kidnappings has had an effect on the nation’s tourism industry which translates into a job reduction in that sector since less tourists are visiting our shores. He added that crime is discouraging those who would consider visiting our country from doing so.

A 43-year-old housewife was held up at gunpoint at her Laventille home on Saturday night and robbed of a quantity of jewelry and household items.

Reports revealed that around 9 pm on Saturday, Lolita Ali was at her Cox Lane, Laventille home, when she was confronted by a masked gunman who ordered her to hand over a quantity of jewelry and household items. The gunman escaped by running away. In Tobago, English tourist Melville Henry, secured his apartment at Calder Hall, Tobago around 3 pm on Saturday and went away. He returned around 9 pm and discovered his apartment broken into and a camera along with other items valued 590 pounds sterling stolen. A report was made to the police and investigations are continuing. Around 8.30 pm on Saturday, Gabriel Haynes, 67, was drinking at a bar in Mayaro when he fell off a chair and began gasping for breath. He died minutes later and an autopsy will be carried out today to determine the cause of death.

FOUR women were among 16 persons arrested in a surprise pre-midday raids in several parts of Laventille.

Reports revealed that around 11.30 am, officers of the Besson Street CID and the Inter-Agency Task Force carried out several raids in Laventille with the hope of recovering illegal weapons and drugs. At Mentor Alley, four women were held in a house and two kilos of marijuana seized. A man who was also in the house was arrested. Others were held for robberies and outstanding warrants. The exercise was led by Supt Errol Denoon and included ASP Sealey,  Inspectors Ramnarine, Brereton, Sahadeo Singh, and others. The exercise was carried out in wake of the two recent murders in Laventille and the spate of gang-related killings.

DISASTER was averted early Saturday morning when Debbie Hills woke up from her  sleep,   to see that two of her appliances  had caught fire. An electrical fault has been blamed for the mishap.

According to reports, around 3.24 am, while in the bedroom of her two-storey Edinburgh Crescent apartment in Cocoyea, she heard loud crackling sounds coming from the living room. When Hills investigated she found her clock radio and electric lamp alight on a wooden table with the table cloth on the surface. She acted quickly by throwing both appliances through a side window of the house. Hill sustained minor injuries. Her two  children who were asleep at the time, Thorn Hill, two-years-old and Carifa Hill, seven, were not injured. A team of fire officers from the nearby Mon Repos Fire Station including Fire Sub Officer (FSO)  Benjamin and Ag FSO Gopaul visited the scene. After investigations they concluded that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. Damages were estimated at just over $1,500 .