A POLICE CORPORAL and three policemen could very well be the subjects of a murder inquiry, after an unofficial report on the autopsy carried out yesterday on the body of a 23-year-old man, who died over the weekend while in police custody, showed he had been beaten on his head with a blunt object.

Shaun McLeod, father of one, arrived at the San Fernando General Hospital dead, mere minutes after he was held by police for using obscene language on Friday night. According to McLeod’s common-law-wife, Mackiba Cowan, the autopsy performed by Dr Hughvon des Vignes at the Forensic Sciences Centre, Port-of-Spain, revealed death was due to blunt force trauma to the head. The death certificate also stated the Mc Leod was already dead when he arrived at the hospital. However, when Newsday contacted head of Southern Division, Snr Supt Desmond Lambert, late yesterday evening, he said he had not yet received the official autopsy report from the investigators, since they witnessed the autopsy at the Forensic Sciences Centre in St James, and had not returned to Southern Division. Told about the autopsy results the family had given Newsday, Lambert said if this version was indeed true, the case file and autopsy report would be sent to Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson and also to the Acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs, to decide what “action” would be taken. Sources told Newsday that it is likely that there would be a “speedy inquest” into the matter.

Mc Leod, father of a two-month-old baby boy, was contracted with Denny’s Enterprises and worked at the Point Lisas Atlas Methanol Plant. On Friday night he was arrested for using obscene language by a group of policemen in a jeep at Library Corner, San Fernando. The police officers had attempted to handcuff McLeod to a nearby post, and he resisted. Eyewitnesses claimed that he was “beaten” and then eventually taken away. His mother, Sharon McLeod said there was froth to the side of her son’s mouth and his fingers, left shoulder and left wrist were swollen and blue-black. Meanwhile, the results of the investigation into the death of 23-year-old  McLeod will be submitted to Ag Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs on Friday. McLeod died last Friday in San Fernando after being arrested by police for using obscene language. In a statement yesterday, Commiss-ioner Snaggs expressed his deepest sympathy to McLeod’s family. He assured the family that a full investigation into all the circumstances surrounding his death is being undertaken by a team of officers led by a senior member of the Police Service’s Homicide Bureau, and the results of that investigation will be submitted to his office on Friday.

Candace Logan, whose mother, Daisy Ramesar, is reportedly searching for her, said yesterday she wanted to stay with her father, Johnny Logan.

Johnny Logan whose former wife, Daisy Ramesar, has reportedly been searching for Candace, one of her three children, walked into the Newsday office yesterday to take issue with Ramesar’s allegations that he had taken away the three children. The children have been with him all the time and this was well known to people in Arima. It was a former friend, he said, who took Crystal and David to their mother. Crystal and seven-year-old David, were last week reunited with their mother after five years while the couple’s second daughter Candace, who was with her father, yesterday said that she was happy to be with him. When asked if she wished she’d gone with her siblings to her mother’s place, Candace said she didn’t really want to be there and that she was happy with her father but wants to reunite with her brother and sister.

Throughout the interview, Logan, who is currently staying at his sister’s home in Arima, stated that he always stayed with the Lord. Even now, he said, he was not one to judge his wife. He doesn’t hate her, and was even prepared to reconcile with her. “But I would want to visit at any time. But for peace sake, let us resolve this situation amicably. Do you think if I had anything to hide I would be walking the streets so freely?” Logan asked. Logan said that five years ago, while working on an estate in Talparo, he would go home on Saturdays to give his wife money to help with the care of the three children. Knowing that he would only see them on weekends, Logan said he first asked his wife if it was alright to take the job and she agreed.  At the time they had just moved to Malabar Branch Road in Arima, he said. “One day I came and I found the entire place that I was living in emptied out,” said Logan, who added that his wife went to live with someone else in Samaroo Village.

Logan claimed that he made a report to the community police in the area and said that when they went to the house, they found all his belongings. He accused Ramesar of leaving the children. “Everybody in Arima knew that I took care of Crystal, Candace and David. At the time, David was just only two years old. It wasn’t something easy for me to deal with, but I never resolved it by being violent, or tried to go and bring any harm to her. I wouldn’t say that it didn’t cross my mind actually, but the fact is that before even considering that, I had to look at the welfare of my children and what was going to happen to them. So I went about seeing about my children, and now for her to come on television and make these kinds of statements, I find it very difficult.”

Logan said that for the seven years they were married he knew his wife as Dassie Logan, and not Daisy Ramesar as stated in a newspaper report. Logan said members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints visited his wife and tried to counsel her, but that she never wanted to come back. “In fact she used to tell me that she going by her grandmother in Chin Chin Road in Cunupia to do washing, cooking and ironing because her grandmother was ill but when I got in contact with her grandmother, Poonia Ramlal, she told me, ‘I ent see my daughter for months upon months!’ “It is ridiculous for her to say I abducted the children?” said a puzzled looking Logan who went on, “the children were locked up in the house for a couple of hours until I came home from work that day to find them there and all my belongings gone.” Logan then turned to Candace who was sitting on his lap and asked her, to relate what had happened. The child said that one day her mother moved everything from the house, “locked us up in the house and gone with every single thing. She left us all on our own. My little brother was only two years, I was only four years and my big sister was only about six years old when she left us. I was small and I can’t remember everything that happened, but I remember that I was beaten, and that is my story.” Candace said she didn’t know why she was beaten.

He said that he remained in the family house for another two years and boasted that when villagers saw him with his children, their hair was well combed, their clothes tidy and they looked decent walking the streets. On the allegations made by his estranged wife, Logan has challenged her to come face to face with him and instead of fighting, sit down and resolve the matter together. “I am not a beast. All I know is that she is living in Tunapuna with the children and I wouldn’t take myself up to go there to look like if I harassing her. I’ve never done it, and I have no intentions to do it either,” he said. He accused a former friend who took two of his children to their mother as an opportunist. While he admitted that his children often spent time with the friend, he said that the visits were on the friend’s invitation. This was corroborated by nine-year-old Candace.

TWO FORMER British Intelligence officers have arrived in the country and are assisting the Fraud Squad with their probe into the August 29 attempt to process unapproved wire transfers totalling $4.7 million from the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), sources said yesterday.

They are also said to be assisting local police with another Fraud Squad probe involving TSTT, which is reported to have been swindled of US$4.2 million (TT$27 million) in December last year through illegal wire transfers which bore what appeared to be bonafide signatures of TSTT executive members. Top ranking officials told Newsday that the two former British Intelligence officers arrived on August 30, the day after TSTT called in the Fraud Squad when the second of the wire transfer incidents occurred. Sources also said the former British Intelligence officers, who once worked for the London Integrated Security Services (ISS) are likely to be here until the investigations are over. They were called in by TSTT. TSTT’s Corporate Communications Manager, Rae Ann Harper-Walters, confirmed yesterday that they were the ones who brought in the ex-British Intelligence officers. It is not that the telephone company is dissatisfied with the work of the local police, Harper-Walters said.  “Oh no, no. They (British Intelligence officers and local police) are all working together,” she said.

Harper-Walters told Newsday that she could not comment further on the wire transfer matters since it is now engaging the attention of the courts. TSTT is reported to have sued Scotiabank for some $27 million for alleged illegal payouts made to a dummy corporation in the former Soviet Republic of Latvia. Sources told Newsday that the two former intelligence officers are expected to lend their expertise to both investigations, which are now being vigorously pursued by the Fraud Squad department, whose Head is Sr Supt Wellington Virgil. They have been at the Fraud Squad department every day since their visit, sources said. Up to late evening, no arrests had been made with respect to either of the investigations, but police sources said the Fraud Squad had detained a messenger in connection with one of the wire transfer reports. However, sources said the individual was subsequently released.  Several people have been interrogated thus far during the investigations. After the December incident, sources said TSTT beefed up its security systems and were able to pick up on the second scheme on August 29, thereby blocking three illegal wire transfers totalling US$741,000 (TT$4.7) million. On that same day, the telephone company called in the Fraud Squad to investigate the attempt to process the illegal wire transfers through its bankers. The illegal transfers were discovered by personnel in the company’s Finance Department, but TSTT said in a statement last Wednesday that the transfers were stopped before they could have been executed.

The Medical Board has stated that Deputy Chief Magistrate Deborah Thomas-Felix cannot travel long distances since this would adversely affect her back injury.

Thomas-Felix was due to return to work yesterday, but had to take further leave because she is still awaiting the report of the Medical Board. Newsday understands that the report was completed and handed to Chief Medical Officer Rampersad Parasram. Attempts to get Parasram were unsuccessful yesterday. Sources said yesterday that the Board took the position that Thomas-Felix is medically fit to work. However, because of her back condition she should not be forced to travel long distances, the Board reportedly stated in the report. Thomas-Felix underwent an hour-long medical examination by two doctors appointed by the medical board. The examination was done on August 5. The results of the report are compatible with the position which Thomas-Felix has taken — that, she is not well enough to travel to the San Fernando Magistrates’ court, the area to which she has been recently transferred.

Parasram as Chief Medical Officer, has to sign the report before it is submitted to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. According to sources however, he has had it for over three weeks now. As Chief Medical Officer, the Board prepares the report on his behalf. Therefore he is free to comment or criticise the report and its findings. Thomas-Felix is challenging, on medical grounds, the decision of Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicholls to assign her to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. In July she sought  judicial leave but was turned down by Justice Mark Mohammed. She has since filed an appeal. That appeal is due to start on September 27. And sources wondered yesterday whether the Report of the Medical Board would be released by Parasram to the JLSC before  the appeal begins. Thomas-Felix who is seeking to quash McNicholls’ decision, wants the Appeal Court to grant her leave to seek her judicial review.

The JLSC had requested that Thomas-Felix be examined by the medical board to determine the extent of her back injuries. Among her medical documents produced was an MRI Scan done by Dr Parmanand Maharaj of her lumbar sacral spine, and another report by Dr Godfrey Araujo, an othopaedic surgeon. Thomas-Felix was transferred to the San Fernando Court in February, shortly after McNicholls informed her that he had taken over the trial of former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday.

SOME employees of TSTT were quizzed again yesterday as investigations into an attempt to defraud the company of $4.7 million continued.

A senior Fraud Squad officer told Newsday that some of the employees questioned yesterday were already questioned last week. He revealed that more persons are expected to be interviewed as part of the investigation, and in some instances, a scientific approach is being introduced to assist in the speeding up of the probe. The senior officer revealed that investigators have already examined all the documents seized, and they have moved a step further in trying to find out who was responsible for trying to process the wire transfers. Newsday learned that based on information received as part of the probe, arrests are imminent.

RBTT Bank continues to be a key player in the local financial market and was recently awarded the mandate to arrange a $719 million fixed rate non-callable bond for Caroni (1975) Limited.

The proceeds of this bond are to be used for the much publicised Voluntary Separation Employment Programme. The bond was issued in two series at a rate of 6.25 percent. A Letter of Comfort was issued at the first instance and will later be converted to an unconditional guarantee from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. The bond offering is expected to be taken up by pension plans, insurance companies and other financial institutions in the local market.

Sources at RBTT Merchant Bank say that given the recent sovereign upgrade from BBB+ to A- on the local currency front by Standard and Poors, the TT Government is now capable of tapping the local market for relatively cheaper funding for these types of purposes without having to dip into Government’s coffers. This augurs well for the country’s debt-servicing capacity and will be received favourably by international investors as it demonstrates TT’s continued persistent drive to be the financial centre of the English-speaking Caribbean having relatively been insulated from post 9/11 fallout.

The project to bring 100 United Nations Volunteer (UNV) doctors to TT starting this year and ending May 31, 2006 is costing Government US$12,313,236 —TT$73,879,416.

Personnel costs for the UN doctors and other health professionals are US$11,151,60 — TT$66,909,-600. The doctors are expected to arrive before month’s end and will go through three one-week orientation sessions costing US$2,936 —TT$17,616. UN doctors along with Cuban doctors have been recruited by the Health Ministry to address the shortage in the Health sector. The UN volunteers are to be contracted for periods of up to three years. Under the agreement signed between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the executing agency for the project — the Ministry of Health, the UN doctors will receive a “modest monthly living allowance, called a Volunteer Living  Allowance (VLA) to cover living expenses. They do not receive a wage.” The VLA is established through cost of living surveys, sampling of salary rates of the Government, non-Governmental organisations and the private sector. The VLA is a set rate for all UNV posts so an engineer, teacher or doctor would earn the same stipend.

The UNVs’ condition of service includes health and life insurance, vacation entitlements, travel to and from their country of origin, support for spouse and beneficiaries as well as other benefits. One of the key objectives of the agreement “is to provide UNV medical professionals to the Government of the Republic of TT while the country devises and implements a plan to train and retain such professionals on a long-term basis.” Other areas of assistance are capacity building to ensure sustainability through a mentorship programme after the programme ends and projects to strengthen areas where treatment is currently unavailable and to address management of health care centres through the placement of healthcare managers. The mentorship programme will see UNV doctors recruited to work at health centres and hospitals where they will “coach junior doctors.” In the short term, a partnership will be established with the University of the West Indies which would allow the doctors with relevant skills to function as visiting lecturers to UWI’s School of Medicine. The presence of the UNV doctors is expected to be a “respite” while the programme for accelerated training of healthcare professionals takes effect.

As part of the programme, scholarships will be granted to people already in medical schools and new students wishing to pursue careers in areas where there is a shortage of specialised skills. “These professionals, upon graduation, will be initial candidates for the mentorship programme using the UNVs.” Within six months of the doctors’ placement at health facilities and as a condition of ensuring the shortage in the health sector is systematically addressed, UNDP will work with Government to devise an “Interactive Exit Strategy” for phasing out UNVs after three years. A Project-Steering Committee will be established to monitor the strategy. The UNDP TT office along with the Health Ministry will be responsible for the financial management of the project, with UNDP providing six monthly financial reports to the Ministry. It will also host six monthly meetings of the Steering Committee and Ministry to discuss the UNVs’ performance and assess progress in the Exit Strategy. UNDP is levying a ten percent administrative fee (US$1,119,385) for its services which include facilitating the recruitment of an administrative assistant to compliment the services of UNDP’s Client Services Unit for the management of the project.

The Health Ministry yesterday said Cubans are not required to do the Caribbean Association of Medical Councils (CAMC) exam as the Medical Board of TT has registered graduates of Cuban Medical Schools and graduates of medical schools in foreign countries.

In a media release, the Health Ministry said there is no legal requirement for the CAMC exam. “In order to register doctors to practise, all that is required is a proper assessment of the doctors’ training, qualifications, experience and competence and this has been the procedure in this country for the last 40 years,” the release stated. However, an official of the Council of the Medical Board said those graduates referred to were Trinidadians who study in Cuba. Other foreigners registered would have been graduates from the list of schools recognised by the Medical Board.

He said as pre-requisites for registering the Cubans, the Ministry was asked to certify that the Cubans could communicate in English and that their schools were recognised. Many schools on the local listing are those accredited by the United Kingdom’s General Medical Council (GMC). “The universities of Cuba were never approved in the past,” the official said. He said two years ago, the Medical Board modified the list of schools and added those which it believed were recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the WHO has said it is not an accreditation centre. The official said the listing is a “medical school directory and not an accreditation list like the GMC.”

Professionally referred to as “The Paganini of Pan,” an accolade bestowed on him for his undoubted prowess on the instrument, pannist Liam Teague dazzled a receptive audience with his brilliance when he appeared in concert at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, last Sunday evening.

Sharing the spotlight with Teague in the presentation by The Patrons of Queen’s Hall was his performance partner, pianist Robert Chappell, Head of Percussion Studies at Northern Illinois University (NIU), the institution where Teague earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Music (Steel Pan). Chappell had visited this country on the occasion of the World Steelband Music Festival staged in 2001. Together, the very proficient duo used the programme’s first half to showcase their artistry in interpreting seven classical selections inclusive of Johan Sebastien Bach’s “Violin Concerto No 1 in A Minor,” J H Fiocco’s “Allegro,” G H Green’s “Triplets,” N Paganini’s “Perpetual Motion,” Teague’s “The Honey Bee” and “Raindrops,” and Chappel’s “Panoraga.”

The last was a serious musical  statement featuring Chappel on the tabla and Teague on tenor pan. Chappel, a multi-instrumentalist, is a composer in contemporary jazz and cross culture idioms. His interest in world percussion resulted in a detailed study of the East Indian tabla that eventually led to the creative composition “Panoraga,” based on the Hindustani classical music of North India. It was Teague’s first concert on home soil in ten years. The last occasion was when he appeared with the National Youth Orchestra prior to his departure for NIU. He spoke intelligently to the audience, stating how “extremely proud” he felt in being able to showcase the steelpan to the world, and return home to appear in concert  “to show what I have learnt.”

He presented, as a guest performer, junior female pannist Mia Gormandy who won justified applause for her spirited interpretation of “Flight Of The Bumble Bee.”  For the playbill’s second half, the duo was joined by esteemed musicians, Wayne Bruno on guitar, Barry Howard on drums and Albert Bushe Jnr on bass guitar. This segment, comprising a variety of well-chosen pieces, allowed for each member of the group to deliver exciting solos on their instruments. Among the choices were Teague’s “Hands Like Lightning,” Ralph Mac Donald’s “Mr Magic,” David Rudder’s “The Hammer,” “Hear That Rainy Day,” “Tico Tico” by Abreu and de Oliveriral, and “Thank You Kitchie,” a combination of the late Kitchener’s calypsoes arranged by Teague that won audience approval and earned a loud encore. Before the programme ended, Teague offered floral tributes to his parents, Pearl and Russell, as well as long time friend and mentor Shirley James.

The House of Representatives meet tomorrow in a completely closed session.

The Finance Committee will be meeting to discuss a supplementation of variation to the 2003 Appropriation Bill. This is part of the process of  closing off the 2002-2003 accounts in preparation for the Budget, which is expected to be presented on October 6. The Report of the Finance Committee will be debated on Friday in a sitting which will be open to the media and the public. The Parliament is expected to prorogue on Friday and take a two-week break before the ceremonial opening on September 29. Meanwhile, the Senate meets today.