TWO alleged kidnappers who were recently released on $200,000 bail each were back in jail last night after police arrested them at a police station in North Trinidad, where they were supposed to report.
A Port-of-Spain magistrate had granted them bail on conditions that they report to the police station between 1 and 5 pm on Mondays and Fridays. Senior police officers told Newsday that the two men were being held relative to “intelligence information” they had received on other kidnappings. The two were recently charged in connection with the kidnapping of two teenagers. They had been on the run for sometime, and subsequently surrendered to members of one of the protective services. It brought to five the number of people charged in connection with the kidnapping. They were initially denied bail when they appeared in court, but one day after, they were each granted bail in the sum of $200,000 to cover a total of eight charges. Both men later secured bail.
ARRANGEMENTS are being made for the majority of BWIA’s 300 stranded passengers in Barbados to get to London via an aircraft from Lancaster, England, today.
The arrangements had to be made after passengers travelling from Piarco to London via BWIA on Friday experienced major problems trying to get a connecting flight from Grantley Adams Airport, Barbados, to London. One passenger explained that they were told that arrangements were being made but that they were uncertain about what the arrangements were or when they would get to London. Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Corporate Communication’s Manager of BWIA Clint Williams explained that although arrangements have been made for the flight from Lancaster today, some of the passengers were being accommodated on available seats on Air Canada’s regular flights to London. He indicated that the remaining passengers would be accommodated on a chartered flight today, and noted that all arrangements were being made at BWIA’s expense. Up to Sunday, some of the stranded passengers were reportedly having difficulty checking into hotels on the island and one passenger claimed that he was unable to change his clothes, since his luggage could not be located. While apologetic over the passengers’ discomfort, Williams yesterday assured that all was being done to rectify the situation as soon as possible.
AMIDST the pomp and splendour of the National Awards ceremony at President’s House on Sunday, no one noticed that President George Maxwell Richards was not wearing his Trinity Cross, which he received 48 hours earlier.
President Richards received the Trinity Cross in a private ceremony at President’s House on Friday. However, he did not wear the cross during Sunday’s ceremony at which Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma and Professor Ken Julien also received the nation’s highest award. Newsday learned that there was no protocol which says the President must wear the cross at all public functions and there were occasions when former President Noor Hassanali did not wear his cross in public. The President traditionally receives the Trinity Cross in private. President Richards’ presidential predecessors Arthur NR Robinson and Sir Ellis Clarke are reported to have worn their crosses regularly at public functions. All of the country’s presidents have been awarded the Trinity Cross. Newsday was reliably informed that Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his wife, Education Minister Hazel Manning, were among those present at Friday’s private ceremony.
HEALTH MINISTER Colm Imbert said legislation currently being drafted by his Ministry will ensure that foreign tobacco companies do not use Trinidad and Tobago as a refuge from the global anti-tobacco movement.
The Minister told Newsday yesterday that because these companies “are getting so much pressure” from the anti-tobacco movement and are being “pushed out” of First World nations like the United States and Canada, they are now turning their attention to Third World nations. Imbert said this was why TT and 99 other nations signed an international convention against tobacco at the World Health Assembly held last May/June in Geneva. He said the proposed legislation will, ban tobacco advertisements, ban the sale of tobacco to minors and institute strict controls regarding the use of tobacco. Asked if he was concerned about opposition to the legislation from the West Indian Tobacco Company (WITCO) or any foreign tobacco company, Imbert replied: “So what if they rile up?” The minister said the arguments from these companies regarding the sale of tobacco were hardly convincing when one considers the attached health risks. “It is a poison,” he stated grimly. Imbert added that the legislation will be brought for Cabinet consideration “in due course.”
The minister said different signatories to the convention will approach the matter differently and Brazil is considering legislation which will force tobacco companies to produce advertisements showing the dangers of smoking. Imbert will have to answer questions from his predecessor Dr Hamza Rafeeq about the terms and conditions of employment of the volunteer doctors being recruited through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the terms and conditions of the Cuban doctors being recruited to work in Trinidad and Tobago and the process for registration of the Cuban — and UNDP-sourced doctors to work in TT, when Parliament resumes on Friday. On Monday, Imbert said legislation to effect the necessary regulations attached to the Human Tissue Transplant Act 2000 will be laid in Parliament and expressed optimism that they will be approved either by the end of September or early October and all the necessary mechanisms will be in place by December 31 for tissue transplant procedures to be undertaken in TT.
IN EXTENDING congratulations to TT on its 41st Independence Anniversary, non-governmental group Citizens for a Better TT (CBTT) has issued a plea to government to pay more attention to the poor in society.
In a release from the organisation yesterday, the group said “there were too many unhappy citizens who live substandard lives because they are either paid way below the minimum wage or cannot get a proper job to support their loved ones.” In response, they would like the relevant authorities to pay greater attention to the poor in society, as “there are still too many people who cannot afford the basic amenities for their families, and this cannot be right in a country where many of us live extravagant lives.”
NEW YORK: A fatal shooting marred the colourful flourish and festive atmosphere of the West Indian American Day parade yesterday, which organisers had dedicated to the memory of a city councilman who had himself been slain by gun violence.
Police said that toward the end of the parade, a man wearing a mask shot another man in the head along the parade route. The victim, who was not identified, was taken to Kings County Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities were searching for the shooter. Organisers had wanted the parade to honour James Davis, who was killed July 23 by a political rival who carried a gun into City Hall and shot him in the council chambers. This year, marchers included a group of people holding leftover campaign signs urging voters to “Re-elect Councilman James E Davis,” and others held signs supporting Davis’ younger brother, Geoffrey, who is running for his seat. A steady rain kept many spectators at home. The parade bills itself as one of the largest in North America, but few people were pressed against barricades lining the parkway this year. But the parade’s signature characters were out in force — men and women who danced down the parkway, some in outrageous, barely-there outfits and many waving flags of Caribbean nations. Behind the barricades, calypso music blared from speakers set up on the sidewalks, and street vendors served up jerk chicken, grilled vegetables and pina coladas. Also turning out in great numbers were politicians, among them Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton who was given a warm reception.
PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning will formally open the southern extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway from Tarouba to Golconda today at 1 pm after which “it will be open to the public.”
Addressing last Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Works Minister Franklyn Khan announced the $162.4 million project’s completion and said it was “totally local” with funding, design and construction being undertaken by the Caribbean Development Bank, Trintoplan and Seeraram Brothers respectively. The Minister said the extension took two years and three months and was well within budget. “The road is a 4.2 km, four-lane highway. It is one of the better pieces of road that we have in Trinidad and Tobago,” a visibly proud Khan said. The Minister also spoke of a series of road-paving works being undertaken on the nation’s highways which will be completed in time for the re-opening of schools today. These include: from Piarco to Piaget Junction by Coosal, the Beetham Highway by Seereram Brothers and the southbound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway by Jusamco. The costs of these respective works are $4.7 million, $2.2 million and $2.3 million. Khan gave an update on ongoing drainage work on the Guayamare River and disclosed that “a major contract has started on the Caroni River itself.” He said this work included the construction of embankments from St Helena to Kelly Village and work on the south bank of the Caroni River. He was optimistic that these works would help to eliminate the perennial flooding which affects Central Trinidad.
AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into why officers of the Arouca Police Station failed to respond promptly to the report of a car crash, at the Priority Bus Route in the vicinity of the Arouca Police Station early yesterday. Reports revealed that around 5.50 am yesterday, a car crashed into a wall at the Priority Bus Route, west of the Arouca police station.
The driver and a male occupant in the front passenger seat of the car fled the scene leaving behind three women. An eyewitness reported the incident to officers of the Arouca Police Station. Half an hour later, the two men who had earlier fled the scene returned in a maxi-taxi and picked up the three women close to the scene of the car crash. officers of the Arouca Police Station went eventually to the scene and discovered that the car was stolen and involved in a recent robbery. Officers at the Arouca Police Station refused to give any information on the incident but Newsday learned that an investigation has been launched. The car was towed to the Arouca Police Station and checked for prints.
THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) wants nationals, at home and abroad, to supply ideas on the type of polls it should conduct.
The call was posted yesterday on the party’s United Kingdom and European website. Trinidadians and Tobagonians are being asked to vote on issues, tell the UNC how to address them and send their suggestions to info@unc.uk.net. The UNC’s website also described Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s Indepen-dence Day address at the Rubens in London as a success. The UNC UK Support Group said: “The event highlights the strong UNC support base in the United Kingdom and was well endorsed by all present.” Among the issues addressed by Panday were Caroni (1975) Limited, Integrity legislation, Crime and the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government’s “failure to implement laws enacted under the UNC administration.” Panday is due to return to Trinidad on September 7. Meanwhile, UNC sources disclosed that the party is currently working on a policy document entitled “Roadmap 2007” which will guide the UNC’s return to government. The document is reported to be drawing its data from several renowned political writers and deals with a series of issues including leadership of political parties. Following the UNC’s July 14 Local Government Elections defeat to the PNM, Panday reiterated his desire to retire from active politics at age 70 but said he would not abandon the UNC in mid-stream. Questions remain as to whether Panday will seek re-election in the UNC’s internal elections due to be held either in December or early 2004.
THE DRIVER of a car narrowly escaped serious injuries when the car he was driving ran off the Beetham Highway around 3 pm, and plunged into a river at Beetham Estate.
The driver suffered minor cuts and bruises but the car was submerged in the murky water and was pulled out by a wrecker.Officers of Traffic Branch went to the scene and carried out inquiries.
