AN ARIMA man drowned yesterday while bathing at Big Bay, San Souci, in Toco. Police identified the man as Michael Budree, 54, of Caesar Gardens, Santa Rosa Heights. Reports are that Budree, an employee of TTEC, went with friends and family to San Souci Village to meet ot-her relatives around 5.30 pm Saturday. Police sources said around 2.45pm yesterday, Budree left and went to bathe alone at Big Bay. Sometime aft-er, investigators sa-id Budree was seen drifting further out into the sea.
As a result, police said, his two sons, Jeremy, 18, and Damien, 24, along with a close friend identified as Kerry Sinanan went to his assistance. However, police said as the trio nearly reached Budree he disappeared un-der the water. The three men sought assistance from ne-arby fishermen. Budree’s body was later retrieved. He was rushed to the Cumana Health Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Cpl Christopher Joshua and PC Ravi Lochan of the Toco Police Station are continuing investigations.
FORMER Attorney Gen-eral, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj silenced several hundred canefarmers and former sugar workers when he announced that an unnamed company had already approached the Patrick Manning administration to purchase Caroni (1975) Limited. He was addressing a mass solidarity rally organised by the Movement for Social Transformation at the Centre Pointe Mall car park, Chaguanas yesterday. Maharaj also outlined two plans of action that the Movement would be undertaking on behalf of the former sugar workers in order to force Government to implement several additional clauses contained in the Voluntary Separation of Employment Packages: payment of pensions and priority in the distribution of Caroni’s lands.
However, the small flag-waving crowd went into stunned silence when Maharaj announced that he had been “in touch” with an unnamed company for the purchase of the former sugar company. “We have been able to speak to a company who have become very interested in buying Caroni Limited and who have made an offer. Its foreign investors want to buy Caroni Limited and the assets of Caroni Limited,” he said. Maharaj added: “They have also undertaken to the Government to re-employ all the workers of Caroni and also to give the facilities to the cane farmers to be able to supply the cane.” “As a matter of fact, I saw a copy of the letter that was sent to the Prime Minister, and I can tell you, I have spoken to Trinidadians living in New York, who are prepared to invest in any company in Trinidad and Tobago in order to ensure that the sugar worker gets his job and that Caroni Limited becomes a viable concern.”
Maharaj pointed out that with the right combination of management and experience, the sugar industry would be able to make an invaluable contribution to the country’s GDP. The National Team Unity leader also revealed that an order of “mandamus” would be served on Government, in order to force Government to deposit the outstanding deficit into Caroni’s pension fund. He said the amount was close to almost $500 million. A number of public meetings are also planned to coincide with the legal action, Maharaj also revealed, saying that within the next two weeks the order would be served on the Government.
THE SAGA of the multi-million dollar cocaine haul continued Saturday night with police seizing two more kilogrammes of the illicit drug and arresting two Sangre Grande men in connection with the latest seizure. The men, one a 61-year-old gardener and the other a 35-year-old construction worker, are due to appear before a Sangre Grande magistrate tomorrow to answer a charge of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.They were charged by PC John of the Matura Police Station.
The men were held around 9 pm Saturday while officers under Cpl Worrell and PC John were on routine exercise duty. The officers stopped a vehicle on the Toco Main Road, Matura, and after a search, the Sangre Grande residents were allegedly held with three packets of the drugs. Police sources said the drugs, which were sandy, resembled the large quantity of cocaine that washed ashore along the Manzanilla /Mayaro beach early last week.The men were promptly arrested. Saturday night’s cocaine seizure is the latest in the multi-million dollar cocaine haul, during which four bodies, all men, washed ashore. All four bodies surfaced within days of each other, and senior police officers believe the bodies are linked to the million dollar drug seizure.
OFFICERS of the St James Criminal Investigations Department have questioned several people in connection with last Wednesday’s disappearance of ceramic worker Khalid Ali, 46, of Swami Avenue, El Socorro. However, police said they are yet to find any new leads in their investigations to determine Ali’s whereabouts.The probe is being spearheaded by Sgt Nandram Moonilal. Ali, along with a vehicle he was in disappeared last Wednesday night from outside the Seventh Day Adventist Community Hospital, Western Main Road, Cocorite. Ali and his brother, Afzal had gone to the institution with their father, Rafik Ali, who had an asthma attack earlier Wednesday.
A WANTED man wearing a bulletproof vest was yesterday morning involved in a shootout with officers of the Western Divisional Task Force (WDTF). The man managed to escape, but three others who were with him, were arrested and were assisting police with their investigations up to late evening. One of the three, the driver of the vehicle which police attempted to intercept, was allegedly held without a driver’s permit. A quantity of marijuana was also seized. Reports are that around 11.45 am yesterday, officers including PCs Moore and Gonzales were on mobile patrol duty in the Seaview Hill, Carenage area.
MULTIPLE Grammy Award Winner, Cece Winans, thrilled thousands of local gospel fans last Saturday evening at “Cece Winans Live: Praise and Worship Unlimited” concert held at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Centre of Excellence, Macoya. The concert was hosted by the Pierre Sisters in commemoration of their 25th year in Gospel Music Ministry. Gospel lovers came out in their numbers to hear Winans render some of her more popular selections like “Holy Spirit come fill this place” and “Alabasta Box.” During Winans’ performance, security was noticeably tightened. Winans encouraged youths and adults alike to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She stressed on the power of prayer and was adamant that “Prayer can change all things.”
Local ministers also delighted the crowd with their choice of songs. The pace of the concert varied from time to time as ministers moved back and forth from groovy praise to solemn worship. Patrons were awestruck when local minister Reverend Angela Williams introduced the 2001 Gospel Song Festival Winner, Stephen John to join her on stage. John’s offering of “In Your Presence” brought actual tears to some, so distinct was his voice and flawless his rendition. The concert ended at about 11pm and many voiced their absolute satisfaction with this.
A member of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has declared that any celebration of “Assem-bly Day” would be meaningless with the THA not having the authority to make laws and really run the island’s affairs without “interference” from the central government in Port-of-Spain. Opposition Assem-blyman Ashworth Jack said it was like celebrating the “half freedom” that the THA enjoys at present. “Until we have law-making and policy-making powers in the THA, to celebrate Assembly Day would not have the kind of meaning that it should have for Tobagon-ians,” he declared.” It won’t have it! Because how can you celebrate and you have no freedom; and you saying it is time to celebrate the half of the freedom that we now enjoy?”
Jack, a member of the newly-revived Democratic Action Congress (DAC), queried. He argued that the island had in place a THA where major decisions that affect the lives of the people of Tobago cannot be taken without recourse to Cabinet. While Trinidad and Tobago was currently enjoying 41 years of independence, he charged that “we have not been allowed to share in that independence.” Jack insisited that the THA must be able to make decisions without “interference from anyone.” Jack put forward the argument at Thurs-day’s monthly plenary sitting of the House as he strongly condemned a move to have Assembly Day officially celebrated on December 4 annually starting from this year, as decreed in a motion filed by THA Chief Secretary Orville Lon-don.
Jack said internal self-government for Tobago via the THA must be the “minimum” requirement before the question of any celebration of Assembly Day should even be considered worthwhile and genuine. He added that internal self-government should be the concern of every politician in the island, every Tobagonian, and declared that Tobago was not going to be part of ‘Vision 2020’ unless the island was given additional resources and responsibility. “We have not yet arrived; we cannot celebrate!” he asserted. The motion declaring December 4 ‘As-sembly Day’ was however subsequently approved 9 — 4, with Jack and other members of the minority present in the House — Minority Leader Hochoy Charles, As-semblyman Cecil Ca-ruth, Councillor Alex Browne — voting against it.
OPERATING with a broad curriculum which facilitates the all round development of the child, Queen’s Royal College (QRC) is a high-achieving, effective school which has stood the test of time. A teacher par excellence and a true motivator of students, today’s Hero is a teacher of Social Sciences, and the head of the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Club at this prestigious institution. With almost 29 years experience under her belt, Christiana Wilson-Browne has been teaching since 1974 and explained that the UNESCO Club was “trying to promote peace through inter-cultural learning and understanding.”
Recalling several childhood experiences, Christiana recounted when her mother informed them as children that she would now bring them up without the help or support of her husband. For Wilson-Browne, this meant “taking full advantage of the school system.” Claiming that her mother would go the extra mile to ensure that her eight children got to school despite whatever problems presented themselves, Christiana remembered that her mother never allowed them to do housework. Explaining that her mother was determined that her children would not suffer the same hardships as she, Christiana proudly revealed that all her siblings were now accomplished and living in various countries. Christiana said she was always encouraging persons of all races and walks of life to join the UNESCO Club. Revealing that projects for the year were centered around guidelines as set forth by the United Nations UNESCO Club, Wilson-Browne said this year’s projects were dealing with mountains and fresh-water.
As a result, a study of Victory Heights was done, from which a booklet was produced. Past projects included conflict resolution workshops, (which proved to be quite useful to boys) as well as helping senior citizens. Questioned as to how her club interfaced with other clubs, Wilson-Browne said they normally met at regional meetings, the last of which was held in Costa Rica. Ties were forged with persons from Latin America and other Caribbean islands. She reflected that teachers in the school system also had an impact on her life and the path she has now chosen to journey along. Christiana holds persons such as Elaine Smith, Ms Chase and Mr Lowe close to her heart and refers to them as influential persons who all some impact on her life. Special mention was made of secondary school teacher, Gloria Valere, who was always pushing her students to become “somebody,” she said, and QRC’s principal, William J Carter who is an important role model in her life. Revealing that the sixth World Congress would be held in Cyprus later this year, Christiana said it was unfortunate that the young people could not be taken on this trip. You’re wondering how Christiana is able to juggle various activities — well when questioned she cheerfully replied “I make a habit of taking it one day at a time and one event at a time.”
UP TO late yesterday, the file which implicates at least three North Eastern Division police officers in what appears to be a car switching scam, could still not be traced, senior police officers said. Questioned in his capacity as Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime/Operations), Glen Roach told Newsday he is aware that there is an investigation going on, and said he would look into it. Newsday yesterday carried a special report on the incident which occurred in August 2001. The incident involves the switching of a black Nissan Sunny, registration number, PAS 2455, which was reportedly stolen from the Santa Cruz Police Station on a Sunday night on the pretext that it was being taken to the Forensic Science Centre for testing. This has proven to be an untruth, since Yolanda Thompson, Director of the Forensic Science Centre said the car never came to the Centre in the year 2001.
The car, which was an exhibit, was in very good condition when it was taken from the Santa Cruz Station. However, another vehicle, which was passed off as the black Nissan Sunny was brought back to the Santa Cruz Station in a dilapidated condition and it is understood that illegal activities were carried out with the vehicle. An investigation was carried out by Insp Christopher Lewis and Sgt Hazarie during which several statements were recorded, some of which state that junior officers were instructed by a Constable to write false information in station diaries relating to the vehicle’s movements. Senior police officers told Newsday that the file was sent to Sr Supt Maurice Piggott, head of the Anti Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB). Piggott is said to have returned the file for certain things to be cleard up.
DESPITE strenuous objections by a State attorney, well-known Chaguanas resident Selwyn “Robo Cop” Alexis, who is charged with kidnapping a San Fernando businessman, was on Thursday granted $100,000 bail by a Port-of-Spain High Court judge. Alexis secured bail less than a week after the State’s main witness against him was murdered and his body later found wrapped in a bag in a Longdenville pond. Justice Herbert Volney granted Alexis bail in the sum of $100,000. Alexis is one of two men charged with kidnapping used-car dealer Saran “Billy” Kissoondan of Palmyra Village, San Fernando. Justice Volney granted Alexis bail following an application made by his (Alexis’) attorney Keith Beckles in the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain. The State’s main witness in the case, Kevin Richards, was murdered shortly after he walked out of a “safe house.” Richards was killed and his body wrapped in a bag. The body was later found by a gardener in a pond off Depot Road, Longdenville.
Richards was initially charged with Kisoondan’s kidnapping, but was granted immunity from prosecution after turning State witness. Kissoondan was kidnapped from his businessplace at Palmyra Village on February 23. He was released a month later after a ransom was paid. Charged along with Alexis are Brian Cole and Rooplal Harricharan. Alexis’ first application for bail came up before Justice Volney in the San Fernando High Court in April. The State cited death threats to witnesses as the reason for its objection to bail being granted. The application then came up on three occasions before Justice Jai Narine and was postponed due to the failure of the State to produce affidavit evidence to support its contention of death threats to State witnesses. On August 15, the application again came up before Justice Volney and was again postponed for want of the death threat evidence. On Thursday, attorney Beckles submitted to Volney that Alexis was entitled to bail and the objection by the State was unsupported. State Attorney from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Nadia James argued against bail being granted. However, Justice Volney ruled that he would grant the bail.
