PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning yesterday said police are following all possible leads regarding a multi-million cocaine seizure and the discovery of four bodies between Manzanilla and Mayaro over the last few days, including obtaining help from Interpol and Venezuela’s Guardia Nacional.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Manning said as chairman of the National Security Council, he was aware of these developments but it was not practice to discuss national security matters in public. He added that should police investigations and the expertise of foreign law enforcement bodies be required, they shall be sourced. Manning gave the assurance that Trinidad and Tobago’s coastline was “relatively secure” and more on border security will be revealed in the upcoming 2003/2004 Budget.
In an exclusive Newsday interview in July, National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee revealed that TT signed a US$945,000 agreement with the United States to upgrade the country’s coastal radar network and purchase two additional vessels for the Coast Guard. Chin Lee said the new system would be similar to one used by the Israeli military to monitor arms smuggling activities into and out of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and the system which the PNM found when it came to office in 2001 was “primordial”. The Prime Minister said he made no prejudicial statements last week against kidnap accused Sheldon “Skelly” Lovell and only “commented on the issue” of the Opposition UNC not supporting a clause in the Kidnapping Bill which would have denied bail to persons charged with kidnapping.
Lovell is currently out on bail.
Manning also said he was not disturbed at the high failure rates of persons taking the Special Reserve Police (SRP) examinations. The Prime Minister explained that the threshhold for the exam was very high in order to obtain “the cream of the crop.”
Petrotrin will have to cut staff and pump one billion dollars into a “defensive upgrade” to ensure its viability, said Wayne Bertrand, Head of Operations at the State-owned company.
He also said by the end of next month, Petrotrin expects to make a profit of TT $300 million. Speaking at an energy luncheon organised by the South Chamber of Industry and Commerce at Cara Suites, Claxton Bay, yesterday, Bertrand said that part of Petrotrin’s strategic direction was cutting staff. “Petrotrin has to reduce staff, we have some plans,” he told reporters in an interview later. He told the businessmen at the luncheon that Petrotrin could not afford to shut down. “We cannot shut down, we are not allowed to shut down,” Bertrand said following his presentation titled, “Strategic Directions for Petrotrin,” noting that the impact on the economy, especially South Trinidad would be tremendous. Bertrand said that Petrotrin was looking at “another defensive upgrade,” as a way to deal with increased external challenges.
Petrotrin, he said, needs to be prepared for the Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) along with any fluctuations on the oil market. He noted too that “the Common External Tarrif (CET) protects us from the rest of the world.” According the Bertrand, three options were put on the table: close down the refinery, construct a new one or upgrade. A new refinery, he said, would cost about TT$3-4 billion, while an uprgade would cost about one billion. He also noted that the refinery may have to cut staff. After evaluating the costs associated with each option, it was determined that the cheapest and easiest route would be the upgrade, said Bertrand. “We really need along side this upgrade, to improve the refinery’s performance by 2006,” said Bertrand.
Because of the high costs associated with this upgrade, Petrotrin is currently looking at partners to invest about US$300 million into a joint venture by 2006. A joint venture, said Bertrand, will allow the refinery to share capital, upgrade risks, crude, access technology as well as tap into markets and diversify. He added that a joint venture will dissolve the existing corporate culture. “We want to drop the State company culture and we will get this from a commercial partner,” said Bertrand. He went on to describe the challenges that resulted in the upgrading of the refinery. They include a high cost structure and a low margin product mix. “Essentially what this means is that we make too much fuel oil and we sell at less than the cost of crude. Also we have a high manpower count of about 1,700 people at the refinery,” said Bertrand. There have also been significant changes to fuel quality and increased competition from regional refineries like Curacao and Aruba, he said.
FIVE United States Marshalls will this morning accompany four US citizens back to their homeland where they will face heroin charges.
The four accused are Michael Jacques, a Trinidadian residing in New York; Mario Gueteirez, a Columbian national living in California, USA; Caroll Ruiz and Erving Torres, both of New York. They were all committed by Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls to face charges of allegedly importing over $5 million in heroin in December 2002. They were arrested by officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotic Unit (OCNU) while boarding a BWIA flight destined for the United States. The charge was laid by Sgt McCarthy. All four consented to be extradited after Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson offered to have the charges against them dropped on the condition that the accused agree to leave the country. The five US Marshalls, Barri Boright, Marshall Reed, Lemul Powers, Ketah Simpson and Lisa Berger arrived in this country Tuesday night. All nine will leave this morning for the US on board BW900. David West of the Office of the Attorney General prosecuted for the State.
ACTING Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Carla Browne-Antoine has ordered an inquest into the death of former prisoner, Michael Lambert, who was stabbed to death on Tuesday morning, police said.
As a consequence, the 27-year-old man who had surrendered to officers of the Valencia Police Station, has been released from police custody. Lambert, 31, of Seow Avenue, off Mora Avenue, Valencia, is believed to have been killed following a long-standing dispute in which his clothes was burnt in a house. A man had told police that Lambert and another man came to his home at Runtuna Extension, San Pablo Road, around 5.30 am Tuesday. Lambert and the other man were reportedly armed with cutlasses, the man said. An altercation took place, during which time Lambert was stabbed once on the right side of his neck. He died on the spot. The suspect later surrendered. Police had said there was evidence to suggest that a struggle took place inside the humble green-painted house since one of the suspect’s windows broke off and fell on the outside. Cpl Mark of the Valencia CID is continuing investigations.
A MONTH-LONG spate of burglaries in the Siparia district ended yesterday when a “sting” operation, involving police who pretended to be limers, led to the arrest of a 29-year-old man who was caught red-handed leaving the Clico building with a quantity of stolen items.
The special exercise which was initiated with the specific goal of catching the burglar, who caused headaches for numerous businessmen and residents in the Syne Village and Grell Street areas of Siparia, was coordinated by Snr Supt Paulimos Alphonso. Yesterday, a grateful Razia Ahmed, manageress of Clico’s Siparia branch, was high in praise for the policemen who captured the burglar. “Thanks to the efforts of the policemen, in particular PCS Ramdhan and Ramjass, who at the time were patrolling the area, the burglar was arrested,” Ahmed said.
According to police reports, at about 12.30 am, a team of officers, including PCS Jones, Ramjass and Ramdhan, were posing as “limers” on High Street, Siparia, when they saw a man smash a window of the Colonial Life Insurance Company building with a piece of iron. Half-an-hour later, the suspect was grabbed by the policemen as he was exiting the building with two large bags, in which the officers found a quantity of electronic items including lights, CD players, a video player and groceries including bread, butter and jam. The suspect, of Murray Street, Siparia was taken to the Siparia CID where he was questioned. He is expected to be charged with several counts of house-breaking and larceny and office-breaking and larceny. Investigations are continuing.
Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Orville London on Wednesday called on parents and guardians to strongly urge their children to exercise care in the use of school facilities. He issued the call at the weekly post-Executive Council Meeting’s press briefing.
London, who is also Secretary of Education, lamented that four fire hydrants at the newly constructed $32 million Mason Hall Government Secondary School have already been damaged by students even before the school has been officially opened. This occurred during the recent orientation day for students. London said this came to light when he visited the school last week. “Please parents and guardians, urge your students to take care of the facilities,” he pleaded, “The principal of the Mason Hall school, that very beautiful school, said that after one day, four fire hydrants were damaged. One day! Four fire hydrants were damaged by the students, by our students in Tobago. We have got to find a way; we will do it from the (Education) Division level — the teacher, the principals will do it — but I think parents and guardians and communities have a responsibility to indicate to our students that this is a legacy that we have to pass on,” he emphasised. London pointed out that no new schools will be constructed in Tobago for a very long time “because we have already reached our quota. And therefore what we have we are going to have to protect!” He said it was the most disheartening aspect of his schools’ visit when that revelation was made. “And that is not acceptable!” London declared.
Meantime, Percival Mottley, Project Officer in the Education Division with responsibility for school repair/maintenance confirmed “a high level of vandalism” in the island’s schools. “There is evidence where students kick in doors, break light bulbs, damage electrical fittings,” he reported. “I mean, these schools cost millions of dollars, and no amount of security could protect these plants; so we want to appeal to the parents to urge their children to protect these facilities because we can’t cope with the level of vandalism that is taking place,” stressed Mottley.
SCORES of parents from the deep southern areas of Rio Claro, Penal and Siparia crowded the books’ stores in Princes Town and San Fernando last Thursday in a last minute rush for school books.
The new academic year starts on September 3, only four days away. Although store owners complain about the shortage in text books and stationery items, there were long lines at the cashiers in the stores in southern towns. Parents have been journeying from far off villages of Mayaro, Rio Claro Siparia, Penal and Barrackpore to San Fernando and Port-of-Spain in search of text books and stationery items for school. Many parents complained about the constant runaround they are getting to get the correct books as requested by the schools. Raymond Dindial of Rio Claro told Newsday that he has made several visits to Princes Town and San Fernando in search of text books for his four children. “Parents are forced to take many days to get the books their children need for the new school term. I believe that the government should look into this matter urgently and provide some way for the students to access the books they need,” he said. Parents have not yet received the government’s book grants, but many parents have bought books hoping to be compensated later.
Another parent, Hafeeza Zainool, of Fyzabad said that while the previous administration sought to bring secondary education closer to home for students, there is a need to get the book and other school requirements through the schools for these students. Parents whose children have been successful in the recent SEA exams were advised that text books will be provided for students on a rental basis on September 2 at the school. Communications Officer of the Ministry of Education Hilton Braveboy said many secondary schools have already received books to be rented for students. Schools that received books for rental purposes include, Holy Cross College, St Georges College, Tunapuna Government Secondary, Bishop Anstey High School, and many others. Many of the bookstores carry signs saying that the shops will be open for business on Sunday.
STREET vendors in Port-of-Spain have until next Tuesday to carry on their trade.
Mayor Murchison Brown told yesterday’s statutory meeting of the Port-of-Spain Corporation that those who don’t pack up and go will feel the heavy arm of the law. Brown said he had been too generous with the vendors who don’t seem to care about pedestrians. According to the Mayor, a number of store owners had complained that street vending was affecting their businesses. He was referring particularly to the pavement vendors especially those on Frederick, Charlotte and George Streets. The Mayor said: “We must bring back some sanity in the city.” Yesterday was the first time the Council met in caucus since the July 14 Municipal Elections.
A SANGRE Grande man who was awaiting the results of the recent examination held for entrance into the TT Special Reserve Police Force was on Monday granted bail in the sum of $10,000 after he appeared before Magistrate Judy Gordon in the Sangre Grande Second Magistrates’ Court charged with housebreaking and larceny of a dwelling house.
SRP hopeful Rennie Leopold, 19, of Sangre Chiquito and co-accused Kevon Lucas, 16, of Walke Street, Sangre Grande both pleaded not guilty to the offence of housebreaking and larceny when they appeared before Magistrate Gordon on Monday. Following the not guilty plea, the magistrate informed Leopold that she was granting bail in the sum of $10,000 with a surety to be approved by the Clerk of the Peace. However, she denied Lucas bail and advised him of his rights to apply for bail to a judge in chambers. The duo reportedly broke into a house along the Eastern Main Road, Sangre Grande, owned by Brent Hamid some time between 4.30 pm last Friday, and 11 am on last Saturday. They reportedly stole a CD player valued $345, 145 CDs valued $29,000, CD adapter valued $60 and foodstuff and other items together valued $40,000. The duo were apprehended following an investigation by a team of officers including Cpl Neville “Toco Burroughs” Sankar, Cpl Ramharack Gadar, PCs Carol Valentine and Anil Baboolal and fingerprint expert Jerry De Leon. Results of a tracing conducted on both men revealed that neither had any previous or pending matters before the court. The matter was adjourned to today.
Three Caribbean countries are to receive assistance from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the Ministry of Legal Affairs to install and configure Patent and Trademark Software Modules at their respective offices. The countries to benefit from this programme are Barbados, Belize and St Lucia.
This initiative to send missions to these Caricom states stems from a request made by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). Edith Sweeny, network administrator of the IPO, will be leading the missions to these countries during the period July to October, 2003. Minister of Legal Affairs, Camille Robinson-Regis expressed pleasure that her Ministry would be assisting fellow Caricom countries in the area of Intellectual Property.
