Officers of the Central Robbery and Task Force, led by Ag Sgt Ajith Persad, yesterday raided the Siparia home of a police corporal and seized a quantity of electronic items believed to be stolen. The same officers also went to three other homes in the Siparia district and seized more than $100,000 in electronic equipment, which included computers, stereos, DVD players, amplifiers and other electronic items. The items were reportedly stolen from several homes in Gran Couva in April. Yesterday, several persons went to the Chaguanas police station where they identified some of the items. Officers acting on information secured search warrants and went to the home of a 52-year-old police corporal and executed the search warrant.
They allegedly found the quantity of stolen items.

Officers involved in the exercise also arrested three persons in connection with the stolen items. They were taken to the Chaguanas Police Station and are expected to be charged soon.
Officers later arrested eight persons on outstanding warrants, possession of drugs and seized a car believed to have been taken at gunpoint from the owner in the Couva area. The officers then went to Valencia where they arrested a 22-year-old woman who owes the Siparia Magistrate’s Court $10,000. The warrant was three years old. The exercise yesterday was coordinated by Supt Errol Dillon and led by Ag Sgt Persad. Other officers included PCs Ramsook, Francis, Wiltshire, Alexander, Guelmo, Narcis, Sinanan and others. Those arrested will appear before a Chaguanas Magistrate on Monday. Officers of the Chaguanas Police Station are calling on members of the public whose homes were broken into within recent times to present the bills and serial numbers of their stolen electronic items to assist in identifying the items seized.

EMPLOYEES of the San Fernando Magistrate’s Court continued sick-out action yesterday, staying away from their jobs and forcing members of the public to be denied justice. Only seven of the courthouse’s 32 employees turned up for work. The four presiding magistrates were forced to only sit for a short period yesterday morning. The sick-out action is being taken by clerks, magistrates, note-takers, baliffs, administrative clerks and counsellors to protest the deplorable conditions of the courthouse. Magistrates were forced to adjourn hundreds of charge cases. But hardest-hit were persons who turned up at the courthouse yesterday morning, many of them women. They were unable to collect maintenance monies for the upkeep of their children paid into the court by their fathers. The Registry department remained locked for the entire day yesterday, preventing persons (fathers) from paying maintenance monies based on orders of the court.

Yesterday, acting senior magistrate Ramraj Harripersad was forced to postpone some 70 alimony and domestic violence cases filed by women. Harripersad, who is president of the Magistrates’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago, confirmed to Newsday yesterday that the gates to the court’s administration officers remained closed to the public yesterday.
On the issue of the court’s conditions, Harripersad said: “I’m not against the evolution of Caribbean jurispudence via the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Appeal but we have to ensure that the common man gets justice.”  He added: “Of the 60 cases on my list, 55 involved application for maintenance and domestic-related cases. Seven members of staff broke ranks apparently, and worked in the court until 5 pm yesterday in order to ensure the public was served.” Attorney General Glenda Morean toured the building earlier this year along with Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls. Appalled by the conditions Morean promised attention in transferring the courts to another building until the courthouse was re-built.

A committee was subsequently appointed and was headed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the Judiciary. The committee was mandated to find alternative accommodation for the court. A building was allocated to temporarily house the courthouse, but the transfer was not done. President of the Magistrate Association, Ramraj Harripersad, who himself is based at the San Fernando Court told Newsday that staff members have had enough and “just could not take it anymore.” Employees at the courthouse said that apart from a leaky roof, court staff, prisoners and members of the public have to endure a daily shower of pigeon droppings. There is no air-conditioning, toilet facilities are bad and the court staff’s lunch-room is caked with grime and dirt. Attorney Subhas Panday former vice-president of the Criminal Bar Association said that blame should be levied solely on the court’s administration unit and Attorney General Morean.

There is no dengue epidemic in South Trinidad, the Health Ministry said yesterday in response to concerns about the high number of suspected dengue cases being warded at the San Fernando General Hospital. To support its view, the Ministry referred to this year’s dengue statistics for 1997-2003 which showed a dramatic reduction in the incidence of dengue from 49.4 in 2002 to 4.6 this year. The Aedes aegypti index is now five, which the Ministry said is close to an international benchmark. Last year it was 12.6. The number of dengue cases to date is 757, whereas in 2002 there were 2,703 cases. “Every single statistic for dengue for 2003, including the incidence of dengue haemorrhagic fever, the number of suspected deaths, etc, is significantly reduced from previous years.” The Ministry said month by month figures showed a correlation between the reduction in the incidence for this year and the acquisition of new equipment in 2002.

THE OPERATORS of Club Pigeon Point now have an additional week to wait before knowing the court’s decision on the constitutional motion brought against the State to block acquisition of the lands housing the popular Tobago tourist destination. High Court Judge Joseph Tam was expected to deliver the judgment yesterday. However, when the matter resumed, the judge informed the attorneys that due to the large number of litigations he was dealing with in the vacation court, he was unable to give a ruling. The judge then adjourned the matter to August 25 when he is once again expected to deliver the judgment. In adjourning the case, the judge explained that the increase in the number of litigations before the court was a result of citizens becoming more aware of their rights. He also pointed out that this situation has caused a backlog in the court system.

Both Club Pigeon Point’s attorney Dr Fenton Ramsahoye QC and State attorney Dr Lloyd Barnett agreed with the court’s decision to adjourn the matter. In addressing the court Ramsahoye explained that vacation court was meant to give attorneys and judges an opportunity to relax and deal with their personal affairs, however, the amount of litigation that is dealt with during the vacation period was making it impossible for this to happen. The motion was brought against the State by Robinson Crusoe Limited, operators of Club Pigeon Point and subsidiary of ANSA McAL in an attempt to have the court block the State from compulsorily acquiring the lands on which Club Pigeon Point was established at an investment cost of over $12 million over the last seven years and presently costs an additional $43 million annually to maintain. Dr Ramsahoye, together with Rikki Harnanan instructed by Adrian Byrne, is appearing in the matter for Robinson Crusoe Ltd, while the State is represented by Dr Barnett, Karen Fournillier, Terrance Thorne and John Jeremie, instructed by Rohana Hosein. The next hearing of the matter will be heard in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Civil Court.

AN officer attached to the Western Division was one of two people robbed at gunpoint in separate incidents in Trincity and Woodbrook on Thursday, police said. The officer, PC Irvin Phillip, 21, of Trincity, was asleep at his home around 10.30 am when he was awakened by a knock at his door. Police said the cop then felt someone touching him after which he saw two masked men, one of whom pointed a gun at him. The assailants then announced a hold-up. The officer was then tied up and robbed of jewelry, cash, a cellphone and other items. The bandits then made off with the officer’s Honda Civic. Later Thursday, around 6.20 pm, police said a lone gunman entered Patraj Roti Shop at the corner of White Street and Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain. Police said the gunman pointed a gun at proprietor Kendell Surejall and demanded that he hand over everything. Surejall said he handed over $8,500 in cash. The man then ran out of the roti shop onto Tragarete Road and escaped in a waiting panel van.

CANE farmers started receiving final payments for the 2003 sugar harvest at section offices of the now defunct Caroni (1975) Limited yesterday. According to a senior official at the defunct company, payments amounting to some $42 million were processed without any problems. The official predicted that all farmers would be in receipt of their cheques by next Monday.

He said that farmers had been advised to visit the Company’s section office within their district to collect the final payments. Some 7,000 farmers are expected to benefit from the payout and, according to Trinidad Islandwide Cane-farmers Association (TICFA) public relations officer, Lallan Rajaram, the monies would “go a long way” to facilitate preparations for next year’s crop. He said this included field preparation and the purchasing of chemicals and insecticides. However, Rajaram pointed out that TICFA had secured a meeting yesterday with Agriculture Minister John Rahael to discuss matters relating to next year’s harvest.

BWIA continues to operate with a seven-member board with three open positions still to be filled. But the airline’s chairman, Lawrence Duprey says the board can run smoothly with the seven members. BWIA like all other airlines, he said was a work in progress, because the Board was searching for ways to ensure the airline continues to exist. Yesterday, at its annual general meeting held at Angostura House, Laventille, the company’s deputy chairman, Charles Jacelon was re-elected. Three new members were also elected following in the wake of resignations by Gordon Deane, Rajveer Ranawat, and Michael Stanfield. Duprey speculated that their resignations could have been the result of conflicts of interest, because as he noted they were members of different groups with whom the airline does business. After the shareholders failed to replace the three resigned board members, Duprey said the airline will continue to operate with a seven-member Board, instead of the usual ten members.

The Board now comprises Duprey, Charles Jacelon, deputy chairman; Krishna Narinesingh, Rodney Sastri-Persad, Captain John O’Brien, Indira Maharaj-Ramrekersingh, and Michael Small. Duprey promised that there will be replacements when the time is right. He however assured that the shareholders could call a meeting at anytime to appoint the remaining three directors. As Chairman of the company Duprey told the meeting “I will always have a concern about the interest of BWIA because it is vital to us.”  He said he has been always near  to the airline, which he said, has a very competent directorship — one that can carry on in his absence. Corporate Communications Manager, Clint Williams, said most of the shareholders’ questions were answered in the annual report.  About 40 shareholders attended the meeting which lasted about 15 minutes. Like Jacelon, the auditors, Price Waterhouse Coopers, were also re-elected. Union representative, Christopher Abraham said he did not expect anything spectacular at the meeting, since as he said “they don’t deal with the real issues.”

THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) yesterday predicted the fall of “tyrants” and the return of justice to Trinidad and Tobago. In a message to congratulate India on the 56th anniversary of its independence, the UNC said it fully subscribed to Mahatma Gandhi’s “philosophy of non-cooperation with evil”. “In our country today, evil stalks the land in the form of murder, crime, kidnapping, corruption, political victimisation, racism, nepotism, incompetence of the Government and discrimination. The Opposition like Gandhi, knows that tyranny and oppression are temporary. In the end, tyrants fall and justice prevails as it did in India 56 years ago,” the UNC declared.

The party also noted that TT and India share “a lot in common” and this bond could be traced back 150 years when East Indian indentured labourers came to Trinidad to work on the sugar plantations. “Descendants of Indian indentured immigrants have made invaluable contributions to TT in every walk of life. Today, there exist a strong bond between the two countries in the areas of religious activity, scholarships, trade, diplomatic relations, investment and technology transfer. There are also strong, emotional and cultural bonds between India and Trinidad which has transcended time and distance that have separated both countries,” the UNC said. The party added that the central message of India’s independence is “a universal message of hope for millions all over the world” and it sparked the independence of other British colonies in Africa and the Caribbean.

AFTER DELIBERATING for the required three-hour period, a jury yesterday informed the court that they could not reach a unanimous verdict in the trial into the May 1999 shooting of San Juan resident Lincoln Jones. Trial judge, Melville Baird, ordered a re-trial for accused Kevon Mitchell, 27, of San Juan. Mitchell was given bail until the next hearing date. Mitchell allegedly shot and wounded Jones at the Corner of Don Miguel and Adjodha Street, San Juan, on May 30, 1999.

CARONI (Brechin Castle) Credit Union Co-operative Society yesterday received part payment of the $10 million High Court injunction it slapped last Wednesday on the now defunct Caroni (1975) Ltd. Yesterday, the defunct company’s management handed over a cheque for $786,330.09 to the Credit Union’s president, Ellis Holder. The sum represents in part a recent audited figure of the $832,551.82 which the Credit Union claimed the company deducted from sugar workers’ salaries and other payments owing to them but failed to deposit into the credit’s union’s account on behalf of the employees. The employees are still members of the credit union despite Caroni’s transfer of its operations into a new company. On Wednesday Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy granted the credit union employees an injunction restraining Caroni from disposing its assets until the employees’ deductions were deposited into the credit union’s accounts.

Next Thursday is the return date for the injunction, which means that Caroni, by law, must respond to the judge’s order. Up to yesterday, Caroni had not filed an appearance in court. It has 14 days to do so, but yesterday’s payment seemed to be an indication that the company has agreed to settle the matter with the credit union. Upon receipt of the cheque around midday yesterday, the President and vice-president of the Credit Union held discussions with attorney Dave Persad. Persad told Newsday yesterday that the company’s management requested an examination of  the credit union’s accounts in order to reconcile them with theirs. This was an indication, Persad added, that the rest of the payments of $4,165,343.50 and $5,039,747.10, would be made soon.