A TUNAPUNA man was shot and wounded by the police during an exchange of gunfire on Maingot Street, Tunapuna, late Wednes-day evening, police said. The 23-year-old man was treated and discharged from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) and was up to late evening in police custody at the Tunapuna Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Police said the man is facing at least nine charges ranging from firearm and ammunition possession, possession of firearm and ammunition to endanger lives, shooting with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and simple possession of marijuana. He is expected to appear before a Tunapuna magistrate today to answer the charges. After the shootout, police sources said they found and seized a .38 revolver along with three live rounds of ammunition and two spent shells. A further search of the man revealed a small quantity of marijuana. Police were also expected to search his home yesterday. Lawmen said the man has a criminal record for firearm and narcotic offences.
Reports are that around 5.45 pm, officers of the Tunapuna CID received certain information after which a party of officers under Cpl Baptiste and including PCs Stevenson, Mitchell and Shepherd went to Upper Second Street, off Maingot Street, Tunapuna. Police said the officers saw a man and shouted for him to stop. The man then reportedly pulled out a firearm and fired two shots at the officers. The officers returned fire and the man received a bullet to his upper right thigh. The wounded man was first taken to the Arima Health Facility and then transferred to the Port-of-Spain Hospital where he spent the night in Ward 54 under police guard but was discharged yesterday morning. Investigations are being spearheaded by Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) Nazamul Hosein, Supt Leon Anthony, ASP Fitzroy Frederick and Acting Sgt Ramrattan Jugmohan of the Northern Division.
A MURDER suspect was among five people held on Wednesday night by officers of the North Eastern Division as they continued with their exercises, all part of Acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs’ new war on crime. Officers, co-ordinated by acting Sr Supt Waldron Bishop, went to several areas in Morvant, Barataria and San Juan during the exercise. They arrested five people, among them the murder suspect, who is wanted in connection with the July 25 shooting death of Morvant taxi driver Carlton “Baldhead” Joseph. The suspect, who was held in the San Juan area, had not been charged up to late evening and was being detained at the Barataria Police Station.
Joseph, 35, was gunned down while plying his taxi at Critchlow Trace, Morvant. Residents told police they heard a single shot after which they saw a white B-13 Nissan Sentra vehicle speed off onto Critchlow Hill. Police believe the assailants were attempting to steal Joseph’s car during which he was shot once in the mouth by one of the bandits. He was described by residents as a “cool fella.” The police party also arrested three men in connection with robberies in the Barataria and Morvant districts while another man was held for possession of marijuana. All five people are to be placed on identification parades relative to other serious reported crimes in the country, police said. The North Eastern Division exercise was carried out by Insp Ancil Coa, Sgt David Abraham and several others.
RELIEF was the major emotion expressed by principals and students at most southern secondary schools yesterday, following the release of GCE A’Level results, by the Ministry of Education. From as early as 8 am, anxious students began crowding the corridors and principal offices of their various schools, waiting for the examination results to be handed out. Then, one by one, anxiety quickly turned into delight, as examination slips were greeted with screams, cheers, and in some instances, tears of joy. At Naparima Boys’ College, principal Maureen Atwell was full of praise for her students who, she said, had produced an “excellent, disciplined” effort in the 2003 examinations. “We have done exceptionally well this year,” she said, adding that while results still had to be tabulated, students had performed “even better than last year.”
Echoing her sentiments was ASJA Boys’ College principal, Alim Ali, who said that results were “just as good and in some cases even better” than the 2002 results. Ali said that the school had achieved 100 percent passes in both Physics and General Paper, while 88 percent of the student body achieved full certificates. While at Naparima Girls’ High School, vice-principal, Fairy Lalle, described the mood at the school as “satisfied and happy.” “Our girls worked very hard and we are happy with their overall results,” she said. At Presentation College, San Fernando, a member of staff said that the results were “consistent in comparison to other years.” However, she noted that “excellent strides were made in the Science subjects” with the majority of students attaining full certificates. Scholarship winners for the 2003 examination results are expected to be announced some time next month.
SUSPECTED dengue haemorrhaghic fever and overcrowding may have jeopardised levels of medical care at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH). This was the grave concern expressed yesterday by the hospital’s Medical Chief of Staff Dr Austin Trinidade. According to Trinidade: “We are treating it as suspected cases of dengue. They are showing all the symptoms of dengue. There are some very ill patents so we have not been able to send them home. They have had to be admitted. We have had an unprecedented increase in the number of patients. As many as 85 to 90 patients on a 25-bed ward. Imagine our nursing care, our medical care has been severely compromised.” Wards at the SFGH were packed to capacity due to the mystery illness and several persons had to be kept in the corridors. Asked if yesterday’s incident heightened the need for more space at SFGH, Trinidade replied: “Yes but there is also the problem of people bypassing the primary health centres coming directly into the hospital.” He added these centres could accommodate people for 24 hours and once proper treatment was sought, there was no need for persons to be admitted to hospital. In a release yesterday, the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) advised persons seeking medical attention to do avoid coming to the SFGH and go directly to other public health facilities.
Former attorney general, Ramesh Maharaj, has accused the Government of acting illegally by refusing to enforce integrity laws and has called on Attorney General Glenda Morean to resign for allegedly frustrating the Integrity Commission in monitoring officials’ assets. He was addressing a news conference at his chambers at St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. The Integrity in Public Life Act 2000, itself birthed by the National Constitution s.138, sets up the Integrity Commission and empowers it to establish Regulations and Prescribed Forms for selected State officials to declare their interests. He said that the Attorney General and Cabinet did not have the power to alter the Forms and Regulations, which under the Act only the Commission could determine. Maharaj insisted that the Government lay the Forms and Regulations in Parliament, and then if it so desired, it could lobby the Integrity Commission to alter their contents, for example, to request the omission of spouses and children from declaration. He later told Newsday that the Commission had an ongoing life, and therefore despite the recent change in its membership, its Forms and Regulations which its former members had approved on August 7, 2001, were still valid, and had to be laid in Parliament.
Referring to wednesday’s swearing-in of new Commissioners, he warned: “The Government cannot have new members of the Integrity Commission appointed to have the Forms and Regulations changed or to legalise the illegal act of the Government to change the Forms and Regulations. These Forms and Regulations must be laid in Parliament and the Integrity Commission can then thereafter consider any changes if it so desires.” He said the Government’s failure to appoint a new Commission after its expiry on July 20, 2000 showed the Government’s lack of passion and commitment to deal with ministerial and official corruption. Maharaj was scathing towards Morean on her alleged inconsistency in her explanations as to why the Prescribed Forms were unavailable for State officials to declare their interests. He said Morean had told the Senate on July 1, 2003 that the Government was considering abolishing the Integrity Commission and replacing it with a new Anti Corruption Commission. Recalling Morean also saying the Forms and Regulations were being revised by her Ministry, Maharaj alleged: “This is an admission of action on her part to frustrate the Integrity Commission in the performance of its duties because the Forms and Regulations were made and agreed to by members of the Integrity Commission and she can only change them with the consent of the Integrity Commision.” “The Attorney General, on Monday August 11, 2003 in the Newsday admitted that ‘there is no problem with the forms really’ and further conceded that the failure to lay the Forms and regulations meant the Integrity Commision could not function properly.” Saying Morean was letting Ministers escape the law which protected public monies from official corruption, Maharaj slammed: “In another country the Attorney-General would have had to resign or be removed.”
Maharaj stormed: “If a Cabinet is permitted, under the guise of revising regulations or forms or considering replacing the Integrity Commission, to suspend the operation of laws passed by Parliament to investigate ministerial corruption and other official corruption then the Cabinet is placing itself above the Constitution and above the law…Democracy and the rule of law are in jeopardy. Dictatorship and tyranny will step in.” Maharaj recalled the Integrity Act prohibited Ministers from benefiting from insider information (s.25), influence-peddling (s.26), and accepting an unauthorised “fee, gift, or personal benefit” in connection with their ministerial duties (s.27). The Integrity Act also defined and banned any “conflict of interest,” lets members of the public tell the Commission of alleged corruption by officials, widely empowers the Commission to investigate including examining Ministers under oath, and lets it judge the consistency/veracity of the declarations made. Maharaj recounted that when he was attorney general the then Government (UNC) and Opposition (PNM) had unanimously passed the Integrity Act 2000, but afterwards some members had begun to query the requirement that their spouses’ interests also be declared.
TWO young boys got the shock of their lives on Wednesday when they accidentally stumbled across a human skull. According to police reports, around 1 pm, the teens whom police did not identify, were playing on a bushy piece of land off Pemberton Street, La Romaine when they stumbled across the skull, with the lower jaw bone missing. A report was made to the police and a team of officers coordinated by Snr Supt Desmond Lambert went to the scene and inspected the skull. The skull was taken to the San Fernando mortuary where it will be kept until proper identification is made. However, police sources said this could prove difficult, if not impossible. Investigations are continuing.
OUR COUNTRY should weep for ex-Test cricketer Jack Noreiga not simply because it has lost one of its sporting heroes but more so because he has gone to his grave without the honour and support he richly deserved. We should hang our heads in shame over the fact that Jack, who did us proud at the Oval in 1971 when he claimed nine wickets for 95 runs in the first innings against India, died a virtual pauper on Friday at the Sangre Grande hospital following an operation for colon cancer. It is a sad irony that Jack passed away unrecognised and unsung at this district hospital while the brilliant record he set for WI Test bowlers remains standing after 22 years. In one inning, Jack single-handedly demolished the Indian side with his mesmerising off-spin, taking the wickets of such batting stars as Sunil Gavaskar, Salim Durani, Sardesai Duleep, Ed Solkar and captain Agit Wadekar. It was an achievement made all the more remarkable because Jack, then 35, was playing in his first Test match at an age when many cricketers decided call it quits. Actually, Jack was called to the WI team to fill a gap during one of Lance Gibbs’ bad patches. His is a feat that may never be equalled by a WI Test bowler, but tragically we never honoured Jack for it, we never sought to express our appreciation in any tangible way, the cricketing fraternity organised no benefits for him even when, in his declining years, the ex-Test cricketer had fallen on sorry times.
The country as a whole must take the blame for this tragic omission since Jack was a national hero; he belonged to TT, he represented us at the highest level of the game and, although his Test career was relatively fleeting, he made us proud by that one magnificent spell of spin bowling at the Oval against a formidable Indian side 22 years ago. He was summoned to serve the West Indies in a kind of crisis and he delivered. Unbelievably, no one agitated to honour Jack with a national award. No one petitioned the State to assist him during his years of need. Indeed, Jack suffered the final indignity when, needing an urgent operation to treat the cancer destroying his colon, he was rejected by the authorities at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital and had to go to Sangre Grande because he did not have the funds for private treatment. Although he dabbled unsuccessfully in horse racing after his brief Test career, Jack never abandoned his love for cricket. He was always willing to impart his bowling skills to younger players and even towards the end of his life he was active in the game as manager-coach of Moosai Sports Club. Earlier this season, Jack donned his cricketing clothes to substitute for an absent player when Moosai met Couva Sports in the National Division II at Tacarigua. He was still able to deliver his off-spin magic by taking three of Couva’s top wickets.
Jack was a credit to the game both on and off the field. Former Test players who spoke at his funeral service at the Santa Rosa Church recalled his optimistic and encouraging spirit. Jack was always a pleasure to have in the dressing room, said Willie Rodriguez. “He always made the day bright, regardless of how much difficulty we went through on the field. There were always words of encouragement coming from him. He was a great team man, a joy to play with, and I think his 9/95 against India expresses the extent of his ability.” Jack Noreiga’s life has serious lessons for us. We still have to learn how to treat, indeed cherish, our national heroes.
There is irony in the fact that the 115th anniversary of the Royal Borough of Arima will probably be remembered for no other reason than that two men participating in the celebrations were stabbed to death. One, a young footballer, was fatally wounded because he “bounced” somebody in a crowd. The other lost his life over the alleged theft of a necklace/gold chain. How much cheaper, irrelevant can life become? The two reports of the deaths made the front page headlines in all three daily newspapers. The television news reported the killings against a background of cavorting young men and women leaving many viewers to wonder whether a “fete” with wining and drinking and other lewd behaviour is the only way we can celebrate an anniversary. And what effect does this sort of behaviour have on crime?
The Arima Borough Council had arranged other functions, of course. I read about a military parade, a church service and presentation of awards to outstanding citizens of the Borough. These occasions prompted the spouting of the usual clich?s about “claiming our dignity.” One of the ministers recommended that we stop complaining about the many “bad things” and “ugliness” around us because if we continued to dwell on these things we would remain powerless to do better. Is this not a case of burying one’s head in the sand? How can we improve if we do not recognise our shortcomings and indeed the ugliness that is everywhere? The new Mayor spoke of Arima in terms of “a callaloo,” not bothering to explain how it became a callaloo, but reminding the gathering that the “success of a great leader depended on the cooperation and unity of all,” not recognising that a great leader’s success depends on the leader’s own sense of responsibility and discipline. Another religious head called for the church to be “visible beyond its walls for crime to stop.” And while all these high sounding words from equally high sounding officials were being said, the crowds beyond the walls in the street were pumping up in a fete that saw the death of two young men.
I take it that the individuals who were honoured have lived their lives in Arima (probably for generations) and know a great deal about the Borough. Could the Council not have asked for their help in mounting a cultural or historical exhibition of Arima’s colourful history? A parade is nice to watch and we are inspired by the discipline of the marching men and women. But could we not have done without the street fete and the level of behaviour that sets such a bad example to our youth and indeed encourages and contributes to the lowering of general standards of behaviour? When are we going to recognise the absolutely low level of life that touches every way we live? Apart from the total disregard of the value of human life, we fail to take any form of responsibility for ourselves. Self esteem is lacking in almost every aspect of what we do and it is this lack of self-esteem, particularly on the part of our leaders, that is at the root of our many problems.
I feel sorry for the many young people growing up today in a society that is selfish and so keen on material possession that all other values must take second and third place. There is little for these young people to look up to and to emulate. In fact to the young generation, their seniors are less and less relevant. Is it uplifting to see ourselves particularly our young people engaging in the sort of “celebration” that centres around “the fete”? I don’t think so. I blame the leaders, the so called exemplars in our midst for whom “the fete” is everything or who see their role as pandering to the lowest level because that is what the people want. Who will stop the slide? I can’t for the life of me think of anyone, can you?
jstarr@newsday.co.tt
THE EDITOR: It was all well and good, laudable, that the licensing authorities have decided to crack down on traffic offenders. In one breath, though, there is the need to advise that in their exuberance they do not overkill; they law abiding citizens do not have to pay for the criminals who still elude them; that their approach is not hostile and adversarial and confrontational, but that in all that they do, it must still be in the spirit of “to protect and serve.” Thus, for a simple car defect, a blown bulb, for instance, a driver should not be issued a ticket, then and there, but, as in the US, be given, say, 48 hours to have it repaired, then to report back to them that it had been duly attended to. And Mr Commissioner, where is the evidence that tinted car windows are responsible for the high crime rate, the kidnapping and murders and robberies etc? There really isn’t any link between tinted car windows and crime.
There is however, statistical evidence that proves that exposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer, premature aging of the skin etc. Ninety-nine percent of the people who tint their windows do it for protection from the sun, to get maximum benefit from their ACs, not for criminal purposes. When, however, the licensing officer pulls you up in the middle of nowhere and orders you to rip off your tint right then and there, he is wasting your time and his time giving the real criminal enough time to do his thing and get away. America experienced one of the worst crime rates in history during the era of the Wild West. America did not ban the horses or the handkerchiefs that the bandits used to effect their crimes, because they realised that there were other factors responsible, that one lawman to a county or a state naturally encouraged a breakdown of law and order, not the horse, not the kerchief or as in this case, not the tint. In short, Mr Traffic Commissioner, try not to mistake the tree for the forest. Tinted windows protect health, they do not harbour or encourage criminals.
SUSAN SIDDHARTHA
San Fernando
THE EDITOR: I want to publicly support the Ag Commissioner of Police Mr Everald Snaggs when he said that continuous negative remarks on crime only give the criminal element comfort and encouragement to carry out their evil acts against society. The Commissioner did not identify the persons who bombard the country with the negativity but I am sure he was referring to several hosts on radio stations who take pleasure in attacking the Minister of National Security, the Police Service and the Government as a whole on a daily basis. While I agree that the media has a duty to report on any issue in the country, it is imperative that when opinions are expressed the journalist must ensure that both sides are told. It is one thing to express a view under the guise of press freedom but it can have devastating effect when it is done in an irresponsible manner.
As a citizen I have always had serious concerns about the advertisement aired on all radio stations by Tony Lee on behalf of the Crime Stoppers Programme. My fear and concerns stem from the fact that while Mr Lee is the messenger who is paid to encourage citizens to cooperate with the police in the fight against crime, he is a completely different person when he hosts his morning programme with his side kicks Dale Enoch and teacher Myroon Ali. Almost every morning citizens tune in their radio to hear the same messenger (Tony Lee) brutalise the Police and the Minister of National Security. I monitored one week of Mr Lee’s comments and noted with disbelief that he said he had no confidence in the Police and Mr Chin Lee for the five straight days. In every instance he was ably supported by Enoch and teacher Myroon (as she is affectionately called). Enoch’s derogatory remarks about the Government and the Police are not unexpected but it is teacher Myroon’s conduct that shocked me. She said on several occasions that their role is not to assist the Police or the Government. I wondered then that if a teacher can utter such words on national radio then the fight against crime is even more difficult and innocent citizens are put at greater risk.
Just imagine for one moment the bizarre scenario on national radio in this country of Trinidad and Tobago. On one hand there is the police messenger (Tony Lee) attacking the police with impunity (some times he takes bets that all the police crime plans will definitely fail), then there is Enoch with his personal political agenda and a teacher deliberately advocating non-cooperation in the fight against crime. It begs the question, Is the media still the institution to inform and educate? It is for this reason I was pleased to hear the Commissioner of Police’s most profound statement that continuous negative remarks give the bandits comfort and encouragement. I hope the powers that be move swiftly and take the advice of the Commissioner of Police before more damage is done to our beloved country.
TERRANCE ST HILL
St James
