LOOKING QUITE CALM, labourer Sean Marcellin, 34, appeared before a San Fernando Magistrate yesterday morning charged with the brutal stabbing murder of his wife, Juliet Victoria Gonzales Cummings, a mother of four, who was laid to rest on Wednesday.
Throughout his brief court appearance, Marcellin maintained a somewhat subdued demeanour even when the murder charge was read out in the First Court, presided over by Senior Magistrate Mark Wellington. Marcellin is charged with last Saturday’s murder of his wife at the Princes Town maxi-taxi hub. An autopsy carried out on Cummings’ body revealed she had been stabbed multiple times and her throat was slit. Marcellin was not called on to enter a plea since the charge was laid indictably. If found guilty, Marcellin could face the death penalty. He was represented in court yesterday by attorney Chateram Sinanan.
After the charge was read out in court, Magistrate Wellington adjourned the case to Monday August 18 and transferred the case to the Princes Town Magistrate’s Court. After the case was adjourned, Marcellin’s attorney told Newsday that at the next calling of the case he would request the court’s permission to have his client evaluated by a professional psychiatrist. Sinanan said he came to this decision after speaking briefly with his client. Cummings was laid to rest following an emotional funeral service at the New Grant Presbyterian Church on Wednesday.
Government and the police know who are the persons behind the recent acts of thuggery and violence at the Beverly Hills housing project.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing, Joseph said the police “was aware” of who was behind these acts and they are monitoring the situation. But he stressed that the need for a permanent police presence must be a last resort. National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee said that the matter was under investigation and as soon as the information was available, the public would be told who the perpetuators are. Prime Minister Patrick Manning stressed that there was a different between evidence and information and therefore an arrest could not be made on the basis of only information. Sources yesterday fingered the relative of a former leader who was now working in concert with another prominent leader to thwart work on the housing project. Joseph stressed that Government did not want to put up a virtual “fortress” in order to protect the Beverly Hills project.
But Manning, responding to queries, pointed out that the joint police/army task force in Laventille was now up to full strength of 400 and the patrols were taking into consideration the situation at Beverly Hills as they went about their duties. He added that a police base had been established close to the Lady of Fatima. Furthermore the police station at St Barb’s would be manned on a 24 hour basis, he said. “If it turns out — and I had optimistic that it won’t — that a different level of security is required, then we would just put that in place,” Manning said. Chin Lee also assured that both the police and defence force were playing special attention to that problem. Joseph said NHA had involved the community in the project from the inception, doing an inventory of the people, their skills so that they could have been involved in all stages of the project. Their interest and involvement were vital in ensuring that the project was properly protected, Joseph stated. The Housing Minister said that the first indication that there was going to be a challenges was when three persons threatened the contractor, then came the firebombing, and then the spraying of bullets at the home of a resident who spoke out against the firebombing.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning said yesterday that if he had a vote on the election of gay New Hampshire Bishop, Gene Robinson, “I would have cast it in a different direction”. He was speaking at yesterday post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. “
Asked if he supported a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion, Manning said the Government of Trinidad and Tobago was “pro-life, not pro-choice”. Manning also reiterated yesterday that Government planned to honour its commitment to increase NIS payments by October 1. The Prime Minister was questioned about reports that NIB could not fund the increase and had asked the business community for assistance. Manning said that Government “was determined” to implement the increase in NIS pensions to $1,000 a month. “It will happen,” the PM pledged. He said that Government and business would “work out the mechanics”.
On the issue of the disabled community, Manning exp-ressed regret that the situation had developed to the point where the Commissioner of Police might have to take action to ensure that the disabled group leaves the premises of National Flour Mills. He said various ministers, including the Prime Minister, had interfaced with the disabled group. He said government had taken a number of steps to improve the lot of the physically challenged and he had already given the assurance that the Budget would paid considerable attention to their situation. “Government was not pussyfooting on the matter of the disabled, but had been as sensitive as the rest of the national community.
A TEENAGER selling ice cream from a cart, was robbed in broad daylight at Point Fortin on Tuesday, police said.
Eliza Nedd, 15, a sales person of Flavorite Ice Cream, told police he was pushing the cart along Warden Road around 2.30 pm, when a man whom he knew, attacked him. Nedd reported that the assailant dealt him several blows about his body, then took his day’s sales of $100 from his pocket. The bandit made good his escape on foot. Point Fortin police are continuing inquiries. Meanwhile, Rousillac resident Amar Ali reported that his pick-up van was stolen sometime between Tuesday night and the early morning hours of Wednesday. Ali, of Grant’s Trace, said he parked and secured his Mazda van, valued $35,000, in the garage at his home around 10 pm, but when he awoke the next morning, he discovered the vehicle missing. A cellular phone valued $700, which was left in the van, was also stolen. The police were notified and investigations are continuing.
A 17-YEAR-OLD boy ap-peared in court yesterday charged with four counts of having sex with his 14-year-old neighbour.
The boy was brought before Magistrate Gillian David in the Couva Magistrate’s Court and was granted $35,000 bail. According to police, last week, the girl’s mother learnt her daughter was having sex with the accused and took her to the Couva Police Station. The girl confessed to having sex with the accused on four occasions between June and July. She also admitted to being two months pregnant. Sgt Jeff Jackson, Cpls Maloney and Corbett began investigations and arrested the boy on Wednesday. Since the accused’s family was unable to post bail, the boy was remanded to the Youth Training Centre until the next hearing.
United States Embassy Acting Consul General, Ward Morrow, disclosed that his embassy has in recent times seized a total of about two dozen fraudulent Trinidad and Tobago passports from applicants for US visas.
He was answering questions at a news briefing at the US Information and Research Center, Marli Street, on the suspension of the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) programme whereby nationals of certain countries will now require a visa to transit through the United States. Asked about fraudulent visa applications, Morrow said: “There have been a couple of cases of photo substitution. I met the Chief Immigration Officer and we presented him with two dozen passports where the photo had been replaced.” But despite noting that visa/passport fraud was a billion-dollar business worldwide, he said in Trinidad and Tobago the problem was minute, saying that instead the biggest problem arising from our US visa applicants was people overstaying their permitted time. “People say they are going to visit for two weeks and end up staying six months.” He confirmed that our nationals had a history of violating the conditions of their stay in the United States. Morrow warned members of the public against persons claiming they could help them obtain a US visa through a “contact” within the embassy, noting that only American staff were authorised to approve visas. “There is no one is our embassy who ‘assists’ anyone. We have a very rigid internal process. You are only wasting your money.”
Morrow also addressed concerns about the United States Visitor and Immigration Status Indication Technology (USVISIT) programme which is due to be implemented on January 1, 2004, to more closely screen visitors to the US in wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Asked about fears that all visitors would be fingerprinted and photographed, Morrow clarified that this would not be a mass screening but be selective. “It will be on a case by case basis if the immigration authorities feel a person needs to be fingerprinted, not everyone. If the authorities have certain information that they feel this person is a threat.” In his initial address, Morrow said security concerns had made the US Department of State change its policy of allowing nationals of certain countries to transit the United States without a visa. This change he said would not affect citizens of visa-waiver countries like the United Kingdom who never did and still do not require any visa to enter or transit the United States. Further, the change would not affect citizens of Trinidad and Tobago who have always required and still require a visa to visit or transit the United States.
The maintenance staff of the Emperor Valley Zoo staged a protest opposite Whitehall yesterday, calling for the Zoological Council to be removed.
Arnold Viarruel, member of Staff Associated Executives of EVZ, and his colleagues gathered outside Whitehall armed with placards. “We want this Council to be replaced by a board that comprises a zoologist, veterinarian and a Government representative. Right now there are none. Instead they have business people running the zoo.You cannot run the zoo from anywhere else but from the zoo.” Viarruel also accused the council of withholding financial releases for the zoo’s needs, thus preventing the zoo from being upgraded. “The animals are suffering, they need proper facilities. The alligators and crocodiles need a barrier to protect visitors from their attacks.” He added that last week the Government released a Development Programme Fund of $295,000 to upgrade the zoo, but the council wants to use this money to construct a Council Conference Building. He added that talks with Rennie Dumas, Minister of Public Utilities and the Environment, have proven futile. “We want definite pieces of legislature and not void promises, ” he said.
OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday is a true patriot of Trinidad and Tobago and must not give up the leadership of the United National Congress (UNC). This seemed to be the overwhelming consensus of Trinidadians residing abroad who have been emailing the party’s new United Kingdom and European website which was launched on Monday.
“The UNC is the only credible and competent political party to lead TT through this century. I have great confidence in Basdeo Panday. He ought to stand his ground and move decisively to re-organise the party from within,” wrote Selwyn Samaroo of Cleveland, USA. Another national residing in Tampa, Florida declared: “ I would like to personally thank Mr Basdeo Panday for his long and dedicated service to TT. I think we should all pitch in and erect a statue of Mr Panday to honour him for his service to our country. I know it is something we all would be proud of. This statue will send a strong message to everyone in our nation that we are strong and united.” However, not all of the feedback has been positive. Temul Sahadeo of Port-of-Spain said the UNC needs to “redefine itself ” and urged the party not to let the new website “turn out to be a forum solely for PNM bashing.”
The Crime Stoppers Network has embarked on a mission to attain the support of the local business community to keep the programme up and running. At a Crime Stoppers Convention held yesterday at the Hilton Trinidad, Devrol Dupigny, General Manager of Crime Stoppers, revealed statistics as to the success of the recently re-launched programme in the fight against escalating crime in the country.
The project, he explained, was officially established in 1999, however, it was re-launched last March. During this four-year period, he maintained, not much was accomplished. However, since last March, approximately 4,461 calls have been received, which has translated into 2,009 tips of valuable information. As a result of this, 220 persons have been arrested and 915 investigations cleared. Additionally, Dupigny stated, since the wide scale marketing of the programme began last month, they have witnessed an increase in the number of calls received. “For the period January 25 to August 5, we have received 905 calls and within that, 491 valuable tips,” he said. “Before that, we received between 40 to 50 tips.” “This shows a tenfold increase in the number of tips being received,” he went on.
Dupigny maintained that presently an average of 17 to 20 persons are being arrested per month, which demonstrates a 200 percent increase in the number of arrests. Prior to this, between eight and ten arrests were made. “This shows,” he noted, “that the public is now more aware and better educated which is evident from the quality of calls we are receiving.” However, he stated, although the statistics show a fully educated public, much more commitment is needed. He said that while Government had pledged to inject $3 million into the project, more than $7 million was needed to keep the programme operational. He said, “We have embarked on this aggressive drive to get the business community to come forward and put their money where their mouth is.” “The Police need information to detect criminal activity.
The statistics speak for themselves. Crime Stoppers is working,” he asserted. Also calling on the business community to band together in the fight against crime was Balliram Maharaj, CEO of the Arima Discount Mart and former President of the Arima Business Association. Speaking not in his capacity as a businessman but as a victim of kidnapping, Maharaj said, “Crime is everybody’s business and is impacting on our lives. As we proceed today, let us not focus on who is to blame or who is responsible, but rather let us bond together to create collaborative strategies that would get rid of this monstrous crime virus that is now affecting our nation,” he said. Last August, Maharaj’s son, Ishwar, was also a victim of kidnapping.
LA BREA police have launched a man-hunt for a man who attacked a teenager in her bedroom early yesterday morning.
Police said the victim is a 16-year-old girl who is spending holidays at her aunt’s house in south Trinidad. The girl, who lives in central Trinidad, reported that around 3.40 am she was jolted from sleep when she felt someone on top of her, who effectively pinned her to the bed. The traumatised teen added that when she opened her eyes, she saw the male intruder, whom she knew, holding a knife over her. She began screaming for help, causing the intruder to panic and flee from the house, where he eventually escaped in some nearby bushes. A report was made to the La Brea police and investigations are continuing. The teen was not hurt during the ordeal.
