Former Minister Donna Carter is tipped to become High Commissioner of a new South African mission, sources said.
Carter was Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Ecclesiastical Affairs. A former teacher, Carter, a long-standing member of the PNM, was an unsuccessful candidate in the St Joseph constituency in the 2000 election. In an interview last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift said one of the handicaps the PNM faced when it was returned to office, was the fact that a lot of the major embassies remained unmanned at the head of mission level for an inordinate amount of time. He said this government first priority was to make sure it attended to this. Saying that the effectiveness of the overseas representation has a direct bearing “on whom you assign there to represent your interest”, Gift stated the government was able to call on the “in house” expertise of career diplomats to assign them in missions like Geneva, Washington and Brussels.
Noting that Government was still conducting this exercise, Gift said Government would try to complete the postings or to establish new missions in furtherance of the nation’s business. “We are hopeful that by the end of the year, certainly by the third quarter , we should be in a position to have all our missions adequately staffed, both at the level of the heads as well as supporting staff,” he said. Stating that the conduct and execution of foreign policy was an extension of Government’s domestic policy, Gift said missions must be ready to respond to the demands that the policies at home make on them. The Minister said some of the major issues engaging government’s attention were areas such as the ICC. It had to meet deadlines for the ratification of the Rome Treaty, nomination of a candidate for the first bench of the ICC, he said. It also had representation on the International Seabed Authority- where the late Lennox Ballah was elected a judge- and was also able to secure a position at the level of Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Investment Corporation Bank, he said.
JAMAICAN Prime Minister PJ Patterson reinforced last week’s call by his St Lucian counterpart Dr Kenny Anthony for the region to support the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), stressing the importance of the Court in safeguarding all of the region’s interests.
In an address to mark Jamaica’s 41st anniversary of Independence, which will be celebrated tomorrow, PM Patterson declared: “Continuing technological advances and the demands of a globalised world call for urgent responses in order to survive. The (Jamaican) Government has led the way with its alliances at the regional level, through the strengthening of Caricom and its institutions, and at other levels throughout the international community. We have taken steps to seal that (Jamaica’s) independence through strategic alliances with our brothers and sisters in Caricom. We are setting up a CCJ and working towards a Caribbean Single Market and Economy. These will guarantee us the benefits to be derived from an enriched integrated economic space in the fight against poverty and unemployment.” The United National Congress (UNC), which supported the establishment of the CCJ while in government, is now refusing to support the CCJ unless the Manning Administration initiates constitutional reform. Caricom leaders are due to meet in Trinidad in November and the CCJ is scheduled to become operational in the same month.
Patterson observed that “over the years this and other administrations have embarked upon aggressive programmes of legislative, social and economic change to enhance our Independence and complete our sovereignty”. He said as the Jamaican people “bring all our resources to bear to meet the new levels of productive performance the world economy demands”, they must be forever vigilant of the never-ending threat of crime to that progress. “Even as we work together to meet these new demands, we continue with unflagging determination to fight against crime and violence which still plague our nation. There can be no let up in our efforts to eradicate this cancer,” Patterson declared. The Jamaican PM said he was heartened by a growing acknowledgement amongst Jamaicans “of the need to restore decency, decorum and mutual respect in the way we relate to one another.” Patterson added that it was only through a spirit of cooperation and willingness to approach problems through dialogue, “we (Jamaicans) can best harness the creative energy of all our people in the task of nation building.” Patterson hailed the accomplishments of Jamaicans in several fields over the last 41 years, saying “the prominence of our country worldwide belies our small size.”
IN response to numerous complaints from former daily paid workers of Caroni (1975) Ltd, a joint investigative committee will soon be appointed to deal with reports of discrepancies in the payment of Voluntary Separation of Employment Packages(VSEP) cheques.
The committee — comprising representatives from All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union (ATSGWTU), representatives of other unions, together with officials of the former sugar company — is expected to carry out queries of the cheques by the middle of this week. Over 9,000 daily and monthly paid workers at the State-owned company collected their VSEP cheques, amounting to some $800 million over the long Emancipation weekend.
However, according to ATSGWTU General-Secretary, Pooran Rattan, workers were disputing the Company’s formula used to calculate VSEP payments, including “rate of pay and years of service of individual workers.” “Several workers are saying that the Company failed to honour upgraded rates of pay agreed to by the Union and the Company,” Rattan said. He added the Union would be “going all out” to ensure that workers received their “just dues” from their former employer. But, while a senior Caroni official confirmed that a committee had been agreed to by the Company, he pointed out that over 1,000 VSEP queries had already been settled by the Company.
The official, who spoke to Newsday on the basis of anonymity, said that just over 500 queries still had to be resolved by the Company. The official also disclosed that Caroni would maintain several offices for the next six months as a “non-trading company” to fulfil “our obligations and liabilities” to creditors. And while the official was hesitant about revealing any further details, he said the Company’s management structure would continue to function, until all of Caroni’s operations had been officially “shut down”.
RESIDENTS of Tarouba Village near San Fernando, who last week lost their court case against the National Housing Authority (NHA), have filed ten grounds of appeal. The NHA had fought for the residents to be evicted from NHA lands.
The residents are contending that Justice Nolan Bereaux erred in law in failing to hold that the NHA’s decision to demolish their homes en bloc was illegal. Filed in the Registry of the Appeal Court, Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain by attorneys Garnet Mungalsingh and Company, the squatters stated that it was wrong for Justice Bereaux to hold that they did not have a legitimate expectation to remain on the lands or, be given alternative lands. The judge dismissed the squatters’ application for judicial review of the NHA’s issuance of eviction notices to some 67 squatters. The squatters were ordered to pay the NHA’s legal cost. The action was filed on behalf of residents occupying lands at Tarouba North Development and Marabella Development.
Another ground of appeal contended was that the judge ought to have held that the NHA had a duty to consider the facts and circumstances of the case of each individual squatter separately. The judge, the ground stated, erred in law in failing to consider that the NHA should have given the squatters an opportunity to make representation before deciding to evict. Justice Bereaux’s seven-day injunction to prevent the NHA from evicting the squatters pending the appeal will end tomorrow. Attorneys Mungalsingh and Company are expected to file an application in the Court of Appeal today, for a continuation of the injunction pending the hearing and outcome of the appeal.
THE PEOPLE of Chaguanas will be joining forces with the police to take the fight to the criminals street by street.
This was the disclosure yesterday by Chaguanas Mayor Suruj Rambachan. Mayor Rambachan told Newsday yesterday that he has been meeting with head of the Police Central Division Snr Supt Phillip Carmona to discuss ways of dealing with crime in the borough. Rambachan revealed that over the next three weeks he will accompany Carmona and a team of police officers and, Chaguanas Borough Corporation councillors on a visit to all of the borough’s eight electoral districts. The mayor explained that the purpose of this exercise will be to gain first hand information from the residents about crime in their areas and, find ways of dealing with it. He said that unless the community becomes involved with the police, the war against crime can never be won.
Rambachan also disclosed that an advisory committee headed by prominent Central Trinidad businessman Azad Abass-Ali and comprising several former Chaguanas mayors, has been formed to devise anti-crime strategies. Last week, newly-elected Mayor of San Fernando Ian Atherly spoke of his own plans to coordinate police and community efforts to fight crime. Rambachan said there was considerable work to be done in Chaguanas and he was trying “to operate with private sector practices” within the Corporation. The mayor added that the corporation has lots of resources at its disposal, it has to cut through a lot of bureaucratic red tape if it is to function properly and, he was encouraging those under him “to work at the mental level”. “People change organisations,” he stated. Mayor Rambachan also spoke of plans to develop the Chaguanas market, urban centre and launch a clean-up of the borough.
A US citizen accused of conspiring to import heroin yesterday agreed to be extradited when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls.
Erving Torres of Brooklyn, New York, was charged jointly with three other persons in December of 2002 by officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit. They were allegedly attempting to board BWIA flights destined for the US with 10.38 kilos of heroin, reportedly valued at over $5 million. The charge was laid by Sgt McCarthy. The others agreed to be extradited on July 10 after DPP Geoffrey Henderson offered to have the charges against the four dropped on the condition that the accused agree to leave the country. David Alexander, defence attorney representing Torres, informed Newsday that his client was simply waiting to confirm certain arrangements with US authorities before he agreed to the extradition. Torres speaking in an American accent asked, “What will happen if the US Marshals don’t come for me?” McNicolls assured the man that the US authorities were required by law to come for him. He then agreed to the extradition with no objection from prosecutor David West of the Office of the Attorney General. The matter was adjourned to August 11, when the matter is to be finalised.
UP TO late yesterday evening, no charge had been laid against the suspect in the brutal murder of Princes Town mother of four, Juliet Victoria Cummings.
The 34-year-old suspect was held in the bushes near his Buen Intento home around noon on Sunday. He is being detained at the Princes Town Police Station. Cummings, of Monkey Town Branch Road, was fatally attacked around 7 pm on Saturday while seated in a maxi-taxi at NIPDEC car park in Princes Town. Her attacker cornered her in the maxi-taxi and stabbed her in the head, eyes, face and arms. He then dragged the dying woman out the vehicle and slit her throat in the presence of horrified on-lookers. Police said they were still trying to find persons from the crowded car park that night who may have witnessed the murdered to get statements from them. Meanwhile, an autopsy carried out at the Forensic Sciences Centre yesterday confirmed that Cummings died of massive shock and haemorrhage consistent with multiple stab wounds. Cummings’ brother, John Gonsalves, identified the body and witnessed the autopsy. According to investigators, Cummings had recently taken out a restraining order against a male relative. Princes Town police are continuing investigations.
A vault containing an undisclosed sum of money was taken from the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) head office at Smithfield Road, Scarborough, sometime over the Emancipation weekend.
The vault was discovered missing by one of the office’s caretakers yesterday morning when she went to open the office and noticed that one of the doors was opened. Newsday learnt that this was not the first time a theft has occurred since they had moved to the new location about three months ago. The items included a computer and other “small” items. TRHA officials have estimated that the money in the vault was not in “the thousands” however, they indicated that they were unable to disclose more information about the incident. “We don’t want to assume too much until the police has given its word just in case we jepoardise the investigation,” TRHA’s spokesman Michael Stewart told Newsday. Officers attached to the Scarbor-ough CID are currently interviewing several persons in connection with the missing vault and are continuing investigations.
OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday yesterday revealed that he may not stand for re-election as United National Congress (UNC) political leader when the party holds its internal elections and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj poses a clear and present danger to the UNC’s viability as a political party.
When asked by Newsday yesterday whether he would stand for re-election when the UNC holds internal polls later this year or in early 2004, Panday replied: “Maybe.” In a previous Newsday story, UNC officials hinted that Panday would stand for re-election as party leader. Since October 2002, Panday has repeatedly expressed his desire to retire from active politics at age 70, with his most recent statement following last month’s Local Government Elections in which the UNC lost heavily to the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM). Asked if there is a worthy successor among the current cadre of UNC parliamentarians, Panday said such an individual existed but declined to reveal their identity. Several NACTA polls have identified Winston Dookeran, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Kelvin Ramnath as possible successors. Dookeran has publicly distanced himself from reports of him being Panday’s heir apparent.
The UNC leader identified Maharaj as one of the “predators” likely to take over the party if he (Panday) left prematurely. He said this was one of the reasons why he could not abandon the UNC in mid-stream. Following last year’s General Elections defeat to the PNM, Panday first expressed his desire to resign but retracted it in early 2003, after reports surfaced about Maharaj speaking with top UNC members. Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan admitted to speaking with Maharaj about the UNC’s future after Panday. The former attorney general has repeatedly stated that he is trying to build a new political movement and has no plans to take over the UNC. Maharaj has said both the PNM and UNC have no meaningful vision for the future development of Trinidad and Tobago.
OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday promised that when Parliament reconvenes in September, the Government can expect the United National Congress (UNC) to continue its campaign of non-cooperation with renewed vigour.
In an interview with Newsday yesterday, Panday dismissed last week’s NACTA poll and St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming’s statement that the UNC’s strategy of not supporting major pieces of legislation in Parliament was backfiring on the Opposition. Following last year’s General Elections defeat to the People’s National Movement (PNM), Panday vowed to wage a campaign of civil disobedience against the Government. One of the strategies of this campaign was the UNC’s refusal to support legislation in Parliament which required a special majority for passage. Among the bills caught in this political quagmire are the Police Reform Bills.
Prior to the 2000 General Elections, the UNC agreed with the then Opposition PNM that the Bills would be passed regardless of whoever won those elections. The bills were never passed under the UNC administration. Asked about the latest NACTA poll’s finding that he and other UNC parliamentarians who are perceived to be corrupt should resign from the UNC to give the party a fighting chance at regaining government, Panday replied: “So should PNM MPs.” The UNC leader dismissed the poll’s prediction of the PNM winning four additional seats in the next General Election and gaining a veto-proof majority. “Elections are not determined by opinion polls,” the UNC leader scoffed.
As predicted last week by UNC insiders, Panday flatly rejected the poll’s major finding that he was the PNM’s “biggest asset” to remaining in government.The UNC leader disagreed with Prime Minister Patrick Manning that police efforts against kidnappers under the latest anti-crime intiative were “a spectacular success” but declined to say anything further about arrests of persons and seizure of illegal drugs, weapons and ammunition since the intitiative was launched two weeks ago by National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee and Ag Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs. At last week’s Emancipation celebrations at the Queens Park Savannah, the Prime Minister warned criminal elements in the society: “We are coming for you.”
