Officers of the newly formed Firearm Interdiction Unit, led by Sgt Nandram Moonilal of the St James CID, yesterday seized a small arsenal of arms and ammunition and arrested two persons in the Carenage area. Ag Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs expressed pride in the performance of the Western Division officers at a press conference held at Police headquarters last evening. The 15 officers were reportedly acting on information which led them to Abbe Poujade Street where they seized two brand new 9 mm semi-automatic lugers, one Baretta, magazines for all three guns, two AK-47 magazines and 157 rounds of ammunition. “We would like to get full support from members of the public, and as I have said before, Crime Stoppers is an appropriate method to do so,” said Snaggs.

Snaggs assured the officers that they will be receiving financial rewards for their exploits. When asked further questions, Snaggs replied, “Investigations are continuing, however it is not wise to disclose info of the operations of the police.” He added that the seizure was an “indirect result of Crime Stoppers intervention.” A man and a woman, both 35 years old, are expected to appear in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court on Monday to face charges in connection with the seizure.

Minutes after four men held up the cashier at Mitchell’s Gas Station on Saddle Road, Maraval on Thursday night and escaped with $2,400 in cash, a man identified as a Malabar father of two was shot dead. Police officers claimed that they pursued a car driven by Marvin McPherson along Saddle Road, Maraval, where McPherson fired one shot at the police who returned fire.

They claimed that the injured McPherson was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. None of the stolen cash was recovered, but police officers claimed that they recovered a .38 revolver and seized a car belonging to McPherson. An autospy carried out yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre revealed that death was due to shock and haemorrhage consistent with one gunshot wound. At the Malabar home of the deceased, his grieving mother Margaret insisted that the police were mistaken when they shot and killed her son. As tears streamed down her face, the angry woman said that her son was employed as a security guard with the Bureau of Standards, and was respected by residents of Malabar and those who knew him.

She claimed that her son left home on Thursday night and told his wife that he would be back later. She claimed that around 3 am yesterday, police officers came to her home and showed her the driver’s permit belonging to her son. She said that they informed her that Marvin was shot dead in a shootout with the police. “My son was no bandit. I am sure that he did go to Maraval to drop someone, but he was not a criminal, and the police are mistaken.” She added that the circumstances in which her son was shot dead is questionable, and she intends to call on the Ag Commissioner Everald Snaggs to have the matter thoroughly investigated. The deceased was the father of a seven-month-old baby girl and a 10-year-old son. According to relatives, he started working as a guard with Bureau of Standards three years ago and was respected. “His supervisor called me this morning and said that he could not believe that Marvin was killed,” said the grieving mother.

In a head-on collision between a maxi taxi and taxi on the Valencia Road on Thursday night, 15 people were injured, nine of whom were in serious condition and had to be taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. The nine people who received serious injuries — broken arms and legs, head injuries, damaged spine and chest injuries — are warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. They are Arthur Robinson, driver of taxi; Ann Hernandez, Anthony Figaro, Devon Lezama, Nathalie Lucien, Trevor Lequay, John James, Julien Murray and PC Kert Gentle. Warded at the Sangre Grande Hospital are Tyroon Bhola, Ronald Ricardo Alleyne, driver of maxi taxi; Joy William, Arnold Nancoo and Kervin Duncan. All the accident victims reside in Valencia, Sangre Grande and environs.

Reports are that around 9.30 pm, a white Toyota taxi, HBC 2664, was travelling west along the Valencia Main Road to Arima when the driver, in  trying to evade hitting another vehicle, caused a head-on collision with a maxi taxi travelling east towards Sangre Grande with 12 passengers. All passengers in the maxi and taxi had to be assisted out of the wrecked vehicles by passersby and Valencia villagers. All injured persons were placed on the roadside along the accident scene. One woman, who was sitting in the front seat of the maxi, was pinned in the vehicle and the maxi door had to be forced open to release her. Her leg was said to be broken in three places and she also sustained other injuries to her waist. Highway police officers who were on mobile patrol in the area called for assistance and summoned the Emergency Health Services (EHS) ambulances to have the injured people removed to the Arima  and Sangre Grande Hospitals.

Unfortunately, only one EHS ambulance arrived half an hour later. This was insufficent to have all the injured transported to the Sangre Grande Hospital. The others lay on the roadside in pain, waiting. It was reported that the only available EHS ambulance at the time was coming from Port-of-Spain. This ambulance arrived aboutone hour later. Bertie Charlarie, Sub-Station Officer, from the Fire Services in Sangre Grande summoned ambulances from the Fire Services in Arima and Sangre Grande. They were able to have the injured removed quickly,  taking some of the injured to the Arima and Sangre Grande Hospitals. Meanwhile, curious people and passersby stopped on their way causing a pile-up of traffic along the Valencia Main Road. Police officers, headed by Cpl Clive Maloney and PCs Lewis, Sobers and others, had the traffic flowing smoothly. PC Dexter Lewis is continuing inquiries.

Contradicting statements made by UNC leader Basdeo Panday, St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming said the UNC did not do well in the polls. Panday had said that given the PNM’s use of state resources, the UNC did better than it thought. But Yetming earlier this week stated that the UNC definitely lost ground. He said that he had “personal experience” of working with a party (ONR), which in 1981 polled more votes than the Opposition ULF, but didn’t win a “damn” seat. “At the end of the day, it is the seats that count. We (UNC) lost in the number of seats that we held and therefore we did not do as well as we ought to have,” he told Newsday. The UNC, which won 57 seats out of 124 seats in the 1999 Local Government election, won 43 seats out of 126 in this year’s election. Furthermore, the party lost control of the  Sangre Grande and Siparia Corpora-tions to the PNM, and tied with the PNM in Rio Claro/Mayaro — a corporation which it formerly controlled, having won the majority of seats in 1999. 

Yetming said that he was not “playing with numbers.” He stated, however, that the “numbers game” was important if only to show that the UNC, which received 146,000 votes in the Local Government election, did still have good ground support. “That is good…and we ought to be comforted by that. But it certainly does not translate into having done well, because at the end of the day, (the number of) seats is what counts,” the former Finance Minister stated. Yetming, who stated that the party needed to rebuild itself to get back its broad-based support, has been holding fast to his position that the party needs a new leader and new leadership. “Once there is this uncertainty about the leader, the party will not make serious progress,” he stated. He stressed that it was the leader who had expressed a desire to go. “We cannot continue in a situation where the leader is saying ‘I am ready to go’ and nothing happens,” he added.

Since his bold statements were published in Newsday, several of his colleagues have condemned his frankness, while others have been noncommittal. Yesterday, Yetming said no one in the UNC could silence him on issues affecting the party. “I don’t require the party’s approval, or Mr Mark’s approval to speak my mind on issues that affect the country, and affect the party. I have not, as far as I am concerned, committed any act of indiscipline, and I don’t think that I require licence from anyone to speak out on issues affecting the party and the country,” he said.

Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan has said he hopes that there would be an election for the position of leader and all the executive positions in the UNC in the near future. He stressed that once there were free and fair elections within the party, the UNC membership would determine the direction of the party and the hierarchy of the party. Khan was commenting Wednesday on statements made by St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming that the UNC had to look for a new leader. “I know that my leader deals in free and fair elections and he would allow free and fair elections for the positions of political leader and the executive positions and (that he would) have them determined by the membership,” Khan stated. Dealing with the UNC’s policy of non-cooperation, Khan said it was a sad thing that the businessmen were now calling for more legislation and saying that they were fed up with talk. “When we told them that ‘performance beats ole talk’ they didn’t listen,” he said.

Khan said it was also unfortunate that the “powers that be” did not change the Westminster system which determined the route of the Opposition. Yetming also stated that the party was haunted by corruption allegations. Khan agreed with Yetming that there was a perception of corruption hanging over the UNC. “And in politics, perception is reality,” he said, adding that the PNM spin doctors had talked so much about corruption that the “stain” has stayed with the party. But, he added, “Once corruption is proven, good men and women would determine the future course and action. One cannot make decisions based on allegations,” Khan said. But he stressed once there were free and fair elections within the UNC, one would have to abide by the decision of the rank and file. St Augustine MP Winston Dookeran said he did not like talking about what any of his colleagues said in the press. Saying that he had not yet read the newspapers, Dookeran stressed: “I don’t want to carry out a dialogue in the press.”

Deputy Chief Magistrate Deborah Thomas-Felix is not satisfied with Justice Mark Mohammed’s decision of not granting her leave for judicial review to challenge the decision of Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls to assign her to San Fernando, and has taken his ruling to the Court of Appeal. Thomas-Felix is saying that Justice Mohammed erred in law when he refused her leave for judicial review, and also erred when he found that her application was made out of time and that there was no good reason to extend the time. She also intends  to argue before the Court of Appeal on Monday that Justice Mohammed further erred in law by  finding that to grant her the reliefs being sought would be “detrimental to good administration.” The relief she is seeking is an order quashing McNicolls’ decision. She wants the Court of Appeal to grant her leave to seek her judicial review. On January 8, 2003, Thomas-Felix, who was sitting in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, was assigned to the San Fernando Magistracy by McNicolls.

Thomas-Felix complained that the journey to San Fernando aggravated a back injury and forced her to take sick leave on more than one occasion. She also complained that there was a threat to kidnap and murder her while travelling to San Fernando. She is also saying that to send her to San Fernando without a hearing  was an abuse of power, unfair and violated the principle of natural justice. If leave is granted, she is expected to rely on a 1981 Cabinet decision which allegedly stationed the office of the Deputy Chief Magistrate in Port-of-Spain to hear important and high-profile cases. On July 21, 2003, Thomas-Felix filed for judicial review, and the following day, it was heard before Justice Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Civil Court. After listening to arguments in the ex-parte application, Justice Mohammed refused leave.

PLANNING MINISTER Dr Keith Rowley yesterday said secret talks between  “a maverick group of doctors” and the former UNC government undermined the Public Services Association (PSA) and led to a $40 million backpay agreement being reached five days before the December 11, 2001 elections. Addressing a news conference at his Central Bank Towers office, Dr Rowley quoted from a Cabinet note of March 15, 2002 which explained how the PNM Government had to source funds to pay doctors’ salaries after it came to office on December 24, 2001. Rowley said: “The issues surrounding the ground rules were pertinent as the Ministry was fully cognisant that the doctors who were employed on contract with the RHAs (Regional Health Authorities) have individual rights to negotiate their contracts, and not collective rights. However in order to avert a crisis in the health sector and in recognition of the fact that the contract doctors clearly opted to appoint the PSA as their agent in the negotiations, the RHAs agreed to engage in the joint negotiations.”

“The ground rules were that the PSA were negotiating for doctors. A group of doctors bypassed the PSA and got access to the Cabinet by way of the Finance and General Purposes Committee (FGPC) of the Cabinet. That group of doctors, unknown to the PSA, which was engaged in negotiations with the Government, negotiated an agreement for doctors. However the leader of that grouping had no locus standi to sign the agreement. For the agreement to come into force, the PSA had to come in. It is at that stage, when the agreement was struck by this group of maverick doctors with the Cabinet, to put it into force, it was only then the PSA was brought into the picture as a fait accompli, saying look we have negotiated this, you have to sign this.” Documents supplied to Newsday showed Drs Colin Furlonge, Philip Ayoung Chee and Angelo Fortune were members of the PSA’s medical arm in 2001, and the trio currently hold top executive posts in the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT).

Rowley said this caused a split in the PSA and the birth of MPATT. “For all practical purposes, MPATT had already been negotiating for doctors, which is the point I made in the Parliament and they carried on with that situation now, looking for recognition,” the Minister added. He said while the agreement covered the period January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2002, no provisions were made in the 2000-2001 or 2001-2002 Budgets to pay doctors’ salaries. “There was no money for this, but they signed an agreement on December 6, 2001, incurring this liability and to discharge it, the new Cabinet had to go to Parliament to get parliamentary approval to find this money. Since the Parliament wasn’t functioning, the Cabinet had to instruct the RHAs to go and borrow money. That is how the doctors’ crisis was solved,” Rowley stated and referred to an April 25, 2002 Cabinet minute to show how this was done.

PSA President Jennifer Baptiste-Primus confirmed that Furlonge, Fortune and Ayoung-Chee were members of the PSA’s medical arm which met with Cabinet’s FGPC in December 2001 and were now top MPATT executives. Baptiste-Primus said she neither gave approval for their “presentation” nor was she aware of it. She explained that under the Association’s rules, the PSA’s leadership had the power to authorise such meetings. Baptiste-Primus said up to now “it is still a secret” to her what exactly transpired at that meeting. Former Finance Minister Gerald Yetming, who was FGPC chairman in 2001, said a group of doctors made “a presentation” to the Committee but no secret deal was made. Yetming said it was not uncommon for groups of public officers to make such presentations to the FGPC.

Ronald Boynes, brother of Roger Boynes, Minister of Sports and Youths Affairs, heads the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation after a prolonged indoor meeting with seven newly-elected councillors of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation. The meeting, which  was chaired by Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Legal Affairs, and ably assisted by Martin Joseph, Housing Minister, was held at the office of the Chief Executive Officer yesterday. Some of those who attended the meeting were not satisfied with the appointment of Ronald Boynes as Chairman of the Corporation, and they demonstrated this with loud words. The swearing-in of the two aldermen, Attorneys Ronald Boynes and Sasha Braithwaite, and the chairman of the Corporation, carded to begin at 10 am had to be postponed to later in the afternoon. Terry Rondon, a councillor with a wealth of experience, was made Deputy Chairman. Attorney Carl Quamina read the Corporation rules and made the motions of nomination for Chairman.

Terry Rondon nominated Ronald Boynes to the post of Chairman and was seconded by Councillor Barath Lochan.  No other nomination was made and Kazim Mohammed, CEO of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation and supervisor of proceedings, declared that there were no other nominations. Boynes won the position of Chairman unopposed. Both Chairman Ronald Boynes and Deputy Chairman Terry Rondon were asked to take their oaths. Ronald Boynes, newly installed Chairman, said there was a little misunderstanding within the PNM family. As Chairman, he was ready to begin work. He said: “This is a unique opportunity to improve the community of Sangre Grande and environs. “There is a comprehensive mandate for the people of the region which will benefit all and I am willing to work with the stakeholders in the multi-disciplines and councillors to ensure that the task is completed to make Sangre Grande what it is to be.” Terry Rondon, the new Deputy Chairman, said he is willing to work with anyone once the people are given first consideration. He emphasised that he is the people’s councillor and his objective is to see a better Sangre Grande and much more facilities for the youths of the region.

A CHAMP FLEURS  man was yesterday informed by High Court Judge Rolston Nelson that his appeal had to be struck out, since it was filed after the expiry of the seven-day deadline. The Judge made the ruling after State attorney Joan Charles pointed out that the notice of appeal was submitted 13 days after the sentence was handed down, which meant that it was filed after the expiration of the seven-day period. As a result, Dion Charles of 5th Drive, Champ Fleurs, Mt Dor would serve the four-year sentence handed down on him by Magistrate Reynold Waldropt in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Magistrates’ Court on September 15, 1999. Charles appeared before Magistrate Waldropt charged with robbing Shivanand Bhola at knife point of two gold chains valued $4,500 and $20 in cash. The matter came before Justice Nelson and Justice Margot Warner in the Magisterial Appeals in the Port-of-Spain Court of Appeal yesterday.

The facts presented at the Magistrates’ Court in 1999, were that on a Sunday in November, 1998, Bhola, of Las Lomas #2, was travelling along the bus route from Tunapuna to Port-of-Spain. Charles entered the maxi taxi in Curepe, and sat down at the back of the maxi. A short while later he came and sat behind Bhola in the middle of the maxi,  pulled out a knife about 6-8 inches long and struck it into the right side of Bhola’s stomach. He told Bhola to “pass something small,” and Bhola handed him $20, however he demanded that Bhola hand over “something more.” Bhola told him that he did not have anything else; he then pressed the bell for the maxi to stop, snatched Bhola’s chains and attempted to escape. However Bhola shouted for help and Defence Force Lance Cpl William Taitt, who was sitting in the second seat of the maxi held Charles. A fight broke out between Charles, Bhola and Taitt, and Charles was eventually subdued.

By this time the three men were on the ground of the maxi taxi and Charles threw the knife out the maxi’s window. The chains, which were in Charles’ pocket, fell  when he tried to get up and Bhola picked them up. The maxi driver then drove to Traffic Branch, where WPC Suzette Martin retrieved the stolen money from Charles’ pocket and charged him with the offence. In defence Charles claimed that on the day of the incident he was in the Tunapuna market selling garments and had $225 in his possession. He stopped a maxi to go to POS and paid as he entered. He proceeded to the back of the maxi, in which there were 8 passengers. He told the court that he had seen Bhola in the maxi and that they had gotten into a scuffle. However he denied that he robbed anyone or taking anything from anyone. He also denied that he pressed a knife into Bhola’s stomach or told him to “pass something.”

A 34-year-old man from Cocoyea Village, San Fernando, was yesterday sentenced to five years in prison by Justice Rajendra Narine in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court after a jury found him guilty of larceny. The jury deliberated for only 20 minutes before convicting Earle Francois of the theft of a motor vehicle belonging to Rodney DeGail on February 17, 1998. State prosecutor Jeron Joseph told the Court that    DeGail secured his vehicle valued at $12,000  at 8.20 pm, in the vicinity of Woodbrook. At about 9 pm, during their mobile patrol, PCs Andy Wallace and Ricardo Jones saw Francois fidgeting in a vehicle at Lady Young Road, Morvant. Francois said that the car had “stalled” and the police officers asked him if he needed assistance.

Francois opened the bonnet of the vehicle for the police officers and ran away from the scene. A chase ensued and when apprehended and questioned, Francois allegedly told the police officers, “Boss, you know how things is.” Documents belonging to DeGail were found in the vehicle. Francois’ attorney, Cecil Pope, put forward the defence that Francois had accepted a lift from two men who were going to San Fernando. However, there were mechanical problems and one of the men left the vehicle to get gasoline and the other man left saying he lived nearby and he wanted to return home. Justice Narine, when sentencing Francois, said that the crime of larceny was a prevalent and serious one but had to take into consideration the fact that Francois had no previous convictions. Francois was subsequently sentenced to serve five years imprisonment, instead of the maximum punishment of 15 years.