For seven days, kidnap victims Kendra Kissoon and her boyfriend Mark Samlal were virtually buried in a six foot hole, tied back to back, and gagged.

They could not move as pouring rain filled the hole and mosquitoes fed on them leaving their faces, hands and necks swollen with bumps and sores. In the hole, which was dug in bushes close to the Piarco Airport they had to stand all the time. The two were released at the Churchill Roosevelt Highway around 9.30 pm on Wednesday.  They flagged down a passing driver who took them to Samlal’s home at Silver Mill Road, San Juan. The two were met by weeping relatives who took them to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where they were treated and discharged.

At Samlal’s home, relatives said that he was in good health and he was being “rubbed down” with a lotion for the mosquito bites. Relatives said that Samlal, who works at MD Marketing with his father, was still in a state of shock and preferred not to be interviewed. He told his aunt Zeena Samlal that when he and Kendra were kidnapped around 7 pm last Thursday, they were bundled into a car, blindfolded and driven to an area close to the airport. He claimed that the kidnappers, who did not harm them, used obscene language and told them that if the ransom was not paid, they would be killed. Samlal claimed that both he and Kendra were then placed in a hole in the ground with their backs against each other. He also revealed that last Thursday night, he heard planes landing and taking off indicating that they were close to the Piarco Airport. On Friday morning, they were fed Crix and soft drinks, exposed to rain and sun.

Samlal said at nights, they were bitten by insects. He said that although he was blindfolded, he knew that they were being guarded by some kidnappers while the others left and returned. Samlal claimed that when Kendra cried, he told her to pray. He claimed that although they were not harmed, beaten or abused by the kidnappers, they were not allowed any special favours and the stay in the hole was very uncomfortable. Newsday learned that the kidnappers were paid a ransom of $100,000 on Wednesday night after relatives negotiated and informed kidnappers that they could not afford the $6 million which was originally demanded. At the 7th Avenue, Barataria home of Kendra, her father Ralph Kissoon was hostile to reporters, and when asked if his daughter was okay he replied, “I guess so.” Kissoon was the person who negotiated with kidnappers during the abduction of his daughter and Samlal. He said that the ransom was raised through assistance from friends and relatives. He is contemplating closing his business, which is a shop, and leaving the country.

Head of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad Snr Supt Gilbert Reyes in a press briefing on Wednesday said that the kidnappings are well-organised and are being carried out by persons interested in earning quick money. National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee said yesterday that new and innovative measures to deal with the spate of kidnappings will be introduced shortly. Kidnap victim Yves Ayoung Chee and Benedict Bharath who were kidnapped last Thursday morning have not yet been released. Relatives had been given a deadline on Sunday to pay a ransom. Damien Schneider, who was kidnapped last Sunday morning, is believed to have been tortured, shot and his body dumped at Waterloo Road, Carapichaima. His body was identified through dental records.

The autopsy carried out on the body of kidnap victim Damien Schneider revealed that death was due to smoke inhalation.

Police believe that an attempt was made to burn Schneider alive which resulted in his death. The autopsy yesterday was carried out at the Forensic Science Centre by Dr Hughvon des Vignes and witnessed by Sgt Keith Sylvester. The autopsy revealed that Schneider may have been killed last week. Investigators claimed that Schneider’s body may have first been dumped after he died, but on Tuesday night, his body was placed in the tray of a truck and transported to Waterloo Road, Carapichaima where it was dumped in a drain. Police officers found tyres and diesel close to the body.

Police investigators told Newsday that they will consult with Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson today to decide if any charges of murder can be laid against the suspects. Two men charged with Schneider’s kidnapping were granted bail in the sum of $200,000 when they appeared before a Port-of-Spain magistrate yesterday. Yesterday, relatives of Schneider told Newsday that they are still in a state of shock and grief over his death. Marina Schneider, the mother of the victim, was told the dreaded news of the death of her son late Wednesday.

The two men, charged with kidnapping former national chess player Damien Schneider, were yesterday granted bail in the sum of $200,000 each by Port-of-Spain Magistrate Ejenny Espinet.

Former URP foreman Roger Gillard, 36, and Carlos Richardson, both of Duncan Street, Port-of-Spain, were arrested on Sunday and charged by Cpl Allison Jones of the Belmont CID for the July 13 kidnapping. Gillard is also charged with stealing an RBTT debit card from Schneider. Schneider was reportedly abducted from his Sandhurst Street, Belmont home. “I understand that they find Schneider dead so I know that you might not be able to grant me bail but what I really want is that you allow me to prove my innocence because I have a family and I would like you to start the matter now,” said Gillard.

Defence attorney representing Gillard, Wayne Sturge, was not present but was represented by Mario Merrit. When asked if there was any objection to bail, Police prosecutor Claudette Bynoe submitted that based on the seriousness of the offence and the fact that the matter was still under investigation, the men should not be granted bail. Espinet however pointed out that the grounds for the objection were insufficient. She then granted bail, to be approved by the Clerk of the Peace. Gillard continued, “This thing putting me and my family through a lot of stress.” He went on to indicate that he was willing to proceed with the matter even if his attorney is absent. The matter was adjourned to July 29.  Schneider’s charred body was found on Tuesday morning however charges have not been laid for the murder.

Since its launch in 1999, the Crime Stoppers hotline (800-TIPS) has received some 4,149 anonymous phone calls resulting in 1,767 tip-offs about criminal activities. 

This was disclosed by Crime Stoppers general manager, Devrol Dupigny, addressing a Personal Security Awareness Seminar organised by AmCham at the Hilton Trinidad yesterday. Further, the past month had seen a five-fold increase in the number of valid tips given, he emphasised. Dupigny said that while the group had received 157 calls including 46 tips in June, in July so far they had got 393 calls including 249 tips, an increase in calls of 250 percent and a whopping 540 percent increase in tips.

In the first 23 days of July alone, he said, the hotline had resulted in the arrest of 16 people and the solving of 25 investigations. He trumpeted the effectiveness of the programme and its campaign of education and increased public awareness. The chief offences solved by the hotline since its inception, he disclosed, were narcotics (493 cases), firearms (120), larceny (103), murder (43), sexual offences (17) and kidnaping (nine). Dupigny assured the confidentiality of the hotline, saying calls could not be recorded nor traced.

Government sources stated yesterday that Acting Commissioner of Police Everard Snaggs would eventually be appointed as Commissioner of Police. But it is understood that in order to give Snaggs an incentive to perform, he  would  be appointed closer to his time of retirement.

The source said his promotion therefore would be contingent on the work he does as acting Commissioner of Police. Snaggs who is 59 years old has less than a year before he retires. Once it is clear that Snaggs is exercising considerable effort in the job, Prime Minister Patrick Manning would not raise any objections to the Police Service Commission appointing him, the source stated.  The method of appointment is that the Police Service Commission submits a name to the Prime Minister who has the right to object. If he does not, the name goes forward and the person is appointed.

While most children will be getting only new books and school uniforms for the upcoming school term, students of the Chaguanas Government School, St Thomas Village, will be lucky three times over as they will get new books, new school uniforms and a new school.

This was  announced yesterday by President of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Glenn Cheddie, following a meeting at the Ministry of Education, St Clair, with Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education Thecla Reyes, and Director of Educational Planning, Jennifer Hussain. A small group of parents and children gathered outside the Ministry’s Hayes Street entrance yesterday, to protest the dilapidated conditions of the 67-year-old school building in which they were currently being housed. Cheddie said the school had been condemned by the Ministry of Works, as well as Public Health Inspectors. “The roof cannot take another nail in it,” claimed Cheddie, adding that “teachers and children are going through the floor.” Following the half hour meeting with PS Reyes, Cheddie was all smiles as he conveyed to the parents gathered that they would no longer have to fear for the lives of their children, nor that of  the teachers.

Speaking to the media, PS Reyes assured parents that the relocation would take place in September, news which drew cheers and loud clapping from the gathering. Reyes admitted that there may have been a communication problem between the Ministry and the parents, and that as a result, the parents may have become anxious, thus leading to a picketing of the Ministry’s office. She added that the principal may have known of the decision, but that the parents may have been unaware. Cheddie revealed that the new school constructed at Orchard Gardens, Chaguanas was completed earlier this year, and had only been handed over to the ministry on Monday. The PTA would also like all parents to attend a meeting at the “old school” today  at 5 pm, so that other information can be passed to them.

In a release from the Ministry of Education yesterday afternoon, they confirmed that construction of the school was completed in June 2003, and that the new building would be able to accommodate 840 students. The Chaguanas North Government Primary School was constructed under the Fourth Basic Education Project, and the Ministry’s Education Project Coordinating Unit. The release further stated that the new school was easily accessible, as it is less than five kilometres in any direction from the four primary schools in the Chaguanas area. To ensure the easy transfer and relocation of these students, the PTA members assured that they would continue talking to representatives of TTUTA, the Educational Planning Unit, School Supervision, Curriculum and Facilities Management Division of the Ministry of Education.

Stop! You could be charged when you reverse your vehicle out of your garage onto a main road. You could be charged for inconsiderate driving. That’s exactly what happened to David Ramphal and he was fined $500 by Magistrate Deborah Quintyne.

Ramphal appealed his conviction and sentence but failed to appear in court yesterday when his matter came up before appellate judges, Justice Roger Hamel-Smith and Justice Anthony Lucky. Their lordships dismissed the appeal and affirmed the conviction and sentence, and at the same time, commended PC Sydney Gill for actually preferring such a charge. Justice Hamel-Smith noted that inconsiderate reversing out of garages was quite common and rarely result in charges being laid. He also pointed out that by not nipping these small offences in the bud, it could lead to more serious ones, especially in a time like this when crime is prevalent. He said that such action would send a signal that “we” are serious about law and order.

His comments and commendation to PC Gill were endorsed by Justice Lucky.  Senior prosecutor Trevor Ward was asked to convey their lordships’ sentiments to the Commissioner of Police. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mobile) Deochan Gosine later suggested that the best way of emerging from one’s garage would be front first, but emphasised that this approach does not relieve the driver from ensuring due care and attention or reasonable consideration. He advised that drivers wanting to execute a manoeuvre onto a major road or any road, must at all times wait their turn and/or ensure that there are no oncoming vehicles. On March 19, 1999, Ramphal of Southern Main Road, Montrose, Chaguanas, suddenly reversed his car from his garage onto the main road when PC Gill, driving an unmarked police car,  had to pull to the shoulder of the road to avoid hitting Ramphal’s vehicle. Gill warned and later charged Ramphal for inconsiderate driving. Ramphal, in defence, contended that the only way to get out of his garage was to reverse onto the main road.

Ramphal was charged under the  Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act: Ch 48:50 section 72, which says: “Any person who drives a motor vehicle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road is liable to a find of $1000 and to be disqualified for holding or obtaining a driving permit for such period as the court thinks fit. On a second or subsequent conviction, for a like offence, the period of disqualification shall not be less than one month.”

THE National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) has appealed to the public to come forward and donate vital supplies which will be used to help the people of Montserrat.

In a statement yesterday, NEMA said the deadline for the donation of these supplies is July 30 “to facilitate the early delivery of collected supplies to Montserrat.” Persons and organisations wishing to assist can deliver their donations between 9 am and 4 pm to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society’s offices at Fitzblackman Drive, Wrightson Road Extension (Port-of-Spain), Chancery Lane (San Fernando) and Signal Hill (Tobago).

The official needs list for Montserrat includes: 10,000 gallons of bottled drinking water; 5,000 ash masks (3m 8511 or 8822 type N95); respirators ( 50 fullface piece, 20 half-masks, 500 replaceable cartridges/filters N95 filters with less than 2 parts per million); fire hoses; four industrial vaccums; salt-water and fresh water high pressure pumps; spare bristles for mechanical brooms; 200 hard-bristle brooms; 200 flat-headed shovels; ten wheelbarrows; 100 goggles/eyeguards (ARCO EG240); 250 cases of eyewash; animal feed (cattle, sheep, goats and chickens); bales of hay; one bobcat and two mobile water tanks.

Montserrat has been declared a disaster area by the island’s governor Anthony Longrigg following a large volcanic explosion at the Soufriere Hills Volcano around 10.45 pm on July 12. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDERA) is coordinating the regional appeal for assistance and TT is a participating state of CDERA.

Several local doctors have agreed to shepherd the Cuban doctors as they ease into the local system. In three weeks’ time, the first batch of doctors who arrived yesterday will be in local hospitals.”

Saying that there was a “tremendous response” from local doctors, Health Minister Colm Imbert said the local medical fraternity was welcoming the opportunity to use the Cuban professionals to help solve the problems in the health system and to expand the range of services available. He was speaking at a post-Cabinet news briefing at Whitehall yesterday.  He said the Chief Medical Officer at Sangre Grande was pleased that Government would be using the Cuban nurses to re-open the paediatric ward at the hospital.

There was also relief from the medical practitioners that the Cuban doctors would also be used to establish a specialised eye surgery unit at San Fernando for cataract and other types of surgery. Imbert announced that the persons on the panel responsible for issuing temporary licences to practitioners in case of a shortage of doctors are Chief Medical Officer Dr Rampersad Parasram and three medical officers with at least 10 years’ experience. There would be one layperson, an attorney-at-law, Seenath Jairam SC.