The 22-year-old daughter of a bar owner was kidnapped yesterday and a $100,000 ransom demanded for her safe return However, the woman was dropped off at Curepe around 2 pm yesterday and no ransom was paid.
Reports revealed that around 9.30 am yesterday Seeta Seetal, of Waterloo Road, Carapichaima, left home telling her parents who own Crystal’s Bar, that she was going to a hairdresser in Chaguanas. According to reports, around 11 am, a male caller telephoned the home of Seetal indicating that she was kidnapped and a ransom of $100,000 demanded for her return. A report was made to the Chaguanas Police Station and officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad were alerted. Reports revealed that Seetal was abducted while walking in the vicinity of Mid Centre Mall Chaguanas. She was placed in a car where she was blindfolded. The victim claimed that the kidnappers drove around for a while and then dropped her off at Curepe. Her parents later went to her assistance.
Police believe they may be able to solve some outstanding serious crimes in the Northern Division with the arrest of a 54-year-old man and the seizure of guns, ski-masks and bullet proof vests.
The guns seized will be sent to the Forensic Science Centre for tests to be carried out by a ballistic expert to determine if the guns were used in any recent murders or shootings. Reports revealed that around 3.15 am yesterday, officers of the Northern Division Police executed a search warrant at Mausica Lands, Arima, and arrested a 54-year-old man. They searched the house and seized a 9 mm Luger, a .22 pistol and 388 rounds of ammunition. Officers also seized four kilos of cocaine with a street value of over $100,000, 0.4 kg of heroin, bulletproof vests and ski masks. The man’s arrest followed several weeks of surveillance work by officers of the Northern Division. He will be placed on identification parades for outstanding serious crimes in the Northern Division. Senior officers were high in praise of the officers involved in the exercise yesterday, which was led by Detective Junior Bernard and included Darryl Lakhai, Inskip Julien and Donna Robinson, coordinated by ACP Nazamul Hosein and ACP Crime Oswyn Allard. The assault on crime will continue in all police divisions.
A 13-year-old girl was among 16 persons arrested in an early morning exercise held yesterday by officers of the Chaguanas CID. The girl is expected to be charged with firearm offences.
Around 5.30 am, officers executed a search warrant at a house at Waterloo Road, Carapichaima, and arrested four occupants of the house, including the 13-year-old girl. Officers seized a .38 revolver and five rounds of ammunition. A 33-year-old man, the girl’s 32-year-old mother and her 44-year-old father were also arrested. During the same exercise, officers also arrested a 21-year-old man at Caroni Savannah Road and a 20-year-old man of Carapichaima for possession of marijuana. Four persons were held on inquiries related to shootings and robberies in Central, while one woman was held on an outstanding warrant. Officers on the exercise stopped the driver of a B-13 car at Montrose Main Road, Chaguanas and arrested two men, ages 24 and 20. The driver was charged with driving without a driver’s permit and insurance. A check with the Stolen Vehicles Squad revealed that the car was taken away at gunpoint from the owner at Penal on June 6. The car was also bearing a false number plate.
Also yesterday, three suspects in a jewel store robbery at Couva were arrested by officers of the Chaguanas Robbery Squad. Reports revealed that two women and a man held up the cashier at Bachan’s Jewel Store at Southern Main Road, Couva, and escaped with a quantity of jewelry. A party of officers led by Ag Sgt Ajith Persad and including PCs Alexander, Edward Ali and Toleram intercepted a car at Maloney and arrested two teenaged women and a man. A quantity of jewelry was recovered and two cars believed to be stolen were also recovered. The three were charged with the offence yesterday. The exercise was led by Sgt Dennis Housend, Sgt Keith Sylvester, Ag Sgt Ajith Persad and included PCs Guelmo, Francis, Toleram, Alexander, Edward Ali, Wiltshire, Sheppard and others.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning and US President George Bush are making arrangements to meet each other to discuss bilateral issues.
The proposed visit of the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister to the US was described as “very delicate and very important” by Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift yesterday. In fact Caricom countries are pinning their hopes on the possibility that Manning could be able to persuade the US authorities to move from their position to cut military aid to those Caricom countries which refuse to sign bilateral immunity agreements, exempting US citizens from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. Until this meeting takes place — and Manning reports to Caricom on it — all Caricom countries would be holding fast to the position not to sign any bilateral immunity treaties with the United States, Gift said.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that Manning’s Washington encounter, was conceived as a completely bilateral meeting. The invitation to the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister to meet with US authorities preceded the meeting of Caricom Heads in Montego Bay and as well as the implementation of the US decision to cut military aid from several countries, including some Caricom member states. Gift noted however because there were times when it was very difficult to separate bilateral issues from Caricom issues, “where they criss-cross the matters would be addressed.” The issue of the ICC is expected to be discussed. Gift, stressing that the arguments which would be presented would apply to all Caricom countries, said: “I am sure that given the persuasive nature of the arguments to be presented by Trinidad and Tobago. I have every expectation that the arguments will fall on receptive ears.” Gift conceded that Caricom’s expectations of the meeting placed a burden on Trinidad and Tobago. He quoted from a letter from Bird, in which he stated: “I propose to my colleagues that Prime Minister Manning should be given full authority by us to raise the matter of the waive for our Caricom region during the discussions with President Bush and that this initiative should be allowed to proceed before any of our states attempts to negotiate bilateral non-surrender agreements with the United States.”
Asked what Caricom expected from this meeting, Gift quoted from the letter from President of Guyana, Jagdeo Bharat to Lester Bird, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, in which he (Bharat) stated that he was prepared to wait until Manning undertakes his visit to Washington before he decided whether Guyana would sign a bilateral immunity agreement. In the letter, dated July 18, Bharat stated : “Although I have been publicly quoted as expressing a desire to sign in Guyana’s interest a bilateral non-surrender agreement with the US, you may be assured that this will not be done before Prime Minister Patrick Manning is allowed the opportunity to raise the possibility of the waiver for Caricom countries.” This correspondence was copied to all Caricom heads. Gift said the six Caricom countries affected by the US decision had been talking among each other. Gift said the meeting would take place at a mutually convenient date. He said what the Trinidad and Tobago team was currently doing was preparing itself to adequately and competently deal with the number of issues it planned to raise, while on the US side they have to prepare a response to objectively deal with the matters presented. “We are in the process of preparing the briefs,” he said, adding that the first dossier should be completed by early next week.
Expressing “mixed feelings” about the Heritage Festival currently in progress at venues throughout the island, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London has lamented that some presentations fell well below expectations. He made the frank disclosure during yesterday’s weekly post-Executive Council meeting press briefing at the THA Administrative Complex.
London said: “I’ll be very honest with you; I have mixed feelings about the Heritage Festival,” he told reporters. “I think the productions that I saw, they varied in quality. There were some excellent productions, and I mean the kind of productions which you could market to visitors from anywhere in the world. However, there were productions that, if we are to be honest with ourselves, fell below expectations,” the THA Chief Secretary declared. “And there is a need for more consistency in our level of productions throughout all the communities.” London stressed that we have to face the truth. “It doesn’t make sense for us to bury our heads in the sand where this is concerned. Even though it is our local culture, there are certain standards that we must maintain,” he asserted. He acknowledged that there were some productions that were so good that you actually “feel your head raise,” but then again there are others where “we have to do some homework.” London called for more work between the festivals to address the question of sub-standard productions on stage in the island’s annual premier cultural showcase.
Planning and Development Minister Keith Rowley yesterday made a call for investors in the Chaguaramas area to maintain it’s natural beauty.
Rowley was speaking at the opening of the refurbished Chagville Beach Facility which was hosted by the Chaguaramas Development Authority yesterday evening at the Chagville Beach, Central Chaguaramas. “When we say development it usually refers to the indiscriminate pouring of concrete and the building of shacks,” said Rowley. The Minister added, “We have developed Pigeon Point into Barataria with a beach.” He thanked all involved with the Chagville refurbishment programme and made a call to citizens not to make the “development” mistake repeatedly. “There is nothing more complete than nature,” declared Rowley.
THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) slammed yesterday’s new anti-crime initiative as “a powder puff approach to crime” by the People’s National Movement (PNM) and maintained that the Government is to blame for the current levels of crime in Trinidad and Tobago.
At a news conference at the Police Administration Building yesterday, National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee announced the deployment of 1,000 additional police officers to patrol the nation’s streets and creation of a National Crime Commission as one of several new measures that are being implemented to deal with crime. “The time for swift and decisive action is now. No government can assure its citizens that it can eliminate crime totally. However it is incumbent on any responsible administration to identify and enact the necessary measures to keep the level of criminal activity as minimal as possible. It is not anticipated that these measures will eliminate criminal behaviour but in substantial ways they will lend a greater level of effect to the anti-crime results, oriented and initiated.”
However the UNC described the initiative as “a signal that the government is prepared to adopt a powder puff approach to crime.” The Opposition claimed UNC Leader Basdeo Panday’s Port-of-Spain office is being bombarded by local and foreign calls about crime in TT and “many businessmen have informed us of their intention to leave Trinidad and migrate to North America and the United Kingdom.” The UNC charged that Government’s incompetence in dealing with crime is reflected in the persons of Chin Lee and Attorney-General Glenda Morean and Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s “now infamous meeting with ‘community leaders’ and his constant fraternising with terrorists.” The UNC claimed all of Government’s crime plans have failed and felt dialogue with the business community was late in coming.
The Opposition reiterated its allegations that CEPEP and URP monies were fuelling crime in TT and said “the sharp rise in kidnapping for ransom is a phenomenon associated with the return to power of the PNM.” Based on this fact, one may be led to the inescapable conclusion that there is a connection between the highly financed PNM Local Government campaign and monies received from ill-gotten activities, the UNC declared. The UNC called for cutting edge technology to be employed in the war on crime, similar to measures undertaken in New York by former mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
FOR THE FIRST time in its 13-year history, the Chaguanas Borough Corporation was buzzing with excitement yesterday when three members of the People’s National Movement were sworn in as councillors.
Previously the party was able to slip into the eight-member borough through the Enterprise South seat only, with Ronald Heera sitting in as the lone candidate, but on this occasion, he had two others accompanying him — Bernard Bailey (Edinburgh/Longdenville) and Patricia Baptiste (Enterprise North). Conducting the ceremony was William Mark, the Borough’s CEO, who, in his zeal to complete the exercise, almost forgot Baptiste (Enterprise North), whom he later called on “to come up and take the oath of office, with great respect to you Madam.” The ceremony began with Pamela Doon, the Deputy CEO, welcoming guests, which included Manohar Ramsaran, MP for Chaguanas and Dr Hamza Rafeeq, MP for Caroni Central. After prayers from the Hindu, Muslim and Christian community, Mark took over and read sections of the Standing Orders, with respct to the swearing in, after which he called on Mayor Orlando Nagessar (Felicity/Endeavour) who walked in with the mayoral chain, to be sworn in.
The other UNC Councillors followed in this order — Gopaul Boodhan, Montrose; Falisha Isahak, Charlieville; Narsingh Ramberran, Cunupia and Joey Samuel Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah Road. The selection of the two aldermen followed and both Surujrattan Rambachan, a former UWI Management lecturer and Naidu Powdhar, manager of CLICO Chaguanas, won with 5 votes each. Others who gained votes were Vinoo Boodram, 2 and Horace Hudson, Pat Brown and Shirley Doolarchan, one vote each. The selection of the Mayor and deupty Mayor will take place on Monday July 28, at 10.00 am. Surujrattan Rambachan, former Ambassador to Brazil under the NAR Government, is tipped to be the next Mayor of Chaguanas, succeeding Orlando Nagessar. It was reported that the leadership of the UNC wanted high-profile politicians to lead Corporations which they control so that they would bounce back successfully for the next General Election.
A Port-of-Spain man appeared before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Ejenny Espinet yesterday charged with kidnapping two women.
Roger St Paul, of Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain is accused of kidnapping and falsely imprisoning Neesha Burke and Josanne Barnum reportedly of the Port-of-Spain area on March 10. St Paul was arrested at his home on Tuesday by officers of the Besson Street Police Station. In his defence, St Paul told the Magistrate, “This is a family matter.” He then informed the court that he would be represented by attorney Gordon Laming. Espinet adjourned the matter to Friday when she will review his criminal record before considering bail.
A MARAVAL man, who was yesterday sentenced to 12 years hard labour for raping a 15-year-old girl, said he was “framed” because he “exposed her business.”
Johnny Douglas, 43, was found guilty by a nine-member jury when he appeared before High Court Judge Ivor Archie in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court charged with raping a 15-year-old girl on September 25, 1999, at Morne Coco Rd, Maraval. The jury deliberated for 30 minutes before returning the guilty verdict against Douglas. The State was represented in the matter by Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo while defence attorney Theodore Guerra represented Douglas. The facts presented to the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court by Waterman-Latchoo were that around 7 pm on said date, the victim, 15 years old at the time, was walking along Morne Coco Road, Maraval, when Douglas offered to give her a ride in his maxi taxi.
The court heard that the teenager knew Douglas and had often travelled in his maxi taxi and so she accepted the lift. Douglas reportedly told her that he had to pick up a woman and pulled into a side street along Morne Coco Road. He came out of the driver’s seat and went to the back of the maxi where the teenager was sitting. Douglas then told the teenager, “Don’t scream,” and put his hand over her mouth. A struggle ensued and she kicked Douglas in his groin after which he slapped her and banged her head against the maxi. He then raped her. He also threatened to kill her and her family if she told anyone what had happened. After completing the act, Douglas got back into the driver’s seat and drove off.
The court heard that the victim, who was still in shock from the incident, later asked Douglas to stop the maxi and she alighted and went home. However, she did not tell anyone what had happened to her. Some time after the incident, the teenager told her younger brother about the incident and he advised her to tell their mother about it, which she did. A report was then made to the Four Roads Police Station on February 8, 2000. Douglas was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence by Sgt Joyce Martin of the Four Roads Police Station. In his defence, Douglas claimed that the teenager had made the allegations against him because he had warned her mother about her behaviour. He said that she decided to get revenge against him for exposing her business. Douglas also presented two alibi witnesses to testify that he was not using the maxi taxi on the night of the incident but had spent the entire day by his children’s mother.
