Sumintra Alfred, the wife of Chief Fire Officer Lennox Alfred, and three relatives suffered injuries when the car in which Alfred was driving collided with another vehicle on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway yesterday. All five injured were rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Reports revealed that around 10.30 am yesterday, Alfred was driving her car, PBN 1942, west along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of Courts Megastore, San Juan, when she was forced to negotiate her car to avoid being pinned by a truck. In doing so, she lost control of her car and ended up in the median of the highway. Her car then ended up on the eastern side of the highway and collided with a car driven by Donald Ramkaran. Reports revealed that Alfred suffered injuries to the chest while 60-year-old Mary Ramdial also suffered injuries to the chest, Andrea Ramdial,10, suffered a broken arm and Adran, 13, received head injuries. They were all rushed by ambulance to hospital.
The accident caused a massive traffic pile up and officers from Traffic Branch were called out to bring the traffic under control. Chief Fire Officer Lennox Alfred arrived on the scene shortly after and was informed of the accident in detail. He called fire officers to the scene and the highway was washed down and cleared of debris. Alfred told Newsday that he was relieved that the injuries were not life threatening. Officers of the Barataria Police Station are investigating.
Defence attorney Douglas Mendes suggested during his cross-examination of the woman who filed a civil suit against Dr Earl Brewster that she may have exaggerated the truth on several occasions when giving her testimony. Dorean Dyall, a 45-year-old legal clerk, filed a civil suit against Dr Earl Brewster and Stanley’s Medical Clinic Limited for medical negligence, and is claiming damages of $85,000. In a previous testimony, Dyall said that she had tubal surgery in June 1995 to remove fibroids and a splint was placed in her fallopian tubes to prevent blockage. She testified that the instrument used to remove the splint was two-feet in length. Yesterday at the Port-of-Spain Fifth Civil Court, Dyall looked at a picture of an instrument presented to her by Mendes and agreed that it looked like the instrument that was used by Dr Brewster to remove the splint. Mendes then put it to her that the instrument was one-foot in length and not two feet. Dyall denied that she was exaggerating but said, “It might have been so.” Dyall said that Dr Brewster performed two surgeries on her, one in 1995 and in 1998. She admitted to signing consent forms before the surgeries were performed and by signing, had authorised Dr Brewster to perform the operation “and any such operation or procedure that is considered therapeutically necessary on the basis of the findings during the course of the said operation.” Dyall said that she did not fully understand the authorisation form, but did not indicate that to anyone. Dyall admitted that after the surgery in 1995, she continued to suffer from fibroids and had developed a condition known as bacterial vaginosis and then testified in Court that she thought she had received an infection from her husband but later retracted the statement.
She did, however, admit that she knew that the type of infection she had could cause the fallopian tubes to be blocked. Dyall had also previously testified that Dr Brewster had told her that her left ovarian cyst was as “large as a grapefruit.” Mendes then told her that Dr. Brewster instructed him that he never said that her cyst was as large as a grapefruit, but that her left ovary was. Mendes said that according to the ultrasound supervised by Dr Brewster, Dyall had a “15-week uterus” which was the only thing that could be the size of a grapefruit. Dyall denied that she had misunderstood Dr Brewster and he recommended that she have her left ovarian cyst removed but did not give any reasons why. Dyall said that from her own research, she knew that her womb may be removed from such a surgery. She denied that Dr Brewster had discussed with her a possibility of a hysterectomy if malignancy was found. Dyall is represented by attorneys Odai Ramishchand and Nisha Persad; Brewster is represented by Shabiki Cazabon and Stanley’s Medical Clinic Limited is represented by Simeon De La Bastide and Lisa Fulchan. The case continues on Monday before Justice Mark Mohammed.
THE ONLY threat to the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) hold on political power is an Opposition alliance “comprising individuals of proven integrity and track record.” This was one of several findings in the final NACTA poll before Monday’s Local Government Election which sees the PNM remaining on course for a massive victory over the Opposition United National Congress (UNC). While the poll shows the PNM will sweep Monday’s election, it also warns that the ruling party could be defeated by an alliance of opposition parties whose members are “corruption free,” but the UNC in its present configuration does not fit such a profile. The poll, which interviewed 1,056 voters to yield a demographically representative sample of the population, also found widespread dissatisfaction with local government and central government representatives. Nearly two-thirds of the voters expressed dissatisfaction with their councillors while nearly a third of the respondents identified their MP as their local government representative. However more voters gave PNM MPs the thumbs up over their UNC counterparts and felt several UNC MPs should resign and make way for new faces “who are not tainted, and who will be more dynamic.” Oppos-ition Leader Basdeo Panday was the top non-performing UNC MP with Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran and Naparima MP Nizam Baksh coming second and third respectively in non-performance.
Overall, only 31 percent of voters in UNC-controlled constituencies are happy with the performance of their MPs compared to 39 percent voter satisfaction in PNM-controlled constituencies. Nation-wide, 51 percent of the respondents are unhappy with their MPs’ performance. Ortoire/Mayaro MP Franklyn Khan is regarded as the best performing parliamentarian followed by Toco/Manzanilla MP Roger Boynes and Tunapuna MP Eddie Hart. NACTA polls have also been showing a steady loss of support for the UNC and continuous gains for the PNM since July 2001 when the UNC “began to unravel” after Panday failed to accept the results of the party’s internal elections which saw former Attorney-General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj elected as UNC deputy leader. Since Maharaj’s departure, the UNC’s leadership has been unable to arrest the slide in its support and on Monday “the party will suffer its worst defeat since it was formed over 13 years ago.” NACTA’s polls have determined that under Panday’s leadership the UNC “is unlikely to ever return to government, and that its support will continue to shrink.” Under St Augustine MP Winston Dookeran’s leadership, the UNC does slightly better, polling 44 percent by drawing support from the Indian middle and professional classes, and could retain five of the seven local government bodies it now holds. The polls also show the UNC registering smaller percentages, but still losing the election with either UNC MPs Roodal Moonilal, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Kelvin Ramnath at the helm. However a Ganga Singh led-UNC would see a crash in UNC support of 26 percent and the loss of even the party’s safe seats in Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Chaguanas and Couva.
The poll hands the Siparia Regional Corporation to the PNM as Persad-Bissessar has lost her appeal among Indian female, and African male voters in her Siparia constituency. In terms of political accomodations, an opposition alliance minus Panday and other UNC MPs who are perceived to be corrupt will defeat the PNM, retaining six local bodies, wresting San Fernando from the PNM and tying another. Asked about choice for Prime Minister, neither Panday nor incumbent PM Patrick Manning receives a strong mandate, but Manning outpolls Panday in a race for Executive President. Manning gets the nod for PM from 29 percent of the respondents opposed to Panday’s 22 percent. Other contenders for PM were Dr Keith Rowley, Maharaj, Dookeran, Ken Valley, Persad-Bissessar, Moonilal, and Reginald Dumas. However narrowed down to Manning and Panday, Manning gets 51 percent of the vote compared to Panday’s 38 percent while 11 percent offered no opinion. Only 29 percent of respondents believed Chairman of the Piarco Commission of Inquiry, retired Chief Justice Clinton Bernard is not biased, with a whopping 53 percent believing he was and 71 percent felt the Inquiry should be terminated as it fulfilled its objective. Some 47 percent of respondents (mostly Indians) believe the National Lotteries Control Board is racially biased against Indians in its disbursement of funds. African respondents brush off any racial bias claims saying the situation was reversed when the UNC was in power. On the Caribbean Citizenship Bill, some 48 percent of respondents (including a significant number of PNM supporters) oppose allowing Caricom nationals coming to work in Trinidad and Tobago. Only 37 percent of respondents support the Bill. Asked if the UNC should support the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final court of appeal, the response was mixed with only 49 percent saying yes, the majority of these being Africans.
THE first vote for the ruling PNM, and quite possibly the first vote cast for the crucial Siparia Regional Corpo-ration, occurred last Tuesday morning when disabled candidate Pundit Gayapersad Maharaj cast his vote (as a Special Elector) at the La Brea Community Centre. Pundit Maharaj goes up against the UNC candidate Pundit Sharma Basdeo. In the last Local Government election in 1999, the Corporation’s seats were tied at 4-4 and went to the control of the UNC, after the drawing of lots. Maharaj, the PNM candidate for the electoral district of Otaheite/Rousillac, lost his right leg to diabetes and was subsequently registered to vote as a special elector in the July 14 poll. Asked who he had voted for, the smiling Maharaj told Newsday it “definitely was not for the other pundit.” He also expressed optimism over the outcome of the election, saying the PNM would wrest control of the marginal Siparia Regional Corporation from the Opposition UNC. “A lot of UNC people are coming over to the PNM because they see that we have been doing a lot of things for them and not just making empty promises, like the other party,” Pundit Maharaj said.
Police Commissioner Hilton Guy said yesterday that police officers will be visible at all polling stations for Local Government election on Monday to ensure the safety of all citizens during and after polling hours. The Commissioner noted that in past elections, the police had received complaints from citizens about unlawful activities in and around the vicinity of polling stations, and he has instructed officers to be very vigilant and maintain law and order. He reiterated that it is an offence for members and/or supporters of political parties to congregate and canvass within 100 yards of polling stations.
The Commissioner emphasised that within this area, it is an offence for persons to seek to influence any elector to vote or refrain from voting for any candidate or political party or to ascertain for whom any elector intends to vote or has voted. The Commissioner said that it is an offence for persons to wear clothing bearing any political symbol. He advised further that voters should follow the instructions of the staff of the Elections and Boun-daries Commission and police officers when casting their ballot.
“Let’s see the doctors. Let them start to work and you will see what they are able to do,” said Cuban Ambassador Raul Rojas yesterday about the quality of 35 doctors coming to TT to alleviate the shortage in the public health sector. “As far as I know nobody has been questioning the quality of the doctors in Cuba and we have nothing to hide; we are very open. Everyone knows the quality of doctors in Cuba,” Rojas said yesterday following a courtesy visit with the Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry. Special Temporary Licences will be given to the Cuban doctors to practise medicine in TT. Accompanying Rojas was Alberto Perez Sierra, the official coordinating arrangements for the Cuban doctors and nurses who will begin arriving on July 23. He had little to say as the Ambassador spoke to Newsday. Perez arrived yesterday morning and will be in TT “for a while” Rojas said. Legislation is now before Parliament to amend the Medical Board Act to establish a five-member panel appointed by the Health Minister to issue the licences. Newsday was reliably informed that the doctors will be employed by the Health Ministry in “special posts” and will not take positions in the Public Service or Regional Health Authority. These are for local doctors, the source said.
Rojas said Cuba is always trying to collaborate with other countries. It currently has ties with 60 territories, and approximately 6,000 Cuban medical personnel work abroad. “If you have any kind of doubt, the world organisation (WHO) can give you information. As far as I am concerned, we have more doctors that the same world organisation and I think they recognise.” Despite concerns about the doctors’ fluency in English, Rojas said Ministry officials went to interview the doctors “and they know if the people they have hired can speak English.” He assured that when patients are sick, the doctor would understand. Rojas said Cuban doctors have worked in the Cuban jungle where inhabitants spoke neither Spanish nor English but a dialect. He said they “did well.” Doctors are not categorised as consultants, registrars and house officers in Cuba. Rojas said: “No seniors and juniors — we have no need for that kind of certification.” He said doctors studied for seven years then may spend three years or more specialising in a particular area of medicine. Asked about the state of the facilities’ readiness to accommodate the doctors and nurses, Rojas said, “I think they have to work on this. It is not easy and they need time.” He expected the facilities to be ready by the time they arrived.
Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee said yesterday that his ministry is negotiating for the procurement of five fast interceptors Coast Guard vessels and two 60-metre offshore patrol boats to replace the existing vessels of the Coast Guard. He said that with financial assistance from the United States, under the International Narcotics Law Enforcement Agreement, two of the fast interceptors are already on the production line while the government will meet the required funding for the purchase of the remaining additions to the new fleet. The Minister made the disclosure during his address at the passing out parade at the 41st recruit intake of the Coast Guard at Staubles Bay. “In anticipation of this increased surface fleet, my Ministry is finalising plans for the refurbishment of the existing jetty and the construction of a new deep-water jetty at Staubles Bay,” said Minister Chin Lee. He said the project is expected to begin in the last quarter of the year and when completed, will provide additional berth space for vessels of all sizes in excess of the 82 feet, including larger vessels that will require deeper water as well as berthing length and manoeuvrability.
Minister Chin Lee also revealed that plans are afoot to create a first class Branch of the Coast Guard’s Air Wing with well-trained pilots, crew and technicians. “This will allow the Air Wing to play a more strategic role in drug interdiction, search and rescue operations and support the oil and gas industry through plant and pipeline surveillance. “The INL Agreement also facilitated training programmes for the Air Wing and to date, pilots have been exposed to refresher courses in emergency procedure while line maintenance personnel and Navajo pilots were also provided with technical training,” said Chin Lee. He revealed that another area that is being addressed is the security network and the Coast Guard has approval from Government to increase its personnel on a phased basis to over 1,000 sailors and 100 officers. These increases will manifest itself in local areas, particularly in Tobago, Galeota and Cedros. He commended the graduates for choosing the TT Coast Guard and told them that they represent the largest intake of recruits to have ever been inducted in recent years. “Not only is it an indication of a great desire to join a noble career but speaks loudly of a renewed spirit of determination among young men and women of the military and protective services. He congratulated best male recruit Marvin Richardson and Best Female recruit Amanda Gould.
A 62-year-old man related to a jury yesterday how his estranged lover and next-door neighbour stalked him and threw acid on the left side of his face, scarring him for life. When she threw the acid, she allegedly told him: “Hold that.” Frederick George, of Belmont, told the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court how he broke off his relationship with Catherine George when he heard her husband was having problems with her. He explained that Catherine had lived adjacent to him on Barton Lane, Belmont, with her husband and children. And that sometime in 1993, he started an intimate relationship with her. Catherine, through her attorney Ken Wright, denied having such a relationship with Frederick but instead, expressed fear of him. Catherine is before Justice Rajendra Narine, charged with throwing acid on Frederick’s face with the intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on January 17, 1996 at Belmont Circular Road. State prosecutor in the matter is Nalini Singh.
Under cross-examination, Frederick said that he had never taken Catherine out on a date except once when he met her at the Savannah at a Carnival show where she was working. He said he gave her gifts but not expensive ones because of her husband. Frederick related to the court how he was standing on Belmont Circular Road awaiting a taxi about midday when Catherine approached him. He said she took out a soft drink bottle from her handbag, used her teeth to open the cap, poured some of its contents into a silver cup then walked towards him but not directly and threw the liquid on him. The liquid, later identified as sulphuric acid, burnt the left side of Frederick’s face and shoulder. He said he felt his skin burning and ran to the nearby Belmont Police Station. Frederick said that on November 13, 1995, he had terminated his relationship with Catherine after she had hit him in the back with a block. He also claimed that Catherine would pass on Barton Lane in order to “stalk him.” Hearing continues next Wednesday.
POLICE CORPORAL Michael Richards yesterday testified that accused Ancil Samuel admitted striking a man with a piece of wood to his head during a fight in July, 2000. The fight left two men hospitalised with head injuries. Richards was giving evidence in a trial where Samuel is charged with attempted murder of Ernie Moreau, attempted murder of Ricky Guerra, causing grievous bodily harm to Moreau and causing grievous bodily harm to Guerra. The matter is before High Court Judge Ivor Archie in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court. In his evidence Richards said he was stationed at Malabar Police Station on July 31, 2000, when he received a report about an incident at the corner of Evergreen and Tumpuna Road. He dispatched two officers to the address. They reported back to him and he went to the scene where he found a pool of blood on the roadway, a piece of wood about 14 inches long, a piece of concrete slab and a stone. He took the articles back to the station and contacted official police photographer PC Alexis to take pictures of the scene. Richards said he went to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he met Jason and Claudette Villafana standing next to a stretcher. Moreau was lying face down on that stretcher. He said the two accompanied him back to the police station where he recorded a statement from Claudette and spoke to Jason. Following his conversation with Jason, he accompanied Jason to the scene of the incident where a piece of wood about 34 inches was identified to him.
Richards said he returned to the station, lodged the piece of wood into evidence and recorded a statement from Jason. Later, on August 1, he recorded a statement from Guerra. He also went to Ward 21 of the Port-of-Spain Hospital in an attempt to get a statement from Moreau. However Moreau was not responding. Back at the station, Richards identified himself to Samuel and informed him that he was investigating the incident which occurred on July 31. Samuel replied “I hit “Tooths” on the head with a piece of wood, but I ain’t beat nobody else.” However he refused to record a statement. On August 2, when Samuel still refused to give a statement, Richards said he told him that he, Samuel would be charged with the offences. The exhibits were later sent for forensic testing. Under cross examination by defence attorney Wayne Sturge, Richards admitted to mounting a search for four other suspects based on information he had received. However he was unsuccessful since he did not have the names of any of the men for whom he was looking. The court then heard details of the fight that took place and which caused the injuries to the two men. Under cross examination, Guerra stated that he and eight other friends had drunk about three bottles of brown cow between them. However he denied that he was drunk at the time of the incident, or that he attacked Samuel with a knife. The matter was subsequently adjourned.
The son of Trade and Industry Minister and Diego Martin Central MP Ken Valley appeared before Port-of-Spain Magistrate David Harris charged with using obscene language and aiding and abetting someone to drive without a permit. Shawn Valley, 21, of Glencoe, was reportedly travelling in the passenger seat of a vehicle along Ariapita Road, St Ann’s, when officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) made the arrest. The charge was laid by PC Deonanan of the AKS. Following submissions by defence attorney Osbourne Charles SC, the magistrate granted Valley own-bail in the sum of $2,000. The matter was adjourned to July 18.
