CARONI (1975) Limited and the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union have reached an agreement in principle on the Voluntary Separation of Employment Plan (VSEP).

But none of the parties was prepared yesterday to reveal the contents of the agreement until they report to the Industrial Court at 2 pm today. When the matter was called at 1.50 pm in the Industrial Court yesterday, Douglas Mendes, representing the union, informed the court that the parties had arrived at an agreement in principle hours earlier relating to the main issues in the dispute. Although an agreement was reached, time did not permit for the matters to be put into writing. Mendes asked for two weeks to finalise the agreement. But Allan Alexander SC, representing the company, asked for half an hour to present the terms of the agreement to the court. But this was not convenient to the court.  Gladys Gafoor, Vice-President of the Industrial Court, said she had a 2 pm appointment and could not accommodate the agreement at that time. Alexander still wanted the matter to be dealt with yesterday, asking for a later time for the agreement to be placed before the court.

While the Court members were prepared to sit later to receive the agreement, the vice-president pointed out that the support staff would not be available.  She suggested that the parties return to court today. Initially, Alexander said it was not convenient, but later he agreed for the matter to be heard at 2 pm today. The matter was called before Court members Gafoor, Lloyd Elcock, Ramchand Lutchmedial, Judy Rajkumar-Gualbance, and Augustus Ramrekersingh. Appearing with Mendes were Dave Cowie and Ashvani Mahabir, while Alexander was lead attorney over Reginald Armour and Kerwyn Garcia. On June 27, the Industrial Court adjourned the matter to yesterday for Caroni and the union to formally meet and discuss in detail, the VSEP offer, having regard to its implications to the workers with a view to resolving the terms and conditions. The parties were expected to report their findings to the court yesterday. After the hearing, Rudy Indarsingh, President General of the union, did not reveal the contents of the agreement to the media. He said that until the parties report to the court, he would prefer that the contents remain in the hands of the union and its lawyers.

But Indarsingh said the union has to protect its members in terms of what will be issued in the new letters of offer of the VSEP package.  “There seems to be a sticking point between the union and the company. But I am hopeful that the sticking points will be resolved,” the union president added. Indarsingh said the union and the company met over the last six days in an effort to reach an agreement. The union had filed a complaint with the Industrial Court on several issues. The union complained among other things that Caroni failed to treat and enter into negotiations with the union on the controversial VSEP issue. Cabinet decided on December 19, 2002 to reduce the manpower levels of Caroni through the offer to all employees of a VSEP package. Caroni offered VSEP to 8,116 employees at a cost of $637 million. The Industrial Court, on March 28, granted an injunction restraining Caroni from implementing its VSEP. The injunction will continue.

Former NP Chairman, Senator Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, during her tenure at the State-owned company “reportedly went on worldwide travel” at a cost to the State to the tune of $600,000. This was revealed to Newsday yesterday by Attorney General Glenda Morean.

The Attorney General was responding to a question from Seepersad-Bachan on whether an ex-employee of NP had been engaged as consultants with the company. Newsday secured a copy of the details of these trips. During the period July 1996 and January 1999 Seepersad-Bachan made 17 trips. The breakdown of the Chairman’s overseas travel revealed that she visited Ecuador, Barbados, India, St Maarten, Brazil, Santo Domingo and San Francisco; she also made three visits to Houston, three visits to Florida, two to England and two to Venezuela. The tickets cost $221,335.33 with the most expensive being those to India, London, Houston, San Francisco and Ecuador. The allowances given on these trips amounted to $240,163.22. Again the figures for allowances were highest for the trip to India which lasted six days and cost $43,353.78, along with those for London, San Francisco, Houston and Miami.

Morean, in giving her answer, said that NP was “forced to re-hire” Edmund Arneaud and Ernest Williams as consultants “because of their very special competencies.” However, Morean said it was necessary to examine and assess the performance of the Board of Directors of NP and in particular the Chairmanship of the Board during the period of the dismissal of these and other managers. In doing so, she accused the former chairman of dismissing competent managers in a willy-nilly manner. She said the former chairman refused to grant increases and bonuses to managers despite the Company’s record of profits. Yet, her travel bill was more than $.5 million between July 27,1996 and December 29, 1999. Seepersad-Bachan revealed documents which showed that Williams was fired by the Board. She accused the AG of misleading the Parliament on the issue.

THE two sons of Trinidadian double murder-accused Cyprian Diaz may not have to take the witness stand and testify against their father, accused of shooting to death their 40-year-old mother, Pramatee Celestine and her 29-year-old New York born husband, Eugene on June 17, in West Philadelphia. On Wednesday, Diaz, 57, waived his preliminary hearing when he appeared before Judge Seamus Caffery in courtroom 903 of the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Centre. He has been charged with five offences including two counts of murder, possession of a firearm in a public place, possession of a firearm without a licence, and possession of an instrument of crime.

As a result of waiving the preliminary hearing, Diaz was ordered held (to stand trial) on all five charges laid by Detective Lawrence McGuffin. The accused was represented in court by Thomas McGill, while Assistant District Attorney Mark Gilson appeared on behalf of the prosecution. During the brief court hearing a quiet and somewhat subdued Diaz was asked several questions by his lawyer and then Judge Seamus, who asked him if he knew he was waiving his preliminary hearing, and what it meant. Diaz replied in the affirmative and the matter was then adjourned to July 30 for arraignment in courtroom. Asked why Diaz waived his preliminary hearing, prosecutor Gilson told Newsday, “I think he did it to spare his sons from testifying against him. Michael, 14 and Randy Diaz, 10, reportedly witnessed the shooting death of their mother.

Sources told Newsday that when someone waives a preliminary hearing, it generally means there won’t be a trial, that the attorney for the accused is negotiating a plea bargain with the DA’s office. Sources also told Newsday that the plea bargaining agreement will make sense for someone who is sure of being convicted, because it is usually the case that they will get a longer sentence if found guilty at a trial than if they make a deal with the DA in return for allowing the State to avoid the time and expense of a trial (maybe get a life sentence instead of the chair, or be charged with second or third degree murder instead of first degree). Asked, prosecutor Gilson said that the defence team had not yet approached the DA’s office with respect to a plea bargaining agreement. When Diaz makes another appearance on July 30 in courtroom 504 for arraignment, it simply means he will appear before a Judge at which a date is set for pre-trial conference. Members of Celestine’s family, as well as Diaz’s twin brother, Felix, were at the Philadelphia court, but there were no outbursts from either side.

Six days of trauma for the Ramkissoon family of Mausica ended at 5.15 am yesterday, when kidnap victim Syam Ramkissoon was freed by kidnappers after a ramson was paid at a quarry close to Aripo.

Syam, 26, who spent six days in captivity in the Valencia Forest, blindfolded, gagged and kept under a shed surrounded by fierce mosquitoes, was dropped off at Aripo early yesterday where he was picked up by his father, poultry magnante Jai Ramkissoon. He was examined by a doctor who treated him for shock and prescribed medication for mosquito bites and cuts to his feet. Syam, who was surrounded by his wife of three months, Valia, his mother Sumintra, sister Sharon and other relatives was unavailable for an interview yesterday. He claimed that he was too shaken up to say anything at this time. Outside the sprawling mansion, Jai Ramkissoon sipped on a drink of whiskey and coconut water and cried tears of joy at the release of his son. He told Newsday that he is the only father in Trinidad and Tobago whose two children were kidnapped at different times. His daughter Sharon was allegedly kidnapped 17 years ago.

According to Ramkissoon, he was contacted by the kidnappers on Wednesday afternoon and told to go to the Barataria Roundabout. He explained that he was then given instructions to go to the lookout at the Lady Young Road, Morvant, and when he arrived there he was instructed to drive to a quarry in the east. On his arrival there he was told to place the ransom money in a drum and await further instructions. A relieved Ramkisson said that he returned to his home and awaited word from the kidnappers. At 4.50 am, he received a telephone call instructing him to go to Aripo, where he saw his son Syam standing under a bus shed. “Syam was weak, disoriented and had to be lifted into the car,” said Ramkissoon. He pointed out that Syam was fed some water and on his arrival at home he was met by his mother Sumintra, his wife Valia and sister Sharon. They all hugged him and prayed before he met with other relatives who had gathered at the house.

Yesterday, Ramkissoon reiterated that the police did nothing to assist him during the kidnapping, and added that he has no confidence in the Anti Kidnapping Squad. He revealed that posting two officers permanently at his house after Syam was kidnapped was a total waste of time. The chicken magnate feels that not enough effort was made to search for his son although information was received by the police that his son was being kept somehere in the east. The father of two said that he is hoping that he will never have to relive that experience again. As tears streamed down his face, Ramkissoon claimed that his son suffered emotionally and physically during his stay with kidnappers and was fed only snacks. He said that Syam was beaten on the head with a gun butt and asked how many farms his father owned. “I only own one farm, and I am not as financially secure as some people feel,” said Ramkissoon. He thanked all those who supported and prayed for Syam. Yesterday, AKS officers claimed that Ramkissoon was uncooperative during the investigation, and did things without informing the police. The cops said they were informed that a $120,000 ransom was paid for the release of Syam. The kidnappers, had initially demanded $2 million and then decreased the figure to $500,00.

A 31-year-old woman escaped after being held up by two men at Ellerslie Plaza, St Clair yesterday.

Reports revealed that around 10 am, Shamela Dhalloo was seated in her car when she was confronted by two men armed with guns. They ordered her out of the driver’s seat and then ordered to the back seat of the car. Dhaloo managed to escape and ran into an office at the plaza. The gunman fired a shot at her but  missed. Officers of the St Clair Police Station responded and a 22-year-old suspect was held. Dhaloo told police officers that her family owns a printery. She claimed that when she was ordered to the back seat of the vehicle, she sat on a Bible and was able to slip out of the vehicle easily while warding off one of the men. Her mother, Basmacie, said that she was happy that her daughter escaped unhurt and believed that the Bible played a key part in her daughter being able to escape yesterday. Police reports revealed that the woman is the daughter of a well known businessman. Officers believe that it may have been an attempted kidnapping.

PASTOR at the Open Bible Church Andy Dhipraj, who officiated at yesterday’s funeral service for wife-killer Pooran Dalchan, described him as a “kind-hearted and gentle person who was a true friend and a giver.” Dalchan — who in a fit of rage, stabbed his wife and mother of his four children, Reena Dalchan, 41, three weeks ago, then jumped from the bannister of his in-laws’ home in an apparent suicide bid — died on Wednesday morning of a heart attack after being discharged from San Fernando General Hospital and taken to the Freeport police station where he was formally charged with his wife’s murder. While at hospital, Dalchan, who was paralysed from the neck down, due to the fall, had repeatedly said he was glad his wife was dead and also wanted to die.

He was cremated at the Caroni cremation site following yesterday’s simple but highly emotional funeral service at his Chrissie Street, Enterprise, Chaguanas home. And, as if grieving for its master, a pet parrot named “Polly” spent several minutes during the funeral service perched on the simple, white casket which contained Dalchan’s body. The pet bird, which was brought out by relatives to view its master’s body for the last time, was seen closing its eyes as it stood on the edge of the casket near Dalchan’s face. The sad-looking bird, who usually slept in Dalchan’s bedroom, stared at its master’s face for the ten minutes it was allowed to stay on the casket. Also sitting next to the casket, in mournful vigil, were Dalchan’s two daughters, Asha, 22, and Natasha, 17, who sobbed quietly as they scratched Polly’s head as though comforting the bird. Dalchan’s son, Andy, 21, sat amongst the small gathering of mourners. Missing was the couple’s fourth child, Marsha, who is married and currently lives in New York. The 46-year-old fisherman was discharged from San Fernando General Hospital on Tuesday night and was taken to the Freeport police station via ambulance. Seven hours after Dalchan was charged with murdering his wife, he suffered heart failure and was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he died.

Two bandits armed with guns stormed into the Henry Street, Port-of-Spain branch of Courts yesterday, held up a cashier and escaped with $10,000.

Reports revealed that around 3.15 pm, two men went to the first floor of the building where they climbed into the cashier’s cage and ordered the cashier to hand over cash. The men then escaped. Officers of the Port-of-Spain CID were alerted and they went to the scene.