A NINE-YEAR-OLD Mayaro schoolboy was buggered by another student on Thursday. The student told investigators he went to the home of another student around midday and was held down and buggered. The child was medically examined. Cpl Dookie is investigating. Also in Mayaro, a 22-year-old labourer was arrested and charged under the Sexual Offences Act for having sex with a minor. The man allegedly had sex with the girl between October last year and last month.
Two deaf and dumb persons, and an acquaintance yesterday appeared before Senior Port-of-Spain Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim, charged with possession of 24.5 kilos of marijuana. Claude Cambridge, 32, his wife Sophia Cambridge, 30, deaf and dumb, and his father Patrick Cambridge, 80, also deaf and dumb, all of Belle Eau Road Belmont, are charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. It is alleged that last week Thursday, officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU) executed a search warrant at the home of the accused, and found 13 plastic packages, each containing approximately 1.9 grams of marijuana. The three were charged indictably. Ms Paul of the Cascade School for the Deaf was present to translate on behalf of the two deaf defendants. Attorney Aden Stroude represented all three. Magistrate Lee Kim set bail at $75,000 for all three, and adjourned the matter to December 1.
TWO OF the unions representing BWIA workers want to meet with the Inter-Ministerial Committee to discuss government’s decision to merge the national airline with LIAT. The Communications Transport and General Workers Trade Union (CATU) and the Allied Communication and Aviation Workers Trade Union (ACAWU) expressed disappointment at being left out of the discussions between the governments of Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda. CATU President Jagdeo Jagroop said the unions had received no word on the discussions. “We have to make positive contributions to these discussions,” he said. Christopher Abraham of ACAWU echoed Jagroop’s sentiments, and added that while the decision has been in the cards for a while, there is still a need to correspond with the unions. “We don’t have a problem with the combination of resources, but we do have a problem with being left out of the decision making process,” he said. “We represent the workers who are directly involved in this and will be affected by any decision made.”
Abraham said there was a great chance that the problems facing the airline would repeat themselves if the workers continued to be excluded. When asked whether or not he believed one regional carrier would benefit Trinidad and Tobago and the region at large, Abraham said: “We are still in the early days. We need more information before we can make a definite pronouncement on whether or not it would be beneficial,” he said. On Sunday, government announced the formation of a company to serve as the forerunner to an eventual merger between BWIA and LIAT. This agreement will pave the way for the incorporation of Caribbean Airlines Holding Limited (CAHL) which will eventually hold shares in the restructured airlines.
INVESTIGATORS have not been able to charge the suspect in the murder of 41-year-old mother of four Reena Dalchan, since doctors revealed yesterday that he will not be discharged from the San Fernando General Hospital “anytime soon”. Last Wednesday Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson instructed investigators to charge the 46-year-old fisherman of Crissy Street, Enterprise, Chaguanas, with Dalchan’s murder. But police have been advised by doctors to wait until the suspect is released from the SFGH. South West Regional Health Authority ( Communication’s Specialist Zanobia Nanan, said the suspect remains warded in stable condition. She said doctors recommended a CT scan but the suspect’s relatives were not to keen on having the test performed since he is already paralysed. Nanan said hospital officials were waiting on a bed at the neuro-surgical ward to have the suspect transferred there. Asked whether there was any way doctors would entertain investigators request to have the suspect released so he could be charged and taken before the magistrates’ court she said: “I do not think so. He cannot move and if anything happens to him we are liable.” Dalchan, a janitor, was dealt more than ten stabs to her chest, hands and neck by a close relative, while she slept at her parents’ home in Korea Village, Carapichaima two weeks ago.
SOUTH-Western Division police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating 17-year-old Nekiesha Scipio who ran away from home two weeks ago following a dispute with her mother. Investigators have made several futile attempts to find the teenager who is believed to have left in company with a 35-year-old man of Salick Trace, Gonzales Village, Guapo. The teenager’s worried mother, Esther Scipio, 35, of Alexander Village, Santa Flora, told police she had an argument with her daughter because she did not approve of a relationship the teen was having. She said her daughter, a Form Four student of Siparia Senior Secondary School, did not attend school on June 6 since she has a kidney ailment that causes her feet and forehead to become swollen. She said the last time she saw her daughter was around 7.30 am that day when she left home for work. When Scipio returned home, her daughter was not home and some of the teen’s clothing was missing. A report was made to Cpl Campbell of the Santa Flora Police and he is continuing investigations. Anyone with information can contact Scipio at 649-7503 or the Santa Flora police at 649-5555.
THE GOODIES the PNM is promising to deliver to the people of Central Trinidad after the July 14 Local Government Elections are “nothing but a sham,” according to Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagessar. Speaking to the media after he filed his Nomination Papers at the Office of the Returning Officer William Mark yesterday morning, Nagessar predicted that the “PNM will get the biggest shock of their lives as even the seat that they now hold (Enterprise South) will disappear from under their feet.” He criticised the promise Senator Satish Ramroop was making to the electorate. “Everything that he has spoken about — promenade, the improvement of Saith Park, the Cremation Site at Felicity, the elevated round about at Endeavour Fly Over – have all been implemented by the UNC and it is misleading to say that the PNM will accomplish those facilities,” Nagessar said. The Mayor said that the garbage dump at Felicity had ceased to exist under the present Borough Administration and he was surprised the PNM wants to re-open it “bearing in mind the environmental factors associated with garbge disposal.” “It is nothing but a retrograde step,” Nagessar said. He added that the fact that the PNM “is eager to make Chaguanas the next city in the country is a laughing matter as the Borough had been pushing that head over the last year because of the phenomenal growth of Chaguanas.”
Recently, the PNM formally opened a Central Regional Office aimed at beefing up operations in the sugar belt so they could capture both the ChaguanasBorough and the Co-uva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Co-rporation. The presence of Etienne Mendez as one of the PNM candidates in Chaguanas is an indication that the party is serious about capturing a few seats. He is up against the UNC’s Gopaul Boodhan, the Deputy Mayor. The PNM is reported to have made some inroads into Chaguanas and according to Senator Ramroop, “UNC supporters are coming to the PNM in droves.” “We are a caring Government providing goods and services for the lower and middle income group to improve the quality of their lives.” he said. He said: “California/Point Lisas Electoral District is ours already as Rhonda Bartholomew-John is reported to be way ahead of the UNC’s candidate Chaitram Rampersad.” John’s main strategy “is to get more local people employed at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and to seek the establishment of trade centres to ensure that young people become more skilled for the job market.” “I am full of confidence for the elections as every house I visit I have been getting positive vibes,” she said.
CASTRIES: The West Indies celebrated 75 years in Test cricket yesterday by posthumously honouring their first squad of 1928 in a ceremony at the Beausejour Stadium on the rain-hit fourth day of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka. West Indies Cricket Board president, Rev Wes Hall, saluted “the pioneers” before special presentations were made to relatives of Cyril “Snuffy” Browne, George Challenor, Learie Constantine, Maurice Fernandes, George Francis, Herman Griffith, ELG “Teddy” Hoad and Clifford Roach, the last to pass away in 1988. “I am so happy to pay tribute to the pioneers of that 1928 team and am very ecstatic to welcome the eight family representatives of those great players who really graced the field at Lord’s in 1928,” said Hall, himself a former Test fast bowler of the late 1950s and 1960s. All but Hoad were in the West Indies’ first official Test eleven which played against England at Lord’s in London on July 23, 25 and 26, 1928.
The West Indies lost that match by an innings and 58 runs, but it paved the way for the success that followed. “Those great men of 1928 were the hinges that allowed our cricketing door to swing wide open and expose our tremendous talent to the world for the past 75 years,” Hall added, mentioning George Headley, Sirs Garfield Sobers and Viv Richards, and current captain Brian Lara. “Cricket, as you know, is an event. It is a social culture. It is a nation builder. It is also a unifying force. It is something that excites our imagination,” Hall said. Karl Nunes of Jamaica, the West Indies captain on the 1928 tour, along with the other eight members in the touring squad, will be honoured during the Second Test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka in Jamaica next weekend. Relatives of Nunes, his tour vice-captain Vibart Wight, Ernest Rae, OC “Tommy” Scott, Frank Martin, Lawson Bartlett, James Neblett, Wilton St Hill and Joseph Small will collect the WICB awards.
CASTRIES: Heavy overnight and early morning rain drenched the outfield yesterday and forced the suspension of play late on the fourth day of the first cricket Test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka at the Beausejour Stadium. Umpires Daryl Harper of Australia and Billy Bowden of New Zealand made numerous inspections of the conditions throughout the day before calling off play at 4.25 pm. There were no showers after the scheduled start time of 9.35 am but the outfield remained soaked even as the sun emerged to help the ground crew’s efforts. The West Indies were 272 for four in reply to Sri Lanka’s 354 when rain curtailed play 45 minutes after lunch on Sunday’s third day. Home team skipper Brian Lara was unbeaten on 93 and Marlon Samuels was five not out. There are 105 overs scheduled for Tuesday’s fifth and final day, weather permitting.
Coach Stuart Charles Fevrier will get a first look at Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-23 footballers when the National Olympic team faces Martinique in a friendly match at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 6 pm today. With the qualifying tournament for the 2004 Athens Games kicking off in September, Fevrier is keen to have his team step up preparations and welcomes the chance to face the Martiniquans who are through to next month’s 2003 Concacaf Gold Cup. They are here on a short training camp ahead of the finals. Included in Charles-Fevrier’s 20 man squad are four TT senior team players just back from the tour of southern Africa. Among them are Vibe CT 105 W Connection duo Silvio Spann and goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams; Caledonia AIA’s Conrad Smith and Nigel Daniel of CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh feature high on Charles-Fevrier’s list. “We do not have much time before the first match in September against Bahamas and as such we will be intensifying the preparations quite soon. This match against Martinique suits us fine because this level of opposition provides me with the chance to judge my players against a team that has qualified for the Gold Cup,” he added.
Meanwhile, the TT Senior team resumes training on Friday for the July 3 friendly international against Venezuela at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Charles-Fevrier will have in his squad overseas-based players Stern John, Hector Sam, Carlos Edwards and Brent Rahim for this encounter. All four players are expected to attend training on Friday with only Scottish-based defender Marvin Andrews, currently home, missing out because of a thigh injury. The Venezuelans arrive here on Tuesday for the second leg of the friendly tie. They won the first encounter 3-0 in San Cristobal in April.
TT Under 23 Squad: (Jabloteh) Daurance Williams, Devon Mitchell, Ronald Primus, Nigel Daniel, Josh Johnson, Michael Celestine, Kerry Baptiste; (Caledonia) Serghino Sandy, Conrad Smith, Ryan Stewart; (Defence Force) Corey Rivers; (SWIF) Lyndon Diaz, Kevon Clement; (Joe Public) Andre Toussaint, Hollis Brown, Denzil Theobold; (W Connection) Kendall Davis, Jan Michael Williams, Silvio Spann, Kenwyne Jones.
TRINIDAD and Tobago welterweight champion Floyd Trumpet, aims to get his promising career back on track on July 12 in the feature bout of a card promoted by Fine Line Kickboxing Gym and Cosmic Boxing. Trumpet takes on Barbadian Benjamin Modeste in a ten-round contest at the Chaguanas Indoor Regional Complex, Saith Park, Chaguanas. It is one of two professional boxing matches on the seven-fight card starting at 7.30 am, which also has two kickboxing contests scheduled. Trumpet boasts a record of 11 victories in 14 bouts with two defeats and a draw. He last fought in mid-2002 when he was unsuccesful in a bid for the Caribbean title. On that occcasion, he was defeated by fellow Trinidadian Felix Vanderpool in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA when he refused to answer the bell after the third round claiming he was experiencing breathing problemsTrumpet’s purse was subsequently withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission pending an investigation. However the Chaguanas postie was later absolved of any wrongdoing and was handed his earnings. Yesterday, promoter Cecil Forde said Trumpet is anxious to get back into the limelight and work his way up to another regional title shot and a chance to get into the world rankings. He said Trumpet’s opponent, Modeste has a record of 12 victories in his 18 fights, with six losses and will prove a major test for the Trinidadian who is regarded as one of the fittest boxers in the game.
Modeste is a former Continental junior welterweight champion who, should he defeat Trumpet would enhance his reputation and make a claim for further regional recognition. In the other feature bout on the card, exciting female talent Ria Ramnarine gets into the ring for a six-rounder against Vicki Boodram, of the Phoenix Boxing Gym of Princes Town. Ramnarine of Fine Line Gym, has three wins from her five profesional bouts to date and has been pining for a fight for several months.She however was put on hold because of the non-appointment of a Boxing Board of Control for several months However, the Carapachaima Tigress, whose two defeats were narrow home town decisions is keen to impress her home fans and work her way up the Women’s International Boxing Association Rankings (WIBA) and a shot at a regional championship. Her match, Boodram, has had an outstanding career as an amateur, winning four of her five bouts ,and looks foward to beginning her professional career on an auspicious note. Three amateur bouts will complete the boxing action. Donald Snaggs of Fine Line meets Caribbean silver medallist Simeon Prince in a three-round middleweight scrap; Fayium Muhammed of Cosmic comes up against Leroy Isadore of Fine Line, over three rounds also; and Caribbean Senior flyweight champion ,Terrance Lokai of Revival Boxing Gym, Port-of-Spain matches fists with Aaron Cumberbatch of Cosmic in a four-rounder. Forde said yesterday the card has been submitted to the Boxing Board of Control for approval today, when they meet under chairman Melchoir Taylor.
