THE MYSTERY over the murder in Philadelphia of a Trinidadian woman and her Jamaican-born husband deepened with a Tamana man claiming he was the twin brother of the suspect, who allegedly committed the murders. Felix Diaz yesterday insisted that he was the twin brother of Cyprian Diaz and that at no time did his brother have access to use his passport to get to the United States. Felix Diaz, who turns 58 on July 11, also told Newsday from his Carmichael Village, Coryal, Tamana, home that reports from the woman’s family that he was dead and that his brother had been deported to Trinidad were inaccurate.  (See other story)

The lead Pastor at Apostolic Christian Church, Carmichael Village, Felix and his elder brother, Desmond, also appealed to their wanted brother, to surrender to law enforcers in either the United States or his homeland, Trinidad. Cyprian Diaz is wanted by the Philadelphia police for allegedly shooting to death his former common-law-wife, Pramatee Celestine, 40, and her 29-year-old husband, Eugene Celestine, a resident of the United States, last Tuesday in Philadelphia. Felix Diaz admitted that Cyprian and Pramatee had two children, but that the relationship between the two was not extremely smooth. According to Felix Diaz, Pramatee left Trinidad sometime before Cyprian resigned his job as a watchman at the Tunapuna County Council, where he had been employed for over 30 years. Felix said Pramatee had left on a six-month visa for the United States. He said sshortly after his twin brother Cyprian resigned his job about five years ago, and left for the US to meet Pramatee. Felix said Cyprian and Pramatee lived together for about 20 years at various places including Carmichael Road, Carmichael Village, Surrey Village, Lopinot Road, St Michael’s Road and Dinsley Village, Tacarigua.

He said his twin brother returned to Trinidad late 2000 to collect the remainder of his benefits and returned to the US in May 2001, but that by the end of 2001, Pramatee and Celestine (the other murder victim) had gotten married. Pramatee married Celestine, according to Felix, as a convenience to remain in the United States.  Celestine was 11 years her junior. He said Cyprian appeared to have accepted the marriage of convenience but continued in the relationship with Pramatee.  The three were reportedly living in the same house. No one was able to say what led to Tuesday’s tragedy when Cyprian shot Pramatee and Celestine dead, but both Felix and another brother, Desmond said Cyprian used his retirement benefits to open a restaurant and that the last time they heard from him was approximately two months ago, in April. Felix said the last time Cyprian spoke to him he asked for $20,000 for the restaurant, while Desmond said around the same time Cyprian telephoned him asking for some money to purchase a vehicle .

Desmond, 63, said his brother wanted the vehicle for transporting goods to and from the restaurant.  He also said Cyprian wanted one of his (Desmond’s) daughter to come to the US. Both brothers said they never heard from Cyprian since then, until last Saturday when relatives in the US said they saw Cyprian and Pramatee in Philadelphia. “They (relatives) told us that Cyprian introduced Meera (Pramatee) as his wife and they looked fine,” Felix and Desmond both said. Felix and Desmond then speculated that sometime between Saturday and Tuesday, Cyprian was asked to either leave the restaurant or where they were living. They believed the restaurant was opened in the name of Pramatee because Cyprian was not a permanent resident in the US. “He probably tripped off.  Knowing he had put out his life savings and they were trying to push him out, this is what probably caused him to commit the crime,” Felix and Desmond stated. Referring to the claim that his brother used his passport to gain entry to the US, Felix categorically denied this and went as far to say that he and his twin brother are not identical. “He (Cyprian) is fairer than all of us by far,” Felix said.   His passport number is T597077 and date of issue was September 9, 1998 and it is valid for September 8, 2008.  Felix tried to get a US visa on September 10, 1998, but was turned down.  There was no evidence that anyone had ever travelled on that passport.

Commenting on the relationship between Cyprian and Pramatee, Felix said he often spoke to Cyprian, asking him to leave the woman. “But he really loved her and they were two of a kind,” Felix said. Asked if he believed his twin brother committed the act, Felix said he has no other choice but to believe it, since Philadelphia detective Thomas Baker told him that there was an eyewitness to the incident. “I am not condoning what he has done, and I would like him to surrender wherever he is,” both Desmond and Felix pleaded.  Up to late yesterday, however, Cyprian had not been caught. There are conflicting reports of his whereabouts. TT police have said that he has returned to Trinidad, but this could not be confirmed. Philadelphia police have said they are not certain that he has fled the US.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning is expected to make an announcement aimed at addressing  the disparity in pensions paid to NIS pensioners and old age pensioners. While old age pensions have been raised to $1,000, the PNM is yet to fulfill its pledge to increase the pensions paid to those who have contributed to NIS during their worklife. The PNM had promised to harmonise the two benefits. Manning also promised to make other announcements in respect of the party’s policy on local government reform at Woodford Square this afternoon, when the party launches its campaign. The PM is expected also to beat his chest about the Government’s evenhandedness of the PNM administration in discharging funds to local government bodies, irrespective of their political complexion. There is a feeling within the PNM that the winds of change are about to sweep over some of the Opposition-controlled local government bodies.  Manning has already predicted that the PNM would make an unprecedented sweep in the plains of Caroni, which would make “big men tremble”.

Party sources stated that the PNM’s biggest enemy in the election is not the UNC, but the sense of resignation and complacency that  comes when people feel that the results of the election are a foregone conclusion. Party officials briefed reporters yesterday at a news conference at the Square. Prime Minister Patrick Manning will today deliver the feature address in support of the 126 candidates seeking election. The theme for the launch is “PNM — Caring for all communities”. The PNM public rally kicks off at 11 am with entertainment from a variety of singers including Sugar Aloes and Pink Panther. Formalities begin at 1 pm. The candidates will be presented in batches each announced by one of the 14 regional coordinators. One candidate from each batch will address the audience. The candidates will all take the PNM candidate oath. Each candidate is expected to bring out their supporters in large numbers. The event ends with a grand finale comprising a confetti and balloon drop, plus fireworks. Before the launch, the candidates will initially hold their own convention at 10 am at Port-of-Spain City Hall.

Governing party for Antigua and Barbuda, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (AB&LP) foresees no problems in winning the snap election that may be held in October this year. Norman Thomas, press secretary to Prime Minister Lester Bird, told Newsday yesterday that the preliminary meetings held in the constituencies have been “very encouraging”. Thomas added, “There is no doubt that Prime Minister Bird and the Antigua Labour Party will return to office after visiting the polls.” Earlier this week Bird announced his intentions of dissolving the Parliament and calling a snap election following the resignation of four backbenchers of his party. Sherfield Bowen, Langford Jeremy, Bernard Percival and Hilroy Humphreys withdrew from the AB&LP on Tuesday and informed the Governor General of their intentions to sit as Independent members in Parliament. Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, Sir James Beethoven Carlisle, gave Bird one month in which to provide numbers showing that he holds the majority votes in Parliament. If the numbers show otherwise, Bird will dissolve the Parliament and call elections in October. However, nine Parliamentary members of the AB&LP including Bird yesterday signed a solidarity pact in which they voiced strong support for the Prime Minister. Bird said, “By this document we have reinstated the ALP Government as majority Government in the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda.”

Another Minister Rodney Williams who is currently overseas has also agreed to sign this new pledge of confidence and support. Bird added that a more definitive statement would be issued later. In response to statements made by Opposition Leader Baldwin Spencer that the calling of the snap-elections is “politically immoral” and was called to avoid facing a no-confidence motion, Bird replied that Spencer is entitled to his own opinion. Spencer is the leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) which holds four of the 17 seats in the House of Representatives. Regarding the resignation of Senator Asot Michael on Thursday, Thomas stated that Michael was asked to resign as a result of the unwillingness of many Cabinet ministers to work with him. Thomas said that those ministers objected to the level of power Michael wielded causing Bird to ask for his resignation. Michael formerly held the positions of Minister of Public Works and Junior Finance Minister.

A 29-year-old La Horquetta woman died in a vehicular accident Thursday night, after she ran a red light on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Waller-field, Arima, and ran into another vehicle. The dead woman has been identified as Anika Lovell.  Four other people, identified as Neil Khan, 31, of Sangre Grande; Zahan Chunkiesingh, 15, of Arima; Noel Maloney, 20, of Valencia; and Kizena Green, 20, of Enter-prise, Chaguanas, were injured in the two-car smash-up. Chunkiesingh, a Third Form student of Qualitative High School, Arima, Khan and Green were attended to and discharged from the Arima Health Facili-ty, while Maloney was up to late evening warded at Port-of-Spain Gene-ral Hospital nursing what police described as head injuries. According to reports, around 10pm Thursday, Lovell was driving a blue Nissan March vehicle, in company with Green proceeding south along the Amazon Road, Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Arima. 

Police sources said Lovell failed to stop at the intersection and ran into the path of a grey B13 Nissan Sentra vehicle driven by Neil Khan, 31, of Sangre Grande. Khan’s vehicle was proceeding in an easterly direction. Chunkiesingh and Maloney were passengers in Khan’s car. The injured were taken to the Arima Health Facility, where Lovell was pronounced dead on arrival. Senior officers said if Lovell had survived the crash, she would have faced a charge of driving in a dangerous manner. PC Webb of the Arima Police Station is continuing investigations.

In politics, it is rare to find persons starting off as Members of Parliament and then moving ‘down’ to  become local government representatives. It is usually the other way around and there is a long list of politicians, such as Jarette Narine, Pennelope Beckles, and John Rahael in the current Parliament, who cut their political teeth in the local government arena. But PNM candidates Joel London and Andre Maloney are going against this political grain. Come July 14 the two men who served as senators in the past, are expected to be elected as councillors on July 14. London, the candidate for the electoral district of Belmont East, was a PNM senator during the 1987-1991 Parliament. Maloney the candidate for O’Meara, started off as a senator when he replaced Brian Kuei Tung in 1993. He served for two and a half years in the Senate until general elections were called in November 1995. Both men, who  are now 35 years old, were considered very young at the time that Political Leader, Patrick Manning asked them to speak for the youth in the Upper House. Yesterday in separate interviews, London and Maloney,  dismissed the idea that their candidacy in the local government poll was in anyway a demotion. “It is not where you start off. The key thing is serving people,” Maloney said.

London said he did not have the opportunity to interact with people while he was in the Senate, that he now has. When he goes on his walkabout through the district, he is able to see first-hand the problems of the Belmont area which he knows pretty well. Contrary to reports, he has lived all this life in the electoral district, is  registered in the district and is therefore properly qualified to run as a candidate, in accordance with the election rules. His parents originally lived at Leyan Hill where he was born. They moved in 1981 to their current address at Barton Lane where he still lives. Unemployment and the lack of recreational facilites are the two major problems in the area. And, he said, this problem went hand in hand with the crime situation. He has set up an office in Belmont where the burgesses can visit him. London, who holds a BSc in Business Administration and is currently doing a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London, is considered one of the rising stars in the party. And many think he might be in line for the position of  deputy Mayor or even Mayor for the PoS Corporation in the light of the party’s  desire to acknowledge the importance of the youth and the youth vote. “God willing, and if that is the will of the Political Leader, I will look forward to the challenge (of serving as Mayor or deputy Mayor),” was all he would say on this matter.

London replaced Mickey Greaves, who served for 16 years. He stressed yesterday that he wanted to thank Greaves for his service to the area. Told that Greaves had lamented that he (London) had not even sought his assistance in his campaign, London pointed out that he invited Greaves to his launch which took place last Sunday at St Francois Valley Road. Greaves did not attend. Many of Greaves supporters are part of his campaign, London noted. Andre Maloney, worked as the personal assistance to Eddie Hart and as campaign manager to a previous local government candidate.  But he has been involved with the PNM since he was 16 years old. He  has lived in the area (Malabar) for the last 20 years. This coincided with the creation of the area as an electoral district and he has seen many councillors, “going back to Ashton Ford, come and go”. “I think I have some understanding of representative politics and I see this (local government arena) as an ideal place to start,” he said. Maloney, who is a former National Youth Award holder, attended the Aranguez Islamic School and then Barataria Junior Secondary and Arima Senior Comprehensive. He currently works as a trainer/tutor in glass, aluminium and graphic designs. Maloney replaced  70-year-old Kelvin Seiferd, who represented the area for the past six years. He (Maloney) said he has encountered no hostility and that people have thrown their support behind him.

The Tobago arm of the NAR has rejected the idea of an accommodation with the UNC to fight the July 14 local government elections, as proposed by the NAR National Executive. A statement from NAR Tobago yesterday said its Tobago Island Council had on Monday rejected the proposed deal. The statement, signed by NAR Tobago chairman, Christo Gift, said: “We in Tobago remain unimpressed by the initiative as presented to us and see the National Executive of the NAR’s justifications for such an alliance as being on one hand ‘pie in the sky’ and on the other hand, ‘a sell out’. We shall have none of it. If the members of the National Executive have short memories, we in Tobago do not”. NAR Tobago said they recalled the UNC’s disdain for the NAR National Executive after the UNC ascended to Government in coalition with NAR. “We remember the reversals in the Tobago House of Assembly Act 1996 by the introduction of legislation after legislation whose sole purpose was to erode the authority of the THA. We recall how capriciously the two NAR senators were dismissed when they stood against the UNC over Tobago’s interest. We have seen how casually the UNC entered into a written agreement with the PNM at the level of political leader and then just walk away from it”.

Tobago NAR was also upset at what they called UNC leader Basdeo Panday’s damnable, disparaging and contemptuous words about the President Arthur NR Robinson. “Indeed, even as recently as Sunday 27 April, the Political Leader of the UNC and Opposition Leader, in addressing the UNC’s 14th anniversary celebrations at Centre Point Mall, Chaguanas, continued his vilification of Mr Robinson along with his condemnation of the NAR”. The statement added: “We would be ethically bereft if we turned a blind eye to the unending list of allegations of financial impropriety which are to be associated with the UNC’s tenure in government…”. The Tobago NAR concluded: “Until there is some public expression of regret and contrition by the UNC, we shall not be swayed in our objection to this accommodation, not even by the likelihood of a ‘mess of pottage’ in the nature of appointments as aldermen”.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) has removed 27 names from its list of registered electors, according to a statement yesterday. The EBC said it had received objections to 30 names in preparation for the upcoming local government elections. Upon investigation, three names were seen to be properly included on the list and were allowed to remain. The other 27 names were the subject of an inquiry on Monday at the San Fernando/Penal/Debe EBC Office, attended by the persons objecting. The statement concluded: “It was ruled that all 27 names be removed from the list for the following reasons — 13 persons had migrated, eight had moved from addresses listed, five could not be located even after field checks, and one person had died. The EBC is now preparing its Revised List of Electors which is expected to be published on June 23, 2003”.

Environmental lobby-group, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), has scoffed at the offer by the Point Fortin Chamber of Commerce to mediate in the row between Atalantic LNG (ALNG) and residents of Point Ligoure who fear LNG Train Four might harm their health and safety. Instead FFOS is urging the intervention of the United Nations’ resident representative, Ms Iyang Ebong Halstrop, accusing the Chamber of having a vested interest in profit. Saying the Chamber would not be impartial because of economic compromises which typically seduce the weak and unscrupulous, FFOS said: “Those ALNG shareholders British Petroleum (BP) and British Gas (BG) and many members of their Boards of Directors, are closely affiliated with the chambers of commerce. These ‘conflicts of interest’disgrace the offer of the Point Fortin Chamber. FFOS has accused ALNG of making annual profits of $19 billion compared to royalties of just $2.5 million per train for Trinidad and Tobago.

PHILADELPHIA detective Thomas Baker said yesterday that the Trinidadian man wanted for a double homicide in the United States never gave any trouble while he was there, and stated he had not been deported. The United States officer also told Newsday that he was not aware that Cyprian Diaz, 57, was an outpatient of the St Ann’s Mental Hospital. At the Tamana home of Diaz’s relatives yesterday, Newsday was told the suspect had been kept on the Observation Ward of the St Ann’s Mental Hospital for approximately one month after he suffered a nervous breakdown a few years ago. Relatives could not say what caused the nervous breakdown, but that Diaz’s twin brother, Felix Diaz, had visited and counselled him at the mental institution.  Felix said yesterday he was the one who signed him out. Asked if this would help Diaz’s cause, the United States detective said to Newsday: “Oh I didn’t know that (that he was a mental outpatient). No I don’t know if that will help his defence.”

Baker, who identified himself as the man “looking for the suspect”, also told Newsday the alleged double murderer was never deported from the United States. Rather, the US cop said the suspect entered the country legally on his own passport on May 9, 2001.  “He has been here ever since and ‘no’ he has never gotten into any trouble with the law up here,” Baker said. Baker expressed concerns that the suspect would possibly try to flee the United States, since he told one of his two children, Michael, 14 and Randy, 10, he was going back to Trinidad, after allegedly shooting to death, their mother, 40-year-old Prematee Celestine, and her 29-year-old Jamaican husband, Eugene Celestine, last Tuesday in Philadelphia. A warrant has since been issued for his arrest, Baker said, pointing out that the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FB) as well as TT Interpol have been placed on alert for the 57-year-old suspect.

However, local Interpol sources said they have had no official word from the United States, and that they were unaware of the man’s whereabouts. Baker also said that US authorities don’t know whether or not Diaz is still in the United States, since there are so many airports there, from which he could have left. He also said that Diaz is facing life imprisonment for the double homicide by gun. The girl’s mother, Chandroutie and sister, Seeta, tried to get US visas for Parmatee’s funeral, which is on Monday, but the Embassy was closed yesterday for the public holiday.