One day after trying to kiss a female schoolmate, a 17-year-old pupil of the Carapichaima Senior Comprehensive School was stabbed twice by the girl’s brother yesterday on the school’s compound. Anderson John, Form four pupil, of Chase Village, Chaguanas, was stabbed on the left side of his face and left shoulder with an ice pick following an argument with the girl’s brother around 9 am yesterday.
The argument stemmed from an incident on Wednesday where, according to the girl, the 17-year-old boy had tried to kiss her. Police reports, the girl’s brother, a 19-year-old past student, went to the school yesterday morning where he had a confrontation with the pupil. During the dispute, the 19-year-old youth stabbed him twice with the ice pick, before he was held by the security personnel. The Freeport police was summoned and the 19-year-old youth was arrested and taken to the station. The injured pupil was rushed to the Couva Health Centre by the EHS ambulance where he was treated and discharged. Meanwhile the 19-year-old youth was charged with malicious wounding by PC Persad. He was taken before a Justice of the Peace yesterday evening where he was granted bail in the sum of $50,000. The matter was adjourned to today.
ANSLEM REGIS, a 43-year-old Arima taxi-driver, became the country’s 105th murder victim for the year on Wednesday night, when he was abducted, robbed and shot once in the chest. He was then thrown out of his car by the killers who escaped in his Honda Civic.
A taxi-driver who witnessed the shooting contacted the Malabar Police and an All Points Bulletin was sent out to all police divisions on the stolen taxi. At around 1 am, officers of the Cunupia Police Station on mobile patrol saw the car with four occupants at Welcome Road, Cunupia. They alerted E-999 officers and the area was cordoned off. The officers gave chase and intercepted the car a short distance inside a road at Welcome. Four occupants of the car ages 18, 20, 25, and 29, of Morvant were arrested and a shotgun seized. Stolen items and ammunition were discovered in the vehicle. Fingerprint experts found blood stains in the car which matched the blood of the murdered taxi-driver.
The four suspects will be placed on ID parades for other robberies, hijackings and murders. An autopsy carried out yesterday by Dr Des Vignes revealed that death was due to shock and haemorrhage consistent with gunshot injuries. Today, the police will consult with Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson for directions in the matter. ACP crime Oswyn Allard described the work of the Cunupia police which led to the arrests as an excellent piece of policing. He said he has recommended monetary rewards for the officers. At Pinto Road, Arima, Mary George, sister-in law of the victim, told Newsday Regis was “the saltfish” of the area and was respected in the community.
JAMAAT al Muslimeen leader, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, yesterday admitted to meeting Prime Minister Patrick Manning, but stated that it was no business of Senate Opposition Leader, Wade Mark.
Mark, speaking Tuesday evening in the Senate on the Kidnapping Bill 2003, said the PNM party was part of the crime problem, and that last Wednesday (June 4), on the day of the Movie Towne shootings, Manning had a meeting with the leader of the Jamaat. “Yes, we met,” Bakr said when quizzed by Newsday. The Imam added that he met with Manning at Balisier House. He said it was a norm for members of the public to meet with the Prime Minister on Wednesdays. Asked what was the nature of the June 4 discussions, Bakr said: “It was a general meeting. We had discussions with problems affecting the youths.” Mark also said in the Senate that Manning and Abu Bakr meet every two weeks and that the Prime Minister was in collusion with the Jamaat leader.
Questioned on this, Bakr said: “Mark has nothing to say. Is this what he is getting paid to do… “macco” people’s business? Why don’t they mind their own business?” Bakr went on to say that about a month ago, he met Wade Mark at a restaurant on El Socorro Road, San Juan, and when Mark saw him, the Opposition member ran away. “No, I can’t say why he ran away, but he nearly caused an accident,” Bakr claimed. Mark also alleged in the Senate that Minister of Community Development, Joan Yuille-Williams, knows “a lot about Abu Bakr and that she had childhood contacts with Abu Bakr.” Quizzed on this, Bakr first laughed, but later confirmed to being friends with Yuille-Williams for a long time. “And so what?” he asked. The leader of the Mucurapo-based Muslimeen organisation went on to say that it was only a tree that bears fruit at which people throw stones.
“My tree has some rosy mangoes,” Abu Bakr said. He added that the United National Congress (UNC) is trying to drive a wedge between the Jamaat and the PNM. But Bakr swore that this would never be allowed to happen and accused the UNC of living in the dinosaur age. He said they gave the UNC the opportunity to run the country, but they did not make much use of it. Bakr also said that Mark and the UNC were jittery because of the July 14 Local Government elections. “They (UNC) know they are going to lose,” he said.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning stated yesterday that the allegations made by UNC Senator Wade Mark, that there were death squads operating in this country and that he was meeting Abu Bakr every other Wednesday, were not true.
Manning was speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. At the mention of Wade Mark’s name, Manning commented: “Senator Wade who? We have been having a very pleasant day so far.” Told that Wade Mark stated that there were two death squads, supported by the government and that he (Manning) met with Abu Bakr every other Wednesday, Manning said: “And he has also alleged that they would win the local government election.” So it is not true? he was again asked. “And may I say it is allegation. And may I say that I really don’t propose to react to every statement that some non-descript politician makes, that bares no relation to the truth. The UNC has been doing this thing consistently and the government does not propose to allow its agenda to be set by the UNC. We have a country to run and if they wish to be irresponsible in their public utterances, they are free to do so. We would be no party to it,” Manning stated. Asked again: “So it is not true?” Manning replied softly: “It’s untrue.”
Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday took issue with Newsday’s front page picture of two gay men kissing following a civil ceremony in which they were married.
The picture was carried in the Wednesday issue of the paper, which also reported that the Ontario Court gave a ruling which set aside the heterosexual definition of marriage as unconstitutional, making it legal for gay couples to get married. Asked whether Government was considering bringing similar legislation to make gay marriages legal, or was even considering extending the Equal Opportunities Bill to include gay rights, Manning said: “I really don’t wish to make any comment on that matter at this stage except to say that I found a photograph on the front page of a daily newspaper this week to be in entirely poor taste,” entirely poor taste”.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning said yesterday that it was clear that the UNC was consistently attacking House Speaker Barry Sinanan and Senate President Dr Linda Baboolal because they were East Indians.
“That is not new and that is exactly the strategy (to attack East Indians in the PNM). It has been used before by the UNC. Why are we surprised at that? I could have written the script. That was completely anticipated by us.” He was speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. Asked what would Government do to protect the two individuals, Manning said Government had a clear majority in the House of Representatives and a not-so clear majority in the Senate. But, if it was necessary, it would use its numerical strength to protect “against political predators who sit on the Opposition benches”.
Manning was also questioned on the claim by Maha Sabha head, Sat Maharaj, that state-owned National Lotteries Control Board distributed over $4 million dollars to various groups but just $100,000 went to Hindu groups and this constituted discrimination. Maharaj had stated that he would write to the Prime Minister on the issue. Manning said he hadn’t received Maharaj’s letter yet but he was “awaiting that letter with peak and bated breath”. He said while the State had no right intervening in the lives of people unduly, there were some realities in the country that had to be faced.
The Prime Minister stated: “Hindu groups will tell you that when they try to raise money, they don’t have too much difficulty doing it. They would have some difficulty raising the full extent of the money they would like to raise. In other words they have a shortfall, but the shortfall its nothing like the shortfall that other groups in the society experience and therefore if the government has to intervene, it will intervene only to the extent that it is necessary. If your shortfall is small, then the contribution to you would be small. If the shortfall is larger, then the contribution to you would be larger.” Manning said he was talking generally, not specifically about NLCB.
THE TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) will most likely unveil a budget package totalling just under $2 billion on June 23. Senior THA officials are however keeping the exact figures in the THA Estimates of Expenditure 2003/2004 close to their chest.
“More than $1 billion but less than $2 billion” was all THA Chief Secretary Orville London would say yesterday when pressed by reporters. He did say though that preliminary work on the fiscal package had been completed and all the Secretaries and Administrators were “comfortable” with the projected figures and proposals. London and Secretary of Finance Dr Anselm London will meet with the Finance Minister at 10 am today as part of the consultative process. On Wednesday there was a final meeting with the various Secretaries and Administrators of the Assembly on the budget proposals. “I can say that all the preliminary work has been completed. We have an idea of a number which unfortunately I cannot reveal at this point in time but I think that all the Administrators and the Secretaries are comfortable with the figures and the kind of projections that we have for this process.” The real fireworks will come three days after the Budget presentation when the financial proposals are debated at the regular monthly plenary sitting of the THA. This sitting, on June 26, is expected to go way into the night to facilitate approval and forwarding of the Budget to the Parliament within the June 30 deadline.
ASSISTANT Police Commissioner (Crime) Oswyn Allard called on police officers to ban together to reclaim the safety and security of Trinidad and Tobago.
And the uncle of slain policeman Derrick Nelson said his nephew had fallen at the hands of evil and wicked men. But Bishop Turner Nelson asked the police to show restraint and not vengeance at the killing of the 36-year-old detective. “The evil men will meet their match,” Bishop Nelson added. Allard and Bishop Nelson paid glowing tribute to PC Nelson who was shot on May 31 at Milton Road, Couva, but who died at the San Fernando General Hospital on June 7. His death is still a mystery and so far, no one has a clue as to what exactly happened.
Yesterday, the Trinity Cathedral in Port-of-Spain was packed as hundreds turned out to bid farewell to the detective who had been assigned body guard duties to High Court Judge Herbert Volney since November 1996. His sister Pamela Nelson and Justice Volney also paid tribute to the fallen hero. In his eulogy, Allard said PC Nelson’s death must not go in vain. “We must let this occurrence be seen as a signal to the citizens of this country, the government and my fellow officers of the Police Service, that we need to close ranks and ban together to reclaim the safety and security of our nation.” Allard described PC Nelson as the ideal police officer who was honest, trustworthy, dedicated and hardworking. Justice Volney, who broke down in tears at the sight of his bodyguard, described PC Nelson as a guardian angel. The judge said his bodyguard appeared each morning on time. According to the judge, PC Nelson exuded warmth, character and humility. “He often broke bread with us and relished in good food and fine spirits. Mr Nelson was a dedicated, loyal and fearless policeman. He had an abundant rich mix of the qualities of self-esteem, humility, loyalty, trustworthiness, sincerity, a caring spirit and willing nature and an unending love.”
Bishop Nelson said a “prince and a gentleman” had fallen. “The cry must not be revenge, the law will reward the evil doers. The police must have restraint, not vengeance. I believe the power of God is over this nation. The evil men will meet their match. We must have a revival and spiritual awakening, not a bloody revolution.” Dean Knolly Clarke, who officiated at the service, said over the last three months, he had to conduct services for five persons who were murdered. “These experiences have become endemic in our society. We have become a society of pointing fingers. We are calling on everyone to eradicate these horrendous crimes. Crime and violence have become the business of the whole society.” A wide cross-section of society attended the funeral service. Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy led a strong presence of police officers. But there was no Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee. He was attending Cabinet meeting at Whitehall. Junior Minister of National Security Anthony Roberts, who is not a Cabinet Minister, was the only Government politician to show his face. Chief Justice Sat Sharma led his troops of judges and magistrates. So too was the Commissioner of Prisons Leo Abraham, the DPP Geoffrey Henderson, and staff at the Hall of Justice where PC Nelson was assigned. PC Nelson’s final journey followed the service. His casket, was draped in the national colours. From the St James Barracks, there was a procession to the St James Crematorium where he was cremated.
MINISTRY OF Works and Transport client representative on the Piarco Airport Development Project, Peter Cateau, said yesterday he was surprised and shocked that Joshey Mahabir, Finance Manager at the Airports Authority (AA), authorised the payment of US$626,296 to Birk Hillman Consultants (BHC).
The payment was for implementation of institutional strengthening and support services. He also admitted that BHC was overpaid and it would be difficult to get back the excess money paid to them if they had already received all monies owed to them. Cateau, who was questioned yesterday by the Commission’s lead attorney Theodore Guerra SC admitted he was the one to sign cheques for work on the project and BHC had gone behind his back to Mahabir to get paid for the work. He said Mahabir had no authority to pay any monies to BHC. He agreed with Guerra that either Mahabir or former AA Chairman Tyrone Gopee interfered with the ordinary operating of the contract.
Cateau also admitted that the AA has since written him seeking to be reimbursed but to date he has not done so. He said the money paid to BHC was part of BHC’s original fees for its scope of work. Asked why BHC was paid twice and treated with kid gloves, Cateau said they did additional work and had to get more money. However, he agreed that BHC was overpaid. Asked why it had to take a Commission of Inquiry to bring out that fact, Cateau insisted that the final accounts of the project would have revealed that BHC was overpaid. He assured the Commission the matter would be corrected. The inquiry will resume at 9.30 am today.
SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS are taking very seriously a death threat made to a policeman who is due to testify in a matter involving the kidnapping of Palmyra businessman Sarwan Kissoondan.
The police corporal is the second witness to receive death threats in the matter. Police sources told Newsday that on Wednesday a male person called the Ste Madeleine Police Station and asked to speak with the corporal. The officer who answered the phone told the caller there were two policemen attached to the station with that same surname and asked the caller to be more specific about the policeman with whom he wanted to speak.
Sources said the caller opted to leave a message for the policeman, saying that he (policeman) would not live to testify in the matter. The incident was immediately reported to senior police officers who have since requested a full report. The police are attempting to trace the origin of the call through TSTT telephone records. The policeman who was threatened was promoted to the rank of corporal two weeks ago and was assigned to the San Fernando CID yesterday. Kissoondan, an auto rental businesssman, was kidnapped on February 23 and was released 18 days later after a large sum of money was paid to his kidnappers.
