RELIGIOUS LEADERS  across the country yesterday condemned a decision made on Tuesday in Toronto, to start issuing marriage licences to gay couples.

The legalisation of gay marriages, followed a decision of the Ontario Court to set aside the heterosexual definition of marriage as unconstitutional, making it legal for gay couples  to get married. President of the Inter-Religious Organisation Brother Noble Khan yesterday said the decision made in Canada goes against all the principles set aside for a family. He stated that the principle of a family is that a male and a female come together to create a life for themselves, to have children and to raise a family. “This position taken by Canada goes completely against that principle and the people who choose to embark on this course of action are going against the moral and spiritual values that are set aside for us to follow,” said Khan. The IRO’s President noted that this country had a practice of following everything other countries did, and he advised that this practice and principle should not be followed.

Dean of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Knolly Clarke stated that the decision  goes against the laws of God, which state that a man leaves his mother and father and clings to his wife. He said the emphasis was on the word wife. He noted that nowhere in the Bible is a man marrying another man or a woman another woman sanctioned. “That does not say that we don’t care about the people who have their preferences. We will reach out to them with love and care, but we are not going to condone it to the extent of marrying them. There is nowhere in the prayer book for an Anglican Priest to conduct such a marriage,” said Canon Clarke. Other religious leaders echoed Khan’s views on the issue. Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, Satnarayan Maharaj stated, that as far as he was concerned this practice goes against the laws of nature, and against all religious teachings. He said he is aware of statements that people experienced bodily imbalances that cause a male to act like a female and the female to act like a male. However, this problem should be left to medical science for a solution, he noted. Asked if he thought the government should legalise gay marriages, Maharaj stated that gay couples have a right to use and abuse their bodies in whatever way they see fit. “However,” he added, “the people in this country also have a right to refuse to accept such an action, and refrain from making same sex marriages legal, since this is not the way the creator designed the world.”

Also responding to the decision by the Canadian Court, was Stephen Borris of the Bahai Religion, who noted that it was wrong in the sight of God to condone same sex marriages. He stated that Canada was a secular state that condoned secular practices. However the Bahais did not agree with the decision that was made. President of the Tackveeyapul Islamic Association of Trinidad and Tobago Incorporated Haji Zainol Khan said that the Muslim’s point of view is that this type of union is wrong and should not be condoned. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Port-of-Spain Edward Gilbert is out of the country and several attempts to reach the Vicar General Fr Christian Perreira yesterday failed. However, late last night Perreira, sent Newsday  a copy of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ letter to Canadian Attorney General Martin Cauchon regarding the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision to redefine marriage in order to allow same-sex unions. In it, the Church stated, “Marriage as a public commitment between a man and a woman has profound cultural, religious and social significance. As a word and as an institution marriage is full of history, meaning and symbolism. The State has a fundamental interest in this social institution where most children are procreated and nurtured and, according to recent statistics, continues to be the most stable environment in which to raise a family.”

Attempts were made to contact Attorney General Glenda Morean with respect to Trinidad and Tobago laws on gay marriages, but she did not return calls made by this newspaper. Attempts to contact the Gay Enhancement Advocates of Trinidad and Tobago (GEATT) proved futile since the organisation is no longer in operation. Newsday was informed that the organisation folded some years ago following the migration of some members and the deaths of others. The Canadian Court made the ruling on Tuesday after several gay couples brought a legal case stating that the federal laws that limited marriage to heterosexuals, violated the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, part of the Canadian Constitution. The three-person Ontario Court ruled in favour of the submission.

TWO TEENAGERS were shot dead outside a bar on the Piarco Old Road, Red Hill, D’Abadie, around 11.30 pm on Tuesday. The two deaths pushed the murder rate to 104 persons killed in violent circumstances for the year so far.

Dane Mitchell, 18, of Spoonbill Terrace, Maloney Gardens, and Dayon Reyes, 18, also of Maloney, left their homes late Tuesday night and went to Old Piarco Road to buy doubles.According to police reports, the two were returning to their homes, when they were confronted by a man who appeared to be waiting for them. An argument ensued between the teenagers and the man. An eyewitness told police the teenagers were talking to three other teenagers in the vicinity of Archives Recreation Club when a gunman fired several shots in their direction. Reyes and Mitchell slumped to the ground bleeding and died within minutes. The other teenagers who witnessed the shooting fled the scene. Snr Supt Ghany, ASP Dillon, Sgt Abraham and District Medical Officer Dr Vidya Maharaj visited the scene and ordered the removal of the bodies to the Forensic Science Centre. Althea Ajamo, Reyes’ stepmother said he was employed at a supermarket in Central and was a good teenager.  She said her stepson was a hard working person, was not involved in any illicit activities and she does not know why he was killed.

Relatives of Dane Mitchell who were at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday declined comment on the matter. The police have issued a warrant for the arrest of a suspect. An autopsy yesterday revealed that Reyes was shot once in the chest while Mitchell was shot in the head and left arm. Sgt Johnny Abraham is investigating.

A police officer  attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad since 1993, was transferred out of the unit yesterday and posted to Traffic Branch with immediate effect.

The constable was interviewed by Sgt Daniel of the Fraud Squad following reports of fraud. According to reports, the constable was placed in charge of collecting monies from other officers of the AKS to pay cellular bills for phones assigned to those officers. The officer reportedly collected $22,000 and was due to pay the bills of all officers of the unit, but he allegedly failed to do so. Recently, the cell phones of all AKS officers apart from the senior officers, were cut, and an inquiry was launched. It was then discovered  that the AKS officers were owing TSTT more than $80,000. The officer was questioned and the Fraud Squad was called in. According to reports, the officer was questioned and then transferred out of the elite unit. Investigations revealed that TSTT never received any money for the cell bills of AKS officers since August last year. Investigations are continuing.

The soft-DRINK manufacturing company SM Jaleel whose warehouse was recently gutted by fire, expects to begin exporting its products next week.

The company estimated losses to be over $12 million. Marketing Vice-President Anna Mohammed yesterday stated that the company has not stopped local distribution and is expected to begin exporting products next Friday. She also assured that the company will not be laying off workers.

TWO MORE persons died by vehicular accidents early yesterday, bringing the number of road fatalities for the year to 73, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mobile) Deochan Gosine.  For the corresponding period last year, the figure was 92, he said.

Dead are Allan Francis, 46, of Cicada Street, River Estate, Diego Martin, and Cindy Sherina Khan, 21, of Orchard Gardens, Chaguanas. They died within 30 minutes of each other in separate accidents. One on the Audrey Jeffers Highway and the other on the Beetham Highway. Police said Francis, a taxi driver, died around 1.30 am when he lost control of his 280C vehicle, which later crashed into a light pole in the vicinity of Movie Towne. Francis had just come off Wrightson Road, from where he was proceeding in a westerly direction, when the accident occurred.  He died on the spot.  PC Prescott of the St James Police Station is continuing investigations. Later, around 2 am, police said five people, including Khan, were travelling in a white car, proceeding west on the Beetham Highway, Sea Lots.

Police said the vehicle, driven by Arissa Mohammed, 20, of Munroe Road, Cunupia, collided with the pavement on the southern side of the highway. Mohammed then lost control of the vehicle which collided with a light pole about 200 feet away. Khan died on the spot, while Mohammed, along with Roy Welcome, 27, also of Munroe Road, Cunupia; Sunil Rampersad, 28, of Carlsen Field, Chaguanas; and Navina Itwaru, 26, of Edinburgh Village, Chaguanas, were injured.  The four injured were rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH).  Welcome, Rampersad and Mohammed are warded at hospital, while Itwaru was attended to and discharged. Cpl Jacob of the Police Traffic Branch is investigating.  Commenting on the road fatalities, ACP Gosine said both accidents occurred at times when the roads were clear of traffic. Gosine said the damage to the vehicles is also consistent with speed and inexperience. 

The senior officer appealed to motorists to obey the highway codes and drive within their limitations. He also commented on last Saturday’s accident which claimed the life of 18-year-old Shawn Edmund, a former resident of Sangre Grande. Edmund was struck by a vehicle driven by former Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Cecil Carrington.  Police said the young man was attempting to cross the Priority Bus Route (PBR) from north to south at Reid Lane, D’Abadie. Following Edmund’s death, several people who claimed to have witnessed the accident voiced disgust, and made several allegations against the former cop. But Gosine said three people who did not give statements said  they saw nothing, while another two who gave statements also indicated they saw nothing.  Insp Fraser of St Joseph Police Station is spearheading enquiries.

FEDERAL BUREAU of Investigation (FBI) officer David Resch said yesterday the one week training programme for Anti-Kidnapping Squad officers will go a long way to assist them in dealing with kidnappings in a more aggressive manner.

Resch said training is proceeding smoothly and he is very im-pressed with the participation and interest displayed by the officers. Officers from other police divisions may soon be joining the AKS for the FBI training. Chuck Regini, of the Crisis Negotiation Unit at FBI’s Virginia headquarters, and Dennis Pierce, who is based at the FBI office in Venezuela, started the training programme on Monday at Police Headquarters. Regini, who is considered one of the best FBI officers in the world, provided key information on negotiating techniques and other anti-kidnapping measures, while Pierce dealt with techniques for handling kidnappings. The two left yesterday.

On Tuesday, FBI agent Alana Lavelle arrived in the country and joined Resch and Lloyd Sigler who provided other aspects of the training. They showed video footage of kidnappings and shared information on how certain kidnappings were handled in the United States and the techniques used for making breakthroughs. The FBI officers will leave this country on Saturday. The training was made possible through the mutual Legal Assistance Programme this country signed with the United States. Equipment for use of AKS officers will be purchased shortly and the AKS is expected to be beefed up with an additional 25 officers.

Following a tip off that Ryan Jaipaul, who was reportedly kidnapped ten days ago, was spotted near his home last Friday, investigators swooped down on the area  in search of the man.

However, police officers of the San Fernando CID, made extensive unsuccessful  searches for the man and interviewed several residents, including his relatives. However, no one reported seeing him in the area since his abduction on the night of Sunday June 1. Jaipaul, who has several pending matters in the magistrates’ court, was standing  in front of his sister’s house around 11 pm, when a car stopped abreast of him. He was dragged into the car by two men. The car then sped off.  Since then, no ransom demand has been made and the kidnappers have not contacted any family member. Based on certain information gathered, investigators are questioning whether Jaipaul  was abducted as was reported by his family. Jaipaul, who last year survived three gun shot wounds to his head during a robbery outside a Penal bar, was abducted the day before his court matter at the Couva Magistrates’ Court. When the matter was called last Monday a warrant was issued for his arrest. Investigations are continuing.

 

 

 

Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Wade Mark, made the startling claim that death squads operate in Trinidad and Tobago, one even being run by the Police Service. He was speaking on Tuesday evening in the Senate on the Kidnapping Bill 2003.

Mark said: “I would like to ask the Minister of National Security whether there is an official death squad in the Police Service? I want him to answer that. I also want him to tell the national population whether there is a privately organised death squad in this country? I see outside the Police Service, a private death squad has emerged killing people at will and no-one has arrested these people. We want the Government to tell us whether there is a privately-organised and run death squad supported by the Govern-ment in this country?” He said Trinidad and Tobago had now reached the stage of Grenada under the Mongoose Gang, Guyana under the House of Israel, and Haiti under the Tonton Macoutes, concluding: “This is frightening.”

Mark explained why the Opposition was not supporting the bill, saying: “It’s our view that a bill on anti-kidnapping is not what is required at this time, but that what is required is the political will by the PNM to address the problem of crime in this country. Kidnapping is one aspect of crime.” Mark alleged: “If you cuddle and consort with criminals, terrorists, extremists, and murderers, how can you solve crime? The PNM is a part of the problem. Last Wednesday the Prime Minister (Patrick Maning) had a meeting with Abu Bakr — he meets Abu Bakr every two weeks; the Prime Minister is in collusion with Abu Bakr — and three hours later two people are dead! How can you come here and seek support when his hands are covered in blood?” 

Minister of Science,  Danny Montano, objected: “That’s completely out of order!” Mark continued, now targetting Minister of Community Development, Joan Yuille-Williams, saying: “Senator Yuille-Williams knows a lot about Abu Bakr. She had childhood contacts with Abu Bakr.” Yuille-Williams objected to the remarks. President of the Senate, Dr Linda Baboolal,  again warned Mark to be relevant to the bill. Winding up debate on the Kidnapping Bill 2003, Minister of National Security, Howard Chin Lee addressed points raised by other Senators on the bill, but ignored many of Mark’s charges.  Later asked by Newsday whether there existed a Police Death Squad, Chin Lee replied: “I have no knowledge about that. It’s totally untrue. It’s Wade Mark being melodramatic as he often is.”

“Shake well before use” 

This will be the instructions on the electoral ink, to be used for the local government elections. The ingredients for the ink have already been obtained and will be passed on to the Government chemist to be mixed and bottled, said Chief Elections Officer Howard Cayenne at a news conference yesterday. He also disclosed that “as in the last election,” TT Post would manage the distribution of Poll Cards. The Commission expects to hand over all poll cards to TT Post by June 30. Speaking at a news conference, Cayenne stated that “generally, the Commission has things well in hand and is satisfied so far with the election preparedness of its staff.” Nevertheless he stated that the management of the local government elections was  a greater “logistical” challenge for the EBC because,  in a local election, the EBC had to manage three and a half times the number of electoral districts — 126 as opposed to 36 in a general election. Yesterday was the last day for electoral registration which began on June 3.

Stressing that the conduct of the local government election must be free from any political pressure or partisan influence, Cayenne said the EBC called yesterday’s  media conference to remind everyone that an election and the electoral process were for the people — the electors.  Cayenne said persons wishing to vote as special electors must submit their applications to the EBC by June 23. Cayenne said the local election would cost the EBC $14 million. Meanwhile, Chairman of the EBC, Oswald Wilson, also speaking yesterday, declared the EBC and its staff completelty prepared for the local poll.