LITTLE Brandon Douglas who, along with his step father, was buried under almost ten feet of dirt after a cesspit caved on them over a week ago, walked out of the San Fernando General Hospital with a broad smile on his face yesterday. He immediately led his stepfather, Dexter Watson, to a vendor’s stall outside the hospital’s gate to purchase a bag of preserved fruit. Clutching his snack, Brandon and his step-father headed towards the Moruga maxi-taxi stand. They resisted speaking with Newsday saying they had had enough media publicity.
The freak accident occurred at Fort George Road on May 10, as Brandon stood on top of the mud embankment of the cesspit trench watching Watson working in the open trench. As the mud caved in on him, Brandon collapsed into the hole, and he and Watson were trapped inside the trench. Brandon was completely buried under the dirt, and Watson was covered from the neck down. Brandon regained consciousness two days after the incident and had been warded in critical condition at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. Watson, 33, suffered chest and shoulder injuries.
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) has condemned the Ministry of Education for its tardiness in releasing results of the Teachers’ Colleges examinations for 2002. In a letter to Education Minister Hazel Manning and other Ministry officials yesterday, TTUTA President Trevor Oliver said, “The delay in releasing these results is having an adverse effect on teacher motivation.” Oliver explained that there were graduates who may have been successful, but cannot be upgraded, which meant that they were “forced to work for salaries that are far below what they should be receiving at this time.”
He added that students who obtained scholarships would be pushed back a year, and students who failed subjects would have to write over their examinations at a later date, which will affect their earnings and seniority. TTUTA is urging that immediate attention be paid to this matter. Attempts yesterday to contact Minister Manning or to obtain an official statement from the Ministry were futile.
PORT-OF-SPAIN merchants are crying foul over the decision by insurance companies to pursue costs for writs filed against them in 1990. Downtown merchants filed over 100 writs filed the writs against insurance companies in 1990 for failure to pay compensation for the losses incurred during the coup. The insurance companies are now demanding that the businesses pay $15,000 for each writ filed, amounting to over $1 million. One Charlotte Street businessman said yesterday the demands by the insurance companies are unfair. “What they’re asking for is too much money,” he said. “The insurance companies should be ashamed of themselves. We have been very loyal to them.”
The businessman, who is still carrying losses from the coup on his books, added that the businesses which survived remained with their insurance companies. Others were forced to close after the looting. Terrorism cover was added after the coup. Before that, businesses were not covered for terrorism and insurance companies did not pay for damage as a result of the coup. Insurance costs also doubled after the terrorist attack on the US in 2001. The businessman said downtown merchants did not think they would have to pay costs in the invividual writs filed after the first case was heard. When that case went against the businessmen, they did not pursue the other writs.
“We were under the impression that after the test case, no costs would be paid on the other cases,” he said, adding that there has been no communication from their insurance companies on the matter for about five years. Another downtown businessman said he no longer has terrorism cover. It was added after the coup in 1990 but his insurance company stopped offering it last year. “If it happens again we could lose a lot,” he said. His store was not looted in 1990 but he lost money because other stores which bought goods from him were looted and he was not paid for the lost stock.
Head of the group of insurance companies involved in the issue, Ray Sumairsingh said yesterday he was willing to meet with DOMA on the issue. “I don’t know what’s going to happen now,” one merchant said. “Some businessmen have made counter offers individually but they were not accepted.” The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) will be holding a meeting tomorrow at City Hall to discuss the issue. “We know they are entitled to cost but bearing in mind the fact that many people either lost their businesses or are still paying and the fact that they escaped liability I think they should rethink their position,” DOMA president Gregory Aboud said yesterday.
AN IRON left on a bed is believed to have caused a fire which completely gutted a house at New Grant, Princes Town on Sunday. Damage to the wooden structure and household articles was estimated at $30,000. The house was owned by Patricia Nebow, but had been rented to 17-year-old Wendell Alexis. At around 6.55 am, the teenager used the iron and left it unattended on the bed.
It is believed that the mattress caught fire and the flames rapidly spread throughout the house. Five minutes later the Princes Town Fire Service responded to an anonymous call that the house was on fire. However, there was little the firemen could do when they arrived on the scene since the structure was already gutted. Insp Khan, Sgt Rajkumar and PC Gilmit visited the scene and are continuing investigations.
TRINIDAD and Tobago and Barbados Coast Guard aircraft, as well as Coast Guard vessels from St Lucia, Barbados and the Royal Navy were up to late yesterday searching for a Piper Navajo Light Aircraft which ditched into the sea approximately 52 miles south west of Barbados.
The incident took place around 6.55 pm Sunday, and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard said they received a report from the United States Coast Guard in San Juan, Puerto Rico. There were two people on board the aircraft which had departed from Canouan in the Grenadines and was enroute to Barbados. At 4.45 pm Sunday, the pilot reported engine problems to Air Traffic Control in Barbados.
L’ANSE NOIRE resident Glenroy “Bro Bro” Elder, who was shot and killed by police last Wednesday night, died as a result of a single gun shot wound to his back and haemorrhaging, according to a post-mortem report. Elder was shot and killed during a police raid in L’Anse Noire village last Wednesday night, triggering angry protests by residents.
Elder, 43, was liming in an abandoned house off the Toco Main Road when the incident occurred. Officers attached to the Toco Police Station were in the area and stopped to search two men. Elder and another man ran when they saw the police searching the two men. One of the officers gave chase and a single gun shot was fired hitting Elder, who later died from the wound. Up to press time, funeral arrangements had not been finalised.
THE HOLY Trinity Cathedral was packed to capacity yesterday as prison, police, army officers and residents of Laventille gathered to pay their respects to slain Prisons Officer Winston Sandy. Sandy was shot five times while walking through a dirt track at Alexander Place, Laventille, last Wednesday night. During the viewing of the body at the church, Sandy’s mother Evelyn and sisters cried uncontrollably. Acting Superintendent of Prisons Orson Sandy, in a brief statement at the funeral, said officers regularly receive threats from inmates and ex-inmates and they suffer from mental stress as a result. “Prison officers are bleeding inside with anger and bitterness,” he declared. He described Sandy as a dedicated officer who was a role model for his colleagues.
“To those corrupt officers who indulge in illicit activities such as carrying into the prison dangerous drugs such as cocaine and marijuana, collect monies and other unauthorised articles from inmates, I want to make a special public appeal to you to desist from these practices.”Sandy said this practice, known as “trafficking,” encourages gang warfare within the prison that threatens the lives of genuinely dedicated and hard working officers. Prison Officer Carlyle Babb, who delivered one of the two eulogies at the service, said Sandy enlisted in the service on December 16, 1996.
“Those who worked with him in designing the Prisons Children’s Band found him fussy at times, because he accepted no short cuts, always striving to produce products of high quality and perfection.” He added that Sandy used his time to help many people and nothing bad or unpleasant could be said about him.Dean Knolly Clarke, who officiated at the service, lamented the fact that everyone seems to be victims of crime, even the church. He said the responsibility lies with parents to encourage peace at home and not allow certain things to go unchecked.
Dean Clarke also called on the schools to play their part and appealed to prison officers who might be doing so not to take advantage of prisoners to desist from doing so. He warned that if the practice is allowed to continue, then he would be officiating at many more funerals for prison officers. The funeral was attended by National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee, Energy Minister Eric Williams, Prisons Commissioner Leo Abraham, Deputy Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs, ACP Winston Cooper and other senior prisons and police officers. The body was interred at the Western Cemetery with full military honours after members of the Mt Beulah Baptist Church of Cocorite performed the final rites for the slain officer.
THE TRIAL of murder accused Ramzan Asgarali and Kamal Pooran was prematurely adjourned yesterday after Pooran complained of illness. It was the second day of hearing that came to an abrupt end as Pooran doubled over in pain in the prisoner’s dock at the San Fernando High Court. Trial Judge Justice Herbert Volney ordered that Pooran, who complained of vomitting and stomach cramps, be taken to the San Fernando General Hospital for treatment. Pooran, 25, and Asgarali, 22, both of Rio Claro, are on trial for the murder of Rio Claro taxi driver Surujbally Mohan, 62. Mohan’s body was found in the Rio Claro forest on May 1, 1999. Asgarali and Pooran were arrested after Asgarali was seen driving Mohan’s taxi.
Last week, a statement which Pooran gave to police upon his arrest was admitted into evidence. In the statement, Pooran said he and Asgarali were liming in Rio Claro when they hired Mohan’s taxi to go to Roble Grove Road. Pooran told police while there, Asgarali began strangling Mohan with a piece of rope. Pooran said he shouted to Asgarali to stop, but Asgarali threatened to set him up for the murder. The accused are represented by attorneys Chaitram Sinanan, instructed by Brian Dabideen, and Rupert Frank and Stedson Jack. The prosecution’s case is being led by State attorney Althea Alexis. Hearing is expected to resume today.
A MARABELLA labourer who allegedly shot a policeman and robbed another man was freed yesterday in the San Fernando High Court because neither of the victims was in the country to testify against him. Miguel Williams, 33, was acquitted of robbery with violence, shooting with intent, possession of arms and possession of ammunition. He was represented by attorney Dexter Bailey. When the matter was called before Justice Herbert Volney in the First Court, State Prosecutor Althea Alexis said she was not able to proceed with the trial because the victims, police officer Steve Simmons and Wayne Richards were both unavailable to give evidence.
It was alleged that on October 5, 1996, Williams was one of four men who accosted Simmons and Richards outside the Villa Capri Club, on Agnes Street, Marabella. Simmons was shot in his right arm, while Richards was robbed of $12,270 worth of jewelry and items, and $1,800 in cash. Williams was committed to stand trial in the High Court by a San Fernando magistrate in November 1998.
MURDER ACCUSED Anthony Amoorgan claimed the police beat him with a “jab-jab whip” and threatened to place his children in an orphanage if he did not confess to the murder of Ramcoomar Ramoutar. Armoogan is before Justice Prakash Moosai in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court jointly charged with Michael Ramdawar for murdering Ramoutar at Carlsen Field, Chaguanas, on February 22, 1997. Ramoutar died as a result of blood loss from gunshot wounds to his knees.
Amoorgan told the court yesterday that PC Phillip Pitt (now deceased) handcuffed him, took him to Bamboo Settlement, Valsayn, and beat him. He said he was then taken to the Chaguanas Police Station, then Pitt and other officers took him to Old Southern Main Road, Chaguanas, and showed him Ramoutar’s house. He said two women at the house said he did not look like the man who had kidnapped Ramoutar. Amoorgan also said when he was being carried for an identification parade, he saw the same two women and two other people in the corridor. He said he later learnt that the four persons he saw in the corridor identified him.
Under cross-examination by State attorney Cherron Raphael, Amoorgan said he never gave a statement to the police. He said he never told the Justice of the Peace Jacqueline Sergeant that he was beaten by the police because he was afraid. He said he was not informed that the JP was there to protect his rights. Amoorgan denied going to Ramoutar’s house and telling Ramdawar to tie up everyone. He said he never dragged Ramoutar into a car with his legs tied, his hands tied behind his back and his mouth gagged. He also denied shooting Ramoutar in both knees. Amoorgan is represented by attorney Selwyn Mohammed and Owen Hinds Jr, while Ramdawar is being represented by attorney Om Lalla and Shastri Roberts. When hearing continues today Ramdawar will give evidence.
