The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has reported Friday’s destruction of coconut and sea-grape trees at Pigeon Point to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and other relevant agencies for “appropriate action.”

The THA is also considering its legal options in preventing any further action that would damage the environment at Pigeon Point. That was the word yesterday from THA Chief Secretary Orville London on Friday’s incident in which about 20 coconut trees on the property were felled, apparently to make way for a fence to be erected on the western boundary of the Pigeon Point property. Sea-grape trees growing on the beach were also cut down.  Friday’s action was the latest in a continuing dispute between the THA and Club Pigeon Point Beach Resort over public use of the beach and jetty. On Tuesday last the THA announced that negotiations between itself and the club had broken down and that it would move for compulsory state acquisition of the 60-acre property for public purpose. Only Cabinet can approve such action and the relevant papers were being prepared by the THA for submission to Cabinet. Last Thursday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning declared Cabinet “mindful” to facilitate the THA in its action for acquisition.

Yesterday London said: “Whether the recent cutting down of trees at Pigeon Point is legal or not is not the real issue, the issue is that the integrity of the environment at Pigeon Point must always be kept sacrosanct and the impact of any action must be evaluated and appropriate action taken.” London said the THA was extremely disturbed at the continued degradation of the pristine environment at Pigeon Point. “We have received a report from the THA’s environment officer and that has been forwarded to the EMA and other relevant authorities for appropriate action. The assembly is also exploring the feasibility of taking legal action to prevent the desecration of Pigeon Point,” he added. London stressed: “We must always be fully aware that the management of the Pigeon Point environment is critical to the survival of the Buccoo Reef and the Lagoon and other fragile environment in the area. As custodians of the heritage of Tobago, the THA must take the responsibility to curb any acts of degradation.”

The cutting down of the trees and the move by management at Pigeon Point to erect a fence effectively closing out the beach, is the latest development in the long-standing controversy between Ansa McAl, owners of the property, and the THA over public access to, and use of, the Pigeon Point beachhead. The action by Pigeon Point management coincides with moves by the THA for the compulsory acquisition of the entire Pigeon Point estate for public purposes. In this regard, London explained that the THA’s Executive Council had already approved the relevant Note. This Note will be confirmed at the next meeting of the Executive Council, following which the Executive Council Note will be forwarded to Cabinet. Once Cabinet approves the request for acquisition, the authorities will be prepared to enter the property. In the meantime, London said the Division of Public Utilities and Infrastructure was currently providing the Lands and Surveys Department with the relevant information in preparation for the surveying of the property at Pigeon Point. In full page paid advertisements yesterday in Newsday and the Guardian, Club Pigeon Point expressed disappointment at “this turn of events” following two years of negotiations but argued its determination that its rights as a private land owner and bona fide resort operator will be defended as the laws of Trinidad and Tobago provide.

Club Pigeon Point had offered: (a) 99-year lease of one acre of beach front land for the development of a fishing complex at Wind Hole; (b) a strip of land approximately 10 ft wide to enable unhindered pedestrian access to and from Pigeon Point beach and jetty; (c) financial assistance in restoring the Bon Accord Road leading to the proposed fishing complex and (d) collaboration with the THA on the management of Pigeon Point’s jetty, a national icon.

The Jetty at the Scarborough Port is soon to be extended at a cost of $12 million funded by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The expansion project is to be undertaken by the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) in tandem with the THA. PATT will be operating as agents of the assembly, explained Secretary for Public Utilities/Infrastructure, Hilton Sandy. 

Plans for the jetty expansion were unveiled by THA Chief Secretary Orville London when he addressed the formal launch of the new computerised ticketing system for the inter-island ferry service, during a ceremony at the Scarborough Port Terminal building on Friday afternoon. “We can now say that the money has been sourced, and work should begin sooner rather than later. I think it’s $12 million expansion of the jetty which will allow us to bring to Tobago some of the largest cruise ships and other vessels to the island,” he announced. He specially commended Sandy and Port Authority officials for bringing the project on stream speedily, and expressed confidence that it would be completed in record time. 

London noted that the newly-introduced computerised ticketing system — taken in tandem with the proposed new ferry and jetty expansion — was just the beginning of a development thrust within the inter-island ferry service. “Because as the port begins to do things better the demand increases, and what we are hoping is that we are going to create more and more demand and bring more and more people from Trinidad to Tobago and vice versa,”  London asserted. He commended Port Authority officials for their initiative in taking up the challenge “to do new things,” and observed that notwithstanding the initial criticism and hiccups, there have not been many complaints about the new ticketing system. “So, continue making the lives of Tobagonians and Trinidadians more comfortable, and therefore make my life less stressful,” he quipped. PATT officials present included Christopher Mendez, General Manager and Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO); Leon Grant, Executive Manager of the Government Shipping Service (GSS) and Scarborough Port operations; and Head of Information Technology, Avagale Rajkumar, who outlined the workings of the computerised ticketing system.

The incidence of kidnapping in the country has shocked and enraged citizens to such an extent that there are calls for life imprisonment – if not death – for those found guilty of an act as evil as seizing a fellow human being and holding that person on the point of death until money is paid or some other score of criminal intent is settled.

Even more shocking, however is the kidnapping of young children – the youngest being a virtual infant of six years who was snatched outside his school in San Fernando last week and is still missing. Another child, nine years of age was also held and though rescued from his kidnappers, was so badly beaten that he is now in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of the Wendy Fitzwilliam Paediatric Ward, Mt Hope Hospital. Still unaccounted for is a 21-year-old woman who was held on Wednesday night as she stood chatting with a friend in Maraval. A fourth victim of kidnapping last week, was Keith Bissessar, 28, of Huggins Street, Tacarigua. Bissessar is the manager of the Tacarigua Parliament Football Club and was held on Monday night, his kidnappers demanding $1.5 million. He was rescued on Tuesday night by AKS officers who stormed a Valencia house where they found Bissessar tied up and with head injuries inflicted by a gunbutt. A Curepe man was held. Luckily a fifth victim, Anslem Choo Woon Chee, was freed by his kidnappers after being held for nine days.

The Anti-Kidnapping Squad is searching for Mark Prescott, 6, of the San Fernando Boys RC School who was kidnapped while he waited outside the school gates for his regular transportation around 3 pm Wednesday. Prescott’s father who is an offshore oil worker has received two telephone calls, that have been traced to a phone booth in Princes Town demanding $150,000 ransom. Last Thursday, the manager of the school, Roman Catholic priest, Fr Clyde Harvey, made a passionate plea; “For God’s sake,” he cried, “Leave the children alone!” The appeal was echoed throughout the land in many homes and schools as families wondered what more steps they could take to protect their children from these mad criminals. Even though he was rescued, the case of Keiwon Sullivan, 9, is equally shocking. He was snatched on Thursday afternoon near his home at First Trace, Bagatelle Road, Diego Martin. He too was on his way home from school at the Aranguez Primary where he is a standard two student.

Although Keiwon was rescued not long afterwards at an abandoned house in La Resource Road, D’Abadie, the abductors had had time to severely brutalise him, leaving him with a fractured jaw, 19 stab wounds on the head, several broken fingers on a hand that appeared to have been crushed and bruises all over his body. Who would want to do this to a child? The question was asked by Keiwon’s father, Andy Williams, 26, who told reporters that those who did this to his child should not be jailed but be made to suffer the same injuries – jaw broken, hand crushed, stabs to the head. Few would want to argue with that! Again the Anti-Kidnapping Squad has to find the perpetrators and they have little to go on although Keiwon was able to tell his father how he was grabbed and forced into a maxi taxi, sustaining his injuries when, child-like, he told his kidnappers he wanted to go home. Calls have been made to Williams’ home demanding $10,000, money he says he does not have. There is speculation that the kidnapping of the child followed a dispute which his father reportedly had with a man over a piece of land in Bagatelle. But there was no confirmation of this though the police are said to be looking for a man from Bagatelle.

The third kidnapping of the week was of Kerri Greaves, 21, whose mother Debra Greaves is a senior reporter with Newsday. Kerri was snatched by four men in a car on Wednesday night and has not been heard of since. She was only recently released from hospital, needs further treatment and her family is distraught at what could be happening to her. Kerri and her friend, Vanessa Phillips were held at gunpoint while standing at the corner of Scott Hill and Saddle Road, Maraval on Wednesday. Vanessa was thrown out of the car at the Morvant Junction but Kerri was held. Police have dismissed suggestions by Kerri’ father, Neale Greaves that his daughter’s abduction was a case of mistaken identity. The Police are convinced that the men who snatched Kerri knew exactly who they wanted. What the police don’t know is why. They are working on several theories and have detained and questioned a man. A luckier man – if you can use that term to describe the victim of a kidnapping who was held for nine days against his will – is  grocery owner, Anslem Choo Woon Chee, of Sam Boucaud, Santa Cruz. He was snatched as he was entering his home. He was dumped at the side of the Lady Chancellor Hill and the reason for his kidnapping remains a mystery as no ransom was ever demanded. While he was held, residents of his community held nightly vigils praying for his safe return. Their prayers were answered leaving Choo Woon Chee wondering not only at his luck but at how much he was appreciated by his community.

For the year there have been 15 kidnappings and the police are yet to make a breakthrough. Some ransoms are clearly planned to get money from relatives. Others are drug related or associated with other criminal activities. In the meantime, with the increase in child kidnappings, families are instituting even stricter rules with respect to the protection of their children. But not every child has a parent or some designated and trusted individual to take him or her to and from school and for parents in this category – probably the majority – sending your child to school is now nothing short of a daily living nightmare.

An estimated $7.5 million is the budget for the new Pan Trinbago’s Headquarters and Information Centre at Orange Grove Estate, Trincity, Tacarigua. This was revealed by Pan Trinbago’s President Patrick Arnold, at the unveiling of the site board yesterday.

The three-storey centre is expected to house a conference centre, amphitheatre, theme park, food court and other commercial enterprises, in addition to housing an information centre and reference library. Eight acres of land were allocated to Pan Trinbago for the construction of the headquarters. Arnold said that the History, Documentation and Research Department has been “working steadfastly towards producing a book which treats with the history of the steelband.” The book is expected to be launched later this year.

Also attending the ceremony was Minister of Culture and Tourism Penelope Beckles, who offered her assistance in procuring the deed for property for the organisation. She added, “many people will have to keep quiet after their unjustifiable comments on Pan Trinbago and the pan community.” Beckles said that the site was in a convenient location as it was five minutes away from the airport and  ten minutes away from the University of the West Indies and would be easily accessible to tourists, students and the general public.

The way Minister of Public Utilities Rennie Dumas tells it, WASA’s management of its available water supply during this harsh dry season has never been better.

While people in places such as Cocorite were demonstrating for water, Dumas stressed that in other areas of the country people were admitting that it was the first time that they had water throughout a dry season. Dumas commended the general public for their restraint in using water in this rainless season. “I think people generally reduced their demand,” he said. But he also gave credit to WASA which  lost one third of its capacity as a result of the severe dryness of the season. He explained that two-thirds of its surface “run off” — that is water extracted directly from rivers and streams — was depleted. And the Authority was forced to “run down” its reservoirs and wells to make up this shortfall. It also used rationing very early in the season. Because of the proper management, it was currently in the comfortable position of having three months supply of water.

Dumas said that WASA was on the ball pretty early. Four and a half months ago the Authority issued a warning that it expected a very torrid dry season. And for the first time it engaged the services of 100 water trucks to distribute water. Furthermore it tried to guarantee a minimum of eight hours of water out of every 36 hours to the communities most affected by the shortage. Dumas noted that even when one analysed some of the water protests, one would understand that they were in part fuelled by the very development which WASA had brought to certain communities. For example in Cocorite, he said, which never had pipeborne water, WASA had installed lines last year and the people were demonstrating because they wanted the booster stations installed so they could get pipe borne water, as opposed to using the community tanks filled by water trucks. Unlike previous Utilities ministers who were known for making statements such as “water for all by 2000,” Dumas shied away from saying when there would be sufficent water for the people. In fact, he made it clear that he was not going to do like his predecessor Ganga Singh and to say there would be “water for all in 2005.”  “I would want to wait before giving any declaration,” he said, adding that the whole question of planning for the water system would be taken before the Energy Sub-Committee.

He said that a team within the Ministry was preparing a report for submission to this committee. He explained that there was still a deficiency in terms of the amount of water WASA was able to capture particularly in the Southern extremities (South-East and South-West) of Trinidad, in some places in Central Trinidad and in the whole western part of Tobago. WASA also had difficulty matching some of the water availability with the planned industrial development. This mismatch stemmed from the conscious effort of the government to try and put industrial development in some of the depressed areas, which lacked the infrastructure for industry. Dumas said while the distribution system had been improved it was hampered by the inability to switch from system to system. “The consumer does not want to know why water is locked off. (What the consumers wants is that) if there is a problem at Navet Dam you (WASA) should be able to switch to the Caroni Arena so that you (the consumer) still get water,” he stated. That capacity does not currently exist in WASA, he noted. He added that because the pipes were very old, there was also a high incidence of leaks. “And as you develop the water sources and develop the distribution system and try to push it through these old lines, you are increasing the pressure, virtually ensuring that those old lines fail,” he said.

Dumas conceded that the controversial Desalination Plant had increased the available supply of water. But he stressed that the contention over the Desal Plant lay in the financial arrangements which accompanied it. While it has brought no new revenue, it has brought new costs, he stated. And this was because the arrangement required the transferring of the water that WASA was selling at a high price to the industrial users at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, to low paying households. This has given WASA less money for the water it produces. Furthermore WASA was now paying more for the water that is produced by the Desal Plant (for the industrial estate). While there is nothing inherently wrong with desalinated water the financial arrangement which came with the desal plant have exacerbated WASA’s financial situation, Dumas said. The Public Utilities Minister summed up WASA’s fiscal in one word: “Bad.” WASA’s expenditure is about $850 million annually, while its revenue is $450 million annually, leaving a deficit of $400 million. There is also an accumulated debt from previous years of $5.8 billion.

But Dumas has a theory about this problem. “We set a price. When we say everyone must have water, as we should, we say that WASA must produce a certain amount of water. But we are also saying that WASA cannot charge more than X for this water. So we are setting an expenditure framework and an income framework which do not match,” he said. “And,” he added, “if we do that as a matter of public policy, then the executive management of WASA cannot be blamed for the deficiencies or the shortfall.” Noting that people want to “kill” Errol Grimes, Dumas stated that the government and people must find a mechanism for closing this financial gap. “If you consciously leave the gap there … the government has to find a way to finance the gap otherwise the whole water distribution system is going to fall,” he noted. Dumas compared the status of WASA with other public utilities which have been granted rate increases. “We consciously as a population agreed to change the price for talking on the phone, we consciously agreed to change the price of electricity, we even changed the price of TTPost. Nothing happened with those managers and systems. The changes allowed them to become viable.”

So is a rate revision being considered? “It is a clear possibility. It is a clear issue that we have to face,” Dumas replied. He added that if in the interest of the poorer people government agreed to pay for water, the taxpayers had to recognise that there was a price  for this — that WASA would therefore have a deficit which would have to be financed by the State. On the Grimes salary issue, Dumas emphasised that salaries to WASA’s managers were a very small part of WASA’s overall cost — perhaps less than 1 per cent. Dumas has one request though — for people to pay their rates. He appealed especially to the commercial consumers to pay their rates. They owe $40 million. Of course, he pointed out that the “standpipe people” owe $73 million. They comprise 66,000 people who live within a certain radius of a standpipe and who are therefore asked to pay about $30 dollars a quarter. But Dumas conceded that this debt was not recoverable. “They are not bothering with you because you can’t cut off (the supply from) the standpipe,” he stated.

The Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project has entered its second phase. That is the phase where persons who were implicated by the evidence of witnesses are summoned to appear to challenge the evidence by cross examination, direct evidence or by calling supporting witnesses. The Commission has sat for 140 days. It will resume on tomorrow.

Monday
Figures hidden from public —Airport cost jumps from $650M to $1.6B

Former Works and Transport Minister Senator Sadiq Baksh and former NIPDEC Director Trevor Romano knew the Piarco Airport Project would cost a billion dollars instead of the budgeted $650 million, but opted to keep that fact hidden for fear that the public would not accept the billion dollar project. The revelation was made by the Ministry of Works and Transport client representative Peter Cateau when he continued his evidence on Monday. Cateau’s disclosure came when he was being questioned by the Commission’s lead attorney, Theodore Guerra, SC, based on the contents of a confidential letter Cateau sent to Guerra dated April 17, 2003. Cateau vowed in the letter to “reveal things to stop the deliberate distortion of facts”. Cateau stated in part in the letter that recent observations had moved him to make known “revealing things which need to be said” as it related to his former boss Minister of Works and Transport Sadiq Baksh, Trevor Romano, main contractor NCL and other contractors, Birk Hillman Consultants (BHC), NIPDEC and Justin Paul, his Permanent Secretary.

He said the revelations had to be made, but he cautiously added that “it might result in my life being at risk and I trust you will protect me”. Questioned by Guerra about the revealing issues concerning Baksh, Cateau said when he came on the project in 1998 as client representative, he was concerned about the project budget and arrangements in place for the project. He said although the budget was $650 million, he knew with the addition of VAT and fees to BHC and NIPDEC, the budget would have been closer to a billion dollars. Cateau said he expressed his concerns about the budget to Baksh during a meeting with Trevor Romano and Justin Paul, a Permanent Secretary. However he said Romano commented that making the budget of one billion known to the public might not accept the project and Baksh agreed with him. Baksh did not say no, he emphasised to the Commission. Cateau also said he had requested from Baksh that a financial audit be done on the project but Baksh never complied.

Tuesday
Cateau agrees Baksh ‘scuttled’ Cabinet directive

US based company Cal-maquip got favourable treatment from former Works and Transport Minister Sadiq Baksh. The company through an irregular process received the contract to provide speciality equipment for the Piarco airport under CP 13, but although Peter Cateau felt it was wrong he went ahead and recommended Calmaquip as contractors, out of fear of losing his job. He also agreed that Baksh scuttled a Cabinet directive to hire the Director of Highways as part of the technical team to oversee the project. Cateau, questioned by lead attorney for the Commission Theodore Guerra, SC, said although he made the recommendation for Calmaquip to get CP 13, he was left out of everything else relating to Calmaquip and only found out the contract had been awarded after the contract was signed.

Asked why he thought he was left out, Cateau said, “Maybe when it comes to making straightforward professional decisions Peter Cateau is left out.” Cateau said the AA Board chaired by Tyrone Gopee after recommending that Calmaquip be awarded the contract, went on the international market to secure the loan to finance the contract, which was guaranteed by government, although it was Calmaquip’s duty to raise its own funds. Cateau said he raised the issue with Baksh about the way the contract was executed after he learnt Calmaquip was awarded the contract. However he said Baksh told him, “Things will sort themselves out.” Cateau said he knew that would not be so. Asked why Calmaquip may have be favoured by Baksh, Cateau said he couldn’t say. Cateau also said Baksh and the AA scuttled a Cabinet directive to hire R Castro, the Director of Highways, as part of the technical team overseeing the project.

Wednesday
Bernard rebukes Law Association

Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project, retired Chief Justice Clinton Bernard on Wednesday rebuked the Law Association of TT for its uninformed and “belligerent approach” to the Inquiry. He said the Association has made several statements in the media without first apprising itself with the correspondence passing between the Inquiry and persons interested in its proceedings. Bernard’s latest defence of the Inquiry which entered its 140-day on Wednesday followed the publication by Newsday of the contents of a letter (dated April 28) sent by the Council of the Law Association to the Commission. In it the Council cautioned against following the advice of Lord Justice Scott of the Privy Council with respect to procedures at public inquiries.

The Council also enclosed an article by Lord Howe of Aberavon which criticised the Scott Inquiry’s refusal to afford persons appearing to have legal representation. Bernard said it was “utterly misleading” to the uninformed reader for the Association to advise caution as it must be aware the Scott Inquiry was conducted within parameters of a statute different from this country’s Commission of Inquiry Act. He welcomed any other comments it wished to make about the procedures adopted at the Inquiry.