A SUNDAY afternoon lime in Biche ended in murder after one of the limers died after being struck in the head with a brick during an argument over rum.
In the wake of Alexander Williams’ death, police have detained a 42-year-old man who is assisting them in their investigations. Williams’ murder was the third committed over the weekend. According to police reports, at around 9 am a group of men assembled at a house in Batiste Street, Biche to spend the day liming. Around 3.30 pm, Williams who lived nearby, got into a heated argument with another man over whose turn it was to drink a glass of rum. The quarrel ended in violence with the man taking up a brick and slamming it into Williams’ head.
Williams collapsed to the ground unconscious with blood pouring from his nose and mouth. He was taken to the Sangre Grande District Hospital where he died around 9 pm without ever regaining consciousness. The body was removed to the Port-of-Spain Mortuary. A report was made to the Biche Police Station and officers co-ordinated by Snr Supt Randolph Protain, led by ASP Maharaj and including Insp Edmond Thomas and Ag Sgt Moses Charles visited the house where the incident occurred and detained a 42-year-old man. An autopsy carried out on Williams’ body yesterday at the Forensic Sciences Centre revealed he died as a result of blunt cranio cerebral trauma. Police sources said investigators would visit Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson sometime today to get instructions on what charges (if any) would be laid against the suspect. Ag Sgt Moses Charles is continuing investigations.
WITH YET another sickout by doctors ending at the nation’s hospitals, the Ministry of Health has vowed to deal decisively with two issues — sick leave and private practice.
Health Minister Colm Imbert told Newsday yesterday that the Ministry planned to institute the necessary checks and balances to monitor doctors who report sick at public hospitals, but undertake private work. Imbert said that situation, which he viewed as a serious conflict, emerged during the month-long crisis. “Not that the Ministry is initiating this, but it surfaced during the impasse when one considers the volume of sick leave and its regularity. The same doctors seem working at the private nursing homes,” Imbert said. Imbert said the situation raised serious questions of ethics. There were three sickout by doctors within nine months.
The ministry failed to get the names of “sick” doctors who were absent from the hospital wards but who were attending to patients at private nursing homes. “The public in this impasse cannot forgive the doctors after three separate sickouts in just below a year. They suffered at the hands of doctors claiming they (doctors) were sick but were seen attending to private practice,” Imbert said. The Minister said he was pleased health care at hospitals had returned to normal. He added that much of the Ministry’s resources had been stretched during the impasse. Imbert said the Ministry was now back on track in pursuing its various health sector programmes.
THE “emergency-only” mode at the San Fernando General hospital has officially been lifted after a month long sick-out by doctors over a breakdown in salary negotiations with the RHAs.
Doctors have expressed satisfaction over the Health Ministry’s decision to rescind its directive ordering Medical Chief of Staff Dr Austin Trinidade, to proceed on 226 days compensatory leave. After a meeting yesterday at the doctors’ lounge of the San Fernando General Hospital to discuss the latest development, MPATT assistant secretary Dr Lakan Roop said the move by the Ministry was in accordance with public service protocols and regulations. “Doctors are finally satisfied that the Ministry of Health has decided to stick with protocol and has written to Dr Trinidade asking him to inform them when he will be taking his leave and whether it will be in batches,” he said, adding that over 70 doctors had attended the mid-morning meeting. Roop said: “Doctors are happy with the turn of events and have all reported back out to work.” However, Roop reiterated MPATT’s position that compensatory leave had to be regulated by the Ministry.
In confirming doctors’ return to the wards, SWRHA communications officer, Zenobia Nanan, said operations were “back to normal” at the hospital. “We have lifted the “emergency-only” mode from the A&E department,” she said, adding the move was taken after consultation with A&E head, Dr Stephen Ramroop who reported a full turnout at the department. As to the office holder of the Medical Chief of Staff at the Hospital, Nanan deferred comment saying the position was a Ministry appointment and there was no input from the RHA’s. Last Thursday, doctors had accepted the revised proposals offered by the Joint Negotiating Team of the RHA’s, which included a salary offer of $8,600; travelling allowance of $1500; housing of $1800 as well as other allowances.
THE murder of one witness in a forthcoming conspiracy to murder trial has caused Police to step up protection of other witnesses including the main one, Patricia Cox.
Three people, including attorney Joseph Melville, have been committed to stand trial on the charge. The police complainant in the matter, retired Sgt Dennis Julien, has also been warned by police to be extremely careful in his day-to-day actions. Yesterday, Julien confirmed that he has been warned to be careful. The steps to protect Cox and the warning to Julien come in the wake of the death of petty thief Ainsley Allen, who was one of the State’s main witnesses in the matter. Allen, 23, aka Beetle, who lived at Bournes Road, St James and Capildeo Flats, Petit Valley, was found burnt and decapitated on the morning of May 3 by an off-duty officer in some bushes at Chinatown, Belmont. Up to late evening Allen’s head had not been found. Identification was done by way of fingerprints. Allen’s deposition can be used at the High Court trial, police sources told Newsday. He had been granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Approximately 18 witnesses are down to give evidence for the prosecution, but it is not known if all will be given protection by the State, police said. Attorney Melville, 46, of Foster Road, Sangre Grande, along with Jason Holder and Hilton Winchester have been accused of conspiring to murder Cox on June 28, 2001, at Cumberland Hill, Fort George, St James. In February of this year, Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls committed the three to stand trial at the next sitting of the Port-of-Spain Assizes. Allen’s burnt body was due to be x-rayed at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) yesterday afternoon to determine if there were any bullet wounds or any other unusual marks on his body. A post mortem is set for today at the Forensic Science Centre. No arrests had been made for Allen’s killing up to late evening and Cpl Emrol Bruce of the Belmont Criminal Investigations Department is continuing investigations.
DOCTOR Austin Trinidade has won his battle with the Health Ministry on how and when he should proceed on long leave.
Yesterday the Minis-try backed down on its decision to force Dr Trinidade to go on 226 compensatory days off with immediate effect. The decision came in the midst of protest, a threat by Trinidade to initiate legal action and support for Trinidade by the Medical Professional Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT). The Ministry offered the Medical Chief of Staff two options yesterday. The first, described in a letter to Trinidade, was for him to continue on leave while the second was for him to proceed on a later date. Dr Trinidade told Newsday he opted for the second offer and would return to work. He sent a letter to this effect to Permanent Secretary Hamid O’Brien.
The Ministry’s offer is expected to see Dr Trinidade back at the San Fernando General Hos-pital as medical director where Dr Anand Cha-toorgoon has been acting for him. The doctors, who were previously on “sick-out” action, have returned to work at the hospital. Dr Trinidade said he was grateful for the doctors’ return to work, adding that he had called MPATT doctors to call off a protest planned for yesterday over the Ministry’s stand against him. “While I appreciate their support, I asked the doctors not to protest but return to their jobs. I have always valued the care of the public above my personal concerns. I look forward to returning to work soon,” he said.
TRADE MINISTER Ken Valley does not believe his comments on Malcolm Jones’ salary contributed in any way to the decision of Prime Minister Patrick Manning to shift his responsibilities within the Finance portfolio.
“Ent is stupidness. I certainly don’t believe that,” Valley said, dismissing the idea yesterday. He said he was happy where he was and was looking forward to the challenge of this new job. “I have met with my PS already and we have started working,” he said. He added: “I am not in politics for power. I want to build a particular kind of Trinidad and Tobago.” Valley said the Prime Minister has told him that he would continue to handle BWIA and Caroni, the two hot potatoes, in the Investments Sector. Valley said two months before realignment of the Finance portfolio, he was informed that there would be a new person joining himself and Enill in Finance. However the Prime Minister did not say at that time that Valley would be losing the Investments and the Divestment Secretariat to that new Minister, Christine Sahadeo and would assume responsibility for Strategic Plan Coordination, the Vision 2020 timetable and Pension Reform.
Valley said he was told about the new arrangements on Wednesday just before leaving the country on government business. Reminded how passionate he seemed to be about the Investments and Divestment Secretariat, Valley, who has worked in this area for five years (1991-95 and 2002-2003) said he becomes passionate about any job he takes on. “I was passionate about Investments; I am passionate about Trade and Industry. Any portfolio I take on I am passionate about. But I cannot own a portfolio,” he stressed. “It is only the chronic grumbler grumbles about the noise when opportunity comes knocking on his door.” He said he looked forward to working with Sahadeo, who is now in charge of Investments and who is expected to be part of meetings involving BWIA and Caroni. “I am an old man, you know. I am 17 years in this thing. My job is to train the young people,” Valley said. He noted that there was not similar interest in the Euro-money Caribbean conference which he attended in the Dominican Republic last week. He said at that conference, Trinidad and Tobago’s profile was very high. “This is what is important because it helps to market the country to potential investors,” Valley said.
JUSTICE MIRA Dean-Armorer will have to decide whether chauffeur allowances for judges of the Industrial Court are to be paid directly to the drivers or the judges.
She said she will give her decision before the end of this month, settling a dispute between Vice President of the Court, Gladys Gafoor and the Registrar, Noel Inniss. Gafoor filed for judicial review when Inniss refused to pay the allowance directly to her and insisted that her driver collect the cheques. She was represented by Russell Martineau SC leading Rikki Harnanan, instructed by Adrian Byrne. Inniss’ attorneys were Krishendeo Narinesingh and Neil Byam from the Solicitor General’s office, instructed by Grace Jankey from the Chief State Solicitor Department.
Gafoor’s argument is that the allowance is a personal entitlement to her and she should be allowed to collect the cheques. Inniss on the other hand is saying that the allowance is not a personal entitlement and the cheque must be made out to the driver who must collect it. The dispute between the Registrar and the VP started after Marilyn Sammy-Wallace was appointed Registrar in November 2001. Wallace noted that driver allowance cheques were being made out to Gafoor’s husband who had died since 1995.
Gafoor explained that she had forgotten to inform the Registrar that since November 1, 2001 her new driver was Hubert Bahador. She also insisted that she was entitled to collect the cheques which had accumulated since Wallace did not hand them over to Gafoor. When Inniss took up the post as Registrar in January 2003, the controversy continued and Gafoor eventually took the matter to court. Inniss’ attorneys relied on a 1981 circular from the Chief Personnel Officer indicating that a Cabinet decision was taken to the effect that a chauffeur’s allowance must only be paid if a chauffeur is hired.
It was also noted that in spite of the 1981 circular the practice of paying the allowance directly to the judges only stopped in 1994, notwithstanding Justice Hum-phrey Stollmeyer’s ruling that the allowance forms part of the judge’s emolument, therefore an entitlement. He was at the time dealing with the case of Lenore Harris, another judge of the IC. Gafoor’s attorneys relied on circulars from Ministers of Finance, 1995 and 1998, which stated that chauffeurs were employed by the judges. Her attorneys further argued that there existed an administrative arrangement for cheques to be made out to the driver, but that did not disentitle the judge from her allowance if she required it.
SELWYN “Robo Cop” Alexis was charged yesterday with kidnapping Tarouba businessman Saran “Billy” Kissoondath, owner of Auto House Limited.
Alexis, 40, of Enterprise Village, Chaguanas, was charged by PC Roopnarine of the Ste Madeleine Police Station with kidnapping of Kissondath on February 23. Around 2 pm yesterday, officers from the Central Division Task Force led by Ag Sgt Ajith Persad and including PCS Ramsook, Pierre and Narcis, went to an area outside the Chagua-nas Magistrate’s Court where they executed the warrant. Alexis was arrested by Ag Sgt Persad and taken to the Chaguanas Police Station. He was later handed over to the Southern Division and charged yesterday by PC Roopnarine.
Alexis will appear before a San Fernando magistrate today. Kissondath, brother of businesswoman Jenny Sharma, who owns Jenny’s on the Boulevard, was kidnapped while returning home after purchasing bread. He was reportedly accosted by a man wearing a green bandana over his face. After a brief struggle, the man bundled Kissoondath into a waiting B-13 Sentra vehicle and drove away. The kidnapper fired a single gunshot into the air as the car was leaving the scene. Kissoondath was released after a large sum of money was paid to kidnappers.
AFTER SPENDING almost a month in prison, Venezuelan fugitive Ramon Alonzo Montividere, 52, who fled his homeland to avoid a jail term for murder, was deported back to Venezuela last Wednesday.
Montividere was escorted on a flight to Maturin, Venezuela, by two Trinidad and Tobago Im-migration officers. The officers returned home on Friday. Immigration sources told Newsday Montividere will immediately start his jail sentence on the murder charge and also faces an additional charge of absconding to avoid imprisonment. Montividere, who had been living illegally in this country for two years, was arrested at a house in Malabar on April 9. Since there are no extradition treaties between this country and Venezuela, local immigration authorities took the decision to have Montividere deported as an illegal immigrant.
Around 10 pm on April 9, Northern Division officers stormed a house at Casablanca Drive, Phase Two, Malabar, and arrested Montividere who is originally from Tucupita, Venezuela. The arrest followed an anonymous telephone tip-off. Montividere was handed over to Immigration officials who in turn contacted the Venezuelan Em-bassy and Special Branch. Montividere absconded after he was allowed by the Venezuelan Courts to visit his relatives for a final farewell before going to jail to start his sentence. He stowed-away on a boat which eventually docked in Trinidad.
The Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) will be releasing 12 new national standards for the construction industry with a seminar and exposition from June 12-14 at the TTBS’ office, Trincity Industrial Estate.
Trade Minister Ken Valley will give the feature address at the seminar which will also include presentations from international experts. Among the items the standards will in include are ceramic tiles, labelling and carbon steel bars. The TTBS said the exposition is intended to create awareness of new construction standards which will help the public make better choices of products and ensuring they get value for their money.
