The Laventille Elders, a group of community leaders yesterday stated that they were in charge of Laventille and the police could not carry out the planned “Baghdad invasion” to deal with crime without consulting them.

Thomas William, alias “Thunderbolt Williams”, a former heavyweight wrestler and leader of the Elders told Newsday that  such an operation was not necessary and it would cause undue hardships on law abiding citizens. But Minister of National Security, Howard Chin Lee said yesterday that every effort will be made to protect law abiding citizens and called for the full co-operation of Laventille residents in the police/army efforts to halt the wave of crime that overwhelms the area. But William argued that the police are aware of who the gang leaders and their members are. He said there were no more than 20 or 30 such people, and pointed out that a different approach to the situation could be put in place. He said these people all lived in Laventille and could be “flushed out” by police at any time.

According to William, the police and army need to maintain a presence in the area round the clock, to send a message to the criminals. He accused officers of the St Barb’s Police Post of turning a blind eye to the crime in Laventille, and said that the killings and shootings are linked to the handling of the distribution of URP jobs, the distribution of houses by the National Housing Authority, and the fight for control over drug blocks. “The URP is not running right, people are not getting work, and the programme is in the wrong hands. “This talk about curfew in Laventille is stupidness. “The police and everybody know who the criminals are and they know who to pick up,” said William. He said that police officers need to carry out foot patrols and maintain a presence. “Invading Laventille is wrong, curfew is wrong, and the elders will oppose it. He said that there are thousands of people in Laventille who are law abiding citizens and they should not be made to suffer because of a few “bad boys”. “The bad boys will cool it if the police are here around the clock,” insisted William. He also accused some “so called” elders of encouraging the rampant crime situation in Laventille, but added that he was head of a group of respected elders whose concern is for the welfare of Laventille.

Laventille East/Morvant MP Fitzgerald Hinds who has had several meetings with the elders to discuss the crime situation and gang related killings and shootings said yesterday, “For my part, I am not an expert on crime fighting and I am prepared to be guided by the experts on this issue. “If the ACP Crime Oswyn Allard has come to the conclusion that a certain type of police/army intervention is necessary then I am obliged to support that. “The government recognises that there are a few persons who discharge firearms to murder and maim people, and it requires the attention of the government who knows that social intervention is necessary, and a number of programmes have been put in place. “Every school, church, mandir, mosque, and every citizens can assist in the attack against crime. “I support the police action,” said Hinds. He admitted that the streets of Laventille, Gonzales and surrounding areas are like virtual ghostowns after 6.30 pm, and it is time that the communities are returned to the law abiding citizens. “If the Cabinet imposes a selective or limited state of emergency to deal with the problem then I support it,” said Hinds.

Newsday learned that community leaders of Laventille will meet on Saturday to discuss the proposed police action and despite the opposition by the Laventille Elders, community leaders in Laventille and the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association to the anti-crime initiative, the police are going ahead with plans to flush out the criminal elements in Laventille. Newsday also learned that newly purchased jeeps will be used by officers involved in the massive clean up exercise. Father Michael Cockburn who is the parish priest for Laventille was unavailable for comment on the issue. Newsday was informed that a base along the East/West Corridor has already been identified for the operation which will be launched any day now. It will involve a massive contingent of police and army officers. Government has been asked to consider imposing a limited state of emergency in Laventille during the start of the exercise.

IN the position of medical chief of staff for just three days, Dr Anand Chatoorgoon yesterday decided to take a firm stand against doctors reporting sick at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Chatoorgoon reported several doctors to the Ministry of Health when an entire unit comprising seven doctors in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (maternity) ward, reported sick yesterday. That unit, Chatoorgoon added, was responsible for attending to pregnant mothers and babies. So peeved was the newly-appointed Ag medical director when there was no “coverage” for patients, Chatoorgoon sought legal advice from former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC. Chatoogoon said he wanted to publicise the names of the doctors in his complaints to the authorities hence the reason for consulting Maharaj.

Chatoorgoon had the backing of Principal Medical Officer of Health Dr Deepak Mahabir, who told Newsday yesterday that the Ministry viewed the continuing sick leave by doctors as a serious one. But the ministry, Mahabir said, did not have the capability to prove doctors reporting sick, were in fact not ill. The veracity of sick leave abuse, in most cases where “sick out” doctors were engaged in private practice, Mahabir said, is currently engaging the attention of the ministry. “I raised the matter with the PMOI, Deepak Mahabir and the PS Hamid O’ Brien. It was a situation in which no alternative arrangements were made. I asked the authorities to inquire and deal with the doctors as they see fit,” Chatoorgoon said.

Chatoorgoon said yesterday that he had cause to file a report against the doctor, an Ag consultant, whose absence at the weekend put the life of a pregnant mother and her baby at risk. Chatoorgoon was forced to call in off duty doctors to attend to Gail Charles. There were no doctors on the ward and Charles’ baby went into distress. Chatoorgoon said he viewed as highly unacceptable, the submission only yesterday of a sick leave by the particular doctor. “I asked the PS and PMOH to write to this doctor. I also asked them to inquire why this doctor often reports sick whenever he is on call,” Chatoorgoon said.

Chatoorgoon said that he has sought advice from the ministry on how he should deal in the future with doctors who were repeatedly calling in sick and submitting sick leave. “I asked my secretary not to accept calls from such doctors but that they report to me directly,” Chatoorgoon said.  Mahabir told Newsday that the use of sick leave was abnormal and potentially serious. Expressing optimism that the impasse would be resolve soon, PMOI Mahabir said the ministry was relying on the integrity and professionalism of doctors to avoid misuse of sick leave.

Thermal detectors like the ones currently used in Singapore will be installed at Piarco and Crown Point Airports to complement seven infra red thermometers which the Health Ministry will acquire to beef up surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The new equipment will provide a thermal image displaying body temperatures above a pre-defined value (in the case of SARS it will be temperatures above 38C [104F]), and this will alert medical personnel to do further assessment. Those who have body temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius will be isolated for further tests to determine if they have the virus. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Ministry of Health Dr Rampersad Parasram yesterday said the Ministry has received quotations and a decision has been taken to purchase the equipment.

Hundreds of people will be screened per minute as they walk past a camera on the detector, which is also equipped with display software and data acquisition and recording system. The two detectors cost just more than $400,000. The new infra red thermometers were on display at the Health Ministry although Parasram said a decision has not been taken whether to use them or stick to the type currently used by Port Health Workers. “As soon as the Port Health officer gives feedback on the band a decision will be taken.” Seven thermometers will be distributed across TT to Piarco and Crown Point  airports, and sea ports at Port-of-Spain, Point-a-Pierre, Pt Lisas and Scarborough. “This allows us to scan a whole lot of people in a short time frame,” Parasram said. The thermometers can measure up to 250F.

Staff within the Public Health Inspectorate will have to be redeployed to supplement those working in areas where surveillance for SARS is being intensified. Parasram said there are no new reports of any suspected or probable case of SARS. Commenting on the situation at the Thoracic Ward at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where nurses reportedly said they were not properly informed of preparations for SARS, Parasram said he did hear that nurses complain about not being involved in the sensitisation seminar. A notice was posted announcing seminars for all staff at Mt Hope on April 17, 22, 23, 24 (doctors and nurses) and 25. Additional seminars took place at Ampitheatre C on April 30, May 1 and 2. Parasram said further seminars would be scheduled. He took the opportunity to welcome input from trade unions in the campaign to sensitise health workers and allay their fears. He also invited suggestions from the public, groups or agencies.

The BWIA board has up until the end of July to give Government details of the proposed salary cuts for executive management and other staff.

That was one of the decisions which came out of a meeting between the BWIA board and the Cabinet- appointed committee led by Dr Lenny Saith Tuesday. Management and unions are now in talks over the salary cuts which were among the conditions for a $116 Government bailout of the airline according to a release yesterday. The release states that salary cuts are were to take effect from April 1 but management has stated that they will take effect from May. The board has also promised an early review of the airline’s management team “to effect any transition in an orderly manner”. The Saith-led committee was set up three weeks ago to deal with the conditions attached to the bail out. The board met with the committee to clarify some of the issues outlined by Government when it announced the bailout. The result was a timetable on the conditions laid down by Government three weeks ago. There is no word yet, though, on the consultant to be hired to oversee the restructuring of the airline.

The board also has until the end of July to tell Government what role private sector shareholders will play in the interim financing of the airline. Junior Finance Minister Ken Valley had noted that while Government was helping the airline, there was no word from the major private sector shareholders. Another issue is that BWIA has to , by the end of the week, submit to Government via the Civil Aviation Authority its recommendations on the regulatory changes needed to meet the requirement of increased productivity of flight staff through the revision of work and rest regulations. For its part, Government will finalise required Civil Aviation legislation now before Parliament to acheive Category I status July. The board also has until the end of the week to present a revised policy on free and rebated travel by BWIA staff and retirees, particularly to eliminate denied boarding to revenue passengers.

General Manager of Operations at TTPost Franklin Ali yesterday confirmed that there had been a breach in the security systems at one of TTPost’s 47 delivery sites, which allowed a bag of mail to end up in the hands of a “special interest group”, and prompted allegations that TTPost employees were involved with helping  kidnappers locate and target potential victims.

Ali made the admission as he addressed reporters at a press conference held at TTPost’s Mail Centre, Golden Grove Road, Piarco, yesterday. The press conference sought to deal with the current issue and resulting statements/allegations which have been made by concerned citizens and groups who were now questioning the company’s integrity. Ali refused to divulge the delivery site which had suffered the security breach, on the grounds that the matter was now being investigated by the police, but added that an extensive investigation had been launched involving an internal review of the company’s security process and quality control systems.

He attested to TTPost’s strict adherence to quality control, but also stated that “no major breach in the security systems throughout the network” had been found following a two-week national review of the Transportation Processing and Delivery Systems, as well as the Quality Control and Security Systems. He revealed that senior police officials on Saturday received a large envelope with a quantity of mail, from a member linked to a special interest group. Asked to explain the circumstances surrounding the discarded bag of mail which ended up in the hands of the concerned group, Ali replied “What I can clearly say is that our national delivery system is comprised of 47 sites, and yes, in all honesty, at one of those physical locations…apparently there was a breach in the security process that we had put in place.”

Questioned as to whether or not TTPost would be taking legal action against Fuad Khan and the Guardian Angels for their possession of the mail, as they too can be accused of tampering with the mail, Ali avoided a direct answer. Instead, he stated, “The point is very clear, TTPost is responsible for handling mail, and we have not abdicated that responsibility to any organisation. The fact that the mail was taken by some unknown party to a certain individual, who later handed it over to the police, that has been discussed with senior officers and they are investigating and will of course, do what is necessary.” Could the mail have possibly been stolen by an employee of the company?

Ali revealed that both himself and the security manager had met with two senior police officials who later agreed that they would go ahead with forensic analysis of the mail, inclusive of finger-printing. Stating that the company handled between 150,000 – 180,000 pieces of mail on a daily basis, Ali said, “We have dedicated resource, trained employees involved in the sorting and transporting of mail, and subsequently, the delivery of mail.”

The Trinidad and Tobago Postal Workers Union has repeated its call for San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan and his Guardian Angels group to take to the police any evidence in its possession allegedly linking TTPost employees to kidnappers.

In a release yesterday, General Secretary of the union, Joseph Giddings, said, “presently there is no tangible evidence as far as we aware, linking any employee of TTPost to the divulgence of information on customers bank statements to alleged kidnappers.” He said that it was highly suspicious and intriguing that whoever found the mail in Chaguanas failed to contact the police and TTPost, but instead sent it to Dr Fuad Khan. Giddings claimed that this was an illegal act, as Dr Khan’s office is neither a Post Office nor a Police Station. He said that as far as he was aware there was no tampering of the mail, but that the “find” was part of an orchestrated plan designed by persons unknown to embarrass employees of TTPost and to raise the profile of this Guardian Angels group by giving credence to their allegations.

The union recently elected executive officers for the Term 2003 – 2005. They are President General Reginald Crichlow; First Vice President Elizabeth Brown; Second Vice President Michele Butler; General Secretary Joseph Giddings; Treasurer Joan Joseph; Assistant Treasurer Annette Parris; Recording Secretary Pausha Brewster Baptiste; Trustee Lenus Lewis.

The injunction granted by the Industrial Court restraining Caroni (1975) Limited from implementing its VSEP programme for daily paid sugar workers has been extended by two weeks.

The  injunction granted March 28, was due to continue until the sugar union’s application – that an industrial relations offence was committed by the company — is heard. Subsequently, the court exercised its discretion to refer the matter to conciliation in an effort to have the matter resolved in the best interest of the two parties. Now, the court has granted a further two weeks for the conciliation process to take its course.

Failing a resolution of the issue, the substantial application by the union – that an offence was committed — will be heard on May 26. The union – All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union – says it remains committed to healthy dialogue and consultation. It also said it was hopeful that the parties can come to an agreement on an issue that impacts on the lives of thousands of workers and their families. Attorneys Douglas Mendes, Dave Cowie and Ashvani Mahabir represent the union, while the company is being represented by Allan Alexander SC, Reginald Armour, and Kerwin Garcia.

In an unusual move yesterday defence attorneys in the Clint Huggins murder trial sought and got leave of the court to reopen their case moments before trial judge Justice Alice Yorke Soo-Hon was to start her summation to the jury.

The application to reopen by attorney Ian Stuart Brook who represents accused Arnold Huggins was not resisted by State prosecutors Wayne Rajbansie. Brook recalled the State’s main witness Swarsattie Maharaj to the witness stand and further questioned her about the larceny of a pig she and six other persons were charged with and its outcome. During her evidence in chief on April 2, she told Rajbansie that she was not convicted on that charge. But an extract of the court’s proceedings in that matter produced by Brook showed that Maharaj and five other persons who were charged had pleaded guilty. Only one pleaded not guilty and was discharged.

The extract also revealed that Maharaj and the other five were ordered to pay compensation in the sum of $3,000 divided equally among them. This meant that each had to pay $500 or in default serve six weeks simple imprisonment. Maharaj’s explanation was that at the time she did not think of it as a conviction and had forgotten certain aspects of the case. As a matter of fact, she said she did not pay the $500 nor had she gone to jail. To the suggestion that she had lied to Rajbansie and mislead the jury, she said it was not deliberate. Brook also recalled Supt Stephen Quashie for re-examination.

Stuart ended by a short address to the jury on that specific issue of Maharaj’s conviction. Other defence attorneys, Osbourne Charles SC representing accused Junior Phillip and Keith Scotland and Dawn Mohan representing Leslie Huggins, did not re-examine Maharaj, nor did Rajbansie who is assisted by Natasha George.  Phillip, Leslie and Arnold are before the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court charged with the murder of Clint Huggins on February 20, 1996. Clint was the main witness against Dole Chadee and his gang for murder. The State is alleging that the accused were offered a $3M contract to kill Clint.  Justice Soo-Hon started her summation by telling the jury that it was for them to accept or reject all or part of the evidence of witnesses, noting that even honest witnesses could make mistakes.  She listed some of the evidence that was not in dispute, telling them that they would have to form their own judgement as to whose evidence is in dispute.

The 12-member jury were further told that they must decide the case only on the evidence before them and that they must do so dispassionately. Justice Soo-Hon explained to the jury that they were entitled to draw inferences but not to speculate what evidence there might have been, and wherever they found equal inferences it must go in favour of the accused. During her summation, she said, she would refer to certain aspects of the evidence but the jury could refer to all. She explained that the prosecution is saying that the three accused were on the scene and the defence was saying they were not there. But the facts of the case are that part of the evidence they found to be true. Justice Soo-Hon reminded the jury that they must consider the evidence of each accused separately and return separate verdicts. She reviewed the State’s case and gave directions on joint enterprise and of previous inconsistent statements of witnesses. Today Justice Soo-Hon will continue her summation to the jury.