ALL eight questions listed for oral and written answers in the Senate yesterday were deferred by Government.

In one instance, the Attorney General in seeking a two week deferral on questions pertaining to the budgets for Commission of Inquiries (Parco airport; Biche High School and the Elections and Boundaries Commission), said her staff had complained about the numerous questions they had to research, in addition to the other pressing matters they had to deal with. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Wade Mark, ignored the AG’s comment and insisted that she at least provide one of the answers in a week’s time.  Those three questions were for written answers.There were four questions on the Order Paper for oral answers. One dealt with the amount of money the Jamaat Al Muslimeen owed to the State arising out of a Civil Appeal of 2001.

Morean said she was prepared to answer the question but could not because of certain matters which occurred yesterday morning. Three other questions that dealt with issues at WASA had been tabled by Mark. Mark wanted to know from Public Utilities Minister Rennie Dumas what steps and measures were being taken to recover monies overpaid to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Errol Grimes, General Managers and Deputy Managers between March 2002 and January 2003. Mark also wanted to find out if the Minister intended to take any action against the Board of Commissioners of WASA for illegally increasing the salaries.

Dumas requested a one week deferral. No explanation was offered as to why the question could not be answered.  The other two questions by Mark on WASA, questioned whether Dumas was aware that three former senior WASA employees were dismissed for fraudulent activities at the utility and whether they had filed appeals. Dumas requested the questions be refiled with more specific information. Mark agreed to provide the names of the persons to assist the Minister in his answer.

THE public debt has crossed the $24 billion mark and the Auditor General has warned the Government through the Minister of Finance to ensure that the debt does not get out of control.

The report of the Auditor General on the public accounts for the financial year 2001-2002 was laid in the Senate yesterday by Junior Finance Minister Conrad Enill. At September 30, 2002, the public debt stood at $20,636,406,600.92 with interest that amounted to $3,753,964,560.51. The report also lists financial matters relating to the functioning of Government departments including theft and over payments to the tune of more than $6 million.

In her report, Auditor General Jocelyn Thompson recommended that in view of the significant level of the public debt and charges, “the financial managers of the State should take appropriate action to review the trend in borrowing with a view to establishing an overall national standard, or limit, to ensure that the public debt does not exceed acceptable international standards.” The report also revealed that the balance on the Exchequer Account dropped sharply when compared with the previous two years. At the end of 2000, the balance stood at $1,281,901,401.12. It rose to $1,343,329,803.49 at the end of 2001. But the balance dropped to $423,709,530.40 at September 30, 2002.

The Auditor General added, “It is recommended that the financial managers of the public service exercise extreme care in the management of the resources of the Consolidated Fund to prevent any reversion to the negative balances on the Exchequer Account which were experienced prior to the financial year 2000.” In the report, the Auditor General reported that there were 2,773 cases of overpayment totalling $6,390,389.23. It was also disclosed that amounts totalling $2,671,135.04 were recovered. The AG recommended that accounting officers should continue to take the necessary action to reduce the incidence of overpayment.

The biggest case was in the Police Service where $2,510,059.02 was paid out. Of that amount, $1,087,899.61 was recovered. There was an overpayment of $1,629,194.29 to the Ministry of Education with recovery being just $374,225.07. There was an overpayment of $164,158.73 to Parliament but the majority of that amount was recovered. It was also observed that income tax deductions were not made from the monthly salaries of three officers of the Industrial Court over the period January 2000 to May 2002 resulting in overpayments totalling $491,941.

In another instance, overpayment of emoluments totalling $33,146 was made to an officer over the period 1973 to 1999. Efforts to recover the overpayments were not seen, but permission was being sought to have the accounts written off by the Comptroller of Accounts. According to the Auditor General, the officer was still paid a one month salary advance of $4,404 during the year in respect of arrears of increments.

ACCUSATIONS flew fast and furious in the Senate yesterday, as Government and Opposition Senators blamed each other for trying to undermine the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) for political gain while Senate President, Dr Linda Baboolal fought to restrain the warring factions and restore order to the proceedings of the Upper House.

Debate on a Bill to “validate the Fourth Report of the Elections and Boundaries Commission under the EBC (Local Government) Act Chap. 25:50 for the purpose of Local Government Elections” moved by Local Government Minister Jarrette Narine, started innocently enough with United National Congress (UNC) Senator Sadiq Baksh saying the Opposition had no problem validating the report since it always respected the EBC’s independence. However, Baksh then deviated to accuse the People’s National Movement (PNM) of using the report as a smokescreen to influence the upcoming Local Government polls and having a history of voter-padding . He claimed that while all districts were supposed to have a minimum of 15,000 voters this was not reflected in the report, 50,826 persons had been removed from the November 2001 electoral list and new electoral districts had been added to the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo and Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporations.

“That is not strange,” Baksh remarked and reiterated his claims of PNM voter-padding to win three marginal seats in last year’s general elections. Attorney General Glenda Morean-Phillip declared Baksh’s statements irrelevant to debate on the Bill and Baboolal urged Baksh to come back to the matter at hand. Senate Opposition Leader Wade Mark described the UNC as the “quintessential organisation” which upheld the independence of the organisations like the EBC.

The Health Ministry has purchased six infra red thermometers at a cost of US$1200 to get temperature readings of arriving passengers to TT.

Last week Chief Medical Officer, Dr Rampersad Parasram, told the media that the Ministry had intended to acquire the thermometers in addition to a thermal detector to scan passengers as they walked through Immigration. Meanwhile, the Ministry yesterday refuted a report (in another newspaper) claiming that workers at the Thoracic Ward of the EWMSC were boycotting the area because a woman was being treated for  suspected Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The Ministry said the patient in question was not and is not even a suspected or probable case of SARS.

A source at EWMSC told Newsday the Thoracic Medical Ward has been cleared  to accommodate the patient, who is receiving treatment for viral pneumonia. She is reportedly responding well to treatment. The source said patients on the ward (who were being treated for tuberculosis) have been moved to the Hibiscus Suite and nearby Medical Ward. She said the patient is being treated although nurses are “not taking any chances.” The Ministry said the claim by  an anonymous doctor with an African accent that there were no nurses on duty was “totally false, and the truth is that there were and are nurses on all wards at the EWMSC who are attending to patients”. It has assured the public that in the event of a SARS outbreak, all necessary precautions will be taken to curtail the situation.

DR Austin Trinidade may not be returning soon to his post as Medical Chief of Staff of the San Fernando General Hospital, SFGH. That is at least not until he tells the Ministry of Health why he should not proceed on “Compensatory Time Off”.

In a letter sent to Trinidade yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Hamid 0’Brien, referred to discussions held between the two men over the weekend. He stated, “You are therefore requested to indicate whether you are in agreement that the Compensatory Time Off which you have earned and not utilised within the stipulated time, be added to your vacation leave eligibility.” Last week 0’Brien directed Trinidade to proceed immediately on leave, but Trinidade refused. He subsequently obliged, but wrote to 0’Brien indicating that he did not wish to proceed on leave. The Permanent Secretary acknowledged Trinidade’s unwillingness to proceed on leave, saying, “I note that you have stated your unwillingness to proceed on leave at this time. I shall be grateful if you will provide the reasons in writing. I look forward to an early response.” 0’Brien’s letter ended by directing Trinidade that he is to remain on leave until the issue is resolved.

0’Brien’s letter to Trinidade yesterday stated that his (0’Brien’s) instruction to him to proceed on Compensatory Time Off, did not constitute disciplinary action “of any type nor is it reflective of your performance as Medical Chief of Staff of the San Fernando General Hospital.” The move was part of an exercise, 0’Brien explained, in which he proposes to regularise and reduce the backlog of compensatory leave which medical officers have earned and not utilised. Dr Anand Chatoorgoon has been appointed to act for Trinidade. While Dr Shaheeba Barrow assumed the role of Ag Medical Chief of Staff at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday, she was not confirmed in the position. A meeting is scheduled to take place today to decide who will be appointed. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health’s decision to send Dr Austin Trinidade on long leave is being met with some level of opposition from a few doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Consultants who are Heads of Departments held a meeting on Friday, and in a release issued yesterday, stated that a  unanimous decision was taken last week Friday to support Trinidade as Medical Chief of Staff.  The release stated that the heads decided that they were unwilling to accept “any new appointee to the post”. Dr Anand Chatoorgoon, who is head of the department of Anaesthetics, has been appointed by the Ministry of Health to act in Dr Trinidade’s absence. The consultant doctors requested that the Ministry of Health rescind its letter to Trinidade which requested him to proceed on leave amounting to 226 compensatory days. The release listed the names of 14 heads of department, but only nine consultants signed. Yesterday, the Ministry of Health issued a release stating that Chatoorgoon is the acting medical director. Signed by Public Relations Officer, Keith Sancho, the release stated: “The truth of the matter is that Dr Anand Chatoorgoon is the Ag Medical Chief of Staff at the San Fernando General Hospital while Dr Austin Trinidade remains on leave.” Chatoorgoon said yesterday that patient care was improving drastically at the hospital. No doctor reported ill for the second day yesterday and all the clinics functioned, he said.

RAJKUMAR MOHAN broke down and cried in the San Fernando High Court yesterday as a police sergeant testified that Mohan’s 62-year-old father’s half-naked body was found murdered and hog-tied to a cocoa tree in the Rio Claro forest.

Mohan, of Chaguanas, who identified the body of his father, Surujbally Mohan to police officers, wept openly as Sgt Ramdath Goomiah recalled that the neck, ankles, and wrists of the elderly man were bound with rope when it was discovered in the bushes. The elder Mohan, a taxi driver aka “Billy” of Agostini Settlement, was murdered  between April 29 and May 2, 1999. He was found three days after he was reported missing by his family. On trial for Mohan’s murder are Kamal Pooran and Ramzan Asgarali, both of Rio Claro. Pooran and Asgarali are before Justice Herbert Volney in the First Criminal Assizes. Pooran and Asgarali are represented by attorneys Chaitram Sinanan, instructed by Brian Dabideen, and Rupert Frank instructed by Stedson Jack.

Sgt Goomiah testified that after receiving a report around 11.45 am on May 1, 1999, from Vincent Rivers, Cyril and Hugh Gooney, all of Cushe Village, Rio Claro, and Deochan Jaikaran, of Biche, he and other policemen left on inquiries. Goomiah said about 1/4 mile into Roble Grove Road, Agostini Village, which is an estate of cocoa, bananas, and citrus trees, he saw a body lying on its abdomen. It was clothed in blue underwear and black pants, and about 125 feet away in a fig patch he saw a blood-stained white shirt and vest. Goomiah told the jury the rope was tied around Mohan’s barebacked body, which was partially covered by dried cocoa leaves. The body was examined by the District Medical Officer Dr Kamaluddin Amin, and later removed to the Sangre Grande Mortuary. Around 2 pm Homicide detective Sgt Fitzgerald George and a police photographer arrived on the scene, and photos were taken of the area where the body was discovered and the surrounding areas.

The deceased’s two sons, Rajkumar and Balraj Mohan, were the first two witnesses called to testify by the prosecuting attorney, Althea Alexis. In her opening statement to the jury, Alexis said the two accused were arrested after a policeman saw Asgarali driving a vehicle bearing the same licence plate as the deceased’s taxi. Pooran and Asgarali were arrested almost one year after Mohan’s corpse was found. The case continues today.

Martial arts expert Don Jacob yesterday testified in the murder inquiry of his son before Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Mag-istrates’ Court.

Jacob’s son Anthony Jacob De Freitas, 19, was shot dead at Piccadilly Street, Port-of-Spain, on Christmas Eve last year.  De Freitas had gone to buy car insurance. Ako Ayanda Morris, 21, of Rose Hill, East Dry River, Laventille, and Kerwyn “Fish” Andrews, 17, of George Street, Port-of-Spain, are accused of the murder. They were arrested and charged following investigations by Sgt Kenny McIntyre of the Besson Street CID. Jacob, of Joanne Street, Maraval, and the owner of Black Belt Martial Arts Supplies, gave evidence under the directions of Angelica Teelucksingh of the Director of Public Prosecutions Office (DPP). Cross-examination was reserved by defence counsel for Andrews, Eduardo Martinez. Teelucksingh informed the magistrate that the State intends to call eight more witnesses in the matter. Magistrate Mc Nicolls adjourned the matter to next week Tuesday.

Two families in Fyzabad are blaming electrical problems for fires which destroyed their respective homes, with a total value of approximately $0.25 million, in separate incidents over the last two days.

The destroyed homes belonged to Richard Parahoo, of Delhi Road, and Kamla Seelochan, of St John’s Road, Avocat, leaving a total of ten people homeless. Of the more recent incident, Seelochan, 43, said that a high tension electrical wire leading to her house began sparking around 2.30 pm yesterday. Earlier in the day, a TTEC employee visited the area and took note of the light pole numbers of her house and her neighbours’. “We reported that wire numerous times since last year to TTEC and they keep putting us off, but they haven’t been doing anything”, Seelochan complained as she looked on at the ruins of her two storey concrete and wooden home.

Yesterday, at around 2.30 pm, the sparking worsened and was accompanied by strong winds in the area. Seelochan was at her cousin’s house opposite her own and none of her three children were at home. Her cousin, Chandra Ramjattan recalled: “I tell her look some fire up in the back from the roof but by the time we get up and run across it was blazing already.” Seelochan braved the fire and immediately ran into the house to try to save some possessions. Another neighbour, Chandardath Ramnarine, ran in and pulled her out, and helped salvage a computer and some clothes through a window. Seelochan, who also ran a poultry depot downstairs her home, lost dozens of chickens and ducks to the fire. Her daughter, Kamille, 21, added that nine newborn pompek puppies had also died. Seelochan estimated that she lost over $75,000 in the fire. Neighbours have offered shelter to Seelochan and her children Kamille, Karen, 20, and Kevin, 15, while they get back on their feet.

Meanwhile, in the other incident, EHS paramedic Richard Parahoo said he left his house around 9.30 am Monday and when he returned less than an hour later his house was already up in flames. Parahoo, of Sewlal Trace, said that luckily his wife, Susan, their one-year-old son and his mother, Sylvia, were outside picking mangoes when the fire began at the front of the house. Parahoo himself was confused as to what started the fire. “We have no appliances plugged on in the front. My father and I don’t smoke and we don’t even light a cockset (mosquito coil) in this house.” He said there was the panel box on the front wall of the house. “I have been living here all my life. This was my grandfather’s house. We can’t put a value to what we lost here. No one can pay for it because it was not for sale.” However, police estimated damages at $125,000. Fyzabad police are continuing investigations.

Fast food businessman Samo Yarna, the owner of Samo’s Cafeteria and roti shop at Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, was tied up, robbed and stabbed twice in the back by one of two bandits who entered his businessplace on Monday afternoon.

Yarna, who was treated at the St Clair Medical, opened for business yesterday but said that his employees are operating in  fear. The drama started around 3.45 pm on Monday when Yarna, his wife Mala and son Miguel were attending to customers. Two men pretending to be customers asked for two rotis, but when Mala went to the back to prepare the food, one of the bandits pointed a weapon at Yarna and announced a robbery. They ordered him to the kitchen where they tied him up and then tied up Mala, Miguel and a customer who witnessed the incident. All the victims were ordered to lie on the ground as the bandits kept demading money.

Yarna said that he pleaded with them to take the money in the cash register and not harm them. He added that the bandits were annoyed that not much money was in the cash register and returned to the kitchen where one of the two men stabbed him twice in the back. He said that the bandits left the scene shortly after. They were able to untie themselves and he was rushed to the St Clair Medical Centre where he was treated and discharged. Yarna claimed that two years ago he suffered five break-ins and last year nine break-ins took place at his business place. He claimed that while he is fearful for the safety of himself and his family the only source of livelihood is his business and he cannot close up shop and leave.

Downtown Owners and Merchants President Gregory Aboud who visited Yarna at his business place yesterday expressed alarm and concern that such a crime took place in broad daylight. He called for more police presence to deal with crimes being committed against members of the business community in downtown Port-of-Spain.

Workers at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) are fed up labouring in sweltering conditions for the past year due to the non-functioning air-conditioning unit.

“The next move is to shut down this place,” a worker threatened yesterday. She said conditions worsened last month and did not know how much longer workers could tolerate the situation. “We are working under terrible conditions. “Even the Intensive Care Unit has been affected. The door must be left open to allow fresh air in for the area. This makes it possible for infections to occur, the worker said. Wards, all of the clinic areas, the dental hospital, Medical Records Department have all been affected.

Personnel at the Dental Hospital were working half-day because of a lack of air-conditioning. But at a recent meeting administration decided that could not continue, now workers must work the entire day under the same conditions.” Staff at the Medical Records Department file room have been working shifts as this section had no windows to allow for ventilation. The worker said a functioning AC system was not expected until next year as tenders have now gone out and this should take six months with installation lasting for another six months. She said due to the North West Regional Health Authority owing money to the National Gas Company (NGC), it has stopped supplying gas for the chillers at EWMSC.  “The chillers have been breaking down constantly.”

Contacted yesterday, Hospital Administrator Colin Bissessar said the “matter is being addressed” and tenders have gone out. He declined to comment further and said all media releases must come from the office of the Chief Executive Officer. However, Ag CEO Karin Pierre was unavailable for comment.