FIRE Prevention officers have initiated special investigations into the circumstances surrounding two separate fires at the City Motors warehouse on Piccadilly Street, Port-of-Spain between Tuesday night and early yesterday morning, in which the entire building was destroyed.
This was confirmed yesterday by Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Leslie Skeete. ACFO Skeete told Newsday the fact that a second blaze occurred after firemen doused the first fire and left was the main area of the investigation into what he termed a possible “non-accidental” fire. “We do not use arson as a term … that is for the police. What we are doing is investigating the circumstances surrounding these fires which so far are possibly non-accidental,” ACFO Skeete said. According to reports, firemen from Fire Headquarters, Wrightson Road and Belmont Fire Stations were called out to the fire around 7.24 pm on Tuesday.
The officers found a small blaze at the north-western end of the warehouse situated behind the NIPDEC car park where displaced persons stay. They quickly extinguished the blaze while officials of City Motors, agents for Peugeot vehicles, including General Manager Philip Knaggs, quickly moved out 12 cars which were parked in the warehouse at the time. Damage to the building from the first fire was put at $10,000. “I must congratulate the fire services for the quick job in extinguishing the first blaze,” Knaggs said. He said the firemen left around 11 pm along with Peugeot officials. At 2.09 am yesterday, firemen were called out again after getting a report that an even bigger fire had broken out at the warehouse. This time, the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames. Apart from the actual building, three cars were destroyed. The warehouse was valued for $800,000.
Knaggs told Newsday he believed a brush fire in the yard of an adjoining building may have been responsible for the first fire. He did not venture a theory on the second blaze. Police sources said they were following up reports that vagrants who stay at the nearby NIPDEC car park complex were seen lurking at the back of the warehouse. ACFO Skeete and Divisional Fire Officer Etson Glasgow visited the scene and co-ordinated the fire-fighting operations. Up to yesterday investigations were continuing.
GEORGE MAXWELL RICHARDS will be accorded a 21-gun salute by the Regiment after he is sworn in as the new President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on Monday afternoon.
Richards will be the only person to deliver a speech at his inauguration ceremony on the eastern side of President’s House. All is set for the inauguration which will see Richards sworn in as this country’s fourth President, replacing Arthur NR Robinson who served a six-year term. Yesterday, Government and military officials held the final briefing for the media at President’s House. Captain Cheryl Richardson, one of the main organisers of the event, said the cere-mony will begin at 4.30 pm with the actual swearing in taking place at 5 pm. The whole ceremony, she added, will take no longer than one hour. Capt Richardson said Chief Justice Sat Sharma will administer the oath of office to the new President. President Richards will then be congratulated by outgoing President Robinson, Prime Minister Patrick Manning and the Chief Justice, all of whom will be seated on a specially-constructed stage.
The President’s Colours will then be marched on to the grounds by four soldiers. Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Ancil Antoine will ask President Richards, the new Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, to inspect the parade comprising of two detachments of soldiers. Prayers will be offered by representatives of various religions before the new President delivers his maiden speech. The Regiment will then accord His Excellency a 21-gun salute before Richards and his wife Jean leave the rostrum for inside President’s House. The Prime Minister and Chief Justice will go into President’s House and offer their personal congratulations to the new President. Richards and his wife will then return to the grounds where they will mingle with 1,000 guests at a reception.
President’s House confirmed yesterday that a wide cross section of the society will be present at the inauguration. These include former Presidents Sir Ellis Clarke and Noor Hassanali, former Chief Justices Cecil Kelsick, Clinton Bernard, and Michael de la Bastide. The only former Prime Minister alive, Basdeo Panday, will not attend. There will be sports personalities, cultural icons, members of the diplomatic corps. Professor Rex Nettleford, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, has accepted an invitation, as have several top officials of UWI. Caricom Secretary General Edwin Carrington will represent the regional body. It could not be confirmed which Caribbean Prime Ministers and Governors General will be here for the ceremony.
Former Speakers of the House, former Presidents of the Senate, and members of Parliament have also been invited. Security will be tight with traffic police keeping an eye on proceedings around the Queen’s Park Savannah. Assistant Police Commissioner Celestine Richards will be in charge of the police operations. The new Aide-de-Camp for the President has been identified as Lt Commander Hyram Mohammed of the Coast Guard. Mohammed was at President’s House yesterday ensuring that everything was in order for Monday’s ceremony. He replaces Major Anthony Phillip-Spencer who has spent most of the six years as Robinson’s Aide-de-Camp.
THE OPPOSITION voted against it but on Tuesday night the Government passed the Act to Amend the Municipal Corporations Act 1990 in the Senate to legitimise an extension of the life of regional corporations from July 2002 to July 2003 as necessitated by the non-sitting of Parliament last year.
The Bill also extends the interval between the date of a local government election and the appointing of aldermen, from the current three days to 10 days. The Opposition alleged the Government was using the CEPEP programme to dubiously fund its upcoming campaign for local government elections and for political patronage. Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Wade Mark, said Prime Minister Patrick Manning has said he wanted to increase the $44 million spent so far on CEPEP, a figure which Mark said could eventually reach $176 million over a year, and half-billion dollars ($500 million) over the coming three years. “Yet you want to send home 9,000 Caroni workers? (PNM) Councillors are now CEPEP advisers and get contracts for $600,000 in three months, and you are asking us to extend the life of local government bodies?”.
Mark said the CEPEP programme was undermining the jobs of thousands of daily-paid workers in local government. Hitting CEPEP, he added: “These workers are a vote-bank for the PNM. If you want to be a Cepep worker you need a PNM card”. He added: “What skills can a young man gain from cutting grass and painting stones?”. Mark read out the names of several PNM councillors appointed as council “advisers” since the expiry of their term of office as councillor, who he said had received large contracts to work for CEPEP. “Roopchand Balliram and Philip Salazar, advisers from the Siparia Regional Corporation, formed a company called Rupee Contracting Services which received $545,288. Jennifer Marrishaw, an adviser from San Fernando City Corporation formed a company, Marrishaw Maintenance Services, and she got $393,342 in three months. In 12 months that would be $1.2 million — to campaign, using taxpayers money in a most illegal and illegitimate way to campaign (for local government elections). “Darian Marcel, former chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, and co-owner, Wendell Stephenson, ex-St James West councillor, formed a company called Darwin Limited and they received $551,664…All I am seeing is a PNM frenzy.” He accused the PNM of a form of apartheid in allocating CEPEP contracts.
Mark accused the PNM Government of discriminating against UNC areas in allocation of truck-borne water and of street-lights even claiming that the PNM had installed lights on a street which they later found out to be a UNC area and then dismantled and removed them. Mark concluded that local government would only get respect when it was enshrined in the national Constitution. Complaining that millions were still owed to contractors who had done work under the UNC Government, Mark said: “My information is that the only reason the State is not paying the money is because some high officials want a kick-back, some want 10 percent, some want 20 percent.” During the contribution of his colleague Opposition Senator Jennifer Jones Kernahan, Mark accused the Government of visible disinterest in local government, shouting across the benches: “Go home and sleep! You look tired.”
“I’LL have to say a prayer.” These were the first words uttered by Nigel Waterman yesterday after a jury found him not guilty of the murder of 17-year-old Reynaldo McKenzie.
Waterman was accused of killing McKenzie at a public fete at Hart Street, Port-of-Spain, on February 15, 2001. After a three-hour deliberation, the 12-member jury delivered a not guilty verdict in favour of Waterman in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court. As Justice Rajendra Narine told Waterman he was free to go, Waterman whispered: “I’ll have to say a prayer.” As he was being led away by two uniformed police officers, Waterman’s relatives breathed a sigh of relief while McKenzie’s family were visibly shocked and upset by the verdict.
As they left the court, one of McKenzie’s female relatives collapsed to the floor, crying that justice had not been done. Another woman had to be restrained by other relatives as she wept openly and vowed vengeance against Waterman. However McKenzie’s mother, Suzette Romero, was emotionless as she left the court and walked out of the Hall of Justice. Another female relative repeatedly stated that “God is good” as she left. Minutes later, Waterman emerged from the Hall of Justice flanked by his attorney Wayne Sturge. “First of all, I want to give thanks to my lawyer and give praise to Jah,” he declared.
Waterman said his two years in prison had taught him a lot and there were a lot of youths in there who gave him hope that one day he would be free. He said he saw his acquittal as a second chance and he intends to make the most of it. Sturge then treated Waterman to his first meal as a free man.
SOMETIME before the car with Clint Huggins’ body was set ablaze, Corporal Garvin Armstrong said he saw three persons dressed in army camouflage standing near the car which appeared to have crashed into a fence on the Uriah Butler Highway, Mt Hope.
Armstrong, a traffic policeman, who testified at the trial of three men accused of murdering Huggins, said he was on his way home at about 1.45 am on Carnival Tuesday in 1996 when he first noticed the crashed Nissan Laurel car, the uniformed men and two other cars parked close by. He said he recognised the uniforms the from the lights of vehicles. Some five hours later, at about 7.15 am, while he was on his way to work, he noticed the crashed car had been destroyed by fire. Armstrong was testifying before Justice Alice York Soo-Hon in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court, where Arnold Huggins, his cousin Leslie Huggins and Junior Phillip, are on trial for the murder. The victim was a key State witness against Dole Chadee.
The State’s case, which is being presented by prosecutor Wayne Rajbansee and Natasha George, is that the trio accepted a $3 million contract to kill Clint. Arnold is being defended by Ian Stuart Brooks, Leslie by Keith Scotland and Dawn Mohan, and Phillip by Osbourne Charles SC instructed by Chryslin Moore.
Also testifying yesterday was Clint’s father, Neville Huggins, who gave an account of his family tree and his relationship to the accused. He also recounted for the jury telephone conversations from his Glencoe safe house with his nephew Leslie Huggins over the Carnival period about the whereabout of Clint, who had left his safe house at Teteron. He said Leslie told him Clint had gone to a Carnival fete at PSA grounds, Long Circular, on Saturday night, then travelled by maxi taxi to Arima and then to Guaico, Sangre Grande. Clint stopped off at Mulchan Street, Guaico, and walked about a quarter of a mile into the street to the home of Leslie. He arrived there Sunday morning about 5 o’clock. The cousins started a “lime” cooking and drinking. Leslie later took Clint to San Juan where he wanted to collect something from “Natty”. They did not find Natty, but ended up at the home of one of Natty’s relatives.
A VOLUNTEER soldier was arrested at the Tunapuna Police Station around 1.30 pm yesterday.
Reports revealed that the 43-year-old soldier went to the Tunapuna Police Station and told officers at the charge room that he had information that the police were looking for him. He allegedly began pounding the counter at the charge room and reportedly used obscene language. Police reports revealed that the soldier was cautioned but he continued. He was arrested by PC Jugmohan and placed on charges of resisting arrest, obscene language and disorderly behaviour. The soldier will appear before a Tunapuna magistrate today. Senior officers of the Defence Force were informed of the arrest.
WENSECLAUS JAMES, who initially lost his murder appeals but later succeeded in petitioning the President to refer his conviction to the Court of Appeal on the ground of fresh evidence, had his appeal dismissed again yesterday and his conviction and sentence affirmed.
James, together with Anthony Briggs, was convicted and sentenced to death in June 1996 for the August 1992 murder of Siewdath Ramkissoon, a Caroni worker and part time “PH” driver. They had beaten Ramkissoon to death with a hammer. However, four years later, in February 2000, a prisoner called Christopher Lall swore to an affidavit that it was not James who killed Ramkissoon, but Briggs. He claimed he was present when the killing took place and James was not there. Although he had initially been interviewed by attorney Gaitree Paragass in March 1999 and given an unsigned statement, he only swore to the affidavit after Briggs was hanged by the State in July of that year.
In dismissing the appeal, the Court of Appeal led by Chief Justice Sat Sharma said: “Christopher Lall did not make a favourable impression upon us. We have carefully considered his affidavit and his oral testimony. His oral testimony contradicted and departed from the evidence on affidavit in very important areas. There were several unsatisfactory features about his evidence and I do not think that any reliance can be placed on his evidence that he was present when Siewdath Ramkissoon was killed.
“We are of the opinion that he has come forward at this stage for reasons best known to himself. We are of the opinion that the swearing to the affidavit by Lall after the execution of Briggs was no mere coincidence. It is quite clear and we are satisfied that he timed his coming forward to give this account to a period after the execution of Anthony Briggs. “It must be remembered that Ms Paragass had been to see him as early as March 1999 and he made it clear to her on that visit that he was not signing any statement. However, on her second visit in September 1999, he was ready and willing to swear to the affidavit. By that tome, of course, Briggs had been executed. “We have no doubt about the falsity of Lall’s evidence and we see no ground for concluding that in light of the new evidence the jury might reasonably have doubted the correctness of the verdict. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed and the conviction and sentence affirmed.” The appeal, which was heard before the CJ, Justice Margot Warner and Justice Stanley John, was argued by attorneys Desmond Allum SC and Rajiv Persad, while Deputy DPP Carla Brown Antoine represented the State.
Apart from the fresh evidence ground, counsel for James also argued that the trial judge erred when he directed the jury on the doctrine of joint enterprise and felony/murder rule. The court in its 24-page judgment, said such a direction was clearly an error of law. However, as Lord Mustill, of the Privy Council observed in another case, the fact that a direction given in accordance with the felony/murder rule must now be held to have been a misdirection need not inevitably lead to the quashing of the conviction. “A careful analysis of the evidence may show that there was no miscarriage of justice , or at least that a verdict of manslaughter may properly be substituted…” James benefited from the Privy Council ruling in Pratt and Morgan, and his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
THE HOUSE Committee (of the House of Representatives), including among its members a Deputy Political Leader of the PNM, Kenneth Valley, took a unanimous decision in August 1997 that the renovated and restored Red House be used solely for the Parliament and that all the other government departments there should relocate quickly.
Valley, who must have been aware of his party’s views on the matter, did not dissent. Furthermore the entire Parliament in which the Opposition headed by Patrick Manning sat, did not dissent when the report was tabled in the Parliament. In fact the report of the House Committee was approved by the Parliament on November 6, 1997. The report was listed on the Order Paper for a long time — several months — and was eventually debated and approved on November 6, 1997. None of the PNM MPs, including Manning, registered their objection. A motion asking that the House accept the recommendations of the House Committee was put before the House of Representatives and there were only “ayes”, no “nays”.
The House Committee was chaired by then Attorney General Ramish Lawrence Maharaj and included former MPs Reeza Mohammed, Pamela Nicholson, Manohar Ramsaran, Rupert Griffith (who at the time of his appointment to the committee on December 6, 1996 was a PNM member) and Valley. On the basis of this a note from the Parliament went to the UNC Cabinet that, among other things, the position that the Red House be dedicated solely for Parliament was confirmed on September 25, 1997. In the note, the then Cabinet noted that then Speaker (Hector McClean) was supportive of the proposals made by the House Committee.
“The Speaker also recommends that the restored Red House should be dedicated to the sole use of the Parliament … and that internal renovations should be tailored to the needs of a modern and dynamic Parliament,” the note stated. Government’s recent decision represents a radical departure from the position taken by the House Committee and endorsed by the Parliament. And the change in policy came without consultation. In fact the Cabinet note which signalled the change in policy came, not from the Parliament, but from the Minister of Public Administration, Dr Lenny Saith. In its 1997 Report the House Committee noted the deteriorated condition of the Red House; the absence of facilities for Members of Parliament at the Red House which are essential for the proper performance of their duties; the restoration of the Red House and the need for the Red House to be dedicated to the sole use of the Parliament; the functioning of the Committee system.
Also noted was the need for improved administrative and other arrangements for Members of Parliament so that they may better represent their constituents including, inter alia, better facilities at constituency offices, improved terms and conditions for staff in constituency officers and improved terms and conditions of service of Members of Parliament; the unsatisfactory state of affairs surrounding the printing of the Hansard; and the problems experienced by those involved with the administration of the Parliament which impact on the support services provided to Members of Parliament.
The Committee further noted that the area designated the Old Senate Chamber was dysfunctional due particularly to the perilous condition of the ceiling; there were no offices for Members of Parliament in the Red House; the Parliament Library had long outgrown the space allocated to it; the Members’ Tea room and Lounge area was inadequate; facilities for the media who cover Parliament were almost non-existent. The Committee also noted that numerous leaks wreak havoc on the Parliamentary offices whenever it rains. The UNC Cabinet agreed that “in principle, the Parliament be temporarily relocated in order to expedite the completion of works involved in the Red House Restoration Project”.
TRAFFIC police and licensing officers will, before year’s end, have the latest technological equipment including the much talked about breathalyser, digital cameras and radar to clamp down on lawless motorists responsible for an increase in road accidents and fatalities.
This was disclosed yesterday by Works and Transport Minister Franklyn Khan, who was the feature speaker at the launch of AutoEx 2003 motor-show, held in the lounge of the Queen’s Park Oval. Also present at the launch were Premier Events Caribbean Chairman Brian Stollmeyer, Automobile Association of Trinidad and Tobago President Donald McKenzie, Marketing Manager at NP, Dwight Lewis and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Deochand Gosine. Minister Khan explained that with 400,000 registered vehicles on the nation’s roads and approximately 450,000 persons holding driver’s permits, the latest and most advanced equipment would be brought in to help in the detection of motorists who flout the law and cause accidents.
Very soon, the Minister said, digital video cameras similar to the ones used by the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) would be installed at road intersections to detect motorists breaking the traffic lights. The breathalyser would be employed to detect the excessive alcohol content level of drivers and the radar gun would be used to calculate the speed of cars. “If we are to have a quality nation by 2020, we must do away with policemen having to hide behind trees at the side of the road to monitor speeding cars,” Khan said.
He also announced that the Ministry would embark on a Road Safety Programme tomorrow, aimed at educating the public and making them more aware of the importance of observing road safety. For the year so far, there have been 43 road fatalities the latest being Dennis Babwah who was killed in an accident on Monday night along the Uriah Butler Highway near Charlieville. He added that the Licensing Department would be fully computerised soon which would allow for the quicker accessing and processing of information as well as streamlining the existing filing of data. Police and licensing officers out on patrol would very soon be able to access the names and addresses of vehicle owners at the touch of a button. Information on vehicles including make, year of manufacture, chassis number and engine numbers can also be quickly accessed by the police.
Khan later made a plea for the driving public to change their attitude towards the use of the road and the role of the police and licensing officers. “We must first change our attitude and outlook on life before we can really be considered a developed nation,” Khan said. Auto Exposition 2003 will be held at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya between May 1 and 4, and will focus on the entire automobile industry products and services being under one roof. Key objectives of this event will be to create a forum for business transactions to occur through networking and interaction between key players in the industry.
OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark has accused Public Administration Minister, Dr Lenny Saith, of being a “hatchet man”. Referring to Government’s decision to relocate the Parliament, Mark said it was Saith who brought the Cabinet note which said “that we have to move from here”. “An unelected person! What is he doing here?” Mark charged.
Saith casually countered: “Are you elected?” Mark, who was speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, said the Government had gone mad, “a government in full stride with no respect or regard for public opinion”. Earlier in the sitting Opposition Senator Robin Montano lamented that even the Speaker of the House, Barry Sinanan, was not consulted by the government before they made their decision.
