SHELDON JOHN completed a hat-trick of wins when he was named Extempo Champion 2003 at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain Thursday night.

In the face-off final round of the contest, coming up against Black Sage (Phillip Murray), John, who was triumphant in 2001 and 2002, convincingly outscored his opponent in singing on the topic “You Can’t Beat Me In 2003”. For the large crowd, however, sight-impaired contestant Lingo was their choice to face John in the final round. When the names of the qualifiers were announced patrons made their feelings known with repeated vociferous shouts of “We want Lingo”.

Eight extempo artistes competed in pairs to vie for the championship through three rounds of competition. They were Contender, Zano, Hezekiah Joseph, Lady Africa, Gypsy, Lingo, Black Sage and Sheldon John. Gypsy, a former champion, made it to the semi-final round in which his opponent was John, and the topic selected was titled “A Soca Monarch Final Without SuperBlue”. But unlike previous occasions in which his prowess as an extempo artiste shone brightly, Gypsy failed in the four-verse challenge to match John’s clever responses in the “extempo war”.

The competition formed part of the night’s entertainment on a playbill titled “Sans Humanite,” presented by Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) and sponsored by Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Limited (TATIL) that featured the final of the National Limbo Championship and an Ole Mas Contest restricted to individuals and couples. In the Limbo final Kimmy Stoute Robinson withstood strong challenges from four competitors to snatch the title. Placing second was Aquista Frederick. Third place went to Sue Ellen St Louis, with Jamille Neptune taking fourth and Corey Herbert ending in fifth position.
The individuals category of the Ole Mas contest featured six contestants who showed very little creativity in their presentations. Gail Phillip appearing as “Rosie back in thong” was able to win the judges’ favour over “Look O…. .Ma secret” portrayed by Debra Charles, with “Kid napping all about TT” taking the third spot.

Vilbert Wheeler and Martin Balthazar had it their way in the couples category, being the only competitor, to take the prize for their clever portrayal of “Shin Lee can’t keep The lid on crime.” Guest artistes appearing on the programme were Regeneration Now and Black Prince. Providing musical accompaniment for the extempo finalists was the Syl Dopson Orchestra, while Relator appeared in the role of Singing MC, assisted by Mervyn Telfer.

In the San Fernando High Court a man  who was found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl under 14 years old was sentenced to 15 years in jail with 15 strokes in the San Fernando High Court.

Vernon Mahadeo, 41, of Charlieville, was sentenced by Justice Herbert Volney in the San Fernando Second Assizes. Mahadeo, represented by attorney Ian Suekeran, had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to prosecutor Narissa Ramsundar, Mahadeo’s victim was a 13-year -old girl of Arena Road, Freeport, who was closely acquainted with him and referred to him as “Uncle”.  The crime was committed on March 20, 1998, when Mahadeo picked up the victim and her aunt and took them to the dentist. The dentist was not in his office and the three left.

Mahadeo told them he was going to the mechanic and the victim agreed to go with him. The aunt was dropped off. However, instead of going to the mechanic, he drove to a building on the Southern Main Road, Couva, where he had sexual intercourse with the girl.  The court also heard that Mahadeo threatened to kill the victim if she told anyone what had happened.  The girl later told her mother and they reported the matter to the Couva Police Station.  Five State witnesses, including two police officers, a scientific officer, a medical doctor and the victim, gave evidence for the prosecution.

A LA ROMAINE woman who allegedly attempted to ship nearly $800,000 worth of cocaine via Federal Express, appeared before a San Fernando Magistrate yesterday.

Susan Balkisoon, of Church Street, appeared in court on the charge of cocaine trafficking. She was arrested by members of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU) at around 2.30 pm on Thursday at the Fed-Ex office in Carlton Centre, San Fernando, when she allegedly tried to ship the cocaine which was lined in a cardboard box. Police said the box was addressed to the United States and filled with clay flower pots and deyas. 

OCNU officers said the cocaine, weighing approximately 2.068 kilogrammes, was found in six packets sealed inside the lining of the box. The accused was arrested by PC Wayne Abbott, and appeared before Magistrate Gloria Jasmath. Balkissoon, who was represented by attorney Subhas Panday, was not called upon to plead to the charge which was laid indictably. The accused was granted $500,000 bail pending approval by the Clerk of the Peace.  She was ordered to report to the San Fernando Police Station every Monday, and to surrender her passport to the police. The case was adjourned to March 10.

TROUBLE IS brewing within the ranks of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) with a group of disgruntled calypsonians set to move a motion of no confidence against President Michael Legerton (Protector) as early as next Thursday.

Sources within the organisation told Newsday support has been building over the past few days for a plan to unseat Legerton and replace him with a former President of the organisation, defeated United National Congress (UNC) candidate Winston Peters (Gypsy). The plan is reportedly being spearheaded by several calypsonians who are upset over the judging in this year’s National Calypso Monarch and Calypso King and Queen competitions. They have been drumming up support among other members of the fraternity, mostly cast members of TUCO tents who have not been paid for the past three weeks. Well placed sources said a special meeting will be held immediately after Carnival at a venue to be announced to initiate moves to change the leadership of the calypso body.

Legerton was elected President of TUCO last June, taking over from Seadly Joseph (Penguin) at the helm of an organisation plagued with financial and other problems. To add to TUCO’s troubles, this year’s competitions have been plagued with controversy with several prominent calypsonians who did not make it past the preliminaries questioning the quality of the judging. One of them, former Calypso Monarch Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins) went so far as to camp out at TUCO’s offices at the Queen’s Park Savannah demanding to see the score sheets. He reportedly sought legal advice after failing to obtain the score sheets which, according to insiders, are nowhere to be found. Trouble is also brewing among cast members in three TUCO-run tents who have been unable to collect their weekly wages. Newsday understands that several calypsonians attached to Klassic Ruso, Kaiso Karavan and Kaiso Showkase have not been paid by the cash strapped organisation for the past three weeks.

In addition, TUCO stills owes $60,000 to Iwer George as a result of an out of court settlement over the Road March fiasco of 2001. However, it has not been all downhill for TUCO. Some members of the executive intercepted a plan to produce duplicate tickets for last weekend’s very successful Calypso Fiesta at Skinner Park, San Fernando. Tight security measures were put in place, including special markings to identify valid tickets. As a result, the venture yielded a profit of over $200,000, much more than was realised last year when there was a much larger crowd at the event. Peters, the man tipped to take over from Legerton if the no confidence motion succeeds, has served on the executive of TUCO at the highest level for several terms. In fact, he was holding the position of Vice President when he was recruited by the United National Congress (UNC) in 2000 to run for the Ortoire/Mayaro seat. However, his stint as a Member of Parliament was relatively brief and he was defeated in last October’s General Election by People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate Franklyn Khan.

“THEY are miracles sent to us from God and we love them,” declared Ravi Hosein, father of this country’s most recent set of triplets.

Ravi’s wife, 17-year-old Aarita, became, on Wednesday night, the youngest woman in TT’s history to give birth to triplets. The couple, of St Johns Road, St Margaret’s Village, Claxton Bay, have been married for the past three years. They had no idea that they were going to have three babies. However, the young couple said they cannot wait to carry home their precious triplets, who are also the first to be born in the country for the year. The babies — two girls and one boy — were born three weeks before the teenager’s due date of delivery, but doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital have assured that the babies are healthy. They each weighed 1.3 kilogrammes at birth. Yesterday, hospital authorities put restrictions on the number of people who were allowed to see the infants, who were still in an incubator, because they said too many people were visiting and the heavy traffic was becoming a source of tremendous inconvenience.

The beaming mother said she had not yet decided on names for her babies, and would only select names when she goes home. Up to mid-morning yesterday she had not yet been told when she is likely to be discharged from the hospital. So far the visibly excited mother has also not been able to breast-feed her children, although she has been able to hold them. She told Newsday doctors would not permit her to breast-feed until the drips are removed from the babies.  Embracing his wife, Ravi Hosein said he was happy that he was at home when his wife went into labour and he rushed her to the hospital. “I prayed to God that I will be home when it happen,” he said.

The man said he knows it will be tough to care for three babies but he insisted, “It is a blessing and I am leaving everything in God’s hands.” Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr Jehan Ali, has since called on corporate businessmen to assist the unemployed teenaged mother and her husband, who is a temporary employee at KC Confectionery at Couva. Yesterday Corinne Pulchan, Teddies marketing representative for South, presented the couple with three hampers and a baby bag filled with baby care products. She said her company had decided to provide the couple with three months’ supply of diapers for each of the babies. Pulchan said they made the decision because the parents were young and it would be tough for them to care for three babies.

THREE MEN charged with trafficking almost $3 million in cocaine and heroin re-appeared yesterday  before Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court.

Martin Noreiga, 34, of Southern Main Road, Rousillac, was charged with possession of 6.32 kilos of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He was allegedly held on Wednesday with a green and black knapsack containing six packages of cocaine. Ian Little, 27, of Abby Street, South Oropouche, and Sheldon Edwards, 19, of Lawrence Street, San Fernando were charged with trafficking 1.6 kilos of cocaine and 1.12 kilos of heroin respectively. A black plastic bag containing one pink package of cocaine and two brown packages of heroin were reportedly found in their possession. Officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit held the three men during a sting operation at the Shoppes of Maraval on Wednesday. The charges were laid indictably and they were not called upon to plead.

The accused had previously appeared before a Port-of-Spain Magistrate on Thursday, but were remanded in custody and their matters transferred to the Fourth Court. Bail applications were made yesterday by defence attorneys Ian Brooks and Patrick Godson-Phillip. Police prosecutor PC Dillon said the Fingerprints Bureau was unable to complete tracing of the defendants’ criminal records in time as the department was short staffed. However, Brooks admitted to the court that Noreiga and Little had matters pending at the Point Fortin Magistrates’ Court. He said they were always present at the court for their matters. He added the police had no proof that the two men showed any inclination not to appear in court for past matters. He said Edwards had no previous convictions or pending matters. Magistrate Lee Kim granted Edwards bail with a surety of $200,000 to be approved by a Clerk of the Peace. She then advised Noreiga and Little of their right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail. All three are to re-appear in court next Friday.

A 41-YEAR-old man appeared in court yesterday charged with sexual offences against two young boys, ages six and nine years old.

The accused appeared before Siparia Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan charged with buggery of the nine-year old, and grievous sexual assault on the younger brother. The alleged incidents occurred in December when the man, who is a friend of the boys’ family, visited them at their Penal home. The accused, of Clarke Road, Penal, was arrested on Thursday by Cpl Anthony Monsegue of the Penal CID. Magistrate Ragoonanan denied him bail and advised him to apply for bail before a judge in chambers. The case was adjourned to Thursday.

THE APPEARANCE of Ish Galbaransingh at the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project proved to be anti-climatic yesterday as his attorneys told the Commission he was no longer taking part because the proceedings were “fundamentally flawed”.

Galbaransingh withdrew from the proceedings after his attorneys, Reginald Armour and Devesh Maharaj, were not allowed to make a submission. Chairman Clinton Bernard categorically said “no” to the request several times, indicating that the Commission’s procedural rules did not allow it. Galbaransingh is the principal of Northern Construction Limited (NCL), which received a number of contracts on the project. Galbaransingh appeared before the Commission last week Thursday based on a summons issued to him. He was due to question witnesses who have implicated him in the project. He was due to reappear yesterday, but failed to show up. Instead Armour told the Commission Galbaransingh was not present because he was advised to await their call. Armour then sought to make a submission, but was denied by Bernard.

Bernard told Armour the inquiry’s procedural rules did not provide for such submissions to be made and advised him that he should question David Scott. Scott is the principal of Scott Architects Associates Inc (SAAI) who returned to Trinidad earlier this week from Canada to be questioned by the attorneys of persons he had implicated in his evidence. Armour was asked by Bernard what the submission was about. He said it was based on his view that the “proceedings were fundamentally flawed”. But Bernard did not entertain Armour. He stated emphatically that on the last occasion Armour appeared, in September 2001, he attempted to adopt the same course and was told at that time that he could not make a statement. Armour said he couldn’t understand how he could be denied yesterday, when his submission wasn’t heard. Bernard interrupted to ask: “Are you prepared to ask questions of Mr Scott?” Armour replied: “Not until I give my submission and have a ruling.” Bernard ruled: “No!” Armour said, in the circumstances, Galbaransingh would not participate in the proceedings. Bernard then recalled Wayne Mohammed, the keeper of the records, to put on record the procedure adopted with Galbaransingh as it pertained to the letters and summonses sent to him.

Armour later asked to make an application that the inquiry not proceed further because the February 6 summons to Galbaransingh was ultra vires the terms of the Inquiry and biased. The application was overruled after Justin Phelps, attorney for the Commission, said the summons had worn itself off because Galbaransingh had appeared. Attorney Nyree Alfonso, who appeared for Tyrone Gopee, former Chairman of the Airports Authority (AA), told the Commission after perusal of the transcripts of the evidence of Jude Alibey, the former Transition Manager, she had no questions for Alibey. She said the evidence was of little evidential value as it related to Gopee. However, Sean Cazabon who represents Dennis John, the former AA Security Manager, questioned Alibey. Alibey denied that he side-stepped John and dealt with his subordinate, Inspector Reyes, on matters relating to security of the terminal. Alibey insisted that John had advised him to liaise with Reyes and denied that after his team’s three month contract ended, security matters were returned to John. Alibey said the matters were never taken from John.

Sittings will resume on March 10.

DISC JOCKEY’S hired to play music along the parade route of the Sunshine Snacks Junior Carnival Parade today, have been advised by the National Carnival Commission (NCC) to play music appropriate for junior masqueraders taking part in the annual competition.

NCC said a “no play list” rule  has been enforced, and an agreement has been struck with 100 FM, to broadcast eight hours of pan and soca music suitable for the Junior parade DJs to play. NCC further explained that the hook-up with 100 FM will also allow a consistent musical programme along the route. The Junior Parade begins at Woodford Square at 8 am. Bands will go south along Abercromby Street to South Quay, then east on South Quay to Broadway. From there the parade will move north on Broadway to Frederick Street and up Frederick Street to the Queen’s Park Savannah for the judging of bands. NCC said preparations have been made for First Aid stations, water supplies and toilets at Woodford Square, South Quay and Memorial Park for the convenience of masqueraders. Parents and teachers  have also been reminded to ensure youngsters are properly tagged for identification in case they become separated from their groups. Bands are also advised to observe the rules against circling or backtracking on stage so the competition can conclude by 2 pm.