The event is being sponsored by First Citizens.

The theme, Mawnin Neighba, will be drawn from the overall festival’s theme of Bring Back De Ole Time Days – Len Hand, as each contestant will take the audience back to ‘long time’ when we were our brothers’ keepers.

Participants in the pageant are ambassadors for their communities and are judged on their ability to effectively convey the heritage that is unique to their communities. The event spans over a period of six weeks and serves as a developmental programme for the young women.

Murder and attempted murder seem to get a pass rating if it can be proven the death occurred because of infidelity.

The “he/she look for that” factor appears to appeal as sensational news rather than observing that a plain and straightforward homicide has been perpetrated.

Our infamous “must have a man/ must have a girlfriend/ must get married syndrome” continues to feed our greedy homicide statistics. In most cases it is the male suspect killing the female.

As occurred recently, it is alleged that a woman doused a man and herself with a flammable substance. She was burnt to death after being trapped in a flaming house. But what was responsible for her action? There is also the troubling history of murders being perpetrated over land and property. The “people tired kill people for what they want.” The “is family does kill family.” Or the “he/she old now. Is best they dead and let somebody else take over the property.” All acceptable TT reasons/excuses to commit murder.

When do we acknowledge that homicides, fuelled by domestic violence/sibling rivalry, are accepted as normal? Are we approaching the year when 30 percent of domestic violence becomes the genuine cause of death on all official certificates? Where is our self-respect?

LYNETTE JOSEPH Diego Martin

Police said Reid was driving a grey Mazda hatchback car near the traffic light intersection at PriceSmart where the accident occurred. It is believed he veered off the road and collided with a white Nissan AD wagon. Reid suffered multiple injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died. No one else was injured.

Members of the Fire Southern Division Headquarters at Mon Repos visited the scene as well as Cpl Mohammed and other police from the San Fernando Traffic Unit. An autopsy is expected to be done today.

TT are aiming to win their sixth consecutive championship and their seventh overall in 16 editions of the tournament.

TT overpowered their opponents in the first set and won convincingly at 25-8.

The “Soca Spikers” took their feet off the gas and relaxed a bit resulting in the French-speaking team gathering more points in the second set but still lost at 25-17.

The women from the twin-island republic took no chances as they closed off the third set at 25-14 to complete the 3-0 dominant victory.

Channon ‘De Cannon’ Thompson continued her great serving form with eight aces and lead the match in scoring with 13 points.

Krystle Esdelle had nine spikes while Sandra Ramier had 8 points for Guadeloupe.

Thompson said, “We started the match strongly as evident with the score.

We lost a bit of focus and relaxed a bit in the second but rebounded quickly in the third to close off the match at 3-0.” She believed this year’s edition will be more challenging than previous years because the opposing teams strengthened their squad.

In the opening match, Martinique defeated Bahamas 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-13) followed by a narrow victory for Curacao over Suriname 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 21- 25, 25-19, 15-11).

The host team Jamaica won easily against US Virgin Islands 3-0 (25- 16, 25-18, 25-17).

Richards highlighted dilapidated infrastructure and faulty electronic systems within the prison as examples of deteriorating conditions which pose a serious threat to the safety of prison officers and prisoners.

“You never know in the prison system, when you have a lot of frustrated individuals inhabiting a small area. You never know what might arise. I am saying the nature of the situation coupled with security issues that aren’t being treated with by the National Security Minister, means that anything can happen…any number could play,” Richards said.

Richards added that he is deeply concerned by the deteriorating conditions and is calling on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to intervene and bring relief to the situation. He says that since the Association’s demonstration on the grounds of the Golden Grove prison on Tuesday, they have not been contacted by any officials within the Ministry of National Security for discussion.

“The situation is crying out for Ministerial intervention, it is a problem bigger than the Prisons service and we hope that the Prime Minister look into this situation to try and treat with it before a catastrophe like what happened on July 24 2015 happens again.”

Abdullah said his organisation was shocked by the recent response of Snr Supt Kenny McIntyre who denied the existence of a “hit list” by police in Central Division (mainly in Enterprise).

“He is either naive or knowingly covering up for dirty cops. He says that police are not executioners and are there to uphold the law” Abdullah stated in a media release yesterday.

McIntyre, had said police do not execute people but uphold the law, in relation to the police shooting death of alleged gang member Jelani Martins, 25, at Chaguanas, last week Friday.

The release further stated: “Waajihatul Islaamiyyah is saying the officer responsible for the killing of Jelani Martins has broken the law and should be called to account for his actions, as in the case of Govinda Morgan, the security guard who was charged for shooting to death ex-convict Vern Sambury.” The Imam referred to several reports which, he said, should be lessons to McIntyre as to the reasons why he needs to be better informed before he opens his mouth.

Abdullah recalled that in July 2007, a parliamentary Joint Select Committee issued a report which was highly critical of the Police Service.

“The report highlighted a disturbingly high number of disciplinary charges against officers, a need to combat the increased levels of indiscipline within the Police Service and a ‘serious lack of accountability from top to bottom’ in the police force,” Abdullah said.

He added that in 2011, the Crime and Problem Analysis (CAPA) department of the Police Service showed that the number of “extrajudicial killings” increased consistently over the previous decade.

It added that such cases were being cited by regional and international human rights organisations as a blot on the country.

“Amnesty International has also produced a report on the killings in Trinidad and Tobago, on the topic “Excessive use of force by the security forces and lack of independent investigations”,” the release stated.

Abdullah noted that police are paid to protect communities against armed bandits and warring gangs, among other brutalities. In doing so, police sometimes do get fired on by desperate men and do have to fire back.

“That is part of the price we pay for living in a society where guns are cheap and plentiful and where people are taught violence as a way of life in their own homes and communities from childhood,” Abdullah said.

“We have formed an alliance with them and we endorse what they have to say.” Permell said he would not yet give any in depth comment, but would study Rowley’s points carefully.

“At the appropriate time we’d make the relevant responses.

“In a sense our interests are intertwined somewhat with the shareholders from a perspective of if you start winding up CL Financial, it will eventually trickle down to Clico which is the policyholders.” He said Clico officials claimed yesterday some traditional policyholders now want to surrender their policies.

Permell said that if true this news was “not surprising” but quite “concerning”.

“This has to do with the unintended consequences that could arise from a course of action likely to end up in the liquidation of CL Financial. I hope there’s no truth to that.” He suggested a Government statement to reassure those policyholders that their interests are safe.

Asked if Clico is a viable company, Permell said it owns No Man’s Land in Tobago plus HCL, the country’s second largest land bank after the State.

He said the 2016 Clico audited financial accounts cite a deficit of $910 million (owed to the Government), which the value of all these lands would help offset.

Permell said HCL is valued on the books at about $400 million, but its lands are worth “significantly more” and so must be re-valued.

Permell said he cannot get the value at which No Man’s Land was transferred to the Government last March, but estimated it at $680 million (at “book value”), adding this is likely less than its true market value.

“So that would go a long way in reducing that $910 million.” Carpenter, in a statement, alleged Rowley was “ill advised” and had voiced “certain misinformation.” He complained of a lack of details, such whether the CLF accounts shows the group’s true value. Carpenter said last August the Government said CL Financial must repay $10 billion by June 2017, to which the group proposed “Project Rebirth” but had since got no feedback.

“Clico and CIB (Clico Investment Bank) have been left out of the management accounts of CLF but this is where most of the group’s money lies to repay the Government.” Carpenter said most of Clico’s money is within its statutory fund, to which CLF has no access, meaning CLF cannot order Clico to pay the Government asa policyholder.

“The total asset base of the CLF Group must be looked at in any repayment of the debt.”

“The omission was in fact brought to its attention by the Service Commissions Department, which provides the secretariat to assist all service commissions in preparation of reports, while the department was preparing the 2016 Annual Report, in keeping with the provisions of Section 66C(2) of the Constitution.” The statement said the department is already in the process of bringing the reports up to date. “The process will be completed before 1st October, 2017.

“The JLSC apologises to the Office of the President for the omission and wishes to assure that no disrespect was intended to His Excellency or to the Office of the President.”

Her husband, Rosse Galteau reported her missing to officers of the Chaguanas police station.

Roach is five feet, five inches tall, slim, and is of African descent. She was last seen wearing a yellow top and pair of long jeans.

In an unrelated incident, police are also seeking the public’s assistance in locating Petit Bourg teenager, Criscell Cedeno. According to reports, Cedeno, 17 of Bushe street, Petit Bourg was last seen at her family home in January this year. Cedeno’s father, Christopher Martin reported the teen missing to the San Juan police station. Cedeno is of mixed descent, is five feet tall, slim and has long dark hair.

Persons with any information regarding the whereabouts of Roach or Cedeno are asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.

This year’s version of the run is expected to attract the largest crowd in its existence and is increasingly popular due to its family- style atmosphere.

Defending champs Lionel D’Andrade (Guyana) and Arimian April Francis are expected to compete in search of their third successive victory in this event. If they are victorious, they will automatically be awarded the challenge trophy to take home permanently.

The run starts at Walke Street and goes along Picton Road, alongside the Sangre Grande Hospital (Katwaroo Street), then onto Ojoe Road, straight to the “roundabout”, with the final straight through the heart of Sangre Grande (Eastern Main Road) with the finish line at Walke Street.

At this location, those gathered will be entertained by the melodious sounds of hometown steel band “Jaynotes Steel Orchestra”.

Trophies, medals and prizes will be given out to the overall top three finishers, along with the participants in a range of categories from children under six years to adults over 66 years. The organisers thanked Home Centre Singer for their continued support throughout the years and are expecting a large turnout and urged the public to line the streets and support the runners in an overall “Cleansing the Mind”. The registration fee is set at $20 per person and can be done on the day or before, interested persons/ companies can contact 370-5326 for more information.