Jugmohan, 62, has been attending her trial on a stretcher and she is now unable to speak fluently.

The case is engaging the attention of a jury and Justice Althea Alexis- Windsor in the San Fernando High Court. Jugmohan was charged with the June 2007 murder of Jagindranan Jugmohan, 57, who was strangled at his Clarke Road, Penal home.

Wife Jugmohan was charged with murder and was incarcerated at the Women’s Prison to await her trial.

A Preliminary Inquiry ended when the coroner discharged the woman on the ground that the prosecution did not make out a prima facie case against her. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions re-indicted Jugmohan, after a Judge in Chambers reviewed the evidence.

A warrant was taken out for her arrest and she was sent back to prison. For those ten years behind bars, Jugmohan’s health deteriorated and she became weak. When in 2013, while in prison, Jugmohan suffered three strokes. On each occasion that Jugmohan has been to court, female security guards have had to lift her bodily from the Women’s Prison van and place her on a stretcher.

In June, Jugmohan saw some ray of hope when Justice Alexis-Windsor set her case down for trial and empanelled a jury of 12 members.

There were legal arguments with the jury out of court and hearing.

Jugmohan was brought to the court in a stretcher which the guards converted into a wheelchair.

Former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, is prosecuting the case, having been granted a fiat (permission) by the Office of the DPP. Jugmohan pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder as she maintained her innocence. During the course of several hearings, Maharaj accepted Jugmohan’s intention to plead guilty on the lesser count of manslaughter.

Yesterday, the charge of murder was read to her in the presence of the jury of 12 members. After her plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, Justice Alexis-Windsor directed the foreman to return a formal verdict to that effect. The judge adjourned proceedings to Friday, when Maharaj will outline the facts of the case and how Jugmohan came to be charged.

Prakash Ramadhar, MP for St Augustine, who is instructed by attorney Michael Rooplal, will plead on Jugmohan’s behalf for mercy. He has indicated his intention to seek a non-custodial sentence saying that to send Jugmohan back to prison will result in further deterioration of her health and possible death.

Chevan Maharaj’s daughter of Adore The Gold /My Legacy simply bolted up to score4 by 2 1/4 length while being eased down near the finish of the 1750 metres $75,000 event.

It was a third classic victory on the trot for the John O’Brientrained filly after winning the Midsummer Classic and blue riband Massy United Insurance Trinidad Derby, to raise her earnings to date to $538,720.

Watched by a surprisingly large crowd, Leading Lady was always prominent in the Gleneagle, and 2015 champion jockey Prayven Badrie sent his mount to challenge her front-running stablemate Rocket Wheels 600 metres out and comfortably swept into the lead in the stretch and it was all over.

The one-eyed filly Blind Date surprised in finishing a game third to make it a 1-2-3 for trainer O’Brien.

Whisper Light continued his prolific run with a workmanlike performance in repeating last year’s triumph in the $100,000 Diamond Stakes.

Veteran rider Ricky Jadoo had his mount at the top of his field from the outset, joined by Conquest Bespoke, and after a short breather he ran on strongly to win by ½ length.

Bigman In Town failed in his bid to equal the feat of Bruceontheloose by winning the feature Caribbean Champion Stakes for a fourth time.

When jockey Sheldon Rodrigo took Baskaran Bassawh’s champion to the front 600 metres out, he looked all over a winner, but the three-year-old Battle Cry was brought with a resolute stretch run by jockey Brian Boodramsingh to deny the”Big man”.

For Battle Cry, also trained by O’Brien, it was a pleasant return to form for Anthony Wight’s 2016 champion two-year-old.

Once again O’Brien dominated his peers saddling three winners including two of the three feature races, while current champion trainer Glenn Mendez was not far behind saddling two winners.

Jadoo and Kerron Khelawan shared honours among jockeys, both landing two winners each

After the event, there will be a news conference in the Regency’s Diamond Room at 3.30 pm. The forum will be broadcast live on Stateowned Caribbean New Media Group.

At a post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s last Thursday, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Stuart Young said, Rowley will chair the event and there will be a detailed presentation by the Finance Ministry on the state of the country’s economy.

He said the forum will also see presentations by members of the business community, the labour movement and other stakeholder groups in the country. Among the groups expected to participate in today’s event are the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Joint Trade Union Movement.

Up to press time yesterday, preparations for today’s forum were still underway.

Former minister Devant Maharaj claimed the forum was a political mamaguy.

The forum happens ahead of Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s presentation of the 2017/2018 Budget in the House of Representatives on October 2.

Some commentators are predicting the budget will contain several austerity measures.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will respond to the Budget on October 6.

Constables Stephen Johnson and Toola Jack stood in the Port of Spain 4A court where Magistrates Forde-John said she was unwilling to consider bail since the matters must be transferred to the district court in which the offences allegedly took place. The two will appear in the Siparia court today, when the presiding magistrate will address the issue of bail.

Johnson and Jack were arrested by colleagues from the South Western Division Task Force along Southern Main Road, Dow Village in South Oropouche last week Tuesday after their marked police vehicle was searched. They allegedly had in their possession four crocus bags filled with 103 packages of marijuana and three illegal firearms.

The drugs weighed 54.3 kilogrammes and has an estimated street value of $733,000. Johnson is on an additional charge of possession of ten rounds of ammunition allegedly found during a search of his Laventille home, a day after his arrest.

For that charge, he was granted $45,000 bail to be approved by a clerk of the peace or a cash alternative of $20,000.

He also has to report to the Besson Street Police Station every Wednesday and Saturday and will reappear in the Port of Spain Magistrates Court, on that offence, on October 24. The two were represented by attorneys Ian Brooks and Daryl Worrel. The charges were laid indictably so they were not called on to enter a plea.

Hernandez-Bharath made the remarks during his lecture at the ROYTEC First Peoples Schools Outreach Programme where he urged citizens to do their part in assisting the hurricane-ravaged island.

“Hurricane Maria has ravished Dominica, an island in which there is a large portion of indigenous peoples. We are all very concerned over the state of Dominica and other islands affected by recent hurricanes.” Newsday spoke with Hernandez-Bharath after the ceremony and although he was aware of concerns and criticisms of the invitation, he described the move as an opportunity for Trinbagonians to exercise their spirit of justice and sympathy to their Caricom neighbours.

“I understand that at this time there is a lot of financial constraints but, I do not believe that we are in that bad a situation that we cannot lend some basic support and assistance to our brothers and sisters.” Hernandez-Bharath said several members of the First Peoples community have already expressed their interest in providing lodging for displaced Dominican nationals from the Carib territories on the island.

“I have spoken to several members of the community who said that they were prepared to accomodate individuals.

At the moment we are working on providing some grocery items to donate as part of the relief effort.” The programme, which featured over five different primary and secondary schools, was a joint initiative by ROYTEC and the Santa Rosa First Peoples community and sought to raise awareness into the history and culture of the first people’s through school activities such as essay writing competitions, exhibits and lectures.

In addition to yesterday’s lectures, students were also treated to a moving portrayal of Hyarima the legendary Carib chief who resisted Spanish colonisation during

The students, ranging in age from 15 to 19, learned the skills necessary for running a successful business during the inaugural edition of the programme, which ran from August 4 to 18 at Scotia Centre, corner Park and Richmond Streets, Port of Spain.

The topics covered during their training sessions included: how to make an elevator pitch; a succinct and persuasive sales pitch; goal setting; having the mindset of a business owner; the importance of marketing and having a unique selling proposition (USP); knowing your numbers and the importance of financials, team building and leadership as well as leverage through people, systems, marketing and finance.

In addition to certificates of participation, each candidate received $1,000 in a starter savings accounts from Scotiabank as well as student tickets to the upcoming TEDx Conference taking place on October 7 at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.

Scotiabank is a partner of TEDx locally.

The students’ successful completion of tasks assigned to them during the programme was recognised by Cindy Mohammed, manager of public and corporate affairs, sponsorship and philanthropy, marketing department at Scotiabank.

Addressing the teenagers and their family members during the awards and closing ceremony at Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on September 21, Mohammed said, “You all performed so well that the scores were very close and as such, we decided that we needed to offer second and third prizes as well.” “Of course, the prizes will be in the form of savings accounts. This will really help you get your business idea started or perhaps can even be used to further your knowledge in business.” First place went to Dieffenthaller of St Stephen’s College, Princes Town, who received $10,000 in addition to the $1,000 given to all participants in their new Scotiabank starter savings accounts.

Dieffenthaller scored the highest total in the following: punctuality and attendance; participation/ interaction; homefun (homework); ownership, accountability and responsibility; and presentation.

The aim is to buy fresh foods or food products of good quality, and maintain food safety and sanitation. Simply put it means keeping food safe. Spoiled or contaminated food negatively impacts health; pathogens (harmful bacteria) can cause various food-borne illnesses such as escherichia coliform (E. coli), salmonella and listeria monocytogenes (listeriosis).

Some other pathogens that may cause food-borne illness include Clostridium botulinum (botulism), clostridium perfringens, staphylococcus aureus, and campylobacter.

Bacteria can also cause food spoilage, the food deteriorate, resulting in unpleasant taste, odours, and textures. For example, spoiled fruits and veggies tend to get mushy and slimy, while meat develops a bad odour.

You should note that people can become ill after eating contaminated or spoilt food. The pathogen produces a toxin in the food, before it is eaten or in the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) after the food is consumed.

Bacteria and foodborne illness According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many people get sick annually from food-borne illness –an estimated 48 million, with at least 128,000 hospitalisations and 3,000 deaths. Overall, researchers identified several food-borne diseases which are infections caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites.

These harmful toxins and chemicals can contaminate food and cause illness. Food safety first should be the focus, as anyone can get ill from eating contaminated food. However, groups readily affected may include young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems due to medical conditions and/or diseases such as HIV/Aids, organ transplants, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, kidney disease, and individuals receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Briefly, let’s take a look at a few pathogens, here’s some basic information to note:

Botulism – symptoms include blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing; source – improperly canned, low-acid foods or under- processed home prepared foods. Preventive practices: heat food properly to the appropriate temperature, cleaning methods and temperature controls.

E. coli – symptoms: severe abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, dehydration that can result in death; source – contaminated food usually from contact with faeces; preventive practices: good personal hygiene (wash hands thoroughly after using the restroom), proper sanitation practices and thorough cooking of food.

Listeriosis – symptoms: sudden fever, intense headache, nausea, vomiting, delirium, coma; source – unpasteurised milk, soft cheeses, eggs, and neglected hard-to-clean spots in the kitchen.

Preventive practices: thorough washing of hands, proper heat treatment or irradiation, avoid cross contamination, refrigeration to control growth.

Salmonellosis – symptoms: headache, abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting; source – contaminated raw eggs, milk, yoghurt, meat, poultry; preventive practices: avoid cross contamination, good personal hygiene, practise good personal hygiene and proper sanitation, cook food thoroughly and maintain proper storage temperatures.

Staphylococcus aureus – symptoms: nausea, cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea; source – human nasal passages or on skin, poor personal hygiene or uncovered sores; preventive practices: good personal hygiene, do not sneeze or cough over food, cover cuts, sores, and boils, time and temperature controls.

What can you do? There are several points in which contamination of food can possibly occur including during production, processing, distribution, and preparation. As consumers, purchasing quality food and food products is essential.

Choose fresh produce, not wilted or spoiled and free from cuts and dirt, as well as insects. During preparation wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. If you buy canned products ensure that they are free from dents and bulges; dry goods such as dried peas and beans should be free from pieces of broken glass, weevils, and stones. Also check for the expiration or use by date on products.

Good personal hygiene practices should be emphasised continuously.

Meal managers, cafeteria operators, and caterers should promote handwashing prior to handling food, and after using the restroom (note: proper handwashing perform correctly is the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease). Proper storage and temperature controls are vital – as bacteria can grow quite rapidly in favourable temperature conditions.

For example, bacteria grow rapidly from 41 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit; this temperature range is referred to as the danger zone.

Also, encourage food service employees or anyone preparing food to cover cuts and wounds, wear hair restraints, using separate cutting boards for fruits, vegetables, and meats to avoid cross contamination an wipe up spills immediately.

Thoroughly was and sanitise dishes, glassware, flatware, pots and pans manually or mechanically as well as clean equipment, sanitise countertops and sweep and mop floors and practise proper handling of garbage and trash disposal.

Implement Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) – a food safety system utilised in the food industry globally that seeks to identify and address hazards before they contaminate food.

There seven principles involve in HACCP which include: conduct a hazard analysis, identify critical control points, determine critical limits for critical control points, develop monitoring procedures, establish corrective actions, develop effective record keeping system, and perform verification procedures (Gregoire, 2010 and Keller, 2006).

Claudette Mitchell, PhD, RD is Assistant Professor, University of the Southern Caribbean, School of Science, Technology, and Allied Health

Drastic cuts in expenditure, it argues, would mean more job losses and a more depreciated exchange rate could lead to higher prices.

Instead of relying on these measures it is (i) addressing the revenue shortfall by borrowing, drawing down of Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) savings and by other measures and (ii) meeting the foreign exchange challenge largely via bank rationing and minimal depreciation. There is no good reason to doubt the Government’s belief in its strategy.

Close attention to statements by the Government reveal an underlying assumption of the above strategy. The assumption seems to be that the current difficult situation is temporary or cyclical and that energy sector and perhaps other revenues would soon rise to meet still relatively high expenditures.

In sum I see a strategy of what is described as a “soft landing” for the population even if the population itself does not see the landing as “soft.” If this scenario and strategy turn out to be the case then, arguably, things will be back to “normal.” There are very good reasons to believe that the challenges which face this country are not cyclical but structural and therefore there would not be any early return to normality.

If the present fiscal and foreign exchange challenges are not temporary and the current sluggish economy will not adjust in the short and medium run, then there are serious challenges for this economy which must be addressed now. Bolder measures would have to be taken now, if not the pain that the Government is trying to avoid is likely to visit us sooner rather than later.

In that scenario, the country’s stock of foreign reserves would rapidly contract, savings of the Government in the HSF and of the population would fall, joblessness would rise and debt service would command a far larger share of dwindling revenues, pushing out much needed social and capital expenditures.

In such a case the Government will have to deal with the accumulated challenges and the action that it would then be forced to take would perhaps still lead to the social dislocation which it is seeking to avoid.

What is required now are policies that would begin to transform this economy from less consumption of foreign imports to more local consumption and export production, from recurrent to capital expenditure, from dependence on government to a greater dependence on oneself, from slackness to productivity, from the grant of even more incentives to the removal of disincentives, from unsustainable distribution to opportunities for wealth creation and from government extension to private sector expansion.

Would Budget 2017-2018 point in these directions? We will soon see.

RONALD RAMKISSOON economist

They are Debt Management; Ease of Doing Business; Digital Transformation; Energy Sector Policy; Diversification; and National Security.

Submitted to the Finance Ministry back in July, the 36-page document was re-issued publicly yesterday; six days before the budget is to be presented.

It starts with a call for Government to “begin the formulation and adoption of fiscal rules (in the area of debt, budget balance, expenditure and revenue) immediately and seek to have these implemented by fiscal 2019 for the latest.” AmChamTT also says debt reduction can be partly achieved through the sale of CL Financial assets, “specifically targeting bonds issued for the purpose of those bailouts.” Ease of Doing Business should not only see improved customer service at Government offices and flexible working hours and regulated lunch breaks within the Public Service, it should include timely settlement of Value-Added Tax (VAT) refunds and replacement of the Online Purchase Tax (OPT) with a $10 Airway Bill fee. AmChamTT’s Digital Transformation proposal would see the re-classification of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and internet enablers, such as smartphones, under the Computer Laptop and Tablet Duty Exemption category “as part of public sector digitisation project.” Another recommendation is to “promote the use of alternate, technology-based channels for the delivery of Government services, with a view to deriving improved cost and efficiency profiles going forward.” Topping the Energy Sector Policy is a call for the budget oil price to be pegged at US $40 per barrel, with a hedge of US $35 while gas prices should be maintained at US $2 per mmbtu.

As has long been called for by petroleum retailers, AmChamTT says “Government should review the margins afforded to petroleum dealers, peddlers and retailers and implement a mechanism to automatically calculate these margins.” Focusing on the ICT sector is number one in the organisation’s Diversification recommendations while it says more attention should be paid to the growth and sustainable development of the tourism sector.

National Security starts with, “Address the Appointment of a Commissioner of Police”, followed by improve the Human Resource Management System within the police service.

“Provide an update on initiatives to electronically monitor offenders and establish a DNA Bank” were among Am- ChamTT’s other recommendations on national security.

As I read their comments I thought to myself, that’s the kind of irrational insular arrogance that has festered here since we led the way to the dissolution of the West Indies Federation in 1962. Fuming, I say to myself, here we are celebrating Republic Day with our backs to our neighbours, unwilling or, worse, unable to see and feel their troubles as our own.

Why, I wonder, can the naysayers not see that we are siblings of the peoples of the Caribbean, born of the same historical upheaval, sharing this tiny precious, vulnerable part of the planet and destined to grow together into mature nations.

Then, turning back to the task at hand, I think that actually this xenophobia is not at all widespread.

I am reminded of the immediate and earnest mobilisation of State level, private sector, civil society and individual support in all possible forms that has been channelled through me, let alone all the other efforts being channelled through others connected in some way to Dominica, or the BVI or St Martin or Antigua and Barbuda.

There has been no hesitation in doing what needs to be done.

So much so that the efforts by regional authorities to organise the chaos of caring has itself been enormous. I have had to start a database just to keep track of all the offers of open homes, money, relief supplies, equipment and vessels to ease the suffering in Dominica. Clearly the majority view is that we are in the mess together.

We will bumble along together and find our way through the climate vulnerabilities and the naked politicking around everything including emergency aide, and the breakdown in law and order, and the trauma of loss, and the broken economies, and whatever else will come next. These challenges are ours to overcome.

The situation in Dominica is catastrophic, like nothing we in Trinidad have ever experienced.

The level of human suffering and displacement is, as Prime Minister Skerrit said, “mind-boggling.” Dominicans are experiencing food insecurity like they have never imagined. The winds ripped the leaves off of trees even as they were flung crazily in every direction, it tore crops out of the ground and mud has smothered what was left. Livestock lie dead and rotting right where they were tethered. Water, as plentiful as it is in the nature isle, must now be purified and very few people have access to electricity.

In my small realm, aided immensely by the connectivity of social media, a cell phone and a strategic satellite phone at ground zero, we were able to put people in touch with each other to share critical information, to direct basic supplies and to send emotionally fraught messages of love and concern between Dominicans on the ground and around the world. Privy to these intense exchanges, I have concluded that we are connected viscerally as Caribbean people. So, in response to the xenophobes, I had wanted to say to my compatriots let us all “take a knee” against the racism and insularity that motivates the “close your doors” nonsense that emerged when our Caribbean family most needed us. On reflection though, I need only point out that if you close your doors, you lose. The rest of us are moving forward together.