“Is this going to be another Biche High School project?” he asked at the UNC’s Monday Night Forum meeting at the Tulsa Trace Hindu Primary School.
“The question is why aren’t the 230 beds at the Couva Children’s Hospital being utilised but you have bed shortages all over the place in the other hospitals? What is the state of this public/private partnership that they talking about for so long ?” Several supporters held aloft placards which read “Open up the children’s hospital” and “had enough of pain.” Bodoe said 22 months after the Dr Keith Rowley PNM administration assumed office, citizens were once more subject to “long waiting times at the Accident and Emergency department, long waiting times in the outpatient clinic and long waiting times for beds.” “I think that was supposed to be a thing of the past (but) bed shortages have come back,” he said, adding, “There are long waiting times for eye surgery, long waiting times for CT scans, ultrasound scans and for MRI scans.” Bodoe said the San Fernando General Hospital was also experiencing a shortage of a drug used to dilate eye pupils in preparation for eye exams.
He also alleged Biometry equipment, worth over one million dollars, was lying idle at the hospital because of a lack of specialist doctors.
“Vitreo-retinal surgery is a special kind of surgery. That equipment is present at the San Fernando hospital (and) they can’t find a doctor to be able to do that surgery,” he said, adding that type of surgery usually costs $30,000 at private clinics.
He said citizens have become immune to the non-performance by the government and have taken it upon themselves to fix potholes, in public roads, which had been left open by a public utility.
“And while I commend this type of citizens action, I also want to say it is the responsibility of the government of the day to do these jobs.” Also addressing the meeting was Oropouche West MP Vidia Gayadeen-Gopeesingh who lamented that over 250 doctors and a large number of nurses have been seeking employment in the public health sector without success.
Eleven people will be inducted at the event on Saturday at the Nagar site in Endeavour, Chaguanas at 6 pm. The list of inductees are: Basdeo Panday, Raphick Jumadeen, Deoraj Seunarine, Haniff Mohammed (Posthumous), Harry Amarsingh (Posthumous), Shanshuddin Mohammed (Posthumous), Ramdeo Rambalack, Chandroutie Chuneelal, Pundit Hari Persad (Posthumous), Sampson Radhay (Posthumous) and Ramdoolarie Maharaj (Posthumous).
The featured speaker at the ceremony will be Panday.
All three matches on the final day were abandoned (as no-results) due to the inclement weather, handing TT victory ahead of Barbados (16 points) with the Windward Islands (14.7) third.
Completing the standings were the Leeward Islands (13.4), Guyana (13.3) and Jamaica (1.3).
At the National Cricket Centre, the TT were meeting the Leewards with the title at stake.
The Leewards, who were sent in to bat, were bowled out for 214 in 47.3 overs, with D Benta topscoring with 47 off 60 balls with seven boundaries, while opener U Smith contributed 27.
Avinash Mahabirsingh took three wickets for 48 for TT while N Ali took 2/28 and S Ali 2/41.
Rains during the lunch-time interval left the outfield waterlogged, forcing the cancellation of the rest of proceedings.
A similar turn of events occurred at Gilbert Park, Couva, as a heavy downpour during the interval prevented a result between Guyana and Barbados.
Guyana were dismissed for 149 in their 50 overs with S Singh hitting 29 while K Christian and K Anderson scoring 25 each.
M Forde grabbed 4/34 for the Bajans. And, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Jamaica were on 186/7 in 48 overs against the Windwards before the weather had the final say.
An autopsy subsequently performed at the Forensic Science Centre in St James, revealed that she died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. Clarke was from Warden Road in Point Fortin.
Sgt Haynes and a party of police from the Point Fortin CID arrested the suspect on Friday last in Point Fortin and subsequently handed him over to investigators from the Homicide Investigations Bureau (Region III).
Yesterday police received instructions from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge the man for the woman’s murder. The labourer is expected to appear in the Point Fortin Magistrates’ Court.
On Monday, Hinds as chairman of the Joint Select Committee on National Security told a JSC news conference, out of all representative unions at the port, the PSA had not signed an MOU to approve the scanners as the union reportedly had health and safety concerns which, Hinds said, were in fact scotched by experts from the World Health Organisation and the International Atomic Agency.
Yesterday Duke gave a differing account.
“We were appalled to hear that we had not signed off on such documents,” he told Newsday.
Duke said, if asked for his approval, he would certainly consider it. However he said he first wanted to have all relevant information presented to him so as to ascertain if the scanners pose a danger. “We want to see all the information they have. We want full transparency.” Duke said he had not seen the WHO and IAA opinions.
“The PSA is willing to work with the Port Authority and the Customs Division, but workers’ health comes first.”
The 2014 champions had to rely on a mistake from Boys Town to get back into the match after they found themselves trailing 1-0 in the first half. But they duly capitalised on their opponents’ generosity and struck twice courtesy set play luck and brilliance from midfielder Kern Diaz.
Boys Town started with pace and purpose in their play and should have took the lead in the first half but three bites at the cherry weren’t enough for their attackers. Isiah Smith, Teo Raymond and Marvin Brown all had excellent chances to open the scoring but somehow failed to hit the target. A low right sided cross whipped into the area found Smith lurking at the centre of the box but he failed to connect foot to ball. Teo Raymond was however first to respond and met the ball first-time with his left but his shot was so bad it went straight to his team-mate Brown at the top of the box, but he side-footed his shot over bar in a comical sequence of play. But Boys Town did not take too long to find the breakthrough, Smith latching on to a flick-on header, took just just two touches from a narrow angle on the left to settle himself and lash a left-footer through the goalie’s hands at the near post. Boys Town were looking in full control and won a free kick just outside their penalty area as another Dream Team play broke down prematurely. But a moment of madness from defender Kelon Boatswain’s saw him try a short pass to midfielder Rion Moore which was easily intercepted. And with the attacker bearing down on goal, Boatswain had no choice to foul him and concede a free kick in a dangerous position.
Diaz went for power on the direct shot but his shot arrowed just wide of the post but straight to Andre Jordan who diverted the ball into the net from close range as the half ended 1-1. Immediately upon the resumption, Dream Team forward Patrick Parris, using his body to shield the ball, won a free kick for his team in another perilous spot. Diaz, going for guile this time, expertly curled the ball over the wall and into the net with the Boys Town goalie Dean Lopez unable to get around to make the stop.
The goal seemed to break the spirit of Boys Town but they still managed to create a few chances to find the equaliser but saw a Shayoon Primus effort cleared off the line and a last ditch tackle from Garcia stopping a marauding Moore as he was about to pull the trigger. Garcia stunningly almost made it 3-1 with a powerful shot from the defence that went over the ‘keeper and into the net but the referee blew for an infringement.
In Sunday’s other match, Express picked up their second win of the season while relegating Two Touch to their third straight defeat in a 2-1 result.
A first half double from Andell Allsop put Express on their way for three points. But Rellone Serrette halved the deficit with a well-taken goal, chipping the keeper after he was set free by Kareem “Wasa” Moyers. The goal made things interesting but it was not enough as Express held on for the win.
In other results, Take That and Cool It drew with Manzan United 1-1; Alliance were held by Dragon 1-1; Alescon FC beat SP Boys 3-2; Gremio beat El Carmen 45 4-1.
Sources revealed that on Saturday, Pritchard asked for the report after Private Brian Stephens contacted Newsday a day earlier and claimed that he was asked to accompany a senior officer to Siparia in 2014, and 24 hours later the senior officer accused him of going to Siparia without the permission of his seniors.
According to Stephens, his salary was suddenly stopped and he was transferred to Camp Ogden and then back to Headquarters.
As a result of this he asked for a discharge from the Army but up until yesterday this discharge was never formalised. Private Stephens said that he hired an attorney to seek his legal interest in the matter but feels that every effort is being made by persons within the Defence Force to cover up all the ills committed against him. Stephens contacted Newsday again yesterday and said that he was invited to a meeting at the Army headquarters but he has opted not to go because he simply does not trust his colleagues. He is now awaiting the intervention of Pritchard and is hoping this matter is dealt with once and for all.
The man is five feet tall and was found clad in a green T-shirt, a white vest and a grey cap. Police found the word “loverboy” tattooed on the victim’s arm. Seven spent shells were found near the body.
Officers said they were searching their fingerprint data base in the hope of making a match and getting his identity. They are also appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the victim.
In girls beach volleyball, the TT team of Tsyan Selvon and Ebony Williams lost to Rwanda in their opening match 21-17, 16-21, 15-13.
In judo, Luke Walker of TT lost to Soni of India in the quarter-finals of the boys 73kg category.
TT have sent 50 athletes to the Games – this country’s largest ever contingent. The other disciplines at the Games include athletics, beach soccer, boxing, cycling, rugby, swimming and tennis.
Callendar said the executive’s first success was the 10-2 victory in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections in January.
He said the executive recently concluded an in depth analysis of the THA election campaign and is now in a position to take the council forward.
Callendar said the council fully supports the efforts of THA Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles and other members of the Assembly, “as they grapple with the challenging economic and social scenario at this time on the island.” Callendar was confident that solutions on greater autonomy for Tobago; a lasting resolution to the air and sea challenges between Trinidad and Tobago and the regularisation of land titles in Tobago.
He congratulated former THA chief secretary Orville London and former THA deputy chief secretary Tracy Davidson Celestine on their respective diplomatic postings in the United Kingdom and Costa Rica. Callendar also welcomed Tobago East MP Ayanna Webster- Roy as the council’s new lady vice chairman.
He expressed the council’s sadness of the passing of former government minister Rennie Dumas earlier this year.
