Asked when the school, which has been plagued with a number of infrastructural problems will reopen, Minister of Education Anthony Garcia told the Parliament on Wednesday that the school had experienced sewer problems in May but the problem had been resolved.

“However, it seems as though the stench has returned,” he said.

The school had been closed in May and then more recently this month due to sewer problems.

Asked by UNC MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie if the completion of the new school building adjacent to the current school building, which was under construction during the previous administration and which was “60 percent complete” could alleviate the problem, Garcia said that the new building was not budgeted for completion this year.

“As I indicated some time ago,” he said, “the Ministry of Education identified ten schools that required urgent attention.

The Preysal Government Primary was not among those ten simply because that school (building) was 40 percent complete.” The school buildings identified for completion, he said, were between 90 percent to 95 percent completed.

“We are going to look at Preysal Government Primary in the next fiscal year,” he said.

Delivering Corpus Christi greetings on behalf of the Government, as the House of Representatives adjourned until June 23, she said Christians the world over hold the body and blood of Christ to be very significant, adding that Corpus Christi was a constant reminder of the importance of sacrifice for others.

Gadsby-Dolly said all MPs knew the meaning of sacrifice as they worked for the benefit of their constituents, adding that the Bible urged everyone to walk in the way of love.

She said if there was one thing the country needed it was love and the experience of Roman Catholic priest Fr Clive Harvey, who was robbed and threatened with death this week, was testimony to this fact. She said that as the country celebrated Corpus Christi today every citizen should exalt its principles as they followed the example of Christ.

Speaking for Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar and other members of the Opposition, MP Rushton Paray quoted Luke 9:17 on the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, saying that in reading and understanding that gospel, the term solidarity came to mind.

He said solidarity meant unity and fellowship and Corpus Christi was the solidarity of God with man, which he said was a solidarity that never ran out and never ceased to amaze human beings. Paray said God draws us near in the sacrifice of the cross and lowers himself into the darkness of death to give his life which overcomes evil, selfishness and death.

He said the pledge of solidarity is a pledge to strive to work together with our fellow men of every creed and race for the greater happiness of all and the honour and glory of the country.

He said Corpus Christi should be the day which allowed everyone to reflect on their thoughts and actions.

“Let it be the day when we can destroy the seeds of doubt, hatred, inequality and injustice,” he said.

Wishing all a blessed Corpus Christi, House Speaker Bridgid Annisette- George took a more secular approach, saying that citizens consider Corpus Christi a day for planting as tradition holds that it is the most fertile day of the year.

“Failure to submit the VRF and/ or supporting documents and the choice not to supply all the information requested during the period of this data collection exercise will not attract any sanctions,” the division stated. It said VRF may be collected from any Office of the Valuation Division, Head Office of the Ministry of Finance, at any District Revenue Office or downloaded from www.finance.gov.tt/ propertytax. You can call (612- 9700) option #7 to contact any of the nine Valuation Division offices .

The Valuation Division also shared an apology from its commissioner .

It said, “The Commissioner of Valuations apologises to the public for any inconvenience caused by the suspension of the data collection exercise over the past few days and thanks the public for its continued co-operation.” The VRF supporting documents, which may be included on a voluntary basis, are as follows:
Those documents are as follows:
Deed/RPO Certificate of Title;
Land Survey Plan; Previous Land and Building Taxes;
receipt for property identified;
Photograph of exterior of the property;
Sketch of building;
Site Plan;
Building Plan;
Rent/Lease agreement;
Completion Certificate;
WASA Bill (no more than three months old);
TTEC Bill (no more than three months old;
Town and Country Planning Approval (Status of Land); and Town and Country Approved Use (Change of use) .

The fact that forex shortages were mainly blamed for the closures illustrated how much foreign franchises are a drain on our scarce resources. And these two were small players.

It would be interesting to find out how much foreign exchange is used annually by the big boys (KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, others).

Contrary to what we’ve been told, many of these foreign franchises do not support local produce since they are mandated by the parent company to use foreign supplies. My wish is that many more will close soon. They are a drain on our forex without commensurate benefits.

In addition, my major concern is their insidious contribution to the ill health of our nation, especially children, with the concomitant strain on our health services.

We are all aware that “child obesity is an exploding nightmare” and many have traced the rise in obesity in some countries to the advent of fast food franchises. The reverse is also true. Traditionally, slim people (eg Japanese, Chinese) get fat when they migrate to Western countries and gorge on fast foods, forgoing their normal diets.

A lesser known problem with restaurants is their overuse of antibiotics, contributing to “antibiotics resistance” which, according to the Centers for Disease Control in the US, is “one of the world’s most pressing public health problems.” The overuse of antibiotics has resulted in the development of bacteria that don’t respond to antibiotics that may have worked in the past.

In a 2014 report, the World Health Organization warned, “A post-antibiotic era – in which common infections and minor injuries can kill – far from being an apocalyptic fantasy, is instead a very real possibility for the 21st century.” And one of the most pervasive sources of antibiotics that people consume is fast foods.

In September 2015, a CNN article, headlined “Restaurant report card grades on antibiotics in meat supply,” reported on the use of antibiotics in the meat and poultry supply chains of the 25 largest US fast food restaurants. All but five received a failing grade.

The article was based on a research report in Chain Reaction, prepared by these organisations: Friends of the Earth, Natural Resources Defense Council, Consumers Union, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Keep Antibiotics Working, and Center for Food Safety. (You can access the complete report by searching for “Chain Reaction Friends of the Earth.”) The report found that “80 per cent of all antibiotics in the US are currently sold for use by livestock producers who routinely administer these drugs in order to promote faster growth and prevent disease in living conditions that are often crowded and unsanitary…” That’s the kind of meat some franchise holders may be forced to use. Those interested in the gory details can read the book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser.

So the next time your children crave that mouth-watering box of chicken and chips, that “healthy” sandwich or that juicy burger, think of the antibiotics (and hormones) the meat may contain and whether you want to set them up for long-term health problems. It is widely predicted that this may be the first generation of children who will have a shorter lifespan than their parents. You owe it to your children to thwart that prediction.

NOEL KALICHARAN via email

In a nation that is almost under the full control of crime and corruption due to a government that is unable to deal with the rising crime rate and an uncooperative and fearful public, it is important for citizens to do everything in our power to protect ourselves.

I am appealing to motorists to keep their vehicle locked at all times, even while driving.

They must install an anti-theft system in their vehicle if it doesn’t have one. Thieves are unwilling to steal vehicles if they know the vehicles can be recovered quickly.

It is essential drivers are aware of their surroundings, especially in parking lots and gas stations.

If confronted by a car thief, do not resist.

Cars can be replaced; you can’t.

CHELSEA BEDASE El Dorado

Defence Force, who are yet to win a match in the Under-17 category, were unable to stop the rampaging North East Stars outfit at the Trinity East School Ground in Trincity.

Jorel Grant began the scoring spree in the 18th minute with John Paul Rochford widening the lead in the 57th.

Hackshaw found the back of the net in the 66th and 69th to put the game beyond reach of Defence Force, while Jonathan Gloudon (71st) and Keon Boney (76th) also got their names on the scoresheet.

North East Stars stayed in second spot on 30 points, three behind San Juan Jabloteh, who pipped Police 1-0 at the San Juan North Secondary Ground.

Getting the goal for Jabloteh was Rivaldo Coryat, in the 74th.

Third-placed W Connection brushed aside Point Fortin Civic 5-0 at the Union Recreation Ground in Marabella. Jevaughn Humphrey (38th and 59th) netted twice, with Caleb Gasper (24th), Deneilson Benjamin (36th) and Tyrike Andrews (70th) contributing one apiece.

Ronaldo McIntosh had a pair of strikes to give Club Sando a narrow 3-2 win over Morvant Caledonia United at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field, Marabella.

McIntosh broke the deadlock in the seventh minute but Morvant Caledonia responded with goals from Akeem Mason (11th) and Jerome Arrindel (22nd).

Jardel St Clair (44th) levelled the scores before McIntosh got his second, in the 67th, to secure full points for the hosts.

Central FC and St Ann’s Rangers played to a 1-1 draw at the D’Abadie Recreation Ground, Arouca. Nkosi Salandy netted for Rangers in the 34th before Tyrese Spicer equalised in the 46th.

Other Results – Under-13 Division – At D’Abadie Recreation Ground: CENTRAL FC (3) – Kyle Ramdoo 7th, 17th; Giovanno Warner 61st vs ST ANN’S RANGERS (0).

At San Juan North Secondary Ground: SAN JUAN JABLOTEH (4) – Nathaniel James 4th, 18th; Jaheim Faustin 6th; Deshawn Brown 33rd vs POLICE (1) – Jaheim Manswell 10th.

At Union Recreation Ground: W CONNECTION (5) – Molik Khan 18th, 35th; Levi Jones 41st; Dantaye Gilbert 43rd, 70th vs POINT FORTIN CIVIC (0).

At Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Ground: CLUB SANDO (9) – Josiah Cooper 6th; Jalon Brereton 20th, 58th; Maliq Brathwaite 33rd; Jeremiah Ottway 42nd; Joshua Kesney 45th, 65th, 68th; Jeremiah Cooper 69th vs MORVANT CALEDONIA UNITED (1) – Jahdel Alexander 55th.

At Trinity East School Ground: DEFENCE FORCE (3) – Terron Miller 12th; Nkosi Fortune 19th; Jean Pierre Reyse 28th vs NORTH EAST STARS (3) – Joshua Mason 30th; Darion Marfan 32nd, 38th.

Under-15 Division – At D’Abadie Recreation Ground: CENTRAL FC (1) – Keanu Shade 22nd vs ST ANN’S RANGERS (0).

At San Juan North Secondary Ground: SAN JUAN JABLOTEH (3) – Tyrese Pierre 20th; Micai Peters 31st, 52nd vs POLICE (1) – Malachi King 45th.

At Union Recreation Ground: POINT FORTIN CIVIC (1) – Ezekiel Kezar 77th vs W CONNECTION (0).

At Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Ground: CLUB SANDO (3) – Kerdeem Christopher 5th, 63rd; Nirvan Ramnarine 12th vs MORVANT CALEDONIA UNITED (2) – Naim Bisnath 13th; Kellon Lewis 16th.

At Trinity East School Ground: DEFENCE FORCE (2) – Justin Araujo-Wilson 48th; Nicholas Smith 76th vs NORTH EAST STARS (1) – own goal 67th.

Amanda Joseph, the wife of Wakeel who has openly confessed to being linked to the Unruly Isis gang complained of chest pains at her Crown Trace, Enterprise, Chaguanas home, around 8.45 pm on Monday .

She was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre by her husband where Dr Khatri made several attempts to resuscitate the woman but she died around 9.45 pm .

The news of Joseph’s death shook the entire Crown Trace area and yesterday Wakeel was preparing to bury his wife .

However, he will have to wait until today for an autopsy to be carried out at the Forensic Sciences Centre in Port-of-Spain before the body is released for burial .

Yesterday senior police officers met in an emergency meeting and activated a security blanket over the Crown Trace area where the woman lived and where the wake is being held after receiving reports that rival gang members were planning to disrupt the mourning at the Crown Trace home .

Police and soldiers were assigned to ensure law and order prevail in Enterprise and were given new instructions to maintain a presence in the Crown Trace area and to ensure that no criminal activities take place .

Police sources said yesterday that they are taking no chances and have even offered to provide a presence at the home of Wakeel and to offer counselling to him and members of his family .

Yesterday Crown Trace residents began converging at the home of Wakeel shortly after news of his wife’s death spread and brought snacks for the wake. However because this is the month of Ramadan and Wakeel has been fasting the residents were told to return later with the food .

According to the Islamic faith if one dies during the month of Ramadan that person goes straight to Allah and all their sins are forgiven .

Police sources say due to the circumstances surrounding the young woman’s death, they are requesting that an autopsy be done to ensure no foul play .

Meanwhile Head of the Islamic Front, Umar Abdullah offered condolences to Wakeel and his relatives on the passing of his wife .

He described her as an inspiration and a tower of strength .

On March 31, during a walkabout in Enterprise following four killings in the area, National Security Minister, Edmund Dillon confronted Wakeel about whether he, (Wakeel ) was responsible for a spate of videos posted online, which according to Dillon, had the entire country uneasy.” Wakeel later admitted to the Minister that he was in the videos .

At the time he also told the Minister that he would be willing to tell the authorities who the crooked police officers are and where the illegal guns are hidden .

According to reports, at around 4 pm on Tuesday officials at the home reported the boys missing as none of them could be found in their rooms.

Officers of the Western Division responded to the reports and carried out an intense search of the area and visited the last recorded homes of the boys. Newsday understands that searches for the boys continued up until yesterday morning, however inclement weather prevented the officers from continuing their search.

The boys who are in their late teens were placed at the home for a variety of offenses, including robbery with one of the escapees being brought to the home for his involvement in the robbery and murder of former soldier Calvert Dexter James on J’ouvert morning, this year. The boys regarded as “troubled” and “bad” are believed to have escaped using a large ravine behind the home, from which they could have accessed a number of different streets within the Diego Martin area. Speaking on condition of anonymity, Diego Martin resident, ‘Marcus’ said that residents in the area have been terrorised by the boys in the past, as several homes have been broken into and vandalised. He says that despite calls for greater security measures at the home, nothing has been done to ensure the safety of residents adding that the escape should serve as a ‘wake up call’ to those in authority to finally take their pleas seriously.

“The home doesn’t have the adequate manpower to prevent things like this from happening.

For months now these boys have been using that canal at the back of the home to come out into the neighborhood and do all kinds of mischief and each time we call for more security at the home we are being ignored. For too long the authorities have been using the home as a remand facility for juvenile offenders and this needs to stop now.” Newsday visited the home and spoke to a security officer on duty, who explained that while staff could advise the boys not to leave the home, they were instructed not to physically prevent the boys from leaving the compound.

“It’s a difficult situation that we are in because they (staff) are telling us that we can’t stop them from leaving and that we also can’t subdue or to reprimand the boys if they misbehave so our hands are effectively tied right now.” All calls to the home have gone unanswered.

An autopsy showed, her son, Everton Moses was shot a total of 33 times to his back and head by gunmen. The mother said on learning how many times the killers shot her son, her “heart ached.”. She said it was a pain she cannot fully explain, but she found it in her heart to forgive the gunmen who took her son’s life.

“To know as a mother your 35-year-old son was shot dead and not once or twice, not even three times, but they pointed guns at him and just kept shooting and shooting until they shot him 33 times, it hurts,”Anjela said, adding that it is difficult to cope as she said the heartache she feels is unbearable, but she described herself as a praying woman. “I hold no animosity towards my son’s killers. They have to answer to God,”she told Newsday during an interview.

The autopsy which was performed at the Forensic Science Centre showed that Moses died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Moses was shot dead after playing a game of poker with friends at Sea View Drive, Marabella.

The incident occurred near his home at Riverside Road. Moses, a labourer, spent the day with his mother at the family home, but left at about 5 pm. At about 8 pm, police responded to reports of gunshots at Sea View Drive, and found Moses’ body on the road. Investigators believe there may have been more than one shooter.

Moses had spent most of the day with his mother celebrating her birthday. She said that there is a hole in her heart knowing that her son would not be here to celebrate another birthday with her. The mother of 15 said that her son was killed like an animal.

“The number of bullets they pumped into my son, I think it was an act of rage and these men have a lot of hate in their hearts and I will continue to prayer for them,” she said.

But the mother said she would not be able to celebrate her future birthdays. Moses was the second eldest of her 15 children. She said Moses and his daughter shared a close bond. “When her mother broke the news to her that her father was killed she began to scream and cry and ask why over and over. It is really sad,” Anjela said. She again stressed that she was leaving everything in God’s hands. Anjela said while she hopes justice is served, she is leaving everything in God’s hands. Funeral arrangements are being finalised. Investigators believe that the motive behind the killing may have been robbery.

No arrests has been made into the killing and Homicide Region Three police officers are investigating.

Angostura would like the QPS to become this country’s “signature serve”; the same way that visitors are told they must have a Doubles and a Bake and Shark sandwich, the QPS should become known as the nati onal cocktail of TT.

The QPS was formally launched on June 10, in the atrium of the building located at #6 Victoria Avenue, the site where the iconic Colonial-style Queen’s Park Hotel once stood. However, it was introduced to bartenders around the world in January 2016.

Since then Angostura has gott en the QPS added to the cocktail menus of scores of bars and restaurants across the United States while also training bartenders on the swizzling technique that’s key to making this “refreshing” drink.

The same has been done at popular bars and restaurants in the greater Port-of-Spain area.

7 Year Old rum are two of the fi ve ingredients in the Queen’s Park Swizzle (QPS).

This, coupled with the fact that this cocktail was created about a century ago at the Queen’s Park Hotel in Port-of-Spain, makes the QPS an ideal marketi ng vehicle for Angostura’s range of premium rums, parti cularly in the United States where there’s a strong cocktail culture.

While the company’s Bitt ers is world famous, customers outside of the Caribbean are much less familiar with its rums.

QPS cocktail is part of on Angostura will soon embark on a similar marketing and training exercise for bars in other parts of the country.

The creator of the QPS is unknown but it was available to hotel guests by the 1920s at the latest. Angostura said its research also uncovered that by 1946, the cocktail’s “popularity had spread far and wide enough that Trader Vic, in his Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink, declared the Queen’s Park Swizzle, ‘the most delightful form of anaesthesia given out today’.” “Part of the allure of this classic cocktail,” Angostura added, “is in the ‘swizzling’ and the tool used to make this cocktail, a ‘Swizzle Stick’. Annie Brassey, in 1885, described her finding the tool in Trinidad (In the Trades, the Tropics, & the Roaring Forties), realized that the key to her cocktail was the motion, declaring, ‘[The] process is half the battle of the success of the compound’.” As guests sipped on the QPS, surrounded by décor reminiscent of the 1920s, Angostura’s Executive Manager of Regional Sales and Marketing, Douglas Henderson, spoke to Business Day about the drink’s impact on market awareness in the US.

“What we find is that we’re not a call brand in the bar; you don’t get your typical American or Canadian saying “I want Angostura rum.” We realised that we need to be on the cocktail menu, so the question was, ‘What could you be on the cocktail menu with?’ and that’s where the QPS comes in. People see it on the menu, think it looks interesting and decide to try it.” Asked if the soft launch of QPS in the US has helped increase rum and bitters sales, Henderson said while he didn’t have the numbers on hand, looking at the market overall, “The Angostura 7 Year Old rum, which we push with the QPS, is growing significantly for us but it’s growing off of what we would say is a small base. We would still like a lot more from there.” He added that the QPS “continues to pay off because it’s a point of conversation for our sales people; there’s a wonderful story behind it. This helps us to get onto the menus, which gives us the sales. One of the counts I’ve seen for the year so far, I think we’ve been placed on about 150 menus at different restaurants across the US.” Henderson said while the QPS is their “flagship swizzle cocktail”, all of Angostura’s cocktail recipes “and much more” are available on the Angostura app, free to download from all major app stores.

Business Day also spoke with Leesha Alexander, Angostura’s Commercial Manager for North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean (excluding TT) and its Chief Executive Officer, Genevieve Jodhan. Regarding brand awareness of their rums, Alexander said the company has seen “significant growth in not only distribution but also sales, so the QPS has been a strong vehicle for us.” Making a QPS requires some training in the technique, something which Jodhan said many local bartenders are lacking. Thus, the company’s “mission to train the bartenders in the absolute best way to mix cocktails.” “In speaking to some of the clubs and bars here, they asked us to come in and train their bartenders because whilst they know how to pour a rum and coke, they don’t know the absolute best way to mix cocktails. We’ve been working with the hotel school but we have to train the bartending community in TT to be more precise in how they make cocktails in general and especially the QPS, because it would taste different if they don’t make it right.” Regarding the June 10 event, Jodhan explained that it was meant to rally hotels, bars and other stakeholders about promoting the QPS as the national cocktail or the signature serve, especially in Portof- Spain.

“(This) will help us with our export efforts to build awareness around the drink, which was created here…

Just like visitors are told they have to try a Bake and Shark when they come to Trinidad, we want the QPS to become a must-have too,” Jodhan declared with a smile.