A call for donations of these items came from the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) late Monday afternoon. “The THA is leading Tobago’s effort to provide aid to Caribbean islands impacted by Hurricane Irma. The public is asked to support these efforts by donating emergency relief supplies as well as financial support”, the THA stated in a release.

These supplies, the release added, should include cases of bottled water; canned foods; hygiene packs; baby wipes; disposal baby diapers; infant formula; tarpaulins; new clothing, sheets and blankets and cleaning agents.

Donations can be dropped off daily between 9 am and 5 pm, at the Tobago Emergency Management Agency’s (TEMA) headquarters at Fairfield Complex in Scarborough or at its Signal Hill warehouse next to the Army camp. The public can also donate to the TT Red Cross Society’s disaster relief fund account at Republic Bank, account number 180482517101, the THA advised.

Anyone seeking further information can call the 211 Hotline or visit www.tha.gov.tt. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), is coordinating regional support for those affected by Hurricane Irma.

He died later at San Fernando General Hospital.

Walker’s mother Jillian has filed a lawsuit claiming the Ministry ought to have been aware of the dangers and cause a pedestrian crossing section of the road to be built to facilitate workers from businesses including Fun Station, KFC, Pizza Hut, Republic Bank, SuperPharm, Playduim, Ma Pau, The Rig, Sting Gym and Anand Low Price Supermarket to cross the road safely.

In a pre-action protocol letter to the Attorney General, Walker’s attorney Ted Roopnarine asked how all these businesses were allowed to become established, yet the ministry has not acknowledged the dangers of employees having to ‘time’ the traffic lights in order to cross the road to get to the taxi stands located outside Gulf City Mall.

The attorney stated there is not even a pedestrian light controlling the crossing of pedestrians at the T-junction. Roopnarine intends to file a lawsuit against the ministry, stating it ought to know the volume of traffic and the need for a pedestrian crossing section. Jhamall’s mother is seeking damages of over $1.2 million for loss of her son’s life and earnings he could have worked for in the next 30 years.

The commemoration provides a useful chance for all of us to reflect on how, in matters involving the suicidal, the smallest gesture can mean the difference between life and death.

According to one estimate, Trinidad and Tobago has the 41st highest suicide rate in the world. That’s more suicides per 100,000 people than even the United States (which ranks at 50 out of 170 countries).

Regionally, we are exceeded only by Guyana and Suriname.

Disturbingly, while we have been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world, our suicide rate has increased in recent years. And more and more young people are affected.

Many of these tragic deaths have been attributed to failed relationships and family issues. Economic problems have also been a contributing factor, according to Prof Gerard Hutchinson, Head of Clinical Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Globally, more than 800,000 people die by suicide every year and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt. But behind all these statistics are the individual experiences of those who have, for many different reasons, privately questioned the viability of their own lives. And those who may have made a suicide attempt that went undetected.

Each one of these individuals is somebody’s mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, partner, friend, neighbour. Each exists within a community. Some may have great social ties and a perpetually expanding Rolodex. Others may be less social, and some may be ostracised and isolated. Regardless of the situation, we all have an important role to play in supporting those who are vulnerable.

It is a myth that a person who exhibits suicidal behaviour is beyond assistance. One effective method of suicide prevention is making sure individuals do not have access to the means to take their lives. This would include placing restrictions on the purchasing of deadly pesticides, backed by rules and laws that are properly and consistently enforced.

Another strategy is to ensure individuals are aware of services available and where they can turn to for help. For example, services such as Lifeline are valuable in suicide prevention. Anyone in need of counselling or support can contact the suicide hotline at 645-2800 or 645-6616.

A comprehensive, multi-sectoral suicide prevention strategy should be adopted by both the public and private sectors.

This is a matter of public health.

It is also a moral issue: all nations should treat with priority its most vulnerable.

There can be no doubt that changing attitudes in relation to mental health are also a key precursor for a more effective suicide prevention strategy.

Too often are mental health issues poorly understood. The discourse often veers between caricatures of people who are mentally ill to outright dismissals of the profound and tangible impact a mental health condition can have on someone’s quality of life.

Talking openly about suicidal feelings and the question of mental health is a positive step. Therefore events such as next October’s Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk & Campaign Launch — organised by the Youth Ambassadors TT group — are most welcomed.

With the nascent recognition of the deleterious impact of social media on the mental health of millennials and those who have been raised in an Internet age, parents must also be mindful of State-issued guidelines about the management of social media.

Let’s all remember how even small things can add up and save lives.

Carmona, who presented the school with an official Presidential portrait, a picture of Pope Francis and a national flag, visited each of the 23 classes where he engaged the students in discussion about their life at the school.

But it was at the Form 1 H class where he told the students, who had just entered the secondary school system after passing the SE A examinations, to hold onto their values of hard work, love, discipline and order saying these values tend to be eroded while in secondary school. He said while social media and the internet could be both additions to their studies at times they offer an outlet into a dangerous world where adults could be seen “misbehaving in a terrible way.’ He said they should instead become child advocates who had the power to change the world and once against exhorted them to be careful about their posts on social media.

“Whatever you post on Facebook is there forever and some universities look at your Facebook page when considering your admission to their university,” he said.

The President also advised them to listen to their teachers whenever corrected adding that this was not done because they “do not like you but because they want you to go further.” Earlier, after presenting the picture of Pope Francis to school principal, Sharon Francois, he recalled that during his visit to the Vatican he had intended to ask the Pope to offer prayers for him but “he beat me to it and told me- pray for him.” “So I got a little worried there because I internalised, if he has a direct line to the man upstairs and he is asking me to pray for him, I have to be worried, but I recognised that as the humility of the man,” Carmona said.

Facebook commentators say the five-day suspension instituted by his principal, during the first week of school, was unwarranted and called for the Ministry of Education to take action against the principal. The Ministry of Education has confirmed it is investigating the suspension and will also be providing assistance to the student through the student support unit of the ministry. “We have forwarded the posting and spoken to the school supervisor and they are interacting with the principal.” However, officials said it is unlikely there will be any significant action taken against the principal based on the structure of the public service regulations.

The student whose identity is being protected, wrote on line, “The school is being dismissed at 11:30 am since the beginning of the term. That’s barely enough time to hand in homework and receive new assignments.

How long will this go on for?” United National Congress (UNC) Senator Khadijah Ameen in an online post questioned what he did wrong asking, “Did this post bring the school into disrepute? Did the student chastise the principal or teachers? What is the ‘offence’ here? This cannot be right. I am seeking guidance on this.” She called for the reinstatement of the student and for the Minister of Education Anthony Garcia, to deal with the real problem of hundreds of students being deprived of an education due to no fault of their own.

The Ministry also confirmed that the child is back in school and that the principal and his parents are engaged in dealing with the situation.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai, who has been highlighting the problems at this school for a long time, said he did not want to rush to make any comments with respect to the suspension as he did not have all the details..

“What I can say is that this school has had some serious air condition issues going on for years and it needs to be fixed.” He said the school was designed to operate with this central air condition unit which has been experiencing no shortage of problems. He said for the entire April to July term, classes were continuously disrupted resulting in teachers leaving school at 9 am almost on a daily basis.

Doodhai said because of this problem the school population has dwindled to about 400 students with a staff of about 50.

“Teaches complained of rashes on their skin, skin abrasions and even sought medical attention and received medical certificates attesting to that.” He said it is his understanding that the ministry owes the contractor and the contractor is refusing to do any work unless he is paid.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management’s (ODPM) Public Information Unit said there were reports of flooding in Mt Lambert, near the Carib factory and on Saddle Road in Santa Cruz near the School for the Blind.

Land slips also occurred in same area in Santa Cruz and on the North Coast Road in the vicinity of the lookout. The ODPM told Newsday the San Juan / Laventille Regional Corporation was working with the Ministry of Works and Transport in the clean up and repair work.

At 5 pm, teams were still on the ground working to clear both roads although parts of Saddle Road was still flooded.

The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission was also working on restoring electricity to the affected part of Santa Cruz.

Lead investigator into the mysterious disappearance, detective Inspector Don Gajadhar of San Fernando CID, said his department was alerted by a travel agency official who handled the couple’s travel arrangements and who came across a report in the media about the Howards’ disappearance.

“I want to commend the media for their assistance in this matter.

The word got out there and an official of a travel agency saw the news and contacted us immediately,” Insp Gajadhar said. According to a report, the couple left Trinidad last week Thursday aboard a 6.05 pm flight out of Piarco International Airport bound for Barbados and then to Gatwick Airport in London.

None of their children including son Victor – who raised an alarm when he could not find them – knew of the couple’s plan to travel out of the country.

Police were told that the couple was last seen boarding a taxi.

Their son Victor went to the San Fernando Police Station and made a missing persons report.

Victor who lives in Philadelphia was in Trinidad on vacation.

On Monday, mere hours before catching a midnight flight to return to his adopted home, police said Victor went to his parent’s bedroom to tell them goodbye when he realised they were not there. When they could not be found, Victor went to the police.

It is not known when the couple will return to Trinidad.

The three were released after attorneys filed a writ of Habeas Corpus in the High Courts, petitioning a judge to compel the police to explain the continued detention without charge, of the youthful suspects.

When officers could give no reason in law for the detention, the judge ordered the three to be immediately released.

The first thing the female 17-year-old prime suspect in the murder did on being released was to accompany her relatives to church to pray.

The teen’s mother told Newsday that her child, who is a Christian, asked to go to church immediately on her release from police custody.

Two Mondays ago, Richards was stabbed to death and her daughter seriously wounded during a fracas.

A video recording of the stabbing which took place in front a house in Sixth Avenue, Malick was uploaded to social media and quickly went viral. The prime suspect’s mother yesterday claimed it was her daughter who was attacked by Richards and other adult women.

“It was three grown women who pulled my daughter out of her home to beat her up. When you see a gang coming to attack you, won’t you defend yourself and fight for your life? None of my children had any weapon at the time,” said the suspect’s mother yesterday.

Richards’ daughter has since been discharged from hospital after spending several days in intensive care recovering from multiple stab wounds.

Ramadhar said copies of his letter have also been sent to President Anthony Carmona, the Police Service Commission, Police Complaints Authority, Integrity Commission and Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP.) He said the story in last Sunday’s press had alleged that ACP Ainsley Garrick had been transferred for declining to charge a police constable over alleged links to terrorism.

The story alleged that the directive to charge the constable was made after a lengthy meeting of protective services top brass attended by a politician. Ramadhar said the news story made him extremely alarmed at the possibility of misbehaviour in public office and/or perverting the course of justice.

Saying no politician must direct any officer, so as not to breach the idea of the separation of powers, he said his letter has asked Rowley to investigate these allegations.

His letter said that a politician’s instruction to the police to lay charges on someone who has been investigated and absolved would suggest a direct attack on the independence of institutions and a danger to democracy.

He read, “The refusal of the head of Special Branch to follow that instruction must be commended.

However the subsequent transfer apparently because of his refusal is unlawful and wrong.” Ramadhar himself remarked, “For a policeman to be transferred suggests pressure on the police that if they don’t follow instructions they’ll be charged too.” In reply to reporters’ questions, Ramadhar said he had not spoken to any of the parties in the matter, nor issued any deadline to Rowley to do his probe.

Rowley returned home early yesterday morning on a red eye Caribbean Airlines flight out of New York.

Rowley was supposed to return home on Monday but, his return was delayed because of the closure of Miami International Airport due to the passage of Hurricane Irma.

Government officials said Rowley was not in office yesterday but has been keeping abreast of developments which took place during his absence.

Confirmation of Rowley’s return was given in a statement issued yesterday by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The OPM has been handling the administrative functions of the Public Administrations and Communications Ministry since regular line minister Maxie Cuffie fell ill last Tuesday.

Cuffie is recuperating at St Clair Medical Centre and his family has asked for privacy while he recuperates.

On Sunday, officials said Rowley will “attend to further interim arrangements for that portfolio” when he returns.

Newsday understands a decision may be taken after Thursday’s weekly Cabinet meeting at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.

The OPM said the objective of “Conversations with the Prime Minister” forum is to, “engage the national community as we continue to work together and navigate our challenging circumstances towards a brighter future.” Among the issues which Rowley may deal with tonight is an allegation made by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar about a fake oil scandal at Petrotrin.

Per s ad-Bi s s es s ar claimed a lease operator had defrauded Petrotrin of almost $100 million by inflating the figures for oil it was supplying to the company.

She also claimed the operator was a People’s National Movement (PNM) financier.

Energy Minister and PNM chairman Franklin Khan rejected Persad- Bissessar’s allegations at a news conference on Monday.

Rowley may also respond to a threat of legal action against him from Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal.

At a news conference at Piarco International Airport on September 1, before he left for California for a medical check-up, Rowley said Moonilal may have questions to answer in connection with the alleged mishandling of more than $400 million at the Estate Management and Business Development Company Limited (EMBD) in August 2015, just before the last election. Moonilal has threatened legal action against Rowley because of these remarks.

Senior government officials have since indicated, “While Dr Moonilal is free to approach any court, he will be met with all the necessary responses when required.”