Lochan pleaded guilty to the charges of warehouse breaking and larceny.

Prosecutor Cleyon Sedan told the court that at about midday on April 10, a business owner secured his warehouse along Farrah Street, San Fernando and left for the day. When the businessman returned at about 5 pm on April 24, he observed that the warehouse was broken into.

Sedan said a door was prised open.

Checks were made and $57,300 in equipment and other items were missing. Following investigations by PC Mohess, Lochan was arrested on April 5 and subsequently charged. He confessed to police that he along with another man stole the items over a period of days. Lochan said he sold the items on the streets.

Lochan who was unrepresented asked the magistrate to be placed on a bond so he could work to compensate the warehouse owner.

The magistrate declined his request. In reviewing Lochan’s criminal record Magistrate Antoine said he has 17 convictions over the last ten years.

This was the ruling of High Court judge, Justice Margaret Mohammed who held that the workers, having chosen to follow the guidance of their union, must now bear the consequences of the advice given to them to stop work. The workers filed an action seeking payment of wages during the period June 24, to September 1, 2014.

They also sought a declaration that the work stoppage complied with Section 15 of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.

In their action, the workers complained of health and safety risks at their offices at Balisier Avenue, Couva, including inadequate ventilation, presence of excessive dust, mould and fungus, an infestation of cockroaches and other vermin, inadequate toilet facilities, a deficiency in water supply, exposed electrical installations, congested office space, unsafe stairways among other complaints.

The workers were represented by attorneys Rajiv Persad and Kyle Taklalsingh while Senior Counsel Russell Martineau and attorneys Rishi Dass and Alisa Khan represented the SILWC. Justice Mohammed was asked to determine if the work stoppage complied with the OSH Act and should the 33 workers be paid for the period they did not work.

In her 64 page judgment delivered at the Port-of-Spain High Court, Justice Mohammed held that it appeared the workers were ‘ill-advised’ by the PSA to invoke section 15 of the OSH Act, ‘in particular in circumstances where it was not warranted’ and where they knew their allegations could not be substantiated.

She said the workers were ‘hasty’ since it was clear they engaged in the work stoppage, ‘under the guise of actual health and safety concerns when admittedly they knew such action was all part of the PSA’s action in the wider public service to close down government offices at the time.’ In dismissing the workers’ claim and granting the counter-claim by the SILWC, that the workers not be paid for the days they did not work, the judge also ordered the 33 workers to pay the committee’s costs of defending the action.

He added, “the ministry does not set the examination slips.” Garcia also said the Chief Education Officer attends meetings with CXC with respect to all exams under its ambit. Opposition MPs expressed their disgust as Garcia said, “I am not aware that students were traumatised yesterday.” He chided his predecessor, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh, who he said was fully aware of the procedures involved in these matters.

“There are no secrets to success, you have to work for it if you really want it,” Yorke told the students in an hour-long interactive session.

“Coming from the village of Canaan/ Bon-Accord, literally from nothing to something and having the right mindset, I was very lucky that I had good guidance in Bertille St Clair in terms of guiding me and giving me the coaching material but ultimately it has to come down to the individual and how badly you want it and to focus and obviously stay away from all the bad things. I want young people to know that you can make it, you can achieve the goals that you want to achieve if you really have the right fundamentals,” he said.

Yorke, who visited the school on the invitation of Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Youth Affairs and Sport, Jomo Pitt said he intends to visit more schools in the future with the aim of inspiring the younger generation.

“My affiliation with the THA going forward as Sport and Tourism Ambassador, something that we are trying to extend is Sport Education and I feel that both sport and education go hand in hand. This is something that I have always tried to get into the system and I am glad that it is finally being implemented. I intend to visit a lot more schools going forward, interact with the kids so they can have an insight not just that I’ve been there and done it but I can also share my experience with these kids as well,” he said.

The football legend said that he intends to continue working alongside Pitt for the development of sport on the island.

“I am trying to put something together that these kids would not just get the best training but get the best person that could probably talk to them and try to encourage them in the right direction,” he said.

Questioned about his contribution to the development of sport on the island, Yorke said testimony lies in his home town Canaan/ Bon-Accord.

“I am sure everybody has their opinion on that, I think you just have to look through my foundation.

I have the Dwight Yorke Foundation that contributes a lot to Bon-Accord and Baby Jo’s school, those are schools that I have been to that I have given to for a number of years, but I am not one of the individual who goes about and brags, you just have to go down in my part of the world that I live. What I should do and I think what the foundation is trying to do is to reach out to more kids across the spectrum of Tobago and certainly in Trinidad as well,” he said.

Yorke said, football in Trinidad and Tobago needs some attention.

“To be quite honest, since 2006 when we qualified for the World Cup, football has not been the highest and this is something that we definitely need to look at.

Whether it is that the local system is not working, whether the emphasis is on the correct coaching is made, I am sure those aspects needs to be addressed, all of those aspects maybe needs to improve and I am sure that we can certainly with my expertise and being out there and the know-how and what it takes,” he said.

Yorke, who captained this country to its first ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 2006, believes the chances of qualifying for the 2018 edition are “pretty tough”.

“They have a very tough order in terms of qualifying, things have not been going particularly great. We know that (previous coach Stephen) Hart has done a wonderful job in terms of getting them to the qualification knockout stage, that hasn’t really kicked on, they have struggled in terms of getting results. We know that they got a new manager in Dennis Lawrence, now I wish obviously Dennis all the luck but he has a tough task.

We obviously tend to do things the difficult way, we don’t like to get off to a good start but whether they can turn things around, I think it would be extremely difficult.

We managed to do it back in the days (in 2005) but I think maybe we need to start again and when I say start again, we’ve got six years for the 2022 World Cup and the start to put things into place from now rather than two years prior to the 2022 World Cup,” Yorke said.

The CWU filed an injunction on Thursday seeking to restrain the TDC from terminating the contracts of workers until the determination of an industrial relations complaint filed in the Industrial Court as well as to restrain the TDC from making any offer for voluntary separation (VSE P) without consulting the union. Presiding over the injunction yesterday were President of the Industrial Court Deborah Thomas-Felix and members Albert Aberdeen, Kyril Jack, Kathleen George-Marcelle and newly appointed judge Azeem Mohammed who sat on the panel as an observer.

Representing the CWU were attorneys Douglas Mendes SC and Imran Ali while Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein and Rishi Dass represented the TDC.

In submissions before the court against the injunction application, Hosein said there was no evidence of the TDC offering any VSE P to workers. He said ‘no company can treat with workers unless it deals with the union’ and anyone who does so would have to be a ‘mad man.’ Hosein suggested that if any VSE P is offered to workers before May 31 without consulting the CWU, the union is free to come to court seeking relief. He dismissed as ‘dishonest’ claims by the union that the management of the TDC was speaking with workers directly and not engaging the union on the future of the company.

Mendes earlier sought an undertaking from the TDC in lieu of an injunction being granted that the company will not offer to workers VSEP without consulting the union. He said the union has been told that the termination date for the TDC was June 9. He also said the CWU was heartened by Hosein’s submissions that no VSE P offer will be made to workers before consulting the union, although he did not get the undertaking sought. The union filed two previous complaints relative to a decision to shut down the TDC without consulting the CWU and the development of VSE P packages to be considered by the Cabinet. The three matters concerning the proposed dissolution of the TDC will come up for hearing on May 31.

A decision to dissolve the TDC was announced at a post-cabinet media briefing on March 9.

President of the CWU Joseph Remy said the union only received a call on the decision in a telephone conversation with the company’s line-minister, Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe shortly before the announcement was made and after the decision was already taken by Cabinet. TDC currently has approximately 114 employees – with both fixed contracts and month-to-month employment

In a statement yesterday, the association said it is “deeply concerned” about the bill’s reintroduction.

“MATT remains deeply troubled that the Cybercrime Bill has retained its potential to criminalise professional journalists working in the public interest.

“MATT anticipates injury to journalism, media houses and independent journalists.” At minimum, the association urged that the media and whistleblowers must be exempted from the bill.

The association said it met Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi in June and December 2016, but since then its letter of February 2017 had simply earned an acknowledgement of receipt.

“We therefore find it worrisome that at yesterday’s (Thursday’s) post Cabinet press conference Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi signalled his intention to bring the bill before a joint select committee of the Parliament today.” The association said while a re-draft of clause 8 of the bill says layers of proof (such as “intentionality” and “justification”) must be satisfied to prove an offence, these “protections” are low bars that only take effect once the matter reaches court.

“We also see the potential for self-censorship by journalists and media houses in order to avoid expensive, protracted and worrisome legal procedures and in order to protect their sources.” MATT says it fears Clause 8 could have fatal effects on independent practitioners by miring them in legal action that could result in their professional demise.

“This is a strategy already used against the press; we see provisions as drafted in this bill encouraging that practice against the press.” The association said the bill’s invocation of “national security” is too wide and could be used to suppress information.

Urging the bill exempt journalists and whistleblowers, MATT said, “Without such exemptions, the bill threatens to violate constitutional rights to press freedom and freedom of expression.” MATT said it remains available to the AG’s office and the joint select committee on the bill to work towards a thoughtful, creative solution on a troubling intrusion on the freedom of journalists to serve the public’s right to know.

Amazingly, the union has been raising the issue of the failure of the company’s management to put in place preventative measures and contingency plans and bringing to the public’s attention the continuing failure of the management to take any proactive steps.

But in the eyes of some people the union is the cause of all the problems in the company.

The usual platitudes are being trotted out to avoid facing the truth, that is, the management is just simply incompetent.

Steps have been taken to deal with the leak. Only a small amount of oil has actually reached the Gulf and containment measures have been successful.

Except that the boats, birds and fishermen have a different story to tell.

The impact on the environment is incalculable because Petrotrin is not prepared to tell the nation the truth.

The only time these problems will be properly addressed is when the country comes to the realisation that the problem lies with the management, not the union.

KARAN MAHABIRSINGH Carapichaim

On Thursday at a press conference, Garcia placed blame for the errors on the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). In a statement to the media yesterday, Gopeesingh said Garcia has direct and total responsibility for the education sector and cannot “pass the buck” to a regional institution. He said the ministry has representation, at a senior administrative level, at the Barbados-based CXC and ought to have ensured the crucial examination was error-free.

“In fact, on the eve of the examination, Mr Garcia confidently assured that everything was in place for a smooth running of the test and that the ministry had played its appropriate role,” Gopeesingh said.

He said the ministry’s Division of Education Research and Evaluation and Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan, should have ensured an error-free examination.

He said the errors added further stress to the more than 18,000 students who wrote the examination and, “raised burning questions about the integrity of the examination process.” “Mr Garcia must apologise to the students and must launch a full and complete investigation into the obvious and critical failure of the ministry’s officials who serve at the CXC. This foul-up in the latest in a series under Mr Garcia’s watch, which have served to undermine and otherwise negatively impact the education sector in Trinidad and Tobago,” Gopeesingh said.

Speaking on Wednesday at a tour of the Santa Rosa Limeworks Limited Plant, a subsidiary of the Sampete Group, Gopee- Scoon said, “I am pleased to see how this family business has grown and developed its operations to meet international standards.

Small and medium sized businesses are vital to the growth of our economy.” Located in Cumuto, the company which has been in existence for the past 30 years is the first and only producer of quicklime and hydrated lime locally.

These products are used in water treatment – drinking water; waste water – sewage management; civil works – soil stabilisation and asphalt treatment for road paving; agriculture – poultry feed and litter; iron and steel; sugar refining; and gold mining.

Managing director of Sampete Group, Andrew Fredericks, provided a comprehensive overview on the group’s products and the various industries in which they are used.

“This facility is a culmination of a dream and I believe that Trinidad and Tobago stands to benefit from this plant which has a natural gas supply on site contributing to the production of a better quality of lime.” He said the company is seeking to increase its footprint locally and in Guyana, Suriname, Grenada, St Lucia and Barbados, and looks forward to demonstrating their competence through collaborative work with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other relevant ministries.

Hinds was responding to a question from Opposition Chief Whip David Lee in the House of Representatives.

In response to a follow up question from Chaguanas West MP Ganga Singh, Hinds reiterated, “The answer to the question is no.” At the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre on Thursday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said, “We are going to ask TSTT to explain to us exactly what are the implications of that decision.” He explained the information which Cabinet is seeking will determine “whether this is a governance, operational or policy matter.” Imbert said it will also clarify how this affects Government’s policy for the continuation of TSTT, especially in relation to the acquisition of a company and its associated personnel. He said once Cabinet has all the information and is able to analyse it, it will make a decision in due course.

Later in the sitting, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat said it was premature to say whether a human resources audit being undertaken at Namdevco would result in job losses. Rambharat said the audit is geared towards improving efficiency.