According to the fourth report of the Public Accounts Enterprises Committee (PAEC) on an examination of CEPEP’s financial statements from 2009 to 2014, the committee said written evidence from CEPEP showed, “In 2016, CEPEP’s cost pertaining to contractors and the Government’s subvention were $36,662,000 and $40,000,000, respectively.” However, the PAEC observed that this year, while the total cost with respect to contractors remained constant, Government subvention decreased by $5,000,000 which resulted in a deficit. In light of this, the committee recommended that CEPEP should conduct an immediate review of the quantum paid in management fees. The committee also recommended that CEPEP “take immediate steps to monitor, evaluate and review all contracts and management fees.

In its report, the PAEC noted that CEPEP moved its head office from Chaguanas to Ste Madeleine in 2016. The committee said this was “a very cost effective move” because the rent at the facility in Chaguanas began at $288,154 a month in 2009 and increased to $422,173 by 2012. It added that the building in Ste Madeleine which CEPEP now occupies “is free.”

Guevara, 38, a father of five and stepfather of four, of Bennett Village in Los Bajos, was returning home from playing cards at about 5 am when he was killed.

Police are still uncertain about how the accident occurred as the driver of the vehicle fled the scene after the accident.

An anonymous caller to the Siparia Police Station said on reaching Quarry Village in Siparia, the car ran off the road and struck a WASA main line. Guevara was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Yesterday his grieving widow Debra Vargas-Guevara said it is difficult dealing with the death of her husband. “I can’t imagine my young, strong, handsome husband is gone.

It is very hard dealing with his sudden death,” she said.

Adding to her sorrows, she said, was news of the death of her uncle yesterday. She said she is to receive counselling from the Defence Force.

And while funeral arrangements are still being finalised, Guevara, an officer in the Fixed Wing Unit of the Air Guard, is to be laid to rest on Saturday with full military rites.

“We are leaving this to God,” said his father Carl Coutou at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday.

“I believe that I will see the day when his killers are brought to justice.” Coutou added that he has full confidence in the police who are investigating his son’s killing.

Seecharan was shot at Los Charos Junction, Palo Seco at about midnight on Friday.

Police said he had gone to a sport event and was standing on the road when an unknown gunman opened fire on him.

Another man was shot during the incident, however he survived.

He is hospitalised at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Relatives expressed shock at Seecharan’s death.

They said, to their knowledge, he never complained about being threatened. They added that he only had minor run-ins with the law for traffic offences.

I parked along the northern wall near the entrance and to my great consternation, within a sixfoot radius of my car, I picked up 14 nails and screws from among the gravel. When I drew it to the attention of the attendant, I was told they were trying to remove them. (There was no evidence of such activity at that time, though.) There is not even a sign warning motorists about this hazard, which could cause significant damage to tyres. Suffice it to say, I will not be parking there again.

I urge the owners/agents of this car park to please do the responsible thing of scouring the entire area and ridding it of these dangers to motorists who pay to park there. And I urge drivers to be especially cautious.

MARY LOCHAN via mail

I contributed much more than expected to her bank account. I don’t regret doing so, and I wish her well.

However, had I known that political lawyers were standing by to exploit this situation for their personal and party’s political gain I may have reconsidered.

DR DAVID SALINGER Maraval

They said for the last month they have only received water once a week and they criticised their Member of Parliament, Maxie Cuffie, for not assisting.

“It came this morning and it gone already. Our tanks are empty and the people are fed up. Our MP has not been in the community for months.

The two councillors were here this morning.

Why can’t he find himself here? This is a community he was born and raised in and he made promises to us,” one woman said.

Councillor for the Caparo/Mamoral district, John Lezama, said it has been a long time residents have had to face these water problems.

“The residents come out here to vent their frustration with the tardiness of the authorities in dealing with matters like this. Why every time on Sunday I have to call WASA to see if we could get water? The people would be satisfied if they could get water two, three times for the week but when you getting water once a week and only in the night, it coming in drips.

That is not satisfactory,” he said.

Councillor for Longdenville/ Talparo, Ryan Rampersad, said Cuffie contacts WASA regularly to ensure the residents get a water supply but there has not been any major improvement.

“We still get very low pressure when the MP contacts WASA. School reopened today and the children haven’t had water all weekend. This is a rural community and there are a lot of poor families and they can’t afford to purchase water all the time so something really needs to be done,” he said.

Yesterday Senior Sup Mc Intyre confirmed that investigators are looking at certain persons that he did not wish to give more information since the investigation has reached a sensitive stage.

However, he also revealed that the police of Cyber Crime Unit were proving to be a big help with the investigations.

The leaked document was given to several persons of the Central Division prior to the planned Ester Raids so that the necessary man power and resources could be deployed for the time and places of the exercises.

However prior to the actual exercise being started the document was leaked on social media giving all the details of the time and places of planned road blocks and exercises especially in the troubled Enterprise area.

Yesterday Senior Sup Mc Intyre admitted that he was flabbergasted and embarrassed over the leak of the document and added that those responsible for the leak will be found and brought to justice.

He added that due to the leak he found himself in an unprecedented situation where he had to quickly change the time and places of the exercises which resulted in the seizure of two guns and the arrest of persons.

Senior Sup Mc Intyre added that he is one of the seven officers who were interviewed by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau and he had cooperated fully with the investigators.

However, he remained at a loss as to why someone would want to leak such a sensitive document and jeopardise the lives of police officers who could have easily been the target of criminal element when out on those exercises.

Yesterday sources at the Professional Standards Bureau told Newsday that all persons who were in receipt of the sensitive document will be interviewed and this could take a long time, because the probe has to be thorough.

They however admitted that they have made inroads into the investigation and the perpetrator or perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Newsday understands that an interim report into the leaked document has already been sent to Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams.

Before the debate resumes, Opposition Senator Wade Mark will pose questions to Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Attorney General Faris Al Rawi on measures to improve this country’s gross domestic product and Government’s timetable in carrying out the death penalty, respectively.

The House of Representatives sits at 1.30 pm on Friday at Tower D to continue debate on a motion filed by Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh about the economy.

Sources revealed that a senior officer contacted his colleagues in the Eastern Division and assured that attempts are now being made to relocate officers as an option or to speed up the refurbishment work.

The close to 60 officers have been complaining about the excessive heat and dust blowing in their faces.

They have also complained about the lack of washroom facilities and proper place for them to have meals.

The Police Service Social and Welfare Association yesterday urged Deputy Commissioner of Police Deodath Dulalchan who is in charge of all police stations to remedy the situation or possibly face action by the officers.

Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon has also been asked to intervene.

The TDC ad is disturbing in many ways.

First, it shows that tourism will continue to be a talk shop and that we know absolutely nothing about tourism marketing.

Second, Las Cuevas is an internationally renowned Blue Flag beach. It is the only beach in TT with this designation.

This means its facilities must be kept to international standards.

What signal is this going to send when the Blue Flag marquee comes up for renewal? Third, it is my understanding that there are water tanks for the restroom facilities. Is it that the TDC is unable to get a truck-borne water supply to refill the tanks? Is WASA complicit in this non-arrangement? Fourth, where are the locals and tourists supposed to go when they need “to go?” This assumes that the beach is still open.

Why is it that we always try so hard to destroy the good things we have? I will not even bother with Maracas Beach.

I hope Hinds and Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe can give us some answers.

LINUS F DIDIER Mt Hope