The party’s general secretary Clyde Weatherhead said the minister has failed to inform property owners of penalties they may face if they fail to comply, and continues to provide incomplete and confusing information in his anxiety to implement the measure.

Weatherhead said the Ministry of Finance, in a statement issued on Wednesday, did not tell property owners that failure to submit their valuation return forms (VRFs) with attachments by May 22, can lead to the owner facing a criminal charge and fine for failing to submit “a return within the prescribed time” according to the Valuation of Land Act.

The ministry also did not tell them, he said, that in completing the VRF, if the document is “defective or incomplete” or contains any information which to the owner’s knowledge is false, the owner can be similarly charged.

“The ministry also failed to inform property owners that once furnished with a notice of evaluation that there was provision for owner to object to the valuation even though the Property Tax Act says that ‘property owners would be required to make payment upon receipt of an assessment notice’.” Weatherhead reiterated the COPs position that property tax should be paid to municipal corporations to provide improved services to the burgesses instead of via the Inland Revenue Division to the Consolidated Fund.

“This property tax, taxing the people into Central Government revenues, will not bring about recovery from the present recession.

Taxation will not create prosperity for the nation.” He said the COP had earlier pointed out to the minister that notices of assessment can only be issued after the valuation, to determine the annual rental value and annual taxable value of a residential or commercial property, was completed and the property tax to be paid was determined because he had gotten it wrong earlier on.

In the case of TT, Garcia stated, “Our government has been within the forefront of providing much needed funding.” He added that he can show, “we expend in excess of $650 million towards the UWI.” The minister continued, “The shift now is in the area of self-sufficiency.” However, Garcia added, “It does not mean that the contributing territories will cease contributions.” Against this background, Garcia said Bermudez brings, “a wealth of business experience.” Bermudez is the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bermudez Group of Companies.

He is also a non-executive director of the Massy Group. Incumbent chancellor George Alleyne’s term of office

Between 11am and 1pm yesterday, Abdullah and a small group of Muslims, including Abdul “Krysis” Wakeel from the Masjid of Peace (formerly known as Unruly ISIS), raised a banner which read “Trinidad and Tobago.

We are sorry! Be better, not bitter” outside the Gold Finger parlour on Southern Main Road. From there, the group distributed water, juice, flowers and snacks to people walking and driving through the community.

Speaking with reporters, Abdullah said “It is an initiative to show how much we are prepared to work towards bringing back Enterprise to what it once used to be.” Asked what guarantees they could give that the initiative would foster change in community which saw a sudden spike in murders last month, Abdullah said “We cannot offer any guarantees. But what we could do is use the tools available to us to bring some sense of peace and normalcy back.” But Imams Morland Lynch and Talib Searles, who lead mosques in the community, are not convinced of the purity of the intentions of Abdullah and Wakeel.

Although listed on the media invitation as being expected to be present, neither Lynch nor Searles attended.

“I do not want to be part of any of that,” Lynch told Newsday.

“They can’t just come out and say peace, peace and give out water and flowers to members of the public.

The members of the public have nothing to do with the people who were killed in the community. Giving out water is not peace, it is a mockery. They are trying to mamaguy the people.” Lynch said Quranic law prescribes three ways to bring justice for a murdered person.

“You have to pay blood money (an amount to be paid to the deceased’s relatives), exile the killer, or take back the person’s life.” They have done neither of these, said Lynch. “If they want to show they are serious, let them bring out guns. Rest some guns on the side of the road and call the police to take them .” Searles shared Lynch’s sentiments.

He said he could not support an initiative that was not aligned with Islamic teaching.

“What does that have to do with the persons who have lost their loved ones? If Umar Abdullah dress like a Muslim, claim to represent Muslims but says nothing as it relates to what the Quran or the Prophet Muhammad spoke to, then what exactly is he representing? And if he is not representing Islam, then we have to be very careful as to what he is representing.” Residents gathered declined speaking with the media. One resident, however, also questioned the intentions of Abdullah and Wakeel saying “All of a sudden they turn celebrities.” Also listed to have been in attendance were Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan, Councillor for the area Lisa Holder, Citizen Security Programme representative Mtima Solwazi, Central Division Snr Supt Kenny McIntyre, ACP Surajdeen Persad, Black Agenda Project leader David Muhammad, and Imam Yasin Abu Bakr. Only Muhammad was present to show his support

Minister of Public Administration Maxie Cuffie asked how could the HDC function as such, while Opposition Senator Wade Mark said, “It’s a serious indictment”, but not against newly-arrived officials. Saying Parliament gives hundreds of million of dollars each year to the HDC which further borrows on the market, Mark said the lack of accounts was “highly irresponsible” and “a complete absence of accountability.” Lyons said there has been a concerted effort to otherwise now have the unaudited management accounts up to 2016, adding, “The audited accounts will take some time again.” HDC acting manager of finance Inskip Pollonais said that by law the HDC needs to get the nod of the Auditor General to hire an external auditor and had gotten permission for KPMG to audit its accounts up to the year 2009.

He suggested that other auditing firms be brought in to assist KPMG to speed up the audits.

Delivering the feature address at the National Social Policy Forum 2017 at the Port-of- Spain City Hall on April 19, 2017 on behalf of the Minister of Social Development and Family Services, Cherrie-Ann Critchlow-Cockburn, she lamented that many reports which have been produced at great expense by the Government remain on the shelves somewhere gathering dust. She said that in the current economic situation, in which the country finds itself with limited funds, this use of taxpayer money cannot continue and greater efforts must be made to ensure better targeting and disbursement of the now limited resources available in the public sector.

Bailey-Sobers spoke about the need to develop the relationship between research and policy formulation, observing that the ministry has a “distinct remit” to direct, facilitate and enable the development, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of social sector policies and programmes to ensure sustainability, cultural relevance and economic viability.

She said that policies developed as a nation, whether aimed at reducing poverty or managing issues related to persons with disabilities or even on child and family life are all part of the extensive and combined efforts to ensure that a sustainable safety net is provided for the vulnerable charges in society.

She said this was the third National Policy Forum and asked participants to reflect on what they had learned since the first one was held, stating that it was time to stop the talk shops and get down to dealing with the problems which had been identified in the previous policy foras.

The event attracted social sector representatives from different ministries under the theme “Improving Policy, Improving Lives”.

Bailey-Sobers said she was heartened that there were representatives from tertiary level institutions including the University of the West Indies and the Public Service Academy to speak to the participants about the programmes they could use to enhance their career in the public service.

Bailey-Sobers said there have been frequent complaints about ministries failing to cooperate and working in their own silos with little contact with each other.

She hoped that such fora would bring public servants together to get to know each other and synergise so that they could be more effective in their jobs.

She invited participants to engage in honest and open feedback and called on them to be resolute in their efforts to continually improve their delivery and execution of sustainable social sector programmes.

“We owe no less to our country at this critical time and I have faith in the vulnerable groups out there: persons who have lost their jobs, persons who have been retrenched, persons who have no hope of getting a job at this critical time in our development.” Participants also benefitted from a presentation on Incorporating evidence-based research in policy development from Dr Patrice Parris-Searles, Manager, Research, Planning and Development at the National Training Agency.

However, their plans have been stymied after light poles for the project were removed from the site shortly after the General Elections of September 2015.

Since then, questions have been asked, and no answers provided, as to when the facility will be provided with floodlights to allow its club cricketers and members of the public to use the ground for a range of activities.

The Everglads Sports Club has been in existence for over 35 years with its primary objective of providing the members of the rural community with an adequate recreation facility. This is designed to benefit not only the youths who participate in sports competitions, but men and women who exercise and engage in keep-fit programmes.

Over the years, Everglads have played cricket at the highest level, competing in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board’s South-East Division. Currently their cricketers play in the Southern Sports Minor League.

Recently, the club has set as a priority the development of the ground with assistance from the National Commission for Self Help and has successfully built a pavilion. But the project to provide lights started in mid-2015, with the backing of its executive and the Ministry of Public Utilities.

According to a press release, much progress was made, so much so, that poles to mount the flood-lights were delivered on the ground in anticipation of having them erected, equipped and connected. However, shortly after the September 2015 General Elections, the poles were removed without any explanation.

Not daunted and in keeping with the challenge of developing the facility, the executive and members of the Everglads Sports Club, recently held an opening ceremony for their new pavilion, in addition to a thanksgiving service to commission the 2017 cricket season.

Independent Senator David Small, a member of the PAEC, outlined this recommendation during a news conference at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre on Wednesday.

Addressing this issue at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Smith said, “They are working on that right now.” He reminded reporters, “We inherited Life Sport and what went on with the Sport Company.” Stating that his ministry is working “very closely” with SporTT chairman Michael Phillip and his board to comply with the PAEC’s recommendations, Smith added, “So far, so good.” Small said the PAEC found the Sport Company had seven CEOs from 2004 to 2015 __ three were fired and three resigned. In its submission to the PAEC, the Sport Company said the compensation package for the CEO post did not attract the quality of individuals to fill this position.

The company also said the high turnover of CEOs was compounded by the high turnover of its board, line minister and permanent secretaries since 2014.

In its report on the company, the PAEC said proper protocol was not followed regarding the hiring of De Edge Consulting Ltd on January 7, 2011, to do an organisational review and redesign of the Sport Company.

That exercise cost $1.06 million.

As a result of this exercise and the dismissal of employees, the company faced several lawsuits from these persons.

Settlements from nine cases cost the State in excess of $2.5 million, with legal representation for one of these cases costing $137,000.

The PAEC also found the company was operating with an unapproved 2012 to 2016 plan; there was a lack of sports registered; was ill-equipped to manage projects under its purview and lacked a strategic approach to sport development.

The incident occurred at midday.

A clerk who did not wish to be named, recalled the ordeal to Newsday, saying she felt that her safety was at risk when the scruffy-looking man entered the store.

The clerk said she was at the back of the store when she noticed a tall man standing in the doorway. She called out to a co-worker, but that person did not answer. As she went to the front of the store, the clerk said she saw her colleague cowering in a corner. “I grabbed a chair and let him have it,” the clerk said.

“I hit him about two or three times with a metal folding chair but then he grabbed it and we started to scramble. Just then, I saw a police officer standing outside the store. My co-worker and I ran to the back of the store and jammed it with a table so he couldn’t open it,” the clerk said.

She added that while peeping through a crack in the door, she saw the man outside the store on the pavement. He quickly ran back into the store and slammed the door. The clerk said the man then stepped outside and confronted the police officer.

He was seen gesturing to the police officer and then he tried to snatch his gun. A scuffle ensued and the man was shot three times.

He ran a short distance before falling in the drain outside City Hall.

He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where up to press time reports that he had died could not be confirmed. Investigations are ongoing.

In January, Pamela Elder SC, submitted to Senior Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan in the Princes Town Magistrates’ court, that there is no offence known to law that alcohol is a crime punishable, and therefore, he should discharge Reeshie Surajbally, 38, of Princes Town, on a charge of giving two young girls alcohol to drink in May of last year.

Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan is hearing a Preliminary Inquiry into charges that Surajbally gave alcohol to two sisters who are primary school students; that he kidnapped them; and that committed acts of indecency on the girls. The charges arose from an incident in which Princes Town Police Station, found children inside a van in Barrackpore on May 17. The girls and their mother have testified in the inquiry.

In January, Elder made a no-case submission on Surajbally’s behalf, arguing that alcohol could not be deemed a ‘dangerous substance’, in law, and therefore the accused has committed no offence.

In respect of the other charges, Elder submitted that the evidence was manifestly unreliable and as a result, Surajbally should be discharged.

Yesterday, State Attorney Sarah De Silva replied to the submission and stated that under Section 36 of the Children’s Act, a person has committed an offence if he or she administers a dangerous substance to a child. She said that the word ‘dangerous’, was in contention in order to determine whether the court could rule that alcohol falls into the category of dangerous substances.

The State attorney asked the magistrate to apply a specific principle in law known as ‘ejusdem generis’, when interpreting the issue of alcohol in relation to a dangerous substance in Section 36 of the Children’s Act. Ejusdem generis is rule of interpretation that where a class of things is followed by general wording that is not itself expansive, the general wording is usually restricted things of the same type, as the listed items.

De Silva submitted that the prosecution, therefore, has made out its case against Surajbally and he should be committed to stand trial in the High Court before a judge and jury. Elder told Magistrate Rambachan that she would want to do further research on the point given by De Silva. She will do so on May 26, after which, the magistrate would rule.

The course would enable the Municipal Police to work together with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) with an integrated system through wireless communication.

During a graduation ceremony held in the Council Chamber at City Hall, Knox Street, Portof- Spain, director of OLEP, Keith Reno, said the wireless communication course was a step forward for the Municipal Police as it now made them equal partners with the TTPS in the fight against crime.

“Over the years you have not been part of a service that was efficient, but now that is about to change,” he said.

Reno said municpal policing was on a transformation drive as they would now be able to serve in remote areas and places where tourists and holiday makers frequented.

“The nation is crying out for support and help, and clearly you would be able to give that support,” Reno said.

PoS mayor Joel Martinez said the wireless communication system was introduced to develop an efficient communication system.

“We have high expectations of you, your family has high expectations of you, and we are confident that training systems such as this will assist you. You are on the frontline in the fight against crime. While you may be assigned to different posts, you must be responsible for upholding the law.

“It may sometimes prove to be a dangerous job, but you must continue to be honest, caring and efficient,” Martinez said.