Reiterating that the application was rejected because Shannen’s condition, for which a bone marrow transplant is being sought, was not deemed by the CLF’s board to be life-threatening and the fund does not provide for the reimbursement of expenses. The fund was established under the People’s Partnership (PP) government.

Deyalsingh said, “The same board under both administrations and the same chairman sat on this matter.” In terms of a second medical opinion being sought, Deyalsingh said, “Not only was there a second opinion, there was a third, there was a fourth and there was a fifth.” He said under the PP, “Ten applications were rejected because they were deemed to be not life threatening.” Deyalsingh said when the People’s National Movement was in opposition, “We never sought to politicise the issue but to let the professionals in their professional capacities do their job.” Earlier in the sitting, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said a proper investigation is ongoing into a report that people were infected by contaminated blood from the National Blood Bank Transfusion Centre.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, zoological officer Sharleen Khan said the first snake, a male green anaconda, was found in a dasheen field on a gardener’s property in Wallerfield.

“The snake was spotted last Friday and the gardener, Gerard Francis, called the zoo.

The second snake a female boa constrictor, locally referred to as a macajuel, was rescued from a roadway in Rio Claro by Vishnu Bahadur.” Khan said Bahadur also contacted the zoo and the snake was collected on April 11.

She said the snakes are native and non-venomous and feed on small animals such as birds and mammals in their environment.

Khan said snakes play an important role in the ecosystem as they control the pest or rat population.

“The zoo retrieves distressed wild animals and are rehabilitated if needed and, in most cases, relocated back into the wild.”

Speaking at the weekly police press briefing at the Police Administration Building in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Hackshaw said, “For children, there must be some level of command in the home. Parents must take charge at the home, and if there is indiscipline and disconnect, then children will become rebellious and will become resistant to order.” He said the Police Service has taken note of the high amount of reports of missing people – particularly girls under 18 – and have been implementing strategies to curb the trend of children going missing then turning up days later, having gone to a friend or companion’s home without informing family members.

Hackshaw said the police have been using the Community Policing division to advise parents and families about care and custody of children. The officers also remind parents that it is a criminal offence to leave children unattended.

Yesterday, media releases issued by the police revealed that two sisters under the age of 20 have been reported missing while a 17-yearold girl, Shania Samuel, who was reported missing on Saturday last, has been found.

Javanie Harrichand, 21, and Anessa Noreiga, 19, were reported missing by their mother at the St Joseph Police Station on Monday.

Harrichand is five feet, five inches tall, of East Indian descent with a medium build and dark complexion.

Noreiga, also five feet, five inches, is of a mixed descent with a light brown complexion and has tattoos with the words “High Life” on the left side of her neck and “Noreiga” on her left hand.

They were last seen leaving their Williams Street, Champs Fleurs home last Wednesday.

Harrichand was last seen wearing a pair of dark coloured jeans and a pair of green sneakers, while Noreiga was last seen wearing a red blouse and a pair of black leggings.

Justin Heeraman, an auto electrician of Chin Chin Road, Cunupia appeared before Magistrate Joanne Connor to answer to the charges. It is alleged that Heeraman and two other men robbed the patrons of cash and cellular phones on April 4. Nine counts of robbery with aggravation were read to him. The charges were laid indictably by PC Huggins of the Cunupia Police Station and the accused man was not called upon to plead. Heeraman was arrested on Sunday by police officers and later charged.

The case was adjourned to May

While many are alarmed at the disregard for the speed limit by some reckless and drunk drivers and have called for more severe punishment to end such lawlessness, there appears to be more talk than action by those in authority.

It is almost guaranteed that road accidents and even fatalities will rise if this foolishness continues, therefore we cannot afford to ignore this troubling menace on the roads.

Now is time for the police to mount a serious, meaningful and sustained campaign to discourage the unruliness.

Harsher penalties must be imposed on all reckless drivers.

There should be lengthy incarceration, hefty fines, suspension of driving permits and the impounding of vehicles.

Delinquent drivers should also be mandated to attend defensive driving classes so they can be taught the true meaning of discipline and how to be wise when using the road.

They must be held accountable for their actions. Such measures will also go a long way toward reducing traffic accidents, tailgating, obscene gestures, overusing of car horns, erratic and unsafe lane changes, headlight flashing, people getting out of the car to carry out verbal attacks or physical violence and fatalities on the roads.

If society stands idly by and does nothing or turns a blind eye to delinquent road users, more will perish on the roads.

Simon Wright Chaguana

Over the weekend, I attended a meeting of the Jabloteh Sports Club in San Juan where the challenges of proper sporting facilities were brought up. After over 30 years of providing sporting opportunities for the community of San Juan, Jabloteh still does not have a club house or access to proper sporting facilities.

Over the years, clubs throughout TT have struggled to have access to proper facilities. They encounter difficulty in accessing funds to feed and equip the hundreds of young people that access their services.

I remember being asked to visit a training session of our young netballers at the Jean Pierre Complex.

Once again there were hundreds of young women training in netball. Most, if not all, of the coaches and managers were donating their services for free.

There was an absence of adequate equipment and, more importantly, the netball facilities had deteriorated to below international standards. In almost every aspect of our sporting disciplines the story is the same: there is an absence of proper facilities and very little government support.

If we were serious about steering our youths away from a life of crime, the professional football league would not be suffering from lack of sponsors and inadequate media coverage. Our netballers would not be struggling for basics like poles, nets and balls. Our swimmers would not be longing for pools in their communities.

Our cricketers would not be playing on poorly maintained pitches or on outfields loaded with weed. Our school cricket and football leagues would not be totally dependent on the teachers and supporters who volunteer their time to ensure that the competitions are organised. Our athletes would not be forced to train abroad just to be competitive internationally.

To the volunteers who leave their homes each day to support and encourage our youths, I thank you. Thanks to the businessman who gives of his time and money to maintain the St Ann’s Rangers. Thanks to the staff and management of Jabloteh who volunteer their time and resources to encourage the youths in the San Juan area to participate in football and netball.

Thanks to the football club in Moruga, the cricket clubs in Barrackpore and Penal, the swimming club in Westmoorings, the hiking organisations, the hockey and tennis clubs and the many other volunteers from all over TT that give of their time and money to provide alternatives to crime for our youths. These volunteers are our national heroes who do their bit with only minor victories as rewards.

I wish our Government could understand that investment in sports and our youths is critical to developing our society. Sport not only promotes healthy habits, it builds communities, provides income and career opportunities for many, contributes to national pride and, moreover, builds lifelong relationships that withstand the challenges of ethnic, religious and political divisions. Sports should be a major pillar in rebuilding TT .

Steve Alvarez via email

What is of grave concern is the window dressing by these God-fearing people when crimes are committed by their families or loved ones, who confess to be living by the Ten Commandments, one of which is “Thou shall not kill.” They will do whatever is necessary to avoid detection and arrest.

We as a nation should do some introspection. The protective services must wake up and do a professional and honest job.

I was told by a former colleague some years ago that in all allegations there is some truth. And rest assured there is no “fake news.” News is news; it is either good or bad. People, wake up and be true to your God.

Athelston Clinton Arima

Stephen Singh, 63, a proprietor of Bois Bourg Village was charged with wounding 60-year-old Wayne “Shine” Vesprey with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. The incident occurred on November 24, 2005.

After leaving the court, Singh commented on the issue of trials by jury.

“I believe it should stay,” he said. “There is no other fair system.” His attorney Kevin Ratiram said he intends to sue the State on Singh’s behalf because the accused man had given a statement to the police but it never surfaced at the trial.

The State’s case was led by attorney Stacy Lallo- Chong.

Vesprey testified that Singh shot him during an argument inside Singh’s shop. The bullet penetrated the forehead and Vesprey was rushed to hospital.

In his defence, Singh testified that he was trying to protect his wife from being raped when he shot Vesprey.

He said Vesprey, who appeared to be drunk, entered the shop at about 12.30 pm and started dancing to the music which was being played. He told Justice Holdip and the nine-member jury that he refused Vesprey’s request for a nip of Puncheon rum and Vesprey started cursing.

“Shine started to rock the gate and it opened.

He leaned over the counter and make a grab for my wife. He said that he will rape she. I had the gun behind the fridge and I pulled it. I fired. I didn’t aim at no specific place on him.” Singh also testified that he gave an interview to police officers and he signed two pieces of paper. However, he said he never saw the statement he gave.

Police officers who testified denied they ever took statements from Singh although he was, at that time, the suspect in the matter.

The jurors deliberated for just over an hour and returned with the not guilty verdict.

Chief Executive Officer of the chamber Dr. Dax Driver said while it would change from project to project, the platform construction would amount to about ten to 20 percent of the total cost.

He said a typical upstream project such as bpTT’s Juniper was a US$2 billion project so ten percent of that would give an idea of the total cost of the platform fabrication.

He said, however, a large portion of that sum would go into the purchasing of steel, meaning that not all the money would have gone into the community. He said the loss to the community would be the wages associated with the fabrication of the platform and payments to suppliers such as transport contractors and providers of other ancillary services needed in the putting together of the platform.

He said the gas from the project would become available in 2019 just at the time when production is going to begin to fall from the Juniper project which comes on stream at the end of this year. He said the gas from the Angelin project would fill in some of the declines from the Juniper project and the Sercan project being undertaken by EOG Resources is already producing gas.

Driver said while these new streams will not increase the supply of gas in any significant way above the current levels of production, it will stabilise production levels for another few years.

The chamber said “all responsible stakeholders must be disappointed by the decision not to construct the Angelin platform in La Brea.

However, this decision has been driven by the need to ensure that natural gas is available here by early 2019. There are clear concerns that any interruptions to project delivery, whether due to labour unrest or other factors, would have serious implications for bpTT, the National Gas Company and the downstream processors and users of natural gas. This in turn would have serious implications for the overall national economy.” It said the decision highlights the urgent need for this country to improve productivity, noting that within the energy-related construction sector, many companies report that productivity levels have dropped over recent years as a result of high rates of absenteeism and protests. It said that at the same time, demands for wage increases have continued, meaning that companies have become less competitive compared to companies operating in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere. According to the chamber, this reality highlights the need for serious reforms to the country’s industrial relations framework and improvements to its work ethic and productivity.

The chamber said such action is damaging to safety culture and undermines the entire safety management in the sector.

However, Lambert said he was not aware that any trade union has been using the issue of safety excessively for the purpose of collective bargaining.

He said hearing such a comment from a responsible entity was “The most nonsensical statement I have heard.” He said the trade unions would use the provisions of the law and the proposals of their collective agreement.

He said not all trade unions are involved in the energy sector but the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act was for everyone and wherever there are workers, there are problems relating to health and safety.

In its statement, the chamber said in the energy sector where risks are high, safety is a top priority.

“A strong safety culture is vital for the continued success and competitiveness of the Trinidad and Tobago energy sector,” the chamber said.

“Every individual working on any energy sector facility has a duty to stop work in any situation that will put themselves or others in harm’s way.” Lambert said his union particularly does not use health and safety as a tool for the purpose of negotiation.

“So whichever entity or institution has made that, it is very unfortunate and I think the whole statement is nonsensical.” The chamber said adherence to worldclass safety management systems played an extremely important role in the ability of TOFCO to deliver the Juniper topside on schedule with high quality work.

“TOFCO achieved over two million man hours without a lost time incident on the Juniper construction project: this is excellent safety performance.” It added, “Allegations of poor safety management both damage the reputation of the company and the local industry and are not supported by the facts.

The protests that shut down the Juniper project and caused delays were about jobs and a few individuals trying to seek direct personal benefits. Safety was used as an excuse for illegal strike action.” The chamber said the right to refuse work enshrined in the OSH Act is very specific and there are explicit procedures in the law that need to be followed, but the right to refuse work is not in the legislation to provide a cover for illegal strikes over pay.

It said misusing this important provision in the law undermines safety.