The injunction, which was granted on March 31, saw the 22 workers being removed by armed police and a court official from the offshore platform owned by bpTT.

The injunction was sought by Rowan Drilling Trinidad after workers allegedly stopped work and staged an illegal strike on the rig. Representing Rowan Drilling Trinidad were attorneys Fyard Hosein,SC, and Michael Quamina while attorney Michael Bullock appears on behalf of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), which is representing the interests of the 22 workers. Hearing of the injunction came up before Justice Christine Kangaloo in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday and directives were given for Rowan Drilling Trinidad to file its statement of case by May 24, while the 22 riggers, all of whom were in court yesterday, most in their OWTU jerseys, are to file and serve their reply to the emergency application by May 5.

Attorneys for Rowan Drilling Trinidad will reply to the workers’ claims by May 19. The matter will again come up for hearing on June 9, and Justice Kangaloo ruled that the injunction will continue until the trial is heard and determined.

The workers earlier this week picketed outside bpTT’s head at Queen’s Park West, Port-of-Spain, calling for an investigation into the manner in which they were removed from the rig as well as a full report on their claims of increased accidents on the platform.

Young also boasted that through negotiation, Government had settled without any cost to this country some $250 million worth of claims made against the National Gas Company (NGC) by downstream firms over the curtailment of gas-supply. He said he and Rowley met BP, Shell, Exxon and EOG executives in Houston and “The rounds of discussion were very fruitful for TT.” BP will launch its Angelin field in 2019 and its gas supply is expected to take up the slack when BP’s Juniper Field supply starts to taper off, he said.

Young said he and Rowley told BP they want jobs for local workers in the Angelin field, and that any “extra” gas found – presumably outside of contracted quantities – should be supplied to this country’s downstream sub-sector, not to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sub-sector. BP has agreed on both counts.

He said BP’s seismic results look “very positive”.

As the firm is poised to invest up to US$6 billion locally, Young said BP appreciated re-building their relationship with this country.

Regarding Shell, Young pointed to seismic results as indicating a “very, very positive outlook for the continuation and the building of the gas industry.” There were discussions about the cross-border Loran/Manatee field, plus a gas-supply from Venezuela’s Dragon Field which he said is proceeding very positively.

He said Exxon is a 45 percent partner in the recent Guyana oil find, for which this country hopes to sign an MOU with Guyana to lend its expertise.

Saying Exxon is very interested in a deep water harbour in Trinidad, Young said company

This is according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs (AGLA), Ingrid Seerattan.

Speaking yesterday at the opening of a two-day national workshop on “How to make a living from Music” at the Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s Seerattan said, “It is no secret that the music and creative industry has tremendous potential to diversify the Trinidad and Tobago economy” for economic prosperity.

The workshop attracted a large number of musicians among others.

It was sponsored by the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Trinidad and Tobago Music Company.

The number of local, regional and international resource personnel at the workshop included Dimeter Gantchev, Director, Copyright Infrastructure Division, WIPO, Switzerland; Dr Vanus James, Professor of the University of Technology, Jamaica; Simon Baptiste, manager/performer and Konata Alleyne, performer/musician/ director.

A 2014 study conducted by economist Dr Vanus James for the IPO, Seerattan said, “found that the copyright industries and all the economic activity that hinges on economic rights alone contribute roughly under five percent to our GDP.

This is a staggering statistic.” The IPO, she said, was a net generator of revenue having earned $18.7 million from 1995 to 2005 and $48.8 million in gross revenue from 2006 to 2015.

Economic diversification through IP and its link to innovation are supported by existing and planned activities of the IPO, Seerattan said.

Noting that the IPO has the task of promoting innovation in the society, she said, the AGLA signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Trinidad and Tobago to cooperate in IP affairs.

An average of eight pregnant women die every year in this country based on the approximate 18,000 babies born annually. The ministry revealed on Tuesday at a news conference held at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, that complications during pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the director will review the operations of all of the public health facilities where women go to deliver babies. Sirjusingh’s appointment has been approved by cabinet in response to the alarming number of deaths and maternal mishaps at hospitals in years gone by.

Deyalsingh, during a visit to the San Fernando General Hospital on January 1 (New Years Day) to congratulate mothers of babies born on that day, had announced that there were less such deaths in 2016.

There were only three maternal deaths, he said, and after the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) was invited to audit the country’s health systems, it was discovered that post-partum haemorrhage was the main cause of such deaths. Sirjusingh, who chairs the Zika Pregnancy Committee in the ministry, sat on two recent prime ministers’ committees to review the country’s health services in which recommendations were made for the improvement of health care.

Deyalsingh said, “I had challenged the public health system that by the year 2020, our maternal mortality rate should match that of developed countries.” Sirjusingh’s mandate, according to the ministry, is to ensure that there are clear national strategies, policies and clinical guidelines for this area of health in keeping with the World Health Organisation’s sustainable developmental goals for 2030. One of the objectives is reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

In a media release issued yesterday by TCL Group public relations manager Michelle Langton, the company said it had been providing employees with “regular updates regarding both settlement of negotiations and share allocations.” “Further, the bargaining unit would also be aware that both matters are presently undergoing due process,” TCL stated adding that on several occasions employees had been offered “cash in lieu of shares to expedite settlement.” “However this has been rejected several times by representatives of the Union.” The company reiterated its commitment to “open constructive dialogue and engagement with its employees and the OWTU towards the earliest finalisation of outstanding matters in the best interest of all concerned.” “Over the past twenty-four months, the company has made significant positive strides and recognises the vital role played by our people at every level of the TCL Group towards attaining the critical goals of — Competitiveness and Sustainability that are in the interest of all stakeholders, the company and the country,” TCL said.

Both parties were expected to meet at the Trinidad Hilton yesterday evening to continue discussions.

The alleged threat was made during a dispute for property .

A close relative recalled the conversation she had with the man who issued the threat .

“(Name called) came by me to complain and I told him I did not want to hear anything .

He said, ‘So you don’t want to hear anything? Wait until I cut off his head, I want to see what allyuh would do.’ After that, he walked off. I did not take it on then, but look what happened now.” The discovery of Bedassie’s body was made two days after relatives reported him missing at the Gasparillo Police Station .

Officers of the Homicide Region III have since detained two brothers from Barrackpore as well as the girlfriend of one of the men .

Yesterday Bedassie’s relatives said that the war over the property had been going on for sometime but they insisted that the property belongs to the Bedassie family and not the man who threatened him .

“They never see eyeto eye. Kootie always told him to get out the property but he refused to move out. Kootie did not deserve to die like that.” Bedassie lived alone and was neither married nor had any children .

Relatives last saw him at his home on March 26 (his birthday) .

Police obtained DNA (deoxyribonucleic) samples from his brothers Frankie, 72, and Suresh, 61, to be sent to a forensic lab for confirmation on the identity of the remains .

That process usually takes two to three months .

“We cannot have a funeral service so we just have to wait and see what is going on .

The police are working and spent many hours here yesterday (Wednesday),” another relative said .

The 31-year-old woman went missing on the night of March 21 when she left home to go to a nearby shop. When she failed to return home, relatives reported her missing. Her seminude body was found two days later in some bushes close to her Petersfield home.

Her 35-year-old husband was questioned by police for several hours and released.

Newsday understands samples were taken from him to be sent for DNA testing.

His clothing was also kept by police.

Investigators said yesterday that the investigation is ongoing and they are calling on members of the public who may have information to contact them.

Ramkissoon, who is mentally impaired, was last seen by relatives on Saturday when he left home at Hardbargain to go out as he usually would.

His brother Haimraj Ramkissoon said yesterday Ramkissoon normally leaves during the morning but always return later the same day.

Having failed to return home on Saturday, worried relatives reported him missing on Sunday at the Princes Town Police Station.

“We are hearing lots of rumours about his whereabouts. The latest one was that someone found his body somewhere in Tabaquite. That is not true but we still don’t know where he is. My brother has a mental conditions and suffered a mental breakdown about 40 years ago,” the brother said.

Ramkissoon is not married and has no children. He is of East Indian descent and about five feet, six inches in height.

Anyone with information can contact the nearest police station or the Princes Town Police Station at 655-2231.

According to a report in yesterday’s Newsday, the inmates of the Carrera Island prison have not had access to pipe-borne water due to the breakdown of a pump two weeks ago.

The pump, located near water tank facilities, is supposed to pump water to cell blocks. While officials wait for a replacement part to be sourced and sent to the island, prison officers have decided to allow prisoners to bathe in the sea, at 6 am and again at 4 pm, daily.

These developments call for remedial action in the short-run, but also a look at the longer-term question of the rationale for these particular facilities in the first place.

While sea bathing is undoubtedly therapeutic and potentially lifts the spirits (the point of prison is not just to punish but also to rehabilitate and to encourage self-reflection), it cannot be denied that having prisoners bathe in the sea is a major inconvenience for staff and a potential security risk. It must be a deep source of frustration for officers involved who must supervise the inmates bathing in the open sea.

These developments speak to the overall conditions at prisons nationally. While efforts have been made to improve conditions, the overall system remains cramped and ill-suited to the high levels of criminal conduct in the country.

We have seen official State reports into prison conditions which divulge appalling facts. A High Court judge described one jail as tantamount to a “hell hole.” But things have hit rock bottom when prisoners cannot even have access to one thing needed for life: water.

Inmates are given only one litre of drinking water a day and have not been able to wash their clothes or flush toilets because of the lack of supply.

What is disturbing is the lack of any clear explanation for why a decision to run a water line from Nelson Island to Carrera was apparently dropped some time ago. Was this due to the announced plan by the previous administration to close the facility? President of the Prison Officers Association, Ceron Richards, has stated the information being bandied about is that an entity is paid close to $30,000 a week to supply water on a barge to the island prison.

(At $30,000 a week, the annual cost could be about $1.8 million.) Richards said the budget for 2016/2017 has a $1.5 million allocation to deal with Carrera’s water problem, but to date no remedial action has been taken.

Was the $1.5 million meant to refer to the current arrangements? Was it assumed they would continue? R ichards wants authorities to conduct a feasibility study to ascertain if this cost could be cut by running a line direct from Nelson Island. This is a good idea. But the deeper issue is whether the jail should be relocated altogether.

What are the benefits of the current location and do they outweigh the hazards? In addition to relatively regular escapes, the water problem must now be added to the list of woes. How well can these inmates be reintegrated into society if they are isolated, remote from special programmes and initiatives that may take place on the mainland? Can the current population at Carrera be absorbed by the rest of the system? What has become of plans to build new prison facilities as well as new judicial complexes? Perhaps the State, facing the sad reality that crime levels remain high, has given up altogether on the idea of closing prisons, wherever they are located.

But that is no excuse for inhumane conditions for prisoners and prison officers alike. Another problem is that prison officers have no waiting area and no facilities to board the boat that takes them to Carrera. These matters must all be dealt with urgently, even if the fate of Carrera in the long run is uncertain

Better yet, when it’s time for them to go to their next class, they try to trick me into believing the class is really ten minutes longer. When I finally catch my bearings, they plead to stay.

Who says children don’t like books and don’t like to read? My students even beg to take turns reading. They enjoy sophisticated literature like The War that Saved My Life by Doll Bones, The Winter Horses and A Night Divided.

They love World War II stories.

They love edgy literature that pushes the boundaries.

They’re caring, bold and empathetic children because they read.

They react strongly to injustice and they cheer for the underdog.

They love funny stories like Brown Sugar and Spice and The Christmas Genie.

They serve as my literary ambassadors, getting students in other classes to read the books they enjoy. When I first discovered Cynthia Kadohata’s novel Kira-Kira, I tried for two years to get students to read the book.

All I had to do was hook one students, and it became a runaway hit.

Students spend every spare minute in the library picking out books. They come at lunch time, break time, and after school. I have had book clubs in which the whole class came during their break or lunch period. Watership Down happened to be one such book club.

Because they read, these students are sophisticated and articulate beyond their years. They can discuss literature like an adult, clearly voicing what engages them in a book. They possess self-confidence. No one can call my book lovers nerds, and even if someone did, my readers would shrug or laugh it off if they didn’t decide to take it as a badge of honour.

They love series and they latch on to certain genres or authors with gleeful tenacity. They bring their parents to the library to check out books when they have reached their limit of three books so that they will never be caught empty-handed at home.

My student readers make my job enjoyable. I love seeing their excitement at discovering a new author or book. They wait impatiently for new books to arrive.

They check several times a day and squeal with delight when the book gets catalogued.

All children need is a little nudge in the direction of a book.

They need someone to read to them and expose them to new books and genres.

They need someone to model reading and they need to see an adult get excited about reading.

They need clear links between books and their lives. This means a link to an upcoming movie or a link to a muddled feeling they can’t work out. They need to see characters in literature experience the same conflicts they experience in life. They need that support from make-believe characters.

My friend Betty Peter, author of Brown Sugar and Spice, always says, “Too many children out there are being deprived of the literature experience.” She’s right.

Books are a ticket to a whole new world, and nearly ever child I know will buy a ticket to that place.