The first game ended in a goalless draw at the aforementioned Couva venue on Sunday.

Venezuela’s Paola Villamizar broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute while Milagros Mendoza extended the lead in the 28th.

Trinidad and Tobago’s captain and evergreen midfielder Tasha St Louis trimmed the lead to 2-1 with a penalty in the 31st but Tahicelos Marcano sealed the win for the South Americans with a strike in the 69th.

The triumph snapped a twogame winless spell for the Defence Force U-13s, who now have a record of 2W-1D-L, and, perhaps, inspired a 9-0 win for their Under-15s over Morvant Caledonia.

But both victories weren’t enough to spur on the Defence Force Under-17s who later fell 6-2 against the visitors despite second half goals from Joshua Ashton and Joshua Evans.

Ackeem Mason and Trevis Byron had given Morvant Caledonia U17s a two-goal cushion in the first half, netting a minute apart, before a second-half double by Dwight Yorke – his second from the penalty spot – followed by a goal each from Malik Mieres and Ethan Bonaparte quelled the hosts attempt of a comeback.

Defence Force remains without a win after four games in the U-17 division and just one point, while Morvant Caledonia have six points from three games.

Morvant Caledonia, however, have lost all three outings in the U-13 and U-15 age groups with last Sunday being another struggle at the park and Defence Force showing no mercy against their counterparts.

Terral Gibson, who ended with a hat-trick for the Defence Force U-13s, scored in the first minute of play before wrapping up the scoring with two late goals.

But Mason, with his goals in the fourth, 18th, 30th, 43rd and 50th minutes, was the star of the morning while teammates Christopher Brooks, Jaden Seifert, Ethan Marquez and Jaheim O’Brady had a goal each.

Justin Araujo-Wilson later led the Defence Force U-15s with a first-half hat-trick, taking his tally this season to six goals in four games.

Marc Wharfe also grabbed a hat-trick and Aiden Marcano a double before Nicholas Smith capped the 9-0 victory.

Elsewhere last Sunday, San Juan Jabloteh, champions of all divisions in the last two seasons, defeated St. Ann’s Rangers 4-0 and 3-1 in the U-13 and U-15 divisions, respectively, at San Juan North Secondary.

But the young “San Juan Kings” dropped points for the first time this season after they were held to agoalless stalemate against the visitors in the U-17 division.

North East Stars snatched full points in all divisions by default over hosts Central FC, while W Connection defeated Police FC 1-0 and 2-0 in the U-15 and U-17 divisions, respectively, at Gilbert Park after losing 3-0 against the U13 leaders—Police.

Club Sando hosted Point Fortin Civic at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium training field and enjoyed a 4-0 win over the visitors in the U-13 division, but were defeated 4-1 in the U-15s before both sides played to a 3-3 draw in the U-17s.

(ttproleague.com) Results – UNDER-13 DIVISION At New Settlement Ground, Caroni: NORT H EAST ST ARS (3) vs CENTRAL FC (0).

North East Stars won the game by default.

At Trinity East Field, Trincity: DEFENCE FOR CE (12) – Terral Gibson 1st, 53rd, 60th; Joshua Mason 4th, 18th, 30th, 43rd, 50th; Christopher Brooks 23rd; Jaden Seifert 31st; Ethan Marquez 32nd; Jaheim O’Brady 33rd vs MOR VANT CALEDONIA UNITED (0).

At Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field: CLUB SANDO (4) – Jaylon Brereton 17th, 19th; Kaylon Ayres 22nd; Jeremiah Ottway 62nd vs POINT FORT IN CIVIC (0).

At Gilbert Park: POLICE (3) – Josiah Wilson 9th; Jaron Pascall 38th; Justin Lewis 51st vs W CONNECTION (0).

At San Juan North Secondary Ground: SAN JUAN JABLOT EH (4) – Israel Joseph 21st; Nathaniel James 31st; Theron O’Brien; Kyle Dwarika 69th vs ST ANN’S RANGERS (0).

UNDER-15 DIVISION At New Settlement Ground, Caroni: NORT H EAST ST ARS (3) vs CENTRAL FC (0).

North East Stars won the game by default.

At Trinity East Field: DEFENCE FOR CE (9) – Justin Araujo-Wilson 4th, 17th, 18th; Marc Wharfe 8th, 35th, 48th; Aiden Marcano 65th, 74th; Nicholas Smith 70th vs MOR – VANT CALEDONIA UNITED (0).

At Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field: POINT FORT IN CIVIC (4) – Ezekiel Kesar 4th; Thaj Neptune 37th; own goals 47th, 50th vs CLUB SANDO (1) – Jesiah Thomas 78th.

At Gilbert Park: W CONNECTION (1) – Kern Cedeno vs POLICE (0).

At San Juan North Secondary Ground: SAN JUAN JABLOT EH (3) – Josiah Edwards 38th, 42nd; Jael Mason 55th vs ST ANN’S RANGERS (1) – Keron Manswell 67th.

UNDER-17 DIVISION At New Settlement Ground, Caroni: NORT H EAST ST ARS (3) vs CENTRAL FC (0).

North East Stars won the game by default.

At Trinity East Field: MOR – VANT CALEDONIA UNITED (6) – Ackeem Mason 18th; Trevis Byron 19th; Dwight Yorke 57th, 64th; Malik Mieres 77th; Ethan Bonaparte 87th vs DEFENCE FOR CE (2) – Joshua Ashton 53rd; Joshua Evans 70th.

At Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field: CLUB SANDO (3) – Isa Brable 17th; Maleck Thompson 85th; Seon Shipely 87th vs POINT FORT IN CIVIC (3) – Ackeel Jacob 56th; Judah Garcia 71st; Nion Lammy 75th.

At Gilbert Park: W CONNECTION (2) – Andre Raymond 29th; Mark Ramdeen 90th vs POLICE (0).

At San Juan North Secondary Ground: SAN JUAN JABLOT EH (0) vs ST ANN’S RANGERS (0).

For the majority of the match, Pakistan looked to be behind and despite impressive bowling efforts from wily off-spinner Sunil Narine (3/22) and captain Carlos Brathwaite (3/37), the visitors managed to post a challenging total of 132 all out from their 20 overs with the last two overs going for 24 runs.

But in their chase, it was a similar narrative to the opening T20 with Pakistan’s 18-year-old leg-spinner and Man-of-the-Match Shadab Khan doing significant damage to their top and middle order.

Khan, who had astounding figures of three wickets for seven overs from four stingy overs in Barbados, was again a thorn in the Windies side with only Marlon Samuels playing him with any degree of comfort. But when Khan had him caught behind off a googly in the 13th over for a well-played 44 from 35 balls, the match had swung Pakistan’s way.

It was the last ball of the match for Khan who had four for 14 from his four. Wickets kept tumbling for the hosts and it was left up to Narine and Jason Holder in the last over to get 14 for victory.

Back-to-back boundaries by Narine off pacer Hasan Ali’s first two balls had Windies fans at the Oval singing MX Prime’s soca hit “hold them and wuk them”. But Narine could not deliver another big hit and was run out off the penultimate delivery to leave Holder to get five in the last ball after Ali had bowled a wide. But Holder could not deliver the killer blow as the Windies succumbed to another defeat.

Earlier, the Windies put in another mediocre batting display with only Samuels showing any conviction and confidence at the crease. Opener Evin Lewis was bizarrely run out for three in the second over, looking to pinch a single, he collided with mid-off fielder Shadab Khan as he crossed the line and lost his bat but despite being well past the crease, both feet were off the ground when Imad Wasim’s throw shattered the stumps and the third umpire had no choice but to send him back to the pavilion. Windies coach Stuart Law and Brathwaite were incensed and could be seen in debate with match officials.

There was another collision in the fourth over but this time Pakistan lost a man as Ahmed Shehzad was rushed to St Clair Medical Hospital in an ambulance after sustaining back and neck injuries following a nasty clash with non-striker Chadwick Walton after Samuels had called him for a quick single.

Desperate to not suffer the fate of his opening partner, Walton responded quickly to Samuels’ call and could not get out of the way as Shehzad closed in from point to take a shy at the stumps and bulldozed him with the batsman, fielder and bat flying in different directions.

However, Shehzad returned to the field during the latter stages of the match.

The frightening episode did not seem to faze Walton, hoisting Hasan next over twice through the vacant midwicket area for boundaries.

Samuels seemed to have a personal battle with leg-spinner Shadab Khan, making a point to show the bowler continued replays of his cut shot that brought up a boundary in his first over.

The Jamaican treated pacer Imad Wasim with complete disdain, lashing him for two sixes and a perfectly timed straight drive for four in an over that cost 19.

Khan, however, didn’t take too long to settle into a groove, and dismissed Walton bowled first ball in his second over with a delivery that deceived the Jamaican in flight. Samuels, making a concerted effort to unsettle the young leg-spinner, took him for a four before the over ended.

New batsman Lendl Simmons lasted just two balls, trapped LBW on the front foot off Hasan Ali but again Samuels countered with backto- back fours through the covers to keep the Windies ahead of the runrate.

Khan was working his magic on the other end, though, taking two quick wickets in the 11th over to show his heroics in the first match were no fluke. New batsman Kieron Pollard charged down the track and wafted air and was stumped by Sarfraz Ahmed while Rovman Powell saw his off-stump disturbed while playing back to a ball he should have played forward to first ball.

Sensing the precarious position of the match, Samuels tamed his aggression and looked to play out Khan’s last over but a googly off the last ball kissed his bat and was pouched by wicketkeeper to make it 81 for six after 13 overs.

Samuels’ 44 came off 35 balls with five fours and two sixes.

Brathwaite and the Windies Test and ODI captain Jason Holder took the Windies within striking distance with 30 needed off 18 but Brathwaite was clean bowled by left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz in the 19th over to make it 114 for seven with 10 balls to go which proved too much to overcome.

Carlos Brathwaite’s captaincy was on point though, sending in Pakistan to bat before taking three wickets, two catches and executing a simple run out in limiting Pakistan to 132.

Pakistan lost their first wicket without a run on the board when Kamran Akmal tried to cut a straight delivery by Samuel Badree in the first over and saw his stumps rattled.

Holder had a poor bowling performance, with his first two overs going for 18. Carlos Brathwaite brought himself into the attack and needed just five balls to get the desired result, inducing Babar Azam into a loose drive off a wide delivery that he nicked to wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton.

Pakistan were struggling, and Ahmed Shehzad was next to go, looking to up the scoring rate, flicked a Sunil Narine delivery to Brathwaite at short mid-wicket who gleefully accepted the offering as Pakistan slipped to 43 for three in the ninth over.

Fakhar Zaman, taking the risk of attacking the economical Badree, was just shy of clearing the ropes on his slog sweep but the six-foot seven Holder tiptoed close to the ropes to take the catch.

Khan, who took three for seven in the first match, grabbed four for 14 yesterday and won the battle in an exciting exchange with Jamaican Marlon Samuels who top-scored with 44 from 35 balls but was dismissed by a googly off Khan’s final ball that swung the momentum decisively to Pakistan.

Asked by the media about coming up with a game plan to combat the “leggie” after yesterday’s three-run defeat, Law said: “We got plans for everyone so he’s not the only one we’re talking about. We’re talking about everyone else so we just need to come out with better execution out in the middle – that’s what it boils down to. He bowled really well but we’ve gifted him a few wickets as well.

We just need to be more ruthless against him and see what transpires.” Law said he is satisfied with the bowling and fielding of the Windies unit but again has been letdown by the batsmen but he believes they are on the right track to turn the series around. The Windies were limited to 111 for eight in the first T20 in Barbados on Sunday and were 129 for eight yesterday with five batsmen dismissed for single figures. With the two remaining T20s in the series set for tomorrow and Sunday, Law is keen to see his batsmen finally put together a good showing.

“Take the emotion out of it and with a clear head (today) think about it. We’ve talked about it last couple days regarding changes if necessary…We’re getting better and gelled really well as a team last couple days so I don’t think that’s the case, we just have to play better cricket. There’s glimpses of talent but we just need to have that glimpse for a lot longer. “Our bowling has been excellent. Our fielding and catching has been outstanding.

Our batting is where we need to have a look.

Apart from Marlon, no one really got in and got the scores. We’ve had a couple starts but we just need someone to go on. I think it’s getting better. Fingers crossed we turn up on Saturday and play good cricket,” he ended.

Through its community development programme, the ttff has presented over a 100 free film screenings to various communities nationwide, using film as a vehicle for social transformation and education and impetus for discussion.

According to the festival’s director of community development, Melvina Hazard, while the festival’s free outdoor screenings are popular, well attended and lots of fun for family and friends, they provide an opportunity for so much more.

“Open air cinema also plays an important role in social inclusion and community cohesion, reaching far flung and under-served communities that might not otherwise attend festival screenings in Portof- Spain. Community cinema can also be used to provide learning opportunities, improve skills, knowledge and sometimes even self esteem,” Hazard said in a media release.

“This April however, we are asking people to join us outdoors for the pure joy of a great night out under-thestars with family and friends.” Admission to all screenings is free.

Film details and screening times are as follows: April 1, 7 pm Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association, Chaguaramas All Oceans Blue Documentary/GA/ English Told through family footage and La Borde’s own voice, this is the thrilling story of how in 1969, legendary local sailor and adventurer, Harold La Borde, his wife Kwailan and fiveyear- old son Pierre set off on an epic adventure, circumnavigating the world, including the Galapagos Islands, the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, The Solomon Islands, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Bali,the Indian Ocean and South Africa.

April 8, 7 pm Lange Park Recreation Grounds, Lange Park, Chaguanas The World of Goopi and Bagha Animation/GA / Hindi with English subtitles Goopi and Bagha is a modern-day adaptation of master Indian director Satyajit Ray’s beloved 1969 comic fable. It follows the hilarious adventures of Goopi and Bagha as they embark on a journey towards musical harmony to win a princess’ hand in marriage. Ray also composed the music and songs for this original musical. The lush and gorgeously textured illustrations were produced by Shilpa Renade.

April 15, 7 pm San Fernando Hill Miles Ahead Dir: Don Cheadle/18+/English In his directorial debut, Don Cheadle plays a flawlessly flawed Miles Davis.

The fictionalised story set in the 70s at the lowest point in Davis’s life and career, is presented in an explosive, eclectic mix of styles that resonate with the music of the legendary jazz musician.

Few might be aware of the fact that this faith has been in existence since 1949 in TT.

According to Sterling Belgrove, co-founder of the Rose Foundation who worked closely with the Chinese Baptist community under the Patrick Manning-led administration, while the faith is conservative and even secretive members had no problem integrating with the wider TT community since they believed in the notion of, “every creed and race find an equal place.” In many ways the Chinese Baptist church had similar roots to those of the Spiritual Baptists in TT. In Journal, Baptist Identities, Studies in Baptist History and Thought: International Studies from the Seventeenth to the Twentieth Centuries edited by Ian Randall, Tovio Pilli and Anthony Cross it said: “With the increasing Chinese participation in the Southern Baptist Missions, the nature of the missions began to change to become more and more a service for the Chinese.

Superficial adaptation was no longer enough. The increasing number of Chinese Baptists demanded qualitative transformation to make the Baptist faith and practice more fully a Chinese faith. Gradually, the Chinese Baptists took control of the leadership, finance, and the operation of Baptist work. As a result, a Chinese Baptist identity was established.” When the Chinese came to TT, this practice was brought with them, Belgrove said. In fact, there is a Chinese Baptist church on the Eastern Main Road, Curepe.

There are many similarities between the Spiritual Baptist faith and the Chinese Baptist faith in TT, he added.

Belgrove, who visited the worshipping spaces of the faith many times said, much like the Spiritual Baptist faith, the Chinese Baptists used gowns, water, joss sticks (incense), and members of the faith also speak in tongues and like the Orisha faith worship their ancestors. “Like how the Spiritual Baptists would use incense and different herbs, they use all those things,” he added.

In an interview with Newsday Belgrove said: “The Chinese first arrived here in 1806 as a response to the need for workers to work the sugar cane fields, post emancipation. Subsequently, the first democracy in Asia was established around 1911. That allowed an opportunity for higher levels of migration and the seeking of more opportunities in other parts of the world by Chinese nationals.” He said in 1949 when Mao Zedong began the Long March many Chinese Christian’s fled mainland China. “It is more around 1949 that the Chinese Baptist became domicile in other parts of the world namely Trinidad,” he said.

While the faith is Christian in the main and bases its belief is in Jesus Christ, there is an understanding of Jesus Christ that is very different from Western belief systems.

The faith, he said, believes, “That he [Jesus Christ] is indeed the Son of God and he is the saviour of mankind and no matter what journey you take there is only one way you can get to salvation that is through Jesus Christ.

“They believe in their culture that the principles of Jesus Christ is manifested through different deities and devotion…they believe in a more eclectic type of approach just like the Spiritual Baptists. Even the Spiritual Baptists embody Christianity, African traditions, Hindu traditions, Chinese traditions and ancient traditions from Syria and so on.

“So they understand the universality of God through his son Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ was not a person, in that sense, but a way of life, a principle, and a consciousness.

“It is not religious dogma but it is universality of all creation… the inter-relationship, the co-relation, the interdependence, that everything created by God and everything therefore is our brother and sister…..” He said there are about 200 Chinese Baptists in TT today.

Belgrove said the Rose Foundation got involved with the faith years ago when the organisation acted as advisers to the late prime minister Patrick Manning.

He said there was a large contingent of Chinese Baptist around the world. In a visit to a Chinese Baptist church in Hong Kong, in 1993 there were many services, during one day and there were at least 8,000 to 10,000 parishioners passing through the church on that one day, he said.

Since then, he said, the faith has grown.

“They would use their gowns, their joss sticks, use water, when they get into prayer and devotions there are manifestations and speaking in tongues. They believe in the spirit world and their souls can go to that spirit world. They believe in the worship of their ancestors,” he said.

He said the relationship between Afro-Trinidadians and Chinese has always been a very close one.

Not one that originated in TT but rather it started from an association with Africa.

“The Rose Foundation was very much in the interfaith dialogue and when we co-ordinated inter-faith events, we would have had them integrated in the events and have them participating.

Historically, we were the first ones to integrate them and have them involved in other aspects of faith expressions in TT .” He admitted that they were a conservative group of people and very confidential and almost secretive in what they do. He added that the group does not really like publicity but if called upon there was no objection to their participation.

Belgrove said the group wanted to contribute to a TT that lives up to its national anthem. The Chinese Baptists have participated in Emancipation celebrations, attended a Hindu mandir in St James and join the Spiritual Baptists in celebration, he said.

He recalled there was a Chinese choir that would go visiting different spiritual Baptist churches throughout the country. Many of the people have migrated to North America due to the country’s crime problem, he said. The group often regarded TT as a very special place.

“They consider [us] to be a very blessed place and a very special place. They consider that Trinidadians and Tobagonians do not understand how blessed they are with the country and that we should be more responsible with the way we take care of each other and the country,” Belgrove said.

“They consider that all the cosmic indicators show that TT has an opportunity to have a long and prosperous life as a nation. They believe that even the fact that the leatherback turtles nest here is a symbol of longevity.

If, as a people we understand these blessings that we have then we would adopt a higher value toward each other and the nation.” The Rose Foundation continues to do work with the Chinese Baptist community and in engaging with inter-religious dialogue with others.

He said there is a Chinese mutual support society in TT and the Government should engage in more dialogue with them which could be mutually beneficial to all citizens, he said, noting the China mutual support society was a way to start “Not only in a faith expression kind of view but also a technology skill set,” he said.

To go to one of the services, one has to be invited, he said. Once invited it is fine but simply walking off the street into the church was not allowed since many of its members were subjected to very brutal robberies. He said there was no reservation, however, to Trinbagonians being participating.

The Spiritual Baptist faith and Chinese Baptist faith were not religions but faiths, often misunderstood over so many years, he said. “Therefore, its resilience is very evident, they have been able to weather all the trials, all the tests of life and preserve. TT needs to sit back, get rid of our metaphorical prejudices and pay closer attention. It is very meaningful, very deep, it is very focused and it is not engaged on hocus pocus as some people think. It is based on very sound doctrine, doctrine that is universal and straddles all the various faith expressions based on different ethnicities all around the globe.”

“Divine intervention must now come into play,” Gibbs-De Peza said yesterday at a news conference at Baptist Boulevard, Maloney.

“We are upset about this. We think it is insulting and disrespectful because it is not just one group or one church but a combination of churches that will be celebrating tomorrow (today).” Gibbs-De Peza said the committee, which was formed last year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1917 Shouter Prohibition Ordinance, had requested $1 million from the Government to host this year’s festivities.

“We wrote to the Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts (Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly) and the Prime Minister (Dr Keith Rowley) since September last year giving them a run down or our plans from November (2016) because it is a year of activities,” she said.

Gibbs-De Peza said members of the committee were told subsequently to focus on activities strictly for Liberation month and not the entire year.

“Then the minister told us to pick out the major events and apply individually for funding.

They said they will see what could happen.” She said she was surprised when, on Tuesday, they received just $20,000. “We have never received such a little bit of money.” Gibbs- De Peza said the committee had invited Baptist delegations from Barbados, St Vincent and Grenada.

She said this year’s celebration would mark the first time that a number of Baptist organisations have come together under the umbrella of the National Congress and National Evangelical Spiritual Baptist Faith.

Shouter Baptist celebrations, led by Episkopus Archbishop Barbara Gray-Burke, will also be held today at the Empowerment Hall in Maloney – a stone’s throw away from the Centenary committee’s event.

This year also commemorates the 66th anniversary of the repeal of the Shouter Prohibition Ordinance as well as the 21st anniversary of Liberation Day being declared a public holiday in Trinidad and Tobago.

The meetings are so crucial that the Prime Minister will sadly miss the Shouter Baptist celebrations.

While he may be the first sitting Prime Minister to miss this auspicious religious occasion, I am sure the majority of citizens appreciate what a huge sacrifice he is making on behalf of the nation.

The meeting with Shell would fast forward the development of the astute initiative to develop Venezuela’s Dragon Field to ease our gas woes.

Discussions with Exxon would no doubt allow us to “maco” what our new competitor, Guyana, is doing with its recent oil find.

After these intense discussions, who would deny that Rowley deserves to take a much needed vacation after months of hard work, toil and determination to solve the country’s many woes.

Thank you, Mr Prime Minister, for the sacrifice you are making for our nation.

Thelma Joseph La Brea

The Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TT CF), along with the Rigtech Sonics Cycling Club (RSCC) and the Siparia Regional Corporation, were initially trying to prepare the Irwin Park Sporting Facility’s Cycling Track in Siparia for the event. However, a unanimous decision was made not to use the facility due to a safety concerns surrounding the track.

Speaking at the official media launch for the Cycling Extravaganza, held at the San Fernando City Corporation’s Auditorium yesterday, vice president of RSCC Roger Frontin elaborated on the decision and some of the implementations made to facilitate the track events.

Frontin stated, “The primary safety concern existed with the barriers located on the outside perimeter of the track needing to be adjusted for the riders’ safety and, upon inspection, we realise the project was semi-complete and would not be sufficiently safe for the athletes in time.” He continued, “However, we return to ‘the good old faithful’ Skinner’s Park as minor preparations, such as washing and painting of the tracks, are ongoing and are on schedule for a magnificent cycling experience.” The four-day cycling weekend features track races in Skinner’s Park (beginning today), followed by the Petrotrin, TECU Credit Union and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs- sponsored road racing event (as part of the cycling criterion for the 2017 Southern Games) which will take place tomorrow at 7 pm, in front of Awardy’s Hardware in Marabella.

On Saturday, races would return to the track in Skinner’s Park and all cyclists will be heading to Guaracara Park in Pointe-a- Pierre for the main day of Southern Games on Sunday, for the highly anticipated ‘cycling on the greens’ set to commence at 1 pm.

Under the auspices of the Mayor of San Fernando Junia Regrello, in collaboration with Rigtech Sonics Cycling Club, the cycling events are geared towards youth development and re-stimulating affection for the beloved sport of cycling in the south land as the exciting race competitions include riders between the ages of five and 75.

The TT CF expressed their gratitude towards the city of San Fernando and the RSCC for taking the initiative to support the development of cycling through hosting such events to generate community building activities for the public Registration fees for cyclists are set at $40 while admission for the events, except the road racing, are $30 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 12.

On Tuesday, minutes before a gunman opened fire at mourners attending the wake for murder victim Sylvan Alexis, the drone was seen hovering above Alexis’ house.

Police believe it recorded images of mourners and pinpointed the target for the attack — Patrick Isles — whom ISIS members believe witnessed Alexis’ murder last Friday.

Police believe the drone was also used to monitor the movements of lawmen and information relayed to the gunman who then made their move. The Unruly ISIS gang member in question, has been featured in videos posted to social media in which he threatens bloodshed and mayhem and also boasts that ISIS fears no one.

On Tuesday night, Isles was at the wake when he was gunned down. Two other mourners, Selwyn Warner and Roy Brown, were also shot but survived. Alexis’ murder touched off fiery riots and was the first of four murders committed in Enterprise in a five-day period.

Contacted yesterday on the ISIS drone issue, Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon said, “If any type of equipment is used to spy on police, the police must be concerned and take the necessary action.

CITIZENS MUST HELP “The public in Enterprise will see an increase of police in the area and I am urging people to partner with the authorities, as the officers are there for their security and they should assist in ridding the community of criminal elements.

Many people in Enterprise are good, upright citizens and they must assist law enforcement.

“We are going to take this fight straight to the criminal elements and the police and other arms of law enforcement will be targeting those persons who are bent on illegal activities.” Inspector Michael Seales, president of the Police Social Welfare Association said, “Officers are in fact concerned and in some instances infuriated because of the response by the community (to) the presence of the officers, and that the community is not willing to partner with the officers, so that is where a lot of the confusion exists for the officers.

“The officers are concerned that a lot of bad things are taking place in the Enterprise area, but no one from the community is coming forward to give information that they can use to rid the Enterprise environment of the persons who are involved in criminal activity.” On the use of drones, he said, “Nothing debars the intelligence agencies from deploying overt measures that can take care of situations such as this. The association is quite aware of the various technologies which are available to the Ministry of National Security, and the Ministry of National Security must take the lead and provide the necessary support through its intelligence and its technology so that officers on the ground will not have concerns with regards to the drones or any overt actions by the criminal elements in Enterprise.”

POLICE AFRAID Newsday understands that Head of the Central Division Senior Supt Kenny McIntyre yesterday met with soldiers and officers on the ground at Lions Gate, where anti- crime initiatives were addressed and future exercises planned to tackle crime in Enterprise where eight people have been killed for the year, five of them this month.

The murder toll for the year yesterday stood at 122.

Police sources told Newsday although additional resources from other divisions have been added to existing manpower in Enterprise, police are afraid to work there because they feel their lives are at risk. Police who spoke to Newsday said gang members have high-calibre weapons and appear to be bloodthirsty and have no respect for the law.

An officer who spoke to Newsday on condition of anonymity, said he is seriously thinking of applying for leave because he is the father of several young children and he is quite aware that his life could be in danger every time he goes on foot or mobile patrol in the Enterprise area. He was eager for the authorities to declare a limited state of emergency in Enterprise.

The officer said he has often seen the drone being used and although this was brought to the attention of senior divisional officers, their hands appeared tied, because there is no law preventing civilians using drones except near the airport. In January 2016, the Ministry of National Security revealed that it was clamping down on the use of aerial drones to record personal and public events.

The Government said people using drones should register them with the Civil Aviation Authority as unmanned drones are being used in a way that could cause danger to people and property and might be an invasion of privacy.