According to reports, Fabian Eugene was at his friend’s house which he had gone to visit when gunman opened fire on the houes striking Eugene about the body.
When a check was made, Eugene was found bleeding from gunshot wounds. He reportedly died on the scene and a District Medical Officer ordered the removal of the body to the Forensic Science Centre. Investigations are continuing.
At a press conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Portof- Spain, Tewarie said they were also concerned about the government’s failure to take decisions that will lead to stimulation of investment, reversal of recession, restoration of growth and creation of jobs in the economy.
Tewarie also expressed concern over Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s announcement that some $1.7 billion in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) will be used to partially fund the country’s $7 billion Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).
“This is in addition to about $11 billion already borrowed during their term so far, a worsening debt to GDP ratio as borrowings increase and the GDP continues to decline…
we are very worried and concerned about how our country is going to repay such high debt in the absence of confidence in the absence of ecnomic growth and with proseperity no where near on the horizon,” he said.
He questioned whether the PSIP has been financed in the past five months.
“The PSIP was allocated according to the 2017 budget $7 billion so does it mean that no money has been spent and that nothing has been done for five and a half months.
“Does it mean they are now beginning to finance the PSIP in mid-year and he has not told us what are the projects.
Since the budgetary allocation is about $7 billion, what part of the PSIP and what specific projects will this $1.7 billion be used for and how much impact will it make?” Tewarie said. He said the country’s economic situation has been getting worse with declines in each quarter since the People’s National Movement has been in office. He said the general feeling of the population was that the government was floundering.
“This is also a feeling in the business sector which is that this government is overwhelmed, that they are out of their depth and incapable of offering solutions to any of our major challenges, whether it is the murder rate, whether it is managing revenue and expenditure and deficit, whether it is stimulating the manufacturing sector, facilitating the expansion of the services sector. Initiating construction activity, boosting agriculture, attracting investment or taking the necessary action to move the economy from decline and recession to growth and prosperity.” Tewarie said the Opposition was concerned that revenue targets were not being met.
“We are continuing to spend more than we are earning, the deficit or fiscal gap is increasing.
With a $50 oil price and a $3 gas price, the government seems to be making no effort to live within its means,” he said.
Police investigators said that at about 9.20 am a party of officers headed by ASP Mohammed and Insp Gajadhar received information and went to an apartment building at corner of Railway and Tramline Road.
The officers, among them Sgt Ramlogan, PCs Ramkissoon, Mitchell, Smith, Guerra and Mohammed, searched the apartment where they recovered a pistol with 15 9mm ammunition together with 235 grammes of “high grade” marijuana.
The officers arrested the man, who is wanted for a series of crimes committed in the southern district, and his 26-year-old sister.
SRC’s chairman Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh, during the national cleanup campaign on Saturday, made the suggestion to Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein. At the time the Minister was at the popular Daisy Voisin hub located along High Street, Siparia.
The hub was named in honour of the late Alexandra Daisy Voisin, dubbed the Queen of Parang.
She was the leader of the parang group La Divina Pastora.
“We want to have a natural history museum devoted to culture, to the works of Daisy Voisin and so many others like (entertainer) Machel Montano.
He is from Siparia, we had (historian) Angelo Bissessarsingh.
We have a lot of people in the arts and culture. We have the Siparia Deltones and Diatonics, we have good tassa groups,” Ramadharsingh said.
Ramadharsingh was the Social Development Minister under the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led administration. Persad-Bissessar is the Member of Parliament for Siparia and Opposition Leader.
Ramadharsingh said that Siparia is developing rapidly and is close to borough status. At the hub on Saturday, volunteers joined with the Minister and Chairman to clean up the area.
The clean-up campaign continued in the municipality and Ramadharsingh added that at Murray Trace someone attempted to create a scrap yard, without legal authority to do so. Overgrown trees were trimmed, major rivers courses cleaned, derelict vehicles removed and dilapidated buildings demolished as part of the exercise.
Hosein told Newsday that Siparia was the eighth of 14 corporations to be part of the campaign.
Next week the team heads to the Point Fortin Borough Corporation and he called on volunteers to come out and clean up their respective communities.
He thanked all volunteers, including the corporate community, for their assistance in the exercise.
She said following the rape act she was threatened and told she would be removed from the training if she reported the matter to the police. The woman said that she underwent severe emotional stress and could not function properly and every time she saw the two suspects while at the Cadet headquarters she would feel sick and depressed. She said on Friday she could take it no more and decided to report the matter so she could get some form of justice.
The woman could not be medically examined and was told to return on Wednesday so she could be taken to a District Medical Officer (DMO) to be examined.
Newsday understands that officers of the Carenage CID are expected to interview the suspects this week and a file will then be forwarded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for directions in the matter. The female recruit was advised to continue to report to duties and not be intimidated by anyone.
Sources revealed this is not the first time that female recruits have been sexually assaulted at the headquarters but the matters were never reported because of threats issued to the victims.
In an unrelated matter, a 27-year-old woman of St John Road, St Augustine who was remanded in custody at the Golden Grove prison, Arouca on Tuesday for trafficking in drugs told a senior prisons officer that earlier this month she was walking along Centenary Street, Tunapuna where she was pulled into an abandoned house by a man known to her and was sexually assaulted. The officer alerted the Tunapuna police and the remand prisoner was interviewed and medically examined by a DMO.
Investigations are continuing in that matter.
Following that, she said she sent for her registration form but it was not given to her brother, who cheekily took a picture of it with his phone.
With the registration form verifying what she believed all along she had her lawyer send TUCO a pre-action protocol letter that she said was never acknowledged by TUCO. Sinnette said the scores that were given out didn’t match the comments of the judges, and complained that TUCO does not know how to communicate with people.
She also stated that it was a conflict of interest for TUCO to be running tents when they are supposed to represent all calypsonians. Impulse (Wayne Modeste), who was also at the protest held up a placard that read: “25 Years, We Renting Still”, while Lady Gypsy (Lynette Steele), held another stating: “Who is the Ali Baba”.
Sinnette said Impulse sang before judges but there were no judging scores for him, and he was not alone in that situation.
Other placards read: “Save the Outlaws”, “We Want Judges’ Scores Not TUCO Scores”, “Constitution Reform”, “Fairness”, “Credibility” and “Transparency”.
Sinnette said the group has real issues with the management of TUCO and would like to see the present executive moved. When asked why since TUCO recently held its election she said: “That election is another thing by itself but I will not get into that.” TUCO president Lutalo Masimba and other executives came out to talk with the protestors but they are still peeved.
Calls to Massiba’s phone went unanswered.
The Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ZSTT) has already reduced the amount of trash sent to the overflowing landfill sites by more than 60 percent utilising those items that are recyclable. The large quantities of plastics and other miscellaneous items including styrofoam were received by the ZSTT at its temporary recycling facility at the Emperor Valley Zoo for conversion to useful items.
Confirming this was the President of the ZSTT, Gupte Lutchmedial who indicated that the collected waste was already being processed using a special grinder for recyclables. “This is only the first part of a process to shred the waste and then we add value by converting this to useful functional items such as benches, flowerpots, planters, etc”, Lutchmedial stated.
He added, “In the making of one bench which is on display at the Zoo, 10,000 bottles were used and the impact of this on the environment cannot be downplayed.” The Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Clarence Rambharat has expressed support for the initiative and was present at the Zoo to assist in the process.
He is encouraging the Zoo to expand its efforts especially as this will reduce the number of plastic bottles and other persistent waste materials from reaching our rivers and seas.
In further explaining the rationale behind this initiative, Lutchmedial explained that this is not a business venture for the Zoo, but a means to contribute to the abatement of a crisis facing the environment. “If the ZSTT can do its part to put less bottles and plastics in the environment, then this is reward enough,” he concluded.
Professor Jaipaul L Roopnarine, a Pearl S Falk professor of Human Development and Family Science at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York and Adjunct Professor at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Family Development Centre, underscored the importance of play and recreation in children’s lives.
Speaking on Enhancing Children’s Engagement in Social and Cognitive Activities at UWI’s School of Education, Friday, Roopnarine said children spent 18 percent to 30 percent of their time playing, and ten percent to 14 percent watching television.
In his recent study, Roopnarine said 2,400 children from 16 different countries across five continents were concerned about the decrease in play time.
He said children paid more attention to academic tasks when given frequent brief opportunities to play. He said play promoted problem solving and children who engaged in pretend play often had stronger self regulation skills.
Roopnarine said children were more well rounded when exposed to cultural activities and exposed to their ecological niche, playing in their own backyards, in playgrounds, on banks of rivers making mud figurines.
Children in underdeveloped countries who had many chores such as having to carry water to their homes from far distances tended to incorporate play with their work, he said.
The professor said parental beliefs and practices in the Caribbean showed that Caribbean parents believed in harsh punishment and control, praise and reward were infrequent and demanded obedience and unilateral respect.
They also had early developmental expectations of their children.
In the study of his study Play in Caribbean Cultural Communities said some childhood games and play activities were seen across Caribbean communities while others were confined to specific locales.
However, it was noted that despite such activities among children and research data on the benefits of play stimulation for at-risk children, play remained at the periphery of parent-child activities. Roopnarine said children needed to play more, adding that play and parenting worked together in helping a child’s all-rounded well-being.
In the semi-finals yesterday, the Boyce brothers defeated Athelstan Phillips and Nicholas Sellier 6-2, 6-3. It was a much tougher task for Auguste and Villaroel in their semi-final contest against Kendall Cuffy and Anthony Jeremiah.
Cuffy and Jeremiah won the first set 6-1, but Auguste and Villaroel fought back to win the next two sets 6-0, 10-8. The veterans doubles final is scheduled to take place either on Wednesday or Thursday.
The tournament continues today from 4 pm.
OTHER RESULTS Men’s Singles Second Round – Richard Chung def Samuel West 6-4, 6-4; Rowland Phillips (Jamaica) def Brandon Tom 6-0, 6-1; Javier Lewis def Dexter Mahase 4-5 (retired); Adam Escalante def Kevin Gardener (Antigua) 6-1, 6-2; Akiel Duke def Aidan Carter 6-4, 6-3; Damion Johnson (Jamaica) def Ethan Jeary 6-3, 6-1; Vernon Lewis (St Lucia) def Brandon Gregoire 6-0, 6-2; Nabeel Mohammed def Che Andrews 6-2, 6-2.
Veterans Singles Second Round – Brian Jackson def Frank Ramudit 6-1, 6-2.
Sunil Narine was unplayable at the St Mary’s College Ground in St Clair. The West Indies off-spinner grabbed four for 13 in 10 overs to lead Queen’s Park to a eight-wicket over First Citizens Clarke Road.
Clarke Road were dismissed for a dismal 130 in 41.3 overs batting first, as Darren Deonarine was also impressive for the Parkites taking 4/21 in 10 overs. Naparima College student Clevon Kalawan topscored for Clarke Road with an unbeaten 29, while Adrian Ali scored 21.
In reply, Tion Webster slammed an unbeaten 42 and Daron Cruickshank contributed an unbeaten 40 as Queen’s Park rushed to 131/2 in 15.3 overs.
Webster struck three fours and three sixes in his 52-ball knock, while Cruickshank slammed four fours and three sixes in his 22-ball innings. The Clarke Road players did not help themselves conceding 23 extras including 16 wides. At the Brian Lara Recreation Ground in Santa Cruz, Merry Boys defeated Alescon Comets by 81 runs. Batting first, Merry Boys posted 250 all out in 48.2 overs.
Former TT and West Indies batsman Lincoln Roberts, who scored 100 in the three-day tournament on Saturday, topscored with 59 off 57 deliveries, inclusive of four fours and three sixes.
Roberts was ably supported by Amir Jangoo who scored 45 off 63 balls with three fours and one six. Idrees Mohammed and Kastri Singh were the top bowlers for Comets, snatching 4/50 and 2/44 respectively.
In reply, Comets were dismissed for 169 in 35.5 overs with Andy Gobin scoring 73. Gobin struck six fours and two sixes and faced 76 deliveries. Kieron Joseph contributed 35 for Comets, but Ranga Lachana and Ricky Jaipaul kept the runs down with top spells. Lachana took 3/6 in 3.5 overs, while Jaipaul bagged 2/9 in six overs.
OTHER SCORES TABLELAND 211 (47.4 overs) – Negus Carthy 51, Keacon Mahabir 49, Al Small 33; Mark Deyal 3/44, Kavesh Kantasingh 3/45, Ansil Bhagan 2/20 vs POWERGEN 212/4 (47 overs) – Nicholas Sookdeosingh 105 not out, Cephas Cooper 45; Brian Pegus 2/28. PowerGen won by six wickets.
JAILAL ENTERPR ISE VICTOR IA 243/5 – Andrae Bryce 100 not out, Savion Lara 64, Keron Kanhai 30 vs CENTRAL SPORTS 244/2 (45.1 overs) – Kjorn Ottley 127 not out, Kamil Pooran 67. Central Sports won by eight wickets.
