“Crime is never a one-way street.” Carmona said, “It is about all of us, the failure of all of us to be our brother’s keeper by giving everyone an even and fair chance to succeed to aspire and to dream. The establishment of a library at the Port-of- Spain Prison is a telling and undeniable symbol and manifestation of the fervent and eternal hope of visionaries in our society that were prepared to do something rather than talking about doing something.” “Education is the key that opens not any door but all doors. This initiative recognises that it is in society’s best interest.

that when person’s leave prison, they must leave being better men and women than when they were incarcerated for what they had done” Carmona also called for the support of corporate bodies to support the philosophy of restorative justice, by being willing to hire ex-offenders, and taking on children and young adults from challenging communities .

The prison reading and library project is the brain child of the Children’s Ark, a non-profit organisation which focuses on “at risk” children .

The Children’s Ark recognised the loss and disadvantage that young children experienced with the imprisonment of their parents .

The group partnered with Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart and other stakeholders to transform the upper level of the Port-of-Spain Gaol, where death row inmates were held.

into the library. The library is expected to have furnishings and specially recommended books, selected by its director.

Debbie Jacobs so children can read to their fathers, and fathers to their children .

The Children’s Ark also intends to construct similar facilities in the Women’s Prison at Arouca

Eleven years after they were charged for the gruesome killing, Phillip “The Boss” Boodram of Dow Village, California; Roger Mootoo of Springvale Village, Claxton Bay; Ricky Singh of Cedar Hill Road, Claxton Bay; Kervin Williams and Aaron “Arc Eye” Grappie both of Pranz Gardens, Claxton Bay, will be sentenced in April for their involvement in the crime.

It was the third trial for the five after two previous trials, in 2009 and 2012, resulted in hung juries as jurors were unable to arrive at unanimous verdicts. The trial also created history as it was the second longest murder trial, spanning a two-year period. The trial began in September 2015.

After a three-day summation of evidence advanced by the prosecution and defence, Justice Norton Jack gave his final directions to the jury before inviting them to deliberate on their verdicts.

The jurors’ deliberations lasted a record seven hours altogether before they returned with the guilty of manslaughter verdicts.

When the foreman of the jury announced not-guilty of murder there was elated murmur from relatives of the men seated at the back of the courtroom. They were immediately silenced when the foreman said, “guilty’ of manslaughter.” All five sat in the prisoner enclosure of the Fifth Criminal Court and shrugged their shoulders when the foreman returned the verdicts. Relatives afterwards said the verdict “just did not make sense.” Rampersad, 45, of Irving Street, Petit Bourg, was snatched from her home on November 25, 2005.

Her decomposing body was dug out of a shallow grave in a cashew field in Claxton Bay on January 5, 2006. A $2 million ransom was demanded for her safe release but it was never paid.

In 2009, three others who were also on trial for Rampersad’s murder were sentenced to 30 years each for their role in the kidnapping and killing of the San Juan businesswoman.

The men, Vivian “Clarkie” Clarke, 36 a father of five; Steve “Boops” McGilvery, 27, and Pernell Martin, 29, were part of a group of nine, charged with Rampersad’s murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

Of the nine, Bobby Sankar was freed, but the rest Boodram, Williams, Grappie, Singh and Mootoo, were to face a fresh trial.

Their second trial ended with a hung trial and they were ordered to face a third.

Senior Prosecutor Tricia Hudlin-Cooper led a team of prosecutors for the State.

The accused were represented by a legal team, which included attorneys Evans Welch, Wayne Sturge, Kelston Pope, Delicia Helwig-Robertson and Danielle Rampersad.

The woman was detained after it was learned she had an altercation with PC Joseph days before the officer left home and was never seen alive again. Up to press time, six persons — five men and the woman — remained in custody, kept at various police stations, assisting investigators in the murder case.

On Wednesday night, hours after Joseph’s body was fished from the sea, a 24-year-old Sea Lots man surrendered to police after learning he was sought in connection with the murder. Sources said this suspect is a boat owner and may have key information on how Joseph’s body was disposed.

Sources said the main suspect, detained since last Friday, refuses to cooperate with investigators and up to yesterday was not yet told that Joseph’s body was found.

Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) officers are expected to revisit several areas in Sea Lots including a wooden house to search for clues.

Police are working on a theory that some time last week Thursday, PC Joseph was lured to Sea Lots by a man whom she was romantically involved with. She was killed and then dumped in the sea.

REWARD FOR FINDING BODY In related news, a Central father of three who was wondering how he would send his children to school next week because of deep financial constraints is now in line to pocket a $25,000 reward offered by Crime Stoppers for information leading to the whereabouts of PC Joseph.

On Tuesday, Crime Stoppers issued a public advertisement announcing the reward. A day earlier, executives of the Police Social Welfare Association (PSWA) approached Crime Stoppers on the issue of a reward being made for information leading to the whereabouts of Joseph. PSWA president Insp Michael Seales yesterday said all arrangements are in place for the recipient to collect the reward.

“The Association would have made an enquiry as for the payment to the person who would have discovered the body of the missing WPC and the Association was given confirmation that the recipients can make their way to Crime Stoppers to collect the reward of $25,000. The Association will be making its own observation so that people can have faith in the system that when something is promised, there is delivery on that promise.

“This is a turning point for law enforcement and in this particular aspect we must get it right so that others will be encouraged to play their civic duty in making Trinidad and Tobago a safer place once more,” Insp Seales said.

PSWA General Secretary Ag ASP Anand Ramesar thanked Crime Stoppers for its role in offering the reward. “We also want to extend our gratefulness to the Coast Guard, Defence Force and members of the public who augmented our efforts to bring closure to this matter,” Ramesar said.

Yesterday, Newsday contacted the recipient of the Crime Stoppers reward who said that on Wednesday, while trawling in the Gulf of Paria off Sea Lots he was lost in thought wondering how he would send his children to school as he had no money. Moments later, his shrimp trap snagged on a feed bag on the seabed. On peering into the water, the man spotted a foot jutting out of the bag. A white slipper was still on the foot.

He said he did not even know about the Crime Stoppers reward until it was brought to his attention hours after the discovery of Joseph’s body.

HAPPY FOR CLOSURE The man said he was both sad and happy for Joseph’s family, friends and colleagues in the Police Service. “I am happy to have been of help in bringing closure.

As the woman’s body has been found, there can be a funeral and closure. I am sad at the same time, since a life has been lost and the woman’s family and friends would be crying all now,” said the man who asked not to be identified.

The man said he has since called 800-TIPS and was told that someone would be in contact with him. The man said he is grateful for this reward as he has mounting bills to pay. “Fishing is not easy and not all the time you will catch enough fish and shrimp to make a living. This reward will help enormously as I am real bills to pay,” the man said.

When I see these developments I do say, there but for the Grace of God go I.” He continued, “I did say earlier on that the country is traumatised by this persistent, constant crudity that seems to be the order of the day.” The Prime Minister said Government has a responsibility to ensure that there is law enforcement is for all crimes, “but at the end of the day, it is the behaviour of people.” Rowley said, “I feel the pain of the families who wake up to this every day.” He believes the state of crime, “is largely the result of a lack of consequence.” “There are people who believe they can do these things convinced in their own minds…

little as those minds are that nothing is going to happen to them.” As a firm believer of Capital punishment, he declared, “It is not as a result of any deterrent.

It is the punishment for the crime.” Rowley continued, “In so far that it is my view, people who are acting with impunity because they believe that nothing will happen, for the minority who will fall into the hands of the law and for whom successful prosecutions would have met I am aware that the Attorney General has put in his department a tracking process.” He said that process will try to ensure that standards of the Privy Council’s Pratt and Morgan judgement are met, “so persons who have chosen crime as a way of life and who have harmed our society will pay the ultimate penalty laid down in law.” He added, “To ensure that we are properly guided by that I as Prime Minister have communicated openly with former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj who has provided a pathway for the Office of the Attorney General to make sure what exists now can be utilised to ensure persons who are duly caught, at least some of them, will have their day in court and at the end of the day, if they are unsuccessful in their escape, face the penalty laid down in law.” Saying Government continues to provide the security forces with the resources needed to fight crime, Rowley said helicopters used in these efforts cost $41 million every three months in maintenance.

He added this amounted to $170 million annually and, “we have just managed to make some changes in that.” Rowley said that Cabinet has approved an initiative to bring down that maintenance cost from $41 million to $15 million.

“We understand what we are dealing with here. We just have to get tough. We have to get alert and we have to get serious that this fight against the criminal element is a national crusade,” he stated.

Rowley urged citizens to support all arms of the protective services.

Rowley, who is chairman of the National Security Council, said law enforcement is taking steps to deal with people incarcerated in prison yet still running criminal empires.

He also disclosed that the American lobbyist firm hired by Government, The DC Group, is assisting this country in obtaining national security assistance from the United States government as part of its remit.

Sookhai, in a somewhat sombre mood, prefaced his remarks by lamenting the murder of PC Nyasha Joseph, whose body was found stuffed in a crocus bag and dumped in the Gulf of Paria on Wednesday.

“With a heavy heart I must firstly extend condolences to the family and friends of WPC Nyasha Joseph whose body was found earlier today,” Sookhai said. He said women in TT are under attack as, “news of violence committed against them” are being reported on an almost daily basis. He said the nation’s menfolk must “take a stand to start protecting our women and loved ones.” Regarding politicians, Sookhai said, “they must stop playing the blame game and start focusing on protecting our people.” “More manpower in the police force may not be the solution, but I strongly believe we need more brain power,” Sookhai said. He said forensic science is key to solving crime and called for a national database for sex offenders to be established. “DNA from these individuals must be recorded which can be used to easily identify them. Make them feel ashamed for what they have done and label these individuals forever,” he said.

Sookhai said the Chamber is working “diligently and assiduously” with Central Police Division head Snr Supt Kenny McIntyre to address crime in the central borough. He also touched on the local banking sector saying while it was not his intention to “demonise” banks, there are a number of unfair practices by banks such as high bank charges and the disparity in interest rates.

“Our aim is not to demonise the banks, but these are pertinent issues, as some of these practices contribute in making our businesses and by extension our economy uncompetitive.

Ladies and gentlemen, in these harsh times, banks continue to declare super profits,” Sookhai said.

“We hope to have meaningful conversations with banks. Discovering ways to help them mitigate risk which can possibly lead to reducing in some service charges, especially to the less fortunate in our society,” he said.

The impact is not limited to Joseph’s family however. Members of the community that nurtured her, from her teachers at primary school to caring and attentive neighbours, will all today feel the pain of this. But the greatest pain will be felt by her child, now motherless, who will bear the knowledge of the circumstances of a loved one’s death for a lifetime.

Joseph’s police colleagues, who would have worked hard and hoped and prayed for a different outcome, must now be devastated.

The pain is worsened by her youthful promise as well as the sobering reality that this is an outcome that has touched upon a member of the protective services. Who is safe, if even the Police Service can lose its members to the scourge of crime? Efforts must be made to ensure all those affected receive adequate counselling and support.

The developments are a blow to a police district which has a tremendous task of keeping crime under control. Joseph was last posted at the Morvant Police Station.

In the course of investigations police have detained several people, including one male figure who had close ties to Joseph. Another figure, said to have a boat, has also reportedly surrendered. We hope investigators are able to identify the perpetrator(s) and any associates who may have been involved or assisted.

The details of how the corpse was discovered suggests a great degree of effort in attempting to conceal the body, though some details are hard to reconcile with this. It is for the forensic officers to determine the cause of death and to work out a narrative of what has occurred. One forensics website, however, suggests these officers may have an impossible task.

The body would have been exposed to many changes in the surrounding temperature, pH and salt content.

These factors make determination of the time of death difficult.

Compounding the problem even more is that the trauma experienced by the body from ocean exposure is hard to differentiate from the trauma from foul play.

Whoever disposed of this body may have been counting on this.

Meanwhile, we salute the diligence of the two fishermen who discovered the body in the course of looking for shrimp. Instead, they made a most macabre find.

Notwithstanding all the challenges, we hope justice can be done. Too often in cases like this there is no resolution. While the discovery of the body is itself an important form of closure for all concerned, equally important is a conviction in the criminal justice system.

Joseph’s case has made many question the fate of other missing females, such as Ria Sookdeo, who has seemingly vanished without a trace. The manner in which Joseph’s body was apparently disposed of also brought to mind the case of mother of three Eden Teesdale, found butchered and stuffed in a barrel at the Mitan River. Her head was never discovered. Her killer remains at large.

The ironic thing is that Joseph’s case comes just as Trinidad and Tobago joined with the rest of the world in observing International Women’s Day. A march occurred on Saturday, gathering support from diverse groups.

It seems trite now to suggest what is already known. Women are under attack. What is more disturbing is the casualness, the banality of the evil — to borrow Hannah Arendt’s phrase — which now stalks the land. Women are being discarded, in the sea, in rivers, and who knows where else, as if this is an ordinary thing, as if men are entitled to play gods. Monsters.

There are other prison libraries in TT, run by NALIS, but this privately- run library is unique for its roots that can be traced back to a single book: Wishing for Wings, based on my first CXC English class in the Youth Training Centre (YTC).

Looking back on those days with Prison Officer Donna McDonald and Commissioner of Prisons Sterling Stewart, who served then as superintendent at YTC, I remember how my students and I forged a special bond through reading and writing. The lads found solace in books, and they began to write about their lives.

My editor, Arthur Dash, encouraged me to share the lads’ experiences in columns. My friend Justice Kathy Ann Waterman Latchoo encouraged me to write a book. The lads approved of the idea because they “wanted to do something meaningful with their lives.” And so I wrote Wishing for Wings.

The stories we told created a new awareness of the crime situation in Trinidad. My boys broke stereotypes and proved that learning can take place anywhere. They inspired me to start an NGO, The Wishing for Wings Foundation, registered with the Ministry of Community Development. When I went to the Port-of-Spain Prison to teach English, I opened a small library with the encouragement of my super-supportive English class.

I dreamed of a special place where inmates could discover books as my lads had in YTC; a place where they could also read to their children.

After much thought about the perfect location, Mr Stewart and the Port-of-Spain Prison provided a space where cells for condemned inmates had once stood. That place has been transformed from one of the darkest places imaginable in TT to a place of light and hope where inmates can experience a real library.

I am in wonder at how much can be accomplished when people, organisations and government ministries work together. Together, the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of National Security funded my initial library projects, like our PVC furniture- making course.

Fellow teachers from the International School of Port-of-Spain bought textbooks, and many individuals, like Gary Aboud, contributed to projects attached to my previous library.

Inmates tore down cells and Children’s Ark renovated the space with all the headaches that entails.

Kathy Anne, Vicki Assevero and Simone de la Bastide are the epitome of selfless support. Architects Michael Nyarko and Rudylinn Roberts were instrumental in designing this library.

My daughter Ijanaya chose the colours for the library walls and the design for the children’s area, which inmates from Carrera interpreted as dreamy scenes of a tree with books taking flight. Everyone contributed to this warm and inviting environment, but Children’s Ark and the Port-of-Spain Prison made it all happen.

Books take on a special meaning in prison. They offer comfort and escape; advice and entertainment.

My son Zino and Ijanaya say the books I read to them were the highlight of their childhood.

All children should experience such joy. Through Children’s Ark, inmates’ children will have books they can take home and keep forever.

Our plan is to send children home with DVDs of their fathers reading to them so children can have a memorable experience.

I believe with all my heart that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Books transform lives. I want inmates to be instruments of change and to instil confidence and a love for reading in their children because I know reading makes dreams come true.

If he is not charged by then, the Sea Lots man must be immediately released from custody.

Justice Nadia Kangaloo gave this order yesterday after hearing a habeas corpus application filed by lawyers representing the 36-year-old Sea Lots man who is challenging his detention since Friday last. Ag Superintendent Suzette Martin, who is leading the investigation, told Justice Kangaloo the police need three more days to complete their investigation.

She also said they were awaiting the result of Joseph’s autopsy, which was performed at the Forensic Science Centre in St James, yesterday. Martin said investigators still have to interview three persons of interest detained after Joseph’s body was discovered in the waters of the Gulf of Paria, close to the mouth of the Caroni River.

Joseph, mother of a four-yearold girl, went missing on Thursday.

The suspect was brought to court yesterday by several police officers and sat silently during the proceeding. Justice Kangaloo said she accepted that the police required additional time but expressed concern that the suspect was being held at the Homicide Investigation Bureau’s office at Riverside Plaza in Port-of-Spain.

The man’s lawyer, Criston J Williams said housing his client at the office was improper as there are no holding cells at this location.

Ag Supt Martin said it was the suspect who asked to be held at this office. “I am not at all satisfied with him being able to choose to remain there. It is not for an accused to determine the place of detention but for the police to do the right thing,” Justice Kangaloo said.

After discussions with lawyers for both sides, Justice Kangaloo said the suspect could remain at the Homicide office. Also appearing for the suspect are attorneys Shirvani Ramkisson and Kirby Joseph. Kangaloo has ordered that the police return to court next Monday to provide an update.

Williams told reporters yesterday at the Scarborough Police Station in Tobago, investigators are pursing the case “with vigour” to ensure the 22-year-old officer’s killers are brought to justice. “It has traumatised the nation and it has traumatised the entire Police Service,” Williams said. “Such a vicious and barbaric act by individual or individuals is one, no one in this society would endorse or condone.” He said, “I want to give the public the assurance that we are going to continue to focus on this investigation in a special way because it is a police officer who has died, but we will also continue to focus on other investigations in a special way. We extend resources at our disposal to solve crimes. In this particular instance the entire society has been traumatized. And we have to lift our game to ensure crime is solved.” When asked about the findings of the investigations thus far, he stated, “I will not be speaking on the stage of the investigation or the content of the investigation.

I will tell you the investigation is being pursued at this point time with all effort. We have detained several persons and I would not give the names of the name of those persons at this point in time, but yes we have detained persons.

There are some key indicators but I don’t want to share at this point in time. We will brief the media in a substantial way shortly.” When questioned about a video circulating on social media with what seems to be WPC Joseph being choked and tugged by a male friend, Williams said he is unaware of the particular incident but went on to say he will reserve any further information surrounding the death of WPC Joseph, at this time. The police service has planned to cover all cost for the burial of WPC Joseph. Williams said WPC Joseph short time with the police service will be remembered.

He said “in light of all the circumstances with this death, an extremely young officer just passed out just months ago, are such where we have to do something special. As the head of the organisation we will undertake to cover the expenses of the funeral. That’s what we intend to do.” WPC Joseph,22, was reported missing on the March 9. She was four months in the service and was attached to the Morvant Police Station.

After six days of land and sea searches, the body of the missing officer was discovered on Wednesday by a Felicity fisherman out at sea in the Gulf of Paria off Sea Lots. Williams said the police service is grieving the loss of a young officer and sent condolences to her family and close friends.

Yesterday, Joseph’s mother Paula Guy and a female relative went to the Centre accompanied by police officers and were led into the mortuary room to assist in identifying the body of WPC Joseph.

Newsday understands that the body was identified via the slippers Joseph was wearing as well as her clothing.

Joseph’s mother appeared dazed as she stared at the battered body of her daughter whose face on the right side was bashed in. The rope around Joseph’s neck which had two foundation blocks were yesterday removed by mortuary attendants who also removed rope used to bind her hands.

Mortuary attendants also removed an iron anchor from around the neck of the woman.

Following the hour and a half long autopsy, Joseph’s mother and the other female relative were led to a police vehicle and driven away.

Reporters who gathered outside the centre waiting to interview the mother, were not allowed near her as she left the centre. Police investigators said that they were told that due to the advanced state of decomposition it was difficult to determine conclusively a cause of death.

Police are now relying heavily on the evidence of eye witnesses to prepare a case against the main suspect, a 36-year-old labourer and a 24-year-old man both of Sea Lots.

Officers said that they expect to wind up the investigations by Saturday and will approach Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard SC by Sunday for his directions.