“The Ministry of Education has always had a system to address indiscipline and violence in schools. Bullying is one aspect of indiscipline.

Incidents of indiscipline and violence have been on the wane for some time. However, recent incidents have told us we need to look again, more closely at plans to reduce violence and indiscipline,” he said during a press conference at his Port-of-Spain office.

He said it is important to address the issue before it attains proportions that will negatively affect the entire school system. Garcia said the ministry has asked all principals to pay close attention to a number of aspects of the discipline plans and review where necessary. “The ministry will be giving teachers and principals certain skills on how to deal with conflict and anti-bullying sessions will be done with students.

“We have asked teachers and principals to engage in greater communication exercises.

The ministry and will continue to encourage students to always seek help. The ministry will also focus on parenting workshops.” Garcia said the ministry will be working to improve reading and writing skills to all students by launching a programme aimed at improving penmanship.

“As part of this project, the ministry has identified the need for students at primary level to master the skill of handwriting. When we look at the reports that come to us that are written by students, very often it is difficult to decipher what is written.” He added, “We realise because of the widespread use of technology, in particular, the use of the cell phones and computer by our students, writing itself is being placed on the back burner. It is important therefore to ensure those skills are returned to our students.”

The threat to boycott Friday’s election came after the Law Association refused to entertain any voting in San Fernando. The Association, in correspondence to the ASL, informed the Assembly that the High Court Registry in Port-of-Spain was unable to guarantee the technology to supply a reliable audio-visual link between venues in San Fernando and Tobago and Port of Spain.

In a letter to his membership on Monday, Khan said the ASL sought to provide an alternative to the Law Association Executive which was rejected.

He said the association was told that the Election Notice detailed that the meeting will be held in Port of Spain.

“The LATT has also sought to rely on Rule 24 of the Rules of the Council of the Law Association.

We find that in that Rule, no support for the LATT’s position.

It is our view that the inconvenient truth is that our LATT for reasons unknown to us, is not prepared to facilitate our request or take into account the effect of its unilateral decision has on a large scale of its membership,” Khan told his members. He said the ASL represent over 500 members.

In his letter to Armour, Khan said the ASL noted with disappointment the decision taken to have only one general council meeting and no live stream of the proceedings or voting in San Fernando as the Assembly’s views or input were not sought.

He also said he knew of no basis where members of the association will seek to challenge the results of Friday’s election or have invalidated the ballots cast by lawyers in San Fernando.

Persad-Bissessar made the statements on Monday evening before a large crowd gathered in the hall of Preysal High School at the UNC’s (United National Congress) first Monday Night Forum since the last local government election.

Referencing the Central Bank’s Financial Stability Report, Persad- Bissessar said the local banking sector earned $4.1 billion in profits before tax in 2015 and this was due in large part to increasing bank fees and charges. “They (banks) not listening to (Attorney General) Faris (Al-Rawi) you know,” said Persad-Bissessar.

“Remember Faris said you don’t have to make a profit in a business? They not listening to that.” She listed the profits earned by major banks over the last two years and compared it to increases in bank fees and charges.

Referencing the report again, Persad-Bissessar said the billions in the sector were earned from, among other things, the introduction of new, and the increase of old, bank fees and charges.

“That is what they call digging out your eyes,” said the UNC leader.

“More than advantage from the super structure, from the super elites with $1.2 billion in their pockets.” This, she said, happens while banks keep customers outside “in the hot sun and rain” before they open only for customers to wait in long lines to be served.

Persad-Bissessar said she wrote to the Bankers Association on Monday and asked them to “put country first”.

Turning her attention to Finance Minister Colm Imbert, the opposition leader reminded him of his promise to look into regulating the banking sector through the Central Bank.

Persad-Bissessar said the government has since not acted on its promise and should look into invoking different sections of the Central Bank Act to regulate the sector, namely Sections 33:C and 33:D.

“They need to look at a different section of the Central Bank Act if they want to deal with the bank charges and bank fees.” Persad-Bissessar cited Jamaica as a regional example of a government seeking to regulate the banking sector.

She highlighted a Jamaica Observer article of March 10 which spoke of the Jamaican MP for Southern St Catherine, Fitz Jackson, bringing a Private Member’s Bill to parliament seeking government’s regulation of bank fees and charges.

Moonilal was speaking at the United National Congress’ Monday Night Forum at the Preysal High School. He called for an independent inquiry into the “goat roti man.” Last week, Prime Minister Dr.

Keith Rowley confirmed that The Group DC, headed by Arthur Collins, was retained as a lobbyist.

Moonilal told the audience, “We met the fella in Cunupia, right here. We went in somebody garage. All I could remember with this fella is he like dalphourie roti and goat. The fella eat dhalpourie and goat like hell. When he left, he take some home too.” Moonilal said although Collins was “a nice fella”, his services were denied. “We said this is nice, but we really don’t have that kind of money, you know, for this thing.

And quite frankly we thought his services could be provided by local people.” Moonilal said this country did not need lobbyists because it has embassies throughout the world since it gained independence in 1962. And because ministers are charged with the responsibility of advancing their mandate at home and abroad, lobbyists are even more unnecessary.

They’re only needed, he said, to deal with specific problems.

“Patrick Manning hired a lobbyist when we had a problem with the steel industry and our access to the US market, it was a single issue.” Moonilal said the former government later discovered that Collins “might be connected to the PNM” and posed a series of questions to the prime minister.

“Tonight we ask Keith Rowley, did Arthur Collins work for the PNM in the build-up to the general elections in 2015? Did he work for you? And when he work for you, did you pay him or did you promise him that if and when you got into power, you will pay him with a kickback contract as a lobbyist for T&T?” Moonilal waved for the cheering crowd a paper he said was “the contract for the goat roti man” and made a call for an independent inquiry into the hiring of Collins.

This was needed, he said, because for general elections, “political hustlers” from all over the world approach governments to offer their help to win elections.

“Now I not saying Arthur Collins is a hustler, eh.

“I saying you have hustlers coming, and everybody come they want to help you win, they want to do something. But you think they doing it for free? They not doing nothing for free.” Moonilal said it was a scandal of “immense proportions” that the government spent “$18 million” on a lobbyist while crime continues to spiral out of control and the construction of the Ramai Trace Hindu School is not yet completed.

Claiming that the right to trial by jury is an absolute right in this country, Ramdeen said Al-Rawi must apologise to the Cabinet, the Parliament and the country for bringing such legislation to Parliament.

He added that after doing so, Al-Rawi must do “the decent thing” and resign.

Ramdeen listed several legal notables who opposed the abolition of trial by jury. As he looked through the legislation, Ramdeen remarked, “There is no legitimate aim here. There is no proportionality either.

Recalling that Chief Justice Ivor Archie made certain observations about trial by jury, Ramdeen quoted what he said was correspondence from former Independent senator Dana Seetahal SC (deceased) about this same issue as it pertained to matters that she was involved in. Referring to those same matters, Ramdeen said under the Doctrine of the Separation of Powers, both the Executive and the Judiciary must know their respective places.

Noting there have been 100 murders so far for this year and 467 murders last year, Ramdeen scoffed that the statistics which Al-Rawi mentioned in his contribution, “were irrelevant to to the debate.” Independent Senator Sophia Chote SC said she could not support the bill. She did not see how overloading judges would reduce the backlog in the criminal justice system. Observing that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard recently said he did not view trial by juries as attributing to the backlog, Chote said only nine places are allocated for judges in the Criminal Assizes. Saying this has been reduced to seven in recent times, Chote wondered how would “the lucky seven” be able to deal with the hundreds of cases coming their way.

She also argued that the average citizen discharges their civic and civil duty through jury service.

Chote admitted that while jury tampering is a real issue in TT, “juries don’t make a problem in the dispensation of justice.”

At last Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Magdalena Grand Hotel in Tobago, Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe announced that Cabinet has agreed to dissolve the TDC and establish two entities, one to focus on tourism in Trinidad and another for Tobago.

“Sometimes hard decisions have to be taken but we want to give the assurance that the workers of TDC will be treated fairly,” Baptiste-Primus said. Reminding senators that the TDC was formed as a limited liability company in 2004, Baptiste-Primus said it had been challenged over the years to achieve its mandate.

She explained that mandate included, tourism marketing and promotion, product control and development and tourism investment promotion.

Baptiste-Primus was confident that TDC employees would be able to apply for the jobs that will emerge, “from the new structure.” The minister underscored Government’s commitment to developing the tourism sector which is, “critical to the achievement of economic growth” in the country.

In the video released yesterday, members of Unruly Isis indicated that they were “out” for Rasta City members and had “plenty bullets” for them. The police officers are now said to be running scared as the gang war heats up in the Enterprise area.

One concerned senior officer asked: “How can you have two young constables with pistols, not even heavy arms, stationed outside the house in Enterprise? In that environment anything can happen to these officers.” Newsday was told that most of the officers on so far rotation are “rookies” and come from various police stations across the Central Division.

Police said the video was also a message to the law enforcement officers. “Look at the behaviour of the gang leader and his men in this video,” said the senior officer.

A number of persons have been killed and others wounded over the last few months in Enterprise. Since Saturday, the two officers have been stationed round the clock outside Patrick’s home which is located at the corner of John and School Trace, Enterprise following threats made on the lives of his family members.

Patrick, whose brother was shot and killed two years ago, was one of four people shot and wounded last Friday evening in Enterprise.

He died on the spot as a result of multiple gunshots to the left side of his hand, head and forearm. A second victim Christian Mohammed, succumbed to his injuries early Saturday morning at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. He was shot twice in the lower back. Labourer Daniel Tannis, 25, of Bagaloo Street, Enterprise sustained gunshot wounds to the buttocks and lower thigh while student Candice James, 26, of John and School Street, Enterprise was shot in the left leg. They have since been discharged from hospital. Three men, one of them a relative of late community activist Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis were subsequently detained.

In the video that shows blatant disregard for law and order, gang members openly declared war on their rivals boasting that they were “outside” and not afraid of anybody while warning their rivals not to cross the borders. It was reported that the Unruly Isis members took to Facebook following their release having secured bail for possession of a loaded Beretta pistol which according to reports was found in the vehicle in which they were travelling along Connection Drive, in Enterprise last week Wednesday.

Three men and one woman appeared before a magistrate in the Chaguanas Court and are expected to return to court next month.

“Allyuh we out here, we out here we say, watch we real good, we eh fraid ah nobody” said one of the men as they celebrated their release on Facebook live.

“We have shooter out here, we global and worldwide I say.” Another man displaying a bag around his neck, announced “We not fraid all them Rasta City, namco (in obvious reference to bullets) tam, tam, plenty bullets and do not pass in Crown Trace, do not pass in Chrissy Trace, do not pass on Crown Trace Main Road, we hitting allyuh plenty bullet, because I on a bike.” The man raised his bicycle for the camera.

Contacted yesterday for comment on the safety concerns of his officers, Head of Central Division Snr Supt McIntyre told Newsday that his men were only doing their duty by protecting citizens in need of protection. He said they were not protecting gang members.

“I don’t’ see it as protecting criminals,” McIntyre said. “I look at it as protecting people who are basically victims and need protection at this point in time.” Questioned about the viral video, McIntyre said he had not seen it as yet.

He told Newsday: “I was in a conference all morning and have not seen the video. I will take a look at it and whatever action needs to be taken, will be taken because I am not going to condone any kind of lawlessness. Once not dealt with, it will get worse.”

After two stories were published last week about what relatives are calling a case of police brutality against Seemungal, Deo said several persons took to social media, mainly facebook, and made certain allegations against Seemungal.

“One person said that it was good for him.

Another said they (police) should have ‘buss’ his two eyes. A woman who was a back-seat passenger pushed out her head from a car this morning at Penal junction and shouted out: ‘Only one eye they buss? Next time they supposed to buss the two’,” Deo said.

The passenger then suggested that next time Deo goes to make a report, Penal police should send her to the fire station.

Last Wednesday Seemungal suffered injuries to his left eye at his home at Ramlal Street, Penal, where police had gone following a report of domestic abuse at the house.

While at the location, relatives alleged that one of three officers who responded beat Seemungal who they believe may lose sight in his left eye.

Borders will be staged between May 26 and 28 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

“The idea of Borders,” Monderoy explained, “came about because of the sport database and the current economic situation. We had to find a creative way to get it done because sport needs it. All stakeholders, media, government, athletes, coaches, agree unanimously that TT needs a database for sport.

So we decided to create an event which can fund the development of the database, and this was the birth of Borders Festival.” Monderoy, a former TT athlete with six national middle distance records to his name, returned home last year after living in Finland for 16 years. During his time in Scandinavia, he made a name for himself as an IT (information technology) professional and concert promoter.

Monderoy’s main reason for coming home was to set up the sports database, an initiative he is convinced would bring about radical positive change in the local sports industry.

“A sports database helps create efficient evaluation of all emerging talent throughout all sport in Trinidad and Tobago. It also helps identify, with statistical analysis via results from performances, which areas produce the best athletes so that analysis can be done as to what conditions exist in those areas to produce these results.

“The database,” Monderoy continued, “also allows media to do better reporting and international coaches to track the progress of athletes over time with a view to awarding scholarships. The database is unique, and something the Ministry of Sport can licence to other Caribbean countries, becoming an income-earner for the Ministry.” Monderoy said he hopes other promoters will follow in the footsteps of Borders Festival.

“I fully understand the limitation which exists for Minister of Sport Darryl Smith and Sports Company (SporTT) chairman Michael Phillips, which hinders their vision for sport. So by setting up the sports database ourselves, we set an example for others who use the sports facilities for their events to contribute to the development of sport.

“However, maintenance, which is the population of the database, will have to be under the Ministry of Sport or related bodies as it becomes their product.” Borders 2017 will kick off on May 26 with “Legends Friday”, a full-length tribute concert featuring David Rudder, Shadow, Gypsy, Baron, Explainer and a host of other legendary local performers.

American R&B star Jhen? Aiko will be the main international artiste on show on “Electric Saturday”.

The major international act for “Super Sunday” has not yet been announced. Apart from featuring local, Caribbean and international music on four stages, Borders Festival will showcase local food and art.

Phillips was among the speakers at the launch, held at the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium last December. The SporTT chairman spoke about the suitability of the Hasely Crawford Stadium for the first-ever Borders Festival.

“The venue here in which we sit today has hosted all sorts of different activities over the years, and we see this as an asset of Trinidad and Tobago for the benefit and enjoyment of the population. That’s why the utilisation of it is so diverse.

“And for visitors coming in to have something that is easily accessible with regards to transportation routes, with regards to comfort and safety, is something that lends to the success and the brand of hosting something of this magnitude.

We hope this develops into a national asset, event and activity that is done on an annual basis, and becomes something in people’s calendar that they look forward to.” Monderoy said he is determined to make a difference in sport here in TT through Borders Festival.

“To borrow from the famous John F Kennedy quote, ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country’.

It is the intention of Borders Festival to do just that.” For more Borders Festival information, log on to www.bordersfestival.

com. For enquiries, send emails to info@bordersfestival.

com.

A special edition, gold-coloured Mate 9 smart phone, engraved with Lara’s signature, was donated by Huawei to support the work of the Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation.

It will be auctioned to raise funds for the Foundation, which gives to health and social causes, and which was started by Lara in memory of his parents.