Tiwarie was speaking at the funeral service of Sanjay “Bobby” Mahabir, 42, one of three men killed on Thursday night by gunmen at a bar in Debe.

“It is sad to see that something like this happened in Debe,” Tiwarie said.

“Debe is a very peaceful place.

We may have little crimes from time to time. Crime is getting out of hand and I do not think it is going to get better. I hope something can be done to resolve this murder situation because it is very, very unbearable to see.” At about 7.30 pm on Thursday, two gunmen ran into Runway 69 Shorts Bar in Debe and opened fire. Patron Kevin Fuller, 31, a scrap iron dealer of Naparima/ Mayaro Road in Palmyra, sustained multiple injuries and died at the scene. His friend, Terry Edwards of Wellington Gardens in Debe attempted to flee but the gunmen shot and killed him also.

Mahabir, an off-shore worker who lived nearby at Rose Garden Drive off Wellington Road in Debe, was outside the bar and was speaking to his wife on his cellular phone. As he attempted to reach his car, gunmen shot him several times. He collapsed and was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he subsequently died. Another patron, Daniel Che Ching, 19, of Debe, sustained a gunshot wound to the hand but survived the ordeal.

Yesterday scores of mourners flocked to Mahabir’s home to bid him farewell. Among the mourners were Member of Parliament for Oropouche East, Dr Roodal Moonilal who referred to Mahabir as an innocent bystander and a very jovial, happy, hardworking husband.

Moonilal labelled Debe a hotspot and called on the National Security minister and police to treat the community as such.

“We have enormous robberies taking place in this community and while that is happening, the government concentrates on the breathalyser and speed test,” Moonilal said. “Had the police been on patrols and doing the type of stop and search randomly, gunmen would not have been able to parade this country at will and commit this type of brutish activity.” He called on constituents to organise themselves so as to have better safeguards.

“That is the crisis we face. The canefields of Debe have now become the killing fields of Debe and we must take note. I call upon the Government to reintroduce, urgently and immediately, the Community Comfort Patrol.” Mahabir’s body was taken to the Shore of Peace Cremation Site at Mosquito Creek for cremation.

According to a police report, at about 4.45 am yesterday an anonymous caller told the Port-of- Spain CID that a man with stab wounds had been seen running south along Frederick Street.

When police responded, they found the body of an unidentified man at the corner of Prince Street near Henry and Frederick Streets.

The man, who appeared to be in his early 50s, was clad in a long black pants, dark long-sleeved jersey and had a blue knapsack.

Police searched for some form of identification but could not find any.

It is believed that the man was a street dweller.

District Medical Officer Dr Mootoo was summoned and ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre.

Yesterday Homicide sources told Newsday they would be relying on CCTV footage to help identify the killer or killers.They are also calling on any member of the public who may have witnessed the killing to contact the Homicide Bureau or the Port-of- Spain CID.

In the second incident, at about 7.30pm on Sunday, members of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) responded to a report of a shooting at Pelican Extension, Trou Macaque, Laventille.

When they arrived, they found the body of Shawn Nickel, 22, in front of the doorway of his home.

His body was identified by his 42-year-old mother, Kathleen Raymond.

He said the decision to hire The Group DC was taken shortly after the PNM assumed office in September 2015.

“It took from December 2015 to October 2016 to conclude an agreement in such a way that the Central Tenders Board could have made an award to The Group DC.” Rowley added the firm was hired at a cost of $14.7 million over a two-year period.

When Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal asked if Collins worked for the PNM in the 2015 general election campaign, Rowley replied, “I am aware that a lot of people work for the PNM. I am aware of Arthur Collins and many other persons but I am not aware that he worked for the PNM.” Persad-Bissessar arrived in the Parliament chamber after Rowley gave this response to Moonilal.

When Persad-Bissessar claimed Rowley said he did not know Collins, Rowley countered it was wrong for Persad-Bissessar “to come in late” and make this claim.

“I never said I did not know Arthur Collins. I know Art Collins very well,” Rowley declared.

Collins, the founder of The Group DC, was the senior political strategist for the 2008 (Barack) Obama for America presidential campaign and senior adviser to the 2004 (John) Kerry for President campaign.

The October 28, 2016 agreement document also states Collins has 25 years experience in political strategy, public policy and corporate campaigns. Collins also served as the public liaison for the Obama- Biden Transition Project.

“In choosing a lobbyist, one of the reasons why we chose Art Collins’ group is because we know them and we are satisfied that they can do the job.” Rowley said the perception that the firm is aligned to the Democrats, would not be a liability in lobbying the Republican administration of US President Donald Trump, “Given the nature of lobbying and the structure of the American Congress.” In the agreement, The Group DC indicated that with Trump assuming office on January 20, it is, “uniquely positioned within the US institutional and political establishment to navigate the next (Trump) administration and work to improve and strengthen the bilateral relationship (between TT and the US).

Rowley said he knew of nothing more fundamental than ensuring the members of the Police Service are properly resourced, properly paid and out on the job.

Tewarie expressed regret that with nearly 100 people murdered in the last two months, Rowley could not provide, “action of a more strategic nature.” In response to questions from Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh, Rowley said Government is seeking to ensure drug rehabilitation capacity is properly resourced. Rowley also said this country continues to work closely with the United States government on several fronts to combat the illegal drug trade. In its 2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, the US State Department said, “The Government of TT continues to make progress in its ability to investigate complex counter narcotics cases targeting criminal networks.”

Born Mc Cartha Lewis, the undisputed Calypso Queen of the World, who recently won the prestigious World Album of the Year award at the Victoire de la Musique award ceremony in France with her album, “Far From Home”, wiped her eyes as she listened to the children.

Arriving at the school just after 11 am, Rose was greeted to the sound of Leave Me Alone, which she remixed with Machel Montano this year, as students shouted out the lyrics.

As she was led into the school, several students rushed up to her asking for her autograph which she gladly provided.

Yesterday’s tribute was a twopart tribute which was organised by the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation (SGRC).

Rose said she was happy to see what the young people are doing with our culture.

“Tears were in my eyes as I listened to you here today,” she said.

Rose explained that she wrote More Tempo to open the ears and eyes of the then Carnival committee that Port-of-Spain was not the only place for mas and that there was also San Fernando.

She said it was after this that citizens were able to play mas in the South.

She said she was robbed twice of the Road March title because she is a woman. The veteran calypsonian said she was a criminologist by profession, but gave up an offer of a job with late police commissioner Randolph Burroughs. She felt she would not have been able to make the contribution she has made to the culture of this country.

Rose advised the students to respect their teachers.

“They want you to have a good education. Listen to your teachers because they are in charge of you from 8 am to 3 pm, and respect all senior citizens. I am a senior citizen, in three months I will be 77 years old,” she said.

Rose was then taken on a motorcade through the streets of Sangre Grande accompanied by a music truck which played some of her calypsoes.

She was then taken to the SGRC where she received several tokens of appreciation, including a trophy and an envelope.

The contents of the envelope were not revealed by SGRC chairman Martin Terry Rondon.

Using the social-media label, the members of the school’s art club came together last month and brightened the school’s front wall with a hand-painted mural –50 feet long and ten feet high – in the national colours.

Flora and fauna, oil rigs, the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) and local drummers are among the images depicted in the patriotic mural. It took nine students six days to complete the work and yesterday, in a simple ceremony, the painting was unveiled to the school and the public, Newsday was told.

“The Hashtag Initiative describes a movement of positivity that fuses the old with the new,” said head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department Paul Julien as he explained the rationale for the project which, so far, has been getting positive reviews.

“Special words and expressions, all accompanied by a hashtag (#), will be used to promote and send messages that will foster and promote holistic development throughout our school.” Julien added, “A positive school climate can help to decrease a lot of problems such as absenteeism, suspensions, substance abuse and bullying. Creating this kind of atmosphere in school also increases students’ academic achievement, motivation to learn and their psychological well-being. It can even mitigate the negative effects of self-criticism and socio-economic status on academic success.

In addition, working in this kind of climate lessens teacher burnout while increasing retention.” Newsday was told that the Hashtag Initiative and National Pride Mural was conceptualised by the Art Club and students began work on February 2.

The hashtags used are #NationalPride, #LoveYourCountry #CountryFirst, #Patriotism and #Trinbagonian. Julien said #Trinbagonian comes from Jeffrey Johnson, president of a Facebook group called Trinbagonian.

“He passed and saw what the students were doing and was impressed and decided to partner with us,” Julien said.

The second and third phase of the initiative will see the entire school involved in three more installations, which will reflect a series of more hashtag messages based on the theme #Schoolis- BAE, #LoveOfSchool and #LoveOfSelf.

The event, which got the blessings of principal Patricia Pitt and staff, was attended by TTUTA president Lynsley Doodhai, officials of the Ministry of Education and councillor Robert Parris, among other guests.

Hardeo Persad, has appealed to bandleaders to think carefully when designing Carnival presentations featuring symbols or articles of religious significance following the recent controversy regarding the appearance on stage of masqueraders in the “ApnaDesh” section of Cazabon- The Art of Living .

In a statement SWAHA Incorporated said the reaction to the portrayal from members of the Hindu community signals that there is need for deeper insight and appreciation for each other’s culture. It added that consultation and communication should be the route to avert such unfavourable consequences .

“SWAHA recommends that bandleaders acknowledge the prevailing emotions of our multi-religious and multi-cultural population and recognise the need for careful deliberation when conceptualising and realising their artistic manifestations .

In this regard, we suggest that wherever such presentations feature symbols or articles of religious significance, the likely impact on the sensitivities of the religious community to which these are of importance must be considered in order to clarify doubts and misconstrued concepts.” It said, “This will indeed help to safeguard freedom of expression and enhance the creative nature of the depictions, while preventing potentially deleterious effects to a particular religious grouping. Consultation brings enlightenment and fosters greater harmony within society. We can eliminate the confusion and reduce the divisiveness that already exists in our nation.”

Al-Rawi said the documents also listed his predecessor Anand Ramlogan, Dr Tim Gopeesingh, Dr Roodal Moonilal, Dr Fuad Khan and Prakash Ramadhar as other ministers attending those meetings.

“When Section 34 was proclaimed by the Cabinet then, it came by way of a specific Cabinet note,” he added.

Identifying this document as Cabinet Note 2119 of August 6, 2012, Al-Rawi said that document showed that then justice minister Herbert Volney recommended that Section 32, Section 34, and Schedule Six of the 2011 Act,”be proclaimed with effect from August 31, 2012 in order to facilitate the introduction of delayed provisions and the early saving of rules.” Based on the information in these documents, Al Rawi said, “Now TT understands that the Siparia (MP Persad-Bissessar) led Cabinet consciously, unilaterally, by itself with all members present, proclaimed Section 34.” Government MPs thumped their desks as the AG quipped, “It wasn’t an act of the Parliament, it was an act of the Cabinet alone.” He said once that decision was taken, one saw the proximity of former members of the 1995-2001 United National Congress (UNC) regime and some of their known financiers, “the clock having started by the action of the Cabinet under the UNC, approach the courts for discharge.” Stating that 42 persons made those applications, Al-Rawi said the cost and consequence of Section 34 are still being felt by the country’s taxpayers, even though the PP eventually repealed it.

The AG said this saw a sum of $13,660,748 being spread across eight lawyers, who dealt with the multiple cases under the Piarco Airport matter. He said some are well-known such as Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen and Alan Newman QC were amongst those lawyers.

.” Explaining that Methanol Holdings had to run its five plants below peak capacity because of the gas shortage, Rowley said the company decided to close two plants to allow the other three to continue to operate. Rowley also said Government is not receiving foreign direct investment from the Venezuelan government with respect to recent TT-Venezuela energy agreements but will receive a supply of natural gas from Venezuela. He outlined a few smaller US million-dollar investments which Government has been able to attract since September 2015. Rowley also said progress is being made with respect to negotiations with Venezuela on TT receiving a supply of gas from that country’s maritime Dragon Field.

She had run away from the Eric Medical Sciences Complex, where she was being treated for asthma, She is expected to return to the United States with her father after she is medically examined and statements recorded.

Yesterday, the man told Newsday that when his daughter ran away he returned to Trinidad and began searching for her to no avail.

His daughter later contacted him and told him she was all right, but did not say where she was staying or who she was with.

He said he devised a plan to get his daughter to come home and on Sunday, when she contacted him, he told her he had something for her and she could come and collect it, as he was leaving the country on Monday (yesterday).

On Sunday, he said, his daughter came to his Wallerfield home while a 44-year-old man remained in a car parked a short distance away.

He said upon seeing his daughter, he was moved to tears and told her she could not leave the house.

He called the Valencia police and the 44-year-old man was detained and taken into custody.

Yesterday, the girl was expected to be medically examined and statements recorded thereafter.

The man said his daughter told him she was sexually active but was she was not pregnant.

Newsday understands this is the second time the girl, considered a problem child, ran away from home.

“I have to do what I have to do to take charge of my daughter’s life and ensure that she could hold her head high and become somebody and not be running around and being taken advantage of by persons,” the man said.

“When she is 18 years, she can return to Trinidad and take charge of her own life, but in the interim my daughter will have to abide by my rules from now on.” Yesterday, the Valencia police confirmed the 44-year-old man had been detained in connection with her disappearance.