Dead is Lance Cpl Marcus Gay, 31, a member of an elite unit of the T&T Regiment with more than ten years service. His colleague Lance Cpl Marc Blunt and four civilians were wounded. Up to last evening, the five survivors remained at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).

Police said, shortly after 11 pm on Monday, PCs Babwah and Ramdath of the St Mary’s Police Post responded to a report of a shooting at Dougla City in Fifth Company Village, Moruga.

On arrival, police saw Gay with multiple gunshot wounds in a yard where a wake was in progress. They saw Blunt, armed with a gun, lying on the roadside with gunshot wounds to his leg.

They were both dressed in plain clothes. Four civilians including brothers, Victor and Vincent Brown, Gerard Graham and Renrick St Clair also had gunshot wounds.

The six men were taken to the Princes Town Hospital where Gay was pronounced dead. The survivors were subsequently transferred to SFGH.

Supt. Pragg, ASPs Ali and Ali Mohammed, Insp. Gajadar, Sgt.

Ramlogan, Cpl. Fortune and other members of the Southern Division and Homicide Bureau visited the scene. Newsday learnt the soldiers, both of Siparia, were working undercover at the wake of Angela Willie, mother of the Brown brothers.

The mother of ten and grandmother of six died on Saturday from heart failure.

Another of Willie’s sons, Munroe Brown, 28, told Newsday unknown men (later identified as the soldiers) arrived at the wake and asked for Victor, 30. Victor went outside and shortly after gunshots rang out and people began scampering for safety.

“We cannot tell who shot who first,” Brown said. “He was talking to them because he heard they were looking for him in the back here.

Victor got shot in the head and face and Vincent in his hands and chest.” Brown said Vincent is not involved in any criminal activities, contrary to reports of him (Vincent) being involved in a chopping incident. “Police never arrested him for that.

He (is) innocent.” An eyewitness said, “In defending themselves from two unknown gunmen”, someone at the wake returned fire. He alleged it was the soldiers who first opened fire.

“Men started to pelt bottles and big stones.

At that point, we did not know he was an army man. About ten minutes after the shooting, a jeep with about 15 soldiers came and started to cuss and threatened us,” said the eyewitness.

Another eyewitness Isaiah Gibson, who is also Willie’s son, said her funeral service will take place tomorrow instead of today as initially scheduled.

Gay’s mother, Sandra Smith of Santa Flora said she received a telephone call about the incident at about 3 am yesterday. The mother of seven said he was a straightforward man who loved his job.

“All I heard is he went to work and that was it,” Smith said.

“He works all over and does not have a base. Marcus was a very nice person, always willing to help people.” In a media release, the Regiment extended condolences to Gay’s family and colleagues and said even as police continue to investigate the incident, it stands ready to lend any assistance into the matter.

Time of death presumably will rule on who won that morbid race, but these are statistics that should be cause for serious concern and, yes, anger.

I did not know Ronald Marshall, but I did know Dr Broadbridge.

She was one of those people who invested heavily, with time, effort and much dedication, to the betterment of this country.

She was a retired woman, living out her years in harmony with her community and, one would imagine, hardly a physical threat to anyone who would want confront her. Why the brutality of her murder? Her death is horribly reminiscent of an incident some 16 years ago in which three people, John Cropper, his mother-in-law Maggie Lee, and his sister-in-law Lynette Lithgow-Pearson, were similarly murdered. Tied up and their throats slit. To be fair, those murders were solved relatively quickly and the perpetrators brought to justice, such as there can be justice in the wake of such loss.

What struck me at the time though, and bears remembering now, was the absence of real outrage. For some reason, the fact that a distant family member committed the murder explained away the violence. Worse than that, I recall the taunting phone calls from the public asking, no demanding, that we change our previous and public position against the death penalty. As if getting a grieving family to endorse the death penalty would make it any less of a useless, politically expedient and nonsensical crime prevention strategy.

I recall also the heartfelt, emotional appeal made in Parliament by John’s widow, Angela Cropper, who was then an Independent senator. She called, as Claire Broadbridge’s family now does 16 years on, for a meaningful strategy to address the mounting crime situation.

The most striking memory from that time however lies in the final sentence of a story that appeared in a newspaper in the United Kingdom. It read, “The deaths brought the murder count in the Caribbean nation of 1.3m people to 143 for the year, its highest on record.” That was December 2001. Here we are, in September 2017, 16 years later, and the situation is already worse than it was by 178 dead people.

While there is much to be said for the courageous statements made by Stephen Broadbridge even immediately after viewing his mother’s butchered body. He called for us to stay and fight; to take back the country from the criminals. While his sentiments may be commendable, there is a profound emptiness in that statement given our obvious continued violent decline.

What has brought us here? Until we can answer that question in some kind of meaningful way, there is little hope of “taking back our country.” Frankly, we have all been pretending at indignation for more than a decade; marchi n g , fuming, pol i t i – c i s i ng.

It is time to try another way.

They’re so easy to make the kids can join in too. Rustle up these speedy recipes at the weekend and busy breakfast times will be a breeze.

Raspberry jam Makes 1 jar Prep time 20 minutes Get the kids to help you measure the following into a pan: 400g frozen raspberries (or use fresh), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp runny honey and 2 tbsp water. Heat gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally; it’ll reduce to a thick jam. Turn the heat up towards the end if you need to thicken it a little. Leave to cool then transfer to a jar. Spread on toast with butter or a base layer of cream cheese.

Chocolate hazelnut spread Makes 1 jar Prep time 5 minutes Boil the kettle. In a food processor, blend 200g ready roasted and chopped hazelnuts until a paste forms. Get the kids to help you measure in 4 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp coconut oil and 1 tsp vanilla extract then blend again to combine. Scrape down the mix with a spatula then add 200ml boiling water. Whizz to combine to a smooth chocolate spread and decant into a jar.

If you can’t find ready-roasted chopped hazelnuts, toast whole hazelnuts on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 180º/350ºF/ gas mark 4 for 10 minutes or until golden. Nuts burn easily so keep an eye on them. Remove from the oven and tip onto a clean tea towel, fold it over and rub to remove the skins then tip into your processor, discarding the skins.

Crunchy seed peanut butter Makes 1 jar Prep time 5 minutes Blend 250g unsalted roasted peanuts in a food processor with a pinch of coarse sea salt until a smooth paste forms – kids like watching the nuts turn into a paste. You may need to stop and scrape down the mix with a spatula depending on the power of your processor. Once smooth, stir in 25g of mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds and transfer to a jar. Leave out the seeds altogether if your kids prefer it simple and smooth. Top tip: If you can’t find ready roasted peanuts, toast your own on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 180º/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 10 minutes or until golden.

Spreads can be kept in the fridge Raspberry jam for up to a fortnight.

There is also plenty of talk, for a considerably long time, about the police and the community having to work together.

The incident last Tuesday in Princes Town where police officers were mobbed and prevented from carrying out their duties demonstrated again the sad state of affairs in police-community relations and the urgent need for a new type of bridge. Similarly, a few days ago, it was a riot-like situation developed in the Beetham Gardens between police and the community. And the list can go on making the point for this new bridge.

Both sides are to be blamed.

Some members on one side (police) have done some terrible things in the past and still do today to the other side (communities).

So, too, some community members/ leaders have done harmful things to their fellow community members as well as the police and other protective arms of the State.

They both must understand that they need each other to deal with crime in the communities.

But it is not as simple as that.

There are communities where the criminal elements support resident (financially and otherwise) who will then protect them.

This is a very hard nut to crack.

How do you convince people that the criminals who are supporting and protecting them are the bad guys and get them to make reports to the police and testify against them? This is not impossible task. It is where the serious work must be done — creating ingenious ways to get information, intelligence and evidence.

It will include testimonies and technology.

There needs to be someone or some entity that can bridge that gap of mistrust between the community and the police. If left alone to settle, there will be no success. Who can do this job? The politician, religious leaders, academics, mediators? We have seen the dismal attendance at many police town hall meetings. It means the public is not motivated enough to meet and discuss matters with the police.

Is it that this bridge should be a more structured forum between various sectors in community and the police and facilitated by a trained mediation team? Will people and groups feel more comfortable with this system? Or is there need for trained researchers to go out to the various communities, meet with the residents and provide feedback to the police? Further, will more technologically savvy types of communication, like social media, Skype etc, be more effective in soliciting the concerns and views of the public? But then, there is likely to be much scepticism about what the police will do with the information.

Some people will see it as a waste of time and money etc? The police will now have to demonstrate to the communities that they are indeed responsive to their needs.

This is how public confidence in the Police Service will be built up gradually. The bridging approach might just work.

IAN RAMDHANIE via email

“We have nobody here who stays home in their house and collects money,” Ramlogan said. “Everybody here works and if you want any confirmation, you could go to the principals of the schools that these maxis service and they would know.” “I don’t know if it’s (allegation) meant as a distraction from the real point, which is to finally pay us and to get back the system in order.” Ramlogan said that while the service to transport students to and from school was funded by the Education Ministry, it was the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) which actually managed the programme and paid drivers.

Hence, he said all questions about alleged ghost drivers should be directed to PTSC General Manager, Ronald Forde.

“So what (Garcia) was saying about us, the disrespect toward us, he has continued to treat us like hustlers in this country and not businessmen.” Ramlogan was speaking with reporters yesterday during a protest by AMTSTC members outside the Education Ministry’s head office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

The AMTSTC president was responding to a statement made on Monday by Education Minister, Anthony Garcia, during a press conference about, among other things, the association’s decision to withhold its services until it received full payment of $12 million owed for May, June and the first half of July 2017. Within the last month, the ministry has made two partial payments to the PTSC; $1 million and then more than $6 million.

While the delay in payments prompted the AMTSTC to temporarily stop transporting students, Garcia said an allegation of ghost gangs was brought to his attention on Sunday evening and assured that he would investigate the claim.

Newsday was unable to contact Forde for comment.

This was revealed at the launch held at the Hyatt Regency yesterday.

Nearly 120 feature-length, short and experimental narrative and documentary films from the Caribbean, its diaspora and contemporary world cinema will be screened including the five TT feature films, and over 34 short and experimental films, also made in TT.

Magella Moreau, Director of Public Relations, ttff said at the launch, “We continue to be excited by the quality of films made by local film-makers, many of you who are involved in the industry where you have to have passion to do this because it is not easy. The eternal search for funds etc it is very challenging, that you have to be either crazy or passionate to do it.” She then acknowledge and paid tribute to some of the film-makers who were present at the event.

Trudy de Verteuil, Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Columbus Communications Trinidad Ltd (Flow), title sponsor said it was important to make memories and to see ourselves on the silver screen hence the reason for the heavy investment into the ttff.

She added that it was one of the major ways to bring our film-makers together and showcase their work in various communities.

Danielle Jones, Manager Corporate Communications, BP Trinidad & Tobago (bptt), another major sponsor of the event, said her company was thrilled to be part of the festival this year, and especially because one of the two films that bptt funded, Green Days by the River had been selected to be screened at the opening night gala on Tuesday September 19, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain.

A film adaptation of Michael Anthony’s classic 1967 novel of the same name, it brings to life childhood memories of the book, and a Trinidad otherwise long forgotten.

It is directed by Michael Mooleedhar and at the opening night screening, both he and producer Christian James will be present to introduce their film that features secondary-school student Sudai Tafari (Shell), Anand Lawkaran (Mr Gidharrie), and veterans Che Rodriguez (Pa), and Dara Healy (Ma Lammy). The other bptt sponsored film, To Be A Renegade, a short documentary, is about bptt Renegades Steel Orchestra of the past, present and the future.

Bernard contributed to architecture, his profession, and to civil society needs through his membership of Rotary. Claire contributed to several causes, more particularly to the preservation of our heritage. They were both beautiful people.

Many voices are being raised today that bear the common theme of horror at the gruesome murder and frustration at what we can do to save our country from the abyss it faces. Amidst those voices, notwithstanding his grief, Stephen Broadbridge has struck a positive note by urging us to “take back the country from the hands of criminals.” Many have responded in obvious frustration over the situation with the oft asked question, “But, what can we do?” As if in anticipation, Stephen answered by suggesting that, among other things, “it is time for the people to force the police, politicians and even themselves to do their job and duties.” I lend my support to Stephen’s suggestion because I have long identified with that sentiment, noting our continuing practice of complaining about everything but doing nothing. I was once equally guilty and, in recognition of the fact that corruption was at the heart of all crime (white and blue-collar), I decided to do my duty and take action 12 years ago.

I became a member of the TT Transparency Institute (TTT I), the only local organisation dedicated to fighting corruption, and since then my $200 annual membership fee has been helping to fund its admirable work (see website: transparency.org.tt). I admit that success has been slow in coming but those of us who are fighting corruption in the trenches are encouraged by the small gains and are building on them.

I know that not everyone wants to fight corruption in the trenches but everyone, individuals and companies, could and should do their duty to save our country. Each has the opportunity to make a difference by supporting the cause through membership or donations to organisations like TTT I.

I hope that the many murders have not been in vain and, if you are sitting on the sidelines, you would be moved to do your duty and take action, any action.

VICTOR HART via email

The 67-year-old runs Cuisine in Ah Pot, a food business that caters and delivers. But all that Jones has now was earned through hard work and persistence.

The former domestic worker, who often worked three jobs to support her three sons [Keino, Ackedo and Ebo] after her husband, Socrates, got a stroke at 47, always had a desire to have her own business. But it was fuelled after she began selling tamarind balls at her primary school in Point Fortin.

“It was always a dream since I was a child [wanting to have one’s own business]. When I used to go to school I remember this lady would make tamarind ball and she knew I liked sales.

So she would put it in a pan and tell me sell it for her. I thought, why do that for her when I could get the tamarind and make it myself and bring it for my friends in school and keep the money for myself. So I started to do that….I would go home after school take my mother’s sugar, make the tamarind ball put it in the biscuit tin and go in school and sell…” She also sold chilli bibi to get the pocket change necessary to care for herself.

At 15, Jones left her family’ home at Point Fortin and moved to Port of Spain. She began working as a domestic worker for the Bernard family [Clinton Bernard, former Chief Justice of TT] in St Ann’s. Jones worked with the family for more than 20 years.

But while working there, Jones also worked as a security guard at the then National Library during the day and also cleaned offices, after work, just to support her family.

“ The people I worked with were very nice…they treated me like family…it was not like I was doing a domestic work…I work with them [the Bernards] for more than 20 years… then he became the Chief Justice. I would do about three jobs to support my family.

I would also go to sometimes 10 at night to 11.30 and then I would have to go home and wash clothes for the children. Then get up in the morning to prepare breakfast for school. I never looked at work as hard. I always believed if you looked at work at hard in life, you would never achieve what you want to achieve so.” But while at the library, Jones’ business really started to grow and develop. She said: “While working in the library I began making pone and selling…but while working at the library my husband got a stroke.

And I had three sons to see about. I wanted to educate my sons. I did not want them to just grow up like that.

So I started the business (Cuisine in Ah Pot) doing breakfast, lunch and then orders began coming in.

People would call me and I would cater for them. It grew from strength to strength.” When what was formerly known as the National Library became NALIS (National Library and Information Systems Authority) and meetings increased, Jones offered to cook for the meetings and from there she began getting orders from the library’s management. She would have to do tea plates in the morning and, “would get up at 3 am and begin preparing the tea plates. I always say I don’t like to give people stale things. If they wanted lunch I would do that as well. Tea plates, lunches, fruit bowls and have everything ready. By 10 am I would be down in the library with everything and ready to pick up work…” Jones began Cuisine in Ah Pot at 53 and after her retirement from the National Library went into it full-time. She would often “throw a sou-sou” and buy the items needed for the business. While many would think that Jones has reached the pinnacle of her success, she is far from finished.

She is now seeking to start a pastry shop and restaurant with her first son Keino after he graduates from culinary school in the US. She has a staff of three, although she once employed nine.

“I get up in the morning at 2.30 am. By the time the staff comes in, I would have already done bake and sweet bread. If I have the snack plates to do, I do puffs, I do cakes. All of the things are on the table and all I say is ‘all you all have to do for me is package’…” On average, Jones makes approximately 150 pies each morning, which is usually done in 30 minutes. She also makes about 40 to 50 coconut bakes each morning.

For her all of these things are easy to do, once you know what to do and you’re willing to go after what you want.

Cuisine in Ah Pot operates out of Hermitage Road, Belmont and can be contacted via Facebook or at 623-3008.

Aldwyn Payne said the electronic payment platform is all about reinventing the way payments are made online.

Wipay is the first banking e-commerce payment system in the Caribbean, and some already say it is a true PayPal alternative.

All the customer has to do is go to any NLCB Lotto booth and top up their Wipay account, after which they can pay for goods and services from anywhere they are once the merchants are partnered with Wipay.

Wipay gives people an easy, safe way to pay online with its prepaid virtual MasterCard.

Up to $5,000 can be transferred to customers’ Wipay account at any one time.

Derek Winford, CEO at Massy Stores is of the view that once Wipay is instituted at their stores, lines will be much shorter, and customers will be able to do their shopping much faster.

Customers will be able to go to the store, scan up to five items then proceed to instore check-out to pay for the goods.

They will also be able to do transactions from home by scanning up to ten items, pay for the goods via Wipay, then just go to the store to collect them.

The Wipay system will be introduced at Massy Stores’ Westmoorings branch by year’s end.

Andre Aleong, CEO at Hubbox Grocery joked, “While Massy waits for the future, we have the future!” He said his grocery is already delivering items from Chaguaramas to Cedros to customers who have been making online purchases from home with Wipay.

Kurt Hills COO, Unipet welcomes Wipay especially because he operates in a regulated environment.

He said pay at the pump transactions will shorten long lines, reduce transaction time considerably and avoid credit card skimming.

Hills said Unipet’s Flagship Convenience Centre at Lady Hailes in San Fernando will begin Wipay transactions from next month.

Also partnering with Wipay is the PTSC Coach fleet.

The 48-year-old Lara, while delivering the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey lecture at Lord’s, London, England on Monday, said he was “embarrassed” by the actions of past Windies teams “playing the game in a way it should never, ever be played.” He said the top Test teams had a responsibility to lead by example and uphold the virtues of the sport.

Lara touched on the infamous 1980 three-game Test series between the West Indies against hosts New Zealand which ended in a 1-0 win for New Zealand.

Ironically, this was the last Test series which the WI lost until the 1995 contest, at home, against Australia.

Lara was quoted as saying, “I grew up at a time when West Indies dominated the world. For 15 years from 1980, the West Indies never lost a Test series. And just before that, Colin Croft decided he was going to take a piece out of Fred Goodall’s shoulder and ran into him during a Test match.

Michael Holding decided he was no longer a cricketer, he was a footballer and he kicked a stump.

I’m sure the occurrences during that period had a big effect on cricket.” Murray, during a telephone interview yesterday, noted, “In my experience, the West Indies team that I was part of were always conscious that we were representing and being ambassadors for the West Indies as a region. We were always careful to seek to project the image as (not only) being excellent performers, but also excellent sportsmen and ambassadors, and always showing the spirit that the West Indies is renowned for, in terms of its sportsmanship, its entertainment and its excellence on the field.

“If, and there were occasions when we may have slipped up, we take responsibility for those. But that was not the way of the team and that was not what we were proud of as examples of how the game should be played. And I am sure that we made every effort to rectify those immediately (thereafter).” Asked if Lara was accurate about his views on the 1980 series or was the “Prince of Port of Spain” exaggerating, Murray replied, “Remember that team would have been playing together for a number of years before, so to simply choose one isolated incident may not be truly fair, and may not be in the spirit of accessing the performance or the stature of that particular team.” Lara also touched on the 1990 home series against England, with specific incidents including the Third Test at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair (when stand-in captain Desmond Haynes was alleged to have used time-wasting tactics to deny England victory on the final day) and the Fourth Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados (when regular skipper Vivian Richards was accused by various English journalists of intimidating Barbadian umpire Lloyd Barker to give batsman Robert Bailey caught behind by wicketkeeper Jeff Dujon).

Murray pointed out, “You can equally point to 1968 when there was no time-wasting when England won a Test match in Trinidad chasing a total when they were completely out of the game for four-and-a-half days. So you just look at different things that happened in different ways. Unfortunately we were not always perfect in every way but we certainly never intended to breach the spirit of the laws of the game.”