Jones, on Thursday, filed his constitutional claim in the High Court at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, in which he is challenging Sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act, which criminalises buggery and serious indecency.
“The very existence of these sections continuously and directly affects the claimant’s private life by forcing him to either respect the law and refrain from engaging – even in private with consenting male partners – in prohibited sexual acts to which he is disposed by reason of his homosexual orientation, or to commit the prohibited acts and thereby become liable to criminal prosecution,” Jones’ lawsuit claims.
Speaking to the media prior to filing his claim, Jones said the laws encourage a culture of homophobia.
He said he has been subjected to discrimination because of his sexuality, even from his family.
Jones said what a person chose to do with their partner should be no one’s business, including the government.
He pointed to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s recent comments regarding domestic violence. “The Prime Minister made a comment recently about domestic violence that women should choose their men right and that he is not in people’s bedrooms. But he is in my bedroom,” said Jones. “This law is in my bedroom,” he said.
He added that the laws were originally British colonial laws.
Police of the Port-of- Spain CID, led by Snr Supt Radcliffe Boxhill and ASP Ajith Persad and including Sgt Anthony Williams, Cpl Kennedy, PC Meyers and others, carried out the exercise which saw police visit several areas of the city.
The 18 suspects were detained for outstanding warrants inlcuding robberies, possession of narcotics and for questioning into other serious crimes. At George Street, a man dropped a .38 revolver and ran off upon seeing the approaching the police. He remains at large. The firearm was sent to the Forensic Science Centre, St James for tests. Three rounds of ammunition were in the firearm. Similar exercises are expected during the extended Carnival weekend.
Community Development, Culture and Arts Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly made this statement in response to a question from Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh in the House of Representatives on Thursday. She said during a meeting between the National Carnival Commission (NCC), band leaders and homeowners last month, there was agreement that masqueraders have defaced the properties of homeowners during Carnival Monday and sometimes on Carnival Tuesday, in the past.
Gadsby-Dolly said photos of these acts were shown at that meeting and these constitute offences under the Litter Act which attract fines of $4,000.
She said there was consensus that, “if band leaders presented with pictoral or other clear evidence of defacement by their band members they will take steps to assist the affected homeowners.” Responding to additional questions from Gopeesingh, Gadsby- Dolly said the NCC at this point is acting as the broker between the band leaders and the home owners. She was optimistic that this “gentleman’s agreement” would hold.
Deyalsingh said as of 2.15 pm on Thursday, there was no application from the parents of baby Matthew Rambharack to get assistance via the Fund. He said Matthew was born on May 24, 2016 with complex congenital heart disease.
Deyalsingh added, “From 2015 to now, I as Minister of Health on behalf of the Government of TT have approved 40 applications for the CLF.” He said it appeared that in this instance, “it was the parents’ decision to access medical care on their own.” The CLF was established under the former People’s Partnership administration
Dead is Shivanand “Chinee” Rampersad, 23, of Chaguanas.
According to police reports at about 9 pm, Rampersad was driving his motorcycle in the vicinity of Petersfeild Road, Chaguanas when the accident occurred.
Reports said Rampersad collided head on into a panel van heading in the opposite direction.
He died on the spot.
Rampersad lived at Felicity Village, Chaguanas.
He is the 12th road facility for the year. An autopsy on Rampersad’s body was expected to be performed yesterday.
In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, Karim said, “I have been advised that staff at the MIC Institute of Technology are being sent home. Staff at YTEPP are being sent .home. Staff at UTT have already been sent home. NESC has drastically reduced its programmes” as a gradual slow down seems to have gripped all sectors of the country.
The Chaguanas East MP said the firing of the 60 OJT staff members was “nothing more than victimisation” and not one of “restructuring” as was being claimed by the ruling PNM administration.
“It is a crying shame that the PNM is hoodwinking the population into believing that the firing of these OJT staff is linked to the economy and financial constraints. Over $580 million has been allocated to the OJT Programme in the last two years. Where has all that money gone? What does it cost to retain 60 staff members relative to $580 million? This is a clear strategy of ‘cleaning house’ to rehire party hacks and perpetuate the typical PNM nepotism, cronyism and discriminatory practices,” Karim said.
“With respect to the OJT staff to be sent home, we are yet to be told how they were determined.
On what basis those who will remain on their jobs do so? And, who exactly comprise this transition team,” he asked.
“Where will these staff find alternative employment to take care of themselves and their families? Many have loans to service, young children to send to school and some have medical bills for chronic diseases,” Karim said.
Karim said the OJT Programme had been established as a “pre-employment programme” for graduates to be inducted into the world of work as a means of gaining the required occupational skills.
He also noted that the Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development had not stated how many workers had been “retrenched, displaced, terminated or contracts ‘not renewed’ by the Government in the public sector since September 2015.” “Yet it is the same PNM Government that impressed upon the business community to ‘be responsible’ and not send home employees. Deception and hypocrisy at its best,” he charged.
Samlal struck 75, slamming nine fours and two maximums in the process. Roopchand was undefeated on 72, with six fours, as South Zone raced to 182 for the loss of three wickets in 32.5 overs to overhaul Central Zone’s 181 all out in 48 overs.
South Zone had won the toss and asked their opponents to take first strike, which proved to be a smart decision as Central Zone, despite an excellent opening partnership of 103, failed to capitalise on the excellent foundation.
Shiva Sankar smashed seven fours off just 65 balls for his 51, while captain and opening batsman Aaron Bankay compiled a patient 39 to set their team up for a big total.
However, the rest of the Central Zone batting crumbled like a house of cards against a steady South Zone bowling attack.
The next best partnership of the innings was a valuable 34 runs at the tail end between number nine and number 10 batsmen Amrit Dass (17) and Shasri Maharaj (12).
Extras contributed an astounding 36 (35 wides) to the final total.
Man-of-the-Match Jonathan Frederick grabbed four wickets for 26 runs in his ten overs with one maiden, while Avalon Changoor provided valuable support, claiming 3/28, and Ryall Narine also got into the act with 2/39.
However South Zone, who finished unbeaten in the tournament, were also guilty of giving away 29 extras, including 25 wides.
All interested teams are asked to attend a team briefing on March 2 at Constantine Park (East), Macoya Road, Tunapuna from 7 pm. Each team must pay a registration fee of $1,500.
For further information contact Robin at 725-0071, ‘Flash’ at 784-6717, Kurt at 620- 3493, Steve at 701- 5969 or Bally at 312- 7778.
Before yesterday’s match, both TT and USA had already booked quarter-final spots, but the victory meant USA won the group ahead of the local men. In the quarter-finals last night, TT faced Group B winners Mexico while USA played Group D runners- up Panama. Mexico ended their group play in emphatic fashion with a 10-0 mauling of Barbados.
Garcia gave USA the lead against TT on Thursday evening in the 12th minute with a free kick. He then doubled the Americans advantage with a diving header from a corner kick in the 24th minute.
A penalty by Alessandro Canale gave USA a 3-0 advantage in the 28th minute before a free kick by Oscar Reyes in the 31st minute took a big deviation off the sand to beat TT goalkeeper Zane Coker.
Kevon Woodley continued his top goalscoring form in the tournament, bagging a free kick in the 33rd minute to hand TT a consolation goal.
USA, however, finished off the scoring in the 36th minute.
The TT goalie ran out of his goal mouth area to narrow the angle against a US attacker, but the ball was laid back to Canale who slotted into the open net.
The top two teams in this tournament will qualify for the Beach Soccer World Cup in Bahamas from April 27 to May 7.
The CPL made its Florida debut in 2016, playing six matches to end the league phase from July 28 to 31. The games were the first revenue-generating cricket to come to the Lauderhill ground in four years, sparking renewed interest in utilising the venue as India and West Indies played a pair of T20s there just one month later.
Though the hurricane season in Florida runs from July through November, not a single over was lost across the four days of play, with the only interruption being a 50-minute lightning delay that pushed back the start of the final match of the weekend, between St Lucia Zouks and Jamaica Tallawahs.
Tropical weather did make an appearance four weeks later though in August when India played West Indies at the same venue. The first match between the two sides finished without any problems but the second ended with no result after a brief thunderstorm exposed poor drainage at the facility.
CPL organisers have been bullish about bringing more games to the USA, with talks of holding games at other venues outside of Florida. However, the Central Broward Regional Park remains the only ICC-certified ODI- and T20 International-approved facility in the country.
