According to well-placed sources, school ended early last Friday after eight students were discovered to be infected with the contagious disease.

Since then, there have been 15 confirmed cases, all of whom were students between forms one and three.

The Ministry of Health’s directive to send home forms one to three students was announced to students in an emergency assembly at 2 pm yesterday.

Students, it was said, exploded with joy.

Students are expected to return on March 6. Newsday could not reach Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh or Education Minister Anthony Garcia for comment, but sources said the Ministry will be conducting clean-up exercises in the school to prevent further spread of the disease.

Ackimo Penniston, of Plaisance Park, St Margaret’s Village, near Claxton Bay, appeared before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay in the San Fernando Magistrates Court.

Dubay read the charge that on Friday at Southern Main Road, Marabella, Penniston had in his possession the gun, ammunition and the marijuana. However, police prosecutor Sergeant Parasan Ramsumair, told Dubay that the charges were laid indictably and there was not yet advice on whether the police should proceed summarily.

Attorney Ainsley Lucky who represented Penniston, submitted that he found it rather unusual that even charge involving the marijuana, which weighed a mere 1.5 grammes, was so laid.

Dubay said he had no powers to change the charge from indictable to summary and must proceed to conduct the case in accordance with how it was laid.

Indictable cases require the magistrate to conduct a preliminary inquiry and make a finding on whether a prima facie case is made out to determine whether an accused should be tried before a judge and jury in the High Court. In a summary matter, the accused either pleads guilty or, a trial is held.

In the High Court, the sentence is more severe when one is found guilty even for charges that are conducted summarily.

Kyron Joseph, 24, of Mon Repos, also pleaded guilty before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John in the San Fernando Magistrates Court to escaping police custody, resisting arrest and malicious damage to property. The magistrate heard from police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan that on February 3, at about 3 pm, police officers dressed in civilian clothing went to Building Seven of the Housing Development Corporation’s buildings at Mon Repos, Naparima Mayaro Road, San Fernando, where they saw Joseph seated on a couch in a bamboo patch. The prosecutor told the magistrate that Joseph had a gun tucked in his waist. He was arrested and taken to Church Street, Mon Repos, however, he broke loose from police officers while handcuffed.

Seedan told Forde-John that on Friday at about 5 pm, police officers were on foot patrol at La Pique Plaza, Coffee Street, San Fernando, when they spotted Joseph and they attempted to arrest him, but he pulled away. He then shouted, “You see the four ah allyuh, ah go kill allyuh boy.” Joseph, the magistrate was told, then smashed one of the glass doors at La Pique Plaza and attempted to escape but was apprehended.

He pleaded guilty to all of the charges, except the one relating to assaulting PC Williams of the San Fernando CID. Attorney Analee Girwar mitigated on Joseph’s behalf, saying that he had no previous convictions for any criminal offence. Joseph was fined $5,000 for possession of the gun, $2,500 for the ammunition, $750 for escaping lawful custody, $750 for resisting arrest, $500 for malicious damage to the glass, $1,250 as compensation for the glass and $350 as compensation for the handcuffs.

The magistrate reprimanded and discharged Joseph on the charge of larceny of the handcuffs. He was ordered to pay $1,000 forthwith and allowed 90 days to pay the remaining sum.

In January, Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh held that the Cepep Company, as a government agency, was restricted from pursuing a defamation claim against a member of the public.

The Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal first sued the state agency for defamation after the Cepep company issued a full-page statement in the press on August 24, 2016, in which it alleged misappropriation of $39.6 million in funds on construction projects in his Oropouche East constituency.

At yesterday’s sitting of the appellate court, Justices of Appeal Allan Mendonca, Nolan Bereaux and Peter Rajkumar asked that written submissions be filed and adjourned hearing of the appeal to April 24.

Appearing for the Cepep Company are attorney Elton Prescott,SC, Phillip Lamont and Farai Hove Masaisai while Larry Lalla, Jagdeo Singh, Kiel Tacklalsingh and Vivek Lakhan-Joseph represent Moonilal.

“I am again making an appeal to the Ministry of Education for us to restart the discussion,” Ramatali told Newsday yesterday.

I am not saying anything different than what I have said in the past.

We need the HFLE curriculum to be taught by health professionals. We need it to be taught from pre schools to secondary schools.

“We do not want sexuality education to be infused in social studies or biology. We want it to be taught as a stand alone subject,” she said.

Noting the recent discourse on STDs among children, Ramatali said teachers are not teaching anything about sexuality in the primary schools because it was not on the new curriculum.

She said she knows because she asks questions and gets answers.

“I think the Ministry of Education needs to clarify what is being taught and what is not being taught.

I am not about making anybody look good. This is about saving the nation’s children,” she said.

Last week, the Ministry of Health at a Joint Select Committee hearing revealed that over 300 children of school age had been infected with STDs between 2012 to 2015. The ministry also disclosed that it had no updated statistics on recent infections for children of school age.

Asked about the distribution of condoms to school children, Ramatali said the NPTA is not in support of distributing condoms to them.

“What we need to do is to give children choices.

That is, giving them the tools to make wise choices…teaching them about relationships and so on. All of that will come into the HFLE syllabus,” she said.

Asked whether the NPTA has had recent discussions with Ministry of Education officials on the issue, she said, “Not recently”.

Kokaram offered to share his experience and that of others experienced in mediation with the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) at a workshop held at the Eric Williams Financial Complex last Thursday.

The tripartite council is chaired by Minister of Planning and Development, Camille Robinson-Regis.

A release from NTAC said that Kokaram’s interaction with members of the council took the form of a two-part workshop session which emphasised the virtues of compassion, collaboration and consensus in bringing together diverse views and perspectives.

He said the “immeasurable value of constructive dialogue, open and frank discussion is a necessary requirement for achieving social justice, happiness and a more productive, caring and peaceful society.” Kokaram, who was accompanied to the workshop by Chairman of the Tax Appeal Board, Anthony Gaffoor, and a team experienced in mediation, also gave an overview of tripartism, quoting examples of global best practices which had their genesis in seeking alternative mechanisms toward dispute resolution.

The team included senior political officer at the United Nations, Elizabeth Solomon, who shared her worldwide experiences of meaningful tripartite engagements.

The release said that participants in the workshop engaged in role plays designed to embrace the spirit of constructive dialogue as the mechanism to reset and reframe the Trinidad and Tobago agenda. It was also aimed to better equip them to arrive at consensus in an environment conducive to advancing industrial peace, harmony, compromise and trust.

The NTAC comprises representatives from government, labour and business. It is mandated to engage in dialogue that would bring meaningful resolution to the seemingly intractable social and economic problems that confront the society, NTAC said. Last Thursday’s meeting was the eighth meeting of the council and several similar workshops planned for the future, the release said.

And, if a fireman his junior was found to be more qualified on the basis of other considerations, DFO Siewnarine Ramsaran contended in his lawsuit, then Ramsaran is entitled to make representation to prove he also might be equally capable.

Had there not been a provision in the Public Service Commission (PSC’s) regulation governing promotions which mandates that when a junior officer is promoted over the head of a senior, the latter ought to be told why, Ramsaran would have accepted his fate.

In the interest of fairness, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan argued before Justice Devendra Rampersad in the San Fernando High Court, regulation 160 (3) of the PSC invites an officer who has been denied promotion though he is next in line to make representation on his own behalf.

Ramsaran, of Egypt Village, Chaguanas, filed the lawsuit against the Chief Fire Officer and the PSC, in which he stated that he was promoted to FSO 12 years ago, and last year, he was elevated to Divisional Fire Officer.

That was on February 4, 2016, but four days later his colleague Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Marlon Smith was promoted to the same position.

Playing at the at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa on Sunday, TT seemed headed for victory courtesy of Kathon St. Hillare’s first-halfstrike before Oneko Lowe netted in the second half, to snatch a point for the Bermudians.

The stalemate left the Trinidadians third in Group C on one point, with El Salvador top on three points after edging hosts Costa Rica 1-0 in the feature game.

Head coach Brian Williams said the result was a disappointing one but lauded the players for their total commitment.

“We came into the match with a lot of expectations of taking the three points but unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way for us,” Williams said.

“What this means it we have made things harder for us and after the game we had a chat and the players realise that. It is important they know that going into the next two games.” He added: “But I cannot fault the players for a lack of effort and hard work. I thought they gave that in the game but unfortunately it didn’t bring us the result we would have all liked.” TT took the lead in the 23rd minute after St Hillaire got on to the end of a through ball from Nicholas Dillion, to beat goalkeeper Detre Bell from just inside the 18-yard box.

Trinidad still held onto the slim lead at half-time but things quickly changed following the resumption.

In the 69th minute, goalkeeper Montel Joseph came off his line and botched a clearance, only for Lowe to capitaliSe and score into an open net and bring Bermuda level.

Antigua and Barbuda are set to play their second game of the tournament on Monday in Group A when they take on Honduras while St Kitts and Haiti will be in action again on Tuesday in Group B.

Marvin Gordon, coach of Defence Force, commented, “I thought my players worked real hard but it was a poor game (by) the officials.

All and all, it was a great effort by my team to work hard against a championship team like Central FC and get a result like this.

“Defence Force (are) a championship team,” he continued. “Central have been doing well, they have momentum but I want to credit my players for a well-fought battle and the victory.” The scores were locked at 2-2 at the end of regulation time, in an engrossing encounter in front of a crowd estimated at 3,000. And, with kicks from the penalty spot needed to decide the winner, Defence Force were perfect from the spot to prevail 5-3.

Hashim Arcia scored Defence Force’s first effort, but Central FC captain Darren Mitchell’s shot ricocheted off the right post.

Curtis Gonzales, Justin Garcia and Jamali Garcia netted their efforts for Defence Force while Leston Paul, Kishun Seecharan and Julius James responded for the three-time Pro League champs.

Devorn Jorsling, needing to score to ensure Defence Force claim the $100,000 jackpot, directed his shot low to the left of Williams to spark wild celebrations in the squad, as well as a number of Army recruits who cheered their team lustily in the second half.

Earlier, Justin Garcia opened the scoring for Defence Force in the seventh minute, heading Marvin Jones’ freekick to the right of Williams.

Paul replied for Central FC in the 56th minute, sending Defence Force’s goalie Sheldon Clarke the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The decision from referee Crystal Sobers to award a spot kick caused heated debate by the Defence Force team, as she relied on the belated assistance of assistant referee Caleb Wales to award a foul on Mitchell, who was bundled over in the box by Justin Garcia.

Central FC, seeking to build on the momentum, pushed up numbers in attack but against the run of play, they fell behind again in the 66th. Striker Jamille Boatswain and Arcia exchanged passes in the centre of the Central FC defence before Boatswain got behind James and slotted a right-footed effort via the uprights.

Paul had another opportunity to even the score from the penalty spot seven minutes later, after a ball from Johan Peltier struck the arm of Jamali Garcia.

However, Paul’s cheeky effort struck the crossbar and was cleared to safety. In the 89th minute, Gonzales should have showed more composure when clearing the ball but hoofed it into the crowd.

The throw from Kaydion Gabriel caused trouble in the penalty box and the ball fell to Mitchell whose cross was headed home by Seecharan, though the Defence Force players were adamant that the substitute winger used his right arm in the process.

Fatima, with a total of 73 points, have been victorious over Carapichaima East, Trinity East, Presentation Chaguanas and Shiva Boys in their previous games this season.

Hillview (61 points), on the other hand, have won three out of their four games in their 2017 campaign. The former champs had wins over Trinity East, Barrackpore West and Presentation Chaguanas, with their only setback coming at the hands of Carapichaima East.

With two rounds of matches remaining (March 7 and 14), the result of this game will go a long way in determining the champion team of the 2017 competition.

Third-placed Naparima (48 points) will be visiting the struggling Carapichaima East while fourth-placed Presentation Chaguanas (47 points) will be fancying their chances against the winless and table-proppers Trinity East at Trincity. The other game on today’s calendar will be Shiva Boys versus Barrackpore