There were three male passengers in the vehicle, aged 21, 23 and 24, all from Woodland, police sources said. Instead of taking the woman to her destination, police said, one of the men pointed a firearm at her and the driver drove to Gandhi Village in Debe.

She was taken by force to nearby bushes where she was robbed and then gang-raped.

Two suspects were held hours later while the third was held yesterday after police got information while interrogating the two detained suspects. All three men are expected to be placed on an identification parade and once charged, will appear before a San Fernando magistrate.

They are to be relocated to a temporary station while efforts are to be made for the construction of a new station to replace the 85-year-old structure which has been condemned as unsafe for human occupation.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon responded to a threat by firemen to abandon the station if they are not relocated within two weeks. “I am in discussions with the Acting Chief Fire Officer Roosevelt Bruce to resolve issues at Point Fortin Fire Station. I fully understand the officers’ frustration.

In fact, I visited this station on two occasions and have engaged a service provider for a temporary accommodation to house firemen and equipment,” Dillon said.

“That process is ongoing as there are procedures with respect to evaluation of the property where the temporary station will be located.

It is expected that a solution will be had in the shortest possible time.” Dillon noted that an approach has been made to Government to acquire property in Pt Fortin for the design and construction of a new fire station.

It is understood that government has allocated $11 million, in the 2017 budget, for a new fire station.

Fifty firemen are based at the fire station. Told by Newsday of Minister Dillon’s intervention, firemen yesterday expressed joy by the minister’s swift response. “It is not right to be working alongside rats and cockroaches. We are happy that we will be relocated. Minister Dillon’s response was swift and very much appreciated,” a fireman said.

Firemen said that they are so afraid that the building can collapse at anytime that they have moved their bunk beds to the front of the station under a tent. At night, they rest or sleep on the bunks walking distance from the pavement, while awaiting calls from the public.

Members of the Air Guard and the TT Coast Guard were conducting intense aerial and sea searches for Arnold Beharry, 51, and Stephen Beharry, 21, of Icacos Village. According to police the men, who are not related, were out at sea when their the vessel capsized in rough waters. Reports are that boat captain Arnold and Ricky boarded the vessel shortly after 11 am on Tuesday.

Relatives of the two fishermen are fearing the worst and are hopeful that at the very least, their bodies can be retrieved for final rites.

A relative of one of the missing men said that the men left their homes to retrieve their drift nets in the sea off Icacos. Cedros Police officers are investigating.

He was arrested in connection with a number of fraudulent acts committed against an elderly man known to him. Among the charges are uttering false documents and obtaining credit via a valuable security. Following his arrest, two houses, one at Ramnanan Street, Marabella and the other at Lower Hillside, San Fernando were searched and several household appliances seized.

The officer was arrested in the presence of his colleagues at 9 am on Monday in the chargeroom of the San Fernando Police Station. At the time, he was in full uniform and armed. He was relieved of his firearm before being taken into custody. Head of Fraud Squad Ag Snr Supt Totaram Dookie along with Sgt Bachoo, Cpls Badree, Bassarath and WPC Adams conducted the exercise.

A LA ROMAINE man was yesterday jailed for three years for robbing a pub outfitted with gaming machines of $20,000 on Sunday. Keston Christopher, 30, of Pond Street, was in 2012, charged with robbery and served two years in prison.
Back then he pleaded guilty and yesterday, Christopher again pleaded guilty before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde- John in the San Fernando First Court.
He was charged with robbing Mumbai Pub in La Plaisance Road, La Romaine. Court prosecutor Cleyon Seedan said at about 1 pm on Sunday, the defendant and another man – both armed – stormed the pub and announced a hold-up. They proceeded to rob the supervisor of $20,000. PC Dennis Sam of San Fernando CID conducted investigations and arrested Christopher. The money was not recovered.
Attorney Chantal Paul, in pleading for leniency for Christopher, told the magistrate that he is married and a father of two children aged eight and six.
The attorney admitted that like most accused, who proffer financial hardship as a reason for committing robberies, Christopher was under grave financial strain but was “man enough” to immediately admit guilt.
The attorney said that in 2012, Christopher was jailed for a similar offence and as a result, she would not stretch her hands out for a non-custodial sentence but is asking the court for leniency.
In the end, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour

He said the Kalypso Revue, as an organisation, is not a member of TUCO.

“Individual persons are free to become members of the organisation.

Individual persons are also free to leave the organisation because it is a democratic process,” Masimba told Newsday during a telephone interview, yesterday.

He was responding to president of Kalypso Revue, Eric “Pink Panther” Taylor’s announcement that the Revue would quit being a member of TUCO. Taylor made this announcement on Tuesday night after only one of its members, Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool was selected to compete at the Calypso Fiesta, carded to take place this Saturday at Skinner Park, and a place in the National Calypso grand finals.

However, another Revue member, Kizzie Ruiz, was also chosen for this Saturday’s Fiesta.

“I don’t know about the Revue leaving TUCO because it is not a member of the organisation.

According to our constitution, TUCO is divided into four zones — TUCO North, TUCO South Central, TUCO East and TUCO Tobago. We don’t organise by way of tents, we organise by zones and geographical demarcation,” Masimba said.

He said with competition being the way in which we show appreciation for our national art form of calypso, there will always be situations where people feel aggrieved because they were not selected.

“It is always difficult to judge the musical art because people will always be disappointed when they feel they have a good song and they didn’t get in, it is not the first time that that has happened.

I myself feel a pain for some of the calypsonians in Kaiso House.

They had some songs that I personally feel would have gone further, but that is how life is where competition is concerned.

“Last year Klassic Ruso, which is run by TUCO North zone, only got one pick, and Kaiso Karavan either last year or year before also only got one pick. It is not something that is strange to the calypso tents that operate in the country. There were times when the Revue got nine and ten selections, and that is how it is sometimes,” Masimba said.

Attorneys representing Phillip have written to Grant, who is also the Acting Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General, accusing him of attempting to “stifle the airplay” of Bro Valentino’s 2017 composition “Change the Formula”.

Attorney Keith Scotland, who along with attorneys Asha Watkins-Montserin and Keisha Kydd-Hannibal, represent the calypsonian warned Grant that his statements, in an email to a local radio station in which he (Grant) sought to “clear the defamation of his good name”, purported to impugn Phillip and his music.

“As you are well aware, the song entitled ‘Change the Forumla’ is written and performed by our client and though your correspondence is not directed to him, it directly touches and concerns his freedom of expression, his reputation within the industry and his professional relationships,” the letter said. The letter also maintained that the composition “Change the Formula” was not defamatory to him (Grant). The letter also quoted two verses of the song, written and performed by Bro Valentino, and said it (the calypso) made no assertion of Grant having a stranglehold on the finals each year; that he (Grant) was in control of any network or cabal that reaps rich rewards; that he (Grant) was the head of any calypso mafia with an arrangement with the judges; that he (Grant) manipulate the results; or that he (Grant) was corrupt.The letter further informed Grant that Bro Valentino’s song could not bring him into public odium or contempt by the calypso loving public, at home and abroad. It also noted that the entirety of the composition was in keeping with the spirit and intent of the political and social commentary from which calypso was born.

“Though you have failed to identify specific words complained of, save and except for you exorcising singular words out of context, we are obliged to state that the composition as a whole in its plain and ordinary meaning as well as by way of inference and innuendo means no more than there is a focus in calypso of negative political commentary,” the letter said.

Scotland also noted that Bro Valentino’s composition did no more than recognise that Grant wrote a number of political commentaries which tended to make it into the finals of calypso competitions and that those were the songs that predominately won competitions and were the preference of the judges.

“We request that you cease and desist from further attempting to inhibiting the airing of our client’s composition. That is unjustified,” the lawyer’s letter said

Jodhan has been Acting CEO since September 2016, while her predecessor Robert Wong, was on leave. Wong was then sent on administrative leave in December 2016, after the board was informed of allegations that the company had been repackaging bulk rum from Cuba and South America, without first making substantial changes to the rum, then selling it to export markets.

Commenting on her promotion, Jodhan revealed she was “both humbled and honoured to be appointed Chief Executive Officer.”

“I have been with (Angostura) for close to a decade and my commitment has always been to Angostura’s people, products and values. I am keen to build on the long outstanding achievement of our manufacturing business, through the execution of forward looking business strategies that add to the customer experience, and build on our shareholders’ value.”

Prior to Jodhan’s appointment as CEO, she held the post of Executive Manager of Angostura’s International Sales and Marketing Division. Angostura said Jodhan will lead its “executive management team and support the Board of Directors on the company’s strategic business and growth strategies as well as other key decisions.”

Chairman of the board, Dr Rolph Balgobin, spoke highly of Jodhan’s selection, saying “Genevieve has the experience and track record of delivering results and has proven leadership.”

“(Jodhan) spearheaded our international sales growth increasing market share and sales of our signature rums and bitters in Europe, Asia and Australia and has directed the development of the brands in many emerging markets including Russia, Czech Republic, and Armenia.”

Balgobin also expressed the board’s confidence that “the new CEO would lead and execute Angostura’s vision to expand globally.”

A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister indicated that the MOU was signed in 2013 under the former Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration.

Agreement was reached between TT and Guyana for the resuscitation of a high level joint committee to ensure that agreements between both countries are implemented.

This committee will hold its first meeting in TT on March 30 and will meet at least twice per year, alternately in TT and Guyana.

Each party will be able to request additional meetings if necessary.

Rowley and Granger identified several areas where agreements between TT and Guyana existed but had either expired or were not fully operationalised. Rowley was accompanied by Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses and Press Secretary Arlene Gorin George. Granger’s delegation included Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Agriculture Minister Noel Leroy Holder.

Sturge issued the call while leading off debate on a private member’s motion in the Senate to express concern about the rising levels of crime in the country.

He also suggested that the Attorney General be given one month to bring legislation to free the country from the limits imposed by the Privy Council’s Pratt and Morgan ruling so that hangings could be resumed. He said there are currently ten persons on Death Row who could be hanged, demanding “hang them!” Sturge criticised the Police for its low detection rate which he said was about three or four percent.

“And then you still have to hope for a conviction and hope that the conviction is not overturned on appeal.” He said the major causes of crime in the country were drug related; the turf war between Muslims and Rasta City; Muslims versus a smaller group of Muslims known as Unruly ISIS; other gang wars; paid assasinations; killings as part of a break in; and domestic and other confrontations which result in killing.

He said break-ins at homes which result in rape and other forms of violence must be dealt with but since crime is multi-faceted then the solutions must also be multi-faceted.

He said while some of the killings in the country are carried out by novices, many are not and many of the killings have the stamp of professionalism and are carried out with finesse and expertise.

He said many of the murders are carried out in a way which suggests that they are well planned and do not leave a shred of physical evidence behind, suggesting that the killers are skilled and highly trained.

He wondered “what are the reasons for these killings and who is paying for them,” suggesting that some of the killings may be carried out by hired guns – “guns who may have been hired by members of the armed forces regrettably.” Sturge said that 20 years ago the Police had much higher detection rates although the service did not have the level of technology it has now and said that something is obviously wrong when the Police have all the technology it has and has the lowest detection rates anywhere.

“We pay the most money on National Security and we get the least results. That cannot continue.” He asked whether the Minister of National Security knew what was the reason for the war between the Muslims and Rasta City or that between the Muslims and Unruly ISIS.

He asked where all the guns were coming from, adding that the country was given the impression that legislation expanding the responsibility of the Strategic Services Agency was urgently needed and would go a long way in crime detection but he said that in the last nine months since the legislation was passed the Act was still awaiting proclamation.

He listed some short term solutions to the country’s crime problem: Fire all three ministers in the Ministry of National Security; give the Attorney General one month to bring legislation to free the country from the limits imposed by the Privy Council in the Pratt and Morgan judgement and in the meantime establish a small team of lawyers dedicated to ensuring that death penalty cases are heard within the time frame set out by Pratt and Morgan;

Give the Attorney General three months to bring the crime legislation promised for the last six months particularly laws which would speed up the hearing of firearms- related cases; double the capacity of the court system, instituting an evening shift from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM to try matters in which persons are on bail. He said this could allow the system to handle twice the amount of cases it handles at present with a doubling of judicial staff and support staff;

Set up a database on firearms in police custody and devote more personnel at the Forensic Sciences Centre to balistics; establish CCTV cameras at intersections nationwide and at junctions at specific hotspot areas; make the Motor Vehicle Authority the only legal entity to produce licence plates and stop the private sector from producing licencing plates; scan all containers coming through the country’s ports.

He said it was a hollow argument that this would slow down commercial activity and the government must decide whether saving lives was a priority or whether it was a greater priority to appease the business community and return the Strategic Services Agency to its original responsibility – drug interdiction and related matters.