Al-Rawi said government has taken this approach because crime is fuelled by profit. Therefore, in the near future, the government will introduce a wave of new legislation to combat this type of crime.
For instance, Al-Rawi said that a “new compulsory system for registration of land” will be tabled in Parliament which will replace the “voluntary approach of the Real Property Ordinance.” He elaborated that this will apply to private land and public land.
Furthermore, he said that Tobago will be used for the pilot project and the funding for that US$7 million has already been secured.
Another piece of legislation to be tabled soon is one that will make it compulsory to register the beneficial owner of a piece of property.
Al Rawi could only say that he “hopes” that these laws will take effect this year. On the topic of the Cyber Crime Bill, however, he said that it will be discussed next week.
It will also target those who report false crimes.
Kissoon was last seen wearing brown jeans and a black and white jersey at her Agostini Street, St Augustine home at around 9.30 pm. She is described as being of East Indian descent, 5 feet 9 inches tall, slim built with medium length, straight black hair.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kissoon is asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.
SIBLINGS FOUND In an unrelated incident, two teenaged siblings who went missing from their Santa Cruz home on February 4, have been found and are safe.
A statement from the TTPS yesterday stated that Samuel Narine, 14, and his 15-year-old sister Britney Cassandra Eligon, were found yesterday by officers from Santa Cruz Police Station.
The siblings of Jagan Village, Santa Cruz who are pupils of the San Juan Junior Life Centre, were reported missing by their aunt Victoria Narine on February 7. The police said members of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) are continuing investigations and thanked the public for their assistance in the safe return of the teenagers.
According to police reports, at about 10.45 am, the victim of Carapichaima was plying his Nissan Note for hire near St Mary’s, Freeport district when two men boarded the car .
The men who were clad both in long sleeve shirts and ties asked to be taken to the Waterloo district .
Reports are that while in the vicinity of Waterloo Road the men pulled out guns and announced a hold-up. The bandits ordered the driver to hand over his cash .
The driver was robbed of $1,500 by the men who then jumped out and ran off. “I never once thought that these two welldressed men could be bandits,” the driver later told police. No arrest has been made and Freeport police are investigating .
Moving a motion in the Senate yesterday, acting Leader of Government Business and Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee- Scoon said the report of the JSC is being “treated as an interim report.” Gopee-Scoon, who is a member of the JSC, requested the Senate “extend the time for the JSC to complete its work on Thursday” (February 23). Senate President Christine Kangaloo then put the question to senators and all present supported the motion. Among them were Independent Senator Hugh Russell Ian Roach and Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen, who are also members of the JSC.
In opening debate on the JSC’s report in the House on Monday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the US Government is not repealing the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and all JSC members knew this. Passage of the Bill is critical to TT being FATCA compliant.
Imbert, who is the chairman of this JSC, remained optimistic that the legislation (which requires a three-fifths majority for passage in the House and Senate) would be passed before the end of this month and TT would meet its FATCA reporting deadline of September.
In a statement, BATT said it spent the past five years working with both the former and present government on the implementation of the FATCA regime. It says the issues surrounding the TIEA bill have been reviewed extensively by the recently concluded Joint Select Committee (JSC), which the Opposition requested .
BATT said having ventilated all the issues, the time for debate has now come to an end and the TIEA bill must be implemented to allow the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) time to begin the implementation process for the FATCA reporting requirements due by September .
According to the statement, the consequences of non-compliance with this country’s international obligations have been reported on extensively and Trinidad and Tobago cannot run the risk of damage to its reputation .
“As BATT has indicated, the FATCA reporting requirements will impact US persons only who already have an obligation to report their tax obligations to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) .
This requirement is therefore not new and does not impose any new requirement on US persons .
His wildly popular Ramsingh Sharma which has received heavy rotation this Carnival Season was enough to place him first in a tie with Ravi B who sang Budget, at the finals on the weekend at Skinner Park in San Fernando.
“Through the years I saw my music scoring high in fetes, but when it came to the competition I was unable to score a victory…until this year,” Maharaj said during an interview yesterday. What has brought more joy to him than winning the Chutney Soca crown, is the fact that Ramsingh Sharma has been accepted throughout the country and is in heavy demand in non-Chutney events and shows.
Dealing with the issue of prize-money for 2017, Maharaj said the Chutney Soca music is growing at a rapid pace gaining wider appreciation through the years and this why the authorities should consider a bigger compensation package for those who compete.
Maharaj and Ravi B will split $650,000 – the combined winnings for first and second place. Maharaj heaped praise on Chutney Soca Monarch promoter George Singh for overseeing a successful competition despite several controversies including claims that songs performed at the competition were ripped-off from Bollywood.
“George Singh is a boss. Without the Chutney Soca Monarch competition what stage will there be for chutney singers from all over the country to come and perform to a national and international audience,” he asked. “I am grateful to Mr Singh for the experience.” Maharaj said that the Chutney Soca Monarch has grown in stature and is on par with other national competitions such as the Calypso Monarch and Soca Monarch shows. Artistes in these three genre of TT music work equally hard to put out their songs annually.
“The life of an artiste is not all glamour and celebrity. It is hard because you perform sometimes six to eight hours straight and you move from show to show, week in and week out during Carnival. But I love it and I love bringing Ramsingh Sharma and his antics to the country,” Maharaj said.
Thirty years ago Maharaj started singing religious songs at Hindu temples. He then moved on to singing at Indian weddings, birthday parties and small fund-raising shows. He went on to win three titles at the 103 FM Hall of Fame awards for Best Recording, Best Chutney Song and Song of the Year for Ring Bang.
The first calypsonian was Dave Voisin who delivered New Investment.
His performance was followed by Natasha Jenny Edmund singing, Youth Power. In the song, Edmund spoke about youths who are often over looked in society.
Edmund said that it was the vibrancy of the youth which at times makes a positive difference in a country. Youths, she added are a vehicle for change.
Delivering a powerful rendition, Still Colonial, young Miguella Simon sang that she would not stand silent as many try to bring back colonialism. “So long slavery has banished and they still living in the stone age, stop your colonial ways,” she sang.
Simon recalled situations in the country where persons were discriminated for their hair texture and religious garments. Terrance Daniel aka Big Youth, called on parents to be responsible for their children’s behaviour. “What a child see his/her parents do, they want to do. Teach your children as a mother and father, don’t watch your children doing wrong, correct them,” he sang. Results are expected to be released soon
The 15 Government senators voted against the motion, eight Independent senators voted for, and five Opposition senators and one Independent senator abstained. Wrapping up the debate, the mover of the motion, Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir said it was “not about compensation” contrary to Government Senator Paula Gopee-Scoon’s assertion, but was about a participatory pension plan that discriminated against the majority of senators.
It was also not about any senator in the current Parliament but about the future of the Senate and who should populate it, he said.
Noting that the Parliament of 1969 decided on the pension plan, he said, “I ask myself, how could they have formed a select committee without including members of the Senate to fix themselves, and to exclude the senators.” Looking at the contributions by the Parliament 47 years ago, Mahabir said, “I am grateful for all of those senators who contributed. I apologise to people like (former senator) Nicholas Simonette, who would have served for 15 years” and who would not have benefited from the pension plan.
Noting that the International Labour Convention defines parttime work as being 30 and 35 hours a month, Mahabir said the legislative and oversight work of senators exceeds 35 hours. He said many senators leave tenured position to give public service and asked how many could afford to do that.
On Gopee-Scoon’s comment that serving in the Senate was about volunteerism and public service, Mahabir said that public service was not about charity. “If that is the case we become very aristocratic.
We make the Senate as a chamber only for the very wealthy because these are the ones with the money and the lords of the land,” he said.
In his contribution to debate on a motion by Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir to amend the Legislative Retirement Allowances Act, Roach said he could not support the motion in its entirety.
According to Roach, the Parliament should be focusing on the “apparent runaway level of murders” in the country and threats to the vulnerable in society, especially young women in recent times.
Rather than deal with increased pay for parliamentarians, he said crime was the issue which takes top priority in TT. “We as a Parliament should be preoccupied with and pressing the Government to do much better now,” Roach said. He asked his senatorial colleagues, “What is the purpose of having economic betterment when you will not be safe enough or free of criminal activity to enjoy same?” Roach, who is wheelchair bound, also told senators that differently abled people in TT “far outnumber senators without portfolios and suffer daily injustices while trying to eek out a living in a hostile and indifferent environment.” He said he was prepared to “forego any increase or emolum ent at this time” to ensure that the concerns of differently abled people are addressed.
Recalling recent industrial issues at State oil company Petrotrin, Roach said the Oilfields Workers Trade Union was not justified in threatening strike action or demanding wage increases during the current economic climate.
He added that Petrotrin was underperforming and unprofitable at this time.
Earlier in the sitting, Independent Senator Sophia Chote SC expressed her full support for the motion. “We are not here, cap in hand, asking for a pay hike,” she said, adding that many people do not know the quantum of work which Independent senators are required to do. She said some people devalue the contributions Independent senators make to the Parliament.
Also on today’s agenda, Bishop Anstey High School ‘A’ team will meet Bishop Centenary while the ‘A’ and ‘B’ squads of Holy Name Convent will oppose each other.
Action will get going at 4 pm.
Providence and St James Secondary are joint leaders with seven points (two victories and a defeat), followed by Bishop Anstey ‘B’, who are on six points after two matches.
The title will be up for grabs as 2016 champs International School of Port-of-Spain have opted out of this year’s edition, as well as St Joseph’s Convent Port-of-Spain.
