The lead devil or King Devil came closer, held with a long rope by two other devils trailing behind him. The blowing of fire, high-pitched screams and the constant rhythm from the biscuit tins drowned out all other reality. Then, he was in front of me.

The scared person next to me threw a dollar into the street. He came to a stop and stood completely still.

The others, feeling a change in mood, stopped as well. He turned only his head and looked in the direction of the man next to me, and then slowly moved the rest of his body and began to come towards us.

Imagine a Velociraptor, one of the most vicious and predatory dinosaurs, about to walk towards you.

Suddenly, money began to fall in the street, none of them the red colour of the dollar. The blue devil looked us up and down and with a blood-curling scream continued on his way.

Time moved again.

The village of Paramin is said to be the highest point in the Northern Range. Located in the hills overlooking parts of Maraval, Diego Martin and Port-of-Spain, it is responsible for creating the blue devil phenomenon.

Even children are indoctrinated into this mas, and many of them become totally committed to portraying their character. I wonder though if the community knows the history and meaning behind their portrayal.

The concept of the devil in our Carnival is born from the pain and trauma of enslavement.

The original mas is called jab molassie, the “jab” coming from the French diable or devil. Research indicates that masqueraders covered themselves in molasses to commemorate enslaved Africans who fell into vats of molasses during the sugar- making process.

As with all masquerades of protest and resistance, the mas would also have been created to make a point about the contempt that the white European planters had for the life of the African. Later, when the oil industry in TT began to flourish, masqueraders would cover themselves in oil. In Paramin, they originally used the household washing dye called “blue”, but nowadays body paint is also used.

Paramin is itself a community founded on resistance, being the site of the Neg Mawon (runaway African) caves that provided refuge for those who managed to escape the terrible conditions on the plantation.

It is documented that “the highest occurrence of escapees was in the 1820s when punishment was inflicted on over 1,200 slaves for absence without leave or attempting to run away.” The enslaved found refuge in Paramin; over the centuries blending with immigrants from Martinique and Guadeloupe and the Cocoa Panyol from Venezuela.

Under cover of darkness and cool morning air, the blue devils and other devil masquerades infiltrate their energy into the J’Ouvert, the start of our Carnival. The terror that we feel is exactly the point of the mas.

The screams, pounding music and feeling of anarchy provide an insight into the reality of a people who survived the brutality of enslavement and the subtle dehumanisation of colonial rule. The heat of the sun sends the blue devils back to the hills where they wash off the paint and release themselves from the mas.

Yet, their screams echo down the hill and across centuries as we struggle still with our own demons.

How do we rid ourselves of the things that scare us now? Don’t ask the blue devils. They gone.

D a r a Healy is a performance artist and founder of the NGO, the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN.

He urged the Muslim leaders to encourage their respective Jamaat members to speak with a united, positive voice while taking action to root out and displace the criminal elements .

Saying only a minority of persons who leave TT enter areas of conflict, Dillon said the vast majority of local Muslims are law-abiding, living in a country proud of its harmonious existence of all citizens .

Dillon said Government’s anti-terrorism agenda has a twopronged approach of legislative reform and operational mechanisms .

He stressed the need for heightened awareness among members of the Muslim community, as with all communities, and urged persons to share information if they see or suspect nefarious activities .

The Minister challenged the Muslim leaders to assist in the identification of potential terrorist recruiters and those who choose to enter into areas affected by conflict .

Hafeez Khan of the National Islamic Counselling Services, who led the Muslim delegation, was concerned about the negative image of TT and its Muslim community on international media .

US Embassy officials commended Government and Muslim leaders and assured that the US Government is a part of this approach to counter terrorism .

An undertaking was also given by the US delegation to provide reliable data to the Ministry including identifying possible causes which attract locals to conflict zones abroad .

More meetings are planned to build relationships between the Government and Muslim Communities, even as talks will also be held with other faith groups. Groups at the talks included the National Islamic Counselling Services; Islamic Resource Society; National Muslim Women’s Organization; the Anjuman Sunnat-Ul – Jamaat (ASJA) and the Trinidad Muslim League

According to reports, at midday on Thursday, Camille Rambharat who is the wife of Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat, was standing on the pavement at Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook when she saw her driver taking photos of her, with his cellphone. Rambharat became suspicious and contacted her husband.

The matter was referred to Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon and Special Branch officers were informed. Newsday understands that the driver, who is in his 40s, was detained and taken to St Clair Police Station where he was questioned.

The driver said he was sitting in a car and because he had nothing to do, decided to take the photos of Rambharat’s wife and intended to tell her later that he had taken the photos.

His cellphone was seized and the photos deleted.

Yesterday, senior police sources said that after interviewing the driver Special Branch officers were satisfied that there was no ill intention on the part of the driver.

Newsday understands that owing to a recent telephone threat made by a male caller to the E999 Command Centre three weeks ago, who said he intends to kill President Anthony Carmona and “all of them”, a decision was taken to not only increase security around the President and all government ministers

A report was made to the area police but the traumatised child could not give officers the vehicle’s make or license plate number.

Newsday understands the incident caused panic among some students at the school while teachers called for more police patrols in the area of the school’s compound.

The girl’s parents were contacted and they are taking precautions to ensure their children arrive at school safely. The parents are also contemplating seeking a transfer for their child, to another school. A report on the incident was sent to the Ministry of Education and the school’s PTA.

An emergency meeting is expected to be held at the school on ways and means of ensuring the safety of children and staff. Yesterday, head of the Western Division Snr Supt Basdeo Ramdhanie confirmed the incident, saying the girl had made an official report.

“We have increased the number of patrols and I am calling on persons who may have been victims of similar incidents to come forward and report the matter.” A source at the Ministry of Education said security is expected to be beefed up in and around that school.

A school source said, “Letters have been sent out regarding safety procedures to parents with respect to drop-off and pick-up. It is a concern and it has been a bit of a scare for all of us.” The official also confirmed that the student involved attended classes yesterday

According to police reports, on January 25, a 20-year-old San Fernando waitress boarded a PH taxi at Library Corner, San Fernando and asked to be taken to her home. But on reaching La Brea, the driver went off route and the victim was taken into a camp located at a lonely area in Sobo Village where the rape act took place.

On Wednesday, the suspect was held during a ‘sting’ operation carried out by Sgt Ali, Cpl Thompson and PC Maharaj in Gasparillo.

Cpl Thompson laid the charges.

He was remanded into custody and will re-appear in court next week.

He was last seen at his home five days prior .

The pensioner is of African descent, 5 feet 11 inches tall, slim built with a short, grey afro hairstyle and weighing approximately 175 lbs. He was last seen wearing a white jersey, long black pants and brown slippers .

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Stephen Garcia is asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station .

However, an officer at the G-Tech Corporation, which provides hardware/software and marketing services for the online lottery games, said the odds of a full slate of zeros being drawn was the same as any other random number- one in 10,000.

The official said that while a full slate of zeros had never been drawn since the Pick 4 had been launched, he added that other identical digits such as seven- seven-seven-seven had been drawn.

“We know it is possible because numbers zero-to nine are placed in the hoppers and other numbers like 7-7-7-7 has happened before but never for zero,” the official stated, adding, “we have known it is possible and it is the same odds for the other numbers.” But when Newsday visited Lotto booths yesterday, most players expressed disbelief the the full zeroes had been drawn though a few said the draw was indicative of the random nature of the game of chance.

“Well, I don’t play often but I don’t see how all the zeros could play,” Gangee Deonarine of Rambert Village said shortly after she played a Quick Pick at the JTA Lotto booth at St James Street, San Fernando.

“People bet their money and then zero come up, that is robbery,” she said.

However, Rajendra Maharaj, who meticulously placed his bets, adopted a more philosophical view saying the zero draw was another sign that a machine was drawing the numbers.

“That is how the game is played and that is how the machine plays it,” Maharaj said.

One player, Paul Figero, saw a more sinister hand at work saying “for all the zeroes to play, something else has to be at work.” According to a lottery website, Pick 4 winning numbers are the result of four separate and independent drawings.

In each drawing, one winning number is selected from ten possible outcomes, 0 through 9. Each selection is completely separate and has no effect on the other three drawings.

The school, at Robinson Circular, Arima, was broken into last Wednesday, when thieves stole all the grocery supplies meant to provide breakfast and lunches for the children .

Joan La Croix, the founder and principal of the Agape Training Centre, a school for children with special needs, told Newsday, a report was made to the Arima police .

She said although the school had been broken into over the years, this recent incident left her staff and herself “heartbroken” .

“We work with children who people say cannot learn, and when we came into the school on Wednesday morning, the items we usually have to make breakfast for the children — everything was stolen .

They stole a gas tank, microwaves, kettles, paper towels, wipes and other stuff. They have not only stolen the items, but defecated along the corridor of the school .

“It is not nice to know children are coming to the school and we have nothing to feed them.” La Croix said the school was one of those that did not get any funding from the Ministry of Education or private organisations .

“In the past, when we appealed for help in relocating the school, no one has helped us thus far. The MP office is a stone’s throw away from the school (but the MP) has not visited the school, don’t matter how many times we go pleading to meet with MP Anthony Garcia.” La Croix said the school had been pleading for help over the years because staff had been “distressed time and time again.” She said they now have to reheat the children’s lunches by putting their lunch bowls on top of water tanks to “hot in the sun.” “This time it has affected me, because it is 20 years we have been in operation. We have been pleading for help from different authorities and no one is helping us. Private organisations said they would help, but none have not come forward.” “We are appealing for help from anyone .

To know we are doing our best to help these special-needs children, and we do not get any help from the Ministry of Education or private organisations.. .

it is very distressing to go through this ordeal over and over.”

Newsday Tobago understands the man was hurt after he fired at police.

Police reported that at about 9.50 am on Thursday, members of the Scarborough Criminal Investigations Department (CID) were on enquires at the Patience Hill area when they noticed several people congregating at Yorke Trace and saw one man in the group with an object in his hand.

When they got out of their car and approached, several people in the group fled. The police chased the man with the object and he reportedly fired at them.

They shot back and he was hit in the leg, according to a police source.

He was arrested and taken to hospital.

Police seized a Glock pistol, eight 9mm rounds and one spent shell.

The three were subpoenaed in December following statements made at a panel discussion hosted by the chamber, one month earlier. Objecting to having JTUM join the proceedings were attorneys for Ali, Mouttet and the TT Chamber’s CEO, with Senior Counsel Christopher Hamel-Smith, who represents the latter, warning against an expensive waste of invaluable court time. He said the contempt allegations were hanging over the head of Faria, Mouttet and Ali and had a ‘chilling effect’ on the freedom of expression. Presiding over the proceedings in the Industrial Court in Port-of-Spain are court president Deborah Thomas-Felix and members Larry Achong, Ramchand Lutchmedial and Albert Aberdeen.

Hamel-Smith urged the judges to refuse to entertain JTUM’s request and instead expeditiously deal with the issue of the court’s jurisdiction.

Attorneys representing the three have also raised a constitutional issue. They argue that provisions of the Constitution permit the Industrial Court to refer to the High Court any allegation of constitutional impropriety.

Hamel-Smith said these issues were actively before the court since December.

“These proceedings were in the public domain since December,” he said. He said if JTUM was seriously interested in assisting the court, as its attorney Douglas Mendes SC claimed, it should have provided a proper explanation as to why it should intervene and should have made attempts to contact the parties to inform them of its intention.

Hamel-Smith, along with Ali’s attorney Reginald Armour SC and Mouttet’s attorney Fyard Hosein SC, said they were only informed of JTUM’s application before the start of yesterday’s proceedings which was for submissions on the preliminary jurisdictional and constitutional points.

President of JTUM Ancel Roget and executive member Vincent Cabrera were in court yesterday.

Armour expressed concern over an admission by the court’s president that she had not yet read any of the submissions filed by attorneys in accordance with the court’s orders in December.

In her reply, Thomas-Felix defended herself, saying no one could instruct her on when she should start reading submissions filed in matters before her.

She also said although she saw JTUM’s application, the other members of the court only learned of it before yesterday’s proceedings.

In the end, Thomas-Felix instructed JTUM to file submissions justifying its application to intervene. The joint trade union movement is to do so by February 24 and the three parties are to respond by March 20 after which the court will give its ruling on whether JTUM can join the proceedings.