In the last few weeks, several people have said they promised payment by Bidaisee for work done during his campaign in the months leading up to the election and on election day itself, November 28. However, speaking at the corporation yesterday, Bidaisee produced several receipt books showing dates and amounts paid to different people who worked with him.

The alderman said he paid more than 30 people for work done during his campaign. “I have all my receipts to show that I paid these people so for some to say I’m owing them, it’s wrong,” Bidaisee said. He told Newsday that the people who are making these claims are envious of his position.

“I am a little humble fella who the party’s political leader (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) trusted enough to put in this position and it’s just envy with these people,” he said, adding that he has always been a man of the people.

He is calling on the those who are claiming to be owed by him, to pursue the matter in the courts.

“I have nothing to hide, I have all my documents with me so if they want to take me to court, they are more than welcomed. My mission is not to be a millionaire, I want to help the people of Sangre Grande. That is all I want to do,” he said.

Newsday spoke to several persons who said they worked very hard campaigning for Bidaisee and are still awaiting payment.

Karen Samaroo said that besides campaigning for Bidaisee she worked as a street captain on the day of the local government election.

She was promised $600 for her work and claims she has received no payment.

“I have two children and I could not even buy toys for them for Christmas,” she said.

Samaroo said she tried contacting Bidaisee but claimed he has stopped answering her calls.

“I don’t mind if he told me to be patient but he hasn’t said anything to me at all. I’m here waiting and I don’t know what direction to go to take this further,” she said. Megan Seejattan said she was paid half $600 promised and did not get a receipt.

“I don’t know what those receipts show but I did not get any receipt,” Seejattan said.

She too, claimed to have tried contacting the alderman but was not successful.

In a media release, Maharaj who also heads the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union (ATGWTU), said the Parliamentary sitting must be one with a difference and not used “to score political points as much as it must be a discussion among Parliamentarians, the people’s representatives about the best way to deal with the escalating and almost out of control crime situation.” “It must be a sitting carried live not only on television but on radio, where every member elected to the House of Representatives by the people, must let the people know what are their suggested solutions to the crime situation,” Maharaj stated.

“It must not be a sitting where the Opposition opposes for opposing sake or the Government imposes for imposing sake.

It must be a coming together of ideas in full view and witness of the people who would have elected these members to office.

Let the Members of Parliament earn their keep and let every single one of them speak,” he added.

“Let it be that at least once in our nation’s history if only for one day, we could have a United National Front Parliament, where Members of Parliament will discuss the crisis facing our country, not as PNM or UNC Members of Parliament, but as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, representing the people’s interest,” Maharaj stated.

This past Monday, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Planning and Development Joanne Deoraj, who is also this country’s national authorising officer, held “valuable discussions” with ambassador of the EU Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago Arend Biesebroek, “in anticipation of the development and official signing” of TT’s 11th EDF Innovation Programme.

The meeting, held at the ministry’s head office, Eric Williams Financial Complex, Port-of-Spain, was also attended by Ulrich Thiessen, international co-operation programme coordinator; Monica Paul-Mc Lean, programme officer; Beverly Khan, deputy permanent secretary; Marie Hinds, deputy permanent secretary; Natasha Helena Zoric, international co-operation advisor, and Ashti Ragoonanan, programme officer, European Development Fund Unit.

Forde, the feature speaker at the opening, said the NIB is, “all about serving people”, and its employees must remember this and behave accordingly.

“Let’s be real,” he said.

“There are some negative reports coming out from the National Insurance Board. The NIB is a compulsory social security system and the service provided has to be of paramount importance and must be treated as such by NIB staff.” Forde said he took his job at the NIB so seriously and professionally that when he left to become a councellor, people continued to come to his home enquiring if he was still at the NIB and if he could help

Referring to issues which have caused the closure of the school, Gopee-Scoon said, “In the interim, the ministry is exploring the option of securing alternative accommodation for teachers and students of the school.” Asked by Mark how soon classes would resume at the school, Gopee-Scoon reiterated that the Education Ministry is treating the matter with urgency.

She added that the Blind Welfare Association is in dialogue with the ministry “at this time.” She said the ministry has told the association that issues such as the promotion and discipline of teachers are the remit of the Teaching Service Commission.

Gopee-Scoon said the daily operations of the school fall under the ministry and by extension, the principal.

She also said a memorandum of understanding has been drafted “which will guide the operations and functions for the School for the Blind, including the roles and responsibilities of the respective parties.” Responding to another question from Mark, Gopee-Scoon said Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ayanna Webster- Roy, recently held talks with officials of the Children’s Authority to determine the status of the services they offer.

She said the authority has been asked to submit a revised submission about posts to be filled on a priority basis as well as any financial resources they require.

Gopee-Scoon added that Cabinet will consider these matters.

In a lawsuit filed by Maharaj’s team of attorneys, the former minister contends that by failing to prepare the reports and have them laid in both houses of Parliament, the minister has acted illegally and has breached his ministerial duties. He also contends that the failure to provide the reports can stymie the collection of data for the formulation of policies for crime prevention and policing.

Under the ICA the national security minister is mandated to lay annual reports, within three months, after the end of each year, which provides number of warrants applied for to intercept communications, warrants granted and refused, the number and nature of interceptions made, the number of persons arrested, the number of criminal proceedings commenced by the State and the number of prosecutions commenced and their outcome.

Maharaj contends that Dillon has breached the statutory duty under Section 24 of the ICA by failing to prepare the reports for the years 2012 to 2015.

He said in his lawsuit that the legislation directs that the reports are to be laid ‘so as to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of State funds…

And that communications are being intercepted in accordance with the law.’ Maharaj also contends the minister is accountable to the courts for the legality of his actions/inactions and administrative decisions.

Justice Frank Seepersad is presiding over the matter and Maharaj is represented by attorneys Jagdeo Singh, Larry Lalla, Dinesh Rambally, Criston J Williams, Kiel Taklalsingh and Karina Singh.

The lawsuit further noted that democratic accountability of the ‘far-reaching powers granted under the ICA’ is mainly achieved through the obligations imposed on the minister to prepare and lay the reports in Parliament. “Failure to adhere to this statutory provision does not only have implications of illegality, but also undermines the principles of democratic accountability, rule of law and the basic trust that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago can place in its Government,” the lawsuit contended.

“Unregulated interception of communications of citizens is open to misuse and abuse,” the lawsuit added. Maharaj wants the court to order the minister prepare the reports and have them laid in the parliament.

He said he was told in November, 2010, that he was one of the persons whose communications were intercepted unlawfully.

“The ICA represents a real conflict between an individual’s constitutional right to respect for his private and family life, his common law right to privacy and the public’s interest in national security,” Maharaj said in his lawsuit.

Recalling that Parliament was relocated from the Red House to Tower D of the Portof- Spain International Waterfront Centre in 2011, Young said, “The question must arise as to what happened in the period 2011 to 2015, the period when Senator Mark held that position as Speaker of the House.” Indicating that as Speaker Mark chaired a steering committee which was dealing with restoration of the Red House, Young disclosed, “In the period 2012 to 2015, they tried to restore the roof of the Red House and that is now a national scandal presided over by the goodly Senator Mark, where over $23 million were expended.” While the technocrats at the time advised the committee to terminate the contractor, “who had absolutely no experience in building roofs,” Young said, “No termination took place until this administration came in and took charge of it.” Referring to Mark’s earlier contribution, Young said $13.7 million was spent over three years on a companion building for the Red House. “You found coins for $13.7 million? That must have been a lot of coins,” Young observed.

After indicating consultancy fees at that time amounted to $26 million, Young told Mark, “In total, you oversaw the expenditure of $47.5 million of taxpayers’ money, excluding VAT, and you still think the taxpayers want you to oversee this?” Senators expressed shock when Young said the PP approved a sum of $744 million for the restoration of the entire parliamentary precinct, including the Red House. Indicating a companion building was part of this project, Young said that would have cost taxpayers $411 million, had it been constructed.

He said the People’s National Movement has ensured there would be “substantial savings” to taxpayers by clearing and outfitting Cabildo Chambers as the companion building instead of constructing a new building.

On the advice of the Cabinet’s Historical Restoration Sub-committee, which is chaired by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Young said the approved budget for the restoration of the parliamentary precinct is $241 million. Other members of the committee are Young, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Planning Minister Camille Robinson- Regis.

Young said the Urban Development Corporation of TT has issued 15 packages of works for the Red House and is undertaking an open competitive tendering process to select contractors to undertake these works. He said the project should be completed before 2019. At the appropriate time, he said, a joint select committee will be appointed for the accommodation of the Parliament.

These were the words of Dr Ronald Walcott, TSTT’s Chief Executive Officer, as he addressed dozens of the company’s local and international vendors during TSTT’s first annual Vendors’ Forum on February 7, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.

Gerry Brooks, Chairman of TSTT’s Tenders Committee, also delivered greetings on behalf of TSTT’s Chairman, Emile Elias to the 150 vendors, and other guests including Lisa Phillips, Ag Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Vashti Shrikrisensingh Jitman, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Utilities.

Brooks explained that the vendor forum will help TSTT become a more focused agile broadband company and there was a new opportunity for a very exciting and collaborative future for vendors and TSTT.

“TSTT sees vendors as strategic partners and we are opening up all of our opportunities to everyone,” said Brooks and he encouraged the audience to “support local development, support innovation, support private-public sector partnerships but most of all support TSTT because when TSTT wins, you (vendors) win and the customers win.”

Also speaking at the Vendor Forum, Gerard Cooper, TSTT’s Chief Financial Officer, indicated that TSTT’s vision for vendors was to create a partnership with them that would give TSTT a competitive advantage through continuous innovation in its supply chain. That partnership will play a key role in the success of the projects to be funded over the next 5 years which include TSTT’s mobile long term and wireless strategy, core network rebuild, fiber deployment, new business support systems and TSTT’s joint venture with E-IDCOT for a Tobago Data Centre.

All told, Cooper said TSTT’s Capital and Operational expenditure will be in excess of TT$8 billion and the company had improved the robustness of its E-tender online procurement system to facilitate easier vendor participation in tendering for providing services required by TSTT. Noting the tremendous opportunity this presented for vendors, Cooper assured the audience that ongoing initiatives to improve TSTT’s procurement system will provide stronger governance and the continuous innovation needed to support a fair and transparent system that was inclusive to all vendors.

Cooper explained that TSTT’s new approach to vendor relations was being guided by four pillars of the company’s supply chain improvement:

1. Fostering entrepreneurial growth

2. Institutional strengthening by building capacity for supply partners

3. Building long term partnerships by deepening relationships with supply partners and

4. Improving the governance model and leveling the playing field to achieve better Request For Proposals (RFP) responses.

Keino Cox, TSTT’s Senior Manager Supply Chain unveiled the upgraded TSTT e-Tender portal, the first totally local-developed, digital procurement platform. He remarked that TSTT moved to an online procurement system to provide an open and transparent, simplified process that cut costs and improved convenience for vendors and provided real-time data for them.

The online platform has allowed TSTT to expand its reach of vendors globally with over 3,000 registered vendors from Trinidad and Tobago and countries such as the USA, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Belize, Barbados and Jamaica. He noted that with over 4,000 Purchase Orders issued, 2,000 tender bid responses received and $100M TTD of negotiated savings, TSTT was very happy with how E-Tender has developed, and going forward the platform will be the only way to do procurement business with TSTT.

To allow vendors the opportunity to get more details on specific areas of interest, roundtable discussions were also hosted by with Roger Richards, TSTT’s Chief Technology and Information Officer; Carol David, TSTT’s EVP Human Resources, Industrial Relations and Corporate Support Services; Miguel Garcia, TSTT’s Chief Commercial Officer; Rakesh Goswami, TSTT’s EVP Strategic Alliance, Enterprise and Tobago Operations and Sathnarain Tewarie, TSTT’s GM Fibre, who focused on plans to provide fibre to residential and business areas.

This was the defence given yesterday in a press statement by the People’s National Movement (PNM) Women’s League as it defended PNM Political Leader and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s bedroom talk at the “Conversations with the Prime Minister” forum on Monday.

Rowley’s comment: “I’m not in your bedroom.

I’m not in your choice of men. You have a responsibility to determine who you associate with and to know when to get out”, caused national outrage among women in particular with many saying he was victim shaming and victim blaming women who are victims of domestic violence and other forms of crime.

Women League chairman Camille Robi n s on – R e g i s could not be reached for comment on Tuesday on Rowley’s statement, but the League in a statement yesterday accused Rowley’s critics of saying nothing about actual murders and instead “unfairly” using Rowley’s 30 second sound-byte, to bash him and “derail vital issues” raised in the “National Conversation.” While defending people’s right to disagree, the statement which was signed by Robinson-Regis lamented that the disagreement was based on a 30-second sound byte out of a twohour conversation.

“For those fortunate enough to listen to the part of the conversation which treated with the response of the Police Service to crime in general, and domestic violence in particular, the Prime Minister delineated the roles to be played by everyone, and the shared responsibility of all citizens, including women, to address what is clearly an unacceptable situation.

“On no occasion did the Prime Minister attempt to cast blame upon or shame women who have been victims of domestic violence. Instead he asked women to use resources available to them, one of which was their ability to choose their partners wisely,” the league said.

Many who have castigated Rowley’s statement, have asked the prime minister to state if it is humanly possible to foretell, on meeting with person for the first time in a new relationship, if that person would commit rape, become violent or commit murder, in the future.

If the answer is ‘no’, they then asked Rowley rhetorically, ‘how is it a woman can choose wisely?’ “We are certain that as a father, he too would have offered the same advice to his daughters,” the Women’s League statement said as it urged both men and women to heed Rowley’s advice.

“The chorus of criticism that has erupted and which threatens to derail the other important issues discussed on that night, has been deafeningly silent as murder after murder has taken place,” the Women’s League said.

The League added that Rowley had nothing to apologise for and such calls are “disingenuous at best” as it fails to distinguish between the content and delivery of Prime Minister’s comments, as other “more discerning commentators” have done.

The baby who loved with her young parents in Egypt Village, spent six days at the Children’s Hospital, before being declared brain dead on Monday. On January 31, the baby’s young parents went to a pharmacy in Chaguanas and purchased a sleeping drug identified as melatonin with the intention of using the drop in the baby’s formula to assist her in sleeping.

Newsday understands that at 7.30 pm on January 31, the father added the melatonin to the baby’s milk and fed his daughter. At 8 pm, the child fell asleep, much to her parents’ relief as she was experiencing trouble sleeping. Half an hour later, when the mother went to check on her baby, the child was not on the bed.

During a frantic search, the parents found their daughter upside down in a clothes basket and in an unresponsive state. The young mother administered CPR (cardio- pulmonary resuscitation).

The baby was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre where an initial test carried out revealed three possibilities identified as catastrophic injury, hypoxic injury and retinal haemorrhaging.

The baby was transferred to the Children’s Hospital in Mt Hope where she was placed on a respirator.

On Monday, Dr Persad carried out two brain tests on the baby which revealed she was clinically brain dead. A decision was then taken to pull the respirator plug.

Chaguanas police who interviewed both parents were told melatonin was not prescribed by any doctor and investigations are being carried out to ascertain if the parents are culpable in the child’s death.

Contacted yesterday, the Chaguanas pharmacist who sold the Melatonin to the baby’s parents told Newsday that he remembered the purchase very well because it was the norm for the pharmacist to have conversations with the persons asking for drugs. The pharmacist said he enquired of the father, if the drug was for his use.

The pharmacist said the man indicated the Melatonin was for his daughter who was just under a year old. The pharmacist advised that he should not give the drug to the child because there is no data stating it was safe for use by children.

The father, the pharmacist said, indicated that a paediatrician advised that the child be given the drug, but again he (the pharmacist) insisted with no prescription, the drug would not be sold.

The pharmacist said that the man then indicated he too was having trouble falling asleep and wanted the melatonin for his own use. The drug was sold to the baby’s father. The pharmacist said he is willing to cooperate with police investigators if need be.

Andrew Rahaman, President of the Council of the Pharmacy Board of Trinidad and Tobago yesterday said he was sorry to learn about the death of the child but stated Melatonin is an over-thecounter drug. He said that based on information surrounding the baby’s demise, Melatonin may not have been the cause of death, but rather her fall into the clothes basket where she was found upside down.

He said there is no data indicating if Melatonin is safe for use by babies or young children. “As a pharmacist, if someone comes to me I will not give Melatonin for use by a child because several questions will have to be asked. I have not experienced people coming to me and saying that their child cannot sleep. “It is up to the personal judgement of the pharmacist (to dispense medicine or not),” Rahaman said.

According to Wikipedia, Melatonin, also known as N-acetyl- 5-methoxy tryptamine, is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in animals and regulates sleep and wakefulness. Melatonin is also produced in plants where it functions as a first line of defense against oxidative stress.

As a medicine, it is used for the treatment of insomnia, however, scientific evidence is insufficient to demonstrate a benefit in this area.[8] Melatonin is sold overthe- counter in the United States and Canada. In other countries, it may require a prescription or it may be unavailable.