Government bringing in foreign expert for third autopsy on Daniel Guerra

The government of Trinidad and Tobago is bringing in an American forensic pathologist on Monday perform a third autopsy on the body of Daniel Guerra, the eight-year-old Gasparillo boy whose body was found in the Taruba river one week ago, two days after he was last seen alive in the neighbourhood where he lived.

Police stopped Daniel's funeral on Sunday after learning that a second autopsy done privately at the request of the family showed that the child was strangled to death. That finding was in conflict with the first port mortem exam that concluded that death was by drowning.

When Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar visited the family last week she promised to do everything possible to solve the killing, even if it meant bringing in foreign experts.

The government decided to bring in Dr James Gill to conduct the examination of Daniel's remains at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Dr Gill is a deputy chief medical examiner in Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Bronx County, New York and an associate professor in pathology at Yale University School of Medicine and New York University School of Medicine. He is arriving Monday morning and will leave on an afternoon flight for New York.

Persad-Bissessar told reporters, “It is vital that the differences in both autopsy reports be considered and so we have taken the initiative to have an expert flown in so that we can clarify these differences and in these circumstances we are now getting this expert in the interest of justice.”

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, who will meet Dr Gill on his arrival, said his office decided to call in an international expert because of "unusual and mysterious circumstances in which this child disappeared or was allegedly abducted and turned up dead in a watercourse over two miles away from his home".

Ramlogan told the Newsday newspaper the decision was taken in consultation with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard who has no objection to a third autopsy done, given the circumstances of the case.

“I wish to stress that my consultations with the DPP were cordial and cooperative in the public’s interest and this is but an attempt to provide support and assistance to the police in this investigation,” Ramlogan said.

He pointed out that Gill was highly recommended and has written extensively on forensic pathology and his papers include homicides of children.

“The Prime Minister has promised to leave no stone unturned in investigating the death of this child and we are therefore flying in external help to ensure we get to the bottom of this child’s death,” he said.

“It is clear that the Prime Minister and the nation are extraordinarily shocked when children die in such circumstances and the Government is committed to going the extra mile in these type of cases in particular. 

We also intend to beef up and improve our forensic science centre so that this expertise can further assist the police in their investigations of all murders,” he said.

WIN TV says it's not planning a Basdeo Panday talk show

WIN TV confirmed to JYOTI on Monday that it is not planning to have former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday host a regular talk show on its television service.

A senior official said, "It's not true," in response to a querry about a report in the Trinidad Express that Panday might be doing a political show on the station.

The Express quoted Panday as saying that the management of WIN TV has asked him to consider doing a show. "I was approached and will be meeting with the management of the station...If their terms and conditions are satisfactory I will certainly consider it," the paper reported Panday as saying.

The report said Panday could be taking up the time slot that was allocated to the Crime Watch show that was dropped recently. However it said Panday won't be replacing Ian Alleyne.

"Oh no, I am not taking over any such show. Mine will be political so that it will be a voice for the voiceless, similar to what I have been doing at the Basdeo Panday Foundation," the Express quoted Panday as saying.

Moonilal says PNM on trial on Monday when Parliament votes on "hanging" bill

"On Monday, it is the PNM on trial."

.

Roodal Moonilal says the People’s National Movement (PNM) will go on “trial” Monday when Parliament meets for a vote on the proposed legislation of the amended Capital Offences Bill 2011, which will reinstate hanging as the penalty for murder in Trinidad and Tobago.

The bill requires the support of the opposition to pass.

The PNM has said while it supports the execution of convicted killers it will not give the government the vote it needs to pass the bill.

The Government has met the demands of the opposition for amendments to the legislation but Opposition leader Keith Rowley has said that's not good enough for the opposition to vote with the government to pass the bill.

Moonilal has suggested that the Opposition is playing games. In an interview with the Guardian Media, he said Monday will be historic.

“We have made fundamental amendments to our initial version of the Bill—Constitutional Amendment (Capital Offences Bill 2011). We have made these fundamental changes to satisfy the demands of the Opposition so that the final version is effectively the PNM’s bill.

"Yet, it appears that the Opposition would not support the Bill and leads us to believe that they are playing games with such important matters as anti-crime legislation,” he said.

He pointed out that if the Bill is passed, hanging could be almost instantaneous once approved by the Senate.

“This is a defining moment in the fight against the criminal elements. If the Bill is passed with the requisite majority it means that anyone convicted of murder after passage of the Bill is certain not to live out his natural life.

"A convicted killer would be certain to face the hangman. This is why the lack of support by the Opposition is so astonishing when they declared to ‘hang them high’.

“The Opposition position now is like tying the noose around the killer’s neck but untying it at the end. So, on Monday, it is the PNM on trial. One way or the other there will be a hanging at high noon—either the PNM or the killers.

"If the Opposition fails to support the Bill, then they may very well be politically hanged opposite Woodford Square,” Moonilal stated.

Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert has denied Moonilal's claim of amending the bill according to the demands of the opposition.

“They have not made the amendments we asked for," Imbert stated. "We queried the most fundamental clause—which is Clause Five. This clause is the section of the Bill that seeks to alter the Constitution.

"Our problem is that we did not believe that it was necessary to alter the Constitution to achieve the results they are seeking to achieve...

“When you tamper with the Constitution you are changing it in a fundamental way. We do not believe that is warranted in this case. We believe that a special majority bill can be achieving the same effect without radically interfering with the Constitution.

"We also feel they have not informed the public about altering the Constitution; this is absolutely necessary, that public consultations should be held," he said. "We would not be supporting the Bill on Monday.”

Read related commentary: It's time for Keith Rowley to get serious and stop the pappyshow

Dookeran confirms old land tax will return; no new taxes coming

Finance Minister Winston Dookeran has confirmed that the People's Partnership government will stand by its election promise to "axe the tax" by repealing the property tax passed by the previous administration.

Dookeran told the Trinidad Express the act was never constitutionally enforced although it was passed by Parliament.

He said the mission is that "the old property tax will be reinstated at the old values and old rates." However he said there will be some adjustments to the annual rateable value provision.

"You see, what had happened in the past is that the Government had that provision in the old tax, but they never enforced it," Dookeran said, adding the it will have to be removed. He explained that in order to re-institute the old land and building tax several provisions will be made.

Last week Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said Government laid a bill to re-enact a 7.5 per cent tax on lands and buildings using the "annual rental value" created by the People's National Movement (PNM) for the property tax.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar denied that, saying it was a misrepresentation of the facts. And Attorney General Anand Ramlogan insisted last Thursday the government is not bringing back the tax as proposed by the Manning administration.

Dookeran confirmed that the Government has no plans to introduce any new taxes to raise revenue. "We are not right now looking at those measures. Right now we are just trying to simplify the situation by repealing the act and reinstating the old act, and that is it at this point in time," he said.

PSA planning more action to press demands for better pay

The Public Services Assocaition (PSA) is planning another "blackout day" Tuesday to press demands for more money. And PSA president Watson Duke says it is not a one-day affair. "Tt's an entire month of planned activities that will find the Public Service showing dissent and disapproval at the Government's offer of one and five per cent in ways that are unimaginable," Duke told the Trinidad Express. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said the government can only afford a five per cent increase over five years, adding that she would pay more if the government had the money. Duke is not satisfied with that. "We are going to call upon different arms of the Public Service to voice and to express their dissent and disapproval with the Government's offer," he told the paper, adding: "That is all I would say."  The PSA boss also threatened that worse will come if Government refuses to improve its offer.  "These 6,000 people we have out here deserve to live a decent life. How could you offer workers between $1 and $7 a day increase? Is that the kind of increase that we deserve, a $1 to $7 per day? What more could that buy?" he asked. Duke did acknowledge that the government is facing a cash flow problem and said the PSA  is prepared to accept another offer. "We have come right down to the cost of inflation, give us back 100 per cent of our purchasing power, even if they can't give us an increase, give us back our purchasing power," he said.

More police sick out coming; Panday pledges to keep country safe

As police officers embark on another round of sick out to press demands for more pay the government is promising to move additional resources to areas that are most likely to need reinforcements to ensure the safety and security of citizens and visitors.

Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday told reporters Sunday, "All of us have a duty to ensure the security of the country." He said whatever happens, "the security of the country should be of paramount importance."

Media reports say police plan to call in sick on Monday and Tuesday. Panday said he is aware of the plans but added that he believes there are officers who will report for work as normal.

Two weeks ago hundreds of officers stayed away from work causing a security breach when the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Chief Justice Ivor Archie were left without security.

Last week Persad-Bissessar called out 400 Defence Force Reserves to assist the police in maintaining law and order.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with the Police Social and Welfare Association on Wednesday to discuss several issues including salary negotiations.

Letter: Cro Cro's bigotry

I would like to comment on Cro Cro's offering at Saturday's Calypso Fiesta.

I have heard many a calypso that is full of picong and double meaning, but never have I had the misfortune of hearing one quite so full of bitterness, venom and illogical bigotry. To be honest, I sat there agape, wondering what was the intention of the artiste.

That song chastises the "Africans" among us because that group in the opinion of the songwriter, saw it fit to use their judgment and knowledge of the state of the country's affairs, to not support Mr Manning, who I conjecture, in the eyes of the songwriter is also classified as "African".

It is unabashedly advocating political support on the isolated basis of perceived race and charges that those who failed in their 'obligation' to racial solidarity were ungrateful.

This is the most bitter, nonsensical and divisive calypso I have yet heard from the likes of Cro Cro, who understandably received his share of "boos" from the crowd—and deservedly so.

I was given to wondering who indeed would better fit the description used by this calypsonian: would it be those who rose above the ethnic/racial divide to reject ineffective and corrupt governance or the recalcitrant sycophants who ignored the reality of a non-performing autocratic administration and could not bring themselves to reject the romantic myth of ill-conceived tribal ties—on the basis of what, God alone knows!

Steve Smith

Judges name Cro Cro among 11 finalists for Calypso Monarch contest at Savannah

The current Calypso Monarch Kurt Allen will not be among the eleven finalists in the finals at the Dimanche Gras show next Sunday at the Queen's park Savannah. Each will perform two songs.

Here is a full list of the finalists:

1.  Brian London - We Fed Up
2.  Devon Seales - Ah Need Me Carnival
3.  Dexter 'Stinger" Parsons - Mystic Revelations
4.  Dr Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool - Wounded Pride
5.  Joanne "Tigress" Rowley - Woman To Woman
6.  Karene Asche - Uncle Jack
7.  Kizzy Ruiz - De Engine Stall
8.  Michael "Sugar Aloes" Osouna - Not One Word
9.  Rodney "Benjai" Le Blanc - Trini
10.  Tameika Darius - Ungrateful
11.  Weston "Cro Cro" Rawlins - Compare and Contrast

Hang who? - The Peter O'Connor column

“Prime Minister Patrick Manning should be ashamed of himself for trumpeting Strategy X to reduce crime as ‘hang them all now’!”

That was the opening line of this column on Sunday 20th January 2008, a little over three years ago.

The only thing that has changed is the government. Indeed, Manning’s vainglorious grandcharge was so hollow that murders continued to soar through the balance of his reign until he literally fled office in May 2010. 

The change in government, which brought in new people claiming that they would reduce the scourge of murders, brought no effective reduction. 

Indeed, Manning himself had promised us that murders would increase as he brought in his Offshore Patrol Vessels and helicopter gunships. Well we cancelled the OPV’s and the murder rate has not increased, although there was a surge of killings mounted as if to challenge the new administration and the new police commissioner.

In that column three years ago, I went on to say: “Patrick Manning and his obedient neophyte government can pass all the laws they want to ‘speed up hangings’ and we will see no reduction in the murders by shooting as a result of this meaningless legislation”.

But a newly emotive government, faced with an outcry from the people who are now totally fed up with the killings—whether in “gangland”, whether in tabanca, or the worst of them all, the slaying of little children, is latching on to Manning’s hysteria, and pledging “hangings” when they simply do not have the capability to bring about arrests, far less convictions in the courts. 

So I ask once again: Who are we going to hang, if we cannot arrest or convict anyone?

Again, from January 2008: 

“This emotional outburst by an increasingly insecure Manning was clearly made to deflect criticisms of his government’s failure to make any inroads whatever into the scourge of crime”. 

And one gets the feeling today that Kamla, Anand, Jack, Rudi and Suruj have found themselves in a similar hopeless condition and hoping that by brandishing “Rope”, criminals will cower in fear and “change their ways”.

I believe that the people involved in banditry, kidnappings and gang wars totally scoff at any notion that the State will ever hang any of them. So from where is this “fear of hanging” going to come? The simple truth is that most of these criminals are far more likely to die from the bullets of other gangs or the police. 

We would need to hang about three hundred of them each year to create a greater fear in them than the fear of dying by the bullet. And even if we wanted to do that, we could never process that number of trials through our antiquated, inefficient and ponderous courts systems.

I am not arguing for or against the death penalty here. I am simply trying to point out that all of this hue and cry to hang them high is just another set of noise without any meaning whatever. 

And it is “noise” which Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar should seek to silence, for I believe she is more intelligent than that. 

Let us all accept that we cannot hang people unless we go out and lynch them, and I think no one is advocating that extreme—as yet.

So what therefore can we do? 

As stated in January 2008, the police know full well who are committing the murders, kidnappings and acts of banditry, but they cannot get witnesses to testify. 


As I suggested then, and indeed for some years prior to that, we need to declare a State of Emergency. Under the Emergency conditions the police could detain persons found with guns, ammunition, or in the process of committing crimes. 

There will be no bail allowed under a State of Emergency, although detainees could apply to a Tribunal for release. But it is unlikely that releases will be granted to persons caught with firearms, or charged with serious crimes. 

These detainees would be kept in a special Detention Centre, with absolutely no access to telephones or communication with their gangs. While they are locked up, the police can build cases against them without becoming corrupted or having witnesses killed.

And remember, a State of Emergency does not “require” curfews or curtailment of what I write. Once declared, it can be applied where needed, and in this case it is needed against crime and illegal firearms.

So Kamla, I who have your back, call upon you to leave this hanging hysteria and get on with locking away the criminals, by a State of Emergency if necessary, and by fixing the courts system to deal with criminals in the future. And start to re-impose values into our schools and communities. 

The people are getting ready to return to civilization.

Police planning more sick out Monday and Tuesday: Media report

A media report Sunday said police are planning another two-day sickout for Monday and Tuesday - the third round of action to press demands for increased salaries.

The officers are demanding a 40 per cent increase in pay but so far the government's best offer is five per cent.

Following last week's action, which left the private residences of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Chief Justice Ivor Archie without proper security, Persad-Bissessar called in 400 Defence Force Reserves to assist with national security.

The Sunday Express reported that it has obtained the details of the planned action from a text message circulating among police officers. The paper said the message stated:

"We takin a stand...two (2) dys sick leave Mon 28th Feb n Tues 1st March. No extra duties. WE WANT WE MONEY NOW! Broadcast this."

On February 18, the Prime Minister made a statement to the House of Representatives in which she denounced the "irresponsible" sickout by police officers, calling it "drastic and dangerous.

"As Prime Minister I can assure you this level of irresponsibility will not go unchecked," she said.

"Those members of the Police Service who may believe that an abandonment of their duty to conduct an essential service such as the protection of our citizens will find favor either with the public or the Government as a negotiation tactic can expect quite the opposite," Persad-Bissessar said.

At the same time she commended those officers who went "beyond the call of duty" to protect and serve the nation. She also praised defence force personnel who joined the police to provide safety for the country.

Persad-Bissessar stated that she is mindful of the need for reasonable adjustments to the working conditions of police officers.

"Your Government has to act with fiscal responsibility and make prudent decisions that are in the long term national interest but which in the short term may be unpopular in some sectors.

"The nation cannot be held to ransom. Public safety is paramount and cannot be compromised or used as a negotiation tool. It is the reason why certain services are ordained by law to be essential and the withdrawal of such services is strictly prohibited," she said.

She advised the House that she has held discussions with the Minister of National Security, the Commissioner of Police and the head of the defence force and "I want to assure members of the public that necessary provisions have been put in place to deal with breaches of security at every level and that discussions have been held and resources identified to deal with any situation."

She added, "I hold each police officer who fails to carry out his or her lawful duty to protect and serve citizens responsible for every crime which could have been prevented but for dereliction of duty.

"Everyone is affected by the irresponsible acts of a small number of police officers including the very families and friends of those who abandon their jobs...we must not allow the action of a few misguided police officers to tarnish the reputation of the dedicated majority," she declared.

PM Kamla ignores boos from PNM-friendly crowd at Kaiso show, enjoys the show

Some people booed on Saturday when Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar arrived at Skinner Park, San Fernando for the national calypso semi-finals.

However the reaction from the PNM-friendly fans didn't stop her from enjoying the show and walking through the crowd to meet artistes backstage, including calypsonian Super Blue (Austin Lyons) and the Hendrickson sisters.

She was in the company of Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters, Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bissessar, Minister of Tobago Development Vernella Alleyne Toppin, Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs and ACP Fitzroy Frederick.

Thousands went to the show and stood in the open air to hear 40 calypsonians perform.

The first contestant - Sheldon Nugget - had a political tune in support of the government titled “Then We Shall Rise”.

Known PNM supporter and former calypso monarch Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins) had a calypso with racist undertones. His lyrics were an attack on persons of African descent who he said did not support former Prime Minister Patrick Manning in the last General Election.

There were other pro-PNM calypsoes as well, including one from Tamika Darius - dressed in PNM red shirt - called “Ungrateful” - which was on the same them as Cro Cro's, lambasting those who turned their backs on Manning.

COP launches 2011 J’Ouvert Band, “Is Meh Pardner Ship”

The Congress of the People (COP) on Saturday launched its J’ouvert band “Is meh pardner ship” for Carnival Monday, adding a youth section.

Officials explained to the media that the band traces the story of the People's Partnership, "a journey, and victory...with all hands on deck we save our sinking ship of state.”

“Is meh pardner ship”, which has 10 sections, will be competing in the medium sized category.

The sections include:

• All hands on deck
• Women on the Bridge
• Fire in the Engine Room
• Shipwreckers
• Walking the Plank
• Ahoy Mateys
• Drydocks
• Ship Builders
• Utopia
• Youth Brigade

COP leader Winston Dookeran, who spoke at the launch in his Tunapuna constituency office, said: “This is a special occasion for us in Tunapuna because we are launching the Tunapuna arm of the partnership J’ouvert band. I want to extend my appreciation to those who worked to put this band together. I look forward to joining the band on Carnival Monday.”

Dookeran will be playing J’ouvert in “Is meh pardner ship” along with Senator Patrick Watson and the other executive members of the party.

Manning says it was an error; he didn't vote with the government on Friday

Former Prime Minister Patrick Manning has denied that he voted with the government on Friday on a motion to allow Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan additional speaking time to conclude a statement to Parliament.

When the vote was taken, the count was 27 for the government and nine for the opposition. At the time there were 26 government members present and 10 opposition MPs. The Speaker declared the additional vote came from Manning.

However Manning disputed that Saturday in a media release.

He said, "An unfortunate error took place in Parliament yesterday (Friday) regarding my vote on a motion to allow the Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs to complete a statement before the adjournment of the House.

"This matter has received considerable attention in the media, with one front page headline saying my vote went to the Government. I wish to make it absolutely clear that I did not vote with the Government. I voted with my colleagues in the Opposition against the motion.

"The problem arose when, immediately after my vote, I responded in the affirmative to a query from the Government benches, and in the parliamentary cross-talk, my vote was inaccurately recorded as being in support of the motion. I recognised the potential for misinterpretation and immediately took steps to have the error corrected. I therefore did not vote with the Government on this matter."

Manning said he would never have supported a motion to allow Seepersad-Bachan more time to speak. "I could never have supported the Minister's deception...What I would certainly support today and tomorrow, is the immediate departure of this disastrous government from their mismanagement of Trinidad and Tobago."

Commentary: It's time for Keith Rowley to get serious and stop the pappyshow

Keith Rowley - the "wajang" and "raging bull" that Patrick Manning fired - has had his revenge and now wants to be Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. But the way he has been behaving lately suggests that he is working very hard at ensuring that it never happens.

For a long time now he has been trying to sway public opinion in his direction with some  success. That is part of the political game and his right in a free and democratic society, so nobody should fault the PNM leader for that.

However there is a big difference between political posturing and misinformation. And what Rowley did this week with his declaration about the property tax borders on mischief.

He summoned the media to raise the alarm that he had learned that the government was bringing back the property tax and making it more oppressive than the one it fought against - the hated tax that the Manning administration tried to inflict on citizens.

The "Axe the Tax" lobby was so strong it shook Manning's confidence and might have helped him decide to call an election two and a half years ahead of schedule.

Rowley told reporters the government would try to "sneak" the tax in during the Carnival festivities on "unsuspecting citizens". And he conveniently left out the point that the valuation upon which the homes would be taxed would be based on older rates.

Prakash Ramadhar, the justice minister who was previously the principal flag bearer for the "Axe the Tax" movement, had to clarify the matter. 

The Manning PNM was basing its tax on new inflated property values while the present government is using old values, he explained. In that context a lower percentage in the PNM tax was still higher because of simple maths.

Three per cent of $10 is much higher than 7.5 per cent of one dollar. Simple. Not for Rowley. He didn't go there. That would not give him the required headline and face time on TV.

His mission was to create mischief based on misinformation. If he has seen the bill as he claimed he has then he would have known that he was not telling the whole truth. He was engaging in what Basdeo Panday famously called "lies, innuendos and half-truths".

Read the Land Tax Bill 

As if that wasn't enough, later in the week he demonstrated a lack of leadership when he decided to kill the "hanging" bill while saying his party is fully committed to executing convicted killers.

When Attorney General Anand Ramlogan introduced the bill the opposition objected, saying that it was wishy-washy and unlikely to cause anyone to hang.

That was and continues to be a point of debate depending on a person's point of view. But it has become irrelevant because the government "bent over backwards", according to Ramlogan, to amend the bill in line with what the opposition was demanding.

In effect it changed the agenda and caused the government to dance according to music of the PNM band in order to get the crucial opposition support needed to pass the bill. But that was not good enough for Rowley.

Rowley wanted more than his ounce of flesh. He got all he wanted but he is still not happy, so on Monday he is going to vote against the bill and kill it.  It doesn't matter that a majority of citizens want to hang killers.

That defies logic especially since the PNM is saying all over the place that it supports hanging. Political expediency, it seems, is more important for Rowley than the welfare of the people.

Just Friday, Penny Beckles was expressing optimism that the opposition would join the government to do what is best for the country. It looks like she didn't speak to her boss because while she might think the opposition wants to do what's best Rowley has a different agenda.

Rowley's behaviour is downright irresponsible. As leader of the opposition people expect him to be an alternative national leader. But he has to get serious about his job and end the weekly pappyshow. 

He seems to have missed the whole point about the role of the opposition. The opposition is an integral part of the governing system and is expected to act responsibly to be the chief watchdog for citizens, keeping checks and balances on the government.

The opposition's role is not to be obstructionist. It's role is not to knock down every single thing the government does, challenge every appointment and denounce every government move.

That's not how you win political points and it's not way you conduct the business of Parliament. And it certainly is not the way for a leader to behave. 

Democracy demands a strong and resonsible opposition. It is time for Rowley to get serious about doing his job. He owes it to himself, his party and the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Jai Parasram - 26 Feb. 2011

Letter: Cudjoe seeing only what he wants to see

After having read Prof Selwyn R Cudjoe’s “Playing the race card” in the Thursday Guardian, I am left to wonder whether intellectualism is really a blessing or a curse.

Read the column: Playing the race card

What he lacked in quality, he made up for in quantity, for his discourse reflected a level of myopic-ism expected in one less initiated by than he is.

Cudjoe missed the point not because of a lack of erudition but rather because he chose a standpoint which provided him with a line of sight to view only what he wanted to view.

The militancy one is experiencing within the labour movement did not emerge overnight. 

The wanton wastage by a cavalier government, the arrogance of elected officers, the neglect of the national community and the abandonment of the weak in our society were all hallmarks of a rogue government which forced the current President to warn this country of becoming a failed state.

In spite of the demise of the last PNM government and the social scourge which visited our land, the militancy which we are now experiencing was never a context which sought to right the wrongs.

The voice of dissent was silenced. Public officers were battered into retreat by systemic rearrangements such as the establishment of different agencies, eg SAUTT and the T&T Revenue Authority, which began to emerge across the landscape.

But few dared to challenge the patriarchy with any serious attempt at being austere. Even the dissenting voice within the governance was stripped of power, relegated to backbench status and yet, in spite of the humiliation, when it came to vote they all towed the line... ”the Prime Minister has spoken.”

That is the question which Cudjoe must answer before attempting any deconstruction within the discourse.

He ventures into the world of the villain valorising again the institution of SAUTT which finds no basis for its existence within the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago.  

Cudjoe must provide the basis upon which he becomes so triumphal in his validation of money spent on an illegal institution while at the same time ignoring the impact this preferential treatment had on the morale of the rest of the Police Service.

How can he so glibly applaud the reward offered to this preferred group without the empirical evidence to support their achievement?

This is function of the patriarchy and if Cudjoe cannot recognise that it is his gender blindness that has allowed him to applaud Patrick Manning’s wrongs while at the same time jeer at the “mistakes” of the Kamla Persad-Bissessar government, then it is the fulfilment of such a prophetic utterance that “whom the God’s wish to destroy they first send mad.”

There is nothing in the text for which I need to apologise. There is no mischaracterisation as it relates to the police. The pain Dr Cudjoe feels has nothing to do with Jack Warner per se. 

Instead it is the rambling of depressed feelings of being governed by a woman and yes an East Indian woman, which is being projected and directed towards me.

As the youth of the nation would say, professor, “yuh baad.”

Jack Warner | Minister of Works and Transport

Private autopsy shows Daniel Guerra was strangled; police stop funeral

Police have stopped Saturday's funeral for Daniel Guerra after a second autopsy revealed the eight year old Gasparillo boy did not drown as stated by the first post mortem, but was strangled to death.

Daniel's family were not convinced with the initial examination done at the government's forensic lab and asked for another to be done privately. 

A report in Newsday said two detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau witnessed the autopsy, which was done at Dass Funeral Home in Marabella, South Trinidad.

Homicide Investigations Bureau detectives stopped the funeral service and asked for authorities to do a third autopsy, Newsday reported. That's expected to be done on Saturday.

Police believe they are close to solving the case, the paper reported. It said two Lucozade bottles found in an abandoned silver-coloured car that police have seized may reveal the identity of Daniel’s killer.

Daniel disappeared from near his Gasparillo home last week Friday. His bloated body was found two days later in a river near his home. Witnesses reported to police that they had seen the young boy enter a silver car.

Police have questioned more than 60 people so far in their investigations.

Penny visits Daniel's mom, says PNM supsports death penalty

Daniel's mom greets Senator Beckles-Robinson

Opposition Senator Pennelope Beckles-Robinson on Friday denied that the People's National Movement (PNM) has been obstructionist with respect to the "hanging bill", adding that the party supports the death penalty for capital offences.

However she said there needs to be some "serious amendments" to the legislation. 

On Thursday, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan told reporters that the government has bent over backwards to make adjustments to the bill as demanded by the opposition but that the PNM was still opposing the legislation.

He called their action "obstructionist".

Read the story: PNM not voting for "hanging" bill; AG Ramlogan calls opposition "obstructionist"

Beckles-Robinson made the comments when she visited the home of Daniel Guerra, the eight-year-old Gasparillo boy whose body was found in a river last Sunday, two days after his family reported that he was missing.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar visited the family on Monday and vowed to find Daniel's killer.

Read the story: PM Kamla weeps for little Daniel, pledges to find the child's killer

Beckles-Robinson said she went to the family home to express condolences on behalf of the PNM. 

"I have been looking at what has been happening over the last couple days and his death has almost united the country, in the sense that many people have come out in support of the parent, in support of the family," she said

She also took the opportunity to speak about the debate over the death penalty. 

"What is clear is that the Opposition has some concerns in terms of the categorisation of the bill, so I don't think the issue is supporting the death penalty," Beckles-Robinson said.

"I think there are some serious amendments that need to be done. What the Opposition wants to ensure is that when that debate is completed you want to achieve what the public is asking."

Beckles-Robinson was optimistic that the Government and Opposition would do what is best for the country. "I am sure that both parties will come together and try and resolve it in a way that people will be comfortable," she said. 

However her view is in conflict with that of her leader, Keith Rolwey, who stated earlier in the week that the PNM will vote against the "hanging" bill on Monday.

Conflicting views of SIA; Browne supportive, Gopeesingh says it was a Gestapo type unit

Diego Martin Central MP Dr Amery Browne defended the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) on Friday, telling legislators that the agency had been involved in investigating high profile murder cases and in the arrest of members of international terrorist Islamic organisations in this country.

Browne was speaking in the House of Representatives on a private motion brought by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, calling for Government to immediately report on its handling of the SIA files and data.

However, Government member, Dr Tim Gopeesingh presented a different picture of the SIA describing it as a Gestapo style unit that was harassing people and even trying to kill them.

Browne insisted that the SIA had successes in collaboration with other international and local agencies, including one case where members arrested persons who had planned to blow up a cinema in the U.S., adding that three of the members were Trinidadians, who were deported.

He said up to October 15 last year, SIA officials had been inviting the Government to review their work but the government didn't bother. And he claimed that disbanding the SIA has caused the escalation of murders.

In his contribution to the debate Gopeesingh painted a different picture of the agency that had been illegally spying on citizens, including MPs, journalists and even the President.

"Colleagues would meet you on the corridors of the Parliament and tell you where you went. How did they know that? Because that administration, from 2003 to 2010, went mercilessly against individuals who dared to oppose them," Gopeesingh said.

Gopeesingh charged that people "were being followed by black, heavily tinted vehicles after their phones were tapped."

He said, "They got harassing calls in the middle of the night by people set up by the SIA at that time. People were being run off the road. There were journalists being run off the road—on two occasions, and they tried to kill them.

"They went into the e-mails of children and spouses...(in a) Gestapo state with a Mugabe style of leadership", the Caroni East MP stated.

He said people could not report these things to the police because the police were under the control of SAUTT, which was an illegal arm of the State that was reporting to the Attorney General.

"People were blackmailed, their phones tapped and yet they had no ability to go to anybody to complain. Who were the real police? Who were the secret police? And who were the troops of the former administration? Citizens were left dumbfounded. They were confused as to who were the real police and who were the police operating under the arm of the former administration," Gopeesingh said.

Gopeesingh said the SIA had access to large amounts of "unaccountable" cash, noting that in the police raid on the SIA last year officer found $5.9 million. "They were paying friends and family with the slush fund to spy on other people and some of their own people," he said.

"There was money-laundering taking place in the SIA at that time. This country must know what was happening from 2003 to 2010. It was criminal acts that were perpetuated in the SIA between 2003 and 2010 by the last administration.

"Guns were there, money-laundering. Money was being given to people for spying on other people...A few of us whose names where on the spy list met at my office to discuss evidence and information which could have shown the former prime minister's involvement in the Guanapo church. We were followed," Gopeesingh said.

He charged that it was business as usual for the drug lords while the PNM Government was using the wire-tapping equipment to follow the activities of Opposition MPs.

Manning votes with the government

Former Prime Minister Patrick Manning on Friday voted with the government while his colleagues on the opposition benches did not.

It was not a particularly important issue, but for the records it showed that Manning broke with his party.

Speaker Wade Mark had asked for a vote for or against a motion seeking to grant Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan permission to conclude a ministerial statement 10 minutes after the scheduled tea break at 4.30 .

There were 26 Government MPs in the House at the time who all voted “yes”. Of the 10 opposition members nine were opposed.

Manning seemed a little confused when asked for his vote, first stating no and then changing it to the affirmative, causing members on both sides to burst into laughter.

When the Speaker announced the result he said said 27 votes were registered for the government.

New board for CNMG takes office. Brian Stone is chairman

 Trinidad and Tobago's state-owned broadcaster, Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG), now has a new board of directors. They received their instruments of appointment Friday from Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Colin Partap.

The chairman of the board is Brian Stone. Other members are:

• Liana Ramsahai (Deputy Chairman)
• Maukesh Basdeo
• Sharon King
• Ronald Rattan
• Faied Mohammed
• Kevan Gibbs
• Thokozile James
• Certica Williams-Orr

The Board held a brief introductory meeting Friday, which Stone described as "productive". He said, “We intend to fast track the Board getting a firm grip on CNMG.”

CNMG operates operates a broadcast media facility comprising three radio stations - 100.1FM, 99.1FM and 91.1FM and television services on Channels 9 and 13, and Channel 6 on cable.

Judge orders multi-million-dollar payment for Soca Warriors

A High Court judge on Friday ordered the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) to make an interim payment of more than TT$6 million to 13 players who represented the country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Justice Devindra Rampersad also expressed concern over the TTFF's accounting, which included all commercial revenue associated with the players prior to the 2006 World Cup. "I have great issue with the accounts filed...It is totally unaccountable," he said.

He ordered that the accounts be properly done on an Excel spreadsheet, adding that it must be done properly no matter how long it takes.

The judge noted that the football body did not properly account for $1 million Swiss francs and several million dollars (TT) received from private sector funding.

Rampersad said he could not properly rule on the matter because of the incomplete accounting reports.

The Soca Warriors have been demanding that the TTFA honour a ruling of the London-based Sport Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP) in 2006 that stated under the terms of a contract, agreed by FIFA Executive Committee member and TTFF special adviser Jack Warner TTFA owed the Soca Warriors half of all 2006 World Cup commercial revenue. 

The TTFF claimed that a breach of confidentiality by the players meant they were no longer bound by the agreement.

Attorneys for both sides return to court next Friday.

Jack says TTFA should pay Soca Warriors

Jack Warner said Friday he believes the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) should follow a ruling by the High court and pay the Soca Warriors the money owed to them.

"I am not involved in that, you know, the TTFF will have to decide. I imagine they will appeal, I really don't know. I haven't spoken to the TTFF," Warner told reporters who asked him to comment on a court order that the team members who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the World Cup in Germany be paid more than $6 million.
 
"I have taken myself out of that a long time ago. They had asked for $100 million, at one time was $50 million, then it came to $20 million, one month ago it was $10 million, now the courts says $6 million, okay.

"If I were to advise the TTFF, I would tell them of course to give it to them and call it a day, because at the end of the day this thing is just protracted, a waste of time and in the end nobody will believe it."

The FIFA vice president, who is also a senior cabinet minister said. "The country will judge me by my deeds. If the country believes that I am a person who treats people unfairly, I will pay a price for that. If the country believes that I treat people fairly, I will also be praised for that. I don't have to prove anything to anybody, my deeds speak for themselves and this is good enough for me."

He added, "It's one man and one man only who has been fighting this thing, Shaka Hislop and his father. We have paid much more money than you have here.

"What is to gain in all this? What it shows of course is how frivolous this whole thing has been and what it does show is how one man, one person only could lead a multitude to do nonsense. It didn't have to reach this far, from $100 million to now $6 million."

UWI South Campus will add life to Debe, making it a university town: PM Kamla

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said on Thursday south Trinidad would see immense benefits from the South Campus of the University of the West Indies in Debe, noting that the rural community would be transformed into a “university town” and generate employment.

She made the statement in a speech at a function to dedicate more than 100 hectares of land next to the debe High school for the UWI campus.

Persad-Bissessar said for too long activities and services have been centralised in and around Port-of-Spain while hundreds of thousands of citizens who “live outside feel marginalised, disadvantaged and neglected.”

She added, “For too long our children have spent countless hours on the road trying to get into the university and jobs in Port-of-Spain.”

The south campus will include the Faculty of Law. The Principal of the UWI St Augustine campus, Prof. Clement Sankat expects to see about 450 students at the new campus by August 2013.

He said the student enrolment had grown at St Augustine from approximately 7,000 students in 2000 to nearly 17,000 in this academic year, representing 140 per cent growth in the last decade.

Noting the need for expansion, Sankat said the present campus was only able to offer places to 70 per cent of its highly qualified applicants in 2010/11.

UWI South campus one step closer to reality

The South Campus of the University of the West Indies was formally launched on Thursday at a dedication ceremony attended by cabinet minister led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and top officials of the University, including Chancellor, Sir George Alleyne, and Principal of the St Augustine campus, Professor Clement Sankat.

Minister of Science Technology and Tertiary Education, Fazal Karim said 100 acres of Caroni (1975) Ltd land was approved for the campus that will be located north of the Debe Secondary School.

Karim said that a construction will be done in phases. He said his ministry has already allocated $2 million to the project and funding will be available through the Public Sector Investment Programme. 

He said the campus would accommodate 4,100 students from the 38 secondary schools in South Trinidad. He also announced that the entire campus will get its power supply from solar energy.

Sankat noted that a planning report done in 2007 show that 67 per cent of the persons polled wanted a UWI campus in south Trinidad.

Persad-Bissessar recalled her university days and also announced that Cabinet has approved 30 acres of land for construction of a campus for the College of Science Technology and the Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTATT) in Chaguanas.

Stacy meets stakeholders to discuss plans for highway to Point Fortin

Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Stacy Roopnarine, hosted a stakeholders meeting earlier this week at the newly opened NIDCO office in Penal/Debe. 

Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner promised back in October that he would open the office to be close to residents who have concerns about the new highway to Point Fortin. Some people and institutions would have to be relocated to make way for the new highway

Roopnarine assured everyone that the government is committed to ensuring fair treatment to residents with minimal impact on their lives.

Senior cabinet minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, Chandresh Sharma and Stephen Cadiz also attended the meeting, which was held on Tuesday who assured everyone that the government will address all their concerns.

The principal issue raised was relocation and compensation for those who would have to be displaced. 

Various community leaders suggested relocation to state lands in the Hermitage area. Roopnarine noted that it is important that the community be relocated in terms of the social impact and reconstruction of schools, temples, churches, recreation facilities.

"I don't fear Mr Dansam Dhansook!" AG Ramlogan

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan told reporters Thursday threats to his life by former PNM councillor Dansam Dhansoon have forced him to request more security.

Dhansook is the man who filed a matter in court several years ago, alleging that he had offered a bribe to Franklin Khan, who was Minister of Works and Transport at the time. Khan was later freed.

Speaking at the media briefing following the regular cabinet meeting Ramlogan said in July last year, he received what he called “an odd letter” from Dhansook, which contained demands for work from the People’s Partnership Government.

He said he ignored that letter and then a second arrived in which Dhansook intensified his demands. Ramlogan said a third letter from Dhansook ended in what he interpreted to be a threat "to my and my family’s personal security and also an attempt to blackmail me."

Ramlogan said he called James Philbert, who was acting police commissioner at the time, "and I gave it (Dhansook's letter) to him and I ask that it be investigated."

Ramlogan added, “The second thing that I did, having regard to the allegation of Mr Dhansook was making—the allegations being that I drafted a letter for him to send to the Prime Minister that would have led to the charges—immediately I drafted the letter to the DPP of the country, sending him a copy of that letter and highlighting for the DPP, the fact that this letter may have implications for pending prosecutions.”

Ramlogan said Khan is free “not because Dansam Dhansook had a change of heart or had any pangs of conscience, it was because I took it upon myself to disclose to the DPP a letter he sent me in confidence, a letter which made allegations and threats and I passed it to both the Commissioner of Police and the DPP for three things to be done.”

The AG Said he requested an immediate police investigation, security for himself and his family and that the DPP look into the implication for the prosecution’s case against Khan. He said that is why the DPP withdrew the case against Khan.

The AG said Dhansook later wrote another letter in which he made further threats if the AG did not meet certain demands.

“I ignored it, I passed every letter I have received from Mr Dhansook, everything I have received I have passed it to the DPP and the Commissioner of Police,” the AG said.

He noted that Dhansook's promise to take the matter to Parliament did in fact happen when Senator Fitzgerald Hinds raised the matter in the Senate.

“There is a marshalling of forces to try and intimidate me. I am not easily intimidated. I don’t fear Mr Dansam Dhansook,” Ramlogan declared.

“Not only has Mr Dhansook created this mischief, he has sent other letters to make allegations against other government ministers, against just about everybody in the Government,” Ramlogan said, noting that Dhansook “did the same thing under the last administration.”

Ramlogan said Dhansook made similar allegations against former AG John Jeremie, and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Dr Lenny Saith. He said all those letters have been sent to the DPP and the Commissioner of Police.

PNM not voting for "hanging" bill; AG Ramlogan calls opposition "obstructionist"

The constitutional amendment bill that seeks to bring back hanging in Trinidad and Tobago will not pass in Parliament if opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley makes good on his threat to vote against it.

“We not voting for that,” Rowley said Thursday in an interview with the Guardian media.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has said the Government is reaching out and bending over backwards to get opposition support for the bill, which requires a constitutional majority that the government does not have. He said if the bill dies, no one should blame the government.

Ramlogan said the government has made significant amendments to the bill, on the request of the Opposition. 

“Although we do not agree with their demands, we have decided to give in and yield to those demands in the interest of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

He explained that the government accepted the two principal demands of the opposition - the removal of the categorisation of murders and an 18-month limit for appeals to the international human rights bodies.

“We have agreed to give in to those demands in the hope they will inspire responsible political behaviour in the interest of the country,” he added.

Ramlogan called the PNM “obstructionist and added that “partisan politics seems to be playing itself out while they strangle and frustrate the nation.”

He said the PNM is exhibiting "false pride" since it intends to withhold its political support because "it will make the PNM look bad that for eight years they didn’t do this and we are now doing it in eight months."

Ramlogan said “children will continue to go missing and end up murdered with their bloated bodies being found in the watercourses while the PNM continues to hold on to false pride....It is an attempt to sabotage our crime-fighting efforts and our efforts to restore law and order to this country.”

“It is clear that the Opposition does not want the death penalty to be enforced in this country,” Ramlogan claimed.

Rowley is adamant that the PNM will not support the legislation when it comes to a vote on Monday. “We are not afraid of the AG. We are not going to be bullied,” Rowley said. He said the PNM is not going to be a party of the government's "public relations gimmickry".

PM Kamla off to CARICOM summit in Grenada; Errol McLeod to act for 2 days

Labour Minister Errol McLeod is acting Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

He will hold the position for two days while Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar attends an important CARICOM meeting in Grenada.

The agenda for the CRICOM talks includes the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), Haiti, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and financial stability in the aftermath of the collapse of the Colonial Life Insurance Company.

A media release from CARICOM said the Prime Ministerial Subcommittee on the CSME met Thursday under the chairmanship of Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados to deal with outstanding issues towards a more effectively functioning CSME.

“Free Movement and Contingent Rights are among the specific areas of focus,” the release said.