Cash-strapped Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is now saddled with a $5 billion debt.

This was revealed yesterday by WASA chairman Romney Thomas during a Public Accounts Committee meeting chaired by Dr Bhoe Tewarie, which examined WASA’s audited financial statements for the period 2008 to 2013.

Giving a breakdown of WASA’s operating cost, Thomas said the water authority received $1.9 billion in subventions from the Government this fiscal year, while it generated $700 million in revenue.

Thomas explained that while WASA’s annual expenditure was $2.7 billion, the State-owned company was faced with huge debts.

Asked by committee member Melissa Ramkissoon what was WASA’s debt for 2017, Thomas said if he remembered currently, the figure was around “$5 billion.”

WASA’s acting director of finance Giselle Spence said the debt fell into different areas. She explained that validated invoices to contractors and suppliers was over $300 million, while unvalidated invoices due for payment stood at beyond $1 billion. WASA also has a loan portfolio and recurrent operating expenditure which “would have been close to $2 billion,” Spence added.

In addition to this, Thomas said WASA had significant lawsuits before the court, some of from contractors. He said WASA has been on a cost cutting drive in the last two years which led to the company saving millions of dollars.

Among the measures taken to cut expenditure were renting less vehicles, curtailing advertising and significantly reducing the number of contracts awarded. Thomas said WASA has also been utilising its in-house staff to undertake work which was previously done by contractors.

Romney also said it costs WASA $2,000 per disconnection, while its re-connection fee is $250. WASA has 5,000 daily and monthly paid employees, he pointed out.

Acting director of customer care, Alan Poon-King, admitted WASA was overstaffed.

“Within the Caribbean, they have around seven employees per 1,000 connections. We are currently at around 13 employees per 1,000 connections,” Poon-King said.

However, Thomas gave the assurance that WASA would not cut jobs “at this point in time.”

In a bid to raise its own funds, Thomas said WASA has toyed with the idea of bottling its own water, which has a vibrant market, but they were yet to finalise this decision. He also admitted that it would cost WASA $3 billion to replace its ageageing pipelines, some of which have outlived their lifespan of 25 years.

While WASA supplies 92 per cent of the population with water, CEO Dr Ellis Burris said there are approximately 2,151 leaks to be fixed.

Daily,WASA loses between 43 to 50 per cent of its water from leaking pipelines, which the committee found alarming.

A Rio Claro man facing additional months to his nearly completed jail sentence reportedly jumped into the choppy waters off Carrera Island Prison yesterday afternoon and has not been seen since.

Unil Phillip, 45, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for possession of a shotgun and six rounds of ammunition in July 2015 and would have been released in January of 2019. Yesterday, Phillip reportedly had a fight with a fellow inmate and was charged with assault. He was being taken to be adjudicated when he fled the prison. If found guilty of the new charge while incarcerated, he would have had months added on to his sentence.

Phillip reportedly broke free from the clutches of prison officers and ran towards the fencing before climbing and jumping into the waters below. The escape took place around midday, prison officials said.

The T&T Police Service is now offering professional counselling services to the daughters and wife of slain SRP Richard Babwah.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday, Babwah’s wife, Akeba Sorzano, confirmed the service has reached out to her after reading the girls had been severely traumatised by their father’s killing.

“They contacted me this morning and told me that they are offering counselling for the girls and I…I have been really taking this hard…I am not eating not sleeping, nothing…maybe I really need to talk to someone,” Sorzano said.

Sorzano said the family has been monitoring Babwah’s daughters, ages nine and eight, very closely.

“Today (yesterday) I am just spending time with them, laying with them...they are only playing hopscotch and asking for games to play…so we are doing that with them because they have not accepted that their daddy is gone yet…they are still trying to come to terms with that,” Sorzano said.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has expressed sadness over Babwah’s death and extended condolences to relatives and friends of the slain officer.

On Monday, Babwah had just gone off duty and was at Long Yuan Chinese Restaurant in Arouca at about 5.20 pm when two men entered, one armed with a gun, and announced a robbery. Babwah drew his service pistol and there was an exchange of gunfire, during which time one of the suspects was hit in the lower abdomen. Babwah sustained several gunshot wounds about the body and died on the scene. The bandits then made their escape in a getaway car.

The wounded suspect, a 33-year-old Maloney man, sought medical attention at the Arima District Health Facility, where he was subsequently detained. He was then transferred to the Eric Williams’ Medical Sciences Complex and remains under police guard. The other two suspects were also subsequently held by police.

Babwah, who had four years’ service, was last assigned to the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region 2, Arouca. His funeral is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow at the Faith Assemble Church in Arouca then to the Belgrove’s Crematorium in Tacarigua for a private cremation.

The autopsy on 23-month-old Soriah Martin, who was killed during a quarrel involving family members in Sangre Grande on Tuesday, will now take place today at the Forensic Science Centre, St James. Her autopsy was initially carded for yesterday but was postponed after none of her family members turned up to identify her body, the T&T Guardian was told by officials at the centre.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old T&T Defence Force member held in connection with the incident has been handed over to the Homicide Bureau Region II Arouca by officers attached to Sangre Grande CID. The lance corporal, who is attached to Special Forces and is based at Tetron Barracks, Chaguaramas, has 12 years service. He was still being interrogated and statements recorded up to last night, after which his file will be submitted to the DPP’s Office for instruction, police investigators said.

Police reported that around 5 pm on Tuesday, Martin’s uncle, Gregory Harracksingh got into a heated argument with a relative who went to the family’s Paul Street home to see the child. The relative reportedly pulled out a gun during the argument and shot at Harracksingh, who was wounded. Martin, who was being held by another relative also in the room, was reportedly also shot during the gunfire. The relative later fled the scene but was apprehended by officers attached to the Valencia Police Post. Martin and Harracksingh were taken by relatives to the Sangre Grande Hospital, where Martin, who was shot in the head, was pronounced dead by doctors.

When the T&T Guardian visited the family’s home yesterday, relatives preferred not to speak for religious reasons.

RALPH BANWARIE

After fighting off death in India and battling through three days of surgery, the high pitch giggles of five-year-old Haleema Mohammed are once again warmed the hearts of her relatives.

Haleema and her family returned to Trinidad on Tuesday night after she successfully underwent a life-saving bone marrow transplant at the Fortis Memorial Institute for Allogeneic Transplant in Gurgaon, India. Haleema had been diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Major, a deadly blood disorder which reduces the production of haemoglobin.

Last June, Haleema’s mother, Kristal, applied to the Children’s Life Fund Authority for funding for the surgery. The authority said it would have taken up to three months to consider the case. On August 15, Kristal filed a lawsuit challenging the delay by the authority to consider her urgent application. But in a response the following day, the authority’s board rejected the application on the grounds that Beta Thalassemia Major was not considered a life-threatening illness as required by Section 19(e) of the act guiding its operations.

The family was left to fend for themselves, but within weeks private and corporate citizens poured out their financial support and they were able to raise the funding for the trip and operation.

Although the family is relieved to be home, Kristal told of the harrowing experience of watching her daughter scream from pain and not being able to do anything about it during the process. She recalled that on arrival in India, Haleema’s blood iron level was over 3,000 and climbing. She said the doctors eventually had to order special medicine from Germany as Haleema’s risk of dying was high during this period.

“It was really scary. When we reached in India, the doctors started doing a lot of tests on her heart, lungs and kidneys in preparation for her procedure,” Kristal recalled.

“On the day they inserted the Hickman line in her chest, I cried so much because she was alone in there with people she did not know. She and I are so close and all I could have done was watched. After surgery, she cried for days in pain and she could not even move until she started to heal internally.

“I was so sad to see her go through so much pain that I told the doctors that I did not want to do it any more. But the doctors told us that if we did not see about it now, we could have decided to go back home, but things would get worst.”

Following the surgery on September 29, Haleema’s donor, her brother Haleem, was allowed to leave. However, Haleema endured seven days of chemotherapy which darkened her skin and caused her hair to fall off, Kristal said.

But like the book of Psalms says, joy followed her pain and her recovery came swiftly.

“Words cannot express the way I feel about how the country helped to save my child’s life? I am truly grateful. I pray for everyone and thank everyone for pulling my family through this.”

But Haleema is not fully out of the woods yet and has to continue her medication to ensure her body does not reject the bone marrow. She also has a strict diet and must be in well sanitised surroundings for the next year. As a result, she will not be able to attend school.

Retired High Court judge Melville Baird is not prepared to disclose what he will bring to the table as the new chairman of the Integrity Commission.

Speaking to members of the media minutes after he received his instrument of appointment from President Anthony Carmona yesterday, Baird said he needed to get on the job first.

Asked what was his pre-conceived idea as to what he intends to bring to the commission, Baird replied: “I do, but, I won’t share it.”

In terms of confidentiality, Baird was asked how concerned he is about leaks within the commission where information would be made available to the public prematurely. He responded asking for a chance.

“Give me a chance to meet with staff…to get on the job and then I would address matters that need to be addressed,” Baird said.

“In my Bio I was dealing with top secret telegrams from the Criminal Office to the Governor General and sending back to them…If one did not have a deep sense of confidentiality, one could not do that job…it served for me as a grounding for me. I always had a deep sense of confidentiality and at this stage in my life, it is extremely deep,” Baird said.

Carmona, in his brief statement, warned Baird that his job “is not going to be easy.”

The President made mention how the last two chairmen—Justice Zainool Hosein and Ken Gordon were buffeted and treated unfairly by the public.

“But…they stood tall and they accomplished the objective…the time has come now again to give another relay runner…to hand you the baton, it is not going to be easy,” Carmona said.

The Integrity Commission is an independent constitutional body appointed by the President. It is charged with the responsibility of regulating the conduct of persons exercising public functions and preserving and promoting the integrity of public officials and institutions.

The National Carnival Commission (NCC) has a little over a month to pay Pan Trinbago the $3 million in ticket sales it collected for this year’s Panorama competition.

High Court judge Vasheist Kokaram made the order in the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain as he ruled that the NCC had acted unlawfully when it took a unilateral decision to take away the power from the organisation over alleged issues of financial accountability.

Immediately following the judgment, NCC’s lawyer Rishi Dass requested that Kokaram’s order for payment of the money, which was held in escrow from the start of the case, to be stayed.

Dass claimed his client had advanced money to Pan Trinbago in excess of its budgeted annual subvention under the agreement that the advanced sums would be deducted if they (Pan Trinbago) won the lawsuit.

Kokaram noted that the court should have been notified of such an arrangement and agreed to stay the order for seven days to give the parties time to negotiate. Even without the stay, Pan Trinbago would have had to wait 28 days for repayment as that period was cemented in the initial escrow agreement.

In a 73-page judgment, Kokaram ruled that NCC had breached Pan Trinbago’s legitimate expectation to collect the revenue as it had been doing so under the authority of Cabinet, since 1997.

He also ruled that NCC had failed to consult with the organisation before effecting the decision, which was made by Community Development, Culture and the Arts Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.

He said that NCC had failed to show the need for the change considering that the revenue was only 10 per cent of the costs associated with hosting the competition, that already receives substantial Government subvention.

“Indeed they (Pan Trinbago) acted on this for years in preparing their finances and saw it as a means to maintain a measure of liquidity and plan its events for the rest of the year. Both parties saw no difficulty in these arrangements until 2017 when the minister sounded a change of approach,” Kokaram said.

As part of the judgment, Kokaram issued some non-binding advice to the parties on how to improve their continued relationship including the use of mediation, consultation and the consideration of new stakeholder accounting scheme.

“They have it in their own disposal means by which they can agree amongst themselves, however, elaborate their own schemes, to ensure the proper use of funds,” he said.

“As I pointed out to them, the judicial determination of the claim as filed comes nowhere close to dealing with that live, practical and recurring problem which they both must face in the months and years to come,” he added.

NCC was also represented by Douglas Mendes and Dharmendra Punwasee. Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, Ronnie Bissessar and Saskia Samlal represented Pan Trinbago.

Pan Trinbago Responds

In an interview afterwards, Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz said that his organisation was happy with the outcome and felt vindicated over its decision to take the issue to court.

“What they (NCC) brought down on us was not good and we took it court and we a proud that the judge took his time in deliberating and ruled in favour of the steel band movement,” Diaz said.

He claimed that while the issue was being litigated his organisation faced serious cash flow issues.

“We were not able to pay staff their salaries for months. Not even the rent. We were owing people and were not able to pay them,” Diaz said.

He said that he and executive members listened to Kokaram’s advice and would be working closely with the NCC and its recently appointed chairman Colin Lucas in the future.

“We are working with the NCC to make Panorama happen. It is the highest pinnacle of the steel band movement,” Diaz said.

The preliminary round of the competition is due to commence on January 4.

Lucas was present in court for the hearing but declined to comment.

Rosemarie Sant

More problems on the inter-island cargo ferry the Cabo Star as a damaged electrical switch which controls the engine forced the cancellation of the sailing from Tobago on Wednesday night leaving truckers up in arms and concerned about perishable goods on the vessel.

President of the Inter-Island Truckers Association Horace Amede said he understands the starboard engine went down, He said, “Christmas in Tobago looking bleak because we losing a lot of days for the month so far.”

Amede was uncertain whether the vessel would have made a return sailing to Tobago saying “we are expecting a cruise ship in Tobago with four thousand passengers. We are not sure what time the vessel will get in or if it will sail back to Tobago today.”

He said the situation had greatly inconvenienced drivers who were hoping to make a turn-around to deliver, pick up and return.

Vice president of the Inter Island Truckers Association Samuel Applewhite said although the vessel sailed yesterday morning “it did not take any passengers.”

The truckers and loaders were asked to seek alternative transport on the T&T Express.

He said the vessel left Scarborough sailing on one engine and the normal five- hour trip would have taken almost eight hours.

Applewhite said among the goods on the vessel were perishable foodstuff which is transported for sale in the market on Thursday and Friday. This included oranges, bananas, pommecythere and avocadoes, “whatever fruits are in season they bring it to sell in the wholesale market.”

An official announcement from the management of Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Company (TTIT) said the vessel experienced “mechanical issues” on Wednesday night and was unable to make its scheduled 11 pm sailing.

The TTIT said the vessel sailed from Tobago at 6.05 am yesterday and the return sailing was delayed. But no time was given for that sailing the advisory stating “users will be advised of the rescheduled time upon the arrival of the vessel into PoS.”

While the official word from the Port was “mechanical issues,” vice president of Bridgemans Services Group Andrew Purdey said “all the engines are fine.”

He identified the problem which caused the delay as “a damaged electrical switch.” Purdey said, “The switch controls the thruster motors and a main engine,” and the vessel could not sail until the switch was replaced.

But he assured there was a spare in Tobago to replace the damaged switch.

Truckers meanwhile say they are concerned that although the Cabo Star was leased for one year they had noticed they are doing work on the vessel and “we have to wonder whether we would be stuck with it.”

Applewhite added: “There are foreigners on the boat installing air condition units,” but he lamented that the units are being installed “in the area they are using.” Their presence on the board he said had also reduced the number of cabins available to truckers and loaders and many of them were forced to sleep on the ground.

Over the past few months the truckers have complained about non-functioning air condition units on the boat which they say make the vessel a sweat shop.

President of Bridgemans Services Group Brian Grange told the T&T Guardian that the engines of the Cabo Star “are all in fine shape.”

He said Wednesday night’s cancellation of the sailing of the vessel was linked to problems with a circuit board for an auxiliary engine which happened overnight in Tobago.

The discovery of the problem he said was first made last week and it was sent for repair locally. “There are now issues with the spare on board which is being investigated as there is no power to the system. “ The repair he said is being investigated.

Grange said they need a “trained electrician for the systems which are joining the vessel on arrival in PoS.” He said, “This is a timing issue of certified personal being available.”

According to Grange, “The delays we have had have been having over last month have had to do with repairs for preventative maintenance to make the vessel continue to operate and to improve performance.”

Grange also complained about “long lead times getting the parts into T&T.” But he said all the parts have now been received.

Because the Cabo Star is so large he said “it takes time to do these items. Our schedule for the CS is daily with one day off and we are running 12 hours per day.” As a result he said “maintenance needs to take place in between working hours to ensure the uptime of route.”

He said there are “certified and trained technicians from T&T, Europe and on the crew in the engine room.”

Grange said Bridgemans had spent “a lot of money to ensure longevity of the contract to include items such as renewing turbo chargers, cleaning air coolers, bottom cleaning and sea chest cleaning etc etc.”

In addition he said the company had spent “ as much money as we can locally to support local business.”

The Law Association yesterday called on Chief Justice Ivor Archie to speak up on allegations questioning his conduct in office now in the public domain, saying it was shocked at his deafening silence.

In a release last evening, the council said it was increasingly alarmed at allegations of improper conduct levelled directly and by implication against him, as head of the Judiciary.

“Of particular concern is the allegation that he has intervened to obtain preferential treatment in the distribution of public housing to his acquaintances,” the council said.

“The council is even more troubled at the failure of the Chief Justice to respond to these damaging allegations despite calls from various quarters, including the Law Association, publicly and privately, that he do so with alacrity. The Chief Justice’s steadfast refusal to refute these and other accusations levelled against him is unacceptable and incomprehensible.”

The council said it is of the view the CJ’s continued failure to challenge the allegations has the potential to irreparably bring the Office of Chief Justice into disrepute, and by extension tarnish the entire Judiciary.

“His continued silence is nothing short of reckless,” the council said.

“As already stated publicly, the council of the Law Association had resolved to ascertain/substantiate the facts upon which the allegations made against the Chief Justice were alleged to be based with a view to determining what, if any, further action might be appropriate. In this regard, attention is drawn to Section 5 of the Legal Profession Act, which mandates that the purposes of the Law Association include representing and protecting the interests of the legal profession and promoting, maintaining and supporting the administration of justice and the rule of law.”

The council’s statement came even as the man of the centre of some of the allegations, Dillian Johnson, a friend of the CJ, reported to police earlier this week that he had information on individuals who want to kill him and who conspired in the attack on him during a shooting incident at his Gasparillo recently.

Johnson named at least two high profile people in a 12-page statement he lodged with the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He produced screen shots of what appears to be Whatsapp conversations among three people - the two high profile individuals he named in his statement and a security agent he also named. However, investigating officers say they are yet to authenticate the messages.

Yesterday, an IT expert who viewed the Whatsapp messages produced by Johnson pointed out to Guardian Media what appears to be abnormalities in them, including times, dates and icons inconsistent with how they are usually displayed in WhatsApp messages.

John’s allegations are currently being investigated by the police.

The speed limit on all major highways throughout T&T has been increased to 100 kilometres per hour and will take effect today.

However, this only means motorists will face the full brunt of the law if they exceed this new limit, as police officers will not be exercising any level of leniency.

The way for the new speed limit was cleared after President Anthony Carmona assented to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) (No 2) Act of 2017. Yesterday, Ministry of Works and Transport workers began replacing the speed limit signs to reflect the new 100 kilometre per hour limit soon to be enforced.

In a release yesterday, the ministry said it was working with the office of the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs for the publication of the requisite legal notices “to allow for the regulation and enforcement of the new speed limits in Trinidad and Tobago.”

The amended Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act bill was debated and passed in the Senate on November 28. The new bill will permit the new speed limit to increase from 80 km per hour to 100km per hour.

Contacted on the move yesterday, Arrive Alive (AA) president Sharon Inglefield said they had no issue with raising the speed limit but noted it must be “subject to proper road safety maintenance and infrastructure to include a minimum of a three-star status international rating for roads ... meaning,…excellent road markings with thermoplastic paint, signage, lighting, road surfaces, pot hole repairs, barriers, pedestrian crossings and an Irapp audit that will ensure that present road network is safe at higher speeds and that the most vulnerable are protected.”

However, she noted that there needs to be discussed the lack of proper signage “going into villages, towns and around schools at 30 kph! Nobody seems to remember that we all need to slow down to protect pedestrians in these areas!”

Inglefield urged the TTPS to continue to include the enforcement with the new speed guns and breathalyser tests.

Yesterday, driver Khalil Khan said whilst he welcomed the increase he hopes the authorities will focus on reckless drivers. Another driver, Sasier Gokool, said she had no objection providing checks are done to ensure the increased speed limit adheres to proper design standards to maintain safe commute of the public. Shivanee Ramadhar, of Chaguanas, said the increased speed limit should play a role in easing the traffic congestion.

There will be no new intake of students at the University of T&T (UTT) in the new academic year 2018/2019 in three of its major programmes. The academic programmes were identified as: Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Science and Management, Bioscience and Agriculture and Health Sciences.

The announcement was made to the student body on Tuesday by UTT president Professor Sarim Al-Zubaidy.

In wishing the students a Merry Christmas and “the very best” in the New Year, Al-Zubaidy broke the unfortunate news. He, however, noted that they will be able to complete their respective courses of study, “or if they prefer transition to a commensurate programme within the university.”

“As such, no UTT student will be asked to exit the university and I anticipate that there should be minimum disruption to current students during this time,” Al-Zubaidy said.

Admitting the challenging economic times have made operations more difficult, he said he still believes things are not impossible.

“What the university requires, at this point, is to make the necessary improvements which will allow us to adjust to our new internal and external circumstances. In this regard, UTT’s academics will focus on classroom instruction, as well as research and publication,” Al-Zubaidy said.

In the next three years, he said he expects a quantum leap in UTT’s research ranking and hopes the university will become a global tertiary education powerhouse. He also said greater emphasis will be placed on internationally marketing the university’s academic programmes, “because there is untapped potential for revenue generation from non-national students.”

On November 1, UTT chairman of the board of governors, Professor Kenneth Julien, announced that the university would not be able to continue operations beyond January 2018 if it did not find a way to manage operational costs. He also noted that some of the adjustments would include significant job cuts at both the managerial and academics levels. Julien explained that challenges worsened with the further 11 per cent decrease in UTT’s 2017/2018 recurrent allocation to $200 million.

The Government monthly subvention for UTT fell short of over $6 million in October and those monies were only received last month. UTT usually receives a monthly subvention of $16.7 million, but for the month of October only got $10 million.

—Rhondor Dowlat

Little Soriah Martin died of a single gunshot wound to the head, her autopsy confirmed yesterday.

Police said afterwards that they suspect the child was hit after the bullet that struck her uncle Gregory Harracksingh in the arm, ricocheted and struck her as she stood nearby. The shooting occurred as Harracksingh was arguing with the suspect, who had gone to the Harracksingh family’s Sangre Grande house to visit his daughter.

As investigations into Martin’s death continued yesterday, police said the 29-year-old soldier in custody for her shooting was in denial over her death. Officers said the man, who was transferred from the Valencia Police Post to the Sangre Grande station after surrendering on Tuesday night, was first told of Martin’s death on Wednesday but said he did not believe it was true.

Fishermen yesterday found the body of a Piarco woman at Patience Bay, Galera Road, Toco.

Police said around 6.30 am, fishermen were on their way to go fishing when they found the body of Maxine Lewis, 21, on the shoreline in only a bra. A report was made to the nearby Toco Police Station and Sgt Sookdeo, PCs Wallace and Singh responded.

Lewis was found with her hands stretched above her head and clad in a bra and underwear, which was slightly removed.

The officers cordoned off the area to prevent curious villagers from entering. Police officers from Homicide Region II Arouca later joined them and carried out a search for any clues. However, police were unable to determine whether Lewis was killed or possibly committed suicide up to last evening.

Villagers said Lewis was unknown to them but one woman remembered Lewis, of Oropune Gardens, Piarco, travelling in a maxi taxi with her to Toco this week.

District Medical Officer Dr Chandolu viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where an autopsy will be conducted today to determine cause of death.

Police contacted Lewis’ relatives who said she was last seen on Wednesday and was in good spirits. They were confused as to how she got to Toco.

Homicide officers from Region II Arouca are investigating.

Re-evaluate your stance in the interest of security and public safety.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon yesterday gave these words of caution to prison officers who want to seek asylum in Canada.

He did so responding to Opposition questions in Parliament. This followed reports that some prison officers recently visited the Canadian Embassy seeking asylum.

On November 2, Dillon said, approximately 25 officers formed a contingent which visited that Embassy seeking information concerning procedure on how to seek asylum in Canada.

The Prison Officers’ Association, in media reports, said the move was sparked by Government’s inaction over requests for law to deal with attacks against officers. This followed murders of two officers in October.

Dillon said his ministry was mindful of concerns of prison officers and other law enforcement officers,”and remains committed to treating with their safety and security.

He added: “While measures to treat with concerns are being explored, the prison officers who formed this contingent are being cautioned to re-evaluate their stance and consider the strain on criminal justice system agencies and the threats to public safety which may occur, should they follow through with their vocalised intent,”

“Any application for leave of absence or request to terminate employment services must go through standard human resources channels. If and when approvals are granted, officers will then be unrestricted in determination of their next course of action,”

In the event, actions of some officers may seem to lead to possible shortage of staff, he said, T&T’s Prison Service has a number of short term workforce planning strategies.

These involved retraining existing staff, task-shifting and redeployment.

Measures included:

•Approval for officers to work extra hours.

•Sanctioning that officers take up extra duties.

•Authorising a temporary reduction in the number allowed to go on vacation leave.

•Augmenting staff with officers resuming duties after leave, placing them in areas where demand is high.

The service admitted 284 male and female recruits in September and will complete another exercise to short-list candidates (male officers and drivers) in early 2018.

Dillon added that discussions are continuing between the Commissioner of Prisons and Police Commissioner on a request for protection for prison officials.

He said this was made on November 7 at a meeting between the National Security Ministry, Attorney General’s office and Commissioner of Prisons and Prison Officers’ Association.

The Prisons’ Commissioner was advised to engage the Police Commissioner concerning those officers whose lives were deemed to be under threat.

Dialysis facilities will soon be increased at the North West and South West Regional Health Authorities as Government moves rapidly to lessen dependence on private sector dialysis services.

Confirmation came yesterday from Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.

The development follows recent issues where St Clair Medical Centre (Medcorp Ltd) halted dialysis treatments on patients due to Government’s non-payment of subsidies for this.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Deyalsingh said Medcorp is owed $1.2 million. The total owed by Government to all dialysis centres is $16.6 million.

Deyalsingh added: “We’re paying part of all of these outstanding monies over the next week. Medcorp will receive approximately $400,000 within the next week.”

“But what we owed Medcorp has to be taken into consideration with the fact that from 2014 to now we’ve paid Medcorp $7.5million (for dialysis), $20.6 million (radiotherapy) and $576,000 (other surgical procedures),”

“We’ve done $30 million-plus worth of business with Medcorp from 2014. So it’s a bit of a surprise that we have this long rich history with Medcorp, and they would have taken this action. But we’re committed to paying them.”

He said Medcorp also benefitted from a portion of $65.1 million paid for heart surgery to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and Medcorp.

“We ask everyone to be mindful of the economic situation,”he added.

The 40 dialysis patients, who had been at Medcorp, were transferred to Port-of-Spain General Hospital and other dialysis centres and none went without treatment, he said.

Deyalsingh said the centres to which patients were taken from Medcorps were glad to do it He said they’d sympathised with Government and assured they wouldn’t take the action Medcorp did, “That’s the kind of patriotism we need in T&T now,” he added.

—Gail Alexander

A High Court judge has refused a legal challenge from one of the five suspects in last week’s $5.5 million robbery at the Piarco International Airport.

Lawyers representing the 32-year-old suspect ofLongdenville filed the habeas corpus writ in the San Fernando High Court on Thursday evening.

Under the writ the lawyers were questioning the lengthy delay in charging their client for the crime.

The suspect, a mason and a father of two, was arrested at a supermarket near his home last week Thursday, a day after the robbery.

The T&T Guardian understands that immediately following the filing of the writ, investigators released the suspect’s two brothers, who were also arrested and interrogated by police.

When the case came up for hearing before Justice Frank Seepersad in the San Fernando High Court yesterday morning, investigators testified that the probe into the heist was at an advanced stage.

They claimed that they were awaiting confirmation from the Central Bank on whether $250,000 recovered in their investigation formed part of the stolen loot and for the Police Service Cyber Crime Unit to analysis the remaining suspects cellphones.

Investigators are expected to approach the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) this weekend or early next week to determine if charges could be laid against the three remaining suspects.

Giving an oral decision, Seepersad said police were justified as they had shown they were acting with due diligence.

“The matter under investigation is unique and given the locale at which the robbery occurred and the nature of same there are issues of national security that arise,” Seepersad said as he ruled that the suspect’s detention was not arbitrary.

The well planned and orchestrated hit targeted a First Citizens Bank load which was being sent to Tobago via Caribbean Airlines, and took place mere metres away from the Piarco Police Station.

The suspect was represented by Kiev Chesney.

Soca superstar Machel Montano and music producer Kernal Roberts have won their appeal against their convictions for assaulting a group of friends at a nightclub, almost a decade ago.

However, their legal victory was bittersweet as the court felt that a retrial was appropriate in their case.

Delivering a 87-page judgment at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain yesterday morning, Appellate Judges Alice Yorke-Soo Hon and Mark Mohammed ruled that their convictions could not stand as former magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor, failed to give reasons for her decision.

“It was necessary for the magistrate to explain, in adequate detail without any need to be over-elaborate, how she determined th credibility issues in respect of the prosecutions witnesses in arriving at her decision to convict the appellants,” the judges said.

They went on: “The absence of written and/or oral reasons in thi regard has therefore prejudiced the appellants in advancing their appeal and has deprived this court of its ability to perform its appellate review function.”

Baboolal-Gafoor could not have been called upon to give reasons retroactively for the appeal as she had retired before it came up for hearing.

Montano was not present for the hearing and was represented by his mother.

Immediately following their decision, the court invited submissions from defence attorneys and prosecutors on whether a retrial was necessary.

Montano’s lawyer Jagdeo Singh submitted that over a decade had elapsed since the incident had occurred and evidence would be in a state of disarray.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) George Busby disagreed as he pointed out that the case was significantly smaller as soca stars Joel “Zan” Feveck and Rodney “Benjai” Le Blanc, who were charged and freed by Baboolal-Gafoor, would not face retrial.

He also noted that he had spoken to the alleged victims last week and they were ready and willing to testify once again.

The court agreed with Busby as it ruled that the retrial was in the public’s interest.

Stating that both Montano and Roberts were national icons, Yorke-Soo Hon said: “It is unquestionably in the public’s interest to have these matter resolved.”

Before ending the hearing, Yorke-Soo Hon placed both men on $50,000 bail with their mothers Valerie Green (Roberts) and Elizabeth Montano (Montano) being named as their surety.

Montano and Roberts were also represented by Keith Scotland, Larry Williams, Daniel Khan, Kiel Tacklalsingh, Criston Williams and Ananda Rampersad.

The charges arose out of a brawl at the Zen Nightclub at Keate Street in Port-of-Spain on April 20, 2007, while Montano was celebrating winning that year’s Road March title.

Montano, Roberts, Le Blanc and Feveck were all charged with various crimes based on their alleged involvement in the fracas.

All four were charged with assaulting Russell Pollonais, while all except Le Blanc were charged with assaulting Brandis Brown.

Montano was solely charged with assaulting Janelle Lee Chee and Gerard Bowrin and for using obscene language.

Montano and Roberts were convicted of their charges, while Le Blanc and Feveck were found not guilty.

Montano was slapped with a $13,000 fine and ordered to pay the victims $13,500 in restitution, while Roberts was given a $13,000 fine and $11,000 in restitution.

Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams said following the killing of one of his officers and the wounding of another during two separate robberies, his officers are not afraid and will continue to put their lives on the line for the country’s security.

Speaking after the funeral service of Richard Babwah who was murdered as he attempted to foil a robbery on Monday night, Williams said policing is a calling.

“Policing is a calling so when you join the Police Service you know for a fact there is a high risk and that risk involves the ultimate, that your life can be on the line. So if a police officer is shot and killed, a police officer is shot and injured, it goes within the domain of what you do. So, if an incident like this occurs, it’s not about being frightened. At the very onset of this incident, the police officers were hunting the criminals. So it’s not about going into fear. So we have to understand the profession, so when we stand on the outside we don’t understand the profession. It’s being on the inside you understand that you go out there fearless and you put your life on the line. So, anybody talking about ‘police in fear,’ police not in fear. Police put their lives on the line on a daily basis, that’s what the job is about,” Williams said.

Williams added that policing is a challenging profession and there is a need for assistance from the public. Referring to the sermon delivered by Apostle Andrew Ramjattan, Williams said there is also a critical role for the church.

During the funeral service, which was attended by National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, Ramjattan said that the church has failed the community and needed to do more about the crime scourge in the country. Ramjattan said he is willing to partner with the Police Service in achieving a better society and called on the congregation to reach out to the criminals and criminal minded to offer them hope in times of despair.

Ramjattan spoke at the Faith Assembly Church, Arouca, just across the street from where Babwah worked as a homicide officer. Ramjattan said he knew Babwah growing up and the father of two girls wanted to make the world a better place and so joined the Police Service. He said when a police officer is killed it highlights the vulnerability of the country.

Ramjattan added that in four days time Babwah’s mother, Arlene, will celebrate her birthday, but it will not be a joyous one.

Speaking on behalf of his officers, Supt Windel Flaviney said Babwah was a shining example of what a police officer should be. The Special Reserve Police officer had four years service and his dedication to the job made the Homicide Bureau seek him out. Flaviney said he spoke with Babwah one hour before he was killed and the next call he received concerning him was that he died.

During the eulogy, Babwah’s cousin Xavio Julien, said his cousin earned the nickname “Popey” because of his regular attendance at church in his childhood days. Like all those who spoke of Babwah, Julien said the 40-year-old was a family oriented man. He added that Babwah loved protecting people and he did this up until his last breath. Julien said Babwah lived for his daughters and encouraged those who cared for him to honour that and create an atmosphere that they will be raised in that will make Babwah proud.

Babwah was killed by one of two bandits who tried to rob a Chinese restaurant in Arouca. He wounded one of the bandits during a shoot-out in the restaurant, but all three suspects were subsequently apprehended.

Four days later, PC Anand Ram, who is attached to the Gasparillo Police Station, was shot in the abdomen when he responded to a robbery.

Isaac Simmons, a 15-year-old Form Two student was killed by police during a shoot-out. Two other suspects, including a 17-year-old, was apprehended following the robbery.

Chief Justice Ivor Archie is publicly admitting he forwarded the names of people to the Housing Development Corporation for assistance to get state housing. But he says the list did not include Dillian Johnson.

As he broke his silence on allegations against him in the public domain yesterday, Archie also insisted there was no discussion with judges on the retention of a private security firm to provide security for judges.

In a press release, the CJ said in 2015 he forwarded the names of people he described as “needy and deserving persons” to the HDC, but insisted he has never “recommended Mr. Dillian Johnson for HDC housing.” He described the allegation as “patently untrue,” suggesting those saying otherwise were engaging in “purposeful mischief making.”

The CJ was referring to the allegation he approached the HDC to fast track applications for people, including a convicted fraudster Kern Romero. No mention was made of Romero in the CJ’s response.

On allegations he held discussions with Johnson on security for judges, the CJ said it was “false and indeed irresponsible to suggest that at any judges’ meeting, the Chief Justice or any other judge discussed the retention of any private security firm for the purpose of providing the said personal security.”

He said specialised units of the protective services and the Judiciary Security Unit “are the only entities responsible for assessing and implementing arrangements for the personal security of judges and magistrates.”

The CJ also responded to the shooting attack on Johnson at his Gasparillo home two weeks ago, noting there has been “discussion in the public domain about the attack.” He said he “expects the relevant authorities will urgently conduct a necessary and thorough investigation into this incident.”

Johnson has told police he has information on individuals who conspired in the attack and who want to kill him.

Archie ended the release with a terse,“This is all that the Chief Justice is at liberty to say at this time.”

It was only on Thursday that the Law Association described as “reckless” Archie’s continued silence on the allegations which have questioned his conduct in office.

But the HDC allegations do not sit well with Martin Daly SC, who yesterday described it as “a complete constitutional perversion to expect a judge to function if he is or appears to be beholden to the political executive for favours, or for preferential treatment, or for having obtained goods and services either for himself or for a third party.”

Speaking on CNC3’s Morning Brew, Daly suggested the CJ should pack up and go due since the allegations had caused irreparable damage to the Judiciary.

Daly also described the allegations of the death threat made against Johnson as “alarming.” He said “there are allegations of criminality, they are in the public domain. These matters have to be dealt with. If there was a group of conspirators to harm someone that means that the rot in society is a very, very high level.”

He said the Government “cannot keep burying their heads in the sand,” adding “it is pathetic of the Government to keep talking about separation of powers in the peculiar circumstances of this case.”