The speed limit along four major highways was officially changed to 100 kilometres per hour yesterday.

The change was effected after President Anthony Carmona assented to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) (No 2) Act of 2017 and Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan signed the requisite Speed Limit Orders. The amended legislation was debated and passed in the Senate on November 28.

While motorists were left confused with the installation of signs of the new limit earlier this week, the new regulations only took effect after they were gazetted and published in daily newspapers yesterday.

The implementation was announced in a press release issued by Sinanan’s ministry yesterday afternoon.

Under the new limit, motorists driving private vehicles and goods vehicles, whose maximum gross weight (M.G.W.) does not exceed 3200 kilos, are allowed to drive at 100 km/h along the Beetham, Churchill Roosevelt, Uriah Butler and Solomon Hochoy Highways.

The previous speed limit of 80 km/h still applies along the Audrey Jeffers Highway, Diego Martin Highway, the Valencia Stretch and Reinzi-Kirton Highway and South Trunk Road Extension in south Trinidad.

In Tobago, the old speed limit will apply to the Claude Noel Highway, Shirvan Road between the highway and Grafton Road and along the Auchenskeoch-Buccoo Bay Road from Shirvan Junction to Montgomery Road.

In the release, the ministry said it will be erecting signs to explain the new limits to motorists.

It also noted that the T&T Police Service received nine additional LIDAR speed guns in November increasing its capacity to 15.

Oropouche East MP Dr. Roodal Moonilal made a scandalous allegation against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and the owner of A&V Oil and Gas Hanif Baksh in Parliament last evening. However, moments after making the statement, Moonilal was forced to withdrew it.

Contributing to debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, Proceeds of Crime, FIU of T&T, Customs and Exchange Control) Bill, 2017, Moonilal had alleged corruption on the part of the Prime Minister.

Earlier in his contribution, he told the House of Representatives that he recently visited Florida to “conduct research” and would later reveal his findings.

“I pray what I am reading here is not right,” he asserted as he prepared to reveal his findings.

Moonilal read from an email after he said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi “invited” him to read the contents of the documents in his possession.

But soon after reading the contents of the email, which triggered shocked expressions by Opposition members, Al-Rawi interrupted on a standing order.

“What is falling from the Honourable Member is nothing short of a direct indictment,” Al-Rawi said, adding, Moonilal must “take direct ownership of his statements.”

House Speaker Brigid Annisette George then ruled that a member must take ownership for anything that is said in the Chamber, and asked Moonilal to retract the statement that he was invited to read from the documents. Moonilal told the Chamber he presented the information after what he believed to be an invitation by the AG.

“I have heard, and my colleagues have heard, that the AG asked me to read the cheque and read the information. I cannot unhear it,” he said.

That’s when he retreated and told the House, “If he did not invite me, I didn’t read it. So we can just withdraw everything.”

During a heated exchange between the two thereafter, Annisette-George interrupted and informed the AG that Moonilal had withdrawn his statement.

kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt

For most people, being shot is a traumatic experience that lingers. But despite lying on a hospital bed with a gunshot wound to his abdomen after confronting a bandit the day before, PC Anand Ram yesterday had no fear of returning to patrol the streets.

Ram, 27, said when citizens make the decision to become a police officer they know the dangers of the job. While thankful for life, he said it was his duty to continue to protect citizens.

“Obviously I’m in a lot of pain, but as I was telling somebody this morning, this is part of the work,” Ram told the T&T Guardian.

“People know what they’re getting into when they decide to be a police officer. All those people who want to jump up and be a police officer, you need to think about these things because your life will be at risk and half of the public will think that police shoot first. At the end of the day, police sacrifice their lives for people who they do not even know.”

According to reports, Ram and three colleagues from the Gasparillo Police Station were on patrol in Williamsville around 4.30 pm Thursday when they received a report of a robbery in Marabella. They responded and on reaching Fifth Street, Gopaul Lands, they saw 15-year-old Isaac Simmons running. The officers chased him into some bushes on Fahey Street and ordered him to stop. However, Simmons was armed and opened fire on the officers, who returned fire. Simmons was shot several times and died at the scene.

Ram was shot in the abdomen, with the bullet entering his left side, narrowly missing his colon and exiting through his back. He was surrounded by family and police guard at the San Fernando General Hospital when the T&T Guardian visited yesterday.

Ram said with his adrenaline pumping while chasing Simmons, he did not know he was shot until he touched his side and felt blood. He said he did not panic and continued searching for the other suspects, but his colleagues eventually took him to the hospital.

Ram did not need surgery, but blood samples were being analysed to ensure he does not suffer lead poisoning from the bullet. He said while was in pain, he was ready to return to duty. His only concern is whether he heals properly and quickly.

“I am not traumatised, not worried. Me returning to work depends on what my seniors decide and how much injury leave I get. I think when that time comes, we will cross that bridge. There are good people in this society, law-abiding citizens who need protection.”

ACP Harry Baldeo said yesterday he was pleased with Ram’s recovery, adding the investigation into the incident will continue over the weekend with the two suspects in custody. Noting that it was the second shooting of an officer this week, he said it highlights the daunting nature of policing.

Ram’s family, as well as his colleagues who were involved in Thursday’s incident, have been offered counselling.

“This goes to show the extent we are willing to go for the sake of the public. We are prepared to put ourselves in the line of duty for the sake of our country. Especially now, we are working to ensure that the public has a safe and Merry Christmas. We are calling on the citizens to partner with us to solve crimes,” Baldeo said.

He also urged businesses with large sums of money to transport to the bank to contact the police for security.

kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt

While many see the death of 15-year-old Isaac Simmons as poetic justice for robbing the home of a Republic Bank manager on Thursday, his short life has been riddled with bad influence, poor decision making and stigmatisation.

Simmons’ mother, Shenelle Rock, told the T&T Guardian yesterday that while she admitted her son engaged in criminal activities, she believed his promise he would change. But she said living in the impoverished train line community, in the shadow of the affluent Gopaul Lands development, meant Simmons was never given a chance by society.

Standing outside her home yesterday, Rock said police always had their eyes on her son because of close relatives who were known to be involved in criminal activities. Rock claimed police would always stop and search them, even planting drugs on the young men in the area. As a result, Simmons and her elder son would run every time they saw a patrol.

It was only on Wednesday that a Chaguanas magistrate placed Simmons on a bond to keep the peace for two years after he was found guilty of possession of marijuana at the Carapichaima Secondary School.

“They’ve (Simmons and his brother) been doing little things in between and they were caught. They served their time in the police station, court and YTC and they were willing to change,” Rock said.

She recalled yesterday that Simmons was asleep when he was called out by a friend on Thursday. Believing in his promise to behave, she did not object to him leaving. However, when gunshots rang out she said she felt a pain in her gut.

“I heard that my son surrendered, the police did not have the kill him like that. The child now got a two-year bond to behave himself.”

But police told the Guardian that Simmons was armed when he fled the robbery scene. They said when Simmons realised he was cornered by police, he began firing wildly. Rock said she did not know where her son got the gun from, but suspects it was given to him by a 17-year-old relative who was held by police at the house, or the suspect who escaped and was still being sought up to yesterday.

The train line community is frequently patrolled by police, who said it is home to several drug pushers and bandits. Among the poverty and crime are many children, who ACP Harry Baldeo said will be looked after by the police. Baldeo said in the coming weeks, the community police will be going into the area in the hope of making a positive intervention.

Gopaul Land residents have blamed the train line community for several robberies in the area.

When the T&T Guardian visited the home where Thursday’s robbery occurred, an occupant said he was too distraught to speak about the incident. Several other residents also declined to speak on the matter, but expressed concern with the rising rate of robberies during this Christmas season.

Karina Warrick-John and Aarti Lutchmesingh have been named the recipients of the Association of Female Executives of T&T (Afett) Women’s Development Fund (WDF) Bursary Award for the academic year 2017/2018.

In its quest to “Make Women Winners”, Afett has had a long history of promoting the development of female executives and has also seen it fit to support the personal and educational advancement of girls and young women.

In 2012 Afett launched its Women’s Development Fund (WDF) in

commemoration of its tenth anniversary. The fund has as its main feature two annual academic

undergraduate bursaries.​

"Afett is delighted to announce the selection of two ambitious and promising young ladies as its

2017/2018 WDF Bursary Award Recipients. Well deserved congratulations are extended to

Warrick-John (Nursing) and Lutchmesingh (Actuarial Science)," a release states.

These young ladies were each presented with their $5,000 bursary award cheques to further assist in their career development along with free associate membership with Afett for one year by Afett’s RPA director.

Help poor parents! The 2017 year of Parliament ended last Friday with an appeal from UNC MP Ramona Ramdial for Government to ease the burden on poor parents by exempting baby and child care products from Customs duties.

The message of seasonal spirit—also in sync with the economic climate—came during Ramdial's contribution to debate on a motion. This sought to exempt from Customs duty items ranging from industry to tourism and agricultural products.

That debate took place during the last sitting of Parliament for 2017. The Upper House ended the year last Tuesday when it was adjourned to a date to be fixed. Last Friday's Lower House session was also the last for 2017. Parliament resumes early January 2018.

During the debate on the motion, Ramdial noted that only baby milk is exempted from Customs duties.

She, however, cited recent reports of thieves stealing baby milk from a grocery, but not money or alcohol.

Ramdial added, "It's disheartening to see that baby milk was the targeted item. It shows a changing trend—including how criminals operate.

"We've seen increases in single mothers. Government should exempt from Customs duty all products concerning child rearing and baby care.

"It'll at least help your campaign," she urged Government.

"When we (PP administration) were in office, we had the Baby Grant. Every single mother could afford to buy baby milk."

Ramdial said the PNM administration after two years in office couldn't continue blaming the past Government for problems.

"Up to recently, I saw the Prime Minister playing 'victim' saying his character was attacked during the anti-gang debate. But Government has a duty to citizens to deal with what's necessary. However, we're not seeing improvements."

She called for Government to say if the planned Sandals resort will be a 2018 plan since the Prime Minister has said T&T is now lower down Sandals' priorities. "I hoped Sandals backed down because the Prime Minister drove a hard bargain in T&T's best interests at the negotiation table."

Three people are to be charged with obstructing the free flow of traffic following a protest along the east-bound lane of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Maloney yesterday, the Police Service has stated.

Around 8 am yesterday, residents from Maloney Gardens protesting water woes in their area blocked off a portion of the highway and other streets inside their community, including Flamingo Boulevard.

Discarded Appliances and other debris were thrown on to the roadways.

Vehicles using the affected roadways were unable to proceed.

Police responded to the situation and cleared the roadways and arrested several people. Around noon, the area was declared safe.

Several Maloney residents also gathered along the roadside and clapped and chanted for the return of a regular service of pipe borne water to the area.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Jacob and Snr Supt Daniel along with a contingent of officers from the Northern Division were on the scene.

People can express their opinion but not in a way that's illegal—MP

Arouca/Maloney MP Camille Robinson-Regis arrived on the scene around noon to listen to the residents’ woes.

Speaking to the Sunday Guardian after, she said “Wasa had sent water trucks to the area, I understand when trucks came some residents turned back the trucks.

“It makes me a little concerned about that, but I understand the anxiety. I was disappointed that they felt that they had to protest because it was not necessary.

“But people have a right to express their opinion but not in a way that is illegal, so I can’t condone an illegal action.”

She said she gave out her cellphone number to several people in all parts of her constituency which included Maloney, Bon Air, Trincity and Arouca to call in case of emergencies.

Robinson-Regis said she did a walk every Sunday morning and Thursday in some parts of her constituency and that she was approachable.

—Joel Julien, Charles Kong Soo

NEW YORK—Frustrated Verizon Wireless consumers soon will get their hands on Apple Inc’s iPhone after waiting three-and-a-half years. The top US wireless operator will begin selling a version of the phone on February 10 at the same prices as AT&T Inc. The new phone puts an end to AT&T’s three-year-old status as the exclusive US provider for the iPhone—but leaves questions over how much Verizon Wireless would be able to capitalize on the deal with Apple.

There were expectations that it would trump AT&T by offering the device with unlimited data service plans.
Verizon likely will announce those prices before pre-orders begin on February 3, said Verizon Wireless Chief Executive Daniel Mead. He said he was prepared for “unprecedented” demand. (Reuters)

Rhondor Dowlat

Cataract surgeries valued over $250,000 will be done free tomorrow for 25 patients who are in dire need and deemed to be “financially constrained”.

This early Christmas gift is sponsored by Dr Ronnie Bhola of the Trinidad Eye Hospital (TEH). The “Gift of Sight” project will be conducted in collaboration with Good Health Medical in Port-of-Spain and several other sponsors.

Bhola, 48, is the director and consultant ophthalmologist at the Caribbean Vitreous & Retina Surgery Limited (CVRS Ltd) and currently, the chairman of the Trinidad Eye Hospital.

He is a British-trained eye consultant with sub-specialty training in vitreous and retina surgery and is currently an associate lecturer with the University of the West Indies and an adjunct professor with the Moran Eye Institute.

Speaking with the Sunday Guardian, Bhola said all year long, many patients postpone or cancel their eye surgery appointments due to lack of funds to pay for their operations.

“Some lose their eyesight simply because they remain on waiting lists in desperate need of operation. These patients struggle with everyday needs and are forced to be dependent on others because of avoidable visual impairment,” Bhola said.

Bhola's drive to help others is not only about his compassion and empathy towards patients, but it is in keeping with the Ministry of Health's plan to reduce the backlog of cataract surgeries and the World Health Organization’s global initiative to ‘Eliminate Avoidable Blindness, VISION 2020: The Right to Sight’.

Since 2013, Bhola has coordinated a team of surgeons, nurses, healthcare professionals and sponsors to give back on an annual basis by performing cataract surgeries for free. This year is no different; he has so far done over $2.5 million in surgeries free of charge.

Bhola will be having a similar charity event next year called “Christmas in July!”

“The management and staff of Trinidad Eye Hospital are grateful for this opportunity, taking example from many other medical practitioners who have used their skills throughout the year to do charitable service in patient communities across our country,” he said.

Bhola, who grew up in Fyzabad, attended the University of the West Indies Jamaica (1993-MBBS), Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (1999-FRCS), University of Sheffield (2006-Dip Ed) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London (2007-CCT).

A grateful recipient praises Bhola

One of this year’s recipient of Bhola’s gift, Fariza Khan, of Carapichaima, praised Bhola on his “good deeds” and urged other doctors to follow suit. “It is a major sacrifice that he is doing and it shows that he is grateful to the people and the community by him giving back in this form and if other doctors should do the same, this country will be a better place in terms of where healthcare is supposed to be at.

“I am grateful to the doctor for having me be part of this…it is a miracle come true for me and I cannot wait to see perfectly again in my left eye…May Allah continue to bless him,” Khan added.

CHARLES KONG SOO

The traffic challenges and overpopulation in the central business district of Port-of-Spain have driven organizations, local and international, to developing commercial hubs/districts outside of the capital city.

Commercial developers have capitalized on this and met demand through new projects in developing areas such as Aranguez, Trincity and Chaguanas, which offer ample office, retail and warehouse space, abundant parking and greater access to other parts of the country.

In an interview last week, Port-of-Spain businessman Wil Chang said it was more convenient to shop in these locations outside of the capital.

He said although for the past four years rent in those areas had increased or doubled, it was still “slightly cheaper” than in Port-of-Spain.

Asked if when these businesses migrated out of the capital, rental costs or real estate value dropped, he said they remained the same.

Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (Doma) President Gregory Aboud, in an interview, had a different view.

He said rent in Port-of-Spain was actually far less than outside, compared to West Mall or Trincity Mall which were attracting customers.

The epicentre for retail trade is in downtown Port-of-Spain on Fredrick, Henry and Charlotte streets.

A mall on Henry Street has a spot advertised at $38,000 for 500 square feet which work out to $76 per square foot.

The rent at a leading mall in north Trinidad averages $35 to $40 per square foot.

At the Government-owned New City Mall, in Port-of-Spain, a tenant revealed that a 10'x10' store costs $900 per month and a 20'X10' store costs $2,000.

He said at the “ethnically dominated” malls a store can cost from $15,000 to $20,000 a month and a small kiosk can cost $8,000.

At another Government mall, East Side Plaza, it costs between $1,000 to $1,500 for a store and $500 for a kiosk, the drawback is a lack of amenities such as central air-conditioning.

Real estate takes steep nosedive

Along Melville Lane and other parts of Port-of-Spain, there are business places with "For Sale" or "For Rent" signs up.

The real estate agency Terra Caribbean published an article in November which stated that while Port-of-Spain is the business centre for much of the country and is an important financial services hub for the Caribbean, the commercial density has resulted in challenges in parking, traffic and office space availability.

Terra Caribbean Trinidad's ten-year Commercial Rental Rate Study from 2007-2017 revealed that in three short years, 2014 to present, the commercial office rental real estate market had taken a steep nosedive into near stagnation.

The data was collated from over 40 buildings and the study focused on A Class, B+ Class and B Class buildings within high demand areas with the purpose of assisting and advising tenants, building owners and developers on pricing decisions and market rates.

Within the last two years (2015-2017), however, as large corporations of the petrochemical industry had downsized operations globally, as well as in Trinidad, in response to a worldwide decrease in the demand for oil and by-products of oil, space in A Class and B Class commercial buildings had become available, resulting in a vacancy rate of approximately 20-25 per cent in the private office rental market.

In response to the rapid shift in the economy, some commercial tenants capitalized on decreased rental rates in A Class and B Class spaces and relocated to upgraded locations. The information showed that the current commercial office rental market was conducive for tenants to relocate from substandard accommodations to superior, more modern buildings.

While police investigating the murder of Samantha Isaac were yesterday were closing in on her killer they heard a gunshot coming from his home.

Around 5.30 am, Isaacs, 26, of L'anse Mitan, Carenage, was found unresponsive at the side of the road in the vicinity of the Ocean View hotel after she was thrown out of a vehicle.

She had gunshot wounds to her head and legs.

Isaacs was rushed to the St James Medical Complex where she succumbed to her injuries.

Footage from Closed Circuit Television cameras showed Isaacs was thrown out of a grey Hyundai Elantra motorcar.

After viewing the video footage police went to the Upper Haig Street home of Kahriym Garcia to question him.

On their way to Garcia's home, they heard a gunshot.

When the officers kicked down the door to his home they found Garcia dead on the ground.

Isaacs and Garcia have a three-year-old son together.

However, their relationship was said to be tumultuous with Isaacs making reports of domestic abuse against him.

On Friday night, Isaacs was at a birthday lime with friends when Garcia and another man reportedly barged in.

Garcia spoke to Isaacs at the lime.

Security eventually put Garcia and the other man out of the party.

When the party was over a driver dropped Isaacs home.

Garcia is said to have been lying in wait for her.

He slapped her and dragged her into his car.

Investigations are continuing.

Joel Julien

"Safety and prosperity". These are the two things that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley wishes for the country for Christmas.

And Rowley said his Government was working "very hard" to make those wishes come true.

Rowley made the statement yesterday as he spoke to members of the media following a children's Christmas party at the Diego Martin South recreational ground.

"I wish the country two things—one, safety and two, prosperity. If we get those two things everything else will be alright," Rowley said.

"So hopefully, we are working very hard on trying to improve the level of safety and security, working toward people feeling more and more safe and we are beginning to see some improvement in respect to the response and the success of the police," he said.

Rowley said the Police Services' information gathering was definitely improving and there is more cooperation among the security agencies.

"I anticipate that in 2018 the security services will be more successful in managing," Rowley said.

However, apart from the law enforcement agencies, Rowley said he would really like parents to help more in the fight against crime.

"Because there is no person who can talk to a person more than a family member and if a lot of parents and uncles and aunts and neighbours can get into the act talking to people who choose crime as a way of life that would help along the way," Rowley said,

Rowley said he was distressed to see recent situation of the security agencies having to engage in a shoot out with a 15-year-old bandit.

During that incident Isaac Simmons was shot dead while PC Anand Ram was injured.

"The whole idea of a 15 year old wanting to engage the police tells me that something was not right with how he saw himself as a child and why would a 15 year old want to think that he could engage the police," Rowley said.

"It is not just a question of locking them up after they commit the crime or killing them when they engage you, there is something that is missing and it has to be what goes into those children at the very beginning and how they are brought up. How they see others, how they see life, who they respect, what is authority and what do they want out of themselves in life.

"I think we need to call the parents and community towards some role in this."

SASCHA WILSON

The third suspect in the shooting of PC Anand Ram in Marabella has been identified. However, up to late yesterday he was still being hunted by police.

Ram, 27, remained warded at the San Fernando General Hospital up to late yesterday where he is being treated for a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

The incident took place on Thursday after Ram and his three colleagues from the Gasparillo Police Station responded to a report of a robbery at a house at Gopaul Lands around 4.30 pm.

On arrival at the scene they saw the suspects running away.

Ram and other officers chased after student Issac Simmons, 15, who ran into some bushes at Fahey Street. Simmons opened fire on the officers when they ordered him to stop. He was shot several times.

After the incident, the police arrested a suspect and recovered some of the stolen items. The suspect has not given police a statement. The other accomplice is still on the run.

However, he is likely to be charged with robbery-related. Investigations are continuing.

Joel Julien

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has challenged Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, who he described as a "corkscrew and a creep", to come outside the Parliament and repeat the scandalous claims he made and eventually withdrew in the Lower House on Friday.

Rowley said he will approach Speaker Brigid Annisette-George at the next sitting of the House of Representatives to respond to Moonilal and clear the Parliament's records.

On Friday Moonilal, the Oropouche East MP, linked Rowley to alleged corruption with A&V Oil and Gas Limited's owner Hanif Nazim Baksh.

During his contribution to the Parliamentary debate on Friday, Moonilal told the House of Representatives that he recently visited Florida to conduct research and would later reveal his findings.

He then proceeded to read an email.

While he read the email, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi interrupted on a standing order and called on Moonilal to "take direct ownership of his statements".

Annisette-George ruled that a member must take ownership for anything that is said in the chamber and asked Moonilal to retract the statement.

Moonilal eventually withdrew the statement.

During the children's Christmas Party held at the Diego Martin South Recreational Ground yesterday, Rowley was asked about the situation.

"I wasn't there but I wasn't surprised. It is not the first time and it would not be the last time (Moonilal) uses the cover of Parliament," Rowley said.

"I will approach the speaker to respond to him in the Parliament at the next sitting of Parliament if only for the records of Parliament but all I would say otherwise I will tell that corkscrew, that creep to come outside the Parliament and make any similar allegation against me," he said.

Rowley called on Moonilal to come out to the nearest street and repeat what he said.

"Don't stay inside the Parliament and make it, come out to the nearest street and make any similar allegation against me that is what I want but I will respond to him in the Parliament."

Almost two weeks after a daring $5.5 million robbery at the Piarco International Airport, four people, including a woman, are expected to appear in court today on charges connected to the incident.

The 38-year-old Longdenville woman and the men, ages 35, of Longdenville, 42 and 38 of Diego Martin, were charged on Saturday night, following instructions from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul.

They are expected to appear in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court where the woman and the 35-year-old man will face a charge of money laundering. The woman was also charged with knowingly receiving stolen money.

All three men were charged with robbery with aggravation while the Diego Martin suspects were also charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

The charges were laid by ASP Edwards. The police have recovered $250,000 of the loot.

The charges followed investigations led by DCP Crime Harold Phillip and included ACP Radcliffe Boxill and Sgt Anthony Williams along with other officers of Criminal Investigations Department, Port-of-Spain.

On December 6, around 11.25 am four masked men, armed with high-powered rifles, dressed in camouflage clothing, alighted from a darkly-tinted Toyota Hilux pick-up in the cargo bond area, Golden Grove Road, Piarco.

They held up the security officers guarding the cargo cart with the money belonging to First Citizens’ bank. The money was being transported to Tobago banks.

The getaway vehicle used in the robbery was later found abandoned in Oropune Gardens, Piarco, a few minutes away from the crime scene.

With Christmas just a week away, the sliver of happiness Allison Dick felt at the prospect of her six children and grandchild not spending the holidays under a staircase of an abandoned building is slipping away.

“I am so worried. I was hoping my children will not have to wake up to this on Christmas morning,” said a sombre sounding Dick in a telephone interview with T&T Guardian yesterday.

Last Monday, Dick and her 18-year-old son met with officials at the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in Port-of-Spain about trying to locate an HDC unit for them. She said HDC officials told her they will have to decide whether her son, a security officer, met the requirements to qualify for a unit.

On that same day, she met with officials from the Ministry of Social Development. They told her to locate an apartment and the ministry will pay her rent for three months. Dick told T&T Guardian for the first time in months she felt hopeful and happy.

Contacted yesterday, Dick said: “I was hoping that I would hear something from HDC so at least we will know if my son qualifies or not but I have not heard anything yet.”

She also checked at least six places to rent thus far, but she was turned down.

“They (Social Services) told me to ask them if they will be willing to wait for a little while for the cheques. But, they all told me they not interested because the government doesn’t pay,” said Dick as her voice broke up.

The single parent lost her house which she built, in a fire in 2006 which also claimed the life of her three-year-old son. She has been renting since then and her health has also deteriorated. The two men who fathered her children are no longer in their lives. Dick, who worked as a security guard for 12 years, was forced to stop working five years ago because of her health issues.

She suffers from sleep apnea (a disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing while you sleep), anaemia and hypertension, depression, a low blood count, and has to do three surgeries unrelated to those conditions. Dick was assigned an HDC apartment at the buildings at Harmony Hall, Gasparillo which have since been condemned.

However, she left the building because of infrastructural problems and moved in illegally to another apartment and stopped paying rent. She was among 25 families who were removed from the buildings by HDC in March.

Dick, her children ages 20, 18, 16, nine, seven-year-old twins, and her four-year-old granddaughter lived in a tent on the compound, but then moved to under the staircase of one of the buildings to shelter frOm the harsh weather conditions.

Dick’s eldest child is also due to give birth to her second child. Following a slew of criticism about her on social media, Dick wanted to clarify that she was not blaming the Government or HDC for her predicament but pleading with HDC to “soften their hearts” and help her family. The family survives on Dick’s public assistance, her son’s salary and a food card. (SW)

A 48-year-old man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for heckling women on the streets of Sangre Grande.

He was one of several people arrested during an anti-crime exercise in the eastern town this weekend.

Police said the suspect was observed heckling women as they walked by and was cautioned. He resisted arrest when police intervened.

During the exercise, police arrested a 42-year-old truck driver who was driving recklessly along the main road.

He was administered a breathalyser test which had a reading of 123 microgrammes, an excess of 88 over the prescribed limit.

In another case, police said four burglars broke into a wholesale goods store on Picton Road and stole thousands of dollars in goods.

The men also held up a doubles vendor and escaped in his car around 5.30 am yesterday.

Police officers from Sangre Grande CID are continuing inquiries.

Not so fast!

The warning is to maxi taxi operators, Public Transport Service Corporation bus drivers and vehicles that are designed to carry more than ten passengers.

The speed limit on the nation’s highways remain 65 kilometres per hour (kmph) for those drivers even though the speed limit is now 100 kmph by law.

The speed limit for tractors remains at 35 kmph on the highways, while within a built-up area the allowed speed is 20 kmph.

This comes three days after the speed limit was changed to 100 kmph by President Anthony Carmona, who approved the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment No 2) Act of 2017.

The ministry, in a release on Friday, stated that under the new limit, motorists driving private vehicles and goods vehicles, whose maximum gross weight (MGW) does not exceed 3,200 kilogrammes, are allowed to drive at 100 kmph along the Beetham, Churchill Roosevelt, Uriah Butler and Solomon Hochoy Highways.

At the walkover in Sea Lots, director of legal services at the Ministry of Works and Transport Marvin Gonzales said motorists are advised to drive under the 100 kmph.

The previous speed limit of 80 kmph still applies along the Audrey Jeffers Highway, Diego Martin Highway, the Valencia Stretch and Rienzi-Kirton Highway and South Trunk Road Extension in south Trinidad.

In Tobago, the old speed limit will apply to the Claude Noel Highway, Shirvan Road between the highway and Grafton Road and along the Auchenskeoch-Buccoo Bay Road from Shirvan Junction to Montgomery Road.

In the past, these roads and highways carried the speed limit of 65 kmph.

Giving more details of the new law, Gonzales said outside of the 100 and 80 kmph zones, the speed limit for all drivers except those driving tractors, remain at 50 kmph within built-up areas.

Gonzales said an omnibus, which falls into the class of maxi taxis and PTSC buses, have to maintain the 65 kmph on all highways because “they are carrying passengers.”

He said there has been no change to the speed limit for three classes of vehicles—omnibus, vehicles constructed to carry more than ten passengers and goods vehicles exceeding 3,200 kilogrammes in weight with or without a trailer.

Gonzales said vehicles which do not have a trailer attached, the speed limit would be 100 kmph. This also applies to motorcycles.

He said goods vehicles which do not exceed 3,200 kilogrammes in weight, and is not equipped with a trailer, as well as cars and motorcycles are permitted to drive at 100 kmph on the four outlined highways.

Such vehicles, he said are SUVs such as Range Rover, Kia Sportage, pick-up vans such as Navaras, Hilux, which he referred to as “light goods vehicles.” These vehicles previously had a 65 kmph limit.

Gonzales said he has requested the traffic engineers at the ministry to upgrade their signage “and just do not put 100 or 80 kmph on the highway signs” because it would give misleading information.

“It would give the impression that every vehicle can drive at that 100 kmph speed limit which is not the case. Different classes of vehicles require different speed limits,” he said.

What is needed, Gonzales said, was larger signage on the highways that would show the legal speed limit for different categories of vehicles. He said the ministry would embark on this, stating that these signs will cost a lot of money.

Quick response by police officers led to the arrest of three bandits and recovery of cash stolen from a bar at Manzanilla yesterday.

The suspects are expected to appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate today.

Police reported that around 1.20 pm, the two armed bandits held up bar owner Helen Jugmohan at the corner of Manzanilla and Plum Road. Two other men in the bar were also robbed.

They escaped in a waiting blue Nissan Almera car.

Manzanilla police, with the assistance of Sangre Grande CID officers, intercepted the vehicle a short distance from the bar. Three occupants of the vehicle were arrested and an undisclosed sum of money stolen from Junction Bar was recovered.

The suspects— whose ages range from 18 to 20— of Valencia and Macoya Settlement, Tunapuna, were arrested and charged with robbery with aggravation.

A 62-year-old mother of five walked out the Sangre Grande Magistrate’s Court a free woman on Friday after 12 years and six months awaiting trial.

Ingrid Durity, of Valencia, who was jointly charged with the unlawful killing of nine-month-old twins Tylin and Tyler Campbell, of Valencia, expressed relief as she walked out of the Sangre Grande First Court.

Durity’s trial came to an abrupt end on Friday after her attorney Jerry Holder made a no-case submission to Senior Magistrate Debra Quintyne.

The charge was laid by Insp Christopher Fuentes, who at the time of the incident in 2011 was a corporal.

Holder, in his submission, told Quintyne that at no time did his client have the duty of babysitting the twins.

Quintyne agreed on the no-case submission and discharged the case of unlawful killing, freeing Durity.

The twins, who were both US citizens, were reported to have drowned in a bathtub while being given a bath by their six-year-old relative at their Casaurina Boulevard, Valencia home in 2011.

Another woman charged in the case is still on trial.