The election bell has been rung for the electoral districts of Barataria in the San Juan Laventille Regional Corporation and Belmont East in the Port-of-Spain City Corporation.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday advised President Paula Mae Weekes that both by-elections will be held on July 16.

Nomination day is June 25 and Rowley has requested that the President issue the Writs of Elections in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of the Municipal Corporations Act Chapter 25:04.

The seats became vacant following the deaths of Councillor Pernell Bruno on July 8, 2017 and Councillor Darryl Rajpaul on November 18, 2017.

The ruling People’s National Movement has already screened and named Nicole Young as the candidate for Belmont East and Kimberly Rae-Ann Small for Barataria, but the Opposition United National Congress is yet to screen candidates.

UNC PRO UNC Anita Haynes told the T&T Guardian that the party has received “a significant number of nominations” and she expects screening of candidates will begin soon.

Haynes said the party was concerned with the length of time the PM had taken to call the by-elections, which in the case of Barataria is being held more than a year after the councillor’s death. She said the communities had been left without representation in the interim.

But Haynes said although the party is yet to screen candidates it has “had people on the ground in both communities.” She said there are coordinators in every area headed by Local Government councillors from surrounding areas.

In early April, Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, addressing a Monday night forum, accused Rowley of breaking the law by not holding the by-elections and threatened to take him to court over the issue.

According to Section 29 of the Municipal Corporations Act, there is no specific time-frame by which a by-election is to be held.

However, Persad-Bissessar told the meeting the UNC had served Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi with two pre-action protocol letters instructing him to take action to have President Weekes issue a writ of election for the electoral districts.

Two days later on April 11, the ruling PNM announced that its screening committee had met on April 4 and 10 people were screened, five for each district and the committee had selected Young and Small.

Contacted yesterday, Elections and Boundaries Commission communications manager Dominic Hinds confirmed that the commission was putting things in place and will be ready for the July 16 by-elections. He said the EBC will announce a date for the commencement of electoral registration in both areas shortly.

Hinds said currently there are a total of 13,454 electors registered to vote in both electoral districts of Barataria and Belmont East. Of that number, 10,217 people are registered to vote in Barataria and 3,237 in Belmont East.

ABOUT THE DECEASED COUNCILLORS

PERNELL BRUNO

Local government elections were held on November 28, 2016.

In that election, Bruno, 52, won the Barataria electoral district for the PNM with 1898 votes, beating the UNC candidate by only 392 votes according to the official EBC results.

In the 2013 local government election, Bruno got 2,130 votes while the UNC’s Vijay Mahabir and the Independent Liberal Party’s (ILP) Lawrence Mark got a combined total of 2,177.

The UNC’s Harrylal Persad had previously been the electoral district’s councillor when he won in 2010, capturing 2,570 votes to the PNM’s Farid Hinds, who got 1,562 votes.

Bruno represented T&T at the CARIFTA and CAC games in athletics and earned an athletic scholarship to attend Farleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

Bruno died on July 08, 2017 from cancer. His seat was declared vacant on July 26.

DARRYL RAJPAUL

Rajpaul won the Belmont East electoral district in the November 28, 2016 election, capturing 724 votes to the UNC’s 49 votes. He was in his third term as a Local Government councillor having first been elected in 2010.

Rajpaul, 51, died suddenly while playing a football match in November 2017.

In 2012, Rajpaul and the then mayor Louis Lee Sing launched the corporation’s small goal Champions League in an effort to draw the young people in the area away from crime.

The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) is challenging a recently introduced system of stringent background checks for new pundits seeking licences to conduct marriages.

In an eight-page letter sent to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday afternoon, SDMS lawyer Stefan Ramkissoon questioned the lengthy questionnaire, which officers of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) Special Branch introduced for first-time applicants last year.

The information pundits are now being required to provide includes details of the organisation they are aligned to (names of officials and organisational structure), bank statements and the deeds for their places of worship.

“The imposition of these demands upon young pundits of satisfying the above requirements is not justified by nor consistent with any statutory requirement under law. Insistence on the information sought, directly and immediately violate the constitutional liberties of the SDMS’ pundits and Sanatanist Hindus under our Constitution,” Ramkissoon wrote.

He pointed out that the requirement of a licence to conduct marriages was introduced by Hindu Marriage Act. The legislation states that individuals who fail to obtain a licence are liable upon conviction to three years in prison.

Ramkissoon claimed that before last year, police doing background checks on applicants recommended by the SDMS merely verified whether they had criminal records.

“However, Special Branch officers are now, for the first time, seeking information which is inappropriate and/or unnecessary and/or disproportionate and/or discriminatory with the resulting effect of delaying and frustrating the entire process of licensing marriage officers,” he said.

He claimed the questionnaire provided by the police appeared to also target other faiths, as it sought information on an applicant’s date of baptism and ordination.

Ramkissoon also questioned the need for providing extensive details of the organisation that applicants are affiliated with, noting the SDMS is recognised under the Hindu Marriage Act.

Referring to the requirement to provide personal financial information and that of their religious organisation, Ramkissoon said: “These matters sought are clearly an unnecessary invasion of one’s privacy as well as the privacy of the internal information of the SDMS. Furthermore, the questions are oppressive and/or irrelevant.”

Ramkissoon called upon Al-Rawi to clarify the issue, as his ministry is tasked with the responsibility of issuing the licences, once clearance is given by the police.

“If allowed to continue, their actions could result in or mean that the SDMS and its pundits are now required to submit to the authority, control and approval of the State in the conduct of their programme of religious affairs and could result in active involvement by the State in religious activity, constituting an excessive entanglement of the State in religious affairs and imposing a comprehensive, discriminating and continuing State surveillance on a pervasively religious activity,” Ramkissoon said.

The SDMS was embroiled in controversy regarding marriage licenses last year after its outspoken Secretary General Sat Maharaj challenged moves by Parliament to increase the legal age for marriages to 18. Colonial legislation previously allowed Hindus and Muslims to perform marriages of teenagers, provided that their parents consented. The legislation was eventually unanimously passed and was proclaimed in September, last year.

The SDMS is also being represented in the current matter by Jagdeo Singh, Dinesh Rambally and Kiel Taklalsingh.

Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith has sent a pre-action protocol letter to Bliss Seepersad, the new chair of the Police Service Commission (PSC), arguing that the PSC under former chairman Maria Gomes was in breach of several legal notices used in the process to select Deodat Dulalchan as Commissioner of Police.

He is arguing that because the process used was flawed, the recommendation is null and void and he wants the commission to rescind the list by June 22, 2018.

The pre-action protocol letter, sent to Seepersad by Griffith’s attorney Christian Chandler, noted that the attempt by attorneys of Dulalchan to justify their client being appointed as Commissioner of Police was totally inaccurate, since the controversy, according to Griffith, was far more “than allegations about a land probe” but had more to do with the PSC breaching several legal notices.

The breaches, according to the pre-action protocol, include what was deemed “the wrongful and biased criteria” used by PSC for the merit list.

Griffith said the PSC admitted it used three main factors in their personal assessment, Command and Control, Police Experience and Security Vetting. But the letter accused Gomes of drafting criteria “to provide points for candidates based on Policing Experience and not Law Enforcement Experience” which, according to Griffith, “shows that she and the PSC’s final interview had blatantly showed a high degree of bias and operated in total contrast to the stipulation for candidates eligible to apply for the post as in law.”

Griffith also accused the Gomes-led PSC of showing “blatant disregard for the law and showing bias against anyone outside of the Police Service who applied for the post.”

He said it was “this attempt used by the PSC to have my points altered from 81.94 per cent, after I was graded by experts in the firm, using law enforcement experience as stipulated in law, to then have the PSC conduct their own biased process and drop me over 23 per cent, using a system that they wanted to get their own result, and not what was mandated by our legal notice.”

Griffith said the PSC had “no right to have conducted their own assessments and grading,” since the legal notice was clear—that the task of the PSC in the process was to accumulate the points of each candidate, submitted by the firm (KPMG) based on the assessments, and then accumulate it to then provide a merit list for onward transmission to the President.

Had this been done, Griffith said his name “should have been submitted to the President, as I acquired the most points for those who applied for the post of Commissioner of Police.”

By law, he said a firm was to be appointed to conduct a stringent evaluation of candidates and this was done using “international best practices used to appoint persons in similar posts in other countries, and with the assistance of international experts in the assessments.”

Based on the comprehensive assessments, Griffith said he placed first among all who applied for the post, with the second place applicant being current acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams.

He said Dulalchan, who did not apply for the substantive post of CoP, was first among those who applied for Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Griffith’s letter details the comprehensive systems and assessment done by KPMG to acquire points for each candidate, which included their resume, a comprehensive medical test, security and financial vetting and background checks, an interview, psychometric testing and submission of a detailed National Security Operational report in preparation for a major event.

He noted that any altering of the merit list after this would have been done solely for the final interview by PSC and nothing else, as no other process for assessment took place, which should then mean that the results should not be vastly different.

He said the one point he agreed with from Dulalchan attorneys is that a commissioner should be appointed and that the current process not be scrapped.

But he said to appoint a commissioner based on wrongful and illegal procedures by the PSC would do “more harm than good, as someone appointed under such a cloud would never be able to acquire the respect and trust both by the public and the many officers under his command, and without this, he would fail before he starts.”

A 31-year-old man was killed in a mid-morning drive-by shooting along the Eastern Main Road in Laventille yesterday.

According to reports, around 10.30 am, Kern Joseph, of Picton Road, Laventille, and his uncle were walking near to the Laventille Technology and Continuing Education Centre when a black car drove alongside them.

One of the occupants fired several gunshots in their direction before the driver sped off. Joseph was struck several times while his uncle ran away and managed to escape. The relatives were said to be on their way to a funeral of another relative in Manzanilla.

The incident caused massive traffic gridlock for commuters using the Eastern Main Road to exit Port-of-Spain, as Joseph had stumbled unto the road before he collapsed and succumbed to his injuries. Police cordoned off the scene to gather evidence. The flow of traffic was eventually restored, shortly after midday, when a District Medical Officer (DMO) ordered that Joseph’s body be removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James. An autopsy is expected to be performed on Joseph’s body, this morning. Joseph’s murder comes on the heels of a spate of murders in east Port-of-Spain, on Monday.

In the first incident, Kevon “Fish” Joseph (no relation) was killed along Belmont Circular Road in Gonzales, as gunmen ambushed a car that he was the backseat passenger in. Hours later, his nephew Abraham Quamina was murdered in a drive-by shooting outside a bar at Main Street, Beetham Gardens. Alvin Gyan, 37, and 57-year-old Derrick Huggins, both of Beetham Gardens, were also struck in the melee. Gyan died, while Huggins survived.

There were reports of several shootings in Belmont yesterday evening, in which a car and two houses were allegedly shot at. No one was injured.

Investigators are yet to confirm if the shootings were related to the string of murders on Monday and to Kern Joseph’s yesterday.

Detectives of the Region One Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations into the murders.

Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the body of a woman who was found dumped off Morne Coco Road, Maraval two weeks ago.

The woman was described as being of mixed descent, light brown complexion, medium built, approximately five feet eight inches, in the early

30s, with naturally long dark hair and healthy teeth.

The body was found by CEPEP workers who were working along the roadway around 9.30am on May 24.

There are nine tattoos on the woman’s body, including musical symbols to the left side of the neck, across on the stomach area, the name ‘Anderson’ with three stars on the inside of the right wrist, roses on the left forearm, the name ‘Gwen’ on the left wrist, the words ‘Kedon’ and ‘Yudi’ on the centre of the back.

A tattoo with phrase ‘La Sangre De Cristo Tiene Poder’ with a Rosary is to the upper right side of the back and a colourful butterfly on the upper left side of the back.

Anyone with information can contact the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region 1 at 625-8234 or 624-5230, the police at 999, 555, 911, any police station or call 800-TIPS.

And officers attached to Arima Crime Investigation Department need help to identify a man who was found nude and unconscious at the side of the road in Arima around midnight on Tuesday.

The man had gunshot wounds to his leg, arm and face.

He was described as being African-decent, light-brown in complexion, and about five feet, seven inches in height.

He was taken to the Arima Health Facility where he remains warded. Police officers said the man gave his address as Diego Martin to the nurses.

Anyone with information should call Cpl Ramdhanie at Arima CID or any police station 667-3563.

The T&T Police Service is not aware of any gang war pending in the Port-of-Spain division - such as between Beetham and East Port-of-Spain- but police have an action plan to deal with any gang-related activities nationwide, says National Security Minister Edmund Dillon.

He spoke about the issue in Parliament yesterday responding to Opposition queries about an anticipated “all-out gang war” between Beetham Gardens and East Port-of-Spain communities and said that police was monitoring activity there.

Dillon said he was not quite sure there was evidence of an “all-out gang warfare” in the two areas.

“Based on advice from the Commissioner of Police while there have been recent homicides in the Beetham and Belmont areas, the TTPS is not aware of any gang war pending in the Port-of-Spain Division.

Nevertheless, the Port-of-Spain Division has a clear plan of action designed to deal with criminal activity including those related to gangs,” he said.

“The division is supported by the Inter-Agency Task Force, Guard and Emergency Branch, Court and Process Branch, Organised Crime and Intelligence and CID units. TTPS is sufficiently prepared to treat with any issue concerning gang violence in T&T,” Dillon said.

Police have also prepared and trained with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to handle the Anti-Gang law recently coming into force “and they are prepared to deal with any eventualities related to gang-related activity,” he added.

Dillon’s assurance came on the eve of tomorrow’s visit to PNM’s Port-of-Spain South constituency by President Paula-Mae Weekes as part of a Laventille outreach programme. President’s House officials said the visit is on.

A third-year student of the University of the Southern Caribbean was yesterday adjudged the winner of the Guardian Editor of the Day initiative.

Abigail Frances Gittens, 20, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on Communications could not contain her joy and screams when told of the good news.

Equally excited was Sapphire Alexander, 15, a student of the St Augustine Girls’ High School, who won the title of British High Commissioner For a Day.

The initiative was a joint venture by Guardian Media and the British High Commission who invited young women on International Women’s Day-March 8 to post videos of themselves on social media, giving their views on why girls’ education is important and how education can empower them.

Gittens and Alexander will fill their roles as editor and high commissioner next month when school term comes to a close.

Having received several entries for the positions, Gittens and Alexander were selected as the overall winners last month.

Incidentally, both women see our country’s first female President Paula-Mae Weekes as their ideal role model.

The news was relayed to Gittens and Alexander in their classrooms by the commission’s political, press and public affairs officer Siddel Ramkissoon and a Guardian Media team.

Gittens plans to pursue a Masters in Mass Communications and Journalism in Jamaica after graduating.

“I thought Mr Ramkissoon came to the school to ask me a few questions about my video. I never expected CNC3 to take live footage of my reaction. I was honestly taken by surprise. I am so thrilled,” said an elated Gittens, who has aspirations of becoming a foreign correspondent journalist. She said being offered this role would serve as a great opportunity.

In her video, Gittens spoke about an African proverb, which states that when you educate a man you educate one person, but if you educate a woman you educate an entire family.

“But in T&T, our new President... she will educate our nation,” Gittens said.

Gittens said she was ready to take on the challenge of being an editor for the day, knowing fully well that the task will be daunting and time-consuming.

“Everyone knows I like a good challenge,” she said.

As a consumer of news, Gittens if she would like to see more success stories and articles on women being empowered and breaking the glass ceiling.

“There are so many women who do great work for the country and yet they are not recognised. Their life stories and accomplishments should serve as a beacon of hope for other young women in our country which the media should give a more prominence to,” Gittens said.

Alexander, a Form Four science student of St Augustine Girls’ High School, in her video presentation, stated that there are many disadvantages in not educating girls, which can range from domestic abuse, low-paying jobs to exploitation.

“We need to educate more women to fill positions in fields such as engineering and ICTs.”

While Alexander sees her mom, Sparkle Alexander, as her role model, she also viewed Weekes as a perfect exemplar who she would one day like to emulate.

“We have dreamed of having a female President for a long time and we have finally gotten someone with her knowledge and expertise. I think it is so inspiring to women like me, to show us, that we can achieve these things. We can go to these places that were formally dominated by males.”

Alexander said she was grateful for Weekes for bridging the gap in today’s society.

A pundit made a public plea yesterday urging villagers to help the police find the killers of farmer Dipchand Heeralal and Radha Baldeo.

Pundit Roopnarine Maharaj told mourners at Heeralal’s funeral that the double murder brought back memories of Dole Chadee’s quadruple killing 24 years ago in the quiet village of Williamsville.

Maharaj said justice had been served to Chadee and his clan after they killed Deo Baboolal, his wife, Rookmin, and their children, Hamilton and Monica but he questioned whether the killers of Heeralal and Baldeo would ever be found.

“When the Baboolal family were killed we saw justice being brought on to Chadee and his men after that family was executed. The laws were applied. Will we get justice for these two people? We don’t know who is next. We are not aware if the murderer is here with us or not. That is why we are afraid,” Maharaj said.

He told villagers, “You need to speak out. Are you going to hide and hush? A double murder has happened and no one has information? Are you scared? Yes or no? What are you going to do? Will you wait until your loved ones are gone to talk out?”

He said more innocent people would continue to die if citizens did not stand up and demand justice.

Maharaj said many people were afraid to leave their homes, describing the spate of crime in T&T as horrendous.

Heeralal’s brother-in-law, Romillus Madoo, said the entire family was scared. 

“We don’t know if the killers will come for us. Dipchand was a good man. A good father figure and uncle to many people. He did not deserve this. He never interfered with anybody. He was hard-working and we are all hurt and sad,” he said.

During the funeral, Heeralal’s common-law wife Darcy Hosein held back tears as she looked at his body.

Having lived with him for 30 years at their Williamsville home, Hosein’s lips trembled and her hands shook as she viewed the body.

Her name was omitted from the funeral programme.

Hosein had told Guardian Media that she never knew Heeralal was involved in a relationship with Baldeo. She said he had moved out of their home five years ago after getting a two-acre plot of Caroni land and it was only after he died that she found out Baldeo had been living with him. She said Baldeo came to her every morning to collect a charged battery, market goods, and food but nobody, not even her own children, had told her Baldeo was living with him.

Heeralal and Baldeo were shot dead at his American Flat ranch in Williamsville last week Sunday. No one has been charged with the double deaths.

Baldeo’s son Rayshaun Baldeo said the family wanted justice. Baldeo’s funeral will take place today at Scale Road, Williamsville from 10 am.

In the build-up to the 2015 general election the People’s National Movement (PNM) had a “more targeted and aggressive” social media campaign focused on the “undecideds especially the youths” and also the marginal constituencies.

And this social media strategy eventually resulted in the political party being voted into office, Dr Indrani Bachan-Persad has said.

Although the United National Congress (UNC) also increased its social media presence in the build-up to the general election that party “targeted mostly traditional, mature voters,” Bachan-Persad said.

Bachan-Persad made the statements as she delivered the findings of her paper “The Growing Influence of Social Media in the 2015 National Elections in Trinidad and Tobago” during a forum held by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies yesterday.

Bachan-Persad’s paper was a follow up to her book “Mediatized Political Campaigns: A Caribbean Perspective” which focused on the role of mainstream media in five election campaigns in Trinidad and Tobago from 2000-2010.

The 2015 general election campaign saw the increased use of social media platforms in reaching large communities across the country, Bachan-Persad said.

Bachan-Persad said between the 2010 and 2015 general elections the PNM gained 91,000 votes.

She said this was as a result of the PNM’s “targeted and sophisticated” digital campaign using Facebook and YouTube.

The PNM utilised the services of Washington-based company Vestige Services in the build-up to the 2015 general election, Bachan-Persad said.

Apps such as Nation Builder and Organiser were used to assist in the eight marginal constituencies.

“These apps create profiles of users, links social media profiles to email addresses in database and target supporters and send personalised information to them,” she said.

Bachan-Persad said one of the issues that affected the UNC was that they used approximately five advisory groups in the build up to the 2015 general election.

“The mixed messaging which emerged from the UNC campaign suggests that these varied groups had contradictory viewpoints,” she said.

“The use of multiple foreign campaign advisers and strategists also posed challenges of understanding the complexity of small island politics with its intertwining/ intersecting and interlocking relationships within a multi-ethnic society and had an adverse effect on race relations in an otherwise harmonious society,” Bachan-Persad said citing the “No Rowley” campaign.

Bachan-Persad said traditional media played a “mediated role in managing relations in the country in the way they reporters on elections in the past”.

At the forum, journalist Curtis Williams spoke of the impact social media has had on mainstream media.

Williams said because social media allows users to go live and immediately post information, the “fixed timelines” of mainstream media have been challenged.

“Traditional media must ensure that they remain the source of reliable news and not be tempted to compete with social media only on the basis of breaking news. Traditional media will have to be keenly aware of the prevalence of fake news and use their best journalism training to ask the right questions,” he said.

“The mainstream media must separate themselves from the citizen journalists by the quality of the research and stories they come up with and in the process must be protected to investigate and bring forth truth in the public’s interest,” he said.

Also presenting yesterday was UWI lecturer Dr Scott Timcke while Dr Hamid Ghany the Director of SALISES chaired the forum.

Police are investigating the alleged abduction of a student from the University of the West Indies who was blindfolded and taken to a location for several hours before he was returned unharmed.

Alex Gopaul, 18, of Bonasse Village, Cedros, told police he was abducted by two men who blindfolded, gagged and tied him up. 

He said he was kept inside a van for two hours before he was finally released.

In a statement to police, Gopaul said around 10 am on Wednesday he left home to drop off a book for a friend in Syfoo Trace, Cedros. He was driving his silver B-15. 

After dropping off the book, Gopaul said he drove into a cemetery road to turn.

However, he was blocked by a brown van which was parked close by. 

Two men with bandannas over their faces jumped out of the van and walked behind Gopaul's car. 

They pointed a gun at him, blindfolded him and tied up his hands with rope. 

They then put him in the back seat of the brown van. 

Gopaul said a short while later the van stopped and he was left in the van for two hours. He made no attempt to run.

Afterward, the men removed his blindfold and he realized he was in Austin Road, South. 

After some time passed, the men replaced the blindfold and dropped him back to his car. He was not harmed. 

He drove straight to the Cedros Police Station where he lodged a report.  

PC Boodhai is continuing investigations.

Deodat Dulalchan, the man who has made headlines over the past several months after he was nominated for the job of Commissioner of Police, says although Parliament has rejected his nomination he remains “committed” to the oath he took 38 years ago as an officer “to protect and serve” and to make Trinidad and Tobago a “safer place.” However, he admitted yesterday he will not put himself through the process again.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday hours after the Parliament vote, Dulalchan said he still had “trust and confidence in the institutions of the land.”

July will make it 38 years since he has been in the service and Dulalchan said, “I am not going to take on no unnecessary headache at this time. That is why I had a legal team advising me as to the way forward.”

It was just after midnight Wednesday that the Parliament rejected the Police Service Commission’s nomination of Dulalchan as the country’s top cop. Saying he knew the issue had to be decided by the Parliament, he said, “The Parliament has made a decision what can I say.”

On Tuesday, Dulalchan, through his attorneys, wrote to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley asking him to approve his nomination as CoP. But on Wednesday, the Parliament, having heard from the members of the Special Select Committee chaired by Minister in the Office of the Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds, deemed the procedure used by the PSC as “unsound, unsafe, unsatisfactory and illogical.”

Dulalchan said he is now “just trying to get it a bit clearer as to what may happen now going forward.” But he said despite the outcome, “I remain committed to work hand in hand seriously and diligently with the executive to see how we can meet our mandate to make Trinidad and Tobago a place where all of us and our children and grandchildren can live much more safer.”

While the United National Congress and Pundit Satyanand Maharaj brought the issue of race into the Government’s rejection of the nomination, Rowley made it clear on Wednesday night that neither race nor religion were factors in the decision and Dulalchan himself did not want to believe it was a factor.

“I see everything objectively and I see good in every human being and I don’t go along that line at all on whether I not being given the nod had anything to do with that. I don’t want to comment. I don’t want to get there. I don’t want to think about that,” Dulalchan said.

Asked whether he felt he had been treated unfairly, he admitted it had been a “difficult time” for him because “when my name popped up a lot of things start to appear, persons were having their views publicly without being informed.”

While noting things had “somewhat simmered down,” Dulalchan said, “In life, you don’t get everything you want. In life, everything is not fair. But that’s life. There are certain things you have no control over, you just can’t bother with it you know.”

However, he said he will definitely not apply for the CoP job again.

“No, no, definitely not. I don’t think I will go through that situation again,” Dulalchan said.

In fact, he reiterated he had never applied for the post but was asked as part of the interview.

Asked if he would apply for deputy commissioner if the opportunity arises, he said, “Depending on what time it comes around I will have to do my own personal assessment and so on and see if at that point it makes sense.”

Dulalchan said he would be “dishonest” if he did not admit that the whole issue of the length of time it’s taking to appoint a CoP was affecting morale in the police service.

“It is something that we all wish for. Appointment of a substantive commissioner will indeed impact on morale in a positive way.”

He described his relationship with acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams as excellent.

“As an executive, we are very much cohesive, in fact, I report to Commissioner Williams every morning,” he said.

Police Social and Welfare Association president Inspector Michael Seales meanwhile offered no comment on the decision. In fact, he would only say “everything is in God’s hands.”

He admitted, however, that the morale of the service has been affected since the start of the selection process because of the “rumours and speculation arising out of the conduct of the selection process.”

Seales said officers “look forward and anticipate that whosoever is the person elected will be a person that gives them that type of motivation and the ability to perform to that high standard.” SEE Page A11

Former national security minister Gary Griffith, who has threatened legal action against the Police Service Commission over breaches in the selection of a Commissioner of Police nominee, says the PSC has been given a “get-out-of-jail card” by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who has said “don’t scrap the process but go back, do your homework and get it right.” If this is done, Griffith said, the country could have a commissioner “in a couple of weeks.”

On Wednesday, Griffith sent a pre-action protocol letter to new PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad threatening action if it did rescind the list sent to the President. Through attorney Christian Chandler, he said the PSC “had no right to conduct their own assessments and grading, since the legal notice was clear that the task of the PSC in the process was to accumulate the points of each candidate submitted by the firm (KPMG) based on the assessments and then accumulate it to then provide a merit list to be sent to the President.

Speaking on CNC3’s Morning Brew yesterday, Griffith expressed confidence that Seepersad, who has succeeded Dr Maria Therese-Gomes, will rectify the problem.

Reiterating that the PSC had no authorisation to amend the requirements for the position, Griffith accused two PSC members of interfering in the process to his detriment.

The PSC also had no authority to interview “someone who never applied for the post of commissioner,” for the job, he said in reference to the fact that DCP Deodat Dulalchan did not apply for the position but still became the PSC’s top nominee. Griffith said the PSC “had no qualification or expertise in the process of selection of a commissioner” and needed to “adhere to the merit list drafted by KPMG,” which he said was done by international experts in line with international best practice.

Instead of compiling the points from the KPMG assessment, he said, “they totally disregarded it and an individual who got 81 points they decided to reduce it by 23 points because they did not want somebody who was not a police officer.”

Griffith insisted that in the KPMG assessment, he was the “top candidate with 81.94 per cent.” He insisted this has nothing to do with him being appointed CoP, adding they were free to “bypass me and go to Stephen Williams who was second or Seales who was third.”

Asked how long the process may now take for selection of a CoP, Griffith said, “This could be done in a matter of weeks.”

The process, he said, had nothing to do with the politicians. He said while the Opposition appeared to support Dulalchan for the post, “what I noticed yesterday, the Government showed they had no horse in the race.” He denied Government was supporting him for the job.

But Griffith said he was not surprised the UNC did not support him because “I was fired for speaking the truth.”

Former Police Service Commission chairman Nizam Mohammed says the body is “totally dysfunction” because there is “far too much political interference” in the commission.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday after the Parliament rejected the nomination of PSC top nominee Deodat Dulalchan for the Commissioner of Police post and referred the matter back to the PSC,

Mohammed said the “malfunctioning of the PSC is only one example of the breakdown and the virtual collapse of national institutions and government agencies.”

He said there is the need for “re-examination of the structure of the commission and the way it operates.”

Mohammed said some years ago “the PSC was taken out of the umbrella arrangements of the Public Service Commission” and under the new arrangement it allowed for “too much political interference and such interference has caused the Police Service Commission to be totally dysfunctional.”

He said serious consideration should be given to “restoring the Police Service Commission to its original framework of operations, even though it may be expedient to have it function independently of the Public Service Commission.”

That will require Legislative change by the Parliament, he said.

However, Mohammed is of the view that “the continuing failing system suits the politicians.”

But he said if the commission is to meet its mandate the legislative framework must be reviewed “with a view to making the Police Service Commission properly constituted to be functioning on a full-time basis.”

Mohammed said a “properly constituted PSC with the requisite independence can be capable of selecting a police commissioner from time to time and other senior executive posts.

He said the commission, in its current form, has “clearly demonstrated that a part-time casual approach to its responsibilities is unworkable.”

A high-powered assault rifle was among a cache of guns and assorted ammunition that was found on the Munroe Road, Chaguanas property of the Masjid-ul-Muttaqeen yesterday morning.

Police said at about 8.30 am, a team of workers who are currently conducting maintenance works on the ceiling in the ladies section of the mosque, found several black garbage bags stashed away in the ceiling.

The workers retrieved the bag and to their shock found the weapons and ammunition. The workers went to mosque’s office and reported their findings to Maulana Saeed, who contacted Imam Shiraz Ali. Ali then contacted officials at the Ministry of National Security and T&T Police Service.

A party of police, including Central Division Task Force and CID officers, went to the mosque and retrieved the bags, which contained two shotguns, two pistols and an assault rifle together with an undisclosed amount of assorted ammunition.

In an immediate reaction to the find, a staff member at the mosque sent out a voice message to Darul Uloom staff informing them of the find and asking that they not be alarmed. The male voice indicated that “it was no little find like little gun and thing…it was big.” He then ended the voice note by saying: “May Allah guide us…Assalamualaikum (a Muslim greeting that means Peace be unto you.”

The Masjid subsequently issued a statement saying the illegal firearms and ammunition were secreted there by persons unknown and condemned the act.

“This organisation does not condone any form of illegal activity. Those persons who planted these illegal items in our place of worship did so without the knowledge of the spiritual and administrative leaders of the masjid and our membership,” the statement read.

The administrators also gave assurance that they will co-operate with the police “in every way possible to discover the identities of those person or persons who are responsible for bringing illegal guns and ammunition into the masjid.”

It also noted that the doors of the masjid are open to all Muslims and non-Muslims and added that it has no formal security arrangements in place as it is “a place of worship where our members engage in fellowship, pray and social activities.”

With the holy month of Ramadan in its last ten days of the 30-day fast, Masjid officials said they were in shock.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, an official, who wished not to be identified, said they asked the police to conduct a thorough search of the entire compound to ensure no other guns, ammunition or other illegal items were hidden on the premises. Asked if the find hindered fasting Muslims from coming to the mosque to break their fast after 6 pm last evening, the official replied: “No...the usual numbers came out. People expressed concern because it is normal but we are all hoping that the people behind this are caught. Allah knows best.”

An investigating officer extended kudos to the workers and the mosque’s officials for informing them of the find.

“This could have gone otherwise and by them not hiding this by itself proves a lot,” the officer said.

Asked if the find had any connection to do with the increasing gang activities and shootings between members of the Unruly Isis and the “Muslims,” the officer replied: “We have no such information. This could be an isolated incident.”

Minister in the Office of the Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds has described the failed process to find a commissioner of police by the Police Service Commission as a “national failure, we need a police commissioner.”

Speaking at a People’s National Movement public meeting in at the Barataria Community Centre, Hinds also dismissed claims that race played a part in Government’s rejection of Deodath Dulalchan as the PSC’s top nominee for the job.

Hinds said he was “perturbed “ to hear a citizen “who is a pundit” describe what happened in the Parliament as a “race” issue.

Hinds said in making the decision, Government did it because “we saw flaws that were fatal to the process and the PNM did what was right.”

The Government, he said, did what it had to do “with no consideration of race,” but in the best national interest.

He said the Parliament decided to send it back to the PSC “and we will review the order. We have seen best practice and we promise to review it in keeping with modern standards.”

What the PSC did, he said, “is a breach of the law.”

“What they did could never equate with best practice. We saw flaws where people who did not even apply ended up on the list,” Hinds said.

Hinds said the crime situation, which is “burdensome,” requires a motivated police force, but he said law enforcement also requires a more efficient and effective judiciary.

Referencing to a recent case where someone with millions worth of cocaine got a small fine, he said Government could not be passing stringent law and criminals were getting a “slap on the wrist.” He appealed to the judiciary “to have a better sentencing policy so criminals don’t just get a slap on the wrist.”

A magistrate, he said, could give up to ten years in jail for such offences but it not happening.

“We need swifter justice and harsher sentences,” he said.

Hinds also announced that legislation is being prepared to make it a criminal offence for people to occupy other people’s homes illegally.

“Senior citizens are victims of criminals who throw them out of their homes. I know where they fire-bomb homes and the persons flee and when persons go to the police to make a report the police ask for deed.”

It is because of these crimes that Hinds said legislation is coming.

“If you in somebody’s house and they arrest you and take you to court is jail,” he said.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who also addressed the meeting, meanwhile assured that pensioners will not have to pay Property Tax. The minimum tax, he said, is $40 a month.

Morvant police are investigating death threats made against the life of People’s National Movement councillor Franz “De Lamo” Lambkin.

The death threats came just over one month after he was robbed of a quantity of cash and other valuables, including important documents containing his personal information.

In this latest case, officers received information that on Wednesday at about 2.30 pm, two men were seen lurking around his home in Morvant. The men were also overheard saying: “His car not there…we have to get him to spray him down with bullets.”

On May 3 at about 8.20 am, Lambkin was driving his vehicle along the Lady Young Road in Morvant when, close to the Hilton Trinidad, he stopped to pick up a man he had seen before on the compound of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation. After a few minutes, the man asked to be dropped off. But when Lambkin stopped his vehicle the man grabbed a pouch containing money and documents, including bank debit and credit cards.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Lambkin said he strongly believes that both incidents are connected. He added that during the May 3 incident he had conversed with the man about employment opportunities which would have become available soon at the regional corporation.

Lambkin said he lodged official reports on both incidents and given this latest one, he has been assured that police patrols will be heightened in and around his community, especially around his home.

Investigations are continuing.

There is intense squatting in 11 areas within the 34 forest reserves in T&T’s North East region, including one squatting community with substantial houses - featuring solar panels - belonging to members of the military, says Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat.

Rambharat spoke about the situation during yesterday’s Senate debate on amendments to the Land Adjudication Act.

This provides procedures for the adjudication of rights and interests in land whereby any claim made by an individual will be thoroughly investigated before settling such rights and interests.

UNC Senator Taharqa Obika urged Government to go to squatting communities to speak to them about proposed amendments and table clauses in simple language for people to better understand.

Rambharat said it was not necessary to take consultations on the bill to squatter communities as squatters “had nothing to fear under the PNM Government.”

However, Rambharat said squatting in forest reserves and environmentally sensitive areas are rampant in T&T. He said it was so endemic and entrenched that the State must continue regularisation and it is necessary for the State to protect areas.

He said the 11 squatting areas in the 34 northeast forest reserves involve 2,664 acres which have 3,549 structures on them.

“People have been living there 40, 50 years or more; such as Pine Settlement in Sangre Grande which in 2005 had 87 acres under squatter development and by 2015 that became 405 acres,” he added.

Other forest reserve areas affected are the Valencia “long stretch”, Matura and Melajo forests. Rambharat said the bill will protect lands, but issues still remain since it was difficult to turn the situation back.

Rambharat also addressed queries by UNC Senator Wade Mark who - in a recent debate- called for him to supply answers on how one Ricky Ramnanan obtained 15 acres of Mon Jaloux land for farming. Mark raised the query while discussing land fraud concerns.

Rambharat said Ramnanan was an “outstanding young farmer” who is married to another farmer and they operated in Cunupia. He said he thought Mark knew Ramnanan since a 2014 news report listed Ramnanan as receiving an award for sustainable farming from then — Environment minister Ramona Ramdial. He said Ramnanan had built mud banks and is a leading supplier of peppers used in “Berties’s pepper sauce” and is also a melongene supplier to Massy Stores.

Rambharat said he had recently visited Ramnanan’s farm. He said Ramnanan rents his land from the private sector and also leases State land. Rambharat said a UNC colleague of Mark’s suggested he meet with Ramnanan who wanted to expand his holdings to meet private sector supply demands.

On another land grant issue raised in an earlier debate - concerning grant of land by the Commissioner of State Lands to Alana Haynes - Rambharat said a report was sent to the Prime Minister on the issue.

A 51-year-old San Fernando woman was robbed and raped by gunmen who invaded her home on Wednesday night.

Reports stated that the woman’s brother was in the yard around 8.30 pm when two gunmen ran up to him. They began to beat him with gun butts and while doing so, a shot accidentally went off.

No one was hit, but it woke the woman, who remained in her bedroom. The gunmen then dragged her brother into the house and they scoured the rooms for valuable items. One of the gunmen went into the woman’s bedroom where they stole cash and jewelry, then raped her. They then ran off along the roadway.

San Fernando CID and the Southern Division Task Force responded to the incident and a search was launched for the suspects. Up to late yesterday, they were not found. The victims were taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where they were treated and discharged. They were then interviewed by investigators.

PC Crawford is continuing inquiries.

Police have made a breakthrough in the murder of burger vendor Navindra “Nari” Chatoor, owner of South’s popular burger joint Chatoor’s Burgers, after they arrested three people on Wednesday.

After hours of interrogation, two were released but one was still in custody.

During a crime eradication exercise between 9 am to noon, police went to Buenos Ayres where they arrested a man. They then went to South Oropouche where they picked up a vendor whom they believe had a business transaction with Chatoor. The officers then went to Croomen Settlement where the arrested a third person.

Chatoor, who was expecting the birth of his child next month, was gunned down while at his burger cart at Cross Crossing, San Fernando, shortly after 10 pm on May 14. Officers described his death as a hit.

Witnessed said a man dressed in black and wearing a hat, partially covering the face, walked up to Chatoor and shot him twice in the head at point blank rage in front of other customers.

Chatoor was the fifth member of his family to be killed and his murder came nine days before the three-year anniversary of the death of his brother, Rishi.

The historic Godineau Bridge built in the 1930’s will remain standing even after the Government opens two segments of the $7.4 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension project today.

The two segments named Package 2-A which stretches from Dumfries Road to Mosquito Creek and Package 2-B from Godineau River Bridge to St Mary’s in Oropouche, are part of the second phase of the highway which links La Romaine to Oropouche. The first phase, a dual carriageway from Golconda to Debe has already been completed but the third phase from Debe to Mon Desir, which was the subject of litigation levelled by the Highway Re-route Movement, remains at a standstill.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, along with Works Minister Rohan Sinanan, National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) president Esther Farmer and Vice-president Steve Garibsingh.

In an interview yesterday, Garibsingh said when the two segments being opened today will allow motorists to experience a decline in travelling time.

Asked whether the historic Godineau Bridge will be dismantled, Garibsingh said no. He explained that the bridge will continue to be in use.

“We decided that the bridge will continue to remain in service to facilitate the cremation site (Shore of Peace) for people who are using the foreshore for recreation,” Garibsingh said.

Asked to give an update on the third and fourth phases of the highway which has not started as promised by the Government, Garibsingh said this was being discussed at the level of Cabinet. He also said that having the newly-opened four lanes will offer safer travelling to motorists.

This week Junior Sammy contractors were seen removing their equipment from the construction site, having completed the segments. Under the former People’s Partnership, extensive work was done to fortify the Godineau Bridge which remains one of the few pieces of colonial infrastructure which is still in use.

OTHER PROJECTS ON STREAM

• Curepe Interchange
• Moruga Road Rehabilitation Project
• Churchill Roosevelt Highway Extension to Manzanilla
• Valencia to Toco Highway
• Maracas Beach Facilities Improvement Project
• Fast Ferry Port in Toco
• Diego Martin Highway/Western Main Road
• Port-of-Spain East-West Corridor Improvement Project