Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) leader David Abdulah says Vernella Alleyne-Toppin’s “cesspit political strategy” to undermine Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in Parliament has clearly backfired and will lead to the demise of the People’s Partnership Government. Speaking at a press conference at the MSJ’s San Fernando headquarters yesterday, Abdulah said Alleyne-Toppin’s rantings had defiled Parliament.

He said the entire Cabinet and the Prime Minister must be held accountable for bringing T&T’s politics to the “lowest low” and called for a “revolution of the minds” and an end to tribal politics which hinge on issues of race, ethnicity, gender, geography and class. “We condemn the cesspit into which the politics of T&T has clearly sunk. The statement on Wednesday by Vernella Alleyne-Toppin in the Parliament was a new low amongst many lows in the history of the recent politics of the country,” he said.

“It must be noted that her statement and other statements took place just hours after the second public launch of the Code of Ethical Political Conduct and the launch of the Council for Responsible Political Behaviour.” 

Saying all traditional parties have been guilty of breaking the code, Abdulah said it is not only Alleyne-Toppin who should be condemned, as her tirade was sanctioned by the Leader of Government Business Dr Roodal Moonilal. Accusing the Government of using a pre-conceived but ill-conceived political strategy, he said it has clearly backfired and the Government now has to answer for their actions.

“The entire Government stands condemned. The Prime Minister cannot say she was not in the Parliament chamber when it happened. If she wasn’t there she should have immediately gotten up when she came back and condemned the statement, but she did not do that,” Abdulah said.

He added, “They need to man up and say to T&T that they did grievous harm not only to the Parliament, but to the wives, mothers and daughters who have been victims of rape. None of them can pull themselves out. It was a clearly agreed upon strategy by the Government in this parliamentary debate.”

Abdulah said Parliament was supposed to be a national institution where representatives are supposed to discuss, debate and pass legislation that would ensure the proper functioning of the country. “The Parliament was defiled and it demonstrates that the Speaker of the House failed to conduct the affairs of the House in accordance with what the House should be engaged in. It reconfirms the fact that the institutions of our State have collapsed,” Abdulah said.

Eagerly expecting the birth of his first baby, footballer Anderson Cornwall had started preparing a baby room. However, those plans were cut short when robbers shot him dead in Debe early yesterday. Residents of Church Street, Penal, where Cornwall lived, sat on the roadside crying when the T&T Guardian visited the area yesterday. June De Bourg, a neighbour, said Cornwall, 21, had been the star striker for the Shiva Boys’ College football team a few years back. He was employed as a construction worker where the new Shiva Boys’ College is being built.

De Bourg said whenever Cornwall had free time he would either be training or building the baby room. On Saturday night he decided to go liming with friends at the Boardroom nightclub along the SS Erin Road, Debe. Police said while standing outside the club, Cornwall was approached by two men. Witnesses said Cornwall tried to run but one of the men opened fire, hitting him in his head. Surveillance cameras showed the gunman, dressed in white, tucking away the gun after the killing. The men then snatched Cornwall’s chain and escaped in a white Nissan Tiida.

Neighbour Corin Morales said Cornwall was lovingly called Chubby in the community as he was always kicking around a Chubby softdrink bottle as a child. “Anderson was our pride and joy because he was our football star. Everything he did was to make his family and friends happy,” De Bourg wept. She then escorted the T&T Guardian to a wooden house, painted in blue, which Cornwall built himself for his common-law wife Vivan Goordeen, who is four months pregnant.

Lying on a bed with tears streaming down her face, Goordeen said, “We were waiting for our baby. We did not know if the baby is a boy or a girl. We said if it is a boy we will call him Kyron and if its a girl she will be Avana.” She said Cornwall had no enemies and the gold chain he was wearing was made in a jewelry store where she once worked. “He took a set of break gold and made that chain. It cost $2,000,” Goordeen said. 

She added that a few months ago someone tried to snatch the chain, but Cornwall still insisted on wearing it. His mother, Ursular Saran, said she also cautioned Cornwall about wearing the chain, as it could attract robbers. “I talk to my son yesterday and when they called me at 3 am and say Chubby dead, I thought it was a Dam Fool Day (April 1) joke,” Saran cried. The family is now seeking assistance with funeral arrangements. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday. Anyone wanting to assist the family can contact 358-3193. 

Archbishop of the Children of the Light Spiritual Baptist International Archdiocese, Dr John Noel, is calling on Afro-Caribbean youths to stop killing each other and urged parents to teach children a culture of productivity. Speaking at Liberation Day festivities held by the Spiritual Baptist community at Harris Promenade, San Fernando, yesterday, Noel said it was time to change the African diaspora’s culture of crime.

Noel said while some Baptists like the great trade union leader Tubal Uriah Buzz Butler had done well in improving the lives of the working class, the Afro-Caribbean community was plagued by their involvement in crime and unproductivity. “The African youths seem to be responsible for their own demise because of what they choose to practise,” he said. Noel, who spent his early years in Grenada but migrated to Trinidad at the age of 12, said that he noticed a difference in the activities of the Afro-Trinidadian male. 

“On mornings, most of the youths from other ethnic groups go to work or participate in some kind of economic activity but the majority of Afro-Trinidadians are liming or coming back from a party...Let us stop the excessive partying and liming and take charge of our destiny. “We have opportunity and we have to teach our children this culture of productivity that is lacking among many Afro-Trinidadian people., Noel said. 

Bishop Leon John, who also spoke, said the suppression faced by the Baptist community from 1917 to 1951 had had an impact on the psyche of the people. “We went through 34 years of deprivation and nobody thinks to help us,” John lamented. He said in an attempt to help Baptists become financially independent, they launched the Baptist village at the promenade. 

John said, however, Baptist villages in Indian Walk, Moruga and Princes Town were neglected by the Government. John also said affirmative action should be taken to provide scholarships for Baptist children through the Foundation for the Academic Advancement of Spiritual Baptist Youths.

With Secondary Entrance Exams (SEA) just two months away, parents of students attending Fanny Village Government Primary School watched in horror yesterday as a pre-dawn fire re-ignited around midday and burnt down most of the school. Seething parents chastised the firemen saying the second fire could have been avoided if the wooden administrative building and washrooms were properly soaked by the fire response team. Only two pre-fab buildings were left standing.

The initial flames were first spotted by resident Marvin Roberts around 4 am when he got up to jog in the nearby savannah. “I saw smoke and when I looked up at the school, I saw a bright orange flame from the roof. It looked like it was the library building. I called the security and then I ran across the savannah and told a neighbour who alerted the fire officers,” Roberts said. With the fire station less than quarter mile away, the firefighters from Point Fortin Fire Station arrived within five minutes and put out the blaze.

The main library block was completely burnt but the rest of the school was untouched. President of the PTA Byron Cumberbatch and President of the Fanny Village Council Curt Allan arrived and tried to remove the printer and other valuables from the main building. But Cumberbatch said he noticed wisps of white smoke coming from the building. “I told the fireman that it looked like the fire was still burning but he tell me not to tell him how to do his job. He said not to worry, the fire under control and we should not remove anything else from the school,” Cumberbatch said.

For several hours the villagers kept watch and when the Guardian arrived, smoke was billowing from the back of the school. At 12.45 midday, the fire started to spread from the main building. Allan called the fire station but there was no response from the firefighters. “They told us that only when we seeing fire we should call,” Cumberbatch complained. This reporter called 990 at 1.10 pm to report that the building was on fire and none of the officers from Point Fortin Fire Station had responded. The operator responded, “What! Nobody came as yet? Let me call them back.”

The officers arrived at 1.18 pm and by then the entire school was engulfed. Fanned by strong winds, the fire crept under the roof of the main building while firefighters used ladders to reach the roof. The Point Fortin Borough Corporation Community Emergency Response Team also assisted in clearing the villagers from the fire scene. Around 2 pm, Petrotrin firefighters arrived and the fire was brought under control.

PARENTS WORRIED
A parent whose daughter is in Standard 5 said she was very worried that the fire would affect her child’s performance at SEA. “With exams so close, I don’t know how this will affect her. We waiting for a new school for years now and nothing happened. Because we live in Point, they forget us,” she said. Two children who attend the school said it was sad to see the school burnt down. Cumberbatch said the school has over 380 pupils and 12 teachers. He said in 2008, construction of a new building started but the project was never completed because of shoddy work.

GOPEESINGH RESPONDS
Contacted on his cell phone yesterday, Gopeesingh said the old school building was expected to be demolished soon to make way for the construction of a new school. He said the students will be accommodated in the nearby community centre while a new school is being built. “We have to expedite the process for the new school to be built. In the meantime, we have the EFCL looking into this,” Gopeesingh said. Allan said the Village Council will work with the affected students. However he said the Community Centre did not have any electricity as the supply was cut by T&TEC.  

The sound of her son’s screams as a car ploughed into him along the Solomon Hochoy highway on Easter Sunday night, continues to haunt pensioner Lutchmie Gokool. The distraught woman says she does not know how she will be able to face the future knowing that her youngest child, Anil Gokool, 32, was dead. Police said Gokool, Anil and his brother Videsh Gokool, 37, were returning to their Concord Road, La Romaine home around 7.30 pm after attending prayer service when tragedy struck. Gokool said while driving on the highway, the right front tyre became flat.

The brothers stopped on the grassy verge off the shoulder of the south-bound carriageway of the highway to change the tyre, close to the Freeport Overpass. “I made sure to tell my son to pull off the highway. A police car later pulled up to the back of us and they began giving us some light to change the flat,” Gokool recalled. Videsh said while changing the tyre, a loud collision occurred and two cars careened off the highway. A witness told police that a marked police car was speeding down the highway and swerved in front of a female motorist.

The witness said she lost control and slammed into the back of another car which spun out of control and struck the Gokool brothers. “I saw the cars coming at us and I called out to Anil. The first car hit me on my legs and I started to spin. I got back up but not Anil. He never moved,” Videsh recalled. “I feel as if I am living a second life,” Videsh added in a quiet voice. Gokool said the brothers did everything together. “Anywhere I go they would go with me. I could not have asked for better sons,” Gokool wept. She said Anil worked at RPL Printery at Gulf View, La Romaine.

Her eldest son Rajesh said he wanted Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to launch an investigation into the death. “Sometimes these police officers take unnecessary risks on the road. A witness who was driving behind the cars saw everything and came to us this morning to say that the police car pulled directly to the back of another car and scared the driver. This is what caused my brother’s death,” Rajesh said.  

RADHICA SOOKRAJ

Undeterred by Sunday’s fire, Standard Five pupils of the Fanny Village Government Primary School, Point Fortin, attended classes at the private home of a former teacher yesterday.
Karen Lee Fai, who retired from the school several years ago, accommodated the 47 SEA pupils under her home, while a ministerial team toured the fire-ravaged school around midday. 
Pupil Coleen Smith said since the fire everyone was sad. 
“We lost all our school books and our projects. It really depressing to come here and see the condition of the classes,” Smith said. 
Jaydon Bailey, who is hoping to pass for Presentation College, said he hoped that the Education Ministry would not send them out of the district.
“We already accustomed to here. It will be strange for us to write the exam in an unfamiliar environment,” he said. 
Sherron Joseph said they were uncertain since the fire and now were fearful their SEA performance would be hampered by the trauma of the fire.
However, the pupils were consoled by acting Education Minister Fazal Karim, who promised that when school reopens on Monday all 305 students and 12 teachers will be accommodated at the newly-built Fanny Village Community Centre.
Karim and his team, including Community Development Minister Winston Gypsy Peters, Local Government Minister Marlene Coudray and Point Fortin MP Paula Gopee-Scoon, toured the school yesterday. 
Almost everything was burnt except for a framed portrait of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar which hung on the wall of the principal’s office.
After an hour-long meeting with principal Debra Morrell-Charles and PTA president Byron Cumberbatch, the parents were told that nine classrooms would be accommodated at the community centre.
Karim said: “We have also agreed to establish some temporary air-conditioned facilities to hold classes as well as temporary washroom facilities.” 
He said the Educational Facilities Company Ltd would immediately begin partition works and adjustments to the centre. 
“The contractor has agreed to work night and day to make sure that the facility is ready for Monday,” Karim said. 
Once the fire report is complete, Karim said a decision would be taken by Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh about whether the old school building would be demolished.
Both Gopee-Scoon and Morrell-Charles said they were pleased with the arrangements. Gopee-Scoon said she also hoped the Government would make arrangements to build a new school for the pupils on the existing site. Saying the fire was a blessing in disguise, she said parents have been waiting on a new school since 2008.

New school structure flawed

The contract for construction of the Fanny Village Government Primary School was awarded by the People’s National Movement (PNM) government on July 17, 2008 to ASHANA Civil and Mechanical Contractors Ltd. 
Based on the minutes of a meeting held with the Minister of Education and Philip Whiteman, general manager of ASHANA, on  September 17, 2010, the original cost of the project was $18 million but this was later revised to $35 million. 
The minutes stated that EFCL paid $5 million to ASHANA and construction was expected to begin within 30 days from the award of the contract. The minutes said ASHANA initially got four foundation drawings and four construction drawings but between June and September 2009 ASHANA got no drawings. 
EFCL then terminated the contract of the original consultant in November 2009 and ASHANA indicated that the project could take as long at 47 months, rather than 15.
The project was never completed and when the People’s Partnership got into office Gopee-Scoon said promises were made that a new contractor would be hired. 
Cumberbatch said yesterday that the new school building was situated in a dam and the foundation of the structure was already cracking. In some places the walls did not have sufficient steel. 
He hoped the burnt out school could be demolished and a new school constructed there.

The National Gas Company (NGC) could earn between US$234 million to US$489 million from the sale of methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) when a new petrochemical complex to be constructed at Union Estate, La Brea, comes on stream.

This estimate was given by Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine following the signing of a project agreement for the facility by representatives of Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc, Massy Holdings, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, Caribbean Gas Chemical Ltd, National Gas Company, Mitsubishi Corporation and the ministry yesterday.

Ramnarine said the agreement is part of the new energy economy of T&T and the project will cost US$987 million, 30 per cent of which will be financed 

through equity and 70 per cent through debt.

“The project brings the National Gas Company into the downstream of the natural gas value chain and NGC has 20 per cent of this project,” he said, adding that NGC will get access to DME and methanol which it can either market or use in other down stream industries.

“The NGC will also receive dividends on the project and the NGC will also get revenue from its sale of natural gas to the complex,” he said.

The petrochemicals complex is expected to produce one million tonnes of methanol a year.

Commenting on the planned acquisition of the BG Group by Royal Dutch Shell, Ramnarine said Ben van Beurden, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell has written to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar expressing great optimism about the company’s role in T&T.

The minister said upstream and downstream development in the energy sector will continue.

“BP is constructing the Juniper gas processing platform, that is one component of a wider US$2.1 billion investment. That project will bring, that is the Juniper project, 1.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas into production by 2017. Juniper is the most expensive upstream development in the history of this country’s oil and gas industry,” he said.

The minister said BG has started appraisals and exploration drilling in two highly prospective blocks and BHP Billiton will soon begin work on their Angostura Phase 3 project. 

“All four of the country’s natural gas producers are busying developing more reserves of natural gas for industries that will come into Union Industrial Estate,” Ramnarine said.

“The Ministry of Energy expects 2015 to be a very busy year for drilling. Already for the first quarter of 2015, rig days have surpassed the number that obtained in the first quarter of 2014.”

Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine says he is unsure whether anyone will face criminal charges despite allegations of corruption having surfaced in the controversial South-West Soldado developmental project deal.

Speaking to reporters at a signing ceremony for the establishment of a natural gas-to-petrochemicals project at La Brea on Friday, Ramnarine said he was unaware of the details of the alleged illicit transactions and only became aware of it following a newspaper investigation.

“I am very concerned about the allegations which were raised but you know that we cannot take action based on what is written in the newspaper. We have to do our own internal investigations,” Ramnarine said.

Saying Petrotrin had already initiated a probe, Ramnarine explained that the State-owned company is already moving apace to recover the money. He added that he was awaiting the outcome of the investigation into allegations that Petrotrin breached its own rules and contract requirements and paid an upfront commissioning fee of US$1.25 million (TT$7.94 million) to Mexican shipping firm Maritima de Ecologia SA de CV (also known as Marecsa).

Denying that it was he who raised the matter with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Ramnarine added, “The first time we all became aware of the issue of the transfer of the money was when we read it in the newspaper. 

Since then Petrotrin has been doing its own internal checks. 

“I would say Petrotrin has taken efforts to recover that money from Maresca. They have taken action through legal routes and through diplomatic routes. They have written to the Mexican authorities and made a call through the bond with Bankers Insurance, so Petrotrin has been going about trying to recover its money from that $1.25 million and doing its investigations to determine whether the allegations being raised have any foundation.”

It is alleged that a senior Petrotrin official pushed through the deal and within weeks of the disputed August 29, 2012, Petrotrin payout, US$750,000 of the US$1.25 million upfront commission was paid into a Houston bank account in Texas, USA, in the name of Membersource Credit Union, and was allegedly transferred to two private bank accounts at the Ellerslie Plaza branch of Scotiabank.

Finance Minister Larry Howai says international mergers will insulate the T&T economy from the backlash of falling energy prices.

He said it can no longer be business as usual for Government because of the decline in foreign revenue, so it is important to form sustainable mergers.

“Preliminary indications indicate that the first half of this year we shall run a deficit but it will be lower than originally forecasted and considerably better than our revised forecast, based on reduction of revenues consequent with the fall in energy prices,” he said.

The minister said with the expected lifting of sanctions against Iran and the continued build up of oil inventories in the United States, revenue and expenditure initiatives have to be fast tracked in the coming months to insulate the T&T economy against the effects of those changes. He said the chemical complex to be built at La Brea will make a positive contribution to that effort, providing a boost to the economy. 

“Foreign direct investigation from this project alone is US$850 million or TT$5.4 billion,” he said

During construction phase of the project, Howai said, 3,000 people will be employed and when the plant is fully operational, 184 people will get permanent well paying jobs.

“T&T is no stranger to large petrochemical concerns. Our petroleum industry and downstream activities are highly developed and recognised the world over. This DME plant will be the first of its kind here,” he said. 

“Its high oxygen content, lack of sulphur or other noxious compounds and ultra clean combustion make DME a versatile and promising solution in the mixture of clean renewable and low carbon fuel,” Howai added.

His Cabinet colleague, Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine, commenting on the US$70 million acquisition of BG Group’s assets by Royal Dutch Shell, said that merger will offer opportunities for upstream industries.

“Shell has been looking for an upstream position in the exploration and production business. I think Shell brings advantages to T&T and one of these advantages is access to capital,” he said.

Ramnarine said he and a ministerial team will meet with Shell officials this week to discuss the company’s plans for T&T.

“Shell now has a dominant position in the LNG business in T&T,” he said.

Ramnarine said it might take about nine months for the deal to be finalized as regulatory issues have to be addressed.

Royal Dutch Shell and BG Group have key stakes in T&T's energy sector, with both companies holding significant shares in LNG export/producing company Atlantic in Point Fortin.

Although its parent company filed for bankruptcy protection two weeks ago, Brazilian construction firm OAS Construtora has told the T&T Government it is in good financial condition and will be able to complete the $7.4 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension by May 2016.

An OAS team, including country superintendent Rodrigo Ventura and several board directors, met with Works Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan and National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) chairman Dr Carson Charles on Monday to discuss concerns about the project. 

Charles later told reporters that contrary to claims made by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, he had no information that OAS was withholding payments to local contractors.

“If this is happening, we have received no reports. I will have to find out whether this is so,” Charles said. 

He said that dozens of local contractors and suppliers were also providing goods and services to OAS, the main contractor on the billion-dollar highway project. Charles said OAS directors from Brazil flew to T&T last week to discuss the project.

“Despite constraints in Brazil, that is not preventing the company from doing work here. We understand that OAS’s parent company filed for bankruptcy protection, which is a provision whereby the court gives them protection to pay off their debts in an orderly fashion by selling assets. The protection order gives them time to satisfy all their creditors,” Charles said.

“OAS chairman and members of the board have informed us of how they plan to complete the work. The plan seems feasible and we are satisfied. 

“We continue to pay them for such works they have undertaken. We took a loan so we have the money. OAS operations in Trinidad are continuing because our payments are up to date.”

Charles said OAS would give weekly updates to Nidco and the ministry on the progress of the highway construction.

“If you go on the site you will see works are still going on. They are busy working on the segment from St Mary’s Junction to Grant Road,” Charles said. 

He said once the road was inspected and passed it would be opened later this month.

Rambachan said he asked OAS officials to ensure that all local contractors were paid and they assured him the company was making timely payments. He said if any contractor was having problems with payments they should make a report to Nidco, the supervisory agency.

Local contractors, including Kalco Limited, said yesterday that they were being paid on time. 

“We are not sure if suppliers and other contractors are being affected,” a Kalco official said. 

Sources told the T&T Guardian there had been delays in the past with payment of fees to some contractors, including Ansad Services Limited. A source at Namalco Construction Services also said the company ended its relationship with OAS in 2012 because of problems with payment of fees.

Rowley warning

At a political meeting last week, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had warned that the highway project was in trouble because Brazilian company OAS Grupo, OAS Construtora’s parent company, was in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings due to the corruption scandal it was currently embroiled in.

“Right now I could tell you that the accounts office there is without any local input. Only Brazilians inside there operating with a satellite to a bankrupt company in Brazil and of course, the local contractors who have been working for them are now in great danger because they are not being paid and they are hoping that this will remain silent until after election.” 

Earlier this month, Grupo OAS sought bankruptcy protection following a corruption scandal involving one of its biggest customers, state-owned energy company Petrobras. The company filed for court protection to renegotiate its debts with creditors and suppliers because its access to finance has been severely restricted since the end of last year. 

OAS executives, along with officials from some of Brazil’s largest construction firms, have been charged with money laundering, corruption and criminal conspiracy in an alleged kickback and bribe scandal at Petrobras.

There is a threat of protest action at Lake Asphalt of T&T (1978) Limited over stalled wage negotiations.

President General of the Contractors and General Workers Trade Union (CGWTU) Ainsley Matthews said workers were prepared to cripple bitumen and asphalt exports if the company did not put a wage offer on the bargaining table.

“This is totally unacceptable because it has been two years since we met for negotiations,” Matthews said, adding that the last collective agreement expired a year ago and the company had failed to put a counter proposal on the table in current negotiations.

“They are totally ignoring us and saying that they are awaiting the advice of the CPO (Chief Personnel Officer) but workers are getting restless because they are dissatisfied with the slow pace of negotiations. The negotiating period of June 1, 2011, to May 31, 2014, has passed and there is still no settlement,” he said.

Matthews said that 320 hourly and weekly paid as well as junior and senior staff are affected by the current stalled negotiations. “The company has made no wage offer. We had over six meetings since 2011 and the union is asking for 25 per cent across the board,” he said. Asked why only six meetings have been held in four years, Matthews said: “That is how they treat us. The company is just not meeting with us because they have nothing to tell us. This is why the workers are considering industrial action.”

CEO of Lake Asphalt Learie Hosein said a meeting would be held with the union next week. Hosein said he was surprised that they were planning protests as the company was in constant dialogue with the union.

He also denied that negotiations had not taken place since 2013. 

“Our last engagement with the union on negotiations was on April 14, 2014. We have however been involved in non-crisis meetings on a regular basis,” he said. Hosein said once a directive is given by the CPO, a counter proposal would be made.

An internal probe by state-owned Petrotrin into allegations of corruption in the controversial South-West Soldado developmental project deal is now complete.

The comprehensive report is currently being perused by line Minister Kevin Ramnarine. 

In an interview with the T&T Guardian, Ramnarine said he received the report on Monday and planned to hand it over to his Permanent Secretary (PS) and attorneys from the Energy Ministry for further perusal.

“I am very concerned with the allegations raised and it is important to get to the truth as soon as possible,” Ramnarine said. Asked whether the file would also be given to the police if evidence of wrongdoing were unearthed, Ramnarine said it was too early to say.

“I got the report on Monday and together with my PS we are reviewing the report. It is a comprehensive report and it contains several appendices which includes all documentation of the process. I have given it to the PS and we will make a determination by early or mid next week.”

Asked whether any Petrotrin official would face the axe, Ramnarine said: “That is not my call to remove anyone. It will be for the board and the president of Petrotrin to decide this. As line minister I have to review the matter because the allegations are in the public domain. Based on what we see after we complete the study, we will make a determination by early or mid next week on the next course of action.”

He said: “I want to pass the report to my lawyers to determine if there is any evidence of wrongdoing. After reviewing it, I will meet with the board of Petrotrin and determine what are the findings and a course of action.”

Ramnarine said he did not know if anyone would face criminal charges over allegations that Petrotrin breached its own rules and contract requirements and paid an upfront commissioning fee of US$1.25 million (TT$7.94 million) to Mexican shipping firm Maritima de Ecologia SA de CV (also known as Marecsa).

It is alleged that a senior Petrotrin official pushed through the deal and within weeks of the disputed August 29, 2012, Petrotrin payout, US$750,000 of the US$1.25 million upfront commission was paid into a Houston bank account in Texas, USA, in the name of Membersource Credit Union, and was allegedly transferred to two private bank accounts at the Ellerslie Plaza branch of Scotiabank.

Associate Professor of Vanderbilt University in the United States, Dr Zachery Warren, believes more resources should be pumped into the health care system to deal with autism spectrum disorder. He was speaking before the start of an autism training workshop at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital last week.

Warren was contracted by the Rotary Club of Port-of-Spain West to train local health care practitioners on diagnosing autism. The practitioners came from all regional health authorities across T&T and were exposed to two types of training - Screening test for Autism in Toddlers (STAT) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).

During a brief interview with the T&T Guardian, Warren said it was important to have the right resources to deal with autistic children. “We now have better evidence than ever that autism is a really common and impairing disorder of childhood. Unfortunately, most of the different systems of care that are in place haven’t yet been adequately resourced to address the problem,” Warren said.

He added, “Parents, families, schools and medical systems are struggling to deal with autism spectrum disorder.” Saying delays in the early identification of autism was one of the biggest challenges, Warren explained, “We can place tools in the hands of well trained providers who are already caring for these children, so they can better accomplish the goals they already have for these children. If those primary care providers get the right tools we can help families come to grips with these challenging issues.” 

Asked whether the private sector should assist in providing funds for autism research, Warren said, “Folks are really pressing for more research and services for children with autism and if we are able to make the right strategic investments and put in place strategic programmes, we are going to make a specific impact for the children.”

Rotary president Richard Teelucksingh said at the end of Warren’s sessions, 42 people will be trained in STAT and 20 in ADOS. He said there were only two private practitioners in T&T who could officially diagnose autistic children. Saying the Rotary Club paid over $120,000 to bring in Warren, Teelucksingh said they also plan to invest in training for the parents of autistic children next year Based on live birth figures, Teelucksingh said there are 200 children born each year with autism. 

Chairman of the South West Regional Health Authority, Dr Lackram Bodoe, said according to the UN statement made on World Autism Day, one in 68 people has an autism spectrum disorder, which represented one per cent of the world’s population. “The vast majority of those affected are children. In T&T we only have 600 families registered with the Autistic Society of T&T but thousands of other families may also be affected,” Bodoe said.

“There is an imperative need for early screening and diagnosis of our nation’s children as we continue to combat this disorder. “The Child Guidance Clinic works in conjunction with the primary health care team and the community paediatric team, who undertakes a workload where 60 to 70 per cent relates to developmental disorders including autism.” 

Bodoe said to date 168 patients have been diagnosed with ASD in speciality community pediatrics at SWRHA.

After a week long delay, two Labrador dogs and three pups have been brought into T&T from Germany to assist blind people.

The animals were kept in quarantine in Curacao since last week and because of the risk of rabies local authorities had planned to put them to sleep.

However, Transport Minister Devant Maharaj intervened and after checks all five were cleared by the Immigration Department and handed over to the T&T Guide Dogs Association yesterday.

In an interview president of the Guide Dogs Association, Collin Ng Wai said: “The dogs will be trained between 12 to 18 months. 

“We have persons with experience but they are not officially accredited as yet but we are moving in that direction for accreditation. The pups are six months old and the two adults are over a year.” 

He said once the dogs are properly trained they would be handed to the T&T Blind Welfare Association.

Meanwhile, president of the association Kenneth Suratt said he was thankful the dogs were allowed into the country.

“We plan to introduce the dogs to the blind people because there are some who are afraid of animals. We will allow them to touch the dogs to overcome their fear,” he added.

Suratt hoped the animals would be allowed on public transportation. Maharaj said he was happy to help the blind folks. 

He said the Government had taken a policy decision to allow service access dogs in public buildings.

“I brought this to Parliament and we also amended the Animal Import Regulations Act to allow easier entry for animals in Trinidad. 

“Previously we had a six months quarantine period but that is no more because we made the necessary changes,” Maharaj said.

He added that the Government remained sensitive to the plight of the visually impaired. He said discussions would be held to allow the animals on public transportation vehicles.

Petrotrin’s refinery has finally been upgraded as all plants, including the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) or cat cracker, are now operating at full capacity.

This was revealed by Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine during an interactive session with south business owners at Achievors Banquet Hall, in Duncan Village, San Fernando, on Thursday night.

The cat cracker was shut down in 2011 for upgrades to increase its capacity and to allow for production of more gasoline with improved octane ratings so that production of less heavier distillates could be reduced. 

The state-owned energy company embarked on the refinery upgrade more than a decade ago, in 2003, with the objective of making it more competitive and to position T&T as the refining centre of the Caribbean and Latin America. Originally estimated to cost $1 billion, the project was plagued with delays and ended up more than $9 billion over its original budget. Ramnarine told the businessmen Petrotrin was facing several challenges in 2010 when the People’s Partnership came into office.

“Foreign direct investment in the energy sector was US$510 million and in the preceding three years foreign direct investment in the energy sector had collapsed. 

“In 2010, there was one rig offshore and no drilling taking place in Trinmar for three years. There was little or no drilling taking place on land and there was a stagnating upstream sector,” he said.

Ramnarine said Petrotrin was also saddled with a failed $3 billion gas to liquids project and an incomplete gasoline optimisation plant which had a cost overrun of 400 per cent.

However, the minister said, the company’s fortunes have turned around because there has been a change in the way business is done in the energy sector.

“We looked at the set of laws that govern taxation in the energy sector and we amended 14 pieces of legislation in the period 2010 to 2014. We changed the structures of contracts at the ministry and the outcome of all that change is in the last five years we signed 21 production sharing contracts and licenses,” Ramnarine said.

The minister, who said the contracts will bring in US$2 billion in revenue for the country, added that government was able to convince bpTT to invest in the Juniper fields as well as explore two wells on the east coast. Juniper will become bpTT’s 14th offshore production facility and drilling will begin in 2015 with the first gas expected in 2017.

Ramnarine said between 2010 to 2014 nine deep water production sharing contracts were signed. 

“It is believed that there is more than 3 billion barrels of recoverable oil in deep water. If there is a discovery, and the anticipation is there could be giant oil fields in the deep water, it will bring an entire new economy for the future,” he said.

Petrotrin has handed over to police all records of payment connected to the Southwest Soldado developmental deal, saying it is yet to recover monies from Mexican shipping firm Maritima de Ecologia SA de CV (Maritima). 

A senior Petrotrin official is alleged to have pushed through the deal, breaching Petrotrin’s own rules and contract requirements by paying the upfront commissioning fee of US$1.25 million (TT$7.94 million) to Maritima. 

In a letter dated April 17, sent to acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, Petrotrin chairman Khalid Hassanali said Petrotrin was prepared to give police all the records and make available all personnel pertinent to the investigation. Hassanali also confirmed that US$750,000 (TT$4.794 million) in public funds which was paid to Maritima was never recovered, even though evidence surfaced that it was returned to two private bank accounts.

“Recent newspaper reports suggest that US$750,000 of the advance payment made to Maritima was returned to two local private accounts at the Ellerslie Plaza Branch of Scotia Bank, located at Maraval, Port-of-Spain. 

The articles suggest that the monies were returned to these accounts allegedly on Petrotrin’s instructions but to date Petrotrin has not received such funds,” Hassanali said. “In the circumstances, we will be grateful if you can address this matter at your earliest convenience. We stand ready to provide you with any and all information concerning this issue.” Hassanali said on March 8, 2012, Petrotrin awarded a contract for the provision of a temporary offshore production and compression facility for west and Southwest Soldado to Maritima. However, Maritima failed to perform its contractual obligations and Petrotrin terminated the contract.

Contacted on his cellphone yesterday, Williams said he was out of the country and could not give any details on the investigation.

“I have to be updated on that matter. Later in the week I will meet with the Head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and get an update on the status of this matter,” Williams said.

Three documents, including the findings of the auditor’s report, information on some contractors and correspondence leading up to the auditor’s report have already been handed to the police by the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU). OWTU’s president general Ancel Roget has accused Petrotrin of destroying pertinent information about the deal.

Meanwhile, a letter obtained by the Guardian dated April 19, 2012, named Jeffrey Clark as the local contact for the project. He was placed in charge of Tender 11.10321477 by Maritima’s director Gabriel Delgado Saldivar. 

On its Web site yesterday, Petrotrin said, “Clark, who is alleged to have registered Sterling Marine Ltd. (SML), the reported beneficiary of US$100,000, is not and never was an agent or representative of Petrotrin.”

Human rights activist Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj says a healthy democracy will not force national security officers to face the courts in their quest for basic rights.

He was speaking at a press conference hosted by the By Pass Posse, a group of 38 Second Division fire officers who took legal action after being passed over for promotion. 

The officers, through Maharaj, filed a judicial review application against the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) and the Public Service Commission which was heard before Madame Justice Joan Charles.

“The Judge ordered that both the CFO and the PSC have unreasonably delayed the decision to promote the claimants to the office of fire sub officer and then other claimants to fire sub station officer. Then she found the continuing failure of the defendants to promote the claimants as set out in her judgement was unlawful,” Maharaj explained.

He said considerations for promotions were ordered to be remitted.

The judge also ordered that the fire officers were entitled to acting allowances for the period in which they acted in more senior posts than their substantive office.

However, instead of granting the benefits, the PSC decided to appeal the matter on the basis that the judge was wrong.

Saying there was “no legal basis or factual basis for the Court of Appeal to overturn the judgement,” Maharaj said it was disheartening and demotivating for officers to have to fight for their just dues.

He said litigation was traumatising and expensive, adding that governments should utilise mediation in matters involving important sectors of national security.

Spokesman for the group, Dave Sennon, said eight out of the 38 officers had since retired without major benefits.

Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal says no legitimate tenant of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) will be evicted under his watch.

Speaking at the keys distribution function at Oasis Greens Housing settlement in Chaguanas yesterday, Moonilal said certain groups were trying to evoke fear in the hearts of HDC clients who possessed Rent-to-Own and Licence-to-Occupy arrangements.

He also alleged that certain groups were charging renters fees for taking up HDC matters. “Under Roodal Moonilal no one will be evicted. We will evict nobody and we will work with you from being a renter to getting a mortgage, so don’t be conned by anybody into paying any money,” Moonilal said.

Warning HDC tenants not to be fooled, Moonilal said the police would deal with this.

“We are hearing that certain organisations are exploiting renters. Do not collect money from poor struggling renters. It is against the law and we will expose you for exploiting the poor, low-income renters by taking money from them in exchange for seeking to represent them, ” Moonilal said.

He said Government had gone to Cabinet to get lands vested in the HDC so proper deeds could be distributed.

“This means freedom because no longer will people be imprisoned in a rental arrangement. They can use their property to get a loan. Our detractors are speaking out against us because they don’t want us to free you,” Moonilal added.

He said HDC was owed $291 million in rent. 

“We could have built another 800 low-income homes if people pay their bills so I urge you to pay your mortgage and work with us so we can give you a title deed,” Moonilal added. He said those people who could not afford a mortgage could go to the HDC and speak to a representative.

He said a random draw would be held in the next few months and people who had been waiting 15 years and more would receive houses.

Supporters who were eager to hear an election date at the United National Congress’ 26th Anniversary Celebration in Couva yesterday left disappointed last night, after Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar revealed she had no intention  of calling an early election. Addressing thousands of flag waving supporters at Rienzi Complex, Persad-Bissessar said she will not follow her predecessor, Patrick Manning, by calling elections before time.

“Today, speculation is all over that I am going to announce the election date today. But listen carefully, the last time a man tried that he lost the election when he called it before time. “I say my track record speaks for itself. We have held every single election within time, according to the laws of T&T,” she shouted while trumpets blasted and horns blared. 

She added, “Today, I say I will continue to comply with the law. I give you the assurance that I will call the elections when the elections are constitutionally due under the law.” Sending a message to Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley, who has repeatedly demanded the election date, Persad Bissessar said nobody will force her to call elections early.

“No one will jumbie me to call an election before it is due. They could jump high, they could jump low, no election date will be announced before it is due. They could bark and shout, we will call it when it is due,” she said. 

Persad Bissessar also took Rowley to task, saying he was using Parliamentary privilege to bring members of Government into disrepute. But saying that Government planned to move a motion of censure against Rowley in Parliament, Persad-Bissessar said this will be one of the ways of ensuring that people’s characters are protected.

“I have instructed the leader of the House, Dr Roodal Moonilal, to file his motion of censure and we will call on the House for Rowley to be suspended from the services of the House,” Persad-Bissessar said. Saying that Rowley should not be allowed to use Parliament to impugn office holders, the PM vowed to deal with Rowley within the confines of the Parliament.

Referring to the E-mailgate scandal, Persad-Bissessar also called on the police to clear the air and announce publicly whether the series of e-mails read in Parliament by Rowley in May 2013 were true. 

The e-mails implicated Persad-Bissessar, former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and Local Government Minister Suruj Rambachan in conspiracies against the Director of Public Prosecutions and a reporter, as well as allegations of the payment of monies in exchange for freedom of former financiers.

However, Persad-Bissessar said there is proof the e-mails were fabricated and she called on the police to take action against Rowley for misleading the country. “I have legally all the Google records pursuant to a court order in the case filed by the Integrity Commission and all the e-mails for the month of September which Rowley sent out were fake. 

“Not a single e-mail remotely resembled anything that he read. Three sources have said there is no substance, no truth and no basis for the fake e-mails that Rowley read. We gave full authority to disclose those records and tonight I call on the police to state whether there was any e-mail as Rowley said,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Predicting that Rowley will pay the price for his mischief, she said as T&T goes into elections the truth should be made known. “Should the conclusion of the report indicate that the contents of the e-mail were fake and criminal proceedings undertaken, the Opposition leader must immediately resign from his seat,” she said. 

During the celebrations, several UNC founders, including Basdeo Panday, John Humphrey, Dr Allan Mc Kenzie, Trevor Sudama, Lloyd Williams and Rampersad Parasram, were lauded. Panday failed to show up as he indicated before, but his proteges said his contribution to the UNC will always be remembered. Supporters were also treated to music from Raymond Ramnarine & Dil-E-Nadan.

Rowley dangerous says Moonilal

United National Congress deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal has sent out a message to fenceline voters, warning them that Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley is a dangerous man who cannot be trusted with power. Moonilal was speaking as the party celebrated its 26th anniversary at its Rienzi Complex, Couva headquarters yesterday. 

Party founder Basdeo Panday was a no show, but other stalwarts, including founder John Humfrey, first chairman Rampersad Parasram, former Arima candidate Carol Merrick and Lloyd Williams and Dr Allan Mc Kenzie, attended the festivities. Moonilal, who joined the party as a youth officer, said although the PNM has always made promises, it is Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar who has always delivered on her promises.  

“This party has been founded on the principle of equality, national unity and social justice. That is the reason that the UNC is the only party that can build coalition governments and  occupy office.”

Saying the People’s National Movement (PNM) had destroyed the health, education and agricultural sectors, Moonilal said the PP would need another five years to continue its work. He said for those who were uncertain about who to support, it is clear that Rowley did not have the best interest of the country at heart. “I warned T&T that Keith Rowley is a clear danger to this country,” he said.

Moonilal said Friday was a horrific day as Rowley filed a motion of no confidence in Finance Minister Larry Howai and quoted from a document of a legal opinion by a prominent queen’s counsel from Barbados, Sr Henry Forde, QC. He said Howai rose afterward and told Rowley that he and the party had gone out of his way and contacted the lawyer in Barbados to verify the information. But Moonilal said Forde told them he did not know Howai and had never written the document. 

Slamming Rowley for not checking his facts, Moonilal said Rowley was irresponsible and reckless. He also slammed Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner, saying he was portraying himself as a corruption buster while facing international scrutiny for corruption.

After ten days in hospital undergoing treatment for diabetes and hypertension, popular San Fernando-based masman and designer Dexter Jennings has died.

Jennings, leader of Jennings Mas and Associates band, died at the San Fernando General Hospital around 6 pm on Monday, throwing the fashion industry into mourning.

Known for his creative costume designs using organic materials, Jennings, 47, produced winning costumes in several junior competitions.

 He was also a pioneer of the Miss Mature beauty pageant which showcased full-figured women. 

Jennings also produced Easter bonnet parades, Kiddies Carnival events and supported a host of charities.

He owned The Concepts Studio in San Fernando and was regarded by many as a giant in talent and physique. Yesterday, several of Jennings’ close friends, students and co-workers posted on his Facebook page, expressing condolences to his wife Bernadette Jennings and four children.

Larry Rampersad, who once modelled Jennings’ clothing wrote, “You will be surely missed. We had great fun and memorable times in Trinidad and in Guyana for Carifesta.” Rampersad added, “Your memory will not be lost but preserved through us as we had good times at Best Village, fashion shows, tea parties, Carnival band launches and Queens shows. 

Denzil James, an organiser of the current Miss Point Fortin Borough Beauty Pageant, said Jennings’s contribution had always been very positive.

 “A true creative mind. His contribution to the local fashion industry should be preserved,” James wrote.

Funeral arrangements for Jennings have not yet been finalised.