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Member of Parliament for Caroni east Dr. Richard Seecharan is questioning how safe the safe zones really are.

At a news conference hosted by the United National Congress yesterday, Dr. Seecharan said there is a need for antigen testing to be done so that those who are asymptomatic can be protected.

Dr. Seecharan asked about the spending on COVID-19 as announced by the government.

He wondered where the more than $400 million dollars reportedly spent on the virus has gone.

Dr. Seecharan said the country is not as prepared for the Delta variant as it should be.

He said there are too many shortages of medicines and equipment.

Fourteen additional COVID-19 patients have died.

This number is the highest within a 24-hour period in a long time.

The Ministry of Health yesterday said the deceased COVID-19 patients are 6 elderly men, 4 elderly women, 3 middle-aged men and 1 middle-aged woman.

Six of the patients had multiple co-morbidities, including heart disease, dementia and high blood pressure.

Three of the patients had a single co-morbidity, which has been identified as high blood pressure or heart disease.

Five had no known underlying conditions.

The death toll in the country is now 1,696.

According to the Ministry there were also 208 new positive cases.

Deputy Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob says there is a link between illegal quarrying and some of the recent murders in the country.

DCP Jacob also said yesterday illegal quarrying is contributing to the degradation of the environment.

Speaking with reporters in Valencia yesterday Mr. Jacob said police would be going after such persons.

The Deputy Commissioner also said the police will be stepping up law enforcement in the area.

He said his officers are doing all they can to ensure the safety of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

A deadly robbery in Valencia.

Security officer Kimraj Jagessar was accompanying a cigarette delivery van yesterday afternoon when he was shot dead.

Six bandits are said to have robbed the van near a mini mart on the corner of Valencia Old Road and San Pablo Trace.

Fifty-six-year-old Mr. Jagessar was said to be standing outside the mini mart when he was ambushed by the 6 men, who fired several shots at him.

He was hit in the head and parts of his body.

Mr. Jagessar died on the spot.

The driver of the delivery van, Mark Balfour, was also shot in one of his legs.

After shooting the 2 men the bandits stole the panel van and drove into a side street off Valencia Old Road.

Two of the men were held and up to last night were in police custody.

The delivery van was later recovered.

An extensive search was conducted and officers came under fire.

After the wounding the 2 suspects, police found most of the cigarettes and an undisclosed sum of cash.

And police are probing the circumstances surrounding the killing of Marvin Peruser in Santa Cruz.

Reports say at around 3:30 pm yesterday, Mr. Peruser was driving his vehicle along grand Curacaye Road when he was blocked by another vehicle.

It is said 2 men alighted and opened fire on his vehicle hitting him several times in the upper body before escaping.

The police were contacted.

Villagers who witnessed the incident rushed Mr. Peruser to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where he died while undergoing emergency treatment.

He was 46-years-old.

And Mario Percival was shot and killed while he slept in Morvant.

Reports say the 34-year-old was at a friend’s house at Fatman Lane.

Reports say gunshots were heard at around 4am yesterday and a man was observed fleeing the scene.

Mr. Percival was later found with gunshot wounds to the head and chest.

He was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he died while undergoing emergency treatment.

Ten COVID-19 patients have died.

Among the dead, 3 were carrying the Delta strain of the virus.

Of the 10 deaths 4 are elderly men, 4 are elderly women and 2 are middle-aged women.

Eight of them had multiple comorbidities.

Two of the patients had no underlying conditions.

The 10 deaths bring the tally to 1,668.

The number of deaths this month is at 186.

According to the Ministry with the additional 34 Delta variant infections, the total number infected is 136 patients.

Also, among the 34 new Delta cases are 3 pregnant women.

There are 18 men and 16 women.

The Ministry of Health says 30 of the 34 new Delta cases had no travel history.

Further, it says of the 34 cases, 14 are fully vaccinated, 1 partially vaccinated and 15 unvaccinated.

It adds, that 17 cases had prior contact with other positive cases, 1 case is deceased, and 4 cases are pending epidemiologic investigation.

The Health Ministry is also reporting 386 new positive cases.

It says there are 342 patients at hospital while there are 3,975 persons in home self-isolation.

To date 595,072 people are fully vaccinated in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob says the murder toll in the country stands at 340.

He says it is the same as it was this time last year.

DCP Jacob insists there is no connection between the number of murders and the absence of a Commissioner of Police.

The DCP also assured yesterday that recent dismissals in the service are not affecting operations.

He said he was not given a political directive to fire staff.

Some 19 contracted civilians were sent home earlier this week.

Yesterday, Mr. Jacob explained that an assessment was done and it was decided the expertise of the persons was no longer needed.

Former Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, hired them all.

He believes there was political interference in the decision to terminate the services.

DCP Jacob is dismissing this suggestion, adding that he was not instructed to take the decision.

The police service has explained that it is functioning optimally with available resources.