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Pride Month 2021 culminates with a vaccine drive.

Director of the organising Pride TT Rudolph Hanamji says members of the LGBTQIA community are being encouraged to get vaccinated.

Yesterday, the last Sunday in July, is celebrated in some countries as Gay Pride Day.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 Mr. Hanamji said it was a month of mainly virtual activities recognising the work of women in the community.

He said it culminated yesterday with a vaccine drive.

Mr. Hanamji told of a mentorship program for youth being launched in collaboration with Scotia Bank.

The Pride TT director said that with next year being the organisations 5^th anniversary, mind blowing experiences are being planned.

A Sea Lots man identified as Gregory Taylor has drowned.

Mr. Taylor was from Production Drive.

Reports say last Saturday night Mr. Taylor was among a group of men employed to help repair a vessel which was sinking in the waters off Sea Lots.

We are told around 7:35pm, he decided to swim back to shore.

However along the way he got into difficulties

he was assisted by one of the other men and taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital.

However, he was later pronounced dead.

Investigations are underway.

An argument and an assault over a mobile phone, lands a Diego Martin man in court for murder.

The suspect is believed to be responsible for the 2019 killing of Christopher Moore.

The suspect also known as ‘Bellies’ was charged on Saturday following instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Police say, on October 5^th 2019, the deceased was found in the kitchen of his home bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head.

According to the TTPS on July 4^th Mr. Moore had an altercation with the suspect over money and a cell phone in Moruga.

It is said during the exchange Mr. Moore had beaten the accused with a cutlass.

The 24-year-old reportedly made death threats to Mr. Moore.

Newscenter 5 understands, the following day 2 men, showed up at Mr. Moore’s home where explosions were heard.

Police were called and upon arrival discovered Mr. Moore’s body.

The 2 men were held and 1 was subsequently released.

The 24-year-old suspect is to appear in court today.

The International Women’s Resource Network says mental health issues among women are critical.

President of the network Sandrine Rattan, says a targeted approach must be taken to address emotional problems.

According to Ms. Rattan, the issue does not affect women alone.

Ms. Rattan earlier expressed concern for the 2 young sons who are said to have witnessed the incident at the house.

She said they will need counseling but permission must be granted.

The IWRN president said special attention must be paid to all affected parties in situations like these.

A mother of 2 detained in the death of Maritime Finance Chairman John Smith is under going a psychiatric evaluation.

The 74-year-old Mr. Smith was found dead at his Maraval home last Friday afternoon.

Reports are saying the decision to send the 41-year-old woman to the St. Ann’s Hospital was taken after consultation between attorneys and the Trinidad And Tobago Police Service.

Mr. Smith’s autopsy is scheduled for today at the Forensic Science Centre in St. James.

Last Friday afternoon at around 4.30pm officers of the Maraval Police Station responded to a distress call at a residence in Catalina Courts, Saddle Road, Maraval.

When they got there they are said to have seen a woman lying next to a man who appeared to be motionless.

The woman, who was crying, was holding Mr. Smith’s hand.

She reportedly told police she lives in the house.

According to police the woman told officers she killed the insurance executive by “stamping his head and mashing his head into the ground”.

The woman was detained.

It is said 2 children, aged 9 and 13, witnessed the incident.

PC Martin, of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region One, is continuing investigations.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Roshan Parasam says there is no evidence that the Delta Strain of the coronavirus is present in this country.

The first Delta case was identified in December 2020, and the strain spread rapidly becoming the dominant strain of the virus in both India and then Great Britain, and now the US.

Speaking at the COVID-19 media briefing yesterday CMO, Dr. Roshan Parasram said the P1 Variant is the most dominant strain of the virus in this country.

He said this has been supported through genetic testing of samples from this country.

He again urged members of the public to get vaccinated.

A 45-year-old woman is charged with the murder of a Valencia man.

The woman was expected to appear virtually before an Arima Magistrate yesterday to answer to the offence, which occurred early 2021.

The TTPS says Ms. Sumatie Aroon, also called ‘Sumatie Ramroop’ and ‘Cindy’, of Sangre Grande, was also charged with 2 counts of false imprisonment, 2 counts of kidnapping and 1 count of wounding with intent.

The charges were laid following the advice of Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard SC.

The 29-year-old victim, Kevon Francois, was found dead with chop wounds to his back at the Heights of Guanapo, Arima, on Saturday 6^th March 2021.

The TTPS says investigations into the incident resulted in the arrest of Shem Charles, who was charged with murder on Saturday 17^th July 2021.

A 31-year-old Guyanese national has been denied bail during his appearance in the Siparia Magistrates Court, on 9 sexual charges.

The man is accused of committing sexual offences against his 11-year-old niece.

The accused, an operator, has since been remanded pending criminal tracing from his homeland.

He was charged after the girl and her father told police of the series of sexual assaults over a one-year period.

According to the girl, during the alleged acts, which occurred from June 2020 to June 2021, her uncle sexually penetrated and touched her inappropriately.

The suspect has been charged with 7 counts of sexual penetration and 2 counts of sexual touching of a child.

He will reappear in the Siparia Magistrates Court on August 16^th.

It is believed the body found in waters off Point Lisas is that of Parasram Boodoo.

Mr. Boodoo and his friend Navindra Garib were reported missing on Monday this week.

Up to yesterday’s discovery relatives of the 2 fishermen were hopeful.

But their hopes were dashed with the discovery of the body believed to be Mr. Boodoo’s.

Searches were conducted over the last 2 days.

Their vessel was found on a beach in Granville and the engine at a house nearby.

The Member of Parliament for Couva north Ravi Ratiram yesterday pleaded with the government to set up a presence of Coast Guard patrols in the Carlibay area.

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds yesterday expressed his deepest condolences and he said everything is being done to protect fisher folk.

The discovery yesterday came on the anniversary of the killing of 5 Orange Valley fishermen in 2019.