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Eighteen-year-old Ashanti Riley was stabbed and beaten to death.

Ms. Riley’s body was found on La Canoa Road in Santa Cruz last Friday morning, after she was reported missing.

The official autopsy results say Ashanti Riley died from sharp force injuries to her right chest and lower abdomen and blunt force trauma to the back of her left chest.

Ashanti Riley was last seen getting into a PH taxi in Santa Cruz.

She left home to visit her grandmother in Cocorite.

So far at least 2 people have been detained and have been questioned in connection with the killing of the teenager.

Another man is being sought.

There has been talk of pepper spray as one possible tool in the fight against attacks on women.

The Police Commissioner has expressed his support for the legalisation of pepper spray.

In the Parliament yesterday Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley was asked about his position on the suggested device.

But Opposition MP Dr. Roodal Moonilal sought to get more from the Prime Minister on the use of pepper spray.

The Prime Minister has expressed concerns about pepper spray getting into the wrong hands and creating another problem.

A word caution from the Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh to those vacationing in Tobago to remain vigilant.

Minister Deyalsingh also warned yesterday against hosting holiday parties in the workplace.

Further he called on members of the public to sacrifice now in order to have a better 2021.

Two babies, 5 and 6 months old have been infected with the coronavirus.

The babies are in Tobago.

On Tuesday the Division of Health confirmed the 5-months-old baby had contracted the virus.

Yesterday the Ministry of Health revealed that another Tobago infant, just 6-months-old, had also been infected.

Confirmation of the latest infection came at the Ministry’s briefing from Medical Chief of Staff at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex Dr. Joanne Paul.

Dr. Paul advised parents and guardians to look for signs of illness in their children, which in some cases could be very mild.

She gave the information while speaking about the emerging cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children in Trinidad and Tobago.

She said MIS-C is a condition that causes inflammation to the major internal organs in children, affecting their lungs, brains and most seriously their hearts.

The government has gotten its way in the Upper House by the passage of the amendments to the Procurement Bill.

One Independent Senator provided the “yes” vote needed to pass the legislation. 

After several hours of debate on the controversial piece of legislation yesterday, all but one of the Independent Senators with held their vote.

Senator Maria Dillon Remy’s vote was definitive.

With the expectation that the Opposition Senators would not have supported the amendments, government needed one vote from among the independents.

Reading from the results of the vote, Senate President Christine Kangaloo confirmed passage of the Bill.

Earlier Independent Senator Paul Richards, who abstained from the vote, said there are no winners following the vote on the Bill.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert told the House, passage of the legislation is critical.

However Opposition Senator Wade Mark described the Bill as unsafe.

Attorney General Faris Al Rawi responded to the dispute over the Bill during his contribution.

Mr. Al Rawi also explained why services must now come under the umbrella of procurement.

The Attorney General said, had Procurement Law been in place, the Piarco Airport and other scandals would not have happened.

Police have not yet release names of the 3 people found dead in a burnt house in St. James.

The charred bodies were found after Fire Fighters put out a blaze at the house located at Freedom Place, Upper Dibe Road St. James.

Yesterday morning shortly after 2 o’clock, explosions were heard at the house in St. James.

Residents say they heard the explosions, which sounded like gunshots, and then they saw the house on fire.

According to residents in the area the people who lived in the house spoke Spanish and may have been from Venezuela.

Police Commissioner, Gary Griffith is supporting the legalisation of pepper spray so that women in particular can protect themselves from attacks.

Speaking during the weekly police media conference yesterday, Commissioner Griffith said pepper spray could be useful, in light of the many incidents of rape and murder perpetrated against women and minors over the last months.

The top cop said he understands the concerns of the Prime Minister with regard to criminals also accessing the pepper spray.

However he said he stands by his suggestion.

The Commissioner said pepper spray is non lethal and only one spray is required to disarm a threat.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan is calling on commuters to avoid using PH taxis.

Yesterday Minister Sinanan said PH taxis are illegal and should not be used by the traveling public.

He was responding to questions in the Upper House from Independent Senator Paul Richards.

The Minister admitted that the law regarding PH taxis does not fall under his purview but his Ministry has been doing its part to clamp down on the illegal practice.

Minister Sinanan said the State is seeking to establish a system for PH drivers, if only to ensure the safety and security of passengers.

But Senator Paul Richards yesterday wanted to know more.

An autopsy on the body of Ashanti Riley is expected today. 

The operators of conventional taxis in Trinidad and Tobago are calling on the authorities to clamp down on what is called PH taxis.

Following the killing of 18-year-old Ashanti Riley last week, the long-standing debate of PH taxis is on again.

The young woman disappeared after she was last seen getting into a private vehicle that was working taxi in the San Juan area.

Head of the Trinidad and Tobago Taxi Network, Mr. Adrian Agosta yesterday told a news conference the authorities care about again, after the unfortunate tragedy involving the teenager.

Mr. Agosta feels members of the public have also been contributing to the dangers of using PH taxis by their actions over the years.

The network said it has writing to the authorities several times seeking talks on the situation, but there has been no fruitful development.