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Heavy condemnation for recent acts of violence perpetrated against women, girls, and children from the Office of the Prime Minister, Gender and Child Affairs.

The office says all men; women, boys and girls have the fundamental right to live a life free from all forms of violence.

It is also reminding the public that domestic violence, child abuse, rape and other forms of violence are punishable crimes.

The police are now probing the recent killings of 2 women, 18-year-old Ashanti Riley and Krystal Primus-Espinoza.

But they have also shocked organisations and individuals, and triggered appeals for an end to the violence.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said there is evil in the society.

Ashanti Riley was last seen entering a taxi in Santa Cruz.

The Prime Minister said there are taxi operators who should not be in the business of service.

Police are said to be searching for a 3^rd suspect in connection with the murder of young Ms. Riley.

Ashanti Riley left her Sunshine Avenue, San Juan home to visit her grandmother in Cocorite when she disappeared.

Mrs. Primus-Espinoza was found dead near Balandra, less than 24 hours after she was reported missing.

She was 36-years-old.

The search is on for a 66-year-old man is reported missing at sea.

Up to yesterday the Coast Guard was searching for Mr. Francis Hoolasie.

Mr. Hoolasie is from Nelson Street, Longdenville.

It is said he disappeared in the waters of Williams Bay, Chaguaramas last Thursday.

It is reported that Mr. Williams was with a 32-year-old friend at the time he disappeared.

The friend raised an alarm when he realised he could no longer see Mr. Hoolasie in the water.

The Coast Guard was notified.

Unconfirmed results are showing Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her slate have won the elections within the United National Congress.

According to reports Mrs. Persad-Bissessar may have captured 14,873 votes while her opponent, Vasant Bharath got 2,198.

At her Siparia constituency office last night, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was confident that victory was imminent.

On the UNC Facebook page last night, results were showing a significant lead for Mrs. Persad-Bissessar and her stars slate.

The elections for the 18 positions on the executive took place yesterday.

Mrs. Persad Bissessar said up to the time she voted at the Parvati Girls Hindu College, the turnout was low compared to previous years.

When he cast his ballot at the Aranguez Community Center yesterday Vasant Bharath said there were reports of intimidation.

He also faced some angry claims that he was being irresponsible by wearing his team’s tee shirt at a polling station.

But the chairman of the UNC’s elections committee Ramesh Persad Maharaj said despite the claims of activist, Devant Maharaj, he at the time had no knowledge of such situations.

There could be some contention in the House of Representatives this afternoon, when government tries to amend the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act 2015.

The Opposition is gearing up for a fight, saying the move by the government is questionable.

But Finance Minister Colm Imbert says it is important that the Bill is amended speedily.

Last night on a political platform in Debe, leader of the Opposition, Kamla Persad Bissessar said the bid by the government is flawed.

She said there is an attempt to change some words, which could lead to corruption and cover-ups.

But Minister Imbert says the matter has been outstanding for too long and the government is caught between a rock and a hard place every time there is an attempt to finalize the public procurement regime.

He says discussing it again will further delay the implementation.

Mrs. Persad Bissessar is insisting government has bad intentions.

The Opposition has been insisting on the implementation of the regime.

Under the UNC the legislation was fraught with difficulties.

A relative is now detained in connection with the murder Krystal Primus-Espinoza.

The 36-year-old mother was found, 24 hours after she was reported missing.

Mrs. Primus-Espinoza left her St. Ann’s Village home driving her gold-colored Hilux on Wednesday. 

Fishermen discovered the crashed vehicle, over a 50-foot cliff at the shoreline at a Balandra Beach yesterday.

Police officers found her body on the seashore at around 4pm about half a mile from the crash site.

Investigators say there were marks of violence on her back and neck.  

Mrs. Primus-Espinoza was from St Ann’s Village, Mayaro.

Officers found Mrs Primus-Espinoza’s driver’s permit and that of her husband, Alvon Espinoza in the vehicle.

Mr. Espinoza reported his wife missing on Thursday morning.

He told police she had been exhibiting signs of depression following surgery 2 weeks ago.   

A post mortem is expected today.

The body believed to be that of missing 18-year-old Ashanti Riley has been found.

Following intelligence received a party of officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Homicide Bureau went to a forested area in La Canoa, Santa Cruz at around 8:05 this morning.

During the operation they discovered the body of Ms. Riley in a watercourse about 60 feet from the roadway.

The teen was last seen at around 4.15 pm last Sunday, when she left in a PH taxi heading to San Juan for her grandmother’s birthday.

Footage captured on CCTV shows her stepping into a Nissan Almera car.

The driver was detained on Monday.

Ms. Riley was a 5^th form pupil of the Aranguez North Secondary School.

A court has said no to the return of over half a million dollars to the Drugs Sou Sou.

Yesterday Senior Magistrate Cheron Raphael dismissed an application filed by Drugs Sou Sou founder, Kerron Clarke.

He was seeking the return of 656,200 dollars in cash.

The matter was heard in the Arima Magistrates’ Court.

A release from the police service says Mr. Clarke made an application for the release of cash pursuant to section 38(7) of the proceeds of crime act chap 11:27.

It says the application was for the sum of $656,200, which was, seized from him on August 25^th at his home on Kathleen Warner Drive, La Horquetta, Arima.

The police service says at the virtual hearing yesterday, Mr. Clarke was represented by Rosario Sookdeo, who was led by Sophia Chote SC.

Its legal officer, Keston Abraham, represented the Financial Investigations Branch.

After hearing legal submissions from both parties, Magistrate Raphael dismissed the application for the release of the cash.

At a media briefing on November 16^th, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Investigations and Intelligence, Mc Donald Jacob said the police seized money from Mr. Clarke, operating as Drugs Sou Sou on 3 occasions – $656,200 which occurred on August 25^th; $707,500 on September 2^nd, and $6.4 million on October 27^th.

David Abdullah accuses the government and the Police Commissioner of bias following the arrests of persons having unauthorized gatherings.

The Political Leader of the Movement for Social Justice says there seems to be one punishment for some but not for all.

Mr. Abdullah referenced the recent ‘Zesser Party’ and an incident at Bayshore in Cocorite.

Mr. Abdullah says the legal system is not balanced.

He warns that if people feel victimized or targeted they will retaliate.

At a media conference yesterday the MSJ leader called on government to ensure there are no violations of the Public Health Ordinance by anyone.

A suspected COVID-19 case has led to the cancellation of all in-person activities at the Sangre Grande Court with immediate effect.

Via release yesterday, the Judiciary said activities have been suspended temporarily to facilitate sanitisation of the court.

It noted, no one will be allowed into the building until sanitisation has been completed.

The Judiciary stated, vacating the building is a precautionary measure in keeping with COVID-19 safety protocols.

It said while no one assigned to this court building has been confirmed as COVID-19 positive, the current course of action is required to investigate the COVID-19 status of an officer. It further stated, the sanitisation of the facility will be conducted as required and there shall be no in-person hearings or activities.

An illegal Venezuelan migrant among those who entered the country illegally on November 29^th tests positive for COVID-19.

This is confirmed in a statement from the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force.

The individual were taken to the Chaguaramas Heliport to be tested for the virus.

Yesterday, the TTDF said, following the testing process one of the migrants presented positive for COVID-19.

As a result the TTDF explained that the COVID-19 individual was removed from the group and placed at the infirmary department of the heliport.

The TTDF further stated that all primary contacts of the individual will now be treated as positive and they will be quarantined for the next 14 days.

Consequently the TTDF said anyone who was in contact with the group should consider him or herself at risk and take appropriate measures.

The TTDF said given the situation all physical visits to the group of migrants have been restricted.