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Police have described the man they shot dead as one of the country’s most wanted.

According to the police Nigel Dufu Mayers was a known gangster.

He was shot and killed by police early yesterday morning, following a reported exchange of gunfire in the Morvant area.

Mr. Mayers was 40-years-old and lived at Redwood Street in Morvant.

A team of officers from the special operations response team is said to have gone to the home of Mr. Mayers at around 6:30am to execute a search warrant.

The officers say when they got to the house Mr. Mayers opened fire using an AK-47 rifle

Police returned fire hitting Mr. Mayers.

Officers say Mr. Mayers had in one of his hands a grenade.

Mr. Mayers was rushed to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead on arrival.

The Bomb Squad was called in to sweep for other explosive devices in and around the house.

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said other finds were made at the Morvant home.

Commissioner Griffith told a news conference this is an example of what happens when bail is given to the wrong people.

Mr. Mayers and several other men were freed last year of killing shopkeeper Shirley Thomas on November 9^th, 2010.

Yesterday’s exercise was coordinated by Snr. Supt. Phillip of the Northeastern Division and DCP Jayson Forde and also included Sgt. Mark Hernandez of SORT and Sgt. Metivier.

The two main political parties are continuing their preparations for a General Election, which has not yet been announced.

Both the ruling Peoples National Movement and the opposition United National Congress have been screening and selecting candidates for the poll, constitutionally due this year.

The screenings of at least two individuals in the ruling Peoples National Movement will spark some interests today.

Recently resigned from the Cabinet, Robert Le Hunte will try to convince the party to select him for the constituency of La Brea.

The seat is currently held by his former colleague, Nicole Olivier.

Mr. Le Hunte resigned as Public Utilities Minister two weeks ago following a reported dispute with the Prime Minister over a proposal related to the Water And Sewerage Authority.

Another former Cabinet member, Marlene McDonald is also to be screened today for Port of Spain South, a constituency she has represented for the past 13 years.

Ms. McDonald was fired from the Cabinet, for a third time after she was charged with corruption related offences, which are now before the courts.

Also vying for the PNM stronghold, are athlete Cleopatra Borel, Olympic Committee President Brian Lewis and Alderman and Chairman of the constituency Wendell Stephen.

The other constituencies in focus today are Diego Martin Central, Toco-Sangre Grande, Point Fortin and Oropouche East and the United National Congress says it is on track for the General Election.

The party says it has been continuing its screening process and nominees for 12 more constituencies were interviewed yesterday.

In a release the opposition party said yesterday before the COVID-19 crisis nominees were screened and named. 

The party is expected to hold its second virtual meeting tonight and Political Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar is to announce the names of more candidates.

Public Relations Officer of the party, Anita Haynes said yesterday up to 20 nominees have been screened and 19 others will be interviewed soon.

The party has so far named 5 candidates.

Police say they were forced to shoot Anthony Junior Skinner because he pulled a gun on officers who had gone to his home to issue a search warrant.

The fatal shooting took place at Mr. Skinner’s home on Smith Hill in Carenage yesterday afternoon at around 12:45.

Reports are saying officers had executed the search warrant for firearms and ammunition at Mr. Skinner’s residence, when he pointed a gun in their direction.

Police say the officers applied the “Use of Force” policy shooting Mr. Skinner several times.

He was taken to the St. James Medical Facility where he was pronounced dead.

His relatives are saying he did not own a gun and had a mental disability.

Mr. Skinner is the 28^th person to be killed by police so far this year.

Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday speaks on the Bail Amendment Bill.

He says the position of the opposition United National Congress, not to support the crime fighting legislation is political.

Mr. Panday says the UNC brought the same bill to the parliament when it was in government.

Mr. Panday says the then PNM opposition was against it.

Mr. Panday believes this type of politics in the country needs to stop.

He questions why would someone of public office not want to support an initiative to end the scourge of crime facing the country.

He was speaking on The Afternoon Drive program on i95.5fm yesterday.

Reports that police recover a burnt out vehicle rented by 1 of the 4 murder victims in New Grant.

Officers yesterday at Cocosan Road, Tableland, using the GPS on the vehicle, made the find.

A trace of the vehicle led investigators to the person who rented the vehicle to murder victim, Aaron George.

The car rental businessman, of San Fernando, told homicide detectives Mr. George rents the car last month.

The vehicle was wrecked to the Special Evidence Recovery Unit for forensic analysis.

The bodies of Mr. George, his Venezuelan girlfriend Guimar Jose Rausseo Marcano, Darnell Mitchell, and another Venezuelan Jose Serrano, were found in a farming area at Daly Road, New Grant, off Torrib Tabaquite Road on Monday.

Police suspect an illegal drug deal that went sour led to the cartel-style killings.

Officers of Homicide Region III are continuing investigations into the killings.

A 24-year-old man is to appear in the Chaguanas Magistrates Court today charged with the murders of retired Corporal Kenneth Mackhan and his wife Lillawati Mackhan.

The 2 were found dead at their Cunupia home on May 18^th.

They were stabbed to death.

The man accused is Jewan Ethan Ramkissoon.

The couple was cremated last Saturday after a funeral service at their Welcome Road home.

On the day the bodies were found police intercepted a man who was reportedly driving the vehicle owned by Mr. Mackhan.

Officers of the Central Division questioned him.

Police later went to the home of the Mackhans where they found the bodies.

Mr. Mackhan was stuffed in a barrel while his wife’s body was in a large bag.

Neighbours and relatives say they last saw the couple on May 13^th.

The Demerit Points System is in effect.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said yesterday while the system starts each driver off with a clean slate, demerit points could be accumulated for breaches.

He said the points are electronically calculated and recorded over a 3-year period and this could cause a driver to lose his or her permit.

On The Morning Show on i95.5fm Minister Sinanan also explained that persons who are caught speeding would receive and pay their tickets via TTPOST.

Further Minister Sinanan dismissed reports of Spot Speed Cameras on the Cocorite stretch.

He said signage would be in place to alert drivers.

The new system is securely and confidentially managed through an Electronic Demerit Points Register on the U-Turn Software Management System.