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A commitment from officers attached to the TTPS gang unit, to stem gang violence.

The pledge comes even as the police service admits that, it continues to be a challenge.

Head of the, North Central Division, Senior Supt. Richard Smith says, the war is as a result of turf and even music, particularly “Trinibad”.

He says, they have become more brazen with their criminality, with the many daylight shootings and murders.

However, senior Supt. Smith says, the TTPS’ gang unit, has been and continues to actively engage the gang members.

He says; repeat offenders and people with outstanding warrants, are also being targeted through various anti-crime exercises.

However, senior supt. Smith says, when they are held and taken before the courts they are given bail.

He says, the criminals realize there is not much consequence when they commit crimes.

The heads of the nine police divisions, were sitting before a joint select committee of the parliament on national security last week.

The main suspect in the fatal accident involving a kiss delivery truck, has been released from police custody.

The man surrendered to the police after the deadly crash on the, Solomon Hochoy Highway last Thursday.

The man said to be an officer in the army, was released without charges pending further investigations.

Fifty-five year old Neil Ballai was killed in the crash.

Mr. Ballai was from, Eccles Trace Spring Village Valsayn.

Yesterday, central division police also said, the investigations are ongoing and a file is being prepared to be sent to the, office of the director of public prosecutions for advice.

On the morning of March 28^th the officer was driving his black Ioniq motor car, when it struck the back of the kiss truck being driven by Mr. Ballai.

The crash caused the kiss truck to veer off the roadway, and landed on its side in a ditch.

Mr. Billai died at the scene.

Another passenger, who was in the kiss truck, was injured and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The army officer was later seen fleeing the scene of the accident, and only surrendered to police later that evening.

There is a story today, which quotes family members pleading from Mr. Ballai’s body to be handed over to them.

They say, the funeral for Mr. Ballai is being delayed pending an autopsy.

According to relatives, the run-around is causing his family more trauma.

Several issues and situations, which occurred under the watch of, former police commissioner Gary Griffith, are now being probed.

The national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds made the revelation yesterday, at a news conference by the ministry.

He said, it appears Mr. Griffith who now leads a political party, may have questions to answer for his handling of the deaths of two men, in police custody over three years ago.

Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris were suspects in the kidnapping, rape and death of Andrea Bharatt.

Three years ago, a police media release said, Mr. Balcon was injured when he tried to escape police custody and was taken to the hospital, where he remained up to his death.

At a news conference yesterday, the minister said, the men linked to the kidnapping, rape and murder of Andrea Bharratt, died under the watch of then commissioner Griffith.

Minister hinds read from a report published at that time.

Last week, Mr. Griffith, during a radio interview, referred to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s claims about the incident, calling them untruths.

The Caricom and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Amery Brown, told the news conference because of the doubts, which surrounded the deaths of the two men, the U.S. was ready to act against Trinidad and Tobago.

The men died at the hands of members of sort, which was subsequently disbanded.

Two men have drowned during the long holiday weekend.

The first victim drowned at a beach in Toco and the other yesterday at, Salybia Bay.

He has been identified as Roland D. Ramkissoon.

It is reported Mr. Ramkissoon was about 50 feet from the shore, when he got into difficulty.

Efforts were made to save Mr. Ramkissoon but without success.

President of the lifeguards association, Carl Hernandez has expressed his condolences to the families of the men.

Mr Hernandez said, yesterday there have been eight drowning, at public beaches so far this year.

He lamented the national security ministry has failed to meet its obligations, and its responsibilities to the lifeguards and the public.

An eighteen-year-old man from enterprise Chaguanas, is among five people killed over the holiday weekend.

He is Jahiem Lewis.

Residents of Crissie Trace, heard the gunshots last Sunday at around 10 pm.

Mr. Lewis was found bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to hospital where he died.

Other murder victims include father and son Imtiaz and Imraz Mohammed.

They were fatally stabbed in Oropune Gardens last Saturday.

A 17-year-old family member was also stabbed and up to yesterday, was listed in a critical condition at hospital.

The other two victims of violence on the weekend are Hilton Smith and Quanzy Mc Cain.

The murder toll now stands at 143.

Opposition senator David Nakhid is ejected from the upper house, as it addresses the issue of the interception of personal devices of members of the public.

Yesterday the minister of national security said, while it is allowed under law his office is not responsible for such operations.

Responding to opposition Senator Wade Mark, minister Fitzgerald Hinds listed the officers given authority under law, to conduct such surveillance.

The minister was asked questions in relation to the research and analytic unit.

Then another opposition member, Jayanti Lutchmedial, asked the minister if the R.A.U. was involved in the recent developments at the strategic services agency.

But, senator Lutchmedial’s colleague, David Nakhid, interrupted the minister’s response.

After Mr. Nakhid was asked to leave the chamber, minister Hinds repeated his answer to the question.

Minister Hinds said, there was nothing further he could say on the matter.

He was responding during the urgent question segment, of the upper house.

Pine Settlement, Sangre Grande is the scene of a shooting incident.

According to reports the victim is Nicholas Maxime.

It is said, 37 year old Mr. Maxime was standing in his yard at around 3:30 pm, when a man wearing a grey hoodie approached him.

The stranger reportedly shot Mr. Maxime several times, about the body.

The assailant then fled the scene.

Mr. Maxime was rushed to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery.

Up to news time this morning he was said to be warded.

His condition remains unknown.

A slamming for the police commissioner from justice Frank Seepersad, over the delay in considering an application for a firearm users license.

A Tobago businessman made the application.

Justice Seepersad yesterday said, it is simply outrageous that a sitting police commissioner would say, she has a lot of work to do, hence the seven-year delay.

In a stinging attack, the judge said, aspirants of high office should not allow its allure to distract them from the obligations, that such offices impose.

He said, it is imperative that those aspirants are fit for purpose, equipped and capable of addressing with sound judgment and alacrity, the many obligations, which the offices impose.

The judge made the comments while declaring that, Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher’s failure and continuous delay, in deciding whether to grant or deny an F.U.L. application by a Tobago businessman

The businessman is, Pheon Solomon

He brought the judicial review claim, having not received the F.U.L close to seven years after he first applied.

Among the arguments put forward by the attorneys representing the police commissioner, was that the volume of work she had before her.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert says, there are two main concerns about property tax one of them is the nonsensical evaluations.

The other is the rental assessment, on some properties in middle to upper class area in the country.

The finance minister had no problem telling the senate yesterday, he found his rental assessment was a bit too high.

The minister said, 65 percent or 130 thousand of the two hundred thousand properties assessed, attracted a property tax amount of eleven hundred dollars or less. 

He said, most of the money allocated to local government goes towards, wages and salaries and additional funds are hard to come by.