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Police arrest three men and seize a quantity of marijuana along the, Uriah Butler Highway.

The Trinidad and Tobago police service says, the exercise was conducted last evening.

Reports indicate, that officers were performing traffic duties around 9pm along the northbound lane of the highway, near the Caroni overpass during road paving exercises.  When they observed a white Toyota Corolla motor vehicle, with three male occupants experiencing mechanical problems.

The TTPS says, the officers made checks of the vehicle, which resulted in the discovery of, five packages wrapped in plastic.

Police say, the packages were found to discover a quantity of marijuana.

The TTPS says, the three suspects, ages 22 to 25; of San Fernando and Couva were arrested in connection with the find. Investigations are ongoing into the matter.

Calling it deceptive and misleading, former TSTT Chief Executive Officer Lisa Agard cast doubt on, information delivered by her successor Kent Western.

Before the joint select committee of parliament yesterday, Mrs. Agard insisted all the information was not accurate.

Mrs. Agard is pointing fingers at the board of directors of the Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago, whom she claimed refused to issue statements she wrote, in the aftermath of the cyber attack last year.

She said, she had to beg the board to communicate with customers and members of the public.

According to Mrs. Agard, she wrote to everyone on the matter, but the board left out the customers in its dissemination of the letter.

Responding to JSC chair Anthony Viera, she said the board-misled public utilities minister Marvin Gonzales.

Mrs. Agard said, the note read in the parliament by the minister did not come from her.

She said, not even her statement to the media was allowed by the board.

The leader of the opposition in Trinidad and Tobago says, if she led the government she would reject proposed salary increases, for several office holders.

Kamla Persad Bissessar last night said, there is no way her side has any say, in the proposals which have come from the salaries review commission.

The debate has started on whether or not such proposals should be expected.

At her anti-crime town hall meeting in Chaguanas, Mrs. Persad Bissessar sought to make her position clear on the proposals.

She said, there are many who deserve increases.

In the latest report from the salaries review commission, there are recommendations to hike salaries, lower in some instances and make adjustments to existing perks for some office holders.

Professor Selwyn Cudjoe has mounted the platform of the opposition united national congress, telling of ways to end the crime scourge in the country.

The professor listed at least 16 actions needed.

Among them, a thorough cleansing of the police service and taking out dangerous and troubling criminals.

Professor Cudjoe was the main speaker at the third installation of the anti crime town hall meeting, hosted by political leader, Kamla Persad Bissessar.

The meeting was held in Chaguanas last evening.

He said, there is need for an iron-fist approach to crime and criminals.

The professor of African studies noted his suggestions may not go down well with everyone.

He feels there may be a price to pay.

He called for laws, which will hold parents responsible for the sins of their children.

Winston Gypsy Peters is the winner of the National Extempo Competition, even as there continues to be criticisms of his decision to compete.

The national carnival commission chairman and Myron-B, went at each other in the finals at the kaiso house at the Queen’s Park Savannah last evening.

While he welcomes his 14^th victory in the competition Mr. Peters says, he does not understand what the debate is about.

He feels criticisms would have come regardless of a win or loss.

The last time he won the extempo competition was in 2017.

After some eliminations and biting picong among the performers, Mr. Peters and Myron-B became the finalists.

Myron-B had to settle for second place as was earlier predicted by Gypsy.

The night also saw the freestyle competition, which was won by Squeezy Rankin.

The judiciary agrees that probate matters take far too long.

The admission was made in a two-page statement from the judiciary, headed by Ivor Archie.

It was in response to complaints about the probate process.

The judiciary says, it has repeatedly and consistently bemoaned the slow pace of the process, in its attempts to address the situation.

The judiciary says, recent meetings have been held with the prime minister and a sub-committee of cabinet, which have provided hope.

However, it notes the problem was threefold, since it relates to staffing, quality of applications, and the resultant backlog of applications.

Members of the public will soon begin paying more for cement.

The Contractors Association of Trinidad and Tobago, sees this as a sure reality in response to the announcement by Trinidad Cement Ltd.

The price of the commodity will be increased to $57 dollars and 38 cents in the coming weeks

The current cement price is $53 dollars and 81 cents.

The new price, kicks in on February 19th.

President of the contractors association, Glen Mahabairsingh says, the new price of cement will no doubt affect almost all areas of construction.

Speaking with Newscentre Five yesterday, Mr. Mahabairsingh describes the TCL price increase as sudden and rapid.

He is of the view the price hike should have been done incrementally.

Via a statement TCL describes customers as valued clients.

The company says, as discussed at a virtual meeting held on Monday, January 22nd, Cemex Tcl continues to face increasing manufacturing costs.

TCL says, despite investments and efficiencies implementation, the company has been unable to mitigate increases fully.

The Trinidad and Tobago meteorological service is warning the public, of an increased presence of Saharan dust concentrations in the atmosphere from today.

It says, this should last until Friday.

Senior meteorologist Gary Benjamin, told us yesterday what to expect.

The met office is again warning that sensitive individuals, could experience respiratory symptoms and should therefore reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

Air quality index readings provided by the environmental authority today place Arima in a moderate zone of 54, Mayaro is also moderate with an air quality index reading of 55, and Point Lisas is moderate with an air quality index reading of 57.

In addition the nation’s capital has a moderate air quality index reading of 63. While San Fernando and Toco are at a moderate 65 air quality index.

The opposition leader is accusing the government of not having any compassion, for people affected by crime.

On Monday night Kamla Persad-Bissessar, found it difficult to keep her cool while addressing a cottage meeting, of the united national congress.

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar said, the time has come to clean up the national security council, and she believes only when this is done the prime minister will show he is serious about crime.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley described her statement as nonsense.

He said, at no time did he say he would not meet with the opposition.

Dr. Rowley was responding to reporters at a media conference on national security.

An opposition MP, is now questioning the process used to select police commissioner, Erla Harewood Christopher last year.

Dr. Roodal Moonilal believes, it is time to find out more from the police service commission.

Dr. Moonilal says, there should be an investigation into how the current police commissioner ended at the top, of the merit list.

The police commissioner has faced criticisms, after her appearance before the joint select committee of the parliament on national security last week.

She admitted, to several failures in the police service’s crime fighting targets.

Dr. Moonilal also said, the prime minister recent trip to the United States will bear no fruit.

Dr. Keith Rowley, last week spent some days being part of several meetings, with the focus on crime in his home country.

Meanwhile, Oropouche west MP Davendranath Tancoo says, the police commissioner Erla Christopher has been a failure.

He says, the detection rate stated by the authorities is nothing to celebrate.

Yesterday Mr. Tancoo said, the statistics are telling.

Mr. Tancoo also said, there are persons who hold high offices being responsible for crime, and they should be removed.

They were both speaking at a media conference, at the Charles street office of the opposition leader.