CALL US AT:

Heart disease claims more lives than any other health condition in Trinidad and Tobago.

The statistics were revealed yesterday, during a Parliamentary Committee on Social Services and Public Administration, chaired by Senator Paul Richards.

The committee conducted an inquiry into the country’s response to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, with specific focus on diabetes, cardiological diseases and cancer.

Dr. Richards listed breast cancer, as the second leading cause of death, locally.

However as Dr. Richards revealed the number of hypertensive cases, he asked why this NCD is so rife in the country.

Director of NCD’s at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Maria Clapperton responded.

Dr. Clapperton said, given this scenario, the Ministry has embarked on several educational strategies, to assist persons on how to manage their health. 

Heads of Regional Health Authorities are grilled on why patients are made to wait long hours for service at public hospitals.

The question was posed by Vandana Mohit at a sitting yesterday of the Parliamentary Committee on social services.

Before an answer was given, Chairman of the committee Dr. Paul Richards followed up and related his experience in taking a relative to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

Chief Executive officer for the North West Regional Health Authority Davlin Thomas responded.

Mr. Thomas further explained that some patients are now even being care at home.

Mr. Thomas also noted the RHA’s have even gone to churches to distribute and fill prescriptions, in a bid to reduce the number of people coming to the hospitals. 

In the midst of violent incidents in the country, the Police Commissioner calls on parents to do more to keep their children on the straight and narrow.

Commissioner Erla Harewood Christopher yesterday said, too often parents and guardians are absent leaving room for criminal conduct.

She said, there is then the demand for the police to fix the problems.

According to Mrs. Harewood Christopher that expectation is unreasonable.

Commissioner Harewood Christopher said, the police cant do it all, they need help from the home.

The Commissioner was addressing the official start of the National Parenting Programme, for 2023.

Up to 505 people, many of them youth have been murdered in Trinidad and Tobago so far this year.

Also Minister of Social Development Donna Cox is convinced, there is a parenting crisis in the country.

Minister Cox said, the program being offered by her Ministry has benefited hundreds of parents.

The Minister said, the program also focuses on men and what they need to become better fathers.

Former Port of Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing believes he is being singled out for searches at the Piarco International Airport. 

He says, he has been pulled aside and searched at least four times while heading to different destinations including the U.S and London.

Mr. Lee Sing finds the situation suspicious, and he has questioned Caribbean Airlines on the matter.

However he says, he was told they were just random searches. Mr. Lee Sing is not convinced. 

The businessman says he does not trust the current administration and says, he has since made contact with U.S Homeland Security on the issue seeking an explanation.

Mr. Lee Sing was speaking on the morning show on i95.5fm yesterday.

The Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago has parted ways with Lisa Agard.

She is no longer the Chief Executive Officer.

A statement from TSTT says Mrs. Agard departed the position with immediate effect.

TSTT says, Kent Western is the new acting CEO.

Mrs. Agard has been under fire from several quarters including the communication workers union, for her handling of a recent cyber attack on the company.

Mrs. Agard has been accused of withholding information regarding the attack.

TSTT only admitted to the breach after hackers revealed that in fact they infiltrated the company, and stole personal data from customers.

Mrs. Agard only last week admitted that was indeed so and apologized.  

In a media release yesterday TSTT’s board of directors announced the appointment of Mr. Western to the post of Acting Chief Executive Officer following the departure of Ms. Agard.

TSTT said, Mr. Western’s appointment would take effect immediately.

General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union, Clyde Elder says, there are others at the company should go as well.

The TSTT release noted that Mr. Western is the holder of an MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Anglia Ruskin university, an MBA in telecommunications from the Telecoms Academy in the United Kingdom, and a Postgraduate certificate in General Management.  

A shooting in Arouca claims the lives of two teenagers.  

According to police reports gunshots were heard in the vicinity of Skylark Crescent and Emerald Circular Bon Air Gardens, at around 10 o’clock last night.

When officers arrived on the scene and found the body of 15-year-old Anim Persad.

Police confirm that Anim was on the ground near a parlour.

He was a student of the Diego Martin Secondary School.

Officers also discovered 18-year-old Olun Jones lying on the roadway.

Reports say, Mr. Jones was still alive and was rushed to the Arima hospital.  

However he succumbed to his wounds at around 10: 30 pm. 

Crime scene investigators reportedly removed 57 spent shells from the scene of the crime; a motive is yet to be established for the murders.

504 people have now been murdered so far this year.

Desperate and brazen is how police Commissioner Erla Harewood Christopehr describes the killing of Keston “bumbles” Monroe.

He was shot dead minutes after he was released from the Belmont Police station yesterday.

In a message on the killing this morning Commissioner Harewood Christopher said, why he was released.

She said the motive may have been gang related.

Mr. Monroe was from East Dry River in Port of Spain.

Politician and Former Vice President of FIFA Jack Warner has to re-pay one point five million dollars to businessman Krishna Lalla.

The order has been handed down by, the London based Privy Council.

Mr. warner also has to pay interest to the united national congress financier.

The money represents a loan Mr. Lalla gave to Mr. Warner back in 2007.

Mr. Warner refused to comment on the development when contacted yesterday.

The judgement was delivered by the law lords yesterday.

Mr. Warner also has to pay Mr. lalla’s legal costs.

Seven police officers charged with misbehaviour in public office are expected to appear in court today.

They are alleged to have accepted a 30 thousand dollar bribe to forgo charges against an Arouca businessman and his wife.

The Police Social and Welfare Association have offered its support to the accused officers.

It is alleged that on November 2nd, the officers went to the home of a couple in Five Rivers, Arouca, to execute a search warrant for firearms, ammunition and narcotics.

It is said, during the search, the officers found a quantity of marijuana, camouflage clothing, and ammunition and arrested both homeowners and took them to the Arouca police station.

It is reported while at the station, the male suspect was approached by one of the officers who solicited the sum of, $30,000 and five pounds of marijuana to forego charges being laid against him and his wife.

Reports say, the suspect was allowed to leave the station with instructions on where the marijuana should be taken and for him to return to the station with the cash.

It is said, he returned to the station with the cash, which he handed over to the officer, and he and his wife were allowed to leave without any charges being laid against them.

A report was subsequently made to the Professional Standards Bureau.

They appeared before justice of the peace Stephen Young on Saturday where they were each granted bail.

A former member of the Police Service Commission asserts that a lie detector test is not enough to address public trust, and corruption in the police service.

Pastor Clive Dottin says, many people know how to beat the system.

Pastor Dottin made the declaration during the TV6 morning edition program yesterday, in response to the introduction of legislation, which seeks to establish polygraph testing for some public officials.

But Pastor Dottin said, politicians at times encourage corruption.

Pastor Dottin said, a country’s Prime Minister should have absolutely no role in the selection of a police commissioner.

He made a clarion call for constitutional reform.