CALL US AT:

A scathing attack from the Prime Minister on former Police Commissioner, now Political Leader of the National Transformation Alliance, Gary Griffith.

At a PNM meeting in St. James last evening Dr. Keith Rowley said, the country is in grave and mortal danger now that Mr. Griffith is leading a party which is contesting the August 14^th, Local Government Election.

He said, Mr. Griffith appeared to be a law unto himself when he was in charge of the police service.

Dr. Rowley said, Gary Griffith changed the policies related to the issuance of firearm users license permit and in effect militarized the country.

He said the Former Commissioner of Police abused his powers.

Dr. Rowley said, the NTA’s manifesto speaks to an entity, which is a well oiled, and criminal.

Dr. Rowley admitted he was constrained to say many things because of a court order.

Two men are killed in separate situation over night in Carenage, Mayaro and there is a wounding in Arima.

One of the victims is said to be the son of a police officer.

In the latest incident Kwesi Brown, the son of a senior officer was shot and killed in Carenage.

Reports say the incident took place at Rodney Street Pt. Cumana around 10:40 pm last night.

Newscentre Five understands Mr. Brown was liming with relatives, when several loud explosions were heard.

The group ran in different directions and Kwesi stumbled into his grandmother’s home with gunshot injuries about the body.

The police were notified and PC Emmanuel and PC Sorzano responded and took Kwesi to the St. James medical facility where he was declared dead around 9:50 pm.

And Sylvester Frazer aka Bonzo  is shot dead in Mayaro.

Details surrounding that incident remain unclear but we are told that incident took place at Manzanilla road around 8:30 last night.

Reports say he was at home when several explosions were heard.

Residents in the area called the police.

He was declared dead at the scene.

And a man yet to be identified is shot and wounded in Arima.

Reports say that incident took place Calvary Hill around 10 o’clock last night.

The man was walking along the roadway when he was shot

The assailant then escaped.

Investigations into these latest homicides are ongoing.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley vows to resign if it is proven that he misled Parliament regarding, the appointment of a Chief Administrator to the Tobago House Of Assembly.

In a statement to Parliament yesterday Dr. Rowley said, addressed two issues involving Tobago.

He said he has taken seriously “the slander and insinuations of the irresponsible chief secretary,” Farley Chavez Augustine.

Mr Augustine has accused the ruling People’s National Movement, of carrying out a “calculated disinformation campaign,” in blaming the THA for the absence of a Chief Administrator. After the holder of the office, Ethlyn John, retired on May 17th this year.

The Chief Secretary made it clear, that the THA would not accept blame for the absence of a Chief Administrator.

He said for over a month, he has been continually trying to have the post filled.

Dr. Rowley insisted he couldn’t appoint a Chief Administrator

He proceeded to explain how the process was shifted by information he was not privy to.

After he explained the events of this controversy Dr Rowley was adamant, he was telling the truth.

Dr. Rowley said, that it also goes without saying that for peace, good order and progress to prevail in Tobago and also in Trinidad and Tobago, “it is absolutely essential for there to be respect for each other and a good working relationship between all officers and agencies of state charged with these responsibilities.

The Principal of the Trinity College Moka, has sought to explain her decision to block some students from fully participating in the graduation ceremony.

Ann Niles told the ceremony on Tuesday the boys were warned for the last year about their attire including hairstyles

The move by the school sparked a raging debate within the All Saints Church and online.

The Dean of the Anglican Church had to intervene telling angry adults to leave if they wish.

The boys were not allowed to enter the church with their fellow classmates, and did not have the opportunity to publicly receive their certificates.

Photographs circulating on social media show a number of them outside with braided hair and plaits … Because they flouted rules on attire and hairstyles.

Yesterday, the head prefect Jovan Henry-Ali said the situation triggered boos and jeers from concerned parents.

While Henry Ali feels there is need for a review of the policy the students were wrong to break the rules.

Education minister Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly calls the situation unfortunate and regrettable.

Police are investigating a double murder and the killing of a teenager.  

The murders occurred in San Fernanado and another in Arima.

In the latest incident the victims have been identified as Kevin Andrews and Kristian Lindsey.

Reports say the incident took place at orchid garden in Pleasantville around 8 o’clock last night.

Newscentre five understands the men were liming at building-c when they were approached by a man wielding a firearm.

The assailant opened fire fatally hitting both men.

He then escaped.

Residents in the area heard the explosions and called the police.

When lawmen arrived they found both men lying in a pool of blood.

Mr. Andrews died at the scene, while Mr. Lindsey was rushed to hospital but succumbed a short time later.

Meanwhile a 17-year-old boy is shot and killed in Arima.

He has been identified as Marlon Paul.

Reports say the incident took place at Tumpuna road around 4:30 pm.

Newscentre five understands two men in a vehicle dressed in police gear drove up to two men including the 17 old.

It is said the men armed with guns fired several shot and the two before escaping.

Resident in the area came to the assistance of both men.

Police were called to the scene.

Lawmen say, the 17 year old died at the scene while the other was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

T&TEC crews on the ground in Northwest Trinidad to assist with restoration.

Activities after outages triggered by severe lightning activity and heavy winds.

In a release T&TEC says several areas across Trinidad were impacted by yesterday’s mid-afternoon adverse weather but T&TEC’S northern distribution area was most affected.

It says large areas and smaller neighbourhoods experienced outages when lightning strikes and falling trees damaged overhead lines and some poles.

T&TEC assures crews have been working continuously since then to complete restoration, with additional resources dispatched from other distribution areas.

The utility says eleven crews are currently on the ground.

The following areas are still affected: Barataria, Belmont, Blanchisseuse, Cascade, Chaguaramas, Diego Martin, Laventille, Maraval, Morvant, Paramin, San Juan, Santa Cruz, and St Ann’s.

It says weather-related area outages remain in Trinidad.

Roofs are blown off, streets and homes flooded and trees fell because of the bad weather, which was experienced throughout the country.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management confirm 12 roofs were lifted and 15 trees fell yesterday afternoon.

A tree also fell on a house in Diego Martin.

Fallen trees were reported along the Maracas Royal Road near silver bridge and in Tobago.

In the San Juan Laventille region operators had to be dispatched at several sites.

The met service had to extend an adverse weather alert yellow level, which was issued on Monday.

The alert had warned of bad weather because of the passage of a tropical wave.

Parts of Port of Spain and surrounding areas were under water.

Woodbrook, St. Anns, Maraval, Wrightson road and Ariapita Avenue were badly affected.

Deputy mayor of, Port of Spain Hillan Morean confirmed many families were affected. 

Chairman of the Tunapuna Piarco Regional Coporation Kwasi Robertson said, earlier there were several incidents.

The heavy winds ripped off part of the roof of a housing development corporation apartment building at upper Parshley Street Trou Macaque Road in Laventille.

The HDC says, at least four families were affected by the incident and the company up to last evening, efforts was being made to accommodate the affected residents.

The floods were also widespread in parts of Chaguanas.

Parts of Ramsaran Street and Mullchan Seuchan Link Road were under water.

So too the Montrose main road.

In chase village some properties were flooded.

The met service says expect more rain today.

Reported racist remarks directed at the Prime Minister and others are among the reasons for the resignation of former opposition senator Taharqa Obika from the United National Congress

Mr. Obika says, he struggled with this issue for years as a member of the UNC.

He says, he tried to fix the issue by even going to the Political Leader and other prominent UNC members with his concerns. But to no avail.

He says persons within the UNC would describe the Prime Minister as “THE BLACK MAN”.

Mr. Obika says over the years he was left disappointed by the accumulation of racial comments from UNC MP’s and Senators.

Giving another example, Mr. Obika says members of the PNM were described as beasts.

And he says those making the comments should not be in the House of Representatives.

He says it did not stop there.

Mr Obika says, one member of the UNC was also offended by the UNC’s referring to another race as one percent.

He says the level of offensive behaviour was too much and he had to leave.

Last week Mr. Obika left the party and joined the ruling peoples national movement.

He was publicly embraced by the executive of the pnm and political leader Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley.

News Centre Five contacted the UNC on the issue, but we were told by Public Relations Officer of the party Dr. Kirk Meighoo that he was not aware of Mr. Obika’s utterances and he preferred not to comment at the time of our call.

Archbishop Jason Gordon weighs in on the debate surrounding gender transition and LGBT issues at local schools.

Over the last few days there have been several rumours that the Ministry of Education has added a particular book, which supports LGBT issues to its curriculum.

While social media, have been used by parents and adults condemning the reported addition the education minister Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly has denied this.

The Archbishop of Port of Spain also says, he has no proof that a new gender policy or subject on this matter is or has been, introduced at any school in this country.  

Archbishop Gordon also notes that while there are external pressures to embrace gender transition at schools, nothing can be added to any denominational institution’s curriculum without clearance from the church.  

Archbishop was fielding questions on a television programme last evening.