标签： Trinidad and Tobago

A Central Trinidad man convicted for his involvement in a brutal 2000 kidnapping and robbery case has commenced his prison term after the Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge against conviction and sentence. Anderson Bonaparte, who remained on bail since August 2023 during appellate proceedings, was returned to custody on December 1 to serve his revised term of just over ten years, with credit applied for time previously spent in remand.

Bonaparte faced convictions in November 2022 for kidnapping, false imprisonment, and aggravated robbery stemming from the November 2000 incident. The trial had resulted in acquittals on rape and assault-with-intent-to-rob charges after then-High Court Judge Carla Brown-Antoine upheld a no-case submission on those counts.

In his appeal, Bonaparte contended through his attorney Peter Carter that the trial judge improperly directed the jury on offense elements, effectively usurping their deliberative function. He further challenged the admission of evidence regarding co-accused Owusu Williams’ guilty plea and claimed prejudice from jury exposure to dismissed charges.

The appellate panel comprising Justices Charmaine Pemberton, Gillian Lucky, and Vasheist Kokaram rejected all grounds. While identifying a sentencing calculation error that reduced Bonaparte’s penalties for false imprisonment and aggravated robbery by one year each, the court maintained the ten-year kidnapping sentence.

Justice Pemberton utilized the ruling to delineate judicial responsibilities, emphasizing that prosecutors must respect accused persons’ rights while defense counsel should vigorously challenge state evidence without compromising systemic integrity. The court specifically commended trial judge Brown-Antoine for her comprehensive jury directions.

The case originated from the abduction of a call center employee and two coworkers awaiting transport in Chaguaramas. While the coworkers escaped, the victim was forced into Bonaparte’s hired car at weapon-point by Williams and accomplices, blindfolded, transported to Central Trinidad where she was sexually assaulted by multiple perpetrators, and abandoned in Cunupia. Bonaparte’s girlfriend subsequently alerted police, leading to the victim’s rescue.

A staggering $80 million worth of pharmaceuticals intended for Trinidad and Tobago’s national healthcare system expired over a decade-long period while sitting in Ministry of Health storage facilities, raising serious concerns about accountability and systemic inefficiencies within the country’s medical supply chain.

The alarming revelation emerged during Monday’s sitting of Parliament’s Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), where officials highlighted critical failures in drug management protocols. Committee members emphasized the urgent need for strengthened oversight mechanisms to protect public health resources and ensure taxpayer funds are properly utilized.

Hasmath Ali, Chief Chemist and Acting Director of the Ministry’s Chemistry Food and Drugs Division, acknowledged the severity of the situation while stressing the non-negotiable requirement for rigorous due diligence in pharmaceutical management. “Due diligence is required to ensure the safety of the population. In circumstances that relate to health, there is no argument from me on that,” Ali told committee members.

Independent Senator Dr. Marlene Attz expressed profound concern over the massive financial loss, questioning whether systemic “lethargy” throughout Trinidad’s healthcare infrastructure contributed to this accumulation of expired medications. She suggested incorporating laypersons into oversight committees to provide fresh perspectives and enhanced accountability measures.

Ali clarified that while the expired drugs fell under the responsibility of a separate procurement and distribution entity, the Ministry recognized the necessity of addressing these systemic shortcomings. In response to the crisis, officials revealed plans to modernize operations through legislative updates to the Food and Drugs Act and digitization of drug registration processes.

North Central Regional Health Authority CEO Davlin Thomas provided additional context, explaining that regional health authorities don’t control procurement decisions. “The issue is not with the procurement process itself, but with how these drugs are managed upon arrival and how they are distributed,” Thomas stated, emphasizing that demand-based procurement originates from public need rather than RHA recommendations.

An anonymous senior RHA official described persistent challenges in inventory management that contribute to pharmaceutical surpluses. The source cited difficulties in accurate forecasting, short decision-making timeframes, and consumption patterns that often differ significantly from procurement orders. Compounding these issues are staff shortages, procedural delays, and strict disposal policies that prevent repurposing drugs nearing expiration.

Despite these challenges, the official noted gradual improvements through enhanced training programs and stricter monitoring protocols, resulting in decreasing expiration rates in recent years.

Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have launched a comprehensive murder investigation following the discovery of 37-year-old Jamal ‘Tallo’ Arthur’s body on Cordial Avenue in Cashew Gardens. The victim was found with fatal gunshot wounds on the morning of December 1st, marking a tragic culmination of violence that began hours earlier.

According to police reports, the sequence of events commenced around 10 pm on November 30th when Arthur and two companions were ambushed by two masked assailants. The attackers physically pushed aside one member of the group before opening fire with five rounds directed at a 30-year-old man walking with Arthur. One bullet struck the younger victim in the neck, prompting the perpetrators to flee into nearby vegetation.

The injured man received immediate medical attention and was transported to a local hospital where he remains in stable yet critical condition. Meanwhile, Arthur’s whereabouts remained unknown until the following morning when a civilian passerby discovered his lifeless body in close proximity to the initial shooting location.

Law enforcement officials are treating these incidents as connected and are pursuing multiple investigative avenues. The Cashew Gardens community has expressed heightened concern over the brazen nature of the attack, which occurred in a residential area. Police forensic teams have conducted extensive scene examinations, collecting ballistic evidence and witness statements to identify potential suspects.

This case represents the latest in a series of violent incidents that have prompted renewed discussions about community safety and law enforcement responses in the region. Investigators are appealing to the public for any information that might lead to breakthroughs in the case.

A medical emergency escalated into a dramatic public safety incident on Ariapita Avenue in Port of Spain Monday morning when a taxi driver suffered a sudden seizure while operating his vehicle. The 63-year-old driver lost control of his white Nissan AD wagon around 9:30 am, colliding with five vehicles in successive impacts that created chaotic scenes along the busy thoroughfare.

The situation intensified when one of the struck vehicle owners—a legally armed individual—drew his licensed firearm and pursued the errant taxi on foot. This response, while intended to intercept the seemingly reckless driver, inadvertently triggered public panic as bystanders misinterpreted the armed chase as an active shooting scenario. Multiple emergency calls reported a gunman pursuing a vehicle, prompting a tactical police response.

Heavily armed officers from the Port of Spain Task Force mobilized rapidly under the presumption of an ongoing armed incident. Upon arrival, they discovered the true nature of the emergency: the taxi had come to rest on Scott Bushe Street with both occupants assisted by civilians. Passers-by had extracted the non-responsive driver and his 51-year-old female passenger, placing them in recovery positions in a nearby preschool driveway.

The crisis highlighted both community compassion and systemic challenges. Brent Lee, a local worker certified in first aid, provided critical medical stabilization to both victims. He revealed the driver had been fasting since 3:30 that morning and experienced memory loss surrounding the incident. Lee’s intervention proved vital during the agonizing 80-minute wait for emergency medical services, with ambulines delayed at Port of Spain General Hospital.

In the aftermath, Lee advocated for widespread first aid education, sharing his personal experience with his father’s fatal heart attack. His testimony underscored the vital importance of immediate medical response capabilities within communities, emphasizing that professional help cannot always arrive promptly during critical emergencies.

In a landmark environmental ruling, High Court Justice Robin Mohammed has nullified the Environmental Management Authority’s 2017 approval of a substantial housing development project planned for the historically significant St Augustine Nurseries in Curepe. The December 1st decision culminates a seven-year legal battle initiated by environmental advocate Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh and Trinidad Unified Farmers Association president Shiraz Khan.

The contested project involved the Housing Development Corporation’s proposal to construct twelve eight-story residential buildings totaling 504 units across seven hectares of fertile agricultural terrain near Farm Road and Southern Main Road in Valsayn. The court determined that the EMA had acted unreasonably by granting a Certificate of Environmental Clearance without mandating a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment despite the project’s scale and proximity to critical agricultural infrastructure.

Justice Mohammed’s ruling emphasized that the EMA failed to conduct sufficient due diligence, particularly regarding consultations with the Ministry of Agriculture as owner and operator of the nurseries. The court noted that the nurseries serve as vital propagation centers for plant materials essential to the nation’s agricultural sector and represent part of the historic St. Joseph Farm established in the 1930s for tropical plant conservation.

The judicial review revealed concerning gaps in the approval process, including alleged reliance on inaccurate information regarding hydrological features and the site’s relationship to the Valsayn aquifer. The court imposed a 42-day stay to allow the EMA to consider its options while ordering the authority to cover the claimants’ legal costs. The ruling mandates that any future consideration of the project must include a complete Environmental Impact Assessment addressing all relevant ecological factors.

A significant communication breakdown has emerged between Trinidad’s Public Services Association (PSA) and the Office of the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) regarding the implementation of a recently negotiated wage agreement for public servants, casting uncertainty over the promised $3.8 billion in back payments.

PSA President Felisha Thomas announced on December 2nd that her union had secured a landmark memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the government, featuring a 10% wage increase and full cash payment of arrears by December 23rd. In a circular to members, Thomas declared victory, stating the agreement represented “financial relief” and “recognition of your hard work.”

However, Chief Personnel Officer Dr. Daryl Dindial provided a contradictory account to Newsday, revealing that the December payment would constitute only a partial advance—approximately $500 million—rather than the full $3.8 billion owed. He clarified that the complete arrears settlement would require extended negotiations in January and would likely be distributed across multiple fiscal years to avoid straining government finances.

Dr. Dindial further explained that the final settlement package would likely combine cash payments with non-cash benefits, potentially including debt forgiveness for housing mortgages, health benefits, and other allowances. This approach aims to minimize the state’s cash flow impact while providing meaningful relief to workers.

The CPO’s office subsequently issued a press release describing the negotiations as “memorable” but conspicuously omitted any reference to the December 23rd deadline for full payment mentioned by the PSA president.

When questioned about the conflicting messages, Dr. Dindial declined to comment on President Thomas’s statements but directed the public to the CPO’s official website for accurate information regarding the wage negotiation process. He emphasized the government’s responsible fiscal approach, noting that the Ministry of Finance had not previously allocated funds for such substantial arrears payments.