标签： Trinidad and Tobago

After nearly 11 months of uncertainty, Candacy Phillip and her family are finally seeing a glimmer of closure as efforts to retrieve the remains of her husband, Pete Phillip, have commenced. Pete, an employee of Well Services Petroleum Co Ltd, went missing after the Heritage East Soldado Field rig partially collapsed on December 22, 2022. Presumed dead by the company four days later, his body has remained unrecovered due to the unstable structure of the rig. Candacy, who gave birth to their son Javon months after the tragedy, expressed that even if only his clothing is found, it would provide the family with the closure they desperately need. ‘I’m hoping they find at least the clothes he wore during his last hours,’ she said tearfully. The recovery operation, led by a US-based marine salvage contractor, is now underway, focusing first on stabilizing the rig to ensure safety and environmental protection. Pete’s sister, Paula Baxam, remains hopeful that enough of his remains will be found to hold a proper funeral. The family has endured months of delays, including bureaucratic hurdles and safety concerns, but now awaits the outcome of this critical operation. Meanwhile, the Phillip family’s plight echoes that of others, such as Coast Guard Able Seaman Kieron Simon, whose body remains lost at sea after a counter-narcotics operation in February.

A La Romaine resident, Anthony Ogeer, has been handed a five-year prison sentence with hard labor after pleading guilty to possessing two rounds of .38-caliber ammunition discovered at his Pond Street residence in 2023. The sentencing was delivered by Justice Nalini Singh, who detailed the circumstances of the case. During a police search of Ogeer’s home, the ammunition was found concealed beneath a tabletop stove. While the Firearms Act mandates a minimum 20-year sentence for a first conviction on indictment, Justice Singh set a starting point of six years, citing the limited quantity of ammunition and the absence of a firearm as mitigating factors. However, Ogeer’s prior convictions, including four marijuana-related offenses, led to an increased sentence of nine years. The judge highlighted Ogeer’s escalating criminal behavior, noting that the current offense occurred while he was on bail for a similar charge in January 2023. Despite this, the 2025 conviction was not considered an aggravating factor. Reductions were granted for Ogeer’s remorse and early guilty plea, resulting in the final five-year term. The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the ammunition, disqualification from holding a firearm license, and notification of relevant authorities regarding the conviction.

In a bold and meticulously planned robbery, two armed and masked individuals targeted the Royal Ton Casino in Crown Point on the morning of November 17. The incident unfolded shortly after 8 am when the assailants confronted casino employees, leading to a tense exchange of gunfire with security personnel. The robbers managed to escape with an undisclosed sum of cash, fleeing to a nearby beach where they boarded a waiting pirogue. The vessel, later discovered abandoned at Pigeon Point beach, has been seized by police as crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation. Authorities have confirmed the arrest of one individual who is currently assisting law enforcement in their efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects. The case has drawn significant attention due to the audacity of the crime and the use of a maritime escape route, highlighting the evolving tactics of criminal enterprises in the region.