Weekday Issue, 17th May, front page reads: LET PATIENTS GO HOME AND DIE, SAYS DOCTOR

“THERE comes a time when we have to allow patients to die, for death is inevitable.”
This is what Medical Director at San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) Dr. Anand Chatoorgoon bluntly told Health Minister Dr. Fuad Khan.
The Health Minister agreed with the outspoken medic.
Dr. Chatoorgoon made the statement in an e-mail to Dr. Khan.
He wrote:
“Good afternoon, I write about the patients in our hospital requiring haemodialysis. I do not want to sound uncompassionate but in my respectful view they should be sent home and not be kept at the SFGH at cost to the SWRHA while waiting haemodialysis, beds are at a premium here at the SFGH where overcrowding haunts us night and day. So until we can arrange something for them with the social worker we send them home. Continue reading →

Acting Chief Executive Officer ROBERT CORBIE

A group of pilots is calling on the Caribbean Airlines (CAL) board to sell the five short haul ATR aircraft to ease the company cash flow crunch.
A spokesman for the group told the TnT Mirror that the aircraft was causing the company to lose money on the Barbados to Guyana route.
He pointed out that there were luggage restrictions, the aircraft sometimes swerved on landing and there was poor visibility when approaching the airport at nights.
“The board had ordered nine aircraft and sold four. It should sell the remaining five because there are buyers out there.” Continue reading →

Ag. CoP Stephen Williams

WHILE Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has been boasting about a reduction of crime in 2013, crime observers close to the Police Service are pointing at rogue elements in the stations along the corridor, saying that it is no accident that most of the recent rash of murders took place in the Northern Division.
On Tuesday, the country recorded seven murders over a four day period. This followed what is already being described as a “murder spree” along the East-West Corridor that stared on May 7. Two of the murders were singled out as evidence of questionable activity among officers in the Northern Division. Continue reading →

THE Acting Police Commissioner has, literally, announced to the world that Trinidad and Tobago is becoming a safer place in which to live.
The only problem is that nobody in this country, except Mr. Stephen Williams, the Prime Minister, the Minister of National Security and members of the People’s Partnership Government believe this. Continue reading →

HEMA RAMKISSOON

JUST as Media Watch predicted, talk show hosts on radio and television will be working overtime to put a spin on the United National Congress (UNC) led coalition blunders as the local government and Chaguanas West bye- elections get nearer.
This became clear as daylight when one looked at the pathetic display by Hema Ramkissoon in her interview with Public Relations Officer Senator Farris Al Rawi of the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) on Monday May 13 on CNC3 Morning programme. Continue reading →

JENNIFER BAPTISTE-PRIMUS

Once again the TnT Mirror was ahead of the other media houses when we broke the first story on CAL in the issue of Friday March 29 under the headline ‘CAL flies into the red’
MEDIA WATCH continues to be amazed at the false claims by media houses on major national issues.
Take for example the Trinidad Guardian newspaper.
They have been boasting to the nation that they had an exclusive story from the doctor who said he had given an advice to the authorities at Mt. Hope Hospital that the sextuplets ought to be delivered abroad because Trinidad and Tobago does not have the facilities to deliver the babies. Continue reading →

KIERAN POWELL

WEST INDIES opening batsman, Kieran Powell, has sealed a deal with the ultra-exclusive Pinneys Plantation Resort, in the Caribbean island of Nevis.
Powell, the dashing cricketer, recently described in global media reports as “enigmatic”, will partner with a leading UK-based group of companies, who are set to develop Pinneys. Continue reading →

Weekend Issue, 12th May, front page reads: SEIZED CRABS VANISH IN POLICE STATION!

FIVE crocus bags of crab mysteriously disappeared from the Penal Police Station last week.
The police had originally seized 22 crocus bags of crab in Quinam, Penal but when Customs and Excise officers turned up the following day there were only 17 bags in the station.
The crab was seized while seven Venezuelans and one Trinidadian were in the process of a transaction.
TnT Mirror understands that officers of the Penal Police Station responded to a telephone call, which indicated that something illegal was transpiring between seven Venezuelans and a Trinidadian on the Quinam Beach last week. Continue reading →

NIPDEC Chairman HAMLYN JAILAL

NIPDEC has been rocked by the surprise appointment by the chairman’s niece to a key management position.
Disgusted NIPDEC staffers told TnT Mirror that Nishi Bhaggan, a pharmacist and the niece of Chairman Hamlyn Jailal, who happens to be a CEPEP contractor and also a contractor for the Schools Feeding.
Programme in east Trinidad, was the least qualified of several persons who applied for the job of manager, Central Stores.
“There were people interviewed who were highly-qualified with masters degrees in business administration, chartered accountants and others who had related qualifications and experience.” Continue reading →

Church representatives listens to Chief Secretary ORVILLE LONDON (INSERT) at the Works Lecture Room in Shaw Park

CHURCH leaders in Tobago have welcomed the invitation to be more involved in the governance of the island.
Some 24 speakers among the 80 representatives present at a meeting earlier this week made lively contributions and commended Chief Secretary Orville London for his initiative in meeting them to allay fears by some that the island may have a dictatorship as a result of the clean sweep by one party in the election.
London who chaired the three-hour meeting dispelled those fears and spoke at length about the steps being taken by the Assembly to involve the Tobago population in the democratisation process. Continue reading →

Chief Secretary Orville LoLondon

Tobago House of Assembly (THA)Chief Secretary Orville London plans to write Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar this week reminding her of her commitment to meet quarterly to discuss non-crisis issues relating to the governance of Tobago.
The two last met on February 22 at the PM’s Parliament Office when they discussed several issues including that of internal self government for Tobago. Continue reading →

Food Production Minister DEVANT MAHARAJ

A middle-aged lesbian with a preference for young women is on the loose at the Farmers Training centre in Centeno and staff at the centre want their seniors to act against the woman, a senior officer, who they accuse of “sexual harassment” and predatory behaviour against young, vulnerable staff members.
The woman, who is in her late 40s, is said to be in the habit of preying on young female staff members.
Her co-workers told TnT Mirror that they have nothing against her practising her “alternative ways.” Continue reading →

The line minister for cash-strapped State-owned CAL
or for that matter Corporate Sole, who is the Minister
of Finance, ought to make a public statement clarifying
the disturbing reports of freeloading, conflict of
interest and other irregularities occurring in an airline
that is a severe drain on the Treasury.
CAL is over a billion dollars in debt and has to go
cap in hand regularly to the Government to keep flying
as this newspaper has reported. Continue reading →

CARLYLSE POWELL

CARLYLSE POWELL has landed another significant position with regards to West Indies Cricket.
The former Airport Manager on Nevis and Junior Minster in the former NRP Administration, has already secured an outstanding track record in terms of cricket Administration.
He had a successful tenure as cricket chief on Nevis, a meaningful stint as President of LICA, and an impressive run as a director of the WICB. Continue reading →

Weekday Issue, 05th May, front page reads: HEAVY RAINS AND THE DEAD

BELGROVES Funeral Home has denied that any damage was done to its $17 million underground facility at Trincity by the recent heavy rains.
TnT Mirror was told by sources close to the Funeral Home that the Lawn Crypt System was under threat of flood last week.
The system exists at Belgroves’ Orange Grove Memorial Gardens.
Well-placed sources told Mirror that employees of Belgroves Funeral Home had to take action to prevent flooding at the vaults which hold the crypts but there was no damage. Continue reading →

Tor Tor’s Ice-Cream Shop … destoryed by CLICO

CLICO, despite its negative image as a financial institution, is demonstrating that it still has a lot of clout.
Around 1 p.m. on Tuesday evening, bailiff Edward Soon and a contingent of armed police officers and demolition crew demolished Tor Tor’s Ice-Cream Shop at Martinez Street, Mausica Old Road, Arima.
In the midst of the destruction, MP for the area, Arts and Multiculturism Minister Dr. Lincoln Douglas, arrived on the scene and identified himself to Soon.
The minister in a very loud tone of voice repeatedly asked Soon for his authority to demolish the ice-cream shop, among other buildings. Continue reading →

Councillors JOEY SAMUEL, RENUKA KANGAL and FALISHA ISAHAK with Mayor ORLANDO NAGESSAR

CHAGUANAS WEST councillors insist they were not threatened by anyone about supporting former MP Jack Warner.
Councillor Joey Samuel, representative for Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah admitted to TnT Mirror said no one threatened him.
Samuel added that he remains loyal to party and not any single person.
Councillor Falisha Isahak, representative for Charlieville, said she was at the meeting when Latchman made the statement.
“It does not apply to me but I don’t believe someone will tell a lie of such a nature,” said Isahak.
She said that no one approached her or threatened her about her loyalty to Warner. Continue reading →

Prime Minister KAMLA PERSAD-BISSESSAR

THE Jack Warner imbroglio continues to command centre stage as the Chaguanas West bye-election beckons.
Many people see this as a distraction from the real and serious problems in the country: for instance crime and the burgeoning drug trade; a stagnant economy and the threat posed to natural gas exports by the development of shale gas in the United States, hitherto our principal market, and numerous other problems in the society.
Therefore, three years after coming into Government, the People’s Partnership (or what is left of it despite the Prime Minister’s laughable claims that it is stronger than ever and solid as a rock) has found itself in serious difficulties Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has already discovered that running a modern state in a complex world of ‘artificial’ trade barriers, despite the WTO, volatile commodity prices and the diplomatic merry go round is, indeed, a daunting task. Continue reading →