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00:00:00The very special good morning Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the world. I'm Marlon
00:00:17Hopkins and as always, welcome to Morning Edition. It's Monday, July 15 and thank you
00:00:21very much for joining us this morning. Here's what, let me begin the program this morning
00:00:25with an apology to you all, an apology to our staff here too, right studio? I've given
00:00:31an apology this morning. So before I left two weeks ago, I was supposed to come on the
00:00:37Friday to say that I'm going to be away for two weeks, right? Of course on the Friday
00:00:41I didn't come. So I was supposed to do it Thursday. I didn't do it Thursday and I was
00:00:45keeping it for Friday, but again, I didn't come Friday. So I apologize to you all and
00:00:50to our viewers for that. All right. You all accept it studio? Yeah, yeah, yeah. They really
00:00:55don't care. They really don't care. Yeah. So a lot of things have happened in Trinidad
00:01:03and Tobago over the past few weeks. Yeah. And again, on this weekend, it was not a very
00:01:10good weekend in Trinidad and Tobago. Yeah. But before I say all of that, you know, thank
00:01:16you very much for joining us this morning. I hope that you had a good night and that
00:01:20you're safe and sound with us this morning. Let's check out to see what's on the front
00:01:23page of the newspaper today. Fourteen killed in bloody weekend. Gunmen run amok. Seven
00:01:29gang related, two drug related, two robbery related, three no known motives. So gunmen
00:01:36killed three in car, 14 slain over bloody weekend. Gunmen ran amok this weekend, killing
00:01:41a total of 14 people across the country. Seven were killed due to gang activity, two drug
00:01:45related, two robbery related, while the motives of four three are unknown. And that's according
00:01:50to Police Commissioner Christopher, who had a news conference late yesterday evening.
00:01:56But she's promising more police patrols in response to killings. We have not lost the
00:02:00handle on crime, but it continues to be diverse and we continue to adjust our strategies.
00:02:05That's according to the police commissioner, as I said. She said during a specially convened
00:02:11news conference to address Trinidad's bloody weekend. So joining her at the conference,
00:02:17which took place at around seven o'clock yesterday evening at the police administration building,
00:02:22was head of the Homicide Bureau, acting DCP Sean Dillpole, DCP Suzette Martin, Intelligence
00:02:29Investigations and DCP Junior Benjamin in operations. In Trinidad, not in Trinidad,
00:02:36but in Port of Spain, there's also an uptick in activity. All right, so we're moving on
00:02:41to some sport now. Gibraltar, here we come. Junior netballers clinch World Cup spot at
00:02:48qualifiers. There was joy after sorrow for Trinidad and Tobago under 21 netballers yesterday
00:02:53after they defeated Grenada to qualify for next year's Youth World Cup in Gibraltar.
00:03:00So congratulations to all. All right, so we're moving on. Let's remind persons of a Trinbago
00:03:05your nice feature. And again, thank you to all of the persons who continue to send these
00:03:11pictures and videos to us. All right, so remember to participate. You can send your videos or
00:03:17images to Nicole.Romany at TV6TNT.com. All right, so that's the address there. All right,
00:03:24so we do have this beautiful picture this morning. Yeah, I bet you all that's a mango
00:03:29tree. Yeah, you're seeing the flowers there. That's a beautiful picture again to the persons
00:03:35who are sending these beautiful photos and videos. Please put your name. You don't have
00:03:40to put your full government name, right? But if you have a sobriquet, tall man, short man,
00:03:47you know, put it because we do want to say a very special good morning to you. I do appreciate
00:03:54your contribution. All right, so we are going to a very short break. We do have a very interesting
00:04:00program for you today for the next two hours. Stay with me. Have your coffee, your tea,
00:04:05get something to eat. We're coming back.
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00:06:12Universal Church presents Programs of Faith, 5.30am, The Hour of Miracles.
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00:06:31Now on TV6.
00:06:34On TV6.
00:06:37Slavery, a terrible time in our history. The kidnapping, buying and selling of people for
00:06:44profit, the exploitation of another human being. It still exists today. It has a new name,
00:06:51human trafficking. Anyone can be a victim. There is forced labor, sexual exploitation,
00:06:59and domestic servitude. Human trafficking is a worldwide problem and an emerging concern for us
00:07:07here in Trinidad and Tobago. If you know of or suspect human trafficking activity,
00:07:14call the counter-trafficking hotline at 800-4CTU or 800-4288. Human trafficking is a crime.
00:07:23Identify it. Report it. Stop it. A message from the Counter-Trafficking
00:07:28Unit of the Ministry of National Security.
00:07:38How am I? I'm cool. I try to be invisible when they reach home, but they see me. They always
00:07:47see me. Oh, how about my parents? They're doing great. Everybody's well. I have bruises and marks
00:07:54that I have to make up stories about when people ask. But they say I fall off my bike. You know
00:08:00how it is? They beat me up and I'm tired of lying. Once, just once, I want to say no, I'm not fine.
00:08:08Please someone, just help me.
00:08:17Children have rights.
00:08:48Do you remember when we fell in love? I remember, don't worry. Do you remember how it all began?
00:09:09How could I ever forget? It's the first time. Do you remember? I can hear you call me in the air,
00:09:18call me in the air, call me in the air tonight. Do you remember when we fell in love? Do you
00:09:31remember?
00:09:51Say I'm drowning alone and I'm lost in my feelings.
00:09:55And a very special good Monday morning to all of you and thank you very much for joining us. I
00:10:05forgot to say earlier, a very special good morning and thank you to Urvashi for holding on for the
00:10:10next two weeks, all right? Okay, so first on the agenda this morning is the sexual violation of
00:10:15males in Trinidad and Tobago and the underreporting of such incidents. This follows recent revelations
00:10:20by manager of the St. Mary's Children's Home, Gwyneth Blaisdell, who has described the situation
00:10:26as troubling. Well, joining us this morning is the founder of International Men's Day and World
00:10:30Day of the Boy Child, Dr. Jerome Tilak Singh. Dr. Tilak Singh, good morning. Good morning to you
00:10:37and your viewers. All right, studio, I believe you're going a little fast. Come back down, all
00:10:44right? All right, so doctor, as I said, a very special good morning to you. Before we move into
00:10:50our interview this morning, I just want to give a little context to things this morning. So Dr.
00:10:57Tilak Singh received the Hummingbird Medal Bronze in 2022 and at that time dedicated his award to
00:11:03the children from poverty-stricken families and voiceless children who are bullied and abused. So
00:11:10Dr. Tilak Singh, again, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
00:11:16Yes, thank you. Yeah. All right, so one of the concerns of Ms. Gwyneth Blaisdell, who is the
00:11:26manager at the St. Mary's Home, she says, is the number of young males that come in showing signs
00:11:33of being sexually violated, but they are not coming into the home with reports of sexual
00:11:39violations. So there's an under-reporting as to what is happening. Dr. Tilak Singh,
00:11:45how do you see this? I see this as extremely troubling. I see it as having repercussions
00:11:56on our society. And what is very sad is that these boys who are violated, they will end up
00:12:06in crime, they might end up with having some addiction like alcohol or drugs, so that the
00:12:13trauma that they face, it's not something that is short-lived. They carry it for the rest of their
00:12:19life, that stigma. And I think it is something that is a crisis right now. Last October,
00:12:28one of the newspapers reported that over the past eight years in Trinidad and Tobago,
00:12:3310,000 children have been physically and sexually abused. So it's a crisis not just
00:12:38in the St. Mary's Home. We need to investigate this island-wide crisis. But Dr. Tilak Singh,
00:12:46what is driving this thirst by people to violate our young men?
00:12:54It's a very good question. And I want to believe that the media, the social media in particular,
00:13:03as you would know that there's something called porn addiction, so a lot of pornography
00:13:09is circulating. A lot of these videos are creating dysfunctional persons. We have
00:13:18pedophiles out there who are not seeking help, not getting any therapy, so that we have a lot
00:13:24of people out there who are suffering from mental health problems, and this porn addiction is fueling
00:13:30this crisis. But speaking about pedophiles in Trinidad and Tobago, you think that we as a
00:13:36country, we have done enough to expose these people and to deal with them in order for them
00:13:43to not to continue their nefarious ways? It's difficult to deal with, especially when we are
00:13:53looking at persons who might be high profile. So I think it's something that has been in the
00:13:59media, something we have swept under the carpet, something that could embarrass and, you know,
00:14:04make people ashamed to know that, you know, their relatives or persons who they look up to might be
00:14:11these people. So it is something that we must address.
00:14:16Yeah. According to Ms. Blaisdell, she also believes that the state is failing in respect to
00:14:23this. But, you know, Dr. Tilak Singh, we in Trinidad and Tobago, we have, I think, over the
00:14:33years, we have come to accept certain types of behavior, and it has become our culture. So this
00:14:41culture of abuse, we're seeing what is happening with crime. It would seem that we have accepted
00:14:48it now, and it has become a part of our daily lives. You think that in, when we speak about
00:14:58this matter, this is something that we have come to accept to?
00:15:05You are perfectly right. It has, we have become apathetic. We have, crime and violence has become
00:15:15so common that it has entered our comfort zone. Look at United States, you know, the attempted
00:15:21assassination. Look at the daily violence that is occurring everywhere, not just in Gaza, Ukraine.
00:15:28So it is something where we have become desensitized.
00:15:32Yeah. There has always, there is also a claim by Ms. Blaisdell that society and the country's
00:15:41culture did not help with how the system viewed and treated children and their sexuality, and the
00:15:46boys were afraid to express their sexual issues, particularly due to the stigma associated with
00:15:55homosexuality. So the question is, Dr. Tilak Singh, that there has to be a safe space where
00:16:02young men or young women, everyone, feel that they can express their views and they are not going to
00:16:09be victimized or discriminated against. I certainly agree. And in creating that safe space,
00:16:19we need child psychologists, we need child therapists. And I want to encourage the
00:16:26government to import these therapists if we do not have enough, because we're dealing with thousands
00:16:32of children and we need to act urgently. I really hope that the government would not have another
00:16:37commission of inquiry and they take this matter as an urgent matter. It must be priority.
00:16:45But you know, you are painting a frightening state of affairs, because if we are speaking
00:16:51about thousands of people, thousands of young men who are going through this, then of course,
00:16:58as you described it earlier, we do have a crisis. Yes, we certainly do. And let me tell you that
00:17:07when these boys develop into young men, they cannot have a proper relationship. They cannot
00:17:15function in society. There's a lot of anger and pain. And this is what encourages, you know,
00:17:23negative social reaction. This is what encourages this backlash that we see, this violent
00:17:30violence in society, the violent young man. Yeah. And to put it simply, Dr. Tilak Singh,
00:17:36they just don't know how to love. They just don't know what is love. They don't understand
00:17:41a nurturing touch, right? Correct. And you know, it is so heartbreaking to know that it is something
00:17:52that is global. I have also, and many of us would know that there are reports within the last five
00:18:00to 10 years about those in the scouting movement, young boys in the United States who are abused.
00:18:06We know about the allegations facing the Roman Catholic Church, the priests abusing boys. So
00:18:11it is something global. It is not something confined to Trinidad and Tobago or the Caribbean.
00:18:15And we need to reach out for international help to deal with this problem. But you know,
00:18:22I mean, speaking about how serious this situation is, I am just wondering, and I'm sure there may
00:18:29be a lot of people who are wondering this morning, Dr. Tilak Singh, as we speak about this matter,
00:18:34if it is at a crisis situation, crisis proportions, then why haven't we as a country really
00:18:44dealt with it in a serious way? Why are we still dealing with this sort of problem in 2024? Yes,
00:18:50we did speak about the culture, but why? It's a good question, and I want to believe
00:18:59it's because, firstly, we are easily distracted. Something comes up and every week it's
00:19:06something different, right? There are a lot of smoke screens, a lot of red herrings, and we get distracted
00:19:12so easily. A seven-day wonder, we talk about it and we forget about it. There's too much talk in this
00:19:17country. There's not enough action. And I also secondly believe, and I've seen it happening, is that
00:19:26we don't give things priority that deserve priority. You know, we need, we're just looking for
00:19:34to cover our back. We are not looking out. We are not our brother's keeper.
00:19:38We are not seeing ourselves as citizens who need to help each other. And I think we have,
00:19:44you know, we have lost that with all this technology and advancement and so-called progress.
00:19:50We are not, we have lost that human interaction that is part of the human society. For somebody to
00:19:58know and hear about abuse and stay quiet, something has to be wrong in the society.
00:20:04But we do have a par-chant, Dr. Tilak Singh, of saying that is not my business, right? When everyone in the
00:20:14community has a part to play, the police have a role to play, the judiciary, teachers, religious
00:20:20leaders, everyone has a role to play. And it is everyone's business because we need to go back to
00:20:25the days where you're saying that it must be the village that is raising the individual.
00:20:34And this is something that is lacking. When you look at the 20th century, people would tell you
00:20:39that they lived without burglar alarm. Their houses were open. They would help bring up their
00:20:46neighbor's child. You know, there was a sense of morality, ethics, respect, discipline. All that
00:20:53is lacking in 2024. There's a breakdown in society. So the abuse reflects a breakdown.
00:21:00It reflects a need for more nurturing and it reflects a need in Trinidad and Tobago
00:21:07for us to be more caring. What is the use that we could boast about natural gas prices
00:21:14or GDP or GNP when the budget comes and we have so many young men walking around without a soul?
00:21:24That's a very important point that you have made there, Dr. Tilak Singh. But tell me,
00:21:31when we speak about these children's homes, we have had also problems at children's homes
00:21:38over the years. And we're seeing where the manager of the St. Mary's Children's Home,
00:21:44she is speaking about there has to be an increase in resources. And when I speak about resources
00:21:52in almost every area, so that the individual who is coming to the home, that one, the home
00:21:59is better prepared to deal with that individual and deal with their issues.
00:22:07I fully agree. You know, it's not just the homes, it's non-governmental organizations.
00:22:14I know organizations dealing with autism, organizations dealing with poverty, and they're
00:22:18talking about the lack of resources. Why must we in 2024, a country so wealthy, why do we have
00:22:25NGOs and homes begging for resources? And we have not just the homes, sometimes hospitals
00:22:31to lack medicines. So I think the government, all the ministries have to focus on helping
00:22:40the citizens. We cannot boast and say, well, we pave our road. What is the use of paving a road
00:22:45and the citizens are suffering? Or you're creating a new lane on the highway. I think we need to get
00:22:51our priorities right and ensure that the homes, and I'm not just talking about the St. Mary's home,
00:22:59homes run by Hindus, Muslims, other Christians, must be properly staffed and they must be monitored.
00:23:06We cannot just give homes resources and not monitor them. We need welfare officers to
00:23:12regularly visit these homes, talk to the children, find out if they are happy, find out if there are
00:23:17any needs. It's not just simply dropping groceries there. We need to ensure that
00:23:24they are properly staffed with the correct people. Leadership is important in these homes.
00:23:30And just to remind people that Dr. Tilak Singh is also a historian, and Dr. Tilak Singh,
00:23:38you wouldn't know, and I don't know if you would agree with me, but we do have this, I don't know,
00:23:44this culture again of this revolving door and it would seem that every day we're speaking about
00:23:53the same things and there is this delay in dealing with very important issues in Trinidad and Tobago
00:24:01and then sometimes we say, well, you know, it's happening in other parts of the world.
00:24:08Why is it that, Dr. Tilak Singh, you feel that we do have this, I don't know, this,
00:24:15as I said, delay in addressing these serious issues in Trinidad and Tobago?
00:24:22I think it's the way that we are socialized at home. The home has a very important role to play.
00:24:29Parents or guardians need to, you know, create those bonds of friendship and trust,
00:24:36not just the home, in the primary school. You know, a lot of times we focus on the academics.
00:24:42We want to ensure the child does well at S.E.A., secondary school, we're looking at C, second keep.
00:24:47What is the use we could boast of scholarship winners or that this child got 98 in S.E.A., 98 percent,
00:24:54but the child, you know, is dysfunctional. So I think we need to reshift our focus in the home
00:25:00and the schools, maybe promote more social studies and talk about, you know, the love for the country,
00:25:06the love for each other, and talk about, you know, certain values that are lacking. So I think this is
00:25:12what the country needs to become. We need to be less materialistic. We need to become, you know,
00:25:20I want to use the word capitalistic, but that might sound, you know, like I'm a socialist,
00:25:25but we need to be less materialistic, and I think that more spiritual and show more humanity.
00:25:33It's only around Christmas time, you know, that we suddenly want to become more caring and
00:25:39give out hampers, and throughout the rest of the year, we seem to, you know, go back into our shells,
00:25:43our cocoons. So I think at the home, critical, and at the primary school and secondary schools.
00:25:50Yeah, as we told you earlier, Dr. Tilak Singh is also the founder of International Men's Day,
00:25:57which is being observed now, but tell me, doctor, how has International Men's Day worked? Is it
00:26:07what you envisioned that you are now seeing it become reality?
00:26:17To tell you the truth, Marlon, every day sometimes I feel like I have failed. I feel that the movement
00:26:24has failed. We have dropped the ball because I see this high level of crime. I see men and boys
00:26:31involved in crime. I see them as victims of the crime, so that, you know, I cannot say this morning
00:26:38that I'm seeing success. I have been seeing regression. I have a lot of setbacks. There's,
00:26:45of course, a lack of funding, so that, yes, I am trying, yes, and I am making some progress,
00:26:53some headway, but I'm not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, you know, so I think that
00:26:59it's not just me. It's not a one-person effort. I need the entire society to come on board
00:27:05and assist in helping our men and boys. Yeah, there has to be a greater buy-in, as it were.
00:27:12Correct, correct. It's not just for one day, you know. It has to be something throughout the year,
00:27:1824 hours, trying to help our men and boys who are maybe mentally challenged, emotionally
00:27:25challenged, maybe men who are poverty-stricken, men who are drug addicts. I cannot do it alone.
00:27:31A group cannot do it alone. The entire society must come together. Yeah, and as we told persons
00:27:37earlier, or viewers earlier, that when you got your national award in 2022, you dedicated the
00:27:44award to the children from poverty-stricken families and voiceless children who are
00:27:48bullied and abused, and I suspect you were saying at that time, Dr. Tilak Singh, that a light needs
00:27:56to be shone in into this area, and you really tried to put a focus on the problems of the
00:28:04challenges facing our young children in this society. Correct, and I think another issue that
00:28:13right now I am addressing is that the way in which boys are being groomed, they are being
00:28:20attracted to these community leaders, you know, and they're getting into this life of crime,
00:28:25these gang leaders. So it is something right now on the front burner, something that I'm giving
00:28:31priority to. Why are our young boys, why do they want to be a Zessa? Why are they so attracted to
00:28:36the fast life? Why is there, you know, not an issue of hard work or savings, you know,
00:28:44no dedication? So I'm trying to find out, you know, the causes. I'm trying to find solutions,
00:28:49but as you know, it's very difficult. Yeah, and is it difficult to stay positive in such
00:28:59an environment? Because sometimes you do think, doctor, who's listening? Because you're doing all
00:29:05of this work, I mean, we're trying to give light to this issue this morning, but then you think,
00:29:11who is listening? So very right. In our society and in other Caribbean countries,
00:29:18often we only tend to listen to the politicians, you know, they're the ones who grab the headlines.
00:29:23The rest of us, they're, you know, we're the 99 percent, that 1 percent, those politicians,
00:29:29those with the power, they grab the highlight, they control the economy, so that I have no say,
00:29:37you know, sometimes I'm a voice in the wilderness, others are voices in the wilderness. So we need
00:29:42people out there to make a difference. It cannot just be, you know, the media covering the politicians.
00:29:48We need to give oxygen, we need to give a voice to those volunteers, those who are doing good work
00:29:55at the grassroots level and at the ground level. Yeah, Dr. Tilak Singh, any final comments this
00:30:00morning before you leave us, sir? I just hope that this issue regarding the St. Mary's home
00:30:09will not resurface, will not reoccur in the next two years or the next 10 years. I hope we could
00:30:15get closure, I hope we could deal with it, and I hope that the country could keep on empowering
00:30:22those boys, empowering young men, assisting them, intervening where necessary to help get them on
00:30:29the right path of life and show them what are the positive signs of masculinity. Many of these young
00:30:36boys don't even know what it means to be a man, and that's my contribution. Yeah, and Dr. Tilak
00:30:42Singh, thank you very much for speaking with us this morning, and we do appreciate you speaking
00:30:45with us and also your contribution to Trinidad and Tobago. We need a strong vociferous voices
00:30:52such as yours, Dr. Tilak Singh. Thank you very much. All right, bye for now. Okay, so it's time
00:30:58for a quick break, but first we have this image for you. We're coming back, everybody.
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00:32:18So, you have big plans for the end.
00:32:47A trip in July, birthday in November, and fete after fete this carnival.
00:32:54But you know what is stop plans? A $22,500 fine. You know what else could really stop your plans?
00:33:04Five years imprisonment and suspension on your license for three years. Don't drink and drive.
00:33:17All right, so welcome back, everyone. So, another bloody weekend in Trinidad and Tobago. The number
00:33:42of those killed has been put at 14. The latest killing just occurred or occurred last night
00:33:48outside the Morales car park in Porto, Spain. That's on Independence, that's on South Quay in
00:33:54Porto, Spain. On the line this morning, we do have criminologist Dr. Randy Cipassat. Dr. Cipassat,
00:33:59as always, thank you very much for joining us, sir. My pleasure. Yeah. Dr. Cipassat, well,
00:34:06I think it is safe to say that the nightmare continues, you know, when it comes to crime
00:34:09in Trinidad and Tobago. Oh, definitely. It seems to be getting worse, in fact. And I think,
00:34:17you know, a big part of that has, you know, that there's a clear message that you could
00:34:22commit crime and nothing is going to happen. A very large proportion of persons, you know,
00:34:27committing crime, they're going scot-free, despite the fact that there are witnesses,
00:34:32in some cases videos, and there seems to be nothing happening in terms of arrests,
00:34:40in terms of prosecution. So it sends a very, very clear element to the criminal element,
00:34:46sorry, a clear message to the criminal element in society that you could pretty much do anything
00:34:52and get away with it. And that is a recipe for disaster. Yeah. Now, last evening, the police
00:34:59commissioner would have held a news conference, and she says, we have not lost a handle on crime,
00:35:04but it continues to be diverse, and we continue to adjust our strategies. I suspect that
00:35:17what she is saying, a number of people may agree and disagree on how diverse the problem is
00:35:27in Trinidad and Tobago. And again, she speaks about adjust our strategies,
00:35:33because it's a changing landscape, right? Dr. Sipasad?
00:35:42No, the thing is, it depends on what strategies commissioner is talking about. And indeed,
00:35:47the crime landscape is something that is always changing. But then at the same time,
00:35:52there are certain elements of it which are poor and remain fairly stable. If you look, for instance,
00:35:58at murders, if you take that single category of offense, and you look at some of the things that
00:36:03come in at the top, whether you look at gang-related murders, drug-related murders,
00:36:07domestic violence-related murders, robbery-related murders, et cetera, you would see that these are
00:36:14some of the categories of murders that come in at the top year after year after year. And with,
00:36:20like clockwork, we can almost predict the proportional murders that are going to happen
00:36:26in each of these categories. So while you're talking about a changing landscape, yes,
00:36:32crime is always a changing landscape, there is also stability within that region of change.
00:36:39So it means that you can focus your efforts on certain things, and different types of offenses
00:36:45require different types of interventions. If you are talking about domestic violence,
00:36:50you're talking about educating the public about certain types of interventions for offenders
00:36:58and for victims, et cetera, versus if you're talking about gang violence, it's a whole
00:37:03different kettle of fish, so to speak. So at the same time, we do have targets that we could aim at
00:37:10that are relatively stable. But you know, Dr. Siposad, we have spoken about this issue of crime
00:37:17over and over and over. And you know, when we speak sometimes, Dr. Siposad, and we speak about
00:37:26the response by the authorities to crime in Trinidad and Tobago, it would seem that the
00:37:32authorities, including the police, including ministers of government, including the government,
00:37:38they continue to speak about the same strategies. And again, we're seeing where the police service
00:37:45is talking about more police patrols. So you're always hearing, whether it is violence at the
00:37:51nation's schools, wherever, you're always hearing about more police patrols. And we know,
00:37:57Dr., that this is never, never consistent. Sometimes you have a spike in a community,
00:38:04something happens, you have the police patrol, and then the police officers move on to other
00:38:11troubling hotspots in Trinidad and Tobago. So my point is, there have to be new strategies.
00:38:18There has to be outside-of-the-box thinking. And I think you're absolutely spot on there.
00:38:25And what I would really strongly recommend is we do what is called a gap analysis of the
00:38:31police service. We look at the strategies, the tactics, the resources, etc., that are available
00:38:40within the context of the current crime situation and within the context of a projected crime
00:38:45situation. We do that perhaps by bringing in international experts who can look at what is
00:38:53currently being done, what we have, etc., who are knowledgeable about international best practices,
00:39:01international technologies, etc. And therefore, we would be in a position to point the police service
00:39:08in the direction of some of the things that they need to do to really modernize and bring up to
00:39:15date what is happening in Trinidad and Tobago in the police service and bring it up to international
00:39:22standards. But I dare say, at the same time, while there is a commitment to a public health approach
00:39:29to crime prevention, which we saw at the last CARICOM Heads of Government Conference,
00:39:34and this is something that is aside from interventions and improvements within policing
00:39:40and the police service, while we hear a lot of talk and commitment, at least on paper,
00:39:46to the public health approach, we are not seeing it happening at all. And this is the
00:39:53major, major shortcoming that is happening that I keep seeing that successive governments,
00:39:58you know, over the years, it's not something specific to any government, have fallen short on.
00:40:03They are leaving all of the drivers of the problem in place, whether it be in families
00:40:08and schools and communities, very little attention paid to the problems, the issues
00:40:16that are creating the crime problem in the first place. And it's no surprise, therefore,
00:40:20that the crime is going to keep coming and coming. And then the criminal justice system,
00:40:25including the police, is going to be overwhelmed when it comes to dealing with the problem.
00:40:30Which leads me to this question, Doctor. Is the police listening to advice? Are governments,
00:40:40and I'm speaking in general, I'm speaking about successive governments, I'm speaking about this
00:40:44government also, are they taking advice? And when I say advice from experts such as you,
00:40:50international experts, when it comes to really dealing with this whole issue of crime?
00:40:58My sense is that they are indeed very open to the advice. Government is very approachable,
00:41:05the police is very approachable, and the meetings are always very cordial. So they do listen
00:41:11to international funding agencies like USAID, IDB, to universities, etc. I think the constraint
00:41:19comes in when it comes to the financial resources that will allow for implementation.
00:41:28And I dare say that if that is one of the big constraints,
00:41:32then government needs to become a bit more creative in terms of how they leverage the
00:41:37resources that are out there, how they source funding. So there are agencies which are very,
00:41:43very interested in the crime and security problem. Some of these agencies like USAID
00:41:48take the initiative, they do the studies, they design the interventions, and they come in and
00:41:54intervene, as will be happening in the not-too-distant future when it comes to gangs
00:42:01in Trinidad and Tobago, and in a couple of other Caribbean countries. But government needs to reach
00:42:07out, interface with these agencies, to seek creative ways to get funding, to even use the
00:42:15criminal justice system, I dare say, as it is used in some countries, as a means of generating
00:42:21funding. And that is something that could be done. And if we are creative enough, we can find
00:42:26those avenues to control crime, but also to generate funding at the same time. And a very
00:42:32good suggestion there is prison industry, just as one little example. You can set up industries
00:42:39within prisons, let's say something like an assembly line, which allow inmates to work,
00:42:44to generate money, to save some of that money, to send the money to their families, to learn skills
00:42:51in the process of engaging in that, to become employed when they leave, and to generate some
00:42:58revenue for the prison system and the state as well in the process. That's just one example, but
00:43:03there are creative ways to make the system work. Let's deal with an issue that you touched on
00:43:11earlier. And I just want to refer you to on, it was yesterday, where three persons were killed
00:43:22outside a fast food outlet in Conupia. That's one. You're talking about in broad daylight.
00:43:30And then you had a situation where last night, again, someone was killed on South Quay in Port
00:43:38of Spain, just opposite City Gate. And these are areas where we can say they are high areas of
00:43:48activity. What is this saying about the criminal element? No, this is not something that is
00:43:55surprising. This is something that we see in other countries. And I'll give you the example of St
00:44:00Kitts as a parallel. I was there just the other day, speaking to security personnel. And they were
00:44:06giving the example that, quite often, when it comes to inter-gang rivalries, gang members cannot
00:44:13really go into the community of another gang, because then they become susceptible to
00:44:19violence. So what they will do instead is they will target gang members in public places. And
00:44:26in the case of St Kitts, they were talking about the Basseterre area, where a lot of gang-related
00:44:31murders occur. And the same kind of thing happens in Trinidad and Tobago. But of course the
00:44:37situation is a bit different, because the gang problem is much more entrenched in Trinidad and
00:44:42Tobago. But at the same time, not all of the murders are gang-related. So what it says is that
00:44:50criminal elements in Trinidad and Tobago have become so emboldened that they will come into
00:44:56public places where people will see their faces, where they could be filmed and caught in the act,
00:45:03so to speak, where people can see their vehicles. No doubt they would have false number plates on
00:45:08their vehicles. But where there is ample witness and ample opportunity for collecting evidence.
00:45:15And what it says to me is that the criminal element has come to recognize that the state
00:45:22systems and infrastructure in place to deal with crime is perhaps so inadequate that they could
00:45:29even be caught on camera in the act, and nothing will happen. And that really is a very, very bad
00:45:34situation. And you have ample evidence of that. I mean, you have people brandishing weapons on
00:45:41social media, their faces are clearly visible, yet you will hear nothing happening, despite the fact
00:45:48that you have the video evidence. So something is seriously, seriously wrong when we reach the point
00:45:55that people can simply walk out in public, commit a crime in front of everybody, and nothing happens,
00:46:01and people know it. And this will encourage the continuation of that kind of wanton destruction
00:46:08and disregard for law and order. Yeah. Two questions. So is it that you think the criminal
00:46:14element, they have accepted their fate, which could be death or prison? And also, what does
00:46:21this situation mean for members of the public who are going about their business? Right. So for some
00:46:28of them, that is the case. And we do have some communities in Trinidad and Tobago, impoverished
00:46:33communities, lack of opportunities in those communities where there are youths who are so
00:46:38dispossessed that they really do think that they're not going to live beyond 20 or 25.
00:46:45And in that case, you find that there is nothing that will hold these youths down. There is nothing
00:46:51that will scare them, nothing that will threaten them, whether it's prison, whether it's the police.
00:46:57And when you have that kind of fatalistic attitude, those persons, especially the younger ones,
00:47:03they are very, very difficult to control. You'll find any level of violence happening. Now,
00:47:09the thing about it is that that is not something that we just have to despair about. That is
00:47:14something that we can do something about, because we have to turn around some of these communities
00:47:19in Trinidad and Tobago that are suffering from that type of discrimination, social exclusion,
00:47:25and marginalization by the provision of opportunities, through skills development,
00:47:31through the changing of attitudes and values, and very concentrated and sustained efforts within
00:47:37these communities. But until we do so, you ask, what does that mean for the persons,
00:47:43the public in Trinidad and Tobago? Unfortunately, it means that the public remain sitting ducks
00:47:51in Trinidad and Tobago, because there are persons who will kill you with impunity. They will do so
00:47:58without any fear, and they will keep coming, until we do something to change that mindset,
00:48:05to deal with the persons, meaning the perpetrators, as human beings, to understand what are the
00:48:11drivers that are pushing them, including the psychological trauma, the PTSD, etc., that they
00:48:18may face from living in communities that are gang communities, from living in communities that
00:48:25are riddled with violence, but not only dealing with them as persons, but providing the opportunities,
00:48:33changing the opportunity structures within these communities. Yeah, and you know, doctor, what you're
00:48:38telling us here, that we are living in difficult times, but doctor, is there a light at the end of
00:48:45all of this darkness? It very much depends. It depends on the decisions that the key decision
00:48:53makers take. If there is inaction, there is going to be no light at the end of the tunnel. It's going
00:48:59to get worse. Gangs are going to spread into traditionally non-gang communities. The problem
00:49:05is going to widen at a pace that is going to continue to outpace the criminal justice
00:49:11system's ability to deal with it. So if we don't want to get swallowed up into a great big black
00:49:17hole of crime, which we seem to be heading in that direction, we need to take action. We need to find
00:49:24the funding that allows us to take the decisive action. We need to take those steps, such as a
00:49:30gap analysis of the police service, revamp the police service, bring all of the modern technologies,
00:49:36you know, and then I gave an example the other day of the Mon Repo police station. They don't
00:49:42even have a printer in the station, you know, and officers have to walk with their personal printers
00:49:49to work if they want to print a document. That should not be happening. We should be at a cutting
00:49:54edge in the police service. Resources should be given to the police service or managed in such a
00:50:00way that allows for not just those basic things, but cutting-edge technologies and training and
00:50:06all of that. So we really need to bring our criminal justice system into the modern age,
00:50:12technology and otherwise, and do those things that research shows will bring us out of this
00:50:18situation, but it can be done. Yeah, you know, doctor, let me ask you this question because it's
00:50:26something I've been playing with and thinking of for a while now. Of course, we in the media, we
00:50:33continue to report on what is happening, re-crime and other issues in Trinidad and Tobago,
00:50:39and you know, sometimes we are accused of sensationalizing the issue. My argument is, well,
00:50:47if there's no crime, then there would be nothing to report, right? And then you, a criminologist,
00:50:54you're studying this issue of crime on a daily basis, and some people will tell you it's not as
00:51:00bad as some people are making it out to be. How serious do you think is the crime situation in
00:51:10Trinidad and Tobago? The statistics speak for themselves, right? It is a very serious situation.
00:51:17We have the CAPA statistics. It's very easy to compare the CAPA statistics to statistics of
00:51:24other countries in the region if we want to use the Caribbean as our, you know, area for comparison.
00:51:30We will definitely see that Trinidad is way up at the top when it comes to violent crimes,
00:51:35including murders. Jamaica is about the only country that will surpass Trinidad and Tobago
00:51:41in terms of gangs and crime, generally speaking, and the situation is far worse, I dare say,
00:51:48than is reflected in police statistics. One of the things about police statistics is that it
00:51:55really under-represents the true amount of crime that is happening, because many crimes are
00:52:01actually not reported to the police. So if you look at successive victimization surveys, when
00:52:08you go out there to the public and you ask the public, have you been a victim of crime, and if so,
00:52:13what types, invariably, including for Trinidad and Tobago, you will find that the amount of crime that
00:52:20is happening is far more than the media is aware of, and far more than the police is aware of.
00:52:28So I do not think that we can underestimate and understate the amount of crime that is
00:52:34actually happening in Trinidad and Tobago. Doctor, I just have about 30 seconds again.
00:52:39Your perspective as to what is happening in Tobago, because we have seen a spike.
00:52:44Right, so in Tobago, one of the things that seems to be happening is that gangs are beginning,
00:52:51and I dare say beginning, to play a much greater role in what is happening with crime.
00:52:58At this point, I am very happy to let you know that USAID is going to have a consultation
00:53:03in Tobago very shortly to find out much more about the gang situation there, so that they can
00:53:10design and implement something to deal with that particular problem, and I think now is the time.
00:53:16We need to catch it in the early stages, because Tobago is a very different dynamic
00:53:20from Trinidad and Tobago, but gangs represent one of the key concerns that is really rising
00:53:26in Tobago at present. Yeah, Dr. Sipesad, it's always a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you
00:53:30very much for your time and your perspective this morning. Until we speak again, take care. Bye for
00:53:36now. All right, so it's time for a quick break, but we do have this for you. It's
00:53:40an image sent to us by a viewer. All right, we're coming back, everybody.
00:53:57Hey, love. Are you excited for date night tonight? I'm seeing you at five, right?
00:54:01Of course, babe. I'll see you at five.
00:54:31I've definitely seen a difference in my knees, the stiffness in my hips. Because it's an oil
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00:55:13So I celebrate in Jesus.
00:55:30This time check is brought to you by Flow. Rediscover Flow at discoverflow.co. Flow,
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00:55:47Good morning. I'm Jewel Brown with your TV6 News morning update. Three men were ambushed,
00:55:53shot and killed on Sunday afternoon outside a Pizza Boys outlet at Southern Main Road,
00:55:58Canopia. Police say shortly after 12 noon, the three men, Dave Lyons, Jamali Goddard and Earl
00:56:05Peters Jr. had just bought items at the outlet and were about to leave when the car they were in,
00:56:11a Subaru, was struck from behind. Two men came out and, using high-powered rifles, shot all three
00:56:18men in the car. They all died at the scene. The bullets shattered the front glass of the restaurant
00:56:25nearby. Lyons was said to be a Coast Guard officer, while Goddard was known to the police as
00:56:31he was believed to have information about another killing. In other news, Senior Counsel Ramesh
00:56:40Lawrence-Maraj is pursuing all legal avenues to ensure the Tod's Road Hindu Temple in San Fernando
00:56:47does not lose land given to it in 1951. He explains at a briefing on Sunday morning,
00:56:54Cabinet has sought to give one hectare of the land to the Housing Development Corporation
00:57:00to build a 72-apartment complex. But the Senior Counsel says he's filing an appeal on Monday
00:57:07because the Cabinet decision got the approval of a High Court judge whom he said erred in her
00:57:12judgment of the case. Mr. Maraj says the land has been earmarked for a primary and technical school
00:57:19and must not be allowed to be used for the construction of the apartments, which according
00:57:24to him, does not have the approval of the Town and Country Planning Division.
00:57:55So the Cabinet, although it made a decision on the 8th of September 2022
00:58:04for this land to be transferred to the HGC, we have no problem you could transfer the
00:58:11land to the HGC but what you cannot do is to build housing units.
00:58:15Now for a look at the weather. Today, initially hot and sunny with increasing cloudiness as the
00:58:26day progresses with showers in varying localities but favouring western areas of Trinidad. There's
00:58:32a low to medium chance of showers becoming heavy or thundery in a few areas. Gusty winds,
00:58:39and street or flash flooding can occur in or near heavy showers and thunderstorms.
00:58:52The TV6 Daily Health Tip is brought to you by Omega XL.
00:58:57Did you know that the prostate, a small gland located just below the bladder in men,
00:59:02plays a significant role in our reproductive system? It's not a topic we discuss every day
00:59:07but understanding it can be crucial, especially when it comes to prostate cancer. Prostate cancer
00:59:12is one of the most common types of cancer among men but many are unaware of its basics and the
00:59:17importance of early detection. Let's dive into some essential insights that every man should know.
00:59:23Firstly, what exactly is prostate cancer? Well, it's a condition where cells within
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00:59:33and if left unchecked, serious complications. Now who's at risk? While prostate cancer can affect
00:59:39any man, certain factors increase the risk's age, particularly if you're over 50, family history,
00:59:45and even your race, with African-American men being at a higher risk. Moreover, lifestyle
00:59:50choices like diet and exercise play a part too. How can we detect it early? There are a couple of
00:59:56key screening methods, the PSA test and the digital rectal exam. These aren't every man's
01:00:00favorite appointments but they're crucial for catching the disease before it shows symptoms.
01:00:05Speaking of symptoms, they can vary but often include issues like difficulty urinating or the
01:00:10presence of blood in urine. If you're experiencing any such symptoms, it's vital to consult a health
01:00:16care professional immediately. If diagnosed, the treatment options depend on the stage and
01:00:20aggressiveness of the cancer. These can range from surgery and radiation therapy to hormone therapy
01:00:26and even chemotherapy. It's a journey but one you won't have to walk alone.
01:00:30Living with prostate cancer isn't just about managing physical symptoms. Emotional support
01:00:35from family, friends, and support groups plays a critical part in the journey. And let's not forget
01:00:41prevention. A healthy lifestyle isn't just good for your heart, it can also reduce your risk of
01:00:46prostate cancer. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking are all key components. Also,
01:00:52inflammation plays a significant role in prostate cancer. Chronic inflammation can damage DNA,
01:00:59creating an environment where cancer cells can thrive. This persistent inflammation not
01:01:04only damages tissues but also alters cellular behavior, leading to the uncontrolled growth
01:01:09characteristic of cancer. Understanding the link between inflammation and cancer
01:01:14helps us realize the importance of managing inflammation. Lifestyle factors such as diet,
01:01:21physical activity, and avoiding smoking can influence inflammation levels in the body.
01:01:27In conclusion, being informed and proactive about prostate cancer is crucial.
01:01:31With early detection and proper treatment, many men continue to lead fulfilling lives.
01:01:36If you or someone you know is over 50 or at high risk, encourage them to talk to their doctor about
01:01:41prostate cancer screening. It's a conversation that could save a life. Remember, you're not
01:01:46alone in this. Reach out, get screened, and take charge of your health today.
01:01:50Note, for more information, contact your local health care providers.
01:01:56The TV6 Daily Health Tip was brought to you by OmegaXL.
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01:04:00All right, so welcome back, everyone. So it's time now for our weekly business breakfast segment.
01:04:06With us now is Rodney Boudram, Senior Financial Advisor at the Unitrust Corporation. Mr. Boudram,
01:04:12good morning, and thank you very much for joining us. Good morning. Thank you for having us,
01:04:16and good morning to all the viewers. All right, so thank you very much again. All right, so we're
01:04:22speaking about now investing in our children's future. When it comes to this, Mr. Boudram,
01:04:30let's talk a little bit about some of the initiatives, plans, if I can put it that way,
01:04:36that the UTC has in place when it comes to investing in our children's future.
01:04:45Well, the number one plan that we have is our Children Invest Startup Plan.
01:04:50It is one of those plans that was created for you to be able to put away a little funds every month
01:04:56towards your child's education, be it you want to meet a secondary school goal or university goal.
01:05:02Whatever goal you have in mind for your child is to be able to put away some
01:05:06funds towards that child's education. Yeah, and you're speaking about putting a little bit,
01:05:13little funds every month. How little are we speaking about?
01:05:18Well, it's just $100 to open that account. It's not much. Again, if you can't afford more,
01:05:24it's you figuring out that amount, one to put away for your kids. Let me give you an example
01:05:30just to drive that point home. Let's say you wanted a plan for your child's university.
01:05:35The average cost is around $3,000 per module at UE, and then you're looking at 30 courses you
01:05:41have to do. That's $90,000 plus some added stuff. So if you know that is where you want your child
01:05:46to go now and your child was just born about three or four months ago, you can figure that
01:05:52goal out and you're looking at around probably around 19 years towards university and start
01:05:59putting away some funds. Again, it's you figuring it. So while I said, yes, you can put away a little
01:06:04and 100 is the goal, but it's you figuring out what you want for your child and then trying to
01:06:09meet that demand or that goal. Yeah. And let's talk about the period. So is it that
01:06:17there is a maturity time that this plan that we're speaking about, it matures in how many years?
01:06:28Well, there's no maturity period. You have access to your funds at any time.
01:06:33Again, putting the goal and the reason why we said children investors start a plan.
01:06:37It's just a way for you to know, hey, I'm saving towards my child. I'm not going to take out that
01:06:42funds from the account. You want to make sure that you're putting away. So there's no maturity. So
01:06:47again, let's give another example. As life progress, salary gets better. You can put away more.
01:06:53That's one. Two, as life progress, let's say something happens around standard four, your
01:07:00child is in standard four. You can't afford the lessons for the child. Granted, you are sending
01:07:06the child to lessons. You can take some funds out to help with that need or books might be a hurdle
01:07:12at that time. You do. You can take all the funds. Let's say secondary school that happens. So the
01:07:18funds are there for you to utilize for the child. You can access the funds. What we did at the
01:07:23corporation is just put a goal for you. You're saving towards your child's education. So by naming
01:07:29it Children's Investor Startup Plan, it's you investing in your child, be it education or
01:07:35whatever you want to invest in your child. You want to try to put away the funds and you can use
01:07:40it at any time. All right. So let's fine tune this a little more, because I think for parents who may
01:07:46be looking at us right now, sir, they may be thinking, look, if I invest in this plan, what
01:07:52am I going to get in dollars and cents? So if I invest $100, is it that in five years,
01:07:59what do I get in 10 years? What do I get? And so on. Well, we can't project in terms of investment,
01:08:07because based on how the portfolio is built, it's built with bonds and stocks in mind. So it's a
01:08:12portfolio with good investments that over the longer period you can get. For example, it's you
01:08:20knowing what you're putting away for the child. So let's say it was $1,000 a year for 19 years.
01:08:25I'm just using an arbitrary figure. That's $19,000 that you're looking at you will have in 19 years.
01:08:32In terms of the growth that it will have, plus the interest that it will receive,
01:08:36I can't give you a projection on that, but it will be growing over time.
01:08:43But it's going to be over the $19,000 that I would have invested, right?
01:08:48Right. Remember, you get compounded interest as it goes along. So annually $1,000, next year $2,000,
01:08:53$3,000, and the funds grow as it goes along. Yeah. When we're speaking about a plan such as this,
01:09:00who's this plan for?
01:09:05Well, as with any investment plan, it's you trying to meet your goal, and it can be for anyone at
01:09:14any point in time. So the Remedy Unitrust Corporation was created years ago with the
01:09:22everyday man in mind to give them the opportunity to invest in good stocks and bonds, and our mutual
01:09:28funds contain those assets. So it gives you an opportunity to put a little away, or whatever
01:09:34your need is at that time, or whatever your goal is, you can now start contributing monthly towards
01:09:40that goal to be able to assist you in meeting that goal that you have, be it it's your child's
01:09:46education or whatever it may be, you are trying to meet that particular goal. Yeah. But you know,
01:09:53we do have a feeling, a perception in Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Boudram, that investing,
01:10:01it is for wealthy people, people who have money, not for poor people, the normal man.
01:10:08Right. So that is why I would drive the point home that the Corporation was created years ago
01:10:14to allow people, and if you look at our monthly amounts to start an account, it's $100. It's not
01:10:20much. It's you now figuring out, can I afford that $100? And that's the first step there now,
01:10:26and then you tell yourself, can I afford $200? And then as you go along, but I think what has
01:10:32helped me in seeing my customers over the years is putting that goal and that need towards what
01:10:38you're looking for. So let's give an example. You want to build a house. The first step you're
01:10:44looking at is you'll need a down payment. In most cases, it's 10%. So let's say $100,000 is that 10%,
01:10:51and the legal fees are 50. And in six years is what I'm looking at building my home. Then you
01:10:59have six years in which to save. So you now can figure out that amount and discipline yourself,
01:11:05or put some measure of you putting away the money into an account that could help you.
01:11:12And the money grows at the same time. So once it grows at the same time, you get some interest,
01:11:17you're able to meet your goal faster. So that is what has helped is that it's for the everyday man,
01:11:24but again, tying the goal for them allows them the discipline or you're pushing towards
01:11:30meeting that particular goal. Yeah. I want to speak a little bit about, and you did touch on
01:11:36some of them earlier, but let's speak a little bit about the benefits for the, again, for the
01:11:42parents who are looking at us right now. Let's speak about the benefits and how plans such as
01:11:48these would help the parent and students and children cope with whatever financial challenges
01:12:00they may encounter in the future, re-education and so on. But the number one thing I would think is
01:12:07being able to access quality education and quality education in the sense that, again,
01:12:13we spoke about the lessons. If you can't afford it at that time and the funds you would have put
01:12:17away for almost seven years prior, you are able to now access that to help you with that need.
01:12:26Or you're going on to university and you are able to, you know, meet some of that expenses so that
01:12:32not too much comes out from your own savings. It comes out from what you put away towards the
01:12:37child's education. On the other hand, by you showing your child you're putting away towards
01:12:43education on a monthly basis, it creates that perception in the child's mind that, hey, I need
01:12:49to be doing that also. My mom is investing in my life. It may give them that opportunity to say I
01:12:55need to, you know, work harder to make sure I get the results to show them. But the number one thing
01:13:00that I have seen with customers, and again, we said before as life progresses, career gets better,
01:13:06salary may get better. You may not touch the funds that you put away to your child's education.
01:13:12You want to do at the same time, it creates generational wealth. And how does it create
01:13:17generational wealth? Some of these parents are coming in now, closing the account and transferring
01:13:22it to their grandkids. And that is at the same time because they didn't use the funds to their
01:13:29children's education, they are now able to assist with their grandkids' education or they're just
01:13:34gifting it to the grandkids depending on the age. So to me, the generational wealth part is key.
01:13:42It helps, it shows, and you're able to assist your grandkids. How can the UTC help people
01:13:52when it comes to considering and starting an investment plan for their children's future?
01:13:59So is it that, again, for parents who are viewing us right now, so is it that I can come into the
01:14:07UTC, I can call the UTC, I can contact the UTC via its social media platforms and so on, and ask
01:14:13for an appointment, and I sit down with a financial advisor and we discuss this plan for our children?
01:14:24It's as simple as that. Right, so you can have, yes, it's as simple as that. You can call our
01:14:29contact center to schedule an appointment. You can go into our branch to be able to schedule
01:14:34an appointment. There's different ways you can reach out to our social media. There's different
01:14:39ways that you can. And once you come in, you're able to sit with us, and again, the figures that
01:14:44I draw there is trying to figure out that goal that you have in mind for your child. Where do
01:14:49you see your child in 20 years or 15 years, depending on the time you come in, and putting
01:14:55a figure to that and allowing you to see if towards that goal. And again, by you creating
01:15:00that vision for your child, you are able to now show the child that at the same time. And you know,
01:15:04and you're working with them, and you're planning for that goal that you have in mind for them.
01:15:10And at the same time, once you're coming in, it's two forms of ID, a utility bill, job letter,
01:15:15or payslip in order to open the account. And an added point, up until August 30th, if you come in,
01:15:22and again, we want to celebrate with the SCA children, all those that were successful,
01:15:28come in with your SCA slip. $200 from the corporation will match your $100 deposit
01:15:35to start that CISP account. Now, children investors start a plan. Normally, when you come in,
01:15:42you deposit your $100, the corporation matches it with $100. But this time, the SCA children,
01:15:49we're giving them $200 just to celebrate with them in terms of their SCA results.
01:15:55How early should parents begin investing in plans such as these?
01:16:03I would say immediately. For example, when my son was born, it was three years ago,
01:16:09I was able to after three months, open an account for him. And it allows me that opportunity or that
01:16:15full 19 years, or 20 year period in which to start contributing towards his education or
01:16:23in future, the funds that I'm putting away may have to defer some of the cost for his education.
01:16:29Or some parents, when the child is going into primary school, they start or secondary school.
01:16:37But also, I've seen some parents do milestones. So for example, the child is one year,
01:16:43they open the account, they put in some funds. Two, three, four, 15 years, every year for the
01:16:49birthday, they contribute some funds. Again, it's you finding that model. So while we were saying
01:16:54making a monthly contribution, you're not tied to a monthly contribution, you can make an annual
01:16:58deposit, you can make every six months or again, every birthday for the child, you're contributing
01:17:05some savings towards them. Yeah. Parents can also make a lump sum. And parents can also make a
01:17:13lump sum. Yes, they can make a lump sum if they wish us. Yeah. Mr. Boudram, anything else you'd
01:17:19like to tell us before you leave us this morning? Well, I'd like everyone to remember, as I said
01:17:25before, the SEA campaign, we have the CISPR Children Investor Startup Plan campaign. The
01:17:31time is now to start and invest in your child's future. You have until August 30th, again, to
01:17:38take advantage of that opportunity for us to celebrate with your child with the $200
01:17:43to match your deposit. But on the other hand, once you have a child and you heard that you're
01:17:49planning towards your child's future, come in at the corporation. Two forms of ID, utility bill,
01:17:54job letter or payslip, and we can open an account for you and let's start investing in your child's
01:18:00future. Yeah. Mr. Boudram, thank you very much for speaking with us this morning. Bye for now.
01:18:05No problem. Thank you very much for having us. Of course. All right. So we are going to a very
01:18:09short break. We're coming back, everybody.
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01:19:39Slavery. A terrible time in our history. The kidnapping, buying and selling of people for
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01:20:29A message from the counter-trafficking unit of the Ministry of National Security.
01:20:33How am I? I'm cool. I'm real good. I try to be invisible when they reach home, but they see me.
01:20:48They always see me. Oh, how about my parents? They're doing great. Everybody's well. I have
01:20:54bruises and marks that I have to make up stories about when people ask me. What they say? I fall
01:21:00off my bike. You know what it is? They beat me up and I'm tired of lying. Once, just once, I want
01:21:08to say, no, I'm not fine. Please, someone, just help me. Children have rights.
01:21:30You're not fine.
01:21:52Every cent you have gambled it all. The children crying.
01:21:58All right, so welcome back everyone.
01:22:11So we're speaking about now the St. James Police Youth Club Crime Prevention Vacation
01:22:17Camp and we do have in studio Malik Shabadi, Secretary, PRO of the St. James Police Youth
01:22:24Club Project XL and we also have Elena Stewart, Second Vice President, Social Media Officer
01:22:30at the St. James Police Youth Club Project XL.
01:22:33Thank you very much for coming.
01:22:35Thank you for having us.
01:22:36All right, so Malik, tell us about this Crime Prevention Vacation Camp.
01:22:41Yes, so we start today, the 15th of July and we go for five weeks until the 16th of August.
01:22:50We cater to the needs of people between the ages of 5 to 17 and this camp is a promise
01:22:56to be a very creative and friendly space for everyone and it's definitely going to be a
01:23:03very extravagant camp this year.
01:23:06Elena, I see you shaking your head there, you know.
01:23:10Malik says creative and friendly space.
01:23:13Let's talk a little bit about that.
01:23:14What's in store for the persons who want to come to this vacation camp?
01:23:18So, what we have in store, we have indoor and outdoor activities.
01:23:24We also have persons from the police service, fire service, and the community science force.
01:23:32We have them coming to do lectures with the children.
01:23:36We also have them going outdoor.
01:23:38We have outdoor activities which may include going to the mountain branch, going to Harring's
01:23:45water park, and also to the botanical gardens just beneath us.
01:23:49Yeah, so Malik, we have to pay for this?
01:23:52Yes, sir, correct.
01:23:53Okay, all right.
01:23:55So, the payment is $100 registration per person, which is mandatory, and then we have $50 for
01:24:01five weeks, weekly payments.
01:24:03So, in total, it will be $350 for one camper this year.
01:24:07Yeah, Malik, it sounds to be a steal of a deal, you know.
01:24:11Who came up with that?
01:24:13Your father?
01:24:13Yes, sir.
01:24:15Good morning, Mr. Shabadi.
01:24:17Right, so Elena, so is it you're saying that the camp begins today?
01:24:23So, there is still room for people to register for the camp?
01:24:26Yes, we currently have registration ongoing.
01:24:30So, persons who may have not registered as yet, they can come down to our center from
01:24:36today from 10 a.m to 3 p.m.
01:24:39We have registration ongoing.
01:24:41Yeah, will you give us the ages again?
01:24:43Five to 17, sir.
01:24:45Right, so, all right, so let's speak about this dimension to things.
01:24:52Parents drop off their children who are five years old, so we're speaking about the supervision
01:25:00of these young children.
01:25:02Speak about that for me.
01:25:04Okay, so definitely the supervision is with the manager and founder, Officer Shabadi,
01:25:09and we have also the parent body, our parent body, and the youth executive body who oversees
01:25:16the entirety of the camp and supervision is included as well.
01:25:20Yes, but I want to speak about also the safety of the children at the camp.
01:25:26Speak a little bit about that for me.
01:25:29Okay, so as you say, it's a creative and friendly space.
01:25:32We want everyone to feel safe when they're at the St. James Police Youth Club.
01:25:36So definitely, as you would say, the supervision is mandatory and paramount for our campers,
01:25:43and we make sure and tell parents to come at a certain time so that when we are there,
01:25:48supervision starts one time.
01:25:50Yeah, so the, of course, it starts today, so you drop off your children at what time?
01:25:58So you can drop off your children within the hours of 9 a.m.
01:26:04We officially start at 10 and then move our way to 3.
01:26:08So the period between 9 to 10, that's basically for drop off to ensure because some parents may
01:26:13have their jobs, you know, so we have drop off some 9 a.m. and we officially start at 10 a.m.
01:26:21Okay, let's talk a little bit because I think that the difference between this
01:26:28vacation camp and other vacation camps is the issue of crime prevention.
01:26:36Touch on that a little bit for me.
01:26:38Okay, well, this camp is a proactive approach to crime prevention.
01:26:42That's our main goal for this camp this year.
01:26:45So definitely, we want kids to come down and experience St. James Police Youth Club, you know,
01:26:49instead of being on the block every night, instead of living with negative friends,
01:26:54come on down at the St. James Police Youth Club and be around that positivity, be around that,
01:26:59you know, diversity of all sorts of mixture of children coming together.
01:27:04And it's definitely a really good thing for children to come on down
01:27:08and we do assure them that it will be a fun camp this year.
01:27:12Yeah, Elena, speak about the importance of police youth clubs and more so if you wish to.
01:27:22Speak about the St. James Police Youth Club when it comes to the intervention of the police youth
01:27:31club and also the expertise of the people at the police youth club in shaping that young mind
01:27:41of the individual and so creating an individual that the society should be proud about.
01:27:54Okay, so I'll start with the St. James Police Youth Club.
01:27:58Firstly, at our centre, we have persons with different sorts of backgrounds.
01:28:05So we have persons in the education sector, we have persons in the defence force,
01:28:12which we like to call our, we have alumni. We also have persons from the police.
01:28:17We have persons from, you know, persons who may do more hands-on work in the sense of they may
01:28:26have, we have carpentry, agriculture. So those are stuff that we have at our centre,
01:28:32which, you know, children may not always have that at, so at, maybe I would like to say,
01:28:40at free of cost, you know, so children will come because it's not only, we don't only have,
01:28:49the centre is not only for children who, I would like to say, misbehave. It's for everyone,
01:28:56not just children, young adults and, you know, adolescents, you know. So we have persons who
01:29:02would, these people that we have at our centre, basically would, you know, we have courses that
01:29:10can help the children. We have, you know, we have a mentorship programme for young men.
01:29:16We have, as I said, we have the agriculture, we have women empowerment, we have filmmaking.
01:29:21So these are things that we have for children to be active, as well as other, the other youth clubs
01:29:28in Trinidad and Tobago, they also carry a list of these activities. So, you know, we have a wide
01:29:35range of stuff, so children could come down, be active, you know, be influenced, you know,
01:29:41children who may want to further their studies. We also have, you know, persons in, as I said,
01:29:47the education sector. So we have a lot of things, by extension, other youth clubs, you know, that,
01:29:53you know, basically help all the children. And as I said, it's not only just for children who
01:29:59misbehave, but it's for everyone. Yeah, all positive activities, right? And a positive
01:30:05environment. Yes. Let's talk a little bit also about, again, the impact that you're seeing
01:30:16police youth clubs have on young people. Well, definitely a positive impact on young people.
01:30:26I believe once the kids come into the youth club, there's sort of a change within them, a positive
01:30:32change within them, because at first, they wouldn't want to come to youth club. They were like, why,
01:30:36why must come here? Why, why? So, and then by the end of the day, they'll say, oh my God, I need to
01:30:42come back here again tomorrow. So it's definitely, we see a positive impact daily with the campers,
01:30:49and by extension, members of the St. James Police Youth Club. So I would say it's a major impact of
01:30:55the police youth clubs that they play on a kid's role, inclusive of the parents and such. Yeah.
01:31:01But how does one register their child for a police youth club? Okay, so in terms of registration
01:31:09for a police youth club, I'd like to, I'll just touch on our centre of this, and then I'll tell
01:31:15you a little bit. So for our centre, you can come down within, well, as we have camp within the
01:31:21hours of 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. We have registration forms at hand. Also, you can contact
01:31:30us via social media or via email at stjamespyc.office. Yeah. You know, I have had so much
01:31:43contact with, with your club by your father. But I, I don't know where the youth club is.
01:31:50Where is it? Where is it located? We are located at number five, Cerulean Road, Pitti Valley.
01:31:56Yeah, write that down. I have to write that down too. Right. So if we can put up the flyer again
01:32:04for them. Yeah. Elena, any final thoughts? Any final words you'd like to share with us concerning
01:32:11the camp? So as we said, this is a, we want to create a safe and friendly space and environment.
01:32:21We are inviting all persons, you know, within ages of five. We don't only have from five to
01:32:2717, but we also have till 21. So if you're 21, you can come down to our centre. We have registration
01:32:33ongoing. We have a lot, a lot of activities, indoor and outdoor. And you know, we just would
01:32:42like to invite all, all children to come on down to our centre. Yeah, from what I'm seeing there
01:32:47from that flyer, it would seem that you all have an array of activities for the children. Just
01:32:53touching on the issue of meals. Do parents have to provide their meals for the children?
01:32:59Correct. So it's either they want to provide meals for their kids or they could bring money
01:33:06with the kids and we will order KFC for them. Yeah. Order KFC for them and we will send a
01:33:12trust letter to go and get the KFC and bring it back at our centre for lunch.
01:33:18Before, I'd just like to also add, we also have, we also do lunches. Right. When, when, once,
01:33:26once we can. So we do stuff like hot dogs, we make it like pizzas, you know, on specific days.
01:33:34If we go to, if we go out, as I mentioned on our outdoor activities, so not, not every day we
01:33:40would have, you know, so we would interact with the parents and let them know how the,
01:33:45how meals and stuff would be, would be given. Malik threw in some vegetables and fruits.
01:33:52Anything else you'd like to tell us before you leave us this morning? I would just like to echo
01:33:57the words of Miss Elina. Definitely, we want to create a friendly and safe space for all kids
01:34:07between the ages of five, well to 21. And it's definitely a promise to all that this camp would
01:34:14be a very extravagant and exciting one. So please come on down. Yeah. Malik. Go ahead, Elina. Right.
01:34:23And before we close off, I'd also like to add, anyone who is from the public sector, polices,
01:34:31who may want to give, who may want to get in contact with us, you can contact the office at
01:34:37632-6084. That's 632-6084. We accept donation, whether it be monetary donations, in terms of
01:34:48like refreshments, foods, waters, juices, and also cleaning products to upkeep our building as well.
01:34:57Yeah. Thank you very much for coming this morning. And thank you very much to your
01:35:06youth club and all the other youth clubs in Trinidad and Tobago, because I know that they
01:35:11have been doing great work. So I know sometimes that the work is hard, but we do need clubs such
01:35:19as yours in Trinidad and Tobago. And thank you very much for, to your team, who continue,
01:35:25who continues to do the work. Yeah. Thank you for having us. Of course. And we wish you all
01:35:29the best for your youth club crime prevention vacation camp. Thank you. Contact information
01:35:36there. All right, everybody. We're going to a very short break. We'll come back.
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01:37:23A skill online here with this weirdo named Larry. I'm getting rid of him now.
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01:37:41It looking good, boy. I'm putting it online.
01:37:47Hey, I thought you said you went to the beach with your parents.
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01:38:12All right, so welcome back, everyone. So chaos, panic, and pandemonium at a
01:38:41political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday following an assassination attempt
01:38:46on former U.S. President and presidential candidate Donald Trump. Now, Mr. Trump was
01:38:50struck on the air by a bullet before his security details swooped in. Later, blood could be seen
01:38:55streaming down his face. A 20-year-old suspect was eventually shot and killed in connection
01:39:00with the matter. Joining us this morning to speak about the issue is security risk management
01:39:05consultant, retired Major Dirk Barnes. Major Barnes, thank you very much for joining us this
01:39:10morning. Good morning. Good morning, Troy and Tobago, all your viewers, and good morning for
01:39:16having me on the show this morning. Of course, Major. Well, since the incident on Saturday,
01:39:22I think that many of us have been glued to our television sets following this assassination
01:39:30attempt on the former president of the United States, Donald Trump. As you look at what happened
01:39:38and you look at the aftermath, because now I think that people are looking at the
01:39:45Secret Service's response to the entire situation, what's your feeling this morning as you look at it?
01:39:54Well, I think there's a lot of information still to come in because a lot of focus has
01:39:57been placed on the Secret Service and their part to play in this debacle. But the challenge would be,
01:40:03where was the intelligence units within the United States infrastructure, security infrastructure,
01:40:09what pre-existed that would have allowed this matter to be averted? We heard that Mr. Cooks
01:40:16would have been able to gain access to our roof within the area of influence of the Secret Service
01:40:23zoning, and he was able to put a few shots onto the rally itself before he himself was killed.
01:40:29That area should have been covered by the Secret Service, by all reports. So, there's a lot of
01:40:33questions to be answered as to why it wasn't covered, why was the Secret Service not there?
01:40:40And then there are some reports that some people had made a report to the law enforcement,
01:40:48observed the gentleman climbing on the roof with a firearm, and the law enforcement made an attempt
01:40:54to investigate and intercept prior to the shots being taken, and he pointed the weapon at one
01:40:59law enforcement agent who retreated. At that point, there should have been a command across
01:41:03the radio net that would have caused the Secret Service safe haven zone to collapse onto the
01:41:10former president. That obviously didn't happen because he got a chance to get some shots off.
01:41:15So, the zoning, the communication, the intelligence, all of these things seem to have
01:41:19failed former President Trump at the time of the rally. Yeah, I know that an investigation has
01:41:28been launched and is underway into the Secret Service's handling of the entire situation,
01:41:37I know that. But do you expect a review as to the way they conduct the operations of the
01:41:44Secret Service? Because I know that it happened and there was really a shake-up following the
01:41:50assassination of JFK so many years ago. Do you expect to see a shake-up again?
01:41:57Well, it really depends on what comes out of the investigation. Because if you think about it,
01:42:01the Secret Service have been using a Secret Service playbook, which should have been
01:42:05employed for that particular rally. So, that playbook itself would have had certain steps
01:42:09and procedures that would have been observed by all of the agents involved. And you have to
01:42:13imagine that these things are not just one operation. You have multiple operations taking
01:42:18place at the same time to guard a former president and a presidential nominee. So, therefore,
01:42:25as they go into the investigation and they find out where it failed, then some degree of
01:42:30adjustment may take place. It may just be a simple change of personnel who might have not observed
01:42:35the procedures or it might be a complete overhaul of the entire playbook. So, as time goes on and
01:42:41more information comes to pass, we will start to see where this manifests. The challenge here is
01:42:48that you had a 20-year-old U.S. citizen with no former military training able to infiltrate one of
01:42:57the zones, whether it's the middle cordon or the outer cordon, get into an area where with his
01:43:03weapons system, he had influence over the Secret Service's security plan. Now, this is frightening
01:43:12because keep in mind the United States of America, they have a lot of enemies across the globe,
01:43:17and you have highly trained operatives might have been able to do the same thing. So, it is
01:43:22definitely going to be a challenge for them as much as it's an embarrassment at this point in time.
01:43:26Yeah. Also, and I mean that the video is being shown all of the time as to when Mr. Trump was
01:43:37struck and when the Secret Service officers, they jumped into action. And of course, you're hearing
01:43:45the audio and you're hearing the officers speaking and you're hearing them saying,
01:43:50and you're hearing Mr. Trump saying, wait, I have to get my shoes. And then you had a situation where
01:43:57Mr. Trump was throwing his fist into the air and saying some things to the crowd. As you look at
01:44:04that, at that particular shot there, as to what happened immediately, because there is this
01:44:12conversation too, that the officers were communicating all of the time and there may
01:44:21have been a concern, well, they kept Mr. Trump on the stage for too long. But as you look on the
01:44:27surface, of course, we don't have all of the information concerning that, but as you look
01:44:33at how they attempted to get Mr. Trump off of the stage, do you have a view on that?
01:44:39I think the operation itself in terms of getting him off the stage was well-conducted. This is just
01:44:43my opinion, because based on what we saw, I am not entirely sure what information was being sent
01:44:49to the different commanders in that space. I mean, we're talking about a few seconds and they started
01:44:54getting him moving. You also have to appreciate that these Secret Service agents should be
01:44:58applauded because they put their lives ahead of the former president, as they are contracted to.
01:45:05But they did so quickly. It was so effortlessly, because they know that their duty requires them
01:45:11to protect the former president. They got the president out into this vehicle, even though
01:45:15that he would have, as a politician, tried to rally the support of the people at the rally,
01:45:22and they said, nope, this is what we have to do. We have to get you out of here. There's a threat
01:45:26to your life. Let's move. And they did so quite well. Now, a lot of people looking at it are not
01:45:31understanding what's happening behind the scenes. You have several moving pieces at these rallies.
01:45:36It's not just what we saw. And it's not just the Secret Service. You have law enforcement. You have
01:45:42undercover operatives moving along the rally. And all of these people are communicating sometimes
01:45:46on the same net. So there are a number of procedures that are supposed to take place
01:45:50at these events. And that happens right here in Trinidad and Tobago. The same principles for VIP
01:45:55security applies. So with all of these factors, the person who's making the ultimate decision
01:46:01to tell them, OK, move him now, has to do so based on experience, training, and what is happening,
01:46:07his gut calling, so what is happening on the location at that point in time. The president
01:46:12is safe. I think he did an excellent job. Yeah. But what does this say for countries such as
01:46:18Trinidad and Tobago? I mean, we're a small country. Of course, we do have a history of
01:46:26the politics. We love the politics. And we celebrate the politics in a certain way when we
01:46:32do have political meetings, when it's the election time, and so on. And I suspect the question is,
01:46:39if this can happen to the former president of the United States, and we have seen in the US, too,
01:46:49where at least two presidents have been assassinated, right? And we're speaking about
01:46:59the US, which has a lot of resources, a lot of technology at their disposal. What does this say
01:47:05for a smaller country such as Trinidad and Tobago? Well, let's not discount the Trinidad and Tobago
01:47:13Police Service. They are a highly trained organization. The Special Branch does an
01:47:17excellent job and has done an excellent job over the years securing our prime ministers and even
01:47:22the president. So their training is also internationally acclaimed. They have gone to
01:47:28different jurisdictions. Some of them have been trained in Israel, the United States, the UK. So
01:47:33we do receive the same level of training. The command and coordination of the Special Branch
01:47:37for events is of the same sort of standard. So I am of the view that the Trinidad and Tobago Police
01:47:44Service is able to secure our heads of state quite diligently, and will probably put their
01:47:51lives on the line, just as we saw in that video with former President Trump. Needless to say,
01:47:57it also should not be discounted that Trinidad and Tobago, for some strange reason, are moving
01:48:02down a path of violence. And we really need to sort of look internally at our society. What are
01:48:07we teaching to our children? What are we practicing ourselves? You know, and sort of remove that from
01:48:12society, because that's where we're going. Now, the United States, even though they have had
01:48:16assassinations of former presidents, and they continuously have assassination attempts,
01:48:21Trinidad and Tobago is no stranger to violence at that level. We have had two
01:48:26insurrections in this country that took the lives of many, including politicians. So we must not
01:48:33divorce ourselves from history, and pretend as though this could never happen here. It could
01:48:38very well happen here. But the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, I believe, has been doing an
01:48:42excellent job. They continue to train, and I believe that our heads of state are in good hands.
01:48:47Yeah, but there are lessons to be learned as to what transpired on the weekend, of course, right?
01:48:53Of course, yes. And the thing is, the United States, I'm sure, is going to feel a little bit
01:48:57embarrassed, because they are the guardians of democracy across the globe. They speak democracy
01:49:03all the time. So for something like this to be a challenge against democracy yet again,
01:49:08it's going to be a blemish on their record. So I know this, it's hurting them. But they're going to,
01:49:13as normally what the United States will do, they will stand proud, they will, you know,
01:49:17come out from this, they will rethink their strategies, and they will come out bigger and
01:49:20better. That is some of the lessons that we ought to learn across here, that if it is something
01:49:25does not go away, learn from it and persevere after the fact. Yeah, but do you think it also
01:49:31speaks to the issue of gun crimes in the United States, the proliferation of guns in the United
01:49:38States, mass killings and so on? Do you expect to see a change, let's say, in the way that people,
01:49:47and should I say another change in the way that people have access to guns and ammunition in the
01:49:53US? I highly doubt it, because this is, as I said, this has happened over the span of 200 years in
01:50:00US history, and it hasn't changed because of it. So I don't see that happening. And we also have
01:50:05to imagine that this is one man, and this is one man who, for whatever reasons, would have done
01:50:11this, and it wasn't even a firearm that he legally acquired. So at the end of the day,
01:50:16whether it was going to be, whether they have huge gun restrictions or not, if he had that intention,
01:50:23he would find another illegal firearm and do the same thing. It's not the firearm that causes these
01:50:28things, it's the person behind it. That's what we have to look at. Yeah, but again, the question
01:50:34could be asked, but why so many young people are picking up these high-powered weapons?
01:50:38I guess it's the Call of Duty era, you know, they watch these things in video games and they don't
01:50:43understand the finality of life. That's part of our social upbringing. We need to sort of do that
01:50:49as parents, as elders, you know, show everybody that these things that you see in video games
01:50:54are not necessarily the way life really works. They are completely divorced from reality,
01:50:59some of these people. Yeah, but just touching on that point, because that's a very interesting
01:51:04point, Major, where, why do you feel that our young people are so easily influenced? I'm sure
01:51:12that you came from the era where there were songs and messages out there, not very positive songs
01:51:21and not very positive messages, but why didn't our generation decide to pick up guns in an illegal
01:51:29way? And why do you think today you have so many young people doing that, being easily influenced?
01:51:36Well, Andy, one thing I can say to answer that, well, I'm not a psychologist, I don't know the
01:51:41psychology behind some of these people, but I can say this, both my mother and father were in my
01:51:46household. My father was a soldier, my mother was a teacher, we lived in a middle-income household
01:51:51and they raised three sons and we were given certain values and those values I pass on to
01:51:56my children today. This is probably what is missing from society. Yeah, Major, Dirk Barnes,
01:52:03it's always a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you very much for taking the time this morning
01:52:07to give your synopsis and analysis of all of this. We do appreciate it. Bye for now.
01:52:13Thank you for having me. Have a good day. Okay, all right, so it's time for a quick break,
01:52:17but first we do have this for you, an image of the Avocat Waterfall
01:52:22on the North Coast. We're coming back, everybody.
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01:53:24at Pennywise and all leading pharmacies nationwide. The Trinidad Express e-paper is rated AAA,
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01:54:18All right, welcome back everyone. We're hearing of a report of a shooting at Dump Road in Arima.
01:54:25Of course, we will be following up on that for you and we'll have details of that in the TV6
01:54:30news this evening. All right, so that's going to be it for our program for today, but before we go,
01:54:34we leave you with this image. Have a good day everybody. See you tomorrow.
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