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00:00This program is unsuitable for young children.
00:30Beyond the Tape, we'll be back after these messages.
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02:32Last time on Maggie Food Court Caribbean, teams 3 and 4 engaged in a fierce seafood battle,
02:48with team 4 coming out on top.
02:50In this episode, Judge Geron summons the losers to the Court of Appeal
02:54to decide the fate of the losing teams 1 and 2.
02:58This is Losers Appeal.
03:00All rise for the Maggie Food Court Caribbean, Sundays at 6.30 p.m. on TV6.
03:11Me and Maggie, so good together.
03:26Welcome to Beyond the TV.
03:27I'm your host, Mark Bassant.
03:28Welcome to our viewers across Trinidad and Tobago, our international viewers,
03:32and, of course, our brothers and sisters in the Isles of Grenada.
03:36Yes, it's Thursday.
03:37It's one more day before the end of the week.
03:39And, of course, one of the biggest stories over the last couple of hours,
03:44Police Commissioner Alistair Guevara with a team of officers visiting an area in the heights of Guernapu
03:51where apparently we understand there was serious illegal quarrying happening and as a consequence of which informed the media and other personnel there present
04:04that the director of a particular construction company and at least 14 other persons have been arrested and charged.
04:12And, of course, he spoke about that illegal quarrying, how it's damaging the environment and how these persons are forming themselves into gangs
04:22and are taking over these areas, intimidating persons, destroying wildlife and so on.
04:29So, obviously, within the hour, we will bring you more on that and we will listen to what the Commissioner would have told the media and other personnel there.
04:40Well, it's Thursday, of course, and none other than Acting ESP Ishmael Pith from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is with us.
04:49Welcome, sir.
04:50How have your week been?
04:51Not too bad, Mark.
04:53Good afternoon to you.
04:54Good afternoon to Trinidad and Tobago.
04:56Always a pleasure being here.
04:58How have your week been?
04:59That's so far so good.
05:00I know the weather has been playing some tricks on us.
05:03Yes.
05:04And I know maybe in the next 24 hours, 48 hours, we expect some more rainfall from the teal of that supposed tropical storm brewing up there.
05:15Yeah.
05:15Just to the east of the Antilles and so on.
05:17But we've seen this damage of illegal quarrying happening for many years.
05:23Yeah.
05:24And, you know, a lot of these persons operate with impunity, thinking that they are untouchable.
05:30Yes.
05:31And, you know, they intimidate a lot of persons.
05:33A lot of persons have been killed because they've stood up for their rights, for their land and so on over the past couple of years.
05:40Along that east-west corridor, we see a lot of that activity.
05:43Yeah.
05:43Yes, you are absolutely correct.
05:46And, you know, based on the media release, definitely something that has been fueling gang activities.
05:53And it's important as law enforcement that, you know, we arrest the situation and treat with it.
05:58So, apart from the environmental damage, it is also impacting us in terms of fueling the gangs.
06:05Yes.
06:05Giving them that type of financing in order to create what you may call legitimate wealth.
06:10Yeah?
06:11True illegitimate means.
06:12So, it is very important that people understand that no crime type is going to go without that level of consequence.
06:19Yeah, and I imagine that a lot of these hardwares across Trinidad and Tobago, maybe some don't know, maybe some knows about, you know, this aggregate that is taken from these places.
06:33Because I understand the commissioner would have said that this particular company does not have a license to do quarrying.
06:41Yeah.
06:41And if you look at the Ministry of Energy, they will have a list of those who have a legitimate license to actually do quarrying across Trinidad and Tobago.
06:49If you don't have a license, you're not supposed to be quarrying.
06:53And as a consequence of which, a lot of these persons in the past and presently, you know, manipulating the materials and making themselves rich.
07:04Yes.
07:05And by extension, selling it to hardwares, persons who, in some respect, are also complicit.
07:11Of course.
07:11Because if you are aware, and one of the tests we usually use is in terms of the amount of money you are paying for it.
07:18So the amount of money in itself can give you an indication as to how it was obtained.
07:24If you know something to have a value, and the value is probably $1,000, and someone is coming and telling you,
07:29here, what, I'm going to sell it to you for $400, you should automatically question that.
07:34Save and accept there's some other factor that could explain why you are getting it at such a reasonable cost.
07:40So there are a lot of persons who will throw all those things to the wind and go ahead and purchase because it puts them in a position of advantage.
07:47But at the end of the day, you are involving yourself in something that is absolutely wrong.
07:53It is catered for under the LASNI Act.
07:56And those who are in possession of stolen goods and those who are purchasing stolen goods, you are just as guilty as the person who stole it.
08:03Yes.
08:03Well, you know, this work came in tandem with the Director of Minerals in the Ministry of Energy and other personnel,
08:10the multi-agency task force, I believe, as well, Mr. Haynes.
08:13And let's take a listening now on the Commissioner there in the heights of Gunapur.
08:19Thank you, Mr. Haynes.
08:49This is the culmination of what has actually indicated years of dedicated police work by a team of officers from the multi-agency task force led by Superintendent Haynes.
09:05This is a multifaceted, multi-pronged criminal enterprise that does illegal quarrying, illegal mining, and operate in an illegal processing plant without a license.
09:17This essentially is robbing Trinidad and Tobago, you and I and our grandparents and grandchildren and everybody to come after of our patrimony.
09:26They are removing the material which belongs to the state.
09:30And even before they get to this portion, there were trees.
09:32This was pristine forest where wildlife used to be roaming free.
09:35So they cut the trees, they sold that, then they dig the material and they sell that.
09:42And then they dig further down because we have places as far as 60 feet deep on the other side where they extract the gravel material,
09:50use an illegal processing plant to then monetize the illegal gains and sell to the members of the public.
09:57Unassuming you and I, so your houses are probably built with illegal material, my house as well, I can't say.
10:03What that has essentially done, it has raped the treasury of Trinidad and Tobago of millions of dollars that these people now use gang affiliations to keep away from their monetized efforts.
10:17We have several persons who would have lost their lives in the past because of operations similar to this and because of this operation.
10:23So the hard work of Mr. Haynes and his team over the past couple of years has culminated in this study where we have now seized millions of dollars worth of equipment and aggregate material which can now be taken to the court.
10:39We have arrested about 15 persons including the director of the company that run these operations and we are continuing our inquiry.
10:49It is an offense of illegal processing under the Minerals Act.
10:54We have been working along with the director of Minerals who has demanded to treat with illegal quarrying and these things.
11:01Well certainly if people don't know, this is a huge illegal business and from it spans profits of millions of dollars as the commissioner said and there is also that criminal enterprise that is also formed from this ASP pit.
11:20And we just spoke about it in terms of gangs and in terms of being able to fund other types of criminal activities.
11:28So it is very extensive in terms of the far reaching implications regarding this particular crime type.
11:35So we are hopeful that we will see more of this of course and you know because it is really an indictment on the environment.
11:44You know the damage you don't care it might cause flooding, erosion, etc.
11:47Then you also have that aspect of wildlife, the habitat and the sanctity is disturbed as well.
11:53You are absolutely correct.
11:55Alright, let's move on a bit.
11:57So, it's been almost a month, maybe five weeks since businessman Imran Clubs Alley has been missing and of course a $100,000 reward has been offered by Crime Stoppers.
12:15Of course, if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Mr. Imran Ali, also known as Clubs,
12:23last seen approximately 4pm on Thursday, September 4th, he was leaving a mechanic shop in Freeport driving a black Nissan X-Trail with number plates.
12:33PDT 6829 has not been seen or heard from since.
12:38So we are asking anyone with information to call 800-TIPS.
12:44That's 800-TIPS or you can call 999 or the nearest police station.
12:50And if you can have relevant information that lead to the discovery of Mr. Ali or finding him in any measure,
13:00you will be rewarded a full $100,000 by Crime Stoppers.
13:05Yes.
13:07It's always a sad day, you know, at this point in time.
13:10There's a family in grieving considering what are the whereabouts of their loved one.
13:15Yes.
13:16And, you know, there are persons outside there who definitely have information regarding this particular incident.
13:22And we are asking them, please come out, give us whatever information that you may have.
13:26It can contribute towards us being able to bring him successfully home.
13:31Please.
13:31Yes.
13:32Yes.
13:32We are hopeful, of course.
13:34And if you have any information, please do not hesitate to call 800-TIPS, 999 or the nearest police station.
13:40We also have another sad situation involving the sudden death of a 47-year-old baby boy.
13:4947-year-old, sorry, was reported on Tuesday afternoon.
13:53They should go on a health facility.
13:56Of course, his parents was present when the police officers would have arrived at the facility, of course,
14:03to find out what may have transpired ASP PIT.
14:07Certainly, it's very sad.
14:11You know, this happened yesterday evening around 5 o'clock.
14:13Police officers arriving on the scene.
14:16Still trying to get a sense of what might have caused the child's or the infant's death.
14:21Yeah.
14:22Yeah.
14:22Well, condolences to the infant's family.
14:26We know that this is going to be a very, very trying time.
14:29We trust that if it is a situation of foul play, that we can bring persons to account.
14:35So, we await the results of the scientific process, the autopsy and what have you,
14:39in order that we can get closer to that type of conclusion.
14:42It's never easy to lose a child in these kinds of circumstances.
14:45Yes.
14:46In any kind of circumstances.
14:46In any kind of circumstances, yes.
14:48All right.
14:49Moving on, of course, we had another road fatality registered on Thursday morning
14:54along the Churchill Highway in the vicinity of the U.E. traffic lights.
15:00The victim's name is Robins, 30-year-old Robinson Kassarokero Anupunez.
15:06I believe he might be a foreigner.
15:10Struck and killed in that area there.
15:13And we know that this area, we have a lot of vending going on.
15:18You know, people walking through the traffic trying to peddle it.
15:22I don't know if it's one of those persons that might have been shocked by a vehicle.
15:26Yeah.
15:26Certainly very sad.
15:27Yeah.
15:28Well, we don't know, but you are absolutely correct in terms of your observations.
15:32And there's a particular reason why vending on the roadway in itself is forbidden.
15:37Right?
15:38And it's not limited.
15:39Yeah.
15:39And there's a safety aspect attached to it.
15:43And this is without casting any aspersions to this particular incident.
15:46We would want to ask persons to please be responsible in terms of how you set up your shop.
15:51I know they often would claim it's a noble cause and they are making an honest dollar and all these things.
15:57But there's a certain ramification attached to it.
16:00And sometimes the consequence can be fatal.
16:02No doubt.
16:03All right.
16:04It's day 83 of the state of emergency.
16:08Let's take a quick look at the figures.
16:09Sorry, 84 it is.
16:16Number of operations, 5,994.
16:19Target priority offenders, 2,140.
16:23Searches conducted, 38,655.
16:27Traffic operations, 3,998.
16:31Total persons arrested, 2,662.
16:34Traffic offenses detected, 23,006.
16:38Firearms recovered in total, 158.
16:40We had a rise in shotguns, 26.
16:42Seized.
16:44Or recovered, rather.
16:45Ammunition recovered in total, 1,878.
16:48We had a rise in 9mm of 936 rounds.
16:51And in the .45, we had 59 rounds.
16:55Recovered.
16:55Dangerous drug seized continues to soar, 467,330.80 grams of cannabis, and 8,266 grams of cocaine, 1,032 STC pills, and 15 grams of molly.
17:14Every time you read out that, Mark has become more and more concerned.
17:24The amount of information, Mark, it continues to increase exponentially.
17:28Yes.
17:28So I lord your efforts in terms of being able to read it out.
17:31I trust.
17:33I trust that on completion of the SOE, you will still be in a position to read it out.
17:38Yes?
17:38Well, I know the producer makes it a lot easier when we have that rise in particular areas.
17:46It's in red so that we know there's a little change here and there, and then we have the total figures.
17:52So it's a little bit easier now at the beginning.
17:54But certainly, when we look at certain categories there, we get a good sense of how much illicit drugs and firearms are on our streets.
18:05Definitely. So it demonstrates the work of the police so far, and it also gives us an indication as to what we are being faced with on the outside.
18:16So we want to continue to ask members of the public, please partner with us.
18:19Your information is very, very important in order to fuel our activities and in order to bring it to the kind of successful conclusion that we are seeing here.
18:29All right. Let's take a quick look now at our headlines.
18:31We'll see you next time.
19:01So those are some of the headlines over the last 24 hours.
19:11We just want to remind you of numbers to call 623-1711, extensions 1996 and 1997.
19:18We're going to take a short break, and when we come back, we'll have more and take some of your calls.
19:21Stay with us.
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22:17Welcome back to be on the tier.
22:33I'm your host, Mark Bassan, of course, joined today by Acting ESP Ishmael Pitt of the Northern Division and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
22:40I think we have our first caller on the line.
22:42Caller, good evening and welcome to be on the tier.
22:44Good evening, Mr. Mark Bassan and ASP, Mr. Pitt.
22:52Good evening, sir.
22:53Good evening.
22:53Mr. Pitt, I've always engaged you and I'm going to engage you again.
23:00And this is from the vantage of a citizen who basically has some confidence in the police service and at the next 24 hours, all the little confidence I have in the police service collapses.
23:20Two days ago, I engaged D.C. Benjamin with respect to outstanding cases and he told the whole of Trinidad and Tobago, if you are not seeing anything, it does say we are not investigating.
23:42Yesterday, on the morning edition, a former police commissioner, his initialist RGG, hit the police service with respect to complicit officers with respect to investigation.
24:06He identified the brain trauma issue, he identified a couple of other issues, which are fraudulent issues, demeritless, and what he was saying, officers are deliberately stalling the investigation.
24:27I want to know from you, seeing that you are vying for the president of the welfare association, what are you and your association going to do to help this country and, by extension, the TPS move forward?
24:46Because you have two police cases recently, the one with the hundred charges for the lady, that an officer threw the TPS under the bus saying you are under pressure and you couldn't do an affidavit and the case is eight years old.
25:01And then you have two police cases, and then you have two police cases, where the police men, the main co-charges, gave a sick leave just to not attend a court and the rest of the other police didn't do that.
25:16Those to me are errant police service and you have a responsibility as a vying member of the president of the welfare association to take action to get away commission of police.
25:29Have a nice evening.
25:31Thank you, sir.
25:35And once again, you're a very consistent caller.
25:39You often call and you provoke the issues, so to speak.
25:43We are always grateful to have the opportunity to engage the issues front on, regardless as to what direction it may take.
25:50There are positives and sometimes there will be negatives.
25:52So we agree that there are some issues that at this point in time are being investigated that you, as a member of the public, may not be aware of.
26:02And we have seen in recent times where a lot of sensitive matters have been brought to the fore.
26:07And in keeping along that trajectory, we can expect that in the upcoming days and weeks and months, you will be seeing things unfolding in a like manner.
26:17Regarding the issues of errant officers, we will not bury our heads in the sand and say that we don't have such an issue.
26:26We have a disciplinary process.
26:29We also have our professional standards bureau who have been very robust in terms of cheating with errant officers.
26:34And that level of support regarding these departments are very, very much there.
26:39And I know it is going to be sustained.
26:41Regarding the association and the association's role regarding the performance of police officers,
26:49from an association perspective, caller, we must ensure that our officers are equipped with all the resources
26:55and the appropriate environment to carry out our duties in a professional way, in a consistent way,
27:03in a way that members of the public could say, yes, this is a police service that we are proud of.
27:08So it's not a destination.
27:10It's a continuous process.
27:12And it is something that we are going to continue to do because we have already started.
27:17It is a work in progress so that we will reach to that point where one day you will call on this program
27:21and you will say, yes, I'm seeing the kind of change that I am expecting or that I was expecting all along.
27:29And, you know, it's a matter now to commend the police service who have over the years been greeted a lot of negatives
27:36regarding our ability now to manage the crime situation, manage of our officers, manage sensitive issues,
27:43and bring the society to a level where we can all be proud of.
27:46All right.
27:47We have another caller on the line.
27:48Caller, good evening and welcome to be on the table.
27:50Good evening, gentlemen.
27:53Good evening, sir.
27:54Good evening, sir.
27:55Let me start by commenting with the police for that hard work.
27:58Now, when I saw the overview of the figures, they just put out there.
28:00Like, you know, 5,000 and something roadblock, 2,800 people arrested, drugs, arms and ammunition.
28:10That is hard, hard, hard work.
28:13And I want to commend the police for it.
28:14But let me ask a question.
28:15Here, it says we arrest 2,800 people.
28:21And yet we have eight murders in 24 hours.
28:26So what does that say about the society officer?
28:30Something doesn't compute for me.
28:33Because the arrest of almost 2,000 people.
28:35And yet we still have people over there committing eight murders in 24 hours.
28:41So maybe I could share some lies on that aspect of it.
28:52Because you will want to get what you go out and live.
28:55But here it says, so many people arrested.
28:58And yet, eight murders in one day.
29:02You know, I'm not criticizing it.
29:05I'm just trying to let the mass make sense.
29:07But fantastic job.
29:09Now, do that.
29:09Because that's not only demanding what they're doing there.
29:11That's excellent work.
29:12Yeah.
29:13And again, I appreciate.
29:14And I'm glad that he is able to identify the amount of effort going into the statistics that we are seeing.
29:21He's asking, on the other hand, regarding the amount of arrests that we have made, how it is that we are still seeing, within some short periods, that type of increase in terms of the homicide.
29:35And, caller, yes, we have over 3,000 arrests.
29:40And they would have been for varying offenses.
29:42And, yes, we have also been able to make some arrests regarding homicide investigations.
29:47It does mean to say, and we are not going to bury our heads in the sand.
29:50And I love to use that term, to think for one moment that there are not persons on the outside there who are still subject to our investigations,
29:59who are still in that mindset where they have the potential to go out there and cause other persons grievous bodily harm and to the extent that they would kill persons.
30:07So that is why we are asking members of the public, please continue to provide us with that type of information so that we can get the necessary in order for us to turn that information into evidence,
30:19to bring those persons to bring those persons before the court.
30:21So, yes, the arrest rate is significant, but we know we have a lot more work to do in order to bring it where we really want it.
30:30Yeah, you're right.
30:31And the thing is, as you said, you need the assistance of the citizenry of Trinidad and Tobago to do such because the police cannot be everywhere at the same time.
30:41That is correct.
30:42And they will always have things happening where the police officers are not in the area, but will respond after the fact as the case may be.
30:51Yes.
30:51And we have to be fair at least.
30:52Come on.
30:52Yes, I know, I understand the concerns of eight to nine homicides in the last couple of days, but the indictment cannot only be on the police because some people know who is doing these things, who is responsible, who would have paid, who would have planned, and thereby, in essence, if you have a conscience, reach out to the police and give them that information so we can catch or so they can catch these persons.
31:20Absolutely, because we continue to demonstrate that we are not afraid to arrest anyone, and we are going to arrest you, we are going to place you before the court once we have the evidence.
31:30But we need to have the evidence.
31:31So just knowing based on intelligence and information that John Brown is capable of doing this, John Brown has the potential to do this, John Brown has the propensity to do this.
31:41That in itself is not sufficient.
31:42We need to get the evidence, we need to get the information first to get that evidence in order to put persons where they belong to make our society a whole lot safer.
31:52All right.
31:52And on that note, we're going to take more of your calls, but we're going to take a short break first.
31:56Stay with us.
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34:30Welcome back to Beyond the T.
34:44I'm your host, Mark Bassand.
34:45Of course, joined today by Acting ASP Pitt of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
34:51Calls are coming in fast and furious.
34:53We have another caller in the line.
34:54Caller, good evening, and welcome to Beyond the T.
34:55Hi, good evening, sir.
35:02I don't know if you all are looking to procure vehicle management software.
35:13That is question number one.
35:15Question number two.
35:16The recruits and them who are passing out.
35:23I only hope that you will assign them to relevant areas in the police force where they are shortages.
35:31And they are trained because for the year, soon by the end of the year, you will have 250 officers, new officers on stream because there are a hundred and something passed out already and a hundred and something done about the person.
35:48Number two is that the officers being trained to assign one officer to a group of four men.
36:01So it's four officers, one to three.
36:05And if these three experienced guys are doing something unethical and they are asking him to do something unethical,
36:14what will be that young man's position as a green officer?
36:20And the last thing, all these officers we are taking on, I only hope that we will see a reduction in the overtime that we service this state.
36:32Are you listening, officer?
36:33I'm sorry.
36:33Thank you very much, Kola.
36:37Well, the first statement you made with the greatest of respect was you are looking to obtain a vehicle management software.
36:49Yes.
36:50So I don't know if you were just making a statement or I don't know how to comment on that.
36:55I want you to get, I guess I get a proper sense of, you know, the vehicles that the TTPS are procured, the figures, how much has been repaired, et cetera, et cetera.
37:07I don't know if...
37:07Well, he said he's looking to obtain that.
37:09Oh, okay.
37:09That is what I got at that, and I don't know.
37:11If it's on the other end, Kolan, you are suggesting that we obtain such a software,
37:16then obviously your recommendation is one that we are more than willing to accept.
37:21But I can tell you as we speak that the police service continues to digitize.
37:27So in terms of software and other data apparatus and mechanism, yes, it is nothing strange to the organization.
37:35Regarding the recruitment process, he spoke of ensuring that officers are placed in areas where there are levels of shortage
37:43so that, you know, obviously those areas can function or continue to function and there is no operational lapse, so to speak.
37:52So, Kolan, I can assure you that in terms of placement of officers when they are recruited,
37:59that is one of the greatest considerations in terms of the areas where officers might be short.
38:05He spoke to the issue of more or less ethics and officers who, young officers, they might go out there and they might observe something
38:16and whatever they observe might not be legal, might not be lawful.
38:21And what is a police officer's position at that point in time?
38:24You are green and you are amongst seasoned officers and, you know, you are more or less placed into a predicament.
38:30Well, the whole issue of ethics is a module at our academy and our young officers are taught that, you know,
38:40the legality of your job is what you take as a matter of paramount importance.
38:45And it's not a case that persons, if persons sway you to go in another direction, that you are to go in that direction.
38:51You are to ensure that whatever went awry is reported so that the necessary action can be taken.
38:57So I can understand, notwithstanding what I have said, that it would still be something that, you know,
39:05any officer wouldn't want to be faced with because it's still a situation where, you know,
39:12in terms of sensitivity, in terms of your own feeling and amongst your peers,
39:18but we have shown as an organization that we have been able to, notwithstanding what persons may consider the blue wall,
39:24we have seen, still being able to get that support of police officers who were part of situations coming forward,
39:31providing information, you know, that had to be converted or even evidence for other police officers
39:36who did not do what they're supposed to do or who did something that, you know,
39:41was totally contrary, were brought to account.
39:44So on that issue, yes, that sort of training is part of the module.
39:49So I think, and he mentioned reduction of over time, yes, over time.
39:57With these new people.
39:58With the new persons.
39:59Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, with the recruits.
40:02So I know a lot of discussion has taken place regarding our ability to manage over time.
40:08And, you know, what persons must consider?
40:11And Kola, your concerns are genuine.
40:13You are entitled, and we are all taxpayers, and it's a matter of how we manage the finances of the state,
40:20notwithstanding it comes out from the aspects of policing.
40:24The issue is, as an organization, we are called upon to give so much and to provide so much.
40:29And even at this point in time, we are within a state of emergency.
40:33And we are asking officers to go above and beyond.
40:35We have officers who work 24-24 shift system in order to ensure that communities remain safe
40:44and in order to ensure operational continuity.
40:47So, yes, with the additional persons, it would make it easier for us to be able to manage our circumstance.
40:52However, within the framework and the context of giving to that extent
40:58that we want to see the kind of changes within the shortest possible time,
41:02you know, the over time issue will always remain.
41:04And I'm saying the over time issue, not to say that it's a case of mismanagement,
41:08but it's a case of sometimes a necessity in order for us to get the kind of success that we are looking for.
41:14Yes, certainly.
41:15All right.
41:16We want to quickly move on and just show you two videos quickly.
41:19This was captured in the Southern Division, a school fight here,
41:23taking place between some young females.
41:27It seems to be out on the streets, on the pavement,
41:30at least three to four individuals involved here.
41:35And somebody, obviously, is recording this.
41:39Two individuals are thumping on a third as they're rolling on the ground and so on, the SP pit.
41:46And, you know, it's really sad to see situations or incidents like this happening in the public domain.
41:54Yes.
41:54You're wearing a school uniform.
41:56You represent a specific school.
41:59And let's just quickly go to the other video before you make an overall comment.
42:02This one happened at a...
42:04Okay, so this one was in the South, the Southern Division.
42:07It's quite a lengthy video.
42:09Yeah, there are certain things I'm seeing in this video, too, that is very encouraging.
42:13There are other students who are clearly trying to part the fight.
42:17And that is good.
42:18That is mature.
42:19That is what we expect to see.
42:21And, you know, in some other instances, there are persons who, they contribute it.
42:25They cheer on their schoolmates in order to continue along that vein.
42:31But in this instance, we have seen something different.
42:33So this one is in the classroom of a school in the Northeastern Division, right up your alleyway in your area, sir.
42:40Well, not your area, but in it.
42:42Yeah.
42:42So it seems that both of them have been parted by a police officer who is on the school compound,
42:52doing the right thing, of course, and ensuring that both young men are taken out of the presence of the classroom
43:00and obviously will be disciplined and maybe get on to the principal and other teachers to find out what exactly happened.
43:11But, Sidney, you know, really swift work by the police officer.
43:14And there's also a security guard there.
43:15Yes.
43:16In lieu.
43:16I know it's really sad when we see things like this happening on and off the school compounds of Trinidad and Tobago.
43:28Yeah, indeed, indeed.
43:29And we are very grateful that, you know, the officers were present in order to treat the situation within a quick period of time.
43:35Because we have seen situations like this that, you know, it got worse and, you know, more violence attached to the incident.
43:43So it's important that we are able to respond and we are able to respond within a short period of time.
43:47But the first video as well, you know, we lord the efforts of those students and we encourage other students.
43:52When you are seeing things like this, please, you know, dissuade your colleagues, dissuade your peers from behaving in such a manner.
44:01Don't encourage them to go along that path because sometimes even in the melee, as we would call it, innocent persons can be harmed.
44:10And also, we are looking at what your friend, your classmate could also receive an injury that could impact them for the rest of their lives.
44:19Yeah, certainly.
44:20Well said, ASP Pitt.
44:21All right, we're going to take more of your calls after this break.
44:24Stay with us.
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45:54Yeah, yeah.
45:55Yeah, yeah.
46:25Yeah, yeah.
46:55It's not a thrill.
47:11When your speed can't kill.
47:41Good evening and welcome to be on the tape.
47:45Good evening, Kuala.
47:48Yeah, good night to ACP, I believe, and Matt Versailles.
47:54Yes, sir.
47:54Go ahead.
47:54I have a question for the officer.
48:01Driving on the road without a valid insurance, still on the books, and is it a possible effect?
48:09Could you repeat, please, Kuala?
48:13Right.
48:14My question is, driving a motor vehicle on the roadway without a valid insurance, is that still an offense?
48:26Yes, sir, it is.
48:26The only way I'm saying this is how I know someone who got involved in an accident, and I know the individual personally, and they went to the police station, made the report.
48:38The person showed an insurance that was ending in that very second year.
48:43But one investigator, when the person went, because I asked the person to the insurance to drop them off, they just signed out after three months or six months that that vehicle had been sold the previous year.
49:03My question is, can that person now go back to the police station, to the investigating officer, and say, hey, what's going on here?
49:14I have a document from the insurance stating that that vehicle was sold the previous year, and it has been involved in an accident, which means that this vehicle on the road without a valid insurance, could the police investigate something like that?
49:30Because that is something that can happen to anyone.
49:34But for clarity, caller, are you saying that the vehicle was sold with the insurance, the person who purchased the vehicle continued to use the insurance that was originally part of the sale agreement, and during that period, they got into an accident, and you are asking now whether, because the vehicle was sold and there's a transfer, that the insurance was not valid?
49:59Is it, is it, is it, that, that is what you're asking?
50:02Yes, and, and, and, and that is my main question, and to the person go back, because I read the, the document the guy got from the insurance stating that they were unaware that his vehicle was previously sold.
50:16So, they, they, they, they, they, he had an official letter in his hand stating that, so, I'm just wondering as a driver on the road, because, you know, you don't know who you might get in contact with in an accident, so that's my question.
50:30Yeah, and it's a very good, very, very good question, and thank you for that question.
50:36So, there are persons who will sell motor vehicles, and they may give the, the person who is purchasing the vehicle, at times, a grace period, in order to say, well, all right, the vehicle has insurance, and the insurance is finishing within the next six months.
50:51You, you can go ahead and use the vehicle, and after that, you could get your own insurance.
50:56That, that in itself is a private arrangement.
50:58That doesn't mean that the vehicle in itself does not have insurance.
51:02Right.
51:02What can happen, though, is that if the insurance company is aware that that transaction took place, and there's a change in, in, in ownership, but there's a change in, in, in hands, so to speak, then the insurance may not be inclined to honor, right?
51:16But, but, but that in itself is a private arrangement, as far as we are concerned from a policing lens, the vehicle is, in fact, at that point in time with insurance, and we will treat it from that perspective.
51:27If it's something that is fraudulent, and there's an issue of, of, of dishonesty within that transaction regarding the insurance, then it's something that we would look at in terms of, you know, from a criminal lens.
51:40Yeah.
51:41But once there's a valid insurance, that is a private arrangement, and the insurance company will, will treat it within their, their, their domain, so to speak.
51:50Yeah, but as you said, in most cases, the insurance company is aware of that.
51:54They would not subscribe to that.
51:56That's right.
51:57Because if you transfer ownership, and it goes to someone else, they have to stand their own insurance.
52:03Exactly.
52:03Put it under their name, because if anything happens, while it's a, you are more likely reliable, because then your name is still on that insurance.
52:11Exactly.
52:12You know?
52:12So, so persons who might want to take that type of risk, note that with it comes some level of liability, because as you said, your name is attached to that.
52:22You don't know the driving pattern, largely, of the person who's purchasing your vehicle.
52:26So, save and accept, that person who's purchasing the vehicle is somebody you know, that's your brother or relative.
52:31Yeah, yeah.
52:32You know, so, so there are, you know, there are, there are circumstances where persons might feel comfortable taking that type of risk, so to speak.
52:41But from a policing lens, once the vehicle is equipped with insurance, the insurance is valid, we treated it as a valid insurance.
52:48All right.
52:49We have another caller on the line.
52:50Caller, good evening and welcome to Beyond the Tape.
52:53Good evening, sir.
52:55And officer.
52:55Good evening, sir.
52:57First time caller.
52:59Welcome.
53:00Yes, sir.
53:01I came in to respond to what you said about evidence and arresting of people, right?
53:07Yes, sir.
53:08I'm having an issue, and I think a lot of people share my, share my concern, because if it goes to the social media, you will see it, right?
53:19Yeah.
53:19I want to start with my contribution by saying, nobody's above the law,
53:24and wherever the chips fall, it means, right?
53:29I want to start there.
53:30So keep that in mind when I want to say, around last year, Mark Bussain himself had an expose about a situation in Venture Credit Union, right?
53:42As last year.
53:43As last year.
53:44This year, this year, a certain individual was acquitted of a case in a third matter and was rearrested this week.
53:57But the population is trying to find out, okay, as I said, nobody's above the law.
54:06Whoever breaks the law faces the support of the law.
54:11Yes.
54:12So what I'm, my question is, and I can go more, with more cases, that we saw in the public domain expose here, but we are seeing nobody before the courts.
54:25And that is having the population wondering if there's one law for some and an other law for the others.
54:34Because this is really alarming.
54:38So, officer, I'll listen up here to respond to this fact that you just said evidence is needed.
54:46And as I said, a lot of evidence was placed in the public domain by Mr. Mark Bussain, a transaction in Venture Credit Union last year.
54:56And up to this minute, we have heard nothing further about that from the CCPA.
55:05Yeah.
55:06Thank you, sir.
55:08All right.
55:08I think I would be happy to respond to that and let you know, Kola, you're referring to something that I wrote and exposed in 2023.
55:16And, of course, in that particular story, we did say that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the ACIB and so on, was investigating.
55:27We could confirm that.
55:30As to where the investigation has reached, of course, I am not too certain, but I know the police continue to investigate.
55:37As we have said on this program over the last couple of days, white-collar crimes take a much longer time.
55:45That is correct.
55:45And then there's a lot of intricate information and gathering of evidence and so on that police officers need to do.
55:53Dot their eyes crossed at ease before they can proceed.
55:56So, I understand your concern.
55:58But, of course, the police continue to do what they need to do.
56:01But I will try to follow up to find out what is happening in regards to that particular matter.
56:05Thank you very much, Mark, for bringing some balance to the concerns of the Kola.
56:10And, Kola, we appreciate the concern.
56:13You know, it keeps us within that domain of checks and balances.
56:19Before we go, I know time is running out.
56:21We know that we have some upcoming significant periods.
56:26Tobago Carnival, Christmas, and, you know, National Carnival.
56:30Regarding Tobago's Carnival, which is the fourth edition, by the way,
56:34we will definitely be partnering with our stakeholders in terms of ensuring that Tobago's Carnival is safe
56:42and it continues to generate the type of tourism in keeping with the focus of the island.
56:49You know, and for that reason, the strategy in terms of the commanders,
56:53Mr. Subero, he will be the gold commander.
56:56Mr. Eli will be the silver commander.
57:00And they will be working alongside the stakeholders within the Tobago division in order to bring this to a successful conclusion.
57:09Christmas is coming up.
57:10We want to urge members of the public, please be aware that there will be an increase in terms of person posting deals on marketplace
57:18and all these other areas and we should not let ourselves fall victim.
57:26Continuously, we have to deal with that particular crime type and we are saying enough is enough.
57:30Please, if your neighbor is not listening to the program, when the program is finished,
57:35please have a conversation with them, your family, your friend, whoever,
57:38so that the message could be out there, be very careful in terms of those platforms.
57:44Yeah, well, I hope that, you know, these persons are, you know, we always talk about this.
57:48Every single day or every other day,
57:51a person is going on to buy things or purchase things and meet strange people in strange places
57:56after seeing a nameless, faithless person post something on social media.
58:01So, please, hear the calls of AS Keep It.
58:04We want to thank him for spending the last hour with us.
58:06Remember, repeat tonight at 11.30.
58:09We run tomorrow at 11 o'clock.
58:11The GP6 News is up next and we'll see you back here tomorrow at 6.
58:14Have a good one.
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