Black Immigrant Daily News

REAL NEWS: A 43-year-old man accused of kidnapping and beating the mother of his child was recently granted bail in the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court.

Reports say his attorney, Wendel Robinson, pleaded extensively with the court to grant him bail, and the prosecution did not object since it was the man’s first offence.

However, Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh was very skeptical about releasing him. Therefore, ahead of her decision, she conferred with the alleged victim, asking whether she was afraid of the man and was comfortable with bail being granted.

The woman appeared for the bail hearing with an eye that was swollen shut as a result of being struck in the face. However, she said she was not afraid of her child’s father and was not concerned that he the offense would be repeated since she would not be alone.

Therefore, Walsh granted the accused bail in the sum of $5,000, with a cash deposit of $1,500 and one surety.

The man has to report to the Grays Farm Police Station three days a week – Monday, Wednesday and Saturday – and an order was made to surrender his passport to the Court.

In addition, he was instructed, in no uncertain terms, to stay away from the victim and to have no contact with her directly or indirectly before the matter is completed. He was further warned not to call her on the phone or send her any text or Whatsapp messages.

If he breaches any of the bail conditions – in particular, interfering with his ex-girlfriend – his bail will be revoked and he will be placed on remand.

The man faces four charges – three separate counts of battery and a kidnapping charge that is indictable and has to be tried in the High Court before a judge and jury.

It is alleged that the man took the woman against her will by forcing her into his car and drove to several locations, where he allegedly beat her. The woman had to seek medical attention as a result of the ordeal.

Committal proceedings are set for the New Year.

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News

Newsday reporter Nicholas Maraj points to a broken board at the Chaguaramas Boardwalk on October 26. The condition of the boardwalk has been allowed to deteriorate over the past four years. – Photo by Ayanna Kinsale

Visitors are troubled about the bad condition of Chaguaramas boardwalk and are appealing to the relevant authorities in two letters written to Newsday in October.

In one letter, C Alexander asked, “What is going on with Chaguaramas boardwalk? Has the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) been asleep for the past eight years?” In the other, J Ali asked the Minister of Tourism, “When last have you visited the boardwalk? It looks horrible and run-down.”

The CDA built the boardwalk to provide visitors with a usable space for commerce and recreation. Former chairman of the CDA Danny Solomon said in an interview in 2012, “It’s our mission to make Chaguaramas a clean, eco-friendly environment.”

He said the CDA’s mandate was “to make Chaguaramas a world-class eco-tourism destination, entertainment and business centre.”

The boardwalk, located on the Western Main Road along part of the sea front of the northwest peninsula, was built in two phases and cost $40 million. The first phase of the boardwalk was opened in 2012. The second phase, a 1,300-foot extension of the first, opened in December 2014.

The Chaguaramas Boardwalk remains in a state of disrepair on October 26. – Photo by Ayanna Kinsale

Solomon said the boardwalk – particularly the second phase, which included recreational facilities such as gazebos, rock-climbing, cooking areas and more – was the CDA’s plan to build family life in a healthy, safe and fun environment.

When Newsday visited, it was covered with sand and litter and its solar-powered lights were broken. Several boards were lifting, and some were missing or broken, making it dangerous for visitors to walk on.

Surrounding benches have become severely dilapidated. There were half-full bins and abandoned, dilapidated lifeguard booths. Stalls that were once occupied by food vendors are now closed and empty.

The seashore is visibly polluted and the sea dirty, frothy, brown and full of debris, even though the CDA launched CEPEP Marine in 2012, which was intended to clean up the coastline in the area.

The pond, located near the gazebos, is now moss-filled, green, surrounded with overgrown bush, and is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The restrooms were locked. There were six foot-taps in front of the restroom but only two were working.

One woman there said she visits every day to bathe. When Newsday asked what she thought of the state of the boardwalk, she said, “It is disgusting and dangerous.

Where is the maintenance people for here (the boardwalk)? Every government facility is supposed to have constant maintenance.”

David Rampersad, another regular visitor to the boardwalk, commented on the restrooms, “Could you imagine, there are toilets here and they don’t even open it for people to use? Every Saturday people would come to clean the toilets, then lock them again when they leave.”

CDA Corporate Communications manager, Karen Clarke-Rowley, told Newsday that e-mail was her preferred means of communication for comments but an e-mail sent to her received no response to date.

Chairman of the CDA Gupte Lutchmedial and the line minister for the CDA, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles, could not be reached for comment.(With reporting by Nicholas Maraj.)

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PARAMARIBO — De 7-jarige voetganger Amoko Shapildo is zondag aangereden door een personenauto aan de Oost-Westverbinding, ter hoogte van km

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With high levels of violence within the Jamaican society, the Violence Prevention Alliance is touting drum therapy as a viable alternative to tackling trauma and stress that tend to cause violent behaviour among some individuals.

Drumming has been used by the alliance in several children’s homes across the island, resulting in improved conduct among children.

The declaration was made by Chair of the Violence Prevention Alliance, Dr Elizabeth Ward, as she addressed a forum hosted by the National Committee on Non-Communicable Diseases on Wednesday.

The forum was held under the theme, “Effects of violence and its relationship to increasing NCD (non-communicable disease) risks”.

In focusing her presentation on the benefits of drum therapy, Ward admitted that she initially did not believe that the method would have worked in curbing certain NCDs that contribute to violent behaviours.

“One of the things that we found that really can be an intervention, that’s affordable, that’s accessible, and can really help with dealing with trauma, is drumming, and if you asked me about this a couple of years ago, I would have said you must be joking,” she said.

“Drumming; we really look into it and see now that it enhances well-being, it boosts the cardiovascular system, it boosts your energy, it improves your blood circulation, it helps to burn calories, it helps to neutralise stress, it lowers blood pressure, and it relieves depression, anxiety, even suicidal ideation, and that has been proven,” Ward explained.

According to her, a recent study examined the positive effects drum therapy has on the brain of young people.

Dr Elizabeth Ward

She elaborated that, “They (researchers) did FMRI, which is functional magnetic resonance, and what they found in the results in that period after the end of the eight weeks, (is) there was an increase in functional brain capacity.

“There was (also) an increase in the areas, especially where inhibitory control activities are, and where actions of an outcome and self-monitoring and self-regulation are active in that part of the brain.

“So, it improves cognition and well-being of both well people and people who are ill, but this is actually to show you after the eight weeks what they actually saw, the areas of changes in the brain after the therapy was done,” said the Violence Prevention Alliance chairwoman.

Meanwhile, Ward outlined some positive results from drum sessions conducted at several children’s homes locally.

“So, we been doing this with children’s homes, and this is us (during the sessions) with caregivers from the children’s homes.

“We did it in six (children’s) homes and they asked us to do it in six more, and now they want to do it in nine more,” she revealed.

While admitting that it was “very slow” in getting the data from the drum sessions that were conducted, Ward said the reports received thus far are positive relative to the change in behaviour of children.

“(It is) very slow on getting the data, and (we) probably need a lot of help if we are going to have to do that, but there are reports of improvements in behaviour…, and now it’s three hours every week for the children in the children’s homes,” she declared.

“Especially for the lockdowns during COVID, they (the children) were so excited about having their drumming, and their behaviour improved,” stated Ward.

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Sports

Trinidad and Tobago spinner Akeal Hosein in action in the Super 50 competition. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

“CRICKET was the loser.”

This was the emotional response of one member of the TT Red Force staff when asked to respond to the questionable tactics used by the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) to snatch a no result against TT in the CG United Super50 Cup, at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair on Monday.

Red Force were 74/1 after 15 overs, chasing 201 for victory, when rain stopped play for three hours.

After the rain delay, Red Force were set a revised target of 115 in 26 overs. Play resumed at 5 pm with light already fading.

Chasing the revised score, TT’s victory charge was stalled by CCC, who bowled just 3.5 overs in 35 minutes.

The umpires called the game off because of bad light at 5.35 pm. Red Force were only able to reach 97/1 in 18.5 overs.

A team batting second must face at least 20 overs before the Duckworth-Lewis method is used.

On multiple occasions CCC bowlers were almost in their delivery stride when they stopped. Jason Mohammed, who was batting with Kjorn Ottley, was visibly frustrated, gesturing at the opposition with his hands.

In another incident, a CCC player fell to the ground while fielding close to the boundary and one of the team’s trainers came onto the field, which caused a further delay.

CCC, captained by Trinidadian Denesh Ramdin, also bowled four of their five wides when play resumed at 5 pm.

At the Brian Lara Pavilion, TT players were clearly disgruntled by what was happening on the field.

Another talking point after the match was how did the umpires determine that 11 overs could have been completed when the match resumed at 5 pm. At this time of the year in Trinidad, natural light starts fading shortly after 5 pm.

After four matches, Red Force now have two wins, one loss and one no result.

CCC, batting first, were steady at the top of the order getting to 70/1 in the 19th over, led by former West Indies Under-19 player Kirstan Kallicharan.

Red Force fought back as Navin Bidaisee (17) and Kallicharan (37) fell in consecutive overs to leave CCC 72/3 in the 20th over.

Spin did the trick for Red Force as West Indies leg spinner Yannic Cariah dismissed Bidaisee and off spinner Mohammed removed Kallicharan.

The experienced Ramdin and Zavier Burton mounted a response. The pair put on 35 runs for the fourth wicket, but the Red Force bowlers kept the boundaries to a minimum.

Red Force, for the second time in the innings, took wickets in consecutive overs.

Burton was given leg before to medium pacer Terrance Hinds for 23 off 33 balls and leg spinner Imran Khan removed Ramdin for 12.

CCC were now 107/5 in the 29th over and desperate for a partnership.

Odain McCatty and Matthew Forde responded for CCC with both players attacking the Red Force bowlers.

In the 37th over, CCC got past 150 as Khan leaked 12 runs in the over.

McCatty struck a six over long on and Forde pulled a short delivery for four to the mid-wicket fence.

After McCatty and Forde brought up their 50-run partnership, Khan got the last laugh.

In the 39th over, Khan dismissed Forde and McCatty. Forde was out leg before for 25 and McCatty was caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Ottley for 28.

CCC could only muster 33 runs in the last ten overs as the students were all out for 200 in exactly 50 overs.

Khan was the most successful bowler for Red Force grabbing 4/53 in ten overs. Hinds took 2/18 in seven overs, Mohammed snatched 2/19 in seven overs and Cariah bagged 2/37 in ten overs.

Openers Joshua Da Silva and Ottley got Red Force off to an entertaining start with attractive shots.

In the fourth over, fast bowler Michail Powell put down a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to give Ottley a life. In the same over, Ottley punished CCC, leaning into a full-pitched delivery which found the rope. Ottley struck two fours on the leg side before the over was complete as Red Force progressed to 25/0 after four overs.

One of the shots of the day was a late cut by Da Silva down to the third-man fence for four off spinner Romario Greaves.

Goodridge got the breakthrough as Da Silva was bowled for 22 off 34 balls attempting a huge hit.

Shortly after Mohammed joined Ottley the players left the field because of rain.

SUMMARISED SCORES;

CCC 200 (50 overs) – Kirstan Kallicharan 37, Odain McCatty 28; Imran Khan 4/53, Terrance Hinds 2/18, Jason Mohammed 2/19, Yannic Cariah 2/37 vs TT RED FORCE 97/1 (18.5 overs) (revised target 115 in 26 overs) – Kjorn Ottley 43 not out, Jason Mohammed 23 not out. No Result

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