Black Immigrant Daily News

The Parliamentary Committee of Privileges has recommended the suspension of eight A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Members of Parliament who participated in the infamous Mace grab and disruptions of the National Assembly sitting on December 29, 2021.

The Committee was tasked with considering a Privilege Motion which stated that the eight Opposition Members attempted to prevent the second and third readings of the Natural Resource Fund Bill No 20 of 2021, conducted themselves in a gross disorderly, contumacious, and disrespectful manner, and repeatedly ignored the authority of the Assembly and that of the Speaker, thereby committing contempt and breaches of privileges.

The eight MPs in question are: Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, and Maureen Philadelphia.

After seeking an extension to its one-month timeline to consider the violations committed by the members, the Committee finally completed the report and submitted it to be laid in the National Assembly for debate. The next sitting is slated for Thursday, July 21.

According to the report, the Committee’s findings were based on video recordings, statements by staff of the Parliament Office and the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, eyewitness accounts by other Members of the House, media reporters and the public, both locally and internationally.

Additionally, each Opposition Member was written to and asked to “show cause” why sanctions should not be meted out to them. Their responses were received and considered by the Committee.

With these on hand, the Committee “found that the named Members were in violation of the Standing Orders, established Customs and Practices regarding acceptable behaviour of Members in the Assembly”.

To this end, the Committee determined the appropriate sanction available for the National Assembly to impose is suspension from service in the House.

As a result, the Privileges Committee recommended that Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan and Natasha Singh-Lewis be suspended for four consecutive sittings each for attempting to prevent the second and third readings of the NRF Bill, and for conducting themselves in a gross disorderly, contumacious, and disrespectful manner, and repeatedly ignoring the authority of the Assembly and that of the Speaker, and thereby committing contempt and breaches of privileges.

Recommendation was also made for MPs Annette Ferguson and Vinceroy Jordan to be suspended for six consecutive sittings each for a similar offence. However, their suspension was higher since the Committee concurred that they had committed “serious violations which were severe and egregious by unauthorisedly removing the Parliamentary Mace from its rightful position in a disorderly fashion, causing damage to the Mace, injuring and assaulting a staff of the Parliament Office, while attempting to remove the Mace from the Chamber”.

Meanwhile, a similar recommendation of suspension for six consecutive sittings was made against Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, whose violations were found to be “severe and egregious with regard to unauthorisedly entering the communication control room of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and destroying several pieces of audio-visual equipment, being public property”.

In addition, MP Maureen Philadelphia is also facing a suspension recommendation for six consecutive sittings over her severe and egregious violations, whereby she “verbally assaulted a staff of the Parliament Office within the precincts of the National Assembly”.

The Privileges Committee is chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, and its members comprise of both Government and Opposition MPs.

Representing Government are: Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC; Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira; Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Charles Ramson; and Sanjeev J Datadin.

On the APNU/AFC Opposition’s side are: Khemraj Ramjattan; Roysdale Forde, SC; Geeta Chandan-Edmond, and David A Patterson.

It is understood that the Opposition Members did not participate in the last three of the five Committee meetings. Hence, the other members including the Chairman went ahead and concluded the report with the recommendations for suspension of the eight Opposition MPs in question.

The report is expected to the laid in the National Assembly next Thursday, however, that is it a Private Members’ Day – meaning, the day is set aside for the Opposition’s business to be dealt with. They have three motions on the agenda.

But according to Minister Teixeira, Government is hoping to start the debate on the Report afterwards on Thursday.

She noted that this is the first time, in recent years, that the Privileges Committee has managed to conclude a matter before it.

“But it’s good in a sense that this is a very serious matter and the Committee was able to rule and make a decision, of course by majority,” the Parliamentary Affairs Minister stated.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Una mujer resultó herida de bala en un intento de robo, a eso de las 9:08 de la noche en el en el restaurante Mexitali, en la carretera PR-156 en Caguas.

Según el reporte de la Policía, dos hombres, con armas de fuego, intentaron lograr acceso al interior del establecimiento y al percatarse que la puerta contaba con un magneto de seguridad, realizaron varios disparos. Como consecuencia, una mujer que se encontraba en el lugar, resultó con una herida de bala en uno de sus glúteos.

La mujer fue transportada a una institución hospitalaria y se desconoce su condición de salud.

Agentes adscritos a la División de Agresiones del Cuerpo de Investigaciones Criminales de Caguas, se hicieron cargo de la investigación.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Algunos aguaceros pasajeros fueron observados a través de sectores costeros del norte de Puerto Rico en horas temprano en la mañana. Sin embargo, esta actividad dejo acumulaciones de lluvia fueron mínimas. Las temperaturas en horas de la noche estuvieron en los altos 70s a los bajos 80s a través de sectores costeros y de entre los medios 60s a los medios 70s a través de la montaña.

El viento estuvo desde el este a 10 mph o menos con variación en brisa terrestre.

Las condiciones del tiempo para hoy se espera que deterioren a medida que una onda tropical se mueva a través del área. Esto resultara en aguaceros de aislados a dispersos a través de sectores del este de la isla en horas de la mañana.

Luego, en horas de la tarde, actividad de aguaceros con tronadas aisladas se esperan que se desarrollen a través de sectores del interior y oeste de Puerto Rico. Esta actividad podría resultar en acumulación de agua en las carreteras y en áreas de pobre drenaje, al igual que inundaciones menores con la lluvia más fuerte.

Las temperaturas máximas se espera que estén cerca de los medios 80s a los bajos 90s a través de las áreas bajas y en los medios 70s a medios 80s a través de áreas más altas. Algunos índices de calor cerca de 97 a 102 grados se esperan para áreas aisladas de las áreas bajas. El viento estará desde el este, entre 15 a 20 mph con ráfagas más fuertes de hasta 35 mph y variación en brisa marina.

A través de las aguas locales, se esperan vientos del este, resultando en oleaje picado y peligroso de hasta 7 pies a través de las aguas del Atlántico. Un aumento en los vientos y en el oleaje se espera esta noche para las aguas del Caribe y los pasajes locales.

Por lo tanto, están en efecto varias advertencias para los operadores de pequeñas embarcaciones. Existe un riesgo alto de corrientes marinas para las playas del norte de Puerto Rico, al igual que para Culebra. Para el resto de las playas el riesgo prevalecerá de bajo a moderado.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The Cayman arrest of a St Catherine Jamaica man who had been allegedly involved in multiple murders in Jamaica has raised numerous concerns among members of the local community, particularly with respect to criminals from neighboring islands perceiving Cayman as a “safe haven” or “hide out” and the associated risks, particularly with respect to how dangerous the most recent fugutive has been reported to be.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) confirmed that Rudolph Shaw, otherwise called ‘Boxer’ or ‘Boxa’, 30, was captured in the vicinity of Seymour Road, George Town on Friday, July 8, after a brief showdown with armed police officers.

Shaw, of Homestead in Spanish Town, St Catherine was wanted for murder and shooting with intent with respect to to two incidents committed at 31 St Johns Road in St Catherine in September 2021 and May 2022. He was also one of three men who were charged with the April 2019 murder of Romaine ‘Pancho’ Robinson, which the police said was gang-related.

Shaw was captured at around 12:30pm during a targeted operation by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service following a collaboration between Jamaican law enforcement, the Jamaican police reported.

It is reported that officers from the Firearms Response Unit travelling in a marked service vehicle approached a vehicle with two occupants, one of whom was the wanted man. The two men attempted to evade the lawmen and rammed into the police vehicle, causing their own vehicle to become disabled. Police captured Shaw, but the other man escaped on foot and remains on the loose.

The JCF said Shaw was previously pursued in Jamaica by the Joint Anti-Gang Task Force (JAGTF) and other Police units but managed to elude capture before leaving the island by boat.

“This was a collaborative process, which ultimately led to his capture. Shaw is wanted in connection with multiple murders and several incidents of shootings in St Catherine, and is considered to be one of the most wanted men in both Police divisions in the parish.”

After pursuing several lines of investigation, in addition to boosting public awareness through social media publications, information was received that Shaw was in the Cayman Islands. He was originally arrested for an immigration offense, sparking local concerns around the way the matter was handled.

Issues have been raised around the fact that since he was charged with Cayman immigration offenses, authorities were required to release him due to legal stipulations around his arrest and the nature of the crime for which he was locally charged. He was re-arrested for drug related offenses.

Detective Superintendent Peter Lansdown responded to local concerns, stating, “The Cayman Islands is not a safe haven for criminals. We are working with our colleagues in Jamaica on this case and believe the man arrived on island by boat. An active search is underway to locate and arrest the other person. It’s a criminal offence to aid or assist a person who is wanted by the authorities, including those who are here illegally.”

The public is being reminded that according to the Police Act (2021 Revision), it is an offense to obstruct, mislead or act in such a way as to prevent the apprehension of a person who has committed an offense. If prosecuted under this section, you may be liable on conviction to a fine of $5000 or imprisonment for two years or both.

Investigators are encouraging anyone with information about these men to call the George Town Police Station at 949-4222 or dial 9-1-1, specifically if the circumstances are time sensitive. The Confidential Tip Line can be contacted at 949-7777.

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