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Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly. –

FOR THE second time this month, there is uncertainty over whether or not the nation’s teachers will be out to classes in primary and secondary schools as the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) has called for yet another day for educators to stay home to reflect.

In an internal memo last Friday – a copy of which was sent to Newsday – a TTUTA executive member called on teachers to “reflect” on Monday over stalled salary negotiations with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO.)

On Monday September 5, according to TTUTA, more than 70 per cent of the nation’s teachers heeded a call to stay home on that day to “rest and reflect” on the break down in negotiations, leading to many schools throughout the country calling for an end to classes early as there were no teachers to supervise students.

On that day, 305,000 students and 30,100 teachers were expected out, but according to the Ministry of Education, only 3,243 teachers turned up to work.

TTUTA head Antonia De Freitas. –

TTUTA hailed those teachers who heeded the call to stay home as it was meant to send a message to CPO Darryl Dindial, and by extension, the Government, that it was not happy with the stalled negotiations.

The union warned of further action to let those in authority know how it feels about the four per cent salary increase offered by the CPO.

Last Thursday, teachers were told to come to work for only the second half of that school day as a means of protesting the “disrespect” from Dindial. TTUTA officials said the second act of protest came after Dindial failed to meet a deadline to respond to the union’s request for the resumptiopn of face-to-face negotiations.

TTUTA’s first vice president Marlon Seales told Newsday that 75 per cent of teachers heeded the call to work only half day last Thursday.

And now, in its third act of protest, the union has called on teachers to stay home on Monday. According to a report in Newsday’s Saturday edition, the internal memo to teachers last Friday stated, “On Monday September 26 (Budget Day), reflect on what a 2022 budget could mean on your 2014 salary.”

Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Dr Daryl Dindial. FILE PHOTOS –

Seales, according to that Newsday article, warned that if the CPO continues to ignore the union’s call further disruptions in the education sector will be seen.

Teachers and their union are agitating for a return to a formula used in previous collective bargaining negotiations, to calculate enhanced remuneration packages for various classes of teachers, rather than the Government, through the CPO, giving a blanket four per cent salary increase offer, in line with what has been offered to workers in other branches of the public service.

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File photo

POLICE have seized a kilo of cocaine and a quantity of ammunition following a search in Maraval on Saturday night.

Police said officers of the North Eastern Division’s Emergency Response Patrol received information that the drugs and ammunition were being hidden in Morne Coco Road at around 8 pm.

Police went to the area and found a black bag in some bushes near the road. Inside the bag, police found 20 rounds of 5.56 ammunition as well as the drugs with the latter wrapped in a clear plastic.

No one was arrested. Acting Cpl Ramroop and PC Bramble were involved in the search.

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A teenager is among two persons nabbed by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), during two separate operations on Friday, with over 105 pounds of marijuana in their possession.

CANU officers conducted an operation at Young and Restless Street in De-Kinderen, West Coast Demerara where they intercepted a young man carrying a haversack.

A subsequent search of the haversack revealed several transparent Ziplock bags containing suspected cannabis.

Consequently, 19-year-old Errol Latchoo of lot 54 West Meter-Meer-Zorg, WCD was arrested and escorted to CANU headquarters with the suspected narcotics.

The narcotics found on the teenager

The narcotics tested positive for cannabis, with a total weight of 118 grams.

Meanwhile, also on Friday, another group of CANU ranks, acting on information received, conducted an operation in the village of Sheet Anchor, East Canjie, Berbice.

The officers intercepted Oneil Lampkin, 31, of lot 16 Sheet Anchor, East Canjie, under the Canje bridge with a small quantity of suspected cannabis in his possession.

The suspect was then escorted to his home, where the officers conducted searches of the property and the surrounding bushes. During this time, the officers discovered two large parcels containing suspected cannabis hidden in the bushes.

The narcotics found in the bushes next to the suspect’s home

Lampkin was arrested and taken to the CANU headquarters along with the narcotics.

The small quantity that was found in the suspect’s possession weighed 18.3 grams, while the narcotics discovered near his home carried a total weight 47.5 kilograms.

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The Cayman Islands Government has advised that Grand Cayman remains under a Hurricane Warning and the Sister Islands remain under a Tropical Storm Watch.

Though current forecast tracks show a further westerly shift of Tropical Storm Ian, the latest data has shown the potential for the system to quickly intensify to a strong hurricane as it passes the Cayman Islands and weather conditions are still expected to become poor over the next twelve hours.

The Tropical Storm Watch for the Sister Islands remains in effect out of an abundance of caution, as the system continues to evolve rapidly.

Reacting to the unpredictability of the storm, Deputy Governor Hon. Franz Manderson said:

Though Tropical Storm Ian seems to be moving away from the Cayman Islands in a favourable direction at this time, its potential to impact all three islands remains a very real possibility that everyone must be prepared for. This system is expected to bring heavy rainfall, winds and large waves at our coastlines so we must remain vigilant. For this reason, we have made the decision to not lift the Tropical Storm Watch for the Sister Islands nor the Hurricane Warning for Grand Cayman. This system cannot be underestimated and I trust the people of the Cayman Islands to continue their preparedness activities and take all necessary precautions. Please, stay off the roads and away from beaches until the All Clear has been given. The safety of our people is paramount at this time.

As at 10am, Tropical Storm Ian was located at 15.2N and 79.8W or about 300 miles SSE of Grand Cayman, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Tropical Storm Ian is moving towards west-northwest at 14 mph with minimum central pressure of 1001mb / 29.59 inches.

Regarding the maintenance of the watches and warnings, Director of the National Weather Service Mr. John Tibbetts said:

Grand Cayman will remain under a Hurricane Warning and the Sister Islands under a Tropical Storm Watch out of an abundance of caution.

The continued changes to the storm means the forecast uncertainty remains high and there remains the possibility of rapid intensification.

I advise the public to continue their preparedness activities and to remain vigilant until an All Clear is given.

Overcast skies with widespread thunderstorms are expected from Sunday evening with tropical storm conditions by early Monday morning as the system nears the Cayman Islands. Extremely rough seas accompanied by storm surge are also expected. Swells generated by Tropical Storm Ian will spread into the Cayman area later tonight.

Potential impact includes flooding that could lead roadways becoming inaccessible, projectiles due to strong winds and damage to coastal areas most affected by heavy waves. The Cayman Islands are expected to receive up to two inches of rainfall later today, and an additional two to four inches tomorrow Monday 25 September.

Waves are expected to rise to six to eight feet today especially along the south coast of Grand Cayman.

Swells of 5 to 7 feet are likely along with 1 to 3 feet of storm surge.

Stay informed and be prepared by visiting www.gov.ky and www.caymanprepared.ky or tuning in to Radio Cayman 89.9FM.

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MURDERED: Emiro Baynes who was found shot to death in Tobago. –

HEAD of the Tobago Division, acting Senior Superintendent Junior Benjamin is calling on Tobagonians not to panic in the wake of three murders being committed within three days last week.

In confirming that a suspect is in custody for the last of those three murders, Benjamin in a police press release on Sunday, said he has deployed several “counter mechanisms” including “specialised units” to tackle the issue of violence and murders on the island.

Benjamin said, “The Tobago Division is confident in its ability to solve these unfortunate incidents as it maintains a 50 per cent detection rate which represents solvency of one out of every two murders and other serious crimes.”

He added that while the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Tobago Division, has assured “promising results very soon,” in connection with the other two murders, officers from the Emergency Response Patrol, Task Force, Criminal Investigations Department, among others, have been mobilised and are targeting areas known for illicit activities which contribute to serious crimes on the island.

Jonathan Baptiste –

As the Division expects more mobility and traffic with the upcoming Carnival activities, he said, “There is no need for panic as police officers will be conducting operations to increase visibility, safety, and security in key areas.”

He urged those with information on the ongoing investigations into the three murders to contact the police at 555 or share the information via Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS or via the TTPS’ App.

On Thursday, T&T Inter-Island Company worker Emero Baynes was gunned down while driving his car along Belmont Farm Road in Mason Hall. No arrest has been made in this case.

Later on Thursday night, 28-year-old Jonathan Baptiste was shot by a man at Lal’s carpark, Dutch Fort in Scarborough. Baptiste, who hailed from Gerald Graham Road in Union Village, died later at hospital.

Then on Saturday, Kenrick James, 65, was chopped to death at around 7.30 am during an argument with a man whom James knew. James lived in Store Bay Local Road. The suspect was held a short while later. James is Tobago’s seventh murder victim for this year.

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