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Brent Thomas, 61, of Nutmeg Avenue, Haleland Park, Maraval was charged with three counts of possession of firearms possession and four counts of possession of explosives.
He was granted $800,000 bail with surety on Friday.
PHOTO COURTESY TTPS –

A 61-year-old Maraval man appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate on Friday to face charges of the possession of prohibited explosives and guns.

A police media release reported that Brent Thomas was charged with three counts of possession of prohibited weapons (automatic firearms) and four counts of possession of prohibited weapons (explosives), after investigators received advice from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions George Busby.

Thomas appeared before magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor in the Port of Spain Magistrates Court and was granted $800,000 bail with surety.

He is expected to return to court on October 7.

The investigation began when officers of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) began an audit at the business of a firearms dealer in Aranguez.

During the audit they noted several irregularities and searched the dealer’s home, where they found four explosive devices and three prohibited guns.

ASP Birch of the PSB later received seven arrest warrants for Thomas, who went to Barbados. Authorities there detained him on October 5 and handed him over to Birch,who travelled to Barbados.

The exercise that led to Thomas’s arrest was led by W/Snr Supt Suzette Martin and acting Cpl Joefield.

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The South Oropouche river in Pluck Road –

BOTH the adverse weather yellow alert and the riverine flooding orange alert were discontinued by the Met Services on Friday.

The adverse weather alert discontinuation was contained in a media release shortly before noon and the riverine alert was lifted at 3.35 pm.

The adverse weather alert was issued on Tuesday morning and took effect from 5 am on Wednesday, when heavy rain and strong winds started affecting Tobago and east Trinidad, resulting in flooding and landslides.

In the latest release, the Met Office said, “The potential for impactful weather over TT is significantly reduced.”

It said there is a chance of isolated thunderstorms, but additional rainfall is unlikely to hinder further runoff.

“Landslips and landslides are still possible as soils remain saturated.”

On the discontinuance of the riverine flood alert, the Met Office said all major river courses were well within their banks as of Friday and the threat of further riverine flooding had decreased considerably.

Some locations remain waterlogged, but this should improve with time.

The riverine alert came into effect on Thursday, first as a yellow, then an orange level. Orange indicates a high risk to public safety, livelihood and property.

The public was advised to continue to assess their surroundings before venturing out, and to monitor weather conditions and updates from official sources via www.metoffice.gov.tt and www.odpm.gov.tt

The weather system, or Invest 91L, as it was known, which caused major flooding and landslides, has since intensified, first into Tropical Depression 13 and then Tropical Storm Julia.

As of Friday, the storm was 150 miles north-northeast of Barranquilla, Colombia and 505 miles east of Isla de Providencia, Colombia. It is expected to strengthen further into a hurricane.

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The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Indian Heritage Foundation is commemorating Indian Heritage Day today.

Yolande Richards has more in today’s Special Report.

https://www.nbcsvg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/INDIAN-HERITAGE-DAY-REPORT-1.mp3

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Caribbean women over 40 are more at risk for developing breast cancer.

According to a 2016 study entitled Breast Cancer in Caribbean Women by Dr Judith Hurley, Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami, older women are more at risk.

In Barbados, the average age for women developing breast cancer is 46.6, Cayman Islands, 51.4, Dominica, 52, Haiti, 50, Jamaica, 49, and Trinidad and Tobago, 43.

Dr Anesa Ahamad, an Oncologist based in the United States and who works with the Cancer Clinic of Trinidad and Tobago, told Loop News the findings of the study are still valid today.

She said while breast cancer is more common worldwide in white women with the peak age for breast cancer for that demographic in Europe in the 60s, there is a higher incidence for younger Africans and East Indians in the Caribbean.

She said the younger the age, the more aggressive cancer tends to behave.

“With women in their 40s, we are dealing with a generally more aggressive cancer that needs more aggressive treatment,” she said.

Dr Ahamad said there is evidence that the number of breast cancer cases is increasing.

“Some of the risk factors for breast cancer we are aware of may be more common in women living a lifestyle where there is alcohol intake, drinking more than two drinks a day of any type, a high-fat diet, being overweight,” she said.

Other risk factors include lack of physical activity, lack of breastfeeding, the number of pregnancies a woman has as women who never got pregnant have a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Dr Ahamad noted, however, that if someone gets breast cancer that no one can prove it is because of something they have done.

“Women without risk factors also get breast cancer, however, we are aware there are risk factors associated with the increase and these are cultural.”

Dr Ahamad said there is a tremendous social and financial impact to society with women over 40 developing breast cancer.

“It is a time in their life when they are mothers, they are working, looking after parents and families, they are income earners, they may be the core fabric of their town, village, families, households and they are women who get breast cancer so the effect on the families and communities is more impactful than women in their 60s. It is socially and financially impactful. We are losing schoolteachers, bankers, losing them from the workforce and home,” she explained.

Asked about guidelines for preventing breast cancer, Dr Ahamad said it is the same lifestyle and diet recommended for lowering the risk of other diseases: maintain a healthy weight, be physically active, low alcohol intake, no smoking, and consuming a diet low in salt, sugar, processed foods, preserved meats, and red meat.

She also recommended screening tests done at appropriate times following discussions with your doctor.

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Several attempted break-ins at stores in the City are being investigated, as well as the theft of money from one business. Reports say these incidents all took place at around the same time earlier this week.

In one instance, the proprietor of Island Original, located at the corner of St. Mary’s and Market Streets, advised the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) that someone had attempted to break into his business place.

Reportedly, the would-be intruder used a hard implement to pry open the deadbolt lock on a glass door, which caused it to become compromised. However, the person’s efforts were fruitless, as he was unable to gain entry into the building.

In another incident, someone attempted to enter the Little Pumpkin, located on Market Street, but was also unsuccessful.

Again, the intruder used a hard implement to pry the cylindrical lock off a glass door, but he was unable to gain entry into the store.

Meanwhile, the supervisor of Harper’s, located at the corner of High and Market Streets, reported an attempt to break into that business place, as well.

As with the other attempts, this one had the same mode of operation: A hard implement was used to pry off a door strip, but entry into the building was again denied.

In the meantime, Slippers Plus, located on the corner of Redcliffe Street and Corn Alley, was broken into and $800 was stolen.

In this instance, the perpetrator pried a deadbolt lock off a northern door.  Having gained entry into the business place, the intruder took the money from a cash register.

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