Moontown

Ghana became the first African team to record victory in the first World Cup held on African soil, when they recorded a 1-0 win over Serbia in their Group D opening game at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria .

In a tight affair, which saw neither sides wanting to give up a goal, it took a penalty in the 85th minute to settle the match.

Asamoah Gyan stepped up and sent Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkavic the wrong way after his team mate Zdravko Kuzmanovic, inexplicably handled the ball.

Serbia also had Aleksandar Lukovic sent off in the 74th minute after two bookable offences.

The victory sent Ghana on top of Group D. Germany will take on Australia in the group’s other fixture this afternoon at 1:30 p.m

In the earlier game Robert Koren’s late goal gave Slovenia their first goal and first victory in the World Cup to send them top of Group C.

The seventh match of the World Cup was a dull one, with the highlights being the goal and Abdelkader Ghezzal being sent off for two bookable offences. (Jamaica Gleaner)

All aboard - Jamaica Air Shuttle passengers on a promotional flight. - Contributed

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Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Seven months after responding to the calls of domestic travellers, the Tinson Pen-based Airways International - operators of Jamaica Air Shuttle - will spread its wings across the Caribbean.

The airline’s next stops are Cayman Brac in The Cayman Islands, July 2, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 28, says Christopher Read, Airways International chairman.

For years, The Cayman Islands have been part of the Jamaican flight plan, with carriers such as Cayman Airways and Air Jamaica servicing the route. however, “Cayman Brac has never enjoyed direct services, and we plan to fill that gap,” Read told Sunday Business during an interview last week.

And what normally took a full day of travel through other destinations will now take 35 minutes from Kingston on one of the three Beech 99 turbo prop airliners in the Jamaica Air Shuttle fleet, and another undergoing refurbishing.

Haiti, a mere hour and 15 minutes from Jamaica, also involved overnight stopovers through countries such as Panama for persons without a United States visa. However, Jamaica Air Shuttle passengers will get to the Haitian capital in less than two hours, said Read.

“These are two niches that I think we can effectively compete on because neither of those destinations justifies a regular jetliner of 100 seats,” argues the aircraft engineer-turned pilot. In fact, the small carrier, he admited, does not have the capability to compete with carriers such as Caribbean Airlines, which recently took over Air Jamaica.

Incorporated here in 1969, Read’s Airways International has been at the forefront of general aviation activities and services within the island since that time. The company is probably best known by Jamaicans for its efficient and innovative cross-island courier service - Airpak Express.

More convenient and easy

With a staff complement of 40 persons, including mechanics, pilots, customer-service agents and baggage handlers, the airline currently flies four round trips per day between the tourism capital, Montego Bay, and the capital city. “This is a capacity of 96 passengers, as each aircraft carries up to 12 people,” the Jamaica Air Shuttle head explained.

Its original plans were to offer a choice for Kingstonians who have been affected by the reduction in flights by Air Jamaica. “With Air Jamaica’s demise, they had fewer choices,” he argued, adding that flying with Jamaica Air Shuttle was far more convenient and easy.

Describing the establishing of the domestic route as a natural synergy between his company and the state-of-the-art Sangster International Airport, he said what they were trying to do was create a critical mass, “increasing the Jamaican traffic through MBJ, while creating better travel experiences to the public”.

Currently, even the British Airways and Virgin Atlantic travellers who arrive in Kingston have access to Jamaica Air Shuttle and are capitalising on the conve-nience of connecting to their hotels in the resort capital.

The airline has quite a bit of capacity in relation to baggage, and allows 50lbs free, with an option to pay for overweight. “And if we were to find difficulty accommodating all of the luggage on the aircraft the passenger was on, we have a contingency plan for using our airplanes that we use for cargo,” said Read.

The carrier has 14 different travel agencies that write its tickets, and a website for booking directly - www.jamaicaairshuttle.com.

Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

A FORMER soldier in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) currently serving as the chairman of Crime Stop has fired a volley of salvos at successive political administrations for failing to address the social ills draining away the lifeblood of deprived communities.

Peter John Thwaites, who served as a second lieutenant in the Jamaica Defence Force during the first state of emergency in western Kingston in 1966, took aim at politicians over what he characterised as their lethargic attitude to poor and deprived communities.

“I have been in the army, so I do come to the table with a predisposition to harder-than-normal-policing and harder-than-normal dealing with crime,” Thwaites, also a representative of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), declared at a Gleaner Editors’ Forum late last week.

Thwaites recalled that his first assignment as a second lieutenant in the army was in 1966.

“And guess where we were?” asked Thwaites. “We were in Denham Town and we were searching for guns that were being allegedly used by political elements to intimidate the constituents in electoral matters.”

He said many residents were also detained in that first state of emergency. “I was, in fact, in charge of a detention area,” Thwaites said.

“When we left there, we could not believe that a place existed in Kingston like that - the degradation of buildings, the roads and other things were just absolutely unbelievable.”

Thwaites lamented that notwithstanding the plight of the poor more than four decades ago, the situation has been allowed to worsen with each passing decade.

At the same time, he said, the security forces are undermanned and under-resourced, a situation for which he also blamed the political directorate.

Thwaites complained that a mere five per cent of GDP was being used to address the monumental crime challenge.

“They have deliberately underresourced - and you can’t tell me it’s not deliberate. We have 8,500 police. The cadre is 12,000,” Thwaites argued.

“Sixteen thousand murders needs 25,000 policemen with cars that run up and down the place and you don’t have to beg gas for them.

“And we have borrowed more money to do what, I do not know,” he declared.

Thwaites contended that civil society was not much better than politicians. “We had two years to put some suggested changes that are being proposed now to the legislation, and we haven’t done anything,” Thwaites said, eliciting disagreement from human-rights activists.

Thwaites said the time was long past for the State to launch a full-scale assault on the social ills draining the lifeblood from deprived communities.

“We haven’t really taken poverty, garrisons, poor people seriously,” he bemoaned. “I have a theory on this: our politician don’t care about poor black people.

“Our politicians are interested in filling their bags. I feel very strongly that we are in a situation in which we are fighting terrorists,” Thwaites said.

He came out in full support of the anti-crime bills being debated in Parliament, which, he argued, would help to bring back law and order to these communities.

“We no longer have a crime issue … . Any country that has the number of murders that we have on an escalating basis is dealing with terrorism,” the ex-soldier argued.

“I feel that it is not possible for us to deal with the terrorists in the same way that civil society would deal with criminals,” Thwaites said. “I would like to say that the PSOJ fully supports the implementation of the crime bills that are before the House.

“We are not lawyers and therefore we cannot say whether they are absolutely correct legally, but we support the objective and would like to see them enacted in the shortest time.” (Jamaica Gleaner)

Heads of church organisations seeking to develop a crime plan for the institutions that would have impact at the community level. In this 2008 photograph, members of Pastors In Action - the local clergy group which organised the ‘The Way Forward’ conference - paused to pray. From left clockwise are: Dr Henley Morgan of Praise City International; Rev Naila Ricketts of Prayer 2000 (partially hidden); Bishop C. Everton Thomas of the Emmanuel Apostolic Church; Rev Dr Merrick ‘Al’ Miller; and Pastor Percival Palmer, general secretary of the Students Christian Fellowship and Scripture Union. - File

Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

HOLY WAR has been declared against crime and violence in Jamaica, as local churches are on the cusp of ratifying a detailed crime plan, which fully supports the government striking deals with convicted criminals.

The strategies drafted by the church include early prevention of criminal activities, advocacy, health, and training to the underprivileged.

“It is expected that these actions will reduce the unacceptable high levels of violence prevalent in the society,” noted the crime plan.

“Some of these laws will give to the police greater possibility of apprehending criminals and, in some cases, bargaining with them,” read another section.

However, the plan did not mention the death penalty, as members of the clergy are divided on the matter, The Sunday Gleaner understands.

Within the tenets of the church’s anti-crime document, the clergy plans to pressure legislators in Gordon House to pass the two-year-old crime bills, which are still in limbo.

Two of the major sticking points stalling the safe and smooth passage of the bills through the House are the provisions recommending mandatory minimum-sentencing, and the detention of persons for 60 days.

The Criminal Justice (Plea Negotiations and Agreements) Act was passed by Parliament in 2005, but the regulations, needed to make the provisions of the act applicable, were not approved in the Lower House until last week.

However, the church leaders cautioned that they would not give blanket support to a bill simply because ‘anti-crime measure’ is stamped across it. They pledge to carefully study the laws to ensure that human rights are protected.

The crime plan is supported by the Jamaica Council of Churches, the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals, the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, the Jamaica Pentecostal Union (Apostolic), the West Indies Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and the Church of God in Jamaica.

The first formal attempt by church leaders at crafting a crime plan came was in 2005, under the auspices of the National Church Alliance. Five years later, a workable document is in place. While the document is expected to be completed and available to the public by May 2011, some aspects of the umbrella group of churches’ crime plan are already being implemented.

“We are isolating some things which we can do now … . technically, we have signed off on it, but in terms of a formal document, (that will be ready) by May 2011,” the Reverend Lenworth Anglin, executive chairman of the Church of God in Jamaica and lead author of the crime plan, told The Sunday Gleaner.

For years, churches in Jamaica, a powerful constituency boasting some 1.2 million members in a country with a population of approximately 2.7 million, have been accused of being silent on critical issues, including crime. “Not anymore,” says Anglin, who believes the anti-crime proposal gives a united voice to the Church.

“I’m suggesting that is what we are presenting (a united voice on crime) now. Anybody who accuses us doesn’t know the facts,” said Anglin.

A truth and reconciliation tribunal, which has worked in other societies around the world, also forms part of the church’s crime plan.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com

Crime bills

An act to amend the Bail Act

An Act to further Amend the Firearms Act

An act to Amend the Offences Against the Person Act

An Act to Amend the Parole Act

An Act to Make Interim Provision in Relation to the Grant of Bail in Specified Circumstances

An Act to Make Interim Provision Extending the Powers of Arrest and Detention Under Sections 50B and 50F of the Constabulary Force Act. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Published: Sunday | June 13, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions

Caribbean Show Place in Ironshore, St James, one of several businesses owned by incarcerated Montego Bay-based businessman Leebert Ramcharan. - File photos

Dudus’ house

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Lovelette Brooks, News Editor

EARLY YESTERDAY morning, the fervent search for the fugitive Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke took security personnel to the verdant hills of St Ann where it is believed that Coke owned property. While the area remained under surveillance, Coke was not found.

Back in Kingston, the nation’s attention is once more drawn to the hills of upper St Andrew where the hunt took the security forces a fortnight ago, resulting in the death of Kingston businessman Keith Clarke.

It is an area where the wealthy retreat and where criminals are also spreading their tendrils.

Kirkland Heights is one of the pristine residential enclaves in upper St Andrew and is characterised by a mixture of multi-storey houses.

On May 27, the quiet neighbourhood witnessed what can best be described as predawn terror. Security personnel, in their search for Coke, stormed the neighbourhood where they believed he was in hiding.

Residents of Kirkland Heights reported they were awakened by loud explosions which lasted for more than two hours. After the ‘operation’ an unusual occurrence in these environs, Clarke, whose house was riddled with bullet holes, was dead and Dudus was still at large.

Although operating out of gritty Tivoli Gardens, Dudus has reportedly invested heavily in real estate in upscale St Andrew.

The police have confirmed that he owns a sprawling split-level house in Plantation Heights.

It is also reported that another alleged gang leader Cleveland ‘Cassie’ Downer, who operates out of the area known as ‘Common’ off Red Hills Road in St Andrew, has houses in upscale Chancery Hall area.

Palatial spread

Incarcerated Matthews Lane com-mander, Donald ‘Zekes’ Phipps, not to be outdone, has a palatial spread on Highland Drive, Havendale, also in St Andrew.

When held by the police, Zekes reportedly had J$18 million in cash in his house.

The control of substantial wealth has given many local gangsters the chance to move into mansions in the hills, but this flight has not gone unnoticed by the security forces.

Superintendent Altermoth Campbell, in whose North St Andrew Division a number of these communities fall, has long noticed the trend of these crime bosses setting up their homes far from the poverty-stricken inner-city communities where they are based.

In a 2009 media interview, Campbell noted that Ricardo ‘Bully’ Thomas, who was wanted on several gun and shooting charges, was nabbed in Hope Pastures.

That was many metres and a complete lifestyle away from Cockburn Gardens in south-west St Andrew where ‘Bully’ was boss before he was killed.

Another man on the police most-wanted list, Junior Williams, a reported gang leader out of Seaview Gardens, was held in Jacks Hill.

Last year, the alleged leader of the Montego Bay-based Stone Crusher gang, Eldon Calvert, who was at the top of police most-wanted list, was captured in an upscale apartment in the rustic community of Wood Grove in St James.

Calvert, who was wanted in connection with several counts of murders and shootings had a $1-million bounty placed on his head before he was held.

“Dangerous criminals have a preference for upscale communities when they decide to invest in real estate,” a senior cop from the St Andrew North Division told The Sunday Gleaner.

“They don’t live in the inner-city where they work, they prefer the quiet residential areas where they can build substantial homes, and believe they can blend in and go unnoticed,” he said.

Kirkland Heights share attributes with other luxurious communities such as Chancery Hall, Smokey Vale, Plantation Heights and Queen Hill, all pricey with commanding views of the city of Kingston.

Chancery Hall is located above Havendale and Meadowbrook communi-ties. The area with breathtaking vistas is ideal for a dream-house location.

The Sunday Gleaner did not see one house that could be described as minimalist on its tour of Chancery Hall last Wednesday.

Most of the homes are multi-storey, with wide swathes of lawn encircled by cut-stone walls.

“In these areas, the homes are well-established, there are places of choice with full-length walls which is a security feature,” says Kingsley Sangster, CEO of Sangster Realty.

Set apart from middle-income gated communities typical in Kingston, the upper St Andrew houses spread out over many acres, most set back from the road.

Quite a few have surveillance security systems almost hidden from view, mounted at strategic places. Flower beds run riot on various properties, painting pretty pictures.

But there are gaudy homes which obviously did not get the stamp of approval from professional architects.

All of these ‘massive’ houses are owned by high-income earners.

“Senior professionals such as doctors and lawyers invest in these areas. And they love to build mansions, just like the poor man who becomes wealthy quickly. Some of them (nouveau riche) don’t think properly, they just build a big house on a hill, something they always dreamt of doing,” Sangster said.

According to the realtor, property values are extremely high in these neigh-bourhoods. A three-quarter acre plot can cost as much as $6 million while a typical house may value up to $100 million and more.

And Carmen Smith, sales executive at Coldwell Banker, says that the flight to hills is taking place with fervour now as residential properties closer to the city centre cannot be had.

“Chancery Hall and similar areas are preferred among homebuyers with substantial savings or investments that are turning over, ” she said.

Feel of luxury

And the reasons, she offered, why these communities tend to attract retirees and older couples are the same that lure criminals seeking safe haven.

“People want space, and they like the calm, comfortable feel of luxury.”

Helping residents to set up and maintain active neighbourhood watches is Inspector Anthony Tracey, island coordinator of the Community Safety and Security Branch within the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

“Presently, there are over 50 neighbourhood-watch groups in Jamaica, some quite large while some are smaller. Upper St Andrew has some of the most active groups in Jamaica,” said Tracy.

He told The Sunday Gleaner that for years sellers of houses and property would “just take the money” without checking the background of prospective buyers.

Now efforts are being made to address that.

“It’s called access control. A person selling a house will be pressured to furnish details to neighbours which will satisfy residents that the prospective buyer is not someone of questionable character,” said Tracey.

While there is no legislature supporting this in Jamaica, the inspector is adamant that people power can make it work. “The biggest law in Jamaica is people. If the people come together and say we don’t want or like this, it will change.”(Jamaica Gleaner)

lovelette.brooks@gleanerjm.com

Camini Marajh Investigative Desk

The Government-appointed caretaker board of the cash-strapped CL Financial Group has received tens of thousands of dollars in directors’ fees from an overdraft facility at RBTT bank, Park Street, Port of Spain, at a time when long-suffering depositors, policy holders and sundry creditors are being asked to hold strain.

The State oversight board of directors re-instituted directors’ fee payments in the post-government intervention period last July and on February 23 this year, increased the level of payments to more than double what they were being paid previously, a Sunday Express investigation has found.

The non-executive board of directors, chaired by Dr Shafeek Sultan-Khan, passed a written resolution on February 23 this year hiking directors’ fees to a high US$11,880. or TT$74,844, a quarter, from its previous level of US$5,000 per quarter.

Sultan-Khan, who is also chairman of Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), collects some US$17,880 per quarter from the financially distressed conglomerate, in addition to a US$1,000 appearance fee per board meeting. Other directors, including deputy chairman and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Alison Lewis, get an appearance fee of US$750 per board meeting, according to sources close to the situation.

Sultan-Khan was not immediately available for comment yesterday. Reached on his mobile, he said he was in Toronto, Canada, was driving and unable to speak to the Sunday Express.

Lewis was also not available for comment on her receipt of board fees from the parent board of CL Financial and subsidiary companies Home Construction Ltd (HCL), Angostura Ltd and Jamaican rum giant, Lascelles de Mercado.

Lewis is the State-appointed deputy chairman of the debt-burdened property development company and collects a monthly board fee of TT$7,500. She also receives an additional TT$5,000 a month to chair the human resources sub-committee, and another TT$2,000 a month to sit on the audit/finance committee of the HCL Board.

In all, the substantive permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance receives a monthly income of over TT$37,936 from her various CL Financial board assignments. The Sunday Express was unable to confirm the fee payments for the Angostura and Lascelles boards.

And while CL Financial does not fall under the category of a State enterprise or statutory corporation, Cabinet-issued guidelines make it clear that public servants whose remuneration packages are determined by the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) should not benefit from additional perquisites. Permanent Secretaries fall under the purview of the SRC.

A circular memorandum, issued by the acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in August 2008 says this: ’Please note that the fees and allowances outlined above constitute the total package for government appointees to statutory bodies, and are not payable to executive directors and positions for which remuneration are determined by the SRC. In instances where the chairmen of statutory bodies are currently in receipt of additional perquisites those arrangements should be terminated at the end of their current term.’

The memorandum contained a table of groups rated A to C and the related board governance fees. It also referenced the June 26, 2008 Cabinet Minute No.1720, which effectively increased board fees and travelling allowances for directors of State boards.

The payment of board fees to Lewis and State-hired management consultant, Osbourne Nurse, and others on the CL Financial board and its subsidiary companies at levels not enjoyed by the previous board of directors of the Lawrence Duprey-led group, has raised ethical and moral questions about the directors’ fiduciary duties in a near insolvency situation and the rights of depositors, policy holders and sundry creditors.

Duprey, the biggest shareholder and former executive chairman of CL Financial paid his directors board fees of US$5,000 per quarter up until mid-2008 when his privately owned conglomerate with assets of TT$100 billion ran into trouble. On average, directors of the parent board met three times a year, according to insiders.

Morals and ethics

Former diplomat and head of the Public Service, Reginald Dumas, said the payment of board fees from a near bankrupt private company under State management raises all sorts of questions relating to the role of senior public servants and their remuneration packages.

’Is a public servant sitting on one of these companies entitled to remuneration in addition to the salary he or she is getting as a public servant?’ he asked, noting that ’morals and ethics are interesting concepts when you come to business.’

Economist Dr Dhanaysar Mahabir said when these board rates are paid in bailout type situations, ultimately it is the ordinary man-in-the-street who pays. Saying that non-executive directors appointed by the State to the CL Financial Group should stand back from further bleeding the company, Mahabir said the fees were way in excess of SRC’s guidelines.

’It cannot be justified because there is no money,’ he said, adding that the payment of board fees should be reviewed. (Trinidad Express)

Akile Simon akile.simon@trinidadexpress.com

PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar has promised her Government would assist in the regularisation process of persons squatting on State lands, but also issued an appeal to members of the public, who have recently begun to invade State lands across the country, to desist from doing so.

Persad-Bissessar said her Government understood several families wanted a place to call home but warned the illegal takeover of State lands was not the way to go.

She was responding to reports that before and after the May 24 general election, hundreds of acres of land belonging to the State were illegally occupied by members of the public, who have erected wooden structures.

During last month’s election campaign, Persad-Bissessar said the new administration would not allow the Lands Settlement Agency to move on squatters and destroy their property.

According to Persad-Bissessar, who addressed members of the media yesterday during a tour of clean-up works in St Augustine, she has instructed the Minister of Housing to go into the various squatting communities and resolve the problem.

The PM said: ’The existing homes (that) are headset (for regularisation) will not be broken down. But where it is that those who are now using that opportunity to go unto the lands, both the Minister of Housing and the Minister of State Lands, yesterday, in fact, spoke with me. The Minister of Housing spoke with me on the issue; they will go in there to regularise it,’ she said.

Persad Bissessar noted her Government would not adopt a high-handed approach in dealing with the issue.

’We must be human and humane. But at the same time, there cannot be an indiscriminate grab for lands. It has to be done in a settled way, and that is why we have passed the law, the Squatter Regularisation Act, which allows for the Lands Settlement Agency (LSA) to settle persons to designate areas of settlement,’ she said

Persad-Bissessar added, ’So it is something that we may have to do quickly, but it cannot be that everybody wakes up in the morning, you know, (and) runs and put up a whatever (structure illegally on State lands.)

’At the same time, as a responsible Government, we have to say, ’Well, where will they live?’, and that is where that law will allow us to have some kind of regularisation and to give assistance.

’In the interim, we strongly advise people do not just grab (and) go on onto the land. I make that call, and that we will take care of you. We will find a way to help,’ she said.

In one case in Sangre Grande, the Sunday Express was told squatters have begun to use a large portion of land for agricultural purposes. Valencia, police statistics reveal, has the largest squatting village throughout the country.

The Sunday Express also understands State lands in areas of Diego Martin, Carapo and Arima have also been invaded by squatters.

On Friday, residents of Cashew Gardens in Longdenville were forced to call the police after a gang from Enterprise Village, Chaguanas, invaded their community and begun to construct wooden homes.

The men reportedly said to residents the land was unoccupied for far too long, and they could make better use of it by providing homes for their families. The men also claimed once they occupy the land, no one could remove them. (Trinidad Express)

Camini Marajh Investigative Desk

Marlon Holder, former executive director of the Unit Trust Corporation and the man now occupying the top executive post in CL Financial, was the unwitting beneficiary of at least $2 million in a high-end real estate deal.

A week ago Holder told the Sunday Express he got lucky. Persons with knowledge of the One Woodbrook Place (OWP) transaction, however, said he paid substantively less than the listed price for the luxury 18th-floor, three-bedroom condominium with spectacular views of the sea and Queen’s Park Savannah.

Holder paid $3,347,484 on May 15, 2009 for the super luxury apartment in the sky. The listed price, according to OWP documents for Tower I, Unit T118F3BD at the time of the initial sale agreement, was $5,550,000. Holder closed the condo sale on May 14 this year.

Holder was said to be out of the country and did not immediately return messages left on his voice mail. but when the Sunday Express spoke to him a week ago, he claimed to be ignorant that identical sized apartments were selling for more than $5 million.

Holder, a former head of corporate banking at First Citizens Bank (FCB) and the lender of the ambitious $1 billion and counting real estate project for OWP’s two major creditors, FCB and UTC, said up until a week ago, he had no knowledge that any of the three-bedroom units had sold for over $5 million.

He got lucky: Marlon Holder

He expressed amazement that the units could fetch upwards of $5 million. ’I didn’t know I was so lucky until you told me,’ he said, saying he was clueless as to what happened there. ’I don’t know what happened there,’ he said of reports that several other buyers, including one on his floor, had paid the premium $5.5 million listed price.

Sources familiar with the transaction told the Sunday Express that Holder reserved a two-bedroom unit in April 2004 on the 11th floor of Tower II at a pre-construction price of $1.65 million. A standard escalation clause pushed the price upwards to $2.12 million, said sources, adding that by the time he requested an upgrade to a three-bedroom, his two bedroom unit carried a value of $2,650,000.

It is here that things get somewhat confusing. Did OWP pass on the benefit of the appreciated price on the two- bedroom pre-construction-priced unit sold to Holder? And if so, why was this benefit not provided to other buyers. Also, according to former managing director, Anthony Fifi, there was no exchange policy on the passover of deep discounts.

Fifi, who left Home Construction Ltd (HCL), the developer of the OWP project in July 2008, said even when prices went down, these three-bedroom units were selling for just under $4 million. Asked to comment on the Marlon Holder transaction, he said only: ’I think Marlon got a hell of a deal.’

Geoffrey Leid, a former HCL director and attorney-at-law, said unless and until he had the approval of HCL and Holder, he was unable to comment on the transaction. He admits to being involved, but said company/client confidentiality barred him from commenting.

Pressed on the matter, he said he couldn’t recall the specific timeline or the numbers involved, but hazarded a guess that the discounted price may not be unrelated to Holder’s request for an apartment swap.

Other executives involved in the Holder transaction, former chief executive officer Hayden Ameerali and acting CEO Richard Le Blanc could not be reached for comment.

The Sunday Express understands that the transfer of the three-bedroom unit Holder got was completed at the pre-construction 2004 prices. Insiders claim no one else benefited from that arrangement, including unit holders who requested upgrades because of view or size considerations.

Sources also claim Holder failed to declare a personal interest in OWP to the UTC board of directors. The UTC, under Holder provided some $320 million in loan facilities to OWP. (Trinidad Express)

Roger Seepersad

After 8 overs WI 53/2 (Gayle 37, Chanderpaul 2) trail SA by 404 runs

Gayle lashed Morkel for a six and a four to bring up his team’s 50 and he looks like he is going to carry the team’s batting today.

He will have to play his best and it seems as though he is going to rise to the challenge.

After 7 overs WI 41/2 (Gayle 25, Chanderpaul 2) trail SA by 416 runs

Nash was the second wicket to fall, caught behind off Steyn for 13 and the WI are in some trouble now.

After 5 overs WI 32/1 (Gayle 23, Nash trail SA by 425 runs

Boundaries now coming frequently for Gayle who plundered two off Steyn before almost cutting one back onto his stumps.

After 4 overs WI 22/1 (Gayle 14, Nash 7) trail SA by 435 runs

Gayle and Nash now deciding to go hard at the pacers. Gayle playing Steyn back down the track for four and opening the face for four more down to the vacant third man boundary.

Nash then lifting Morkel over the slips for for four followed by a pull to a short ball for two.

They are going after the bowlers to the delight of the small crowd at the Oval who have just started to come in.

After 1.1 overs WI 2/1 (Gayle 1, Nash 0) trail SA by 454 runs

Dowlin goes lbw to Morne Morkel for one. He asked for a referral but has to go in the end.

Chris Gayle and Travis Dowlin are the openers for the West Indies. The pair walked out to the middle to cheers from the supporters who seem to be expecting something special from the the Windies today.

SA are attacking here with Dale Steyn who picked up his 200th Test wicket yesterday.

South Africa declared their second innings at 206/4after 62 overs

Graeme Smith has called in his player with a lead of 456. De Villiers was undefeateed on 19 and Prince not out on 16.

The weather would have played a part in the decision to declare with the sky still cloudy but no rain yet. The ground staff have retreated in the stands but are still on high alert.

West Indies will start their second innings shortly with a minimum of 78 overs left to play in the day’s play. They will try to make it to the lunch break with all ten wickets in tact but that will be a mammoth considering what took place yesterday. The main goal will be to bat out the next 70 minutes without losing a wicket.

After 60 overs SA 192/4 (de Villiers 18, Prince 7) lead WI by 442 runs

Well the weather is holding and South Africa continue their charge. Rampaul making a good stop to denyde Villiers a boundary but he spanks the last delivery of Benn’s over high over Nash at extra cover for four.

After 58 overs SA 184/4 (De Villiers 13, Prince 5) lead WI by 434 runs

The players gather around the drinks cart fora refresher.

After 56 overs SA 181/4 (De Villiers 12, Prince 3) lead WI by 430 runs

Smith was the last wicket to fall with the rain clouds surrounding the Oval. The South African skipper perhaps distracted a bit, tried to sweep Benn and was bowled behind his back.

No declaration yet and nothing but frustration for the Windies who struggled in their first innings, being bowled out for 102.

430 seems more than enough for SA but maybe they are thinking more along the lines of 480.

 After 54 overs SA 173/3 (Smith 87, De Villiers 10) lead WI by 423 runs

Well there sun was out at the Oval but but it seems like rain may very well threaten a little later today Fans have not really started to come in yet.

The ground staff are moving into position in case rain starts.

After 50 overs SA 167/3 (Smith 85, De Villiers 6) lead WI by 417 runs

Smith is fast approaching his 21st Test century and the Windies are trying everything to stop him but the 29-year-old skipper looks determine to bring up the milestone.
After 45 overs SA 159/3 (Smith 81, De Villiers 2) lead WI by 407 runs

Benn strikes in his second over today, trapping Kallis lbw for 40. Kallis refers the decision but has to go, the on field umpire’s decision stands.

AB De Villiers is the new batsman.

Kallis though still nit happy with the decision and walks off in amazement but the game goes on.

Good start by Benn, a maiden to Kallis to start the day’s play. He has been the pillar of hope for the West Indies and his workload so far has been amazing. Benn bowled 47 overs out of 129 in the first innings and has sent down 16 so far in the second.

Shillingford also starts well to Smith who looks to be in an aggressive mood, trying to sweep the spinner. Only one run from the second over of the day.

Hello and welcome to the fourth day of the the 1st Digicel Test between West Indies and South Africa at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain.

This is Roger Seepersad at the Oval and I will be bringing you all the latest in this exciting match.

Well a woeful batting display has left the West Indies in a vulnerable position as South Africa lead by 405 runs.

Graeme Smith (79 off 135 balls)is at the wicket with Jacques Kallis (40 off 63) with South Africa continuing overnight from 155/2.

The West Indies bowlers have not been penetrative in the second innings and Chris Gayle will want them to step it up in the first session.

South Africa will most like want to bat until lunch and declare their innings and give themselves five sessions to dismiss the Windies.

The Umpires are out in the middle and we are about ready to start.

Stay logged on for updates as the game unfolds.

As usual, updates will be posted at 5 over intervals or roughly every ten minutes.

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Members of the Christ Church West Central Constituency Council interacting with one of the residents in the area.()

By: Bradshaw Maria

THE CHRIST CHURCH WEST CENTRAL Constituency Council is prepared to address the concerns of the approximately 8 532 persons living in that area.

That is according to chairman of the council Winston Armstrong.

Yesterday, about 12 members of the council started a three-day “meet-and-greet” walkabout through the constituency, handing out forms and other paraphernalia so that persons in the constituency can inform them of their needs and concerns.

“It is basically a meet-and-greet this morning and to get residents to give us their idea of what they want, moreso than what we want to give them. We have different forms to give out . . . . we hope to have about two or three more walks,” informed Armstrong.

Public relations officer Chetwyn Ryce said the walk from Silver Hill to Gall hill was also to give people a chance to familiarise themselves with the council representatives.

“It is also to allow the constituency to get to know us; to familiarise themselves with our faces and vice versa. So in any case we can handle a situation where [there are] simple grievances and tenants wanting simple things fixed; to bridge the gap between the minister and the constituency. The main thing is that we want the constituency to know that we are here and available,” said Ryce.

He said although the council has not experienced any challenges to date, they were expecting some.

Ahead of the four-hour-long walk, Ryce told the SUNDAY SUN that the three-month-old council was also in the process of setting up a skills-training programme to target “those on the block”.

“We are going to try to orchestrate events to bring everyone together. We will be targeting those on the block in terms of providing skills training to find out what their passions are, especially boys on the block or those who drop out of school,” he noted. (MM) (Nation News)