Single Fathers Body Saddened by Infant Siblings Murder

More professionals must get involved

Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Yvonne Webb

 

Molly Castellano, left, consoles her daughter Akilla Myers

after family members viewed the bodies of infant siblings

Keyanna and Omari Myers, who were killed by their father

Barry Karamath in Matura on Sunday. Photo: ABRAHAM DIAZ

President of the Single Fathers Association Rondell Fields is once again appealing for more professional help for fathers who are under stress and pressure, saying this may be critical in preventing another tragedy involving children again. He also called for a return of spiritual values. Referring to the slaying over the weekend of infant siblings Keyanna and Omari Mayers at the hands of their father Barry Karamath, who then took his own life, Fields said many men are living under trying circumstances. 

However, he said taking the life of your own children should never be the final outcome. “I want to say to fathers, that could never be the last straw. Taking your children’s life, taking your life, that could never be the last straw,” he said. He told fathers if they cannot work with the mothers of their children, “let the women go,” but to continue to make their presence felt in their children’s life.

“It makes no sense whatsoever to deprive your children of yourself. It makes no sense to say I will take my life and let her keep the children. If you do this, you will be doing them a great injustice or worse, taking their lives,” Fields said. Karamath and the mother of the two children Okilla Myers were separated. Myers subsequently told the media that Karamath was possessive and abusive towards her, but had never shown any form of violence towards the children.

Fields is a member of the Child Protection Task Force, which was set up by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and has been mandated to find the cause of and increased risks of crimes against children. Fields said he has appealed to the PM for proper counselling and support for fathers troubled by domestic situations, but nothing has been done to date.

He said there are a few outreach officers who volunteer their services to the group, but there is need to expand the service and put preventative rather than punitive measures in place for people who are hurting.
  Also commenting on the tragedy, which rocked the Toco community on Palm Sunday, was Minister of Gender Youth and Child Development Clifton De Coteau, who said the national family support services will provide counselling for the bereaved families. He said they are also liaising with the Ministry of the People to see what other assistance they can provide to the families.

“It is a sad day for Trinidad and Tobago when such violence could be recorded,” De Coteau said, pointing out that they have to come up with some other alternative dispute resolution for domestic situations like what occurred at Toco. He said the ministry is currently working on treating with domestic violence against women, children and other individuals. He said only recently they got past the domestic registry, which monitors such acts of violence against these individuals.

But clearly, he said, this latest incident demonstrates the need for other ministries to continue working with Community Development on its mitigation centres, parenting caravan initiative and courses for defining male masculinity to find alternative ways to solve disputes.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-04-16/more-professionals-must-get-involved

 

The Pain of Being Abused by my Companion

Published: Monday, April 14, 2014

Yvonne Baboolal

 

“It is not my enemies who taunt me, I could bear that. It is not my adversaries who deal insolently with me, I could hide from them. But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend with whom I kept pleasant company...” Schoolteacher Sheila Stuart quoted this test from Psalm 55 to describe the horror of being abused by someone close to you. Stuart was speaking at a domestic violence seminar yesterday at the Tunapuna Community Centre hosted by the group Women on the Edge of the Tunapuna Community Council.

The seminar took place while the police and media were in remote Matura, on the east coast, to investigate a murder/suicide involving Barry Karamath and his two young children. Stuart said the Psalmist’s words vividly describe his personal dismay at being persecuted by someone he once trusted. “These words of betrayal and hurt are also a sad but realistic portrayal of the feelings of those who suffer from domestic violence. Such is the deceptive nature of abuse.”

Speaking on the spiritual dimension of domestic abuse which, in many cases, end in murder, Stuart said it is important women understand how much they are valued. “It is important they understand they are created in the image and likeness of God. God wants us to value ourselves the way He values us. “When we realise whose we are and how precious we are to God, we will not subject ourselves to any kind of abuse.”

Stuart, involved in social work, also quoted from the book Desire of Ages by Ellen G White, who said, “The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate upon themselves.” She said the Bible describes God as one who hates violence and warned there will be punishment to those who offends little children.

Describing how families are supposed to be, she told participants, “God has positioned us in families so that we can grow in grace, develop Christ-like characteristics and build healthy, wholesome relationships. “Husbands and wives should avoid everything that creates contention and unnecessary conflict in order to preserve harmony and peace in the home. “God desires that husbands love their wives in the same tender, self-sacrificing way that Christ loves the church, not subject them to bullying and brutality.

“There is no room for tyrannical control and abuse of power and authority. Both are to submit to each other. “We must accept males and females as equals and acknowledge that every person has a right to respect and dignity. “Failure to relate to others in this way violates their personhood and devalues human beings who were created and redeemed by God.”

Other presenters at the seminar included former government minister Dr Emmanuel Hosein, who helped draft the domestic violence act, and a representative of the police’s Victim and Witness Support Unit.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-04-14/domestic-violence-seminar-tells-pain-being-abused-my-companion

 

Killer Dad was ‘Abusive’

Published: Monday, April 14, 2014

Bobie-lee Dixon

 

Undertakers remove the body of 10-month-old

Omari Mayers who was found dead along with

his two-year-old sister Keyanna Mayers and father

Barry Karimath in bushes off Mora Trace, Matura

yesterday. PHOTO: ABRAHAM DIAZ

Twenty-four-year old Okilia Mayers held her stomach and wailed in grief as she watched the bodies of her two children being removed by undertakers from behind a tree, near a pumpkin garden at Mora Trace in the quite village of Matura, yesterday morning. “Oh God, why he do this? I want my children,” she screamed as relatives tried to console her. The bodies of the children and of their father laid at the scene on blankets for more than six hours before they were taken away.

33-year-old Barry Karimath of Cipriani Avenue Morvant, allegedly drove the children to the location on Saturday night where he reportedly gave them a poisonous substance to drink, before ingesting it himself. The murder-suicide took to five the number of similar killings for 2014, this being the first involving children. (See timeline below.)

According to District Medical Officer (DMO), Verintan Okolo, who spoke with the T&T Guardian at the scene, ten-month-old Omari and his two-year-old sister Keyanna Mayers, drank a herbicide, as they displayed the classic symptoms of herbicide poisoning. Bottles of herbicide were also found at the scene, he said.

“On examination of the bodies, it was obvious it was a case of suicide. The man himself, who also had something tied around his neck, was frothing from the mouth. And when I examined the children it was also consistent with poisoning because the girl had epistaxis, which is bleeding from the nose and frothing from the mouth,” explained Okolo. He said the children’s bodies bore no marks of violence.

The grieving mother told the T&T Guardian that Karimath was possessive, obsessed with her and she was often subjected to physical abuse during their three-year relationship. Mayers, who lives in Barataria, said was expected to pick up her children sometime this week from their father’s home, where she  dropped them off on Friday night before going to work. “I know I should not have left my children you know. Oh God, but I had nobody else to keep them and I just get a work so I had to go,” she sobbed.

She explained it was not the first time he made threats to her, but it was the first time he threatened to hurt the children. “He always threatened me and I would just not take him on sometimes, but I was always very afraid he might do something really bad some day to me, but not the children,” she admitted.

“The whole point in this, is that he wanted to be with me still and I did not want to be with him anymore because he was real possessive. He would bully me and beat me. He used to monitor all my movements and always watching who I talk to,” revealed Mayers. She said she could not even go to visit her six-year-old daughter from a previous relationship because Karimath would think she was going to reunite with the child’s father whom she lived with.

“I used to have to hide and go and see her behind his back,” she said. Mayers said Karimath would find her anywhere she went. “Before he moved to Morvant he was living in Woodbrook and he left Woodbrook and moved up in Barataria just to monitor my movements,” she added. When asked to describe her children, she said they were so loving and calm…always quiet. She recalled her last conversation with her children was when she dropped them off at Karimath’s home on Friday.

“I remember Keyanna asked me where I was going and I told her I was going to work and she smiled. Then I kissed her and Omari and told them I would see them after work. That never happened,” she said shaking her head. Mayers said, if she had only got out of the relationship earlier, her children might still be alive, but she was so afraid of him, that if she left completely, he would try to kill her. “But look any which way I chose, I would have lost. It was either me or them. But it should not have been them,” she cried.


Five murder/suicides in four months
There have been five murder/suicides in the first four months of the year, four of them involving men killing women in crimes of passion.

January 4—Shastri Roop­­narine, 24, and his girlfriend Amanda Persad, 22, are found dead in their Ramcharan Drive, San Juan apartment. Police believe it was a murder/suicide but have not found a motive. The incident reportedly occurred around 12.30 am when residents said they heard something like fireworks. At 3 pm, when they did not see the couple, they called the police. Persad was shot several times while Roopnarine had a single gunshot to his head. A gun lay next to Roopnarine’s body.

Roopnarine was arrested as a robbery suspect and later released due to a lack of evidence.


January 9—Sanjeev Rambaran and his ex-wife Dian Paladee, 49, are found dead in his Bedassie Street, St Augustine home in what was believed to be another murder/suicide. Paladee, a teacher at the El Dorado South Hindu School, was an heiress to the Pennywise chain of cosmetic stores. She was divorced from her husband but had been secretly visiting him. She was found on his bed with one shot to her head.

Rambaran lay a few feet away with a gunshot wound. Police found a rolling pin between the two bodies and said Paladee appeared to have been beaten.


March 4—One day after allegedly murdering his common-law wife Marilyn Murggan, Cepep worker Harold Ali, 55, dies after drinking poison on Carnival Tuesday night. Murggan was found in her Carapichaima bathroom in a semi-conscious state with marks on her neck. She died on arrival at the Couva District Health Facility Two hours later, Ali was found by passersby on a Gasparillo roadside two hours after strangling Murggan. He died the following day at hospital from poisoning.

Ali and Murggan were reportedly involved in an argument over money

March 31—Pastor Vishnu “Kitty” Lutchmansingh, 54, kills his brother, Kishan Lutchmansingh, injured his nephew, attempts to kill two other nephews and then reportedly commits suicide. This murder/suicide theory is being carefully investigated, however. The body believed to be his was found inside his house which relatives said he set afire after he killed his brother. The autopsy found this person was shot from behind, inconsistent with suicide and sent the remains of the body for DNA testing.

The cause of the killing remains unclear. Relatives have denied it had to do with a land dispute but admitted the two brothers had differences.


April 13—Barry Karamath kills his two children in remote Matura. Police yesterday said their mother was in shock and was not saying anything. (YB)

Source: http://www4.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-04-14/killer-dad-was-%E2%80%98abusive%E2%80%99

 

Academics: Women Speaking Out More on Abuse

Merle Hodge

By COREY CONNELLY Sunday, April 13 2014


 Romantic liaisons involving politicians, top public officials and celebrities, presumed to be happily married, are not a new phenomenon. Some might say that such trysts appear to be part and parcel of the experience, given the power that minisiter s wield in the society.

What recourse, though, do women have when there is evidence of high-handed behaviour against them, where there is a threat to their means of livelihood, or when such a relationship, for whatever reason, turns sour?

Could this have been the case in the recent incidents of alleged inappropriate behaviour with three women naming now former Government ministers and with all three instances under investigation.

While all of the incidents speak to an alleged abuse of authority, experts contend that they must each be viewed on their own circumstances but stop short of commenting whether the decision by the women to speak out signalled a breakthrough for abused women, generally.

University academic Merle Hodge said the women who have spoken out publicly against the former ministers should be thanked and congratulated, if only for the message of drawing greater awareness to abuse against women in the society.

“It takes a lot of courage to do what they have done,” she said in an interview on Wednesday.

“Such action helps in the struggle against abuse, for it emboldens others not to accept it. Abuse thrives and flourishes in the silence of the abused.”

Hodge, who is currently working in Women and Development Studies at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, could not say if there has been an upsurge in reports of women speaking out about abuse.

“There have always been women brave enough to take this step,” Hodge observed.

“If, to some, it looks like a sudden, new trend of women reporting abuse from powerful men, it might just be that there is more misbehaviour taking place in the corridors of power today than we have ever experienced before.”

On whether there may be potential backlash to the women’s actions, Hodge was non-commital.

“For these women, just the act of coming forward provides some protection from possible victimisation,” she said.

“Once allegations are made publicly about persons with high visibility, especially persons entrusted with managing the country’s business, then everyone is watching and the accused might think twice about any retaliation.”

Hodge, however, lamented that female accusers often take the flak in such scenarios.

“One kind of backlash is that some public opinion resorts to blaming the female accuser so that she becomes the accused,” she said.

Hodge said although this is countered in the current situation by broad public approval of these women’s action, hurtful words can be damaging to one’s peace of mind, and can cause pain to a person’s family. She advised that women who are affected by such criticism should seek counselling.

Hodge also noted that women who speak out against abuse, can be dismissed on the principle of “Her word against his.”

She added: “But where there’s smoke, there’s fire. An abusive person seldom has only one victim. What works best is for more of that person’s victims to come forward.”

Sociologist Dr Ronald Marshall said the recent events surrounding the abuse of women, physically and otherwise, should not be interpreted as a new phenomenon.

He argued that women have always been quietly complaining of abuses meted out to them by their partners and persons in influential positions.

“In years gone by, women were reluctant to speak openly of their ordeal to strangers or professionals because they felt that it was a private affair,” said Marshall, a senior lecturer in Sociology at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies.

“Within recent times, however, spousal abuse as a health hazard has surfaced in the literature and for good reasons.”

According to Marshall, research has shown that the abused tend to suffer from low self-esteem and morale, leading to psychological outcomes that are played out in the home, the workplace and the wider society.

“What is observed is that we are seeing a trend of persons of high status, themselves falling victim to abuse. This means that the society has grown to the extent where structures have been put in place to address the issue and victims are no longer afraid of victimisation or retaliation,” he said.

Marshall stressed that no one should tolerate abuse.

“Too long exposure to same could lead to mental health problems,” he said, adding that the best solution is to get away from the environment or situation.

“But this is easier said than done since some individuals are endowed with neither the inner strength, economic resources, nor social support to alter the outcome. In this regard, constructive dialogue might be another option.”

Although she observed that abused women are more vocal, today, as compared to years gone by, Patricia Mohammed, Professor of Gender and Cultural Studies at UWI, St Augustine, says there still exists “a collusive silence around some issues, especially those related to sexual harassment and sexual abuse.”

Mohammed told Sunday Newsday:

“In the past, revelations of such indiscretions had usually targeted the woman as sexual aggressor or tempter and the man as a victim of her ploys of seduction. What we have here, however, are the conditions under which women have actually been empowered to confront a situation.”

Mohammed said she hopes the incidents continue to empower women to speak out honestly and openly and pose a deterrent to men from taking liberties, especially on those who are in less powerful positions.

She noted, however, the women who spoke out in the matters involving the Government ministers may not remain untarnished by the fallout.

“On the other hand, there seems to be now more buy in with the cliche that no publicity is bad publicity for both men and women,” she said, lamenting that such incidents are often treated as “humorous interludes”.

“The resulting notoreity seems to work in favour of those who are implicated,” she added.Mohammed said apart from the empowerment of voice that resulted from the Prime Minister’s decision to dismiss one minister, there are also sufficient high profile cases — including Bill Clinton’s infamous affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and French President Francois Hollande’s recent disclosure about his mistress — that are influencing the climate of local sexual politics and women’s increasing courage to defend their rights.

Mohammed contends that despite their “apparent dependency, whether emotional or economic,” women have far more support agencies at their disposal now than they did in the past.

On whether the ex-ministers should relinquish their position as MPs, Mohammed said, “We do not have a tradition of those in political office resigning on the basis of principle. It would be interesting to see who will set this precedent and do the manly and honourable thing.”

Mohammed gave a flippant response when asked about the potential fallout for the women as well as the ministers to the respective scenarios.

“Nine days wonder, notoriety, sweet man — how seriously has the society taken on questions of infidelity or the abuse of women by those in positions of power?” she asked.

Mohammed said, however, that the situations offered an avenue for reflecting about the responsibilities of both sexes to each other, “not to paint all men as aggressors and all women as victims.”

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,193277.html

Children Impacted by Domestic Violence

DAD POISONS TWO KIDS

By RACHAEL ESPINET and RALPH BANWARIE 

Monday, April 14 2014

No one knows what possessed Barry Karamath, 33, to kill his two young children — three- year-old Keanna Mayers and her ten-month-old brother, Omari, who was fondly called “Bubba” by his family.

The toddlers were poisoned by their father, who later drank the same poison. All investigators have to go on are seven blood-curdling text messages Karamath sent to the children’s mother Okilia Mayers, detailing the murders.

“All unfair games do get played out. Live your life Killa to all the best now. I hope afterwards its you would chase but at the end is up to you was the biggest mistake of my life, but say what that police thing I know was yours,” one message said.

“In time to come be straight and honest with those who are with you. I gone,” another message read.

“Remember what I said from before don’t cry for me girl.”

At that time the messages became disturbing.

“Anyhow I deal with Bubba after how you sent the police by me tonight. I going and deal with Kele and myself now, and just remember is you cause that. I did it knowing that, fair well,” one message said.

“That was her last breath anyhow. In time to come be straight and honest with those who are with you. I gone... Remember what I said from before don’t cry for me girl...Don’t answer, I going and deal with Bubba first...Bubba like a like a little stupid but Keke has a little idea something’s wrong, but say what is a fed up scene,” read the remaining five messages.

“He is a demon. He had to be a demon to do that to them,” a relative of Mayers told Newsday yesterday.

“The children lived with their mother at Ninth Avenue, Barataria. Karamath, who lived in another part of Barataria, in 2011, appeared in a Scarborough, Tobago, court charged with possession of $1 million worth of cocaine. The couple were separated. Karamath had the children for the day and at about 7 pm on Saturday, kept sending text messages that he was going to kill the children and then kill himself,” a relative at Mayers’ Barataria home said yesterday.

The relative said Karamath was abusive towards Mayers and the children.

“We told him to bring the children if he does not want to keep the children. He said that how if he is going to dead then he is going to take his children with him. After eight he started to send texts,” the relative said.

The bodies of the three were found in a bamboo patch at Mora Trace, Matura, Toco, by a pumpkin farmer.

The two children were found on a pink blanket. Omari was found lying in a fetal position in her pampers and a multi-coloured vest while Keanna was on her back, clad in a blue skirt and top.

Karamath was discovered lying on his stomach, dressed in a blue t-shirt, pink pants and black and yellow Nike sneakers on his feet.

Police found a gallon bottle of “All Grass” weedicide next to the three bodies.

Luke Hamiliton, the pumpkin farmer who found the bodies, told police he last saw Karamath and the two children wandering around Mora Trace, at about 9 pm on Saturday.

He said Karamath told him he came to meet someone for a bush bath, but was told that the person he came to meet had died.

Hamilton said Karamath told him he was waiting on someone to take them home. Karamath admitted he was having personal problems and did not know what to do.

Hamilton left the three and while looking out of a window from his home, saw Karamath spreading a blanket for the children after they had a bath in the nearby river.

He said when he woke up at about 6 am yesterday, he saw the three lying down on the blanket and a bottle of liquid next to them.

As he approached the bodies, he saw they were frothing from the mouth.

He immediately called the Matura police, who responded within minutes.

Mayers, who came with other relatives about four hours later, begged to see the bodies and was asking the names of the children. She said Karamath was very possessive. She screamed for her children and had to be taken away by her mother, Molly Castellano as she begged to hold her children.

Castellano said very little, only that she was in shock.

A party of police officers led by ASP Aroon Ramkahelawan, Ag Insp Lutchman, Cpl Hernandez and PC Mootoo were on the scene of the murder/suicide yesterday.

Cpl Mohammed of the Homicide Bureau is continuing enquiries. 

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,193310.html

Where Kids Can Be Kids

By Martin Daly

Story Created: Apr 5, 2014 at 8:58 PM ECT

Story Updated: Apr 5, 2014 at 8:58 PM ECT 

 

 The Domestic Violence Act was passed in October 1999. The preamble to the act states that: “Incidents of domestic violence continue to occur with alarming frequency and deadly consequences.”

The preamble also states that: “It has become necessary to reflect the community’s repugnance to domestic violence in whatever form it may take and further influence the community’s attitude and support social change in respect of this social ill”. It goes on to say that the legislation is one way to achieve these goals.

The preamble begs the question, what else besides the legislation has been done to influence attitudes and support social change to mitigate domestic violence?  What social development policies have been put in place as instruments of mitigation nearly fifteen years later?

Regardless of the political motives, it is useful that it is now this Government’s policy that alleged abuse of women is a disqualification for holding public office, even when the alleged victim is not a member of the abuser’s household.  One hopes that it remains as a disqualification when general elections are not close-by.

Of course, I feel obliged to repeat that the objectives of attitudinal and social change will not come about without pressure and action from those best placed to apply such pressure and to take action within their power.

It was disappointing that the comments of two business organisations following the departures of Messrs Sharma and Ramadharsingh on account of alleged disrespect to women were mostly confined to worry about continuity in tourism and who should hold Ramadharsingh’s former portfolio.
I do not accept the fear of being branded “political” because it is not partisan or party political to press for standards and for objective justice.  These are basic requirements of a civilised society to which we should all give priority.

When Edwin Pouchet died last month many members of Silver Stars did not merely lose a musical director.  Bravo, the drillmaster about whose accomplishment I have written, described the loss this way: “Pouchet was our mentor, our teacher and our father”.  I stayed in touch with Bravo in the aftermath of his loss. He and others were deeply hurt because Edwin was a source of affection and respect.

In my column last week I made the link between the violence that children witness and the violence that they express. I have also made the case for the promotion and support of panyards and other arts communities as antidotes and positive instruments of affection and of social change. Prize money and hampers are not a substitute for love and affection or for putting those who are willing to help themselves on a basis sustainable beyond the politically laced subsidies.

I will never disclose the extent of my own modest involvement with persons in conditions of disadvantage, but I have been richly rewarded with an understanding of the positive effect of giving a little headstart and follow-up on the many talents that abound in our Republic. I can confidently state that the goodwill contained in a head start has a profoundly beneficial effect on the psyche of those who are mentored.  It is quite wrong to assume that the young and ambitious want only money.

Readers may recall a column in which I asked a young woman named Yetunde to write for me what she had told me about her belief in self-determination. She wrote in part “Even if we don’t have the support of our family, we must be able to surround our self with friends and mentors who can give us youths the encouragement, discipline, focus, love, courage and experience that is needed to support us. We must believe in ourselves because it’s up to us to make that difference in our life. It starts and ends with us, for no one can do it for us excepting us”.

Way beyond the politically laced subsidies, we have to create a land “where kids can be kids”. I learned this phrase from Shakira. She has used the wealth of her stardom to have schools built in her native Colombia with the object of having available to disadvantaged children an environment where they are free to be children, less marked by the violence and squalor around them.
Shakira is acting in the philanthropic tradition that helps to build great institutions and productive nations. Her building effort and presence at the schools was the subject of a recent segment of CBS 60 Minutes.

In passing, readers might also know that Rihanna has used her wealth to donate $1.75 million to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados, in the memory of her late grandmother Clara “Dolly” Braithwaite through her Clara Lionel Foundation, which was used to purchase equipment for the hospital’s radiotherapy department.

Congratulations to Sirlon, Donella and Natasha of Right Start and all those in Trinidad and Tobago who are building or maintaining places or providing opportunities for kids to be kids.

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Where-kids-can-be-kids-254060201.html

Does our Society Love its Women?

Story Created: Apr 1, 2014 at 8:40 PM ECT 

Story Updated: Apr 3, 2014 at 9:12 AM ECT 

 

Two men holding public office are alleged to have perpetrated abomi­nable acts of violence against women in the past few weeks. These incidents are symptomatic of a deep sickness that pervades Trinbagonian society at all levels. 

A deep lack of love for our women and girls is manifested time and again, and little is being done to change it.

In 2012, there were 2,517 female victims of violent crimes in Trinidad and Tobago (rape, assault, etc). For the 2009/2010 law term, 12,106 new domestic violence applications were filed in the magistrate’s courts. These numbers are just the tip of the iceberg, due to the fact that most of these crimes are not reported.

As a society, we must work toge­ther to combat this problem and mitigate its effects. This requires both the Government and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to implement strategies to combat this violence.

UNIFEM’s (United Nations Devel­opment Fund for Women) “National Accountability Framework to End Violence against Women” recommends a holistic approach, combi­ning Government services, such as public health and law enforcement, with educational institutions and other actors such as trade unions and NGOs.

In effect, everyone has a part to play in ending violence against wom­en. We must continue to develop a no-tolerance policy towards this problem. Violence against women must not only be condemned but punished at every opportunity. I urge everyone reading this to become your sister’s keeper; if you know of a woman who is abused, do not turn a blind eye but rather offer a helping hand.

Trinidad and Tobago, since 1996, has ratified the Inter-American Con­vention on the Prevention, Punish­ment and Eradication of Violence Against Women. Why is it that 18 years later, we are still struggling with this problem?

Article 8 (b) of the convention provides for the undertaking of programmes to modify the social and 
cultural patterns of conduct to counteract prejudices which legitimise violence against women. 

In truth, the very culture of Tri­nidad and Tobago needs to change. It seems to me that we have a full-blown culture of violence that must be transformed into a culture of peace and loving kindness.

Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies, and people ought to love their neighbours as themselves. Do we truly love our women as a society? Then we must protect them. 

Jonathan Bhagan
via e-mail

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/letters/Does-our-society-love-its-women-253475051.html

Police Probing Chandresh for Assault of Ex-Girlfriend

Published on March 30, 2014
By Shaliza Hassanali
March 30, 2014 – guardian.co.tt

Tourism Minister Chandresh Sharma is under investigation by the police for the assault of his former girlfriend. Sacha Singh, the managing director of AMS Biotech Security Concept and AmSure T&T Ltd, who is in her late 20s, met with officers of the St Joseph Police Station on Friday at her Piarco business and gave a statement of Sharma’s alleged physical abuse during an altercation on March 12 at Grand Bazaar. Though a police investigation into such a matter can take as long as six months, the Sunday Guardian learnt that because of the high-profile nature of the matter it is being fast-tracked. ASP Joanne Archie, public information officer of the T&T Police Service, yesterday confirmed that an investigation was being conducted by the police against Sharma: “Statements were recorded and the investigation is in progress.”

Archie said “a charge or charges” may be laid after the investigation. Sharma’s investigation comes days after former minister of the people Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh was fired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Tuesday, following allegations of disorderly behaviour on board a Caribbean Airlines flight on March 16.

Questions about the child arose
 Police were told that Singh met Sharma in the car park of Grand Bazaar, near Toppers around 7.45 pm on March 12. Sharma had agreed to meet Singh at the mall. In the back seat of Singh’s car was a 12-year-old girl and her mother, a schoolteacher. Sharma entered her Mercedes Benz car and sat in the front passenger seat, where questions about the child arose. The child eventually moved and Sharma spotted her. The child called out to Sharma who acknowledged her. Singh began to ask Sharma about maintaining the child. Sharma and the girl’s mother came out of the vehicle arguing. Shortly after, there was a scuffle between Sharma and the woman.During the melee, Sharma urged the woman to stop hitting a Brahmin boy. Singh came out of the car and held on to Sharma’s tie, but was slapped across the face.

Sharma, the police were told, pushed Singh who fell back and hit her head on her car and blacked out for several minutes. After gaining consciousness, Singh said they were checking her pulse. She said she was told that Sharma was putting water on face, forehead and head to revive her. Singh said Sharma kept saying she was fine and told her not to go to the hospital, but instead she should go home and take a shower. Singh called her doctor at St Augustine Private Hospital who told her he was not on duty. She went home and took painkillers. The following day, Singh was examined by Dr Pulchan at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex who diagnosed that she suffered from a mild concussion and haematoma (swelling of the brain). She then reported the incident to Sgt Ogiste at the St Joseph Police Station. Traumatised by the incident, Singh left the country on March 14 and returned on March 25, where the police took a report three days later. The matter is being investigated by Insp Naim Gyan, who refused to comment yesterday when contacted.

Singh: I am pressing charges
Contacted yesterday, Singh said she was pressing charges against Sharma, who she met at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in January 2013. Singh admitted that she shared a relationship with Sharma, stating that she has evidence to back up her claims. “I found out about the child last November by his (Sharma’s) wife. That’s when things started to go downhill with us because when I asked him repeatedly about the child, he kept denying (the child) was his.” She said Sharma had no right to push her down because she brought the little girl to see him. Stating that she had established her business before she met Sharma, Singh, a former Miss T&T contestant, said, “It is not that I am bitter, vindictive or want revenge against him…it’s about living up to your responsibilities and speaking the truth. It’s an innocent child we are speaking about.”

Singh said she could have left the matter, but realised that it could have been far more serious. “I could have died. This should serve as a message to all women that they can stand up and fight men who are abusive.”

She said she was determined to press charges against Sharma because if left unchecked, someone could get killed in the future as a result of his actions. Singh described the incident as an abuse of public office. “The thing is, if you grab a woman’s breast and you get removed and you knock down a woman…same thing.”

Ramesh Maharaj: PM ought to remove him
Yesterday, former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said on the basis of the PM’s action against Ramadharsingh, the same should apply for Sharma. “An assault is when you attempt to hit someone. If you hit, then it’s assault and battery, which is a criminal offence and would have to answer a charge in the Magistrate’s Court.” Maharaj said Sharma’s report was far worse. “It’s a form of domestic violence because he was friendly with her.” Maharaj said a minister does not have to be charged to be fired, but the charge aggravates the situation. A minister, Maharaj said, must be an exemplar. “The PM ought to remove him…There must be high standards in public life.” Maharaj said an investigation like this should take only a few days. “These matters are simple investigations. So this summary complaint must be filed within six months of the date of the incident.”

Sat maintains it’s a domestic affair
Secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha said Ramadharsingh’s issue was quite different from Sharma’s. “Ramadharsingh’s incident happened in an aircraft with other passengers who were endangered. This is a different thing—a domestic dispute…lots of people have. One is a domestic affair, and one is public manifestation of bad behaviour. It was a different situation because lots of politicians…they have domestic problems. So that is why I drew the line.” Maharaj maintained that the matter involving Sharma will take its course. Maharaj insists that he was not condoning domestic violence.

Seebaran–Suite: If it is true… it is to be deplored
Women’s activist, chairman of Advocates of Safe Parenthood: Improving Reproductive Equity (Aspire), attorney Lynette Seebaran–Suite said: “If it is true, then really, it is to be deplored because domestic violence is one of the most pervasive crimes society faces.” Seebaran-Suite said she has been trying to wrestle with the problem. “So if we have exemplars in society or people who are supposed to be exemplars committing that kind of violence, then they should face the full brunt of the law.” Seebaran-Suite said anyhow you look at it, “an assault is an assault.”

No response from Sharma, PM
Yesterday, a call made to Sharma’s phone was answered by someone who stated that the minister was attending a function. Another call at 6.30 pm was not responded to. Text messages sent to Sharma’s cell phone at 4.38 pm, 6.37 pm and 6.59 pm were not answered. Sharma also did not respond to questions e-mailed to him. Meanwhile, calls and texts to Persad-Bissessar’s phone went unanswered.
News

Source: www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-03-30/police-probing-chandresh-assault-ex-girlfriend

20 Women Died this Year from Domestic Violence

By MIRANDA LA ROSE Saturday, March 29 2014

Leading women’s organisations tracking women’s death as a result of domestic violence locally, have recorded 20 for the year, according to ASPIRE Chairman Lynette Seebarran-Suite.

However, she noted that while the Network of NGOs for the advancement of women have recorded 20 deaths for the year, the TT Police Service Crime And Problem Analysis (CAPA) branch has five on record for the year. The network does its tracking using media and other reports, made available to them.

To curb the increasing number of incidence of violence against women ASPIRE (Advocates of Safe Parenthood: Improving Reproductive Equity) is proposing a public health model at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and zero tolerance among other emerging strategies.

As a panelist on the subject “Women in Violent Circumstances” on Friday at the inaugural Caribbean Association of Women Judges inaugural conference and project launch, at the Hyatt Regency, Seebarran-Suite said in spite of legislation and protection orders being in place, a number of gaps existed in the current measures in place to women and girls from domestic violence.

The gaps include police not charging for assault offences and shunting complaints to the Domestic Violence Courts, perpetrators enjoy impunity for inappropriate police response, and inadequate numbers of officers dedicated to respond to domestic violence.

In addition victims are removed from the home instead of the perpetrators, and there are dedicated facilities for holding perpetrators at stations. Reports of domestic violence are on the increase, she said as more awareness programmes are leading women to make public their situation in the media, and to the police.

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,192593.html

Time for Action

By Andre Bagoo Friday, March 28 2014

Legal minds: Executive director of the International Association

of Women Judges Joan Winship, left, with Justice Desiree Bernard,

right, the keynote speaker at the inaugural conference of the

Caribbean Association of Women Judges at Hyatt Regency,

Port-of-Spain yesterday.
Photo by Rattan Jadoo

AMID ongoing concerns over the social issues facing children today, a group of women judges has taken the step to tackle the issues. And for Justice Desiree Bernard, it is high time.

“The time for action is now,” Bernard, the Commonwealth’s first female Chief Justice (Guyana), said at the opening of the inaugural conference of the Caribbean Association of Women Judges (CAWJ). The conference is hoped to be one of a series of projects designed to deal with social issues.

Her call came as Chief Justice Ivor Archie also urged judges to take a more active role in tackling social issues within the frame-work of the law.

At the conference, which opened at the Hyatt Regency, Dock Road, Port-of-Spain, several workshops were held on topics such as “The Courts and the Protection of Children”; “Children in Care/Custody in the Caribbean”; “Domestic Violence and its Effect on Children”. Today, the three-day conference is expected to enter its second day and will focus on issues such as single-parent families.

Bernard yesterday rallied the troops, saying “the time for action is now” on issues children face such as violence and abuse.

“How do we protect and save the children of the region?” she said. “There is a pressing need to address and highlight some of the issues which children face.” Among these issues, she said, were: child sexual abuse; violence against minors; trafficking in children and teenage pregnancies. She called for more public awareness of international law which call on nation states to protect children and lamented gaps in implementation.

Bernard lamented the problem of absent fathers and broken families.

“Young boys find within gangs what they do not find in their families,” she said. “The gangs become their families with destructive consequences.” She knocked some fathers’ abdication of responsibilities noting the endless cases in court of fathers not complying with child maintenance orders.

Also addressing the opening was Justice Joan Charles who said the objectives of the CAWJ would include: promoting women’s access to the courts and to equal justice; eliminating gender bias from judicial systems.

“Magistrates and judges see firsthand the breakdown of the family and the deleterious effect thereof. We must enter the domain and bring change to our social environment such as our office will allow,” she said. The CAWJ will engage in advocacy, mentorship and embark on a first project called the “Family Support Network and Violence Reduction Programme”. At the same event, Chief Justice Ivor Archie also called for a more active role judges in social issues.

“These women judges have agreed that they will not stand by and with that position I concur,” the Chief Justice said. “Being a judge carries with it a social responsibility and it would be remiss if, as human beings, not to attempt to alleviate the social ills and tragedies to which we are all witness.”

The Chief Justice submitted that every judge has a duty to uphold the constitutional right to liberty and security of person.

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,192531.html