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By Darius Figueira
FBI DIRECTOR Robert S. Mueller III visited Trinbago on October 25, 2005 and since then the assault on the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government’s handling of the present criminal insurgency articulated through Arab, local White and French Creole spokespersons has ceased.
Clearly, these groups have returned to the PNM fold that has given them succour from 1956 to the present.
What was then the message that Mueller brought from the Washington beltway that reasserted their allegiance to the PNM, thereby ending their rebellion?
The murder rate is now in territory never experienced before in Trinbagonian history and Cadiz has gone silent.
The FBI Director visited The Dominican Republic (DR) on the October 24, 2005, which meant that Mueller visited the two command and control centres for the illicit drug trade in the Caribbean, in two consecutive days of the same week.
DR1 news reported on Mueller’s visit to the Dominican Republic as follows: “Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director Robert S. Mueller III offered his co-operation to the Dominican authorities yesterday in the fight against public corruption, drug trafficking, people smuggling, terrorism, and violent crime.”
DR1 also reported on Mueller’s statements whilst in the Dominican Republic as follows: “He said that intelligence institutions in both countries have performed joint investigations into drug trafficking and people smuggling.
“Also, there have been several cases of people trying to enter the US who were found to be involved with terrorist groups.”
Judging by Mueller’s public statements on his visit to the DR and Trinbago, it is clear that FBI involvement in the policing of both states is driven by US strategic interests in the Caribbean.
The FBI is not then involved in the DR and Trinbago to prop up ruling parties but, in fact, to exert leverage and pressure to ensure that the governments of the DR and Trinbago toe the Washington line.
The primary flashpoints in Washington’s relations with the DR and Trinbago are President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela; Haiti comes a distant second.
The DR has signed on to Petro Caribe and given the negative impact high energy prices are having on the DR’s economy, the DR runs the risk of becoming heavily dependent on Venezuelan energy.
Trinbago’s energy economy and the strategic supply of LNG to the US means that the US is ever wary of Chavez’ energy agenda and its impact on Trinbago’s energy economy.
Mueller’s talk is then simply using the criminal insurgencies of the DR and Trinbago as leverage to ensure the compliance of the DR and Trinbago with US interests.
What then are the cards that the agencies of the US State hold on the politicians of Trinbago to ensure their compliance with US dictates?
The Syrian, Indian, Anglo Saxon, French Creole and Chinese illicit drug traffickers became traffickers of renown when they became employees of the Medellin cartel led by Pablo Escobar.
With the destruction of the Medellin cartel, the Trinbagonian race cartels attached themselves to a fledgling Colombian cartel, named the Valle Norte cartel that grew into the dominant cartel of the Colombian illicit drug trade.
As the fortunes of the Valle Norte cartel grew, so did the size, resources and power of the local employees of the Valle Norte cartel. The Syrians became a trans-Caribbean trafficking cartel with operations spanning the Caribbean Basin including Central America. The trans-Caribbean Syrian cartel would absorb the local and Caribbean operations of the Anglo Saxon cartel effectively forming the most formidable crime family in the Caribbean Basin.
The trans-Caribbean Syrian cartel effectively operates in the DR, Trinbago, Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Maarten, Curacao, Aruba and the French Departments.
The Valle Norte cartel and its operations are then the present basis of the wealth and power of the Syrian cartel, but the US and the Uribe government of Colombia have begun to dismantle the said cartel, as already two of its leaders have been extradited from Colombia to New York city, where grand jury indictments for illicit drug trafficking into the US were issued.
There is now a clear and present danger that the US can now have these leaders of the Valle Norte cartel give up prosecutable evidence to have members of the Syrian cartel extradited to the US for illicit drug trafficking into the US.
Furthermore, said prosecutable evidence can be supplied to members of the EU for the extradition of Syrian cartel members to member states of the EU for illicit drug trafficking to these countries.
This reality is the most potent, clear and present danger to all politicians of Trinbago, who have and are consorting with the Syrian cartel.
These politicians run the risk of being politically destroyed anytime the US sees fit.
Corrupt politicians must then toe the US line or face a US jail.
The grand jury investigation in Miami into Calmaquip over alleged involvement with the illicit drug trade is the lesson of the moment for the politicians of Trinbago.
The US and Colombian authorities brought down a relatively minor cartel, the Vargas cartel, which in no way measured up to the size and scale of Valle Norte, and in the course of the deal making and the giving up of information to US authorities, Calmaquip and the construction of the Piarco Airport was revealed.
These revelations by members of the Vargas cartel has led to a grand jury investigation involving Calmaquip, the Piarco Airport project and drug money laundering for the Vargas cartel through the project. The UNC can be negatively impacted.
Two of its financiers, top businessmen Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, have recently been indicted in the US in connection with serious allegations.
(Of course, there are no allegations of drug dealings by Ish and Steve).
The US has in the past utilised such information for its foreign policy agenda.
Therefore, politicians who are recalcitrant in the face of US demands can find themselves indicted by a grand jury, whilst those who toe the line live forever with the US axe over their heads.
As some politicians already do in Trinbago.
The danger is then posed by persons indicted and extradited to the US singing to save themselves.
Can the corrupt politicians of Trinbago be assured that with the extradition of a member of the Syrian or Indian or Chinese cartels to the US or Britain, that person would not sing like a semp to save themselves, thereby sinking the politicians.
That is why the politicians do all in their power to keep the US happy and dominant to ensure the safety of themselves and their drug overlords.
And that is why the victims of the illicit drug trade, the Africans and Mixed breed peoples of Trinbago, are now being made out to be the villains of the peace.
They have created the profile of the villain as the young urban African and Mixed breed male armed with a 9mm dressed in a three-quarter pants a vest and basketball shoes.
These persons are now the targets, and the policing agencies are waging war on persons that fit this profile.
The symptoms of the disease are now the causes of the disease.
As long as the symptoms are assaulted, the disease runs unchecked. The people of Trinbago must now understand that the criminal insurgency is as a result of the illicit drug and gun trade.
The criminal insurgency can never be defeated as long as the illicit trade thrives, and the politicians cannot end this trade because they sleep with the drug and gun lords.
Morpheus wrote:zoom rader wrote:shogun wrote:Think i heard Brownfield say on the news, that they have a good idea who ordered it as well.
Lots of people seem prepared to forget this murder, but this one has me contemplating packing up and leaving. Srs.
But say what, right?... another carnival just round the corner.
Hope by now you will understand one of the reasons why carnival should be banned.
Still can't see the connection though.....
No extradition for Ish and Steve
High Court rules:
By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Nov 7, 2011 at 11:43 PM ECT
Story Updated: Nov 10, 2011 at 8:30 PM ECT
A High Court judge has ruled that businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson should not be extradited to the United States.
The businessmen, who are also United National Congress financiers, face a plethora of charges arising out of alleged fraudulent activities.
Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, presiding in the Port of Spain High Court, delivered a 57-page ruling yesterday afternoon saying that any move to have Galbaransingh and Ferguson extradited would be "unjust, oppressive and unlawful."
Following the ruling, the smiling businessmen exchanged handshakes with their attorneys commending them on a job well done, while attorneys who sought the State's interest hustled out the courtroom.
In his ruling, Boodoosingh said the lengthy proceedings against the businessmen have generated much public interest and comment.
Noting the Piarco Airport debacle has been a hot topic which caused many citizens to voice their opinions, Boodoosingh said in coming to a decision he looked at all the facts presented and also the law.
"That context includes that this was our airport and our money spent on it. The claimants are citizens of this country accused of defrauding our Government in a conspiracy involving government officials and several other citizens," Boodoosingh said.
Boodoosingh noted the Constitution mandates the protection of the fundamental rights of citizens, including the businessmen and "from a legal standpoint, we ought not to shirk our responsibility for calling them to account here before local jurors responsible for making the ultimate decision on if they are guilty or not."
The High Court judge said T&T is the correct forum to try the businessmen and as such, he was quashing the October 9, 2010, decision of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to sign the order of extradition for both men.
The judge also ruled that the State pay the costs of the businessmen, which sources say could be around $1 million for the retention of the two Queen's Counsel who led the businessmen's case.
Senior Counsel Avory Sinanan, who sought the interest of the State, asked for a 28-day stay of the ruling, telling the court he needed to consult with the AG on the next move, if any.
Boodoosingh then ordered that a statement of cost be filed on or before December 15, 2011 and that the State respond on or before January 16, 2012. Responses should be submitted by February 6, 2012.
The judge was also in high praise for Queen's Counsel James Lewis who was retained by Ramlogan for advice in the matter.
Lewis had been initially retained by former AG John Jeremie to advise and assist the government in dealing with the extradition request made by the US.
The State was represented by Senior Counsel Avory Sinanan and attorneys Kelvin Ramkissoon and Sunita Harrikissoon, while the businessmen were represented by Queen's Counsel Edward Fitzgerald and Andrew Mitchell, Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein and attorneys Nyree Alfonso, Rishi Dass, Rajiv Persad and Sasha Bridgemohansingh.
Last year, an Appeal Court panel granted leave to attorneys representing the businessmen to file their judicial review application, following Ramlogan's decision to have them extradited.
Attorneys seeking the men's interest petitioned the High Court seeking leave. Leave was denied by Justice Joan Charles, forcing attorneys to seek redress at the Appeal Court, which ruled in their favor.
Galbaransingh and Ferguson are wanted in the United States on a series of charges arising out of the construction of the Piarco Airport project.
Galbaransingh faces 13 charges, among them wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money and engaging in unlawful transactions; while Ferguson faces a total of 82 charges, which include wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. The offences are alleged to have occurred in the US, T&T, The Bahamas and elsewhere between September 1,1996 and December 31, 2005.
QC on appeal over Ish and Steve’s extradition: AG ignored legal advice
Published:
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Text Size:
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan
Businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson would face a speedy trial in local courts if they were not extradited. Attorney General Anand Ramlogan gave this assurance to Queen’s Counsel James Lewis last year. Ramlogan retained Lewis to advise on what course of action, if any, should be taken after the November 11, 2011, ruling of Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh against extraditing the two, who are also financiers of the current Government. Lewis' 19-page advice, which has been obtained by the T&T Guardian, was submitted to Ramlogan and dated December 17. In it, Lewis outlines the chronology of the men's legal woes. The document also listed the numerous errors Lewis considered Boodoosingh had made in deciding the two businessmen should remain in T&T. On page 18, Lewis listed the practical consequences of appealing Boodoosingh's decision, noting the judge’s reasoning contained errors on the issue of the appropriate forum for trying the businessmen and the chances of an appeal succeeding were high.
Notwithstanding this, Lewis said: "On the other hand, I am informed the claimants can be tried in Trinidad and Tobago almost immediately on the same conduct." Sources say one week before Ramlogan publicly announced his December 19, 2011, decision not to challenge Boodoosingh's ruling, the matter was discuseed with Lewis and Alan Newman, QC. Lewis was reportedly assured the businessmen would receive a speedy trial at the local courts and Lewis tailored his advice based on the instructions given to him. Lewis said in his opinion, Boodoosingh fell into error "and there are good chances of a successful appeal against his declarations." The Queen’s Counsel also noted the correct relief would have been ”to remit the matter back to the AG for re-decision, having allowed the claimants the opportunity to respond to the representations of the United States of America and the DPP," rather than simply quashing Ramlogan’s October 9, 2010, decision to have the businessmen extradited. Lewis added: “From a just point of view these claimants must be tried as soon as possible. Pragmatically that means they should be tried in Trinidad and Tobago and the further inevitable delays consequent or continuing the extradition proceedings make, in my view, an appeal untenable. “However, in the final analysis, it is a matter for the AG who has complete discretion whether to appeal or not in this matter.”
Galbaransingh and Ferguson are wanted in the US to face a series of fraud-related charges. Throughout their court appearances the men contended the alleged offences occurred in T&T and as such ought to face trial locally. They are before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court, facing a plethora of charges arising from the Piarco Airport Development project. These charges are expected to be dismissed under the recently-proclaimed Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011. On numerous occasions, Ramlogan assured the country and US officials the men would face trial in T&T. Ramlogan, in responding to a release by the US Embassy on December 20, 2011, said in a statement: "Of paramount importance is the question of where... the defendants are likely to be brought to justice in the quickest and shortest possible time. "Not appealing means that the way is cleared for courts in Trinidad and Tobago to commence the trial of the defendants without further delay. “It does not mean that the defendants will walk free without facing trial—a possible prospect if the State appealed. “The Attorney General has every confidence in the ability of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to competently and fairly try these defendants and deliver justice according to law.” His statement added: "Like the United States of America, the state of Trinidad and Tobago has also incurred great expense in this matter in which close to $100,000,000 has been expended in time and money. “The defendants have exercised all their pre-trial legal options and the road is therefore now clear for the criminal justice system to get into high gear and commence their trial.” The US Embassy in its release had expressed disappointment over Ramlogan's decision not to appeal Boodoosingh’s ruling.
zoom rader wrote:Morpheus wrote:zoom rader wrote:shogun wrote:Think i heard Brownfield say on the news, that they have a good idea who ordered it as well.
Lots of people seem prepared to forget this murder, but this one has me contemplating packing up and leaving. Srs.
But say what, right?... another carnival just round the corner.
Hope by now you will understand one of the reasons why carnival should be banned.
Still can't see the connection though.....
Good keep it that way
prav316 wrote:guess everyone forget about this. As usual.
Seetahal Family wrote:"It is also difficult having to cope with insensitive remarks such as ‘You having gotten over that yet?’ Does grief a have time limit? For some of us grieving has not even started because the loss is too huge to process emotionally."
Stephen Williams wrote:“With regard to Dana Seetahal, inquires are in progress and we will see light beyond the tunnel in that matter in the near future.”
Gasmonkey wrote:That hit came from a high ranking official
desifemlove wrote:Dey putting reward, but den who coming forward? trini a small place.(
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