UPDATE: Minister of Trade and Industry, Paula Gopee-Scoon, has distanced herself from any involvement regarding her son Adrian Scoon’s use of the “Ocean Pelican” vessel as a Safe Zone for the controversial event. When asked for comment by the media, she said, “Not at all, as you said, it’s my son, he’s an adult and I am not prepared to comment on that at all.” Police detained 100 persons who were onboard the “Ocean Pelican” vessel in Chaguaramas on Boxing Day (Sunday 26th December 2021). The group was processed and subsequently released pending further enquiries. The organizer of the event is said to be Adrian Scoon, the son of Minister of Trade and Industry, Paula Gopee-Scoon. According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), between 5:30pm and 9:30pm on Sunday, Officers received reports related to activity on a boat in the vicinity of The Anchorage. A check of the vessel (Ocean Pelican) revealed there were 100 persons onboard, including the boat’s owner. They were all detained, processed, and released. Consultations were held with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Sgt (Ag.) Adams is continuing investigations to determine if there were any breaches of the Public Health Regulations. In the event that they were, the TTPS said these persons will be proceeded against by means of summons. The exercise was co-ordinated by Snr Supt Kelvern Thompson, Supt Henry, ASP Beard, and spearheaded by Insp Ramjattan and Sgt (Ag.) Adams. It included Officers of the Western Division Task Force (WDTF), Special Patrol Unit, Marine Unit, Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) Police, and personnel from the Crime Scene Unit and Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Spokesperson for the Pleasure Boat Association, Stephan Mc Comie, said he was unsure of the details of the incident. “It was an exercise carried out by Carenage Police Station with respect to a breach of the Public Health Ordinance because the Pelican is not considered a Safe Zone so there was a misunderstanding there, within the agreement to rent the boat at the point in time.” He noted that the vessel did not leave the mariner but remained docked throughout the event. He said the vessel has a special restaurant license but it is not a Safe Zone. Mc Comie said the Association would meet on Tuesday (28th December 2021) to further discuss the incident. Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Faris Al-Rawi, issued a statement of clarification on Tuesday regarding his alleged involvement in the matter. The Attorney General said he has taken note of an article appearing on Page 7 of Tuesday’s Express Newspaper, written by Denyse Renne under the heading "Loophole for party boat - Police raid Boxing Day event". Al-Rawi points out that in this article, Ms. Renne states, alongside a large picture of himself, "A SENIOR LEGAL ADVISER in the Office of the Attorney General is said to have advised organizers of a loop hole in the Public Health Ordinance which enabled over 100 patrons and popular soca singers to assemble on board a pleasure craft converted into a ‘floating restaurant’ on Sunday." According to Al-Rawi, Ms. Renne then goes on to state that businessman Adrian Scoon wrote to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on 26th December 2021 stating he (Scoon) “wish to convert our vessel into a floating restaurant and, more importantly, a Safe Zone" The correspondence to Minister Deyalsingh reads, "Dear Minister Deyalsingh, we at the Ocean Pelican are writing to inform you that we have attained our Restaurant and Bar Licence and wish to convert our vessel into a floating restaurant and, more importantly, as a Safe Zone. On advice from the Honourable AG Faris Al-Rawi, we ensure you that our vessel will remain docked and will not sail so as to adhere to the Public Health Ordinance Regulations. We emphasise that we plan on observing all protocols that constitute a Safe Zone during this period." The Attorney General notes that the article is alongside a box entitled "Questions for AG" where three (3) questions “which do NOT relate to the above are posed to the AG and are answered as quoted.” For the “record and for the sake of accuracy and clarity,” the AG provided the following information which he said he “would happily have disclosed to Ms. Renne” had she bothered to ask: 1. Mr. Adrian Scoon who is very well known to the AG, called many weeks ago to ask a general question about the Public Health Regulations and party boats and the AG specifically informed him to put his enquires to the Minister of Health and/or Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. The AG specifically cautioned Mr. Scoon to ensure that whatever he does, he must strictly observe the law, as there are no exceptions. 2. The AG gave NO legal advice to Mr. Scoon whatsoever. 3. The AG NEVER saw, nor did he authorize, the letter referred to in the article which was supposedly written to the Minister of Health. 4. Mr. Scoon's general enquiries of the AG were, as are all general enquiries of that nature, redirected to the relevant line Ministries where appropriate. Al-Rawi added that Mr. Scoon offered his apology on Tuesday morning and he (Scoon) specifically acknowledged that “no legal advice was given by the AG and stated that he regretted the inconvenience caused.” The statement from the Attorney General concluded by the saying, “The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is the proper entity to advise the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service on any matters in relation to the incident which is the subject of Ms. Renne's article. The AG has no remit in this matter, and will leave the law to follow its natural course.” Commissioner of Police, Mc Donald Jacob, said the Police Service was being extremely cautious in its approach to this matter, and is still awaiting advice from the DPP on how to proceed. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.
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1 Comment
1/8/2022 04:27:40 pm
Tiktok beğeni satın alarak artık fenomen olmanız çok kolay! Birbirinden avantajlı tiktok beğeni satın al paketleri ile istediğiniz beğeni takipçisine ulaşabileceksiniz. Güvenli satın alma yöntemleri sayesinde Tiktok’ta yüksek beğeni sahibi olmak mümkün.
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