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5 more people booked; LOC, blue notice issued against Myron Panaji: Spreading its net in an investment fraud, the economic offences cell of the Goa police has booked five more people in connection with cheating cases where a husband-wife duo allegedly duped nearly 70 persons to the tune of over Rs 100 crore, mostly from Salcete taluka. The five persons, who are the directors of Idylic Goan Gateways and Developments Private Limited, are 32-year-old Fatorda resident Nolan Lawrence Antao, Joaquim Rosario Pires, also from Fatorda, 54-year-old Kudal resident Vijay Joil, 55-year-old Benaulim local Navnik Mario Pereira and 53-year-old Sushant Ghodge from Pernem. Giving details of the case, SP (crime branch) Rahul Gupta said, “On August 8, we registered an FIR under sections 406, 420 read with Section 34 of the IPC upon the complaint of Navelim resident Ivon Suresh Joaquim Almeida against accused Myron Rodrigues and his wife Deepali Parab, both residents of Kirbhat Nuvem, for cheating the complainant to the tune of over Rs 36.54 lakh on the pretext of investing his money in share market. The couple offered lucrative returns and misappropriated the money of the complainant for their own use. On August 30, another FIR under sections 406, 420 read with Section 34 of the IPC was registered after receiving more complaints against the same accused for duping the investors to the tune of over Rs 20.83 crore, Gupta said. The police received a total of 38 complaints from the investors against accused Myron Rodrigues and Deepali Parab all amounting to over Rs 23.21 crore, he said. “As per the complainants, there are more than 50 investors who have been duped of Rs 100 crore. Fraud mostly happened with the people from Salcete taluka. The complainants had been investing since 2011, and they have not received their money back,” he disclosed. Gupta said the accused Myron introduced himself to investors as a stock broker and Deepali as a financial expert and duped the people. The senior police official said they are neither registered with SEBI nor with the RBI to carry out trading in securities. “41A notice has been issued to Deepali Parab; she has been constantly summoned at the EOC for investigation. Myron is absconding and evading the process of law. Through intelligence we came to know that Myron fled from India to London via Dubai on July 24, 2023. A lookout circular (LOC) through Bureau of Immigration and a blue notice through Interpol have been issued against the accused Myron. We are making efforts to bring him back to Goa. Red Corner notice is in process,” he said. Gupta also said Myron had given mutual divorce to his ex-wife Sunita Rodrigues in 2021 and thereafter married Deepali Parab. “We have frozen bank accounts of the accused Myron and Deepali having a total amount of over Rs 6 lakh, fixed deposit of over Rs 35 lakh and also two bank lockers. We have identified eight properties belonging to Myron, Sunita and Deepali, the SP said. The police have “blocked” their properties by sending letters to sub-registrar not to sell them. The police have also shared the information with the ED too, he said, adding that there are seven flats and one villa all worth Rs 3.5 crore. As per statement summary of bank account of Myron, he received over Rs 130 crore and spent over Rs 129 crore from 2009 to August 17, 2023, the police official said. “Myron and Deepali are proprietors of body corporate called DMA Designing New Worlds LLP, which was incorporated before the Registrar of Company, Goa. The said company dealt in real estate business,” he said. He also informed that the company Idylic Goan Gateways and Developments Private Limited and Myron and Deepali are partners in a partnership firm i.e. Prospect Realty which was registered before the sub-registrar of Salcete, Margao and the said firm is engaged in real estate business. “Myron transferred investors’ money of over Rs 3.25 crore from November 2022 to June 2023 from his bank account to Idylic Goan Gateways and Developments Private Limited and Rs 2 crore to Prospect Realty for business purpose,” Gupta said. He informed that on November 21, all the directors of Idylic Goan Gateways and Developments Private Limited, have been arrayed as accused in the crime after scrutiny of the financial transactions. “We have also added sections 3 and 5 of the Goa Protection of Interest of Depositors (In Financial Establishments) Act 1999 (GPID) for attaching the movable and immovable properties of accused persons and to carry out the liquidation process. We are investigating their role too in the whole fraud committed by Myron,” he said. “Accused Nolan, Vijay Joil, Navnik Mario Pereira and Sushant Ghodge filed anticipatory bail application before the sessions court, Panaji. The court granted interim relief to them and imposed conditions. They were directed to report to the EOC for five days from Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm,” he said. “Both the cases are under investigation. Efforts are continuing to nab accused Myron and associates,” he said. Goa’s biggest investment scam: Sawant Margao: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said the economic offence cell of the Goa police is investigating the “Goa’s biggest investment scam”, adding that action will be initiated against those involved in it. He was reacting to the lookout circular issued through the Bureau of Immigration and blue notice through Interpol against Nuvem resident Myron Rodrigues for allegedly cheating several people of Goa, luring them of good returns. Others have also been booked in connection with the scam. Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a programme in Margao, Sawant said, “This is the biggest investment scam in Goa. It started in Fatorda and has connection with London. We will investigate it and will take action against those involved in it.’’ The Chief Minister exhorted the people affected by the scam to come forward and file police complaints.Writing has always been my refuge, the space where my thoughts can take shape without the pressure of speaking—a space where I can filter through the noise and unearth truths, no matter how uncomfortable. My teachers, my mother and even my closest friends will attest that my pen often proves more palatable than if I’d voiced my concerns. Perhaps it’s because writing demands reflection, a quality we, as Trinbagonians, sometimes avoid. I love my country deeply. Trinidad and Tobago is a sancoche of culture, friendliness and the unmistakable “Trini salt” that has seasoned the world stage. I write because I also have hope—hope that as a nation, we can do better. So then, for me, writing connects thoughts, cultures and generations—much like the gayelle, this “Trini space” for community and exchange. It’s where stories, proverbs and truths are shared and tested, shaping who we are. Traditionally, the gayelle is a place for stick-fighting, where skill, resilience and community are on display. If “yuh blood close to yuh skin”, it’s not for you. Even so, the gayelle is more than a battleground; it’s where individuality finds purpose in community, challenges and bruises are met head-on and legacies are built. It symbolises the balance between individuality and unity: “One hand cyah clap.” Here, we learn the art of balance—between pride and humility, action and restraint, tradition and progress. Yet, it feels as though we’ve abandoned the essence of the gayelle. We’ve mistaken ego for engagement, and performance for progress. As Leroy Calliste—Black Stalin—sings in “We Could Make It If We Try”: “Our country facing its darkest hour. So, our people need us today more than ever”—but instead of stepping into the gayelle with courage, too many retreat to the sidelines, some unable even to enter the gayelle, let alone pick up a stick to engage. Let’s face it: Christmas in Trinidad reveals a troubling reality. The pastelles, parang and house-to-house traditions are slowly disappearing in a “new-age coup d’état.” While Tobago holds on to tradition, Trinidad swaps it for short-lived, imported trends. We’ve lost sight of the fact that the gayelle calls for loyalty and honesty, not showmanship, and that our legacy will be shaped by our actions, not our appearances. What initially attracted the world to us is at risk of being eroded by our willingness to follow trends, instead of preserving our uniqueness. This superficiality goes beyond the season. Our laissez-faire attitude has betrayed us. We’ve become a “seven-day vexing” people—quick to anger and quicker to forget. “How we vote is not how we party,” they say, but if our live-for-today mindset governs us, it certainly seeps into our politics. Let’s not forget the power of the gayelle to teach us resilience. Stalin’s lyrics, “When the Treasury flat...poor people paying the price”, hits hard. The most marginalised often bear the heaviest burdens, sacrificing for their communities’ survival. Meanwhile, politicians have mastered the art of pacification, “riding their jackasses” into power, armed with hollow promises. Handouts like hampers, “freeness” and money wrapped in jerseys keep the masses quiet—until the next “rum and roti” election. We let it happen, complicit in our own stagnation, choosing comfort over change. This cycle weakens the combined strength needed to forge a better path. Even so, this shouldn’t excuse the rest of us from stepping into the gayelle to share the load. The strength of a nation lies not in the few who struggle, but in the many who uplift: “One hand cyah clap.” Despite the challenges, I remain optimistic. Tradition is a cornerstone of identity, as journalist Ellen Goodman observed: “Traditions are the guideposts driven deep in our subconscious minds.” These guideposts embody the values that shaped our ancestors and should continue to guide us. For Trinidad and Tobago, preserving these roots while embracing change is key—not rejecting modernity but ensuring our heritage remains visible for future generations. Resilience and tradition are alive in moments like a young man aiding an elderly “mudda” or a teen feeding the homeless without seeking “likes.” This demonstrates the spirit of our ancestral traditions still thrives; it’s never too late to realign our cultural and national path. Our resilience sets us apart. We are known for our warmth, creativity and joy even in the face of adversity. Now, what has made us resilient has also become our Achilles’ heel. We are a happy people, yes; but we are also forgetful. We dive headfirst tabula rasa, into the present, oblivious to the lessons of the past. So, we repeat our mistakes, compounding them until they tower over us like unsolvable puzzles. Let’s rekindle the spirit of the gayelle in our homes, communities, and hearts. We must be able to sift through the “breadcrumbs” left by our ancestors to ensure our blueprint isn’t redone and recopied so many times it’s unrecognisable. Let’s ensure that when our children look back, they’ll see not just a nation that survived, but one that thrived. Furthermore, if ever you feel to surrender, remember: “It have one little thing that I want we always remember... We could make it if we try—just a little harder.”
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In a poignant ceremony at the Indian Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside prominent political figures, marked the 23rd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack. This solemn gathering paid homage to the brave jawans who defended the heart of the nation against a brutal terrorist ambush, orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi laid floral tributes, echoing sentiments that recalled the tragic events of December 13, 2001. On that fateful day, the attackers used deceit and lethal force, penetrating Parliament's defenses and engaging in a deadly exchange that claimed the lives of Delhi Police personnel, security staff, and a civilian gardener. The attackers, armed with sophisticated weaponry, capitalized on fake credentials to breach security. The incursion, directed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, intensified Indo-Pakistani tensions, leading to a military standoff. Despite the passage of time, such annual remembrances serve as potent reminders of the ongoing threat of terrorism and the valor of those who stand against it. (With inputs from agencies.)HOUSTON – Rockets forward Amen Thompson threw Heat guard Tyler Herro to the floor to trigger an altercation that resulted in six ejections in the closing minute of Miami's 104-100 victory over Houston on Sunday. Thompson and Herro became entangled with Miami about to inbound the ball leading 99-94 with 35 seconds left. Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and tossed him, with referee Marc Davis describing it as Thompson “body slams Herro .” Recommended Videos “I didn’t see it live, but I re-watched it,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “They were in each other’s face, bumping chests a little bit, and one guy’s stronger than the other.” Herro, Thompson, and Udoka were ejected, as were Heat guard Terry Rozier, Rockets guard Jalen Green, and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Davis said Green and Rozier escalated the altercation, while Sullivan was assessed a technical foul and ejected for unsportsmanlike comments as the referee was trying to redirect the Rockets' Alperen Sengun. The altercation occurred after Miami had come from 12 points down in the second half to regain the lead with the help of Houston missing 11 straight shots in the fourth quarter. Herro keyed the comeback, leading all scorers with 27 points and adding nine assists and six rebounds. He believed that's what frustrated Thompson. “Guess that’s what’s happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” Herro said. “I’d get mad, too.” Herro said he had never spoken to Thompson, who did not talk to reporters after Sunday’s game, so there was no previous bad blood between the two. “Just two competitors going at it, playing basketball,” Herro said. “It was a regular game that we were playing throughout.” Houston's Fred VanVleet had been ejected just before the fight, with Davis saying VanVleet made contact with him after being called for a 5-second violation. The win for Miami came 24 hours after losing 120-110 in Atlanta. The Heat were missing second-leading scorer Jimmy Butler for a fifth straight game, so Herro was proud of his team played against one of NBA’s best teams this season. “They’re top two, three in the West,” Herro said. “Very good defense. Got a bunch of young, athletic guys that can really play, so that’s a good win for us. That’s a stepping stone. We go 2-1 on the road. Put ourselves in a position to win yesterday, and I like how it’s going. We just got to continue to keep getting better.”OPP seeking witnesses of wrong way driver on Hwy. 401
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For the past combined 60 years, the two of us have embarked on a project that is still ongoing today. Our premise was simple. Our mission was to improve neighborhoods through various methods, grants and resources. The most prolific measure that changed thousands of lives is housing workcamps for habitable affordable housing. Many people know workcamps by their signature names such as World Changers, Appalachian Service Project, Humanitarian XP, Group Mission Trips and Mission Serve. Workcamp groups have changed communities nationally and internationally. They enlist residents to journey to various areas across the United States and abroad to work on owner-occupied homes for free. What many people don’t understand is that workcamp groups come typically for one week over the summer and bring 250-300 workers. They reside in West Virginia for a week and sleep on classroom floors while working on dilapidated houses when the temperature is 100 degrees or higher. Workcamp workers also pay a fee of $300 or more to work for a week. This helps cover food, insurance, residency, utilities and some building materials. This is an inspiring notion for workers to miss time from their family, pay to work, endure high temperatures and help someone else. In essence, most programs start in June and some programs end the first week of August to ensure students get home in time for school. Many organizations are involved in this process including cities, counties, the West Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Rebuilding Together, West Virginia National Guard, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Benedum Foundation, churches and non-profits such as the Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS). Over the years, camps that we have served include Clendenin, St. Albans, Upper Kanawha Valley, Charleston, Huntington, Hurricane, Fayette County and Putnam County. It’s estimated that workcamps have rehabilitated over 4,000 homes over the years. For each camp, approximately $500,000 is invested in the local economy, which includes building materials, food, rentals, labor, equipment and much more. This is a significant investment for local businesses. One of the areas that was mentioned in our last article was the ability to provide tools and training for our children. Developing their ability to build porches, decks, ADA fixtures, gutters/downspouts, siding, roofing and other projects provides them the hands-on experience to tackle projects at their home or someone’s home. Workcamps are not easy to assemble. Sometimes funding is difficult to obtain due to various circumstances. Sometimes schools and other large buildings are not easily accessible due to their scheduling. Access to showers, large meeting rooms and other required space is not available in smaller schools. Churches typically do not have this type of square footage to accommodate sizeable groups. Workcamp groups often do not receive the praise they deserve. Envision a loved one who can no longer work on the family home. Visualize any other program that could assist a family member who may not have many family members or resources to help. Community Action Partnership (CAP) organizations help hundreds of residents each year with weatherization and deserve much credit for their work. As should Habitat for Humanity for its hard work to ensure families have homes. If there’s been a time to refocus on needs in West Virginia, it’s now. Our housing stock is in poor shape. We’re on the bad side of the housing curve with many homes built in the 19th century and not meeting fire, building or ADA codes. Our current motivation is to resell, resell and resell homes without addressing habitable health and safety issues. And there are no initiatives or enforcement measures to remedy deficiencies. Housing workcamps can only do so much. Many structures are slum and blight situations with few legal agencies and resources to address home owners to rectify before someone gets injured. Blighted structures often sit around for years while some families fight over their inheritance. Over the years, we couldn’t have been more appreciative of the work by workcamp groups that may travel from as far away as Alaska, Utah or California to be in West Virginia. They visit West Virginia and tell us they’ve been missing out of such an experience for years. One of the best offsets of workcamps is our ability to bring in thousands from all 50 states and visit Marshall University, West Virginia University, University of Charleston, West Virginia State University, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, BridgeValley, Mountwest, and community and technical colleges, which makes us one of the largest college recruiters in the state. To consider moving forward with this project, more help is needed. And the help that is needed is due to our increasing median age in the state. There’s always more need for local labor, assistance and funding. More local housing hubs are needed to focus and strategize how to serve our communities with weatherization, housing rehab, demolition, credit counseling, first-time home buyer programs, housing maintenance, refinancing and much more. Hubs could be constructed with neighborhood alliances, associations, residents and housing groups to focus on the needs of the community. Now is the time to prioritize funding, labor and/or assistance with all government agencies, churches, non-profits and neighborhood organizations toward housing revitalization. More often than not, limited or no funds are placed in budgets for housing rehabilitation. One day, we’ll all be senior citizens. It’s inevitable. West Virginia has the second oldest population in the country. We should actively support the workcamps programs as part of our effort to provide habitable shelter to all residents. Wouldn’t workcamps be a useful component in the future?Texans foiled by mistake after mistake in 32-27 loss to Titans
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HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made mistakes in every facet of the game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans to lose for the third time in four games. C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, the defense gave up multiple big passing plays and Ka′imi Fairbairn missed a 28-yard field goal that would have tied it late in a 32-27 loss . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.
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