Awaiting divine intervention
Posted: Sunday, March 31, 2002
THE EDITOR: I am sometimes amazed at the audacity of some of our local corporations and at the atrocious levels of service that we have all come to expect and sometimes condone from them.
The organisation in question is one that is constantly graced with complaints and while my experience may not be singular or new, I was appalled by the extremely courteous and pleasant level of callousness displayed by the company.
By their actions, TSTT has again enforced my unshakable commitment to subscribe to the first company that provides an alternative telephone service in this country. I have been living in Curepe for the past four years and when I moved to that area I enjoyed the use of a telephone, albeit one registered in my wife's name.
On January 27, 2002, my wife and I moved to San Juan and I requested a telephone service at our new address, thinking that a new service application would take place much faster than an application for a transfer of service.
That was my "greatest mistake". I was informed in a very courteous manner that there were no facilities available in that area or in laymen's terms "it had no line". On enquiring as to when I might be able to receive service I was told "sometime within the next 4-6 months" can you imagine that? Recently TSTT proudly told all and sundry that they had upgraded their telephone system from copper lines to fibre optics, in a move designed to alleviate such long waiting periods.
To add insult to injury, in the first week of March 2002, I received a telephone bill for $438.63 in my mailbox, properly addressed to me at my new address, where I still had not yet received a telephone. When I made enquiries on it they were most profuse in their apologies but guess what, I still don't have a telephone. I am convinced that TSTT is taking us back to the days of smoke signals and hand mirrors.
As it is, I await divine intervention in the matter as I continue to suffer at the hands of a greedy and monopolistic dinosaur.
CYLLAN CHARLES
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Baptist pre-school opens in Maloney
Posted: Saturday, March 30, 2002
Members of the Spiritual Baptist/Shouter faith opened their Early Childhood Care Centre at Orange Grove in Maloney yesterday. The opening was part of their day-long holiday celebrations under the theme "In Youth We Trust".
The school, which will have a student body of 50, was funded by the World Bank's Fourth Education Programme with $250,000. A further $7,500 was contributed by the Board of Directors of the Council of Elders. The school is intended to provide education for toddlers from the Maloney Housing Development and surrounding districts. President of the Board, Archbishop Barbara Burke, said it had taken the faith 85 years to establish a school.
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Police brutality and an inefficient court system
Posted: Friday, March 29, 2002
THE EDITOR: Two months ago TV viewers were horrified at the spectacle of policemen armed with batons beating and kicking prisoners (some of whom were handcuffed) at the Arima Magistrate's court. The evidence of the brutality was such that the commissioner of police indicated to the nation that he intended to hold an "immediate enquiry" into the facts and circumstances surrounding the beating. The commissioner did say however that his initial enquiry revealed that one of more prisoners had attacked another prisoner in court and that may have resulted in the beating.
One wishes that the commissioner had not said so and that in any case the real facts when discovered would put the matter in a more palatable light although that light is difficult to imagine. Since then, however, not only has there been no news of an enquiry but "Anaconda" has shown some of the "harsh measures" promised by Mr Chin Lee on the people of East Dry River, Laventille and Morvant. MORE
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Nation fed up with Panday's behaviour
Posted: Thursday, March 28, 2002
THE EDITOR: I wish to express dissatisfaction with Mr Panday for holding this country to ransom.
All he is contending is power sharing. He does not want to step down and hold the office as opposition leader. Prime Minister Patrick Manning was duly appointed Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago by President ANR Robinson of Trinidad and Tobago.
In a certain chapter of St Matthew's gospel Christ told his disciples in parable, that they will smite the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
Mr President you are the head of State. Please use your yardstick without fear and do something to get Mr Panday under control because the nation is fed up with his behaviour.
An agreement was signed between Mr Manning and Mr Panday. He admitted the agreement was signed. The nation is fed up.
POMPEY
North Manzanilla
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Discrimination and abuse of nurses
Posted: Thursday, March 28, 2002
THE EDITOR: The world has just celebrated and recognised women in our society. Permit me to let the world know of the discrimination and abuse of the women in this country and in particular, the nursing profession.
This group of women is being abused in this male dominant society. Most of the decision makers are male and they perceive they know what's best for female and how much they are worth.
The responsibilities of the nurses are great. They look after our families, our children, and everyone in our society who is sick needs a nurse.
Women in the nursing profession are being abused in different ways. There is little or no promotion in the career ladder of a nurse.
The organisation is organised in such a way that the nurse must work twenty to thirty years before promotion. Some persons are never promoted and others reach for retirement before promotion.
Others migrate and are promoted instantly because of their experience, skills and qualifications. Hence the reason for the chronic shortage of nurses in Trinidad and Tobago.
The salary scale is very low for the amount of responsibilities placed on the shoulders of these women. The matron who is in charge of the whole hospital, her salary is above maids' wages and at a Clerk I salary at TSTT. The figures do not match the responsibilities.
This is because policy makers are not from the profession and are predominantly male.
Remuneration plus incentives are poor. Nurses are in charge of wards and units for years without being paid for the position they hold.
They work unsociable hours and shift without being paid shift bonus. In all other companies there are shift bonuses, time and a half payments, and even double time compensation for extra duties.
The North West Regional Health Authority pays the nurses the lowest rates for pool nursing and no increase rate for supervisors.
Persons who are in charge of the night and evening shift as supervisors have more responsibilities. Again the idea is to get the work done at a cheap rate (cheap labour).
No wonder the nurses are losing interest in their work. A mason and labourer is paid more than a nurse who has so many responsibilities.
Male dominance adds to the abuse of nurses. One example of this is seen in private maternity clinics in this country.
The doctors have their deliveries and are paid thousands of dollars for this by their clients. However, it is the nurse/midwife who looks after patients during the long hours of labour. The doctor comes and catches the baby's head, collects the fee and leaves.
He does not remember to compensate the nurse for monitoring his patient safely. This is the reason so many patients are now going the way to midwife delivery.
It is very sad the way these women are being abused in the nursing profession. I am therefore hoping that the authorities give these hard-working women their dues. This will help to stem the flow of nurse migration.
S TRACY
Maraval
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Unholy week
Posted: Wednesday, March 27, 2002
by Terry Joseph
Normally a time for Christians to reinforce their conviction as they reflect upon the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Holy Week has this year given Roman Catholics another version of treachery to weigh; one with potential to alienate en masse even the most devout.
It must have been the most testing seven-day period for senior Roman Catholics. As Holy Week began, a cascade of execrable sex scandals involving RC hierarchy has forced the very Pope to publicly acknowledge the problem of long-standing criminals hiding depraved desires under the cloth, most despicably the conversion of young boys to a fate the ancient church cannot possibly have contemplated. MORE
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No need to descend into the jungle
Posted: Wednesday, March 27, 2002
by Bukka Rennie
One knows, given our most cherished traditions, that subsequent to the arrest of six people, six citizens of substance, arising out of the airport investigations, that due process will be allowed to take its natural course.
There will never be any question about that in this land. And those who may try to paint a different picture may do so only because of partisan politics, legal acrobatics for financial gain, or, simply put, they may be the ones who, according to the old folks, "have cocoa in the sun!"
What one needs to hope, though, is that the whole scenario of court appearances and all it entails are not allowed to degenerate into a maddening circus and that some measure of dignity would be allotted to all parties concerned. MORE
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Internet Music Holds Spotlight At CME 2002
Posted: Tuesday, March 26, 2002
by Terry Joseph
Caribbean Music Expo (CME) chairman Lloyd Stanbury has identified Internet music download facilities one of the major problems that will affect Caribbean music producers over the next decade and possibly shift the focus of what we produce.
Speaking on Wednesday night at the opening ceremony of CME 2002 at The Ruins restaurant and pub, Stanbury said: "It is our assessment that technology and the Internet will, more than any other single issue, affect music development in the Caribbean reagion over at least the next decade.
"It may be that we will have to shift the focus of how we present music and rethink some of our present concepts, but one thing is certain, we cannot pretend the facility of downloading and trading music - whether legally or unlawfully - does not exist and will not increase as the practice becomes easier to access," Stanbury said. MORE
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UNC calls for expeditious hearing of corruption trials
Posted: Monday, March 25, 2002
The United National Congress (UNC) condemns corruption in all its forms and remains committed to accountability and transparency in public affairs, the party said in a statement yesterday.
It was commenting on charges laid against six persons including its former Finance Minister Brian Kuei Tung and financier Ish Galbaransingh on Saturday.
It also called for their trials to be heard expeditiously, and demanded that they be determined prior to the next general elections.
The UNC said it strongly believes that TT is still a democracy, where due process is a sacred principle and the legal system is impartial and fair, and accordingly persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The party however, said it was not mindful of the existing political climate, and the timing of the arrests bearing in mind that Parliament was expected to be convened next week Friday.
The UNC said it also noted the comments by main spokespersons of the PNM that "a lot can happen between now and that date", adding that it hoped these statements were not indicative of new circumstances and realities in the country's democracy.
It said: "It is our expectation nevertheless that the cases will be heard expeditiously, and in particular, before the next general elections. We demand that these trials must be determined prior to the next elections.
"We sincerely hope also that those charged will receive a fair and expeditious trial so that ultimately justice will prevail," the UNC statement ended.
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It should be politically motivated!
Posted: Monday, March 25, 2002
Citizen Voice
EDITOR: The response of certain individuals and organizations to the recent high profiled arrests, is that it is/was politically motivated. I think that is the most pathetic response possible to the scenario, as all investigations and inquiries into corruption and wrong doing should be politically motivated. It is the taxpayers who pay these politicians salaries and our money should work to protect our interest when the politicians do what protects our interest and what they are being paid for. In addition Politics is the art of governance and any sore on the body politic, if politics and politicians are to retain any credibility, then they should be the first to initiate and provide motivation to deal with corruption and wrong doing by the elites among other issues.
The society has learned that we cannot expect the motivation for the fight against corruption to be led by the Church, Business, NGO's etc.
As a citizen I would be disappointd if the fight against corruption was not politically motivated. The alternative is to dastardly to contemplate. "Take it to the Police if you have the evidence " can never be translated into" it is politically motivated ". It should be a jailable offence when politicians refuse to investigate credible corruption allegations.
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PM Manning said, more arrests coming
Posted: Monday, March 25, 2002
Prime Minister Patrick Manning said, "No politician has anything to do with (the investigations) at all."
"We put the mechanisms in place; we ensure that the administrative arrangements are proper; and we let those so authorised do the job of investigation, and at the appropriate time the independent DPP took his decision," he added.
"I don't know what leads they are on to. I do not know exactly what they are investigating... I really cannot say.
"What I do know is that we expect more arrests some time in the future because of the considerations that led up to the setting up of these arrangements in the first place," he revealed.
General secretary of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), Clyde Constantine, said yesterday his party was "very pleased" about the arrests made by the Anti-Corruption squad, and shared the view that the actions were not politically motivated.
"Those who have done wrong should be brought to justice and should pay the price," Constantine said.
"To say now that it is politically motivated is a very questionable kind of statement. The report, again I want to empahaise, emanated from action that was taken during the UNC government,"
Constantine continued: "We would want to see the action continued so that scourge which has plagued Trinidad and Tobago would be wiped out."
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6 arrested in connection with Airport Terminal project
Posted: Saturday, March 23, 2002
Brian Kuei Tung and his fiancee Renee Pierre were the last of six high-profile persons, including former PNM minister Russell Huggins, to voluntarily hand in themselves to the Anti-Corruption Bureau yesterday in response to warrants for their arrest.
Kuei Tung and Pierre, a businesswoman who owns a gym and an advertising company, arrived in the same vehicle at the Richmond Street, Port of Spain, headquarters of the Bureau at around 2:36 p.m.
Huggins, an attorney and former national security minister in the first Manning administration; businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh, Managing Director of Northern Construction Ltd; John Henry Smith, CEO of the Maritime Group of Companies and Amrith Maharaj, Secretary and Financial Director of Northern Construction.
Altogether, a total of 45 charges were brought against the six and two private companies, Northern Construction Ltd of Savonetta, Point Lisas and the Maritime subsidiary, Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Ltd of Maritime Plaza, Barataria. Some of the charges were the first to be brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2000, a piece of legislation passed by the Panday government in which Kuei Tung was minister of finance while others were brought under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
All the charges stem from alleged misdeeds arising out of contract awards in the $1.4 billion Piarco Airport project during the period 1996 to 2000. The charges include: conspiracy to defraud the government of Trinidad and Tobago, corruption, transferring and disguising funds (commonly known as money laundering) and misbehaviour in public office.
Superintendent Maurice Piggott, head of the Bureau, told members of the media that the arrests were as a result of "two years of intensive investigations" and the "tireless" work by his 21-member team of officers who were assisted by Canadian forensic investigators Robert Lindquist, Hans Marschdorf and Rodney Stamler.
Asked whether more arrests were on the cards, a weary-looking Piggott responded: "Let me answer you this way, the investigation is not yet completed. It is still ongoing."
The charges
Brian Kuei Tung
10 charges. Bail: $1.6m
• 4 on misbehaviour in public office
• 5 on corruption.
• 1 on conspiracy to defraud the Government of T&T of $7m.
Russell Huggins
7 charges. Bail: $1.6m
• 3 on aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
• 3 on corruption.
• 1 on money laundering.
Ishwar Galbaransingh
8 charges. Bail: $3m
- 2 on illegal illegal transfer of funds.
- 4 on aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
- 1 on corruption.
- 1 on conspiracy to defraud the government of T&T of $7m.
Amrith Maharaj
8 charges. Bail: $1.6m
• 4 on aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
• 2 on corruption.
• 1 on money laundering.
• 1 on conspiracy to defraud the Government of T&T of $7m.
Renee Pierre
3 charges. Bail: $1m
• 2 on corruption.
• 1 on aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
• 1 on conspiracy to defraud the Government of T&T of $7 m.
John Henry Smith
7 charges. Bail: $2 m
• 3 aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
• 2 on corruption.
• 1 on conspiracy to defraud the Government of T&T of $7m
• 1 on aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
Companies charged
Northern Construction Ltd
- Obtaining $19m by false pretences among other charges.
Fidelity Finance
- Corruption
- Conspiracy to defraud the Government of T&T
- Aiding and abetting to commit misbehaviour in public office.
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Much ado about nothing
Posted: Saturday, March 23, 2002
Newsday
EBC Commission of Inquiry Chairman Justice Lennox Deyalsingh strongly denied yesterday that there was any link between him and the Commission and former Attorney-General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.
Responding to comments made by UNC Political Leader Basdeo Panday on Wednesday that the UNC had received a fax from the Commission bearing the phone number of a machine in the name of Maharaj, Deyalsingh explained that the fax machine used by the commission secretariat to send letters to the United National Congress (UNC) is owned by the Office of the Attorney General.
He told Newsday that equipment, including the machine was provided by the Office of the Attorney General to the commission. He said the machine was also used to transmit documents to others as well, and the Commission was unaware of any phone numbers that had been previously programmed into the machine. The Commission's secretariat were to make the changes yesterday, because not only the number was incorrect, but the date as well.
Deyalsingh said when he first heard from the media what was said by Panday his first reaction was that it had to be incredible. He said he knew that there was no link whatsoever between the Commission and Maharaj at whose home address the fax number had been registered as 653-2071.
Secretary to the Commission, Ida Eversley, said after the letters were transmitted to the UNC headquarters on Monday, officers called the UNC on the telephone to confirm whether they were received, but no one there had questioned the fax number, date, time and office at that time.
Deyalsingh said it was surprising that the UNC did not do him the courtesy of calling him or any other officer to query the information at the top of the fax.
During the interview Deyalsingh allowed Newsday to verify what he and Eversley were saying.
From their office a fax was sent by this reporter to the Newsday newsroom on Chacon Street, Port-of-Spain, and the fax received at Chacon Street confirmed that the number was the same as that received by the UNC on Monday.
Deyalsingh said the commission was unaware of the information programmed in the machine including the number, time, date and office. After Panday's "expose" what confused a lot of people was that the fax number about which the UNC was making an issue bore the date January 17, 2002 whereas the date of the letter that was being faxed was March 18, 2002.
Commission member Dr Noel Kallicharan who is Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at UWI explained that the number of a fax machine was not necessarily the number programmed into it.
Eversley explained that the secretariat had not changed the information programmed in the machine but would do so by today after the media and the Police had inspected it.
On Wednesday Panday alleged a close relationship between Maharaj and Deyalsingh accusing the latter of bias and calling for his resignation from the Commission. Commenting on this, Deyalsingh said: "There is no relationship between Mr Maharaj and myself."
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AG Morean reveals — 8 probes into alleged corruption
Posted: Friday, March 22, 2002
By Clint Chan Tack Newsday
Attorney General Glenda Morean said yesterday that Government was pursuing eight different investigations into allegations of corruption in Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaking at a news conference at Cabildo Chambers, Morean said that apart from the Lindquist investigation into the Piarco Airport Terminal project, there will be a Commission of Inquiry in the same project to be headed by former Chief Justice Clinton Bernard.
Hours after Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced the new Commission of Inquiry, Morean organised a press briefing to announce other investigations.
"What I can say is take it easy, you will get your results. You are getting results at the moment because you have the Commission of Inquiry into the EBC that is continuing even as we speak. You have the Airport being investigated, the Airport Development Project being investigated in two ways.”
Morean said the Lindquist probe which started in 2000, is now beginning to bear fruit "in that you have been told that the documents have been passed to the DPP who is now studying what has been given to him to determine what if any charges are to be laid against who."
The AG added, "in addition to that, the Commission of Inquiry into the Airport Development project is going to get underway soon because Cabinet has given the decision to go ahead with the Commission and you have been told who the Commissioners are - Clinton Bernard, Chairman; Victor Hart, and Marianne Knight as members."
Morean also announced that a Canadian forensic firm - Swaig - has been hired to probe InnCogen. "Again, these are not things you can do in haste, as they have to take all the necessary steps and make all the enquiries before they can come with a report. In fact, I have not received a final report on the Lindquist investigations, but as we go along, if we have enough, then we take action and that is what is being done."
The Attorney General also noted that investigations are being carried out as to who owns the $12 million apartment in South Kensington, England, and the US $50,000 cheque made out in the name of Basdeo Panday.
Morean also revealed that a probe is being pursued into the Trinmar Soldado field contracts. "We sent an officer some weeks ago to Houston to take depositions from certain persons so that these things take some time."
A Commission of Inquiry into the construction of the Biche High School is underway and the Attorney General is awaiting a report from Minister of Health Colm Imbert into the payment of more than $573,000 in stipends to former Board members of the South-West Regional Health Authority.
Morean added, "once the DPP considers a case has been out for charges to be laid against persons, they will be laid regardless of who they might be.
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Dollar flow
Posted: Friday, March 22, 2002
By Raffique Shah
AT last! I’m bowled over by a Pentecostal preacher who is honest to the extent that I, an avowed agnostic, am prepared to sing hosannas to him. Really, how could anyone accuse an American televangelist named Creflo A Dollar of being your run-of-the-mill, double-dealing, dishonest preacher? I have no idea whether Creflo’s father was named “Dollar”, in which case the old man’s old man must have had big dreams for his black son in a country where whites dominate the dollar-chase. If Dollar isn’t his given name, then Creflo must be credited with being forthright in re-naming himself, no doubt after he’d had a vision from the Great Unseen One.
For those who came in late for the show, Creflo, sporting designer suits that must have cost loud dollars, was the star preacher at the Centre of Excellence earlier this week. He is, as I mentioned above, an American televangelist who was invited to this country by the San Fernando Open Bible Church. In case you are wondering why the Church did not choose a venue in the South, you must be living in dreamland. MORE
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Neither fish nor fowl, Mr Mottley's alliance
Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2002
by Bukka Rennie
Two new political parties have surfaced. Not surprisingly, given the climate of uncertainty that has arisen in the present arrangement of things.
There is a certain level of anxiety as the populace awaits the next move from either side of the two major contending forces. A battle royale is expected by some come April 9 when Parliament constitutionally has to be convened.
Given the recalcitrance one senses in the political positions advanced by the present Opposition, electing of a Speaker of the House will bring nothing short of thunder and brimstone. How the Government will react to this is, at this point, mere conjecture. MORE
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Cops and robbers
Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2002
by Terry Joseph
"Stop! Stop, you mocking pretender", the midnight robber's classic admonition, is ideally what Commissioner Hilton Guy should have put to Police Association president Inspector Christopher Holder after the latter complained his superior's remarks about "Lucifers" in uniform were unfounded.
Already cast as the big bad midnight robber, Commissioner Guy blew the whistle on rogue cops while addressing a fresh batch of recruits at last Saturday's passing out parade at the St James Barracks. Using a line from Ras Shorty-I's song of the same name, Mr Guy said: "Watch out, my children," adding "for there are Lucifers".
"Don't be deluded that Lucifers only reside in the public, but also within our organisation," he said, telling, too, of witnessing a development in the Police Service that was the cause of grave concern to him and senior officers. MORE
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Cops quiz former Finance Minister
Posted: Sunday, March 17, 2002
Former Finance Minister Brian Kuei Tung was interviewed last week by officers of the Anti-Corruption Squad as part of investigations into the Piarco Airport $1.6 billion expenditure.
Sunday Newsday learned that Kuei Tung was questioned about the release of certain payments during 1995 to 2000, while he was Finance Minister and while the airport was under construction. The interview took place at the office of the Anti-Corruption Squad. Efforts to reach Kuei Tung yesterday proved futile. Police sources revealed that officers of the Anti-Corruption Squad will soon be questioning another former Minister as part of the probe. Police are investigating corruption relating to certain agencies and the award of contracts at the Airport Project.
The Bob Lindquist Report on the Piarco Airport Development Project, has already revealed that the $1.6 billion airport project was a fraud on the people of the country and a clear abuse of public funds. The report said its findings were "consistent with a conspiracy to corrupt the contract selection process beginning in 1996, and carried out throughout the contracting period".
In 1996 Cabinet, under the Central Tenders Board Act, appointed Nipdec as Project Manager of the airport development project. Nipdec then awarded the main contract to Ish Galbaransingh's Northern Construction Company. Galbaransingh has since filed a writ in the court to halt the probe and return documents seized from him by police. A former Nipdec General Manager was also quizzed by officers of the Anti-Corruption Squad two weeks ago.
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A Few Not-So-Good Men
Posted: Saturday, March 16, 2002
By Raffique Shah
"From millions of men...one man must step forward, who with apodictic force will form granite principles from the wavering idea-world of the broad masses and take up the struggle for their sole correctness, until from the shifting waves of a free thought-world will arise a brazen cliff of solid unity in faith and will." (from Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler)
ALL it takes for evil to triumph over good in any country is for decent people to remain silent as wicked men (or women) are allowed free rein. The danger is compounded when a few seemingly good men join forces with the evil, wittingly or unwittingly, to enable latter to enhance their stature, to give legitimacy to dubious causes. The most glaring example of what could happen in such instance was witnessed in pre-World War II Germany, when industrialists and priests, soldiers and sufferers, backed the little-known Nazi party and its leader Adolf Hitler. MORE
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We not organise for constitutional reform
Posted: Saturday, March 16, 2002
You tink as a country we want constitutional reform? I doh know.
Since di 18-18 tie, we eh hold no country-wide consultation. Nobody and no group eh try to mobilise di country to talk about di matter for we to get a clear sense of how people tinkin and whe dey want to go. All we have is newspaper columnist, radio and TV commentator, high-profile people, and di political party and dem givin deh different view on what we should do. Some a dem callin for constitutional reform, yes, but dat eh consultation; da is just people throwin out suggestion. We cyar know how di country feel if somehow we eh hold a massive conversation where everybody and every community and every organisation with a voice and someting to say throw in deh piece. MORE
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Not even the douens would want it
Posted: Saturday, March 16, 2002
By Donna Yawching
It's just as well that Bill Chaitan has surrendered his Canadian citizenship. After his recent comments on the Biche school, he would probably have a lot of trouble finding another job there: Canadians are very big on accountability. Here, of course, as long as the right people are in power, he can probably count on being appointed Chairman of something or other. As we all know, competence is not a prerequisite.
Chaitan has claimed that he would willingly send his children to the Biche school. I don’t know whether this man has any school-age children, but if he does, I suggest we arrange special classes, just for them, in Biche. Chaitan himself could teach some of the courses, since he would have no reason to worry about his own health either. MORE
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What To Do With $20 Billion?
Posted: Saturday, March 16, 2002
By Raffique Shah
IMAGINE if you would, government revenues leaping from the $13.8 billion realised in the year 2000, to somewhere in the vicinity of $20 billion a year in the next three-to-five years. That is not wishful thinking on the part of greedy politicians. It is a realistic evaluation of what lies ahead for Trinidad and Tobago, based on recent proven oil and gas finds that will see both commodities double in production within the time frame. It also sounds too good to be true. But it's worrisome for Kerston Coombs, a pioneer in this country's industrialisation thrust, who fears that we could end up frittering away the vast sums of money coming our way and remain a "wannabe" developed country.
Coombs is an engineer who started out in 1964 with the first major downstream plant in the energy sector, Federation Chemicals (also called Grace Plant, now owned by Hydro-Agri). Almost 20 years later, when the Point Lisas Industrial Estate began expanding following the first oil boom (1973-1980), he moved to the National Energy Corporation, which was headed by the PNM government's industrialisation czar, Professor Kenneth Julien. He was among those who oversaw the construction of the country's first methanol and urea plants. He then joined Clico in 1989 and served as that company's point man as it moved to become the first local private sector company to invest in heavy industry-the result being the Caribbean Methanol Company. MORE
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Life's a Biche
Posted: Friday, March 15, 2002
By Raffique Shah
PITY the poor people from the village of Biche. These people have had a rough time for more than half-a-century, having faced beasts in human form, the stigma of the "Ganja City", and the concomitant police harassment that goes with that title. Now, the village that few Trinis could find on our two-by-two map (except for ganja traffickers, who could find it guided only by the aroma of good "grass") was about to make it big time with a first-grade secondary school sitting proudly atop one of its lush hills.
But life’s a "biche", really. Because in their moment of glory, just when the little Biche folk should be occupying the spanking new school, up comes God (well, who else to blame? Panday? Manning?) pouring mucho oil and spewing sundry gases on the troubled structure. Worse for them, in order to set the pungent gases free, He (or maybe it was the Devil, with whom you-know-who slept!) created cracks in the building. That, in turn, caused a lot of cracked-heads from the district to spew even more gas-methane, this time as they protested the government’s reluctance to open the school. MORE
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Test Biche Residents
Posted: Friday, March 15, 2002
Dear Editor
It seems the considered judgement of several professional local and foreign individuals and organizations is not enough to convince some residents of Biche of a potential danger from substances and situations they know precious little about and one which poses extreme danger to people's health over time, especially the young.
Editor it is highly likely that the residents are already affected and testing can indicate if they are. Why else would otherwise sane people expose their young children to such dangers and demand that they be placed in harm's way. They can always get good UNC lawyers to represent them when things go wrong like the victims of lead contamination in Wallerfield, but then it might be to late for their children.
It is funny though how they are all saying the same thing, and another test may be needed to find the reason for that or its origin.
kurteeboy@hotmail.com
KURT GARCIA
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The people want pan
Posted: Friday, March 15, 2002
By Peter Ray Blood
One of the success stories of Carnival 2002 was the preliminary judging of the Panorama competition in panyards.
After the success of last year's "panyard concerts" and this year's exercise, Pan Trinbago has decided to return to the panyard for the elimination round of competition for the 2002 edition of Pan in the 21st Century.
Over 40 conventional steel orchestras are registered and ready for six nights of fierce competition and a chance to be selected for the April 6 final, at the Queen's Park Savannah.
First prize in this competition, which has been sponsored by TSTT from its inception, is $50,000, and all participants are eager to get their hands on it and claim the glory. MORE
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Weekend action begins on a Friday
Posted: Friday, March 15, 2002
By Peter Ray Blood
For two nights they came to the Temple of Soca, the Mas Camp Pub, transformed for the event, with griot and chantwell David Michael Rudder in attendance.
On Sunday and Wednesday, from all walks of life they sipped, savouring the refreshing brew served from the chalice of soca.
Sunday night's edition saw the packed Woodbrook showplace graced by the presence of visiting Canadian Minister of Justice Martin Cauchon; High Commissioner Simon Wade; British High Commissioner Peter Harborne and wife Tessa; Canadian Trade Commissioner Tom Bearss; Lyn Murray; and delegates attending the OAS Justice Ministers Conference. MORE
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School for scandal
Posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2002
By Terry Joseph
There is an uncanny similitude between the careers of Richard B Sheridan (who, 225 years ago, penned the outrageously funny School for Scandal) and Basdeo Panday, lead actor in the currently playing tragedy about a contemporary learning institution.
Like Sheridan, Panday first worked in theatre, then became separately famous for his contributions in a Westminster-style Parliament. Like Panday, Sheridan will always be remembered whenever we hear the word "school", particularly in sentences where it is followed by the word "scandal".
Sheridan's play throws up some equally interesting comparisons. Set in a country district (perhaps a place like Biche), the principals engage in lies, half-truths and innuendo full-time. By far the most intriguing of these conspirators is Lady Sneerwell, whose frequent baring of teeth is oft mistaken for a charming smile. MORE
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No way PNM can jail UNC MPs
Posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2002
THE EDITOR: Where ignorance is fostered, it is sensible to shed light! I have carefully noted the efforts of Opposition Leader Mr Basdeo Panday and that of his party to create confusion, chaos, instability and doubt, by feeding inaccuracies into the system and then inciting anxiety and anti-social behaviour, among his dwindling band of supporters.
When Mr Panday could blatantly breach the so-called Crowne Plaza Agreement, which he signed, and which allowed for the appointment of a Speaker to, and the convening of, the Parliament.
When, further, Mr Panday could unashamedly breach his commitment before the eyes of the nation and then insult our sense of decency by using the noble and spiritually-based concept of civil disobedience, to incite violence and chaos in our society, then, according to Keith Smith, he is not a nice and/or a decent man. MORE
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This epoch must make a difference
Posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2002
By Bukka Rennie
Objectively all the signs are there that the world will not proceed for much longer without significant, fundamental change to the prevailing international system of relationships and the way we "see and do" things.
Whereas before much of the touted ideals and demands for deepening the democratic political process and for equality in economic transactions and international trading could have been considered "utopian", today the situation has been transformed totally.
There is now existing the objective basis to make such ideals and such demands attainable and sustainable once there is the political will to do so.
The technological advancement of all kinds that have come in this present epoch, including not merely the invention of the personal computer and the Internet but moreso their application to the production, distribution and consumption processes, have served to a great extent to remove the previous logistical nightmares involved in getting the whole world integrated and making the various parts and regions of the world "talk", regardless of size of population, income a person, land area, and level of social development. MORE
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The mas after de mas
Posted: Monday, March 11, 2002
By Peter Ray Blood
Since the first disclosure of the Carnival 2002 Band of the Year results, de Fosto's calypso "The Mecca of What?" continues to play havoc in my head.
This is reinforced because, while a disillusioned few continue to boast of T&T being the mecca of mas, kaiso and pan, the rest of the world is having laughing fits at our expense.
Parading as "Aquamarine," Funtasia king Sieusankar Maraj failed to gain a place among the finalists in this year's controversial King of Carnival competition. This fantasy costume, designed by Keith McLean, is in the fantasy category and depicts ancient mariners' fear of waterspouts at sea.
As I write this, I understand a group of disgruntled mas bandleaders and masqueraders is planning to seek legal redress against what they have described as discriminatory decisions made against them this Carnival. MORE
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Deconstructing Panday Again
Posted: Sunday, March 10, 2002
By Winford James
In a column on October 07, 2001, I argued that Basdeo Panday was, among other things, a political tyrant and dinosaur who will plumb the credulity of his sycophantic supporters to the limit to hold on to the dictatorial and corruptive powers of prime ministerial office. Today, he is not in office, but the attitude and personality are still there, bolstered, not without some political justification, by the 18-18 tie. So in today's column, I continue in the same vein, adducing other support for the thesis.
Perhaps the most indicative action of the persona described is his refusal to acknowledge Patrick Manning as the legally appointed prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago. President Robinson interpreted the constitution - and Panday himself too, initially in the infamous Crowne Plaza accord - to give the president the power to appoint a prime minister in the context of a tie, but Panday later disagreed with that interpretation to the extent of refusing both to abide by his agreement with Manning to elect Prof. Max Richards and to accept the office of opposition leader. He favours the view, by statement and implication of his actions, that the legally correct thing would have been for Mr. Robinson to re-elect him as prime minister. It is in this sense that Manning's appointment is held to be illegal and illegitimate. MORE
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No press is bad press
Posted: Sunday, March 10, 2002
By Donna Yawching
AS ANY public relations consultant will tell you, there's no such thing as bad press. Negative publicity is better than no publicity at all: at least it means that you're still in the public's eye. They can't forget you, even if they despise what you're doing.
This is clearly the strategy that governs Basdeo Panday's actions, these days. Having, as I predicted, discovered that talk of legal action against the current government has done nothing to raise his profile, and in fact has achieved the exact opposite, Mr Panday is now struggling to stay afloat by grasping desperately at straws. He knows that in this country, out of sight is out of mind, and so he has decided to draw attention to himself at any cost.
Calling on his supporters for "civil disobedience" (with, in our particular situation, its obvious undertones of insurrection and potential racial violence) was sure to get him back in the news—and sure enough, since then (at least until Howard Chin Lee's crime plan was launched with literal fanfares and drum-rolls, a bombastic act if I ever saw one), the media has talked of almost nothing else. Score one for Mr. P. MORE
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Mission for Manning
Posted: Sunday, March 10, 2002
By Raffique Shah
FEW people rank Patrick Manning as their favourite politician. In all the polls conducted over the past 15 years or so, when respondents were asked who they favoured to be Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Manning's ranking was second at best, and sometimes lower than that. In fact, even inside the PNM, which he has led since 1986, he in nowhere as popular as his two predecessors. Yet, in this hour of reckoning, at this critical juncture in our politics, I do not believe the nation could have asked for someone better than Manning.
Before Lloyd Best blasts me to smithereens, and Denis Solomon and some other political analysts question my sanity, let me explain. Manning may not possess the charisma that 50 years of "doctah politics" has left us yearning for, or the sense of timing that characterises astute leadership. But he is neutral enough to steer us through a period in our political history that demands neither of the above qualities. Besides running the day to day affairs of government, what are the issues he must address urgently? MORE
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250 British soldiers in TT
Posted: Sunday, March 10, 2002
An estimated 250 soldiers from the United Kingdom (UK) are in the country on a planning and communications exercise aimed at testing the UK's ability to deploy a joint headquarters overseas.
Yesterday, the UK soldiers comprising members of the Ghurka and Pioneer force trained a contingent of a local combined Cadet force in basic first aid, war tactics, camouflage techniques and survival skills. Training was done at Tucker Camp in Chaguaramas.
Code named Exercise Cobalt Mercury (ECM), the exercise will see troops from the UK in this country and Guyana.
Every year British troops are deployed to far away countries where a base is set up and communication systems tested.
Apart from testing communication capabilities, the UK troops will embark on training members of the local Defence Force. Heading the entire operations is Major Simon Thomsett.
Members of the newly formed Cadet Medical Unit which is under the command of Major Doughdeen and Captain William Cox, received vital training from the UK soldiers.
Sunday Newsday was invited to tour the training site in Chaguaramas yesterday under the watchful eyes of ECM's Press Officer, Lt Sue Lloyd.
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Trinidad's Female Contributors
Posted: Thursday, March 7, 2002
EDITOR: As we celebrate International Women's Day, their are many women who contributed to our development and I am sure that the majority of our nation's school children are unaware of their names, far less their contributions. I would just like to mention a few and appeal to the educators of our country to further highlight the lives of these great Trinidadian women, such as the women in the 19th century who challenged the colonial authorities for the human right of free cultural expresson in the battles to retain our Carnival tradition, the social struggles of Elma Francoisin the 1930's, the political struggles of Audrey Jeffers in the 50's, the musical struggles of Majorie Padmore in the 60's and others especially in Education and Health, to numerous to mention here. We should pay tribute and honour their memories.
Cindy Williams
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URP Fight for Crumbs
Posted: Thursday, March 7, 2002
EDITOR: I would like to send a message to those people who are fighting and killing each other today, especially those people in the URP program. If they look around carefully they would see 100 million spent on Miss Universe, 40 million on Ring Bang, 7 million on World Beat Music festival, 30 million on undelivered rice, 75 million on two schools that won't be used, an airport that trebled in cost to reach 1.4 billion, borrowing of expensive money by the state, Caroni's 300 million yearly loss and many more instances of national wastage and plunder. It pains my heart to see the ordinary grassroots people fighting and killing each other in the fight over the 120 million URP which is for the whole country and they are not looking at the bigger picture nationally.
We have gotten so accustomed to fighting for crumbs that come from the table, that we have obviously forgotten the table is laden. Wake up Mr Trinidadian and let us pull the veils from over our eyes.
KURT GARCIA
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Phillip, My Dear
Posted: Wednesday, March 6, 2002
By Terry Joseph
After an unusually long lacuna from his predictable pastimes of playing polo and irritating carefully selected minorities, the irrepressible Duke of Edinburgh is at it again, this time targeting black people.
With a 50-year stewardship whose best-remembered highlights are almost exclusively a string of reckless remarks levelled at defenceless British subjects, Phillip hit the dregs last Friday as he and Queen Elizabeth II wound up an Australian tour; part of Her Majesty’s official golden jubilee celebrations.
At an official function in Queensland, Phillip turned to Aborigine businessman William Brim and asked the singularly tactless question: "Do your people still throw spears at each other?" MORE
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Forget the text
Posted: Wednesday, March 6, 2002
By Bukka Rennie
If we continue to exist only according to the written law of the land, according to what the "book" says, we will amount to nothing and will accomplish little.
One can recall that many citizens of Trinidad and Tobago were amused when the Bishop/Coard Government in Grenada self-destruct because the old-school "left" political activists involved were so sterile that they kept looking for "text" to explain and elucidate their reality.
When they could find nothing in their "book", they simply took to murdering each other.
How much different are we today?
We keeping saying to all the people on either side of the great divide that all written "constitutions" are social contracts that are mere guidelines to the procedures of governance. MORE
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'Padders' Deadlier Than Robbers
Posted: Sunday, March 3, 2002
By Raffique Shah
SO Sadiq Baksh believes that the police were being too harsh when they handcuffed his niece and three other women charged with elections-related offences! Well, welcome to the real world of crime, Trinidad-style policing, and the proverbial wages of sin, Mr Baksh. Maybe he and his political leader, Basdeo Panday, who is also kicking up a storm over the arrest of "that poor girl", do not look at the pages of the daily newspapers. Over the past two weeks, almost on a daily basis, victims of "Operation Anaconda" were paraded for media cameras, face down on dusty sidewalks, or hands up against grimy walls.
What Baksh and Panday must ask is whether the offence for which "that poor girl" was arrested is any different to what poor people who feel the brunt of Howard Chin Lee's "big snake" are suspected of. Because most of the young men from urban Port of Spain who have been searched, and in instances arrested and charged, could be as innocent as "that poor girl" and the scores of other UNC supporters who today face "vote padding" charges are presumed to be. If, given the crime surge, we agree that the police need to use desperate measures in dangerous times, then we must also agree that those who have perverted the electoral process should be treated no differently to suspected bandits, robbers and murderers. MORE
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Beep! beep! Where are the jeeps?
Posted: Sunday, March 3, 2002
By Raffique Shah
NEW Works and Transport Minister Arnold Piggott is being asked to probe the assignment of four Mitsubishi Pajero vehicles purchased by his ministry last September at a cost of $865,000.
The four-wheel-drive vehicles were bought for the Highways Division of the ministry, and approved for that purpose by Permanent Secretary Yolande Gooding. However, upon delivery, one vehicle was assigned to then minister Carlos John, another to parliamentary secretary Chandresh Sharma, and three to officials outside the Highways Division.
That, according to then Director of Highways Hilton Charles was contrary to the terms under which the vehicles were acquired. MORE
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Bandleaders to blame
Posted: Sunday, March 3, 2002
By Terry Joseph
RICHARD Afong, embattled chairman of the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA), takes on his critics frontally, dismissing the widely held view that his sitting on the review committee (whose work led his band Barbarossa to win by default) represented a conflict of interest.
He is also candid about what he calls behaviour by bandleaders on Carnival days which, he says, is the major cause of congestion and general confusion.
Afong bluntly refuses to bow to demands by aggrieved bandleaders for him to step down. MORE
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No press is bad press
Posted: Sunday, March 3, 2002
By Donna Yawching
AS ANY public relations consultant will tell you , there’s no such thing as bad press. Negative publicity is better than no publicity at all: at least it means that you’re still in the public’s eye. They can’t forget you, even if they despise what you’re doing.
This is clearly the strategy that governs Basdeo Panday’s actions, these days. Having, as I predicted, discovered that talk of legal action against the current government has done nothing to raise his profile, and in fact has achieved the exact opposite, Mr Panday is now struggling to stay afloat by grasping desperately at straws. He knows that in this country, out of sight is out of mind, and so he has decided to draw attention to himself at any cost.
Calling on his supporters for “civil disobedience” (with, in our particular situation, its obvious undertones of insurrection and potential racial violence) was sure to get him back in the news—and sure enough, since then (at least until Howard Chin Lee’s crime plan was launched with literal fanfares and drum-rolls, a bombastic act if I ever saw one), the media has talked of almost nothing else. Score one for Mr. P. MORE
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Not an Incorrect, Way of Speaking
Posted: Sunday, March 3, 2002
By Winford James
One of the serious failings of West Indian society is that, though it has evolved into a home where the progeny of slaves and indentured servants are substantially in charge of their own affairs, it continues to be a plantation in much of its linguistic sense of itself. So while we have invented a great deal of language in the West Indies, as we had to, we have also had a tendency to prefer language from other people - people whose peoplehood we perceive as being more prestigious than ours.
The evidence of our self-diminishing preference is not hard to find. It is there in questions like 'Bati-mamselle is a word? Wa is di real word? Not dragon fly?' It is there in the Trinbagonian returning home from a not-too-long stay in the United States flaunting an American accent - in a place where it is not needed for comprehension of message. It is there in the preference of (especially) youth for American formulae such as 'an stuff', 'yeah, right', 'I'm outta here', and 'Duh', when we have the perfectly good 'an ting', 'yuh lie!/Yuh jokin!/ A joke y'aa mek!', 'Ah gone', and 'So you en know dat?', which we created right here in West Indian space. And it is there in people like Tony Cozier, Michael Holding, and Reds Pereira choosing 'swipe' over a good, good home-created (onomatopoeic) word like 'voop' in both their West Indian and international cricket commentary. MORE
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Naps not filled with 'batty boys' and 'fassy holes'
Posted: Friday, March 1, 2002
A Naparima Boys' College student yesterday put the blame for school violence squarely on the shoulders of students, saying there were badjohns even at prestige schools.
In so doing, Jelani Jedd of Lower Six, shocked Government Ministers and educators with the language he used to describe the situation at his school.
"Many of you may consider my school to be filled with 'batty boys' and 'fassy holes'," said Jedd, to the delight of the audience of mostly Lower Six students.
"Your stereotypes are wrong."
He questioned the assignment of blame for school indiscipline: "Who else you want to blame: media? The aftermath of our (students') activities are seen every day in the newspapers. But it bad to read newspapers? You mad?
"Who you going to blame it on next - Patrick Manning? We have no one to blame but ourselves."
Jedd said 40 per cent of Naparima students smoke cigarettes, and 25 per cent of those students smoke marijuana, thereby dismissing the notion that school indiscipline was the sole problem of the junior and senior comprehensive schools.
"We (Naparima) have to save face. Because after all, we are a prestige school."
Jedd was a speaker at the launch of the Hindu Credit Union's Junior Co-operative in Chaguanas.
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