Panday's Fear or Fair?
Posted: Monday, September 30, 2002
EDITOR: Mr Panday's campaign of fear, that the PNM's association with Abu Bakr who once caused Trinbagonians to die and lose their property, is a major threat to this country, sounds really very hollow and nauseating to people who have lived in this country for the last 30 years or more and are not suffering from amnesia. It is the very same Mr Panday who adored, praised and fought side by side, arm in arms with Raffique Shah who like Abu Bakr was charged in our courts and freed for revolting, and leading an armed uprising against the authorities and government of Trinidad and Tobago.
Mr Panday had absolutely no fear then of terrorists or people who used guns against the authorities, and like former acting UNC Prime Minister, made statements in support of Abu Bakr.
Worse yet for Mr Panday feigned fear of former villains, ex-terrorists or criminally minded people who have been freed by the courts of the land, is the presence of Mrs. Jennifer Kernahan in his political party, who took up guns against the government of the day and many of her friends and other citizens lost their lives and property by her activities, which was also similar to that of Abu Bakr's.
This Mrs. Kernahan was made a UNC government Minister by Mr Panday and is now a candidate for that party, for a second time running in the upcoming general elections. So it seems that Mr Panday serves as a magnet to people who take up guns against our country's system of government, way of life and view violence as an option to attain political power.
Knowing that Abu Bakr once enjoyed the best of graces with Mr Panday, it seems like Mr Panday is more fair to people who have taken up arms against the state and revolted, than he has fear of them. To the contrary they all seem to be attracted unanimously to him, and they get along very fine, until he has a fall out with them, when all hell breaks loose as we saw with Raffique Shah and is now seeing with Abu Bakr.
All of a sudden these fallouts then become national issues and raging debates and now the major plank of an election campaign.
What a pity for TnT.
KURT GARCIA
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Fake Journalism exemplified
Posted: Thursday, September 26, 2002
EDITOR: There are two radio media people who are always berating others in the print and electronic media for being fake journalists, one Georger Umbala Joseph and his sidekick Jerome Lewis. Recently however to the amusement of people, who know better and heard them, they held a competition in which they offered a prize for the person who identified the 'flaw' in Merchant's Umbayayo calypso line "I dream I was in Africa, hunting lion and tigers." They actually gave away a prize to a young person who said that the 'flaw' was that Africa had no tigers, [Merchant never said Africa had tigers] and went on to condemn Merchant and Calypsonians for giving false and misleading information.
However Dear Editor, it never occurred to those two permanent judges of who are fake journalists, and what is fake journalism, that there can be no flaws in dreams, fantasies or illusions. By its very nature a dream cannot be flawed and Merchant did say that he dreamt he was in Africa hunting lion and tigers, which is certainly not the same as saying Africa has tigers. To give a prize for the 'flaw' that Africa has no tigers, in the context of the statement, which started by saying it was a dream, certainly deserves giving these two gentlemen a prize for fake journalism.
Cindy Williams
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Crime on the front page
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002
EDITOR: It seems like only yesterday that the Honorable Basdeo Panday was berating editors and newspapers for carrying crime on the front pages of our newspapers. In a remarkable turn around the same Mr Panday and his UNC are now featuring and portraying crime across the national stage, which finds itself in the front page, and we are not even hearing a word of protest from Mr Panday. However citizens like myself must ask where is the concern for the country's image that Mr Panday found so important and ranted and raved against editors and newspapers for, or is it just one of those issues like alienation, parasitic oligarchy, Trinity Cross, anti-corruption etc, that only becomes real and serious issues, once Mr Panday is out of office. Can someone give an answer?
KURT GARCIA
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UNC and Muslimeen were close associates
Posted: Tuesday, September 24, 2002
EDITOR: Seeing that Mr Panday and his UNC party are so annoyed about the Jamaat Al Muslimeen, could they please give an explanation to the national community about the top ranking Jamaat member who ran for the UNC in the Local Government Elections in the Tacarigua area and who was made Programme Manager of the URP by the UNC for the Arima region, and who subsequently worked very prominently up to the last General Elections with the UNC’s Arouca South candidate, not to mention other Jamaat members who worked closely with several other UNC candidates. It seems Mr Panday and the UNC are now conveniently trying to distance themselves from the fact that they employed almost the entire Jamaat leadership in top positions in the URP programme along the East/West corridor between 1995-2001.
It even reached so far that a top Jamaat figure [implicated in arms smuggling to Trinidad] publicly threatened the UNC Minister of Finance outside of Whitehall, on national TV, after a financial deal or project between them turned sour. Mr Panday must also remember that he had no problems working very closely with Mr Raffique Shah who was charged with very serious crimes, just like Mr Abu Bakr.
In fact Mr Editor, Abu Bakr sat in a VIP Box next to Mr Panday for an entire Carnival show without any objection by Mr Panday and later when people objected, the UNC said there is nothing wrong with that and abandoned an investigation they were pressured into carrying out into the matter.
Mr Editor it seems like Mr Panday and the UNC need to get an issue where they have much more credibility on, than their present whipping-horse the Jamaat.
KURT GARCIA
St James
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Angry pannists walk-out at 'Steel Unity' concert
Posted: Sunday, September 22, 2002
By Terry Joseph
For all its noble intentions, Friday's fund raising concert for Flabej player Sharon Cooper turned sour shortly after midnight, when a group of Phase II Pan Groove pannists wearing "Steel Unity" T-shirts, staged a dramatic walk-out before striking a single note.
Mustered by a fuming Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, the Woodbrook-based band packed up instruments and stormed out of the Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars panyard, angry over the resident band playing in a time-slot earlier promised to Phase II Pan Groove.
The incident threw a pall over what had been, up until then, a relatively pleasant evening, albeit starting more than one hour late. Phase II was one of eight bands there to contribute performances to the fundraiser put on by Pan Trinbago's northern region, to help Cooper meet impending medical expenses.
The bands all showed up: Witco Desperadoes, bpTT Renegades, Silver Stars, Playboyz, Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, Laventille Serenaders, Flabej and, of course, resident band Trinidad All Stars.
A huge crowd turned up too, paying a $10 admission, those who made additional contributions identifiable by bright red stickers affixed to their clothing. By midnight, they had heard sets from Renegades, Flabej, Laventille Serenaders, Woodbrook Playboyz and Silver Stars who, due to death in the family of a player had asked to play earlier than originally scheduled. It was during their set that first indication of trouble came.
Sharpe had loudly warned of the walkout if his band was not allowed to play in its programmed slot at 12.30 am Saturday. Well before that time, he told the Sunday Express: "If All Stars plays a note before us, we are going to pack up and walk out. This is not the first time they have done this to our band."
But trouble came even sooner. As Silver Stars neared the end of its set, the Newtown band was ordered by Pan Trinbago officials to quit. The stop-order upset Silver Stars members who, having deliberately held back their winning Pan in the 21st Century piece, "Love's Theme" to bring a rousing climax to their segment, now found themselves barred from performing it.
Before that quarrel could fully take root, Trinidad All Stars struck up, triggering the Phase II walkout. Sharpe shouted at the top of his lungs to players to unhook their instruments and "let us leave this place."
He was not the only person upset by the turn of events. Several patrons left the panyard in sympathetic protest, describing the development in terms that ranged from "poor manners" to "a blatant insult;" comments based on a misconception that Trinidad All Stars was hosting the event.
All Stars officials yesterday distanced themselves from the situation, saying the conflict resulted from poor communication on the part of organisers.
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Panday's Integrity problems
Posted: Saturday, September 21, 2002
EDITOR: Everyday people who fail to declare all their possessions on prescribed forms as the laws of Trinidad and Tobago demand at Piarco and other ports of entry into the country, are routinely charged for so doing and dealt with. It is more than passing strange that someone who was once Prime Minister of this country and aspires once again to seek such high office, should be charged for failing to declare all his assets to the Integrity Commission, and he immediately goes around the country, making statements such as 'the charge is politically motivated,' ' it is a political conspiracy,' ' the timing is suspect,' 'he would never surrender' and a host of other invectives, which suggests, either that he is above the law, that the Police and the DPP, is wrong to charge him like other citizens who break laws, or worse yet, because of his politics he should not be prosecuted for his suspected wrongdoing and must not be touched.
Interestingly enough this former Prime Minister and once more aspirant, proudly boasted for all to hear, when nine men were hung in one weekend, just before the last Local Government elections, that "the law is the law, and it must be obeyed, and anybody who did not like the law, should seek to change the law." We now have the incredible scenario where the very same man is attacking and pillorying process of the Integrity in Public Life Act law, which undermine the process of the functioning of the Integrity Commission and seeks to cast unfounded aspersions on its work. My advice to the politician is to take his own advice, if he does not like the Integrity laws that he was loudly proclaiming less than one year ago, and piloted and promoted in the Parliament, then he should seek to change the law, rather than to disrespect or undermine another institution in our country. His attitudes to the laws and institutions of the country, would certainly influences that of his followers.
Cindy Williams
Cops tracing Panday's money
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Try Another Issue Mr Panday
Posted: Friday, September 20, 2002
Dear Editor
Seeing that Mr Panday and his UNC party are so annoyed about the Jamaat Al Muslimeen. Could they please give an explanation to the national community about the top ranking Jamaat member who ran for the UNC in the Local Government Elections in the Tacarigua area and who was made Program Manager of the URP by the UNC for the Arima region, and who subseqently worked very prominently up to the last General Elections with the UNC's Arouca South candidate, not to mention other Jamaat members who worked closely with several other UNC candidates.
It seems Mr Panday and the UNC is now conveniently trying to distance themselves from the fact that they employed almost the entire Jamaat leadership in top positions in the URP program along the East/West corridor between 1995-2001. It even reached so far that a top Jamaat figure [implicated in arms smuggling to Trinidad] publicly threatened the UNC Minister of Finance outside of Whitehall, on national TV, after a financial deal or project between them turned sour.
Mr Panday must also remember that he had no problems working very closely with Mr Raffique Shah who was charged with very serious crimes, just like Mr Abu Bakr. In fact Mr Editor, Abu Bakr sat in a VIP Box next to Mr Panday for an entire Carnival show without any objection by Mr Panday and later when people objected, the UNC said there is nothing wrong with that and abandoned an investigation they were pressured into carrying out into the matter. Mr Editor it seems like Mr Panday and the UNC needs to get an issue where they have much more credibility on, than their present whipping-horse the Jamaat.
KURT GARCIA
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Calypsonians upset over PNM campaign theme
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2002
By Terry Joseph
Saturday night's first-ever political calypso competition might contain some very unpleasant surprises for the People's National Movement (PNM).
The Jean Pierre Complex show presents singers from both sides of the major political divide but several historically pro-PNM calypsonians are threatening to modify verses to the party's detriment, if issues involving selection of an election theme song and their participation at rallies are not swiftly resolved.
The group of calypsonians long considered flag-carriers for the party at election time have been left out of the current campaign, which has as its main theme the still popular 1997 Tony Prescot song "All Aboard".
The affected calypsonians are arguing that the PNM's use of "All Aboard" is sending copyright fees to a foreign country when there are enough local works from which the party could choose.
To a lesser extent, the party also uses Natasha Wilson's "Sweet TnT", which was composed by Trinidadian Errol Ince.
"All Aboard", though sung by a Trini, is the combined creative and technical work of two Barbadians, composer Edwin Yearwood (of krosfyah) and acclaimed producer Nicholas Brancker. The PNM is using a special election-remix that pushes the party line.
Calypso sources last night said reigning national monarch Sugar Aloes has been assigned by the aggrieved group to seek a private meeting with PNM political leader, Patrick Manning, to ventilate both issues.
Regular platform singers at party rallies over the years felt slighted at last Sunday's Woodford Square event, where the party announced its slate of candidates for next months' general election before a crowd of thousands.
Aloes was said to be among those who last Sunday submitted music scores to the resident band at the rally, expecting to add lyrical fuel to the fire, as the party enjoyed its finest public moment to date.
To the surprise of many, Aloes, self-described as "PNM until I dead", was not allowed to perform. Also excluded from Sunday's programme were firebrand Cro-Cro and regular contributor Cardinal.
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Aura of Death Over "The United National Convicts"
Posted: Monday, September 16, 2002
There seemed to be an Aura of Death over Panday and his United National Convicts yesterday. (15/9/02)
At their Political rally Panday boasted that he knows what the inside of a JAIL CELL looks like and he is not afraid to go, pleading like a Pre-Schooler... claiming that the love and warmth of his supporters will see him through. What a shame he didn't remember to see Dhanraj through.
The well intended, whose chants and screams cradled his illusions… not even they could have lifted the breadth of gloom that encompassed them. As Panday delivered his "Acquired Speech" his features bore evidence of sleepless nights.
Mentioning the name of Manning as often as a Christian is programmed to mention the name of Jesus.
Calling on Manning, with a voice of firm deceitfulness to give account for the millions spent in eight months.
It wasn't important for him to go to Parliament to make sure that the spending of our money was well monitored.
He did not think it imperative to keep his own law…and declare his assets, instead he gave an 'Ass of nil' explanation identifying himself as a Certified Bandit.
All the Party Representatives who sat behind him in rows of Bright Red and Silent White bore resemblance to "HUMAN WREATHS OF BEREAVEMENT" opposite the setting sun rather than reflectors of political dawn.
Officer
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Congratulations Joey Lewis
Posted: Sunday, September 15, 2002
The Editor: Congratulations are in order for Pal Joey Lewis, the veteran musician who leads the only brass band at this time.
I like the way he expressed his feelings about receiving the Humming Bird Medal (gold) at this time.
One gets the impression that ballroom music like that belongs to a by-gone era of the 60’s and the 70's.
In growing up during the 70's I was not taught the mechanics of ballroom dancing.
Curiously, it was within the mid 80’s under the guidance of school teacher and musician John Baptiste that I was able to learn some aspects of this social skill.
I can remember a calypsonian by the name of Smiley singing a satire about the way young people are dancing to hip-hop, in 1993, a time when they were not exposed to local ballroom moves. The obnoxious part of that rendition is the targetting of people who are old enough to be his daughters.
He ought to teach the young men also.
This is really something that those of the old school are up against, an avalanche of various outside cultural influence at a time when the soul of the nation is being stolen.
During the 1981 Village Folk Fair at the Savannah (Queen's Park) a female youngster sang a calypso entitled "Who is a Real Trini" on stage while she wore a jersey with the name Curacao inscribed on the front.
The cheek to cheek and grind was the preferred way of dancing among the youths of the 70's!
Jeffrey M Joseph
Fyzabad
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Media Hoax by TTT?
Posted: Saturday, September 14, 2002
Dear Editor
I wonder if the performance by TTT during the last General Elections, qualifies for some sort of investigation by the Media Association, the Media Council or the Bureau of Standards. It is passing strange that less than one year after TTT had Chief Presenter Hansley Ajodha had two people posing as "Independent Political Commentators." on State television week after week, after week. One of them Robin Montano, turned out to be a candidate for the San Fernando East seat, and the other Hamid Ghany, has now turned out to be extremely partisan political person, based on a sworn affidavit by him, made available to the population recently. Most would remember how they all vigorously proclaimed their "Independence," when challenged on their strange type of "Independent" thinking.
Can the citizens of this country, no matter who the government of the day, be protected against such obvious partisanship and deceptions by the State owned Media?
Kurt Garcia
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New watershed established in education process
Posted: Thursday, September 12, 2002
THE EDITOR: The ASJA crisis has established a new pro-activist benchmark in the evolving parental role geared to reform and upgrade educational administration in TT.
Gone is the era when parental participation in the education process was constricted to manning fund-raising bazaar stalls and passive attendance at PTA meetings.
May I congratulate the parents/teachers/students of ASJA Girls' for establishing a new watershed in the much-vaunted tripartite approach to the education process. They have transcended the fund-raising remit and heroically defended and prosecuted the right of the duly appointed Principal, Ms Fariel Ali, teachers and students of ASJA Girls' to be the best judge of those who are most qualified and equipped to educate their children. Students I know from my Hillview sojourn are inherently the best judges of good and effective teachers.
The symbolic gate crashing and dismantling of the ASJA (Berlin) Gates heroically defying the myopic ASJA Administration with their pettiness and parochialism must be instructive to all other denominational Boards which administer education with public funds on behalf of the State. These Boards must adhere to the maxim that when your neighbour's house is on fire you must wet yours.
The unnecessary ASJA fracas introduces into the dialogue and appears to be premised on the provisions of the Concordat concluded between Churches (via the late Father Pedro Valdez of St Mary's) and the State (via the Education Minister John S Donaldson) on December 12, 1960.
It brings into sharp focus the issue of the legal status of educational plant and machinery administered by the Churches. On this issue Education Minister Manning (H) stated that they were public places with the public enjoying unrestricted access while in the same breath Manning (P) was ambivalent of its legal status, (Newsday Sept 6, p6).
However, under paragraph 1 of the 1960 Concordat former Premier Williams provided an undertaking to denominational boards that their continuing private property rights and jurisdiction exercised over their school premises would be respected even though the Education Act may provide otherwise. Which takes precedence in the evolving scenario, the Education Act of Parliament or the uniform and consistent practice consummating the provisions of the 1960 Concordat?
The Concordat also provides for the transfer of teachers, such as Mrs Fariel Ali, appointed in such schools to other schools other than for disciplinary considerations. It states at paragraph 4 that "if a teacher be found unsatisfactory on these very grounds, moral or religious, the denominational authority shall have the right to request his removal to another school after due investigation."
Is the proposed three-month interregnum a cooling-off period to facilitate mediation/good offices by the Ministry of Labour as well as for the requisite investigation to be conducted? In this instance ASJA has accused Mrs Ali of including students of her own choice in the 20 percent entitlement of the ASJA Board and as such cannot be transferred for administrative reasons.
What then is the legal status of the 1960 Concordat? It was not incorporated into law by an Act of Parliament for reasons that escape me. Is it still a modus vivendi signed by the Catholic Church and the State?
The view has been expressed to me by a reputable advocate that because it has been applied in a uniform and consistent manner over a period of 42 years and other Boards acquiesced in this practice, the Concordat is opposable to and binding on all other Boards including the recent Pentecostals. It has the force of law by practice. However, is it a superior law to the Education Act Chapter 39:01?
The uniform and consistent practice developed on the basis of the 1960 Concordat in my view has institutionalised the practice of widespread discrimination perpetrated by the denominational boards on the basis of religion and by extension aggravated racial polarisation in the society. Furthermore, this discriminatory practice arbitrarily inflicted on the nationals of TT has been funded by an sanctioned by the State against its own citizens in 21st Century TT.
Can this affront to fundamental human rights and equality of opportunities stand the scrutiny of the judicial process vis-a vis the human rights and fundamental freedom standards enshrined in our 1976 Constitution which is the supreme law standard of the land any derogation from which will be considered null and void and of no effect?
STEPHEN KANGAL
Caroni
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Heads you win - tails you lose
Posted: Wednesday, September 11, 2002
THE EDITOR: The 18-18 fiasco is over and a date has been set for General Elections.
This was inevitable given the stance that the UNC had adopted. I do not think kindly however, of someone who would agree to something - verbally or otherwise - and then renege on his agreement when things do not go in his favour. The President made a choice because he was asked to do so by the leaders of the respective parties; not because he was being guided by the Constitution.
If he were so guided (by the constitution), it would not have been necessary for him to consult with the leaders, nor invite them to attempt to resolve the issue. He would have just acted.
I considered it dishonesty when the leader of the UNC Mr Basdeo Panday, Mr Yetming and others kept on saying, as if programmed, they intended to show that Mr Manning could not 'command the support of the majority of members' as stated in Sec 76 1B of the Constitution. This was common knowledge from the inception; neither could Mr Panday if he were chosen and Mr Manning had adopted a similar attitude.
The reality is that Section 76 1B does not address the 18-18 situation. When one leader has 17 representatives and the other has the same, the President is in no position to say that one and not the other can command the majority - especially in the absence of names like Lasse or Griffith. This section was designed for an election involving more than two parties, and where no leader had an absolute majority. Then does the President have the option to choose, not necessarily a leader of one of the parties, but any elected member who he believes can 'command the support of the majority of members.'
I was hoping that someone whose authority could be accepted would have cleared that up months ago - like someone who assisted in framing the constitution - but this never happened. I suspect however, that the President realised he was powerless under the Constitution, hence his request to the parties to attempt to resolve the issue. Any choice by the President would have angered about half of the electorate. He was in a no-win situation. The result is now history.
Politicians especially, have a way of twisting the spoken or written word to suit their purpose - remember 'money is no problem' and 'all ah we tief.' This was evident when they interpreted the section of the constitution that said a Speaker must be elected in the 'first session' literally. What the framers of the constitution intended to convey was that this is the first thing to be done. They could not, even by the widest stretch of their imagination envisage a scenario where elected representatives would nominate someone to the post of Speaker, and then 'en bloc' refuse to vote in support of him/her.
But this is what happened in the calculated plan to frustrate Parliament and the Government. Next was the inane suggestion that since this exercise was not accomplished at the 'first sitting,' it was unconstitutional to do it at any other sitting.
I am sure we are all thankful for this respite. The scene changes however, and soon we are in to pre-election campaigning, meeting and television skits. The results on the night of October 7 are still a calculated guess. Perhaps we do need some divine intervention.
LARRY LESLIE
Belmont
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Only in Trinidad and Tobago
Posted: Monday, September 9, 2002
THE EDITOR: Due to the (long overdue) Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco "affair" OCIC ("Others Colluding In Corruption"?) the "entity"(?) that received TT$10 million for supplying, as yet still to be identified, goods or services to this murky construction exercise, is once again in the news ("What did OCIC do at the Airport?" — headline Newsday Sept 5).
By the way, the then Prime Minister is recently quoted as saying "he wasn't there" when his Cabinet (ultra vires the Constitution) gave the contract back to Mr Ish Galbaransingh, but was "at a Commonwealth Conference in Jamaica".
This is strange to me as my recollection of that occasion was that he said he was in St Lucia for reasons I cannot recall. A small point, but public officials have diaries detailing meeting, functions attended, so why the anomaly? I clearly remember St Lucia being given as the venue for something Mr Panday attended, absenteeing himself from a Cabinet meeting that broke the law and returned a contract to Mr Ish Galbaransingh that, buy law, ought to have gone out to public tender!
Back to OCIC: we are told that NIPDEC approved no payment to OCIC, Birk Hillman denies requesting any such payment, so we are left with the scenario where:
"No one paid $10 million for nothing to a nonentity on the OK of nobody!''
In Indonesia an ex-Government official has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for appropriating US$3 million corruptly and people there are complaining about the leniency of the sentence.
In TT we repeatedly proclaim "we not as corrupt as other countries" No? Not calling a spade "a spade" and hiding our heads in the sand serves to render all problems invisible. That is why they return to haunt us. How long have we had governmental corruption and what have we done to combat it? Which Government official, past or present, has ever been punished for obtaining private gain through public office? It only happens elsewhere? When it is alleged here, it is only "ol' talk"?
GEOFF HUDSON
Port-of-Spain
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Politicians' behaviour should be exemplary
Posted: Friday, September 6, 2002
THE EDITOR: I would like, through the medium of your newspaper, to express the following observation.
Now that the Election date is set for October 7 in Trinidad and Tobago as enunciated in Parliament by the Prime Minister, it is evident that political activity would be the order of the day by the political parties. Although there is a measure of relief among the population as the election date is set, yet many people are apprehensive of mud-slinging between the political parties during the election campaign as experienced in the past. Because of this situation, a code of conduct during the election period should be agreed upon by the political parties. Despite the corruption charges levelled against the last UNC administration which are now being investigated, our 40th anniversary of independence ought to set us on the road to new thinking of the revision of the Constitution in the light of the present political condition in Trinidad and Tobago.
As a developing nation, our ambition should not be in the area of industry only but also in the area of the political. And to have a holistic balance in our development, a change in our present Constitution as it stands is imperative.
The behavioural pattern of UNC politicians is not at all commendable. And if we are to develop to a first-class nation, the behaviour of our politicians should be exemplary both when in government and when in opposition.
We are still in our learning stage even after 40 years of independence; and our politicians should be in the forefront especially in the area of discipline.
Countries like Germany and Japan that were militarily crushed after the second world war are today at the top of the industrial world because of strict adherence to industry and discipline. We should copy their example so that as they are in their individual sphere of influence as great nations, the same we should be in our sphere of influence as a small nation.
This country is blessed with natural resources; and the wise use of these resources is the key to economic success.
So let us go forward with our hands to the plough without looking back and our success economically and in the area of discipline is assured.
DA COSTA MC DONALD
Pt Fortin
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Security Woman Shot Dead
Posted: Tuesday, September 3, 2002
Posted By: Susan
Sandra Gomez a security guard with Telecom Security Services was shot dead today. She was shot in the head and chest with her own gun, after being stabbed.
Miss Gomez was on duty at Lever Brothers compound. It is said that she was at her desk alone in a remote warehouse area.
Her attackers came in like a bolt from the blue. After being pounced upon by the bandits she put up a struggle and was shot.
Miss Gomes 31 was the mother of an eleven-year-old daughter.
Imagine Multi-million dollar companies like Lever Brothers affording only ONE Security Guard to protect and defend millions of dollars worth in stock. In an isolated warehouse location. One Guard? One Woman!!!
If Governments can legislate laws to ensure maximum Insurance against Pit Bulls and the ill effects of a Pit Bull attack. Then, what of our human society?
Our Fathers, Brothers and Children, our Women are killed defending and protecting properties and people who's existence is never in their best interest. They are the first to die in the event of an attack.
Is it that a life is worth more if it is mauled and eaten by a Pit Bull? ($1,000,000.00). One million $TT.
Security companies should be made to secure proper insurance for employees. That money should be doubled if the Security Workers are dead or injured on duty because they were left in vulnerable circumstances. {" Not being relieved on time or not having enough 'back-up' to secure victory over perpetrators."}
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