PM’s interpretation of governance

THE EDITOR: Mr Colm Imbert has returned from Cuba grinning from ear to ear! He believes that he is going to have the country believe that he solved the problem — doctors and nurses for so.

No mention has been made, however, as to whether they are fluent in the English tongue. How they will understand the patients’ problems, should this not be the case, remains to be seen. (Sign language? Or are we going to hire interpreters  too?  The same doctors now withholding their services, perhaps!) Great planning!  Whilst not wishing to be an alarmist, it would be very alarming for a patient to go in for say an ingrowing toenail and find themselves suddenly minus an entire limb simply because of a lack of communication. Any person who have travelled will know how frustrating this can be under the best of circumstances, far less under distressing or emergency conditions! The other side of this situation that no one has queried is that the Medical Board (doctors), not Government, is the body empowered to grant a licence to practise.

Who else was on the team with Mr Imbert in making this choice? (For us, because he and his cohorts will be going abroad for treatment) — any doctors? Worse yet, Government will “pass” or “amend” legislation just so, so that the Cuban doctors can work in Trinidad! Does anyone in Trinidad realise the utter contempt that this shows for our “laws”. Passing legislation is apparently the be all and end all for this Government and appears to be the only thing they are capable of. Incidentally, when does Mr Manning plan to deal with constitutional reform (prominent on his platform list of TO DO’S)?  Is he planning, as has been his pattern, to spring his own convenient to him version on the Nation “last minute” just in time to ensure PNM’s success in the next General Election?  Or not at all?   

Saturday’s news reports on the Ministry of Agriculture handing out agricultural plots in Mayaro, a marginal known for copra, and Moruga. When questioned on “markets”, his response was that as Minister his thrust was exports!  He is not involved with local markets apparently. Is there a “Local” Min of Agriculture to deal with the local market, au courant with the situation in the country which pays his soon to be increased again Parliamentary salary?  Planning is certainly not this administration’s forte, or perhaps their plans are best known to themselves.

The PM’s announced dream of a new Parliament Building (Manning House?) certainly lacks evidence of any planning (or inclusion) from information available. My advice is to keep your ears and eyes open. Pay attention, or you may suddenly find that a lot more of the freedoms you have hitherto taken for granted will suddenly have been compromised, eg your personal communications. When this happens it takes a lot longer to undo — just look at Iraq. It has taken more than 20 years to get rid of Saddam the Saviour.

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain