N Touch

The facts about Pan Trinbago and Panorama

THE EDITOR: You know it hurts me to the bone when some freshwater nincompoop wastes pen and paper to write foolishness about Pan Trinbago and does not know what is going on right here in Trinidad Carnival.

Firstly, you are way off base to compare Caroni (1975) Limited with Pan Trinbago. Let me educate you. The Panorama budget for 2003 was approximately $13.9 million dollars. What we had to work with from the State is $6.5 million, which is disbursed by way of appearance fees, assistance to bands and prize monies to the performing bands. The gate receipts can never cover the expenses because of the venue The Queen’s Park Savannah’s Grand Stand capacity is 5,000 patrons, the North Stand is 10,000. What then do you charge for Panorama shows to cover the cost? $500 for the Grand Stand and $1,200 for the North Stand? Pull out your calculators and check $14,500,000. Trinis only paying minimum fees for Panorama.

The Panorama finals in South two years ago would have opened a whole new aspect in revenue collecting, be that as it may. You call it moronic brainwave — West to East? The Executive saw it as a chance to provide the performers with the basic necessities that we did not have in years gone by. Of course we had problems in the semi finals but the Finals would have been addressed properly, and mind you, we would have collected a good gate receipt had we stayed at the Village. The Final bands would have made an extra 10 to 20 thousand dollars each from the gate receipts. Some fast figures: 20,000 patrons paying $20 equalling $400,000 dollars. We pay our bands every year and this year they were all paid immediately after the final night’s performance.

My Executive came to office when the first prize for Panorama was $37,000. The first prize for Panorama today is $12,000 plus a vehicle. We introduced paying our members $200. You performing for Panorama since 1966? Wait a minute, let me back track, Carnival is controlled by the State, we Pan Trinbago, TUCO, NCBA are employees of the employer, the State. The State collects revenue for the Carnival period to the tune of $500 million. We do not even get 10 percent from the total sum that is generated from Carnival and we should, ie the Special Interest Groups share the 10 percent. So we are not begging for subventions, we earned it, we work for it and this is every year. So there is no comparison between Caroni (1975) and Pan Trinbago. We are not a drain on the Treasury, we are contributing to the Treasury. It is just the opposite to Caroni (1975)  Limited that is a drain on the Treasury.


MILTON “Wire” AUSTIN HBM
Public Relations Officer
Pan Trinbago

Please monitor absentee teacher

THE EDITOR: I have a child at Aranguez Government School. The teacher is absent two and three times every week. I had a niece last year in the class and it was the same thing. The teacher is doing a course somewhere and for the last two years is absent two or three times every week and gives lessons on evenings and charges money. This is not good enough and my child is suffering. Please let the Ministry of Education investigate this.


VERNON JAMES
San Juan

Contrary, Mr Panday

TO PUT it mildly, consistency has never been Mr Basdeo Panday’s strong point. His life-long political career has been fraught with so many twists and turns, so many contradictions and reversals that one now finds it difficult to simply accept his decisions and declarations on face value, for what they are claimed to be. We should, for example, consider in a positive light Mr Panday’s intention to meet with Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy and Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee for the purpose of offering the UNC’s assistance in combating the high level of crime in the country. On the face of it, such a meeting should be welcomed as it appears to indicate a serious concern by the Opposition party over the crime problem and a genuine desire to assist, in whatever way it can, in dealing with the situation. But how can one reconcile this apparent concern with the stand taken by Mr Panday and his party not to cooperate with the Government in its legislative programme which includes a bill to strengthen the capacity of the Police to deal with the now prevalent crime of kidnapping and to impose exemplary penalties on convicted kidnappers? Again, where is the consistency?

Mr Panday and the UNC have taken a decision which, in effect, holds up to ransom all of the government’s major legislative measures — such as the Kidnapping Bill which would require a special majority in the House — in pursuit of their campaign against Government’s plans for restructuring the grossly inefficient sugar manufacturing operation of Caroni (1975) Ltd. On the one hand, Mr Panday wants to offer the CoP and the National Security Minister his party’s help in fighting crime, on the other the UNC and its leader are quite prepared to stymie legislation urgently needed to deal with the same problem. One is almost moved to laughter by such an aburd contradiction, but the implications of the situation are too serious to be taken lightly. If it is to fulfil its role, maintain its image and enhance its prospects as an alternative government, an opposition party should be concerned always to act in the best interests of the country, its priorities should ever be aimed at improving the lot and meeting the needs of the entire population. In the decision they have taken and the campaign they are waging, Mr Panday and the UNC appear quite unconcerned about meeting such standards; instead, they seem determined to play the old emotionl and obstructionist political game with sugar workers to the extent of placing this issue above all else.

Now that they have been given the all-clear to initiate a national debate on the restructuring of Caroni, UNC parliamentarians have changed their minds. Instead, they are arguing that the Government should first lay its plans for Caroni on the table and then they would have the substance for a debate. But the Government’s plans for Caroni have been appearing in full page ads in the daily newspapers over several weeks. If this public information is not enough for the UNC, why are they reluctant to launch a debate on Caroni and so force the Government into replying and disclosing its plans for the company? In any case, how would the UNC deal with the Caroni dilemma, if, as the party claims, they never intended to shut down the outated sugar operation? As we said before, it is time for the UNC to wake up to their responsibilities to the entire country. Indulging in useless confrontational rhetoric, appealing to strict partisan feelings and emotions, and the use of meaningless threats would hardly serve to execute their national mandate. Is the party not capable of producing fresh and constructive ideas?

Lara’s captaincy — deal with clinical facts, not emotions


The problem with the West Indies team does not have to do with skill, per se, but stability. It’s not captaincy, but character, culture and consistency. The disturbing paradigm shift must be addressed from the cause-factor angle. This is where Lara must pass the test.


Believe it or not, Pentecostals generally are “cricket freaks”. There is always a direct interest taken in our cricket — and sports as a whole. I know of many believers who make it a point of duty to actually pray for our players. This is good.

I believe recent moves to give the captaincy of the West Indies team to Brian Lara, vice captaincy to Ramnaresh Sarwan and the assistant coach to Gus Logie are basically worthy of applause. Nevertheless, it would be a huge mistake to believe that this will bring some kind of overnight success magic to the team. We are always better off when our approach is clinical, discerning, analytical, and even surgical, rather than emotional, gullible or na?ve in nature.

Lara has held the captaincy before and it turned out a near disaster in which his personal performance and that of the team suffered and correspondingly plummeted. Since then, Lara has managed to have an off-and-on stint on the West Indies team. During this period there have been some bright moments, but for the most part, both the gold and the glitter have been absent.

More lately, there have been a few reasonably bright flashes of the “original Lara” inside and outside of the World Cup series. If you were to ask me (based on my experience in counselling and rehabilitation) I will tell you that a person, such as in Lara’s case, is still at a volatile stage in the recovery process. There is therefore yet considerable risk involved in placing him in the captaincy role at this time. Primarily, things can go either way.

Perhaps the WICB is well aware of the factors affecting personal vulnerability. But its strategy may be to put Lara under the pressures which are inherent in the captaincy responsibilities so as to “force” the best out of him. This can be a fine strategy that works wonders. It can also disastrously backfire if evaluations are significantly flawed. Brain Lara is a Trinidadian. He is a world double record holder in his field. By this and other accomplishment he has made us proud. The first reaction of most Trinbagonian to his regaining the captaincy may therefore be along an emotional line: “Yes! Brian is the man! Now we go see victory for West Indies!”

But after the winds of emotions have blown over and we take a more mature, sober and intelligent perspective of the matter, we would have to conclude that the reality of the challenge goes far deeper than mere nice patriotic sentiments. It deals with hard, clinical facts. Is the problem with the West Indies team really a captaincy one? Will a replacement of Carl Hooper really make a major difference in terms of a forward thrust?

The problem with the West Indies team does not have to do with skill, per se, but stability. It’s not captaincy, but character, culture and consistency. There has been primarily a disturbing paradigm shift in West Indies cricket and this must be addressed from the cause-factor angle.

I will like the highly respected Rev Wes Hall to answer this question: “Do you honestly think that the West Indies players of more recent years have truly taken pride in their cricket as you and your contemporaries did? What about their wholehearted commitment to the cause, and above all, the level of discipline required for the character and consistency necessary for the making of true champions? The honest answer must be, “No”. A less responsible culture has been developing. (Of course, we understand this can also be reflective of a top-level leadership/management problem).

Who says the West Indies could not perform throughout the recent World Cup series with the excellence they demonstrated in their first match? It was certainly possible. But the discipline and commitment to consistency continues to be a big hurdle.

The problem of West Indies cricket must be addressed from the basis of a “culture change”. There has to be a re-shifting (or reversing) of the paradigm. This is where Lara must pass the test. His success in this will be his greatest asset and credential as captain. Not a double world batting record. Apart from mastering basic captaincy strategy, Lara will have to personally provide the character model for his team to emulate. His big challenge would be leading by all-round example. We appreciate Lara’s statement about “two years of introspection to see where I went wrong” and a “dereliction of duty” to turn down the WICB’s offer at this time. But while we remain fully optimistic and supportive of Lara, we must face the fact that we have heard this kind of rhetoric from him before and there was not much to show for it in the end.

I must say though, the WICB is extremely blessed to have a man of the character and calibre of the Rev Wes Hall as its head at this time. Lara is doubly blessed to have him as a friend and mentor. If Rev Hall’s wisdom is heeded, failure will become a virtual impossibility. Finally, let dispassionate judgement and reality rule over emotions. Don’t underrate the West Indies cricket team. But please, please don’t overrate them, (including Lara’s captaincy) either. If you do, you’ll have only yourself to blame for any possible resultant disappointment. May God continue to bless our team.

Saddam upsets theories of his death

NEAR BAGHDAD, Iraq: With his name stripped from Baghdad’s airport by invading coalition forces, President Saddam Hussein appealed to his people to resist US soldiers — in a televised speech that upset American and British theories that Saddam had died on the war’s opening day.

In his address yesterday, the Iraqi leader made references to recent news: last week’s downing of a US helicopter and the breaching of defensive lines around Baghdad on Thursday. US intelligence officials said it provided evidence Saddam had survived an American missile attack on a Baghdad bunker March 20. Arguing that Saddam was either dead or wounded, US officials had suggested that his two earlier televised speeches since the war’s start made no reference to current events and could have been taped weeks or months ago. As a US armoured force consolidated control of Baghdad’s airport yesterday, anti-Saddam Kurdish guerrillas backed by American air power made gains in northern Iraq and British Marines tightened their hold on the southern city of Basra.

Saddam’s aides kept up their bravado even as explosions could be heard in downtown Baghdad from the airport on the city’s edge. Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf pledged an “unconventional” counterattack that would leave American soldiers without “a great chance of surviving”. He said, however, that he was not referring to an attack with weapons of mass destruction. Inside the airport, American troops moved through its underground tunnels to clear them of danger. One brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, helicopters included, arrived to use the grounds as a base of operation close to the capital. The 101st is highly trained in urban warfare.

Early today, Navy Lt Cmdr Charles Owens, a spokesman for the US Central Command in Doha, Qatar, said that US forces were still at the airport, but he wouldn’t comment on ongoing operations or whether Iraq had staged some kind of counterattack. He expressed confidence, however, that whatever the Iraqis may try, they will meet defeat, saying: “It’s a futile effort for them to set out there and try to engage us.” Earlier yesterday, Iraqi TV showed shots purporting to be of Saddam greeting a crowd of joyful supporters in Baghdad. But it was unclear if the scenes were filmed Friday or, indeed, if the man in beret and uniform really was Saddam or one of his supposed doubles.

The Iraqi leader urged Baghdad’s people to resist the invaders. “Strike them with the force of faith wherever they come close to you … resist them, oh people of valiant and beautiful Baghdad,” he said. It was uncertain how many Iraqis even saw Saddam’s TV plea since electricity remained out in the capital — though it was restored to parts of the city later. Iraqis were fleeing a possible attack on the city in trucks, buses and cars that were backed up bumper-to-bumper for ten kilometres (6 miles) on roads heading north. The vehicles were loaded with blankets, food, furniture, heaters, television sets, cooking pots, mattresses and pillows.

Schoolgirl, man snatched in an hour

WITHIN the space of an hour on Thursday night, two persons — a Valencia schoolgirl and a Carenage man — were kidnapped at gunpoint in separate incidents. The incidents bring to three the number of persons kidnapped this week.

Police sources told Newsday in the first incident, at around 8.30 pm, Cindy Mahase, a 13-year-old Form Two student of Five Rivers Junior Secondary School was kidnapped outside her Valencia home and a $100,000 ransom was demanded for her safe return. Her mother, Sheriffa Mohammed, reported to the Valencia Police that she and her daughter were driving home in her car and when they arrived at the entrance to her home, she called out to her brother Fareed, 33, to open the door to the house. As they waited, two men armed with guns and another with a cutlass, pushed Fareed into the trunk of the car. They ordered Mohammed to the back seat of the car where she was robbed of $640 and a quantity of jewelry. Cindy was left in the front passenger seat.

The kidnappers then drove Mohammed’s car to Valencia where they blindfolded her and ordered her to hand over $100,000 for her daughter’s safe return. Mohammed, 35, told investigators she pleaded with the kidnappers to free her daughter and informed them she only had $10,000 in the bank. Mohammed was the owner of a roti shop in Arima but recently sold it and put the cash in the bank. She also told investigators the kidnappers drove the car for some time and then stopped and ran off with the girl, who was heard pleading with the kidnappers to allow her to stay with her mother.

Mohammed said when she thought the kidnappers had left she removed the blind fold and realised that she was at Pro Queen Street, Arima. She then freed her brother from the trunk of the car. A report was then made to the Valencia Police Post. Officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad were alerted and they went to the scene where they interviewed Mohammed and her brother. When Newsday visited the family’s San Pedro Road, Valencia home, two police officers from the Sangre Grande Task Force stood guard outside the house. No one was at home. Neighbours of the kidnapped girl described her as a quiet person. They said her father died two years ago and her mother ran a roti shop to make ends meet. That shop was sold recently. No one could say why Mohammed was targetted. Police officers told Newsday they are working round the clock to ensure the schoolgirl is freed. She is the fourth child to be kidnapped in recent times. In the other kidnapping, Stanley De Here, 42, of Frisco Junction, Abbe Poujade Street, Carenage, was forced into a car. The incident was witnessed by his common-law wife.

According to reports, at around 9.30 pm, De Here was standing on Abbe Poujade Street with his common-law wife Sherry Ann Guiseppi, when a dark-coloured car with four men pulled alongside. Two men armed with pistols alighted from the vehicle, placed their guns to De Here’s head and forced him into their car which sped off. A report was made to the Carenage police and officers, led by Sgt Stephen Joefield and including Ag Cpl Levine, PC Lezama, and others, visited the scene. Police sources said a ransom of $75,000 was asked for De Here’s safe release. These two kidnappings followed that of 13-year-old Gewan Geelal, son of  San Juan businessman Premnath Geelal, who was abducted on Wednesday as he was being driven to school. Up to late yesterday none of the three kidnapped victims had been released. Anti-Kidnapping Squad officers are continuing investigations.

Family offers $20,000 reward for Gewan

WORRIED relatives of Gewan Geelal, 13, son of San Juan businessman Premnath Geelal, who was abducted at gunpoint while being driven to school last Wednesday, have offered a $20,000 reward to anyone with information that could lead to his safe recovery.

While Geelal’s relatives continue their prayer vigil and await his return, Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) police were called to yet another child kidnapping, this time in Valencia. Cindy Mahase, a 13-year-old schoolgirl was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint outside her Valencia home on Thursday night and a $100,000 reward was demanded for her safe release. Within the past three weeks, four children have been kidnapped in what police are saying is definitely a new trend. News of the Geelal family’s reward of $20,000 was subsequently made known to Newsday, but when Newsday visited the Geelal residence yesterday, the building remained tightly shut, and relatives shooed reporters away.

Geelal, an asthmatic, was kidnapped on Wednesday morning by two gunmen who used their car to force the car he was being transported in, off a road in Aranjuez. At the time, the boy was en route to Trinity East College. A day after the kidnapping, relatives received a telephone call from the abductors who demanded a ransom of $3 million for his safe release. Geelal’s worried father, Premnath, who was shot and kidnapped in March 2002, said he intends to close down the family business and migrate with his family.

Gardener denies trying to choke teenaged girl to death

Eugesh Sookhoo, the man accused of attempting to choke to death Tortuga teenager Tishura Chinnia yesterday took the witness stand and denied committing the crime.

Sookhoo, a gardener of Cedar Hill Road, Tortuga, was called by his attorney Ian Gray to testify before the jury and Justice Melville Baird in the San Fernando First Criminal Assizes. The accused told the court that on the day of the incident,  February 11, 2001, the victim’s father and employer, Holly Chinnia, told him around 8 am that he was leaving to attend church. The accused said that he had been working with Chinnia approximately two years before the incident. His job was to spray, cutlass and weed crops. Sookhoo said three days after the incident of which he stands accused, he had visited the Gran Couva Police Station with his two brothers to report that he was beaten up by six men, when Cpl Best told him that he was under arrest. Sookhoo told the court: “He just drag me aside and tell my two brothers to go home. I was later charged with this offence.”

Under cross examination from State Prosecutor Narissa Ramsundar, the accused said that he lived some 200 feet away from the Chinnia’s house and had a good relationship with the Chinnias, but remained at home the day of the incident. When Ramsundar put to Sookhoo that it was he that choked Chinnia, fought her in the house and bit her about her body the accused replied: “I knows nothing about that ma’am.” The case continues on Monday.

Londons sentenced to death

Kenrick London, and wife Chandroutie were both sentenced yesterday to death by hanging, after a jury found them guilty of the murder of their daughter, Vidya.

In passing sentence, trial judge Justice Ivor Archie told the Londons: “Only the two of you can know in the final analysis, why you did it. This is not your first time and yet it is my belief that there is no soul that is beyond redemption in the eyes of the Lord, but that is not my duty.” Kenrick stared stone-faced as the death sentence was read to him, while Chandroutie was reduced to tears. Asked if he wanted to say anything to the court, Kenrick insisted that he was innocent. “I did not kill my own daughter,” he said, “and I know God will help me one day to come out because he is my right judge.”

Chandroutie held on to the hand of her lawyer, Learie-Alleyne Forte, and wept when her verdict was read. She declined when asked if she wished to address the court, and closed her eyes and shook her head. The mixed jury, which comprised five women and seven men, deliberated for three hours and upon returning to the courtroom the foreman indicated that they had only a verdict for Kenrick’s case, finding him guilty. Justice Archie told Kenrick: “The jury has found you guilty of murder and in my view it is in accordance with the evidence. And yet I can feel no satisfaction to which I am bound to pass on to you, only a profound regret that a life has come to this.” The judge continued: “You have embarked on occult activities to enslave others. The end result is the enslavement of your own spirit and mind, and so you end up participating in an activity that is stunning in its senselessness, its depravity.”

Justice Archie allowed the panel a further half an hour to deliberate on Chandroutie’s verdict, and within 20 minutes the judge was called to the courtroom. As the guilty verdict was read to her, the judge told her: “The jury has rejected your assertion that under the influence of your husband he induced you to commit a crime which you did not commit. The jury has found you guilty, we must all accept that. I do not know the whole truth of the circumstances of your life, but you said that two years ago you made some changes. It is to God now that you must turn to seek his strength and solace which you did not find in your home and marriage.” The State’s case as led by DPP attorneys Jerron Joseph and Joan Honore-Paul, was that on a date unknown sometime between October 24, 1993 (the child’s date of birth) and December 2, 1997, Chandroutie and Kenrick wrapped their two-year-old daughter in pieces of cloth and a bag, tied it to a large boulder and threw her down a latrine pit while the child was still alive. The reason for killing the child was to gain favour with Chandroutie’s mother, who did not approve of having a grandchild of mixed descent.

Kenrick and Chandroutie were married in July 1993 and rented a small board house at Caratal Village, Gasparillo. A neighbour, Lystra Brown Sinclair recalled seeing a female child, approximately three months old, with the Londons, but by early 1994 she stopped seeing the baby. When she inquired as to the whereabouts of the child, they told Brown that they sent the child to live with a relative in New York. Verna Lewis, the London’s landlord told police she saw the child in September 1995 when she went to collect the rent.

The Londons were arrested by Sgt Dhanraj Bismath on November 30, 1997 at Sum Sum Hill Road, Claxton Bay and the next day during an interview with Sgt Didanath Ramkissoon at the Chaguanas Police Station, Kenrick explained that Vidya was living with “Lollipop” in Marabella. However, in the presence of the accused at the police station, Lollipop, whose real name is Elanor Ali, denied that she was given the child. After two days in police custody, Chandroutie confessed to police that she and Kenrick had killed Vidya and had thrown her “in the latrine hole”. Police recorded a statement from Chandroutie. Hours later at the station, Kenrick also confessed.

Khan: No new routes in US for BWIA

WORKS Minister Franklin Khan yesterday blamed part of BWIA’s financial problems on this country’s Category 2 status.

Speaking in the House of Representatives yesterday, Khan said because the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) downgraded Trinidad and Tobago to a Category 2 status, BWIA cannot expand its routes, neither can it code-share with other airlines in the United States. The Minister pointed out that BWIA, now in financial crisis, was losing US $980,000 a month. “It has had a negative impact on the profitability of the local airline,” the Minister added.

Khan, Member of Parliament for Ort-oire/Mayaro, piloted an Act to amend the Civil Aviation Act No 11 of 2001 in Parliament. He said with certain improvements to the legislation, TT can return to Category 1 status. While his contribution was applauded, Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh took Khan to task for not looking at the real problem to affect civil aviation – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). During his contribution, Khan kept addressing House Speaker Barry Sinanan as “Mr Deputy Speaker”. This did not escape Sinanan who rose on one occasion and said “it seems that you have deputy on your mind.”

Khan told the House that the FAA had been in and out of this country over the last eight months, looking at the civil aviation industry. According to the Minister, Government is intent on having Trinidad and Tobago returned to Category 1 status. Khan knocked the former UNC administration for erecting a terminal building at Piarco Airport costing $1.6 billion. He revealed that Government has to spent another $40 million to repair the Piarco runway. He pointed out that tenders were invited for this project.

The Minister revealed that Government has ordered high frequency equipment costing $9 million. Another $6 million will be spent on an aeronautical network, with a further $75 million to be expended over the next two years on several items including a new radar and standby generators. He admitted that the airports have outdated equipment and he was critical of the UNC for spending $1.6 billion for a new terminal building and not finding $75 million to purchase equipment to have a safer civil aviation industry. “What the UNC did was to build an airport and give out contracts. With this equipment being bought in the United States, there can be no racket,” the Minister told the House. Ganga Singh, MP for Caroni East, spoke of the dangers of the SARS viral and noted Government’s silence on what measures have been put in place to deal with if, and when it comes to Trinidad and Tobago.