Within the next 48 hours President Max Richards under the Public Health Ordinance will issue a Proclamation declaring Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) a dangerous infectious disease, Health Minister Colm Imbert told the House of Representatives yesterday.
The main implication of the definition by the President is that persons in Trinidad and Tobago found to be suffering with the deadly virus — for which there is no known cure — would be isolated. His Excellency is expected “in due course” to declare Caura, which has a history of isolation of patients, as an isolation institution for the quarantine and treatment of patients with SARS, the disease which is sweeping Asia, Europe and North America. “Essentially we have asked the Principal Medical Officer to meet with the Director at Caura to tell us exactly what is required — and we are going to be moving quickly on this — to put that institution in a state of readiness to receive patients who may be suspected, or have contracted SARS,” he said.
The public and all medical personnel have been asked to be on the alert for anyone exhibiting the symptoms of SARS. Imbert has also advised that any member of the public who is experiencing the symptoms of SARS, or observes these symptoms in any member of their family, or anyone close to them, must report it to the Ministry of Health, which has a Disease Surveillance Unit. “It is a very dangerous situation, and we are putting the infrastructure in place to deal with the situation,” he said. The Minister said the President would also be asked to proclaim SARS as a notifiable disease — meaning that doctors all over the country must notify the health authorities once they suspect a person has the disease.
Imbert said although no cases had been reported in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean, what was particularly alarming was that SARS had reached Canada and the situation was so “severe” there that entire schools were being quarantined. Imbert was also concerned that a group of Trinidad and Tobago businessmen were either about to leave for, or were on their way to participate in a trade fair in China, the place where most of the SARS cases have been reported, and where the disease is supposed to have started. Those who had not yet reached China were contacted. “The businessmen have been informed that it is unwise for them to go to China”. He went further: “We are getting a report of everybody who has travelled to this part of the world, and when they return we will have to deal with the situation”.
Imbert said Government was getting assistance from PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) and WHO (World Health Organisation) to airlift the necessary medication to Trinidad and Tobago in the event that there were any SARS cases. Government had also put in place “enhanced surveillance” at airports and seaports, he said. “The County Medical Officers, Port Health Medical Officers and Public Health Inspectors, the Health Control Officers are all being briefed and sensitised to the situation. We are going to have to insist now on the use of health declaration forms,” which would detail the travel history of passengers.
Imbert said Dr Kumar, County Medical Officer in St George East is in the process of organising a “specific response plan” for Piarco airport. Kumar met with airport personnel yesterday afternoon. Imbert said Dr Dougdeen, Port Health Officer at the Port Authority was dealing with the response for the seaport. He added : “We expect to get daily surveillance reports from all our agencies and officers in Trinidad and Tobago on what the current situation is” and on any possible or suspected or probable SARS cases. Imbert said the Ministry has mandated the Principal Medical Officer, institutions, and all the Medical Chiefs of Staff to have a response plan by Friday April 4 (yesterday).
Imbert said the main symptoms of SARS are high fevers (38 degrees centigrade), one of more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath; close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with SARS, having cared for, having lived with and having had direct contact with the secretions of a person with SARS and recent history of travel to areas with reported cases of SARS. SARS can be contracted on a flight. “And this is one of the problems facing airlines, airports and countries such as Trinidad and Tobago”, the Minister said. Imbert said contrary to “the hallucinatory and imaginary beliefs” of Ganga Singh, the Ministry of Health had been doing its work. He said it was necessary to let the population know what effect it would have on air transportation and travel in general in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Public Health Ordinance describes as an infectious disease, cholera, plague, typhoid, yellow fever and any other disease which the government by proclamation declares to be an infectious disease. Imbert said the WHO, PAHO and all the world health organisations which were grappling with this disease are still not sure about the origin of the disease. Some 2,223 cases have been reported worldwide with 80 deaths. He said all that is to be done at this point is to isolate a patient, and use a number of “experimental remedies”.
THE SUCCESS of the recently concluded Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (RBTT)/United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP), Young Leaders Debate, may prompt its sponsors to extend the programme to schools from across the Caribbean, according to Helen Drayton, Chairman of RBTT’s Education Foundation.
Drayton was speaking at the close of the RBTT 2003 debate finals held at the Central Bank Auditorium yesterday. St Mary’s College argued their way to victory over rivals Fatima College on the topic “Be it resolved that poverty invalidates the statement in the First Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights : All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” St Mary’s debaters Stefan Mungalsingh, 15, and Kurt Caesar, 15, Form Four students, had to argue against the statement, while Form Three student Dale Jones, 14, and Form Four student Marcus Joseph, 15, of Fatima, presented arguments that supported the Declaration.
Mungalsingh, the first proposition speaker for St Mary’s, explained that 1.3 billion people in the world lived in abject poverty. He said although slavery was abolished by the Declaration of Human Rights, it still existed in certain parts of the world. He explained that a UNICEF report dated February 23, 2003 showed that an estimated 1.3 million children are caught and smuggled by child sex traders annually. The report also states that discrimination and poverty are the causes for the smuggling. He quoted from a statement made by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that “only through the eradication of poverty and obstacles in human rights can every one be equal in dignity and rights”.
Caesar supported his colleague’s argument that the poverty invalidates the statement in the First Article. He pointed out that dramatist/writer George Bernard Shaw described poverty as the greatest of evils. Fatima’s Jones presented several points to support his argument that all people are born free and equal. He pointed out that residents of Haiti flee their country to look for refuge in other countries. He explained that their flight was not prompted by poverty but by man’s inhumanity to their fellowmen. He said greed and lust for money and power caused man to fight wars, which often resulted in innocent lives being lost. He said poverty by itself could not take away a person’s equality and dignity or freedom from them. However man’s inhumanity and greed are what cause these things to occur. Jones said money, power and financial acquisitions could not replace dignity and rights. He said if that was the case the National Anthem would have read “Every Creed and Race BUY an Equal place”.
Joseph argued that equality was a concept that has been argued by all religions for decades. He noted that the Holy scriptures state that man should love thy neighbor as you love thyself, the Quran states “none is truly a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself”. Following the competition, champions Mungalsingh and Caesar said it took a lot of hard work and research and they would always be ready for any issue that comes up on poverty due to the vast knowledge they acquired from their preparation.
MURDER accused Junior “Heads” Phillip was not induced, forced or threatened to give a statement about the murder of Clint Huggins to the police, Superintendent Hidayett Dyo Mohammed said yesterday.
Mohammed said he knew this to be so because he had witnessed Phillip’s statement, which was dictated to Supt Stephen Quashie. Mohammed, who is now attached to San Fernando CID, denied suggestions by Phillip’s attorney Osbourne Charles SC, that he was not present when Phillip had given his statement. In response to further cross-examination by Charles, Mohammed said during the taking of the statement he did not hear Phillip asked for refreshment, nor was any offered. Mohammed also acknowledged that he did ask Phillip if he had anything to eat. He accepted, however, that at the time the statement was being recorded, between 5.45 pm to 8.30 pm, meals are usually served.
Mohammed, who was testifying before a 12-member jury, continued his response to Charles’ questions by saying they did not take a break during the recording of the statement because Phillip did not appear to want a break. Phillip, Arnold Huggins and Leslie Huggins, are before Justice Alice York Soo-Hon in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court charged with the murder of Clint Huggins, the State’s key witness against Dole Chadee and his gang for murder. Clint was murdered on February 20, 1996. His partly burnt body was found in a car on the Uriah Butler Highway in Mt Hope. Attorney Wayne Rajbansie is lead prosecutor in the matter assisted by Natasha George. Homicide detective Sgt Moses was recalled for further cross-examination by Charles, who wanted to know if Moses had taken Phillip to police headquarters to discuss Phillip’s being a state witness. Moses’ answer yesterday was “no” but in his earlier testimony in the absence of the jury, he had said “ yes”. He explained that his answer “yes” was an error, and the other reason was because Phillip had certain information.
Derek Sanker, a scientific officer, who specialises in firearms, ammunition and tool marks, testified that he had submitted three certificates of analysis to the police. One certificate dealt with 19 pellets which he said were discharged from a shotgun, the second dealt with his examination of the burnt car in which Clint’s body was found. His examination of the car showed no bullet holes in the vehicle or ammunition inside. The third certificate dealt with four pieces of circular cardboard material which he said were once part of a 16 bore cartridge. Ian Stuart Brook, who is representing Arnold, asked to see Sanker’s documents regarding his findings. After studying the document for a while, he asked the Court for time to study the document in more detail. Sanker was asked to return on Monday to be cross-examined.
ONLY PART of the money owing to employees of Caroni (1975) Limited for March salaries has been paid. Yesterday, some workers and cane farmers received part payment of sums owed to them. Cane farmers have been given part payment for three-week supply of canes to the company’s factories.
Caroni’s acting chief executive officer, Chandra Bobart, confirmed yesterday that the company had secured part funding payment “with an endeavour to meet the rest by next week”. Bobart said approximately $12 million was paid out yesterday but declined to say how much more was owing and for what period. “Whatever is outstanding we have endeavoured to pay by next week,” Bobart said. Newsday learned that while Caroni’s staff received salaries for last month, funds were made available to cover wages for one week in respect of daily-paid employees.
Rudy Indarsingh, President General of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union (ATSGWTU), which represents daily-paid employees, described the non-payment as an attempt to victimise the workers. Last week, Caroni was prevented from pursuing its VSEP plans for its 9000 daily-paid employees, when the union obtained an Industrial Court injunction against the company. “It seems to be victimisation and deception. But what is worrying is that both the Prime Minister and Mr Rahael (Agriculture Minister) came to Couva to allay the fears of sugar workers. “Witholding money from sugar workers is looking after their interest?” Indarsingh asked.
President of the Sugar Industry Staff Association, Jai Ramkissoon, expressed gratitude that monies “went to the bank” yesterday. The union, together with the Association of Technical Administrative Supervisory Staff, represents monthly-paid employees. Checks with the company’s human resource department revealed that only 50 of the 1,100 monthly-paid staff did not sign up for VSEP. Contacted yesterday, Trinidad Island-wide Cane Farmers Association’s (TICFA) public relations officer, Lallan Rajaram, said the payout was just a fraction of the monies owing to farmers. Next Wednesday, he said, would complete a fortnight of cane delivery without pay. “That would amount to $8 million. We have decided to cease cutting canes if farmers are not paid.” Rajaram said.
PAST and present students of St Francois Girls’ College got together on Thursday evening to pioneer a unique, new programme.
The school’s Mentorship Programme, which links current students with some of the school’s successful alumni, is the first of its kind to be introduced in Trinidad and Tobago’s secondary school system. The programme aims to help the students develop their social, emotional and leadership skills, as well as increase their career opportunities by working in partnership with leaders in the country’s corporate community.
It was developed by Joanne Spence-Baptiste, a final year Social Work student at the University of the West Indies. During her placement at St Francois, Spence-Baptiste saw the need to link the students with professionals. With support of two teachers who were also former students of St Francois, Rhona Flores and Marva Lawrence, the programme was developed and launched. Keynote speaker at the launch, Motivational Consultant Phillip Rochford, described a mentor as “a source of critical information”, “a cradle of wisdom” and a “dedicated coach” and offered valuable advice to the participants on how they could get maximum benefits from the programme. The programme is expected to be launched in other secondary schools in the coming months.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning promised an “influx” of Cuban doctors and nurses, some of whom he said were due to arrive next month. He was speaking at a post-Cabinet news briefing at Whitehall on Thursday.
Manning stressed that Government could not acquiesce to the demands of the doctors for more money because there were implications for the rest of the public service. “At the end of the day you might settle one and open a can of worms … and we will find ourselves with a bill in the public sector that the country just simply cannot afford.” Government had a responsibility to protect the public purse and “not because there is a threat of industrial action in the health services.. Government is obliged to honour whatever request is made of it”, the Prime Minister stated..
Manning noted that both sides in the negotiations had dug their heels in and Government was looking to see whether “some other initiative” could be introduced in the matter to bring it to a successful conclusion. On the question of the Cuban doctors, Manning said there was an offer on the table that would lead to an “influx” of doctors and nurses (from Cuba). Though, he noted, in relation to the general requirements of the public sector, the number (of Cuban health personnel due to come to Trinidad) was small.
On the question of BWIA, Manning said if the airline went under, Government could enter into airlift arrangements with an appropriate carrier. “You do not need a national airline to do that,” he stressed. However, told that Minister Ken Valley had said that Government might consider resuming control of BWIA in order to make it viable, Manning said : “It is entirely possible. But if we are forced into a position where we have to resume control of BWIA, it would be a temporary measure.”
Told that Valley said there would always be a national airline, Manning said perhaps he (Valley) knew something he didn’t. Manning, who was also questioned about rising food prices, said he believed it was a “temporary phenomenon” caused by the war in Iraq. He said he felt prices would come back down after the war. Manning also announced that Government proposed to site the University of Trinidad and Tobago in Wallerfield “in collaboration with the light manufacturing industrial estate” which is also to be established. He said the basic proposal for a University of Trinidad and Tobago had been developed and a draft Cabinet note would be brought next Thursday. He said Government hoped to start the University as early as the September 2004 academic year.
On the issue of Caroni, Agriculture Minister John Rahael revealed that Caroni has run out of money to pay salaries and other operating expenses and it would be returning to the Treasury for funds. Caroni workers have not been paid for the month of March. He said Government did not have a choice, it had to provide the money. On the VSEP issue, Rahael said Government would proceed to process the VSEP applications of the monthly paid workers. He noted that although over 5,000 daily-paid workers had accepted the VSEP, the court injunction has prevented Government from taking any further action on the VSEP for this category of worker. Noting that workers were now agitating against the ATSGWTU for taking action to forestall the implementation of the VSEP package, Rahael said it was now up to the union to decide what it ought to do.
He said he was “saddened” that the union had taken a position which the majority of the workers — “who want the VSEP” — rigorously opposed. In response to a question, Rahael said Government did not plan to exercise its option to retrench at this stage. He said Government would just have to wait until the court matter is heard. The Minister stressed that Caroni workers stood to make a lot more money as entrepreneurs after their separation from the company, because the company would still need to purchase 300,000 tons of cane, in addition to what it currently buys from cane farmers.
BWIA unions want the airline to be charged a penalty for the late payment of severance to 617 ex-employees.
President of the Aviation Communi-cation and Allied Workers Union (ACA-WU), Christopher Abra-ham also said the unions have not been able to set a date to meet with BWIA chairman Law-rence Duprey. On Wednesday union leaders promised to meet with Duprey after they failed to get assistance from Government. The airline announced Wednesday that it would be releasing $1.5 million, or about half month’s pay as part of the severance money it is owing. The announcement followed a meeting with union representatives Tuesday.
Communications director Clint Williams said the airline, although cash strapped, is not broke. While it does not have the $60 million owed in severance payments, it is able to pay the $1.5 million. On Thursday though, severed employees said they did not want the payment to be part of their severance but rather a salary. Williams said the severance money will be a priority in any assistance the airline gets from Government. BWIA’s management is due to present a plan to Government detailing how it will survive the downturn in travel caused by the Gulf War. Williams could not say when the plan will be presented.
Meanwhile, the Trini-dad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) threw its support behind the severed workers. “The continued denial of these payments to the former employees will leave a serious scar on the process of labour relations in this country,” TTUTA president Trevor Oliver said in a statement. Oliver said the refusal to pay amounts to a denial of property.
The TSTT Pan in the 21st Century and Down Memory Lane steelband competitions hosted by Pan Trinbago received a record number of entries from bands in both the Conventional and Single Pan categories for this year’s edition.
Last year these competitions were taken out of the Carnival season and the finals were held on the Saturday after Easter weekend at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Due to the high number of entries, Pan Trinbago is now forced to begin the preliminary judging at the various pan yards or venues from today. Judging will continue until Friday April 11, 2003 at 7 pm each night. There are 43 Conventional steel orchestras and 39 Single Pan bands registered for the competitions from which 12 in each category will be selected by order of merit.
Two distinct panels of adjudicators will select the finalists who will then participate in the grand finals to be held on Satrday April 26 at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Pan Trinbago is inviting all pan lovers and supporters to support these bands which will render non calypso selections in calypso tempo. The defending champions are Excellent Stars Silver Stars Conventional and Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz Single Pan. Following is the judging schedule for the registered bands in both competitions.
DR MIRTA ROSES Periago, Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said yesterday the response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) should involve the health sector, population and media. A mechanism must also be in place for information to be shared.
She said globalisation and the prevalence of travel has brought diseases closer especially infectious respiratory diseases like SARS. “There is nothing like close and far with the pattern of travel, if a business person from this country was in Hong Kong that is the closest you can have.” Speaking to the media yesterday after touring the Caribbean Epidemio-logy Centre (CAREC) facility at Federation Park, Dr Roses Periago said countries in the region should look at their Public Health infrastructure and laboratory capacity to deal with the treatment response. This will be complimented by other levels of response from other sectors. “You’re going to pool resources to ensure that full response, not necessarily with your own resources.”
The media also had a critical role to play in disseminating information to individual and communities. Dr Roses Periago said time and opportunity to contain the contagious disease can be lost if people do not report their condition. She said people may think they have the common cold and try to self medicate. She said a lot depends on individual responsibility and people reporting if they were exposed to SARS and where they have been. She said health personnel should be aware of SARS and where second and third level support can be sought. They should also have infection control measures to protect themselves and their patients.
Dr Roses Periago said the virus is a problem and opportunity. She said trust has been weakened among countries but it can be regained in health because they will have to share information, seek support and contribute to what others territories are doing. “If there is a weak link everybody loses,” she said. Dr Roses Periago said there has been no evidence to support the view that SARS was man made. However, the potential to acquire new infections is the result of accelerated urbanisation with humans invading more of the environment and coming into contact with other species. “What we do know in microbiology is the jumping from one species to another creates many problems, for many centuries they have adapted to some species but when they jump to another it can be lethal.” A new team from the World Health Organisa-tion is in China tracing the first cases of SARS to seek to determine if doctors in southern China saw people with symptoms before November.
The current health impasse between doctors and the Regional Health Authorities yesterday resulted in confrontation involving the acting medical chief of staff at San Fernando General Hospital and consultant doctors, after consultants took a decision not to admit new patients.
But Anand Chatoorgoon, Ag Medical Chief, yesterday responded by informing nurses on the various wards that they are not to refuse patients’ admittance unless he is first notified. This, after six consultants who are Heads of Department, informed the Head of the Accident and Emergency department, Dr Stephen Ramroop, that their respective wards would not be accepting new admissions of patients.
The letter, addressed to Ramroop, stated: “Please be advised that with the present health crisis, each department is now seriously short staffed. As a result the following departments will not be accepting new admissions to the respective wards/floor.” The consultants are: Drs Jehan Ali (Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Steve Medford (Ear Nose Throat); Lester Goetz (Surgery/Subspecialities); Kanterpersad Ramcharan (Medicine); Patrick Harnarayan (Surgery); RP Maharaj (Orthopaedics); Rajindra Parag (Paediatric medicine). But almost immediately following the letter, Ag medical chief of staff Chatoorgoon summoned a meeting of Ramroop and the hospital’s nursing supervisor to discuss the action taken.
Contacted yesterday, Chatoorgoon told Newsday that the decision was taken that notwithstanding the letter, the hospital would continue admitting patients. He said that instructions have been sent to all nurses on the wards to the effect that no patient is to be refused admittance and whenever it occurs, his office should be informed. The consultants, he added, had no authority to call upon Ramroop as head of A&E not to send patients to the wards. Chatoorgoon further advised nurses yesterday that if any patient is admitted but is not attended to by a doctor, his (Chatoorgoon’s) office staff should be informed.
Chatoorgoon further stated that while he was in no way criticising the struggle which the doctors had waged over salary increments, he had a duty to ensure patient care was delivered. “Even if it means eliciting the services of private doctors,” he said. In fact, Chatoorgoon said, he engaged the help of a doctor to assist on ward 11 yesterday but a certain unpleasant situation occurred. “When the doctor went to the ward, he was intimidated and he felt very uncomfortable,” Chatoorgoon said. The Ag medical chief reiterated that the incident had shelved the hospital’s plans to recruit private doctors in the event doctors continue to call in sick. Chatoorgoon said that all the wards functioned adequately yesterday and there was no need to transfer patients to private nursing homes.
