N Touch

After Carnival, what?

WITH concerted determination, the Police and Regiment were able to ensure that the streets of our cities and towns remained free of crime and violence during the two days of Carnival. Their strategic presence in, and their keen vigilance over the celebrations were largely responsible for keeping the criminal element at bay and suppressing potential acts of violence. Their combined effort was a noteworthy success having regard to the many robberies and violent incidents which marred the 2002 Carnival and all the rumours circulating about possible terrorist activity. However, both masqueraders and spectators told Newsday that they felt quite safe on the streets on Monday and Tuesday as they saw policemen and soldiers almost everywhere. It pleases us to know, also, that the hundreds of visitors and tourists who were lured to our shores by “the greatest show on earth” were able to enjoy themselves in a tension-free and all-embracing environment.

The strategy was also pro-active as Task Force officers mingled among Jouvert revellers and carried out random searches which resulted in the seizure of a quantity of weapons. In Port-of-Spain, 47 persons were arrested for possession of offensive weapons, four for arms and ammunition, six for having marijuana and two for obstructing the Police.Having scored that “victory” over crime and violence at Carnival, the two security services will now be expected to apply the same level of determination and commitment, the same spirit of co-operation, the same zero-tolerance approach and the same kind of joint strategy to deal with the crime problem on a national scale. Nobody, of course, expects the Police to maintain the same strength of officers, more than 4,000 on the streets or that  soldiers will be engaged in the same large numbers. But it is certainly expected that they would continue to concentrate on what Security Minister Howard Chin Lee describes as crime hot spots. In addition, it is important for the Police to maintain a quick-response presence in the commercial centres of Port-of-Spain and San Fernando and to expand their community policing programme.

Within recent times, a most vicious kind of crime has arisen in TT, that is the cold-blooded execution of persons by armed gangs who invade the home of their victims or gun them down in the open. The Police, it seems to us, have yet to make a breakthrough in solving these killings which apparently stem from the struggle by criminal factions to control some kind of turf or source of revenue. While law-abiding citizens may not be affected by this kind of violence, we cannot adopt an concerned attitude by saying, “Let the criminals kill off one another.” e experience of other cities in the world is for gang warfare to expand and become a dangerous and endemic part of the crime scene.The Police must get at the root cause of these assassinations. While the country was enjoying a crime-free Carnival, two young men were shot to death in cold blood by armed gangs early on Tuesday morning. Clevon “Scrappy” Hamilton, 22, an NHA labourer of Morvant, was killed near his home while Jason Tinto, 22, a CEPEP worker of Spring View Drive, Petit Valley, was also riddled with bullets on the road not far from his home.These “executions” are clearly not random killings. The victims have been singled out for some reason and, if the Police are determined to rid the country of this kind of gang violence, they must first find out why as a base for their investigations.

Indo Trinidadians hold economic power in TT

THE EDITOR: I was somewhat puzzled when I read the letter from McDonald James in the paper. To some his arguments are logical, however, might I suggest that he do more research. First whenever the American goes to the WTO, if the ruling is not for the US interest they ignore the WTO. He also quotes that 60,000 people were laid off by Xerox, now how many of them had the opportunity to jump into another job. While in Trinidad how many of the Caroni workers can do the same. Look at the size of the US economy compared to that of Trinidad.

If James wants to hold the Americans to such standards, can any one out there explain to me why the Americans refuse to pay their share of the UN cost, while attempting to dictate to the world their vision is best. The fact which a lot of people fail to remember is that the US was formed by a revolution and whenever other nations attempt to steer its own way, Uncle Sam is there to say it is not the correct way. Let us examine the problem of the IMF how many developing nations members sit on the board? Was it not a PNM government in Trinidad which caused the major economic crisis for Trinidad? He also states that the Africans were the ones to clear out the land in Trinidad. How long are the Africans going to use this argument for power. Is it not the Indian in Trinidad the ones who have the significant amount of economic power?

On the matter of economic crisis the US farming industry have a high degree of subsidisation and when others want to follow they cry to the WTO.


ESHWAR  SOOGRIM
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

The Red House is Parliament

THE EDITOR: I cannot believe the Government is serious about constructing a new building to house Parliament. There are so many things to be done in this country and these people want to waste what will be a fantastic sum of money on unnecessary window dressing. Mr Saith must take the people of this country to be a bunch of fools — to stand up and make that announcement about the new parliament building. Doesn’t the Government have any respect for tradition?  Mr Saith said some rubbish about there being insufficient space to house the legislature and its accompanying offices.

The solution is not to put up a new building — it is to modify the existing one — I understand there are several government offices in the Red House unconnected with the work of Parliament, and these can be moved elsewhere, thus creating more space. For many people the Red House is Parliament, it represents our democracy — it isn’t just any old government building that can be dumped by politicians ignorant of history and tradition. I wonder what the British and American people would say if some idiot wanted to get rid of the buildings they use for their national assemblies — Westminster and the Capitol are much older than our Red House — their populations have grown — why aren’t they making the same foolish suggestions?

JEREMY BOYD
Gulf View

Men who can’t wine


So there I was in San Fernando last Saturday night, at what can best be described as “some kinda lime”, trying as best as I could to ignore the fact that the DJ’s choice of music was annoying the hell out of me. The fact that almost everyone else present was having what looked like the time of their lives, and people were dancing the night away, I concluded, was due to their generous intake of alcohol. It had nothing to do with my being something of a prude and hating Carnival — and everything associated with Carnival — so very passionately.

At any rate, this extremely charming young lady whom I had met only a few moments before, casually walked up to me and remarked: “Anil, I want to dance.” Well folks, I can’t begin to tell how proud allyuh boy felt that such a beautiful young woman would make that remark to me, ahead of all the other men present, many of whom would have been much closer to her own age. If it wasn’t a little dark, she would have seen the bewilderment etched across my face, hiding a little grin. “I read your column every week and I really like it,” she continued. She expressed an attraction to the way this column deals in a very straightforward manner with issues and with the way its author (that’s me) is inclined to “tell off” people when they fail to behave responsibly or fairly. As the young lady put it, this column sometimes “writes-up” people. It really couldn’t get better than that, I began to think. Could it be that Who Vex Lorse had gained me at least one admiring fan. A gem among the vast field of harsh critics, I wondered.

But my mother and my teachers at school always used to admonish that one ought to hear the “whole story” before jumping to conclusions. Their admonition came rushing back to me as the young dame added: “I want to dance, but I don’t want you to write about me.”
Well ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, friends and foes, whereas only a few seconds before I was thinking all my Christmases had come at once, it appeared just then that it wasn’t Christmas at all. It was simply that I couldn’t seem to escape the Carnival “ole mas”.
After bursting into laughter, I duly gave a commitment to my singular fan that she would not feature in any of my columns. Immediately she faded into the crowd and joined the others who were having a ball on the dance floor, assured that she would not be “written-up” today. I can only imagine the horror with which she must now be reading these lines, terrified to go further. Read on sweetheart, read on.

I myself could only take a large gulp of beer, pondering what might have happened if I had acted hastily and rushed to engage the young lady in complex dance manoeuvevres. A hard public slap might have been in store for me. As I watched her for a few seconds, moving gracefully out of time with the insane music, I contemplated as well, how lucky I was not to have been part of her dance plans. Never having danced in my life, a twirl with that young lady — or with anyone — could have turned out quite entertaining for those viewing; humiliating for poor me.So having already reneged on my promise (by way of the preceeding lines) not to write about the young lady, all that is left is for me to identify her by name. Her name isssssssss….Right!

Now that I think about it though, I can’t imagine what would have caused the young lady to be concerned that her dancing would have prompted me to write about it. I’d hate to think it was simply the way she (and perhaps other readers) think of this column — one designed to ‘write-up’ people. Her dancing wasn’t particularly provocative; it wasn’t lewd or inappropriate. In fact, it was quite tame. Perhaps her “tame” mode of conduct was the source of concern to her. It certainly would have set her apart from what we were treated to on Monday and Tuesday on the streets, even on our television sets. I’ve already admitted to being a “non-dancing” prude, but nobody could convince me that the kind of behaviour we witnessed over the days of Carnival could ever be regarded as dancing.

Those people among us who know about and who can dance must feel extremely insulted that their art form should be compared with what passes at Carnival. But then why should anybody be surprised? When people are prepared to go to fete on Jouvert morning with knives and cutlasses, as police searches uncovered, aren’t we to expect the worst kind of behaviour? I like to think I’m a liberal kind of prude. I don’t even mind adults taking “a little wine” if they want to. But the kind of wine that’s displayed every Carnival — and which appears to get worse with each Carnival that passes — was best described by one former Minister of Government as something that “should be left in the bedroom”. Poor lady was almost crucified for making the comment.And have any of you taken notice of the way very young children, female especially, have mastered the wine? At nine years old and at ten years old, we smile and encourage them to do it. When they get to 16 years or 17 years or 18 years old, we want to kill them for doing it. Makes perfect sense. Hope all of you enjoyed your few days of lunacy. Could we all now just return to a state of sobriety? “One must listen to criticism without annoyance because the critic is not your enemy but is helping you clean the rubbish from your life.” — Sant Kabir.

What goes around comes around

THE EDITOR: Concerning Mr Frankie Boodram recently handed down a sentence of five years at hard labour for receiving stolen vehicle parts, for whom several persons gave testimony about his “good character,” I cannot comment about as I have no first hand knowledge. When I had lunch delivery business in Chaguanas I supplied lunches on credit to Speed Way’s Ramsaran Plaza branch. When I presented my bill for payment, Mr Boodram refused to settle. What goes around, comes around. I’m still owed for the lunches.

GEOFF HUDSON
Port-of-Spain

Boot camps for maladjusted students

THE EDITOR: Please allow me to express my views on education and the behaviour at schools. I am sure that many people have realised the horrific crimes being perpetrated by students today.

I believe that these problems were made worse by the introduction of “School for all.” Now we have to separate the good from the bad; those who are willing to learn from those who are not. In my opinion, we must get rid of the half-day school system, ie the Junior Secondary Schools. Why must there be both a Barataria Junior School and a Barataria Secondary Comprehensive School? Two or three more buildings could be added to the compound of both schools, increase the capacity and make it a whole day school. It can be then made one school and renamed Barataria’s High School.

Two Boot Camps could be built, one in the north and one in the south of Trinidad, with educational facilities and dormitories. At these places the teachers will focus on academics while the army will be responsible for enforcing discipline and ensuring security. All children, especially students, who are violently delinquent and disrespectful would be sent to the Boot Camp, with getting weekends and school vacations off being based on academics and discipline. Thank you for your time and I hope that some of my ideas are adequate enough to be implemented into a full-scale improvement of Trinidad and Tobago’s schooling institutions by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Security.

Shamillia Rock
St Joseph

Not so, Mr Manning

THE EDITOR: The crass insensibility of the current Prime Minister of TT to the People of the Nation is once more being demonstrated. What gives Mr Manning the impression that he can unilaterally make a decision to move the seat of Government of the Republic? He is once more displaying most unpleasant autocratic tendencies. Not even Dr Williams would have made a decision like that without taking it to the people for consideration — he had more sense than that. Mr Manning has already displayed his disrespect for our National Constitution in his all for prorogation of Parliament in April 02 . He is further disrespecting the expressed wish of his late leader in his stated intent to have a bust of Dr Williams installed in Parliament (his new Parliament presumably).

This desire to go down in the history books in a big way is becoming somewhat ridiculous. He will go down in the history books, but perhaps not in the manner in which he would like. Largest and least productive Cabinet amongst them. It is further to be hoped that all nationals of TT will let Mr Manning know that he does not have “carte blanche” to do as he pleases. This is not his nation, it is our nation. Trinidadians (and Tobagonians) must now “stand up” and remind Manning of this important fact — your national patrimony is being sold out in his selfish quest for eternal remembrance.

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain

Message for healing of the nation

THE EDITOR: This is a message for peacemakers in the land
Those who are called children of God
To humble themselves and seek God’s face
Turn and repent from their wicked ways


You’ve been rejected, reviled, persecuted,
falsely accused
Don’t sit around nursing your wounds
Waiting for someone to put you into the pool
Take up your bed and walk the Lord can use you


You don’t need credentials He uses experience
Go spread the good news of God’s Kingdom of Love
Let your light so shine before men
To glorify your Father in Heaven


Forgive those who have done you wrong
The unforgiving will not be forgiven by God
Love and do good to your enemies
Vengeance belongs to God He will recompense


You don’t have to stand in a house of worship to pray
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit
God only rewards prayers done in secret
Public prayers fasting and almsgiving glorify man


Be thankful for everything anxious for nothing
To those in Christ Jesus there’s no condemnation
He promised to supply our every need
To never leave nor forsake his children


You are salt and light of this land
Only God’s love counteracts corruption
Do unto others as you would have done to you
Walk in the Spirit there’s no law against love


Expect to be stigmatised expelled from the crowd
Don’t take offense the battle is not yours
One can win a thousand two tens of thousands
Put on the whole armour be strong in the Lord


Pray without ceasing with unwavering faith
Seek God’s wisdom He gives to all liberally
use whatever talent you possess
Even a listening ear is significant


Give a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul
A word of cheer to a hungering heart
Envy, hatred, wrath, strife, murder will be overcome
Save our nation from condemnation and shame


God’s Holy Word must be fulfilled
All nations that forget Him will be turned into hell
The sheep on his right hand to eternal bliss
The goats on his left to eternal torment


The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous
He resists the proud gives grace to the humble
All manner of sin will be forgiven men
Except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.


Mary Baptiste
 Barataria

Brown, Borel win WITCO sports awards

ATHLETICS scored the anticipated double at the West Indian Tobacco Sports Foundation awards ceremony last night. World Junior sprint king Darrel Brown, was named Sportsman of the Year 2002, and shot putter Cleopatra Borel Sportswoman of the Year.

For Brown, his outstanding victory was in the 100 metres at last year’s World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.At that games, Brown flashed across the finish line in a games record time of 10.00 seconds, faster than any 17-year-old ever, despite running into a very powerful headwind. He also had a golden run in record time at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Barbados, clocking 10.18 seconds.Brown got the nod at the awards ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel last night, over boxer Kerston Manswell who was silver medallist at both the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, and again at the Central American and Caribbean Amateur Boxing Championships. Borel threw the shot for gold at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Indoor Championships in Arkansas, and got silver at the North American, Central American and Caribbean championships in San Antonio, Texas. She later just missed out on the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, which would have made her the first ever Trinidadian woman to earn a medal at these games.

‘Tadpole’ eyeing Carib Beer Cup action

TRINIDAD and Tobago and PowerGen spinner Dave “Tadpole” Mohammed has been cleared of a rape charge and is now ready to get back into the stream of top class cricket according to manager Omar Khan.

Khan said, “All charges against Dave Mohammed have been dropped and now he is going to come out strongly in a bid to get into the Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies cricket team.” On Tuesday the court matter was thrown out after being heard in a Grenada High Court. Mohammed’s attorney was John Tyme of the law firm Gordon & Gordon. Last year during the New Zealand-West Indies Test match in Grenada, a charge of rape was brought against Mohammed after a party at one of the hot spots in Grenada.

Khan explained: “We were always very confident that once the matter went before a jury Dave would be cleared. “There was no evidence to implicate him and all the while we knew it was a set-up. It was just a matter of Dave being at the wrong place at the wrong time. “Thankfully he is now over that hurdle and can now concentrate on his cricket. “He has a bright future in Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies cricket and now he can move forward with his life.” Before his misfortune, Mohammed was en-rolled as a student of the Shell Cricket Academy in Grenada and was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team. Prior to that he was called up for the third Test against South Africa in Barbados in 2001 and also toured Kenya and Bangladesh with the West Indies team. On the domestic circuit Mohammed is a member of  PowerGen and recently won the national double-wicket title together with Samuel Badree.