Groups going throughout the country and doing these acts of kindness have become a norm.

What is amazing is the amount of garbage that’s being collected.

Who is responsible for having our environment in this unclean and unhealthy state? Our beaches after the weekend are a disgrace.

Fellow citizens, let us change this culture of dumping our garbage indiscreetly. Let us protect the environment. This is everybody’s business. We can carry a garbage bag on our outings and do what is required.

We are not ignorant of the aftermath of the indiscriminate disposal of our garbage. Change must begin with each one of us.

Let’s keep our environment clean.

ARNOLD GOPEESINGH via email

New cars look glamorous but the class of vehicles imported doesn’t provide protection in auto crashes. Auto dealers won’t discuss this to hurt auto sales. The buying public is equally to blame. Buyers judge vehicle road integrity on recency of licence plate. The Licensing Office doesn’t have or doesn’t enforce the ISO 26262 standard. Or the safety standards are so low that vehicles made from low-grade cardboard would pass licensing vehicle integrity standards covered under ISO 26262. As a going-along-with-nonsense society, public pressure will not rise up to change vehicle safety standards. Also, speaking out to do so will be suppressed.

Ali was seen by St John’s Road residents who saw him trying to hide.

They pointed him out to the search team and he was held and taken back to the prison. He is expected to be charged with escaping lawful custody. Prisons Commissioner William Alexander told Newsday on Friday he has asked for a report on the escape.

One member of the local Syrian/ Lebanese community made a very irresponsible statement, although it is absolutely true, and then sadly apologised. Would you believe that after all this “we jamming still?” It is time to roll up our sleeves and begin to work hard to put the country on a good footing. We can’t go on like this, something is going to give.

For those who are ignorant about hurricanes, they originate at the bottom of the southern part of Africa but because of our geographical location (too far south) we tend not to be punished.

These storms love warm waters and cool air, so they tend to drift north. That’s the reason southern Florida is always at risk and countries such as Jamaica, St Lucia, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominical Republic) etc. If the hurricane swings late, which is very rare, we could get involved and that is a fact.

The Northern Range can’t block any ferocious winds. I don’t know where people get that idea from. They seem to have their own encyclopedia. I hope my explanation is understood.

Our cultural lifestyle can be a plus, but we are pushing our luck too far. Something very catastrophic is going to happen to wake us up and level the playing field. We are greedy for money and most of us, if we get it, blow it very easily.

The country is on edge. The smart ones in the society will survive this economic downturn. I plead with people to get involved in the stock market and real estate.

Don’t be afraid, there is risk in everything you invest in. Take my stupid advice and leap into the unknown, the pot of gold could be there waiting for you. Do not depend on the Government, it is merely there to govern and put systems in place. We have to avail ourselves of the opportunities offered.

The “geh me geh me” days are over. Back to work.

EARL MARTIN Trincity

So said PNM chairman Franklin Khan, yesterday, as he weighed in on one of the topics for discussion in Tuesday’s meeting between Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Speaking with reporters after the party’s general council meeting at Balisier House, Port of Spain, Khan said Rowley spoke comprehensively about the issue and was adamant that it must be debated and passed in the Parliament before the PNM’s term ends.

“Historically, in Trinidad, parties talk campaign finance reform when they are in Opposition and when they get into Government, they drop it like a hot potato,” Khan said. “This is the first time, under Dr Rowley’s leadership, we have articulated our position on campaign finance reform and he has put it on the front burner as one area in which he wants to definitely accomplish before the end of the first term.” PNM public relations officer Stuart Young said when the PNM assumed office in 2015, the Office of the Attorney General hosted an international forum where several countries, including Jamaica, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, were invited to participate.

“So, we have already begun the process,” Young said, adding the Government was already looking at draft legislation.

“We, as a party and Government are prepared to take the legislation to Parliament and to to pass it as we can in this term.” Campaign finance legislation is among a slew of issues on the agenda at Tuesday’s highly-anticipated meeting.

However, Khan said given the fact that yesterday’s meeting dealt with matters relating to the general council, Rowley also chose to focus on two other issues namely self-government for Tobago and a code of conduct for parliamentarians.

Tuesday’s meeting will also address anti-gang legislation, matters pertaining to the Judiciary, performance of service commissions and the Integrity Commission.

“These are legislative issues that require a special majority,” Khan said. “So it is incumbent on the prime minister as the leader of the Government to engage the opposition leader early in the game to discuss and to see if some consensus can be reached on these very, very important national issues.”

“Campaign finance reform is a buzzword, all these words are buzzwords,” said Persad-Bissessar in an interview with media after speaking to women at “The Four Faces of Woman” dialogue” hosted by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation at the Raja Yoga Centre in San Fernando yesterday afternoon.”We would only know what the substance of it is following up on the discussion.” Persad-Bissessar was invited by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to a “private meeting for preliminary discussion on selected matters of national interest.” The agenda was delivered to her yesterday morning. Among the issues to be discussed, according to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, are internal self government for Tobago, campaign finance reform, anti-gang legislation, difficulty within the Judiciary — JLSC matter, the Integrity Commission, service commissions effectiveness and code of conduct for members of Parliament.

Persad-Bissessar had requested the topics of crime, jobs and the economy be included on the agenda, but Rowley responded saying “the items on the agenda are those carded to go before the Parliament which require a special majority. It is in an effort to obtain Parliamentary collaboration as a way forward that the meeting is being held.”

“The government is taking too much time,” said Branch Board executive Sgt Richards. “It has been 72 months and we cannot hear a word from the minister of finance the line minister, or anyone for that matter. We are only being told that a meeting has to take place with the Minister of Finance, and until that meeting is held, backpay cannot be paid,” Richards added that every month the government tarries on the negotiations, the bill for the port gets higher. Since the 2008-2011 period of negotiations, port police officers have been lobbying for a raise of pay and better conditions.

However their calls have fallen on deaf ears. In an earlier report port police officers complained of missing several financial opportunities, as well as losing morale as a result of the stalled negotiations.

Yesterday, he told Newsday that not only are the wage negotiations stalling but government is also taking too long to treat with the health and safety issues that the port police are facing. “We are still waiting on a report with regard to the level of safety in the administration building. We have had calls to refuse to work because of the health concerns at the checkin back gate. Animals go there and sleep.

There are holes in the flooring. One of our workers was damaged there recently and is now on disability leave for a few days.” “The government is mismanaging the negotiation process in the same manner that they have mismanaged the ferry operations. Anything that happens from here on, the government should be held responsible and not the port police,” he warned

Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Fitzgerald Hinds (the JSC’s chairman) and other committee members voiced their concerns as they conducted a site visit of the port with officials from the Port Authority, Customs and Excise Division and Port Authority Police.

Hinds was particularly concerned when JSC members toured a fixed mobile scanner which was commissioned in 2014 under the then People’s Partnership (PP) government but was never operationalised.

Port officials said there is a $1.5 million facility to ensure the scanner is maintained.

JSC members were told by Port officials that the main reason why the scanner is not operational because of claims raised by the Public Services Association (PSA) about unsafe radiation at the facility. The officials said the Health Ministry has already certified that the scanner poses no risk to anyone. “We are saying that the activities that you conduct here, cannot be business as usual.

You have to go beyond whatever you have been doing,” Hinds told them.

He said, “We do have an epidemic of illegal guns which are killing your staff members, wives, daughters, neighbours and everybody in TT has had a trouble with crime.” Hinds was disappointed that this scanner was an initiative first articulated in 2005 but is yet to become a reality. At the Spectrum Yard of the port where new and foreign used vehicles are examined, the JSC members were shown that it was difficult to carry out detailed searches of the vehicle to see whether any contraband was concealed in the interior of the vehicles.

Hinds observed this is a situation where “security concerns are not adequately met.” Independent Senator Paul Richards was concerned that only 60 percent of the cargo entering the port was automatically scanned. He told port officials, “Looking under a vehicle is not a specialist operation.” Hinds said he was advised that people operating on the port, “receive instructions to expedite certain containers or set aside containers and leave them alone.” The minister added, An employee swore that to me.” Customs officer Glen Singh told Hinds this may be possible “as long as there are human beings involved.” On the issue of searching vehicles for contraband, Singh said, “In the case where we have evidence or even an inkling of something, a different approach will be taken.” He explained that to do the kind of search described by Hinds and other JSC members, it could result in vehicles never being delivered on time to their purchasers.

Hinds also told Singh there is the perception by some people in society that some customs officers “do very well” financially.

He said it would not be long before these people will be made to account for their wealth through civil asset forefeiture legislation which Government will be bringing to Parliament.

Their bodies were found at Mohammed’s home at Ajim Baksh Street, Malabar on June 28. The throats of the 13-year-old boy and the 56-year-old woman were slit and they were bound and gagged.

Videsh, who was a student of Ward’s Living Learning Institute, was awaiting results of the Secondary Entrance Examination which he wrote in May. Days after he was killed, it was revealed that he was assigned to the Arima North Secondary School.

Mohammed was the driver of a school bus and also a care giver who regularly had Videsh at her house whenever his parents were out working or running errands.

Several people were taken into custody including the 24-year-old man and a 54-year-old relative of Mohammed.

There was no word up to late yesterday on the status of Mohammed’s relative.

Newsday understands that from as early as 10 am yesterday, Port Police, along with Customs and Excise officers went to Dock Road, where transport drivers pass to dock at the ferry to Tobago, and conducted searches of the shops and vehicles in the area.

Newsday was told that police officers searched the area for narcotics, people with outstanding warrants, and also checked drivers licences and permits to ensure that the people on the road were authorised to be there.

As a result of the search, police officers were able to find a quantity of marijuana valued at TT$7640, and arrested one man.

The man is expected to appear before a Port of Spain magistrate next week.