We feel as if our prospects for growth on the island have been set back a million years. The fact that this situation was inflicted on the island by a government headed by a son of Tobago depresses us even further.

What social and economic progress can Tobago look forward to now with the massive losses being incurred daily, by almost everyone on the island – from hoteliers, to vendors, to professionals to taxi drivers – everywhere things keep getting worse and worse. Our misery grows each passing day because we do not see a speedy solution in sight – no proper cargo and passenger ferry on the horizon, and moreso no compensation for all the losses that all of us are incurring.

Over the last five months we, Tobagonians have had to face the fact, for the first time in all our lifetime, that we cannot count on a daily ferry service bringing in goods and taking us to Trinidad to conduct our business. For as far back as the majority of us can remember a boat has always arrived in and taken off from Tobago, on a daily basis – even thrice per day in recent years.

We just took it for granted that a boat was available to us everyday… just get a ticket and things are on track. Never did we foresee that a day such as this would ever come.

The question is what are we in Tobago to do now because we are all adversely affected in so many ways. The ferry fiasco and the lack of a solution changes things drastically for us as it goes to the very core of our existence as Tobagonians.

It is already impacting our future and the future of our children and grandchildren. The ferry is our lifeline in more ways than one.

Things are compounded by the fact that all our representatives who fought so hard to represent us in the THA and the Parliament are silent about the fiasco. Not a word to us, not a consultation to get our views, no leadership… not a nothing.

That is what bothers me most of all, their allegiance to a political party has completely trumped the interest of Tobago… so for them, its stay quiet and hope that it goes away.

So we in Tobago have to grow up fast and make some far-reaching decisions on the way forward. It is not just about talking, quarrelling, protesting or swimming.

First of all, we in Tobago have to decide how mad are we about the ferry fiasco. Is it that we intend to stay silent and let a few carry the burden of speaking out? Is it only the dramatics like ‘Watson swimming’– where we see ourselves as spectators – that we prepared to show up for? Like an exciting Carnival lime? Remember when Watson Duke called us out to march a few weeks ago only a handful was there.

Second, are we in Tobago satisfied to ride out this problem until the next due election date. Or a we going to demand that we go back to the polls in the hope that credible alternatives to the present representatives would emerge. In other words, are Tobagonians going to find their voices to say at last that enough is enough. Or will we continue to suffocate ourselves under the PNM ‘til ah dead’ routine. Even PNM people no longer believe that the party can bring solutions to the problems any more. They just hanging on for … so.

Also, are Tobagonians at last going to demand of our opposition forces here on the island that they band us together in a dynamic united group and disassociate ourselves from all Trinidad-based political parties? You see I am arguing that the time is now for a serious vision to be mapped out for us in Tobago. None of the two existing national parties can or will do it.

For instance, I am saying that at the same time that this PNM government was dropping the ball on the Tobago ferry, if the opposition parties were concerned about us they would have been vocal in sounding the alarm about it. They should have been pointing out the problem and that there is trouble ahead for Tobago. It was an ideal subject for a motion of urgent public importance in the Parliament.

That is what happens when an opposition cares about people and what is happening to them.

So we have to accept that none of the two parties cares one hoot about us. I don’t have to remind us that the THA itself has also failed us at our greatest hour of need. It was created to do exactly what it did not do in this ferry issue …. Sound the alarm and demand a solution well in advance, not stay dumb! The recent refusal of our Chief Secretary and his Secretary for Agriculture to go before the JSC and the reasons advanced is so laughable and ridiculous that it fit for inclusion in my book of sweet jokes! They have all failed Tobago … failed badly.

So where do we go from here folks? For starters, the Port Authority has publicly invited tenders for the Supply of a Roll On/Roll Off Passenger Fast Ferry on a Two Year Time Charter. The deadline for submission of tenders is September 20. I am thinking that the Chamber of Commerce, the Truckers and the Tobago House of Assembly either together or individually ought to move swiftly to identify reputable suppliers in Europe and wherever and urge them to submit tenders. Do your research now and get a good operator or two to apply.

That is the first step to Tobago’s maturity. We must play a role in this process.

If we truly love this piece of island and are concerned about our welfare and that of our children, we the people of Tobago and our Assembly have to intervene and not continue to stay on the sidelines, like if we are spectators. The time is now for our young leaders and older heads, too, to stand up and declare that Tobago needs a new vision for survival. A vision which reduces dependency on the ferry service from Trinidad. A vision which allows the island to continue to operate e f f i c i e nt – ly – ferry or no ferry. A vision for true and pr a c t i c a l self-dependence for a change.

“I was very surprised and shocked this morning (yesterday) when I was reading about this cell near to the airport. That is pure fiction,” an upset Samaroo said of Knight’s claim, which was contained in a story carried in yesterday’s Newsday.

Samaroo’s denial came amid a report in the Edmonton Journal which said Knight’s research on jihadi radicalism in TT is being used by the United Nations to develop a strategy to fight violent extremism.

According to the publication, Knight is reported to have said that Samaroo took him to an al-Qaeda sleeper cell in 2005 when he began to research jihadism in Trinidad during a conference on Free Trade in the Americas that he had organised in collaboration with the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies.

The Edmonton Journal reported that during the conference, Knight claimed that in a casual conversation with Samaroo, he mentioned the work he was doing on the recruitment of child soldiers in civil conflicts across Africa.

He claimed Samaroo subsequently asked him if he would like to see a jihadi sleeper cell, which was said to be located on a site close to the Piarco International Airport.

However, Samaroo yesterday made it clear there was no truth to Knight’s claim. “He fraudulently used my name as the person who provided information for his research which I didn’t. He mixed up his sources,” Samaroo said.

The historian said he has never spoken to Knight about the presence of a al-Qaeda sleeper cell in Piarco.

“I don’t know who else he spoke to and possibly somebody else might have told him about this cell near Piarco. But, I certainly didn’t and even up to today, I don’t know of any cell that exists up in that area.” Samaroo further claimed Knight had used his name “because he wanted to get a contract with the United Nations to deal with terrorism.

So that he had to build up a case that he was in Trinidad and he did research.” “I suppose he thought my name, being professor, would enhance his CV. He wanted to prove to them that he had done a lot of work in Trinidad which I don’t think he did.” Later, in a statement, Samaroo described Knight’s claim as ridiculous.

“I wish to state that whilst I had discussions with the professor, I never led him to any cell since I am not aware of the existence of an y such cell,” he said.

“Professor Knight has confused his sources. No doubt, he wanted to give credibility to his story by using my name but there is no truth to his claim.” Up to press time, Knight had not responded to questions which Sunday Newsday emailed to him.

Trinity East took the lead in the first half with an own goal, before Nickell Orr doubled the team’s advantage with a 46th minute strike. Tyrese Williams scored a late goal in the 86th minute as Trinity East prevailed 3-0 to grab their first win of the season. With the win, Trinity East moved from 13th position to seventh place on the standings.

Fatima College also earned an upset win over Naparima College 2-1 to move from 14th to 10th on the standings. Mikhail McComie gave Fatima a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute at Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo.

Ronaldo McIntosh equalised in the 38th minute as the teams were locked 1-1 at halftime.

The match seemed to be heading for a draw, but Justin Araujo-Wilson found the winner in the 84th minute to give Fatima their first victory of the 2017 season.

Defending champions Shiva Boys are now the only team with a perfect record this season, after defeating Fyzabad Secondary 2-0.

It was a tough day for the Tobago teams as Speyside High lost 2-1 to Trinity College (Moka) and Signal Hill fell 1-0 to St Anthony’s.

In other results, San Juan North drew their third match of the season when they were held goalless by Queen’s Royal College, while St Augustine defeated St Benedict’s 4-2 and Presentation College San Fernando crushed St Mary’s 4-1.

RESULTS: Trinity East 3 (own goal, Nickel Orr 46th, Tyrese Williams 86th) vs Carapichaima East 0 Fatima 2 (Mikhail McComie 24th, Justin Araujo-Wilson 84th) vs Naparima 1 (Ronaldo McIntosh 38th) Trinity Moka 2 (Keshorn St Rose 2) vs Speyside 1 St Anthony’s 1 (Krishon Alexander) vs Signal Hill 0 Shiva Boys 2 vs Fyzabad 0 QRC 0 vs San Juan North 0 St Augustine 4 vs St Benedict’s 2 Presentation College, San Fernando 4 vs St Mary’s 1.

Many were surprised by the recent, simultaneous appearance of three hurricanes along the North Atlantic Basin, especially so shortly after Hurricane Harvey.

Then there was the unexpected strength of Hurricane Irma which was among the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever observed.

Arlene Aaron-Morrison, climatologist with the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS), explained to Sunday Newsday that many different factors, including ocean warming and rising sea levels (symptoms of climate change), contribute to the increase in the strength of some of the storms the Atlantic had been experiencing.

“For years researchers have been speaking to changes such as extreme precipitation events over most of the mid-latitude land masses and over wet tropical regions will very likely become more intense and more frequent by the end of this century as global mean surface temperature increases.” She also noted that Irma, Jose and Katia were not the first hurricanes to appear simultaneously, but that in September 2010, Igor, Julia and Karl followed similar paths although they were not as strong as the recent three.

TTMS climatologist Kenneth Kerr also told Sunday Newsday that Irma, Jose and Katia were not in the Atlantic Ocean at the same time but in the North Atlantic Basin, the hurricane developing region.

He stressed that one could not say climate change was the cause of Irma’s strength as the evidence was not conclusive. “We can’t say for sure that Irma was a direct result of climate change because it was one event. But if we have this thing occurring for a number of years consecutively then we could argue it is climate change.” However he said, in general, climate change had contributed to stronger storms since there was a direct relation between sea surface temperatures and the intensity of tropical cyclones.

“When you look at other basins and the other side of the Caribbean Sea, then the argument holds because there is evidence that suggests that these intense systems have been more frequent in recent times.” “What the research and all the evidence is pointing to is that we expect the intense tropical cyclones to become more intense, and that there would be more frequent intense cyclones, not the general cyclones.” Kerr explained that there were two main reasons why TT was usually spared from tropical storms. The first was because storms did not usually form very close to the equator and TT was approximately ten degrees north of the equator. That meant storms usually formed north of the country. “For a storm to start you need some spin, and that increases the further away from the equator… It requires storms to form further south in order for us to be impacted.” The second reason TT was so rarely disturbed by tropical storms was because of the direction in which they usually travel.

The direction of travel was dictated by a few forces – the spin or Coriolis force, the subtropical high pressure system, and weaknesses around the subtropical high pressure system.

He said the Coriolis force allowed weather systems moving in the atmosphere to deviate to the right. Therefore, if the weather system was flowing from east to west, it would curve to the right and away from TT.

Kerr said the subtropical high pressure system in the Atlantic, which generally steers the direction of tropical cyclones, also had a major part to play. One website explained these “subtropical highs” stating: As the air aloft moves poleward, it cools and bunches up. The bunching up, or convergence, is because the circumference of the Earth gets smaller at higher latitudes. Eventually, around 30 degrees latitude, the air sinks. The sinking air is dry and warm and results in a band of high surface pressure, called the subtropical highs.

“If the system is particularly strong and located further south than usual during the wet season, and the winds in that system might just cause the storm to travel strictly on an east to west path. If the systems is further north then there is usually a turning just east of us. Depending on where the turning takes place, TT may get away from it,” Kerr said. A weakness (a low pressure system) in or close to the edge of the subtropical highs could also weaken the cell of the subtropical highs and cause the system to turn earlier than usual.

However, that did not mean that the people of TT should be lax in their preparation for storms in terms of emergency plans, supplies, and even building codes. As the experts observes, tropical cyclones can be unpredictable.

Both Shiva Boys and Fyzabad have 100-percent records after two games, but Shiva Boys, the 2016 Premier Division winners, sit atop the standings by virtue of a superior goal difference of plus-six, compared to Fyzabad’s plus-three.

Shiva Boys, second-placed Carapichaima and Fyzabad are the three teams this season who are yet to drop a point.

Carapichaima will be on the road today, as they head to Trincity to meet 13th-placed Trinity East.

St Mary’s, who started their season with a 3-3 draw away to San Juan North last Wednesday, will have a tough challenge on their hands when they head to Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre to face fourth-placed Presentation San Fernando. Ryan Shim, coach of St Mary’s, noted in an interview on Wednesday that a few of his players are still battling injuries but is hopeful to have a fully-fit squad for today’s game. “We’ll use a lot of ice baths and hot-and-cold therapy, and get them ready for Saturday because we have Pres,” he said.

San Juan North will head to the capital city to face QRC, at the QRC Ground, while St Benedict’s will seek to get off the foot of the table when they visit St Augustine.

St Benedict’s, Fatima and Trinity Moka are the three teams who are yet to earn a point in the 2017 campaign. Fatima will entertain Naparima and Trinity Moka will host Speyside. The day’s other fixture will be staged in the sister isle, with Signal Hill carded to face St Anthony’s. All matches will kick off at 3.40 pm.

He added this was, “a whole lot less than the number of times spent by the last prime minister in Gopaul house.” During and after the 2010 general election, then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stayed at the home of Ralph and Maureen Gopaul in Maraj Street in Pasea, Tunapuna. On May 17, 2011, Persad-Bissessar confirmed that the Gopauls were her friends.

Questions arose then regarding the bid for a $40 million NP contract by the Gopauls’ family-run business Gopaul and Company Limited (GCL). Persad-Bissessar said she had no involvement in that matter. The bid process for that particular contract was subsequently scrapped.

In an immediate response, Persad- Bissessar said Rowley’s comparison was unfair. She said the “person or company has never been accused of defrauding taxpayers or anyone, as is the PM’s friend Nazim.” In response to another question from Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal about the selection of Baksh’s daughter as a government senator, Rowley said Moonilal was well aware those criteria are, “written in the Constitution.” The Prime Minister said he was unaware of any government senator being a shareholder and/ or director of A&V Drilling and Workover Limited. Rowley said he expects that Vidia Deokiesingh, who was named in the Petrotrin internal audit report in the fake oil scandal, will resign as a member of the Lake Asphalt Company’s board of directors. Rowley said he had no information to support a claim that A&V Drilling and Workover Limited made a bid to replace the SuperFast Galicia on the domestic seabridge. Rowley was happy that the Opposition was eager to deal with campaign finance legislation, in the wake of the fake oil scandal.

He said Government will soon be engaging the country’s political parties and the public in consultations on the legislation.

The Prime Minister said the report about Petrotrin’s restructuring would be sent to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Energy.

He said given the assignment at Petrotrin, Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary Selwyn Lashley’s presence on the company’s board of directors would be “a great advantage.” Later in the sitting, Energy Minister Franklin Khan said there is a need to develop a more reliable system of getting accurate daily oil production figures. He said no system is foolproof and agreed with Rowley, that due process take its course regarding investigations into the fake oil scandal.

“It was always labour’s contention that Government was engaging in mass lay-offs even though that was not true,” an Office of the Prime Minister release said yesterday.

Government was at pains, the release said, to point out that it meant to keep as many persons in employment even as the country’s finances posed a serious challenge to this objective.

The release said, “Notwithstanding this factual situation, labour insisted on asking for a moratorium until December on something that was neither occurring nor was it planned at this time.” The Office of the Prime Minister expressed disappointment “that its efforts to engage the labour movement with the aim of building trust and cooperation in the national interest can be so easily undermined by self-serving and misleading representation of the facts.”

Among them, UNC Chairman and Pointe-a-Pierre Member of Parliament David Lee, questioned why the Prime Minister constantly degraded women as he (Lee) called on the country to unite and condemn the statement.

“Why would a leader, who is supposed to promote respect towards women, look to degrade a female leader who has contributed so much to our national development?” Lee asked.

He said the language is unbecoming of a person who holds high office.

“More so, it reflects that the Government has been caught red-handed and they have no plausible answer to these accusations hence they result in name calling.” He defended his leader, whom he said was only doing her duty, as a concerned citizen, by informing the population about the millions of taxpayers’ dollars being wasted.

Condemnation of Rowley’s statements made during the post-Cabinet news conference on Thursday, also came from Lee’s colleague, Dr Tim Gopeesingh.

In a release from his Caroni East constituency, Gopeesingh said he joined with all right thinking and conscientious citizens in expressing his abhorrence to what he termed, “the new low to which the PM has taken national governance.” “Dr Rowley’s crass and vulgar statements during his comments on the ‘fake oil’ fiasco once more showcases someone ‘completely out of control’, as previously defined by then-Prime Minister Patrick Manning. In addition, Dr Rowley has contaminated the enquiry into the oil scam, since he has made it clear to all – including the investigators – that the accused is his personal and special friend. It is obvious that the Prime Minister does not intend to facilitate a full and independent investigation into this scam, in the same way that he has sidestepped the “ferry fiasco.” Persad-Bissessar’s former Cabinet colleague, Carolyn Seepersad- Bachan also weighed in on the issue, calling on the PM to apologise to Persad Bissessar .

“While I strongly denounce the utter disrespect and insensitivity reflected in the Prime Minister’s reference to the Opposition Leader, I remain hopeful that there is still the possibility of a positive outcome. I call upon Dr Rowley to take full responsibility for his faux paux and show remorse in an apology to Mrs Bissessar. “ Seepersad-Bachan, who is also running for leadership of the Congress of the People (COP) also called on the government and the opposition to support them in a proposal to adopt the word “Respect” as one of the national watch words, to replace tolerance.

“Through respect, we learn to appreciate people of all genders, ethnicities and cultures. Let it be a seminal value that will inform our initiatives for the elimination of crime and the current ills plaguing our society,” the former San Fernando West MP said.

However he was unable to provide a time frame as to when a decision would be taken.

Rowley reminded MPs there is a desk established in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs to track the cases of individuals on death row with a view to implementing the death penalty.

He said this desk was never established during the last five years. Rowley said advice provided by former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj on the implementation of the death penalty is being considered.

Rowley said Maharaj gave that advice pro bono. Rowley said despite findings of a recent poll, he is convinced his administration is leading the country in the right direction and he takes the views of all citizens into account.

Later in the sitting, Education Minister Anthony Garcia said Cabinet approved a top of of eight percent of text books in schools, after the ministry determined the amount of books to be replaced.

Garcia also said this country will not be ready next year to do e-testing. Garcia said an audit was done on information technology communication infrastructure in the schools and several deficiencies were found. He said paper based testing will continue until all requirements for e-testing from both the ministry and the Caribbean Examinations Council side are met.

She is widely recognised as the de facto leader of the country. She is also the first woman to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of the President’s Office, the Minister of Electric Power and Energy, and the Minister of Education in President Htin Kyaw’s Cabinet, and from 2012 to 2016 was an MP for Kawhmu Township in the House of Representatives.

Today, Suu Kyi is the leader of Myanmar. And she is not aware of the issues involving Rohingya Muslims, which are being described as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Like most politically myopic leaders, she is now blind to all forms of oppression.

This is similar to Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. In the 70s, the world supported him and Joshua Nkomo in the apartheid war against Ian Smith and Rhodesia.

Rhodesia was the food basket of southern Africa.

Once leadership was achieved, Mugabe banished Nkomo to being a nonentity and converted Zimbabwe to a poverty-ravished and hunger-stricken country. He forgot democracy, created a dictatorship, abandoned his white friends and wined and dined with his wife while the nation suffered.

From politically oppressed to a politically blind and oppressive leader.

PHILIP AYOUNG-CHEE via email