Time and time again we have been witness to the numerous instances of people in public and private office being deemed guilty of actions, demeanours and devious behaviour without the natural course of resignation from the public office they hold. The case of the Chief Justice is different. The throng calls for his resignation.

It is clearly a case that he who has the biggest stone should throw it.

The bacchanal and mauvais langue have so tainted our souls that we neither see the right nor seek the righteous path.

I stand in support of the Chief Justice.

I believe the system is indeed flawed and patently corrupted by the actions and intentions of the many who call for justice.

Lady justice grimaces as we pursue our pleasure. One of the main passions in our country is to dev o u r e a c h other.

W e do not s e e m to lack t h e c u n – n i n g , like a serial killer, to pursue our prey, the ones who try to follow after righteousness and stumble along the way.

One wonders then who would have been standing if the stones were thrown at the last regime.

The follies of the leadership gave birth to such extreme deviations that the proverbial mirror on the wall shattered with the preponderance of truth that it spoke.

I write with a conviction that our nation needs to have a conscience that is nurtured by love, not the c a l l ou s , uncaring p u r s u i t of men of h o n o u r and dist i n c t i on who may or may not have faltered in their actions.

For those who call for justice in an untimely manner, having been “Rip van Winkles” and missed the real mess-ups of the previous government, I say check yourself.

Think again.

The folly of our efforts to implicate others is a characteristic cancer of our society that undermines the efforts of the few proponents of truth and justice among us.

So, some among us raise hands in moblike madness, playing mas with our destiny, seeking to bring rectitude with an attitude that is taking us down the path of dishonesty to the town of despair.

I am truly troubled by the state of affairs.

For those who rise in comfort each day to do their dastardly acts, I say God does not sleep and what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

I pray that we will be able to achieve the true moral standard that our nation desires.

I am for truth and justice in the land but this mob behaviour just will not do. Let those without sin cast the first stone. I rest my case.

APOSTLE TERRENCE HONORE San Fernando

This scene immediately invoked a thought of the zombie like manner we have chosen as the primary mode of ‘killing time.’ Considering that mobile phoneuse seems to be the opiate of the masses, here are a few tips to manage the ‘zombification’ – at least in public spaces where other persons may wish to engage in their own activities in peace.

Ensure whilst in public spaces that your ring tone is placed on vibrate, or silent. Vibrate is more understandable, as you would not want to miss anything should you leave the tone at silent, however it is always an option.

I remember sitting in an International airport lounge in the still of the night, awaiting a midnight flight, with many passengers either asleep or nearing slumber, when one of the persons in my travelling party’s mobile started blasting ‘Just hold them and wuk them!’. This went on for all of one minute as the scrambling person fought a losing battle in attempting to silence the phone that seemed intent on ‘jammin’ still’. Everyone got up and stared angrily as they were not impressed. The point remains, have some measure of respect for the public space, time and location.

Whilst some of the most entertaining pieces can be gained in the loud public discourse of some persons, being mindful of your surroundings is always useful. This suggests that not everyone may be interested in hearing your conversations with whosoever may be on the other end of the line. As such, if you can, remove yourself from the general population to engage in your conversation. If you are unable to move, then simply lower the volume on your voice, to ensure your conversation remains private and does not intrude on the others who may be in earshot.

We have all been engaged in meetings or at events where we receive calls whilst the meeting or event is ongoing. Many times, you may find yourself simply answering whilst gently dipping your head and voice so as not to disturb the proceedings. Though this attempt is commendable, it may be the better bet to excuse yourself completely and accept the incoming call outside of the meeting, as you many also notice, regardless of how much you dip your head and lower your voice, you will still be on the receiving end of stares of disapproval. So, just excuse yourself and accept your call.

Whilst it is completely your personal call on how you choose to pass your time, it may be useful to attempt to exercise more control over the management of your use of these devices. A quick glance at a few journals, provide several potential negative impacts on excessive use of mobile phones including headaches, migraines, potential for nerve damage, occipital neuralgia, retinal damage are but a few physiological outcomes.

According to the medical daily the incessant touching of your phone can harbour germs on your handset. The greasy, oily residue you may see on your cell phone after a day’s use can contain more disease-prone germs than those found on a toilet seat. In a study conducted at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary, University of London, researchers sampled 390 cell phones and hands to measure for levels of bacteria. The results of the study showed that 92 percent of the cell phones sampled had bacteria on them — 82 percent of hands had bacteria — and 16 percent of cell phones and hands had E coli.

(www.medicaldaily.com).

On Monday in the Port of Spain High Court, Justice James Aboud ordered Williams to retroactively promote Persad from May 19, 2011.

Persad initiated judicial review proceedings against Williams in 2014 when he failed to promote him based on his placement on the merit list.

Persad contended that Williams’ decision was illegal, unlawful and in breach of his Constitutional rights.

When the matter came up in 2014, Aboud ordered that a place be reserved for Persad before any promotions were made.

While the matter was ongoing, Persad, who was acting in the position, was promoted to the substantive post in 2016.

However, Persad argued that his promotion ought to have been backdated to the time when he was placed on the merit list which was in 2011.

Aboud ordered the retroactive promotion in order to preserve Persad’s seniority and to ensure that he suffered no prejudice as a result of Williams’ failure to promote him.

Persad was represented by attorney Gerald Ramdeen while the State was represented by Neil Byam of the Solicitor General’s Office.

Dr Jacob was addressing secondary school students from Brazil, Coryal, Valencia, Matelot, Manzanilla, Toco, Guaico and Malabar who attended the ‘North Eastern Secondary Schools ICT Expo’ at the UTT O’Meara campus on May 31. The expo was hosted by CANTO (Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations), under the patronage of the Maxie Cuffie, Minister of Public Administration and Communications, and supported by bmobile.

The expo theme, “Demonstrating ICTs as a Viable Career Choice,” was geared at stimulating students to consider careers in ICT, and featured several presenters, including representatives from bmobile, UTT, and FLOW. NIHERST, iGovTT and the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago were among the companies with information booths on display.

Teresa Wankin, CANTO’s Secretary General indicated that the expo demonstrated the wide range of programmes and career choices in the field of ICT and made students more aware of the ICT-based industries that could be targeted for their career choices.

“The ICT sector is the most creative and resilient sector for employment. It is also the fastest growing sector and the only sector that combines with all disciplines. As we move toward an ICT-based knowledge society, we are living in exciting times where creativity and innovation provide entirely new ways of working, interacting and building. The future is bright for you. This expo brings you opportunities that no other generation enjoyed.” Camille Campbell, VP Marketing, TSTT explored how ICT has transformed the global landscape and has proven to be a catalyst for innovation, diversification, productivity, national development and social transformation. Indicating that trends in the job market reflect double digit growth for ICT careers, Campbell added, “At bmobile we are proud to be that catalyst in Trinidad and Tobago.

bmobile remains committed to investing in the necessary infrastructure that will allow Trinidad and Tobago’s most valuable resource, you, to realise your full potential.” Minister Cuffie noted the equalising impact of ICT on rural areas and the impact on economic growth for Trinidad and Tobago. “For developing countries like Trinidad and Tobago, ICT has the potential to increase access to and improve the relevance and quality of your education, thus presenting a potentially equalising effect in developing countries for the youths in rural areas.

Today’s event is about exposing you to the endless possibilities through technological literacy.” Dr Jacob demonstrated the numerous applications of ICT in the world of work, as well as everyday life, by using examples that included airplanes’ autopilot, logistics planning and maintenance functions, smart cars, smartphones, smart buildings, and e-health applications which allow remote consultations and surgeries from around the world. He told the attendees, “Technology is changing the world and is in everything we do today. Today is your opportunity to become well informed.” His colleague, Professor Rodney Rambally, from the UTT Centre for ICT, discussed the various UTT bachelors and masters degrees, diploma and certificate programmes available.

Guest speaker Petriann Trancoso, a Big Data and Cloud Computing Expert and Database administrator, used online shopping and the impact it was having on the local retail industry to discuss the pervasiveness of ICT in all industry sectors worldwide and the equalising effect of ICT for local businesses. She stated that local companies must compete globally to remain viable and they need ICT to do this.

The feedback from some of the participants showed that the expo was appreciated. Gail Pierre-Ashing, a guidance officer at Brazil Secondary said the expo was quite informative. “This gave the students the opportunity to broaden their perspective beyond the traditional choices and to include ICT as one of their career options. I also enjoyed visiting the booths which presented more in-depth exposure to some of the topics discussed.” One of her Form Three students, Treangelo Gayah, agreed and said, “I want to be a PE teacher and ICT has a lot of relevance in this field so this expo was quite educational.” Form Four Valencia Secondary student, Kemone Perez, added, “I learnt about the different aspects of ICT in everyday life and how many different jobs are available. I am a business student but this expo made me more interested in the ICT

However, commensurate with these legislative measures must be a review of the effectiveness of the policing of traffic offences. The new laws will only have an impact if properly enforced. A public education exercise will have to be undertaken so that all are made aware of the new provisions.

Once the provisions come into effect, obstructing a traffic warden on duty could attract a $10,000 fine and/or six months in prison, and drivers can be charged up to $7,000 for speeding using the red light camera system. Removed as offences but deemed violations will be driving without a seatbelt, which will attract a maximum fine of $8,000, and driving with a child under the age of five without a car seat, which would attract a fine of $4,000.

Amendment has also been approved to increase the penalties for driving without being the holder of a driver’s permit. The fine will be $1,500. The amended Act would also extend the power of the Licensing Authority to refuse to issue a driving permit to a person who has committed a traffic violation.

Overall, the amended Act is to introduce a demerit points system and the reform of the fixed-penalty system and related matters. Some of these measures will be implemented with additional capital expenditure.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi on Tuesday said the system to track speeding vehicles was already in place to some extent, just awaiting legislation to come into effect. We hope the increased fine will reduce instances of people ignoring traffic wardens who, daily, risk life and limb to do a service to the public. We agree that the current $300 fine is simply not enough of a deterrent. While the prison term was removed for drag racing on highways without the consent of the Commissioner of Police, the $2,000 fine was increased to $6,000. This is also a needed boost.

If there is one area where there is rampant indiscipline in Trinidad and Tobago, it is on our roads. Motorists drive without care for fellow drivers. They place themselves and innocent bystanders at risk by speeding and engaging in unsafe practices.

Daily, there is scant courtesy on the streets. People adopt a dog-eatdog mentality rushing to progress through roads often mired with traffic. Loud blowing of horns by impatient drivers who believe they are being kept back by the vehicle in front of them has become an order of the road, so too road rage.

Pedestrians too are bold-faced in their practices. Some recklessly cross the road (“bounce me nah” being a popular mantra) without regard for oncoming traffic, others with earplugs which make it nearly impossible to detect cars that may be on a collision course with them.

The police will have to enforce the new laws, but they too must take care not to abuse their powers when it comes to the pursuit of official business.

We are heartened road fatalities have shown signs of a 41 per cent decrease for the year so far. But too many people are still dying on the roads. According to Arrive Alive statistics, the largest segment of the population affected is the 25 to 34-year age group. Drivers, passengers and pedestrians have all been affected alike. The new provisions will have to be approved by the House of Representatives and, if they are passed, will come into effect on a date to be determined.

We hope they get the green light as soon as possible.

In 2015, the US agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 as part of the Paris deal.

The Rhodium Group estimates that under Trump’s policies, US emissions will now most likely fall just 15 to 19 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. In addition, the US promised $3 billion in aid to poorer countries to assist them increase clean energy and adjust to droughts, sea-level rise, and other global warming disasters. The Obama administration contributed $1 billion thus far, as have other wealthy nations. But Trump has promised to terminate all future payments; one possible result is for developing nations in Africa and Asia to be less enthusiastic to deal with their emissions.

It has to be admitted that before President Trump’s announcement, those efforts of curbing emissions and strengthening those pledges with the expectations of escaping catastrophic warming were not being met. In fact, the total current pledges place the earth on track to warm three degrees Celsius or more above pre-industrial levels, an outcome with a far greater risk of destabilising ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, higher sea-level rise, more destructive heat waves and droughts, and the loss of vital ecosystems like coral reefs.

Global warming, brought on by the release of carbon dioxide, methane, soot, and other pollutants into the atmosphere act like a blanket, trapping the sun’s heat and causing the planet to warm.

Data reveals that 2000 to 2009 was hotter than any other decade in the past 1,300 years. Higher temperatures are worsening many types of disasters, including storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts, events with which we in the Caribbean are all too familiar.

The increasing occurrence of droughts, intense storms, and floods we’re seeing as our warming atmosphere holds — and then dumps — more moisture, poses risks to public health and safety, too. Heavier rains cause streams, rivers, and lakes to overflow, which damages life and property, contaminates drinking water, creates hazardous-material spills, and promotes mould infestation and unhealthy air. A warmer, wetter world is also a boon for foodborne and waterborne illnesses and disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks.

All these have costs which have afflicted us in the Caribbean, from Zika to powerful hurricanes.

The Government of Guyana has projected that improved sea and river defenses and drainage systems costs could exceed US$1 billion.

This figure includes the costs of activities ranging from building and reinforcing levées and seawalls to flood-proofing health clinics.

In damages alone the Caribbean suffered just under US$2 billion dollars in damage from selected natural disasters between 2000 and 2012.

The Caribbean needs to first understand what the potential costs are from this one decision by the US. In addition, they need to cost what is required to upgrade their infrastructure and buildings to address more severe natural disasters: all this as the most indebted countries in the world.

One act from a “friend” – the US – will affect every facet of life and impose huge costs on us.

Authority CEO Sheldon Cyrus said that a full investigation has been launched into the matter, but preliminary reports indicate Phillip died shortly after being treated and released.

“He was not turned away. He was admitted on two occasions,” Cyrus said.

“He came, he was treated and he was discharged. He went outside but began feeling unwell and was brought back into the Accident and Emergency (Department), but by the time doctors came to him they could not find him. Apparently he had gone back outside and that was when he collapsed on the front lawn,” Cyrus said.

Phillip’s body was found sometime between 1 and 2 and video images of his body were circulated yesterday on social media. Cyrus made it clear that no person is denied treatment at the Hospital. He said people who are homeless or mentally ill are treated and referred to the social welfare department of the hospital. He added that Phillip, who told doctors that he lived alone, was also referred to the social welfare department.

The cost of corrosion involves an important part of the gross domestic product (GDP) and takes place in a wide range of examples, from large structures to implants placed in the human body.

From 1999 to 2001, the United States had a total annual direct cost due to corrosion issues of approximately $276 billion, or 3.1 percent of their GDP.

Similarly, in Peru, according to the Teknoquamica company, in the year 2000 losses by corrosion accounted for eight percent of GDP, ie, approximately $1,200 million.

Trinidad and Tobago hasn’t done any study to estimate costs that represent losses by corrosion.

Despite this, problems due to this phenomenon can be felt so it is clear then the need to implement the relevant measures.

There are different reasons why the phenomenon has not been controlled in an appropriate manner, ranging from climatic to economics. The situation, as you might guess, affects equally the majority of Latin American countries in which Governments and environmental conditions are similar. Governments practically do not pay attention to the problem of corrosion, not by lack of trained staff but by the lack of a unified policy on maintenance of structures.

Little by little private companies are becoming aware of the issue of corrosion and the damage the phenomenon causes when it is not addressed in a timely manner. But what is the corrosion? Corrosion can be defined in many ways.

Some definitions are very direct and focus on a specific type of corrosion, while others are very general and cover many forms of deterioration.

The word “corrode” is derived from the Latin word “corrodere” which means “gnawing parts”.

For most purposes, corrosion can be characterised as an electrochemical reaction between a material – usually a metal – and its environment which produces a deterioration of the material and its properties. The metals are rarely found in a pure state but rather are almost always combined with one or more non metallic chemical elements, and ores are usually an oxidised form of the metal. Therefore, a significant amount of energy should be applied to transform the ore into pure metal. This energy can be applied via metallurgy or chemical; additionally, extra energy is required in the form of cold work or by casting processes necessary to transform the pure metal into a usable piece.

Corrosion can be also defined as the tendency of a metal – produced and formed by a substantial application of energy – to return to its natural state of lower energy. From a thermodynamic perspective, the tendency to decrease the energy level is the main force that induces corrosion in metals.

The effects of corrosion in our daily life are classified into direct and indirect. Those affecting useful service of our real life are the direct. Indirect are those in which the producers and consumers of goods and services have influence on the corrosion costs. At home for instance, the phenomenon is observed directly in the automotive, steel burglar proof or windows, metal tools and others.

One of the more serious consequences of corrosion happens when it affects our safety or even life directly. When going about our daily business, we may see a number of problems due to corrosion. For example, on a bridge on the highway, corrosion may occur in the reinforcing steel rod inside the concrete, which can fracture it and, consequently, cause the failure of any section; similarly, the collapse of electric transmission towers may occur. These may damage buildings, structures, factories, etc, without mentioning the environmental impact and costly repairs that follow.

In December 1999, in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France, the tanker MV Erika sank due to a hull rupture caused by corrosion. The result: approximately 20 thousand tons of crude oil spilled into the sea, which caused great damage to the marine ecosystem.

To control corrosion, it is necessary to know the process or mechanisms of corrosion, or in what manner it originates.

Corrosion takes place in different ways. Its classification is usually based on one of these three factors:

• Nature of the electrolyte: corrosion can be classified as “wet” or “dry”. It is necessary to have a liquid solution or mixture for wet corrosion to occur. Dry corrosion usually involves the reaction with gases at high temperature.

• Mechanism of corrosion: involves electrochemical reactions or direct reaction with a chemical.

• Appearance of corroded metal: corrosion can be uniform where metal corrodes at the same rate along the surface, or it may be localised, in which only small areas are affected.

The most common classification of wet corrosion based on the appearance of the metal is identified in the following forms: general or uniform corrosion; pitting corrosion; galvanic corrosion; corrosion-erosion, which includes cavitationerosion; intergranular corrosion, which includes sensitisation and exfoliation; de-alloying, including dezincification, and environmentally assisted cracking, which includes corrosion under stress, corrosion fatigue and damage by evolution of hydrogen.

In theory, the eight forms of corrosion are clearly distinct. In practice, however, there are cases of corrosion that includes more than one from; in other cases, it does not seem to conform to any of these forms.

Depending on the way in which corrosion occurs, an appropriate technique must be chosen to control it or prevent it.

There are five main primary corrosion control methods:

• Selection of materials.

Resistance to corrosion of a metal depends on the environment to which it is exposed. Once taking this into consideration you can carry out a good selection of materials for a specific use.

• Coatings. Coatings for protection against corrosion can be divided into two large groups: Metallic and non-metallic (organic and inorganic). With any type of coating that is selected the goal is the same: isolating the metallic surface from the corrosive environment. of the corrosive medium.

• Inhibitors. Some chemicals (salts, for example) cause corrosion, other chemicals inhibit it. Chromates and silicates and organic amines are common inhibitors. The mechanisms of inhibition can be a little complex.

Depending of the type, the inhibitor could be adsorbed on the specific sites to override the corrosion current. Others promote the formation of a protective film on the surface of the metal.

Inhibitors can be incorporated in a protective coating as well.

• Cathodic protection. The purpose of cathodic protection is to eliminate the current associated with the electrochemical process that occurs in wet corrosion.

For this an external artificially generated current is impressed over the structure. A system comprising a sacrificial material (anode) is used, such as zinc or magnesium, which are connected to the structure to provide protection. While the anode corrodes the adjacent structure is then protected.

• Design. The application of principles of design can eliminate many problems of corrosion and reduces the time and cost associated with maintenance and repair. Corrosion occurs frequently in small spaces or loopholes in which corrosive medium starts to be more aggressive. These areas can be eliminated or minimised in the design process. Where the corrosion under stress is possible, the components can be designed to operate at low levels of stress.

For all the above, it is very important that the engineers or specialist in corrosion, materials engineer, maintenance supervisors and reliability engineers to have sufficient knowledge to control this phenomenon. They must recognise it and know what is its origin and its severity; They must keep themselves updated on the tools and methods available today, as well as the inspection techniques, the effects of design variables, how to interpret and apply information on the corrosion and know where to get help.

For more information on corrosion you can contact our Metallurgy department at: Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) Trincity West Industrial Estate, Macoya.

Telephone: 285-5050 ext. 3110 E-mail: metallurgy@carir

In their ruling, which upheld the appeals of the Commissioner of Valuations and Attorney General, Justices of Appeal Peter Jamadar, Gregory Smith and Judith Jones ruled unanimously that neither interim orders by Justice Seepersad, should have been granted.

In setting aside the two orders, the judges said the public interest would best be served if the voluntary nature of the exercise (submission of the VRFs and supporting documents) was made known. They further ordered that the collection of VRFs could continue only after the first publication of a notice by the Commission, in the three dailies over a period of three weeks and at all Valuation Offices in the country where persons are required to go to submit their documents.

In their ruling, the judges also made it clear the data collection exercise (submission of VRFs) was the statutory responsibility of the Commissioner of Valuations alone. They also reiterated that the court’s order did not impact the future exercise of the Commissioner’s other lawful powers.

In their oral summary, delivered by Justice Jamadar, the judges unanimously held that even though the first order of Justice Seepersad on May 19, expired on May 31 and was ‘spent’, he (Justice Seepersad) was plainly wrong to order it. They said although he cited the correct law, Seepersad did not apply it properly.

They also held that he should not have heard the application of former UNC senator Devant Maharaj ex-parte, as no reason was advanced by him (Maharaj) as to why notice could not have been given to the Commissioner, even as the time for the response to the pre action letter had not yet expired.

The judges also found that the second interim order, granted on May 31, which was to continue until June 27, should not have been granted because there was no written application before the court, supported by evidence.

They said Justice Seepersad failed to give the State an opportunity to put in evidence.

Maharaj challenged the legality of the property tax and Justice Seepersad had set the matters for trial on September 19, at the Port of Spain Supreme Court and September 21 at the San Fernando Supreme Court.

The former UNC senator challenged the legality of Section 6(1) of the Valuation of Land Act 18 of 1969, which commanded every landowner to file a return form, failing which it empowered the Commissioner to notify the owner that he was required to file, failing which he may be liable to conviction.

It was the contention of lawyers led by Senior Counsel Russell Martineau and Deborah Peake, who represented the Commissioner at the appeal, that the exercise of submitting VRFs was always voluntary. Speaking to the media, Maharaj said he was not disillusioned by the court’s ruling, saying the court reinforced the position that the submission of the VRFs is voluntary, contrary to what was being said that it was compulsory and had to be carried out by a particular deadline.

He repeated his call to homeowners to exercise their voluntary option and not submit the forms. Maharaj was represented by a team of attorneys led by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC. The Commissioner was also represented by Ravi Heffes-Doon and Zelicia Haynes-Soo Hon while the AG was represented by Fyard Hosein, SC, Rishi Dass and Sasha Bridgemohansingh.

There was an initial deadline to submit the VRFs by May 22 and this was extended to June 5, by government. According to the Property Tax Act the payment of property taxes is due on March 31 of each year.

The Opposition has raised concerns over implementing the tax during an already uncertain financial period for citizens, asking why the property tax was being implemented during this tough economic period.

We asked some attendees if they were concerned about how changes in the GATE programme would affect their schooling.

One parent was unaffected by the changes, at least for now. He has a daughter studying in Canada.

Meanwhile, his son who is the second year of his IT degree is safe. As he started the programme before last year’s changes, his degree will be fully funded until he finishes.

The parent was concerned about a younger daughter still in secondary school though. He thought his portion of the fees for her degree will be exorbitant. He doesn’t remember Minister Garcia breakdown of the parents’ contribution under the new GATE system amounting to hundreds of dollars per month according to the degree, with totals of less than $4,000 for most programmes.

Another parent looked wistfully around the campus. Even though he was there for his daughter, he told us he would have liked to have gone back to do a Master’s programme. He can’t though. He is now over the age limit for funding. They seemed to be in a minority, however.

“Most people didn’t ask about GATE,” said an administrative officer on duty for the afternoon shift, “I provided the information because it was there.

But it didn’t appear to be a concern.” But if funding does not yet appear to be a concern at public educational institutions, it certainly is at the private ones. When we last wrote about the GATE programme, we projected that the private institutions would feel the brunt of the cuts. We wrote: “The first big losers are likely to be private tertiary institutions. Several of the private tertiary schools we approached were reluctant to discuss their enrolment prior to GATE and after its introduction as well as their levels of profitability over the same period.

However, some extrapolations can be made based on other information.

Government expenditure for GATE has steadily increased over the past 10 years… From 472.8 million in financial year 2006/07, both the finance and education ministers have estimated that between $650 and $700 million has been spent on GATE every year since 2010.

Additionally, checks with the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago show that roughly over the same period, 81 institutions sought to be registered. An institution cannot be considered for GATE unless it is at least registered with ACTT. Documents on the Education Ministry’s scholarship division page average that the cost of a post graduate degrees at a public tertiary institution is roughly $70,000, the cost at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, is around $100,000 and the cost at other private institutions is around $140,000, or about twice that of the public schools.

Even though undergrad degrees cost less, they are also more expensive at the private institutions owing to the fact that a number of them are foreign based.

“The above would indicate that over the past 10 years, private institutions have been receiving a handsome portion of GATE funding, although the figures do not show if they have been receiving more or less than public institutions.” We have subsequently been able to obtain figures for the cost to taxpayers of nationals’ schooling at private tertiary institutions. From 2004 to 2015, the government has spent $212,786,822 at private institutions, just slightly over half of the $421,875,568 spent at public institutions.We also noted at the time that private institutions were likely to see significant reductions in GATE funding support because several of their degree programmes were not aligned to stated national skill priorities. It appears as though our projections were right, if reports coming out of the private tertiary education sector are any indication.

Business Day has sought interviews with executives at several of the country’s leading private institutions, but again, as was the case last year, was unsuccessful.

Sources tell us, though that the situation is likely to be grim.

At one major institution, closure of branches is already being considered in anticipation of lowered class numbers.

According to our sources, the GATE administration office of the Ministry of Education has signaled that funding will be cut “across the board” at private institutions. At another institution, the administration has signaled changes to lecturers’ rosters. Previously, the lecturers were signed to a fixed contract over the school year. Now, they will be paid according to class numbers. One source told Business Day that the silence on the issue continues to be disturbing.

“The ministers aren’t communicating with us at all,” they said.

In turn, the schools aren’t able to provide much information to current or prospective students.

“People need to know what’s going on so that come 2017. Students need to be able to come in and be able to ask questions. And not be startled when they come in and find out that programmes they thought were funded are no longer and they will now be covered out of pocket,” said the source.

Business Day attempted to reach the GATE Administration Office through its office numbers and email, however, we were unsuccessful in getting responses.

Next week, we explore the GATE issue further, as we attempt to contact the both the Minister of Education and the GATE Administration Office for an update on how the programme intends to treat with private institutions.