Open doors...but not for all

However, St Augustine MP. Prakash Ramadhar and Caroni. Central MP Bhoe Tewarie yesterday. insisted it cannot be “an open. door policy for all.”. “We cannot empty Dominica. from all those who can help in the. restoration process because Dominica. has a future. We must help. them build it,” Ramadhar said in a. statement.

Ramadhar, who said he will also. make a personal contribution to. the cause, made it clear said he had. no issue with the Government’s. call.

“Of course, we must help our. brothers and sisters in their time of. need,” he said.

“Dominica having been devastated,. it is important for all those. who have friends and families or. anyone that they know, who wish. to open their doors to them, to. welcome them and temporarily. host them until they can get back. on their feet.”. Ramadhar also said it is very important. that Dominica be rebuilt.

“To do so we must ensure that. those who can, remain in Dominica. and we must assist them in every. possible way.” Ramadhar said equal. attention and support also must be. paid to Dominican who wish to. stay on the island during the rehabilitation. process. “There are many, of course, who. wish to live in their homeland,. where their entire legacy, their fore. parents, their grandparents, their. parents, born and grew and helped. build Dominica.

“They wish to remain I am sure.

We must help them. For those others. who wish to have their children. born and to grow in their homeland,. we must help to build a future. for themselves and their children.”. He added: “As a result, it is necessary. for us in Trinidad and Tobago. to do all we can to assist. To that. end I am making a call to all of our. constituents of St Augustine to donate. food stuff, clothing and more. importantly building material as. we proceed to assist our brothers. and sisters now and into the future.

I also call on all of our citizens of. Trinidad and Tobago,. “The Inter-Religious Organization,. where every church, mosque. and temple must be involved; The. Supermarket Association, The. Hardware Dealers Association,. The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers. Association, and The National. Petroleum Company to do. as much as they can at this point in. time to assist.” Ramadhar said he. will also make a financial contribution. to this effort.

Tewarie applauded the initiative,. but called for an immigration policy. with clear targets aligned to human. resource needs in the context. of a sustainable development strategy. for TT.

“It is all well and good to be kind. and charitable and to others in. times of need. This spirit of generosity. should be applauded. But we. have had a Haitian crisis. We have. had for some time and continuing,. a Venezuelan crisis, and we now. have a Dominican crisis,” wrote on. facebook.

The former minister of planning. said he had initiated a manpower. study based on clear diversification. preferences with the IDB.

“I do not know if the Rowley. government has supported this initiative.

While vie-ke-vie decision. making may seem humanitarian. in a situation of crisis, proceeding. in crisis response mode facilitates. arbitrariness and making decisions. without wider context, frame work. or plan will ultimately result in. confusion.

“So as we accept as reasonable,. the PMs gesture to the people of. Dominica, let us bear in mind that. there is urgent need for something. more.”.