Do not judge TSTT by its Directory cover

THE EDITOR: I refer to Martin De Souza’s letter (Newsday Oct 2, p 7) in which he commended the ethnic diversity displayed on the cover of TSTT’s new directory.

My humble advice to Mr De Souza is one that is universal: Do not judge a book by its cover. There are too many misleading and deceptive covers attached to the hymn books from which we are singing in TT today — covers that have been designed and concocted by well-compensated spin-doctors. Has Mr De Souza ever given thought to whether TSTT’s workforce (a state monopoly company) reflects equitably our ethnic composition and distribution of which he is understandably so enarmoured? On page 11 of the same Newsday issue one Gloria Williams takes TSTT to task for its arbitrary and non-transparent employment/recruitment practices.

Living in Canada Mr De Souza does not know the harmful and arbitrary extent to which TSTT exploits its monopolistic position. TSTT is holding this country and doing business here to ransom by its astronomical charges in the telecommunications sector. Incidentally there are four African images out of eight instead of reflecting a true ethnic balance on the cover. Being resident in Canada, Mr De Souza must inform himself that more than any other country worldwide, Canada has an official Government policy on multiculturalism (ethnic diversity). It has established a Ministry with a TT-born Minister, laws, statutes and institutions to uphold the tenets of multiculturalism — its policy response to diversity. Mr De Souza may himself unknowingly be a beneficiary of Canadian Employment Equity Legislation.

Accordingly Mr De Souza may be in for some disappointment that he cannot impress his co-workers by flagging the cover of the TSTT directory. What will he say when they the Canadians, especially workers at Bell Canada, begin to ask him serious questions about what TT does to manage and reinforce its rich cultural diversity? Will he tell them that we have recently constituted and appointed two talk shops, one of which is pre-empted by Prime Ministerial decree from making any recommendations to government on race relations?

STEPHEN KANGAL
Caroni