Clarity of language needed

THE EDITOR: I was pleased to note that Mr Stephen Kangal, purportedly a cane cutter, found it fit to make a response to the letter written by Mr Brian Garner and myself, on page 4 of your Newsday on March 6, 2004. Ours was kindly published by your Newsday on March 1, 2004 at page 12. As far as we understand, the essence of writing in a newspaper is to inform the public in simple language, capable of being understood accurately on first reading. We are aware of all the Sections disclosed in the United Nations Convention on The Law of the Sea 1982, to which both Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados are signatories and their subsequent ratification by both countries in their respective jurisdictions.

On the other hand, to inform the public, it is our cornerstone and cherished belief that we must communicate with clarity of expression to seek to ensure wide understanding by fellow citizens in Trinidad and Tobago. It will be instructive for Mr Kangal to note that you are trained in Law School to interpret law and to communicate it, even in open Court, in the way that the lay client will follow the proceedings; a fortiori, this principle applies to writing a letter to a widely circulated newspaper: Newsday.

DR SHASTRI MOONAN