Way to go Bavina!! demand your respect

THE EDITOR: I have just had the opportunity to read the comments of Bavina Sookdeo on “Bold face people.” Unfortunately, modernisation and economic growth do not change basic attitudes. Among other things, if Trinidad is to become a successful developed country we must understand the concept of “service.”  This is crucial in modern economies. Good service does not mean that we still harbour slave or indentured servant mentality. When a client or customer asks for help or clarification of an issue, they are not being done a favour. It is their right to expect proper service. The good service provider gets the customers. That is one of the realities of modern business competition.

With regards to bold face men and their attitude to women, they are not paying attention to the growing change and to the statistics. The largest group moving into higher education in Trinidad are women and they are rightly asserting their rights for respect and dignity and they are going to make their presence felt. Unfortunately, too many men in Trinidad still have a porous and superficial definition of what is a man. That is the problem. To have respect for another person, especially a woman, is seen as an affront to that false definition. It has led to unnecessary family and other forms of violence. Men with manners as my late mother used to say are seen and depicted as “soft men,” they were not brutal enough for the image. However, she gave and demanded good manners from me.

She taught me to be comfortable with being myself regardless of the cruel jokes, the instrument of keeping one in line with the expected image. Her efforts paid off. It has done so for many other men in Trinidad. The truth is, ergo, I am not singular in that respect. Way to go Bavina!! Assert and demand your right for respect and dignity. I salute you. I am sure many other men do salute and support your courage.

C J MARTIN
port-of-Spain