President General Ancel Roget sent a message to the many sectors of society who called for state-owned Petrotrin to be privatised following the union’s strike notice against the company at the beginning of the year.

Speaking last week at a function to commemorate the OWTU’s 80th anniversary, Roget said, “If it is one thing I want to pledge here, on the basis of the commitment that was made by our founding fathers, is to save our national patrimony from the vultures and save it from the hands of privatisation,” he said. Roget said that since 1979’s ‘Texaco Must Go’ campaign, led by then President General George Weekes, the powers that be, have made such a big mess of the national patrimony that they are now trying to give it to someone else to run.

He warned the ordinary man on the street to not be fooled of talk about public-private partnership, because the people interested in taking control of State enterprises are “a bunch of corrupt people who care nothing about the country and only about their own profits.” Roget said that Trinidad and Tobago lacks proper leadership at all levels of government due to “strings being pulled by a new plantation class.” Singling out bankers, Roget criticised private companies who speak about experiencing tough times but go on to declare massive profits at the expense of workers. Chairman of the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative studies Dr Roosevelt Williams, also speaking at the function asked, “What would be the state of the country without the OWTU.” He praised the union’s raising of “class consciousness” among the working class saying this was the union’s greater contribution than its struggle for better wages for members.

He said justice was only possible through leadership of the working class. The union marked its anniversary with the unveiling of an 80th anniversary logo that would be used throughout this year.

The logo, an upheld fist enclosed by a red and gold star, was celebrated at the function at which representatives of at least 17 unions were present.

“These (homeless) people are vulnerable…

but we have to implement rules and make sure they are taken off the streets. We have to take care of all of them,” Mayor Martinez said. He noted that the business community was invited to guide the task force as they are the ones most affected by street dwellers. “We want to be able to bring people back into the city and be comfortable,” he said.

Rowley held the first of these ‘conversations’ in Maloney last night. In a statement, Charles called on the Prime Minister to place Naparima very high on his agenda of places to visit in his ‘National Conversations’ tour.

Former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar held “national conversations” during her tenure in office. All of those events were closed to the media and the media only learnt about what happened at those events through releases from the Office of the Prime Minister. Last night’s National Conversation at the Maloney Mall Amphitheatre in the Arouca/Maloney constituency, was open to full media coverage.

Charles said, “Constituents are anxious to engage him, constructively, on the many challenges facing them and are concerned that they will be ignored since the representative for the area is a member of the UNC (United National Congress).

He claimed this Government has reneged on its promise made last year to build the Barrackpore ASJA primary school. After listing infrastructural and agricultural issues facing his constituents, Charles said, “A final area (of concern) is escalating crime as the constituency is seen by criminals as a safe haven where they can hide out while other hotspot areas receive increased attention (from law enforcement).”

According to police, Marlon Trimmingham, 35, was walking along a road in Hill Crest off La Puerta when gunshots rang out.

Residents later checked and found his body in a track.

He was one of eight persons freed of the charge of murdering Naipaul-Coolman on May 31. Trimmingham had reported to police that since he was freed of the charges, he had received dozens of death threats all of which were reported to the police. His murder is the 62nd committed for this year.

Naipaul-Coolman was abducted from her home at Lange Park, Chaguanas on December 19, 2006.

A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released and her body has never been found.

Roberts was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

At Roberts’ home at Buccoo New Road, father Albert Roberts said he is struggling to come to terms with the murder of his son.

“Honestly, it hard, I still expect to see him come home,” he said. Roberts said no words could explain the news he got on that dreaded Sunday evening.

“Them boys were liming on the road in the back and I was hearing them from inside.

Two of them ran across in the yard and heading for the road saying somebody give them a message that they just shoot ‘Copper’ in Buccoo,” he said.

Roberts described the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Sports and Youth Affairs labourer and father of three as a fun-loving person.

No arrest has been made.

The answer is not high detection rate but the need to eradicate the escalating murders. Won’t we be more comfortable with zero murders to the alternative of 100 murders, 98 solved?

Is it our education policies that are failing us, producing more school dropouts over the past 40 years? Or, if not dropouts, five-year secondary school graduates who cannot read, interpret or analyse any task before them?

Or are we a nation of followers, of yes men and women who answer “true” to any topic or shy away without input, just simply sitting on the fence absorbing the spoutings of the speaker on stage?

Or is it that those who have been fortunate to pursue tertiary education exit the halls of higher learning having read many books but failing to add two lines of their own to modify these said “scared” books.

All the above lead to an ignorant society that does not have the skills to settle disputes.

So with the lack of analytical skills and the inability to solve disputes, people rely on violence and the gun. The owner of these weapons is the person on the stage from which the gullible and misled are fed.

Athelston Clinton via email

Yet it’s a rarity to see a police uniform on the Eastern Main Road or High Street in San Fernando. Compared to Toronto, Miami or London, a very common sight is that of two policemen strolling casually among any scattering of people.

On a busy Saturday morning, driving from St Joseph to Tunapuna, there was not a police officer in sight, even bypassing the Tunapuna market. Now and then, as if by vaps, a mobile police station appears in Curepe, but instead of showing their presence to the people, the officers sit inside — “come if you need me.” It seems the officers temporarily move their desks from their air-conditioned office to the Curepe corner, leaving motorists whimsically to ignore the “No right turn” traffic signal 30ft away.

Any citizen with reason to visit an air-conditioned police post — as I have — will likely wonder at the number of police uniforms present, compared to their near-total absence in the public domain.

The conclusion which comes to mind is that our police officers have acquired a preference for air-conditioned offices and cars, rather than enjoy the fresh-air and sunny environment of the people they serve.

Thus our police force is more a provider of employment than a provider of service.

We would have benefitted from some First World policing in 2012 when Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and his deputy Jack Ewatski headed our Police Service, but finding it easier to manipulate a local Police Service, the TT population was short-changed by politicians who bought out Gibbs’ and Ewatski’s contracts and sent them back to Canada before their contracts ended, leaving people to complain about an ineffective Police Service and uncontrolled crime. Yet half the population would follow Gibbs and Ewatski back to Canada if given the chance.

The recent horrible deaths of Carla Collins and her sons at the Priority- Mausica crossing has left the nation in shock. In my view, this accident, like many others, was the result of ingrained police negligence.

But will this horrible accident cause the police and those in authority to face up to the reality that non-enforcement of our traffic regulations is the cause of many accidents? And that non-enforcement by the police is tantamount to approval bordering on endorsement? In all countries a red traffic light means stop, but many Trini drivers cheat at the traffic lights, if no policeman is present. The tolerance by the police of this and other traffic infractions has resulted in many fatal accidents.

The sight of a police uniform is a deterrent to crime. We need police officers to be visible on the job.

Michael J Williams via email

“It is ours to preserve,” he said, as he delivered the feature address at a ceremony in celebration of World Wetlands Day 2017, under the theme ‘Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction.’ It was held last Friday at the Nariva Swamp.

The event was hosted in collaboration with the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the Green Fund. In his address, in which he stressed action and impact, the minister called on officers to “do what you have to in support of the farmer, fisherfolk and hunters.” “There has been a lot of talk about the environment, sustainability and protected areas; and these protected areas are critical to this country. What we need is to put an end to the talk, what we need now is convergence. Some of this can be achieved through the newly established Protected Areas Working Group meant to sift through legislation, draft legislation…

all that has been discussed regarding policy change and provide for the Government, a clear path ahead in terms of what we need to do.

“They need to look at what is the form of legislation so we can manage our protected areas,” he said.

The minister stressed there must be a framework which secures the country’s assets — both environmentally and economically — while including community engagement and involvement.

Member of Parliament for Cumuto/ Manzanilla Christine Newallo-Hosein urged citizens to become the eyes and ears to protect TT’s wetlands since it sustains lives. She noted that, “we won’t have a future if we do not have the environment.” Dr Stephen Ramroop, chief executive officer of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) reminded that risk is proportional to exposure.

Teachers and children from various schools including Mayaro Government Primary, Mayaro Secondary, Ortoire RC, St Thomas RC, Mafeking Early Childhood Centre, Biche Presbyterian Primary, Biche RC Primary, Plum Road Presbyterian Primary, Plum Mitan Presbyterian Primary and Biche High School, were all present at the event.

Fun activities for the students included a mobile zoo, access to the Forestry Bus and an interactive tour of the Nariva Swamp in the conference room of the Field Station.

World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on February 2.

She was accompanied by Councillor for Blanchisseuse/ Santa Rosa Candice Allain.

During the tour, Morris-Julian met with students and staff of the Arima Centenary Government Primary, Arima Presbyterian Primary, Arima West Government Primary and Arima Girls Government Primary schools.

She was especially impressed by the nine-tap water purification system at Arima Centenary Government.

Morris-Julian assured school principals that under the proposed Local Government Reform, the Borough Council will have greater ability to address issues such as the responsibility to maintain and upkeep all public buildings including schools.

She assured that the council will continue to work with the Ministry of Education to resolve any issues.

Mayor Morris–Julian said she intends to visit other schools and educational institutions in the weeks ahead. The Mayor said she wants to keep the lines of communication open with her burgesses and plans to work with officials of schools in the borough to provide realistic and sustainable solutions to outstanding issues.

The current economic climate has however exposed some weaknesses in the original Bill as drafted and the opportunity should be taken to make the appropriate amendments.

It is our recommendation that the House of Representatives moves swiftly to have the Bill sent to a Joint Select Committee with a deadline of no more than three months for a report to be presented, the ATTIC release indicated.

ATTIC fully supports, the release continued, the expeditious passage of the Bill and Regulations, which in our opinion will protect the interests of policyholders, strengthen corporate governance, raise the standards of professionalism within the Industry and improve accountability.