Hillary Clinton came second in the US presidential election.

Let us examine the losses under TT ’s present Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar: * The 2013 THA election. (PNM won all 12 seats.) * The 2013 local government election. (In 2010 the UNC had control of 11 regional and municipal corporations. In 2013 it lost five corporations and in Monday’s election it only took control of six of the 14 corporations.) * The Chaguanas West by-election of 2013. (This was evidence of a dying UNC and leader.) * The St Joseph by-election in November 2013. (Was Ian Alleyne set up as a proverbial sacrificial lamb for the slaughter?) * The 2015 general election with the unsuccessful “No Rowley” campaign. (The late selection of candidates in key marginal seats and continued selection of unfavourable candidates did not help.) * Defeat in the courts when the UNC attempted to go back to the polls in five marginal seats on the premise that the extension of voting time by the Elections and Boundaries Commission on Election Day had influenced the results. The High Court and the Court of Appeal disagreed with the UNC leader.

* Loss in Monday’s local government election is now added to the portfolio. PNM 7, UNC 6 (tie in Sangre Grande). Of course the UNC will claim victory.

Winning the party’s internal leadership election must be noted as a reprieve but not a national victory.

One thing Persad-Bissessar has learned from her “maha guru” is never have a definite deputy. Have everyone fighting like crabs in a barrel. Divide and rule.

Maybe the UNC is most comfortable in opposition. It sure looks that way.

Unity is almost impossible because of the continued existence of “Arkatias” in the party. Jack Warner found that out the hard way.

The Opposition Leader should resign from party leadership yesterday.

Do what is right because it is right. Party before person.

As I look around I am not seeing anyone capable and worthy of leadership but then maybe I am not looking hard enough and in the right direction.

To be a government in waiting the UNC needs to be rebuilt totally from the ground up. A new engine with synthetic oil and a new anti-corrosive body must be acquired. A new leader, new leadership, new faces, new vision and a totally reformed structure.

One must know when it is time to throw in the sponge. Leave with your dignity. Thank you Opposition Leader for all the arduous work you have done from a very grateful nation.

AV RAMPERSAD Princes Town

With all the reports I am reading about this type of criminal activity, I am confused with the lack of feedback from the Police Service.

Maybe my priorities are mixed up but with the amount of citizens just disappearing within recent times, I would have thought more would be done and information provided to the public regularly.

I have heard people say they fear to go out at night, with or without their own transport. Nobody should have to live like this.

I am appealing to the relevant authorities to give the public information concerning missing people. Give us some sort of assurance that things are being done, which is sure to provide some level of comfort.

People are hurting.

ARNOLD GOPEESINGH via email

What was on show is the more glaring than ever United National Congress (UNC) weakness of a membership that is not spread evenly enough geographically or of sufficiently wide ethnicity. Most decidedly, it can never now win an election unless tied to another political party.

In the winner- takes-all-politics of TT , the Opposition Leader was out-talked at every point and had no clear strategy except character assassination.

Is it time for Kamla Persad-Bissessar to do like the sick Mr Oates of the Scott Antarctic mission who walked into blinding snow to sacrifice himself by not slowing down his partners? The UNC needs just as serious a sacrifice of the leadership. It is not for me to say that she should not take that walk alone.

It was a back-to-the-wall type of ride for the beleaguered ruling PNM this 2016 local government election. If ever the Prime Minister had to be on guard and live up to his nickname it has been the past 15 months.

We face tough times and it can be supposed that the UNC supporters are fully aware that their leader must embrace a tough decision.

Sangre Grande won itself. Well done, Sangre Grande.

LYNETTE JOSEPH Diego Martin

One cannot continue to draw down on the savings to meet expenses without a plan to increase our earning of foreign exchange.

Economists have agreed that the future of TT ’s growth depends on diversifying the economy. We can no longer depend on the energy sector to carry the brunt of our foreign exchange earnings.

While it is still possible to access financing with some degree of ease, it is critical that the Government invests in a number of initiatives that will earn both short and longterm positive results.

Among the possible initiatives are: * Encourage small business growth and development by building several business parks in communities and renting office space, factory space and warehouses at reduced prices.

* Immediately complete a survey of all State lands and lease appropriate large acreages in partnership with the private sector for specific purposes like eco-tourism, large-scale agriculture, nature reserves (with hiking trails, secured camping sites, safe access to waterfalls, eco-friendly access to swamplands and animal reserves), quarrying, water parks, water storage and distribution, lumber and industrialisation.

* Restructure the exploration and recovery plans in the energy industry with special tax incentives for efforts that demand higher levels of capital expenditure.

* Restructure most State enterprises by privatisation or joint ventures with private businesses. Among those for immediate attention should be the Water and Sewerage Authority, the Public Transport Service Corporation, the Solid Waste Management Company, the Vehicle Management Corporation, the Maintenance Training and Security Company and Caribbean Airlines Ltd.

* Immediately reduce waste in the public sector by reforming local government through community township management and building a business model based on set goals.

These should include the township ability to raise funds through local taxes and fees and ensuring that each township has a security plan, a fire response service, an effective ambulance service and a government services block to access government services like passports, birth certificates, vehicle transactions and property title matters.

* Invest in a major infrastructure programme that incorporates highways, railway, secondary roads and bridges to minimise the loss of productivity associated with traffic congestion and open the country to economic development.

These steps are just a few among others that must be implemented with urgency.

Failure to do so will result in increased criminal activity, continued drawndown on savings to meet current expenditure, loss of confidence in the economy by investors and ultimate decline in the quality of life for our citizens.

STEVE ALVAREZ via email

He echoed the views expressed earlier at the function by teacher/ journalist, Debbie Jacob, who lamented that some of the men who was now teaching at the facility she had first met as youngsters at the Youth Training Facility (YTC) when first detained, and now are still awaiting trial.

“Debbie met some of you at YTC and she migrated to here with you as you aged,” said Aboud. “The system must be bad if someone is waiting all that time for a trial.” Earlier Prisons Commissioner, Sterling Stewart, hailed Jacob as “a true labourer, servant and mother” and the kind of person more of which the prison system needs help from.

“In prison we can’t do it alone,” he said by way of appeal for outside assistance.

Stewart disclosed that the prison system is serviced by help from 120 volunteer individuals representing 17 faith-based organisations (such as churches).

Saying he has seen transformation, rehabilitation and reformation of inmates, he nonetheless advised the inmates present that it all starts with them taking ownership of their situation and accepting responsibility, quoting 1 Cor 11.

Advising them to focus on obedience, discipline, responsibility, respect and relationship, Stewart urge “all my sons” to seek out harmony, to obey the Golden Rule (“Do unto others”).

He shared his favourite scripture Gal 6:9 to advise the men to never tire of doing good. Stewart urged the men to not think of themselves as being victims, adding, “It’s all in your head”.

Earlier two teams of inmates debated the topic, “Should a person be judged by their religion?”.

Arguing “for” the motion were inmates Netfa Felix, Kevon Clarke, De Jean Brooker, Brian “Rambo” Rambaran, Khalid Malick and Chike Portillo. “Against”the motion were Daryl Wade, Andrew Supersad, Akili Charles, Donnell Innis, Mikado Toussaint and Michael Marshall.

According to the Order Paper for Friday’s sitting, the main item of business on the agenda is debate on a motion to approve the draft Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) (Local Government and THA) (Tobago) Order 2016.

Should this motion be debated, it will be the first one piloted by new Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein, since his appointment to this post on October 31 when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley reshuffled the Cabinet.

Also on the agenda for discussion is a motion to approve President Anthony Carmona’s nomination for attorney Martin George to be appointed a member of the Police Service Commission. According to the motion, which will be piloted by Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson- Regis, the nomination for George’s appointment was made on November 24. On the Order Paper too is the Tax Information Exchange Bill 2016.

During a news conference at the Eric Williams Financial Complex on November 16, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said, “As soon as this local (government) election is over, we will be back in the Parliament and the first order of business will be FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act).” With Parliament expected to take its Christmas recess around mid-December, Imbert was optimistic the Bill will be passed in the House before that and brought to the Senate in January.

Reminding reporters that the US Treasury asked Government to submit a detailed action plan for implementation of FATCA requirements, Imbert said this involved passing the legislation and putting the necessary systems in place to allow the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) to report to the Treasury on US citizens and corporations doing business in TT.

“Work has started just over six months and it stopped,” he said, adding that there is no water supply to these areas. In light of the re-count of votes in the Cocal/Mafeking area, Hazarie said he is happy that they have decided to do this and he is hoping that the UNC is victorious in this area. The PNM’s Brinsley Andy Maharaj won this seat after the Local Government elections. Hazarie said unlike the others areas where there were low voter turn-out, 1,639 people voted in his area of Rio Claro North.

The PNM’s Nisha Laurel Nedd received 728 votes.

He went on to say that is 2015 Rio Claro received $11.7 million which was a vast reduction from 2014 when they received $17.9 million. In the last budget the Minister of finance allocated $13.5 million and I am hoping that this money will be released to the corporation as promised,” he said. Ramdeen also called on the Minister of Works and Transport, Fitzgerald Hinds to follow up on repairs to the Naparima Mayaro Road. He said that work has slowed down on this main road from Princes Town to Rio Claro and traffic is directed to side street such as Jafoor Road which is underdeveloped.

He said the mission of the corporation remains to forge proactive partnerships with all stakeholders for the sustainable development of the Mayaro/ Rio Claro region by efficiently delivering services in a just manner.

The corporation is in charge of Rio Claro, Mayaro, Biche, Ecclesville, Charuma, Mafeking, Cocal and Guayaguayare.

The increasing demand for clean water, population growth, climate change and water quality deterioration are some of the factors that contribute to the pressures for improved wastewater management.

Wastewater can often mean different things to different people.

It generally comprises of a mixture of domestic wastewater from baths, sinks, washing machines, toilets and from industry. Additionally, it will often contain rainwater runoff (storm water) from roads, roofs and other impermeable surfaces. Generally, it is water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic or human influence and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations.

As concerned citizens, we cannot allow wastewater to be disposed of in any precarious manner that may be dangerous to human health or pose potentially damaging effects on the environment. Although the environment is amazing in its ability to heal itself, there is still a limit to what it can do and how much it can tolerate and transform.

As Trinbagonians, we often enjoy bathing in clean beaches and pristine rivers with our family. It brings a feeling of family togetherness and happiness.

For this to happen, it is important to have our wastewater treated before being released into the environment.

This includes a combination of proper collection, treatment, discharge of wastewater and proper disposal of the resulting sludge. This will provide the possibility of clean water to be returned to the environment and so allow water to be used for various purposes including fisheries and family outings to the rivers and beaches. To assist with this, The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is responsible for the collection, transmission and disposal of wastewater in Trinidad and Tobago. It achieves this objective mainly through the Public Sewerage Systems in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Arima, Point Fortin and Scarborough Tobago.

It may often be questioned by many citizens why a lot of emphasis must be placed on treatment. We don’t like to encounter the scent of raw sewage as we enter our beautiful beaches or even the sight of oil spills covering our beautiful shores. Without proper treatment, the untreated wastewater can create many problems for public health, water resources, wildlife and ecosystem. Besides, being an eye-sore, it can also negatively impact the social and economic well-being of societies.

It has been documented that poor disposal practices can result in high Coliform counts in the coastal environment which can lead to health problems such as dysentery and typhoid fever. It can also affect the livelihood of the community, cause eutrophication (algal blooms) in bays and harbors that may result in death of many fish and aquatic organisms and even damage our coral reefs.

In fact, untreated wastewater may cause significant damage to coral reefs which may strongly affect the employment opportunities for many individuals particularly related to coral reef fishing and tourism. This in turn may heavily impact the economy, especially in Tobago since it is highly reliant on tourism as it main form of economic gain. The coral reef is highly valuable and offers many services related to fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection. It was valued to contribute about $100 – $130 million to the national economy in Tobago (WRI 2006). Coral reef associated fisheries as a livelihood has also been estimated to contribute between US$18-$33 million per year. It must be noted that these were estimated as significant economic contributions to Tobago’s GDP which was $286 million in 2006. Hence this deterioration of the aquatic environment together with indiscriminate release of untreated wastewater has indeed become a serious issue.

At present, only 20% of domestic wastewater produced in Trinidad and Tobago is collected and from that only 5% of total domestic wastewater is treated and disposed of (WRI 2014).

It was noted that in the Caribbean (although Trinidad and Tobago had the highest population access to centralized wastewater systems) only 30% of the population is sewered and serviced by the wastewater authority while 70% of the population is serviced by septic tanks, soakaways and pit latrines.

Based on the recent findings, many people have often questioned whether wastewater treatment is sufficient in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2004, the results of a survey (GIWA Regional Assessment for the Caribbean Small Island subsystem) indicated that wastewater treatment is often absent or insufficient in many Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. While numerous efforts were made to reduce problems associated with wastewater, they have continued to escalate over the past few years.

Factors such as population growth, growth of the industrial sector and the inability of the Caribbean Governments to secure the expansion of sanitary sewerage system are most probably to blame for these problems. Inadequate funding seems to be a major hurdle for most Governments as they are unable to improve and expand the existing sanitary sewerage system. Despite the high cost, the great Mahatma Gandhi once stated that “Sanitation is more important that political independence and there is a need for champions of sanitation”. One of his major goals was always to suggest strategies to improve wastewater management in India and try to reduce the volume of untreated waste entering the rivers courses and coastal waters.

Over the years, the degradation of the aquatic environment as well as the discharge of untreated water has indeed become a serious concern nationally, regionally and internationally. While water is a valuable resource and brings several benefits, untreated wastewater can have serious impacts on public health, water resources, wild life and ecosystems in general. These factors can negatively impact both the social and economic aspect of society.

Globally treated wastewater offers many golden opportunities. While inadequate treatment and lack of recycling and resource approaches can also lead to lost opportunities, reuse and recycling of treated wastewater have proven to be beneficial. These include many applications such as irrigation of areas including public parks, playgrounds, ornamental landscape and golf courses. It can also be used for fire protection, air conditioning and even as boiler feed water or for toilet and urinal flushing in commercial and industrial buildings.

To address the challenges of wastewater, Trinidad and Tobago has developed policies, legislative tools and regulatory linkages to ensure that wastewater management is undertaken in a sustainable manner. Among them include the Water Pollution Rules 2001, Trade Effluent Standard, Water and Sewerage Act, National Environmental Policy, Specification for the Effluent from Industrial Processes Discharged into the Environment TTS 547:1998, Specification for the Liquid Effluent from Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plants into the Environment TTS 417: 1993 and Waterworks and Water Conservation Act Chapter 54:41 and Pesticides and Toxic Chemical Act: Act No. 4/1986. These rules in Trinidad and Tobago are enforced by a regulatory body namely the Environmental Management Authority.

As part of the regulatory requirements, companies in Trinidad and Tobago have been asked to voluntarily agree to discharge effluent in conformance with the Permissible Levels of the Water Pollution Rules.

It can be quite an expensive, tedious, and sometimes a frustrating task to accomplish at times. Luckily there are providers such as the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) that can assist easily with these tasks and make the quality of life better.

With population explosion and growing industrial expansion, wastewater continues to enter our coastal and near shore environments untreated causing catastrophic and sometimes irreversible damage to our beautiful and fragile ecosystems. As concerned citizens, we need to ask ourselves if we are doing enough to protect our beautiful environment. After all, “we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” Over the past seven years handling the Water Pollution Permit (WPP) and concerns with pollutant concentration, CARIRI found that there was a need for interpretation of results and recommendations/solutions requested by clients. And this need prompted CARIRI to expand its services in the field of Effluent with the establishment of the Effluent Management Solutions (EMS) Unit.

For more information on how we can help you, please contact us at 299-0210 ext 5048 or email us at awilliams@cariri.com

• Reliable financial and management reporting is produced.

• Legal and regulatory requirements are complied with.

• Internal policies and procedures are complied with.

• The risk of unexpected loss is decreased.

The board of directors is responsible for the internal control framework of the credit union.

The board delegates responsibility to the management of the credit union to implement board policy on internal control. Management in turn delegates the relevant responsibilities to staff for internal control as appropriate to their functional roles.

Key Concepts of Effective Internal Controls The following key concepts are important to consider in relation to internal control:

• Internal control is a process. It is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

• Internal control is shaped by people. It’s not merely policy manuals and forms, but people at every level of the credit union.

• Internal control can be expected to provide only reasonable assurance, not absolute assurance, to the credit union’s management and board.

• Internal control is geared to the achievement of objectives in one or more separate but overlapping categories.

At a high level controls are expected to prevent or detect errors and frauds. Therefore key control objectives are to ensure

: • Completeness

• Accuracy

• Validity

• Restricted Access Examples of prevent controls are proper authorisation, proper documentation and physical control over assets.

Examples of detect controls are review of exception reports, variance analysis and reconciliations

Control Activities The control activities typically found in a credit union can be classified as follows:

• Segregation of Duties

• Approvals

• Reconciliations

• Reviews

• Asset Security

• Information System Security These control activities are considered in further detail below.

Segregation of Duties (preventative and detective) include:

• No one officer should have responsibility for all of the following transaction components – initiation, approval, recording and reconciliation.

• Roles and responsibilities should be documented as far as is possible

Approvals (preventative) include:

• Written Policy and procedures.

• Approval Authority Limits.

• Supporting documentation for a transaction/decision.

• Review and explanation of unusual items.

Reconciliations (detective) • Reconciling data from different sources.

• Identifying and investigating differences.

• Taking corrective action where required.

Information Systems Security (preventative and detective) • Access security, programme and data security, physical security.

• Software development and change control.

• Disaster Recovery.

• Input Control (Authorisation, Validation, Error notification and correction).

• Complete and accurate processing of authorised transactions (Audit Trail, Control totals, Control Files).

Effectiveness of Control In deciding whether the control activity in place is effective, the following questions should be considered;

1. Does this control, as described, actually mitigate the risk identified?

2. What is the control objective and does this control, as described, ensure that the objective is met?

3. In answering these questions, consider the following:

• Preventative versus detective.

• Automated versus manual.

• Complexity.

• Interdependence.

• Distance and time from the event.

• Accountability for the control.

4. Can the control, if operating properly, effectively prevent or detect errors, issues, breaches and frauds that could result in a material impact on the Credit Union? If the answer to these questions is “Yes”, then the control is designed effectively.

One key point to be remembered is that there must be evidence that the control was performed. Therefore, it is critical that you can prove that a control activity has taken place ie, if it is not written down it was not done.

As the umbrella body for credit unions in the country, the League takes a leading and proactive role in designing the relevant workshops to assist credit unions and to lead them along a successful path.

Each year over 500 persons are trained in various professional certificate workshops which include corporate governance and leadership, internal control procedures, risk assessment, among others.

Continuous training and development cannot be overemphasised and training and retraining are encouraged. This has been bearing much fruit in that credit unions continue to compete successfully in the financial marketplace despite the global economic down-turn.

We consider this an important era for the Credit Union Movement and credit union leaders are encouraged to heighten their focus on developmental initiatives for all categories of staff and officers so as to allow our unique member-owned organizations to continue to survive and excel with admiration.

creditunionleague@gmail.com

People may ask what is the CDB and what does it do? It is a financial institution based in Barbados. The Bank was established to contribute to the harmonious economic growth and development of its Borrowing Members Countries (BMCs), and to promote economic cooperation and integration among them, having special and urgent regard to the less developed countries of the Region.

The bank, according to its brochure, has over time lent to government and government-assisted entities hundreds of millions of dollars, but this does not mean it is averse to lending to the private sector. As a matter fact, the CDB, apart from providing financing to its BMCs and many public sector entities with a government guarantee, helps the private sector from its Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) and its Special Funds Resources (SFR).

In addition, CDB has a serious role to play in assisting its BMCs to reduce inequality and halve the incidence of extreme poverty by the end of 2025.

The bank’s work is anchored in the institution’s 2015-2019 Strategic Plan with its two complementary objectives which are to support inclusive and sustainable growth; and to drive the development and promotion of good governance. These two objectives are being supported by the mainstreaming of three crosscutting areas – gender equality; regional cooperation and integration and energy security.

CDB’s support when it comes to achieving inclusivity and sustainable growth and development in BMCs will be realised through investments in economic and social infrastructure; education and training; private sector development; environmental management; climate resilience; energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Many countries in the Region have already been recipients of loans – small and large – and for many different reasons and in very different sectors. The bank’s lending activities are divided into two major categories – Ordinary Operations, which is financed by the OCR, and Special Operations, financed by the SFR. But sometimes a project may combine aspects financed as Ordinary Operations and the other aspect financed as Special Operations.

Over the years, the bank has contributed to the development process in the Caribbean through interventions in various sectors including agriculture and rural development; manufacturing and industry; financial, business and other services; tourism; transportation; communication; environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction; power; energy; water and sanitation; social infrastructure and service and mining and quarrying.

To assist the bank in achieving these goals it helps the BMCs to optimise the use of their resources, develop their economies and expand production and trade. The bank also promotes private and public investment, encourages the development of financial upturn in the region and facilitates business activity and expansion.

The bank also mobilises financial resources from both inside and outside the Region for development and at the same time providing technical assistance to its BMCs.

It also supports regional and local financial institutions and a regional market for credit and savings and supports and stimulates the development of capital markets in the Region.

The Caribbean Development Bank in a statement said it intended to be “the leading catalyst for development resource into the Region, working in an efficient, responsive and collaborative manner with our Borrowing Member (BMCs) and other development partners towards the systematic reduction of poverty in their countries through social and economic development”.