Alleyne’s mother, Yvonne Alleyne lamented yesterday too much blood is being shed daily in one form or another.

At the Forensic Science Centre in St James, she said, “Every day someone drowns, someone is burnt, someone is murdered or someone is killed in an accident. We are a small country. Just a drop in the ocean. We cannot continue this way.” On Sunday at about 5pm, Alleyne’s tyre blew-out while he was driving. Newsday was told he parked his car and called the wrecking service owned by Khan. It was while Khan was assisting Alleyne that the driver of a silver Nissan AD Wagon ploughed into them. Khan was pinned to the back of the wrecker, while Alleyne was pinned underneath.

Alleyne died at hospital. The driver of the runaway car was taken to the Chaguanas Police Station for questioning and remained in custody up to late yesterday.

Khan and Alleyne’s relatives described them as loving, jovial, family oriented men.

Alleyne was a father of nine children, the youngest of whom is five years old. Khan was a father of two. His youngest child was the same age as Alleyne’s.

Alleyne’s daughter Nakita could not contain her tears as she spoke about her father.

“I will miss everything about him,” she said while being supported by relatives yesterday.

“He was always making us laugh. He always had something funny to say. He would always make us feel better when we were down and always trying to encourage us to better ourselves and do good.” Khan’s wife told Newsday he worked every day to provide for his children. She said she and their children were out when they heard the news.

She said they arrived at the scene shortly after the accident happened, but the children could not bear to see their father in such a state.

Akeem Garcia and Steffon Munroe, 19, both of Church Street, Golconda Village near San Fernando, were arrested after the incident at Duncan Village, San Fernando.

They were charged with several offences and yesterday, senior magistrate Cheryl- Ann Antoine read the charges to them. The first charge alleges the men were in possession of a .38 revolver and the second, that they were in possession of three rounds of ammunition.

They are also accused of assaulting Shadi Rubez and Keafe Rubez with intent to rob them.

The charges were laid by PC Danil Sadahanan of the Rapid Response Unit (Southern Division).

Attorney Chantal Paul pleaded for bail on behalf of Munroe whom, she said, had no previous convictions. He was granted bail in the sum of $200,000 to be approved by the Clerk of the Peace. However, the magistrate granted him an alternative cash deposit bail in the sum of $20,000.

Prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan told Antoine Garcia has a pending case for armed robbery and he submitted that under Section Six (2) of the Bail Amendment Act, the accused should be denied bail. Antoine agreed and told Garcia he has the right to apply to a judge in Chambers for bail. Both men are scheduled to reappear on August 24.

Jabloteh suffered a 6-2 first leg loss in Costa Rica on August 1 at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá and two days later on August 3, fellow Pro League compatriot, Central FC, were edged 2-1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium by visitors CD Árabe Unido of Panama in their first leg fixture.

Central will face Árabe Unido on Thursday in their return leg in Panama.

Only the aggregate winners can progress to the quarterfinal stage later this month with the homeand- away knockout format being the decider throughout, including the Scotiabank CONCACAF League final in October.

Kenny Cunningham, Starling Matarrita, Youstin Salas, Edder Monguio, Osvaldo Rodriguez and Juan Diego Madrigal each scored for Santos with the first and last goals coming from the penalty spot for the Costa Ricans, while Keithy Simpson and Nathan Lewis scored away goals for Jabloteh in the second half.

“The plan is to be more organised in the return leg and to put away our chances,” added Lewis, who along with Central FC goalkeeper Stephon Seepersad are named among the Scotiabank CONCACAF League Round of 16 first leg Best XI.

“I believe in my capability and (that of) my teammates that we can create the chances. It’s just for us to convert these chances and put ourselves past this stage (of the tournament),” ended the Trinidad and Tobago international.

Jabloteh, Jamaica’s Portmore United, and three-time reigning Pro League champions Central FC qualified for this season’s inaugural Scotiabank CONCACAF League by finishing in second, third and fourth respectively in the 2017 CFU Club Championship.

Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC edged Jabloteh in the Caribbean final last May to secure the region’s only automatic spot at next year’s Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.

Jabloteh coach Keith Jeffrey relishes the opportunity for himself and his club to be part of the inaugural Scotiabank CONCACAF League, but says the current financial low faced across Trinidad and Tobago has made it even harder to compete on the international stage.

“Financial help is at its lowest,” he said. “And the financial woes affects all clubs in the Pro League with the exception of Police and Defence Force (for obvious reasons).

“One of the questions posed to me in Costa Rica (a week ago) was: ‘What is the difference between Caribbean teams and those of Central America?’ And it really sunk in. The financial package in the Central American leagues and wider are better than what is offered in the Caribbean, and we see that recently with moves to Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador by Trinidad (and Tobago) players (Jan-Michael Williams, Daneil Cyrus, Jamille Boatswain and Leston Paul). A big disparity— chalk and cheese.

“They (Central American teams) are funded in a way to get the best out of players while the financial issues here in Trinidad takes so much out of you as the coach and the players in trying to get chemistry on the field of play.

“A clear example: last month were experienced a financial wobble, not being able to cover salaries, and lost three games straight (against W Connection and Club Sando in the Pro League then the latest against Santos in Costa Rica). It’s no secret that financial issues will affect the performance of any club around the world, and Pro League clubs are no different.” Jeffrey, however, is hoping that his players are more comfortable at home and rise to the task when the tackle the Costa Ricans in Mucurapo.

“Our players understand they messed up in Costa Rica by not sticking to the game, allowing the game to open in favour of Santos.

They (Santos) are a Central American team which means they move the ball a lot and their movement off the ball is excellent.

We took too long to acclimatise to how they were moving the ball around.

“But now our players want to prove a point. We have a better idea of Santos’ strengths and weaknesses. I don’t think four goals are impossible for us. We are at home and it should be a comfortable place,” ended the Jabloteh coach.

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This particular individual seems to have an obfuscated perception, devoid of any inkling of correct historical analysis.

His reference to labour, employer and government as stakeholders in the “labour justice system” is based on a perception devoid of class analysis or class realities. As any student of sociology will tell you, society consists of classes.

Trade unions do not have to apologise to anyone for its role as a defender of the interests of workers both within the workplace as well as in the broader society.

Trade unions therefore are much more than mere stakeholders.

The labour movement is the most dynamic sector of society and its historical mission should not be confused or limited to its handling of industrial relations matters.

The description of trade unions as bellicose reflects the unwise application of an extremely wide brush to describe trade union organisations.

It is my considered view that trade unions are as aggressive as is necessary to deal with aggressive employers. Where employers behave in a reasonable manner trade unions do likewise.

Employers who display a negative and hostile attitude to trade unions and their members simply have the favour returned in equal measure.

The commentary’s analysis lacks an international perspective.

Lets us not forget that in an age of global capitalism trade unions in Trinidad and Tobago are no less relevant than trade unions in the international sphere.

By branding Butler as brash, and couching his arguments based on his experience or inexperience in the Industrial Court, the article robs the readers of any understanding of the hellish nature of British colonialism as it impacted on the British owned colonies during the 1930s and of the context in which an Industrial Court was established in the first place.

And so, he postulates that trade unions that cause any form of work shut down is an enemy of the people. If that is so then any strike in any part of the world must cause the same conclusion.

This author is ignorant of the fact that in democratic societies the right to withdraw labour is an inherent right of workers.

Without that right collective bargaining is reduced to collective begging.

It should be noted that workers stand to lose income when strike action is taken and workers resort to that remedy only in extreme circumstances.

Is he saying therefore that refusal to work under certain prescribed circumstances as is enshrined both in the Industrial Relations Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act makes those who are legally entitled to so do, enemies of the people? He attempts to preach diplomacy to trade unions without noting that trade unions always attempt to treat and discuss matters before applying any other measure.

His real intent is found in his conclusion as he seeks labour legislation which will allow this type of practitioner, full access to the Industrial Court without any reference to trade unions.

No attempt is made to deal with the archaic system of certification of trade unions which is the real reason why there are so many non-unionised workers in the country.

It will be useful if he would research the original use of the term “labour dinosaurs”. It came from those same elements who incorrectly predicted the end of history, but then neither history nor the labour movement has ended.

Vincent Cabrer a BIGWU President

Speaking with Newsday, comedienne Nikki Crosby said her grandfather always told her, “All you have in this world is your name”, and insisted that in these times one has to leave a good family name. She said he was truly a family man and referred to him as “Mr Manners.” He taught his children and grandchildren lessons such as responsibility and the difference between right and wrong with no gray areas.

To grandson Kevin, his grandfather “prided himself on being one of the first black businessmen on the (Western) main road of St James.” According to Nikki and Kevin, their grandfather’s first business was a bike store. The reason for that was bikes were the primary mode of transport back then, and so he catered for the people in the area.

He then went into the hardware business before settling in the music industry with the Crosby Music Centre store along with his late son, Earl Jr who died on August 3 last year from pancreatic cancer.

However Kevin and Nikki joked, that before the bike store and music business, their grandfather was a wedding photographer while his wife made wedding dresses.

“They were the wedding couple,” said Nikki, who added that over the years her granddad became a respected businessman and was very kind-hearted. “He was a pure gentleman, a pure classic man,” she said.

Speaking about Earl Snr’s final days, son Victor said his dad was not really ailing but required assistance to get into a wheelchair and get into bed, therefore he was put in a home a week ago to receive that proper care. He added his dad was barely talking. Yesterday, at about 7.15 am, the family was called to the ALCL, as Crosby senior had just passed.

Victor said of his father, “Regardless of what problems he had, he would reach out to others. A lot of people remember him for that.” As for the life lessons that he has taught his family, Kevin said: “Honesty is work and honesty is pain.”

In a statement, Amcham called on the trade unions to return to the Tripartite Council and said that economic and social decay has been the result in every country where a minority has been persecuted, in an attempt to shift power or influence to another group.

The business group also said that Roget’s call was not in the interest of the very workers that the unions are supposed to represent.

Amcham, in the release said, “We acknowledge that trade unions have a very important part to play in protecting and promoting the rights and best interests of their members.

“This can only be done through dialogue leading to constructive solutions. In that regard, we too would like to see a return to multi party dialogue in a manner that allows all stakeholders to participate in a meaningful and constructive way.

The National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) was that vehicle, but it is not functioning as intended.

Amcham stands ready to assist and participate (in) its reformation to facilitate meaningful dialogue and a path forward.” The statement said that the world is in the midst of an economic crisis, with new political and social disruptions occurring almost daily and that at this time, the country needs leaders including those from within the trade union movement, who are willing to look past all differences and seek solutions to the challenges faced by the country.

“We believe that this is not the time for pointing fingers, but instead a time of increased collaboration and dialogue. Myopic viewpoints and unreasonable demands that seek to promote specific agendas rather that finding innovative solutions should not be the first course of action,” Amcham said.

The Hermitage Village, San Fernando resident said he was chased away by a nurse who, he claimed, ordered a security officer on duty to take back his number which he had pulled when he arrived there at 8 am.

Ramraj told Newsday the room was filled with people waiting to donate blood and he pulled number 67.

As a regular donor, Ramraj said there is a mutual understanding between donors and the nurses and usually a concession is made when the waiting lines are long. He said he usually asks to speak to a senior official and did so yesterday but was shocked when one of the nurses allegedly became very aggressive towards him and ordered security to retrieve his number while telling him to go to another hospital to make his blood donation.

“It is the first time this has ever happened to me,” he told Newsday.

“In my experience over the years as a donor, the nurse will tell you have a seat and wait.

She will try her best to help out and see how she could fit in the regular donors between those who came in to donate for a special person.” Donating blood, he said, is his way of him giving back to society, but because of the treatment meted out to him, he fears he may never want to give blood again. Ramraj said staff at the blood bank are usually very courteous.

“I don’t know what happened today (yesterday) with that particular nurse and her attitude telling me to go somewhere else and treating me the way she did. My blood type is a very rare one I am glad to give it.” He said the nurse even dared him to report her to her superiors “on the first floor”.

He said he immediately reported the matter to the Customer Service department at the SFGH. Contacted on the incident, Ag CEO of the South West Regional Health Authority Gail Miller-Meade promised to contact Ramraj and to investigate the matter.

The role of the school evolved against that European factory model where workers had little rights to make demands or impose conditionalities on their labour trade. This model is ideally suited to the capitalist system where personal profit, exclusion, and greed are the main driving forces.

Schools thus evolved elaborate systems to ensure that potential workers are passive, obedient, can follow instructions, and are unable to think or question; fulfilling such criteria makes one a ‘good’ worker.

This overall objective is evident in the structure and functioning of schools. By their very nature schools are not ideal examples of democracy in action. The living model that students are forced to observe are not ideal democracies, some schools being virtual military style operations. Students are not encouraged to express their views openly and freely and even when they do they are seen as rude and disrespectful. Comply and then complain is imbibed into the minds of potential workers from a tender age.

A functioning and effective democracy requires citizens to think critically and analytically and to challenge/question. They must know the importance of being able to hold others to account as well as be held accountable for their actions or inactions. These are fundamental traits that must be instilled into all citizens from a tender age.

This education is done both formally via the schools, as well as, informally in terms of seeing democracy in action in the institutions of state. Organizations such as trade unions, media houses and even the judiciary must be seen as beacons of democracy, not only defending, but modelling it.

The current model of schooling does not promote democracy; rather it serves to undermine it.

Schools are thus unwittingly contributing to the gradual demise of our democracy to the point where the average citizen has relegated his/her role in democracy to the casting of a ballot periodically.

Under such an atmosphere of complacency, corruption is poised to flourish since the citizenry is incapable of differentiating between true and false leaders, or holding leaders accountable. It is amazing how willing persons are to abdicate responsibility for their own future into the hands of others.

The strength of our democracy is a function of our individual and collective responsibility and consciousness.

How then do we turn this school system into one that promotes democracy? We must be able to recognise the symptoms of its dysfunction – marginalized masses, widening wealth gap, blue and white collar crime, disunited trade unions, and corrupt/immoral persons becoming leaders and a media and judiciary that are falling short of their own standards.

These deficiencies are an outcome of our antiquated model of education where the focus is still on the production of workers.

Our teachers must realign their dispositions and approach to teaching, encouraging children to question with a discerning mind.

They must see all students as potential leaders, innovators, inventors and problem solvers. Teaching them from that perspective will encourage them to think they can make a significant contribution to society

The march, coordinated by Michael Lee Poy, served as a public stance against the poaching of the Scarlet Ibis – Trinidad’s national bird. The mokos walked from the Queen’s Royal College (QRC) football grounds, past President’s House, around Memorial Square and ended at the National Academy for the Performing Arts.

Speaking at QRC grounds, parent Cassandra Petrovani said the march was the end product of a three-week Moko Jumbie camp at Alice Yard in Port of Spain. “The camp was a partnership with the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Goodwill Industries of the West Indies and Alice Yard. We are trying to highlight the heavy poaching of the Scarlet Ibis. It’s all about educating the children,” she said.

Petrovani added that teaching children through arts is a great way to make them aware of social issues.

“Children are the future. My daughter told me the other day, that soon we wouldn’t have any Scarlet Ibis left. That’s profound and extremely disheartening,” she said.

Asked how children and the rest of society could be involved in various social issues, Petrovani said that more investment needs to be made for “programs like these.” She said that the march was supposed to take place on Friday, but was postponed due to the Oilfield Workers Trade Union rally.

In preparation for the march, the children, according to Petrovani, designed their costumes themselves.

“The kind of creativity in this program is important for them [the children] to understand the culture and history of our country.

Over the years, we have lost the voice of Carnival and mas. This takes us back to the purpose,” she said.

Kriston Chen, from Alice Yard, said the group’s weekly moko jumbie sessions on Sunday evenings began in February and that the children’s progression throughout the weeks in stilt walking was great. He said he was “super excited” for the march and that the energy of the children was infectious.

He described the three week camp as “intense.” Also speaking with Newsday, a busy Lee Poy, who began stilt walking in 2001 while in Cleveland, Ohio, said the use of stilt walking to raise awareness for an environmental issue was a “learning curve” for him.

Sophie Wight, whose daughter was one of the moko jumbies, said that she knew there was “no better option” for her daughter than to attend the three-week camp. “This program gives her an appreciation for other things. It’s a little foundation.”

In a statement, the ECA said it respects and cherishes the constitutional right of all citizens to freedom of speech as an integral part of this country’s democracy.

However, the association said, “Using boycotts as a means to treat with the issues articulated by the labour movement, inclusive of retrenchment, is counter- intuitive.” The ECA also said any boycott being undertaken by anyone in the current economic circumstances, “ cannot be seen as a reasonable, responsible, or rational course of action.” The association declared, “The most viable option at this time is to engage in meaningful social dialogue.” Last week, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley urged the labour movement to return to the tripartite process. The ECA said it is now imperative that Government, business and labour, “demonstrate greater maturity characterised by openness, honesty, humility and genuine sense of love for our nation.” The association opined, “ Resolving our current problems must begin with dialogue.” Reiterating that, “locking horns can only lead to detrimental outcomes,” the ECA said it was to the labour movement’s credit that it has, “shown by their actions that there is value in a united approach.”