THE EDITOR: I would like to suggest that the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes with its tears of blood be placed in a grotto or some convenient shelter at the national shrine on top the hill at Laventille. Laventille hill is a good vantage point from which to view our very troubled land which is being overrun by criminal activity of the worst order and it is my personal view that Our Lady’s tears of blood are for the atrocities which we daily visit on one another.
Her statue on the hill would be open to public viewing for the succour of the many who wish to see the statue, and to plead with Our Lady to intercede with Her Divine Son to deliver us from “the terror by night; the arrow that flieth by day; the pestilence that walketh in darkness; (and) the destruction that wasteth by noonday.” Opportunity is also taken to thank those who have written and those who have spoken in support of my tiny efforts to have the statue removed from the Corpus Christi Carmelite Convent, where it is sequestered. My thanks also go out to Ian De Gannes who gave me the attached picture of Our Lady of Lourdes.
LLOYD CARTAR
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: Kindly print this letter so that the powers that be, may read this and take the appropriate action(s). I own a chicken depot, and it hurts me to see the poverty and hence the suffering which people go through on a daily basis. Customers are now purchasing items like a dollar chicken neck, two dollars breast bone or five dollars for mixed parts. And at today’s prices they are receiving very little meat for their pot. How can we help these people? Well it is either they get more money, or the price of chicken goes down.
In this letter let us concentrate on the latter —
In the past, the price of chicken was influenced by supply and demand. Now it is not so because the big producers are like the three musketeers “All for one – one for all”. “And now they have “Lock Down” the industry in the following ways —
a. No chicks are being sold to independent farmers
b. A controlled amount of chicks are produced for their customers so as to maintain a short supply and a high price.
c. All poultry depots are being supplied on a quota basis.
d. They control most of the grains being sold in TT.
A note of curiosity – why is it that in March and September, when the land is hot and the mortality with the chicks is high, the price goes down, and in December (Christmas time) when the place is cool and hence less mortality the price goes up?
This shows that the big producers can manipulate the prices to suit themselves and this was done last year to the detriment of hundreds of independent farmers.
Between September 2002 and March 2003 the price was forwarded under $2.50 per pound, which caused independents to literally lose the shirts off their backs. Now these farmers with their empty pens must rear chicken for the Big Three so that they can survive, and Big Three now monopolise the pricing structure.
The solution to this impass as I see it is-
1. The Government should not remove the surcharge – this will cause Trinbagonians to be placed on the breadline and TNT will become a dumping ground for other countries with inferior quality chicken.
2. Government and /or independent private enterprises should have their own hatchery and grain producing plants.
3. Government should subsidies farmers in event the price should fall below $3.50.
It was stated by the producers that it cost an average three dollars per pound to rear a bird, therefore chicken prices should not fall below $3.50 per pound to the depots.
And lastly and most important to us, Minister Camille and the media should make it abundantly clear to citizens that the price quoted by her is for live chicken and not the price over the counter.
FRANK PICTON
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: The relatives of John Sam Chee and his son Sean wish to express their heartfelt thanks to all for their calls expressing their concern and sympathy, prayers, and visits following the September 10 attempted kidnap of John Sam Chee and the shooting of his son Sean, who is still at hospital. Special thanks also to the gentleman who, as ‘a guardian’, rushed to Sean’s aid on the night of the incident and identified himself as an Army medic and treated him; got him strapped to a slab of wood and rushed him to hospital in a jeep. The Sam Chees remain ever grateful to all those who assisted them in their ‘hour of need.’
JOHN, EILEEN
AND FAMILY
Barataria
SANDRA SANKAR, a 36-year-old TSTT employee was killed instantly when the station wagon she was driving ran off the roadway and collided with a lightpole at the Uriah Butler Highway. Her 11-year-old son Keizan, a student of Fatima College suffered broken legs, while her 20-year-old stepdaughter Kaylene was warded at hospital with spinal injuries. Keith Gittens, 40, the father of Keizan and a teacher at the North Eastern College was also warded at hospital with internal injuries and was not told of the death of Sankar until midday yesterday. He had to be sedated after the news of the death was told to him.
Keizan who was being treated at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex yesterday, was also not told of the death of his mother until late yesterday, and relatives claimed they were awaiting the advice of the doctors on how to break the news to the boy. The death of Sankar brings to 141, the number of persons killed in road deaths for the year. Reports revealed that around 8.30 pm on Friday, Sankar was driving her B-12 station wagon on the south bound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway when she lost control of the vehicle which skidded and struck a lightpole. Sankar suffered massive head injuries and reportedly died on the spot. Fire officers from the Chaguanas Fire Station were called out to free Keizan who was trapped in the front seat of the vehicle, while the other occupants of the wagon were pulled from the vehicle by other motorists. They were all rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre where Sankar was pronounced dead on arrival. At the Phase Four Malabar home of Sankar, her brother Lawrence told Sunday Newsday that his sister was probably on her way to drop her stepdaughter and Keizan’s father to San Fernando when the tragedy occurred. He described his sister as a devout Catholic who was a pleasant person and was always willing to assist anyone in need. Valena, the 17-year-old daughter of Sankar was in a state of shock over the death and was being comforted by relatives at Malabar yesterday.
FORMER Appeal Court Judge Anthony Lucky, who was sworn in two weeks ago as a member of the United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, will begin sitting with the Tribunal this week to adjudicate on a dispute between Malaysia and Singapore. Justice Lucky was officially sworn in at a full public sitting of the Tribunal in Hamburg, Germany, following his election at the UN Headquarters in New York where he obtained 92 of the 95 ballots cast.
The full Tribunal, comprising 21 members, will begin sitting this week on a dispute over the straits of Johor which separate Malaysia and Singapore. Malaysia has submitted the case to the UN Tribunal in an attempt to stop Singapore’s land reclamation projects in the straits. Under the presidency of Dolliver Nelson, a Grenadian, the Tribunal will sit in public and hear submissions from legal experts and representatives from both countries.
Malaysia is concerned that the land reclamation will affect the streaming conditions in the straits in a negative way and that the coastline and the seabed will change as a result. Moreover, the Malaysians fear that the marine environment will be irreversibly damaged. In its request for provisional measures, Malaysia is seeking an immediate halt to the project. Kuala Lumpur is also requesting more information on the land reclamation. On the other side, Singapore has expressed astonishment at its neighbour’s opposition. Since July the two states have been exchanging diplomatic notes on the issue. The small island state argues that it needs more land for development. This case is among the 12 matters pending before the UN Tribunal.
If by October 1 the government does not account for the $1 billon deficit in Caroni pension fund and fail to allocate Caroni lands to the former workers they would be made to account to the Courts of the country. This was the warning given by Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj as he addressed the former employees at the Ste Madeleine Recreation Ground yesterday. Addressing the crowd he said his lawyers in England advised that workers are entitled to agricultural plots of land and their pension payments. “It is a political campaign, not a party political campaign, I’m fighting for the rights of the people,” Maharaj said.
The driver of a car escaped serious injuries when his vehicle overturned four times before landing on its hood in the vicinity of the Munroe Road Flyover, yesterday. Reports revealed that the driver was travelling in a northerly direction along the highway when he swerved to avoid colliding with a truck. The driver was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre by EHS personnel where he was treated.
Following the business community’s wariness of the proposed merger of the Unit Trust Corportation (UTC) and First Citizens Bank (FCB), persons directly involved in the matter kept tight-lipped to the media yesterday. Only the Opposition ventured their views on Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s recent suggestion. Legal adviser to the Government, Attorney-General Glenda Morean declined to comment on whether such a merger would be legal. She told Sunday Newsday: “I’d prefer not to comment on it until I have a definite position on it.” Asked about the outcry following the proposal of the merger by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, she replied: “The Prime Minister may have made certain statements and arising out of that people have gone ahead (ie responded).”
The UTC’s CEO Clarry Benn declined to respond to Sunday Newsday’s queries, saying: “I will not make any comment on that, for obvious reasons.” In contrast to this silence, Opposition MP for Princes Town attorney-at-law Subhas Panday expressed his personal disapproval of the proposed merger. Panday said: “It will create confusion, distrust and uncertainty in the UTC. The FCB has had a history in their accounting system and in their credibility. Personal accounts are being made public without their owners’ knowledge. There has not been that problem with the UTC. You will be bringing down theUTC’s credibility. There might be a drain on the UTC.” He wondered if Manning’s announcement had been a political ruse to divert public attention to people’s savings, distracting it away from the crime situation.
Senior police officers and members of the executive were on hand at Police Headquarters on Friday night for the grand send-off of retired Police Commissioner Hilton Guy, two retired ACPs, two Senior Supts and a Supt. At the gathering on Friday, which started with a farewell dinner for the retired officers, Ag Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs thanked the officers for their contributions to the service. The Ag Commissioner also announced the promotions of seven senior officers during his address. James Philbert is now confirmed in the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime, while Glenroy Woodley of the Fraud Squad has been elevated to the rank of Supt.
Stephen Quashie of the Western Division and Donald Ferguson were also elevated to Snr Supts, while Shah Mohammed was promoted to Supt. The two new Assistant Superintendents are Premnath Ramdath and David Worrel. The function was held for now retired Police Commissioner Hilton Guy and Assistant Commissioners Peter John, Cecil Carrington; Snr Supts June Young Kendall, Selwyn Glassgow and Supt Junior Valley. Justice Lionel Jones of the Appeal Court, who delivered the feature address told the gathering that they should be prepared for retirement. He spoke about the five stages of retirement and noted that everyone should enjoy retirement. At the stroke of midnight, an officer of Mounted Branch atop a white horse led the senior officers around the Red House for the ceremonial send off for the retired officers. Sunday Newsday learned that government is expected to advertise the post of Commissioner early this week.
Former President of Trinidad and Tobago and patron of the Alzheimer’s Association Arthur NR Robinson had to tap the arm of his wife, Patricia Robinson, who was drifting off into sleep during an Alzheimer’s seminar/workshop hosted by the association yesterday, at City Hall Auditorium, Port-of-Spain. The seminar, entitled “Working in perfect partnership” and carrying the theme “Sharing the Caring”, was held in observance of World Alzheimer’s Day, which is celebrated worldwide today. Today, the Alzheimer’s Association of TT will embark on a “Memory Walk” at 7 am around the Queen’s Park Savannah, beginning at Queen’s Royal College.
Robinson, who gave a brief opening address, said he was delighted to be present at the event along with his wife, who is a victim of Alzheimer’s. “She’s a delightful person. She wants to sleep when everybody wants to be awake. I woke her up this morning. I won’t be long (in speech) so she can get back to her sleep,” Robinson told his audience which comprised victims of the condition and their family, caregivers (nurses) and students. Robinson said that his wife, who had to be helped to her seat, is also afflicted by diabetes and he had the opportunity to address members of an international conference on the issue in Jamaica.
He said that his wife’s condition had become severely critical when the couple stayed at a hotel abroad some years ago. “She was drifting into a coma in the hotel room and we had to call for the doctors,” Robinson said. “So I appreciate what you are doing to promote life and save lives.” Consultant Psychiatrist at the St Ann’s Hospital Dr Indar Ramtahal, who addressed those present on “Alzheimer’s Disease and Behaviour”, said that the former First Lady showed symptoms of sleep/wake cycle disorder, which is a non-cognitive or behavioural-type symptom. Other symptoms of this behavioural pattern, he said, included “hallucinations, delusions, aggression, wandering away from home, mis-identification, depression and syndrome anxiety.” Dr Ramtahal said that although the disease is incurable and the average lifespan of an Alzheimer’s sufferer is eight to ten years, treatment by the use of drugs “is far from ideal, but the best we have”.
President of the Alzheimer’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Norma Inniss, urged persons with dementia to form long-term positive relationships with their doctors and caregivers to receive a higher quality of care. The association joins 64 Alzheimer’s associations around the world in celebrating the occasion. Currently, the Association is working towards educating the public on the condition and has instituted outreach programmes that has “moved into new areas. We have the Employee Assistance Programme where we’re going into offices. We are going into schools and we plan to go to the old people homes and educate the staff,” said Inniss. The Alzheimer’s Association plans to set up an information centre which will provide counselling and house a library and audio visual room.
