N Touch

US doctor discusses breast cancer in TT

“Quality of Life and Breast Cancer Survivorship in Trinidad” is the title of a presentation to be made by Dr Kimlin Ashing-Giwa on Wednesday at 12 noon. The seminar will be held at the Seminar Room of the Centre for Gender and Development Studies (CGDS), University of the West Indies.

Dr Ashing-Giwa, research psychologist, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, University College of Los Angeles, has been involved in women’s health research for the past ten years. At the seminar, data will be presented on women diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in Trinidad. Her work in Trinidad has been facilitated by the Cancer Registry of TT. The seminar is part of the lunchtime seminar series hosted by the University of the West Indies Centre for Gender and Development Studies, in collaboration this time with the Public Health and Primary Care Unit, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, in UWI’s Faculty of Medical Sciences.

Increase in street vending in Princes Town

Store owners in Princes Town have been complaining about the increase in street vending in this southern town. Scores of vendors covered the pavements and car park areas of the main road over the past weeks. Store owners are complaining that many vendors who carry their goods around on trolleys are seen blocking the doorways of the stores. Manager of Sidewalk Store, Rajesh Palloo, said that while he agrees that the vendors are trying to make an honest living, they must not obstruct the customers from looking at the items that are available in the stores. “Everyone is trying to make a living. Store owners must make enough to pay workers, and these vendors must find a stable place to market their goods,” he said. He is calling on the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development, Lawrence Achong, to look into this matter of vending in Princes Town. Most of the customers who filled the streets are in search of school items as the date for the re-opening of the new school term approaches.

Bands favour ‘Boogsie’ music for Republic Fiesta

Twenty-seven of the steel orchestras participating in the first ever “Republic Steelband Fiesta” have chosen to play music composed by ace pannist Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. A presentation of Pan Trinbago in collaboration with the National Carnival Commission (NCC), the competition requires all participating bands to “play a calypso that has been composed by one of our established Panorama arrangers.” The competition, which begins Friday, will feature single pan and conventional orchestras and be conducted at two levels — Regional Championships and National Republic Fiesta Final.

The Regional Championships itinerary is as follows:
Friday September 5 — South Central — Cipero Street, San Fernando
Saturday September 6 — Eastern Region — O’Meara Road, Arima
Sunday September 7 — Northern Region — South Quay, Port-of-Spain
Saturday September 13 — Tobago — Milford Road, Scarborough.
The National Republic Fiesta Final takes place at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on September 20. According to the rules, bands will perform on the move but will be judged at a stationary point along the route.
The event was launched at The Club House, Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah last Wednesday. Addressing the gathering were NCC chairman Kenny De Silva and Pan Trinbago President Patrick Arnold, who expressed the hope that the media would do its all to support the event.
Other composers whose works will be showcased include Earl Rodney, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Ray Holman, Cecil Hume (the late Maestro), Anthony Williams, Brian “Bean” Griffith, Robert Greenidge, Winsford Des Vignes, Clive Bradley, Selwyn “Parry” Paul, Godwin Bowen, Pelham Goddard, Lincoln “Fats” Waldron and Dennis Smith.
Prize money totalling over $1.2 million is at stake in the contest.
Winner of the final in the single pan category earns $15,000 while the conventional category winner will take home $50,000.



 

South Highway extension opens Sept 2

WORKS MINISTER Franklyn Khan announced that Prime Minister Patrick Manning will formally open the southern extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway from Tarouba to Golconda on September 2 at 1 pm after which “it will be open to the public.” Khan told yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall that the $162.4 million project was “totally locally” with funding, design and construction being undertaken by the Caribbean Development Bank, Trintoplan and Seeraram Brothers respectively. The minister said the extension took two years and three months and was well within budget. “The road is a 4.2 km, four-lane highway. It is one of the better pieces of road that we have in Trinidad and Tobago,” a visibly proud Khan said.

The minister also spoke of a series of road-paving works being undertaken on the nation’s highways which will be completed in time for the re-opening of schools next week. These include from Piarco to Piaget Junction by Coosal, the Beetham Highway by Seereram Brothers and the southbound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway by Jusamco. The costs of these respective works are $4.7 million, $2.2 million and $2.3 million. Khan gave an update on ongoing drainage work on the Guayamare River and disclosed that “a major contract has started on the Caroni River itself.” He said this work included the construction of embankments from St Helena to Kelly Village and work on the south bank of the Caroni River. He was optimistic that these works would help to eliminate the perennial flooding which affects Central Trinidad.

Clucking with glee?

ABOUT six weeks ago, Legal Affairs Minister Camille Robinson-Regis refuted the reasons given by a leading producer of chicken for the continuing rise in the price of this popular food item. The Minister went into detail to debunk the causes given by the industry for their steep increase in the price of their product. The effect of her response was widely disturbing as it produced a feeling among the consuming public that they were being exploited by the group of TT chicken producers taking advantage of their control of the local market.

The fact is that our people are among the world’s most voracious consumers of chicken and, therefore, the jacking up of prices must result in some hardship for lower-income families and also send up the cost of living for the entire country. In such a situation, it would seem that, in the public’s interest, the Government must seriously consider the removal of surcharges and duties on imported chicken which would also break the stranglehold which local producers have on the market. Speaking to a meeting of supermarket proprietors on Wednesday, the Minister noted that prices, particularly of staple foods such as chicken, “have been increasing at an unprecedented rate for no apparent reason.” She added: “In these circumstances, the government of Trinidad and Tobago is looking at removing the protection that is now afforded to chicken producers, because we have come to recognise that all of us are consumers and consequently no one group or monopoly should take advantage of consumers in a way that results in, in effect, gouging of consumers and leaving them at the mercy of one group of persons.”

It may well be that chicken producers have taken for granted the protection they have enjoyed for so long. But they must now be aware that, in any case, the days of that protective regime are strictly numbered and, with the implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy in the next two years, they will begin to face open competition from the region. And, when the Free Trade Area of the Americas comes into being they will have to contend with the possible entry of chicken from hemispheric producers. So instead of using their control over a protected market to gouge consumers, as the Minister has pointed out, local chicken producers are best advised to examine their operations and find ways to make them more efficient and productive and, of course, better geared to meet the coming foreign competition. More immediately, however, the fact that government is contemplating the removal of surcharges and duties on imported chicken should spur them into undertaking this kind of adjustment which would enhance their resilience to meet the coming competition from outside producers.

This, in fact, is the challenge which most of our manufacturing enterprises face with the inevitable expansion of the free trade movement. Increasing efficiency and productivity must become their primary objective, otherwise they may find themselves going under to the influx of more cheaply produced foreign products. The verdict may still be out on the overall economic effects of free trade and the question about which countries will benefit the most, but at the level of the consumer there seems little doubt that the increase in global competition will result in purchasers getting the best value for their money. If this is the effect it will have on poultry prices, then the legion of TT chicken eaters, at least, should have good reason to be clucking with satisfaction, if not glee.

A One-Party State Looms

It is the purpose of Government to see that only the legitimate interests of the few are protected but that the welfare and rights of the many are conserved.
— Franklyn D Roosevelt


Both the PNM and the UNC have lost their way. They have forgotten their founding principles. They have turned aside from their highest understandings. They are leading our peoples into the darkness that the corrupt use of power brings.  It was Lord Atkin who said: “Power corrupts, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.” Our politics continue to prove how true this is.

In continuing our review of “what is so” in the affairs of the nation, we now turn to Parliament, the Prime Minister and Political Parties.
—Parliament and the Prime Minister
We have a Parliamentary System of Government which provides for political parties and elections every five years. The Party which wins the most seats forms the Government with the Leader of that party becoming the Prime Minister while the party (or parties) which loses forms the Opposition with the person commanding a majority in the Opposition becoming the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister has the absolute power to select the members of Cabinet (the Executive Arm of Government) and the power to “fire” them as well. Cabinet works on the principle of “Collective Responsibility” with the Prime Minister being “primus inter pares” (the first among equals). The system is based on the underlying assumption that Parliament exists for the good government of the country and that the Prime Minister will exercise the vast power that he has with a sense of honesty and responsibility; and that members of Parliament, even though as a general rule they are supposed to “toe the party line,” will put the country first and exercise a free vote when they cannot in good conscience support the Prime Minister or the “party line.” In short, the system requires the quality of integrity in parliamentarians if it is to work; and this applies to both the Government and the Opposition.

When the Independence Constitution was being drafted, a young lawyer pointed out in a weekly newspaper that we were making the serious mistake of giving to the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago all the powers of the British Prime Minister without the checks and balances that applied in the United Kingdom — an informed public opinion, independent professional organisations and independent constitutional commissions. The PNM was “riding high” at the time, its intellectuals were carried away by the euphoria of the occasion and no one paid any attention to the warnings of a young lawyer. Lord Atkin’s truism was completely ignored. The years which followed showed all too clearly the terrible mistake we made. One Prime Minister after another was seduced by and abused the power which the Constitution gave him. Cabinet Ministers put their jobs before principle and became puppets in the hands of the Prime Minister. Non-ministers and government senators took every opportunity to genuflect to “the great one,” waiting cap in hand for favours. Except for the few who dared to disagree with the Prime Minister and were banished, all the others chose to take the position that they were “unworthy to untie the latchet of his shoes,” As was to be expected, the whole system was soon subverted. Our cabinet system of “Collective Responsibility” became a prime ministerial dictatorship. Our Parliament which was supposed to debate the issues of the day in a rational manner in the interest of all the people became a farce and like the doctrine of “Cabinet Responsibility,” fell prey also to prime ministerial dictatorship. The Prime Minister was king and Trinidad and Tobago was his kingdom.

The whole system has clearly failed … not because the system itself was bad but because those we elected from time to time lacked the capacity to manage a system which required a certain measure of integrity and responsibility. Our leaders have forgotten that “Great Power brings Great Responsibility” and have shown all too clearly that they cannot be trusted with power concentrated in the hands of one man or a very few. We have been stifled by “doctor politics” and “prime ministerial dictatorship”. People have lost faith in the system and a very wide cross-section now accept that change is urgently necessary, that we require a system which distributes political power among the many. The Prime Minister has duty to see that “the rights of the many” to the fair and proper use of power “are conserved.” He has, perhaps understandably, been “pussy-footing” around the idea under growing public pressure and making vague and unconvincing statements. We would respectfully suggest to him that if he wants to position his party for the New Politics of the 21st Century, he should “come clean” and immediately set the wheels in motion for the constitutional changes which the country’s calling for. All of life is a process … and that means change. Nothing stays the same. Nothing remains static. But which way a thing changes depends on us. The wise leader will accept this and recognise that Parliamentary Democracy is an evolving phenomenon and will move with the strongly rising tide being generated by an awakening people.

— Political Parties
A two-party system is now and for the foreseeable future, “what is so” in Trinidad and Tobago and we have to work with that. A third party at this time, as welcome as that may sound to many, stands little chance of winning an election as the PNM is still strongly entrenched in its core areas and the UNC, although in the process of disintegrating, still commands a sizeable following in its core constituencies. A one-party state or a state where one party completely dominates the political landscape, is a disaster in any Parliamentary Democracy … This has been the lesson learnt time and again in many countries, like Guyana next door to Zimbabwe, and this is why everything must be done to see that the UNC does not completely disintegrate. What is needed is not only clear thinking and independence on the part of UNC Parliamentarians and its supporters but also the courage to put the party and the country first. Mr Basdeo Panday has shown a painful lack of leadership qualities while the UNC was in power. He allowed a state of corruption to emerge and flourish. He deserted the thousands and thousands of his faithful followers and all too eagerly and quickly joined the ranks of the “parasitic oligarchy” he had so vehemently condemned. He failed to deal with the “Caroni” issue leaving it to the PNM to scatter his faithful supporters with one swift surgical stroke; and in their moment of anguish, neither he nor his colleagues was there to comfort them. He refused to accept the results of the internal elections of his party and then banished Mr Ramesh Maharaj and Mr Trevor Sudama, his two faithful colleagues, from his Government and the party because they dared to take a principled stand on corruption. And when there was the tie in the 2001 General Elections, he gave the President the opportunity to appoint Mr Manning as Prime Minister. These were fatal mistakes. The UNC is out of power because of Mr Panday. And now that he is no longer Prime Minister, we witness over and over the sad spectacle of a faded figure who rants and raves and hurls insults at perceived enemies as he sees his supporters slipping away. He has now become a sorry spectacle and an embarrassment to the UNC and to decent folks everywhere.

Mr Panday we regret to say, is now completely discredited. He is seared with the mark of corruption by the branding iron of public perception. And this, together with his rantings and ravings in public since losing power, disqualifies him in the eyes of may for the high office of Prime Minister. Unfortunately for the UNC, the contamination which Mr Panday carries, is a blight on its honest Parliamentarians and their continued association and support for him tarnishes them even more so in the public eye. What then, must be done to save the UNC from collapsing into the old DLP and suffering the fate of forever being the Opposition in Parliament? The trouble is that the UNC was never really a party in the accepted sense. The UNC was Mr Panday, and since he is no longer acceptable to the public at large as a credible choice for the office of Prime Minister, the first thing on the agenda for the UNC must be to settle the leadership issue. Until this is done, the Party will be in limbo and will not be able to move forward. Mr Panday has said time and again that he is ready to quit politics. We suggest that this is the time for him to graciously bow out. Many of the UNC parliamentarians and followers know that this is the best thing for the party and they must persuade Mr Panday to resign not only in the interest of the party but of the whole country. If Mr Panday refuses to leave, the parliamentarians should do the right thing and seriously consider withdrawing their support from him as Leader of the Opposition in parliament and as Political Leader of the party.

The next thing will be the select a new Political Leader. Unfortunately, none of the present parliamentarians, tarnished as they are in the public eye, can command enough non-UNC respect to draw the floating votes in the next general elections. The one thing left to do is to revert to the last internal elections of the party and invite Mr Ramesh Maharaj to take over as Deputy Political Leader, the position to which he was elected by the party membership. In the absence of the Political Leader he will then assume the position of Political Leader (Acting) until a new Political Leader is validly elected. This will legitimise the Party’s internal affairs and allow it to move forward and begin to ready itself for the next general elections. The perception of many is that Mr Maharaj’s “past” disqualifies him from high office. A man is not what he was but what he is be-ing and do-ing now. Whatever Mr Maharaj may have done in the past, he has in recent times shown himself to be a man of considerable drive, courage and principle. Corruption is a major political problem of today and Mr Maharaj has shown very clearly where he stands on this issue, even t the extent of going up against his all-powerful Leader and being “fired” from the office of Attorney General for it. He has also shown a timely vision in the legislation he has piloted during this stint as Attorney General, among them being the Freedom of Information Act, the Equal Opportunity Act and the latest Integrity Act (the last two of which the Government is suspiciously hedging about implementing). This is a man who should be given a chance. He has earned it. At the present time, there appears to be no alternative to Mr Maharaj if the UNC is serious about  getting back into power in the foreseeable future. What we are suggesting is not going to be easy, perhaps even impossible in the context of UNC politics. It will take selflessness and courage and even some sacrifice, noble traits which the UNC now desperately needs from its leadership. But all of this falls within “what works” and is the only way to go if the UNC is to survive as a vibrant political party and as a potential Government in waiting. The grim alternative is the UNC as the Opposition in parliament for a very, very long time to come and a de facto one-party state which spell disaster for the country.


(To be continued) 

TT U-19s make good start in final

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Trinidad and Tobago, sent to bat by the Windward Islands, were piled up 228 for seven wickets at stumps on the opening day of their TCL Group Challenge three-day cricket championship at Bourda yesterday.

After a start delayed until 11.15 am by rain, Trinidad and Tobago opening  batsman Tishan Maraj struck a polished 73 in a century opening stand. And skipper Denesh Ramdin cracked a splendid 58 to carry his team to their strong close of play position. But the middle-order batsmen gave Trinidad and Tobago some scary moments as there was a big slide after they went in to tea on 137 for one wicket. Trinidad and Tobago lost three quick wickets for the addition of only 27 runs, before lower-order hard-hitter Jonathan Augustus waded into the Windward Islanders bowling to blast 39. Spinner Denroy Charles was the most successful bowler for the Windwards, taking four wickets for 70 runs. The Trinidad and Tobago lads are attempting to become the first team to score the double, having already won the limited-overs version of the series. To date, the Trinidadians have played through this three-day championship with a 100 percent record, winning all their matches outright. And they hold a psychological advantage over the Windward Islanders, having beaten them twice before, in the limited-overs tournament and again in the preliminary round of this three-day series.

Summarised scores: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 228/7 — Tishan Maraj 73, Denesh Ramdin 58, Jonathan Augustus 39, Denroy Charles 4/70

No TT nominee for WICB post

WITH nominations for the post of president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) closing on Monday, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), will not be putting forward any names.

This according to TTCB 1st vice-president Ellis Lewis yesterday. The WICB director speaking to Newsday said: “At present we are still talking at the executive level and we haven’t decided on who to support just yet. There are three names being called, Steve Camacho, Teddy Griffith and Clarvis Joseph.” Antiguan Joseph served as vice-president when Jamaican Patrick Rousseau was WICB boss. He together with Rousseau were removed at the board’s annual general meeting two years ago, and were replaced by Rev Wes Hall with Val Banks as his deputy. Lewis added: The TTCB came in for stick after failing to support Trinidadian Willie Rodriguez as president during the original annual general meeting  held two months ago.

Rodriguez was up against president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Chetram Singh for the top post in regional cricket. After failing to secure the support of the local board which instead threw their backing behind Singh, Rodriguez, a former Test all-rounder, decided to step down. Singh was left as the only nominee and was set to become president but, in  days leading up to the meeting, the Guyanese businessman plunged into  controversy when it was indicated the International Cricket Council (ICC) would not allow him to sit at their annual general meeting, because he was involved in a betting shop in his naticve Guyana.

3 Trini b-ballers get US schols

THREE Trinidadian basketballers have secured basketball scholarships in the United States.

This was announced yesterday by David Farrell an official of  Integrity Sports Management Group. The three are Travis Carrington, Marlon Bernard and Michael Pantin, who were chosen during a scholarship search at the Woodbrook Youth Facility in April this year. This sporting talent search by ISM, a Florida-based sports agency was done with the support of Nestle Trinidad Ltd. Carrington is a 6’ 8” forward, who was named Most Valuable Player at the this year’s National Gas Company Schools Basketball League. Bernard at 6’ 7” is also a forward who was very outstanding in the same tournament, while Pantin,  a 6’  6” off guard, helped National Flour Mills win the Championship Division of the Royal Extra North Zone Basketball League title. All three players have already left to enter training camp with Williston College, North Dakota. They will be expected to show off their improved skills at the Integrity Sports Semi-Professional Under-23 Basketball Tournament between June-July next year. IMS have scholarship contacts in basketball, athletics, football and other sports, and have been responsible for many full schols to outstanding young sportsmen from Trinidad and Tobago.

FCB Clarke Road unbeaten in Canada

FIRST CITIZENS Clarke Road United have won all three matches to date on their end of season tour of Canada.

The Carib Sunday League champions started off with victory over Overseas by seven wickets on arrival last week. Overseas totalled 164 in 45 overs, with skipper and Canadian opener Ishwar Maraj, who played with Clarke Road youth team scoring 51. Best of the Clarke Road bowlers were Mahadeo Moonesar who took three wickets for 24 and Mukesh Persad two for 24. Clarke Road made light work of the target, knocking off the runs in just 28 overs. National middle order batsman Gregory Mahabir scored 37 and Kenton Thompson who was later named Man of the Match had an unbeaten 32.

In their second game, against Malton Cricket Club, Clarke Road also won by seven-wickets. Maltons took first strike and were routed for  154 in 37 overs. Persad was top bowler with 4/12. Clarke Road, again led by Mahabir’s unbeaten 67 and Ryerson Bhagoo 41, hustled to 156 for three wickets  in 25 overs. The “Greenbacks” did even better in their third game, winning by eight wickets. Mahabir once again got the topscore 52 retired, and  Bhagoo with 48, led Clarke Road to 172 for two wickets, replying to Toronto Cricket Club’s 170.


Summarised scores: OVERSEAS 164 (45 overs) – I Maraj 51, A Mulla 34, B Ghaness 20, M Moonesar 3/24, M Persad 2/24 vs CLARKE ROAD 165/3 (28 overs) – G Mahabir 37, K Thompson 32 not out, R Bhagoo 30, M Bodoe 23 not out.
MALTONS 154 (37 overs) – R Toppin 42, K Sooknanan 35, L Fyffe 26 not out, D Maxwell 22, M Persad 4/12, M Moonesar 2/26, K Thompson 2/39, D Dasrath 2/15 vs CLARKE ROAD 156/3 (25 overs) – G Mahabir 67 not out, R Bhagoo 41, D Dasrath 17 not out.
TORONTO CC 170 (49 overs) – Z Sukari 41, S Jagai 37, Z Zameer 26, V Seeth 3/23, K Thompson 3/20, M Bodoe 2/17 vs CLARKE ROAD 172/2  – G Mahabir 52 retired, R Bhagoo 48, K Thompson 24 not out.