For the third time this month police officers received an unexpected test in midwifery. Early yesterday, police officers at Gasparillo Police Station helped deliver a baby boy after the aunt of the mother came into the station requesting help.
Earlier this month within two days police officers at both Marabella and St Margaret’s Stations assisted in delivering babies on their respective compounds. The latest episode took place early yesterday morning. The mother of the baby, 33-year-old Sherry-Ann Pascall, of 33 A Esmeralda Road, Williamsville, was being driven to hospital by her aunt Angela Pascall.
However, during the journey the situation became intense and it became apparent that she would give birth before reaching the hospital. Her aunt then quickly drove into the compound of the police station and informed the police officers of the situation. PCs Vinod Sinanan and Haniff Mohammed hastily aided the woman who by this time lay screaming in the back seat of the car which was parked in the yard of the station. The officers were also being talked through the delivery via telephone by EHS personnel .
The EHS Ambulance reached just in time for one of the personnel to cut the umbilical cord. At 5.15 am Pascall gave birth to a boy. Both mother and baby were then taken to the San Fernando General Hospital. The mother of the child spoke to Newsday at the hospital yesterday. The new baby boy is her sixth child. When asked if she would have any more children she responded with a faint grin, “Oh No!” However, she also said, “I’m happy and I feel relieved, I just want to relax.” She said that so far there have been many suggestions for the baby’s name but she is still undecided. The baby weighed 3.68 kilogrammes.
CHAIRMAN of the Chaguaramas Legal Land Owners Association, Augustine Noel, yesterday said the small contingent of persons who had gathered opposite the Chaguaramas Convention Centre were there to reclaim their land.
Speaking with Newsday yesterday morning and in the company of about 15 other persons, Noel said they were also there to lend support to yet another group — members of the Phillip family who are claiming that they are heirs to the land from which their families were relocated in 1941. The families were relocated years ago when the land was leased to the American government for the construction of a naval base. The Phillip family has since claimed that part of the land on which the Chaguaramas Convention Centre was built is theirs, as well as the prime beachfront land opposite the Centre, which is currently used by sea-bathers and food vendors. A member of the Phillip family, Oswald Mahon, told Newsday that they were willing to do whatever they have to do because it is their land.
Questioned as to whether any meetings with government officials had been arranged to sort out the matter, he replied “We have been doing this for the past years, trying to get compensation for the lands.” However, he noted that, “There have been no replies and they are just ignoring us.” The family has been left with no option, but to take the action employed yesterday, he added, which will entail the installation of signs warning trespassers that it is now private property, and possibly fencing. It is still left to be seen whether persons will be prevented from using the beachfront bordering the land, since family members admit that they have not given that much thought. “This is our land, we have been paying the taxes for it and it is rightfully ours,” Mahon declared. Adding that the family always possessed a deed for the land, Mahon said all the taxes were paid off, with the last set of taxes being paid approximately two weeks ago, for 57 acres of land.
Harold Tardieu, a member of the second family who were successful in reclaiming some 300 odd acres of Chaguaramas land which includes Scotland Bay said since the reclamation, they have been planting the land. Stating that they have not yet been subjected to any form of victimisation, Tardieu added that their taxes were paid for one year. Further plans are revolving around “moving back home,” (referring to the land) he revealed. Supporter Dr Ralph Hoyte suggested that the families are not harbouring any thoughts of evicting existing tenants on the land, but said it was only right that if rent was being paid, it should be paid to the rightful land owners, and not the government. In total, there are nine families who are currently claiming Chaguaramas lands whilst other persons are waiting patiently for the outcome, before deciding to pursue any kind of action, claimed Dr Hoyte. Francis Sandy is yet another person who is stating that roughly six acres at Tetron Barracks belong to his family, but a definite course of action is yet to be determined, he added. Following Trinidad and Tobago’s is independence, the lands were returned to the state. Augustine Noel is alleging that the government of the day under the leadership of Dr Eric Williams, claimed to be unaware of any agreements by which the lands should have been returned to the original owners.
THE People’s National Movement (PNM) Government cannot be trusted with the administration of justice and for this reason, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) remains adamant that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) should not be established in Trinidad and Tobago.
In a statement yesterday, the UNC declared: “Given the harsh reality of the past 20 months of PNM misrule and their clear and well-demonstrated propensity for dictatorship, racism, discrimination, political victimisation and for frustrating Constitutional bodies like the Integrity Commission, the flagrant abuse and misuse of State power as was evidenced by the Commissions of Inquiry in the Airport, the EBC and the Biche High School, the harassment of Opposition MPs, the Opposition is of the firm opinion that the PNM cannot be trusted with our justice system.”
The UNC claimed that Prime Minister Patrick Manning supported its view about political interference in the Court’s operations through his contribution on July 24, 1998 as the then Leader of the Opposition. While reiterating its own support for the establishment of the CCJ “as a necessary component for the realisation of a Caribbean Single Market and Economy,” the UNC maintains that the CCJ should not be established until there is widespread public consultation and Government deals with constitutional reform in a comprehensive manner. “Any attempt to remove the Privy Council as the final appellate court of TT must also be subject to wide-ranging debate that involves all the peoples of TT. The removal of the Privy Council constitutes a profound and fundamental rearrangement of the structure of our justice system. Justice is too valuable to the preservation of democracy and civilisation to leave it in the hands of the PNM, Prime Minister Manning and Attorney-General Glenda Morean,” the Opposition declared. On Saturday, Chief Justice of Barbados Sir David Simmons rejected claims from the UNC, the Law Association and former AG Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj that last week’s swearing-in of members of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC) was illegal.
BARATARIA/SAN JUAN MP Dr Fuad Khan yesterday claimed that the People’s National Movement (PNM) controlled San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation (SJLRC) was instituting a “Mugabe style of governance” against East Indian vendors in the constituency.
In a statement, Khan alleged that the SJLRC “has once again engaged in a form of racial discrimination so blatant and so distasteful, it reeks of victimisation and harassment of the crudest form.” According to Khan: “The regional corporation has instructed the police to remove some of the vendors who have been plying their trade on the street outside the San Juan market. “What makes the present situation totally unacceptable is the fact that the regional corporation has been targetting the East Indian vendors for removal whilst allowing non-Indians to continue plying their trade on the streets.” The Opposition MP claimed this was yet another instance of the ruling PNM “providing jobs for friends, family, supporters, so called ‘community leaders’ and members of the underworld.” “The issue at the San Juan market is just another form of this policy of discrimination. It’s just another way of trying to break the backs of the Indians in this country,” Khan declared.
IF TRINIDAD and Tobago farmers and food processors are to create any impact on the United Kingdom Market, they have to meet certain rigid criteria demanded by British businessmen.
This fact was stressed at a seminar, hosted last week by the British Caribbean Chamber of Commerce (BCCC), in collaboration with the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) at the Hilton Trinidad. The seminar was said to be timely, in light of the expansion and the opening of markets under free trade arrangements. It sought to sensitise exporters in the agricultural and food processing industry, as well as offer support for the development of the export trade, for the supermarket industry, organic market, and packaging techniques. Facilitators at the seminar were three British businessmen representing different interests. Dr Jonathan Turner, Anthanasios Mandis and Tim Moruzzi spoke on different subjects, but what they said amounted to telling their audience the same thing — what exactly is needed to get into the UK market.
Topics up for discussion were the United Kingdom retail sector, quality and innovation, product and packaging qualifications, food safety, technical standards, market and consumer trends and label offerings. The consensus was that there is room for Trinidad and Tobago products in the United Kingdom, but it was stressed that consumers in the United Kingdom want to know that the products are safe. The enthusiastic farmers lapped up with gusto all that was said, asking a number of pertinent questions. Chief executive officer at NAMDEVCO, Samaroo Dowlath, said his company had a good programme of agricultural practices. “We will work with farmers who are willing to get into the programme,” he said. He noted that with plans to lease Caroni lands to local farmers, the agricultural picture looked good. He also disclosed that NAMDEVCO now had professional staff in the Quality Assurance Unit.
Meanwhile, in its efforts to facilitate and increase trade both ways between the UK and the Caribbean, the BCCC is soliciting the views of its membership and from companies interested or involved in exporting. These will be forwarded to the Ministry of Trade and Industry in order to maximise the benefits to exporters in international trade negotiations. BCCC members have been given forms to fill out, outlining the products or service in which they do trade. BCCC also wants to know the main difficulties their members encounter in their efforts to export more than they do at present.
Health Minister Colm Imbert said there is no possibility of a “free for all” in the issuing of licences for doctors to practice medicine in TT.
He was responding to an article in last Thursday’s Newsday in which an official of the Medical Board criticised changes to the Medical Board Act for absolving the Panel from any wrong doing with any doctor it licensed. The official said the Act made it possible for ‘friends and family’ to get licensed to practice medicine. Imbert said this allegation is unfounded. Giving a statement last Friday he assured that “there is no possibility” that the Panel can issue licences to ‘friends and family’ because the procedure for registration of doctors by the Panel is clearly defined in the Medical Board (Amendment) Bill 2003.
Imbert said the Panel will only consider applications for registration of doctors when “asked to do so by the Minister of Health when there is a shortage in the public health system.” He has asked the Panel established to issue Special Temporary licences to foreign doctors to consider the applications of six Cuban doctors, who were in the first batch of medical personnel arriving in TT on July 24. He said so far the Panel has not issued any licences. “The Panel is still in the process of doing necessary research work to arrive at a decision,” Imbert said.
THE EDITOR: The perfect solution to the “School Text Book fiasco” that has been going on ever since I went to school, thirty-odd years ago, is first and foremost the standardisation of the textbooks. Face the facts, Mrs Minister of Education, every single child in this Nation will sit the identical exam at the end of their school life, viz SEA and CXC.
Why, therefore, are there so many varying textbooks aimed at sitting the identical exam? The answer has been apparent for years and that is dubious practices on the part of the Ministry of Education and the book writers, manufacturers and sellers. To quote your husband and Prime Minister — “enough is enough!” Upon the standardisation of the school books, every school will be granted the funds necessary to purchase the quantity of textbooks necessary to supply each and every child attending the schools with all of the textbooks required. A reasonable rental fee, (eg $480 = $40 per month), will then be charged that will suit the pockets of each and every parent, of each and every child attending the school, be they poor or rich. Every school will have to open a special bank account that will deal only with the rental of the textbooks. Prior to the beginning of the new academic year, every parent will go to the bank stipulated by the school to which their child attends and pay the full rental fee. They will then receive a receipt from the bank. On the first day of school, the receipts will be presented to the class teachers, who will then deliver to every child the full complement of school textbooks for the year. Parents will only have to purchase the necessary accessories, ie pens, copybooks, etc.
There is absolutely, and I reiterate absolutely, no reason why any textbook should change so drastically every school year to warrant a total replacement of a book. Maths never changes as one and one will always equal two and the same goes for English as a noun will always be the name of any person, place or thing, etc. History is ongoing but unchanging and booklets can be added to the History books rather than the total replacement of the book. I make no apologies to the book writers, manufacturers and sellers as you have made a mint over all these years and it is time to see to the children of this nation. At the end of every academic year, the books will be returned to the school in prime condition. The parents will compensate for the destruction of school-books that were assigned to their children. The schools will have an initial cost outlay but the books will eventually pay for themselves. The rental fees will then generate revenue for the schools who will be responsible for replacement of the books, which are subject to normal wear and tear. This would guarantee equal opportunity to each and every child of this nation to obtain an education and there will be little chance of some of the really intelligent but poor ones falling through the proverbial “cracks.” Shoes and school bags should also be standardised as our children are wearing uniforms to attend school and everything for school should, therefore, be uniform. There is a time and place for everything and school is a place for learning and not seeing who has on the most expensive sneakers. The achievement of the school will now rest equally on the shoulders of the teachers with the co-operation of the children and their parents, as there will no longer be any excuse as to why a child does not have a book. The word “prestige” would now be an adjective that is “earned” not inherited.
ELIZABETH ARCHER
Trinbagonian For Equal Rights for all children
THE EDITOR: Last year, for 40 nights we feted in celebration of what was the 40th anniversary of formal independence. But events over the year since, raise serious questions about the meaningfulness of such extravaganza.
During that time we have had an American diplomat tell us, together with other Caricom countries, to “watch our mouths” when we sought to say our piece about the US invasion of Iraq. In a pretty open threat, Trinidad and Tobago was told that it would be “remembered” for whatever it might say on the matter. We did not say very much afterwards. Not too long after, the US would seek to intimidate us because this country did not agree that they should be above the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. The meek reaction of our leaders to this outrage was to describe it as a minor “disagreement between friends.” On the eve of the grand celebration of our supposed sovereignty, we should not forget that for more than a year now we have had reason to wonder whether we even have sovereignty over Marli Street. These events serve to remind us that on August 31, we may sing the national anthem as loudly as we want, the soil on which it is sung is in Uncle Sam’s backyard. The American stranglehold on our economy is about to be increased with our planned entry into the US dominated Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
The FTAA has been decried as one of the most notorious instruments of colonialism in the 21st century. The controversial “investor-state principle” in its rules grants American corporations a status quo equal to that of the host countries. Generally, these rules will limit the role of governments in protecting the environment and establishing proper labour standards. In so doing they will facilitate the plunder of labour and natural resources by American corporations. All this will be done in profitable collaboration with local businessmen, and in Trinidad and Tobago, patriotism does not exist among our privileged class. Indeed last year, a local business mogul let us know that he and his kind do not “invest money in nationalism.” He uttered this as he fought against efforts to keep Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) ownership local. For him the supreme consideration was the deal, that is the lucrative opportunity to sell TCL shares to the Mexican multinational, Cemex.
Now, guess what? He has now been appointed to play a leading role in the national effort to achieve developed country status by 2020. Under such leadership we would soon develop into a full-fledged colony of the United States. This generation seems indifferent to, if not comfortable with, the state of affairs. For many, considerations of Independence amount to little more than another opportunity to fete down the place. But this is not what those patriots of 1937 had in mind when they raised the demand for “Home Rule.” It is not for this that twelve persons lost their lives in the anti-colonial uprisings that flared in June of that year. In the current conditions of the resurgence of colonialism, what are we doing with their legacy? What would history record of this generation’s effort to further the Independence project: a series of parades and parties?
TERRENCE REGIS
Trou Macaque
THE EDITOR: Oh for the good old days. I call to mind Mr Samaroo of the Red Cross of TT.
When Mr Samaroo was alive we would not have heard of passengers being hungry at Piarco or Crown Point Airports. The Red Cross personnel would have been there serving tea, coffee and sandwiches for our stranded passengers, and also catering for the children. We must remember that returning passengers are at most times leaving with limited funds so that when an emergency arises they are in a financial bind. In the early days, the Red Cross would be on spot to provide refreshment to the fire victims when there were large fires. They are no longer seen. I am appealing to the President of the local Red Cross Society to consider their former role in providing hot meals for people in distress as the food outlets would not do it for obvious reasons.
THOMAS
METCAFFE
Pt Cumana
THE EDITOR: Being on leave from the frustration of the health service, it was amazing to read the sensational and erroneous conjectures on the present situation of extreme overcrowding on the medical wards of San Fernando General Hospital.
It is a known fact that the medical wards of SFGH are always overcrowded. It is a known fact that there is only 40 percent of the required nursing staff, compared to the 80s. It is a known fact that doctors, nurses and other professional staff are heeding the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Team who stated quite clearly that he was not negotiating to retain the services of local professionals for they are free to leave TT whenever they so desire. Presently there has been an influx of patients with viral type symptoms and preliminary blood investigations similar to that of Dengue Fever. No one said that the cases were all confirmed cases of Dengue Fever. All persons who are competently trained in health-care knows that you always prepare for the worst until there are results to the contrary. Results from the Public Health Laboratory take weeks and months. Many patients, despite the free health service, usually offer to pay for analysis of the test privately so as to obtain quicker answers. The option of waiting for weeks, sleeping on the corridor on a bench or if privileged, on a trolley is certainly not inviting.
Results from the Public Health Laboratory are thus not reflective of the epidemiology of Trinidad and Tobago. One must also obtain all data from the numerous private laboratories that have mushroomed due to the failure of the public health service. Why therefore were the various arms of the media highlighting Dengue Fever? Why was the Ministry of Health issuing releases denying increased cases of Dengue Fever? Why was the SWRHA also denying increased cases of Dengue Fever? To date, neither the media, Ministry of Health nor the SWRHA has admitted an increased number of admissions to the SFGH, with a viral type illness. Is the media afraid to show the effects of the overcrowding, with patients on corridors, on benches, on trolleys, etc? What about the Patients Rights and Charter? But seriously, will everyone stick to facts and figures and not be idiotic about statements claiming political motivation?
PHILIP AYOUNG-CHEE FRCS
Port-of-Spain
