N Touch

BWIA must focus on packages

THE EDITOR: Toronto, New York, London, Miami … These cities have been pounded into our heads and made household names here in Trinidad and Tobago by BWIA. This scenario was responsible for BWIA’s collapse. It would be good research to find out why these were the only cities among a few others offered to the public to go to, spend holidays and do business. BWIA has it all wrong and could never survive because they are selling transport and not packages.  What is needed are agreements between BWIA and all hotels, intertwined with agreements with car rental agencies, tour operators, food and beverage suppliers, etc, etc. Basically BWIA should be telling foreigners, “Here is what you will get in Trinidad and Tobago once you travel with BWIA.” Hoteliers will go for the prices BWIA demands for the “package plan” because the hotel industry would be guaranteed sustainable and profitable business.

BWIA will not prosper selling only transport; however, the package plan will not come to fruition because of BWIA’s bureaucratic system. Judging from the past, BWIA’s management will want costly and untimely research, internal meetings after meetings, public meetings and there will be internal jostling for positions. BWIA has already been hijacked by Virgin Airways. and Air Jamaica and they sit by fooling the population and themselves hoping that government will continue to pay their salaries (15 percent reductions et al). Packages not transport is what BWIA should be concentrating on in a meaningful way. This plan could take four months to get off the ground; we will wait and see what is in the cards.

SEAN T
Port-of-Spain

Crime solution: Turn soldiers into policemen

THE EDITOR: National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee’s latest crime initiative raised the ire of the Police Second Division mere seconds after the statement left his lips. The bone of contention is the plan to increase the ranks of the policemen on the beat by 1,000 men. Immediately, those officers who have been facing the fire asked where this manpower was to come from. Coming to Mr Chin Lee’s rescue, Prime Minister Patrick Manning indicated that retired policemen would be brought back into the service via the route of the SRPs (a system which was being phased out just a few months ago). This is supposed to free up officers from desk jobs and put more of them on the beat to combat the runaway crime spree. Somehow we have heard this before. There was once a plan to introduce civilians into the service to perform these desk jobs and free up trained officers. No one knows how far this went and the few civilians who made it into the police stations can tell how grudgingly Trinidad and Tobago police guard their turf.

I have a suggestion which would immediately provide the Prime Minister and Mr Chin Lee with 6,000 additional officers; already highly trained (much better than the police) who are ready and largely under used. It requires a bold step but this must be done. Scrap the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment. This is an expensive army waiting for a war that will never come. Yes they have proven their mettle in 1990 dealing with home grown internal insurrectionists and the like. However, who pray tell are we going to have to defend this country against from external conflict? Grenada? St Vincent, Barbados? Guyana? The greatest threat of external invasion lies with Venezuela. Any military scrap between us and Venezuela will be settled by diplomatic channels and the United Nations peace keeping bodies. We are fooling ourselves with an army which serves no real purpose. Incredibly, now we have the Prime Minister proposing a Navy, further nonsense. Hardly anyone in this country remembers how and why we ended up with an Army in the first place. Yes we are fond of seeing our military men and women in smart uniforms for Independence Day parades, marching to the strains of popular calypsos played to military tempo. We admire them in their grim battle dress as they crisply go about their business of “defending” the country. On close examination one would observe a common thread running through the armed forces of India, Uganda, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and others. The similarities linking these countries is that they are all former British colonies. Hence the drills, uniforms, and traits have been patterned after the British.

How this came about is on account of Lord Earl Mountbatten (a cousin to Queen Elizabeth who was blown up and murdered on his yacht in 1983 by the IRA). He was put in charge of the decolonisation process in the wake of the independence movement which was sweeping the world in the 50s and 60s. (India got independence from Britain in 1948). As a pre-condition for independence, Lord Mountbatten insisted that those seeking independence must first have an army or at least a regiment. He is reported to have bluntly told those leaders including our first Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams, “No army, no independence.” This was the policy and we had to abide by it. With the ongoing crime wave and the criminals becoming more sophisticated, we must consider if we could continue to waste precious resources on an expensive army created on the whim of a long dead British colonial. Common sense should tell us to absorb these valiant men and women into the police service and keep a small core of para military servicemen undergoing the same army training at Chaguaramas. Their purpose would be to deal with the home grown insurrectionists who seem to rear their heads every twenty years or so. Costa Rica disbanded and absorbed their army into their police force long years ago with no ill effects. Indeed they got a better police service. We remember Dame Euginia Charles in Dominica who disbanded her army when they threatened mutiny against her. The military training of our soldiers would serve us well if they are transformed into policemen. Proper stakeouts can then be made at Wallerfield, the Caroni cremation site, Carlsen Field and other remote areas where criminals carry on their nefarious activities day and night. Take this course of action now Messrs Manning and Chin Lee or soon enough you will be announcing another useless crime plan.

MC DONALD JAMES
Port-of-Spain

Where are voices of protest?

THE EDITOR: I was the victim of a robbery last week. I jumped in a maxi taxi at around 4 pm with the intention of attending my evening class at UWI. As I sat in the back, a dreadlocked man en-tered, sat next to me and pulled out a knife. I was petrified! He took my purse, and ordered me to get off the maxi at the next stop because he wanted me to use my bank card to withdraw money from my account. As I got off the maxi, I ran across the road and continued running until I could go no more. I have not even made a report to the police because they have not done anything about two previous burglaries at my home and I have no confidence in them.

This is the third time I have been involved in a robbery in the last year. My family was burgled twice already. When is all this madness going to stop? I am amazed at the silence of the normally loquacious Errol McLeod, Jennifer Baptiste and Hazel Brown! Where are their strident voices of protest in the face of this social decay? I hate to admit it, but these people were far more visible and their voices far more strident when Panday was in power. Our country is rotting from within. Please, Mr McLeod and other leaders, let’s stop playing politics and start objecting to this reign of terror in the name of Mother TT. Having installed the PNM we owe it to ourselves and the nation!

RAYANNE WEBB
Curepe

Insularity must not affect World Cup plans

THE EDITOR: It is ironic that as the West Indies prepares “itself” to host the region’s biggest ever event, sporting or otherwise (the 2007 World Cup), the very team that is “West Indies” may find itself on the brink of extinction! As extreme and radical as this may sound, the possibility unfortunately exists. Who does West Indies cricket belong to? This is an extremely complex question. Does it belong to the players, the regional governments, the WICB itself or the people of the Caribbean? There is no denying it ultimately belongs to the six million odd people living in the region, but we have very little say in how the West Indies team functions and operates. We have ‘thrusted’ this responsibility upon the various regional administrators who collectively make up the executive of the West Indies Cricket Board. This job is generally thankless with many critics waiting for the next mistake. And mistakes there have been many, the most recent being the debacle surrounding the hiring of a new coach, and more recently the election of a new President.

Throughout the 75 years that we have played cricket as “a Test playing Nation” many changes have taken place in the region as we have moved from colonialism to independence. The genesis and growth of the WICB has not always reflected these changes, and has been slow in freeing itself of the colonial shackles. However in all fairness to its credit, the WICB has done a remarkable job in holding the region together, where Caricom and other regional bodies have failed. As we moved further away from the collective struggle to independence in the 50s and 60s, autonomy has bred insularity. And it is this that can ultimately destroy the game in the Caribbean. As we prepare to decide who gets what games for the 2007 World Cup, the decisions can have far reaching repercussions. While we are represented by a common cricket team, that is all we have in common. Our economies compete against each and in this ever difficult global market when we should be working together we seem to be growing further apart. I certainly do not envy whoever is in charge of making the decision of who gets what games for 2007, a decision that should be devoid of political interference, given on merit and suitability, and to a lesser degree on tradition. That is once the traditional venues have upgraded their facilities to meet ICC requirements.

This is the reason why Brian Lara has the most difficult and important job in the region today. No West Indian captain has ever had this type of responsibility, not even the great Sir Frank Worrell. A new and improved, mature Brian Lara has started this task very admirably. I am impressed how quickly he has silenced all his cut throat critics, with some even heaping praise upon our master batsman. He has begun the task of taking us out of the doldrums of perhaps the most difficult period in West Indian cricket history. All this while helping these youngsters to cast aside their insular misgivings and play together as a team. Now if the administrators can get their act together then perhaps West Indies cricket will last beyond 2007. We need transparent constitutional review and perhaps reform of the game and a team that ultimately belongs to us!


DR NIGEL CAMACHO
Port-of-Spain

Footnote to Penny Piece

THE EDITOR: I read with interest the short piece by Ms Julia Starr on the Penny Piece and would like to add a footnote. It is an interesting and elegant understory tree which seemed to prefer the forests of the Northern Range. It was well known in our great-, and grand-parents’ day when it was sold in the markets and cultivated as a fruit tree in the gardens of Port-of-Spain. (cf Marshall, Silviculture of the trees of Trinidad and Tobago, 1932). It is a member of the Sapotaceae family along with kaimet, balata, sapodilla and acoma, to name a few better known relatives. There are two handsome specimens growing by the St Christopher Taxi booth on the Queen’s Park Savannah opposite bpTT, and annually carpet the ground with fruit. Some of the older folks still collect them. The tree was studied some years ago in Chaguaramas by a group from the Imperial College in London.

The name “penny piece” is perhaps a corruption of the French name by which it was known, Pain d’Epice. An Old Acoma still stands to shade the sidewalk beside the entrance to the tennis courts on the Princes’ Ground, a little north of the Museum. I hope this will give Ms Starr an opportunity to connect with a small relic of old Port-of-Spain.


DETTA VAN AARDT-BUCH
Petit Valley

Prompt response by police

THE EDITOR: I wish to publicly thank the officers of the Santa Rosa Police Post for their prompt, courteous and efficient response to my distress call. At 4.15 am on July 23, I heard noises outside my home and noticed a man running across my driveway. I immediately alerted my family and neighbours and then phoned the police. The police responded in about five minutes and conducted a thorough search, to no avail. At a time when the police service is under such public scrutiny, I feel it is my duty as a law-abiding citizen to acknowledge the quick and professional response from these officers. Unfortunately I did not take the names of the officers so that my family and I could thank them publicly.


DAVID SMALL
Santa Rosa Heights

NACTA: Panday is PNM’s biggest asset

An exit poll and post election survey conducted by NACTA has revealed that Basdeo Panday has become the opposition’s biggest liability and stumbling block in a regrouping of the UNC; the poll also shows that Panday is the PNM’s biggest asset in winning elections and unless he exits the political scene quickly, the opposition will have virtually no chance at making a political comeback. The survey was conducted to determine why the electorate voted the way they did, or stayed away from the polls. NACTA interviewed 292 adults — 196 UNC supporters and 96 supporters of varying demographics to obtain their views on politics in the nation as well as to weigh in on why the UNC was humiliated at the polls, and conversely why the PNM was victorious in light of the government’s high disapproval ratings. Interviewed after they cast their ballots, UNC supporters were not enthusiastic about exercising their franchise. Also, in several constituencies, UNC mock poll workers were glum and despondent about the low turnout in the heartland and the large number of UNC activists who crossed over to the PNM.  UNC activists complained that supporters were in a grumpy mood and unwilling to support a tarnished party when they were approached in get-out-the-vote drives on election day. According to findings of the poll, if the PNM is interested in winning elections with ease, then the PNM should do everything in its power to keep Panday as leader of the UNC.  Panday has extremely high negative ratings among the population at large, including among traditional supporters of the UNC, and they are not prepared to put him back in office as Prime Minister. His negative rating is primarily responsible for a significant percentage of UNC supporters staying away from the voting booths, and/or voting for the PNM.

Asked if Panday is a liability to the UNC, 74 percent of UNC supporters answered in the affirmative with many qualifying their response that Panday has become an asset to the PNM. Respondents also indicated that several minions surrounding Panday are a liability to the party as well. Nearly a third of the PNM supporters  evaded the question and the others were almost evenly divided on the issue. Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the PNM over its handling of violent crime, dismal health care, high unemployment, corruption allegations, and other social and economic issues, more voters prefer the PNM over the UNC because they feel it can be trusted more. Ironically, nearly a third of UNC supporters said they trust the PNM more than the UNC on financial matters although they also link elements of the PNM with corruption. Respondents felt that the PNM scored a handsome victory because of the perception of corruption that hangs over the UNC, and the weakness and inability of the opposition to take advantage of the many mistakes of the PNM government. Asked to explain the party’s defeat,  UNC supporters said they were turned off by growing and persistent allegations of corruption leveled against Panday and close friends or allies of the UNC, and are disappointed that Panday has made no effort to address the bank account issue. But although they were critical of Panday because of the perception of corruption, a majority of respondents also said it was unfair for Panday to be singled out for violation of an ethics law which so many officials, including judges, have violated by not declaring their assets.  A majority of respondents feel the anti-corruption law should  be enforced across the board and other officials should also be hauled before the court.

In explaining the UNC’s defeat, a majority of respondents pointed out that Panday was a drag on many good candidates. UNC supporters felt some of the candidates would have been better off had Mr. Panday and his wife, Oma, not campaign in their constituencies. In Tarouba, for example, voters said they have great respect for Dr Mahabir but could not vote for him because of their dislike for Panday and Oma who they said neglected that area when the UNC was in office. Many UNC supporters complained that the party made no serious effort to reform itself or cleanse its image, and were turned off by party spokesmen and campaign speakers whose character is impugned or tainted. Many complained about Panday’s public behaviour, in particular, his loud outbursts against individuals of integrity and his attitude towards certain important bills such as anti-kidnapping and Caribbean Court of Justice; his contradictory stance on a number of important issues has strained the credibility of his supporters. Some of  the respondents said they voted UNC as a protest vote against the PNM although they were also dissatisfied with the leadership of the UNC. Asked to express their view on Panday’s political future, the  overwhelming majority praised Panday for his contributions to the politics of the nation but felt he cannot take the opposition any further and should therefore make way for new leadership. Winston Dookeran, Kelvin Ramnath, Suren Capildeo,  Roodal Moonilal, Kamla Bissessar, Anand Ramlogan, and Bhoe Tewarie’s names were  mentioned as possible successors. Many respondents also said there should be reconciliation between Panday and Ramesh Maharaj to rebuild the party, but PNM supporters are adamantly opposed to any Ramesh-Panday reconciliation; PNM supporters feel Manning should replace Chin Lee with Maharaj as Minister of National Security as they feel he is the only politician who can solve the crime problem.

Respondents also said the UNC should be purged of dead beats and only a few names were mentioned to be retained as candidates for Parliament. UNC supporters say unless there is rapid reform and cleansing of the UNC, there is no political future for the party, or any chance of an opposition alliance unseating the PNM. Respondents predict a snap poll in two years and expect the PNM to sweep the next general elections and pick up four seats to give it a veto-proof majority. PNM supporters and mock poll agents, for the most part, were enthusiastic on election day and attribute the party’s recent victory to good governance, effective campaign strategies and hard work. Some said they voted PNM because they are born PNM while others said they voted for PNM in protest against the UNC leadership, and or because of CEPEP and URP jobs. For the most part, voters remained true to their partisan leanings voting for “their party” as opposed to voting on issues that impact on their lives. Respondents noted that Panday has put up a tough fight in the election in light of the vast amount of resources arrayed against him. They praised Panday as a formidable politician, but UNC supporters  noted that the time has come for him to hang up his boots, or take his people down with him. If Panday stays on much longer, the long term effect on his supporters will be devastating — denying his party a chance to become part of a future government.

UNC unmoved by St Lucian PM

THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) yesterday declared that no Caricom prime minister can force them to budge from their position of no-support for the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Addressing the first in a series of consultations on the CCJ at the Hilton Trinidad on Monday, St Lucia Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony said: “Whatever your views on the establishment of the court, do not think of yourself or your country but of the wider community because in the long run, the CCJ will enhance the access to justice and give persons far greater protection under the law.”

However UNC chairman Wade Mark dismissed the St Lucian PM’s remarks. “That has not influenced us (UNC) in any way. Our position has remained consistent. The party’s position on the CCJ remains unshakeable,” he declared. Mark said before the CCJ could be established “there must be justice in Trinidad and Tobago.”

…Ex SRP among 5 charged with teen kidnappings

SHELDON “Skelly” Lovell is now the country’s most wanted man and is one of three men whom police have issued warrants of arrest for in connection with the July 16 kidnappings of teenagers Yves Ayoung Chee and Benedict Barrette. Police could only identify the other two wanted men as “Gumbo” and “Fruity,” both from Morvant.  They are three of five people whom members of the Anti Kidnapping Squad (AKS) have charged with the teenagers kidnappings. Yesterday, former Special Reserve Police (SRP) officer Reginald Gibson, 34, of Phase 4 Beetham, and Kenny Bonnett, 24, of Eastern Main Road, Laventille, appeared before a Justice of the Peace at the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court charged with a total of four offences. Gibson, who lawmen said used to play football for the police team, and Bonnett, both of whom were arrested by police on Monday, were charged with two counts each of kidnapping Ayoung Chee and Barrette, as well as two counts each of falsely imprisoning them.

The JP refused them bail and they were remanded into police custody to August 8. Charges were laid by AKS officer, Sgt Lynch following extensive work by the department’s head, Sr Supt Gilbert Reyes, acting Supt Henry Millington and Insp Adam Joseph, all of whom were rewarded yesterday with $400 cheques for “painstaking investigations” according to Ann Marie Grant, PRO of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS). While police released a photo of Lovell, 27, they were unable to do the same for “Gumbo” and “Fruity.”  A $25,000 reward has since been put out for the capture of Lovell, who police said lives “all about” but mostly frequents Morvant. During a short speech to the media, National Security Minister Chin Lee described the three wanted men as “top ranking criminals involved in recent high profile kidnappings.”  They are also charged with falsely imprisoning Ayoung Chee and Barrette, who were snatched by men driving a vehicle with a siren at Marli Street. Police sources said the three wanted men are believed to be behind several kidnappings, including that of psychologist Ronald John and Kishore Singh, who later died. However, evidence was lacking and police said no charges could have been made. 

The successes of the police were commended by both Minister Chin Lee and acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs at a media briefing at the Police Administration Building. Chin Lee told the media that over the last few months and intensifying within the last couple of days, the full weight of the AKS and Intelligence Units have been focused on breaking the crime rings that have been responsible for the majority of kidnappings plaguing the country. “This exercise conducted by the combined security services of the Police Service and Defence Force personnel have yielded a major breakthrough,” the Minister said. Chin Lee then speculated that with the major breakthrough, the arrests of other members of crime gangs will be imminent.  He commended the units involved. Snaggs, also in a brief speech, said over the past two weeks the police have increased its efforts to address the crime situation in the country, and that it is imperative that members of the public know of the successes they have made. Several persons were arrested and several searches were carried out, Snaggs said, adding that special emphasis has been placed on crimes involving firearms and ammunition by the Firearms Interdiction Unit. As a result, the top cop said, operational activities were held in several areas throughout Trinidad, particularly, in Northern, Central, Port-of-Spain and Western areas.

Over 17 firearms and more than 400 rounds of ammunition have been seized, the lastest Snaggs said being Monday’s seizure of 211 rounds of ammunition. Snaggs said it was a member of the public who called a police station in the North Eastern Division and provided valuable information which led to the seizure of the 211 rounds of ammunition in Barataria. “These successes are testimony to the growing confidence the public has in the police service,” Snaggs said, adding that there has been an increasing number of calls to police stations, and even a 300 percent increase to Crime Stoppers. Snaggs thanked members of the public and said as a consequence of the resounding work done by police officers, there was a need to reward them. Seven were given $150 for the seizure of compressed marijuana on July 26; 16 were rewarded for dedication and devotion for firearm and ammunition seizure on July 27, while special commendation awards were given to 19 officers, also for firearm and ammunition seizure.

Kuei Tung and others go to the Privy Council

Attorneys representing Brian Kuei Tung and others in the multi-million dollar Airport Authority fraud case, yesterday expressed their discontent with the ruling of the Court of Appeal that a list of all documents and material the State intended to use in the matter not be disclosed. Kuei Tung, former Minister of National Security, Russell Huggins, Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj, Steve Ferguson, John Smith, Renee Pierre and Barbara Gomes are jointly charged with Maritime Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company and Northern Construction Limited (NCL) with conspiring to defraud the Airport Authority of over $19 million by false pretences between July 26 and December 21, 2002. Following lengthy arguments on the issue of disclosure in late January, Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls agreed to an application for the State to make a list of all documents and material they intend to use in the case. The application was however denied when it went before the Court of Appeal. “The ruling of the Court of Appeal is wrong. It is extravagant and it is not in alignment with the process of preliminary inquiries in this country,” exclaimed defence attorney Frank Solomon SC.

He then indicated to the Magistrate that he would be seeking the leave of the Court of Appeal to take the matter before the Privy Council. In a strange twist, Yvette Crooks, the person who originally stood bail for Pierre, made an application for the bail to be revoked due to an unforeseen family circumstance. Mc Nicolls granted the application and revoked bail which was taken on a $540,000 property. Pierre however had another bailor, William Chin, who was prepared to stand her bail. Sources informed Newsday that Pierre, who was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs by police, was released on bail soon after the case was adjourned. Allan Alexander SC, attorney for Kuei Tung and Pierre, was absent, and was represented by Ian Brooks. Mc Nicolls adjourned the matter to October 13.