THE National Food Crop Farmers Association (NFFA) yesterday condemned the Curepe Farmers Association (CFA) for saying that it had no problem with being relocated from their present lands at Ramgoolie Trace to make way for the construction of National Housing Authority (NHA) houses there.
NFFA public relations specialist Anderson Morris slammed CFA President Rudolph Noel for “attempting to utilise their positions for personal gains” and “selling out the rest of the farmining community.” Morris claimed that the NFFA was formed in 1974 while the CFA is “an unregistered group”. He further alleged that former CFA vice-president Garvin Thomas was not a United National Congress (UNC) activist and the NFFA was not receiving financial backing from any homeowners in the Valsayn area. Morris added that the CFA never met with Agriculture Minister John Rahael. He vowed that together with the eight farmers from Ramgoolie Trace who have taken their plight to the High Court, the NFFA “will fight on regardless of intimidation and violence and we will win.”
Rahael indicated on Wednesday that he had been meeting with the CFA for the last six weeks and confirmed Noel’s statement that all 20 of the Association’s farmers have agreed to the terms of relocation. Morris is also the public relations officer for Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan and Khan’s Guardian Angels group.
Cabinet yesterday agreed to salary increases for members of the Defence Force, and it also decided to establish and implement a local scholarship scheme for students with disabilities.
Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Christine Kangaloo, speaking at a post-Cabinet news briefing at Whitehall, said that the scholarship would be for the undergraduate programme at the University of the West Indies and would only be available to those persons who meet UWI’s academic entry requirements. Noting that there are approximately 1,500 disabled students between the ages of 17 and 19 in secondary schools, she said many disabled persons are capable of pursuing tertiary education but are denied the opportunity because of funding. She said that the cost of education for a student with a disability was higher than that of a student without a disability because of the additional expenses relating to support services and aid devices.
Public Administration Minister Dr Lenny Saith, who reported on the salary increases for the members of the Defence Force, stated that Cabinet considered and accepted the report of a special committee which looked at this issue. The total cost of implementation of these increases was $85.35 million — $65.16 million for salaries and $20.19 million for allowances, Saith said. These increases cover the period January 2002 to December 2004. The rates of the increases ranged from 10 percent to 15 percent over the three-year period based on the ranking of the officers. Saith said there were also revised rates for the ration allowance and rent allowance which had been increased from $650 and $1,000 to $2,000 and $2,500 respectively. There were also increases for entertainment allowance and uniform allowance. PM Patrick Manning announced that the Cabinet yesterday agreed to the establishment of a committee to engage in round table discussions on race relations at the Prime Minister’s office.
The members are Pearl Entou Springer (Emancipation Support Committee), Selwyn Cudjoe (National Association for the Empowerment of African People), Grafton La Borde (Club L’Ouverture), Sat Maharaj (Maha Sabha), Deokienanan Sharma (National Council of Indian Culture) and Yacoob Ali (Muslim Co-ordinating Council).
THE PRESIDENT of the Industrial Court, Addison Khan assured employers yesterday that the Court’s duty is not to terrorise them, nor workers and trade unions. “It is to resolve disputes between parties – justly and fairly, and in accordance with the requirements of the Industrial Relations Act (IRA),” said Khan.
He was addressing members of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce on the subject: “Understanding the procedures and the presentation of cases at the Industrial Court.” He told employers: “Industrial law is a specialised field and the preparation of cases requires a fair measure of skill. It requires dedication and practice.” Mr Khan made it clear that preparing a case for the Court starts long before a report of a dispute is made to the Minister. “It begins when an employer receives a complaint against a worker. “Thorough investigation of the complaint is required. Written statements should be obtained from all potential witnesses. If disciplinary action is to be taken against a worker, then it is important that the worker be given full particulars of the allegations made against him or her, and most importantly, the worker should be given an opportunity to be heard in his defence, before the disciplinary action is effected,” explained Khan. He said it was regrettable that even though the Court has been in existence since 1965, there are very few practitioners who are competent in presenting cases before it. “Many employers lose their cases because of the lack of preparation and/or improper presentation by their representatives,” observed Khan.
He stressed that the Court could only act on evidence. “If the evidence is not properly presented, the Court can only make an assessment of a case on the basis of the evidence before it.” On the subject of adjournment of cases, Khan said employers should insist that their cases are heard when they are fixed for hearing.“Adjournments cost money. This is particularly important in dismissal cases. “Some employers purposely delay, hoping for some miracle to occur, so that the case may be dropped. “But the longer the time a dismissal case takes to be heard, the more damages the employer will have to pay, if an order of reinstatement, or damages is made against him.” He explained that one of the factors taken into account in assessing damages is length of time the worker has been away from work. Khan also stressed that those who appear before the Court, should be aware of the important judgment given over the years. “To overlook such such judgments is to deprive yourself of one of the most important tools of preparation,” he added. He also told the employers that ILO Conventions provide another useful source of guidance, and these can be obtained from the ILO website. Noting that there is no textbook dealing specifically with Trinidad and Tobago’s Labour Law, Mr Khan said: “This places an additional burden on the industrial relations practitioner.”
THE 40th Mayor of Arima, businessman Eustace Nancis, was yesterday sworn into office at the Arima Town Hall. The Deputy Mayor is Councillor for Arima West, Ricardo Bharath-Hernandez.
Nancis, in his maiden speech as Mayor of the Royal Borough, which celebrates its 115th anniversary this year, vowed to solicit help from everyone, especially Members of Parliament, in addressing several problems plaguing Arima and seek the widest consultation from all stakeholders to improve the borough. He said the most pressing problems were the need for “a new market, administrative complex, an efficient garbage collection system and fixing the Mt Pleasant Road.” Nancis also promised to “serve all to the best of my ability.”
Outgoing Mayor Elvin Edwards, in his thank-you speech, said during his seven-year term, he was disappointed with the “insensitivity of the last Government, the UNC, but we got by.” He expressed confidence that with a PNM-controlled Corpo-ration under a PNM Government, “We expect much for the people of Arima.” The first order of business was the swearing-in of Aldermen Nancis and Gumarpath Lutchie Maharaj, who were elected last Monday. Edwards then entered the Hall, escorted by Cpl Geneive Sandiford, and gave his thank-you speech. Later on, Nancis, with a broad smile on his face, was elected unopposed.
After taking the oath, Nancis was adorned with the Mayoral chain and received his first salute from Cpl Sandiford as Mayor. Bharath was later elected Deputy Mayor, also unopposed. Among those gathered to witness the swearing-in were former Arima Mayor Rose Janniere, Ambassador Pleni-potentiary Jerry Narace, Carib Queen Valentina Medina and her husband, as well as Nancis’s rival for the post, George Hadeed. Nancis’s wife Carol and his children Denia and Dwayne were also present.
Philip Morris International is getting ready to duel West Indian Tobacco Company (WITCO) for a piece of the lucrative smoker’s market.
Phillip Morris’ foray into the local market will be done through the brand, Marlboro, which is expected to be launched soon. Witco’s Managing Director, Anthony Phillip, said his company was, “not afraid of competition, never been.” WITCO is a divison of British American Tobacco (BAT). He said he expected that when Philip Morris launches in TT, the company will comply with the International Marketing Standards it signed with BAT and Japan Tobacco. Cigarettes have come into the market over the years, he said, “but we are confident of the strength of our own brands.” Witco, for instance, he said, does not use persons under 25 in its promotions and since 2001 has put a total ban on radio and television advertising since December 2001. Billboards, he added, are not placed less than 100 metres from schools. “I expect that Philip Morris behave as we have been behaving, in terms of advertising codes,” he said, adding that he hoped people competing against us “respect how we market in TT and behave accordingly.”
On its website, Phillip Morris said that its “ marketing is about encouraging adult smokers to choose our brands. We don’t target children in our marketing: children shouldn’t smoke. But we know some do and that’s why we are supporting youth smoking prevention programmes worldwide. “But marketing cigarettes responsibly,” the company added, “ is about more than youth smoking prevention, although that is a priority issue.” “We’re implementing our policy — to put health warnings on all our packaging and advertising — throughout the world, whether we are required to do so by local laws or not.” Many countries, the global cigarette giant said, already restrict tobacco marketing. “We fully support laws that are designed to reduce children’s exposure to tobacco advertising, yet allow us to keep talking to adult smokers.”
THE GOVERNMENT yesterday announced new and immediate measures to deal with the crime problem, among them being the decision to deploy 1000 additional police officers to patrol the streets of the country. According to National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee, this move will increase the visibility of law enforcement officers throughout Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, there will be a “proliferation of mobile police posts.” Four are already on the way and 20 are in the process of procurement. “You will soon be seeing a greater presence of police with greater levels of instantaneous response to calls for assistance from the public,” the Minister assured.
On the face of it, this new initiative to deploy more policemen on the streets and to set up mobile posts across TT may well have some deterrent effect on criminal activity in the country. As one letter writer to Newsday who had advocated such an increase said, “more policemen on the beat, more eyes on crime.” So the Minister’s announcement should be welcomed by TT’s law-abiding citizens who are now saying that “enough is enough” and, as Mr Chin Lee himself noted, are demanding from the government swift and decisive action. Our reaction to these measures, however much we may want to support them, is to wonder where Mr Chin Lee is going to find 1000 additional policemen almost overnight to augment the street patrols. After all, police officers are professionals who are specially selected and undergo many months of training before they graduate onto the job. Since they cannot be created by the wave of a magic wand, the “additional 1000” officers will then have to be drawn from the present establishment of the Service which employs some 6,000 personnel. And since it is well known that about one third of the “force” are always on leave, that leaves a total of 4000 policemen from whom the “additional 1000” will have to be extracted. When this is done, what, we wonder will be the impact on the manpower of police stations across the country which are already badly understaffed? What the country may now be facing is the fact that even now the Police Service is inadequate in terms of numbers, equipment and mobility. President of the South Chamber of Industry and Commerce Wayne Mose told Newsday on Tuesday that “the police are under-equipped and we need more skilled policemen.”
Mr Mose reflects a view already expressed by former Commissioner Guy when he says that “people are being taught to commit crime with the newest technology, while at the same time the Police are using outdated technology. Therefore we have a problem right away.” The South Chamber President also makes a kindred point to a view we have expressed when he suggests that the use of forensic science and criminology should be more prominent in our fight against crime. Earlier we had argued that while “visibility” may be useful, while increasing police-army patrols may have some deterrent effect, our Police needed to be more penetrative or more “skillful” in terms of gathering intelligence information from the criminal underworld even if it means using bribes, monetary rewards or other inducements. This is a well-known crime-fighting stratagem used by Police personnel all over the world. Former Commission Randolph Burroughs used it effectively to deal with leading criminals and so-called freedom fighters. Also, many will find it strange that in a small country like ours and in a small area such as Laventille, criminal activity, kidnappings and gang warfare could develop into such a murderous affair with the Police remaining apparently mystified as to who are the culprits. What really is going on? Will the additional 1000, if they could be found, help? Let us wait and see.
Like so many issues in this country the discussions surrounding the appointment of a new Commissioner of Police has not surprisingly gone off at a tangent with some bright spark recommending that we get a foreigner. Well, according to our law, the top cop must be a national of Trinidad and Tobago, so let’s stop the foreigner talk immediately.
Of course a government as strong as the PNM is today could change the law but would have to consider the ramifications of such an act. There would be many, believe me. But do we mean to say that of all the thousands of men and women in our police service (incidentally why has no one thought of a woman for the post?) there is none to be found to fit the bill? But to be honest, why anyone would want this job is a mystery to me. Surely it must be the hardest one in the country in this high crime season, even more difficult and certainly more embarrassing than being Opposition Leader in Parliament today. But when the Commissioner of Police speaks one expects to take him seriously.
Nevertheless, there are many contenders for the job including a man by the name of Wayne Hayde who is today in far off East Timor working for the United Nations International Police Commission. The name may not mean much to you but you would certainly recognise it if I tell you that he was a policeman who sang unde the sobriquet “The Watchman.” Remember him? PNM to the bone. Was he not the man who once sang a calypso at a Dimanche Gras in which he suggested that the then Prime Minister, ANR Robinson (who had become very unpopular after cutting public servants pay) should be put in a boat out in the Gulf for the Venezuelans to have some target practice? Do we need such a person as Commissioner of Police, even though at the time the Venezuelans were provoking us by shooting up our fishermen? I do not think so. In fact if we had had a strong Commissioner of Police at that time, Mr. Watchman would have been disciplined for such a suggestion about the head of the government which the police service is supposed to protect.
Others have been calling for a man such as the late Randolph Burroughs. Remember him? I certainly remember the numerous photographs of him in newspapers. He was usually seen armed with a big gun standing over a dead bandit. Apparently like Sherrif Lobo he always got his man. Yet the Scott Drug Report showed another side to this great crime buster. Police insiders have dismissed stories that Burroughs actually used to lead those regular and highly publicised raids. The story is that they were carried out by junior policemen who were called upon to risk their lives. But somehow or the other the media photographers were always tipped off at the right moment and arrived on the scene in time to capture a staged tableau of Burroughs and the dead bandit and of course Burroughs got all the credit for being a super cop. But there are those who saw him not just as police, but also prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner.
Given our horrendous crime situation today there are those who would say yes, we need a man like Burroughs. But we need to think well before we go down that road again which placed so much unchecked power into the hands of one man. What the country needs is a no nonsense man/woman of integrity, a strong man/woman who would not only have the responsibility but the authority to deal with the situation. Such a person would first of all rid the service of the crooked cops who not only protect and consort with criminals but are themselves criminals. He/she would then lead the officers and men into battle against crime, not simply call the media to press conferences, with hand wringing and lamenting the unprecedented level of crime or reeling out statistics that bring no relief to the victims. And who would understand that laws alone are meaningless unless the police do their job from the top down. We require a Police Commissioner with leadership qualities, management know how, detective skills, a person who is fearless with or without a gun and who has the will to take us out of the present disaster.
jstarr@newsday.co.tt
THE EDITOR: We want to suggest that one significant reading of the outcome of the local government election is that the Hindu/Indian constituency has passed judgement on the political leadership of Basdeo Panday. That Indian supporters declined to visit Rienzi Complex on election night, so unlike all previous election nights in the past, is further evidence of this.
Mr Panday’s capture of the All Trinidad Union in 1975 provided the political base to enter politics in the general elections of 1976. In that election he won 12 seats, and over a period of time, with internal schims and alliances, was able to increase this support to 13 seats in 1991 and 17 in 1995.This created the opportunity to enter government with Tobago support. Increasingly, Indians invested their political fortunes in the leadership of Basdeo Panday. The experience of Government in 1995 — 2001, the collapse of his administration largely due to his leadership and personality, his virtual concession of government to ANR Robinson and the PNM in the 18-18 tie in 2001 and outright defeat in 2002, are experiences from which the Hindu/Indian constituency has drawn important lessons about the leadership of Basdeo Panday.
Mr Panday deludes himself even now that it can be business as usual and vigorously pursues this policy of trying to get Hindus and Indians in an “opposition mode” as he put it. He and his members of parliament believe they can retain the Hindu/Indian political base in opposition with the formulas of the past, refusing to account and deal with salient issues pertaining to his leadership and governance. He continues to refuse to face up to and address the issue of corruption and allegations of corruption, especially as it relates to himself and his wife. This issue contributed to the collapse of his government. He failed to deal with the issue of Caroni (1975) Ltd, the sugar industry and agriculture. Initially, it was the working class of Indians of Caroni (1975) Ltd who were the very nucleus of the strength of Basdeo Panday. It is mainly the lower-income Indians who still voted for him in this local government election. Yet these are the people who Mr Panday has betrayed in his failure to restructure Caroni (1975) Ltd.
The Hindu and Indian working class of the sugar belt will not support the PNM for what they have done, but they cannot support Panday for what he has failed to do while in government. The workers are experiencing a reality and glib talk from the UNC cannot alter this. In their mind Mr Panday is no different from the PNM — hence Hindu/Indian political withdrawal. In opposition Mr Panday quite accurately accuses the PNM of racism and discrimination. The use of state resources by the Manning administration in the interest of supporters is so blatant it is impossible to deny. It is now justified on the grounds of ethnic support and with chauvinistic rationalisations. Mr Panday never really built any institution to address the issue of alienation, racism and discrimination, a major grievance raised when in opposition.
In Government he was content with only passing the legislation and not pressing ahead with the establishment of the Equal Opportunity Commi-ssion as a matter of urgency. Did he delude himself that he would be in government for a long time? Hence his cry of racism and discrimination is viewed as opportunistic pragmatism, a political strategy to be used to retain and sustain Hindu/Indian support in opposition but when in power government, ignored completely. He uses a valid issue but he now lacks credibility and is viewed as not genuine and honest. Mr Basdeo Panday thus suffers from an enormous credibility problem. His political legacy can be viewed by these yardsticks. He held a press conference on Monday night after his defeat because there was no crowd to address, a first after an election, reveal this defeat despite the explanation he chooses to give for his predicament. The scene is most revealing: with only a handful of supporters so unlike the past, especially in opposition before 1995, Mr Panday cuts a pathetic figure at Rienzi Complex, the headquarters built by sugar workers who have all been betrayed and VSEP-ed, and which double as UNC headquarters. Only dishonour and disgrace awaits him in the coming months and years if he pursues his ambition of dying with his boots on.
KAMAL PERSAD
The Indian Review
Carapichaima
THE EDITOR: The outcome of the local government election was widely expected and therefore should come as no surprise to anyone. The widely published findings of the NACTA poll and its several follow up tracking polls clearly indicated this trend in the country, the position of the leadership of Mr Manning as compared to Mr Panday and the withdrawal of support from Mr Panday and the UNC in their strongholds.
NACTA findings were constantly referred to by columnists, in editorials and used by political analysts to assess likely outcome in the local election. This undoubtedly was a reason for the leadership of the UNC to direct attacks on NACTA and its co-ordinator Mr Vishnu Bisram. He was not alone. UNC also attacked the views of Dr John La Guerre and Dr Kirk Meighoo on the likely fortunes of the UNC. Thus instead of being the wiser for these views and findings, the UNC choose to kill the messengers. Mr Bisram and NACTA came in for special criticism by Mr Panday and other UNC members of Parliament. His findings were dismissed and all kinds of motives were attributed to him and the poll. Even on election night, Mr Ramnath accused NACTA of having an agenda. It became necessary for NACTA to issue a response to the attacks by the UNC.
NACTA predictions have been proven to be most accurate. I have a report which was made available on Sunday 10 and which was supposed to be carried in the press. It indicated very accurately the outcome of the local government election and the picture in the UNC stronghold. NACTA has been vindicated and the practice of opinion polls has now a secure place in Trinidad political milieu because of NACTA. NACTA went beyond dry figures and sought explanations for the political opinions expressed by the electorate. It was especially revealing on the leadership of Basdeo Panday and the UNC. They need now to revisit these findings in the face of this defeat. Failure to address these findings properly will concretise this decline and one does not need another NACTA poll to indicate the outcome, especially in another general election.
KHASTRA SINGH
Couva
THE EDITOR: Our religion of Islam came to give hope and guidance and salvation to sinful mankind. Somehow, we have lost the understanding of its purpose, and rather than seeking out the consolations and assurances which Allah has bestowed through it, we have come to use it as the yardstick to measure the worth of men and to predetermine who shall fill the ranks of hell and be fuel for the fire.
Each of us in our heart knows our deepest sins and failings, our dark desires and urgings. We are all common frail humankind, and all the sins of our forebears are potentially in us and some of us may falter more publicly than others. We do not need anyone to reveal our sins, nor to tell us the truth of ourselves. We need to be reminded that our sinfulness is not unique to ourselves and that with exertion and perseverance we may overcome the pitfalls that were created for man’s abasement. We also need to be aware of that which incurs sin, so we need to know the laws that govern our behavioural patterns. But most of all, we desperately need to know of those things which will nullify our sins of commission and omission, so that even though we may have sinned in human weakness, we may escape the wrath of the Divine Master when we stand before Him on the day of fearful standing.
There are many guidelines to be washed clean of our sins and to escape its consequence which the Quran provides. The lessons are there and these are the lessons which this series seeks to bring forth in sermons of hope. Recall that no sin is greater than Allah’s Mercy. Bearing in mind that at all times, we should repent for all of our sins, even for our repeated sins, hope is given to us in explicit terms. Sura 4:147 states with amazing Grace: “What concern does Allah have for your punishment if you are thankful and believe? Allah is ever Responsive, Aware.” Ponder well these soothing words of hope and forgiveness. Let us practice and exhibit gratitude to Allah for His kindness to us by being submitters to His Divine Will with less complaining and remonstrating and more exertion in His Way. And may He have mercy on us all.
M F RAHMAN
Chaguanas
