THE EDITOR: In Trinidad and Tobago there has been a trend on for the longest time, and I think the relevant authorities need to look seriously into it. I am referring to the manner in which maids or helpers have been treated. Too long have they been trampled upon and paid next to nothing for more work. Many employers are aware that the latest amount to be paid to workers is $8 per hour. Some know but they try to pay what they want and tell you they cannot pay anything more, yet they work you like a beast, without a break, with no time to breathe properly. No matter how much work you do, to them it’s not enough, they are never satisfied. It appears to me that a maid or helper is looked upon as an old piece of mat on which everyone wipes his or her feet day after day. These employers, who are guilty of that behaviour need to realise that maids or helpers are human beings with the same red blood running through their veins, and the same organs and what have you.

Proper treatment must be given to them or they should do their work for themselves. Some employers have grown up as if handicapped in the world. Thank God for the maid or helper who many a day has pulled them out from trouble. Yet no thanks on their lips. Have a heart, it’s people like yourself you are dealing with. They feel hungry, they feel pain, they become ill, and die at times. They need a moment to deep breathe like employers at times. Before one job is through, employers dictate to them ten more, so their brains are always on the go. What kind of brains do they think maids or helpers carry? The computer has the disk on which things are being stored for reference. They expect the maid or helper must not forget but they should remember everything they say to them. Impossible! Some of them want to speak with them and to them as if they are above them. They forget their work depends on the same maid or helper who can be very spiteful if they are not treated right. Many employers in Trinidad and Tobago believe maids or helpers are dogs. They speak to them in an uncouth manner and they in turn must remain quiet and employers alone have the right to speak. They seem to feel too, that they should not defend themselves but abuse the maids or helpers in whatever way and laugh behind their backs and say they must come back became that’s all they depend upon.

I want those employers to know that their foolish way of thinking and reasoning has to come to an end soon. Treat people in the same way you would want to be treated. Stop believing helpers are scrunting and must abide with anything. No way I say! When you give a plate of food, do not behave like there’s a famine in the island. Energy had been put out to do your work, and that human body needs to be revitalised. Employers treat their dogs better than their maids and helpers. Think about it and see if I am making any sense. In this country any number plays. In other countries baby-sitting is a full time job for it entails a lot more than bottle feeding, changing of pampers and bathing etc. Washing and cooking. Ironing and general cleaning are jobs by themselves, here in Trinidad and Tobago; all these are expected of one person and yet a mere pocket change is what their employers hand out. It’s time to stop this foolishness! Some employers expect their maids or helpers to iron form 8 am to 4 pm. Sometimes from 9 am to 3.30 pm and then go out to face the breeze along with the weather which is unpredictable at times.

They remain in their warm houses and watch TV and the car sits idly in the garage. Nobody really cares about nobody these days, that “crap” has to stop. The hours 7 am to 3 pm; 8 am to 4 pm; 9 am to 5 pm are the hours expected on the jobs. Anything going half hour later, you know it’s a problem to pay the extra. Machines break down when overworked, beasts have to chew their cud, who are maids and helpers? Human beings if you please. On Sundays they have to be at home putting their homes in order, some employers want you out to work on the Sabbath. Slavery was abolished years ago by William Wilberforce, but it appears to be the “in thing” again. Come on relevant authorities, wake up and look seriously into this situation. Many are victims of abuse where labour is concerned. Wake up and get employers to know that employees need to be treated right. Check it for without a doubt one of these days a maid or a helper will lose her cool and trip.

SHELLY ANN CAROL OSMOND
Cunupia

THE EDITOR: I Dave Goolcharan of Ortorie Village, Mayaro, father of five receiving public assistance was asleep in my bed on the morning of 08/07/03 around 4.50 am when my wife and I heard pounding at our front window and door. My wife Katiban woke up and peeped through a crease and saw two persons in plain clothes that she recognised along with other men approximately 15 of them. She did not answer because they did not announce their presence. She then started to change her clothes when we heard the front door break down and these persons proceeded into the bedroom when my wife hailed out to them that she was changing her clothes. That’s when one of the men walked in on her flashing the light directly on her saying “I don’t want to know that,” looking at her naked in the room. The men then snatched me out of my bed when one of the men told me “you good to take for a ride and shoot off your two foot.” They took me to the Mayaro Police Station where they questioned me about a stolen boat engine.

I told them that I had nothing to do with that and, one of the officers started to beat me with his hand, pounding and cuffing me all over my neck and shoulder and hitting my head against a steel gate etc. After their shift was changed the other officers on the new shift started to beat on me as well. After great torment and torture for 12 hours they released me around 4 pm. I then went to the Mayaro District Hospital where I had a medical done and was then sent to the Sangre Grande District Hospital to the Radiology Department. Please find attached copies of the Doctor’s medical and referral and prescription. What is this country really coming to? A man can’t even sleep peaceful in his own home? I would like to know if any police officer has the right to enter a person’s home without a valid search warrant and proper announcement. This is now the second brutality and false accusation done to me by the Mayaro police over the past three years, and now I would be seeking legal action.

DAVE GOOLCHARAN
Mayaro

THE EDITOR: Trinidad and Tobago has an obligation to protect all foreign citizens and all foreign diplomatic missions in our country. These rights to protection are however equal to those due to nationals of TT, and are no way greater. Both our nationals and non-national visitors are entitled to the same rights and security under our laws. I have no quarrel with the protection offered Ambassador Austin and the US Embassy by the barriers which have closed off Marli Street. At the same time consideration must be given to TT citizens, and not least to those who have worshipped at the All Saints Church for many years. I have no doubt that Ambassador Austin is embarrassed by the obvious inconvenience which he is causing to the many church goers to All Saints Church, whether for regular weekend services, or for weddings and funerals.

I want to suggest to Prime Minister Manning that he negotiates with Ambassador Austin that he relocated the US Embassy to another site, which will not so inconvenience the citizens of TT, and which could be better secured against terrorist attacks. I envisage a site around the Savannah, where the embassy can be set back safely from the road, and where there can be adequate grounds for protecting the embassy building. The site should not be a corner property to avoid another Marli situation. The US abandoned its new Moscow embassy building when it discovered that it had been bugged. The funding should not be difficult, as US $50 million has just been saved from the US decision to pull back grants from Caribbean countries that did not endorse the US policy toward the International Criminal Court.

MICHAEL  J  WILLIAMS
Maracas

THE EDITOR: Your editorial of today’s Newsday, Friday July 11, 2003 under the headline ‘Chicken men cry foul,” was indeed surprising. The first paragraph is incorrect. At the time that the call for a boycott was made, that is on June 26, 2003, chicken prices had been increasing on a weekly basis, after having been increased from $2.48 in January 2003 to $3.52 in April 2003.

The Consumer Affairs Division, based on their regular monitoring of the situation had been receiving reports from supermarkets and pluck shop owners that producers had been increasing prices on a weekly basis; this fact was widely reported in the media. When the increase occurred in April 2003, the same reasons were given that are now being mooted. At that time the Minister of Legal Affairs called for a meeting with the producers which they failed to attend. Additionally, at the time of that increase, a representative of Nutrimix and an officer of the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Legal Affairs were guests of the TTT morning programme discussing the increase. Therefore, my secretary was quite correct in response to your reporter’s query when she said that I was awaiting a report from the Consumer Affairs division. They were investigating the claims made in an advertisement which appeared in the Trinidad Guardian of July 09, 2003. It would have been highly irresponsible of me as a Minister of the Government to respond to strong allegations about the Government without getting the facts from the various State agencies who were accused by Nutrimix of being responsible for the increase in chicken prices. Having received the report, permit me to set the record straight.

1) PLIPDECO Land Rental
PLIPDECO has indicated that Nutrimix has two five-year leases, one from 1995 and the other in 1997. There is a clause in the terms and conditions of the lease including the rental which states that the lease would be reviewed every five years. The impression given by Nutrimix in the advertisement was that this was a monthly increase.
2) Minimum Wage
There has been 14.3 percent increase in the minimum wage level and this has been effected since January 2003.
It should be noted however that the majority of chicken produced by Nutrimix are contracted out to farmers for which the farmers are paid $1.50 per bird. While it might be acknowledged that the wage bill is effected in the processing of chicken, this factor was not considered in April 2003 as an increased cost.
3) National Gas Company
Natural Gas — Gas price represents less than 1.0 percent of the total operating cost of a poultry processing plant. In addition gas prices have only gone up once for the year in January, yet the chicken price is going up weekly.
4) Electricity
It is misleading to indicate that electricity costs have increased by 9.95 percent when in fact, owing to the downward movement in the exchange rate regime; the net effect of the increase is 1 percent increase per unit of energy and a 4.1 percent increase in the bill paid by Nutrimix from May 2002 to 2003.
5) Grain Prices
The Consumer Affairs Division received information both from the foreign manufacturers and National Flour Mills and the findings were as follows:-
The price of feed increased by 1.3 percent and 1.2 percent in the case of Broiler Starter and Finisher respectively, while the price of corn remained the same, additionally, there were significant decreases in the price of grain, in particular corn 7.3 percent and soyabean meal decreased 4.6 percent, wheat middling increased by 4.3 percent.
NFM’s Ex Mill prices and the freight on board prices for Corn/Soya Meal for the period 2002/2003 were as follows:
Ex Mill Price Corn — 12.6 percent increase and not 25.77 percent as stated by Nutrimix
Ex Mill Price Soya Meal — 4.9 percent increase and not 41.13 percent as stated by Nutrimix
6) Ocean Freight

The Nutrimix advertisement indicated that ocean freight for feed and grain had increased by 51 percent from the corresponding period in June 2002. This claim is supported by a letter from Maple Leaf Foods International indicating same. It should be noted that the letter which indicated a price increase in June 2003 was dated July 04, 2003 after the Minister had asked the question on “what increases in freight.” May I suggest that your newspaper may attempt to contact Mr David Harvey of Maple Leaf International at either 416-480-6420. Facsimile 416-480-6426 (Monday and Friday) or 905-333-2966, Facsimile 905-333-2941 (Tuesday — Thursday), in circumstances where officers of the Consumer Affairs Division have been unable to do so. NFM has indicated that there has been a minimal increase in freight charges over the last year. In any event, I am sure you are aware that Maple Lead International of Canada is not a state agency, nor does the State have any agencies that operate ocean freight liners.

Plastic and Packaging Material and Lubricants
The increase in the cost of these items was one of the reasons why in April, 2003 Nutrimix had adjusted prices. Since April 2003 to the present, there have been no further increases in the cost of plastic and packaging and lubricants, the Government has nothing to do with these costs.

Bread prices
Regarding the bakers it may be interesting to note that when the price of flour was increased, the Minister of Legal Affairs, Consumer Affairs Division had a meeting with the bakers who cited the increase in the price of flour as the reason for higher prices of flour-based products. It is noteworthy that within two weeks of that increase, bread prices went up and the Minister of Legal Affairs gave the undertaking that once wheat prices decreased it would be impressed upon NFM that the consumers should benefit from a concomitant decrease in flour prices, with which NFM agreed. The decrease occurred but there was no resultant decrease in flour based products. In fact the bakers are now citing other reasons for maintaining their prices. It is therefore patently obvious that the Minister’s reaction was not emotional, but based on fact. As Minister of Legal Affairs with responsibility for ensuring the empowerment and protection of consumers, I will continue to advocate on their behalf, particularly when food prices appear to be increasing without justification.

HON CAMILLE
ROBINSON-REGIS MP
Minister of Legal Affairs

THE EDITOR: There is no reason for the PNM to gloat at the results of the recent local elections and together with the UNC should collectively seriously wonder at their relevance in the politics of TT. That all the political parties together could only muster 37.1 percent of the interest of the electorate is cause for concern. One shudders at what percentage of the total potential vote each individual party earned and how do such numbers legitimately reflect the people’s representation. The failure to turn out to vote is one way of letting you know what we think of the utility or otherwise of local government. It implies that local government bodies are of little interest to the masses and a reflection of the political mindset of the parties (most of which have had their turn at government to make them much more meaningful) to wish to dominate all aspects of the countries activities. It would not have been so bad if central government itself was effective and had a good record at local level.

A local government representative in the eyes of most of us is a sinecure, a meaningless appendage to the country’s payroll; with no authority, no genuine responsibilities, can do nothing unless dictated to from above and one wonders what must be their personal mindset to accept such mendicancy. Lest we forget our history, we had a black power uprising when we were ruled by a black government, one possible reason could have been that we felt that we had no voice in how the show was being run. That political philosophy does not seem to have changed since. To my PM, once again we have the benefit of abundant resources (similar to the oil boom days), we are seeing abundant crime and a total disregard for the laws of the country in many other public spheres, in the way we drive, curse publicly, steal, make noise, you name it, we excel. Perhaps we are once again being told something. Are our youths taking matters into their own hands once again, this time in a different and perhaps much more dangerous way? Should we not make a serious and effective effort to at least try to make us all feel relevant to the governance of our beloved country by ensuring that these representatives be seen to be worthy of the efforts of the small group that elected them to office? If only to generate a more lively public interest in our democracy?

Could we hope to see less central and doctor politics, with clearer understanding of the real meaning of the much abused term of “people empowerment” lest we make the same mistake again? Will we once again see our very fortuitous financial good fortune once again take another dose of salts as in the 70’s? Because we have never seen it fit to make an in-depth review of the reasons for the 1970 and 1990 historical events, are we likely to commit the same errors again? The time has come Mr PM to make a genuine effort to make true democracy mean the involvement of all of us in a useful and pragmatic way. One such effort would be to assign significant unbiased responsibilities to this bunch of local government bodies and at least make them earn their keep. Give us people to whom we could turn in matters of direct interest as our representatives and not some hard-to-reach, much too busy politicians, ostensibly engaged in matters for which we see very little returns. Never let it be said that some of us with no political biases but with a genuine interest for the welfare of TT have not attempted to offer some guidelines and exposed our fears at what we see as the potential for downstream disasters. We claim no omnipotence nor total grasp of all that is entailed in assuming the ominous responsibility of running a country, but we can see and feel where we are hurting.

C E BERRIDGE
Port-of-Spain

THE EDITOR: Newsday’s editors are now almost singing hymns of thanksgiving that the Caroni VSEP discord appears over, and with it, to quote, the “alarming trend of rising subsidies”, calling it “sweet change”. Hallelujah, the taxpayer will be saved! I wonder when they will begin singing for a similar display of prudence in governance with regard to CEPEP perhaps. That Mr Manning considered the formation of such an entity, initially to the tune of $44m, a vital necessity immediately prior to the October 02 election during his “honeymoon” (in or out of) Parliament is passing strange. Given that he had finally been forced to return to the polls on October 14, 2002 since there was no other way to obtain new Budget funds one would have thought that at that late stage he would have included it as one of his Manifesto pledges for voter support. He has, however, already indicated that he intends to increase this project to somewhere near the $400m mark!

Seems that we are getting rid of one subsidy to subsidise another — and I don’t think CEPEP’s grass can do anything for tea, except make it bitter and brackish. Matter of fact, it can’t do anything for those seeking real “grass” — or can it? The cavalier attitude of Mr Manning towards the hard working natives of Central Trinidad whilst welcoming them to join his bandwagon is only surpassed by a “free and independent press” who barely question CEPEP expenditure. In answer to Opposition questioning it was recently disclosed in Parliament by Mr Demas that 4,880 persons had been employed in the CEPEP project through 110 “contractors” and that $93.3m had been injected into this project between October 02 and April 03. (Was the cut off date April Fools Day or April 31? ie covering a 6 or 7 month period. If it was April Fools Day it was a good choice). Mr Demas did not mention whether the 4,880 persons he referred to had been employed at all times over the period in question or whether the figure was a cumulative one for the period under review. Did any of the dailies stop to assess the implications of Mr Demas’ disclosure? I did. For what it is worth I will pass it on. Any with better substantiated figures are quite free to refute my findings based on (a) a 6 month period or (b) a 7 month period if his figures covered October 1 2002 to April 30, 2003).

The formula employed for my exercise is quite simple and assumes a constant daily employment figure of 4,880 persons over a 40 hr work week at $8 per hour, which I believe is the minimum wage. (I envisage absolutely no call for “overtime” pay given the unemployment situation Mr Manning is attacking with the programme; they should, therefore, not enter any equation). After deducting wages I allowed a very generous 75 percent of the balance remaining as “expenses” (office expenses and presumably uniforms, brush cutlasses, bags, paint brushes, paint and transport) to arrive at each individual contractor’s profit — which could obviously be much higher. My little mathematical fact find mission revealed that each of the 110 contractors netted conservatively $19,900 per month if Mr Demas’ figures covered a 6 month period or $14,871 if they covered 7 months. A CEPEP worker’s annual wage would be $16,640 according to my calculations whilst the 110 “selected” contractors would be collectively banking profit in excess of $19.6m annually based on figures for 6 months or $26.29m on figures for 7 months or roughly a minimum of one third of the cost of the entire scheme funded by the hapless taxpayer represents profit to the contractors. The administrative costs (and profits) of this programme seem inordinately high. It is generally accepted that many of these 110 contractors are integrally connected with the PNM party, so offended by corruption in high office. To me that grass from the hills sounds equally unsatisfactory in terms of return, to maintaining the 9000 odd Caroni sugar workers being VSEPed and not even offered a chance to be CEPEPed instead! Any comments? (Apart from the sudden increase in murder/kidnap —with an attendant fall in “serious” crime, of course; of which the Government are inordinately proud!)

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain

THE EDITOR: Do we have an Auditor General in this present government administration?The citizens of this country need to hear from this office as to what is happening with our state finances presently! Ministers with specific portfolios are not providing information when asked to do so in Parliament and this is a serious breach of Parliamentary rules and regulations. These Ministers cum Parliamentarians can be disciplined for not reporting the peoples’ business effectively. The Speaker of the House encourages all of this which leads to a breakdown of order in the House and; when citizens see this type of behaviour at the highest levels it encourages transgression of civil rule. The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate are not setting good examples of behaviour and rule of law in their respective jurisdictions, and this is seriously impacting on the thinking general citizenry presently. With all the problems regarding hefty salaries for CEO’s in the public enterprises, reports of corruption within the PNM government and now the movement of millions of dollars throughout CARICOM to help other regional governments, who is guarding the guards?

The citizens of TT have a right to know what projects are being funded regionally, the governments in charge, and the amount of money appropriated to each regional project. The Auditor General is responsible for financial and performance audits of all State agencies, authorities, companies and subsidiaries except, for performance audits of Government Business Enterprises and staff of Members of Parliament. The Auditor General has wide ranging powers including full and free access to State premises and information relevant to an audit and these powers are balanced by strict confidentiality provisions. Why does this country have to rely on Lindquist and other foreign companies to do work relating to fraud control? We certainly do have bright, young professional accountants locally who can do this job without being bought out by political parties! Sound corporate governance means that the Auditor General has a role to play in fraud prevention and control not only in the public sector and to other levels of government but also in the private sector. The Auditor General needs to put in place new and operational policy or guidelines for the Public Service in relation to fraud control immediately and ensure that these guidelines are adhered to. There must be ongoing monitoring of each Ministry’s (and other agencies, departments commissions etc) arrangements for fraud control and reporting on each Ministry’s fraud control arrangements each year in Parliament. The people need to be informed and this is not happening!

DR CHRIS MAHADEO
Port-of-Spain

THE EDITOR: It was interesting to hear a reporter asking the victorious PNM candidate for Manzanilla what he proposed to do about Manzanilla Beach, and if it would be developed in a more meaningful way to attract tourists. The truth is that the Manzanilla Beach referred to is not truly Manzanilla Beach. What is loosely called Manzanilla Beach is really the Cocal, and the Cocal is geographically in the Ward of Nariva. It is true that the Municipal Corporations and Regional Municipalities Ordinance of 1991 shows very vague boundaries on its map, and in fact shows the so-called “Manzanilla Beach” a no-man’s land; but Manzanilla, both a ward and village, geographically, remains Manzanilla, and no part of it can be in Nariva Ward. Does the map show any part of the Cocal in the constituency of Manzanilla? In any case, the Municipal Corporations and Regional Municipalities Ordinance is strictly for administration, and although confusing in the boundaries it sets out, it must not be allowed to alter established geographical boundaries.

A relevant observation: as one goes down from Manzanilla into the Cocal there is a huge Carib Beer sign, with the words: “Manzanilla Beach,” and, as if to compound this error, when one leaves Ortoire, in Mayaro, and is about to cross the bridge into the Cocal, there is another huge Carib Beer sign with the words: “Manzanilla Beach”. One trusts that by this letter the normal, geographical map of Trinidad will be consulted, and these signs removed.

MICHAEL ANTHONY
Port-of-Spain

THE EDITOR: I sincerely hope you will find it convenient to publish this brief reply to Ms Annette Dopwell’s letter (Newsday, July 12). Ms Dopwell uses the tragedy of a single case to remind us of the danger of abortion. She should also remind your readers that an abortion in the first eight weeks of pregnancy is 11-20 times safer than delivery at term under similar medical conditions. Childbirth is actually more hazardous to women than an early abortion. We call for making abortion legal precisely to achieve the oversight and the professional standards Ms Dopwell seeks. As long as abortion remains legal but severely restricted, as it is here, the net result is a clandestine service that exists outside of the Medical Council’s scrutiny. While women with money have access to private physicians, poor women take risks with non-medical providers. We want all women to have equal access to safe services. Every abortion terminates a potential human life. We therefore consider the decision to have an abortion a very serious matter and one in which the woman needs access to the best counsel and medical care possible.

This is not a situation for coercion — whether by a reluctant father, embarrassed parents (to have the abortion) or by rigid religious leaders (to continue the pregnancy). This is a place in which a woman must make her own informed and considered choice. We campaign for a civil law of abortion to create transparency and regulations. We support law reform because we are pro-choice, pro-family and pro-life. We are not, as Ms Dopwell asserts, pro-abortion. We are pro-safe motherhood. And we want every child to be wanted and loved. Finally, we have campaigned for a new law on the basis of (1) the failure of the current law and the public health problem it creates and (2) the social injustice that the criminal law creates between rich and poor women. We have not campaigned for women’s “rights” as Ms Dopwell claims. Every need and every case we have made can be objectively measured.

ASPIRE
Port-of-Spain