THE EDITOR: When my husband was planning to buy land and construct a dwelling for his family, there was this institution known as the Town and Country Planning Division where he had to go for approval.

It said that for a building to be constructed next to a highway a direct access cannot be had from the highway and he had to find an alternate access to the house. Furthermore, the house could only be built after fifty feet was left from said highway. That which I relate was in the seventies and I am wondering if all that has changed and it is now possible to go directly into one’s property from the highway.

One day I was passing on the Uriah Butler Highway going south and I saw a huge building owned by a prominent Credit Union which is spreading itself faster than a bush fire in the dry season. I remembered the law which we had to abide by and I wondered how it was that a ramp was erected on the drain leading from the highway, directly into the premises of the Credit Union building on which vehicles could pass. There were vehicles parked on the premises and the gate was wide open so it was obvious that no alternate road was utilised. A little way further on the same Highway, another construction site was being prepared and there the drain leasing from the highway to the property was filled with dirt. Another little way further there was a house nicely fenced with a gate. Distinct road marks were seen from the highway to the gate of the house. I could be wrong in bringing this up, as no one else seems to be bothered.

All kinds of professional and knowledgeable people pass on this highway daily and not a thing is heard of this. I remember not long ago the proprietor of a popular roti shop along the said highway, located not too far from the objects of my observations, was prosecuted by the upholders of the law for having access to the roti shop from the highway. They destroyed his bridge and installed pillars in front of his shop. I would really appreciate your reporters tearing themselves from Laventille and just spending a small amount of time pursuing this query of mine. I am sure if I wrote to the Town and Country division they would ignore my letter since the Credit Union probably has friends there.

SUE SANKAR
Chaguanas

THE EDITOR: It is clear to me that most of our citizens have become so addicted to partisan politics that they are unable to see that both the PNM and the UNC have made mistakes on the one hand and valuable contributions to society on the other and, that fair and objective criticism will help both parties to be objective. If this view is accepted, it will enable constituencies and the public generally to judge the performance of the respective parties on what they have meaningfully brought to the table for them. Political parties must not be allowed to be the sole judge and jury on matters of the public well being.

I always see our politicians as products of our society and in many ways a reflection of our good and bad behaviour, and I often wonder what influence does the constitution have on our political culture and the behaviour of those who govern the country. I see things from the ground and simply tell what I see. So what is the truth about our constitution? The fisrt truth to be established is that the constitution needs reform but, in reality, no sitting Prime Minister of TT will welcome far reaching reforms with open arms when it is likely to curtial the power and influence vested in the holder of that office. In April this year Atotrney General, Glenda Morean, during an interview on a radio talk show, referred to the “Governemnt”, when asked a particular question. One of the two hosts of the programme then indicated that he was not talking about the “Government”, he was referring to the Prime Minister, to which the AG replied: “Well the Prime Minister is the Government.” When I heard the reply, I wondered if it was an unintended admission of the truth.

My concerned view is that our constitution was designed to establish and perpetrate the culture of maximum leadership in Government, that in effect, undermines collective leadership and relations between the people and their elected representative. When the party leader, who has the right to overrule the choice of party groups, selects a candidate to represent a constituency, in reality the person is selected as an arm of the political leader, who may become Prime Minister, and not someone to service a constituency. An MP in a ruling party has no power, all of it is vested in the Prime Minister who approved his/her nomination as a candidate. As it relates to servicing his/her constituency, the Member of Parliament who is given the portfolio by the Prime Minister to act on his behalf is worse off than the Member of Parliament who has none, but they both have the same problem: how do they get funding to meet the needs of the constituents without push coming to shove or the Government looking bad enough, to get the attention of the Prime Minister to approve expenditure?

Give it a study and you will see why many people complain that nothing was done for their constituencies during the term of successive Governments. They do not see their representatives after being elected because the MPs know they cannot put money where their mouths are to back up the promises they make. Did those people in Minister Ken Valley’s constituency, who demonstrated protesting his neglect, believe that he could lose his “level head and common sense” to tell the Prime Minister to forget his plans for the Red House and concentrate on putting in place the $3 million booster station to pump water up the hill for his constituents in Diego Martin Central?

Our constitution also makes it possible for a Prime Minister to use nominated senators at will to manipulate and undermine the elected representatives of the people. Over the many years we have seen favoured senators wielding more power than MPs and very often act as Prime Minister, which to me is undemocratic and insulting to the electorate and elected members of Parliament. The very nature of the Constitution is adversarial. It stimulates tribal politics and offers the opposition in Parliament two options: be a rubber stamp or a toothless watchdog, that can result in the underdevelopment of many constituencies in the country. Another cause for concern is that the provisions in the constitution for the elections of a President of the Republic, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate and the appointment of Attorney General are recipes for allegations of partiality in the exercise of their duties. From the ground, it looks like there will be a cat and mouse game with constitution reform in terms of time and substance, but I am hanging my hopes on a united labour movement, the guardian of democracy, to be in pursuit of a constitution that fully represents the collective conscience of all the people.

WYCLIFFE MORRIS
Former Director of Education
NUGFW

THE EDITOR: I am a prison officer attached to the Golden Grove Prison facility, located in Arouca. I am writing to express my concern about one of the many inhumane conditions that the human prisoners are faced with each day. 

The water tanks are infested with frogs. Yes, amphibians! This is the water that they (the prisoners) are forced to drink, because there is no other source or supply provided for them. This is the water they have to take their baths with. I have seen many of them develop severe skin blemishes, due to the impurity of their water source. They are people too! Not because society judges them for what they have done, what they have failed to do; or what we as the law enforcers think they did they should be treated like animals, or grass. They are human beings just like you and me. Please be these human prisoners voice; let them be heard.

TMC
Arouca

THE EDITOR: The group Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) believes that corruption should be a major issue in this year’s Local Government Elections in Trinidad and Tobago. The time has come for us to change people’s perception that most politicians are dishonest and corrupt.

If a candidate is known to be involved in corruption, he or she should not be allowed to represent his/her community. Public officers must be accountable to the people and should face the full brunt of the law if they are involved in corrupt practices. We must have more honesty and integrity from citizens if we wish to move forward in the new millennium. The fight against corruption must be a priority because it’s spreading at an alarming rate in every sector of our society. Even the present kidnappings are part of the corruption because people want to make huge sums of money instantly without working for it. Employers who pay way below the minimum wage and who collect National Insurance contributions from their workers, but fail to forward these deductions to the National Insurance Board are also part of the corruption. Some of our officials in our schools, churches, community councils and the public sector are totally against transparency and accountability because they are engaged in corrupt practices. My colleagues and I wish to warn that the country and its people are going to suffer tremendously in the future if corruption continues at the present rate. We therefore, must fight corruption by demanding the highest standards from our citizens. Those who steal the nation’s wealth must be brought to justice.

HARRACK BALRAMSINGH
President CBTT
La Romaine

THE EDITOR: Please permit me space in your letters column to sound the trumpet to parents. My article is entitled “Parents of Teenagers”.

Do you know your role and your responsibility? First, I must let you know what type of people teenagers are. Look at the stages of a butterfly and the stages of a human. First the egg, caterpillar, pupa and finally the beautiful butterfly. The human is also egg, child teenager and adult. I can’t say “beautiful” like I said for the butterfly, because we have plenty to examine first. The pupa is neither a caterpillar nor a butterfly; it’s in a state of transformation where it seeks to be a butterfly. So too, our teenager is neither a child nor an adult. He or she seeks to be an adult. Unlike the pupa which stays in one place until it changes into a butterfly, the teenager goes around looking for role models. They become more of what they see than what they hear. So many youth programmes, training centres and education systems are in place to help but we see our youths worse than ever. You want to know why adults? The Bible says in Pro 22-6: “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it”. That word “train” does not mean to get hold of a big stick and beat the child. Train and lead by your example in life. The way you carry yourself and the standard of life you live. If you do not fear God and, as a parent, live by God’s rule, you will regret it. Prov 19-23 tells us that if we fear God we shall have life and be satisfied and will not be visited by evil.

Teenagers need us now more than any other time in their lives. They look and watch what adults do and wait for their time to do it. Many youths are in bars, gambling houses, ghettos or drug dens. Some women dress half naked, advertising alcohol and cigarettes in their hands. How can you say to your child “don’t do so” when you are doing so? Teenagers role model the calypsonians, movie stars, rock and pop stars, many of whom are garbage to their minds. Come on adults, wake up and find your true identity to give to your children. Parents are working so hard, giving their children all that this material world has to offer. Material things cannot make your child. You parents have got to know God first before you can make your teenager into a beautiful adult who will bring no shame to you. The Bible says the rod of correction brings wisdom to a child but a child left to his own brings shame to parents. So watch out parents, if Jesus Christ is not your example of living, then you know why your teenager is in that condition. The Bible said except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. God promises you good children when you obey Him. It is sad to know that parents or schools can’t handle teenagers any more. You know why? You have failed them. Parents turn to God and he shall restore your children. Prov 15-29: The Lord is far from the wicked but He hears the prayers of the righteous. Parents turn to God and he’ll answer your prayers. Teenagers need your love, affection, and guidance more than you know.

DOODOO RAMPERSAD
Rio Claro

THE EDITOR: I beg your indulgence for some space in your newspaper to express my horror at a report in which a senior police officer is calling for greater police presence in schools, as a solution to the problems with indiscipline.

This is a horrible day for this country and the future when an individual in a position of great influence could make a suggestion, to the effect that more policemen should be put in schools. In many of my writings and talks I have said that if we look at our youth as potential criminals we will think of ways to defend ourselves from them. This is a classic case of this view. Put more police in schools because the schools are producing potential criminals. I want this to stop right now. If we look at our youth as potentially productive citizens of this country, we will call for more guidance officers, more social workers, more educational psychologists, and more counselling psychologists. We will organise programmes that will help our youth find purpose in life. We will hire an expert in youth development at our National Library to work specifically at finding relevant and interesting programmes for our young people, instead of banning them from the library. This is indeed a sad and horrible day for this country. Those so called “experts” who are having a permanent “boys’ or girls’ night out,” who travel to other countries and are supposed to look at the successful programmes of those countries, come back and where are the reports? Where are the implementation plans? More police in schools will not work. I hope that the Schools’ Intervention Strategies Team that was set up to look at this will oppose this vehemently. More properly trained guidance officers, social workers, educational psychologists, more counselling psychologists; more non-judgmental, empathic, caring spaces will work. It is proven. In Holland, I know that in 1999 the teenage pregnancy rate was down to point 1 percent, by now it could have been eradicated. I was told that Curacao does not have a problem with HIV infections, because they dealt with it as soon as it came on the scene. There was no denial of the problem. These are Dutch countries. Obviously, they are doing something that we are not doing. I am sure that their suggestion in a situation like this will not be more police in schools.

Come on people, our young people deserve better than this. This move will definitely not help our 20/20 vision. Stop it now. Get thee to an optician. You are becoming legally blind. I am not working my butt off for this country with young people, many times “gratis,” to have them face policemen in schools day in day out. Mr Police Officer and all of you, your 20/20 vision is blurred when it comes to our youth. There are young people out there who are responsible and doing very well. Go to Barataria Senior Comprehensive and see what they have done over the years to be now a school where many people want to send their children. There were problems, yes, but we worked with the problems. Teachers worked hard over the years to bring that school to where it is now. I was one of the first group of teachers, when the school opened. I also worked there as a guidance officer when I returned from my studies, and I know that the students who go there do not deserve a permanent police presence. I attended their graduation last week and that school is going to rival the best. I predict that. I just hope that parents will adamantly object to this. I will repeat here, that there should be a call for more guidance officers, more social workers, more educational psychologists, more counselling psychologists and more of the helping professions that will assist in nurturing the good of our youth, not focus on the bad. Come on guys, give this country and its future a break. Spend the $$$ where they should be spent and save the future, not destroy it. This is why parents, and all the workers in all the unions should be marching. All of us have to care for our youth. Come on TT.

ANNA MARIA MORA MA, M Ed
Founder/Managing Director
The Mariama Children’s
Museum and Teen Turf
Arouca

THE EDITOR: The recent decisions of the Ministry of Agriculture with respect to the sugar industry were not unexpected. Two of these proposals, the buying of cane at the factory and purchasing of cane by sucrose content, display a lack of planning and demonstrate the motives of the State.

Nothing is essentially wrong with the grading of cane by sucrose content. However, before such a move is implemented, the stakeholders should be thoroughly apprised of the operation of the system. One would like to know if each bundle would be individually tested or testing would be done in batches, the latter a process which would unfairly affect some of the farmers who may have good quality canes. One would also like to know if this method was ever successfully implemented elsewhere. In other words, one must be in a position to evaluate accurately this method as opposed to buying canes by weight which is the current method. The purchase of canes in the factory compound instead of at designated stations will be disastrous to smaller farmers and, ultimately, the industry itself. This is because most of them do not have the requisite transport to deliver their canes to the factory and will eventually eliminate them from the production equation. Except perhaps if they sell their canes to larger farmers at prices which will represent a considerable loss. Recently Mr Rahael stated that the new sugar company would be involved only in the grinding of cane and the refining of sugar. It is an established fact that the refining of sugar is a highly skilled operation and requires professional boiler operators. What if these people were retrenched and not taken back to work? The company would be saddled with unskilled labour in a highly technical field thereby threatening its ability to meet its projected quota.

Some years ago, the same administration introduced the grading of rice before it was purchased. There was no apparatus in place for effecting this grading accurately. Consequently many, if not all, the farmers were discouraged and ceased rice production altogether. I was physically present when a lady brought five truckloads of rice at the station at Penal in the mid-eighties. She was turned away because, in the opinion of the purchaser, with only a cursory examination, her rice was deemed grade three. I can never forget the tears that lady shed on that day; it was indeed heartbreaking. This said scenario is set to repeat itself many times over in the cane industry. When a state wishes to subjugate a sector of the community it first renders its people economically debilitated. It seeks out the strength of those targeted and, using all its resources at its disposal, systematically erodes them. This is the stage that the sugar industry and its stakeholders have reached. To strengthen the State’s position there is an edict (I stand corrected), that only the state can refine sugar. The farmers and stakeholders are faced with two choices. One is to cave in and throw in the towel, the next is to do something about it and challenge the State. To my mind one of the many ways to do so is to establish a private company to grind and refine sugar.

The best legal brains should be contracted to explore the ramifications and implications that will follow. Only then with a company rivalling the State’s company then they may be able to go forward. The cocoa and coffee industry, the coconut industry, the rice industry and the citrus industry are all dead and buried, killed by callous State administrations. Sadly, the sugar industry is fast following in that direction. Something has to be done lest the country leans towards socialism. I am just a humble tractor salesman, however, it is disconcerting to see day after day poor farmers coming in and admitting defeat. Their hitherto resilient nature is all but broken. I hope that if this letter is published, it will inspire some people with confidence and courage to initiate something tangible to save the industry. In so doing they would be able to prevent thousands of people, many of them children, from destitution.

K MOHAMMED
La Romaine

THE EDITOR: Before last Sunday (June 29) spiritual things were very low on my list of priorities. But a visit to the Christ Castle Church of Miracle Ministries in Chase Village, Chaguanas, on that date dramatically changed my order of priorities.

A week before my visit to the church, I was reading your newspaper (I just love it! Keep up your factual style of reporting) at my desk in the office. I am an administrative manager. As I looked at the reports on the crime situation and the depth of social and moral decline in our country, I calmly remarked to a colleague standing next to my desk, “This place really need God, yes”. A bit to my amazement, she just shot back, “You mean you need God in your life.” I did not respond at the moment but over the next few days, those words lingered in my mind. I had read “Pentecostal Perspective” on some occasions and had looked at Pastor Cuffie on television. Although I was not into church, I felt basically impressed with his work. I called up two of my in-laws and we visited Christ Castle on Sunday.

At first sight, the splendour of the facility was breathtaking — absolutely gorgeous. It’s truly a great model of what a people of vision can accomplish. The large auditorium was packed with worshippers. There was a heavenly feeling. The fact that I could get “lost in the crowd” made me somewhat comfortable. I didn’t know the songs, but I love music so I enjoyed the singing around me. Pastor Cuffie came out to preach. I was expecting some kind of sermon on hell, fire and brimstone but his topic was “Miracle in the Mind.” I was literally amazed at how he dealt with the power of the mind in influencing human behaviour and faith, from biblical and psychological angles. It was as though he had read my life and was communicating directly to me. I was also taken by the kind of personal attention the pastor gave to the large number of people in the “prayer line” as we made our way to have his blessings. To make a long story short, my life was completely changed that day. God is real and we all need Him.

KELLY DE VIGNES
Curepe