THE EDITOR: Public servants are probably the only people in this country who pay their income taxes in time and the correct amounts. Thanks to PAYE. I recently did my own investigation into the income tax arena and was left bewildered at the incompetence of the Inland Revenue Department. I am not only speaking about late payments of income tax refunds or the bureaucracy at the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) office.

I am speaking about citizens of this twin island republic and their blatant disregard of taxes especially their non-compliance when it comes to paying income taxes. There are many in our midst who have been cheating the inadequate, antiquated taxing system for decades and the BIR are turning a blind eye. I am sure there are officers being paid to investigate breaches of the nation’s tax laws.

I recently spoke to a businessman whose income is 20 times that of the average public servant, yet he pays less tax. What about small business owners, maxi taxi owners and other professionals who have been evading taxes? These people use all the facilities provided by honest taxpayers! However, we always see people who do not pay taxes, complaining about the lack of services at public institutions eg hospitals. Is that the hand out syndrome that was created by the government? Come on BIR, investigate these unscrupulous persons and get the fraud squad involved.

JOHN MOHAMMED
Lange Park, Chaguanas

THE EDITOR: I wish to remind our government authorities that while billions of dollars are passing through this little island, our beautiful capital continues to go to pieces. The hub of this coutnry is the working class and the pavements of our capital is in dire need of repairs, I mean most of the pavements.

Our city continues to smell very nasty; particularly Broadway. Coming into the city every morning is quite a challenge. While those who can afford expensive cars sit and just get off in front their locations, those who have to taxi it, get off and walk to their destinations and are left to withstand the stink city. What’s going on, who is passing the buck on who here? Then bring CEPEP in Port-of-Spain. Scrub down the streets, use some disinfectant, employ people to do this. About the garbage in the city, all the business people should be in charge of thier own garbage, whether they are vendors or store-keepers. There’s too much garbage in Port-of-Spain. The government should make bsuinessmen in Port-of-Spain responsible for their own garbage. Employ litter wardens; the funds you can generate from the monies the authorities can accrue from fines will pay the litter wardens.

It’s too much. Employ crews to scrub the streets. The government should also get persons whose buildigns remain dirty for years and years to paint them, beautify the place. If not, get CEPEP to white wash the front of the buildigns, the edges of the pavements. I am sure the authorities are aware of how dirty Port-of-Spain is and as a tax-paying citizen I demand to walk on clean streets when I have to go to work becuase I too pay taxes before I get my money at the end of the month. I’m sure every other citizen who walk the streets will agree with me. Also, please, please get these untidy vagrants off the streets, get them off the park benches. If your authorities cannot do it, there are men out there whom you can employ; pay them, let them help you round up the vagrants and place them in an environment where systems can be put in place to care for them. Come on, let’s take care of our people, and of our country. Thanks Mr Manning for paying attention.

CYNTHIA CABRAL
Haleland Park

THE EDITOR: It would be nice if someone at the Minsitry of Health would indicate in a plain and simple manner how citizens over the age of sixty years can access the free health care which came into effect from June 1, 2003.

It would also be a pleasant thing if the names of the doctors and drug stores could be published so that one would not have to go too far to visit a doctor or pharmacy. It is necessary to know what documents to carry to the doctors for quick processing.

THOMAS METCAFFE
Pt Cumana

THE EDITOR: Last November, the Central Bank Governor spoke rejoicingly about the “long period of wage stability and industrial peace” enjoyed by the country. This, he said, had contributed to the country’s economic growth for which he credited trade unions for having “acted very responsibly.”

One month before, however, he was lamenting that this country is too resource rich to have so many living in poverty. The Governor’s comments are worthy of reflection as we move to mark the 66th Anniversary of the 1937 upheavals that began on June 19. According to one commentator, those events “rocked the British Empire to its foundations”. They were led by a labour movement that would not have earned the favourable comments of any Central Bank Governor. Indeed, in the 1930s the labour movement had no use for the kudos of Governors of any kind, nor should such statements be relished today. For what is the value of “wage stability and industrial peace” to the national community when 90 percent of the working population earns less than $4,000 a month, and tens of thousands are unemployed in this resource rich country.

Trinidad and Tobago has the distinction of being the world’s largest exporter of methanol. We are also the largest exporter of ammonia on the planet. This country has been described as the jewel in BP/Amoco International’s crown. So just who benefits from all of this. Certainly not the 22 percent officially defined as living below the pvoerty line. Strangely, an answer has been furnished by an unlikely source. Richard Farah, a local bsuinessman, last year criticised the policy of “allowing powerful foreign corporations sweetheart deals to exploit our petrochemical sector”, resulting in “a few crumbs for the people”. This is quite true. These gloablised energy corporations are reaping 49 times the return that accrues to this country from the exploitation of our own natural resources. It is so bad that even the World Bank, that bastion of imperialism, criticises the low level of taxes levied on these corporations. Just imagine that! Farah went further: “The distribution of wealth is skewed in favour of a select few.” Indeed it is. The incomes of local business magnates make the hefty $70,000 a month received by Petrotrin’s chairman look like pocket change.

In all this there is scarcely a comment from organised labour. No, they have been “acting responsibly.” Fact is, for more than a decade there has been no labour movement in Trinidad and Tobago. I am talking about more than just a few trade unions jealously defending their turf, and negotiating “a little extra” for their bargaining units. I am talking about a serious and necessary challenge to the way the national pie is currently distributed. Today that initiative has passed to, of all people, Arthur Lok Jack! I am talking about resistance to the impending IMF driven assault on pensions; and the mobilisation of the youth who have been hopelessly excluded from participation in the economic system. I am talking about a movement that would unite the employed, unemployed, self-employed, under-employed, atypically employed and the ex-employed — in short, the victims of unfair sharing.

Sixty six years after the glorious achievements of our grandparents, a vacuum exists where there was once a vibrant labour movement. That is why with all the wage stability and industrial peace, the UNDP can now note that in Trinidad and Tobago there are two economies: one of the rich and the other for the poor. Such is the vacuum, that commentary on the condition of the dispossessed now comes from Central Bankers, businessmen and external agencies. In the circumstances, the only proper way to commemorate the events of June 1937 is to build a movement that would continue the unfinished struggle for fair distribution of the national wealth. Such is not a task for trade union leaders who are busy acting responsibly. Instead, this imperative rests with the very victims of this unfair system. It is only when “ordinary people” appreciate that such a movement is their collective responsibility, that the vision of those patriots of 1937 will be realised.

TERRENCE REGIS
Trou Macaque

THE EDITOR: I attended the Baal Vikaas finals and was greatly impressed with the high standard of performance of our children. My congratulations to the children, the teacher, the parents and well wishers who helped in their training and, of course, to the Maha Sabha for creating such a wonderful programme.

Like most things, there is room for improvement and I would like to make a few suggestions.
(1) The toilet block needs to be extended. Two male/female toilets are not enough for the hundreds of people there on those days.
(2) One or two of the officials should be more considerate in the way they talk. It was hurtful to hear the rough and unkind words coming out of some of these pundits who by their profession, faith and religion should be more kind and compassionate.
(3) There should be special prizes for the hard work of the ‘behind-the-screen’  people. For example, I saw a dance by the students of St Helena and was amazed at the choreography. That partiuclar choreographer should be highly praised.

HARRY RAMBHARACK
Penal

THE EDITOR: A very nasty trend has developed in the Primary School National East Zone Competition over the past three years. It is wrong for coaches to ‘mess up’ the dreams of young aspiring athletes.

How can anyone justify the fact that when athletes qualify in every preliminary zonal event, sacrifice time away from school, train hard, and be present at every session, then be ‘simply’ replaced on the day of competition by zonal coaches for another athlete who neither trained nor qualified? This is downright disturbing. These coaches return year after year pretending to care, pretending to coach and, without any regard for the athlete, destroy the child’s dream. This is inexcusable! At the recently held Primary School Nationals at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, a budding athlete’s heart was broken by the very coaches that trained him. For weeks this athlete gave up school time, trained hard in sessions, after having qualified and selected to run this event. On the day in question, he was replaced by another athlete who was neither selected nor trained for the event. This is absurd. Needless to say, the child was devastated. This is wrong!

We have athletes making the international circuit, doing us proud and their dreams were realised and nurtured at this very level — The Primary School Nationals. Are we to allow people who call themselves coaches to act impulsively, cause havoc and ruin the hard work put out by our young aspiring athletes? I think not! The sport of track and field is building but will continue to suffer at the hands of these coaches who favour one athlete over the next, regardless of talent displayed. Come on, this cannot be allowed again. Something must be done to prevent East Zone coaches from playing God, making irresponsible decisions that cause confusion in the zone, and take away any chance for true competition and possible victory. Parents sacrifice time and energy to assist at zonal games, something must be done before it is too late. Let us as parents, well wishers come together to save our child athletes from these vultures.

CLARRIE THOMAS
Arima