THE EDITOR: I certainly do not envy my colleague Anand Chatoorgoon today. Having publicly espoused his moral position vis-?-vis the primacy of ‘seniority’ as a criterion for appointment both as Departmental Head and as Hospital Chief of Staff (HCS), his inner conflict at his recent ‘promotion’ must be tumultuous. He has been gifted with this dubious advancement to the chagrin of colleagues more senior than himself.

If his elevation to the post of HCS leaves us in wonder, the manner in which that post was made available is cause for even greater consternation. For here it is that a Permanent Secretary, presumably under advice from his Minister, in contravention to a previous ruling handed down by the COP, issues a demand that a public servant take “compensatory leave” against the latter’s wish. Hitherto, as far as I am aware, all public servants were even debarred from availing themselves of compensatory days. This certainly has no prior precedent. Hence, in response to the whimsical notion that the Chiefs of staff at both major hospitals are harbouring political motives, they are sent on leave illegally. Reminds me of Fidel Castro’s recent response to that country’s opposition party’s objection to his government. Drs Trinidade and Mahabir are “dissidents”.

Back to my friend Anand Chatoorgoon: I have said before, and will perhaps always repeat that man virtually always acts out of enlightened self-interest. Here is a colleague who, through his absolute conviction that “due process” was not followed in the appointment of his colleague in anesthetics, junior to himself, to the post of Head of Department of Anesthesia, actually took the matter to the courts so as to resolve it. Dr Chatoorgoon won! He was appointed Head of the Hospital’s Anesthetic Department! He has publicly heaped vilification on the heads of colleagues during this present impasse. He has invoked the very essence of all his religious fervour and Eastern religious moral suasion in the righteous indignation spewed out at colleagues at Hospital. Money, greed, …these are our motives. Alas, he has forgotten self-exaltation, and the acquisition of honour. Are these not as pernicious as the lust for money? He forgot all too soon that each of us has a “peccatum originale,” an original defect or an inherent ‘weakness’ if you will, that fuels the turbines of our self-interest, that ignites that point of sweet gratification when we think that we have done a ‘good work.’ While he has accused us of being greedy for money, I am given to asking myself whether he might be just as greedy, not for money, but for an exalted position or a place of honour among his peers, If he is, then he should have seen the beam in his own, before showing us the mole in our eyes.

I feel that my friend Anand has been too swiftly caught up in the jubilation of the moment, to the extent that he has failed to reflect on a few sobering if not potentially self-destructive vital issues. First, with the deep sense of dispassion that he extols, I invite him to withdraw into solitude so as to ponder the following:
* Was Austin Trinidade’s expulsion from his post effected in a just and fair manner?
* Does your subsequent appointment to that post Anand, pay tribute to a sense of “fairness” and respect for natural justice?
* Are you happy in your conscience, that your appointment was effected by ‘decree,’ with no opportunity afforded any of your colleagues who are more senior to you?
* Were your words empty and without sincerity, when you publicly admitted that there are senior colleagues who by virtue of the very principle of “seniority,” ought first to be offered the post of Medical Chief of Staff before you?
* Does your religion sanction such an odious offence against justice?
* Does your religion not teach that the Law of God supercedes that of man?

Well Anand, it’s your call! The just man, the hesycast, a truly Holy man might just resolve the issue by having recourse to moral and spiritual principles. In response to the six issues posed above:
* He should refuse this empty promotion since it has been wrought at his brother’s expense, and his brother has done no wrong!
* He would register with those who propose to offer to him this empty chair, his disgust at the thirty pieces of silver they hand to him, in their attempt to buy his soul; for truly, if he accepts their post, he will be forever in their debt!
* he would insist that for his appointment to be meaningful, it must occur through due process; they insult his integrity with such an offensive show of unilateral power.
* He should have regretted his vilification of his colleagues for their greed, and their lust for money and material things; for in relinquishing his newfound post, he would have showed that he is above the seeking of his own self-exaltation.
* All that is just and moral in his religion cries out in disgust I am sure, at the reprehensible display of his earthly masters who lord it over their subjects;
* He would resolve to relinquish the post of Hospital Director and refuse their empty prize, since their ‘regulation’ and legalism do not bind him to obeying a dictate that offends against justice itself.

Had I been in Anand’s pair of shoes, I would certainly know that failure to follow the route outlined above, would render all previous exhortations of acetic principle, nothing but empty hollow words, full of noise but without substance! Further, he would have deprived himself of the moral authority to dispense the duties of that office. I tell you now, that as an individual, I will consider null and void, any directive issued from his office as the post he holds lacks the force of both its legal and moral authority. The ball is in your court Anand!

DR STEVE SMITH
Port-of-Spain

THE EDITOR: This is a response to remarks attributed to the Senator, Professor Ramesh Deosaran, who is said to have demanded that police officers’ bank accounts be investigated to find out if any member of the Police Service is involved in kidnapping or any other type of crime. I find no fault with the Senator’s desire to root out corruption, especially in circumstances which frustrate any attempts to debate legislative solutions, but he should seek a less precipitous route. Make no mistake about it, my comments are not intended to be a brief for those who engage in criminal behaviour. Seekers of justice should not confuse objectivity with pandering.

It would be counterproductive to attempt to eradicate one evil by supplanting an equal or greater one. The Constitution, Chapter 1 Part 1(c), grants “the right of the individual to respect for his private and family life.” It can be argued that, in certain circumstances, individual rights might be subordinated to those of the State but in this case the brush is not broad enough to paint such a mural for the Senator. If it were to be ordered that the bank accounts of members of the Police Service be examined, it would have to be under the theory that all police officers are suspects. Since the Courts are given the responsibility of protecting individual rights under its interpretation of the intent of the Constitution, I think a police officer, not charged with a crime, would have a sustainable lawsuit against the State for invasion of privacy and infringement of rights.

Let us assume, for the purpose of argument, that the Courts uphold the right of the State to examine the bank accounts of all police officers. Such a precedent would open the floodgates for accusations and similar inquiry against other departments. I refrain from suggesting particular groups lest it be construed that there is an accusation inherent in my reference. Of course, politicians will be excluded from the process on the basis that they are not members of the Public Service, neither will they all be presumed to be guilty of corruption, if even it can be proven that one or two are. The call for examination of private banking records would be reasonable if an officer is suspected of a crime, investigations disclose sufficient evidence to make an indictment and a court order is obtained for disclosure to try to substantiate the accusation. There is another aspect that must be recognised. Stupidity is not a prerequisite for illegality. With the amount of money laundering reported by banking authorities, why would it be assumed that all ill-gotten gains will be deposited? Will the absence of unusual bank deposits establish one’s innocence?

The suggestion has been made elsewhere that the Police Service should establish an Internal Affairs Department. I think this is a workable approach to getting rid of bad apples without infringing on individual rights. In New York City with over 30,000 cops, it has proven to be an effective tool. That department also makes it easy for the public to make complaints and give tips without fear of reprisals. For those who would pose the frivolous argument that “police cannot watch police,” they should bear in mind that the majority of people are as honest and law abiding as they. This is an imperfect world and regardless of the profession or walk of life, there will be those who engage in illicit activities.

The enigma facing the Senator, the Police and law abiding citizens is that the particular problems have been identified, there is a common objective to forestall proliferation, however, the solutions have not yet crystallised. It is impossible to fight a war without an army so government must allocate more resources for the battle against crime. There must be a greater police presence everywhere, proportionate to the population and the incidence of crime. I pose one caveat for those who, justifiably, want criminals to be punished. Do not confuse justice with vengeance. In the latter case, there is outcry for the person or persons accused to be found guilty and pay the price based on the notion that “where there is smoke there is fire.” Some of the same people who now demand the heads of all cops are the same ones who take the words of the police as Gospel when their own ends are paramount. There is no doubt that many of the Senator’s suggestions are worthy of serious consideration and, perhaps immediate implementation, but sans unlimited resources it is necessary to prioritise and be guided by the immortal philosophy of Confucius, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

SELWYN P NIMBLETT
Brooklyn NY

THE EDITOR: How many more must die? All you politicians, defence attorneys …please look. Young Regel Seepaul was gunned down in front of his home by someone who previously got off on a murder charge, and had pending firearm charges. You politicians sit in the mighty parliament, and just go at each other day in day out. Mr Manning, are you really sensitive to the crime situation, perhaps not, because Mrs Manning is always escorted by the police special branch, and your children are residing in first world countries getting their education. Mr Panday, calling for constitutional reform is necessary, but a democratic government will never function and survive without a coherent opposition. Your children live in England, don’t they? And finally, all you defence attorneys, does the Hugh Wooding Law school teach ethics? Is it the defence attorney’s job to lie, twist and manipulate to get a judgement in favour of their client? Would someone enlighten us.

LESTER BABOOLAL
England

THE EDITOR: Indian Arrival Day is fast approaching and I would like to applaud the fact of an anniversary. Indians are rah-rahing the fact that they have been here for over a hundred and fifty years.

As a fellow Indian I am severely disappointed in the way the average Indian has evolved. Some can boast of having an education and are in medical and legal fields to name but two. Some say they have migrated and done well and I agree that is so. But can we say the same about the bulk of Trinidadians of Indian descent? I say no. Caroni Limited has provided employment for a large number of the descendants of indentured immigrants and while there are again the exceptions, the majority of them are uneducated. This is especially noteworthy in the rural areas. Some say that the system of education is not geared to conversation and social graces and some say they have to study by themselves with little or no support from teachers or mentors. All that may be so, but the average person has a television set and barring the violent and other contents of the TV, there is speech that can be emulated. There are books to read and if time is spent in reading, eventually the proper construction of sentences stick in one’s head. So really there is no excuse for being underdeveloped and worse yet to be proud of being such. Since speech is the best form of communication, proper speaking can go a long way in improving mentality and actions.

To get back to what we really are celebrating, is it ignorance? Or the fact that we have taken over the dub culture from the Jamaicans? Or the fact that we criticise the crude Carnival mentality of some of our fellow Trinis, but have created a parallel in even cruder chutney singing, replete with wining and jamming? Let us get back to our forefathers who came on the ships from India. Of what types were they? Crude, poor, layabouts with no means of income, some having pending litigations or some coveting others’ spouses. They were glad to come abroad where no one knew them and settle as anything they left like claiming they were. This is our reality and we are only going true to form. No amount of education can change your bloodline and this is being proven over and over again. We can change only by recognising this fact and looking at ourselves in the form of our offspring. Look at our children, there are not enough ‘restaurants and bars’ for them to frequent. They curse and are some of the worst drivers if you look at the accident statistics. Our Indian betis are now seeing themselves as American entertainers and dressing most immodestly, to put it mildly. Is that what we are  proud of?

Indians covet money, land and property. They rant and rave about inequality and racial discrimination, or any subject that takes their fancy, but offer their eyes to be dug out by anyone without protesting. When it is crucial to stand up and be counted as having a meaningful contribution to make on real issues they can be found ‘socialising’ at the bar as if they are all lawyers. That is where some of their most creative ideas are spawned and swallowed with the next glass of booze. Then we have the one who had a few passes in the CXC and pick up a foreign accent to go with that. You can find them announcing on radio and television and really waxing warm on words like ‘lorst’ when they really want to say ‘last’ and ‘pork’ when they want to say ‘park’, to name a few. Some of us are seeing a few dollars in our pockets these days so no one can tell us what to do. We spoil our children rotten, buying cars for them at an early age and feeling proud when they speed out of control on the nation’s roads. We even buy them their drivers’ licences if you know what I mean. So fellow Indians, celebrate by all means if you think you have something to celebrate. Meanwhile I shall go to the beach and marvel at the nature that gives and never asks for anything. I shall also wonder at the sheer stupidity at some people who say they are mature adults and who are really overgrown juveniles instead.

SUE SANKAR
Chaguanas