THE EDITOR: For most of us, the Bush Administration will go down as lacking in diplomatic and negotiation skills evident by its seeming dogmatism and vivacity in employing military force as a priority in problem solving. While rational minds applaud the eradication of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, global protests and division abound due to the evil tool of war employed for the job. The US-led war on Saddam and his minions is sadly also being waged on innocent Iraqis as civilian fatalities and continued suffering are assured. In an attempt to gain more support for the paradox of an unjust slaughter in the name of peace, the Global Positioning System (GPS) has been incorporated into US/British coalition forces and ratified as integral.

Simply put, the GPS is a constellation of satellites that guide missiles/bombs to their targets with greater precision than in previous wars. This mechanism is intended to maximise the “hits” on military targets while minimising overall destruction and the loss of innocent life by extension. In addition, US platoons are outfitted with GPS receivers as they tell the location of allies, and so, greatly curtail incidences where comrades mistakenly fire at each other. Notwithstanding, the degree of precision is such that a missile has a 50-50 chance of striking its intended target. Moreover, reports also implied that a strike is when a bomb/missile explodes on impacting its intended target or within a 40-ft radius thereof.

Conversely, a missile that explodes outside of the 40 ft radius of its proposed target is regarded as a miss. In other words, five out of every ten bombs dropped would have missed their targets by over 40 feet and likely to obliterate structures unintentionally. The other five bombs considered to be on target could have missed by up to 40 feet, which would have certainly destroyed adjacent buildings. The question now arises of the precision of intelligence personnel in correctly identifying military targets. If their degree of accuracy is as askew as missile guidance, then we could see schools, orphanages, churches and hospitals going up in flames with every other explosion — in the name of peace. I am now forced to wonder if revealing GPS was a botched attempt to have the world believe that Bush’s oligarchy consists of humanitarians. Do we see genuine love for human life being displayed here? Ironically, it appears that the frequent mention of “smart bombs” and precision instruments orchestrated to allay death fears for coalition soldiers and numerous civilians may have had the opposite effect.

Another troubling aspect is the detailed reporting of ammunition and war machinery. Of what significance is it to repeatedly broadcast the type, size, range, capacity and capability of airplanes, aircraft carriers, subs, tanks, missiles, bombs, etc? Some argue that this information is meant to instill fear in the enemy and foster a speedy resolve. Absurd! This arsenal posturing is ostentatious and arrogant and reeks of a hidden agenda. On March 23, coalition soldiers claimed to have seized what weapons inspectors could not find — a huge chemical facility. Surely, for the initiators of war and their supporters this find is a virtual gold mine to merit the carnage. But it is interesting how, prior to this revelation, US authorities were certain that Iraq harboured weapons of mass destruction despite the lack of evidence. And this “intuition”, favoured over supporting evidence, was promoted as the basis for genocide. One can only conclude that the onslaught for Iraq was booked whether or not nuclear or chemical weapons were found. Anti-war activists will tell you that this tragedy is a cocktail of misguided vengeance for September 11, weapons testing and election gimmickry mixed with crude black oil for good measure.

DEXTER J RIGSBY
Mt Lambert

THE EDITOR: This is an open letter to The Hon Patrick Manning, Prime Minister, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Whitehall. The present issue of the restructuring of Caroni (1975) Ltd has become an emotive and divisive issue. As a result, irrelevant and extraneous issues are being introduced by those whose sole purpose is to further their own agendas.

The country stands at a critical juncture, where our colonial past meets our vision for the future. Our future can only be blighted if we do not effectively deal with, confront and put to rest our inherited bogies. Swaha Inc has been involved in multi-lateral discussions with the sole object of resolving this issue in a satisfactory manner, one that takes into consideration the concerns of both the workers and the national community. We firmly believe that this is the only way forward and thus we are prepared to and intend to work towards this end. As a first step, we have extended invitations to both Minister Rahael and Mr Indarsingh to ventilate the issue on our television programme, Swaha. The Minister has responded in the affirmative. We are still awaiting a response from the Union. We further propose that a seminar be held, also in a neutral forum, to discuss and address the concerns of both the workers and the national community.

PANDIT PRAKASH PERSAD PhD MAPE
Chairman
Swaha Inc

The Editor: All indications are that the country is being prepared for a hike in water rates rationalised recently by way of a calculation, in simple math, intended to prove that there is a short fall in WASA’s revenues and the public must make up this shortfall. The algebra of the equation however show a different picture, one in which this shortfall has been caused by successive Governments committing the people of this country to “Interim Operators” and  providers of desalinated water on terms and conditions that have left us all with massive financial debt.

This all began when Government awarded a contract to Severn Trent under an Interim Operating Arrangement (IOA) to, inter alia, provide Industrial Water and thereby free up a significant supply of potable water for domestic use (the now infamous Third Envelope that determined the choice of Preferred Proposer for the IOA was essentially about industrial water). For several reasons Severn Trent never provided the industrial water as contracted (some say they never intended to) although it was the main reason for the IOA award in their favour, and this left the country with an inadequate supply of water to provide for the anticipated needs of industry, most of which was foreign owned and operated.

Severn Trent and Wimpey therefore never delivered on what was the primary reason for the IOA. ie to provide a source of industrial water. Instead, WASA was left with increased debt, an increasing operational cost and an increasing demand for industrial water and consequently an inadequate supply of potable water. Government’s commitments to these industrial users were such that they were the priority — not you and I, the public. In order therefore to satisfy the growing demand of this prioritised group it determined that desalinated water should be looked at as a quick and manageable way of meeting the urgent need for industrial water, or so it was rationalised.

The water gets somewhat murky here (pun intended) but the approach sold to the public was one in which the desalinated water would have been processed and sold to WASA at and in turn this water sold to the industrial users at x + y with they amount, less a small deduction for handling, being profit accruing to WASA. If done this way, instead of letting the industrial users do their own desalination, it would have also meant that WASA kept its industrial base of customers which was, and still is, an invaluable source of revenue.

The approach that was eventually followed and which placed us, the public, in the bamboo was one in which a desalination plant, much larger than what was required to meet the demand for industrial water, was agreed to by Government/WASA. The latter also agreed to purchase all the water not required by the industrial users at a price above that at which water was being sold to domestic users (WASA sells water to domestic users at a cheaper price than it does the same water to industrial users). Because of these arrangements and related expenditures, and other inefficiencies, WASA experienced a significant increase in its operational cost and the proposed rate increase to the public is to cover this increase. In effect we are all now being asked to pay for the blundering and corruption of successive Governments. The real tragedy in all of this is that it appears there is no way out of this deal and we will have to keep paying for this desalinated water even if all our rivers begin to run free with potable water.

How could Government expect the public to continue blindly trusting its judgment?  Does Government really feel justified in asking the public to meet the cost for the supply desalinated water, which is the reason being advanced for the proposed rate increase? Isn’t this story reason enough to insist on integrity, accountability, transparency and most importantly intelligence from our leaders? Are there not many, many more decisions like it? The result of this wheeling, dealing and blundering is that the industrial users got their water and you and I are being called upon to pay for this and also pick up the tab for the wheeling, dealing and blundering of successive Governments. There are two other factors relevant to the argument against any increases in water rates. The first relates to the leakages in the water transmission and distribution system that result in a loss of around 45 percent of our supply. The second is the lack of an independent regime that monitors and measures the performance and efficiency of WASA so as to assure the public that, inter alia, the folly does not persist and that leakages of money do not approximate that of water.

The comedy of errors described above straddled both the parties currently on the scene with the same players still very much present and active and audaciously telling the public that it now has to pay for their folly and/or corruption. Because of this neither has the moral authority to challenge the other so there will be no true representation of the people’s interests from within Government or the Opposition on this issue.  Cabinet, in its esteemed wisdom, made all the decisions that have led to the current crisis and I would say, and most would agree, that Cabinet must be made to find a way to get us out of this crisis in a manner that does not further burden the public. In other words, like we all have to, Cabinet must be made to accept responsibility for its actions.

Eugene A Reynald,
Port-of-Spain

THE EDITOR: I write an “Open Letter” to all the card carrying members of the UNC to call upon their members of Parliament to support the Kidnapping Bill: Demand that the country take precedence over Party.

The Leader of the Opposition preached throughout the length and breadth of this beloved country that the only way the society can move forward was if we were united. Kidnapping affects the entire society and we must stand united against this scourge. The kidnappers are now zeroing in on our children and the UNC must not bargain with the lives of our children. The Kidnapping Bill is not a PNM Bill. It is a Trinidad and Tobago Bill for the protection of the entire society.  Please, UNC supporters stand up for a national cause. Demand that your Party act in the national interests of the country.

ISRAEL B KHAN SC
Attorney-at-Law

THE EDITOR: The Govern-ment of Trinidad and Tobago is right in condemning the attack on Iraq by the Americans and their satellites.

The fact that this attack was not sanctioned by the UN could make it the most unpopular war at the beginning of the 21st century. There is no doubt that Iraqi resistance is no match against American military might backed by the British and other satellites. But does the hurried defeat of Iraq in order to dethrone Saddam Hussein ensure lasting peace in that area? This is the question that has to be considered. The defeat of Iraq which could be a swift one, could hardly be used by the Americans and their satellites to justify the means. The fact is they have set a dangerous precedent by flouting the UN programme in finding a solution to the impasse. Mr Bush must realise that to every unpopular action there is a reaction. And the reaction generated could be multifaceted in areas like worldwide suicide bombing, the invasion of Taiwan by China, the invasion of South Korea by North Korea, the invasion by Russia of one of the neighbouring countries that once comprised the former Soviet Union.

There is the possibility of these events occurring because of the flouting of the UN and its authority by the Americans and their satellites in their quest to paralise Iraq. In the face of recent events, does the UN serve any useful purpose? The UN might as well go the way of the old League of Nations that was installed in 1920 after the First World War, of which Mr David Lloyd George a former Liberal Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1916 to 1922, said, “The League of Nations is stricken with palsy; its voice is feeble”. Now that the UN is rendered “feeble” by American military hegemony, we can only hope that world peace is realised when Iraq is conquered, but of which many people are dubious.

DA COSTA MC DONALD
Pt Fortin

THE EDITOR: I wish to commed Sean Douglas for his very well thought out article in  Sunday’s Newsday — “Wanted: Honesty in the Abor-tion Debate”.

To understand the platform of ASPIRE one needs to understand that it is  affiliated to Planned Parent-hood Federation of America (PPFA) which owns the largest chain of “health” clinics in the United States, 25 percent of which  perform surgical abortions on site. PPFA kills over 130,000 babies via  abortion each year, receiving an income in excess of US$400 million  annually. (PPFA Annual Report 1994-1995) The importation of PPFA’s brand of “health care” for the women of  Trinidad  and Tobago, must be conscientiously and vigilantly opposed by our people. The many religious communities in Trini-dad and Tobago, (not only the Roman  Catholic Church) have put their money where their mouth is!! Religious groups provide homes for pregnant mothers right through to  childbirth and after (the Mary Care Centre in Woodbrook is one such).   Homeless, or abandoned babies are welcomed at Christ Child’s Convalescent  Home run by the Carmelite sisters and at Emmanuel’s Cradle. Just in doing research for this letter, I was amazed at the tremendous  amount of voluntary care provided by our religious communities. 

Eternal  Light Community houses battered women and children at Goshen House; Goshen  Boys’ and Amica Girls’ homes care for abandoned boys and girls, and Vision  of Hope Halfway House in La Brea houses homeless, battered women as well as  a learning centre for children. “Street” boys are welcomed at the Marian  House of Living Waters Community. But much, much more needs to be done.  Parenting needs to be looked at, even  among the middle and upper classes, so that our young Trin-bagonians may be  guided in matters of morals and modesty. Young people are idealistic and  could be easily helped to resist negative peer pressure — but they need our  support. “Leaders” in the media, (print, radio and television) must understand their  responsibility in providing much needed information, education and  entertainment especially to the poor who can ill afford the luxury of travel  and private lessons.

Our advertising agencies must pull up their “creative”  socks and use humour, wit and artistic talent rather than bare skin to sell  their products. And, just as important, our religious leaders believing in the power of the  spoken word, must speak out on the many injustices that exist in the  workplaces of TT; morality in public and private affairs; and encourage our  youth to grow in virtue and provide examples of morally upright living. That ASPIRE can come together with all their academic training and God-given  natural intelligence is a good thing — but that they allow themselves to be  sucked in by the PPFA, becoming just another arm of that organisation, is a  waste of their talents. Trinidad and Tobago needs you, needs your talent,  to work for the true good of all our women and children.

Annette Dopwell,
Glencoe