POINT FORTIN MP and labour Minister Larry Achong said yesterday accused Atlantic LNG of acting “in a most irresponsible way”.
Achong , who spoke to reporters after the 43rd Annual General Meeting of the Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) at the Trinidad Hilton, was questioned about the status of the sea wall at Clifton Hill Beach. “The people of Point have every right to be upset about a number of issues,” he said, identifying employment practices at Bechtel as a major concern. He claimed Atlantic LNG had “deprived the people of Trinidad of one of the premium beaches in South”. “As far as I am concerned, they have been extremely poor corporate citizens and they must rectify that, not by talking a lot of nonsense, but by doing the correct thing,” Achong said.
They can start restoring the beach, he suggested, in addition to preventing further erosion of the coastline. He urged officials of the company to look into health problems being experienced by residents near the plant. Achong said he could not understand how a plant handling Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) had “thick, black fumes coming out of its flare”. “We are giving LNG all the time to show that they are not just interested in coming here and making money,” he said.
LABOUR MINISTER Larry Achong yesterday warned members of the Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) and the Chamber of Commerce to “be a little more careful” in their comments about the proposed minimum wage for the heavy construction sector.
When he addressed the ECA’s Annual General Meeting at the Trinidad Hilton, Achong sought to allay the fears about Government acting irresponsibly in the matter. Achong said claims that he had not adequately consulted with business groups on the minimum wage were not accurate. “If the ECA said that, then the ECA is not being entirely correct because their representative on the minimum wages board voted for the $1 increase,” he said. Achong explained that Dr Ralph Henry had been commissioned to do a study to determine if the $7 minimum wage had affected the country in a negative way. He said the findings revealed that unemployment levels had dropped, so the fear that people would lose their jobs “was not a real fear”.
Between 1999 and 2003, the cost of living increased and “we felt that the time was correct to give that $1 increase”, Achong said. With regards to the Occupational Health and Safety Bill which will soon be brought before Parliament, the Minister explained that it is designed to protect persons in the work place and “goes way beyond what we have at present in terms of workers’ protection”. It would ensure that workers were comfortable and safe in a working “If we are to achieve developed country status by 2020,” Achong said, “it was absolutely necessary to have the legislation to protect our workers”.
“DON’T WORRY mom, I’ve made peace with my master.” These were the dying words of Marvin Jeremiah Lee moments before he passed away at the Arima Health Facility of pneumonia on Sunday morning.
Lee, the former national Under-20 football captain, was laid to rest at the Tunapuna Cemetery following a two-and-a-half hour long open-air ceremony at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya yesterday. Sports Minister Roger Boynes, in his address to the gathering estimated at 2,000, revealed Lee’s final statement while he (Boynes) spoke at length about Lee’s influence in sport in Trinidad and Tobago.
The 21-year-old was paralysed from the neck down after sustaining an injury on March 20, 2001 during a CONCACAF Under-20 World Cup qualifier against the United States, also at the Centre of Excellence. Those gathered under the stands were touched by the strength of Lee’s mother Dawn throughout the service, who indicated that she “thanked God for his accident because my life has now changed.” “I’m not sad, I’m glad,” she continued, adding that “Marvin never complained about his injury and never blamed anyone.” At the conclusion of her five-minute testimony she noted, “thank you, Marvin. You’ve taught me to be patient, to love, to be humble. May your soul rest in peace, until we meet again.”
Conducting the service were Pastor Peter Regis and Pastor Marlon Alvarez of the New Beginning Ministries in Wallerfield, who highlighted Lee’s willingness to become a Christian following his ill-fated injury and his desire to be an influence for all around him. Among the many dignitaries in attendance were president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) Oliver Camps, national football team technical director Hannibal Najjar and assistant Anthony Barrington, Arima Mayor Elvin Edwards, Culture and Tourism Minister Pennelope Beckles and deputy Eddie Hart, Senator Arnim Smith and former Government Minister Roy Augustus.
Also present were members of the various national teams, including those who played with Lee during the 2001 tournament, members of the Defence Force and Joe Public youth teams, students of Belmont Junior and Tranquillity Government Secondary Schools (his alma maters) and members of the TTFF, as well as Nkosi Blackman, the former national Under-17 striker who has fully recovered from head injuries which he suffered as a result of a fatal vehicular accident in Point Fortin on Carnival Sunday 2002. Lee leaves to mourn his mother Dawn, 15-year-old sister Mesa and eight-year-old brother Miguel.
“WE ARE here to serve, and what we want is for the Government to listen to us and make a statement to not legalise abortion.’” So said Violet D’Ornellas, moderator of the Emmanuel Community. The organisation is currently holding a three-day vigil of praying and fasting for the nation at Woodford Square in Port-of-Spain.
This follows the recent visit of representatives of Human Life International (HTL) and a pro-life march, both of which the Community facilitated. “Basically we are here to pray and fast. When a nation goes against the laws of God and human nature, we know the end results — violence. Given, there are circumstances which can frighten a mother, but for her to kill her baby as a way to get out of her ‘problem’, we propose to do what we already offer at the Centre since 1986.” The Centre operates a home for children and a pregnancy crisis centre, offering assistance where needed. “What we are saying [to pregnant people] is come. If you have a problem, you’re afraid or you don’t have a home, you need money for clothes, whatever, we would help you. Most young mothers need this support.”
D’Ornellas acknowledged that a lot of people are not aware of the service the Community offers, but maintained that more babies will be saved if people realise there are alternatives to abortion. “This is what Government should be doing, providing care, attention, support and alternatives. Another thing which we are against is foreign bodies funding groups in Trinidad and Tobago who are pushing for the legalisation of abortion for their own ends. We find that our children in Trinidad and Tobago are our children, and they are precious.” She recounted HTL’s visit where they revealed what happened in the US over the last 30 years with abortion. “Can you imagine that 43 million babies have been killed? This is what we are opening our doors to. In Barbados, the minute they legalised abortion, I know personally of one schoolgirl that had six abortions! What are we doing? Don’t we have any responsibility for life which God has given us on earth? This is not a religious thing, but human life is holy,” she said.
“Abortions harm women. Physically, she may never have another child. Did you know that having an abortion increases the risk of breast cancer by 50 percent? Mentally, she will never forget that child. “Psychologically the effects of post-abortion trauma, a very real, depressing condition. The woman cannot forgive herself, neither can she believe that God can do the same. That guilt and shame is there and she may become abusive to the children she may have, and so it carries on. They are damaged physically, emotionally and spiritually.”
THE EDITOR: Limited overs cricket is farcical. If the WICB looked to change captains every time the WI team failed in a limited overs tournament, we would have no captains left.
Statistics would show that the WI’s fortunes in limited overs cricket has been in steady decline since Sir Vivian Richards was captain.
The WI players do not play enough of the shorter version of the game to master all of the subtleties and, more importantly, to learn how to read the game. Case in point is the way Chanderpaul ended his innings against Sri Lanka as compared to Michael Bevan batting through to be not out against England!
At the time Hooper was appointed, the WICB was searching for a captain that could communicate with and command respect from and who had a precedent of success with young players, and who could also lead with dignity and humanity. Carl Hooper fitted and still fits that description. This is why Sir Vivian is so adamant that Hooper would have succeeded only when this team turned the corner. He must be allowed to make that contribution.
Shane Kissoon
Candice Gardens
Saddle Road,
San Juan.
The Editor: I wonder what age Mr Kelvin Ramnath is living in? It certainly is not the 21st century. Does he believe that he is the new leader of the UNC? Does he believe that he is such a big man he can lead the walkout of the UNC in Parliament? Would he dare do so, even think about it if Mr Panday was in the country? I doubt it.
Now I see he has announced that he intends to shut down Central and South Trinidad in the case of the Caroni issue. Has the UNC given him the authority to make such an announcement? Which businessman, which taxi driver, which street vendor is going to take orders from Mr Ramnath to shut down his business and lose money? Which school is going to close because Mr Ramnath says so? Perhaps Mr Ramnath should take out his calendar and look at the date on it — March 2003. This is not 20, 30, 40 or 50 years ago when the people of Central and South were so poor they could not even buy shoes. All that has changed.
The people of Central and South have established themselves in business and the professions and understand more than any other group in the country the importance of sending their children to be educated so that they can succeed in life. Closing their business and losing sales and profits is not an option just to please politicians. Keeping their children from school because stupid people like Ramnath say so, is also not an option. Mr Ramnath seems to have forgotten what was his fate when he tried to play man against Basdeo Panday. He obviously is a glutton for punishment. Mr Panday will deal with him because even if Mr Panday wants to shut down Central and South, Mr Panday is the one to call for it. Not wannabee Ramnath
G R SINGH
Couva
THE EDITOR: I wish someone competent would sit down and write a concise, analytical political history of, give or take a year or two, the nineteen nineties in TT!
From the breakup, disintegration and demise of the NAR’s single administration to that of the UNC’s second. The causes and reasons, the lies, half-truths and innuendos revealed and displayed under the full glare and clear focus of unbiased scholarship. The players put under the microscope, their words and actions examined with pure objectivity (and minimum charity!) What a lesson could be learned! Well, might be learned … we have to understand there are lifetimes of bias and prejudice (and racism) to overcome, persuade and convince, but, still an exercise worthy of the attempt! We might see ourselves more clearly.
GEOFF HUDSON
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: Nothing surprises me under this current PNM administration. Manning is living true to his calling of being the “father of the nation.” Removing the parliament from Red House makes sense since he will be changing the history of the nation. This will give credibility to Manning’s claim of being the “father of the nation.”
I still remember looking at television footage of the Union Jack being replaced at midnight by the Trinidad and Tobago flag on August 31, 1962. A young nation was born, the Red House figured prominently in the berthing of this nation. It was indeed the highest point of national pride. Mighty Sparrow’s song “Indians and Negroes unite” signified the importance of this occasion.
For the first time in our collective history the sons and daughters of former slaves and indentured labourers could sit down at the table of brotherhood and forge a united future together. We still struggle with the essence of this freedom, but it is ours to decide. We can succeed or fail but it will be our success or failure. The colonial chains were removed at this historically significant place. The Red House symbolises our democracy removing parliament from there will mean the removal of our democratic history and will lead to the creation of new history. I believe that consultation would be the better route for the current administration to follow. Cabinets come and go, but history remains. Certainly, there may be a need for improvement in the Red House, this can be done without having to remove it.
KHEM HARRINARINE
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: To claim a divine, or any other, right to occupy an already occupied land on the basis of an old book and religion, or on any other basis, is a height of absurdity and arrogance. To subsequently deny that one is conducting wars and defenses of colonial occupation and expansion is a height of mendacity and demonstrates a profound lack of intellectual and moral integrity, as does the constant depiction and portrayal of the victims of desperate, bloody retaliators as the instigators and perpetrators of the whole hideous, nasty and tragic mess.
These are the facts that are a significant, justified and undeniable cause of much Muslim anger and hostility towards Israel, its Western allies and others and will continue to be so until honesty and some semblance of justice prevails. Addressing such root causes would be a far more effective and felicitous way of spending the vast amounts of money, efforts and resources directed at the various wars on terror. Of course such colonial arrogance, brutalities and mendacities are nothing new as the existence, denials, recalcitrance and ignorance of Australia and other newer nations demonstrate. Contemporarily, however, they place Israel in such company as India, China, Russia, Sudan, Iraq, Turkey, Indonesia, USA, Guatemala and others. Definitely not very honest, enlightened or developed company.
JOHN FINCH
22 Staley St
Brunswick, 3056, Australia
THE stadium where Marvin Lee received his crippling injury, the football field at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya, Tunapuna, will be renamed in his honour.
FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF boss Austin Jack Warner made this disclosure during the funeral service of the 21-year-old Lee at the Centre of Excellence yesterday. The former Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 football captain passed away at the Arima Health Facility on Sunday morning following a bout of pneumonia. Warner received lusty applause from the gathering when he said, “this venue is called the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence but there is no name for the stadium that we play on. From today, this is going to change.”
The prominent administator revealed that, since there is no cemetery designated for national heroes, the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation gave the family “a plot of land where he (Lee) can be buried” at the Tunapuna Cemetery. His grave will be covered with a tombstone “that will mystify you.” Warner footed the bill for Lee’s funeral as well as his medical care at the St Clair Medical Hospital, the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and at his (Lee’s) Santa Rosa, Arima residence following his injury sustained after a collision with American striker Landon Donovan during a CONCACAF Under-20 World Cup qualifier at the Macoya venue on March 20, 2001.
A tearful Warner told Lee’s mother Dawn Warrick that she will become the newest employee at the Warner Group of Companies “working directly under me.” At Warner’s request, Warrick left her job at the Mt Hope Hospital to attend to Lee’s needs full-time. Turning his attention to the large number of current national footballers in attendance, Warner, who learnt about Lee’s death while in New York following a FIFA meeting in Tripoli, Libya, said, “There is no fear in representing our country. “There will not always be a Jack Warner to make things happen for you, but you must be respected.” Warner also revealed his major role in the inclusion of Lee on the national team for the CONCACAF qualifiers. “When the team was selected, I received a call from (manager) George Joseph saying that Lee could not represent this country since he was a recruit in the army.” “I called (recruiting officer) Colonel John Sandy and said ‘this is madness’ and I added that Lee must play on the team. Since then I’ve forged a lasting bond with Lee, a bond I didn’t expect to come to a close so soon.”
Warner blamed himself for the end result, saying “If I didn’t ask for him, this would not have happened.” “I said that I’d do anything possible to make up for it,” he continued, “and I thank his mother for that. Anything we could have done for Marvin, we did it,” adding that he thought Lee would have followed in the footsteps of paralysed Superman actor Christopher Reeve and regain partial use of his limbs.
Attending the service were Sports Minister Roger Boynes, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation Oliver Camps, national football team technical director Hannibal Najjar and assistants Anthony Barrington and Ross Russell, TTFF officials Neville Ferguson, Ed Watson, Raymond Tim Kee and Richard Groden as well as former and current national coaches Jimmy Blanc, Keith Look Loy and Jamaal Shabazz. Also among the gathering were Lee’s teammates on the 2001 Under-20 team, members of the Defence Force and Joe Public youth teams, the current national Under-17 unit and Team 2001 striker, Nkosi Blackman, fully recovered from head injuries which he suffered as a result of a fatal vehicular accident in Point Fortin a year ago.
