Among the bills still before the Parliament are the Cybercrime Bill 2017, Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill 2017 and the Registration of Titles to Land Amendment Bill 2017. The Parliament is on recess but could be reconvened following tomorrow’s talks between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at 2 pm at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre.

On the agenda for discussion are Internal Self Government for Tobago; Campaign Finance Reform; Anti-Gang Legislation; Difficulty within the Judiciary—JLSC Matter; Integrity Commission; Service Commissions effectiveness and Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament. A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on July 15 said the meeting is an effort to obtain parliamentary collaboration as a way forward that the meeting is being held. In this regard, jobs and the economy do not fall into the category of items to be discussed. However, some discussion on crime could be entertained under the agenda item of anti-gang legislation. Rowley has hinted at the possibility of Parliament being reconvened to deal with legislative matters where a special majority is required.

Shannen’s need for the procedure was highlighted by this newspaper in March of this year as her family needed to raise more than $700,000 to cover the costs of the treatment.

An update on her condition was provided by former president of the Rotary Club of Chaguanas Michael Ibrahim on Saturday last at the club’s handing over ceremony at Buffet King Restaurant, Chaguanas.

The club had stepped in to assist the parents in raising $250,000.

Ibrahim who praised Newsday and other media houses for publishing Shannen’s story said it was because of those articles the club was able to raise more than $300,000. He said Shannen has completed all her preliminary tests and her mother Michelle Kallie-Luke has been selected as a donor and white blood and stem cells have been donated which will be used during and after her bone marrow transplant which is scheduled shortly “I want to thank the citizens of this nation and employees of many organisations for their overwhelming kindness and financial support for assisting Shannen and giving her an opportunity for God’s continued gift to life,” he said.

The club’s new president Aldrian Mohammed said the Shannen Luke project showed that once the club was focused there was nothing they could not achieve.

“For our club can take limited manpower and scarce financial resources and obtain significant results,” he said.

Mohammed said as president his first priority was to make their club stronger by attracting more members and increasing their human capital which will allow them to better serve the community.

“The Rotary Club of Chaguanas must demonstrate through its service what Rotary is and that indeed Rotary is making a difference. My main task as president is to take that energy and enthusiasm our members have and to translate that into engagement and ultimately action,” he said.

Doctors said yesterday that Nicolette Paul who is a Form Three secondary school student, is “just hanging there” and they too, like the girl’s relatives, are praying for a miracle, she having suffered broken bones and internal injuries.

At the family’s home yesterday at Railway Road, Reform Village near Gasparillo, family members said that Nicolette was anxiously awaiting the purchase by her dad, Nicholas Paul, 38, of his new Suzuki motorbike which he bought three weeks ago. When Paul brought the bike home he promised to take Nicolette for a joyride. He has another daughter, Nikisha, 14, who with her sister, attends the Gasparillo Secondary School. Paul often takes his both daughters for rides and police said yesterday that he is an experience and safe bike rider.

At about 5.30 pm on Saturday, Paul decided to take Nicolette for the ride he had promised her and she hopped onto the bike at back of him as the pillon rider. The girl clutched her hands around her father as he drove off from their yard at Reform Village. Relatives at their home yesterday said that the girl was all smiles and seemed so excited, she waved to family members who watched them ride off onto the Reform Link Road.

According to a police report, Paul headed towards the Reform Link Road which leads to the southbound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway in the vicinity of the newly-opened Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Nicolette was in all glee, but tragedy struck when a white Elantra vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, attempted to overtake a line of vehicles along the link road. The driver of that vehicle, according to the report, crashed head-on with Paul’s motorcycle.

Paul and his daughter were thrown off the bike several feet in the air.

They both landed on the road, police said, but the father died on the spot.

Nicolette was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital by ambulance which arrived on the scene within minutes. The driver of the Elantra was also injured, the report stated, and was also taken to the hospital. Onlookers at the scene, said that Nicolette was bleeding from wounds on the lower abdomen and both legs. She was unconscious.

Paul lived with his wife Vicky, 38, and their daughters and worked as a crane operator at Paramount Transport Ltd. When Newsday visited the family’s Reform Village home yesterday, relatives wept in the yard and consoled the mother.

Paul’s father, Deodath, 56, said that he could not come to terms with the death of his son, and, his soul is hurting for his granddaughter, Nicolette, who is ‘fighting’ for her life at the hospital. “My heart aches. I went on the scene and I saw my son’s motorcycle in pieces and his body on the road. I have to relive these memories for the rest of my life because of a reckless driver,” Deodath said.

Paul and his daughters shared a close bond, Deodath said, and he often took them for rides on his motorcycles. “My son had been riding motorcycles for the last 15 years. He is one of the most cautious drivers you would ever meet.

He never got into an accident. Safety is everything for him,” Deodath said.

He recalled seeing Paul leaving the yard with Nicolette after he had told him (Deodath) that he was taking her for a ride on his new bike.

Nicolette, the grandfather added, was excited and seemed anxious to go on the joyride. Deodath said, “She (Nicolette) was so excited; she could not wait to drive on her father’s new motorcycle. Her father made sure she was properly secured on the motorcycle and then he drove off. You could see Nicolette smiling; she was so happy.”

Ragoonath told Newsday that he is not particularly optimistic that the meeting between Rowley and Persad-Bissessar will bear the results which the population is demanding at this time. According to Ragoonath, the Government and the Opposition continue to be very much “in election mode.” He said both sides are constantly attacking one another and the burning issues in TT are not being dealt with. “On both sides, there has been very little compromise by both leaders,” Ragoonath said.

He added that Rowley and Persad- Bissessar must each make compromises on behalf of their respective sides, to give the population a semblance of hope that their concerns are being dealt with. Referring to the agenda outlined for tomorrow’s meeting, Ragoonath said the Prime Minister has shown there is a need for Government and the Opposition to have consensus on key legislative matters either before the Parliament or to be brought to the Parliament.

He said tomorrow’s meeting could be an opportunity for Rowley and Persad-Bissessar to get an insight into what their thoughts are on those matters. Ragoonath said one issue which urgently needs some level of bi-partisan consensus is the difficulty within the Judiciary, especially the imbroligio which arose from the appointment of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers Caesar as a judge and her subsequent resignation from that post.

The Prime Minister has previously not ruled out the possibility of reconvening Parliament to deal with legislative matters which could require a special majority for passage. Parliament is currently on recess and officially due to resume in September. However Parliament can be summoned during its recess if urgent matters arise. Ragoonath said the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) issue seems to be dragging on indefinitely. He opined that the time may have come for Government and the Opposition to reach a consensus upon a solution. Rowley has repeatedly said the Government will maintain the “Great Wall of China” between itself and the Judiciary. He also said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi will advise the Government accordingly in this matter.

On July 6, a statement from the Office of the President announced the resignations of retired Appeal Court justices Humphrey Stollmeyer and Roger Hamel-Smith from the JLSC. Neither Stollmeyer nor Hamel-Smith gave any specific reason for their resignations. Chief Justice Ivor Archie, the JLSC chairman, has rejected calls from certain quarters for him to resign. Sunday Newsday yesterday reported that retired master of the Supreme Court Ralph Doyle is President Anthony Carmona’s choice to fill one of the two slots in the JLSC left vacant by the resignations of Hamel-Smith and Stollmeyer.

Newsday understands that neither Rowley nor Persad-Bissessar will be bringing large delegations to tomorrow’s meeting. A statement issued on July 15 by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said Persad-Bissessar would be invited to bring a note-taker with her to the meeting. Newsday understands that the Prime Minister will only be accompanied by a note-taker as well. Other items on the agenda to be discussed are internal self-governance for Tobago; campaign finance reform; the Integrity Commission; Anti-Gang legislation; a Code of Conduct for parliamentarians and the effectiveness of service commissions.

The Opposition holds its Monday Night Forum meeting in Siparia tonight at the Tulsa Trace Hindu School in Siparia from 7 pm. Persad-Bissessar is expected to speak more about her meeting with Rowley, in addition to other matters.

Sando meanwhile, celebrated their third straight win with a 2-1 come-from-behind result to move two spots up into third but level on 10 points with Jabloteh and three points adrift of leaders W Connection and North East Stars.

Jabloteh had taken the lead through well-executed strike from an unlikely source, Jevon Morris, but Akim Armstrong quickly levelled the visitors in the first half.

It was not until deep into stoppage time, however, that substitute Nical Stephens stood out the visiting hero after his cross-cumshot was spilled into the net by Jabloteh goalie Javon Sample to send Sando owner Edison “Eddie” Dean into wild celebrations.

Both sides had cancelled out each other for long periods with the exception of a couple half chances falling to Jabloteh forward Julio Noel and former San Juan Kings winger Tyrone Charles and Armstrong with ambitious attempts on the other end.

The duo though, combined on 38 minutes to level Sando when Armstrong headed past Sample off a right side Charles corner.

Jabloteh had three minutes earlier taken the lead when Morris, from the right of the area, sent a powerful drive past goalkeeper Kelvin Henry and into the far bottom corner of the Sando net following a move involving captain Damian Williams and Vurlon Mills.

Jabloteh head coach Keith Jeffrey, looking for the lead again, replaced Aaquil Campbell, Julio Noel and Jesus Perez with Jairo Lombardo, Kadeem Hutchinson and Kennedy Hinkson, all in the second half.

Lombardo, a Panamanian winger, had the best effort for Jabloteh when his 30-yard left footed strike flashed inches away from Henry’s top corner with 15 minutes left.

Sando though, would snatch the victory in the third and final minute of stoppage time through the ambition of Stephens.

Angus Eve had replaced Kevon Piper with the Vincentian utility player with stoppage time left and it proved a masterstroke for the Sando coach, who made earlier changes with Adan Noel and Keyon Edwards replacing Armstrong and Keron Cornwall and three times earlier should have had the go-ahead goal.

Edwards failed to make contact to Adan’s low feed across the goalmouth in the 82nd minute, and a minute later the latter saw his strike from the right brilliantly matched by a fully-stretched Sample. Edwards later returned the favour but Adan headed wide at the goalmouth.

Nevertheless, Sando celebrated a third straight win, while Defence Force and Morvant Caledonia United remain winless in five, with their latest a goalless draw down at the Larry Gomes Stadium on Saturday.

The Pro League will break next weekend, on the request of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), to allow for the national team’s preparation for a July 26 international friendly against Ecuador in Guayaquil.

Pro League action will, however, resume on the weekend of July 28-29.

He reminded me of a commentary published here several years ago, in which I had asked, in conclusion- “What are you going to do about it?” Well, I am touched that the memory of that article, and particularly the closing question, had stayed with him over the years. But more touched that he was calling to offer support, help, action, whatever is needed to assist in overcoming the dreadful state into which we have allowed our country to sink. But he, like me, is a senior citizen, without wealth, power or troops, or even any set inspiration to wring the changes– whatever they are— to save our country and society .

Still, whatever I was planning to do, he was willing to stand with me! That is one! Someone to stand at my right hand! So, who will abide at my left side, and hold this bridge with me? But the truth is that I am no longer standing on the bridges to hold off the enemies. I just enjoy that old epic poem! So I told my caller that if he wanted to be more active than maybe writing about our issues, he should join one of the groups becoming more active, or form one of his own. I will continue to speak through this column which I am privileged to write, and in some discussion groups in social media. But I am not, at my age going out to march or demonstrate against the ills we have allowed to overwhelm our society. My last effort was my call for us to gather at the site of Dana Seetahal’s assassination the day after she was shot. No one came .

So when I march now, or in the future, it will be with a knapsack on my back, going through the forests of the Northern Range .

When I raise my fist, it will be to pick fruit, and it will not be clenched in anger .

But I will call upon you to march, to raise your fists, to meaningfully condemn the utter incompetence of every aspect of our governance, regardless of who sits in corrupt power, to be active against the endemic corruption that invades all of our commercial and government activities .

Because if you do not, if you continue to think that making jokey or angry comments on Facebook is sufficient to stop the corruption and crime, then you are hastening the collapse of our society. It is as simple as that. It is your turn now .

Things are not going to get better, and the economy is not going to improve “just so”. The price of oil is not going to soar again and lubricate our problems. You have to work, from the ground up, to create the conditions for honesty and competence to germinate and blossom. So why is no one who hold positions of leadership— or maybe I should say people currently meant to be in charge of our institutions, for there are no leaders around— standing up and speaking out? This is a worry to me: the silence from traditional social and professional organisations and groups. Yes, we see isolated, self-interest outbursts—like the legal profession’s current concerns over the Chief Justice and magisterial appointments. But the wider issues of failing governance and a failed society are not being discussed by the Law Association .

Nor by the Chambers of Commerce, the construction industry, the labour movement, the medical associations — anyone .

Any concern raised is restricted to the selfish “me or my organization” theme, not the wider society .

Everyone, every organisation is strictly for themselves, and in many cases, not even for themselves, many satisfied apparently to just be part of the aimless drift which is taking the country down .

There is a vacuum of leadership in the country, and we pretend that it is just limited to politics and governance. But it has spread like a cancer through every institution and enterprise in the country, and all that we are doing is complaining on Facebook .

And we need to be aware that, into any social vacuum such as the one we have created and are experiencing, chaos must flow .

Do our institutions have the will and the strength to rally and stave off the pending chaos? And if so, what are they going to do about the state of our country?

Women are realizing that we need to know how to protect themselves, and not rely on the law, our spouse, brother, father, etc, as our sole method of protection. The statistical irony is that the ones we expect to be our protectors sometimes turn out to be our attackers.

Data from the Crime and Problem Analysis (CAPA) Branch of the Trinidad & Tobago Police Service (TTPS) revealed that there were approximately 11,441 reports relating to domestic violence incidents between 2010 and 2015. Approximately 75 per cent of these reports involved female victims. During the same period, there were 131 domestic violence related deaths of which 56 per cent were female.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) published an IDB Series on Crime and Violence in the Caribbean in 2016. The study showed that the number of sexual offences reported and detected within each police division from 2009 to 2013 for this period included 3,590 reported rapes, acts of incest, and other sexual offences (apart from serious indecency and indecent assault). These statistics support the need for women to become empowered and learn self-defense techniques. The reality is, if we expect things to change, we need to be the principal architects in effecting that change.

However, the knowledge that we should do something to protect ourselves competes with the already overburdened daily work and family schedules. Finding time in busy schedules for exercise and learning self-defense techniques may just be too much for your overburdened schedules to take.

Notwithstanding, there is a way of combining the need for physical exercise and your personal protection.

Safety and exercise can be combined when one embarks on a self-defense workout. Not only will a woman feel safer and more confident, they will be almost fearless when out in public. Additionally, it can be an enjoyable form of stress relief and give a woman the ultimate attribute of a well-toned physique.

Why cCrime can happen to anyone at any time. At some point in your life as a woman you will flash across a predator’s (mainly male) radar as prey. You may be attacked. Learning how to defend yourself can determine if you live or die.

Be the role model for the next generation. We tell our daughters they can be anything they want. How about safe? Lead by example and demonstrate strength by standing up for yourselves and by being able to defend yourselves.

Become empowered. Many women who may be shy, can become empowered and discard their victim persona. They can blossom into determined, strong, empowered women who are ready to take control of their own lives.

Develop toned muscles and improve your overall fitness: Self-defense classes do not just focus on being emotionally prepared for an attacker but also being physically prepared, which is also equally important. Through learning self-defense, you will build and maintain your muscle and increase your endurance. An intense warmup to get your blood circulating and adrenaline pumping, followed by a variety of fitness techniques, will improve your overall body condition while you learn important critical selfdefense techniques.

Improve your balance. Balance not only includes the physical balance of your core muscles but also a mental balance by improving your focus. Self-defense classes teach you how to focus on your target while you control your body. Learn self-discipline. In order to learn and grow with your self-defense abilities, you have to develop your self-discipline. You have to be motivated and dedicated to the practice. This learnt trait will carry over to other aspects of your life.

SeKrav Maga: Developed for the Israeli military, Krav Maga is designed to teach extremely effective self-defense in the shortest possible time, according to the Krav Maga Global Academy. It’s a realistic approach to personal security, plus it’s an excellent form of workout. Whether your priority is self-defense or fitness, it’s a perfect mix of the two.

Kickboxing: Kickboxing usually draws people looking for a good cardiovascular workout. This form of self-defense uses punches and kicks which can be applicable in real-world scenarios. In some instances, self-defense tends to take the backburner to exercise in these classes, for example Tae Bo classes.

Taekwondo: This ancient form of martial art was developed over 1,000 years ago. “It is a nonaggressive and ethical system of self-defense,” says the American Taekwondo Association. It’s a “striking, kicking” form of martial arts that focuses on speed and agility and breath control.

Capoeira: If you’re more into dancing than fighting, Capoeira might be for you. The Brazilian technique is a mix between martial arts and acrobatics. Capoeira involves quick, complex movements and requires speed, power and flexibility. It improves agility, power/ strength, and speed.

Deputy Port-of-Spain Mayor Hillan Morean announced the change yesterday in a statement which was issued to the media.

“The Port-of-Spain Council has agreed to show their love and appreciation by honouring our queen. The now Queen Street is to be renamed Queen Janelle Commissiong Street in recognition and appreciation of Queen Penny,” he said.

Commissiong, then a 24-yearold beauty, won the prestigious Miss Universe crown in Santo Domingo on July 16, 1977. The street renaming project is to be managed by chairman of the planning committee Stephen Harper.

Morean said the decision to rename the street was discussed with the stakeholders of the city, including the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association and other groups. “Discussions continue to be underway to ensure proper consultation is had,” he said.

“The general consensus of this project is that it presents a catalyst in keeping with the vision of the Port-of-Spain City Council for further developing the city of Port-of-Spain.

“The thought process and thinking behind this project initiative is to enhance the aesthetics of the entire central business district area.” Morean said the council looked forward to the upgrade of the general infrastructure of the central business district. He said the council intends to recognise the country’ s national icons.

Commissiong, on June 24 in Atlanta, Georgia, was honoured at the Movers and Shakers Awards for her contribution in the area of empowerment.

Hosted by a caribbean media group dedicated to highlighting people of Caribbean heritage, Commissiong told Newsday yesterday she had a prepared speech. However, when she got on stage, she realised it was important that she acknowledge the experience of being a person of colour in an international competition at that time. Even more importantly, she wanted to acknowledge the struggle and the eventual victory which belonged to all the Caribbean competitors and all competitors of colour. It was the very first Commissiong opened up about her experience at the 26th Miss Universe pageant.

In accepting the award she said, “We (contestants) were kind of eyeing each other in the beginning, checking out the competition, and the Caribbean women were doing that to each other as well. But a week later we realised we were not seeing ourselves. We were not on the front pages of the newspapers.

On the front pages were Miss Germany, Miss Switzerland, Miss Columbia, but you weren’t seeing people of the Caribbean, or people of colour. Whenever I have the opportunity, I would really like to thank Connie Frith – Miss Bermuda, because she had the strength to make a little noise to the pageant coordinators.

And after Connie made noise, the photographers started paying us attention.” Commissiong said she was “fortunate” to win the Miss Photogenic award which was announced a couple days before the show.

“But I was really a little disappointed.

(I felt it was) a kind of token thing because Connie made a little noise. So that happened and then on the night of the show, as fate would have it, I was the one that was crowned.

But at the end of the day it really was not just me, it was all the other women of colour who shared that stage with me.” She advised everyone to review the taping of the event and observe what transpired when she was crowned by Rina Messinger of Israel.

“You see so many Caribbean, even some African women sobbing and because it was such of a victory for us. So tonight I accept this award on behalf of Miss Barbados, Margaret Rouse – she was my best friend, Lulu (Iva Lua Mendes), Miss St. Lucia, Miss Antigua, Miss Bahamas, Miss Haiti, Miss US Virgin Islands, I must include Miss Liberia, and all the other women of colour who participated with me, and who at the end of the day were not competitors as much as supporters because we shared the same struggle, and it is a struggle that ended in victory.” Other awardees included US Senator John Lewis, Celia Crux and Sandals’ Adam Stewart.

Commenting on receiving the award, Commissiong said, “I appreciated the recognition and to be in such illustrious company.

This recognition award serves as a reminder to everyone of the many contributions made by Caribbean people to the politics, economy and society of America and the wider world.” WITH REPORTING BY JOAN RAMPERSAD

That’s the claim from Ashana Civil Mechanical Contractors managing director Phillip Whiteman whose company had initially been hired to build the now controversial school.

Construction of the school came under public scrutiny after Education Minister Anthony Garcia announced the school was found to have been constructed “in a swamp and the school is sinking.” He was responding to a query from a parent at the “Conversations with the Prime Minister” forum at the Point Fortin East Secondary School on Tuesday evening.

The parent asked how soon her child and other students could expect to be moved out of the community centre and into a new, more comfortable school.

Garcia responded, “We are taking measures to ensure that those who were responsible for the design would be held accountable, because we cannot understand how a school could be built in a swamp.” He told Newsday construction of the school commenced in 2010.

However, in a statement last week, former Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said construction of the new school was initiated in 2009 under the Patrick Manning-led PNM government with a contract valued at $23.6 million and awarded to Ashana Construction Limited.

He said the contract was subsequently terminated and tenders for a new school design were put out in 2014 and was awarded to Construction Services and Supplies Limited (CSSL) in February 2015 for $25 million. Gopeesingh said when he assumed office, no activity had taken place at the site for several years after the original contractor “ran into some difficulties” with the foundation.

However, in a telephone interview yesterday Whiteman countered that the school had not been built in a swamp and the company had been awarded compensation by the court for delays in the school’s construction.

“The project got stalled and eventually got stopped, and a new consultant and contractor was brought on,” Whiteman said.

“I spoke to Gopeesingh many times explaining to him the problems and he just stopped. He just didn’t do anything. There is a swamp adjacent to the site.

The school is not built on the swamp, its private land. It was very soft.

It’s a piled foundation though, the piles are not sinking. Five years ago it wasn’t moving, I don’t know if it is moving now. I doubt.” He said Ashana had not been paid any money for work done on the school and the matter had been taken to court.

The second contractor, Construction Services Supplies Limited referred all queries to the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL).

The EFCL corporate communications manager was reportedly in a meeting and did not return any calls.

For her, the terms are intended to truly change the conversation away from the self-serving, non-transparent model which, she feels, has long defined 20th century politics. However, Seepersad-Bachan, one of three women contesting the upcoming Congress of the People (COP) leadership election, is not naive to the fact that the movement towards such a state will take time and effort.

“Governance issues in the Congress of the People is all part of the new political paradigm,” Seepersad-Bachan told Sunday Newsday.

“But it is not an easy journey. It is a hard journey but one that we have to take if we are going to make changes to this country for the better.” Seepersad-Bachan, who served most recently as COP chairman, said the controversy surrounding the postponement of the leadership election, which was scheduled to take place last Sunday, is a classic example of the need to reverse the stereotype.

“The hiccup you have right now in the party with the postponement of this election has nothing to do with the Constitution. The Constitution is very clear.

It is people who fail to adhere to the Constitution because of our lack of will to adhere to the rule of law. This is one of the principles of good governance.” According to Seepersad-Bachan, 20th century politics focused too heavily on the cementing of political power as opposed to promoting a system of meritocracy.

She said the issue was one of competency.

“We want young bright minds but we also have to have experience and that has been the failure.

It is one of the things that is plaguing our country.

An engineer by profession, Seepersad-Bachan said the problems plaguing Petrotrin boiled down to competence.

“If we were merit- based and there was competence in the right places, we would not be facing this situation today.

“Petrotrin is in serious problems because they have not had the best and most competent people for those positions.

Competent people are not being allowed to do their jobs.” Saying the focus on political power was most seen in the State enterprise sector and even within the COP, Seepersad- Bachan said under her watch as leader, she will work tirelessly to effect a turnaround.

“We have to get that principle right and not always has the COP adhered to it. That is why people have said we have veered away from our own principles and values.” So, is the country ready for this brand of politics? Seepersad-Bachan believes so.

She said although many people are disenchanted with the politics, others were clamouring for something new.

“This is a group of people that has been there for some time. They never went anywhere and that group of people continues to grow and more and more young people are joining this group.” The mother of two said she spoke recently to a couple who told her their children were not interested in the politics of the past.

“They are not interested in tribal politics but new politics in order to be a part of the solution.

And, it is important to understand the COP itself is very much involved in the participatory governance model in order to accommodate that new type of 21st century citizen.” She said citizens are no longer interested in giving solutions to problems confronting the country but are demanding greater participation in public policy decisions.

“That citizen will take advantage of digital technology, not only to exercise that social accountability but to contribute to generating those innovative solutions to the complexed social problems in our society.

“That is why we must be able to allow for the change in order to accommodate the role of this new type of citizen in public affairs.

“We are not passive anymore.” She told Sunday Newsday that apart from regaining the trust and confidence of the COP’s once loyal supporters, building the party’s community circles was at the top of her to-do list if elected leader.

“That citizen engagement is what led to the circle of circles concept in the COP.

“Once we rebuild that, we have to train people in how to carry through with the community- based governance and how to seek the interest of their communities.” Seepersad-Bachan, who served as a minister in the Ministries of Energy and Public Administration under the former UNC-led People’s Partnership government, said she also intends to revive all the institutions and organs of the party, including a youth congress and women’s arm, to bolster the work of the community circles.