In a statement on Tuesday, association president Douglas Mendes SC, said the Court of Appeal affirmed, “in no uncertain terms” the role of the Supreme Court as guardian of the Constitution and protector of the rule of law.

Mendes was commenting on the Privy Council’s decision in former head of the Pubic Service Reginald Dumas’ legal challenge of the appointment of Dr James Armstrong and Romar Achat- Saney to the Police Service Commission (PSC) by the President, in 2013.

“By permitting access to the Supreme Court to persons such as Mr Dumas, whose primary concern is to act in the public interest, the Court of Appeal took a major step towards holding public officials accountable for the discharge of their public duties, no matter how high the office they may hold,” Mendes said.

“We congratulate Mr Dumas on the selfless contribution he has made to the development of our constitutional jurisprudence.

We also commend the liberal vision of the Curt of Appeal displayed in its impressive judgement,” Mendes added.

The Law Lords in their ruling said the case raised “an important question about the jurisdiction of the High Court to hear an application by a citizen for the Court to interpret a provision of the Constitution.” The appellate court and the Privy Council had found that there was no established tradition in Trinidad and Tobago which prevented a citizen with a legitimate interest in upholding the Constitution and the rule of law.

In their ruling, the British Law Lords also held that the question raised by Dumas was one for the court to decide.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Rowley met with senior executives from Shell about those matters.

One of the matters discussed was the construction of a 17-kilometre pipeline from the Dragon Field in Venezuela to Shell’s Hibiscus platform off the north coast of Trinidad.

Shell is partnering with Government on the Dragon project to supply natural gas from the Dragon Field to TT.

Last year, the company re-entered the local market with its acquisition of the BG Group.

Shell plans to invest billions of dollars in TT over the next four years.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan, who attended the meeting, provided favourable updates on a number of requests made by Shell.

During his visit, Rowley gave an assurance that Government would do what is necessary within this country’s laws to provide accelerated approvals for Shell’s work programme.

In March, the Prime Minister said he expected the company to deliver in the shortest possible time.

Minister in the OPM Stuart Young, who also attended the meeting, said efforts are being made to complete a gas sales agreement for this project by July.

Some 16 Government Senators voted “for” (plus Independent Senator Paul Richards), six Opposition Senators voted “against”, while seven Independent Senators abstained .

Earlier, Finance Minister Colm Imbert sought to address concerns in his wrap up speech before the vote was taken .

Refuting claims of undue influence by his ministry on recruitment of a Procurement Regulator, he said the Procurement Act states that the President of the Republic appoints the post holder, after consulting the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader .

“We have pegged the regulator’s salary at $50,000, so it is more or less the same as the salary of a High Court judge.” The Senate resumes on Monday at 1.30 pm .

This was revealed by Chairman of the Trinidad Saudi Chamber of Commerce (TSCC), Umar Khan, during a recent interview with Business Day about Al Majed’s tour of real estate investment opportunities in Trinidad, St Vincent and Antigua.

Khan said the sheik, who was in Trinidad from March 21 to 26, met with the owner of a “massive estate in Las Cuevas, (who) is open to either selling the land or to being a co-developer of the proposed beach resort.” Khan said the project was brought to the attention of the sheik by InvesTT, which was key in arranging the site visit and presentations.

The 500-acre estate, Khan said, has beachfront access to Las Cuevas Bay, one of the few Blue Flag beaches in the Caribbean.

According to the Environmental Defence website, Blue Flag is a world-renowned eco-certification for beaches and marinas. A Blue Flag indicates that the beach or marina is clean and accessible; has great water quality; meets high safety standards; and is working hard to protect local shorelines and ecosystems.

Khan said the fact that the estate has Blue Flag beach front made it that much more attractive to Al Majed, who is Chairman of the Saudi Arabia headquartered Tanmiyat Investment Group (TIG).

Business Day understands Las Cuevas Properties is the company managing development of the estate.

According to the “Investment Opportunities” section of InvesTT’s website, “The Las Cuevas estate…is indeed a prime mode for the development of a high value, high quality resort.

This estate is currently privately owned by a citizen of TT. Available space for sale will include beach front property.” InvesTT gave the estate’s location as 18 km north east or a 45-minute drive from Port-of-Spain.

“The site is bounded by the North Coast road to the south and framed by the Las Cuevas Bay on the north. To the east and west of the site are rain forest foot hills of the Northern Range… It is envisioned that approximately 66 percent of the property will be developed to include roads, buildings paved areas, gardens and landscaped areas. The remaining 34 percent is expected to be retained as natural forest,” InvesTT stated on its website.

Al Majed’s March 2017 Caribbean site visits and meetings with senior government officials were arranged by the TSCC, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.

While in Trinidad, the TIG chairman met with Trade and Industry Minister, Paula Gopee- Scoon, the ministry’s Acti ng Permanent Secretary (PS), Frances Seignoret, and several senior ministry officials.

Al Majed also met with senior officials at InvesTT, Campus Principal of The UWI St Augustine, Professor Brian Copeland, Campus Registrar Richard Saunders and with the Director of The UWI’s Office of Institutional Advancement and Internationalisation.

In addition, the sheikh met with Chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), Noel Garcia and senior members of Garcia’s team.

Khan said, “They presented several projects to (Al Majed), including the San Fernando Waterfront Project and Invaders Bay in Port-of-Spain. They said these projects are at various stages of development, so it didn’t seem like things were completely ready but these were presented as investment opportunities.” Al Majed toured the Caribbean in late September to early October 2015, when he had initi al discussions about possible developments in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

During his meeting with InvesTT a little over 18 months ago, arrangements were made to send the particulars of specific investment options together with information on the economy, history of political stability, and so on.

Khan said the change in government around the same time meant a change in the board of InvesTT, which caused a delay in the completion and approval of the documents.

He told Business Day that at their March 24, 2017 meeting, Gopee- Scoon “indicated that InvesTT is now fully up and ready with its new board and team. She also indicated that a lot of the documents that were promised were almost ready.

Those documents also included data on possible projects that the sheikh requested so that he could get a proper understanding of what opportunities are available in TT.” On March 22, Al Majed was the guest of honour at two events: the TSCC’s Membership Convention at Paria Suites Hotel and Convention Centre, La Romaine and immediately afterward, at the ribbon-cutting and ceremonial opening of the TSCC’s office, Southern Main Road, La Romaine. San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello and former mayor and current Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Kazim Hosein cut the ceremonial ribbon in the presence of the TSCC members, other government officials and community members.

The TSCC has maintained an office in St Augustine since 2012, which is strictly for administrative purposes. The La Romaine office, formally opened on April 10, is where the TSCC can “interface with the public and promote its activities,” Khan explained.

Khan said the convention “looked at the importance of Trinidad- Saudi relations and examined opportunities for increasing trade and foreign direct investment.

We also looked at the Caribbean region as well as the Gulf region; there are lots of opportunities for collaboration.” Speakers at the convention included former Acting Director of the Institute of International Relations at The UWI, Professor Anthony Peter Gonzales and Seignoret, who spoke on behalf of Minister Gopee-Scoon.

Gonzales pointed out that while relations between Latin American countries and the Gulf States – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait – “have grown in the last few years to an unprecedented level,” the Caribbean has continued to rely on traditional sources of income. These six states form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

He noted that, “(Despite) the decline of the world oil price and the effect of the 2008 financial crisis, the Gulf States sti ll possess significant holdings, and have been perceived to be part of the wider shift of economic leverage from west to east and from the market to the state in the allocation of capital.

The GCC Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are among the largest in the world with an appetite for direct investments, including infrastructure investments.” “TT and the Caribbean can no longer ignore this… Like Latin America, they need to enlarge and diversify their pool of foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to reduce fluctuations. All of this is in sync with the desire of the Gulf States to maximise investment returns.

Their SWFs have enhanced their traditional investment approaches by increasing direct investments, increasing their exposure to selective emerging markets and diversifying their portfolio across industries.” Gonzales also pointed out that Latin America and the Gulf States “rely on each other for essential products, such as food and agricultural produce from Latin America and hydrocarbons and fertiliser” from the six States.

He said this process, supported by governments in both regions, has contributed to the diversification of trade links between Latin America and the Gulf States.

While trade with Brazil, “accounts for the majority of trade between Latin America and the GCC,” Gonzales argued that, “CARICOM countries such as Guyana, Surinam and Belize along with other Latin American countries could offer opportunities for diversification.” Meanwhile Seignoret applauded the TSCC for “its commitment to strengthening the commercial relationship between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from which local counterparts can become more dynamic and innovative, take new risks in seeking out new markets and ultimately, build competitiveness and become net earners of foreign exchange.” She added, “The continued people to- people contact between both countries will augur well for building awareness of the many possibilities which exist in the sphere of trade and investment.” The Acting PS noted that Saudi Arabia’s exports to TT are primarily machinery, plastics, citrus peel, edible fruits and nuts while our exports include “articles of plastic, essential oils and cosmetics.” Other speakers at the event included the Mayor Regrello, Dr Aleem Mohammed, CEO of SM Jaleel, and Ricky Amar.

On March 20, 2017, Al Majed flew to Antigua where he accepted an invitation to meet with Prime Minister (PM), Gaston Browne.

Khan told Business Day the two “talked about one of the top investment projects going on right now in Antigua. One of our Trinidad-based TSCC members is building a condo-style luxury hotel – The Labahia Hotel Resort and Condominiums (Labahia). It’s going to be approximately 200 rooms with a conference facility.” Khan said that the revised estimated project cost is between US $70 million and $100 million however an article on the Caribbean Journal website, “New Resort Project Launches in Antigua”, put the figure at $52 million. Set in the Friars Hill area of Antigua, Caribbean Journal reported that Labahia “is being developed by Adams Investment Management and the government of Antigua and Barbuda.” “It is the brainchild of TT-based developers Imtiyaz Adam and Farman Ramjohn, and will include 120 one and two-bedroom, full-furnished luxury condominiums and several penthouse suites. The resort project will include a 24,000-square-foot conference facility, restaurants, a gym, tennis courts, shops and an Olympic swimming pool,” the website stated.

Asked about Al Majed’s potential role in the project, Khan said the sheikh “visited the construction site and held talks with Imtiyaz Adam and immediately got on board; he wanted to see how he could form a business relationship (with the existing project owners).” The TIG chairman also met that day with Antigua’s Minister of Tourism, Economic Development Investment and Energy, Asot Michael.

From Antigua, Al Majed flew to St Vincent, a visit arranged by the TSCC “in close collaboration with PM of St Vincent, Dr Ralph Gonsalves. The Saudi delegation was received by the Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional Integration, Sir Louis Hilton Straker,” Khan said.

The delegation also met with St Vincent’s Minister of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour, Camillo Gonsalves and with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Rural Transformation, Saboto Caesar. Al Majed and company looked at several sites for real estate development projects that day but the one they settled on for further negotiation was the now decommissioned airport, located about eight minutes’ drive from the capital, Kingstown.

The ET Joshua Airport, located in Arnos Vale, was decommissioned after the Argyle International Airport opened on February 14, 2017.

“It’s in a good location, with ocean front, with a lot of land for new development. The sheikh is interested in the feasibility of doing a development project at the old airport. His style is very modern.

He’s interested in doing a complete master plan for the area, which would feature a mixed-use development with lots of landscaping,” Khan told Business Day. Asked about time lines to sign contracts for this development, he said this “would be determined by how fast we continue to move because at the first meeting, everything went well.” “Now correspondence has to be sent back and forth. So it depends on how fast communication goes.

These projects could be short-term, they could be medium-term, but it is going to be the entire site. It could take four to five years very easily,” Khan said.

At the end of Al Majed’s seven-day trip, “a framework for negotiating TIG’s business interests in the Caribbean was agreed to,” Khan shared, “because he had identified the projects and some of the Caribbean business expertise that he will rely on to pursue these negotiations since he’s not living here.” Khan told Business Day that a lot of work has to be done to finalise the various investment opportunities which Al Majed chose to purse.

The man, who was wearing jeans and a jersey, appeared to be of mixed descent with a plaited hairstyle.

Up to press time, the identity of the body remained unknown. The body was taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James where once formal identification is made, an autopsy will be done to ascertain cause of death. Police said it appears he was shot to the back of the head. Up to press time, the murder toll stood at 183 compared to 163 for the corresponding period last year. Up to yesterday, there were 13 murders recorded for this month.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The fact is the Judiciary has been in crisis long before this latest controversy. Far more scandalous are the conditions undergone by prisoners and by magistrates daily throughout this country where preliminary inquiries drag on for years, where there is delay after delay whether due to absent police officers or filibustering advocates, and where the only people who seem to benefit are criminals.

If those outraged by the embarrassing recruitment process involving Ayers-Caesar truly care about the administration of justice, they will focus on what needs to be done to ensure that the processes of the legal system work. And work well.

There is arguably a need for constructive dialogue on how all of the outstanding matters in the Chief Magistrate’s docket can be continued without time being wasted and years of effort going in vain. There may be no legal barrier, as some have opined.

As for the Chief Justice he reportedly made efforts to interrogate whether the officer involved was able to take up a post at the High Court. Tuesday’s statement from the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC), which Archie chairs ex officio, makes plain the practice of the JLSC of inquiring first and foremost of the sitting judicial officer any questions it may have.

This may seem strange, but remember we are dealing with sitting judges and magistrates. Recruitment matters of this nature have to be handled with kitten gloves.

Interference with the work of a sitting Chief Magistrate, Sherman McNicols, was one of the charges levied against former Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma. And we all know how that ended up.

The JLSC is not an ordinary recruiting agency from the private sector. It has limited resources and is fettered by the need to overzealously observe the judicial independence of those who appear before it.

For decades, certain traditions and practices have been deemed necessary.

The question now raised by this impasse, however, is whether the time has come for reform. It may well be that this unquestionably botched appointment is the best argument yet for giving the Judiciary full and complete autonomy over its workings, including its recruitment practices and budget so that it may devise its own resource requirements and processes. If this were already the case, if judges were already subject to an open, neutral, regimented system adequately insulated from the Executive and the Judiciary, then perhaps none of this would have happened.

At the same time, the Judiciary cannot hope for its own budget while its overseas travel remains murky and unaccounted for. All such travel should be strictly work-related, if not banned.

Ironically, the post of Chief Magistrate has remained controversial.

The McNicols/Sharma affair revealed the nasty intricacies of how political actors often impinge on judicial officers, undermining the idea of justice itself. If the State abolishes murder inquiries – which is what the Chief Magistrate primarily deals with – the post will be substantially altered.

But in a situation where crime continues, where women and men are dying daily, where there is a tremendous backlog of cases, where no justice seems to be coming due to lack of proper investigation and due to a bottleneck in the criminal justice system, is the Marcia Ayers-Caesar flub really the priority? It should not be. What the Chief Justice, Chief Magistrate, the lawyers and the State – including the political directorate – should be focusing on now is dealing with crime. That is what we as a society contract them to do.

Many countries in the region have been plagued with slow and expensive internet connections. With few outlets offering broadband connections, the lack of competition has led to higher prices for consumers which are difficult for many low to middle-income families to afford.

There is a direct correlation between broadband access and economic development.

Internet access is reaching near-saturation in the world’s rich nations but billions of people living in the developing world still don’t have access. The use of the Internet permeates every aspect of living, working and doing business.

For developing countries, it is the catalyst to closing the development gap. The Internet also removes barriers between nations and supports the process of globalisation. It is therefore important that any barriers hindering the growth and development of the Internet be removed.

Affordable and effective broadband connectivity are vital for economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. Strengthening the Caribbean’s telecommunications infrastructure is a first step to growing the region’s digital economy through improving the regional connectivity. In the longterm aim, this will also drive technology-based innovation.

Notably, there has also been growing investment in technology infrastructure across the region. Last year, the European Investment Bank agreed to invest EUR 8 million to improve internet access on the Caribbean island of St Maarten, enabling high-speed internet to be provided in schools, libraries and hospitals across the island. Once operational the improved network will not only revolutionise internet connections, but also allow smart metres to better manage scare water and electricity resources in St Maarten.

Caribbean countries are connected to the internet through submarine cables. Although most countries have two or three cables, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago each have five, and Cura?ao has six. In the case of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, their considerably larger populations relative to other countries in the region make them key anchor points, as it is expected that they will generate significantly more traffic, thereby improving the cost recovery and profitability of the cables Telecommunications businesses are also keen to invest in the region. They are especially keen following restoration of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the USA which has increased interest in the Caribbean, and several global technology service providers are now turning fresh eyes toward the region. Digicel has the largest market share for the largest mobile operations across the region and has been investing in its submarine cable system. In 2014, it bought the submarine cable assets of Global Caribbean Fibre and Global Caribbean Network to create a fibre-optic cable network of approximately 3,100 km providing capacity from Trinidad in the southern Caribbean to Puerto Rico in the north.

The firm has approval to build out networks connecting the Bahamas, Haiti and Jamaica, 51 and connecting Guyana. Digicel also launched Digicel Play, using digital and fibre technologies to offer voice telephony, subscriber television and broadband Internet. To date, Digicel Play has been rolled out in Anguilla, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, with plans to soon add Saint Kitts and Nevis.

But the vision for improving the internet goes beyond giving government more efficient ways to deliver critical services. It is about growing the digital economy by giving more citizens access to essential online services and creating opportunities for digital entrepreneurs to enter the growing market.

Technology is shaping the future and the changes it brings don’t have to be a crushing force. For business, an understanding of the emerging challenges and opportunities can help prepare them for the possibilities.

Cyber security, big data, cloud storage, artificial intelligence and robotics are just some of the technology trends that are changing the ways we work, and how finance professionals operate in particular. Whilst they do not need to become an expert in these developments, a broad understanding of where these technological advances are taking their profession will be crucial to their growth, whatever the sector they work in.

Today’s modern finance professional is increasingly viewed as an influencer, with a major role to play in strategy development and overall business success. Underpinning all of this is the effective application of technology.

Technological advances provide businesses with new capabilities to enhance their competitiveness globally, offer opportunities to be more productive and lead to new ways of securing finance. SMEs, in particular, are now able to compete on an equal footing, even without lots of capital to invest.

The finance function is a part of the digital world. Technology helps them automate and de-skill time-consuming work, and thereby focus on higher-value work, consolidating their role as strategic business partners. By keeping informed about technologies as they evolve, considering new ones as they emerge, and then assessing their implications for finance professionals and those they serve and support, finance professional can be prepared to minimise the burdens and maximise the benefits they bring

This was the tribute paid to him on Monday by former ANSA McAL group chief operating officer Gerry Brooks, one of those who attended the funeral for Sabga, held at Church of the Assumption, Maraval.

Brooks said Sabga leaves a great legacy and a great example.

“This was a philanthropist, a master entrepreneur, an icon, a legend, a man who exemplified hard work, honesty, integrity, whose contribution to the region is felt in so many ways.” He said that through his Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence, through his contribution to the economy, through his building of people and professionals, and through his response to the Caribbean in difficult moments.

He recalled Sabga providing water and rebuilding supplies to Grenada following the passage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which virtually crippled the island.

He also recalled that every award Sabga won he said to his team, “This is not my award, this is your award,” and he celebrated his people.

Brooks said Sabga was a man of great wealth, great humility and great compassion.

“We lost a great man and may his example shine through others. May he be an inspiration to others to be transformative, not only from a Trinidad and Tobago perspective but from a Caribbean perspective.” He said that Sabga’s focus on integrity, spirituality, and importance of family and how he treated the ANSA McAL group and his “extended family” remained indelible.

“And he spared no effort to ensure that the group did well, and the communities did well, and that the region did well.” In the board room, Brooks said Sabga was single-mindedly focused, very meticulous and very detailed.

“While he had a great vision, a vision not defined by his circumstance but a will to define circumstance, he also, by his example, caused others to grow. So, for me I worked with him 24/7, 365 for 25 years. And it was a growing experience, we grew others as well, we grew the group to the extent that it became 15 percent of the stock exchange and we also grew people in the region.

So, it was a great pleasure and a great privilege.

May he rest in peace.” Chief executive officer of Carib Brewery Limited (Carib), Ian MacDonald, said Dr Sabga’s “work ethic and commitment to ANSA McAL, in ensuring it contributed to the success and prosperity of this country, will never be matched.” MacDonald told Business Day that while he only joined the conglomerate 19 months ago, he “marvelled at this powerhouse of man who, in his 90s and struggling with mobility and health issues, would always show up to the office, corporate and public events, and who was a staple at cricket matches. He truly was a lion of a man right till the end.” “Carib is an iconic brand and world class company,” MacDonald added, “because of the tenacity, vision and drive of this great man who had an incredible gift to see opportunities where others failed to, and put in the hard work to ensure its success. I for one am extremely grateful to this remarkable man and I will continue to strive to honour his legacy as CEO of Carib.” The Independent Liberal Party (ILP) was among the scores of groups who offered condolences to the Sabga family and to ANSA McAl following Dr Sabga’s death on May 3.

“Dr Sabga was a visionary of the highest calibre, the testament to the legacy he leaves behind in the organisations that he touched and led during his lifetime.

He stands among a very esteemed group of persons who have been able to demonstrate true entrepreneurial spirit – the ability to see opportunities where others do not, the ability to bring dreams to reality, and the perseverance to go the distance to achieve and deliver success.

It is this combination that distinguishes the extra-ordinary from the ordinary, and in this regard, Dr Sabga was indeed extraordinary.” “Apart from leading businesses to success, (his) work has contributed immensely to the development of TT and the wider region through the impact those businesses have on the respective countries, their economies and the employees. The impact and value of Dr Sabga’s contribution to the region is beyond measure and will continue to influence the fate of the region for a very long time into the future,” the ILP stated.

Bloom Fabres started the upmarket some years ago at the Woodbrook Youth Facility and has very successfully continued to organise a Festival of Fabulous Foods and Finds, which includes hand-made local cards, jewelry, plants, beauty products and more, at very reasonable prices, and always in an attractive setting. The upmarket will offer a variety of unusual Mothers’ Day gifts.

This I have concluded from articles appearing in newspapers over the weekend — “Healthcare system in crisis” and the empty promises of the minister of health headed “Drug shortage to end by 2017.” It is an insult to say that the system belonged to the dinosaur age. Dinosaurs will not like that, but it is archaic for sure.

Some of the complaints of the system are too many general practitioners, some of whom know a lot about nothing, others nothing about everything and a selected few a little about some things.

The list continues: overcrowded clinics serving hopelessness; empty hospital pharmacies dispensing frustration; medicine not ending up in the right places; doctors and nurses no longer being the agents of comfort; easier to get an appointment with death than with the clinics; non-functioning machines; doctors’ inefficiencies going unchallenged and there is no form of redress; nursing staff overworked; shortage of medical supplies; unmanned working equipment; cancer patients at the mercy of the system; misdiagnosis and under and over-treatment.

Our recent trend of using chemicals and surgery to cure means that we have aligned ourselves with the predatory nature of the pharmaceutical industry. We have grown accustomed to suppressing symptoms rather than curing root causes. This necessarily results in an increase of the number of patients.

The Ministry of Health must lead the return to traditional remedies while maintaining contemporary medicine and at the same time researching artificial intelligence medical machines.

Make all three modes available and let patients choose the one they feel comfortable with.

All three avenues of healthcare must be supported financially by the State. There are large jurisdictions in which all three methods are present and they have long eliminated the problems we are now wrestling with.

Our healthcare system is highly labour intensive and will always be riddled with human errors. We know how difficult it is to keep the productivity of labour high consistently.

The minister has to think outside the box.

He must take the bull by the horns, research other systems and copy what they use to make their systems more efficient.

The use of artificial intelligence medical machines with bioresonance therapy and frequency compensation is highly recommended.

The accuracy and efficiency of these machines is well beyond that of a team of your best doctors.

The latter has to depend on questioning the patient to gather data before a diagnosis is made. There is much guesswork and trial and error causing treatment to hit or miss its target.

The use of the artificial intelligence medical machines eliminates unnecessary lengthy contact times between doctor and patient and delays of waiting on tests. It collects symptoms scientifically, analyses electronically and provides and prescribes medication instantly based on a matrix system. Furthermore, treatment is orderly, the most urgent issue is dealt with first. A great plus of this system is that there is no drug to go astray.

The system sounds like magic or a fairy tale but it exists. No more disappointing trips to the pharmacy; no more side effects from the use of chemicals and no long wait for medication to kick in. Bankruptcy from illness will be a thing of the past.

For those who believe a little behaviour modification will bring healing, for those who do not believe, well sorry, it will be a case of until death separates you from illness.

Mr Minister, you have the wand in your hand to make things happen, cast the spell.

You can revive the era when the society cared about healing its sick.

Any alternative action will promote the rise of the predators and the misery will continue.

Time to raise health from the doldrums

LENNOX FRANCIS Couva