Sources revealed that a senior officer contacted his colleagues in the Eastern Division and assured that attempts are now being made to relocate officers as an option or to speed up the refurbishment work.

The close to 60 officers have been complaining about the excessive heat and dust blowing in their faces.

They have also complained about the lack of washroom facilities and proper place for them to have meals.

The Police Service Social and Welfare Association yesterday urged Deputy Commissioner of Police Deodath Dulalchan who is in charge of all police stations to remedy the situation or possibly face action by the officers.

Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon has also been asked to intervene.

From as early as 4.30 am, as commuters made their way to school and work, some Moruga residents burned debris a little distance away from the Santa Maria RC Primary School while others blocked the road at the Marac junction. Hundreds were trapped between the two roadblocks for hours and a decision was taken to close the school on account of the fire.

“Our roads are in a very terrible condition,” said president of the 14 ? Mile Mark Penal Rock Road, Moruga Community Council, Lester Guevarro. “We have been promised that it will be paved on numerous occasions, but the last time the road was paved was under Mr Basdeo Panday.” Guevarro said the area of contention lies between the ten and 16 mile marks which, they were promised by Moruga MP Dr Lovell Francis, would be paved in January 2016. Nothing has been done since, said Guevarro, and Moruga residents continue to be without a PTSC bus service to Penal as the bus stops at the ten mile mark beyond which is unpaved.

“We just didn’t wake up and say we going to block the road just so. It is a number of issues that are affecting the community but we needed to do something serious for people to take us seriously.” The irate residents also called for pipelines to be built in Herrera Trace as has been promised for years.

“Sometimes a water truck would pass and fill three tanks of water in the community. But the older residents can’t afford to go and tote a bucket of water and if people are out at work, by the time they get home that water is already finished.” They also called for the installation of 22 street lights which they say was promised since 2013, and for more people from the community to be employed in the teak field as was also promised last year. The constant promises have angered residents who feel like they are being “spun like top in mud” by officials said Guevarro.

They have accepted another promise by Francis, however, who met with the protesters yesterday and promised speedy action on their issues.

Contacted for comment, Francis told Newsday, “WASA is already mobilising” to run lines in Herrera Trace and the Ministries of Works and Transport and Rural Development have been asked to focus on the unpaved road. Asked for a time frame in which he expects these to be done, Francis said, “Short term.

Should be a matter of weeks.”

It therefore calls for clear and definitive thinking lest we continue to be faced with a situation which does not contribute to a lasting solution which redounds to the benefit of all stakeholders, including the taxpayers.

Here I touch on but three issues in this “festering” matter: 1. The administrative set-up for the ferry service It should be noted that the service is to be run by the TT IFC, a company established under the aegis of the Port Authority, which is itself a statutory authority which falls within the portfolio of the Minister of Works and Transport.

It should also be noted, however, that the company is fully dependent on, and under the control of, the Port Authority. Indeed, the company is not itself vested with the autonomy and the authority to even source its ships to enable it to carry out the tasks at hand and that its staffers are employees of the Port Authority.

Added to the above, the management of the TT IFC is constrained by having to deal with, and to listen to, such entities as the Tobago House of Assembly, and stakeholder bodies as a sine qua non.

It is therefore no exaggeration to describe the TT IFC, having supposed responsibility without authority, as being nothing but a front for the Port Authority itself.

It is clear that this hodgepodge “web” of inter-relationships can “make road for ’gouti to run” and can lead to low morale, stressful decision-making and inefficiency. Indeed, I continue to question the philosophical reasoning underlying the establishment of State enterprises under the jurisdiction of a statutory authority, the policy objectives of the one being different from those of the other.

It is not that, theoretically, the idea of a separate company to run the ferry service ought not to be entertained.

However, such an entity must be separated from, and be not tied to, the coat-tails of the Port Authority, a situation which, I admit, is likely to be anathema to the current sociopolitical orthodoxy.

In this regard, such a company should be treated by the Port Authority in a manner not unlike that which would normally obtain in respect of any customers of the Port Authority and thus requiring payment to the authority by the TT IFC for use of the authority’s equipment and facilities and the incurring of charges such as harbour and basin dues.

In consequence, there would ensue a system of accounting by both bodies which is completely different from that which obtains at present.

2. Dredging of the Port-of-Spain harbour and the Super-Fast Galicia It has been reported that perhaps the main bone of contention in the decision of the authorities to refuse entering into a new extended contract for continuing service by the above-mentioned cargo vessel was dictated by the cost of dredging the specific lane in the Portof- Spain harbour to enable the vessel to dock at its designated moorings.

It should be noted that dredging of the harbour used to be a continuing preoccupation of the Port Authority, being dictated by the undoubted silting of the harbour by our own Caroni River and the Orinoco.

One recalls that the Port Authority used to own its own dredger.

However, this was replaced by occasional contract arrangement on the ground that there was much downtime by the port’s staff.

On reflection, one wonders whether it was a wise and costeffective decision as not only is there a need for continuous dredging of the Portof- Spain harbour, but, in any event, whatever the vessel, the sea lane leading not only to the new cargo ferry catwalk but also to the Caricom jetty would certainly need to be dredged.

Thus one would question whether the matter of the cost of dredging, in itself, ought to have been used as a yardstick in determining the matter of the continuing lease arrangements in respect of the Galicia.

3. The way forward In another piece, I have suggested that the imperatives for a properly run inter-island ferry service (without the past hiccups) require, in the least: (a) Two properly- maintained fast passenger ferry vessels.

(b) Two relatively fast medium-sized cargo ferries with a reasonable complement of “acceptable” passenger accommodation; thus serving as “backups” for the regular passenger fast ferries, when required.

ERROL OC CUPID Trincity, Tacarigua

Jason Barry Kullis St Clair, 33, was described as a person with no fixed place of abode in Trinidad.

Douglas Raphael Mendoza Gonzales, 28, magistrate Cheryl Ann Blake-Antoine was told, is from Rio Salado, Guira, Venezuela.

He was the captain of a pirogue named MV El Castigador which is currently berthed at King’s Wharf, San Fernando.

Their arrests stemmed from investigations by Customs and Excise Division on Friday in which the boat was confiscated.

Blake-Antoine read to both men that they attempted to import into the country a Smith and Wesson gun and a Colt firearm together with five rounds of ammunition.

Attorney Devvon Williams represented Mendoza Gonzales and pleaded for bail to be granted to him, telling Blake-Antoine that he has no previous convictions and a fixed place of abode in Venezuela. Attorney Abigail Roach who represented St Clair, pleaded for bail as well and admitted although he is a national, he lives in Venezuela and is often back and forth. She said he stays in a hotel whenever he is in Trinidad.

Attorney for the Customs and Excise Division, Harricharan Cassie, objected to bail being granted saying that the importation of guns into the country was becoming quite known and popular to law enforcement agencies.

Blake-Antoine remanded the men into custody to reappear before her tomorrow.

The TT squad returned home with an overall fourth place finish and the highest number of points accumulated since 2013.

Stating the constraints towards scheduling the reception at the Piarco International Airport due to the varying flight times, the Ministry of Sport and the SporTT Company took the option of setting up an official event at the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT)’s headquarters.

The participant athletes, officials and parents were honoured by the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Darryl Smith, who congratulated the Trinidad and Tobago team for their accomplishments.

At the ceremony, Smith spoke about the importance of the role parents play in sacrificing their time, effort, energy and resources for them to have future successes in their sport.

He stated, “I’ve seen the sacrifices the parents make for the athletes especially when it comes to their child’s training, development, education and nutrition and, in most times, they are the ones who instill proper morals and routines for them to follow.” Smith continued, “without these guidelines and values being enforced at home, they (the athletes) would not have the self disciple, confidence and true sportsmanship embedded into their system.” He also motivated the swimmers to use the investment given to them for greater use and focus their efforts also on their academic development and make their parents proud, both in and out the pool.

One of TT’s stars in the Bahamas was 14-year-old gold medallist Jada Chatoor. She said, “the team was really united over in the Bahamas as everyone supported each other in their races, be it on the sidelines cheering on or in the stands and those experiences both in and out of the water are definitely treasured.” Wendell Lai Hing, president of ASATT, was unable to attend the reception, however, he extended his congratulations to the athletes and is confident of their development.

The Minister is highly anticipating the CCCAN tournament scheduled to be hosted from June 22-July 2, at the Aquatic Centre

With that in mind, former Appeal Court judge Anthony Lucky who is a judge of the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, has thrown out a suggestion to judges around the world that perhaps the time has come for another look at how the right to life provision in their respective constitutions should be interpreted.

Justice Lucky said that the ‘right to life and not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law’ provision, is enshrined in most if not all democratic countries constitutions.

Addressing last week’s 21st annual Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition at the Stetson University of Law, Florida, Justice Lucky, who is based in Hamburg, Germany, said that such a ‘right to life provision’, should be read as a right to each individual to protect himself from the acts of others which will destroy the environment or the right to biodiversity.

Lucky threw out this constitutional proposition before a panel of other judges and participants of the moot competition, which saw countries as far as India and the Phillipines participating. He made reference to a case in which he sat as a judge in Trinidad that involved persons who were planting rice in the Nariva Swamp and were stopped from encroaching onto protected wet lands.

The rice farmers had sued the State for depriving them of their right to earn a livelihood. Lucky said that the rice farmers had planted their rice in some of the lands which were part of the largest freshwater swamp in Trindiad. The State intervened when the residents began to bulldoze the lands that were part of the protected area. In other words, Lucky told the international audience which included Judge William Burns who is a professor as well at the University of California, and Justice Nancy Daves.

Justice Lucky went on to say that the farmers had claimed they were given licenses to farm, but the State countered that they were trespassers and that they were also endangering the environment and flouting the law. Lucky told the audience that he ruled against the ‘swamping for rice’ and ordered the farmers be evicted. The international court judge referred to similar cases in other countries of acts of encroachment into the ecosystems, saying that the issue that is developing in the world for judges, is how do they adjudicate private rights against public interest concerns.

There is one environment-related case currently engaging the attention of the local High Court – the Highway Re-route Movement versus the State – over construction of the Mon Desir leg of the highway to Point Fortin. The Anti Smelter group against construction of the Almunium Smelter plant in Chatham is pending in the High Court. However, it may merely be relagated to an academic exercise because the plan to build the plant has been shelved.

But as countries of the world become more aware of the need for the courts to intervene in biodiversity issues, Justice Lucky said, there is a need for judges to be more mindful of the importance of biodiversity and the protection of the environment in their decisions.

He noted that already, some jurists hold the view that such an approach will encourage judicial bias in favour of the environment.

Others, he added, hold the view that reading and interpreting laws with protection of the environment in mind, display a greater appreciation of the need to ensure the environment is protected for the sake of man’s survival. He said, “Put bluntly, it means ensuring that the court protects man from destroying himself by depleting and exploiting the resources upon which he depends for his survival.” Therefore, Justice Lucky said, the right to use of the environment by people wherever they live, must include the right of the environment to protection in order to exist for the survivial of man.

The Ministry of Education and the minister have been hit the hardest by all the rhetoric and one is left with the impression that the ministry is complicit in the administration of its duty.

But we must remember that no system functions in isolation.

There is the human element involved that can make or break the system. As parents, we have a responsibility to fill the school system with children who respect and adhere to the rules. We need to teach our children what is right and acceptable and reinforce that with affirmation or disapproval as the situation dictates.

Bullying is the new label we give to verbal and physical aggression in school. And we have been raking the Minister of Education over the coal. But can Minister Anthony Garcia really be held responsible if we are not instilling values of consideration and respect for others.

A news report talks about a “bullying” incident where, during “a game of catch and rescue,” one child lost his permanent teeth when his playmate apparently struck him on the mouth with a soft drink bottle. Have you seen children play? Do you see how out of control they get, fast? How is it then that the Minister of Education is being blamed for this and served a pre-action notice.

Added to that, children have little sense of restraint. They get caught up in whatever form of play and only when the tears or injury come does everything come to a halt.

I can recall my childhood in primary of school of children getting pushed down on the courtyard, because of wild play; children falling down stairs resulting in broken limbs, because they were trying to get somewhere in a hurry and didn’t stop to think they may hurt someone.

Fast-forward decades later and we call every action where a child is hurt bullying and we take it a step further to crucify the minister. It is my view that Garcia is doing an excellent job in carrying out his duties, and he is even aided by a Minister of State who is not only capable but eloquent.

Come on people, what we are witnessing is not new. As a teenager I witnessed the same heckling, jeering, name-calling and physical exchanges that are now more widely seen thanks to smart phones and social media.

The point I am trying to make is that there is nothing new under the sun.

Children, like all human beings, experience intense emotions that we as parents have the responsibility to check and channel. We have to raise human beings who respect themselves and others, who are slow to speak, slow to become angry, and quick to listen to the guidance and wisdom of their elders, and in particular their parents.

LANA SINGH via email

In 2013, a UK Medical Research Council team stopped brain cells dying in an animal for the first time, creating headline news around the world.

But the compound used was unsuitable for people, as it caused organ damage.

Now two drugs have been found that should have the same protective effect on the brain and are already safely used in people.

“It’s really exciting,” said Prof Giovanna Mallucci, from the MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester.

She wants to start human clinical trials on dementia patients soon and expects to know whether the drugs work within two to three years. The novel approach is focused on the natural defence mechanisms built into brain cells.

When a virus hijacks a brain cell it leads to a build-up of viral proteins. Cells respond by shutting down nearly all protein production in order to halt the virus’s spread.

Many neurodegenerative diseases involve the production of faulty proteins that activate the same defences, but with more severe consequences.

The brain cells shut down production for so long that they eventually starve themselves to death.

This process, repeated in neurons throughout the brain, can destroy movement, memory or even kill, depending on the disease.

It is thought to take place in many forms of neurodegeneration, so safely disrupting it could treat a wide range of diseases.

In the initial study, the researchers used a compound that prevented the defence mechanism kicking in.

It halted the progress of prion disease in mice – the first time any neurodegenerative disease had been halted in any animal.

Further studies showed the approach could halt a range of degenerative diseases.

The findings were described as a “turning point” for the field even though the compound was toxic to the pancreas.

Since 2013, the research group has tested more than 1,000 readymade drugs on nematode worms, human cells in a dish and mice.

Two were shown to prevent both a form of dementia and prion disease by stopping brain cells dying.

Prof Mallucci told the BBC News website: “Both were very highly protective and prevented memory deficits, paralysis and dysfunction of brain cells.” The best known drug of the pair is trazodone, which is already taken by patients with depression.

The other, DBM, is being tested in cancer patients.

Prof Mallucci said: “It’s time for clinical trials to see if there’s similar effects in people and put our money where our mouth is.

“We’re very unlikely to cure them completely, but if you arrest the progression you change Alzheimer’s disease into something completely different so it becomes liveable with.” But, although trazodone is a current medication, she added: “As a professional, a doctor and a scientists, I must advise people to wait for the results.” The study was published in the journal Brain.

Dr Doug Brown, from the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “We’re excited by the potential of these findings, from this well conducted and robust study.

“As one of the drugs is already available as a treatment for depression, the time taken to get from the lab to the pharmacy could be dramatically reduced.” Dr David Dexter, from Parkinson’s UK, said: “This is a very robust and important study.

“If these studies were replicated in human clinical trials, both trazodone and DBM could represent a major step forward.”

In other words, the army, which has a long tradition of no cover-ups, must go on the offensive when matters tend to blemish its once proud image with information provided to the public. It cannot afford to dodge any unsavoury missiles or bullets thrown its way.

It must bite the bullet, even if it leaves a funny taste in the mouth.

May I remind Brig Rodney Smart that the army is the bedrock of our democracy, and if its image and credibility are always on the line, all fall down.

KEITH ANDERSON via email

food, and cooking and basic hygiene practices. Of course, this will vary when we have hot days, windy days, humid days, and are caring for children, elderly, treating illnesses.

injuries, and in the cultivation of food and taking care of our pets and animals etc. The relevant authorities assure us that Trinidad and Tobago is fully capable of providing its basic water needs on a daily basis with dams such as Arena, Navet and Hollis in Trinidad and Hillsborough in Tobago. The Navet and Hollis Dams can potentially store over five billion gallons of water with an average production of about 27 million gallons a day (Retrieved from www. wasa.gov.tt, WRA, GOTT , 2017). This means that if 1.3 million people use 15 gallons a day (195 million gallons/day), just for basic needs on a non-emergency basis, and no other water is being produced or stored, we are short by about 168 million gallons daily. Desalination can produce over 75 million gallons a day for distribution. There is also the fact that our country depends heavily on the energy sector that uses large quantities of water and also in manufacturing industries.

agriculture and healthcare there will be a significant usage out of the total water produced/stored. Efficient, effective and efficacious integrated healthcare systems are extremely important in any country in the world. Health centres and hospitals use about five litres (1.3 gallons) for an outpatient and 50-60 litres for an inpatient a day (13-15 gallons) (WHO, WEDC, 2013). So if we have an average of 2,000 outpatients in all clinics and 650 inpatients in a typical general hospital in TT a day we would need 49,000 litres © 13,000 gallons/day). If we look at the fact that in operating theatres we also use up to 100 litres (26 gallons) a day/patient in emergencies as well and with toilets flushing about three-five litres/user/ day, we get a very good picture of our “water woes.” Schools need to have an average of three litres/day/student for drinking and hygiene and this does not include toilet flushes. Are we ready for a disaster in TT ? The Caribbean region is experiencing an overall period of drought and although we have heavy rainfall during the rainy season that sometimes leads to flash flooding there is still an overall shortage of water. I have not discussed other forms of water use, eg for washing vehicles.

watering lawns, filling swimming pools, watering plants and for pets, animals and gardening etc. In restaurants and the food and beverage industry, much water is used daily as well. When an earthquake strikes.

power and water are often disrupted almost instantaneously. Adequate water contingency plans are therefore needed at all levels. Man needs air, shelter, water.

food, and access to healthcare and security as soon as possible within 72 hours. It is therefore essential for healthcare systems, communities and schools to ensure that appropriate water is stored or easily available in the event of a complex emergency or catastrophic event. Truck-borne delivery of water and ice are two of the most important immediate basic needs of any population affected by a severe natural or man-made hazard. After the national power outage on March 29, 2013, an analysis of water requirements and usage at major hospitals revealed that if a significant power outage had occurred in excess of the period that it took for power to be restored in this case, limited capabilities existed at that time by RHAs to use pre-disaster MOUs and MOAs that would have ensured that local truck-borne water was provided for adequate hospital water supply in the event of shortage (GOTT , ODPM, 2013). If an earthquake occurs and the operational requirements of a large hospital are increased three-fold.

there will be a severe burden placed on the systems to cater for the increased demand for healthcare services (ASCE, Haiti, 2010). We are pleased that appropriate steps are being taken by the Government to ensure that disaster risk management practices are put in place. The North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA).

for example, has indicated to me recently, that it has “the necessary resources in terms of disaster risk management.” This is highly satisfactory as the NWRHA has the unique responsibility of providing appropriate healthcare services to our central business district and our capital’s urban centres for a population of density 3,090/sq km in Port-of-Spain.

817/sq km in Diego Martin and 658/sq km in San Juan/Laventille.

ie, over 312,000 people over a land area of 377 sq km, with about 96,000 households (GOTT /CSO, 2011). We applaud the NWRHA and all other government agencies and institutions.

authorities and divisions that have established DRM mechanisms and therefore have the necessary tested emergency operations and contingency plans, business continuity plans, crisis management plans and critical infrastructure protection systems, processes and procedures and the measures to monitor.

evaluate and report on their effectiveness and efficiency using appropriately benchmarked indicators to ensure that the continuity of government business in place after any complex emergency or catastrophic event. We must all “conserve water now.

please.”