At best we have to be a bunch of naive people if we are to believe there would be a resumption of hanging.

Trinidad has become a lawless society. That putrid quality did not materialise overnight.

Modernity and its accompanying trappings, a lack of political will, self-serving individuals, raping of the Treasury, corruption in its many manifestations, and the obsolete systems and procedures are but few of the diverse contributing factors.

A service charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order has become a disservice.

Love of justice has been perverted to revenge and spite. Are the opinions of two very senior, retired officers as to some possible reasons for the ineffectiveness of the Police Service to be treated with scant courtesy? Why is it so difficult to manage the criminal justice system, the very system that is vital to the implementation of law.

Is it that people in high positions have vested interests? Why are lawyers allowed to engage in procrastination/ delay of cases? Whatever happened to case management? How about our Chief Justice who has hotfooted it to all parts foreign with the objectives of bringing relief and upgrade to a moribund system? Why is it that in the US they can execute people even after ten years of the judgment but we in Trinidad are stuck with Pratt and Morgan? A prime minister is elected in a day, the Chief Justice and President are nominated and accepted within a very short time but to get a Commissioner of Police is like pulling teeth.

Why are we operating with these kinds of archaic systems? The wheels of justice need greasing and I do not mean bribery here. I know a quick fix is not possible but a holistic approach is required and not a piecemeal effort.

I attended a primary school, the motto of which was, “The will does it.” Can we turn around this frightening situation of lawlessness, especially murders, and reboot TT to its once glory days?

Sahadeo Ragoonanan via email

The writer Kelvin La Roche states that TT is an attractive place for business investment.

Obviously, La Roche does not own nor run a business in this country.

I agree with one thing only __ being proud of our steelband music.

TT is hell to run a business in. Very poor work ethic, very poor attendance at work daily.

Try to open a new bank account. Not so easily done. Everything is blamed on the FIU, which saddles us with unnecessary compliance paperwork, when in fact they know who the criminals are.

Try to dismiss an unproductive and useless employee. Not so easy.

Employee walks into any union office nearby.

He is not a member.

They make him a member retroactively and off to the Industrial Court you go. Fifty/ one hundred thousand dollars later (half for the union) you try again to hire one of La Roche’s brilliant workers.

Foreign exchange? Forget it these days.

Foreign multi-national retailers have gone with the lion’s share.

Unions have gone crazy so their leaders can keep up their lifestyle.

Arcelor-Mittal is a classic case. One week after beating victory drums in the streets having “won” a case against the company, 600 workers are on the breadline.

La Roche, methinks you are an armchair businessman.

DAVID SALINGER Maraval

Agreement on the date emerged after a case management hearing on Tuesday between the parties at the court. The union’s secretary general Joseph Remy said that following the hearing, there is an expectation the company would not continue to fire workers.

However, the union will file an injunction within the next few days, seeking to prevent the TDC from terminating contracts until conclusion of the substantive matter.

Remy said there is an issue regarding the dissolution and the right of shareholders. He said once the company intends to interfere with workers’ contracts it is obligated to dialogue with the union. The union, Remy said, indicated to both the Industrial Court and TDC management that the latter has violated the Industrial Relations Act (IRA) and such a violation must be resolved via the courts.

He reminded that the union has told Government it wants to submit an alternative plan for the TDC and the tourism thrust of Trinidad and Tobago. He said the union already has a preliminary draft of that plan and two Tuesdays ago, asked government for two weeks to present its plan outlining the way forward, “For a restructured, re-engineered and properly governed tourism development structure that will ensure our tourism policy and tourism thrust really gains traction.” Remy revealed that the company has asked for time to consult with its shareholders and Corporation Sole relative to applying principles under the IRA as regards the TDC’s dissolution.

Speaking on Tuesday at the San Fernando City Corporation monthly statutory meeting, at council chambers in Harris Promenade, Regrello said the remedy to crime does not lie solely in government’s hands.

“Part of the blame lies squarely on our shoulders and we must accept that lawlessness can only be averted if we adhere to laws ourselves,” Regrello said.

He said laws include physical laws of the land, mental laws of decency and morality and spiritual laws which point to a higher purpose of existence. “Religious events no longer hold deep spiritual and core values. In many cases some religious holidays have been relegated to just another excuse for consumption of alcohol and little or no introspection,” he said.

Regrello cited the volatile situation in Enterprise, Chaguanas saying this rapid increase in crime was leading to the erosion of family life in this and other communities.

“A holistic approach to reduction of criminality must begin in the home,” he said, adding, “We must begin by repairing the damage done to the family unit and erosion of religious values that once were so heavily integrated into our lives.” He said the traditional Sunday lunch family meal was replaced with fast food and take-out while the adage, ‘the family that prays together, stays together’” had also been “deconstructed” as the single parent family unit is fast become a norm.

Regrello said people are no longer aware of who their neighbour really is as criminal activity has “sown seeds of distrust” in communities.

He said the corporation’s aim is to keep San Fernando safe and called on parents, teachers and religious organisations to rekindle the levels of communication and trust that was once in place with children. He commended people and organisations who assisted the southern city in its recent clean-up campaign. Regrello said the exercise included demolition of unauthorised structures, removal of derelict vehicles, de-silting of retention ponds and collection of bulk waste.

He said approximately 1,100 loads of bulk waste were removed while four structures were demolished and 75 vacant lots were cut and cleaned.

Dr Efebo Wilkinson, chairman of the NDATT caretaker committee said in a media release that membership fees have been reduced significantly to facilitate the drive. The fee to join NDATT is $25, however, students pay $10 and groups, $100.

“This is a provisional arrangement to increase membership and see us through to the AGM and resulting elections,” Wilkinson said.

NDATT is a non-profit organisation founded in 1980 by James Lee Wah, who felt that the drama fraternity could gain from a united body to promote drama and the interest of drama groups.

After two years of inactivity NDATT ’s trustees Dr Helmer Hilwig and Tony Hall, upon receiving legal advice, assembled a caretaker committee to begin the process of revitalising the organisation, the release said.

Along with Wilkinson the committee includes Hilwig, Hall, Trevor Jadunath (outgoing president), Theresa Awai, Michael Cherrie, Penelope Spencer and Safa Niamat- Ali.

For more info on membership contact Awai at 350-0202; email: t2awai2@gmail.

com or Jadunath at 463-5059; email: littlecarib@ gmail.com

Smith sees her appointment as the start of a new era in the association’s life.

“This is an exciting but challenging time.

The new board will continue to develop and raise awareness of the association while supporting those persons affected by this dreaded disease…

There is a lot of work to be done but the idea is not to change everything radically overnight but to improve how we do, what we do,” Smith said.

Smith, a past student of Bishop Anstey High School, was revenue accountant at Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission for threeand a-half years and worked as an auditor prior to that, before migrating to the UK. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Charity Finance and has worked in senior positions in various non-profit organisations in the UK.

In handing over the leadership, Inniss who had forged ties worldwide –for which this country will be eternally grateful, said: “Ann Smith joined the association in 2013 when she returned from the United Kingdom to care for her mother who is in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease.

She was elected to the board of directors for the 2014-2016 term; first served as assistant secretary and later as vice president.

She has a keen interest in the welfare and well-being of the elderly and while in the UK, alongside her profession as an accountant, she was an active volunteer in organisations which specialised in befriending the elderly. Now that she is president, I am sure that she will use her experience to work with the other directors, to carry forward the association with new ideas”.

Other board members who were elected last December for 2016-2018 are Beryl Stuart –owner/manager of a geriatric home; Joanne Shurland – an educator for the past 23 years; Dr Lorraine Patience – a general practitioner with a special interest in care of the elderly and Brenda Moses – a retired geriatric nurse.

Following are contacts for the association which is based at 15 Nepaul Street, St James, Port-of-Spain: 225-8764 –9 am to 2 pm, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; and 632-4791.

For more info: Kristy Seelall, communication officer, 747-9440 or email at alztrinbago@gmail.

com

This has however been postponed because the group would not be allowed to bring vehicles into the gardens not even to just allow people to get off. Also, there are no picnic tables and the target group of invitees really cannot picnic on the ground, and there are no easily accessible bathroom facilities.

Another setback to the event is the irregular weather being experienced despite it being the dry season.

Instead of the picnic, association president Ann Smith will lead a discussion at the Portof- Spain group meeting on –15 Simple Things You Can Do To Deal with Persons Coping with Dementia or Memory Loss– on Saturday from 10 am, at 15 Nepaul Street, St James.

The production runs for two shows Saturday and Sunday at the Cipriani Labour College.

In the latest blood-letting, a man was shot yesterday morning and died later at a health centre. Then on Monday night, another man was gunned down while attending the wake for Sylvan Alexis, who was shot dead last Friday in Enterprise.

In the Monday night incident, father of three Patrick Isles of Southern Main Road, Enterprise was shot dead shortly after 10 pm, while at the wake held for Alexis, 60. Police said a gunman opened fire at persons assembled in the yard of Alexis’ Francois Street home. As the gunman ran off, persons spotted Isles slumped on the ground.

He died not too far from where Alexis was shot dead last Friday.

Fellow mourners Selwyn Warner and Roy Brown, both of Enterprise, were shot but escaped with their lives. At the time, Warner was assisting with lighting flambeaux along the roadside. Brown who lives a stone’s throw away along Francois Street, sustained two gunshots while sitting in an unfinished room at his home. Both were taken to the Chaguanas District Health Facility and subsequently transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.

Isles’ mother, who asked not to be identified, wept yesterday at the family’s home. Relatives said although they learned of Isles’ death on Monday night, they waited until yesterday morning to break the news to the woman.

Isles’ gold chain was recovered at the scene and yesterday handed over to his mother.

“This morning they (police) bring the gold chain for me. I said, ‘put that chain around my neck’. My only boy child…my last. Right now, I am just hearing things (about the shooting) just like everyone else,” she said.

Brown recalled that at about 7 pm, he locked the front gate and went to watch television. Shortly after 10 pm, he went to the entrance of the house to look outside, “to see what was going on.” Without warning, gunshots rang out, “and then I felt a burning sensation and threw myself to the ground. I don’t know what happened out there. The place got quiet and when I look, I saw a body on the road. I started to bawl and those who heard me, came and assisted. They took me to the hospital and that was it,” Brown said. A bullet entered and exited his right hand, while another entered his left leg where it remains lodged.

In the second shooting incident, at 11 am yesterday, gunshots were heard along Joseph Street near African Ground.

Resident contacted the police and when officers arrived, they found Dillon “Fox” Grant gasping for breath in a neighbour’s yard. Grant who was originally from Cunupia, was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Grant, 32, moved into Enterprise two months ago with his wife Kimberly Jaikaran and their young son. Police believe a recent feud between a female relative and a man in which Grant intervened, was the reason for him being shot dead.

In Enterprise yesterday, an uneasy calm had settled on the community as heavily armed policemen, some wearing masks, were seen on patrol.

Residents said they are fearing more bloodshed as rival gangs battle each other for control of the area to run their crime business.

Both residents and police said rumours were rampant of other murders being committed in Enterprise yesterday.

The officer, whose name has been withheld by request of the regiment, is now said to be in a stable but critical condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EW MSC) in Mt Hope.

In a release sent to the media, the regiment confirmed the soldier was shot. The release said a welfare team was despatched to the camp and is also communicating with the soldier’s family.

According to regiment sources, the soldier was found slumped over in his quarters at 9.50 am yesterday. Medics attempted to resuscitate him while ambulance and emergency services were alerted.

He was first taken to the Arima Health Facility, where he was stabilised and then transferred to the EW MSC.

A photo of a man, which people claimed was the shot soldier, was circulating on social media yesterday but Public affairs manager Captain Stephan Affonso told Newsday, that photo had nothing to do with the soldier who was found yesterday.

Unconfirmed reports are that the soldier had a gunshot wound to the head.

The photo depicts a soldier in uniform, lying in a foetal position near some stairs. Affonso said investigators at the regiment have begun looking into the origin of the photo.