I understand that things are untenable at the institution and that there needed to be some form of action to elevate this matter to those in authority but as a retired teacher, I believe there could have been a different approach by the teachers.

We continue to lambast our young people for their actions and how they choose to deal with situations, but I ask: Where are they getting these patterns from? Who are they copying? We often charge parents for the ill behaviour we see exhibited by children.

We say they are growing up in your home, you are responsible, what are you teaching them? But for as long as I can remember, I’ve heard it said that children live what they learn.

Teachers may think that instruction is limited to the classroom but it is because they are teachers that children look at them closely and take pattern from them.

Children look to teachers for validation and encouragement, especially if it is not available in the home. It may seem unfair, but that is the profession teachers chose and with it comes certain unexpected consequences.

The protest action in itself, and isolated, is the least of the issues.

But when one looks at it in the context of the animosity and lack of respect bandying about that school, the protest simply adds fuel to the flame. It is no surprise then that students got involved in the fracas and now will be losing valuable instruction time.

Isabelle Maraj via email

This was disclosed by Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s. Responding to a question about foreign exchange and imports, Imbert said, “Really, one of the things that the Government has to start doing is try to shift the focus away from entities that simply import manufactured goods and thereby don’t really create any jobs, towards assisting our local manufacturers who are exporting goods into Central America and so on.”

Imbert said this question is whether he should exercise his authority under the Exchange Control Act, “to direct foreign exchange towards manufacturing as opposed to imports.” He added, “It can’t be that all of the foreign exchange is focused on importation of goods like motorcars and finished goods coming from abroad.” Imbert continued, “We have have to focus our foreign exchange on the companies in TT that are employing people and are generating economic activity, exporting Trinidad’s goods, made in Trinidad.”

He stated, “I can tell you, it is something that we are looking at very seriously and a statement will be made about that in the near future.”

In supporting Imbert’s position, Robinson- Regis said her ministry, through the Economic Development Advisory Board, has been examining the movement of companies, “that are moving in the direction of innovation and are looking towards becoming more competitive in terms of manufacturing and research and development.”

She also said her ministry has been working with the Trade and Industry Ministry which has access to an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan, for developing the Single Electronic Window (SEW ). Robinson- Regis said the SEW , which was conceptualised under the former Patrick Manning administration, is geared towards improving the ease of doing business in TT. She added that electronic upgrades at the Town and Country Division and at the Environmental Management Authority are designed to improve the process for the establishment of businesses in TT, so that “development is focused” and the country can move to another level.

Paray in a statement yesterday said it is not enough to just condemn bullying, but action is direly needed.

He called on the Ministry of Education to set up a national taskforce on bullying and school violence, to be comprised of independent members, officers of the protective services, PTAs, psychologists, social workers and religious bodies.

Paray said a strong correlation exists between an active PTA and good student success rates and behaviour.

“Parents need to be more involved in the lives of students and always keep in mind that children practice what they see.” He urged PTAs to partner with religious bodies to provide children with moral direction.

She was elected president at the first council meeting following the ICATT annual general meeting (AGM) held at the Radisson Hotel, Port of Spain, last week.

Golding has served on the ICATT council since March 2014. Prior to her current appointment, she was first vice president (2016-2017) and second vice president for the 2015 -2016 term. She has also held the position of chair of the Auditing and Accounting Standards (A&AS) Committee for the past three terms.

In her over 25 years of professional experience in audits of both public and private sector clients, Golding has worked throughout the Caribbean.

She has served as lead audit partner of several regional clients and as an engagement quality review partner for many clients of KPMG. She is also the partner responsible for corporate social responsibility and risk management.

Golding congratulated outgoing president, Pria Narinesingh, on a successful three-year period at the helm of ICATT which culminated in the revision of the institute’s rules and regulations after 46 years.

Addressing members immediately after her presidency was announced she said, “I am especially looking forward to working with the council, the secretariat and the membership to continue the growth of the profession and working to implement the new rules which come into effect Jan 1, 2018.” At the first council meeting which followed the AGM, five newly elected council members joined the now 13-member council. Denise Chinpire- O’Reilly, a chartered accountant and managing director of KS Chinpire Contracting Services was elected first vice president for 2017-2018 and Dwayne Rodriguez- Seijas, an assurance partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, was elected second vice president. Also re-elected to council was Derek Mohammed, lead audit partner at Deloitte, and a former ICATT president.

Elected to the council for the first time were Dianne A. Mano, a certified chartered accountant, certified anti-money laundering specialist, attorney- at law and principal of D. Mano and Co, and Dinesh Bhola, a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors.

He is also the principal of D.S. Bhola and Co. and the Managing Director of DSB Financial Solutions Ltd.

Other members who have been retained as members of Council are: Anthony Pierre, Ryan Nunes, Krishna Boodhai, Leslie Nelson, Nicole Joseph, and Kerri Maharaj.

“Fifty nine positions of school social workers will expire during April to May 2017.

Once approval is granted by Cabinet, the ministry will renew contracts for officers with favourable appraisals and the remaining vacancies will be advertised.” He said on Wednesday that this would occur “in about a month’s time”.

And in response to a question posed by Naparima MP Rodney Charles, Garcia said one guidance officer is assigned to cover three primary schools while each secondary school is served by one.

He added, “In schools which are deemed high-risk, the ratio of guidance officers is oneto- 200 students, while in primary schools the ratio is one-to-400.

“At the Learning Enhancement Centres there is one guidance officer to 15 students.” Garcia later clarified to Newsday that the guidance officer serving a given secondary school is not the same person serving three primary schools.

Responding to a question in the House of Representatives, Cudjoe stated, “Discussions with the union are ongoing.” She also indicated that the CWU had filed an industrial relations order with the Industrial Court.

Reminding MPs that Government sanctioned a review of the company, Cudjoe said such a review was also sanctioned by the former People’s Partnership administration.

She added, “The Cabinet of TT always observes the laws of TT.” Earlier in the sitting, Finance Minis- ter Colm Imbert said the Planning Ministry advised him that of the $5.1 billion allocated for the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), $1.34 billion has been spent to date and the quantum of the PSIP implemented was 26 percent.

However Imbert added, “That does not include commitments already made for work done where invoices are being processed.” On this basis, Imbert said this figure would be higher.

On Tuesday in the Senate, Imbert said the withdrawal of $1,712,200,000 (US$251 million) from the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) will be used to partially fund “hundreds of projects” listed under the 2017 PSIP.

Planning Minister Camille Robinson- Regis indicated that efforts are being made to pay CEPEP contractors and workers, outstanding contract fees and wages respectively, “in the shortest possible time.”

Rowley did so when he met on Wednesday with Chinese Ambassador to TT, Song Yumin.

A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said Rowley and Yumin discussed a wide range of issues such as economic, trade and security matters.

Rowley was accompanied by Minister in the OPM Stuart Young and Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses.

In a media release on Wednesday, Moonilal called on the government to show compassion to the affected families. “These people have nowhere else to go,” he said.

“Why are there being treated like criminals? Why is the HDC so heartless?” The Oroupouche East Member of Parliament said that it was unthinkable that at a time when so many families are dealing with increased unemployment and crime that HDC has decided to go one step further and “throw families out on the streets”.

“I am asking the Minister of Housing to please intervene and provide these families with temporary housing.” He questioned why the HDC had also failed to provide alternative means of accommodation to these families.

Last night many of the families continued to sleep outside the building while others slept closer to the road.

They said no notice was given by the HDC of the planned eviction exercise which saw heavily armed police accompany HDC officials to the five buildings to begin the eviction process.

On Wednesday morning some of the families assembled in front of Housing Minister Randall Mitchell’s constituency office in San Fernando.

Mitchell, Newsday learnt, met briefly with them. One resident, a mother of two said they were told by the minister that he was trying his best to see what means of accommodation could be offered to the residents. “He did not give us any sure answers as he said he was looking into the problem. How do you tell someone you are looking to get a place for them if that is the case and meanwhile we are all sleeping on the roadside while you are resting comfortably in your home?” She said the children are the ones suffering the most in this situation.

“What kind of person throws babies out of their homes in the rain.

Please I am begging you Mr. Mitchell don’t leave us to suffer on the road like this. It is not a nice experience.” HDC had stated that the residents were informed on numerous occasions that they were occupying the buildings illegally. The families disregarded the notices, the official said.

He was delivering the feature address yesterday on the topic of Leading an Organisation in Challenging Times, at the annual business luncheon of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce held at the Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre, St. Ann’s. He said that the low energy revenues which this country is experiencing is a cyclical one and the low petroleum prices and impact on the economy has set the stage for many businesses to re-examine themselves.

Siman said that even the most difficult times can provide opportunities which can sustain or grow a business. He said in such challenging times as these a company can take a closer look at the operational efficiencies of its business and see whether there are opportunities to streamline its operations. He said another question that needs to be asked is whether investment in technology can produce better results and the situation may provide the opportunity to acquire more space for expansion of the business or more qualified staff to strengthen its talent pool. He said Unicomer is very focused on achieving efficiencies in its operations and has conducted very intense studies and reviews of its cost centres and found ways of reducing its operating expenses without negatively impacting on the delivery of its services to its customers.

He said that the effectiveness of team members in today’s environment was also important and companies needed to assess whether their employees are equipped to deal with the demands of a very discerning customer in a competitive marketplace.

Telemundo was, on Wednesday, granted an injunction by Justice Mira Dean Armorer which restrains the TT Football Association from selling broadcast rights to any party other than Telemundo to provide Spanish-language television viewing.

An injunction for the broadcast rights issue for two subsequent CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches in September and October, later this year, will be granted once Telemundo gives an undertaking to deposit sums of money, to be agreed upon by both parties, for damages.

In her ruling, Justice Dean-Armorer said by not granting the injunction there was a greater risk of injustice to Telemundo as it has invested large sums of money in the marketing of today’s and Tuesday’s matches to its audiences.

Telemundo said it has expended US$50,000 and $80,000 for the matches and there stood the risk of unquantified losses to their reputation and fan base.