Jaggernauth and another doctor at Applev left their patients and busy schedule to attend to my father, check his vitals, offer him oxygen and contacted the EHS selflessly. These guys’ quick reaction, caring and understanding most likely saved the life of my father that day.

Thank you guys and may God bless you.

The doctors and nurses of Ward 9 continued the good work done by Jaggernauth and his staff. Namely, Drs Deo, Hosein and Saroop.

These doctors were always available to me and my family for consultation, especially Saroop.

Their professionalism and human relations skills made this uncomfortable situation manageable for us.

It also made up for the breakdown of the MRI and CT scan machines at the hospital.

In a time where millions of dollars are being squandered in TT , life-saving machines cannot be repaired on a timely basis. Patients are therefore forced to go to Mount Hope or seek these services privately.

Thank you guys and best wishes for the future.

I’m sure many patients will benefit from your commitment in the future. Keep up the good work.

L Roopnarine via email

I was impressed with the amount of volunteers, the several trucks and other heavy equipment made available by contractors and the numerous truckloads of old fridges, stoves and other large items moved that householders find difficult to dispose of and have them stored for years.

My congratulations to the Minister of Local Government, the Couva/ Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation and all those who made this possible.

National clean-up campaigns are not new.

They started under the NAR in 1987, attempted under the UNC and now continuing under the present administration.

The real challenge however is how do we make this process sustainable.

We cannot wait for a change of administration or an enterprising Minister of Local Government to have the next one while bulk waste is piled up.

I am aware that local government bodies would sometimes attempt this process, but not to the extent we have in the present campaign. The corporations have the equipment and the manpower.

The problem lies in a coordinated effort with the various communities.

Certainly, the corporations cannot do this for individual householders, but it can be done when a community is organised and ready.

In this regard, at the launch on Saturday, in the acknowledgments made, no chairman of a community council was acknowledged, although there are several active community councils in the area. I believe this is the way to proceed and it would obviate the need for clean-up campaigns to occur only on changes of administration or when we have an enthusiastic minister.

By getting the community councils involved would enhance the spirit and essence of local government which presently is largely form and structure.

The involvement of the people in decisions that affect their basic needs is the true essence of meaningful local government.

Perhaps the Local Government Reform Committee can take up this challenge in the implementation of the proposals for reform.

This does not require any legislative changes or additional funding.

Lennox Sankersingh via emai

Dr Farrell was speaking as a panellist in a seminar titled ‘Optimising your business in the New Normal’, at the headquarters of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Westmoorings.

The panel was moderated by the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Gabriel Faria and participants were Ronald Hinds, Chief Executive Officer, Teleios Limited and Senior Vice President of the Chamber; Peter George, owner of Trotters and Chairman of Linda’s Bakery and Kama Maharaj, the Chief Executive Officer of Sacha Cosmetics.

George said that despite the talk of a recession in the country there is a tremendous amount of savings in Trinidad and Tobago and what is happening now is that people are going about their business.

He recounted several incidents in which he encountered people spending “normally.” He said the question is how to get that confidence back, suggesting that the solution was to address global instability with global stability.

Recounting the history of the creation of Sacha Cosmetics, Maharaj said that he came from a “beauty” background and recounted that he started Sacha Cosmetics in a recession. He said he observed that local women were having problems to get light colours and that there was a similar need among “multi-cultural” women everywhere which led him to create a global brand locally which he intended to franchise globally over the next five years.

He said he had studied economics abroad and was back in Trinidad teaching in a local school when an American make-up company in this country went bankrupt and he bought it. He said that for at least 25 years, survival was the name of the game.

Hinds spoke about the creation and development of Telios Limited and said he and his partners had built Telios on the basis that it would be built regardless of what the Government did.

Hinds said that he would focus more on services than “things” as what was important.

Dr Farrell interjected that the country needed to increase its exports outside of oil and natural gas to 40 percent by 2040 compared to 15 percent currently. He added that this would have to be accomplished across a broad range of activities with emphasis on services.

‘ He said that innovation is central to the country’s success but said it would be hard because the “mental model” that the country’s politicians, political directorate and even business people and trade unionists have is about producing “things that we could see” whereas in the world that the country is going to thrive and prosper in it is going to be all about services.

This was the position of president of the Transport Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) Roland Sutherland during a protest on Wednesday by the affected workers.

“In our view, when the company got wind that we were organising the workers (to become unionised), they retrenched all of them. They served notices to the workers on January 31, telling them the company was restructuring and a decision was taken to outsource the entire janitorial function.

All nine workers were retrenched effective March 17, 2017,” Sutherland said.

Sutherland said, “this is an attack on the law of the land. Therefore we could not sit down idly and allow any company or big corporation to violate the laws of TT.” TIWU intends to intensify its protest action to ensure other unions and Government are aware of this attempt at blatant violation of the Industrial Relations Act, he said.

Newsday obtained a copy of the notice of retrenchment letter, which stated that during the course of 2016, “the Board of Directors (The Board) of Second Plaza Limited had been reviewing its competitiveness, future viability and overall organisational structure.

As a result, a decision has been taken to outsource the entire janitorial function.” Efforts by this newspaper to reach management officials of VPS proved futile as calls to the office numbers went unanswered.

This debt goes back to 2008, in some cases.

President of the TT Contractors Association (TTCA) Mikey Joseph is seeking a “sit down” meeting with Government where both parties can engage each other and arrange a schedule of payments.

Joseph issued the call during a press conference on Wednesday at the Professional Centre Building, Fitzblackman Drive in Woodbrook.

Asked how realistic it is to expect the debt to be settled in the foreseeable future, given the recession, Joseph said the association does not have any such expectation hence its request for a meeting to discuss a payment schedule.

Joseph reminded that while the payments remain outstanding, contractors have obligations such as VAT, PAYE, NIS and in addition, “the system of tendering requires you to have certain people on your payroll. Who is going to work for (months) while contractors wait to be paid?” In terms of state entities owing contractors the most money, Joseph said the Ministry of Education’s Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL), the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Ministry of Works and Transport are the main State bodies owing money.

He had harsh words about the continued delay in certifying and paying money owed to contractors. “The issue of certifying the debt, if you’re a responsible government and you come into office and meet a bad situation, I don’t think it should take you 18 months to figure out where you’re at because, as Minister of Finance, you have to get the country’s finances in some kind of good order,” the TTCA president said.

Referring to Section 4 (b) of the Constitution and its definition of discrimination, Khan claimed, “For Government to target a single group who it claims are infringing on the law, while allowing countless others to continue in the same illegal act is discriminatory…” He added, “While I do not condone or accept that such illegality should be necessary in our society, it is hard to dismiss the fact that Government is clearly targeting a specific group of individuals (Uber) while allowing others (PH drivers) who may be closely tied to their party, to indulge in the same actions without consequence.”

Acting Superintendent (Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch) Mathura Singh said on Wednesday that officers will examine all music trucks to ensure all safety measures are in place.

“If you exceed the number of persons specified by Licensing (Authority) on the Carnival permits, you will be charged. We will be looking at those who are parading outside the band route.

We will be looking at the truck or tractor to ensure road worthiness.

Drivers must be in possession of valid documents,” Singh said.

He said there are passes available for people working in and around Port-of-Spain, truck drivers and people who live within the Carnival village. “We will like to remind people who wish to use the Carnival Village that we are still issuing route passes at the Assistant Commissioner’s (Mobile) office in Aranjuez.

Singh said that for the year so far, there have been nine road fatalities arising from seven accidents.

Compared to the same period last year, there were 22 deaths coming out of 26 accidents.

He said the police have issued 716 speed tickets this year. We are only in two weeks of February, less than 60 days and we have already issued 716 speed tickets.

Because of our enforcement and education drive we have seen a reduction in road fatalities,” Singh said.

This recognition is one of three categories won by Scotiabank, which also included “Best Commercial Banking Capabilities in the Bahamas” and “Best Asset Management Company in the Cayman Islands.” “We are honored to be recognized by Euromoney as a best-inclass commercial bank across the Caribbean”, said David Thomas, Scotiabank’s Vice President, Corporate Finance, Caribbean Region. “This recognition is a reflection of our commitment to businesses across the region.

Through Scotiabank’s unique footprint, we will continue to create opportunities for our clients to grow locally, across the Caribbean, throughout the Americas and globally.” David Gopaulsingh, General Manager, Corporate & Commercial Banking, Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago Limited, added “It is great to be recognized for our expertise and capabilities, and we want to thank our customers for entrusting us with their business, and we look forward to our continued partnership in the years to come.” Scotiabank has been providing financing, capital markets solutions and value-added advice and helping businesses in the Caribbean since 1989.

As a premier global financial institution headquartered in Canada, we have a unique footprint beyond the Caribbean, offering services in 30 countries across the region and over 50 countries around the world – helping companies take advantage of strategic opportunities across the Americas and globally.

Euromoney is a widely respected financial media conglomerate that covers global banking, macroeconomics and capital markets, including debt and equity.

It also runs a number of industry surveys that have become benchmarks for excellence in various categories of banking and finance.

Published each February, Euromoney’s Global Private Banking Survey provides a qualitative peer review of the best services in private banking, by region and by areas of service.

The full survey results are published online at www.euromoney.

com.

Melinda Kadoo, 43, of Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, was before Justice Maria Wilson in the Portof- Spain High Court charged with possession of the cocaine which was allegedly found by police on February 7, 2005, hidden in a can.

It took a nine-member jury sitting in the Port-of-Spain High Court almost two hours to return with the not guilty verdict for Kadoo. State prosecutor Veona Neal-Munroe led evidence that on February 7, 2005, police executed a search warrant at Kadoo’s home.

In their testimony, the officers said while searching the room they found the cocaine in the can.

Kadoo and two men who were in the house at the time were arrested and charged, however the two men were discharged at the Magistrates’ court during the preliminary inquiry.

Kadoo testified in her defence that the drugs were not found in her presence during the search and were planted by police.

In an interview after walking out of the Hall of Justice in Portof- Spain, Kadoo again maintained that she was innocent and said she was happy the matter was finally over as the allegation caused her and her family distress and embarrassment.

“I was not worried. I pray a lot and I know God answered my prayers,” she said. “It was hard for me and my children but we made it through it,” Kadoo she added.

A 12-member jury in the Port-of-Spain High Court took less than an hour to return with unanimous not guilty verdicts for Ricardo Boodoosingh and Kareem Walters.

Both men were before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas charged with the murders of Marlon Scipio and Christopher Joseph on February 6, 2009.

Scipio, Joseph and their friend Garnet Swan were found in a car which was parked off Pinto Road, Arima. All three had gunshot wounds, with Scipio and Joseph dying on the scene, while Swan was taken to hospital for treatment.

Swan testified at the trial.

Although both men were freed of the murder charge, they were not immediately released as they had pending matters before the court.

They were reprsented by attorneys Mario Merritt, Delicia Helwig-Robertson and Karuna Bisramsingh while Hema Sundarsingh prosecuted the case.