Economist, NY Times endorse Obama

Visit the official Obama-Biden website

The Econmist has endorsed Barack Obama, saying its its October 30 edition, "Mr Obama deserves the presidency". Read the column

The New York Times has also endorsed Obama in an editorial in which it says Obama "has proved that he is the right choice to be the 44th president of the United States". Read the editorial

Watch the Barack Obama informercial aired on American networks on Oct. 29, 2008.

Some important political milestones for African-Americans since the 19th century:

1. 1808: Britain and the United States abolish the slave trade, but slavery itself continues in
2. British colonies until 1833 and in the American South until the end of the U.S. Civil War
3. 1861: Civil War begins. Slavery is one of the key disputes between the North and South
4. 1863: President Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation, liberating slaves in the states rebelling against the Union
5. 1864: The First African-American daily newspaper, the New Orleans Tribune, was published
6. 1865: Civil War ends with victory for the North. The 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlaws slavery
7. 1868: African-Americans gain more civil rights when the 14th amendment is ratified, but many of its provisions are not enforced until the 20th century
8. 1881: Booker Washington establishes Tuskegee University. It is the first U.S. institution of higher learning to have a black faculty
9. 1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is established to fight racial discrimination
10. 1951: The National Basketball Association opens its ranks to African-Americans, allowing Chuck Cooper to sign with the Boston Celtics
11. 1954: The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Brown v. Board of Education that the "separate but equal" doctrine allowing racial segregation has "no place in the field of public education"
12. 1955: Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white person in Montgomery, Ala. It sparks the Montgomery bus boycott led by Martin Luther King, Jr.
13. 1964: President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964, banning discrimination in voting, education, employment, and public accommodation
14. 1968: Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tenn.. It triggers a national crisis with rioting in more than 100 U.S. cities
15. 1971: Jesse Jackson founds Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago to work for the economic advancement of poor people
16. 1983: Jesse Jackson runs for president, becoming the second African-American, after Shirley Chisholm, to mount a countrywide campaign for president of the United States, running as a Democrat
17. 1983: In response to pressure, President Ronald Reagan signs a bill making the third Monday in January a national holiday in honour of Martin Luther King, Jr.
18. 1989: General Colin Powell becomes the first African-American to serve as chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff
19. 1992: Illinois congresswoman Carol Moseley-Braun becomes the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate
20. 1995: About 900,000 African-American men come to the Million Man March in Washington to draw attention to the social conditions of African-Americans and to urge African-American men to assume control over their lives
21. 2001: Condoleezza Rice becomes the first African-American woman and second African-American, after Colin Powell, to hold the office of the U.S. national security adviser
22. 2007: Senator Barack Obama of Illinois announces in January he is running for president.
23. 2008: Obama wins the Democratic Party's nomination, promising to advance "a different kind of politics" in a campaign that could make him the first African-American president
    Source: Canadian Press

Does anybody care?

Does anybody care? It happened in Spring Village and again in Picton Village in south Trinidad. Bulldozers showing up unannounced, destroying crops on lands that had been farmed for years without the courtesy of telling the farmers what was going on.

What was going on in both cases was a government agency was moving in to clear the lands for housing. Read the story about the Spring Village incident. In the more recent case villagers say they have learned that the Estate Management Business Development Corporation (EMBD) authorized the bulldozing of the lands.

Everything was destroyed from food crop plantations to kitchen gardens when the bulldozers went to work on Monday morning. For more than 30 years some of the farmers had worked the land. Nobody wanted it, not even the sugar company that refused to plant canes there.

“It is really a sad thing the way they do things in this country. It is not a pleasant feeling especially when the Government says it wants to plant food,” Fyzool Khan, a retired WASA police inspector told the Newsday newspaper.

He said his father first began cultivating the land in 1962 with approval from Caroni Limited before the sugar company was bought by the government. Nobody ever told him to leave or interfered with his livelihood.

He explained that he has tried in vain to get help and official authorization for using the one-acre plot his family has been cultivating for 46 years. “We wrote to Caroni before they closed down and there was no reply. EMBD said they would get in touch with us but they never did. A year ago, we wrote to line minister Christine Sahadeo and nothing. The letters were all registered so somebody had to receive it,” he told the paper.

Kimbath Maharaj had a similar story of disdain for the farmers. “Twenty-seven years now we making garden here. All the trees were bearing and the place was well maintained. Now everything gone and they didn’t even gave us notice,” he said. He estimates that he lost $100,000 in potential revenue.

His investment in the land included 54 mango trees, 500 pines, 10 coconut trees - all of them bearing fruit.

“The men who were with the bulldozers were taking the fruits from the trees. We stopped them and shared what we could. Now for now everything was destroyed. They knew we were there and they did not even bother letting us know what they were going to do,” he said.

Khan and Maharaj are wondering if anyone would compensate them for their losses.

And then there is the story of Sumintra Sooknanan who has lived there and planted a garden on the land for 18 years.

She has no where to go with her children. "Now I am told that I have to break down my house. I have two kids, a four and five-year-old, and nowhere to go with them. I applied for an HDC house about 10 years ago and nothing ever came out of it,” she cried.

In a nation with overflowing wealth, where a half a billion is going to be invested to host foreign dignitaries for a few days, where a leader spends $140 million for a palatial residence and billions more on skyscrapers that feed political egos, I ask one question: Does anyone care?

Government is building thousands of homes, so why is this woman denied housing without even the courtesy of an explanation.

Food inflation is out of control and thousands are starving while the government boasts of developing an agriculture policy. A government minister tells people to eat plantain instead of rice, to throw out the foreign food for locally grown ones yet bulldozers move in on plantations and destroy farmers' crops.

When the state shut down Caroni Limited it took control of 78,000 acres of land. Surely there are abandoned areas that could be used for housing.

Or is there another reason for the state's action.

Why does Sumintra Sooknanan have to go homeless with her two kids and tear down the home in which she has lived for 18 years?

Why do hard working farmers have to watch the fruits of their labour destroyed?

Does anybody care?

Divali Greetings

Divali is a celebration of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and the triumph of good over evil. The festival of lights is celebrated on the last day of the dark half of the lunar month of Kartik in the Hindu calender and marks the beginning of a new year.

It is also a time for thanksgiving prayers, for the family get together, for love, goodwill and generosity, for greetings, gifts and sweets. We thank God and pray for prosperity in the New Year.

The holy Vedas states: 'God is not only Father but Mother also.' Mother Lakshmi, born out of the ocean of milk, is the Goddess of beauty, light, knowledge, purity, wealth and good fortune. The Goddess is celebrated in our daughter, sister, niece, wife, aunt and mother.

Divali also celebrates many great events for Hindus: the marriage of Divine Mother Lakshmi to Lord Vishnu; the death of wicked king Naraksura at the hands of Lord Krishna; Lord Vishnu's humbling of arrogant Balli; the day Great King Vikram Aditya ascended his throne; the visit of generous King Mahaballi; the return of Princess Deepa, and prosperity to her kingdom.

Goddess Kali is worshipped at Diwali, to banish all evil from the world.

Diwali is also a celebration of the end of Lord Rama's 14 years in exile, his victory over the demon king Rawan and his triumphant return to assume his rightful place as king.

Millions of lights showed the way to Holy City Ayodhya, itself aglow with lights on Divali night.

Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh, in the company of Mother Laksmi are worshipped at Divali. We pray to Saraswati, goddess of learning, temporal and spiritual, and goddess of music and the arts.

We pray to Lord Ganesh, the all powerful elephant headed god of wisdom and good fortune, the remover of obstacles, for his blessings for success to attend all our undertakings.

Goddess Lakshmi visits every home on Divali night, and lives in that home which is beautiful and clean, where peace, harmony, knowledge and goodness dwell, and where beautiful lights brighten the home to welcome everyone.

Goddess Laksmi comes out of a lotus flower, holds lotus flowers in her hands, the lotus flowers representing purity. Her other hands are giving. As Goddess of wealth Mother Lakshmi shares her wealth with everyone who worships her.

At Divali time we welcome visitors, especially Mother Laksmi, who will bless us with wealth, happiness and prosperity. Divali lights are our prayer, as in the sanskrit verse: 'Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya.' -'Lead us O Divine Mother from darkness into light, From ignorance into knowledge.'

Click here to listen and enjoy Lakshmi aarti

Oil drops to 17-month low as investors ignore OPEC cuts

Oil prices fell to a 17-month low Monday, trading below $62 a barrel as investors appear to be deeply concerned about growing evidence of a severe global economic slowdown that would undermine crude demand. That would have an adverse effect on Trinidad and Tobago's revenue and a negative impact the country's development projects.

So far the Manning administration is adamant that the market volatility won't last and things would settle down and keep oil prices stable. But the evidence in the global market appears to be suggesting otherwise.

On Monday light, sweet crude for December delivery declined US$2.20 to US$61.95 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest since May 2007. And the same pattern was seen in Asia and Europe earlier in the day.

On Friday the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) tried to push the market back up with its announcement of a production cut of 1.5 million barrel-a-day.

But investors are so far not responding. And oil appears nowhere close to its record US$147.27 set just a few months ago on July 11. Since then prices have plunged 57 per cent.

"The mood is fairly negative reflecting worry about the international economic outlook," said David Moore, a commodity strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney. "If there is further weak economic data in the U.S. or Europe, prices could come under more downward pressure."

"I thought the OPEC cut was a fairly decisive act, but concerns of recession in the major economies remain dominant," Moore said. "OPEC's cut does take a step toward tightening the market."

A research report in Vienna confirms that. “Oil is currently being driven by the present financial and not by OPEC cuts,” the report said, adding that because of “credit squeeze and a lack of liquidity, they (investors) may stay largely detached from supply factors for several weeks to come. As a result, OPEC is currently struggling with factors beyond its control."

The global financial crisis is going to last a while, experts say, and this is an ominous sign for nations that are dependent on revenues from oil and gas.

Trinidad and Tobago falls in that category. The opposition has been clamouring for the Manning administration to adjust its expectations and trim spending. But the government is not responding.

TT near bottom of list in global comptetiveness

The United States continues to top the overall ranking in the 2008-09 Global Competitiveness index released earlier this month by the World Economic Forum. Switzerland is in second position followed by Denmark, Sweden, Singapore, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan and Canada. Trinidad and Tobago is near the bottom, ranking at 92, falling from 84 in the previous year.

It’s ranking is below Barbados (47) and Jamaica (86) but better than Guyana (115) and Suriname (103) in the index of 134 nations surveyed by the independent international organization. (Check the rankings chart)

The not-for-profit Geneva-based organization is impartial and tied to any political, partisan or national interests.

While Trinidad and Tobago’s status is below two regional states, what is perhaps most significant is that two are improving while Trinidad and Tobago is in decline.

According to the report, Guyana improved by 11 points, rising from 126 in the previous year and Suriname at 113 performed better by 10 points.

The rankings are calculated from both publicly available data and the Executive Opinion Survey, a comprehensive annual survey conducted by the World Economic Forum together with its network of Partner Institutes (leading research institutes and business organizations) in the countries covered by the report.

The survey is designed to capture a broad range of factors affecting an economy’s business climate. For the 2008-09 report the forum conducted surveys among more than 12,000 business leaders in a record 134 global economies.

While the principal factor affecting most economies was rising food and energy prices combined with the major international crisis, Trinidad and Tobago was most adversely affected by crime. Other negative factors as noted in report (see chart) included: inflation, a poor work ethic in the national labour force, corruption and an inefficient government bureaucracy.

Commenting on the report, opposition MOP Jack Warner said it is “an indirect indictment on the political administration of Patrick Manning and the PNM".

The Chaguanas MP and shadow foreign minister pointed to other reports that lower the country’s status internationally.

On crime, he said Trinidad and Tobago now ranks ninth in a global index of the most homicidal countries of the world. In health, he said the percentage of hospital beds to population in the lowest in the region with only 33 beds for every 10,000 citizens (.33%) compared to Barbados (73); St Kitts (55; Grenada (48) and St Vincent (45).

All these countries are considered poor in comparison to Trinidad and Tobago and they are joining - with the exception of Barbados - a political and economic union with Trinidad and Tobago.

With all its wealth, Warner notes, Trinidad and Tobago is home to .02 per cent of the world’s poor, the highest percentage in the Caribbean region.

Referring to the United Nations index of the best nations in which to live, Warner said Trinidad and Tobago was at number 43 in 2002. He said under Manning it has dropped 16 points to 59.

And according to the global Transparency International corruption index the country has also declined dramatically from a high 5.3 at number 31 in 2000 when the UNC was in government to 79 in 2008 with a score of 3.4, tumbling 48 places under the Manning administration.

Warner said Trinidad and Tobago’s “global statistical flop is a direct consequence of the PNM’s incompetence and ineptitude in government.”

He blames the Manning administration “for mismanagement of the economy, misguided spending, wanton wastage, lack of accountability and transparency and its dismal failure in ensuring the safety of the citizenry.”

He said Manning’s failures have “collectively pushed this nation backward and into the depths of despair and desolation. Today we are failing, falling and standing on the gateway of the failed state.”

TTT pioneer John Barsotti passes away in Canada

Former General manager of the now defunct Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) has died in Canada after a prolonged illness. His wife, Angela, was at his bedside when he passed away in hospital in the city of Oshawa, Ontario. He was 71.

John spent more than 40 years in the media and advertising.

His career began in 1964 in the Promotions and Commercial Production Department of Trinidad &Tobago Television.

In 1970 he was promoted to the position of Commercial Production Director and in 1974 to Assistant Programme Director.

In 1976 he left TTT and joined Carib Lager Brewery as Advertising Coordinator and after just two years, moved to Lonsdale Advertising as an Account Executive. In 1978, John was invited to rejoin TTT as Programme Director and accepted the position which he held for about 41/2 years before being promoted to General Manager in 1983.

During his stint in television, he was exposed to many areas of the industry from producing to directing and from news and sport to announcing.

As Programme Director and later on as General Manager he represented TTT as Vice President of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union and served for four years on the Standing Committee of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

John left TTT in 1987 but he continued his career in the broadcasting industry by joining AVM Television as its General Manager, a position that he held for close to a year before deciding to migrate to Canada.

In 1997 he returned to Trinidad and joined the Tourism &Industrial Development Company (TIDCO) as Manager, Corporate Communications and after five years with TIDCO, returned to television as Chief Executive Officer of the National Broadcasting Network of Trinidad &Tobago.

John enjoyed and followed most sports with golf which he played, football and cricket topping his list of all time favourites.

He remained a full-time member of the Queen's Park Cricket Club and was a past member of the St. Andrew's Golf Club.

John died on his 71st birthday, October 24. He is survived by his wife, Angela, and children Daniella Barsotti and Reina Tarzia, his brother, Frank Barsotti and grandsons, Adam and Logan James, Luciana Tarzia and sons-in-law Thomas James and Amedeo Tarzia.

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 at St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, 1001 Ravenscroft Road, Ajax, Ontario. Arrangements have been entrusted to McEachine Funeral Home - phone: 905-428-8488.

Read John's account of the early days of TTT
Read more about John and his former colleagues at TTT at TTT Pioneers

This is the note his daughter sent to family and friends:

Good Morning,
I just wanted to inform you all, on behalf of the Barsotti family, that dad passed away peacefully with his dear wife at his side last night. Thank you for all your prayers and wonderful warm wishes. It was a pleasure hearing from all of you these last 8 weeks. Dad will be missed by MANY.

May he rest in peace,
Love,
Reina Barsotti Tarzia

Live only once - a motivational column by Raj Dubay

Recently I was touched by the death of my aunt. Her name was Anjany Parasram. I would like to dedicate this column to her memory.

She was a very outspoken person and sometimes that got her into trouble. But then, remember this: audacity can get you into trouble, but even more audacity will get you out of trouble.

The point is this: when you live, live to the fullest, make no exceptions. Feel the "fire" burning in your chest chest.

Always appreciate the beauty that surrounds you: the rise of the sun, a bird's morning call, indeed a hearty and healthy breakfast, the cool breezes that gently sway the coconut palm and a night sky that is dotted with twinkling stars.

For in a very real sense and especially in this body and with this identity, we only pass this way once.

Make it count!

I urge you today, if there is anyone, especially a loved one, with whom you have had a disagreement, please make amends today. Tomorrow may be too late. Remember this: it is only someone who cares about you can be hurt by you.

As you go through each day, ask yourself, "What legacy am I leaving? How will I be remembered? When my grandchild walks down the street, will people say' take care of that child and treat her well,her grandmother was a very special person'?"

You are building that legacy today. The words you speak, the decisions you make, the things that you do and those that you choose not to do.

The kindness that you show, the advice you give, the generosity you show will last long after you are gone.

Speak from the heart, act fearlessly and hold strong to your beliefs. In the face of difficulty, persevere with the knowledge that "the night is the darkest just before down."

In so doing, meet life's challenges head. Whenever you fall, rise again.

Copyright © Rajendra Dubay, 2008 - All rights reserved

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Rajendra Dubay is a motivational speaker and business consultant. Raj is also a business lecturer at the University of the West Indies open campus, and conducts business training and motivational speeches to corporate Trinidad and Tobago. You can email him at rajaduba@hotmail.com or phone him at 1.868.762.4433. Or you can write Raj at: Raj Dubay, Pandit Parasram Drive, Mc Bean, Couva, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

Food prices dive T&T inflation to 14.8%

The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago announced on Friday that the annual inflation rate at the end of September was 14.8 per cent, more than one full percentage up from the previous month when it was 13.5 per cent.

The bank said the rising cost of food continues to drive up inflation.

If food is taken out of the equation the core inflation rate shows a decline from 6.3 per cent in August to 6.2 per cent by the end of last month.

But food by itself showed a dramatic rise reaching 34.6 per cent from 30.2 per cent in the previous month.

• Bread and cereals were up by 63.2 per cent
• Fruits climbed 38.4 per cent
• Vegetables increased by 42.4 per cent
• Fish, rose 25.1 per cent

The bank says the inflation outlook for the next several months is uncertain noting that several factors locally and globally would affect how the economy performs.

One of the factors that drives up inflation is wage increases. The bank is concerned that "current indications point to a significant increase in wage demands in both the public and private sectors to compensate for rising food inflation."

The bank is hopeful that a continued reduction in global commodity prices would eventually reduce the prices of some imported staples.

"Moreover, higher imports from Guyana as well as the 'coming-on-stream' of production from the Tucker Valley farm should also boost domestic agricultural supplies in the near future," it says.

In order to deal with the problem of rising inflation the bank says it will continue to take steps to increase liquidity absorption and dampen bank credit expansion.

To do this it is increasing the cash reserve requirement for commercial banks to 17 per cent from 15 per cent of prescribed liabilities from November 5, 2008.

Manning's political union gets more members

Prime Minister Patrick Manning's meeting with OECS nations this week appears to have expanded his alliance with other Eastern Caribbean states. Manning says more members of have agreed to be part of the initiative for economic and political alliance with Trinidad and Tobago.

The meeting on Thursday in St Kitts was called to discuss the August 14 memorandum of agreement for political and economic union between Trinidad and Tobago and three OECS states: Grenada, St Vincent and St Lucia.

The economic union will take place by 2011 with the political alliance two years later. The OECS has unanimously endorsed the plan but Manning has had a cold shoulder on the proposal from both Jamaica and Belize.

The St Kitts meeting, which was chaired by St Kitts Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, was very successful Manning said at a post-budget meeting in Fyzabad. OECS chairman, Grenadian Prime Minister Tillman Thomas did not attend due to illness.

"Indeed, the OECS countries present, that were not here on August 14, that is Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis, agreed to sign on to the arrangement and Dominica has previously agreed to do so,” he said.

Manning declared, "OECS leader have seen the way forward."

He said Monsterrat, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands have also expressed interest in the union. But they are wards of the United Kingdom and cannot make unilateral decisions to join without consultations with London.

Speaking after the the talks, Host PM Denzil Douglas said, “We have agreed to pursue discussions and consultations aggressively with our various publics in the Eastern Caribbean and in Trinidad and Tobago...so that an appropriate road map can be worked out for us to achieve our end.”

Gun amnesty?

(In January 2008 , the minister of national security said 86 gangs were operating in Trinidad and Tobago)

Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert told reporters Thursday he has been meeting with repentant gang members and pledged that police would defend them in the “strongest possible way.”

Philbert said police have established a hot line for use by gang members who want to turn around their lives. Anyone who is involved in a gang and needs help to get out can Deputy Police Commissioner Gilbert Reyes at 625-4923 or ACP Raymond Craig at 623-8440.

Speaking about his contact with gang members the top cop said his first meeting was held in a church in south Trinidad last Sunday and another was at his office at the Police Administration building on Wednesday.

"On Sunday we met at a church in south Trinidad with their respective pastors and yesterday, we met with 20 former members who have turned themselves over to the Lord and we are supporting this 100 per cent," Philbert said.

He said the two-hour meeting Wednesday involved about 20 former gang members and top officers, including acting Deputy Police Commissioners Gilbert Reyes and Maurice Piggott. He said those who attended the meeting gave the police "pertinent information".

"They are involved in church groups and we are supporting them 100 per cent...they have said certain things to us giving us a better insight of what we are dealing with,” Philbert said.

He didn't have much information about the people who met with the senior officers, was unable to give their age or other specifics, but he described them as "looking good" and noted that the gangs comprise young men and women.

The acting commissioner praised gang members for wanting to walk away from crime, adding that the ex-criminals are keen on embracing God.

"They wanted to get out because they got fed up," he told reporters adding that "they suddenly realised there is a God.”

Philbert also praised religious groups for encouraging gang members to abandon crime. "We must deal with this gang thing from various points...We are ready and willing to assist anybody who is a member of a gang and willing to drop out,” he said.

The police chief said there are pressures that the gang members face and the police are willing to assist and defend those who want make a change since the whole point of the exercise is to dismantle gangs.

"It is an illegal activity in the broadest sense of people coming together in a fairly organized fashion to take advantage of law-abiding and unsuspecting citizens,” Philbert said.

The police chief also called on other gang members to follow those who want to change and surrender their guns. But he said it's not an official amnesty. "I am not attributing this to mean there is a gun amnesty, it may look like it, but it is not so," Philbert said.

He said the gun initiative is only one of several police projects to deal with the "dismantling of gangs and their illegal activities".

Philbert commended pastors for their help in trying to get "young people back from the streets", finding jobs for them and changing the lives of youths who had been led astray.

Gun amnesty, cuddling criminals in church won't work

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday is not impressed with the acting police commissioner's call for gang members to surrender their guns, calling James Philbert's initiative "desperate".

Philbert has been meeting in churches and in his officer with former gang members who have said they are ready to change their lives and turn to God. He is encouraging other gang members to do the same and has even set up a hot line for them to phone in for help.

The top cop is prepared to do everything to protect those who call for help. But Panday told the media Thursday the police move won't stop the killings and the crime epidemic.

"It sounds as though you have thrown your hands in the air and said come and be good boys," the former prime minister noted.

"To have the Commissioner of Police making a call like that is the worst act of desperation I have ever seen," Panday told the Trinidad Express. "It is a rather naive call, one would hardly expect for the criminals to give up their guns, yet I wish him all the luck in the world and I do hope that the criminals will have a change of mind and give up their guns to him," he said.

Independent Senator Dana Seethal is not impressed either, especially with the new love-in approach that the police are adopting.

"It is inexcusable because it's really saying to frequent criminals that you can be forgiven and be rid of all the ills of your past," she said. Seetahal said such a plan won't work because prisoners would question why they didn't have the same opportunity.

"What about people who have given themselves up in the past and were not given such immunity, how would they feel. What about people who have committed one offence? That to me would be total inequity," said Seetahal. "

It's like telling somebody do it the Christian way, I am God and I will forgive you of all of your past trespasses", noting that the initiative violates the principles of justice. Instead, she suggests that gang leaders surrender their guns and be allowed a plea bargain.

Chairman of Keith Noel 136 Committee, Stephen Cadiz, supports a gun amnesty but he told the Express the police chief must be very clear on whether this is an actual amnesty. "There is need to clarify if this is an amnesty or not, what are the terms and conditions. The Commissioner can't just make a blanket statement like that, people who may want to surrender their guns would need to know clearly the conditions," he said.

Cadiz added that a gun amnesty must go hand in hand with some way of trying to prevent guns from continuing to come into the country.

Oil hits 14-month low; T&T government not changing course

Oil prices rose to around US$71 a barrel Friday after hitting a 14-month low of $69.85 at the close of trading Thursday. The decline comes as investors back away from commodities, fearing that an impending global recession will devastate crude demand. It's a dramatic fall from a record US$147.27 on July 11.

The falling oil prices is bad new for Trinidad and Tobago, which based its 2008-09 budget on US$70 a barrel for oil.

At the time the minister of finance presented the budget that looked like a conservative estimate but the global financial crisis changed the whole economic landscape.

Still top government officials don't appear to be spooked and they are adamant that there is no reason - at least for now - to review its budget.

Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert told reporters Thursday the local economy is not in trouble. And he slammed those who raised concerns about a possible deficit in the next fiscal year.

"I find that the tone of the conversation in Trinidad and Tobago is highly irrational, and that some of the commentary we are getting from people who know better is hysterical," Imbert said.

Reporters wanted to know how the changing economic fortunes would affect the country's Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF), which Imbert said now stands at $18 billion.

Not to worry was his response. He said there there is nothing to suggest that the government would have to pull money out of that "rainy day" fund to support its programs and expenditure for 2008-09.

"There are other credit balances if required, and if they need to be dealt with, that can be dealt with at any stage of the game. These things are not at the table at this time," he said. "The sky is falling," he added.

But Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne was a little more realistic in his assessment of the situation.

He explained that under the Audit and Exchequer Act, "at any stage of the game the Minister of Finance has the authority to review or stop expenditure as required".

And speaking specifically on the Heritage Fund he had a different approach to Imbert who said the act allows withdrawals from the fund if there is a deficit. However, Browne assured reporters that the government only take such action in a "worst-case scenario".

Browne also extended an invitation to businesspeople who have invested abroad to bring home their US money. He said he understands why they would be nervous because of the hit investors are taking from the global financial crisis. But he insisted that the Trinidad and Tobago economy is strong and the financial sector is secure.

But the minister did not address the questions about reduction in projected expenditure and the danger of overspending in hard times which the the opposition and the business community have raised. Would government create the "worst case scenario" by its refusal to adjust its spending?

Economist Subhas Ramkelawan also expressed concern Thursday about the fiscal situation noting that it cannot continue to be business as usual.

Ramkelawan said government must adjust or it would face the same peril of the 1970's and 1980's in the bust that followed the energy boom.

He said there must be a change in the attitude to spending pointing out that the mistake the government made in that period was to borrow to finance its spending, which let to an intervention by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Government won't help HCU; Harry going to court

Harry Harinarine is pulling out all the stops in a bid to stop the demise of the Hindu Credit Union (HCU). And on Thursday he went to the very top to try to meet Prime Minister Patrick Manning at Manning's constituency office in San Fernando.

The Hindu Credit Union president was just another person on the list of people who wanted to see their MP.

He told the Trinidad Express he delivered a letter to Manning on behalf of HCU members asking the government to hold off on liquidating the assets of the organization. Harnarine said the letter outlines an offer by HCU shareholders to buy the assets of the credit union.

On Tuesday, Harnarine sent a letter to the labour minister challenging the decision by Commissioner of Co-operatives Charles Mitchell to declare the HCU insolvent and order the liquidation of its assets.

Minister Rennie Dumas has not responded to Harinarine's letter.

But he told reporters on Thursday there is a major difference between his role and that of the Government in this matter. He said there are two separate issues. On the one hand the law is clear about the procedures for dealing with the problems encountered by the HCU. and on the other there is a separate issue of "a matter in which some members have asked for relief".

The minister's cabinet colleague, Junior Finance Minister Mariano Browne, went further.

He told reporters there is too little information on the operations of the financial institution to justify a government intervention at this time.

And he made it clear that based on that the government cannot consider an appeal by the Credit Union Members Group (CRMG) for $300 million dollars in loans to save the organization.

"In the absence of any information, and there is a requirement on our part and prudence requires that the court process be followed so we could have full and fair disclosure in terms of what is at risk before any decision is made, and to say and to make any decision at this stage of the game would be very premature," Browne said.

He rejected the idea that Government could bail out for the HCU in the same way that the U.S. government stepped in with a multi-billion dollar package to rescue insurance giant AIG.

Browne said the circumstances of HCU and AIG "are completely different".

He explained that "AIG is important to the full structure of the American banking sector insofar as it may have issued a number of risk guarantees and, therefore, if AIG were to fail then you would also have a ripple effect throughout the entire banking structure, and on that basis AIG needed to be rescued."

The CRMG's appeal is based on the premise that if the liquidation goes ahead, tens of thousands of citizens would lose most, if not all, of their savings and they would face a financial catastrophe.

A forensic estimate supports that view. It shows that when assets and liabilities are balanced the HCU would have a deficit of $487 million. And with depositors and shareholders last in the line for payment, there is very little hope that they would recover their investments.

With government standing firm on its refusal to help, Harnarine's options are running out. He now plans to go to court to prevent Mitchell from selling off the HCU's assets.

Panday warns of budget deficit, urges government to review expenditure

When Trinidad and Tobago's minister of finance presented her $49.5 billion 2008-09 budget last month the price of oil was over US$100 a barrel, so the government used the conservative figure of US$77 a barrel to calculate its estimates. Now with oil suddenly plummeting to US$77.49 a barrel at the close of trading on Friday, opposition Leader Basdeo Panday is advising the administration to cut its spending or end up with a budget deficit.

Panday warned of trouble ahead and suggested the government should have used a more realistic estimate of US$50 a barrel.

“Because of the meltdown in the United States, the demand for oil is falling, and as the demand falls, the price of oil will fall,” the former prime minister noted.

Panday added, “You would recall that soon after the budget presentation, I was asked to comment, and I said the boom was over, and that is what is happening.”

Panday suggested that the government go back to Parliament to seek an adjustment to the spending, not to change the entire package.

“The budget need not come back to Parliament. If they don’t get the estimated revenue, all they have to do is cutback on the expenditure and still have a balanced budget...On the other hand, if they continue with the spending and the revenue falls, they will have a budget deficit, and this will lead to inflation.”

Junior Finance Minister Mariano Browne has explained that changes in international factors happen all the time so it is not realistic to make changes every time there is a price fluctuation.

But observers say what is happening today is not a momentarily fluctuation but a significant change in the global financial landscape where investors are starting to shift away from the volatile commodity market.

The other dark cloud on the economic horizon, international experts say, is the poor state of the U.S. economy that's heading into a deep recession.

The Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) is also concerned about the implications. In a statement Friday it said the rapid decline in oil and gas prices coupled with the global financial crisis, “certainly brings into sharp focus the issue of the Government’s projected expenditure for the 2009 fiscal year.”

It suggests that the high levels of government expenditure “may not be sustainable in the context of a declining oil price.”

The TTMA fears that the high level of expenditure would keep pushing up inflation, which is way above the last reported figure of 13.5 per cent, a concern that Panday has also expressed.

The TTMA says it hopes "the Government would exercise greater fiscal prudence in its utilisation of the revenue that is being generated from the hydrocarbon sector.”

The South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce (STCIC) has also urged the government to revise the budget.

A release from the chamber's president, Charles Percy, said in view of the changing economic situation, particularly the drop in oil prices, "the Government would be well-advised to take a cautious approach and so be ready to revise budgeted expenditure, if this becomes necessary."

Percy also warned of a significant risk that prices could fall further causing a greater global and domestic fallout.

The government came under heavy criticism last week for its decision to buy 200 luxury vehicles for $100 million for next year's Summit of the Americas and Commonwealth summit, both of which are being held in Port of Spain. It's part of overall spending estimated at more than half a billion dollars for the international conferences.

Panday tells gov't get off "ego trips"; anger over $100m for cars

Opposition leader Basdeo Panday has told the government to get off its ego trip and find another way to fulfil its obligations for next year’s two international summits instead of wasting taxpayers’ money.

The government is planning spend at least a half a billion dollars to host the Summit of the Americas in April 2009 and the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) later in the year.

Panday expects the final bill to cross the billion-dollar mark and is particularly bothered about what he says is the waste of $100 million dollars to buy 200 luxury VIP vehicles for the conferences.

"This country cannot afford to spend $100 million for ministers, diplomats and their families to drive around in luxury while there is flooding across our country, our roads are deplorable, our hospitals do not have beds and police do not have vehicles to respond to crimes," Panday said in a news release.

The former prime minister said the government has caused an unnecessary burden on the country by committing to the two conferences.

"This government is on an ego-trip. It is spending $1 billion to wine and dine Heads of States. When a country is in a state where its citizens cannot afford to buy food and inflation hits 13.4 per cent speeding to 16 per cent against the backdrop of a global financial meltdown, then that country cannot afford to be wasting money and spending wildly as the PNM is doing now,” Panday said.

"Except for satisfying the ego of the Prime Minister, did the government need to host these two conferences? Did the programme of activities need to be so elaborate to cost $1 billion? Do we not have more pressing things to do with our taxpayers' money? Could this money not have been put to better use or saved for when the energy 'boom' is over – as some people are saying that it is? he asked.

"Spending $100 million for 200 luxury vehicles will have all kinds of detrimental effects on the quality of life of citizens which is already so miserable....It is non-productive and nonessential expenditure!"

The expenditure for the conferences includes major infrastructural works and refurbishing the Trinidad Hilton. In addition the government is chartering cruise ships, which would become floating hotels to compensate for the lack of hotel accommodation in the country.

With specific reference to the expenditure for the cars, Foreign Affairs Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon told reporters Thursday all of the 200 VIP vehicles “will be absorbed into the Public Service after the events are over.”

This would mean that the Government Ministries could have access to Volvo, Mercedes Benz, Audi or BMW VIP vehicles that normally cost an average of $500,000 to $700,000.

The minister justified the decision by saying, "There is a normal purchase of vehicles by the ministries year in, year out, for each of the ministries and I believe that purchases will be withheld by the ministries so that effectively...all the vehicles which are purchased will be utilised."

She did not say how the ministries would justify the additional expenditure for high end luxury vehicles instead of less costly general purpose ones.

She merely justified the cost of the luxury vehicles by explaining that the Government has "obligations to provide" vehicles for 34 Heads of State attending the Fifth Summit of the Americas next April, including the American president, as well as the 53 Heads of State for the CHOGM in November, 2009.

There has been angry feedback to in the Trinidad and Tobago daily newspapers to what readers call a waste of money.

One person writing to the Trinidad Express had this to say:

"It amazes me that as the WORLD heads into an economic crisis, as the average Trinidadian can't afford bread and milk, that our dear God father of the nation and his follows see it fit to spend this amount of money on VIP CARS!!! Then seek to try and justify their out of control spending by saying that the BMW's and VOLVO's will be used by the PUBLIC sector! Which of of you, the general public, will EVER take a ride in one of those cars? How are they going to full your children's belly?"

Another wrote:

"Give us a break, everybody knows that the PNM is shopping for new vehicles for themselves, what a loophole they have found. FYI - hold the summit in Laventille to show the summit leaders the true efficiencies of this PNM government."

One letter called the expenditure shameful:

"This is an utter disgrace to say that the 200 high priced vehicles will be absorbed in the Public Service...who in the Public Service will be driving around in the half to three quarter million dollar babies...? Ministers..? or the employees...? if Ministers want to drive around in million dollar bullet proof cars, then let them pay for it or "bring down crime" or take their chances like all citizens on the streets...what a waste of taxpayer's monies!"

And yet another:"I hope these vehicles will not go for ministers wives and families as well after they are 'absorbed'."

Saith blocks Mark's suspension from Senate

Senator Wade Mark was in hot waters again in the Senate Wednesday over a statement he made about another member and was about to face a motion to be thrown out of the Upper House. But Dr Lenny Saith intervened and prevented the possible suspension.

The day before Senator Hazel Manning suggested that the Parliament reconsider its privilege to members because it allows members to make statements that cannot be challenged in court.

On Wednesday Mark and acting Senate President faced off over a statement the opposition house leader had made about Senator Laurel Lezama.

Mark withdrew a comment he had made accusing the senator of having no integrity. He had made the statement in the context of the publication of the senator's name as one of the persons who had failed to declare her assets to the Integrity Commission for the years 2003 and 2004 and required by law.

Mark felt he had gone too far by saying his colleague had no integrity for failing to file declarations and agreed to "humbly withdraw" the statement but did not apologize. Lezama accepted Mark’s withdrawal “in the interest of the country’s business.”

But while that was good enough for the offended member Hadeed was not satisfied and demanded an apology as well, which mark refused to give.

“Let me assure my honourable friend that no offence or negative imputation to her character was intended and in the circumstances I wish to respectfully withdraw my remarks concerning my friend’s integrity—and hope that my senatorial colleague would understand that in the cut and thrust of politics, particularly in the Senate, these things do happen,” Mark explained.

But Hadeed accused Mark of breaching Standing Orders 35(5) and 43 (3)(b).

In his defence Mark referred to negative statements made against him, particularly by Local Government Minister Hazel Manning, where she allegedly called Mark a liar.

Hadeed insisted that what Manning said or did not say was not the before him at the time and that Mark should apologize to Lezama.

Hadeed called on a minister to move a motion to have Mark suspended from the Senate, but there was hesitation.

There was some doubt since it appeared that Hadeed might have misinterpreted the standing order, which dealing with disorder and disturbance in the House.

The order provides for a Senator to withdraw immediately from the Senate during the remainder of the day's sitting and for the Senate president to take measures to restore order.

It would apply if a senator had used objectionable language and refused to apologize apologize to the satisfaction of the Senate. That clearly didn't apply. There was no disorder and Lezama had accepted Mark's withdrawal of the comment as an apology.

But Hadeed insisted that the Senate take action against Mark.

Government Senator Mariano Browne rose to move the motion but before he could complete it Hadeed suspended the sitting.

It was during that 10-minutes break that Dr Lenny Saith arrived and resolved the matter.

“I spoke to our people", saith said, "I spoke to Senator Mark. I spoke to Professor Deosaran and we all agreed that the way we should proceed is that Senator Mark would withdraw the statement.”

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday, who has been suspended from the House of Representatives earlier in the year reacted angrily, condemning the government for continuing its attempts to silence the opposition.

“They don’t want to hear the truth. They will suspend every member of the UNC from the Upper and Lower House,” Panday told the Trinidad Guardian.

T&TEC chairman quits amid allegations of conflict of interest

Devanand Ramlal quit as chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission Wednesday with immediate effect three days after Opposition Senator Wade Mark alleged, during his budget contribution, that Ramlal had been engaged in several corrupt practices at T&TEC within the past few years.

Ramlal accused Mark of exposing him to public ridicule by hiding under the protection of parliamentary privilege.

The businessman said, “While some have publicly ridiculed me without one single evidence, attacks have been launched against me and my cherished name, I feel compelled, in spite of all that I have said, I feel compelled to step aside after the vicious and malicious attack in the Parliament.”

And he called on the Government to initiate a full-scale investigation into the allegations made by Mark against him and the power corporation in order to clear his name.

"I feel it is the correct and the proper thing to do,” he told reporters. He said his family's name is priceless and said he now understands “why good people would not come forward to serve.”

Ramlal is trying to sue Mark for statements the Senator made but admitted to reporters that such action would likely not succeed, “Because, you know, when you say something in the Parliament, absolute privilege it attracts.”

He called Mark a coward and has challenged him to make the accusations outside of Parliament.

Mark had raised questions about an apparent conflict of interest in tendering for the purchase of items for T&TEC's Street Lighting Implementation Unit.

He alleged that between July and August 2005, Roopnarine Hardware had won contracts valued at about $13.4 million to supply materials for the project. The senator said Ramlal's aunt owned the hardware. Ramlal admitted that Roopnarine Hardware is owned by his cousins but since they are not direct family members there was no conflict of interest.

Mark told the Trinidad Express he feels "vindicated" by the developments. And he said the Opposition is still demanding a "full and comprehensive Commission of Enquiry with forensic personnel attached, into the operations of T&TEC during Ramlal's stewardship.

Ramlal served as head of the electricity corporation since October 1996. His term was due to end in June 2009.

Taxi talk: My son's encounter with a racist cabbie

About two weeks ago, I arrived in Toronto from Vancouver. Travel weary because my flight was 3 hours delayed and it was now 4 - 430 am in Toronto.

I collapse into the first available taxi to get myself to my parent's place in downtown Toronto.

The gentleman driving did not get a good look at me. I was wearing long sleeved shirt, pants, and a big bowler of a hat and was sitting in the shadows in the back of his large vehicle.

We get to talking about all sorts of things. I ask him, what do you find different about Toronto now from when you first moved here? He tells me he is Austrian and moved here 40 years ago. And the problem in the last twenty years is that there are too many visible minorities that over-running 'normal' Torontonians

Looking past the obvious irony and hilarious oversight of this comment (I am South Asian), I proceed to explore the notion of Toronto being over-run by visible minorities with my Austrian cab driver.

"The problem," he maintains, "is that all these immigrants and refugees come from third world countries and they don't like whites. They don't do business with whites, they don't speak our language, and they bring their ways with them."

I offer the man an out, suggesting, "Do you think the government needs to play a bigger role in helping integrate new immigrants into the social fabric of Canada (whatever that might be) or matching their immigration policy to niche requirements in Canada to avoid these clashes?"

He cuts me off to say, "Absolutely not. There's no need for any of that nonsense when you have perfectly good white people in Eastern Europe waiting to come to Canada who already share the same culture."

It became clear to me at this point that raising the issue of First Nations would pay little dividends to this otherwise stirring debate. I tried instead to point to the fact that many Eastern Europeans are in fact seeking entry to the EU and end up in Germany rather than traversing the Atlantic, away from their homeland and familiar connections.

He concedes that this is true, but this is also why we need to step up the effort in attracting this kind of immigrant - a white immigrant - and there-in lies the problem with our immigration policy.

Continuing on his monologue as to why Canada needs to be white, he explains to me, looking through the rear-view mirror. And this is verbatim!

"My friend, I am not concerned for me. I am approaching retirement, I have my own business, what they do doesn't concern me. But I worry about young white men like yourself, because these people only hire people who look like them."

At this point, I resign myself to the possibility that I may be being driven by a madman or a Ku Klux Klan Dragan master. I pull out my cellphone, sending a quick note to my wife explaining that if she doesn't hear from me in the next hour or so, to be alarmed.

Realizing that it is probably too dark to see me clearly and that I have a bit of an East Coast accent in any case, I proceed.

I mention to him that Canada actually had a white-only immigration policy straight into the 1970s and that coloureds tended only to come on temporary work visas. I also added that Chinese and Indians were among the early settlers of Western Canada, building the national infrastructure (railway) that helped Canada in its colonial endeavours with the 'savage' and so-called "Indians" of the west.

I mention that the government, under Pierre Trudeau, made a concerted effort to CHANGE this immigration policy because it was deemed to be unjust.

He then told me this is why he has always been an adamant Conservative supporter. However, can no longer support the Conservatives, because Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave 10 million dollars to that 'liar and terrorist, Maher Arar' who is in cahoots with the Syrian government.

"Why," he exclaims, "would the Syrians torture one of their own?"

I explain that though there may be terrorist cells in Syria, that doesn't mean that the government of Syria is a terrorist agency. Furthermore, that terrorist cells in Syria may likely be targeting the SYRIAN government as opposed to the Canadian or American government.

He tells me I am naive, and corrects me by saying that indeed "ALL" Syrians are terrorists, and he does not know who to vote for in this coming election because Harper sold out to the terrorists.

At this point, we pull into my parents place.

We both get out of the cab, the cabbie coming round to shake my hand. I give him a generous tip, and I take his hand in my own, look him directly in the eyes, and say, "Thanks for a stirring and informative conversation."

The awful realization that I am, in fact, NOT a white guy from Halifax but am instead a Trinidadian Indian who is anything BUT white in complexion sinks in.

HE turns 5 extra shades of white and can't speak. He stutters, never taking his eyes off my face, stammering 'you're welcome' and confusedly gets into his car and drives off.

Ajay Parasram

Ajay's note: I wrote an article a few weeks prior to this exploring the issue of benign racism and the rapidly changing ethnic make-up of Canada which is why I was so interested in continuing this dialogue with my Austrian teacher as long as it would go.

In it, I argued that many Caucasian Canadians feel, within themselves, that the ethnic composition of Canada is changing for the worse, but are too afraid/ashamed to vocalize this for fear of being seen as racist.

Misunderstanding is perhaps the root of benign racism, and if we pride ourselves in democracy in Canada, we must encourage Canadians to have conversations about what Canada is, and what Canadian 'values' might look like.

My Austrian 'teacher' represents an extreme version, but many Canadians of many different ethnic backgrounds struggle to come to terms with a country that is and has always been very ambiguous about its values and identity.

I strongly believe that we need to have these conversations amongst ourselves and in the public forum because Canadian politeness/political-correctness is forcing these views into the shadows of people's minds which allows for the visible minority 'other' to be conflated into a hodge-podge of nonsense that only harms the future prospects of ethnic harmony in Canada.

Eat plantain instead of rice, T&T minister says

The government of Trinidad and Tobago is talking about a novel approach to dealing with the food crisis and the high cost of importing items such as parboiled rice and wheat. Agriculture Minister Arnold Piggott told the Senate the plan involves cutting down the import and substituting plantain for rice and cassava for flour.

Piggott said high food prices are caused by “unnecessarily long supply chains for local produce, very unreasonable mark-ups, an inadequate production and marketing information systems.”

He said the level of dependency on imported food is unacceptable and suggested that that must change.

“We are proposing that some of that (parboiled rice) be replaced with plantain and that would target 6,080 tonnes on 1,216 acres of land. Wheat, we are targeting replacement by cassava and mixed crops and we are looking at increasing the tonnage there on 1,010 acres of land.”

Piggott also said sweet potato was to replace the imported Irish potato. He also defended government's plans for mega farms saying critics must understand that "these are capital projects, which involved a medium term type of cycle before they can begin to bear significant fruit.”

He said "a lot of work has been done in preparing these farms to prospective investors.”

And he said had some advice for every family: plant at least two fruit trees in your backyards.

Senator manning wants to take away parliamentary privilege

Senator Hazel Manning on Tuesday suggested that Parliament should re-examine its rules with a view to taking away the long-held parliamentary privilege that allows members to make allegations in Parliament without legal consequences. The privilege extends to the media to report such matters.

Manning was responding to an allegation made Monday by opposition Senate leader Wade Mark who told the Upper House Manning received a $9,000 travelling allowance cheque while she was employed at the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT).

He said she was not entitled to it because she did not own a car. Mark not only made the accusation, he quoted a cheque number.

Manning refuted Mark's charge by paying in Parliament a letter dated Sept. 4, 2007 from Corporate Secretary/Legal Adviser of the AATT, Hayden Newton. The letter states that after a "diligent search of our files" revealed that during the period Nov. 1995 to March 1996 "there were no payments in respect of travelling allowances to the Honourable Senator".

Newton's letter confirmed that "a commuted travelling allowance" of $2,000 per month was paid from April 1996 to July 1997.

Manning said she felt that such issues must not continue, adding that it was time for the Parliament to examine the issue of parliamentary privilege. "I pity those who can't defend themselves," she said.

And she tried to turn the tables around, making accusations of her own. She said "all kinds of strange things" happened at the airports authority in July 1997, claiming that the AATT tried to get rid of people of integrity. "I was one of those fired," she said.

Manning's husband, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, was leader of the opposition at that time and the government was headed by Basdeo Panday.

Independent Senator Ramesh Deosaran stood up for Hazel Manning saying he understands "what it is to be wrongfully accused. It is not a pleasant thing."

And he demanded that Mark provide proof or apologize to Manning. At the same time Deosaran said Mark has a public duty to point out irregularities and defended the right of MPs to parliamentary privilege.

He said any attempt to remove it would be an infringement on the freedom and right of members of Parliament to speak. However he acknowledged that freedom carries an obligation.

Mark was not present during the contributions of both senators. However he told reporters he has nothing to apologize for and produced a document to support his statement about Manning's alleged travelling allowance.

Manning challenged the authenticity and validity of the documents.

Former minister says nothing wrong with Sunway deal

A report in The Newsday newspaper states that the Trinidad and Tobago government will be obligated to “facilitate” certain initiatives undertaken by Sunway Holdings Incorporated of Malaysia once those initiatives do not breach any of the country’s laws or the procurement or tender rules of any state agency or special purpose company (SPC).

It says the information is contained in an October 3, 2007 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Government and Sunway, which Prime Minister Patrick Manning laid in the Parliament on September 30.

In exchange, Sunway has agreed to Government’s request that it give preferential employment to qualified locals on all projects it undertakes in this country and assist in the formation of an educational/technical construction school that will increase the level of skills in the local construction industry.

The MOU further states that all services to be provided by the Malaysian company will be “subject to the relevant procurement procedures, laws, regulations and rules of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and/or the respective state or special purpose companies and subject to the execution of the respective legal agreements.”

In another section the MOU says Sunway will enter into a contract with "any state agency or SPC to execute and/or implement any state developmental project “so long as these arrangements are in accordance with the specifications provided by "the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and/or its relevant agency and subject to the terms and conditions or their respective tender and procurement rules and regulations”.

It also gives a commitment to facilitate where possible requests by Sunway "to import construction materials for the benefit of projects being undertaken for and on the Government’s behalf once this importation does not contravene the country’s laws or render Government in violation of or its existing trade agreements or violations.”

It also commits the government to facilitate Sunway by "the timely processing" of work permit applications for foreigners employed by Sunway on government or SPC projects.

The MOU, which expires on October 7, 2012, provides for the establishment of an oversight committee, comprising one representative of each side.

It states that if the agreement ends before the stipulated date it would not affect the completion of projects or contracts covered by this MOU.

Read more about the Sunway deal: T&T sweet for Sunway

The government minister who signed the MOU on October 3, 2007 says there's nothing wrong with it.

However, former Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, who is now the T&T High Commissioner to Canada, told the Sunday Newsday she was not directly involved in the negotiations.

That was handled by the Cabinet’s construction sector oversight committee of which she was not a member. That committee, she said, is chaired by Trade and Industry Minister Dr Lenny Saith and includes Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert.

Robinson-Regis also confirmed to the paper that UDeCOTT chairman Calder Hart was involved in that exercise.

Sunway’s subsidiary company, Sunway Caribbean, is building the $368 million Legal Affairs Tower on the Government Campus Plaza in Port-of-Spain. UDeCOTT is the project manager for the Government Campus Plaza.

Earlier this year opposition chief Whip alleged in parliament that Sunway Caribbean that Hart had direct ties with Sunway.

Read the Newsday story: Clouds over Sunway

Robinson-Regis had written to Hart in Sept. 2006 expressing concern that UDeCOTT was not providing answers which government ministers needed to answer parliamentary questions pertaining to UDeCOTT's projects under their portfolios.

Imbert has refused to answer any questions about that letter, explaining that it is a confidential matter.

Read Robinson-Regis' letter, reprimanding Calder Hart

Raj Dubay's Motivational Column

Imagine it, feel it, experience it, believe it, live it and yes, you will have it. Whatever you constantly focus on and think about, will eventually come to pass in your daily life. Therefore, choose your thoughts carefully.

Focus on positive, you will attract positive into your life, focus on negative and yes you will attract negative into your life.

One of the keys, is to always have good wishes for everyone you come into contact with. Even those who you may not always get along with.

By having good wishes for others, good wishes will also come into your own life. This is a natural law, it is the way things operate. Always seek to bring out the goodness in those who you come across.

Be good, do good and goodness will follow you.

As Mother Theresa has said, “It is better to be FOR good than against evil”. Always be FOR a cause, never against.

We all have problems, and as long as we continue to live we will always be faced with problems.

How we choose to bear these problems, is what matters most. Do we bear them with a smile, or do we bare them by being in a state of constant frustration?

When last have you paid a compliment to someone, especially someone close to you who needs to hear it the most?

Do it today, pay this compliment today.

Please, do not take people for granted; cherish every moment you have with your loved ones.

Be grateful, give thanks everyday for what you have, even give thanks for what you don’t have, because there is a reason for it and also give thanks for what you might have in the future.

It is in giving thanks and showing gratitude that we are transformed everyday and through which we can focus on the positive and do everyday what matters to us most.

---

Motivational commentary above courtesy:

Rajendra Dubay, Motivational Speaker, Marketing and Business consultant

You can reach Raj at 1-868-762-4433, send him an emaill: rajaduba@hotmail.com or write him at: Pandit Parasram Drive,Mc Bean,Couva,Trinidad,West Indies.

Manning's Integrity - Guest column by Anand Ramlogan

The Integrity Commission (IC) is back in the news again for all the wrong reasons.

• PM Manning’s allegations that he had special branch officers monitoring the movements of Kamla Persad-Bissessar, because she had a relationship with a member of the IC that was somehow wrong
• The failure of two government ministers (Karen Nunez-Tesheira and Donna Cox) to file their declarations and statements with the IC with no action taken
• Dr Roodal Moonilal’s claim that Snr Supt Wellington Virgil greeted a visiting team from the Opposition and stalled its efforts to inspect the Register of Interests (which, by law, must be available to all citizens)
• Dr Tim Gopeesingh’s complaint over Trinre’s growth, allegedly because of political connections via Jerry Narace; and, of course
• Dr Keith Rowley’s timely reminder that the IC allowed itself to be used by Manning as a weapon of destruction in his personal vendetta against him.

So what are the facts?

Minister Nunez-Tesheira put up a spirited defence. In winding up the debate, she said: “When I was on the Tidco board, they hadn’t done the prescribed forms; they didn’t require you to at that time. You couldn’t file, because they didn’t have a form.

“When I became the Minister of Finance, I got a letter from the Integrity Commission informing me that for the years I was on the Tidco board I had to file, and that’s what I did. That’s why all the filing happened this year."

Apparently, the minister was on the Tidco board from 2003-2007. No secret. The Integrity in Public Life Act 2000 requires people in public life to simultaneously file two documents by May 31, in each succeeding year: a declaration of income assets and liabilities and a statement of registrable interests.

The Integrity Commission can extend the time for filing for up to six months “for good cause.” The declaration remains secret and cannot be seen by any member of the public.

The statement of registrable interest is not a secret document. The IC, through its registrar, is under a duty to compile a “Register of Interests,” which contains the information on each person’s statement.

This register is available for public inspection at the IC. Once a public official fails to file in the prescribed time, the IC must publish his or her name in the Gazette and a daily newspaper.

Thereafter, the commission should make an application to the High Court for an order against the person, to compel them to file by a particular date. Non-compliance with this court order is an offence, and the official is liable to a fine of $150,000.

Unfortunately, the minister misled the House. The relevant forms were available since December 12, 2003. They were published as part of the regulations made by the IC in Legal Notice No 216, which was gazetted.

She was, therefore, obliged to file her declarations and statements since 2004, and should have done so.

In the case of Basdeo Panday v The Integrity Commission, Justice Rajnauth Lee made the following pronouncement:

“The obligation to file for the year 2003 is a ‘continuing’ obligation, pursuant to sections 11 (1) and 11 (4) of the Act. The obligation crystallised on December 12, 2003. The person in public life was, therefore, able to comply with the obligation to file his/her declaration for the year 2003 by the August 15, 2004, or the extended time of November 30, 2004.”

Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira may be correct to refer Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the IC for the answers she seeks.

The burning issue must be the question of political bias. Why was the IC writing Ms Nunez-Tesheira in September, 2008, to politely remind her that declarations for 2003-2007 were outstanding?

Five years and no action taken by the IC?

This is ridiculous, to say the least.

Lost in Wonderland

The only logical inference to be drawn from the inaction is that of incompetence or political bias. One would have thought that the IC would be more careful, in the aftermath of Panday’s and Rowley’s cases.

Panday’s defence lawyers, you may recall, had conducted extensive research by inspecting the register, and were able to identify scores of public officials who had not, over the years, filed the annual statement, as required by law.

No action was taken by the IC against these individuals, and Panday claimed that he was being unfairly targeted.

The IC is now notorious for dragging things into the mud. It seldom invoked the enormous powers available to it under the act to conduct penetrating, expeditious and meaningful investigations, and hides behind an artificial veil of secrecy when challenged.

The Ken Julien/UTT investigation has gone under, and the Maha Sabha’s radio licence complaint lost in Wonderland.

Jerry Narace and Calder Hart have nothing to worry about. Trust me, even if they’re charged, they can take heart in the way our justice system works. Franklin Khan’s case was inexplicably adjourned once again. (No one even bothered to show up from the DPP’s office).

I think that says it all.

anand@tstt.net.tt
http://www.anandramlogan.com

$20,000 for living in remand yard "Hell Hole"

High Court judge Carol Gobin on Friday described the Port of Spain Remand Yard as a "hell hole" and ordered the state to pay a prisoner $20,000 in compensation for the "inhumane" conditions he suffered during the time he spent at the facility.

Although she ordered the compensation the judge said she found it "difficult to attach a value to the inherent dignity of a man".

The prisoner, Colin Edghill, s facing a charge of murder. He was remanded to the Port of Spain Prison on November 20, 2003 and was eventually transferred to the Golden Grove Remand Prison.

In November 2004, Edghill and another remand inmate, Ronald Harewood, filed separate motions alleging that their constitutional rights were being denied, describing their treatment as cruel and unusual punishment.

Gobin agreed with Edghill's complaints that the compound and cells had poor sanitation and lacked running water, among other shortcomings and ruled that he should receive $75 per day for the time he was jailed at the Port of Spain Remand Yard.

The other person who brought a similar case before the courts was killed on December 31, 2007.

Gobin dismissed his application and appointed Harewood's mother, Joan Richards, to carry on the proceeding on his behalf.

Gobin said, "The Remand Yard ...is a hell hole in which a man presumed innocent is deprived of the elements necessary for human life."

She said the level of pain and suffering inflicted during a prisoner’s detention was “unsatisfactory and unacceptable,” adding that the treatment of prisoners makes a mockery of the presumption of innocence.

"The executive needs to be reminded that the treatment at the remand yard, Port-of-Spain, cannot continue, not only because it is treatment which is debasing and dehumanising to prisoners and to prisons officers who are duty bound to participate in the process, but because it is treatment which, if after having been exposed, is allowed to continue, threatens to redefine us as a people,” the judge stated.

The state is concerned about the ruling and might consider an appeal. The senior counsel for the state in the matter, Avory Sinanan, said his greatest concern is that it is likely to "open up the flood gates" for other remand prisoners to also seek compensation.