Businessman JACK WARNER

Businessman 

JACK 

WARNER

Page 2 ISSUE 156 Friday 13th MAY, 2016 

If I were the Prime 

Minister of Trinidad 

and Tobago, I would 

have definitely employed 

a more transparent medium 

in the selection of 

Government Ministers. 

After looking at the selections 

made during the 

last administration, 2010 

- 2015, and the current 

appointments made since 

September 7, 2015, it is 

clear that eligibility based 

simply on the will of the 

Prime Minister is not sufficient. 

The question I keep asking 

myself is whether the 

appointments made, offer 

any value to the nation as a 

whole and this question becomes 

even more relevant 

at a time when our country 

is going through a period of 

structural adjustment. 

During Kamla Persad- 

Bissessar’s administration, 

it was clear that the catalyst 

behind the selection 

of Ministers was not based 

on competence or management 

capabilities. 

The base for appointments 

was to provide a 

sense of comfort to the 

Prime Minister, one that 

assured her that she could 

have counted on the support 

of her Members of 

Parliament. 

This was critical for her 

because with a coalition 

government it is easy for a 

partner or even an elected 

MP to change the balance 

of power in the Parliament. 

So the 2010 – 2015 Cabinet 

emerged as the largest 

ever in the history of local 

politics because almost 

every MP had to be given 

a ministerial portfolio especially 

MPs who contested 

on the Congress of the 

People (COP) ticket. 

What makes this method 

even more vexatious is the 

fact that ministries had to 

be invented in order to keep 

MPs happy. 

One such example was 

the Ministry of National 

Diversity and Social Integration. 

IF I WERE THE PRIME MINISTER OF T&T 

It is a nomenclature that 

seems oxymoronic in nature, 

abstract in concept 

and void of any definitive 

purpose. 

However, this had to be 

done in order to keep the 

then MP for Arima Rodger 

Samuel loyal to the Partnership. 

At a time when the PP’s 

stock was depleting as two 

MPs resigned, one was 

fired, and a threat from 

Samuel that indicated his 

unhappiness became real, 

only a Ministerial portfolio 

for Samuel would reduce 

his discontent. 

Therefore, a Ministry 

had to be created. 

What value did it bring to 

the people of Trinidad and 

Tobago no one knows and 

no one will ever know. 

Only Kamla and the PP 

benefitted because such a 

move saved them the embarrassment 

of probably 

another resignation. 

So selecting MPs who 

are subject matter experts 

on the portfolio of their 

Ministries clearly has to be 

the way to go. 

A close examination of 

the current Ministerial appointments 

provides merit 

for such an approach. 

One cannot argue against 

the brilliance of Colm Imbert 

especially in the field 

of engineering and now his 

analysis of law seems to be 

sharp and on point to the 

average layman. 

However, if I were the 

Prime Minister of Trinidad 

and Tobago, I would never 

have appointed Colm Imbert 

as my Minister of Finance. 

Fair enough that within 

the Ministry there exists 

financial intelligence resources 

from which he 

can draw but the leader of 

a Ministry should possess 

the kind of competence 

that provides comfort to 

our citizens that our Minister 

knows what he is doing 

and does not have to subject 

himself to the opinion 

of his minions. 

There would be… 

NO QUICK PICK IN SELECTING 

GOVERNMENT MINISTERS 

A weekly column by JACK WARNER 

Within the PNM and 

the country at large, too 

many persons have defined 

themselves in the field of 

economics, business, and 

finance. 

There are others who 

have written volumes on 

the economic recovery 

of economies undergoing 

structural adjustment yet 

these were overlooked. 

And one cannot help but 

feel that the increased arrogance 

that is on display 

every time Colm Imbert is 

on his feet is nothing more 

Dr. FUAD KHAN…a subject 

Arima RODGER SAMUEL… 

matter expert 

a big joke 

than a defence mechanism 

used as a strategy when 

confronted with subject 

matters which make him 

uncomfortable. 

It is the same kind of 

behaviour one sees coming 

from the Ministry of 

Health. 

One cannot argue about 

TERRANCE DEYALSINGH…what 

does he know about health? 

Terrence Deyalsingh’s 

management competence 

but what does our good 

Minister know about 

health. 

It seems as though every 

time Dr. Fuad Khan opens 

his mouth in response to 

Deyalsingh that the brilliance 

of Deyalsingh diminishes. 

This is so because, on 

matters of health, Khan is a 

subject matter expert. 

Therefore, the arrogant 

response given by Deyalsingh 

on the issue of abortion 

was nothing more than 

a defence mechanism for a 

topic with which he is unfamiliar. 

I would find it extremely 

difficult appointing a Minister 

simply on the basis 

that s/he is an elected MP. 

At a time, when gas and 

oil prices are at an all-time 

low and they continue to 

drop the national community 

must ask the question 

whether Nicole Oliverre is 

the best fit for the Minister 

of Energy? 

Having worked in 

Petrotrin is insufficient. 

Having people of expertise 

around her is inadequate. 

Can she successfully 

bring ideas relating to hydrocarbon 

development 

and other energy resources 

that would be of benefit to 

our nation? 

It is the same way I felt 

when Clifton De Coteau 

was given the portfolio 

of Gender and Emmanuel 

George National Security. 

It is this ad hoc way of 

appointing ministers that is 

keeping us back because it 

seems ministers are really 

on the job appointees who 

are being paid subject matter 

expert salaries and are 

offering very little to national 

development. 

If I were the Prime Minister 

of Trinidad & Tobago, 

my MPs would be assigned 

to develop their constituency 

and grow the party base. 

Fifteen million dollars 

annually would be provided 

for all MPs as an emergency 

fund to deal with 

traumatic situations in their 

constituencies and this 

fund would be managed 

by a Permanent Secretary 

in the Office of the Prime 

Minister so as to ensure 

that proper Public Service 

procedures and regulations 

are followed. 

However, when it comes 

to Government, we need 

to reduce our Cabinet and 

focus on key ministries to 

which we assign subject 

matter experts to lead and 

develop our country. 

We cannot put someone 

with a Ph.D. in Chemistry 

to head a community development 

ministry; that is 

madness. 

So MPs when contesting 

elections should not have 

an unreasonable expectation 

of heading a Ministry. 

Their job is to manage 

their constituency and to 

ensure that the Government 

stays in power while 

the role of Ministers would 

be to provide the necessary 

tools to assist MPs in the 

development of their constituencies. 

This has to be the most 

COLM IMBERT…brilliant, but not 

as my Finance Minister 

prudent approach and had 

this been the path chosen by 

our leaders we would not 

have been in the position 

where after eight months 

our construction industry is 

virtually at a standstill. 

If I were the Prime Minister, 

an engineer would 

have headed my Ministry 

of Works and Transport 

instead of a lawyer and the 

country would not have 

been in the crisis it is in today. 

Let me hasten to add, 

however, that this is no 

indictment on the present 

Minister of Works & Transport. 

Anthony Garcia in the 

Ministry of Education is 

a classic example of how 

the appointment of subject 

matter experts works for 

the benefit of citizens. 

Therefore, if I were the 

Prime Minister of Trinidad 

& Tobago, this would have 

been my approach as I seek 

to advance my country.

ISSUE 156 Friday 13th MAY, 2016 

Page 3 

FCB CASHED BOGUS CHEQUE 

- dated April 31 

OUR COVER STORY BY INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AZAD ALI 

Businessman and 

former PP government 

minister Jack 

Warner is suing Frist Citizen 

Bank (FCB) for $10 

million for cashing close 

to $3 million in bogus 

cheques and attempting to 

recover $1.2 million in unpaid 

overdraft fees from 

him as well as possession 

of the 26-acre Centre of 

Excellence, Macoyea in a 

lawsuit filed by the bank 

in the Port of Spain High 

Court. 

The Centre of Excellence 

and a property in Crown 

Point, Tobago were both 

used by Warner as security 

for the overdraft facility. 

The matter came up before 

Justice Frank Rampersad 

recently and he gave 

both parties deadlines for 

filing evidence in the case 

and the matter was adjourned 

to June 6, 2016. 

Incredibly FCB cashed 

one of 36 false cheques 

dated April 31,2010 in the 

name of Shivanad Bhagwandass 

when the calendar 

month carries only 30 days. 

Warner had brought to 

the attention of FCB Limited 

that the 36 cheques 

drawn on his account totalling 

$1,940,385,00 were 

honoured by the bank. 

All the cheques which 

carried the signature of 

Warner was forged by one 

of his employees. 

Warner said FCB failed 

to detect the forgeries and 

honoured the cheques contrary 

to the obligations imposed 

on FCB by the law as 

well as good banking practice. 

Two persons, one an employee, 

are currently before 

the court on fraud charges 

relating to the bogus 

cheques. 

Warner is claiming that 

FCB may quite be posing a 

probable threat to the safety 

and security of every person 

who has an account at this 

State-owned institution. 

He noted that once again 

the bank has breached the 

confidentiality principle 

and yet FCB is going to 

publicly deny that someone 

else and not the bank leaked 

to the media private information 

between one of its 

customers and itself. 

This is a frightening situation 

when one thinks that 

a bank has the power to 

ensure that the lead story 

across the media focuses on 

one of its customers. 

What is even more 

frightening is that within 

a matter of six months the 

COP-controlled FCB has 

accomplished the feat twice 

against two high-ranking 

officials who are on opposing 

sides of the last administration. 

The Chairman of FCB 

is NAR and COP sympathiser 

Anthony Smart 

and its Deputy Chairman 

is the COP’s former 

Chairman, Joseph “Who 

is your Leader” Toney. 

In fact, the entire Board 

of the FCB today is the 

very same Board that was 

appointed by the former 

PP government. 

So yes, it is political and 

the Government should 

lead the charge to clean-up 

the FCB house before others 

become victims to the 

indiscretion of FCB. 

A financial institution is a 

place where one expects the 

privacy of one’s business, 

the savings of one’s wealth, 

the relationship of one’s 

financial transactions to 

remain the secret between 

your banker and you. 

The concern of such a 

breach assumes that the 

bank may be in conspiracy 

with some others to rob you 

of your hard earned cash accumulated 

over a period of 

time. 

To think that such a thing 

could happen is not alien in 

our society. 

There have been instances 

in the commissioning of 

a kidnapping crime where 

the perpetrators were able 

to tell the victims from 

whom money has extorted 

the sum of their balance in 

the bank down to the very 

last cent. 

In other cases, victims 

were told of the deposits 

they made, when it was 

done, where it was done and 

how much was deposited. 

So when one sees a 

breach of confidentiality at 

a bank a flag must be raised 

since such a bank and in 

this case, FCB seems to be 

putting at risk its customers 

and clients because of its indiscretion. 

It was only a few months 

ago that the Minister of 

Planning and Sustainable 

Development, Camille 

Robinson-Regis, in a fit of 

anger, closed the accounts 

she held at the FCB. 

It was just a few months 

ago that the Prime Minister 

in support of his Cabinet 

colleague raised concerns 

over a matter of confidentiality 

at this “august” bank. 

Not only was the quantum 

of Camille Robinson- 

Regis’ transaction placed 

in the public space but also 

the official conversation 

relating to the disclosure 

of funds and this clearly 

seemed to be an attempt to 

bring the Minister into disrepute. 

Her story dominated 

prime time news for almost 

one week and as the credibility 

of the bank took a 

beating the story waned. 

When one would have 

thought that FCB would 

have learnt from its lessons, 

once again it has attempted 

to discredit and to bring into 

odium a client who is clearly 

perceived as an enemy to 

the last administration. 

Jack Warner being sued 

by FCB bank is not news 

but the implications that 

Jack Warner cannot pay his 

bills or has decided not to 

pay his bills is news.......... 

both local and international. 

What is clearly dishonest 

though is that FCB who 

seems to be the slave of 

some master other than the 

present one has refused to 

place into the public domain 

the real story as both FCB 

and Warner are aware. 

Some political piper is 

paying FCB and they are 

playing his or her tune and 

probably the time has come 

for an extensive audit of this 

bank for the public to determine 

whether it has been 

the vehicle for money laundering 

or not. 

The time has come for 

us to find out what kinds 

of deposits were made by 

members of the last administration 

in this bank for us 

to understand whether the 

procedure for which others 

are now vilified were followed 

or not. 

Because all is not well 

with the FCB, the bank 

that paid its former General 

Manager over $11 million 

dollars to resign to pick up 

the post of Minister of Finance. 

Such a precedent is anathema 

in labour relations yet 

under the previous administration 

it happened. 

So there is something political 

about the FCB that is 

sinister at its worst and disturbing 

at its best. 

It is something so evil that 

citizens should fear enough 

to withdraw their business 

and seek a more favourable 

and secure financial sanctuary. 

FCB knew that Warner 

and they were in discussions 

concerning their indebtedness 

to him and the 

so-called overdraft facility. 

FCB should have known 

that one of the contentious 

matters related to the number 

of fraudulent cheques 

drawn on Warner’s account 

that FCB allowed handwriting 

expert Mr. Glen Parmassar 

to review. 

FCB is also aware that 

Parmassar advised the 

Fraud Squad that all 36 

cheques drawn on Warner’s 

account were forgeries. 

FCB therefore knew that 

all 35 cheques, which were 

deemed fraudulent were 

cashed against Warner’s 

account in a sum close to 

$3 million dollars yet they 

only allowed Parmasar to 

Example of one of the 36 bogus cheques cashed by FCB 

review 12 of those cheques 

and arbitrarily decided that 

the sum of $700,000 is the 

amount to be indemnified to 

Warner - a sum which Warner 

quite rightly refused. 

FCB knew that over 100 

charges were laid against a 

husband and wife who are 

the alleged perpetrators of 

the fraud against Warner so 

that is beyond question. 

And rather than do the 

honourable thing and follow 

best practice procedures in 

the banking industry, FCB 

chose to follow the wishes 

of God knows whom in an 

attempt to publicly shame 

Warner. 

Normal banking procedure 

relating to fraud 

requires the bank, once 

transactions are confirmed 

as fraudulent, to accept liability 

of the sum and the 

interest which ought to have 

accrued. 

But rather than do the 

honourable thing, FCB has 

chosen to engage in public 

hostility against Warner 

even though the very first 

Banking Code of Conduct 

to which they must sign 

semi-annually is customer 

confidentiality. But Sunshine 

is aware that FCB’s 

legal pursuit is the least of 

Warner’s worries; it is their 

lack of due diligence that is 

of more concern. 

When someone can 

walk into a bank and cash 

a cheque dated April 31st, 

a day that does not exist 

on any kind of calendar be 

it Julian, Gregorian, Malayalam, 

Bahia, Solar or 

Lunar then something is 

wrong with that bank. 

And while Warner has 

the means and the network 

to contest FCB’s arrogance 

and wrongdoing 

in a court of law, the fearless 

Sunshine is more concerned 

with the little man 

who may be limited and is 

forced to suffer the indignities 

meted out by FCB. 

Sunshine is also concerned 

with information 

on people’s accounts, 

which may threaten their 

lives and their safety. 

It is the opinion of Sunshine 

newspaper and that 

of many others in T&T 

that FCB is fast becoming 

a national security threat 

and one that we all must 

take seriously. 

The story of this socalled 

overdraft facility 

is frightening and will 

stun many when the facts 

are revealed in a court 

of law..........as they will 

since Warner has sued 

FCB for $10 million. 

Warner has already experienced 

much damage 

and much pain based on 

FCB’s allegations. 

His family has been 

harried and their anxiety 

levels have spiralled 

almost out of control but 

at the end of the day, the 

credibility of FCB will be 

no more as long as it continues 

to play the tune of 

its previous political pipers 

and attack innocent 

citizens who are perceived 

as enemies of the past administration.


IAN ALLEYNE TRYING TO “MASH UP” 

FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST DR ALEXANDROV! 

Crime Watch 

host Ian Alleyne 

appears 

to be trying to discredit 

the findings of 

Government Forensic 

pathologist Dr Valery 

Alexandrov as to the 

cause of death in a 

number of autopsy examinations. 

Alleyne is preying 

on vulnerable families 

in the time of their bereavement, 

advising Crime Watch host 

IAN ALLEYNE 

them that he suspect 

foul play in their deaths 

after his bogus examination 

of the bodies at 

various private funeral 

homes - even after Dr 

Alexandrov had found 

no evidence of murder. 

Families have to dip 

into their pockets to pay 

for a private autopsy, 

which ranges between 

$8,000 and $10,000, 

adding more to their 

pain and in the end it 

is an exercise in futility 

since the police only 

accepted the findings of 

Dr Alexandrov. 

Is Alleyne benefitting 

from the fee charged for 

the private autopsies? 

some people are asking. 

The most recent case 

was that of retrenched 

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Forensic pathologist 

Dr. VALERY 

ALEXANDROV 

Centrin worker, David 

Francis, of Couva, who 

was found hanging at 

his home recently. 

Alleyne after viewing 

the body at a funeral 

home claimed 

he suspected foul play 

in his death and asked 

Francis’ first wife, 

Donna Francis to file an 

injunction to stop the 

Page 22 

Forensic Pathologist Dr Valrey Alexandrov (centre) shows the piece of rope which 

David Francis hanged himself. This was displayed during an interview with Inspector Roger 

Alexander (left) and Marlan Hopkinson on the ‘Beyond the Tape’ programme last week. 

funeral to get a private Daisley findings which 

autopsy performed. differed from Dr Alexandrov’s 

He suggested that 

report. 

Professor Dr Hubert However, a second 

Daisley can For perform all the 

your autopsy performed by 

second autopsy, collision which 

repairs, Dr Daisley revealed 

took place buffing, 

at a private 

polishing 

that there was no foul 

funeral home. 

play in Francis’ death. 

Dr Daisley and found customizing 

that When the matter 

there were needs marks etc of came up before Justice 

violence about Francis’ Ronnie Boodoosingh 

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Ramdeen said he 

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since the body came to 

the Forensic Science 

Centre with it around 

his neck. 

Dr Alexandrov 

showed the piece of 

rope, which Francis 

used to hang himself 

during an interview on 

the Beyond the Tape 

programme on TV6 

with Inspector Roger 

Alexander and Marlon 

Hopkinson last Monday 

evening. 

People are saying 

this is not the only case 

where Alleyne had 

cause to get a funeral 

stopped on suspicion of 

foul play and had gotten 

a second autopsy 

performed only to discover 

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Page 5 

ALL IS NOT WELL 

!!! 

WITHIN THE PNM! 

turbulent period as Opposition 

Leader. 

She fearlessly defended 

him as the PP Government 

By JACK WARNER launched attack after attack 

and rather than defend her 

All is not well within 

for what every other MP 

the People’s National 

Movement. 

has done, he bit the bait and 

dismissed her and has raised 

And public acclamation 

questions about his own 

to the fact can now attest 

commitment to those who 

to this unexpected denouement. 

fearlessly supported him. 

Marlene should still have 

There seems to be an infighting 

taking place within 

been a Minister today but 

in dismissing her Rowley 

the Cabinet that is playing 

definitely demonstrated as 

out in the public domain, 

which is new to PNM politics. 

he has boasted that he is not 

a PNM Prime Minister but 

History has shown that as 

neither is he the Prime Minister 

for the other side who 

a party, the PNM for close 

to 60 years has managed to 

tried to destroy him. 

PM Dr. KEITH ROWLEY MARLENE McDONALD RAYMOND TIM KEE 

wash its dirty linen privately 

and discuss its disagree- 

Next in line was Raymond 

Tim Kee, the former This was shocking because 

Hinds is known to that no one would have within the Cabinet there was a statement that sug- 

and Transport is something what is very clear is that All that was required 

ments within house. 

Mayor of Port of Spain and 

Not so anymore, of a 

the first to resign in disgrace have batted long innings and dreamed would have come will be intense debating as gests that the matter has 

sudden under the Dr. Keith 

from the post. 

very aggressively too for the from a PNM administration. there are lines, which have not reached Cabinet as yet 

Rowley administration As I recall, no other PNM current Prime Minister. This has created a sense already been drawn, demarcating 

strong opinions on AG to continue to do the 

and that he expected the 

things have changed and Prime Minister would have In his struggles against of embarrassment for Hinds 

PNM’s modus operandi has allowed for the public calling 

from within the party for his side all the way. Works and Transport giggle, With a slim majority the discussions when they 

Manning, Hinds stood by as staff at the Ministry of either side. 

initial research to guide 

shifted, a style which in previous 

years had masked endemic 

controversies. it was Jerry Narace the for- 

raised the issue that many called out by the Prime Min- 

abortion conversation will But to first remind the 

a Mayor to resign. After all It was Hinds who first in private, at how he was most already know that the do arise. 

This new style was first mer Minister of Health who people thought that Dr. ister. 

not take place as this could media that Rowley leads 

noticed when the Prime said, in the Dansam Damsook 

affair, that the PNM come Prime Minister and in honky dory relationship he ment’s tenure in office. sense of insecurity and 

Rowley was too dark to be- 

And most believe that the very well affect the Govern- 

the Cabinet suggests a 

Minister publicly corrected 

his Minister of National Security 

Edmund Dillon on the Tim Kee would have been tion from which the Prime so openly displayed during arrogance must feel chided that all is not well. 

takes care of its own. so doing opened a conversa- 

shared with his PM that was But Deyalsingh for all his gives one the impression 

matter of ISIS being a threat called to Balisier House Minister benefitted. last Carnival no longer exists. 

by his PM. 

not part of the PNM do- 

after his public correction These public spats are 

to Trinidad and Tobago. where the riot act would But he too was made an 

At least this was done have been read and a diplomatic 

statement would have when the Prime Minister must also possess the same all was the moment when life to the rumours circu- 

object of public derision But Terrence Deyalsingh Yet the most painful of main and such acts give 

with a little finesse and 

since then the Minister of been prepared for the party publicly indicated that he hollow feeling as Hinds as the PM called out his AG on lating that Dr. Rowley is 

National Security has been to release to the media relating 

to his tardiness to resign. Waterfront Office that he rection after he premature- 

issue. 

ter with a successor al- 

had to order him out of the he too felt the rod of cor- 

the marijuana legalization a one term Prime Minis- 

extremely careful when it 

comes to statements to the This did not happen in the occupied for the past seven ly called an end to a Press Now there are many ways ready identified to lead 

media. 

case of Tim Kee however. months. 

Conference the moment the the PM could have dealt the PNM post 2020. 

Of course this does not What came as a shock Now don’t get me wrong, “A” word was raised. with this issue. 

What our country needs 

help our country since he was the public calling from the Prime Minister had every 

right to do so but not that is left hanging is who ijuana has become a glob- 

currently lacks. 

In this case the question The legalization of mar- 

is a sense of calm, which it 

comes across as one not the Chairman of the party, 

having a clear understanding 

of the safety and securi- 

to go. And to think Tim Kee Hinds should have had a As a nation we are now ment worth its salt would ness at the ground level 

Franklin Khan, for Tim Kee publicly. 

speaks for the Government? al issue and any govern- 

There is a silent uneasity 

threats, which we face but is the Treasurer of the PNM bit more common sense but left wondering when Ministers 

seek to develop some kind and these untimely cor- 

at least he does not look like party!!!! 

it seemed that he wanted 

speak whether they of rhetoric in support of its rections only add to the 

an errant schoolboy being Even to non-PNM members 

to identify with the bour- 

speak for the Government bias on the topic. 

anxiety, which currently 

corrected by the principal 

this was a new low and geoisie who are prone to sit or whether they speak for The Attorney General exists. 

But the one for whom it seemed as though the party 

in pedestals of such kind, themselves? 

is the legal advisor to the But I am not a PNM 

there is no forgiveness is the 

threw its treasurer under abandoning the small folk Most felt that the shutting Cabinet and Dr. Rowley and therefore I can only 

treatment of Marlene Mc- the bus and left him there. across on Richmond Street down of the abortion conversation 

should have taken the op- 

advise so as to ensure that 

Donald. 

The one however that where the real work gets 

was a reflection portunity to praise him for those who have destroyed 

She was a loyal soldier came as a major surprise done. 

of a policy decision by the his proactive approach in us as a nation never hold 

who served Dr. Keith rowley 

was the treatment of Fitzger- 

But the public shaming Government. 

attempting to treat with the reins of power in our 

steadfastly during his ald Hinds. 

of the Minister of Works But in Rowley’s retort this matter. 

country ever 

again. 

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TOWN 

TALKING 

EGG IN THE FACE FOR AG AL-RAWI 

People are saying how Attorney 

General Faris-al- 

Rawi got egg in his face 

from PM Dr Keith Rowley for 

talking about decriminalizing 

marijuana without discussing 

the contentious issue with him. 

Talk is that the AG face turned a 

“whiter shade of pale” at the VIP 

Lounge of the Piarco International 

Airport last Monday when Dr 

Rowley said in his presence that in 

the seven months he has been in 

Government, at no time there was 

any discussion on decriminalizing 

marijuana. 

The Prime Minister was speaking 

at a press conference before he 

left on a 12-day trip to the US, UK 

and Ghana. 

Al-Rawi was among a number 

of senior Cabinet Ministers who 

were at the airport to see him off. 

The Guardian newspaper had 

carried an article the day before 

RAMDEEN WHO IS UNDER 

POLICE PROBE NOW A SENATOR! 

Talk in Town is how the 

UNC had appointed attorney 

Gerald Ramdeen 

as a temporary Senator when he 

is under police investigations in 

two criminal matters. 

People are saying that while 

one is innocent until proven 

guilty, UNC political leader Kamla 

Persad-Bissessar, who is 

Opposition Leader appears to be 

scraping the bottom of the barrel 

to find a senator. 

Ramdeen is one of two attorneys 

who is being investigated 

for allegedly cutting and pasting 

of evidence in prison litigation 

matters (Prisongate), which has 

led to the State paying substantial 

amounts of monies to prison litigants 

in successful civil cases. 

The second police investigation 

involves Judicial Support Officer 

Dayadai Asha Harripaul and 

the movement of sensitive court 

documents from the Port of Spain 

High Court to his then Stone 

Street, Port of Spain Chambers. 

These two investigations which 

have been going on for more than 

a year appear to have gone “cold”. 

People want to know if Kamla 

or Ramdeen had gotten a “tip off” 

that he may have been cleared in 

the investigations, which is yet to 

be made public. 

Attorney GERALD RAMDEEN 

OM LALLA RUBBING SHOULDERS 

WITH MINISTER STUART YOUNG 

Talk in legal circles is how 

attorney Oma Lalla is 

rubbing shoulders with 

Minister in the Officer of the 

Attorney General Stuart Young 

probably hoping that he may get 

on the list of State attorneys for 

legal briefs. 

People are saying that Lalla is 

seen on Saturdays “hanging out” 

with Young near a prestigious 

PM Dr. KEITH ROWLEY 

headlined, “AG looks at legal 

ganga” in which he was quoted as 

saying that he has started the process 

of looking at the possibility of 

decriminalizing ganja. 

The prime minister said he 

was surprised that Al-Rawi spoke 

about the issue despite the fact it 

school in Maraval where they both 

have children taking lessons. 

Lalla knows how a number of 

attorneys became millionaires under 

the former PP government. 

Lalla was a former ILP member, 

who contested the St Joseph 

by-election against PNM Terrence 

Deyalsingh and UNC candidate 

Ian Alleyne and lost. Deyalsingh 

won the seat. 

AG FARIS AL RAWI 

was not discussed in Cabinet. 

But in a response Al-Rawi said 

he was speaking as AG and not on 

behalf of Government. 

People have been saying that 

anything Al-Rawi says they take it 

with a “pinch of salt”. They feel he 

likes cheap publicity. 

Attorney OM LALLA 

INVESTIGATORS DRAGGING 

THEIR FEET IN 

HIGH PROFILE CASES! 

People in Town are anxious 

to know if police 

officers probing Prisongate, 

Anandgate and other 

high-profile cases were beneficiaries 

of HDC houses, priority 

bus passes and other perks, 

because to date none of these 

matters has come to a closure 

since they have started more 

than year ago. 

Many people have been getting 

suspicious as to why these 

investigations have been taking 

so long, since acting Commissioner 

of Police Stephen Williams 

said he selected special 

police officers to probe these 

matters. 

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley 

has called on the relevant 

authorities to probe the award of 

State houses by officials of the 

CoP STEPHEN WILLIAMS 

former PP government to police 

officers who were involved in 

investigating matters involving 

them. 

People are saying they now 

see the reason why these highprofile 

cases are at a standstill. 

NO FREE PASSPORTS YET 

FOR CITIZENS OVER 60 

Talk in Town is how people 

are still waiting on 

the promise made by 

Finance Minister Colm Imbert 

in the 2015/2016 budget 

that retirees over the age of 60 

years will get free passports. 

Some seven months have 

passed since the budget was 

passed in Parliament and still 

there is no word as to when citizens 

over 60 years will start getting 

free passports. 

People over 60 are saying that 

the Immigration Department is 

still charging them the $250 fee 

to obtain a passport. 

Talk is that the Ministry of 

National Security has not given 

the Immigration any instructions 

to remove the fee. 

Trinidad & Tobago passports 

PATIENTS STILL CAN’T 

GET DRUGS AT HOSPITAL 

PHARMACIES 

People are saying that the 

hospital pharmacies are 

still without some lifesaving 

drugs and other simple 

medications. 

Doctors at the hospitals across 

the country are writing prescriptions 

for patients and when they 

go to the pharmacy at the hospital 

after waiting for hours they 

are only given part of the medication. 

The sick people are forced to 

buy the other part of the drugs 

at private pharmacies which are 

costly. 

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh 

has been boasting about 

the improvements he has been 

making in the health sector, like 

faster ambulance service but he 

Health Minister TERRANCE 

DEYALSINGH 

has not addressed the shortage of 

drugs at the hospitals as yet. 

The shortage of medication 

at the hospital pharmacies has 

been a problem for years now 

and nothing has been done to alleviate 

it.


EDITORIAL 

By Publisher 

JACK WARNER 

The introduction of 

speed guns into the 

national security 

infrastructure is a welcomed 

addition. 

The human carnage 

which has taken place over 

the past eight months is 

sufficient to warrant action 

and as much as I would 

like to criticize the Minister 

of Works and Transport 

Fitzgerald Hinds for his 

lack lustre performance so 

far; this time he must be applauded. 

Of course this does not 

come without controversy. 

The number of available 

speed guns raises the question 

of how effective this 

would be across Trinidad 

and Tobago. 

With six speed guns this 

seems as a lost cause but for 

me the fact that at least we 

have started this initiative 

is a move in the right direction. 

Another area of concern 

is getting perpetrators to 

pay for the tickets they have 

been issued. 

Currently, millions of 

dollars in unpaid tickets are 

owed to the State. 

All one has to do is to sit 

in any Magistrate’s Court 

and the list of offenders 

who have not paid their 

tickets seem inexhaustible. 

So the concern is what 

assurance do we have that 

these speed tickets will be 

paid and this is germane 

because if offenders know 

that like other tickets there 

will be no follow-up then 

there will be no incentive to 

drive within the prescribed 

limits. 

One approach is to modernise 

our system linking 

the issuance of tickets to 

the renewal of licences so 

if a driver has even one 

overdue unpaid ticket s/he 

will not have her/his licence 

renewed until that ticket is 

paid. 

In addition, police officers 

should be given handheld 

devices containing all 

information with regard to 

SPEEDING 

Page 7 

TO DEATH 

drivers and once a driver is 

routinely stopped on the basis 

of reasonable cause or as 

a result of infringing the law 

and s/he is found to be the 

holder of an overdue unpaid 

ticket, s/he should be detained 

to settle this matter. 

So simply having a handheld 

device to monitor the 

speed of motorists will not 

guarantee a safety approach 

to driving unless all the systems 

are put in place to support 

it. 

But even as the police 

take to the streets to engage 

in this reduction of 

speed initiative, citizens are 

claiming that this can result 

in unfair treatment since 

these devices can only target 

one vehicle at a time. 

What seems to be a justifiable 

concern is what will 

cause an officer to determine 

which vehicle to target 

if two oncoming vehicles 

are travelling in excess of 

the required speed limit? 

Citizens are recommending 

the use of overhead 

speed cameras to photograph 

vehicles driving in 

excess of the speed limit. 

This will create a fairer 

system as no one will escape. 

But this will also require 

a legislative agenda, which 

would allow for tickets to 

be posted to vehicle owners 

who will now be held responsible 

for anyone using 

their vehicles and driving in 

excess of the speed limit. 

There is plenty more 

which needs to done in order 

to ensure full compliance 

with the law but one 

cannot default the Minister 

or the Government for making 

this first step to guarantee 

our safety on the road. 

But social media seem to 

be critical concerning the 

current speed limit which 

most feel is far too slow in 

A real and very tragic problem in TNT 

Radar guns a move in the right direction 

Minister of Works and 

Transport FITZGERALD 

HINDS 

these modern times. 

Some responders believe 

that travelling over long 

distances can become onerous 

and have begun a petition 

seeking Government’s 

assistance to increase the 

speed limit on highways 

at least to one hundred and 

twenty kilometres per hour 

(120 KPH). 

While the request does 

not sound unreasonable, 

before Government makes 

such a move, it is best advised 

to do some research 

to determine what the current 

practice is especially 

in developed territories like 

North America and Europe 

especially since we like to 

use these as standards for 

comparison. 

The Insurance Institute 

for Highway Safety in the 

USA has documented that 

41 states have a speed limit 

of 113KPH except for Nevada 

and South Dakota with 

speed limits of 129KPH. 

It stated that the range 

stretched from 113KPH to 

129KPH. 

Only the Texas Lone Star 

State can boast of speeds 

above the 129KPH, which 

is a mere 136KPH. 

However, on the Freeways, 

it was noted that 

speeds increased to as much 

as 129KPH in Utah with 

Texas, South Dakota, North 

Dakota, New Mexico and 

Arizona boasting speeds of 

121KPH. 

So across the United 

States of America, there 

is an existing precedence 

where vehicles are allowed 

to travel safely within a 

speed limit of 113KPH to 

129KPH. 

In Canada, the speed limit 

is a little more conservative. 

On a multi-lane highway 

driving is limited to 

100KPH but for those who 

are clamouring for 120KPH, 

the Canadian view is that at 

such a speed you are driving 

too fast. 

The Canadians view 

therefore will suggest that 

if they were to advise the 

Government on matters of 

speed they most likely will 

recommend an increase of 

20KPH to the current speed 

limit for highways. 

The German Autobahn is 

probably one of the roads 

across Europe, which will 

facilitate one’s need for 

speed at 130KPH. 

So across jurisdictions 

there are precedents, which 

can be used to consider an 

increase in the speed limit 

but from experience, what 

is also clear is that there is 

Speed Guns in action 

rigid law enforcement protocol 

in these jurisdictions 

and commuters use these 

roads with a sense of care to 

avoid vehicular carnage. 

My own personal view 

is that 80KPH is too slow 

but before the Government 

undertakes to increase the 

speed limit a more robust 

highway patrol fleet needs 

to be established. 

Police vehicles should 

not just be parked along 

the highways with flashing 

lights for show. 

They should be there for 

the purposes of pursuit; ensuring 

vehicles are following 

the highway codes and 

detection of any infringement. 

I have seen on too many 

occasions where the police 

had reasonable cause to 

stop and search vehicles but 

they were too busy chatting 

with their fellow partners in 

the vehicle that they failed 

to notice the infringement. 

I have seen motorists 

chatting and texting on mobile 

phones while driving in 

front of police officers and 

there was no intervention 

by the police oficers. 

This is a greater threat 

to road safety than speed 

and when the threats occur 

at an increased speed limit 

anything can happen as 

drivers on the German Autobahn 

have noticed that at 

130KPH cars can suddenly 

appear out of no where. 

At higher speeds a greater 

level of vigilance is required. 

So when a “texter” at 

80KPH takes a risk, at 

120KPH that risk will 

become more fatal and a 

greater threat not just to 

the perpetrator but also to 

other road users. 

The speed guns are a 

move in the right direction 

for the Government, a 

move, which should be supported. 

The Government should 

also seriously consider at 

least a 20KPH increase in 

the speed limit for highways. 

No organization gets everything 

perfect the first 

time and no system is without 

teething problems but if, 

as a nation, we want to get 

this country right we must 

criticise the wrong and offer 

advice to do things better 

but in the meantime all of us 

must comply with common 

sense approaches to leave 

our country a little better 

than we have found it.


STACY PLEASE 

HELP KHADIJAH 

Kh a d i j a h bers of Parliament dered why Ms. Ameen For Kamla to have al- 

Ameen continues 

to be and tell Khadijah that from former MP Stacy 

need to come forth does not take a page 

an embarrassment to her attire is creating a Roopnarine whose attire 

the United National sense of discomfort for 

lifted her to diva 

Congress and today the party at large. status. 

I plead with former On Tuesday May But clearly Khadijah 

MP Stacy Roopnarine 

3, 2016, Ms. Ameen 

needs to clean out 

KHADIJAH AMEEN... the horrible 

to help her. strolled into the Senate her wardrobe and pur- 

Rather than whispering 

sporting a leather jackchase 

clothes befitting 

in corners in et a.k.a. Hell’s Angels. the high office that she 

hushed tones, Mem- 

One MP even won- 

holds. 

lowed this, it shows that this 

is a clear sign of an aging 

UNC leader and poor Wade 

Mark, the Leader of the Opposition 

Bench in the Senate 

does not even know better. 

Kamla, in her heyday, 

would have never tolerated 

Khadijah dressed in 

leggings and leather jacket 

at official functions even 

though Kamla herselrf had 

wined away on her first 

overseas trip to Jamacia. 

Clearly if she cannot manners 

Khadijah it is time for 

her to go and allow a more 

diligent leader to maintain 

the standards for which the 

party has been known. 

But Khadijah must not be 

VASANT BHARATH 

allowed to bring the UNC 

and the high office of a MP 

into disrepute as she is doing. 

If Kamla cannot do it, 

someone needs to stand up 

for the party and country. 

Did I hear someone say Vasant 

Bharath? 

Classy dresser... STACY ROOPNARINE 

Flashback: KAMLA dancing away in Jamaica 

RAISING THE BAR IN 

CREATIVE EXCELLENCE 

Some of the most creative 

minds from 

across the country eagerly 

await Thursday 22nd 

of September this year to 

find out which Advertising 

Agencies will raise the bar 

of their masterpieces. 

The biennial Advertising 

Agencies Association 

of Trinidad and Tobago 

(AAATT) Creative 

Awards will be held at The 

Banquet and Conference 

Centre, MovieTowne and 

will showcase the creative 

work from the 16 member 

agencies over the past two 

years. 

Some of the advertising 

campaigns that we have 

grown to love will be up 

for the prestigious “Best in 

Show” awards in multiple 

categories. 

Industry clients and media 

representatives will be 

on hand as well to experience 

the pride of being part 

of the creative process and 

word is, this year’s production 

will be one for the ages. 

AAATT Creative Awards Planning Committee putting the finishing touches on plans for the show. 

From L-R: KEITH NEXAR (Chairman), TRACEY CHIN (AAATT Administrator), JULIE HARRIS (Lonsdale Saatchi 

and Saatchi), ASMA ALI (Mc Cann POS), FERNAN de GANNES (The Buzz), CHARISSE THAVENOT 

(Publicis Caribbean), GINA WELCH (FV Holdings) and KERON NEXAR (Advantage Advertising) 

ERIC “PINK PANTHER” TAYLOR, 

Personal Assistant to Minister FRANKLIN KHAN, 

distributing gifts to the mothers 

MOTHER’S DAY TREAT 

from the Sangre Grande 

Development Foundation 

The Sangre Grande 

D e v e l o p m e n t 

Foundation one 

of the premier NGO’s in 

the country today treated 

some of the Mothers on 

the eve of Mother’s Day 

following a meeting of 

their Board of Directors. 

The mothers present 

were extremely appreciative 

of this gesture. The Director 

of Regional and International 

Relations Mrs 

Glendora Kennedy who is 

based in New York, joined 

the celebrations digitally 

and contributed immensely 

to the evening’s success 

The Sangre Grande Development 

Foundation is 

led by Mr Eric” Pink Panther” 

Taylor and is blessed 

with a very talented, educated 

and committed direc- 

torship. Mr Leslie Yip, Mr 

Roger Chang, Mr Kerry 

Bidassie and Hilltop Pharmacy 

are some of the major 

supporters of the SGDF. 

Foreign Destination 

Fun Travel, Republic Day 

Extravaganza, Strategic 

Planning and Leadership 

Training Initiatives are just 

some of the projects on the 

SGDF’s immediate horizon. 

Networking with State 

and other Agencies, both 

local and foreign, continues 

to be a hallmark of their operations 

as they rigidly pursue 

the development of our 

human capital. The SGDF 

held its AGM on April 9th 

which was supervised and 

authenticated by the Ministry 

of Community Development, 

Culture and the Arts.


Page 9


ROWLEY SHOWIN’ WHO IS D BOSS! 

Rum shop POLITICS 

Ministers should realise 

by now that they 

should not speak on 

any national issue before Prime 

Minister Dr Keith Rowley, otherwise 

he would embarrass 

them publicly. 

Over the past two weeks there 

have been two “casualties” for 

speaking out of turn - Health Minister 

Terrence Deyalsingh and Attorney 

General Faris Al-Rawi. 

Some observers are saying that 

it would appear Rowley wants to 

have the first say on any matter 

where there is great public concern. 

The first was Deyalsingh, who 

chastised the media during a press 

briefing on the mosquito-borne 

Zika virus and when the topic of 

abortion came up he said; “I am 

ending the discussion here and 

now”. 

He stressed that the conversation 

on Zika should be on getting 

citizens to clean up their surroundings 

and slammed the media for 

perceived attempts of using the 

topic of abortion under the pretext 

of Zika to “sell news”. 

But in a quick response PM 

Rowley said Deyalsingh was not 

the Government nor the country, 

to say he is ending the discussions 

on abortion, noting that the abortion 

discussions are continuing. 

Rowley said that Deyalsingh 

was probably rushing to an early 

lunch. 

The embarrassed Deyalsingh 

responded by saying the media 

had misquoted him despite the 

fact that TV 6 played a clip of the 

news briefing twice about the exact 

words he said. 

People are saying some ministers 

put their foot in their mouth 

and don’t know how to take them 

out. 

And in another case of “foot in 

mouth disease” Attorney General 

Faris-Al Rawi said he is looking 

at decriminalizing marijuana possession. 

He told the Guardian newspaper 

that he is reviewing the Dangerous 

Drug Act and there would be wide 

consultation before any policy decision 

is taken. 

The story is making headlines in 

other Caribbean newspapers. 

The Jamaica Observer newspaper 

carried an article last Monday 

headlined: “T&T Gov’t examining 

decriminalizing of marijuana”. 

But the prime minister says he 

knows nothing about what the AG 

is talking because the matter never 

came up- before Cabinet and he is 

not ready for that conversation as 

yet. Observers are saying Rowley 

is showing them who is the real 

boss. 

Al Rawi hit the PM a ‘tap’ saying 

he is the AG and he doesn’t 

need to tell Rowley what his office 

is doing”. 

Rowley recently said he had to 

“order” a minister out of an office 

in the International Waterfront 

Centre in Port of Spain to go to his 

designated office at the Ministry of 

Works and Transport. 

Some observers are saying that 

Rowley is keeping members of his 

government in check and make 

sure they do not step out of line. 

Besides those matters people 

are asking “whey we going?” As 

comedian Sprangalang would say. 

Over the past week a man was 

beaten to death over a bag of yam 

and another killed for $50. 

As soon as the Superintendent 

of Police in the Western Division 

say murders down by 53 percent 

there were three murders the following 

day. 

People are saying the Minister 

of National Security Edmund Dillon 

and the police must stop talking 

about crime down. 

Then on the other side there 

was a “fish” story about how a 80 

year-old grandmother was shot in 

the head in her bathroom when 

a police officer gun fell while he 

was running a suspect and the bullet 

passing through a wall in the 

house ended up in the woman’s 

bathroom. 

These were some of the issues 

Gunpat, Baboolal, Rasta, Spanner 

and Piper were discussing when 

they met at Hawk and Spit bar last 

weekend. 

Rasta: “Barman what you have 

for d poor?. Ah taking anything, 

yes. Ah feeling tusty for ah drink. 

Bring some cheap rum because 

meh money low”. 

Barman: “Ah hear yuh say yuh 

taking anything. It have ah man in 

d back dey, yuh want to check him 

out. Rasta ah hear dey is only Indian 

money does run low. It like 

d tide it does run low and raise 

again”. 

Rasta: “Ah does tired tell allyuh, 

doh give meh no man, take 

him for yuh self. Ah hear two homos, 

Barry and Harry, got married 

and when dey was walking out d 

church dey request dat d church 

bell must ring’, bulling, bulling, 

bulling, because dey want dat 

sound to ring in dey head when 

dey go to Barbados for dey honeymoon”. 

Piper: “Ah hear Barbados have 

more homos than flying fish and d 

government want to stop d amount 

of bullers coming into d country. It 

have sniffer dogs trained to smell 

male passengers backside and 

frontside to see if dey are homos 

when dey line up to check immigration”. 

Rasta; “Yuh know it have on d 

immigration form ah section mark 

Sex, M (male) and F (Female) to 

fill out. Under sex Barry mark, 

“yes” and under ‘M’ he mark 

‘only men’ and ‘F’ he mark ‘whole 

night’. D immigration officer greet 

dem ‘welcome to Barbados’ an he 

tell Barry if he need any help to 

call him Yuh know d immigration 

officer is ah homo too”. 

Gunpat: “Barman, forget dis 

ole talk and bring d usual drinks. 

Last week we went by Mukesh 

family, Raj and Primatee. We had 

ah good time. Primatee cook ah 

hard fowl and she make dhalpurie. 

Dey say Mukesh not feeling well 

these days, he drink too much rum 

in he life”. 

Spanner: “Ah see big bottom 

Beverley and she friend coming. 

Ah hope she go run something”. 

Piper: “Bev, whey yuh was all 

dis time guyal. We say like police 

lock down d Beetham and allyuh 

fraid to come out”. 

Bev: “Beetham ent have so 

much crime again. Some ah dem 

bad boys move out since d police 

start harassing dem. D man have 

me meh under heavy manners ah 

does cyar go out so again”. 

Spanner: “So Bev, yuh ent tell 

we who is yuh sexy friend. Ah 

does always hear dey say when 

yuh red yuh dead, yes. Whey dis 

sexy red owman come from. Don’t 

blush baby. Come let’s take ah 

drink. Yuh man never tell you how 

yuh does look sexy”. 

Rasta: “Bev, like yuh friend living 

in d bush. Like ah soucouyant 

pass by she. How she neck have so 

much ah red marks. Ah never see 

ah big hickey so”. 

Bev: “Patsy come and meet 

some ah meh friends. Dem ole 

fellas harmless. Dey only have 

mouth”. 

Patsy: “Ah love men who like 

to use dey mouth”. 

Bev: “No guyal ah mean dey 

does talk plenty and not what yuh 

thinking”. 

Piper: “ Patsy ah feel yuh does 

horn yuh man. Dem red owman 

does have more than one man, dey 

nature is to horn”. 

Patsy: “Yuh want to see whey 

he put ah next hickey. D way 

things getting hard yuh have to 

have ah outside man now to live in 

dis country”.+ 

Rasta: “Since yuh have two 

man yuh could run something”. 

Patsy: “Ah stop minding man. 

Right now ah could do with ah 

next man. Anyone ah allyuh available. 

Ah like dat bald head one 

with the moustache, whey looking 

like ah witch broom . He look like 

he have money. Ah never meet ah 

Indian whey ent have no money. 

But dey cheap, if yuh ask dem for 

ah blue note, dey good at promising 

and yuh go never see dem 

again. Rasta yuh look like yuh 

have money too. Any man who 

‘pushing” have money”. 

Rasta: “Why yuh say ah ‘pushing’, 

allyuh feel all Rasta does 

only sell drugs. Guyal ah wuking 

URP but ah does only check in 

and sign d register and go home. 

Ah does have to give meh boss ah 

kickback from meh pay”. 

Gunpat: “So Rasta. Yuh are one 

ah dem fellas who in dem ghost 

gangs. Ah hear it have plenty racket 

in URP”. 

Baboolal: “Allyuh ent hear bout 

d man whey dey beat for ah bag ah 

yam. Things gone bad in dis country, 

yes. A tief doh like to see another 

tief with ah bag in he hand, 

nah”. 

Gunpat: “Ah man went to tief 

in ah house and he see ah door 

open at d back. As he was going 

in he see ah man coming out with 

two bags. D man pull out ah cutlass 

from he waist and tell d tief 

put down dem bags or he go chop 

him up. D tief thought d man was 

d owner and he drop d bags and 

started to run. D other tief take up 

d bags which had liquor, food and 

jewelry and walked away. It was 

a case of tief from tief make God 

laugh”. 

Piper: “Ah see Rowley show 

Deyalsingh and d AG who really 

is d boss. He say d health minister 

was probably hungry and was getting 

ready to go an eat when he tell 

d media people to stop d conversation 

bout abortion. And Rowley 

say he ent know nothing bout any 

plan to legalise ganja whey Al- 

Rawi talking bout”. 

Spanner: “Ah feel some ah 

dem ministers does drink marijuana 

tea before dey go to parliament 

because dey does behave like ah 

man when he high on ‘weed’ dat 

is why ah feel dey should legalise 

marijuana. It have ah Rasta man 

like me in parliament. But not all 

Rasta does smoke ganja, nah”. 

Rasta: “Dey say d marijuana go 

be only to make medicine. Well ah 

drinking marijuana medicine whole 

day because ah suffering from asthma”. 

Baboolal: “Allyuh ent hear how 

d policeman say how he gun fell 

down and two bullets come out 

and one kill ah owman in she bathroom 

when dey was running down 

two robbery suspects. Dat remind 

me of ah hunter pardna who say he 

shoot three manicou with one shot 

from he gun. 

He say d fust one was on the 

ground eating under a mango tree 

in a road and when he fired d shot 

it hit d fust one and d bullet went 

around d corner and hit d two others 

who was crossing d road. Yuh 

hear lie dat is ah hunter lie”. 

Gunpat: “Barman, bring some 

cutters and d bill”.


T&T must fix this: 

LAVENTILLE 

NIGHTMARE! 

Allow me to borrow 

a line from a 

time-worn, classic 

metaphor: The hills 

are alive with the sound 

of music. 

Think Laventille. Think 

Laventille nights. 

Now think again, the 

hills are also alive with the 

sound of bullets, murder 

and mayhem. 

Baffling contradictions 

exist on this hilly stretch 

– a sorry saga ever unfolding 

as the tragedy of 

Laventille embodies a 

most ironic storyline – the 

very co-existence of love 

and hate, lovers and haters 

in the mix; two extremes 

of life… Side by side in an 

unholy union that will bedevil 

us all forever, unless 

(pray hope) the hand of 

politics rewrites this twisted 

narrative, this absolute 

aberration; so that, in the 

end all of Trinidad and Tobago 

may stand to become 

a better place, an idyllic 

postcard image of paradise 

we all truly want it to be as 

it used to be back in time. 

But the Laventille nightmare 

haunts us all. 

I know. I know. I know. 

Even at this late evening 

of the day – eternal optimist 

that I am – I verily 

believe a change can still 

come; the positives trumping 

the negatives to rid the 

stigmatization of crimeinfested 

Laventille of its 

bullet-ridden history, its 

blood-stained canvas of 

human suffering, poverty 

and mounting homicidal 

deaths. 

Thirty years after “the 

Dragon doh walk the 

trail no more” – Rudder’s 

memorable hook-line in 

his seminal hit song ‘Hammer’ 

– a posthumous paean 

to the once all- conquering 

King of Laventille, 

Desperadoes’ pan leader 

Rudolph Charles, change 

is beckoning now with a 

compelling urgency. 

Additionally, Rudder’s 

songbite is still ringing 

- Who is going to stop the bullets? 

loudly in the air, it would 

seem after three decades 

on, people still crying 

out for strong leadership, 

strong representation, can 

now poignantly ponder: 

“Tell we, whey the man 

with the hammer “gorn”. 

Charlo in his triumphal 

heyday cast a hovering 

shadow, more like an 

Archangel over the beleaguered 

Laventille… keeping 

crime at bay in a constituency 

long known for 

imploding and exploding 

day or night – the crusader 

in essence, was like a minister 

without portfolio, but 

he walked the trail as the 

original minister of National 

Security getting the 

job done. 

Now other voices are 

Story by Editor: ANTHONY ‘LEXO’ ALEXIS 

RUDOLPH CHARLES JACK WARNER GARY GRIFFITH 

coming to the fore, all begging 

criminals to put down 

the guns “not to kill one 

another but to make others 

live.” 

The Prime Minister, Dr. 

Keith Rowley promised 

to initiate special programmes 

to raise the next 

generation onto the right 

path. But who is going to 

stop the bullets? 

Who is going to stop the 

tears from parents who 

have been losing their 

children from maurading 

trigger-happy bandits? 

Truth is, successive 

governments have failed 

Laventille over time, treating 

the constituency with 

benign neglect, as an enclave 

separate and apart 

from the body politic of 

Trinidad and Tobago, 

where frustrated residents 

continue to feel the pain of 

deprivation up to this very 

day. 

Bouquets of promises, 

promises, promises and 

begging bowl of handouts. 

I’ve always maintained 

that anyone who can positively 

fix Laventille can 

correspondingly fix all 

the hot spots in Trinidad 

and Tobago in a calibrated 

timeline. 

Several ministers rode 

the trail a la Charlo… 

footsteps in hands of time. 

The roll call includes 

Chin Lee, Martin Joseph, 

Gary Grifith, Brigadier 

Carl Alfonso, Brigadier 

John Sandy, Herbert Atwell, 

Selwyn Richardson, 

Laventille 

National Security Minister 

EDMUND DILLON 

Gerald Montano, Brigadier 

Joseph Theodore to 

name just a paltry few not 

in any meritorious order 

or standing. 

But in a historical perspective 

former Minister 

of National Security Jack 

Warner was the lone ranger, 

the only government 

minister who stopped 

bullets in Laventille for 

35 consecutive days – an 

incredible achievement in 

2012, during a period of 

unrelenting murders and 

self-imposed curfews. 

And what seemed at 

the time as an unstoppable 

crime contagion in 

full swing… the voice 

of Warner was heard as 

he walked the trail in the 

belly of the beast, through 

Page 11 

every nook and cranny in 

the labyrinth of Laventille, 

providing remedial 

solutions where once before, 

Chin Lee’s Anaconda 

and Storm crime plans 

tanked, fell short of high 

expectations. 

I welcome Laventille 

nights as a step in the right 

direction. The Tuesday 

nights showcase – thanks 

to a salutary intervention 

by radio frequency 95.5 

fm, in a tandem project 

with the National Security 

Ministry is promoting 

a window for communal 

conversation/choice for 

residents of the troubled 

community. 

All well and good. 

But this still-nascent 

programme must not be 

seen as a placebo pill to 

halt social dissonance in 

Laventille where every 

shadow is a gun. 

Where the sound of 

bullets flying in the air 

provide the soundtrack of 

life in Laventille. 

Where gunmen spray 

bullets daily as a form of 

target practice. 

Where crime and the 

fear of crime stalk all 

residents. 

Where children go to 

sleep every night amid 

the sounds of patrol sirens. 

Hello, Laventille must 

be seen as a microcosm 

of the larger scenery of 

social unrest in Trinidad 

and Tobago, and Laventille 

Tuesday Night’s programmes 

must treat with 

this scourge from this 

start-up level. 

Gentlemen that’s the 

starting gun to fixing 

Laventille. 

Ask Jack Warner. 

Ask Gary Griffith. 

They both have the 

wherewithal to see to it 

that tomorrow comes to 

the people of Laventille. 

Mr. Edmund Dillon let 

it be, let it be. 

Let tomorrow come to 

the people of Laventille.


A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS 

STORY BY 

RUFUS FOSTER 

In any properly run 

constituted court, the 

Trinidad and Tobago 

Gymnastic Federation 

(TTGF) would have lost 

on all sides based on its 

defence in having Thema 

Williams being replaced 

by Marisa Dick for the 

2016 Olympics. 

The only satisfactory 

resolution to this debacle 

would have been, if it was 

possible, to correct the 

wrong by having Thema 

Williams representing 

Trinidad and Tobago. 

However, this would 

seem to be very challenging 

and the recent announcement 

by the Trinidad and 

Tobago Olympic Committee 

(TTOC) President, Brian 

Lewis, confirming Marisa 

Dick as the candidate to represent 

T&T may have abandoned 

the hopes and aspirations 

in having the rightful 

candidate to represent us at 

the Olympics. 

- replacing gymnast Thema Williams by Marisa Dick 

This situation was caused 

by those who are heading 

the Gymnastics Federation 

and have the responsibility 

to ensure transparency, 

honesty, fair play and accountability, 

not only to 

themselves but to the entire 

population of T&T. 

The evidence coming 

out from all sides on this 

national issue has caused 

emotions to run so high that 

I am hearing that Marisa 

Dick had to be escorted by 

law enforcement officers. 

It is also well known 

that others are making the 

comment that they would 

not like to see Trinidad and 

Tobago win a medal at the 

gymnastic event. 

Such is the mental destruction 

that these officials 

have caused the nation. 

Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! is 

the cry of the nation, bringing 

total condemnation on 

those who have brought us 

to this sad state of affairs, 

and therefore they must 

face the necessary consequences. 

Olympic participation is 

the dream of all athletes. 

To many participants, 

participation brings great 

joy, happiness, pride, satisfaction 

and recognition, 

even without winning a 

medal. 

Love of country, commitment, 

dedication, personal 

sacrifice, and relentless 

perseverance are 

pursued by all athletes to 

achieve this goal. 

On the other hand the 

athletes look forward to receiving 

logistics and financial 

support from the government 

or corporate T&T. 

They also look forward for 

professional administration 

and guidance from those 

federations or bodies that 

are entrusted with the responsibility 

in seeking their 

welfare, one of which is the 

selection of candidates to 

represent his/her country 

– a selection that is free of 

biasness. 

The only exceptions to 

this rule are those athletes 

who are considered to be 

ill disciplined and cannot 

be selected to represent 

T&T for fear of doing more 

harm than good in an already 

plagued environment 

of delinquencies. 

When an official or an 

administrative body betrays 

the trust and confidence 

that the nation has 

in him/her, the only moral 

thing they can do in the absence 

of long jail sentences 

is to resign immediately 

from that administrative 

body and to distance themselves 

for life from that 

sport. And that is exactly 

what the President, David 

Marquez, Ricardo Lee 

Shue and Donna Lee Shue 

and Elicia Peters-Charles 

should be doing if they 

have not already done so. 

THEMA WILLIAMS 

In their administration 

they have failed to ensure 

that five of the nation’s 

gymnasts attend the World 

Games that took place in 

Scotland recently, which 

would have ensured Trinidad 

and Tobago two participants 

at the Rio trials 

and by so doing could have 

prevented this fiasco. 

Why are they allowing 

the name of the Honourable 

Minister of Sport and his 

Staff and the Sports Company 

to be dragged into 

their unprofessional saga? 

The nation is witnessing 

that the Sports Minister 

and his staff are trying 

their best in these difficult 

economic times to deliver 

the necessary support to all 

sporting disciplines, and 

to have their names being 

US-BASED CARIBBEAN BANK 

UNDER CONSIDERATION 

The region is being 

urged to look 

into the feasibility 

of establishing a Caribbean 

bank in the United 

States to address the loss 

of correspondent banking 

services being experienced 

by banks in the 

Caribbean. 

Deputy governor of the 

Eastern Caribbean Central 

Bank (ECCB) Trevor 

Brathwaite said that’s an 

option that can’t be ignored, 

WINN reported. 

“In London there are a 

number of banks that are 

owned by foreign nationals 

from other countries 

and so it’s doable. The 

feasibility study ought 

to say once you look at 

the terms of reference 

for the feasibility study 

the modality for establishing 

a Caribbean bank let’s 

say in New York, it could 

be an outright purchase or 

maybe a second tier bank 

or the establishment of a 

bank by private interest 

collectively,” Brathwaite 

said. 

ECCB governor Timothy 

Antoine said the option is 

not a far-fetched one. 

Caribbean governments, 

indigenous banks and offshore 

banks located in the 

Caribbean are extremely 

concerned about the withdrawal 

of correspondent 

relations from Caribbean 

banks by banks in the 

US. 

Their concern arises 

from the fact that, if all 

correspondent banking 

relations are withdrawn, 

the region will be isolated 

from the rest of the world 

and will be unable to carry 

out the most basic of bank 

transactions. 

According to Antigua 

and Barbuda’s ambassador 

to the US, Sir Ronald 

Sanders, what has caused 

the withdrawal of correspondent 

relations to the 

Caribbean and the other 

regions identified above is 

the huge penalties that US 

banks would have to pay 

if any incidence of money 

laundering, terrorism financing, 

or tax evasion 

passed through them from 

their respondent banks. 

Regulatory and enforcement 

agencies have dealt 

harshly with such incidents, 

creating a strong deterrent 

to taking risks. The simplest 

form of “de-risking” 

is to terminate correspondent 

banking relations. 

“Establishing a Caribbean-owned 

agency in the 

US to provide correspondent 

relations for regional 

banks is not impossible, 

though it is difficult and 

will require investment in 

time, money and professional 

advice,” Sanders 

said earlier this year. 

“But, there is no swift or 

easy solution to the present 

problem. If Caribbean 

banks believe that there is 

no risk to US banks in the 

provision of correspondent 

relations, then they 

should be prepared to take 

the risk themselves by setting 

up their own agency 

to facilitate their business,” 

he added. 

dragged into this unhealthy 

scenario is totally unfair to 

them. 

Why should the Minister, 

the Permanent Secretary 

or even the President 

of the TTOC Mr. Brian 

Lewis have to be called 

into this ugly saga? They 

are not the ones running the 

Gymnastics Federation. 

Already there have been 

resignations by Dale Ali, 

Anderson Charles, Sara 

Lambert, Jeffrey Charles, 

and Carynn Chen. They 

all must be applauded for 

the fact that they have informed 

the nation about the 

undemocratic procedures 

that take place within the 

Federation. 

However, the problem 

with their resignation 

should and must be of serious 

concerns to the citizens 

of this country because it 

means those few who are 

prepared to rally around the 

President such as, Ricardo 

Lee Shue and Donna Lee 

Shue (husband and wife) 

and Elicia Peters-Charles, 

make the nation wonder 

what benefit is there for 

them to remain on board. 

The loss of confidence 

and trust by the entire nation 

in the TTGF has transcended 

into the very hearts 

and minds of those young 

gymnasts who will also 

have to worry whether, in 

the future, they can become 

a victim if they have to be 

governed by those said remaining 

officers. 

When one listens to Mr. 

John Geddert, Thema’s 

coach, who has over 30 

years of experience in the 

sport you cannot help but to 

simply wipe the tears away 

from your eyes as he commented 

that Thema is far 

better than Marisa in all categories; 

a fact well known 

MARISA DICK 

to David Marquez, Ricardo 

Lee Shue and Donna Lee 

Shue, and Elicia Peters- 

Charles. But again what do 

they care about ability once 

they are in charge? 

It is for reasons such 

as this that all parents 

who are concerned about 

their children’s progress 

in sports must join forces 

along with those outspoken, 

honest officials who 

have resigned to get rid of 

those who have caused disrepute 

and public outrage 

over the manner in which 

they have handled the affairs 

and welfare of our 

youths. 

They have also caused 

Marisa Dick to become a 

symbol of disrespect and 

hate in T&T. This obviously 

will be one of the 

areas that a new management 

will have to seriously 

address. 

As for Thema, apart from 

her outstanding gymnastic 

ability she has shown tremendous 

courage and great 

mental fortitude at her age. 

Her support by corporate 

T&T, the Government and 

local female celebrities all 

of whom supported her, 

must be continued. She 

must continue to remain in 

good and high spirits. I believe 

she has been used divinely 

as the cornerstone in 

getting at the root problem 

of the Gymnastic Federation. 

So to all patriotic lovers 

of Trinidad and Tobago, let 

us all collectively support 

the call for the removal of 

David Marquez, Ricardo 

Lee Shue, Donna Lee Shue 

and, Elicia Peters-Charles. 

Likewise, while as difficult 

as it may seem to support 

the representative at the 

2016 Olympics let us all 

wish Marisa Dick well.


Page 13 

CONVERSATION ON ABORTION 

unacceptable. 

- Let’s Start Talking Now 

This will also form a part 

of the abortion conversation 

ists between women who and other parents encounter 

Story by JACK WARNER 

but I suspect in most cases 

have contracted the Zika in obtaining basic rights for our religious bigotry denies 

virus and the birth of microcephaly 

babies. 

The cost to undertake 

their children. 

We are not living in virus that was cause for national 

concern. 

life better for others. 

us the possibility of making 

a theocracy. 

The WebMD describes medical testing for their children 

in order to qualify for 

This is a system It is imperative for me to 

In my community, I have 

microcephaly as a medical 

of Government that is informed 

by the religious faith I am a Roman Catholic 

publicly state my bias. 

not seen any aggressive act 

condition in which the circumference 

of the head is grant is heart wrenching and 

a paltry $1,500 per month to wage war against the 

to which one adheres. and as such my social and 

Zika virus. 

smaller than normal because in case the good Minister of 

It is for the same reason spiritual position on abortion 

Generally citizens where 

the brain has not developed Health Terrance Deyalsingh 

that as a nation we will reject is pro-life. 

I live do their part but in 

properly or has stopped does not know this should 

Sharia Law if ever one tries However, this does not 

other areas with overgrown 

growing. 

form part of the conversation 

to impose it because we are forbid me from participating 

in discussions with pro- 

TERRANCE DEYALSINGH 

grass in drains and rivers, 

There is a sense of anxiety when it comes to the topic of 

Health Minister 

not living in an Islamic State. 

with the trapping and stagnating 

of waters, there is a 

among women because the abortion. 

Trinidad and Tobago is choice activists even admitting 

to them at times when cephaly in its severe stages black and white without any birthing of the Zika virus. abortion among others and 

common effects of micro- 

For him this seems like fertile environment for the erendum on the issue of 

a plural society where our 

anthem proclaims that every I feel they have a point and suggest other problems such areas of grey but when one How, therefore, am I to feel the people we have elected 

creed and race finds an equal criticising vehemently when as cerebral palsy and epilepsy. has no support system to safe? 

to lead us must understand 

place. 

in my opinion their argument What is very rarely discussed 

is that apart from fa- 

the question of abortion be- 

the Minister of Health to further their personal agen- 

help one raise a child then It is the responsibility of that they were elected not to 

So when a Member of lacks reason. 

Parliament dismissively disregards 

an issue that is open dialogue is essential because mild microcephaly can grow pregnant mother. 

arrogance and impress upon national agenda. 

In a pluralistic society cial distortion, children with comes a viable option to the strategise before displaying da but rather to further the 

for discussion, then it suggests 

that he has religious cussion where pros and cons and adolescence and still tion would include social the importance of nurturing needs to tone down. 

it is from the bowels of dis- 

normally during childhood Any conversation on abor- 

his other Cabinet colleagues The Minister of Health 

bias and if this is so, then are openly discussed in a meet age-appropriate growth services delivery that are a healthy environment to His arrogance is nauseating 

and not consistent with 

there is cause for concern. respectful manner that good milestones. 

available to mothers. reduce the threat among us. 

As a matter of fact, Members 

of Parliament for far too So hearing the Prime why the anxiety exists be- 

nursery to take care of our of the abortion conversaship 

that comes from the 

policices emerge. 

But one can understand A simple issue such as a All of this will form part the kind of servant leader- 

long hold the view that their Minister Dr. Keith Rowley cause parents are very concerned 

about the health and mothers have to go to work is When the Minister of A more compassionate 

children when single parent tion. 

humble who is exalted. 

election to office is licence suggest that the matter of 

to express their views and abortion is not closed was normalcy of their babies unavailable or too expensive. Health refuses to discuss the approach is required for 

impose it upon us the people a breath of fresh air, not and should they know that This is further compounded 

when our children are dif- 

position beyond the Cathoselves 

in difficult situations 

issue of abortion he takes a mothers who find them- 

who have elected them. because I am hoping for a a child may have severe 

Somehow they fail to realise 

that they are now the tion but rather because the prefer to have the option of few nurseries that exist cater take into consideration the ily mean abortion. 

shift in my religious posi- 

microcephaly, they would ferently abled because the lic viewpoint that does not and that may not necessar- 

voice of the people because issue needs to be properly bringing or not such a child only for those classified as threat, which a foetus may But if one cannot even 

they have been elected by ventilated in a secular environment 

which promised Now one cannot default Even if non Catholics the option to abort. Another matter clearly such a person 

into this world. 

normal. 

pose to a mother’s life and entertain a dialogue on this 

the people, of the people and 

for the people. 

participatory politics. mothers especially for holding 

such a worldview. position and give birth to the abortion conversation. sation, which must now be- 

want to adopt the Catholic text that must form a part of is unfit to begin the conver- 

So when the Member of The real concern has to do 

Parliament for St. Joseph with the threat that the Zika Only a few nights ago I the child and then offer the So as a society we need to come the remit of another. 

dismissively brought a press virus poses to unborn babies. watched on TV6 where the child up for adoption, such talk more and abandon this At the end of the day, 

conference to an end when For the many who are new mother of two children with services are rare and the facilities 

where such a child is developed. 

we need to start the conver- 

bigoted approach we have whether good, bad or ugly, 

the matter of abortion was to the discussion, there is a cerebral palsy was complaining 

about the difficulties she most likely to grow up are We need a national refsation 

on abortion raised in relation to the Zika view that a relationship ex- 

NOW. 

STORY BY ATTORNEY 

NIGEL TRANCOSO 

Jamaica has announced 

its intention to discontinue 

trade with Trinidad 

and Tobago owing to 

recent occurrences where 

T&T officials are accused 

of refusing Jamaican nationals 

into its borders. 

It is no secret that the 

Caribbean Community and 

Common Market (CARI- 

COM) has patterned, or attempted 

to follow the European 

Union’s model of Free 

Movement of Goods and 

Free Movement of People. 

In the European Union 

(EU), the doctrine of free 

movement of nationals means 

that EU nationals enjoy travel 

CARIBBEAN SINGLE MARKET ECONOMY 

from one member state to another 

with simply photo identification. 

This is possible because 

each Member State has incorporated 

the European Community 

(EC) provision into 

their domestic law in order to 

give the EC treaty legislation 

legal domestic efficacy. 

In the case of non-EU 

nations their citizens are refused 

entry where they have 

not shown means to sustain 

themselves during their visit 

and where they may become 

a burden on the host state. 

Needless to say CARI- 

COM Member States have 

not been as coorporative as 

the EU in adopting its Community 

Legislations into 

their own domestic laws. 

Jamaica must know that a 

State is sovereign and treaty 

laws can only be binding 

when incorporated in the 

State’s domestic law. 

In 1973, CARICOM was 

established to promote economic 

integration between 

member states yet in spite of 

the attempts to develop a single 

market those community 

decisions have not yet come 

to fruition. 

So what we have is a region 

with eminent economic 

potential but a failure by its 

leaders to integrate the Caribbean 

Community. 

In 2006, the CARICOM 

Single Market and Economy 

(CSME) came into being. 

Twelve Member states 

sought to enjoy free movement 

of persons, which essentially 

means that certain 

classes of nationals from 

CARICOM states do not 

need work permits to work 

and live in member states. 

This promoted the free 

movement of CARICOM 

Nationals as “Skilled Workers” 

could now be afforded 

the benefits of free movement 

throughout member 

states. 

The following CARICOM 

nationals are allowed free 

movement: 

- Jamaica below Trinidad and Tobago 

• Sportspersons 

• Artistes 

• Professional 

• Nurses 

• Media Workers 

• Household Domestics 

with a Caribbean Vocational 

Qualifications (CVQ) 

or equivalent qualification 

• Holders of Associate Degrees 

or equivalent qualifications 

such as 2 CAPE/”A” 

Levels and National Technician 

Certificates 

• Artisans with a Caribbean 

Vocational Qualification 

• Musicians 

• University Graduates 

• Qualified Teachers 

• Persons seeking to exercise 

the Right of Establishment 

Particularly in T&T, the 

classes of persons that qualify 

for entry under the Immigration 

(Caribbean Community 

Skilled Nationals) Act 

Chapter 18:03 are artistes, 

musicians, sports persons, or 

media workers only. 

If a CARICOM national 

falls outside of these categories 

s/he would not enjoy free 

movement in Trinidad and 

Tobago. Ironically, Jamaica 

has similar laws. 

Therefore it is quite apparent 

that T&T retains its 

autonomy and shall legally 

refuse entry of any person 

who is not a class of the persons 

defined in the relevant 

domestic legislation. 

Further the provisions of 

the Immigration Act Chapter 

18:01 prohibits, inter alia, 

persons who are likely to become 

charges on public funds 

from entry into our shores. 

As an aside, it escapes 

logic that where we seek to 

establish a single market and 

economy, that it is more economical 

to travel to the USA 

than it is to travel to some 

CARICOM Member States. 

Politics may have a morality 

of its own, but there is no 

morality in law. 

Having said that sympathy 

cannot decide whether a state 

has the power to accept, or 

refuse a foreign national to 

its shores. Therefore, until 

we, as a region take a decision 

to truly become integrated 

instances like these 

will continue to occur. 

Trinidad and Tobago broke 

no treaty laws nor did it break 

any domestic law; as a matter 

of fact T&T’s authorities 

were upholding the law in 

their decision to refuse entry. 

The real issue here is not 

who is right or who is wrong, 

but that it has now over 40 

years since the Treaty of Chaguaramas 

has been signed 

giving birth to CARICOM. 

It is time that we unite as 

a region and complete the 

journey to establish a Single 

Market Economy in this 

ever globalising and competitive 

world. 

Until this is achieved we 

will continue to have incidents 

such as these, which 

only serve to counter the purpose 

of CARICOM.


AVOID COOKIE-CUTTING CONSULTING 

The Islamic Development 

Bank 

(IsDB), through 

its “reverse linkage” initiative 

to enhance South/ 

South cooperation among 

its 57 members, is matching 

the challenge of Suriname 

with the experience 

of Malaysia so that the two 

countries can collaborate 

to maintain self-sufficiency 

in rice production in Suriname, 

according to an 

Islamic Bank press release 

last week. 

One of the mandates of the 

Islamic Bank is to promote 

cooperation among member 

countries of the OIC in an 

Re Thin Business 

8. Key Partnerships: 

What can the company not 

do so it can focus on its 

Key Activities? 

9. Cost Structure: What 

are the business’ major 

cost drivers? How are they 

linked to revenue? 

According to A. Cowan, 

the canvas delivers three 

fundamental things: 

1. Focus: Stripping away 

the 40+ pages of ‘stuff’ in 

a traditional business plan 

and improves clarity and 

focus on what’s driving the 

business 

2. Flexibility: It’s a lot 

easier to tweak the model 

(from a planning perspective) 

with something that’s 

sitting on a single page 

3. Transparency: Your 

team will have a much 

easier time understanding 

your business model and be 

much more likely to buy in 

to your vision when it’s laid 

out on a single page. 

Here’s a sample business 

canvas of Facebook: 

Concluding remarks: 

BMC’s are simple planning 

tools that work. It provides 

an easy to use graphic of 

what drives a business. 

Painting your business canvas 

should be an internally 

led exercise. Use consultants 

not to run your planning, 

but to assist, guide 

and tweak the process- to 

ultimately create value. 

A few good reads: 

• “Business Model Generation: 

A Handbook for 

Visionaries, Game Changers, 

and Challengers Paperback 

by Alexander Osterrentaceo@gmail.com 

Brian G Stone, 

MBA, Business Consultant 

Why hire an artist 

when you 

are the best 

painter? 

Too many companies 

hire business consultants 

to build their strategic and 

business plans. In fact, consultant 

firms charge exorbitant 

fees and often produce 

worthless documents infected 

with flash and bling 

rather than substantive 

material specific to your 

unique business. 

I call it cookie-cutting 

consulting. My experience 

cautions business owners 

not to employ outsiders to 

lead your business planning. 

The planning core 

must originate from within 

your organization. Only 

after an in-depth planning 

exercise has been completed 

should a business seek 

outside consultants to create 

value. 

What to do: Set up a planning 

committee. Develop a 

strategic and business plan 

draft from within your organization’s 

human capital. 

Outsource an experienced 

consultant to evaluate the 

plan, engage in consultative 

interactions and submit 

recommendations for business 

improvement. 

Lesson learnt: Few outsiders 

know your business 

better than you. However, a 

“third eye” can look at your 

business from outside the 

box with 360 degrees unbiased 

lens- and that alone is 

a valuable asset. 

I recommend, before 

an in-depth business plan 

document is developed, 

a simple business model 

canvas (BMC) document is 

produced as the first document 

to guide the process. 

A BMC is a strategic management 

template for developing 

new or documenting 

existing business models. 

It has nine elements and 

gives you a visual structure 

for your business plan’s 

key drivers 

1. Customer Segments: 

Who are the customers? 

What do they think? See? 

Feel? Do? 

2. Value Propositions: 

What’s compelling about 

the proposition? Why do 

customers buy, use? 

3. Channels: How are 

these propositions promoted, 

sold and delivered? 

Why? Is it working? 

4. Customer Relationships: 

How do you interact 

with the customer through 

their ‘journey’? 

5. Revenue Streams: 

How does the business earn 

revenue from the value 

propositions? 

6. Key Activities: What 

uniquely strategic things 

does the business do to deliver 

its proposition? 

7. Key Resources: What 

unique strategic assets 

must the business have to 

compete? 

effort to “strengthen collaboration, 

to utilize and foster 

their talents, skills and technological 

capacities”. As a 

result, the bank responded 

and launched its Technical 

Cooperation Program in 

1983. 

According to the Islamic 

Bank, “The structured skills 

swap under Reverse Linkage 

helps the recipient country 

diagnose and analyze a 

problem while the provider 

country shares its proven 

knowledge and expertise to 

find a solution. The idea that 

all partners have something 

to gain from cooperation 

lies at the heart of Reverse 

- paint your business canvass 

walder and Yves Pigneur 

• Canvas creation online 

software: https:// 

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SURINAME 

ISLAMIC BANK TO IMPROVE RICE PRODUCTION 

- in Suriname 

Linkage. The learning process 

is reciprocal, knowledge 

transfer is in both directions, 

and benefits are 

mutual.” 

The Jeddah-based bank, 

which Suriname joined in 

1997, said the project will 

bring about the “necessary 

improvements of varieties, 

breeding and production 

methodologies, infrastructure 

and human resource 

development to achieve and 

maintain Suriname’s longterm 

self-sufficiency in rice 

production.” 

The Islamic Bank study 

concluded that Suriname 

has the potential to achieve 

self-sufficiency in rice production 

and develop better 

rice-based products that can 

be marketed domestically 

and internationally. 

To achieve such, the Anne 

van Dijk Rijst Onderzoekscentrum 

Nickerie (AD- 

RON), a research centre 

under the supervision of 

the ministry of agriculture, 

animal husbandry and fisheries 

of Suriname, was established 

for research and 

development (R&D) of rice 

and to assist farmers. 

However, the Islamic 

Bank study found that farmers 

in Suriname are faced 

with “limited area-specific 

rice varieties for the different 

soil types in the country. 

This problem is compounded 

by an acute lack of 

qualified rice breeders. Suriname’s 

rice breeders need to 

improve their knowledge in 

four essential areas: monitoring 

soil fertility and degradation, 

integrated water 

management for rice cultivation, 

documentation of 

the rates and requirements 

of fertilizer usage, and systematic 

land-levelling management 

in the rice growing 

areas.” 

The Islamic Bank has 

matched MARDI, a Malaysia-based 

company, to 

share its technologies with 

Suriname’s ministry of agriculture, 

animal husbandry 

and fisheries to “maintain a 

sustainable and competitive 

rice industry, directly benefiting 

at least 1,500 farmers 

and indirectly benefiting 

5,000 people.” 

From the IsDB’s perspective, 

the project is an efficient 

and effective way of 

improving South-South cooperation 

among its member 

countries, helping the Bank 

to realize its vision and tenyear 

strategic framework. 

This project will showcase 

the technologies and 

expertise of Malaysia. In 

addition, participating in the 

project enables Malaysia 

to share its knowledge and 

expertise with other IsDB 

countries – a key part of its 

member country partnership 

strategy which Suriname 

signed in 2013.


Page 15 

DIVERSIFICATION POOPS! 

If ever there was a good 

example to show the 

failure of a State owned 

Company and the state to 

achieve diversification, the 

hat must go out to Caroni 

(1975) Limited where it was 

proven that too much of one 

thing was either good for 

nothing or where too many 

things were even worse than 

nothing. 

Caroni was a diversification 

disaster and it all came 

to an end in 2003 when this 

valuable heritage factory was 

closed down and where the 

Company sent home nearly 

10,000 employees/workers 

that created a situation of 

untold strife and hardship in 

Central Trinidad for a very 

long time afterwards. 

Caroni’s diversification 

ended when all of its great 

projects went poops. And 

the powers-that-be decided 

that enough was enough. No 

more deal. 

Caroni (1975) Limited had 

so many great diversification 

projects that it is unbelievable 

that it had to close down simply 

because it became a huge 

financial burden on the State 

and on the pockets of taxpayers. 

Eventually, all the projects 

were scrapped and dumped 

after huge losses as it seemed 

that none was worthwhile financially 

and operationally. 

Why, how can that be! who 

was the culprit behind such 

abject failure at diversification? 

Caroni produced bagasse 

in huge amounts of hundreds 

of tons, a substantive waste 

resource obtained from the 

processing of sugar cane to 

manufacture sugar. 

By the establishment of another 

State Company to monetize 

the waste, the bagasse 

was then further processed 

to manufacture particle board 

which was designed to replace 

the importation of celotex 

which is used for ceilings 

and other furniture uses. 

That project went bust and 

came to nought. It was alleged 

that termites which had 

a sweet tooth for bagasse was 

the cause of failure as these 

termites were voracious on 

particle board products. 

Co-incidentally, the country 

is now hearing about ply 

board manufacture for pro- 

- it started with Caroni (1975) Limited 

moting diversification, again 

but to sell to whom - to compete 

with the First World !! 

How ! Where lies the raw 

material!! Where is the market? 

Besides manufacturing sugar, 

Caroni (1975) also went 

into agriculture and planted 

thousands of acres of oranges 

and grapefruit in Central Trinidad 

on lands formerly used 

for growing sugarcane. 

Orange and grapefruit went 

bust too. One hundred large 

oranges for $20 only was the 

price and grapefruit was $15 

for the same quantity. 

It was a great local output 

for the health of children particularly. 

Now the children drink processed 

reconstituted juices 

and plenty sweet drinks with 

all types of additives that are 

injurious and which cause serious 

health problems later on 

in their lives. 

Besides poor management, 

uncontrolled praedial 

larceny destroyed the citrus 

business. Today the orange 

juice that is processed locally 

is derived from dehydrated 

powder which is imported 

from South America 

and reconstituted here by 

the addition of water. 

Caroni developed a huge 

pigeon pea plantation project 

where housewives and 

husbands with their children 

could actually go into the 

fields and pick their own pigeon 

peas as a prime Saturday 

outing for the family. 

For $20 the family could 

pick any amount till their 

fingers got cut up and carry 

plenty peas home for a pleasant 

days’ work. The peas were 

a great additive for making a 

nutritious pelau dish. 

This pigeon peas project 

went bust too. How much 

pigeon peas was converted 

into canned production here is 

anybody’s guess. 

Just like citrus fruit dehydrated 

powder, today, the 

pigeon peas are imported and 

canned here. No vertical integration 

has been attempted 

by the canners - it seems an 

impossible task for the local 

canning businesses. 

Caroni went into fisheries 

too - tilapia farming, in order 

to fill a growing space caused 

by the diminishing supply of 

red fish, carite and king fish 

Caroni Ltd 

which were hijacked from the 

north coast by panynol fishing 

pirates and long liners who 

were left in peace by the local 

coast guard to rape the fishing 

grounds for Las Cuevas boatmen 

to see hell. Red tilapia 

also went bust. ‘ 

Same for pineapples and 

producing fine Caroni rum 

which was an outstanding 

product for boosting the nation’s 

name plate in the world. 

The rum bond was then sold 

to a big local businessman. 

The Caroni failures are an 

endless list of ideally required 

diversifications that all busted 

miserably. For sure, it wasn’t 

the private sector that was responsible. 

The main reason for bringing 

up this past national diversification 

failure is because it 

appears from the many utterings 

of experts in these recent 

guava days that the country 

never attempted diversification 

before and must only 

now diversify at all costs in 

order to save its skin and protect 

the local economy. 

It is as if diversification is a 

sudden new deal discovered 

by some persons in the Twin 

Towers when Caroni (1975) 

Limited could have been the 

desirable springboard for 

achieving economic independence 

particularly in the area 

of food production. 

It seems as if the experts in 

the Ministry of Finance have 

bad memories and have also 

forgotten other businesses , 

for example, Metal Box too 

and some of the hyped-up 

projects aimed at cultural 

diversification by developing 

the musical skills of the 

youths in the pan fraternity 

and diverting them especially 

from crime to culture. 

It should be noted that this 

latter project was violently 

stopped by Kamla 2015 for 

no reason with all the musical 

equipment locked up thatdisappeared 

afterwards. That 

was the PP’s idea of cultural 

diversification. 

It is history too that all of 

the automobile assembly 

plants formerly installed and 

subsequently motored to the 

La Basse e.g. Massy,Toyota, 

went bust too; textile mills 

etc they all went bust like 

carbide explosion in bamboo 

stems. 

Why were all these businesses 

so unsuccessful? Why 

is it they couldn’t survive? 

Did the country not go down 

the diversification road before? 

The answer is simple. Oil 

and gas were the culprits leading 

the country into nowhere. 

Greedy, irresponsible trade 

unionism too with irrepressible 

demands and unwarranted 

threats of strike and unaffordable 

court awards as well; 

these were the magnificent 

mirages that misled labor as 

to its true worth and caused a 

wrong attitude to productivity 

and organized national development 

in a competitive and 

hostile world. 

Bad Government too. First 

World status was a lie, a misnomer 

and an illusion. Now 

the country has to face the 

real world with hard work and 

productivity. 

Admittedly, in the days of 

plenty, money was no problem 

and the worker was the 

boss over the boss. 

It was easy to make easy 

big money too. Demand was 

far greater than supply. A trip 

to Miami to buy and then sell 

clothes and electronics was 

the go to get rich fast and a 

few transport trips from Piarco 

to the city made $5,000 per 

day for a pickup owner. 

How can there be efficient 

diversification when there 

are still countless State enterprises 

which for lack of 

good management and also 

the political interventions are 

still hiring mammy, pappy, 

cousin, nephew, niece, sister, 

stepchild, grandchild and 

outside child etc. to get a big 

paying job for zero competence 

behind a desk instead of 

being on the factory floor or 

planting cush cush. 

The IMF and the World 

Bank have now suddenly 

been invited to pass through 

the doorstep leading into this 

country. 

It is as if the big men in 

charge are already afraid of 

the shadows of things that 

might come and are taking in 

front before front catch them. 

It is unimaginable that the 

IMF has been invited here to 

provide advice on how best 

the country, can come out 

of its deteriorated economic 

state and to advise on diversification 

since oil and gas have 

suffered a count down and is 

out in a flash. 

It suggests as if no one here 

is competent and capable 

which is not true. 

This must be a big blow to 

the status of professionals in 

this country many of whom 

are not empowered and have 

Dr TERRENCE FARRELL 

to follow the leader because of 

the politics and others whose 

good advice continues to be 

ignored? 

This country cannot compete 

with the mechanistic 

electronic First World and that 

is a fact. The IMF knows this 

well so really what can it offer. 

It is so simple that the first 

diversification must be to produce 

locally what can be consumed 

locally, something like 

vertical integration. 

Furniture for example and 

rocking horses for young children 

as before, don’t laugh at 

this, must come before electronics. 

New leadership must 

bring back the carpenter and 

the joiner to replace the US 

dollar that is fleeing the country 

faster than Mr. Bolt. 

Instead of taxing the Master 

Card, the seven percent tax is 

better placed on foreign agriculture, 

furniture and non essentials. 

Recently when the weatherman 

stated that the next day 

will be super hot with temperatures 

of 36 degrees and higher, 

the rain suddenly came 

next and cooled town down 

to 26 degrees. The weather 

man was simply not telling 

the truth. 

Around the same time, a 

Mr. Farrell who protested a 

gimme gimme attitude by 

all workers and trade unions 

warned that the oil price will 

stay down and more down for 

a long time so the country will 

be in serious trouble. 

Well, the following day the 

oil price suddenly went up sky 

high to $45 - a 50% increase 

to when it was $30 per barrel 

just a few weeks ago. 

Now you see why the IMF 

and the World Bank cannot 

help the country on diversification. 

Funny enough, all 

the advice from experts that 

allude to know everything is 

turning out to be a waste of 

time.


UNC - A BUNCH OF 

BY SHANE A. 

MOHAMMED 

Where in the 

Constitution of 

the Republic 

of Trinidad and Tobago 

are there provisions for 

a “Shadow Minister” of 

Government? 

As a Political Science 

graduate, I am flabbergasted 

at the sight of an 

official letterhead bearing 

the Office of the Member 

of Parliament for Naparima 

with a further title of 

“Shadow Minister of Foreign 

Affairs.” 

This is more than just a 

joke; it is foolishness at its 

best. 

I wish to advise the goodly 

one term MP that maybe 

in the banana republic that 

he lives in where automobiles 

are made of spinning 

wheels and barrows, where 

the citizens wear grass 

skirts and swing on vines 

as modes of recreation; a 

“Shadow Minister” may be 

relevant but please, losing 

the elections was already 

painful for the members 

of the UNC, so please do 

not further exacerbate their 

embarrassment by this ludicrous 

“Shadow Minister” 

nonsense. 

In the olden days when 

party structure and functions 

were studied and 

understood, the idea of an 

elected MP “shadowing” 

a particular office holder 

within the Government 

was really done as part of 

the Opposition’s internal 

MERRY JOKERS 

party strategies for making 

statements and debating 

purposes. However, not so 

today! It is quickly becoming 

known that the Opposition 

Leader is leading a 

bunch of merry jokers and 

minions 

It seems that this new 

configuration of the Opposition 

is doing things contrary 

to the norm in both 

the parliamentary arm and 

the party arm. I remember 

there being a dress code 

for party officials to attend 

public meetings, but 

it now appears acceptable 

for high-ranking members 

to dress like ‘corner women’ 

to attend meetings and 

pose for pictures. Where 

are our standards? 

If one MP is proud to be a 

shadow, another MP seems 

content with showing off 

his chewing and swallowing 

skills. Other than swallow 

hot peppers, what else 

can an MP do? How about 

lobbying for goods and 

services for constituents? 

Are there roads that need 

repair? What about accessing 

housing for the goodly 

people of your constituency? 

Are these legitimate 

issues on the MP’s radar? 

Meanwhile back at 

squatter base in Rienzi 

Complex, Couva, the Political 

Leader finds herself 

fighting a possible surge of 

resentment from the minions 

over the wooing of 

Beppo Tate aka Dr Roodal 

Moonilal. 

You see Beppo; I mean 

Dr Moonilal has been approached 

to return as Chief 

KAMLA PERSAD BISSESSAR ANAND RAMLOGAN 

ROODAL MOONILAL KHADIJAH AMEEN 

Whip since his successor 

“doh want de wuk” and 

clearly the only level of 

Parliamentary competence 

that exists in the Opposition 

lies at the feet of Dr 

Khan, Dr Moonilal, and Dr 

Gopeesingh. 

In fact, it would be refreshing 

if more politicians 

could be as real as Dr Fuad 

Khan who is straightforward 

and direct and tells 

it as it is. It is honesty and 

integrity like this that intimidates 

the Opposition 

Leader. 

It begs the question if the 

Honourable Kamla Persad 

Bissessar is intimidated by 

honesty and integrity then 

her entire persona as a baby 

kissing, hand shaking, God 

fearing leader is as real as 

Alice in Wonderland. 

If KPB really cared 

about the people then how 

is it that for five years not 

once has she ever stepped 

into the Siparia Constituency 

Office for an office 

day where ordinary members 

of her constituency 

ST. LUCIAN FLIGHT ATTENDANT FURTHER 

REMANDED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING 

LIAT flight attendant 

Deann Pat 

Portia Plummer, 

who has been charged 

with drug trafficking, 

was yesterday remanded 

to Her Majesty’s 

Prison Dodds for another 

week, after making 

her second court appearance. 

Plummer, 33, who was 

last week denied bail on 

charges of possession, 

intent to supply, trafficking 

and importation of 

cocaine and possession 

of cannabis appeared at 

the District ”C” Magistrate 

Court. 

Acting Chief Magistrate 

Christopher Birch 

adjourned the matter until 

May 12. 

The St Lucian national 

was arrested on April 26, 

after arriving at the Grantley 

Adams International 

Airport. 

Customs officers had 

searched her handbag and 

found five kilogrammes 

(11 pounds) of cocaine. 

A search warrant was 

DEANN PAT PORTIA 

PLUMMER 

subsequently executed at 

her apartment and police 

found 1.3 grammes of 

cannabis. 

could have met with her? 

I ask this since it is 

known that on several occasions 

she was advised 

by her Ministers to so do. 

Why did she not set aside 

a day and time at the Office 

of the Prime Minister 

for members of the public 

to meet with her? Why is 

it that every time someone 

came up to her with 

concerns or need for assistance 

her response would 

be “look talk to Baaarryy 

and he will help you”. It is 

a fact that unless Mr. Helper 

boy Barry “blood took 

you” he would help and if 

not then “you could suck 

salt.” 

The Honourable Kamla 

Persad Bissessar needs to 

start a period of reflection 

and confession. She needs 

to apologise for forcing 

upon the people the likes of 

Anand Ramlogan, whose 

legacy as Attorney General 

is being hated by the 

Law Fraternity, her bestie 

of 40 years Suruj and for 

not seeking to directly treat 

with the people herself. 

Whether she likes it 

or not Jack Warner gave 

people hope and real promise. 

Whether one came 

from Toco, Icacos, or Penal, 

Jack Warner made it 

his business to help every 

single person who came to 

him. 

The fact remains that 

when Kamla and company 

were too busy, too tired 

from partying or too arrogant 

to listen to the pleas 

of the people; it was Jack 

Warner who made time to 

listen, to respond and to 

make life better for those in 

need and more so he never 

requested $1.00 or even 

worse $50,000.00 for his 

service as so many of his 

erstwhile colleagues. 

In my humble opinion, 

firing people to save one’s 

own reputation and to 

build self-credit is hypocritical. 

A real leader fires 

someone based on the real 

evidence before him/her, 

evidence that is substantial 

and threatening. 

It is not based on the 

evidence of a Cabal who 

served their own agendas. 

The decision to fire someone 

should be decided by 

the leader only and not discussed 

by the Cabal. Jack 

Warner could have been 

protected by his leader because 

it was the right thing 

to do. When he resigned 

his seat, then fought and 

won it at the Bye-election, 

Kamla Persad Bissessar 

had a right to return him to 

the Government. 

After all, he and the 

people who supported him 

were told that he needed to 

get a fresh mandate. 

The 39 party groups that 

supported him who were 

loyal UNC members were 

crystal clear by their vote 

and expected their leader 

to keep her end of the bargain. 

In the end, we lost Jack 

and we lost the heartland 

of the UNC. To this very 

day, we continue to await 

what could happen next 

with this matter and who 

knows, with Jack Warner’s 

help, we could have been 

enjoying another term in 

Government. 

Gary Griffith remains 

one of the most effective 

Ministers of National Security. 

We finally saw results but 

because of Kamla Persad 

Bissessar’s weak leadership; 

Gary became collateral 

damage for Anand’s 

dismissal. Mrs Bissessar 

has a lot of bridging to do, 

she has lost the Government, 

but more so, she has 

lost touch, trust, and respect 

with her people. She 

is no longer as pure as she 

had projected herself to be. 

By her weakness and her 

own actions or lack of it, 

she has destroyed careers 

and wrecked lives for her 

own survival. If there exists 

a droplet of hope of her 

ever becoming Prime Minister 

again she must first 

repent, she must be truthful 

and she must make things 

right. 

Those who stood with 

her at the beginning of her 

Prime Ministerial journey 

she has cast aside and 

the band of merry jokers 

that now sit at her feet 

like ants on molasses are 

weak, without institutional 

knowledge. 

They lack vision, require 

training, and in some 

instances are devoid of 

etiquette and class. Then 

again, this is what Kamla 

likes. She likes to be surrounded 

by minions and 

dependents that treat her 

like a demi-god but her 

ship sank on September 

7th. 

Let us be real, there are 

really two options for Kamla: 

1. Get a Grip and return 

to your humble beginnings. 

Begin a path to regain the 

trust of the multitude. 

The Corridor is unwinnable 

with your current 

line-up and Tobago has 

long departed from you. 

2. Let the party leadership 

go and move on. 

Let the party breathe. Let 

someone else take over the 

party leadership; enough of 

the minions and cabalism.


Page 17 

DEEPIKA PADUKONE 

AUDITIONS FOR ‘THE MUMMY’ 

OPPOSITE TOM CRUISE 

After taking Bollywood 

by storm 

with her impeccable 

acting chops and envious 

looks, B-Town hottie, 

Deepika Padukone is all 

set to work her magic in 

Hollywood as well. 

While the actress is busy 

shooting for her Hollywood 

debut ‘xXx: The Return of 

Xander Cage’ opposite Vin 

Diesel in Canada, we hear 

that the leggy lass has been 

auditioning for few other 

roles while being away from 

home. 

According to a report on 

The Rock has rolled 

out an official confirmation 

that he’s 

on board via Instagram. 

And while Hart hasn’t 

commented directly, he 

did retweet Johnson’s 

post, so read into that 

what you will. 

After working together 

on upcoming action comedy 

Central Intelligence and reuniting 

for an entertaining 

co-hosting job at this year’s 

MTV Movie Awards, it 

looks like Dwayne Johnson 

and Kevin Hart are looking 

to keep the working bromance 

bubbling. They’re 

now circling Sony’s planned 

Jumanji reboot. 

Despite both having 

Spotboye.com, the ‘Goliyon 

Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela’ 

actress has auditioned for a 

pivotal role in the popular 

‘The Mummy’ franchise 

opposite Hollywood heartthrob, 

Tom Cruise. 

The report states that 

Deepika had auditioned 

sometime last month and 

is still waiting for a revert 

from the casting directors. 

However, the casting directors 

have now been looking 

for other prospects for the 

role, added the report. 

A few days ago, reports 

were doing the rounds that 

packed schedules, the pair 

is apparently in real talks to 

squeeze this in somewhere, 

and the studio is leaping at 

the opportunity like a hungry 

lioness on a hunt. 

Originally touted back 

in 2012, this news adaptation 

of Chris Van Allsburg’s 

1981 adventure book has 

been in development since 

then, and scored Jake Kasdan 

as director in January of 

this year. 

The 1996 version saw 

Kirsten Dunst and Bradley 

Pierce as two kids 

who decide to play an old 

board game they find. Unbeknownst 

to them, it’s a 

magical item that can trap 

the unwary, and the sprogs 

TOM CRUISE & DEEPIKA PADUKONE 

‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ actress 

Huma Qureshi had also 

auditioned for the said role. 

DWAYNE JOHNSON AND KEVIN HART 

CONFIRMED FOR THE JUMANJI REBOOT 

release Alan Parrish (Robin 

Williams), who had been 

sealed within the game’s 

jungle realm for years. But 

though he’s glad to be out, 

the kids’ actions also release 

a lot of other chaos into the 

world. 

You can imagine the 

So will it be Deepika or 

Huma opposite Tom Cruise? 

We’ll find out soon. 

KEVIN HART & THE ROCK set to star in Jumanji 

dreams of massive effects 

sequences dancing in executives’ 

heads, and the 

prospect of two immensely 

popular (and charismatic) 

actors will just add to that. 

We’ll see if it all works out 

and makes the planned July 

2017 release in the US. 

RYAN GOSLING, CHARLIZE THERON 

TIPPED TO PLAY OSCAR, REEVA IN FILM 

Long before the tragic 

night Oscar Pistorius 

shot Reeva Steenkamp, 

the South African 

Paralympian’s life was a 

tale worthy of a movie. 

But following the unfortunate 

Valentine’s Day 

murder of Pistorius’s model 

girlfriend, which has captivated 

the world, a film was 

inevitable. 

So it’s not really surprising 

that scripts were doing 

the rounds in Hollywood 

mere days after the shooting, 

according to recent reports. 

The Sun says that two 

scripts are being currently 

being developed with an announcement 

expected soon 

from one of the major film 

studios. 

It is claimed that Canadian 

actor Ryan Gosling and 

South African actress Charlize 

Theron are being lined 

up to play Pistorius and 

Steenkamp in the forthcoming 

biopic. 

Blonde beauty Theron 

would be a natural choice 

for the role, given her nationaility 

and physical resemblance 

to Steenkamp, 

while producers are said to 

be ‘falling over themselves’ 

to woo Gosling for the part. 

“Ryan has the kind of quiet 

It is claimed that Canadian actor RYAN GOSLING and 

South African actress CHARLIZE THERON 

are being lined up to play OSCAR PISTORIUS and 

REEVA STEENKAMP in a forthcoming film 

magnetism that would make 

this project work — plus 

there’s some mystery about 

him,” a source told The Sun. 

Although The Notebook 

star recently announced he 

wanted to take a break from 

acting, it’s thought he could 

be tempted to play such a 

high-profile role. 

BUNJI 

GARLIN 

DESTRA 

MACHEL 

MONTANO 

1. ONE DANCE - Drake ft. Wiz Kid and Kyla 

2. CULU CULU - Savage 

3. PANDA - Desiigner 

4. BADDA RIDER [CULU CULU RIDDIM] - Gage 

5. BIG LEAGUE [CURE PAIN RIDDIM] - Movado 

6. I’LL TAKE YOU THERE [CURE PAIN RIDDIM] 

- Vybz Kartel 

7. BRUK OFF MI COCK [MOSCATO RIDDIM] - Konshen 

8. HOIST AND WINE [MOSCATO RIDDIM] - Charly Black 

9. WORK FROM HOME - Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla Sign 

10. WORK - Rihanna ft. Drake 

11. LOW LIFE - Future & The Weeknd 

12. TIE MI [CURE PAIN RIDDIM] - Vershon 

13. MY SIDE OF THE STORY [CURE PAIN RIDDIM] 

- Alkaline 

14. RULE MY HEART [CURE PAIN RIDDIM] - Kymani 

Marley 

15. NO DADDA DAN JAH [CURE PAIN RIDDIM] - I 

Octane 

16. CHAMPION - Dwayne Bravo 

17. CAKE BY THE OCEAN - DNCE 

18. NO - Meghan Trainor 

19. BET MI MONEY - Vybz Kartel 

20. MOUNTAIND [ONE LIFE TO LIVE] - Olatunji 

21. STRESSED OUT - Twenty One Pilots 

22. SPANISH TOWN ROCKIN - Cronixx 

23. COMPANY [ZEN RIDDIM] - Alkaline 

24. KILL BADMIND [ZEN RIDDIM] - Popcaan 

25. ME MYSELF AND I - G-Easy X Bebe Rexha 

26. DOWN IN THE DM - Yo Gotti ft. Nicki Minaj 

27. CHEERS TO LIFE - Voice 

28. SCENE - GBM Nutron ft. Fayann Lyons 

29. MIDDLE - Dj Snake ft. Bipolar Sunshine 

30. DI HOUSE A BUN DOWN - Vybz Kartel ft. Gaza Tassan 

31. CHEAP THRILLS - Sia 

32. TEAM - Iggy Azalea 

33. RIDE - Twenty Pilots 

34. MY HOUSE - Flo Rida 

35. SOMETHING NEW - ZENDYA ft. CHRIS BROWN 

36. CHAMPION BOY - Alkaline 

37. COMPANY- Justin Bieber 

38. WHAT A NIGHT - Kat Deluna ft. Jeremih 

39. GAIN THE WORLD - Jahmiel 

40. HUMAN [Ti’ Punch RIDDIM] - Machel Montano 

EVERY WEEK 

Follow our expanded 

ENTERTAINMENT 

COVERAGE 

of LOCAL MUSIC 

and THE ARTS

Page 18 ISSUE 156 Friday 13th MAY, 2016


The “bookies” are seeing a big drop in gambling… 

PUNTERS BETTING 

ENGLISH RACING ONLINE 

Revenue from the 

private betting 

shops to the Betting 

Levy Board (BLB) 

continues to decline over 

the past year and there is 

the indication that there 

would be a major drop as 

compared to last year. 

For the first quarter of 

2016 (January to March) 

the BLB collected $2.5 million- 

$500,000 less than for 

the same period in 2015 

when $300 million was collected 

- from the l0 percent 

ARC president LINFORD CARRABON presents the 

Starlight trophy to RESHMA MOHAN. 

betting tax. 

BLB got from the “bookies” 

$13.9 million in 2015, 

compared with $14.3 million 

in 2014. 

The drop in revenue for 

the BLB is being blamed on 

punters now betting English 

racing online and unground 

gambling, according to 

the President of the Bookmakers 

Association Peter 

George 

George said the l0 percent 

betting tax is turning 

away punters from the betting 

shops noting that the 

middle and higher income 

bracket gamblers are turning 

to online betting with 

English Bookmakers since 

there is no tax on bets and 

other incentives which the 

local “bookies” cannot 

offer. 

He said the live simulcast 

racing from England has 

been over the past decades 

the highest revenue earner 

for the betting shops and 

now that the big gamblers 

are placing their bets with 

the English “bookies” betting 

has dropped a great 

deal and it would get worse 

in the coming months. 

“The small punters will 

continue to bet and pay the 

l0 percent tax,” he noted. 

“The big gambles are 

using their credit cards to 

place bets with the English 

bookies and their winnings 

are credited to their credit 

card accounts,” George 

said. 

‘We are also getting competition 

from underground 

HORSE RACING ACTION 

By Azad Ali 

Page 19 

betting where the punters 

pay no tax. The underground 

bookies are taking 

bets right in our betting 

shops,” he declared. 

The betting shop operators 

for years have been 

clamouring for a flat licence 

to replace the l0 percent tax. 

The BLB is heavily dependent 

on the betting tax 

from the “bookies” to pump 

into the racing industry. 

Stakeholders in the racing 

industry are hoping that 

come next month legislation 

for the establishment 

of a Gaming Commission 

will come before the Parliament 

to regulate the betting 

industry. 

The legislation is also 

to fulfill compliance with 

international anti-money 

laundering regulations and 

restriction of criminal and 

corrupt elements from the 

sector. 

Winner of the Starlight Stakes - Swept Way with jockey WILMER GALVIZ. 

Happy connections of Full Moon in winner’s enclosure with apprentice jockey 

LEARIE SEECHARAN Jnr3. Seconf from right is trainer JUAN MOSCA. 

Trainer LAWRENCE LUTCHMANSINGH (right) and groom ANDY GRAY with Lion’s 

Portion in winner’s row with jockey KESHAN BALGOBIN astride. 

Trainer ROHIT DUBE (with hand upraised) is all smiles over the victory by Simple 

side with jockey JOVIKA BOODRAMSINGH in the saddle.


The Best Foods to Control 

DIABETES 

Figuring out the best foods to 

eat when you have diabetes 

can be tough. 

The main goal is to keep blood 

sugar levels well-controlled. 

However, it’s also important to 

eat foods that help prevent diabetes 

complications like heart disease. 

Here are some of the best foods 

for diabetics, both type 1 and type 2. 

1. Fatty fish 

Fatty fish is one of the healthiest 

foods on the planet. 

Salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies 

and mackerel are great sources 

of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and 

EPA, which have major benefits for 

heart health. 

Getting enough of these fats on a 

regular basis is especially important 

for diabetics, who have an increased 

risk of heart disease and stroke . 

DHA and EPA protect the cells 

that line your blood vessels, reduce 

markers of inflammation and improve 

the way your arteries function 

after eating. 

A number of observational studies 

suggest that people who eat fatty 

fish regularly have a lower risk of 

heart failure and are less likely to die 

from heart disease. 

In studies, older men and women 

who consumed fatty fish 5–7 days 

per week for 8 weeks had significant 

reductions in triglycerides and 

inflammatory markers 

2. Leafy Greens 

Leafy green vegetables are extremely 

nutritious and low in calories. 

They’re also very low in digestible 

carbs, which can raise your 

blood sugar levels far higher than 

other nutrients. 

Spinach, kale and other leafy 

greens are good sources of several 

vitamins and minerals, including 

vitamin C. 

In one study, increasing vitamin C 

intake reduced inflammatory markers 

and fasting blood sugar levels for 

people with type 2 diabetes or high 

blood pressure 

In addition, leafy greens are good 

sources of the antioxidants lutein 

and zeaxanthin. 

These antioxidants protect your 

eyes from macular degeneration and 

cataracts, which are common diabetes 

complications. 

Bottom Line: Leafy green vegetables 

are rich in nutrients and antioxidants 

that protect your heart and 

eye health. 

3. Cinnamon 

Cinnamon is a delicious spice 

with potent antioxidant activity. 

Several controlled studies have 

shown that cinnamon can lower 

blood sugar levels and improve insulin 

sensitivity 

Long-term diabetes control is typically 

determined by measuring hemoglobin 

A1c, which reflects your 

average blood sugar level over 2–3 

months. 

In one study, type 2 diabetes patients 

who took cinnamon for 90 

days had more than a double reduction 

in hemoglobin A1c, compared 

those who only received standard 

care. 

A recent analysis of 10 studies 

found that cinnamon may also lower 

cholesterol and triglyceride levels 

However, a few studies have 

failed to show that cinnamon benefits 

blood sugar or cholesterol levels, 

including one on adolescents with 

type 1 diabetes. 

Furthermore, you should limit 

your intake of cassia cinnamon — 

the type found in most grocery stores 

— to less than 1 teaspoon per day. 

It contains coumarin, which is 

linked to health problems at higher 

doses . 

On the other hand, ceylon (“true”) 

cinnamon contains much less coumarin. 

4. Eggs 

Eggs provide amazing health benefits. 

In fact, they’re one of the best 

foods for keeping you full for hours 

Regular egg consumption may 

also reduce your heart disease risk 

in several ways. 

Eggs decrease inflammation, improve 

insulin sensitivity, increase 

your “good” HDL cholesterol levels 

and modify the size and shape of 

your “bad” LDL cholesterol . 

In one study, people with type 2 

diabetes who consumed 2 eggs daily 

as part of a high-protein diet had improvements 

in cholesterol and blood 

sugar levels . 

In addition, eggs are one of the 

best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, 

antioxidants that protect the 

eyes from disease . 

Just be sure to eat whole eggs. 

The benefits of eggs are primarily 

due to nutrients found in the yolk 

rather than the white. 

Bottom Line: Eggs improve risk 

factors for heart disease, promote 

good blood sugar control, protect 

eye health and keep 

you feeling full. 

5. Turmeric 

Turmeric is a spice 

with powerful health 

benefits. 

Its active ingredient, 

curcumin, can lower 

inflammation and 

blood sugar levels, 

while reducing 

heart disease risk . 

What’s more, curcumin appears 

to benefit kidney health in diabetics. 

This is important, as diabetes is 

one of the leading causes of kidney 

disease 

Unfortunately, curcumin isn’t absorbed 

that well on its own. Be sure 

to consume turmeric with piperine 

(found in black pepper) in order 

to boost absorption by as much as 

2,000%. 

Bottom Line: Turmeric contains 

curcumin, which may reduce blood 

sugar levels and inflammation, while 

protecting against heart and kidney 

disease. 

6. Greek Yogurt 

Greek yogurt is a great dairy 

choice for diabetics. 

It’s been shown to improve blood 

sugar control and reduce heart disease 

risk, perhaps partly due to the 

probiotics it contains . 

Studies have found that yogurt and 

other dairy foods may lead to weight 

loss and improved body composition 

in people with type 2 diabetes. 

It’s believed that dairy’s high calcium 

and conjugated linolic acid 

(CLA) content may play a role. 

What’s more, Greek yogurt contains 

only 6–8 grams of carbs per 

serving, which is lower than conventional 

yogurt. It’s also higher in 

protein, which promotes weight loss 

by reducing appetite and decreasing 

calorie intake . 

Bottom Line: Greek yogurt promotes 

healthy blood sugar levels, 

reduces risk factors for heart disease 

and may help with weight management. 

7. Nuts 

Nuts are delicious and nutritious. 

All types of nuts contain fiber and 

are low in digestible carbs, although 

some have more than others. 

Here are the amounts of digestible 

carbs per 1-oz (28-gram) serving of 

nuts: 

Almonds: 2.6 grams. 

Brazil nuts: 1.4 grams. 

Cashews: 7.7 grams. 

Hazelnuts: 2 grams. 

Macadamia: 1.5 grams. 

Pecans: 1.2 grams. 

Pistachios: 5 grams. 

Walnuts: 2 grams. 

Research on a variety of different 

nuts has shown that regular consumption 

may reduce inflammation 

and lower blood sugar, HbA1c and 

LDL levels 

In one study, people with diabetes 

who included 30 grams of walnuts 

in their daily diet for one year lost 

weight, had improvements in body 

composition and experienced a significant 

reduction in insulin levels 

This finding is important because 

people with type 2 diabetes often 

have elevated levels of insulin, 

which are linked to obesity. 

In addition, some researchers believe 

chronically high insulin levels 

increase the risk of other serious diseases, 

such as cancer and Alzheimer’s 

disease 

Bottom Line: Nuts are a healthy 

addition to a diabetic diet. They’re 

low in digestible carbs and help reduce 

blood sugar, insulin and LDL 

levels. 

8. Broccoli 

Broccoli is one of the most nutritious 

vegetables around. 

A half cup of cooked broccoli 

contains only 27 calories and 3 

grams of digestible carbs, along 

with important nutrients like vitamin 

C and magnesium. 

Studies in diabetics have found 

that broccoli may help lower insulin 

levels and protect cells from harmful 

free radicals produced during 

metabolism . 

What’s more, broccoli is another 

good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. 

These important antioxidants 

help prevent eye diseases . 

Bottom Line: Broccoli is a lowcalorie, 

low-carb food with high nutrient 

value. It is loaded with healthy 

plant compounds that can protect 

against various diseases. 

9. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 

Extra-virgin olive oil is extremely 

beneficial for heart health. 

It contains oleic acid, a type of 

monounsaturated fat that has been 

shown to improve triglycerides and 

HDL, which are often at unhealthy 

levels in type 2 diabetes. 

It may also increase the fullness 

hormone GLP-1. 

In a large analysis of 32 studies 

looking at different types of fat, olive 

oil was the only one shown to 

reduce heart disease risk . 

Olive oil also contains antioxidants 

called polyphenols. They reduce 

inflammation, protect the cells 

lining your blood vessels, keep your 

LDL cholesterol from becoming 

damaged by oxidation and decrease 

blood pressure . 

Extra-virgin olive oil is unrefined 

and retains the antioxidants and other 

properties that make it so healthy. 

Be sure to choose extra-virgin olive 

oil from a reputable source, since 

many olive oils are mixed with 

cheaper oils like corn and soy . 

Bottom Line: Extra-virgin olive 

oil contains healthy oleic acid. It has 

benefits for blood pressure and heart 

health. 

10. Garlic 

Garlic is a delicious herb with impressive 

health benefits. 

Several studies have shown it can 

reduce inflammation, blood sugar 

and LDL cholesterol in people with 

type 2 diabetes. 

It may also be very effective at reducing 

blood pressure . 

In one study, people with uncontrolled 

high blood pressure who 

took aged garlic for 12 weeks averaged 

a 10-point decrease in blood 

pressure . 

One clove of raw garlic contains 

only 4 calories and 1 gram of carbs. 

Bottom Line: Garlic helps lower 

blood sugar, inflammation, LDL 

cholesterol and blood pressure in 

people with diabetes.


Page 21 

Crossword Puzzle 

ACROSS 

1. Strong fiber 

5. A strict vegetarian 

10. Anagram of “Seek” 

14. Arab chieftain 

15. Put up with 

16. Citrus fruit 

17. Big party 

18. Expression of 

sympathy 

20. Impresario 

22. A disrespectful 

laugh 

23. A parcel of land 

DOWN 

1. Pleads 

2. Nursemaid 

3. Storage cylinder 

4. Dragnet 

5. Abandon 

6. Black, in poetry 

7. Martini ingredient 

8. Contributes 

9. A noble gas 

10. Choose by voting 

11. Strikingly 

unconventional 

12. Master of 

ceremonies 

13. Clairvoyants 

19. Enumerates 

21. Bit of dust 

25. Keg 

26. Leer at 

27. Murres 

28. Oarsman 

29. Cooked in hot fat 

30. Our planet 

31. Sick 

34. Diplomacy 

35. Wings 

24. Infections of the eye 

25. Fake 

32. Concur 

33. Not written exams 

34. Children’s game 

37. Narrow opening 

38. Vortex 

39. Storm 

40. New Zealand parrot 

41. Shooting sport 

42. Neighborhood 

43. Unfeeling 

45. Mystic 

36. Neuter 

38. Calypso offshoot 

39. Great apes 

41. A decoy 

42. Nonclerical 

44. Leftover 

45. Take by force 

46. Entertained with dinner 

47. Supplemented 

49. 12 in Roman 

numerals 

50. An apparition 

53. Laud 

57. Pampering 

59. Roman moon 

goddess 

60. Z Z Z Z 

61. Backsides 

62. Boats 

63. Countercurrent 

64. Borders 

65. Cummerbund 

48. Quiet and timid 

51. Monster 

52. Require 

53. Unit of land 

54. Emanation 

55. Writing fluids 

56. Sitcom set in 

Korea 

58. Henpeck 

ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 

HOROSCOPES 

aries 

libra 

The need to suddenly take a 

What others expect from you will be 

chance by utilising things you have 

the basis of considering the manner 

learned in the past could turn out 

in which you need to structure 

surprisingly well for you. This does 

matters, which can include getting 

not mean taking risks with finances 

rid of certain things as well. 

though. If finances are involved and you hold back It will encourage you to think about your own priorities 

from taking any risks, you will discover eventually that 

while gaining insight into behind the scenes 

it wasn’t necessary after all. Remain responsible. situations that have an impact. Observe rather than 

comment. 

taurus 

An important turning point in your 

awareness of what is best for you 

and your future can take place. You 

will be challenged to think about 

what is of greatest importance on 

a personal level. This challenge 

can also include being prepared to stick with it if you 

have uncertainties. Your primary wish will eventually 

surface. 

gemini 

Take another look at anything, 

which has slowed since early April. 

You could now be in a better position 

to sense the best way forward. 

Not that immediate moves are necessarily 

the wisest thing but a better awareness of 

what is behind situations can be the start of forming a 

different picture to the best way of handling matters. 

cancer 

What needs to be of greatest priority 

can emerge through powerful 

needs that somebody else or others 

have of you. This can polarize 

you to realise a purpose that will be 

worthwhile. Not that this means you should be making 

sacrifices that go against the grain – that will not be 

necessary, so don’t go down that path. 

leo 

Everything is about commitment 

right now which will have definite 

responsibilities attached. Think 

about what you have learned in 

the past because this can open up 

more possibilities than you ever expected 

in the long term. This can free you in one way, 

that could be helped by finances, but tie you down 

significantly in another way. 

virgo 

You will begin to have a sense of 

greater forward movement that will 

continue to early September. Right 

now you are being offered the opportunity 

to gain greater clarity on 

what would be best to aim for long 

term. You are more likely to take the need for being 

able to enjoy life into account as well. Make your own 

decisions. 

20 13 28 26 10 22 

20 28 17 26 35 8 

20 36 28 22 17 24 

7 20 22 26 24 21 

20 28 26 22 24 17 

2 17 20 22 16 34 

scorpio 

Changing situations in others lives 

can make you realise something is 

not necessarily going to take the 

path that was previously presumed 

by either you or them. It could suddenly 

bring greater responsibility your way on a daily 

basis. Only you can decide whether this will represent 

forward movement regarding priorities. 

sagittarius 

Your ability to easily overcome 

health issues is low and this 

means you should give proper attention 

to taking care of yourself 

and getting sufficient rest. Think 

twice about taking on extra obligations if you are not 

feeling up to the task. It might also be time to question 

the development of greater recreation time in the 

long term. 

capricorn 

Greater benefit than you ever expected 

can be generated if you have 

become certain of what you primarily 

want from any situation you have 

felt would be enjoyed. Much has to 

do with what you want and how realistic you have been 

about maintaining that course in life should it become a 

reality. It will change where the future heads. 

aquarius 

Knowing where you own security 

lies is most important right now as 

well as maintaining persistence 

with whatever you feel you want to 

establish. It will involve other people 

and very likely family. Talking about what you have 

learnt from past situations could help them come to 

realisations, producing surprising results. 

pisces 

You need to stay firm with your 

ideas when it comes to your dealings 

with others, especially if they 

expect you to make the changes. It 

might also be that you will recognise 

this in your dealings with others. 

This could lead to changing your own decisions 

but it has to be something you want to do. It has to fit 

with your priorities. 

22.34.13.28.7.17 

26.22.20.13.17.26 

8.35.7.10.28.21


COWARDS DIE BEFORE THEIR DEATHS 

under dealer “agreements” 

CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY appropriated from its predecessors 

to appoint a dealer 

with T G. MENDES 

of its choice in any company 

Since both the price of their dealership in the face owned outlet!. 

automotive fuels and of inadequate profit margins, It was in that pre NIS era, 

its retailers’ profit increased product price and that the PDA recognised the 

margins have been regulated, 

petrol station operators, 

have been forced to 

bear the brunt of subsidised 

fuels. 

Ruling dispensations since 

1956 have regarded gas station 

operators as dispensable 

operational increases, the 

multi nationals offered merchandising 

courses, in an attempt 

to assist profitably by 

“marketing” their outlets. 

This is the genesis of NP’s 

ubiquitous “Quik Shoppes”. 

Would that the State monopoly 

necessity of vesting both 

their operating licenses and 

five year dealer “agreements” 

into the sanctity of 

limited liability companies 

with shares held by their 

next of kin. 

Thus began a hard fought 

generators of State revenue 

displayed similar and futile battle on behalf of 

and have treated them with 

scant concern for their status, 

profitability or survival. 

In a highly competitive market, 

where all sell the same 

product and profit is determined 

by volume sales, under 

NP’s predecessor, the 

concern for viability and 

operational problems suffered 

by their “partners”, the 

dealers! Both Petrotrin and 

NP have as a result of inexperience, 

arrogance, political 

tinkering and mismanagement 

been reduced in status 

fellow dealers and myself.. 

We fought for the security of 

tenure available under limited 

liability status. 

The battle was hard fought 

by both sides. In the midst 

of which, I was personally 

offered by NP the choice of 

Multi Nationals - Shell, to endangered species! preferential treatment over 

Esso etc. - while a high standard 

of service to the public 

was demanded, both lessee 

and owner dealers not only 

traded on brand loyalty but 

were assured of equally high 

I was a Shell dealer, not 

yet a member of the PDA 

when NP replaced the Multi 

Nationals. 

When I attended NP’s 

“meet the dealers” function 

my colleagues in return for 

my silence - or the alternative 

of certain economic 

ruin! - My choice was soon 

obvious! 

We thought we had won 

standards of service in both 

maintenance of plant and 

at a popular venue,.within 10 

minutes of NP exchairman, 

when the deceased Errol Mahabir, 

announced on national PM Dr. KEITH ROWLEY BASDEO PANDAY 

ERROL MAHABIR 

delivery of orders. 

inaugural address to a now interest of better business increase in your profit margin 

and with this same pen ing credit” facility offered by 

participation in the “revolv- 

Significantly, standards “captive” dealership, in disgust 

and to the consternation dealers so desirous may op- 

I can remove it” - at which NP to stave off mass dealer 

practice in T&T petroleum 

of service to the dealer deteriorated 

rapidly under the of the assembly I got to my erate their NP franchises as point we all rose to depart. bankruptcy, all in the a/termath 

of NP’s threat, I re- 

state monopoly (NP) which feet, and departed. 

limited liability companies.” When he protested that he 

replaced them. . 

Subsequently, the PDA It was Mr. Mahabir’s last official 

statement. 

was my pleasure to enlighten troleum dealer was ending. 

had not yet “dismissed” us it alised that my career as a pe- 

The Petroleum Dealers Association 

(PDA) was regis- 

in its executive and mine He was promptly replaced him that “as independent When as a result of the 

demanded my membership 

tered by an act of Parliament became a leading voice in as Minister of Petroleum and businessmen we were not above I could not meet my 

to protect dealers interests in protest against NP’s inefficiencies 

and unfair imposi- 

ignorant Patrick Manning. It was my last defiance of the repossess their station - not 

Mines by the arrogant and his to summon or dismiss”! commitments I invited NP to 

the absence of security of tenure 

in the five year renewable tions upon its dealership, In Aware that his predecessor PNM, which was, in 1986, however before finding alternate 

employment for my 

dealer “agreements” imposed response to PDA complaints had been afforded no opportunity 

to commit his decision At the next PDA General faithful employees. 

by the NAR. 

by international marketing at the above deterioration, 

companies. 

dealers, were informed by to writing, Manning denied Meeting a cowed dealership Nor did I go into voluntary 

exile on 17/12/88 with- 

Significantly, despite onerous 

terms and conditions their livelihood rested upon He provoked an end to his down in reaction to ministeout 

first warning my fellow 

NP that, owner or lessee, knowledge of it. 

declined to effect a total shut 

imposed under those agreements 

I am aware of no cred- 

state monopoly! It was made the executive of the PDA Having suffered a recent 

the whim or fancy of that first and last meeting with rial duplicity. 

executive members of the 

fate awaiting all petroleum 

ible issue between the PDA obvious in the event of any when he threatened the delegation 

he had summoned robberies, unique in that pre 

and ruinous series of armed 

dealers if, they dropped their 

and any of those multi national 

oil companies! demise, that without con- 

as follows: ‘With this pen I ‘90s era, and my deliveries 

petroleum dealer’s untimely 

guard and vigilance. 

By 21/2/92 I was back 

Concerned for diminishing 

economic viability of would exercise their right penny per Imperial gallon being the only dealer denied 

cern for his dependents, NP have just afforded you all 1 became erratic, in addition to 

in POS in response to a request 

for “advice.” Perhaps 

because the country was under 

equipment and the timely Richard Toby’s arrogant, radio that henceforth “in the 

the administration of the 

Indocentric Basdeo Panday 

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MOSQUITOES UNC they ignored my warnings. 

Be that as it may, by the 

time they sought my counsel 

TO BE RELEASED IN GRAND CAYMAN 

Genetically engineered 

mosquitoes 

will be released 

across Grand Cayman in 

the coming year, starting 

in West Bay, in an effort to 

control the Aedes aegypti 

mosquitoes responsible 

for spreading Zika, dengue 

and other viruses. 

A 2010 test in East End 

with the genetically engineered 

mosquitoes from 

U.K.-based firm Oxitec 

eliminated 96 percent of 

Aedes aegypti in the test 

areas. 

The program releases genetically 

engineered male 

mosquitoes that breed with 

local females. 

The male passes on a gene 

that causes the offspring to 

die before they reach adulthood 

and can reproduce 

again. 

Oxitec currently is working 

in Brazil to control mosquitoes 

in the areas hardest 

hit by Zika over the past 

year. 

The rollout in Cayman 

will start in an area of West 

Bay in June and, depending 

on success there, expand 

through West Bay and 

George Town in the coming 

year. 

Dr. Bill Petrie, head of 

Cayman’s Mosquito Research 

and Control Unit, 

said his staff recently did an 

islandwide survey of Aedes 

aegypti and identified West 

Bay and George Town as the 

areas with the highest number 

of the mosquitoes. 

He explained that these 

particular mosquitoes thrive 

in urban areas. They breed 

around homes and gardens 

in standing water, which is 

often found in clogged gutters, 

old tires and anything 

else that collects rainwater. 

Premier Alden 

McLaughlin announced the 

new program Thursday in 

the Legislative Assembly. 

“I am very proud to say 

that the Cayman Islands is 

the only other country in the 

world where this program 

will be taking place outside 

of Brazil, and we are once 

again leading the way in the 

advancement of mosquito 

control measures,” he said. 

and advice those once proud 

independent businessmen, 

lessees of a state monopoly, 

had already, in the majority, 

been reduced in status and 

self-respect. 

They had been reduced to 

salaried minions of an inefficient 

state monopoly. 

The Association which I 

had been proud to represent 

- to my own ultimate cost - 

which under the NAR had 

demanded and achieved the 

dismissal of Richard Toby as 

NP’s CEO and his daughterin 

law as its legal representative 

- had been reduced to 

salaried employees of that 

State monopoly! 

My advice in the face of 

what already was “fait accompli” 

was again - if it 

was still within their power 

to effect it - a general shut 

down of all petroleum retail 

outlets. When they again 

demurred I thanked them 

for bringing me back and 

returned to life in Barbados. 

Under the Dr. Keith Rowley 

PNM their situation has 

further deteriorated and another 

recent call for assistance 

could only be viewed, 

in light of their mortal fear 

of offending PNM Minister 

Colm Imbert, as wasted 

time. 

Until, therefore, they 

recognise their power as a 

unified negotiating and bargaining 

body and are prepared 

to exercise it in the 

recovery of their status and 

self respect, no one can advise 

or assist them. 

You ought to know cowards 

die many times before 

their deaths. 

Until and unless they 

recognise that, their only 

effective defense is offense 

I can only view them as a 

cowed and threatened species. 

Perhaps the ignominious 

fate of the petroleum dealer 

may prove a useful warning 

to other groups with greater 

intestinal fortitude than 

they have exhibited in the 

face of political intimidation 

and exploitation!


Page 23 

NCC Chairman Kenny De Silva tables an idea for consideration… 

MOVING MAS 

Story by JACK WARNER 

Within recent 

times, the 

C h a i r m a n 

of the National Carnival 

Commission (NCC) 

Kenny De Silva has offered 

suggestions that 

he claims could improve 

our local Carnival experience. 

This is not the first time 

that suggestions have been 

tabled given the litany 

of complaints, which are 

heard year after year before 

and after the Carnival 

celebrations. 

Most have to do with 

the bands wasting much 

time waiting in the parade, 

which creates a virtual 

standstill for thousands of 

masqueraders heading to 

the Savannah for their moment 

in the sun. 

However, to stand and 

wait at times for as long 

as four hours or even more 

tends to become too onerous 

on many who have 

paid upward of two thousand 

and three thousand 

dollars for their costumes 

in order to enjoy their Carnival. 

This problem seems specific 

to Port of Spain since 

complaints do not flow 

with the same velocity as 

in other jurisdictions. 

So when Mr. Kenny De 

Silva, the NCC Chairman 

tables an idea for consideration 

that would take the 

mas’ out of the City and 

away from the Savannah 

one must know that the situation 

has become critical. 

To think of moving it 

from the Savannah first of 

all is sacrosanct. 

Carnival and the Savannah 

have a culture that 

goes back aeons. 

Former Prime Minister 

Patrick Manning had experienced, 

to his peril, when 

back in 2010 he had instructed 

the North Stand to 

be broken down and Carnival 

be shifted to Skinner 

Park. 

The country rebelled. 

One cannot contemplate 

a Carnival without the 

North Stand, which offers 

an experience for which 

tourists return annually 

that cannot be found anywhere 

else across the island 

or in the world. 

The North Stand creates 

that ambience which suggests 

we are all one family 

so you would see a crossfertilization 

taking place 

where friendships are 

forged over discussions 

about music and masqueraders; 

likes and dislikes 

and at the end, all debate is 

settled with a good drink. 

At the Grand Stand 

the bourgeoisie assemble, 

“tosh” as ever with a 

wide assortment of young 

women of eve-ry hue and 

texture representing the diversity 

that unites us. 

Some gently others 

violently swaying their 

hips from left to right in a 

movement that is best described 

as pleasing to the 

eye. 

How will our august 

NCC Chairman recapture 

that with his shift and reconnect 

the experience of 

yester-year with his new 

vision. 

The venue in his line of 

sight is the Priority Bus 

Rote. The idea is not a 

novel one for those who 

experienced other Carnivals 

like Rio Mas where 

Carnival is more an artistic 

choreography rather than 

an expression of freedom. 

To keep the mas in Port 

of Spain it is clear that 

stands would have to be 

erected from City Gate 

outward and the very social 

underpinning of the 

area through which the 

mas must pass has already 

raised questions among 

many. 

NCC Chairman 

KENNY DE SILVA 

I can see the vision of 

our new NCC Chairman. 

A long stage with spectators 

on either side spanning 

a mile or two with 

masqueraders entertaining 

their ador-ing fans but 

where? 

On the Beetham? 

Not that I believe that 

one’s safety is inherently 

threatened on the Beetham 

but the reality is that with 

the first casualty, this recommendation 

would be 

viewed as an act of negligence 

and one without 

thought given the current 

underpinnings of our social 

climate. 

One can understand that 

masqueraders along the 

designed route will be safe 

but where will they assemble, 

where will they break 

apart and will the safety of 

the women be assured and 

how will we convince the 

tourists that here is a safe 

place after we have demonized 

so many communities 

in Laventille? 

However, that alone is 

not the problem. 

This form of Carnival is 

commonplace in Toronto, 

in Rio; Nottinghill to name 

just three and for us to follow 

that model removes 

the novelty of what Trini 

mas is all about. 

In these choreographed 

type of mas, tourists really 

do not enjoy the pleasure 

of interacting with 

masquerad-ers as they do 

in T&T, the environment 

is more restrictive and it is 

not the kind of climate we 

want for our mas. 

Furthermore, I can understand 

why those kinds 

of celebrations are allowed 

in other Carnivals and the 

answer is simply because 

Carnival there is limited to 

a particular geography and 

it is not across the whole 

island or na-tion state. 

In T&T it is the nation 

that celebrates not just 

Port of Spain or Chaguanas 

but some 60 communities 

throughout Trinidad 

and Tobago and once our 

Chairman chooses to embark 

upon this path, we can 

very well see Carnival migrating 

from Port of Spain 

and the worse scenario is 

a further migration away 

from Trinidad and Tobago 

since our offering would 

be nothing different. 

Of all people, the NCC 

Chairman must know that 

Rio Mas and Trini Carnival 

take place simultaneously. 

This new route will also 

affect small entrepreneurs 

who line the City at strategic 

points to sell their 

goods; some of them stay 

there all night over the 

Carnival weekend. 

Are we asking them to 

Masqueraders making their way across the stage 

now set up shop along the 

Beetham Estate and who is 

going to want to stay there 

all night? 

Will my friend Kenny 

provide security for them? 

There are alternatives, 

which have been offered 

for consideration. 

Clearly, using the stadium 

as a venue has not 

found favour with the current 

Chairman (and should 

not) or probably he is yet 

to pronounce on it. 

Instead of taking our 

mas out of the City, a viable 

option could be creating 

a route around the Savannah. 

Of course, this of itself 

might create a nightmare 

for traffic coming out of 

Cascade, St. Ann’s and 

Maraval but with astute 

traffic planners, I am positive 

that a way could be 

found around this. 

The bottleneck that occurs 

within the Savannah 

would be reduced and if 

a point reduction system 

is introduced for bands, 

which overstay their times 

across judging points, then 

a greater sense of urgency 

may motivate them to 

move quickly. The help of 

the media also is needed in 

this regard. 

If a band has 10 minutes 

to cross the stage then the 

media should blackout 

any coverage of that band 

once the 10 minutes have 

elapsed. 

In that way, it would 

be in the interest of all 

masqueraders to ensure 

that their whole band gets 

coverage. Another injunction 

should be that after 

the time allotted on stage, 

judging should cease so 

that whatever the judges 

see during that time would 

be what the bands are 

judged on. 

There are many options, 

which can be employed 

and one person alone cannot 

have the answer. 

What are required are 

stakeholder analyses to 

provide recommendations 

to deal with the problem. 

In addition, if we wish to 

achieve this, we have the 

time before Carnival 2017. 

NCC should therefore 

engage in national consultation 

that should even include 

conversations across 

the so-cial media to ensure 

wider participation. 

Carnival can be a major 

source of income if it 

is managed well by those 

who control the reins of 

power.

ISSUE: #156 | FRIDAY 13 th MAY, 2016 

www.sunshinett.com | ONLY $3 

SEE PAGE 13 

TDC CHAIRMAN 

FIRED! 

Story by Investigative Reporter AZAD ALI 

Former TDC Chairman 

DENISE DEMMING 

Chairman of the Tourism 

Development 

Company (TDC) Denise 

Demming was fired by 

Tourism Minister Shamfa 

Cudjoe following last Thursday’s 

Cabinet meeting. 

She was given the boot following 

a rift between Minister 

Cudjoe and members of the 

TDC board sincve she was appointed 

to the position last November. 

The Board had complained 

twice, in writing, to the Minister 

of its inability to work 

with Demming. It was therefore 

based on the second letter 

of complaint that the Cabinet 

took the decision to have her 

removed. 

It is reported that Demming 

and members of the Board never 

got along and never saw eye 

to eye on any matter and, at one 

time, she had allegedly tried to 

get her Line Minister replaced. 

It is reported that the Chairman’s 

pompous attitude irritated 

Minister Cudjoe. 

It is also reported that Demming 

had allegedly been making 

statements about her vision 

for the industry and basically 

upstaging the Minister and 

all the other members of the 

Board. 

Moreover Demming did not 

have a good working relationship 

with the other Board members 

and most times took decisions 

with the CEO of the TDC 

and expected the Board to simply 

rubber stamp her decisions 

culminating in her storming out 

of the last Board meeting two 

weeks ago. 

Many Board members were 

shocked at Demming’s appointment 

since Demming has 

no background or grounding in 

tourism but in communication. 

Demming, it was reported, 

was using her perceived close 

relationship with Prime Minister 

Dr Keith Rowley to bully 

her way. 

However, Imbert, Corporation 

Sole and Chairman of last 

week’s Cabinet would have 

none of the bickering and reportedly 

give the minister the 

green light to fire Demming. 

The new Chairman of TDC 

is Richard Duncan, a lawyer by 

profession, and one who had 

Tourism Minister 

SHAMFA CUDJOE 

already been a member of the 

Board. 

When contacted one Board 

member expressed a sense of 

relief at this new development. 

Demming told Sunshine she 

preferred to make no comment at 

this stage while efforts to contact 

Minister Cudjoe proved futile. 

KALLCO SUES (CISL) 

FOR 

$25 MILLION 

Kallco has sued the which caused the work to slow panies owed millions by the 

Community Improvement 

Ser- 

In fact since Kallco was asking the present government 

down. 

last government which they are 

vices Ltd (CISL) for $25 

million part of the cost of 

the award given to them 

for the Maracas Bay project. 

Douglas Mendes SC 

is Kallco’s Senior Counsel 

while Devesh Maharaj is 

the Junior Attorney. 

Kallco is contending that 

his company in spite of several 

Interim Certificates submitted 

to CISL is owed a tremendous 

amount of money 

awarded the contract not a cent 

has been paid by the government. 

The company further contends 

that last month CISL, by 

letter, asked them to try and 

get local funding to complete 

the job (See copy of the letter). 

Yet, notwithstanding that, two 

weeks later CISL took away 

the job from them and terminated 

the contract. 

Kallco is one of several com- 

to honour based on the fact that 

their contracts are all FIFIC 

contracts. 

It was only last week Namalco 

sued the government for 

$1.2 billion dollars. 

Sunshine has been informed 

that several other contractors 

are contemplating suing the 

government for lack of payment. 

The Ministry of Tourism is 

the line ministry of CISL. 

Published by Sunshine Publishing Company #135 Eastern Main Road, Arouca | Tel: 692-6781/6782 | Fax: 692-6940 | Printed at Guardian Building AMCO Compound, Rodney Road Endeavour, Chaguanas

Businessman JACK WARNER

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