On Wednesday, November 25, the World will observe International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. 
“Everyone has a responsibility to prevent and end violence against women and girls, starting by challenging the culture of discrimination that allows it to continue.” (UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon).

We are all diminished/dehumanised by violence against women. Social media has been drawing our attention to video clips showing the extent of violence against our girls/women. Who can forget the sight of the two-year-old girl being battered, lifted by her hair, dashed to the ground and forced to drink milk, by a 32-year-old man whose 21-year-old common-law wife looked on and simply said: “Yuh look for dat!”? 

And she was placed in the care of this couple for the day! Or of the 36 year-old-man allegedly viciously assaulting the mother of his nine-year-old child by kicking her in her head and body and striking her with a metal object? Or of the girl crouching and shielding her head as a group of boys pelt her with bags of excrement. One of them could be heard shouting: “Take her in the bushes!”?

Violence against woman is a global pandemic and extends to more than physical violence. The UN General Assembly defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.” (1993)  

If we are to build a better T&T/world, we must raise awareness about violence against women and discuss solutions to address this plague in our societies. Kofi Annan rightly said: “Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation, and it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace.” 

As the Guardian Editorial (Friday, November 13) states, for years the authorities denied that human trafficking was taking place here, “even with volumes of empirical evidence that T&T has long been a country of transit or destination for hundreds of women and girls, who are being trafficked mainly for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. A crime where the victims are punished and the perpetrators go free. That is the reality of human trafficking in T&T.”

This is one of the many forms of modern-day slavery that plagues our world. How many people have been charged/convicted under the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Act which criminalises trafficking and exploitation of people? The minimum punishment is a $350,000 fine and 12 months in prison.
T&T is too small a place for our police not to know where these brothels and clubs are. What action is being taken to combat trafficking? If you live in a neighbourhood where there is something suspicious going on, ring a hotline and speak out. 

Just ask yourself: “What would Jesus want me to do in this situation?” As Catholics, we cannot sit on the fence. Our faith requires us to stand on the side of the oppressed. As Martin Luther King Jr said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Each of us can, for example, offer solidarity and support in your communities to the victims of violence (form victim support groups); play our part in building a culture of life, love and mutual respect; mobilise the media in efforts to eliminate such violence; work with others to address issues relating to: the socialisation of boys and girls, unequal power relations between men and women, the need that some men have to control women and the frustrations that both men and women experience because of poverty and social exclusion; promote values/conscience formation and citizenship programmes—at home, in our educational institutions, in our parishes and in our workplaces.

Violence against women is not God’s will!

Leela Ramdeen, 
Chair, Catholic Commission 
for Social Justice 

According to 2014 data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the unemployment rate in Tobago is currently four per cent. However, Chief Secretary in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Orville London said he is concerned about the quality and sustainability of jobs on the island.

London said Tobago’s unemployment rate is better than for Trinidad and other Caricom territories. In the case of Barbados, he said, the unemployment rate over the last year or so was close to 11 per cent, while for St Lucia the figure was 23 per cent. Speaking at a Tobago Economic and Business Outlook Conference 2015 at the Magdalena Grand Beach Resort, he said: “The most recent labour force data available from the CSO for Tobago suggests that the state sector employs about 60 per cent of the labour force in Tobago and the private sector employs about 40 per cent.

The available economic statistics for the island suggests that we have significant work to do in our continuing quest to diversify and transform the island’s economy. Therefore, the diversification of the island’s economy remains one of our priority development objectives as clearly articulated in our Comprehensive Economic Development Plan for Tobago. Critical to our strategy of diversification of the island’s economy and the development of the private sector on the island, is the need to create the enabling environment to ensure greater creativity and innovation in our society.”

London said in a global and regional economic environment that is dynamic and plagued with uncertainties, businesses in Tobago could only develop and maintain competitive advantages in the various industries in which they operate if they engaged in continuous innovation. He underscored the need for businesses to continuously strive to reinvent themselves and find new ways of doing the things they now did, as well as find new things to do.

“We must not believe that we are too small to engage in meaningful innovation. We must always strive to think big. Even as we act local, we cannot and should not lose sight of the global picture. In periods of uncertainty, people need to be even more innovative and creative; people need to be more productive and people need to embrace and exploit all the available entrepreneurial opportunities that exist in the economic spaces in which they operate,” he said.

London added: “We must as Tobagonians, as citizens of T&T, recognise and embrace these qualities. We must adapt if we are to treat effectively with all the emerging economic challenges. It is important that we do so against the backdrop of Tobago’s current economic realities, both positive and negative. “But I am suggesting that as responsible decision makers, we’ve got to look beyond the number and therefore, we need to examine the quality and sustainability of those jobs.”

MIAMI—Emil Lee has stepped down as president of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and handed over to first vice president Karolin Troubetzkoy eight months earlier than initially scheduled. Lee has been appointed Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs for St Maarten, so Troubetzkoy will assume the role of acting president of the CHTA. 

The CHTA board will meet in January to vote on ratifying Troubetzkoy to take office as President of CHTA in advance of her term which was originally scheduled to begin in June 2016. 

“It is with a heavy heart that I leave my CHTA post as president. However, I am proud of the advancements the organisation has made during my tenure and am confident that Karolin Troubetzkoy will perpetuate this momentum going forward in the creation of a new CHTA engaged with the membership,” Lee said.

Troubetzkoy said: “I have worked closely with Emil over the last several months and look forward to continuing the progress and energy he brought to the organisation.” Lee leaves office after serving for over ten years as a member of the board of directors, including two years as first vice president and 17 months as president. 

During his term, CHTA has undergone organisational changes and restructuring, broadened membership engagement, strengthened public and private sector ties and repositioned itself to play an even greater role in facilitating tourism’s role as a socio-economic driver for the region.

The Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) in collaboration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (USSEC) recently hosted its seventh training programme on Capital Market Oversight and Development in the Caribbean. 

The four-day training seminar was held at the MovieTowne Banquet and Conference Room, and targeted more than 50 participants, including market actors and regulators from T&T and across the region. 

The programme delved into the issues and challenges facing regulators and covered best practices in the oversight of capital markets to maximise investor protection and market development. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, TTSEC CEO Wainwright Iton endorsed the long-established collaboration between the two agencies for provision of training for regulators in the financial services industry. 

“The hosting of an in-house capital market development programme represents the TTSEC’s commitment to the continuing training and development of its staff,” he said.

The programme featured a USSEC team of high-powered and experienced presenters who emphasised practical solutions to common market problems and abuses, and highlighted several case studies. The facilitators were Erin McCartney, senior special counsel in the Office of International Affairs; Matthew Greiner, branch chief in the SEC’s Office of International Affairs; Jim Reese, assistant director for the Office of Risk Analysis and Surveillance within the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations; and Larry Spirgel, assistant director in the Division of Corporation Finance. 

Topics covered in the interactive training sessions included Insider Trading, Broker Dealer Enforcement, Disclosure Obligations for Stock Issuing Companies, Investigating Financial Fraud, Money Laundering and the Securities Industry.

“The overwhelming response from our fellow regulators for consideration to have their staff attend bears testimony to the importance that we all ascribe to the programme,” said Iton. 

He said that the TTSEC as a regulator is a learning organisation, keen on developing the capacity of its staff and the securities industry to better serve investors and by extension help develop the economy.

After almost two years of intermittent hearings, interrupted by court vacations, public holidays and juror absences, prosecutors in the Vindra Naipaul-Coolman murder trial have closed their case against the 11 men accused of the crime.

Lead prosecutor Israel Khan, SC, made the announcement in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday after presiding judge Malcom Holdip gave his ruling on a legal submission which was raised by defence attorneys after the State’s last witness — a forensic laboratory technician — completed her evidence almost two weeks ago. 

Holdip told jurors to return to court on December 8 after setting a time-table for defence attorneys to file legal submissions in writing. The High Court proceeds on vacation on December 16.

Defence lawyers successfully petitioned the Legal Aid and Advisory Authority to receive higher fees for the duration of the trial, the lead attorney receiving $30,000 a month and their instructing attorney $15,000. 

The normal fee is a maximum of $10,000 and $5,000, respectively for a murder trial.

Since the high-profile trial began in March last year, prosecutors have called almost 75 witnesses who included the former Xtra Foods chief executive’s relatives and co-workers and dozens of police officers who investigated her kidnapping and eventual murder. 

Naipaul-Coolman was abducted from her home at Radix Road, Lange Park, Chaguanas, on December 19, 2006. A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released and her body has never been found. 

Prosecutors have contended that she was held captive at a house at Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, for several days before she was shot dead, dismembered and her body disposed of. 

They have presented circumstantial evidence found at the accused men’s homes and at the alleged murder scene in addition to an illegal firearm which ballistic experts linked to a spent shell found at the scene of Naipaul-Coolman’s kidnapping. 

The State’s case is also centered around the testimony of its main witness, Keon Gloster, who initially claimed he was present when Naipaul-Coolman was killed but said he did not participate. 

However, testifying earlier this year, Gloster repeatedly claimed he was coerced by police into implicating the accused men, most of whom are his relatives. His sworn statements which were certified by a justice of the peace have been tendered into evidence. 

Who’s in court

The dozen men before the jury and Justice Malcolm Holdip are: Twin brothers Shervon and Devon Peters and their older brother Anthony Dwayne Gloster, siblings Keida and Jamille Garcia, brothers Marlon and Earl Trimmingham, Ronald Armstrong, Antonio Charles, Joel Fraser and Lyndon James. 

A 13th man, Raphael Williams, was charged with the crime but died in prison in 2011 of complications from sickle-cell anaemia. Allan “Scanny” Martin was also on trial before he was shot dead by police after escaping from the Port-of-Spain State Prison in July. 

As the sense of urgency continues to grow regarding the Caribbean region’s response to the appearance of the sargassum seaweed which litters the nation’s beaches, the Government is very concerned that it is still negatively impacting this country’s economic, social and environmental development.

This, even after the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) spent $5 million to clean up the beaches in the sister isle since the problem first began in August.

Joining hands with the rest of the region to tackle what she described as a “grave problem,” the acting permanent secretary in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Frances Seignoret, said yesterday it had “deep, far-reaching implications for all citizens.”

She made the statement as she responded to questions by reporters after the official opening of a two-day symposium, titled Challenges, Dialogue and Cooperation towards the Sustainability of the Caribbean Sea, at the Radisson Hotel, Port-of-Spain.

Hosted by the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Caribbean Sea Commission (CSC) highlighted three critical areas they believe needs to be addressed immediately if the region was to move forward, including the appearance of the sargassum seaweed; the overpopulation of the lion-fish which is threatening coral reefs and other sea-going species; and coastal erosion.

Delivering opening remarks on behalf of Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses, who is currently in Malta with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Seignoret said while it was imperative for both man and nature to co-exist, there had to be a balanced and harmonious relationship.

Acknowledging the negative impact these problems were having on the tourism industry, as well as the fishing industry and the health risks posed to humans, Seignoret cited rising ocean temperatures and changing current patterns as the reason behind the proliferation of the seaweed.

ACS secretary general Alfonso Munera Cavadia hopes the symposium will be able to aid in the development of specific strategies that can be accomplished during 2015 to 2018, and which will have a tangible impact on the problems listed.

Members of staff under the Help Our People Elevate (HOPE) programme under the Ministry of Tobago have sought legal redress to have salaries owed to them paid.

The group, which has not been paid since last August, retained attorney Martin George to represent them.

Speaking at a press conference at his office at Bacolet, Tobago, yesterday George said the HOPE programme had been beneficial to Tobago and Tobagonians and it was something that should continue on the island. 

He said all of the employees have valid contracts and the matter should be dealt with urgently.

“We are calling on the board of directors, which is headed by Dr Allison Williams, and we are saying you need to deal with this as a matter of urgency. 

“There is no debate or discussion here. You have persons who are on contract. They have specific amounts they are supposed to be paid. They are doing their work, they must be paid and we need to have this resolved expeditiously. This is not a question for debate or negotiation,” he said.

George said the excuse given that the programme was awaiting monies from the Central Government was invalid since the individuals attended work religiously. He said the employees should be paid on time without any issues. He also called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to look into the matter.

“The months of September and October went by. They have not received payments, yet we are now into November and they have no word yet, so we are calling upon the Board, we are calling upon the authorities.

“We are calling upon the Central Government and the reason why the Central Government is important in this, in that regard we are making the call directly to our Prime Minister who is from Tobago, who I am sure would be interested to know that programmes for the benefit and the development of the people of Tobago are not stopped and are not cut short due to non-payment of the staff members. 

“We are calling on the Prime Minister to ensure that the Attorney General does what is necessary to ensure this programme continues and that these people are paid their just due.” 

George plans to issue a pre-action protocol letter on behalf of the employees.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the T&T Guardian, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Tobago Affairs Ayanna Webster-Roy said non-payment of salaries and stipends to employees and trainees under the HOPE programme was a problem she inherited as a new minister. She said her portfolio was to assist the public and not to spite or victimise anyone despite popular beliefs.

“What I want to reassure is that once I got the approval that funds were released, I would have given the directive for the money to be made available to the company to pay the employees and the trainees. 

“I want Tobagonians to understand what we are doing is not a matter of trying to spite people or victimise anyone. I have family who were on short-term and who are no longer working and they are my blood relatives but you have to do things according to the law, according to regulations and policies, that’s important,” she said. 

Minister Webster–Roy said she was advised that funding was made available and she issued a directive to pay those affected. 

She said people should be paid within two week. Questioned on the future of the HOPE programme, the minister said a concerted effort was being made to streamline what existed.

“We need to ensure what we do does not encroach on the rights and responsibilities of the Tobago House of Assembly. 

“I have a portfolio that guides my operations and I have to work according to that, so in going forward in the future there may be some more changes to come but I want Tobago to rest assured that we are working in the best interest of all,” she said.

The HOPE Programme was established in the Ministry for Tobago Development under the former People’s Partnership Government. The programme was geared at training individuals in various skills, which would afford them CVQ certification.

Ten households will be assisted by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) in repairing their roofs which were damaged by heavy winds last month.

However, Chief Secretary Orville London is warning that the THA should not be expected to take financial responsibility for the damaged caused to homes in such circumstances.

The assembly said it would provide $219,830 worth of materials to assist with repairs to the homes, adding that some of the other cases are still under review.

“We have to make a judgment call as to how we intervene because we cannot function as an insurance company,” London said at a media briefing, yesterday at the Administrative Complex, Calder Hall.

He said some people had voiced concerns about the THA’s response to the damage caused by last month’s inclement weather.

“Disaster relief is how we respond to bring immediate relief to people suffering from disaster. Restoration takes time and it cannot be complete restoration (done exclusively by the THA),” he added.

London said the needs of affected families and the resources available determined the level of relief the assembly can provide. According to the Chief Secretary, many of the houses that were damaged were in a poor state of repair or poorly constructed and were uninsurable.

London said the Tobago Emergency Management Authority (TEMA) dealt with immediate relief when homes suffered damage while the Division of Health and Social Services (DHSS) ensured affected residents received food where necessary.

“TEMA, along with the Division of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (DIPU), and the Division of Health, then begins the lengthy process of evaluating the damage and the resulting situations of affected residents. 

“This is done under the supervision of the Office of the Chief Administrator, which is responsible for disaster management. The THA will now look at a policy on disaster relief, outlining how the assembly responds to disaster relief and possibly to limit the amount of assistance “regardless of the circumstances,” he noted.

President of the T&T Contractors Association (TTCA) Mikey Joseph says the construction sector can play a key role in T&T’s economic revival. 

He said even with a smaller public sector investment programme (PSIP), there can still be significant capital expenditure to stimulate the economy if projects are carefully prioritised, planned and properly executed. 

“Well-managed expenditure and project oversight could produce value to expenditure benefits greater than previously obtained,” he said.

Among Joseph’s recommendation is that the Housing Development Company (HDC) limit the scope of its large projects, while the Ministry of Work’s PURE Programme and the role of the Highways Division be reassessed.

“We believe that a better balance is needed between expenditure on civil sector rehabilitation and expenditure on building construction. Should this be undertaken, a wider cross section of the population would be able to work thereby stimulating greater economic activity throughout the country. 

“While the TTCA cannot confirm the asset base of the Highways Division, we are certain that the PURE Unit has a substantial amount of assets, physical and human, and has proper processes in all areas,” he said.

The TTCA president said that the Urban Development Company of T&T (Udecott) has all the prerequisites to fulfill its mandate, including proper monitoring and control measures that provide real-time information. 

He said the agency’s procurement structure allows for delivery of projects ranging from thousands to millions of dollars.

“As far as we are aware, the HDC has been fulfilling their obligations and ought to be used as a model for other state enterprises involved in the delivery of construction projects,” Joseph said. 

“Our only recommendation relating to HDC at this time is that funding be provided so that HDC could act as one of the stimuli for the construction industry and that their largest contracts be limited to 200 units. 

“This would allow for cost containment, improved delivery, quality and competitiveness and most importantly employ more businesses increasing the total number of workers engaged in the workforce. Done smart and done right, the state’s housing programme will stimulate greater economic activity throughout the country.”

Joseph said TTCA members are owed more than $640 million by the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL). He said attempts to settle these debts have been hindered by political interference and weak corporate leadership.

He is calling on Government to protect local contractors from unscrupulous foreign contractors who sub-contract local industry professionals under onerous conditions.

“We believe to correct this, our laws should be amended to require all matters be heard in our jurisdiction. 

“There are also those foreign contractors who, for whatever reason, simply do not wish to pay for goods and services provided. When their client pays, they abscond without settlement of their debts to local contractors.

“The issue of non-payment by both local and foreign contractors is severely hurting the industry and destroying many small businesses. 

“We appreciate that not all foreign contractors who have worked within our shores have acted in such a manner and we applaud and appreciate those who have been able to create true sustainable partnerships and who continue to work successfully to contribute to our nation’s development,” he said.

Joseph suggested that mandatory local content requirements be included in all contracts by state agencies.

“It is not merely enough that we endeavour to improve the build environment as we strive towards developed nation status, but we must first and foremost ensure the development of our people by providing meaningful employment, inclusive of training programmes and opportunities for skills development,” he said.

Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon wants supermarkets to support T&T’s manufacturers by distributing more local products so the country could become more competitive in export markets.

The minister made the call at the Supermarkets Association of T&T’s (SATT) Annual Christmas Dinner, Dance and Awards Gala on Sunday. 

The sentiment was echoed by Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat who appealed to SATT members to consider three issues—the Beekeepers’ Association’s call for supermarkets to support the local honey industry; a call from the fisheries sector supermarkets to procure a quality product, locally; and support in lowering the food import bill by seeking opportunities for import substitutions with quality locally produced products.

Gopee-Scoon told SATT members they have a vital role in the economic landscape of the country by contributing to employment, domestic investment, distribution of goods and services and tax revenue.

“Supermarkets continue to play a pivotal role in the food distribution value chain, in that they are the intermediaries between suppliers and consumers. 

“In fact, supermarkets are usually at the front line of attacks made by consumers about price gouging, and other unfair business practices. 

“To this end, supermarkets have a responsibility to protect consumers against unfair business practices and provide the necessary information to inform and enlighten the public on new developments within the Industry so that more-informed decisions can be made. 

“In light of this function, the Consumer Affairs Division (CAD) will continue to work with supermarkets to prevent asymmetric information and to ensure that consumers are well informed and educated about matters and issues affecting them in the Industry,” she said

This year’s SATT award recipients included Distributor of the Year (Large), Vemco, Distributor of the Year (Medium), FineLine Distributors and Distributor of the Year (Small), Happi Products Limited.

Energy and Energy Industries Minister Nicole Olivierre says steps are being taken to ensure that T&T’s private sector gets a larger share of activity generated by the energy sector. 

In addition to exploration and production, she said, legislative and other steps are being taken to open up more opportunities in fabrication, remediation, construction, design, logistics, well services, platform operations and maintenance and support services.

The minister, in an address at a recent Local Content Forum hosted by the Energy Chamber at Cara Suites Hotel and Conference Centre, Claxton Bay, said a Local Content and Local Participation Policy and Framework launched in 2004 failed to create a sustainable local service industry.

She said Government’s policy on local content includes facilitating and encouraging the growth of locally-owned energy sector companies through appropriate fiscal and monetary incentives and concessions. In addition, the aim is to the maximise local content and local value added through guidelines and legislation. Olivierre said legislation will establish “processes and a framework to enable transparent measurement, management and reporting on the value of the local content to ensure we attain greater local penetration in all aspects of the sector.”

“Government will support and encourage local professionals and service companies to export energy services to new and emerging oil and gas producing countries, particularly in Caricom and in Africa.

“Prior to adoption of new legislation, there will be wide consultations with stakeholders to ensure that the legislation captures Government’s stated objectives of local participation at all levels in the upstream and downstream energy business.”

The minister said the Permanent Local Content Committee will be reestablished and the ministry will ensure that all participants in the sector perform their activities in a manner that facilitates Government’s policy objective.

All companies operating in the energy sector will be required to report to the ministry on the extent of local content and capacity development at an annual meeting. Other measures will include human resource capacity development; education, training and research and development support; supply chain management and procurement strategies; and competency requirements for roles in which expat staff are currently engaged.

“All these will be extended to multinational contracting firms as well. It is my intention to ensure that all companies operating in the oil and gas value chain are properly licensed, as required by the Petroleum Act and Regulations and that local content and capacity development obligations are a condition of such licences.”

Not for the first time in recent weeks, calls have been made at the highest levels of the Central Government and Tobago House of Assembly for a transformation in attitudes.

The changed attitude is said to be needed if Tobago is to remove itself from the status of island-society absolutely dependent on funding from the Treasury of the Central Government of T&T.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, a Tobagonian in touch with the economy and culture of the island, reminded that it would be inconsistent with logic for Tobago as a society and economy to be calling for greater autonomy, but at the same time becoming even more dependent on funding from the Central Government. 

The reality now is that the political economy of Tobago blaming the Government in Port-of-Spain for the undeveloped state of Tobago is not on; the party in the Central Government and the THA are the same.

Since its creation in the 1980s, the THA, has blamed whichever party is in office (many times with good reason so to do) over the low levels of funding for any development programme to kick the economy into life. What is needed here is a shift in the budget requirements from recurrent expenditure to hire large numbers of people to allocations for development infrastructure for the THA to facilitate investment and job creation.

There is no time better than the present to bring down the employment rate of those dependent on the THA from the high of 60 per cent of jobs on the island; that is surely not sustainable.

Tourism, agriculture and a light industrial base, one that will not be in conflict with the kind of environmental-led tourism initiative required, must be one focus that is needed. Chief Secretary of the THA, Orville London, has thrown in his deep concerns about the quality and sustainability of jobs on the island and where that would lead to in the future. 

He knows that increasing the numbers employed with the THA is a road which will lead inevitably, given the economic and financial circumstances of the present, to disaster as the Central Government is forced to cut back on transfers and the THA will have to reduce the numbers on its payroll.

There have been plans to develop the Cove Industrial Park for more than a decade. What little has been achieved there has made no significant impact on changing the nature of the Tobago economy.

Tobago starts off with the gift of the environment, great weather all-year round, minus a few storms, and a culture that is viewed by many as rich and exciting and one in which visitors will love to share.

It cannot be that Tobagonians would invite tens of thousands of visitors to their island and not be able to feed them. Agriculture must therefore be an integral element of a plan to expand and develop the economy on the island.

The beach environment is one which has many possibilities for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to grow beyond handicraft, bene balls, crab and dumplings and the braiding of hair.

The transport industry must also gain size and sophistication to include on-island tour operators; at present over 90 per cent of the tour operator business is based in Trinidad. With the expansion over the last couple years in cruise ship arrivals, on-island tour operators are vital.

The private sector in Tobago and in Trinidad must “step up to the plate.” Internal self-government, as Prime Minister Rowley has warned, comes with a price of self-responsibility.

The 200-room Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort in Tobago has earned the distinction as T&T’s Best Golf Hotel for the second consecutive year at the World Golf Awards. 

Magdalena Grand was recognised for excellence in managing Tobago Plantations Golf Course, an 18-hole championship course located on the resort’s grounds.

The annual World Golf Awards serve to celebrate and reward excellence in golf tourism, world-class courses and golf destinations. The gala event was held November 7 at the Conrad Algarve in Portugal.

“We are honoured that the World Golf Awards recognised Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort for the second consecutive year as Trinidad and Tobago’s Best Golf Hotel,” said Christopher Forbes, general manager of Magdalena Grand. 

“We have managed Tobago Plantations Golf Course for two years and during that time our entire team has worked to raise the profile of the course and develop it into a world-class championship golf course.”

The Tobago Plantations Golf Course is a Par-72, 18-hole course woven into the landscape of Tobago Plantations Estate, a gated community of luxury villas, condos and bungalows, and meets Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and Championship standards. 

It is a PGA-designed course created by Bob Hunt and Marcus Blackburn of PGA Golf Management Ltd, a design, development and management arm of the Professional Golfers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland. 

The course is a certified member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System, an environmental programme offered by Audubon International. In addition, the course has received certification for its environmental planning.

Golfers can practice their short game on the pitching and putting greens while enhancing their swing at the driving range. 

The club house, situated between the first and tenth tees, features a pro shop, club room lounge, shoes and club rental, changing rooms, classrooms and golf bag storage. The club house restaurant—Fairways Bar & Grill—offers a comprehensive food and beverage menu.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat’s decision to get a first-hand, boots-in-the-mud view of the state of agriculture is a welcome outreach for the community of local farmers.

The Minister has already made it clear that he intends to decentralise and refocus state support for the agriculture industry on a regional, community-focused level and his decision to hit the road to see for himself exactly what’s happening with the industry—is a strong statement of solidarity and real interest in the future of the sector.

There is no question that T&T farmers, for whom the adjective “beleagured” has been a familiar descriptive for decades now, will welcome a line Minister willing to meet them where they live and work and to hear their concerns while viewing their plight first-hand.

But Mr Rambharat, who was the unsuccessful candidate for the PNM for Mayaro in the recent elections, must not find himself tempted by the theatrics of politics, even with the best of intentions. 

There are qualified agriculture professionals in his Ministry as well as no shortage of reports on the industry that should also command his attention.

Apart from his plans for decentralising the locations of support and administrative staff at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Rambharat has also promised to bring more qualified staff into the ministry to improve its capacity to analyse the existing situation on the ground and improve the quality of support it offers to the nation’s farmers.

He has already made some clear and decisive moves in agriculture, appointing a new board at the Agricultural Development Bank and placing a public servant with robust experience in the Agriculture Ministry at the helm as chairman to guide a long overdue revamp of the often abused financial service designed for farmers.

In the face of widespread public concern about what seemed like a rash of wildlife killings circulated on social media after the opening of the 2015 hunting season, Mr Rambharat exercised restraint by sensibly planning to fill vacancies for game wardens to oversee the hunting season in progress. He has further promised a thorough audit of state lands in T&T with an emphasis, to begin, on lands which fall under the notorious Caroni (1975) liquidation.

Mr Rambharat served as the CEO of Caroni (1975) between 2002 and 2004 and will, no doubt, bring experienced insight into the ongoing challenges faced by the former employees at that institution, particularly those who still harbour a dream of being successful farmers.

Many of those lots were earmarked for small- and medium-scale agricultural development and projects planned for those allotments have largely faltered in the face of poor infrastructure; particularly critical support roads and drainage and there have been reports of agricultural lands being used for housing.

In seeking to improve the state’s leadership role in the development of agriculture, the Minister must clearly recognise his limitations and be ready to develop, deploy and support strong teams in the field who are equipped to execute, as public service professionals, the big picture design of his plan to evolve agriculture into a more widely-successful business proposition.

Minister of National Security, Ret Major Gen Edmund Dillon, responding to the questions about Trinidadians now fighting with ISIS trying to return home seemed like a deer in headlights confronted by the faintest beam of media scrutiny. Add this to the sudden realisation he’s working with a comatose, if not actively subversive TTPS (whose only working part is its mouth), escalating crime, and international crises of which he knows little, and you get in response a string of clichés, technocrat-speak, and occasionally “huh”?

His Prime Minister tried to rescue him, reminding the country that we’d had an early sample of ISIS terror in 1990. But the 1990 comedy was not (according to its perpetrators) about trying to establish a caliphate; it was about inequality and perceived alienation and oppression.

The eminent and always reliable Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, interviewed last Thursday on the CNC3 News, had an articulate rebuttal: He would not advise anyone to leave here and go and fight with ISIS. 

Such a thing, he said, is “foolish.” However (he continued) when you had young people locked out of the good life, opportunity, and even basic amenities, they don’t think of this as home. That’s a great answer, one that deserves to be listened to as it comes from the embodiment of 1990.

Bakr specifically mentioned young Africans as being those who left for ISIS, but one Farid Scoon, in a letter to a daily newspaper last week, claimed the majority were radicalised Indian Muslims. Entirely possible, but it has nothing to do with this column. Of more interest is the alienation which is brought on by inequity.

That idea (inequity as the cause of the social and economic chaos) has been around for some time. It’s a significant component in the work of eminent economists like Nobel Prize-winners George Akerlof and Amartya Sen. As Akerlof put it in his eponymous book: “animal spirits” are the ultimate drivers of any economy, and those spirits are constituted of psychological factors such as confidence, fairness, and corruption. Which explains a whole lot about our state today.

Needless to say, a change of government has not changed much as far as confidence and fairness go, and it’s unlikely it will. On a larger scale, I don’t think many people in and out of government have any idea why the country always seems to be in the throes of crisis after crisis, and desperately seeking frenzy as an escape. Those issues have been discussed in this space before, but I’ll summarise for the benefit of the new government who, I’m told, are avid readers of this column. (Especially the Honourable Minister of Communication.)

The root of the problem is a fragmented, disconnected and hostile population. Income and social inequality are stark; the majority don’t participate in the bright, sleek consumer economy we see on television. This inequity manifests differently in different parts of the body politic.

First the “urban” component of the population. As discussed before in this space there is no homogenous group of black people in T&T and a large part of the country is an enormous and growing underclass comprised largely of regional illegal immigrants. The National Security Ministry’s revelation of a year or two ago, that there were more than 100,000 illegals in the country who’s entered since 2000, needs to be added to the anywhere between 100,000 and 200,000 who came from the smaller islands between 1962 and 1990. This then has to be weighed against the approximately 400,000 Trinidadians who emigrated since independence. 

The consequences of ambitious nationals (and many university graduates) being replaced by presumably not well-educated imports is something that attracts almost no attention in policy prescriptions. The newcomers live lives of hardship, inequity and resentment, and form a culture based on their experience.

(Knowing my readership, I’ll digress here for a dollop of evidence. An editorial in The New Today (a Grenadian newspaper) on September 11, commented on the results of our last election: “It is our suspicion that most Grenadians were ‘hooting’ for the PNM…for obvious reasons. It was the PNM then under founder leader and its first Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams that opened the doors for large numbers of Grenadians to live and work permanently in the neighbouring twin-island republic.”)

But back to the reality of Trinidad today: a large urban population lives in underground Trinidad—far from the socialising institutions that civilise and nurture citizens. Its culture of violence and aggression spills over into schools, crime, and households, as we see on the news and FB. This culture is overwhelming the country.

Things aren’t much better in Indo-Trinidad. As the dust is settling from the last election, a picture is forming of a piranha-like frenzy at the state’s resources by the UNC/PP’s contractors, friends, and family. The imprecations of a “Hindu cabal” and its agenda point to something more than thievery; they signal a deep vein of animus among a powerful group in the UNC’s base who see themselves as outsiders and alienated, and unfairly dealt with historically. The contract rampage might have been in part a form of Indocentric “reparation.”

(Important to note that another section of the Indo-base, from cane-farmers to cardiologists, seems willing to abandon this way of seeing the world. They signaled this in election of Jack Warner in 2013 by-election. The leadership, though, differs.)

So enter the new government, whose plans are vague, policies still hazy, and collective demeanour seems long on tongue-lashing, but short on action. Importantly, the question of what to do, and even the specifics of the problem, seem absent from their horizon. They should know, at least, that the old formula of buying off ethnic blocs no longer works. Maybe it’s time to try something else.

Eleven months after the Charlie Hebdo massacre and Paris was once again the site of an attack committed by Islamic extremists. These events are increasing in frequency, and now include cities located in every part of the world. The “War on Terror” has become the martial focus for this generation, just as the Second World War and the Cold War had been for our grandparents and parents respectively. 

These three ideologies: fascism, communism, and radical Islam share the similarity of opposing free speech and diversity. But unlike the first two, which existed in the embodiment of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, the third is proving itself to be an elusive enemy, one whose soldiers walk amongst us, strike without warning, and have the odds for success on their side.

The world has become a very different place since the events of September 11, 2001. During the decade that followed, the United States waged an unrelenting war against al-Qaeda, dismantling its global network and assassinating the leadership, including its infamous founder. The message however was never silenced, and a new host of messengers, the Islamic State, has since taken up the cause. 

But the West’s typical response, to answer violence with violence, shows they have failed to acknowledge a simple truth—that dropping bombs will do little to win the war for hearts and minds.

Just as mass shootings in the US have become intrinsically linked to mentally unstable individuals, so too are bombings with the image of the angry Muslim radical. There are two statements that are made immediately after such incidents: one from politicians, decrying the act as an attack on “our” way of life; and another from Muslim leaders, condemning the perpetrators and stating emphatically that Islam is a religion of peace. 

Unfortunately, both sides only present part of the truth, and the public remains mostly ignorant as to the larger picture. This results in the truism that an enemy cannot be defeated unless it is first understood. 

The Western governments, the United States in particular, must acknowledge that their failed foreign policy involving the Arab world is partially at fault. They cannot tout democracy and human rights, and at the same time prop up dictators and monarchies with foreign aid and oil money. 

The populations see through this contradiction, and end up having a very real reason to harbour distrust towards the West. 

At the same time, moderate Muslims need to ultimately and universally reconcile the relationship their religion has with violence. Though Islam is not adversarial per se, it does endorse the concept of self-defence. ie they aren’t about to turn the other cheek. So for an already troubled or impressionable personality, the before-mentioned ill feeling, combined with the rhetoric that their beliefs are being threatened, can easily lead a person onto a murderous path. 

So not every Muslim is a terrorist, but any Muslim can become a terrorist.

While immediate military intervention is needed to curtail the ambitions of ISIL, it will not solve the problem. 

Such an ideology may never completely be vanquished, but the goal of diminishing its appeal can be achieved by negating the validity of the message. 

Western governments are not going to suddenly grow a conscience, but its citizens need to open their eyes to the fact that there is a human cost for the cheap petrol in their tank. 

As long as their countries continue to have unequitable dealings with that part of the world there will there be animosity in return. More importantly though, Muslims themselves need to take a more proactive role. We shouldn’t hold an entire religion responsible for the actions of a few zealots, but their religious and community leaders must be vigilant for signs of extremism and do all they can to quell it.

It’s been almost a millennium since the Crusades, the epic clash of religion, culture, and civilisation. If we are to avoid a repeat of history, then an end must be sought to the cycle of violence. Else we are all doomed to share in the same extremism, be it in God’s name or in our own.

The brutality of the horrific attacks on Paris by Islamic militants in the name of their faith is unspeakable. The attacks must be condemned by all—Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and will forever change the way minorities are viewed all over Europe and the developed world. 

The way the attacks were launched must change the way the war on terror is being fought; co-ordination among countries is critical. All nations are affected; Trinis are being recruited to engage in terror acts on behalf of ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Minorities in Europe must not be blamed. It is understandable that politicians (in France, US, etc) and prejudicial indigent groups would call for closure of borders and a crackdown on illegals. 

But those who carried out the Paris attacks are, from what President Obama describes as “uncivilised.” 

The attackers don’t represent their own cultural and civilised values. 

France and other European countries and the US must not cave in to the rightist anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments. The government must go after radical Islamists and those who promote violent jihadism. Everyone has a right to live in harmony with other groups without having to fear that someone is out to kill them senselessly.

Over the last three decades, succeeding French governments have remained largely tolerant of minorities although the meaning of secularist state has been tightened. 

France has now closed its borders to outsiders making it virtually impossible for refugees (from Syria and Iraq) to enter. It is not good for minorities like myself who love to visit the City of Lights and who routinely pass through Paris on my way to Delhi or Mumbai.

Jihadist groups kill ordinary citizens including fellow Muslims in the name of Islam. No religion teaches people to kill. No culture teaches people to blow themselves up. 

Do people question this cultural practice of murderous behaviour and this idea of going to heaven and being rewarded with 72 brides? That is contrary to any religious belief.

Religion is not about violence, but peace and tolerance. These fundamentalists are driven by extreme violence and hatred, out to kill anyone who disagrees with their medieval brand of faith that even seeks to prevent females from getting an education. 

French Muslims, in particular, must take the lead to condemn the violence carried out in the name of their faith because of the extreme harm it has done to fellow Muslims in France.

Paris is among my most favourite cities having visited it countless times and planning to pass through again Christmas Eve. 

It is also a liberal city that opens its arms to foreigners (refugees) and so many (Muslim) immigrants from North Africa; people of all ethnicities and faiths are found there. 

Paris will not be the same again as people will worry about going out and constantly watching their backs fearing an attack. 

It is hoped that the attacks as well as the one against Charlie Hebdo (satirical cartoon publication) and the Jewish market will not succeed in hardening European feelings against minorities.

The attacks on Paris are a declaration of war on our lifestyle and individual freedom to go about our business. 

Obama rightly said it is an attack “not just on the French but on all of humanity and the universal values that we all share.” 

The world must therefore come together and declare war on radical religious practices (terror). Otherwise, the terrorists will get away with their acts. To a large extent, the latest French attacks were similar to what happened in Mumbai on 26/11, 2007. 

Then, the world did not pressure Pakistan (from where the terrorists got training and state help) to hand over the masterminds behind the Indian attacks or urge the government to crack down on terror groups training in that country. 

Now extremists have spread their tentacles to Europe 14 years after the attacks on America and eight years after Mumbai. 

And there were so many other attacks on democratic nations (several foiled in America) with more attacks probably in the planning stage.

The Paris attacks must not only be condemned strongly. But there must be action—co-ordinated multi-national strikes against ISIS and the demand that all states turn over advocates of radicalism to an international tribunal for justice. 

Death cults like ISIS, al-Qaeda etc, must be pursued without any let-up and eliminated. The G20 nations, all European countries, and all others in the Middle East must commit to work together to put an end to radicalism and terrorist activities.

Dr Vishnu Bisram

Having been a founding member of the UNC and its General Secretary for two of its formative years, I believe I should express my views on the current contestants for the post of political leader of the party.

Let me state at the outset, there is no such thing as an ideal candidate and never will be. A judgment will therefore have to be made taking into account the positives and negatives, strengths and weaknesses, historical contribution to and commitment to party and future prospects and potential of each candidate. 

In light of the above considerations, I have come to the conclusion that, in the circumstances, Dr Roodal Moonilal is the best choice for political leader.

Dr Moonilal is a young man who has a long future in the politics and therefore has much time to engage in the revitalisation of the party. He has been associated with the party since its inception. He was elected Youth Affairs Officer in 1991 and served in various capacities thereafter including deputy political leader. He thus has extensive experience of the operations of the party and is well grounded in mobilisation exercises. 

He also has varied knowledge of government having worked as Director, Policy Monitoring Unit, under PM Panday’s tenure and recently as a minister of Government. He has been a parliamentary representative since 2001, has delivered significantly to his constituents and has been an outstanding debater and defender of the party. He is thus well qualified to hold the post of political leader.

There is a perception among some that he comes across as aggressive, boisterous and crass and does not have appeal beyond the ranks of the party. The same was said of Dr Rowley in his contest with Penelope Beckles-Robinson. People, however, can take note and address flawed images and perceptions. 

Dr Rowley convincingly won the PNM party leadership because, regardless of national image, it is the membership of the party who vote and decide. Similarly, Dr Moonilal has the opportunity to overcome these unflattering perceptions and smoothen some rough edges. He is, as I said, a young man.

Of his opponents, Kamla Persad-Bissessar should not have contested the leadership elections in the light of her abysmal failure as leader of party and government. She was given a glorious opportunity but carelessly squandered the considerable political capital that accrued to the People’s Partnership. Her style of governance was grossly deficient and some of her personal attributes were inimical to the demands of leadership. In a column as long ago as July 28, 2013, I assessed her stewardship and concluded that she was not fit to lead.

Slick-talking, media favourite Vasant Bharath carefully cultivated the public relations image of professionalism and competence but he is not a politician with grassroots appeal. He fought the St Joseph seat with all the trappings of a Minister of Government and lost it. He is thus a loser, is not in the House of Representatives, but has the temerity to aspire to leadership. 

It is well to recall that the UNC then in Opposition in the elections of 1995 won the seat from the PNM with Mervyn Assam as the candidate. The party had little money and less media coverage but the candidate fought the battle in the trenches and there was no need for rebranding. Bharath is forever committing himself to rebranding the party. It appears to me that he might be more useful as a consultant in an advertising firm.

Trevor Sudama,

San Fernando.