UNC’s
doing vibrant and assertive work
On
behalf of the United National Congress, I wish to respond
to your editorial of May 24, headlined “Think about
country, UNC.”
You write in your editorial about “the internal wrangling”
having “diminished” the effectiveness of the
UNC as T&T’s parliamentary opposition.
I regret that you have adopted that posture since, as
a daily newspaper, you would be conscious of the UNC’s
on-going vibrant and assertive work in both the parliamentary
and wider political arenas.
Our elected and nominated representatives in both Houses
of Parliament continue to hold the Government to account
and to expose wrongdoing which, in some instances, amount
to millions of dollars’ worth of taxpayers’
funds.
For example, the Public Enterprises (Accounts) Committee,
which is chaired by our Senator Wade Mark, recently exposed
blatant corruption with respect to the purchase of two
cranes by Plipdeco. The sum involved here is about $52
million. I acknowledge that your newspaper wrote on this
issue, but I can’t recall an editorial on the subject.
There are several other critical issues that the UNC has
placed on the national agenda. Do you recall, for example,
that it was our Senator Jennifer Jones-Kernahan who told
the Senate in April that the blood of our youths is on
the hands of the Patrick Manning administration?
Senator Jones-Kernahan spoke following the sordid death
of Sean Luke and in respect of the Children’s Authority
Act, which is still to be put into effect.
Yet the Government twiddled its fingers on this vital
legislation, leading to the gruesome abuse and murder
of little Amy Emily Annamunthodo.
I could list a number of other significant matters unearthed
and exposed by the UNC. They include the blatant absence
of accountability with respect to multi-million-dollar
state contracts. Indeed, some of those issues aired by
the UNC were later confirmed in the latest review by the
Auditor General.
The UNC has been speaking relentlessly on issues of housing,
the environment, health, traffic horrors, education, energy
and, of course, the continuously worsening crime scenario.
On each occasion we have proposed alternatives to the
current state of affairs.
The UNC has detailed the threats to our democracy through
a series of disturbing developments engineered by the
Patrick Manning administration, including the current
high-handed and dictatorial handling of the impasse in
the judiciary.
The party has outlined the deeply worrying danger being
posed to several vital national institutions and the gross
attempt to erode the separation of powers.
In short, the UNC has been extremely focused and hands-on
as a vigilant watchdog on a rampant and tyrannical government.
We continuously monitor and review the performance of
this inept and repressive administration and respond through
several mechanisms.
One means of expressing our informed views is via news
releases, some of which—we are gratified to be able
to say—manage to make it to the pages of the Guardian.
We also air balanced and sober analyses at our regular
public meetings, at news conferences and other fora to
all of which the Guardian is invited and welcomed.
I end by assuring both the Guardian and the national community
that the UNC is a competent and hard-working political
opposition that consistently reviews the performance of
the Government and comments critically when necessary,
always proffering workable alternative positions.
Vasant Bharath
Deputy chairman, UNC
Jack, Kamla out to destroy UNC?
During
a period of trying to stave off sleep, I continued listening
to a UNC meeting from Princes Town. It definitely was
an enormous task to listen to a lacklustre and mediocre
platform, which was in no way helped my an inept chairman.
The young Panday girl is destined for stardom, having
already had some exposure in the film industry, but most
of the others did not merit much attention.
Perhaps the most interesting statements of the night came
from Jack and Kamla, who both said they were prepared
to stay in Opposition, rather than to sell their souls.
Was it not the said Kamla who referred to Basdeo Panday
as her Maha Guru? Was it not the said Panday who said
he will sleep with the devil to remove the PNM? Is Kamla
now distancing herself from her Maha Guru?
The least said about Jack the better. Here is a man who
is displaying an amazing and obscene sense of sycophancy
by saying to call him Jack Panday. He gives the impression
that he wants to replace Basdeo in all forms and fashion.
They are not interested in allowing the party a chance
to get into government. Are they on a quest to destroy
the UNC once and for all?
Margaret Singh
Palmiste
Replace it with Honour of Trinbago
The
recent ruling of Justice Jamadar on the Trinity Cross
is a landmark decision in the development of our people
and our society.
At the time when the Trinity Cross was conceived, we had
just been granted our independence and had just stepped
out of colonialism, so to speak. But the nostalgia of
the colonial past seemed to have captured the imagination
of the framers of the national awards and thus our highest
award was fashioned after the Victoria Cross of England.
It was simply a colonial thing and therefore no blame
can be ascribed to those who designed the Trinity Cross.
Now we have moved ahead in our political development and,
as a republic, we need to affirm the aspirations of all
peoples who live in this beautiful rainbow country of
ours. The Government must now quickly seek to correct
this misnomer and produce a name for our highest honour
that will be in keeping with our sovereignty.
I suggest we call it The Honour of Trinbago with the motif
of the sugar cane, oil and pan imprinted on the medal.
I am sure that our gifted artists could come up with a
suitable design. The Honour of Trinbago should now replace
The Trinity Cross.
Over to you, PM Manning!
Richard Kokaram
Curepe
Not surprised at Rahman’s view
MF
Rahman in “Fair reflection of teachings” claimed
that the Da Vinci Code won’t do anything to impair
indoctrinated faith.
I agree. It could not possibly harm, weaken, prejudice
or mess up Islamic faith because Islam supports at least
two errant and unhistoric views of Dan Brown:
n That the evangelists deified Jesus. After all, he was
just a man whose carnality, perhaps like Muhammad’s,
was characterised by the quality of being sensual and
had a fondness to indulge in sexual pleasures with a harem
of wives.
n That Jesus never died. His crucifixion was all a hoax.
So, I am not at all surprised at Rahman’s subjective
view that he found the film less offensive than expected.
AL Nunes
Diego Martin
Restrict use of DVDs in vehicles
I
READ with interest in the April 25 Guardian that legislation
would be drafted to limit the use of cellphones while
driving. This is obviously being done to increase the
safety of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
I would also like to suggest to those responsible for
this legislation take into consideration limiting the
use of DVD monitors in vehicles.
Too often I have seen people looking at movies and music
videos while driving. Too often I have seen accidents,
some fatal, where the cars are fitted with DVD monitors.
I think that with the introduction of the breathalyser,
restriction of the use of cellphones and DVD monitors
and an educational and safety programme geared towards
road users and pedestrians there will be a reduction in
road fatalities.
Roger Supersad
Fyzabad
Mr Minister, is this one for 555?
Can
I ask the CoP, head of the SAUTT, the inspector in charge
of the St Joseph Police Station to update me about the
current management of distress calls from business places
in particular?
On May 26, at about 1.55 am, calls were made to E-999
and the St Joseph police about possible intruders at a
recently established business at Valsayn and, up to the
time of writing this letter (May 27 at 7.30 am), I had
not received a call from any one of these agencies.
I think it would be absurd, considering the above, for
the police only to make an appearance after calamities
occur.
Mr Minister of National Security, do you agree? Can this
be considered racketeering, corruption or any other offence
that can be reported to the 555?
D Moonan
Valsayn
