Attorney General Glenda Morean stated yesterday that one of the major reasons for the uncontrollable crime situation was the fact that the former UNC regime neglected a certain section of the population”. (Express, Jan 2nd). This, she said, justified the PNM government’s social programmes which would bring relief to these “disadvantaged members of society”. 

This contrasted sharply with the no-nonsense comments made by Police Commissioner Hilton Guy that “when you have parents praising their unemployed children who wearing $2,000 sneakers and everything they’re wearing is a ‘brand name’ and they come home in the night with a bag of goodies, the children you aregrowing here, you are not only sowing the seeds, but fertilizing the criminals” (Expres Dec 14th). The Commissioner also said the Unemployment Relief Programme was influencing crime because people saw it as a 'reward' of sorts. 

The Commissioner’s pain in wondering why families would see unemployed youths coming home with expensive sneakers, jeans and guns and say nothing in the face of police statistics which showed that North Trinidad was the most unsafe area in the country with close to 100 murders in 2002 is genuine. Yet, instead of appreciating his frustration and hurt over the senseless human slaughters, he was slammed for saying that one race was committing these evil murders. Headlines such as “Guy blames one race for murders in Laventille” and several callers on radio programmes slammed him for ‘condemning his own race’. He became an ungrateful black man instead of a concerned human being. 

Compare the Commissioner’s stance with that of the AG whose explanation for the crime situation in Laventille is that the UNC ‘neglected’ this area for the past 6 years and the people are ‘impoverished’. It reminded me of the great city of Laventille that the PNM built during its 30 years in power (1956-1986). Who could forget the powerful social and economic strides Laventille made under the PNM?

Those were the wonderful days of free book grants, free education, free NHA housing and handouts under the disguise of DEWD and LID. The people were gainfully employed and well educated. Under the PNM, these fortunate citizens comprised the upper middle class with no need to scrounge for a living. In the event of a coup, there was no fear of looting in PoS. Crime was non-existent in this great community. Should your car stall along the Beetham highway, you could have simply left it on the shoulder go home to a comfortable might’s sleep and return the next morning with your mechanic (in those good ole days the disciplined youths would not only help you ‘push’ the car onto the shoulder; they would also keep an eye on it for you throughout the night in case anyone from outside Laventille tried to steal it). This was Laventille under the good ole days of the PNM. 

The UNC, in its short 6 years in power destroyed Laventille. Overnight, this well-educated, gainfully employed, crime-free community was transformed into a hellhole. It quickly became a breeding ground for restless young criminals. The youths suddenly dropped out of secondary schools, university, and professional life. They promptly resigned their well-paying jobs and decided to use their life’s savings to buy Reebok’s and Nikes, expensive jeans, gold for their front teeth and guns. 

After 30 years of living a decent life under the PNM, they inexplicably turned to a life of crime. Local sociologists concluded that these youths could not bear to live under a UNC government because they knew that Panday’s Indo-Trinidadian supporters would invade their professions and be given their jobs by the devious racist UNC. And so it came to pass. Instead of sending Sadiq Baksh with tractors to clean the clogged, filthy drains and install streetlights, Panday encouraged Indians to fight Afro-Trinidadians for their jobs. They took over the public service and state enterprises. Panday built high-rise NHA apartment buildings and gave them to poor Indian families who had suffered 30 years of PNM neglect. 

They invaded Laventille and took over the businesses. They infiltrated the steel band movement and built soup kitchens. They started robbing people whose cars stalled along the Beetham highway. They quickly gave Laventille a real bad name yes. The final straw of course, came when they gained control of that enviable, lucrative PNM project that generated employment, hefty paychecks and Christmas bonuses for so many-- the wonderful employment project fondly referred to as the prestigious Beetham Dump. Ahh, how the loss of that money-spinner put Laventille into a tailspin. There was no hope for survival other than a life of robbing and murdering to wear Nike and Reebok, gold teeth and expensive jeans.

Laventille is a victim of our political culture where politicians use people for votes and then forget about them. The Laventille of today is a PNM creation. “Social programmes” such as soup kitchens, free refurbished housing and URP are short-term political bandages to cover a dangerous moral and social wound that could bleed our society to death. Trying to justify the terrifying crime wave on the basis that Laventille was “neglected” by the UNC is foolish and dangerous. 

What message does it send to the rural Indo-Trinidadian community that was (and continues to be) neglected by the PNM during its reign? The AG’s justification for giving PNM heartland a larger slice of the national income via expensive ‘social programmes’ carries the dangerous implication that criminal activity begets government sympathy and freebies to save political face.

Spending hundreds of millions of dollars (yes, that’s the amount of money involved) on URP and NHA renovations on the basis of perceived neglect by the UNC would naturally leave a sour taste in the Indian community and emphasize the racial divide that our tribal politics brings. The government must develop a coherent policy on poverty, crime and education that is sensitive to our political history where everyone is looked after. A poor man unemployed Indian man who is squatting and cannot get 10 days under the PNM feels cheated when the government renovates NHA apartments, builds soup kitchens and employs mostly Afro-Trinidadians. I wonder how many unemployed, squatting Indian families are going to benefit from the new NHA apartments under construction? A cursory glance at what is happening in the environmental project (check the youths in the blue coveralls working along the roadway as you drive to work each day), the URP and State enterprises would bear testimony to the harsh reality. 

Ethnic-based, tit-for-tat discrimination by political administrations breeds resentment and disharmony. Let us hope and pray that Prime Minister Manning puts a stop to this type of politics. A good start would be to abandon the partisan baliser ties and show that this is a government for the entire nation and not just the PNM and its supporters. 

Over 4 years ago, on August 9th, 1998, 22-year-old boy called Richard Ramnarace was shot at point blank range by police constable Visham Boodoosingh at a bar in Penal owned by Boodoosingh's wife. Ramnarace had gone to the local restaurant and bar with his brother and 2 friends for a 'lime' after a hard week's work. He saw two guys harassing one of his
friends who had gone to get some drinks and went to 'make peace'. Instead, he was slapped, choked and his jaw blown away by a single gun shot wound that left a gaping hole on the left side of his face where his jaw was. 

Doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital performed emergency surgery that involved the excavation of close to 1 pound of flesh from his hip to plug the gaping hole in his face. Ramnarace was bleeding profusely; he had lost 7 teeth, the tip of his tongue was grazed off, his lip was shredded, and his jaw blown away. His face was wired shut after the operation and he was fed via a straw through a space where his front teeth once was. His pain and suffering was excruciating and indescribable. His face was disfigured for life and he cried like a baby every time he looked into a mirror.

In July 2001 Justice Nolan Bereaux delivered a written judgement in favour of Ramnarace in a civil action for assault and battery against PC Visham Boodoosingh. The court found that the shooting was "willful" and "callous" and ordered Boodoosingh to pay Ramnarace over $350,000.00 in compensation. The learned judge said it was "a travesty of Justice" that PC Boodoosingh was never charged and prosecuted and commented that he was "lucky" to escape being charged with attempted murder. 

Subsequent to the delivering of this judgement former Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ms Indra Ramoutar-Liverpool wrote the then Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Mr Basdeo Pandy to say that she was in charge of the southern office of the DPP at the material time and had strongly recommended the laying of charges against Boodoosingh because the evidence against him was "cogent and compelling" (see Guardian, July 21st 2001).

The then DPP, Mr. Mark Mohammed SC promptly said he would review the file because he might not have had all the evidence that was before the High Court (Guardian July 22nd 2001). It is true that the DPP can only base his decision on the evidence, which the police investigation produces, for him to consider and act on. Of course, if police officers are investigating their colleague and wish to help out or protect him, then all they have to do is to place insufficient evidence on the file for the DPP to act on. 

Our track record of police investigating police is not one that inspires confidence. For several years now I have been lobbying for change, because I believe we cannot rely on and trust police officers to investigate their own. The camaraderie and brotherhood runs too deep and the independence of such investigations is questionable and often times seriously compromised.

In Ramnarace's trial s senior police Corporal came to court and testified on behalf of his colleague PC Boodoosingh. Corporal Roland Gay was part of the investigating team and gave evidence in support of Boodoosingh's defence. His evidence was rejected by the court as being untrue. 

Ramnarace has won his case before the High Court and yesterday, an appeal filed by PC Boodoosingh was unanimously dismissed by 3 Court of Appeal judges. To date, Ramnarace has not been paid one red cent of the compensation monies ordered over 18 months ago. He is in urgent need of expensive reconstructive surgery to rebuild his jaw, face and lip and for dental work to replace his lost teeth and has no money to do so. 

Winning a case and getting a favourable judgement is one thing; being paid the compensation ordered by the court and tasting the fruits of your judgement is quite another. Defendants often transfer out everything from their names to their friends and relatives so that they legally own little or nothing and so avoid their liability to the victim.

The victim can ill-afford any further litigation to set aside these transfers. Such cases are complicated; they can take 3-5 years and cost money.

Unless we pass legislation to hinder or prevent defendants' from transferring, mortgaging or selling off their assets after the date of the alleged wrongdoing or unlawful act, justice in this country will be impotent and hollow. Going after the salary of the defendant is of little use also. After they enumerate their personal expenses to the court there is very
little left for the court to order monthly payments towards satisfying the judgement. Simple, clever maneuvering defeats justice in this country on a daily basis while injured victims are left to suffer and rot. 

Investigations into unlawful police action and misconduct should be conducted by some external independent agency. The facts of Ramnarace's case should illustrate why. PC Boodoosingh was never suspended from duty pending police investigations into this shooting incident, as is the norm. He never even gave the investigating officers a statement on the incident. He was granted vacation leave and then resumed duty as normal. While Ramnarace was in pain and suffering Boodoosingh was enjoying his vacation. To add insult to injury, instead of being charged, suspended from duty and prosecuted, Boodoosingh was in fact promoted last year to the rank of Police Corporal.

In the meantime, police officers routinely threaten, intimidate and harass Ramnarace and his family in a brazen attempt to pressure him into dropping this case against their colleague. The restaurant and bar where Ramnarace was shot is called "Boodoosingh's" and is owned and managed by PC Boodoosingh's wife. It is a popular watering hole for senior police officers who can be frequently seen there. Boodoosingh now sports a spanking new BMW motorcar (not registered in his name, of course) and had moved on with his life. 

Ramnarace's journey for justice has come to a bittersweet end. The most helpless feeling as a young Attorney is to represent a poor young man, successfully fight for the vindication of his rights and then face the harsh reality of the injustice in this justice. Where's the justice for Ramnarace?

The election violence in Jamaica is a powerful reminder of how lucky we are to have each other in Trinidad and Tobago. Open exchange of gunfire, murders, electors shot at whilst going to vote, stolen ballot boxes, beaten election officials and an entire family of seven wiped out are just some of the chilling highlights. Whatever our differences, we are all part of a unique society that can boast about smooth and peaceful political transitions over the years. 

Our Parliament is breathing again and life seems to be returning to normalcy. The democratic antidote of general elections has worked. It has neutralized the uncertainty and fear and resuscitated our stifled Parliament. On we go with the people's business. And what is the people's business? Simple things: employment, housing, water, lights, good roads, health, education and recreational facilities. Governments somehow manage to loose sight of these basic requirements of the people. They would boast about macroeconomic issues and major capital intensive projects, rattling off impressive statistics while the poor man in Barrackpore and Laventille bawls in pain after his 10 days is over and his crop is flooded out. 

The role of local government needs to be reviewed in the context of constitutional reform. The idea of decentralization was raised by the Robinson led NAR government but never fully explored. It was thought that the municipal corporations could be the machinery that would facilitate a more equitable distribution of state resources. The present limited role and function of these corporations must be reviewed. Local government councilors are oftentimes more in tune with the needs of the people than MP's. Councilors are hampered from responding to the plight of their local communities because they have no effective channel to the ear of the men with the power and resources i.e., Cabinet Ministers. 

Perhaps the media needs to adjust its focus to include coverage of the monthly meetings of the various municipal and city corporations. This is where the issue of local neglect and the suffering of the poor and oppressed are highlighted while Parliament debates legislation and macro-economic issues. 

One of the flaws in our parliamentary democracy is that there is no system to audit the performance or non-performance of elected officials. Ours' is a one-day democracy, where people happily place their 'X' once every five years (or three years in the case of local government elections) and then disconnect from the political process of democracy. It is as if their democratic right and responsibility is encapsulated in this one day of voting and it comes to an unceremonious end at 6pm.

This lackadaisical political culture breeds irresponsibility and neglect. It explains why quite recently, one MP was able to hold onto his seat in Parliament for 5 years even though he was working in Africa full-time. The then Speaker of the House of Representatives facilitated this immoral contempt for our democracy by continuously granting the offending MP permission to absent himself from sittings of Parliament. 

Constitutional reform must restore power to the people. People only see their MP's during election time canvassing. They are otherwise inaccessible and unaccountable. Perhaps the time has come to introduce a people-based audit on the performance of elected officials. For example, if more than one-half of the registered electors in a particular constituency/local government district petition the President to remove their MP or Councilor then the President should be able to declare his seat vacant and announce a by-election, provided the EBC verifies the registration status of the petitioners. This will keep some of them on their toes! 

This having been said, MP's should be given adequate personal resources (such as 5-7 full-time executive assistants paid for by the state) to ensure that the constituency office of the MP is equipped to service the needs of the people. 

In the absence of this kind of critical support the efforts of diligent MP's can be easily frustrated and cause them to succumb to the unrewarding culture of non-performance. 

Our present system reduces the role of the people to that of by-standers on the political periphery. They are used by politicians to win an election and largely ignored until the next election whilst the elected official looks after himself. Constitutional reform must address this apathy and promote a symbiotic relationship between the people and their elected officials, where each have a clear stake in helping the other or else our democracy will remain a one day farce that promotes non-performance.

As the political dust settles and our ugly racial cleavage is revealed I ask myself, 'where do we go from here?' The depressing sense of helplessness and sadness saw one-half the nation feting while the other half mourned its loss of political power. The contrasting spontaneous eruption of tears of joy by PNM supporters and sorrow by UNC supporters, two peoples sharing one homeland, exposed the fallacy of the confluence of the metaphorical Ganges and the Nile.

In the midst of my hurt and pain I wondered whether this was how my PNM African brothers and sisters felt when they lost political power to the UNC. My pain ironically helped me understand their joy at regaining office. 

The raw, uncontrollable emotion of both our peoples must surely tell us something about our present ethnically polarized politics.

We cannot continue with the first-past-the-post system where the winner literally takes all. The harsh social reality is that it pits one racial group against the other and breeds disharmony. No amount of lip service and rhetoric and change this. Constitutional reform is imperative and cannot be postponed. Before a single vote was counted, Panday was highlighting this
upon his arrival at Rienzi Complex.

Pnaday's political philosophy about the need for national unity and the politics of inclusion is as relevant today as it ever was. A new political formula for governance is required if, as Winston Dookeran says, we are to 'get our politics right'. 

How do we get our politics right? The 'one love' campaign of the NAR in 1986 and the 'national unity' platform of the UNC are but political variation's of the 'here every creed and race find an equal space' concept. A key component of this political idea is the equitable distribution of state resources taking into account inter alia, geography, religious, race, culture and class.

The history of PNM expenditure reveals a disturbing inequality in state expenditure and the use of state power. The PNM developed its geo-political African and mixed base in urban North-Trinidad and neglected Central and South Trinidad. This, despite the fact that oil was being pumped from the bosom of the Southland. For 30 years it ruled with a carefully managed
alliance with the urban Indo Muslim and Presbyterian vote to the virtual exclusion of the Hindus and rural Indians. 

The demarcation of constituency boundaries with distinctly disproportionate geographical area and population statistics influenced state expenditure. (In terms of population and size, some UNC seats double and triple PNM safe seats.) Why bother with equal distribution of state power and resources when you can easily control a majority of seats by focusing government expenditure in a few strategic constituencies? 

The only PNM seat with significant Indian support was the constituency of Nariva. A PNM Member of Parliament by the name of Hardeo Hardath held this seat for 16 years from 1971-1986. As he exited politics he bitterly condemned the PNM for its policy of racial discrimination by stating "My PNM leaders cave not for me, my race and indeed my constituency". (Express Newspapers, August 8th 1986. How can you explain this sentiment from a PNM MP of 16 years standing?

The refusal of the PNM to move from its political crease is tragic. It seems content to practice the politics of the past on the assumption that its base presents a guaranteed majority. So, it will re-paint existing NHA housing schemes and build new ones in marginal seats; create more soup kitchens; maintain the immoral ethnic imbalance in the police, army, prison, fire
service and the public service in general; do nothing to change the fact that 23 of our 25 permanent Secretaries are Afro-Trinidadians; re-introduce the discriminatory education concordat so that Hindus and Muslims cannot build their own schools to catch up with the other religious bodies; embrace Cro Cro and Sugar Aloes despite their obnoxious anti-Indian calypsos; continue state funding for indigenous African culture via pan, calypso and Best Village (and legitimize same by describing it as 'national culture') but ignore Chutney and Mastana Bahar; refuse to accept that it is insensitive and wrong not to have a single building, monument or major roadway in our nation's capital named after and Indo-Trinidadian; maintain
its tacit policy of hiring and promoting Afro-Trinis in state enterprises and government offices whilst firing and demoting Indian workers (who would all be 'under investigations'); and grin and flash baliser tie-pins on official government duty.

As for corruption, it will reward its financiers and supporters with contracts the media will remain silent. It will ensure that nothing comes out of the following criminal investigations: PNM corruption in the Labidco fiasco; the infamous 48 hours radio license; the Eddie Hart assault of Mayor Orlando Nagessar; the planting of cocaine in Sadiq Baksh's water tank; and
the charging of the mob of PNM supporters that had attacked those accused in the airport corruption matters outside the Port of Spain Magistrates Courts (even though the television videotape evidence was sent to the DPP over 4 months ago). No Commission of Enquiry into PNM corruption will be set up as promised and agreed to in the famous Crowne Plaza accord. The media will of course not term this a breach of the agreement but a smart political move by a brilliant Prime Minister. 

This bland politics of the past is not likely to succeed. The dynamics are different. With 16 MP's in Parliament and the likes of Winston Dookeran, Roodal Moonilal, Gillian Lucky, Kamla Bissessar, Gerald yet Ming, Manohar Ramsaran and Kelvin Ramnath et al we are going to have a strong and effective opposition. Additionally, there is a great body of independent
thinkers such as Lloyd Best, Martin Daly, Dana Seetahal, Russel Martineau, Lennox Grant and Dr Daneshwar Mahabir who will standup for principle. As a nation, we must confront the issue of constitutional reform squarely and address this challenge as a critical imperative.

We must face our political karma with courage and intelligence, and demand equal space and treatment in our homeland. From the womb of this dark political night small lights of hope for the future shall be borne. They shine of faith and belief, and in their hands are the hidden seeds of new beginnings. God bless our Nation. 

"Charges were laid against Tim Gopeesingh by the government of the UNC, not by us! They were thrown out on a technicality; on the ground that the charges laid are not known to law. The question is, whether this was accidental or deliberate". PM Patrick Manning at a public meeting on September 25th 2002.

In his zeal to counter the political benefit of Tim Gopeesingh's acquittal Manning has dealt the independent office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the administration of justice a damaging punch below the belt. Headlines such as "UNC to blame for Gopeesingh's freedom" are puzzling, stupid and dangerous.

If Manning blames the UNC for the decision by Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicols to dismiss all 9 charges then I wonder if he is conversely going to praise and credit the UNC with the conviction and execution of the infamous Dole Chadee gang? What does the Prime Minister mean by suggesting the 'UNC is to blame'? Is he suggesting that the Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nichols and the then DPP Senior Counsel Mark Mohammed were secretly aligned to the UNC?

 The DPP is appointed by the Judicial & Legal Services Commission (JLSC), which the Chief Justice chairs. Section 90(3) of the constitution vests the DPP with exclusive power to institute criminal proceedings against any citizen. The DPP at the time these charges were laid was respected Senior Counsel Mark Mohammed who is hailed and recognised as the best DPP in our nation's history. Mohammed has since been elevated to the position of a High Court Judge in the Supreme Court. This appointment was made by the JLSC, which was at the material time chaired by former Chief Justice Michael de la Bastide.

To insinuate that Mohammed might have deliberately drafted a wrong charge in the face of compelling evidence that pointed to a different offence is madness! To stab such a rusty political dagger in Mohammed's back at a time when he is sitting as a High Court Judge (and therefore cannot defend himself) is "advantage".

Manning's ill-advised attack can have serious repercussions. At a local meeting one PNM lawyer hinted that such matters might constitute fertile ground for removal from judicial office. This attack will damage the judiciary as an institution and erode public confidence in the administration of justice. It must be nipped in the bud and roundly condemned by all right thinking members of society. Manning's foolish interference did not however, stop with his blaming of the UNC for Gopeesing's acquittal. He went on to say that he had raised the matter with Attorney General Glenda Morean and intended to deal with it.

This backed our new DPP into a bit of a corner and he was forced to go on the defensive explaining that the AG is the legal advisor to cabinet and hence there was nothing wrong in her enquiring about the case. Our bright, new, young DPP (whose appointment I publicly supported in this column) unfortunately came across in a politically apologetic manner almost as if he is a friend of the PNM. He should have simply left the 'defending' for the PNM to do because he runs the risk of fuelling speculation about the depth of his personal relationship with AG Morean and the PNM.

The perception is that the PM is trying to influence and interfere with the administration of justice because Gopeesingh's acquittal weakens the PNM's election campaign which is based on corruption. For the PM to publicly voice his disapproval of and displeasure with the court's decision and then knock on the DPP's door to inquire about the matter means that he wants to send a message. This, he is simply not allowed to do under the doctrine of separation of powers which insulates the judiciary from political influence and interference. This matter is no different to Manning calling the Marabella police station to demand information about his arrested driver. No matter what you say, the average person will not perceive it as a normal inquiry.

When the Prime Minister moves, it is the entire executive that moves for he is the head. Manning's position on this issue is clearly politically motivated and is nothing short of a blatant attempt to exert executive pressure on the DPP, the judiciary and the administration of justice. If his concern about people who get off on a technicality is genuine, then perhaps he should ask Glenda to inquire about the debt owed by the insurrectionists who murdered, rioted and looted but then got off on the technicality of a pardon. Equality of treatment is after all, a fundamental right under our constitution. Why single out Gopeesing, Mr Manning?

The sight of PNM supporters ganging up to taunt, physically threaten and assault Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagessar sent shivers down the nation's spine. One woman actually stated "he from Chaguanas and cyah come here!". (This, notwithstanding the fact that the EBC office in Tunapuna services 6 electoral districts including Chaguanas.) Nagessar stated that Hart pointed his finger in his face and encouraged the mob and did nothing to try and defuse the situation. Hart refused to meet with his opponent Carlos John to discuss the incident and develop a 'campaign code of ethics' and has refused to apologise to Nagessar personally for the violent incident.

 From newspaper reports, Attorney Haroon Maharaj saved Nagessar by shoving him into an adjacent courtroom. Frighteningly, the mob attempted to push their way into the courtroom but was prevented from doing so by the quick-thinking lawyer who locked the door and told Nagessar to run through the back door that leads to the prisoners cell-block downstairs. Poor Nagessar ran for his life and was driven away in a police vehicle to the Tunapuna police station where he made a report.

 This scene brought back memories of the mob of PNM supporters that had violently confronted and hounded businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh and the others charged with offences arising out of the construction of the airport. Back then, the former DPP Mark Mohammed S.C. requested videotapes from both television stations promising to deal with the matter. (Mohammed was subsequently elevated to the High Court bench and is now a judge.) The burning question that remains unanswered however, is how come no charges were laid against anyone? The unlawful behavior of this band of PNM supporters was shown on national television for all to see. They pursued Galbaransingh et al like hunting dogs would manicou in the full view of uniformed police officers who amazingly, did not intervene. Rupatee Mohan's plight which was recently highlighted in the Express newspaper typifies the UNC experience with the police. She claimed 2 carloads of policemen banged on her doors at 4am and terrorized her family under the pretext that they were investigating voter padding. The very police officers had been to her home at least 5 times before, at hours ranging between 1:30 am and 4 am on the very issue. The police denied the family their constitutional right to contact their Attorney and unlawfully refused to show them the search warrant they claimed to have in their possession. No charges were ever laid, of course.

The police illegally handcuffed Sadiq's niece on her first appearance at the San Fernando Magistrate's court and deliberately paraded her before the media for photographs to be taken despite the fact that they had no criminal record and there was no need to physically restrain her. They tip off reporters and newspaper photographers when they're going to execute a search warrant on Carlos John's home, going to seize bank records, or simply returning from London. Compare this level of police enthusiasm with the treatment of PNM hooliganism and unlawful behaviour.

One newspaper reported that the police said they would treat Nagessar's report "like any normal, matter". This is no normal, run-of-the-mill matter. How the police deal with this incident will signal to the PNM , the UNC and the electorate its attitude to violence and thuggery during this election season. One would have thought that the police would have moved swiftly to arrest and charge people to nip this worrying potential election violence in the bud and send a message to would-be hooligans that such behaviour will not be tolerated. Instead of a swift, no-nonsense response, what we get is a slack, naieve and ignorant reaction. The PNM mob that hounded, assaulted and abused the "Airport six" outside the PoS Magistrates court were guilty of several criminal offences including contempt of court, breach of the peace, disorderly behaviour in a public place and resisting arrest (oops, I forgot, no one tried to arrest them).

Videotape evidence was handed over to the police and the DPP at the request of former DPP Mark Mohammed, but no one was charged. Why not? Is it one rule for PNM people and another for UNC people? Do the police and DPP not realize that there is a growing public perception that UNC people are being specially targeted while PNM people are being specially protected? How come no police officer is banging on the doors of these culprits at 4 am to take statements and conduct investigations? Let us assume we had a politically independent police service that investigated the Labidco corruption scandal and Patrick Manning, Ken Julien and Malcolm Jones are charged. Or worse yet, the alleged corruption in the award of a radio licence to PNM financier and NLCB Chairman Louis Lee Sing and that Bereaux and Sing were charged. Could you imagine what would happen if UNC supporters hounded them and violently confronted them outside the court?

The rapid, quick-fire response of the police would lead to arrests and charges within 14 days! Naturally, the police would parade them before the media for pictures to be taken so that they can tacitly help the PNM in its campaign of intimidation. Why hasn't the Police commissioner disciplined the officer that illegally handcuffed Sadiq Baksh's niece? Why hasn't he suspended the officers who repeatedly terrorized Rupatee Mohan's family in the wee hours of the morning? Why the silence? Can we only reprimand and discipline the officer that truthfully leaked the story about Manning's call to the Marabella police station to inquire about his driver? The police must be firm and fair in the exercise of its duties. Blatant favoritism and special treatment for PNM supporters will only erode public confidence in the police service and cause people to retaliate and take the law into their own hands. We are traveling downhill at a rapid speed, getting closer and closer to the Guyana experience. Only the police can pull up the hand brakes. The question is though; do we have enough independent and fair-minded police officers to do the job? Come on guys, we're depending on you.

Forty years of independence is a useful juncture for us to pause and reflect on the struggles of the past to see whether we have truly cultivated a 'Trinbagonian ' cultural identity. For far too long, the spotlight has been focused on one side of the cultural stage.

The instinctive definition of a 'Trini' revolves around calypso, pan, limbo, carnival, crab and callalloo, feting in the Savannah, jumping up with Poison, Harts, Legends or Minshall and liming by Smokeys and Buntys or some other popular joint. Most of these elements are however, foreign to the large majority of East Indians in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a cultural identity which they do not share with their fellow citizens who are based in North Trinidad. (And please don't tell me about 'more Indians playing mas in Poison' ...this is a class thing for those who can afford to do so and is an unrealistic barometer to judge over 500,000 people).

The above features characterize the Afro-Trinidadian and French-Creole elite which is geo-politically based in Port of Spain. The Indian is still struggling for space and accommodation in this national identity. His cultural alienation and maginalization in the past has not stifled his unique and distinct identity which has evolved over the years and is now banging on the walls of the traditional definition of our Trini identity.

The recent government-sponsored 40 days of fete, which culminated in the Savannah, drew a massive crowd but was conspicuously and predictably largely African. The government plan of openly targeting, consolidating and reeling in the African vote was clearly working. Less than 10% of the performing artistes representing the culture of T&T were East Indians as was the crowd. This, of course, is also in keeping with the racial composition of the present administration's cabinet.

For over 30 years of PNM governance from 1956-1986 there was not a single Hindu Minister in the PNM's cabinet. We moved merrily along without anyone even noticing this glaring discrimination but if Panday had a cabinet full of Hindus without a single Christian for even one term, he would have been lynched! There isn't a single national building, monument or major roadway named after an Indian despite their success in many spheres of national life. The Eric Williams Financial Complex, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, the Hasley Crawford National stadium, Jean Pierre sports complex, Claude Noel highway, Ato Boldon and Dwight Yorke stadiums etc are just some of the many proud reminders of our outstanding African heroes. (Recently, we had Manny Ramjohn in Marabella thanks to Jack Warner). With the Naipaul/ National library fiasco the hope of having a national building named after an Indian is fast receding and this intensifies the alienation of a community that is now the majority group in society.

These harsh facts speak volumes about the historical exclusion and marginalisation of the East Indian community, which was but a mere "recalcitrant minority". In recent times, rapid progression has been made with the advent of Indian radio stations. The success of these radio stations bear testimony to the voracious appetite that always existed for Indian culture which was deliberately starved for 30 years under the PNM. Tassa, Indian dancing and chutney is slowly penetrating the traditional cultural barrier. But this is sadly due more to the efforts of private entrepreneurs that State funding and assistance.

The crowd at the Independence Day celebrations is typical of any cultural event held in the Savannah, the cultural capital and Mecca of our nation. There is nothing wrong with this. 90% of our pan men, calypsonians, limbo-dancers and the people who lime in North Trinidad are non-Indians and it is expected that they will predominate such events held in their backyard. To say that it open to Indians to join in these activities is to miss the point because it is equally open to non-Indians to join in Indian cultural activities and they choose not to. The large majority of persons in North Trinidad who read this column would scoff at this piece but ask them if they've ever been to a chutney show or the number of times they've ventured South of Grand Bazaar and you will get my point. For most people who live in North Trinidad our country ends at Grand Bazaar.

To those who justify the national status of calypso and pan on the basis that it was 'invented' here, I guess they didn't know that chutney and the dhantal were also 'invented' right here in sweet T&T by Indo-Trinidadians. These things did not come from India. They are indigenous to local Indians. Why then, shouldn't we equally proud and promote both? How many non-Indian school children even know what a dhantal is? Do they know what it sounds like? Why is this not a 'Trini' ting too?

But what then of the Indian who sees carnival, pan and limbo as being indigenous to African culture? You can count the number of Indian calypsonians, and steel bands on one hand. The Indian cultural response to carnival has been its own unique brand of indigenous music and song in the form of up-beat folk songs, which evolved into chutney. Subsequent experiments and variations produced chutney-soca, chutney-parang and pichakaaree.

There are a growing number of non-Indian participants in these chutney competitions but they remain a minority, almost in direct proportion to the number of Indian participants at the annual calypso monarch competition. Most chutneys are now sung in plain English and the top chutney song at the moment racing up the local charts is sung by a black woman (Carlene Wells) from the Triveni Indian orchestra.

Some say chutney and pichakaaree is the indigenous Indian cultural response to calypso. However you choose to describe it, one thing is clear: there are two equally potent, indigenous parallel cultural streams running alongside each other with distinct ethnic support from our two major races. The cultural confluence of the 'Ganges' and the 'Nile' is but a temporary façade that occurs on stage at official government functions when we try to project a meretricious harmonious cultural image to impress foreign guests and the odd elite French Creole audience at the Country Club.

Chutney and the dholak is to the Indian, what calypso and pan is to the African. Sundar Popo and Cecil Fonrose is to the Indian what The Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener is to the African. ( And in case you're wondering, yes, Cecil Fonrose is a renowned, African singer of Indian music and he is a celebrity in the Indian community). This is the reality. Describing carnival and pan as "national" will not change this social and cultural reality. A chutney or Indian cultural show has never been, and will probably never be, staged at the savannah. That does not mean that it is any less Trinidadian!

This cultural and social reality must inform the way we define the Trini identity lest we alienate one-half the country's population. All Indian orchestras now play calypso and dub with a unique chutney flavor. You will never hear the Prisons, Police or Army band playing an Indian song at our annual Independence Day celebrations- why? None of our big-name carnival bands can play a chutney or Indian song of any kind. Is 'cross-over' music only for Indian bands and artistes to cross over the cultural bridge not vice versa?

Indian culture has traditionally received token exposure and treatment by the State. The odd Indian dance at official functions, musical experiments by Mungal Patasar using the tabla and the pan, Rikki Jai and Drupatee Ramgoonai as Indian calypsonians, Jit Samaroo as a pannist extraordinaire and roti and doubles at all-inclusive Carnival fetes for the upper class are all overused as cultural 'consolation' prizes' for a group that is not allocated its fair or any space in the national identity. After 40 years of independence and 155 years of Indian arrival isn't it time to revisit and re-define the 'Trinbagonian' identity so as to include an Indian cultural dimension? The State should be funding the national Chutney Soca Monarch and Mastana Bahar as it does the National Calypso Monarch and Best Village. After all, 40,000 fete-loving Indians wining to the spicy chutney in Skinners Park, cannot be less equal than 40,000 non-Indians jamming to sweet soca music in the Savannah in a country that boasts 'every creed and race find an equal place"

The EBC will be the fulcrum of our democracy in the upcoming general elections on October 7th. The EBC is a venerable institution that has weathered many election storms over the years. It has served us well even though it was essentially moulded and shaped during the PNM era. Its constitutional independence and political insularity was the brainchild of the late Dr Eric Williams.

The present Chairman of the EBC Oswald Wilson was appointed some 25 years ago by the PNM. Raoul John has been therefore over 13 years. Lance Murray has been there for over 17 years. In fact, the majority of EBC Commissioners were appointed by the PNM whilst it was in office. Only one Commissioner was appointed during the UNC's term in office by President ANR Robinson. The President appoints an EBC Commissioner after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition: Section 71(3) of the constitution. We can only assume that Presidents Sir Ellis Clarke, Justice Noor Hassanali and ANR Robinson choose distinguished individuals who would act fairly and be politically impartial in the execution of their duties as EBC Commissioners.

The administrative staff of the EBC were all hired and promoted by the Public Service Commission when the PNM was in government. Howard Cayenne was promoted to the post of Chief Elections Officer during the tenure of former Chief Justice and Chairman of the EBC Sir Issac Hayatali. Cayenne worked his way up the ranks. He has served and rowed through many elections and is experienced and extremely well qualified for the job. Like the rest of the public service, Africans comprise the majority of the EBC staff. These people were hired when the PNM was in Government and have remained there over the years. They have served us well over the years.

Since the last general election the EBC has conducted a detailed nationwide voter verification exercise to update its list of Electors. This was well publicized with jingles and regular advertisements in the print and electronic media. Both the UNC and PNM conducted their own voter verification exercise using the last electoral list to weed out suspected 'voter padders'. Earlier this year, the updated 2002 Annual list of Electors was published by the EBC (in accordance with section 29 of the Representation of the People Act) for public inspection. The public was advised and urged to inspect the said list to report any inaccuracies and object to any names. Newspaper advertisements actually published the relevant form, which members of the public could use to lodge their objection(s) to any name(s).

During this entire exercise a well-organized public relations campaign educated citizens and stressed our individual responsibility and duty to ensure the veracity and integrity of the electoral list. The slogan "To vote is your right, to register is your responsibility" sensitized everyone to their role in helping the EBC update and 'clean-up' the list of electors.

In light of the above one is hard-pressed to understand the PM Patrick Manning's unhappiness with the EBC. His government has been attacking the EBC. In recent times, it has been trying to force the EBC to accept a strategic management advisor, this being one of the recommendations of the Deyalsingh Inquiry. The Deyalsingh report is under legal challenge before the High Court but the AG Glenda Morean is nevertheless trying to hastily implement its recommendations!

Apart from the intimidating and militant tone of AG Morean's recent letter to the EBC on this issue, the government's view that cabinet can unilaterally increase the number of staff of the EBC by contract appointments is fundamentally flawed. The AG threatened the EBC that "where cabinet approval has been granted for a contract position, the relevant Minister has the authority to select the person to fill the position...".

To allow the cabinet of any ruling party to select and superimpose senior level staff for the EBC in key strategic areas of its liking is sheer madness! This would legitimize political interference with the EBC and trespass on its constitutional independence.

AG Morean's arrogant and intimidating letter to the EBC must be condemned for what it is: a bold faced and shameless attempt by the PNM to install one of its cronies in the bosom of the EBC in the hope that they may be able to artificially engineer a victory for the PNM. No cabinet of any ruling political party must dare bully and harass the EBC in this manner. The PNM should be the last to cry foul because the EBC Commissioners and administrative staff were all appointed during its tenure in government. Those that were not appointed by the PNM were appointed by the NAR under former Prime Minister ANR Robinson, who is now a PNM hero.

If the PNM has its way and it is allowed to superimpose its chosen candidate on the EBC as its strategic management advisor this would compromise the political impartiality of the EBC in the eyes of the other political parties and erode public confidence.

The EBC is crucial to our democracy. It has done a remarkable job to update and perfect the annual list of qualified electors. The blame for any inaccuracies and shortcomings might well fall on the shoulders of the political parties and citizenry who ought to have inspected and scrutinized the list to do their part. After all, the right to vote is only valuable if we value it.

"I am of the view that a criminal investigation is warranted to determine whether among other offences, offences conspiracy to Defraud and Misbehaviour in Public Office are revealed. I have accordingly forwarded to the Commissioner of Police the documentation submitted ......... with my advice that a criminal investigation be conducted". Former DPP, Senior Counsel Mark Mohammed (now High Court Judge) in a letter dated 9th day of May, 2002 to the UNC on PNM corruption in the LABIDCO fiasco.

The words above flashed across my mind as I read the headline story in this Monday's (19th August, 2002) Newsday newspaper entitled "Eyesore evidence collected from London trip". The story dealt with the return of the Head of the Police Fraud Squad, Senior Superintendent Virgil Hill from London where he had gone to conduct further investigations into the Panday bank account. Having cleverly stated that Piggot refused to answer any questions about the investigation because it was confidential and sensitive, the article nevertheless went on the state that senior police sources described the information collected as "eyesore evidence". This was within 12 hours of Piggot's return!

Assuming Piggot had refused to answer questions posed by the media, who leaked this damaging prejudicial story about "eyesore evidence" against Panday? It would have to be someone Piggot reported to within 12 hours of his return. Who would the Head of the Fraud Squad report to on an investigation into the bank account of the former Prime Minister? Who would have been privy to the information collected by Piggot and worse yet, why would they want to leak it to the Newsday knowing fully well that it would be completely unethical to disclose such matters whilst an investigation was in progress. Was it Police Commissioner Hilton Guy? If not, why didn't he condemn this politicking by his senior officers?

I waited to see if anyone would refute this article or condemn this leak. Neither the Police Commissioner nor the idiotic Christopher Holder (who dared threaten Panday with arrest because he said the police was acting in cahoots with the PNM) bothered to condemn this damaging leak which clearly flows from the apex of one of our most powerful and supposedly independent institutions. It is well known that the Privy Council has commented unfavourably on excessive adverse pre-trial publicity because it militates against the right to a fair trial by a jury of 12 unbiased minds. Who is trying to damage the administration of justice in this manner to satisfy their narrow political agenda? Our supposedly independent police force?

Is there really merit to the growing perception that there is a tacit political conspiracy between our police service and the PNM government? The racial imbalance in the police service is fertile ground for this perception given the fact that the Manning administration has openly courted the African vote and shunned East Indians. The racial composition of Manning's cabinet reflects the racial composition of the hierarchy of the police service: 90% African and 10 % Indian.

But let me return to the above quotation. The former DPP, Mark Mohammed SC in May 2002, instructed the Commissioner of Police to conduct a criminal investigation into the infamous LABIDCO scandal where the PNM government destroyed one of the region's finest golf courses and wasted over $120 million on the failed La Brea Industrial Estate. An independent cabinet appointed committee comprising UWI lecturers, private sector representatives and Ministry officials found that Manning and his cohorts pursued this project for blatant political mileage and ignored geo-technical reports that predicted failure. Let me quote some of the findings of the investigating committee: -

(1) The then Chairman of NGC and the then Prime Minister were appraised of the engineering, geo-technical and geological constraints associated with the development of the site. Nevertheless, the chairman of NGC advised that despite the technical constraints La Brea/Brighton was the preferred site for the new industrial estate;

 (2) There was no rigorous technical, social or economical justification for La Brea/Brighton as the optimum site for the proposed new Industrial site;

(3) The government choose to site the new industrial estate in the La Brea/Point Fortin constituencies rather than at Point Lisas in the Couva South constituency for political reasons as outlined in the PNM's 1991 manifesto. At the time the proposed LNG plant would have benefited primarily the promoters and investors in the project;

(4) There was no structural decision making process to support the conclusion to establish a new industrial estate for petroleum based industries at that time;

 (5) NGC committed the government to an environmental risk for which the country would have incurred an unquantifiable financial liability. Despite all factors against development of the site Cabinet in 7th day of December, 1994 took the decision to invest TT $435.7 million. After the DPP ordered an investigation Manning attempted to disguise the corruption and waste by publicly admitted that his administration had spent $120 million on the estate but that he was now (some 10 years later) going to revisit this venture in the hope of establishing a vibrant petrochemical and plastics industry (Guardian, 5th day of May, 2002).

Since May, 2002 when the DPP advised and directed the Commissioner of Police to investigate this massive PNM corruption fiasco we have had no leaks to the media from the police officers conducting this investigation. When AG Glenda Morean was pressuring the Integrity Commission by publicly complaining about the slow pace of its investigations into Panday's bank account she did not express any concern about the pace of the police investigations into criminal fraud by the same people who are in the bosom of her administration.

Each day, we read about the steps being taken by the police investigating the UNC. The PNM-friendly police leak to their political cohorts in the media when they're going to search Carlos John's home so they can surprise poor Carlos an dtake a few pictures for the front page; when they're going London to check Pandays bank account photographers and TV cameras just happen to be at the airport; the police are quick to arrest young UNC ladies (with no previous criminal records) for voter padding and parade them for photos in handcuffs. But what about the LABIDCO investigations into PNM corruption as ordered by the DPP? No parallel leaks to the media? Why protect the PNM and destroy the UNC? Why not dish out equal treatment?

My information is that certain high ranking PNM police officers are conspiring to deliberately suppress and "drag-on" this investigation to avoid causing political damage to the PNM before the imminent general elections. I'm not surprised, are you?

Vishnu Ramlogan and Carlos John have fallen victim to the powerful pen of the Auditor General (AG) in recent times. I say 'victim' because the onslaught was well timed to cause maximum political damage when general elections are imminent and you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Nothing they do will be able to erase the damage done by these politically motivated and well-orchestrated headlines spawned by letters from the Acting Auditor General Ms Jennifer Fredricks.

What if I told you that in neither case have the AG actually prepared an Audit report as required by the constitution? Yep, that's right; there's no audit report - they're in the process of gathering information and asking questions. This is standard preliminary auditing procedure. What is being cleverly leaked and bandied about in the media is not normal annual report of the AG but management letters, which are basically queries with requests for further information and classification. These letters were addressed to the relevant company and government officials. The problem is, these letters are sneakily being simultaneously been leaked to the media by someone in the AG's department with a clear political agenda. It has all the hallmarks of a political hatchet job!

The AG is merely going through the normal procedure of information gathering. But the queries carry a political tome and seem to be designed and phrased with politics in mind, to provide fodder for the government to attack the UNC and sustain the image of corruption. The queries are reported in the media and used by the politicians as though they are facts, findings and conclusions in a final audit report. There is evidence to suggest that the AG is either playing politics, plain incompetent or deliberately misleading the public. In her management letter dated July 19th 2002 addressed to the President of TIDCO AG Jennifer Fredrick claims never to have seen Ramlogan's contract of employment. Ramlogan states that he has a copy of the very contract and that it was initialed by Ms Fredricks. How embarrassing!

One of the cardinal principles of natural justice is that a man must be told the nature of the allegations made against him and be given the opportunity to defend himself by making representations to counter the allegations. This fundamental right to be heard is being emasculated before our very eyes, where queries, questions and requests for further information in management letters are cunningly used for political character assassination.

Why hasn't the AG condemned these dangerous leaks to the media and the use of her confidential management letters for political scandal? Why is she allowing her office to be used as a political weapon? The office of the AG is fast becoming a PNM instrument of political terror. Is there a conspiracy here? Acting AG Jenifer Fredricks must either condemn these sensational media leaks and put these letters in their proper context or else accept the growing perception that she is singing from the PNM corruption hymn book so she will be promoted in the post of AG. (An acting AG is appointed to act by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition).

The office of the Auditor general is established by section 117 of the constitution. It is an independent office that is "not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority". The Auditor General must submit annual audit reports to the Speaker, the President of the Senate and the Minister of Finance (note the order of priority). Section 117(5) states that "The President of the Senate and the Speaker shall cause the report to be laid before the Senate and the Speaker shall cause the report to be laid before the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively, at the next sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives after receipt thereof". Well we all know that there's no Parliament so the constitutional structure is irreversibly fractured.

There is no Parliament and no annual AG report. So what's all this about? Following the Integrity Commission, the AG remains silent while her important and constitutionally independent office is being dragged into the political arena.

The salary and bonus figures for executive high fliers like Vishnu Ramlogan would obviously sound scandalous to the average man and is good political ammunition for the PNM but the truth is if Ramlogan's remuneration package is converted to $US it is below international standards. Vishnu Ramlogan is earning more now than when he was at TIDCO.

He could have chosen not to serve in public office and made a lot more. His successor who is serving under the PNM is getting paid the same scandalous salary. This salary was determined by reference to and is comparable with remuneration package of CEO's in the private sector. In the present global corporate village people like Carlos John, Vishnu Ramlogan and Winston Dookeran will singly pick up and migrate to the USA or UK where they can earn much more with less flack and hassle if we continue to harass them.

This type of professional level brain drain precipitates economic decline and many third world nations are still reeling from the impact of executive high-level brain drain. The damage has already been done. The sensational blaring headlines have intensified the corrupt image the UNC even though no one has been convicted to date and the High Court has ruled that the police had illegally searched Galbaransingh's property. Ramlogan and Carlos have been tainted. Forget the courts, the fact that the AG's report must be laid and debated in Parliament, the right of a man to be informed of allegations made against him and respond thereto etc. After all, we are no longer living in a functioning democracy, so what's the big deal?

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are American people's liberty, teeth and keystone under independence" US President George Washington "Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India's history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest" Mahatma Gandhi's Autobiography

Howard Chin Lee literally shot into the limelight when he recently shot himself in the foot with his personal firearm. As a flourishing businessman, Chin Lee felt it necessary to arm himself against potential criminal attacks. He equipped himself with a firearm to protect and defend his property, life, wealth and family. What then, are we to make of Chin Lee's present stance as Minister of National Security that he opposes the issuing of firearm licences to the Chagunas businessmen who have been under attack by bandits and kidnappers?

Prominent businessman Wilbur Balgobin was able to defend himself last week when he was attacked by armed bandits. He drew his gun and fired at his would-be kidnappers. The Chagunas police took a mere 35 minutes to respond to Balgobin's frantic and desperate calls for help after the bandits sped off in a waiting car. (The Chagunas police station is located less than 5 minutes from Balgobin's home).

Word is, poor Balgobin is now being investigated by the police for posing with a friend's firearm to demonstrate what had transpired for the media. What a joke! His personal firearm is seized and Balgobin the victim, is being investigated because he posed with a friend's licensed firearm for the media in an effort to highlight the seriousness of the crime situation.

But back to Chin Lee's shooting himself in the foot. A security guard recently shot himself in the foot and his firearm was immediately seized. He would probably never get a licence again. Accidental, careless discharge of a firearm normally results in severe action. The Police Commissioner did not seize Chin Lee's personal firearm. Such an incident, I am told by a member of our nation's Firearms Appeal Board should have caused the Police Commissioner to seize the firearm in question, launch an investigation and recommend revoke the firearm licence. This of course, did not happen here. Why not? Is it one law for Chin Lee and another for Balgobin?

What secret criteria, pray tell, qualifies businessman Chin Lee to own a personal firearm but would, at the same time disqualify Chagunas businessmen from getting theirs? Precisely what entitles Chin Lee and others to the privilege of having a gun to defend their lives, businesses and property but disentitles the Chagunas businessmen?

The Chagunas businessmen are under attack. The recent spate of kidnapping, and robberies in Chagunas has terrorized them. Like Chin Lee, they have worked hard and sacrificed their entire lives to build their business. How can Chin Lee pompously pronounce that they do not deserve firearms?

If Chin Lee truly believes that 'guns are not the answer', then he should lead by example and hand in his own first! (This would at least minimize the risk of him shooting his other foot!) He should then influence all his business colleagues in the Port-of-Spain who are objecting to allowing Chagunas businessmen possessing firearms to do likewise. Only then will they have the moral authority to talk out against arming the Chagunas businessmen so that they can defend themselves. If as Minister of National Security Chin Lee cannot feel sufficiently safe and secure to do without a personal gun what message is he sending to the rest of us?

A personal firearm, with proper training and responsible use can enable people to defend themselves while Chin Lee's 'anaconda' lazily slithers by. In the USA the second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees all citizens, as a fundamental right, "the right to keep and bear arms". Our constitution does not give us such a right but it does guarantee "the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property".

Are we enjoying these rights? We have become prisoners in our own homes. Burglarproof windows, steel doors, pit bull dogs, expensive private security ( for the rich) and self-imposed curfews have become the norm for law-abiding citizens. The police took 35 minutes to arrive on the scene of a foiled kidnapping of a prominent businessman whose home is a mere 5-10 minutes away their station. Businessmen are worried for the lives of their children and loved ones. $5 Million in ransom money is paid and young Anthony Sabga is returned and Chin Lee describes the operation as a 'success'. Police advice if somebody hit your car from behind in the night is to smile and keep on driving - don't stop, because it could be a setup to try and rob and kidnap you. Women no longer go out alone at nights. Senior police officers admit that kidnapping is now a 'lucrative trade' because people are paying the ransom monies.

No one has been arrested or charged, far less prosecuted and convicted for these kidnappings. Rumours are spreading that there may be "lucifers" in the police service that they are actually tacitly involved in these kidnappings. We are under siege! And in the midst of all of this, our Prime Minister plans a 40 days national fete at a cost of over $5 million to celebrate our Republican status. That's the way our politicians deal with such minor problems- 'throw a fete and they goh wine and jam out dey worries'.

While Chin Lee is fighting tooth and nail against issuing guns to the Chagunas businessmen he moves with his finger on the trigger of his own personal gun. He piously contends that guns are not the solution to the crime problem but hasn't even spared a thought for the hundreds of illegal, guns that the criminals have when they confront these businessmen? Perhaps he just assumed that the criminals have licences for these guns and that after the 40 day fete to celebrate Republicanism the bandits will simply bow to him and throw their guns down at his feet. What a great crime plan!

> Trinidad and Tobago has often been described as a '7-day wonder country'.  The retentive capacity of the nation's memory cannot store anything for more  than a week. Today I wish to quote from a speech delivered by our country's > first and only Minister Extraordinaire (as he then was) the Hon.A.N.R. Robinson. This contribution was made in the House of Representatives on the 2nd August 1996. Mr Robinson is now the President of our Republic and is  known to be a man of high spiritual and moral values. His contribution in  Parliament on that day reads as follows: -

"...The second point I want to make is, this attempt to associate the Member  for Tobago East with the violent overthrow of government has been a practice  and a pattern of PNM behaviour from the time I left the PNM.I was charged  with having sat at the Prime Minister's desk, while he was making his way to  Jamaica, and gone through his papers as part of the design for that coup. A  newspaper inference by the PNM charged me specifically with that attempted coup; the violent overthrow of the government. I took the newspaper to  court, won the case and was awarded damages, but the PNM continued to make  the charge.

They sought to lock me up on several occasions. They locked me up twice,  wrongfully. On one occasion I obtained damages for false imprisonment. They  terrorized the population of Tobago saying that arms and ammunition were  hidden. They spread the report that Cuban arms were brought from Cuba and  deposited on the island. They sent policemen all over the island searching  people's homes. They terrorized activists of the party that I then led. They  did not find any guns and ammunition. When they locked me up they had to set > me free and had to pay damages, yet they have continued a pattern of  attempted character assassination.

If they cannot understand why they are on that side of the House, it is  because of the dirty campaign that they have been conducting over the years against the people of Tobago and this country whom they do not particularly  favour. This  personal level to which they have reduced politics-and the continuing  behaviour in that mode-out of which I thought the hon. Member for Arouca  South had escaped, but the direction of her leadership points the direction  which she takes.  Her leader came to the island of Tobago to take away what had been granted  by this Parliament-to nullify the laws of this Parliament-and substitute  himself for the laws passed by the Parliament. He came to lecture. [Interruption] They do not even have shame. No shame. A leader who bought a > car as an election bribe. Shameful.

Mr. Speaker, I can spend a lengthy time but the whole country knows their  pattern of behaviour. When they were in trouble with their own citizens, they sent for foreign arms to defend themselves. It was the Minister of  Defence of the United Kingdom, Mr. Dennis Healey, who revealed to me at a  place called Lake Como in Italy at the Rockefeller Villa where he was writing his memoirs, that they sent telegrams which would have meant the  British moving back into Trinidad and Tobago and taking over.  Venezuela was asked to send arms to defend their skins when they were in  trouble. So, it is not surprising that they were not at the religious service on Sunday. They pledged loyalty to the country and to the values  that underlie our multicultural and multi-racial society.

 ...What I want to emphasize is this pattern of behaviour by the party that  has turned out the most corrupt characters this country has ever seen and > wasted the money of this country in the most incredible fashion.  [Interruption] I have to reply. They had 10 times as much money to spend in  one year as they expected to spend and blew it until an hon. Member from another country had to say "it passed through them like a dose of salts". One can understand what comes from that side and why they behave in the manner that they do, and one can understand that that kind of behaviour would continue.

Mr. Speaker, my record is like an open book. They tried their best to sully  it: they have tried their best to destroy me personally-physically. I stood up against guns in a village called Ste. Madeleine when the police came to stop a  constitutionally convened and conducted meeting. The police was sent to stop  it. I stood up against them. They set the police against a people and they  were becoming hostile to the police. I said, "No, do not blame the police!  Make friends  with the police as a matter of self-defence. They have put you in opposition  to the police who have guns. You do not have any guns! When they terrorize  you and put the police against you and you become hostile to the police, understand that  the police have guns. You do not have guns so make friends with the police!" There is a certain newspaper which was started for the purpose of character  assassination. Seventeen copies were put into evidence by Mr. Algernon Wharton, QC, who represented me, showing the pattern of behaviour of that newspaper. They continued the pattern of behaviour...

...They persecuted persons who warned or gave a different point of view, and one of the principal persons targeted for this persecution, character assassination and even physical destruction was the Member for Tobago East. After 40 years they have not learned. The Member for Tobago East has survived. The reputation of the Member for Tobago East has survived. The dragon on the Red House; dragon down from the Red House in the dead of night-the Member for Tobago East does not operate in that fashion. The Member for Tobago East operates in the daylight. Everybody sees what he does; everybody knows and hears what he says. Let me emphasize that whatever they do, they will be fighting against ideas.

The besetting sin of the Member for Tobago East was that he stood up to the PNM and along with the supporters, he defeated them not only once, not twice, not three times but several times [Desk thumping] and on two occasions was principally responsible for the PNM's loss of power and going  into the Opposition; and for that it is clear that they do not intend to cease their campaign of attempted character assassination. The more they do that Mr. Speaker, one would have thought that they would recognize that the campaign has been a failure and they would re-examine their ways and turn to different methods of achieving power. It is not for me to suggest to them how they may do so. That is their dilemma, but one way I know they will not do so is by their constant denigration of the Member for Tobago East.

The "No-vote Campaign" was one such, when they refused to bring back the  Ballot Box. I remember what their leader said at the time, that the PNM  would not encourage the electorate to dream the impossible dream. And what  was the impossible dream? To remove the voting machines in which a large section of the population had no confidence whatsoever, and bring back the  Ballot Box. That was an impossible dream. But that impossible dream became  reality and it was  not through violent change, but peaceful change.

The "No-vote Campaign" resulted in the appointment of a Constitution > Commission. The Report of the Constitution Commission was rejected and the > principal author of that report, one of the most distinguished sons of > Trinidad and > Tobago ever, was denigrated for three hours in this very Parliament. What > was his sin? He sought faithfully to discharge his mandate to produce a > report based on consultation throughout Trinidad and Tobago for > constitutional reform of the > country. Not long after he died. C.L.R. James had to leave; Winston Mahabir > had to leave the country also; Hugh Wooding was denigrated and he died. So > many others were silenced, and so many participated in the campaign. Where > are they > today? I would have thought that the fledgling Members of the Opposition > would have realized that they have had many predecessors up to recently and > they have just been swept like chaff before the wind. It is the one who took > the greatest risks > and who went through the greatest sacrifice in standing up against the PNM, > who has survived." > > A thousand words, in this case helps to paint a much better than a picture, > won't you say?

'Perception is important'. This is one of the first things I was told in law school. Picture this: a black man is tried and convicted by an all-white jury for committing a crime against a white person. Whether people say it or not, the irresistible urge and temptation is to say that race played a factor and the trial was not fair. Justice must not only be done but must appear to be done. Would it matter if these people were told that none of the jurors were racially prejudiced? Even if they weren't racial, the perception would take root. Human nature perhaps? This brings me to the media conference hosted by Police Commissioner Hilton Guy to deny that the police service was in any conspiracy with the PNM to frame UNC party organizer Sadiq Baksh. Let me put this political conspiracy allegation in its proper social context.

Our country has 2 major races almost equal in numbers. The majority of Africans vote PNM and the majority of Indians vote UNC. Ethnic voting is a fact. The hierarchy of the police service is almost 90% African from the rank of Corporal upwards. Based on our history of racial voting the perception (and reality) is that African police officers vote for and support the PNM.

This socio-political reality would be exchanged if it were the other way around, with the majority of police officers being Indians and my comments in this article would have been no different - I would have been arguing for the inclusion of more Africans in our police service. Which party does Mr Guy think the majority of his officers support - the UNC? The odds are, they support the PNM.

Lets not kid ourselves. There is a growing perception among UNC supporters(the majority of whom are Indians), that there is a tacit political alliance between the PNM and certain high-ranking powerful officers in the police service. The frequent leaks to the media during the police investigations into the airport which led to daily sensational, politically damaging headlines, the recent attack by Christopher Holder President of the Police Officers Association against Mr Panday, the secret invitation to the media to cover the private visit and search by the police of UNC Carlos John's home, and the handcuffing of Mr Baksh's harmless niece who was on voter padding changes etc reinforce this perception.

The ethnic composition of the police service is fertile ground for this growing perception. Should such an important institution and pillar of our democracy not reflect the racial composition of our society? The perception that we have a PNM-friendly police service because of the conspicuous absence of Indian officers is not going to go away. Fear and respect for the police might make people reluctant to voice this perception, but it is there. The professionalism and integrity of our present officers is no answer to this problem of perception - remember that all-white judge and jury trial - they were not racial. It is crucial that the police service reflect the ethnic composition of the society that it has to 'protect and serve". Ethnic balance inspires confidence and public trust.

In Britain, the government is redressing the historic racial imbalance in its police service. They have set up a "Positive Action Team " (PAT) to recruit non-white officers with emphasis on Indians and Africans. PAT's aim is to dismantle barriers and promote change through the visible recruitment of ethnic minorities.

What is 'positive action"? It is a term derived from the Race Relations Act which allows an organization to offer extra support, advice education and encouragement to any under represented group. PAT's role is to assist the metropolitan police in achieving its target of 25% ethnic minority officers by 2009. This is a Home office directive as set out in government policy documents "Dismantling Barriers".

PAT organizes recruitment drives in ethnic minority areas to specially target Asian and Africans. They run 'candidate support sessions' to gently encourage and persuade candidates to join the police service. The minimum height requirement has long been abolished and physical fitness is judged by reference to the candidate's height and weight. This is helpful to ethnic groups that are naturally smaller in height and built. Recruitment for the technical and administrative departments of the police service is treated differently to the rest of the service.

A survey of the police service found that "the prevailing police culture was predominantly white and male, excluding those who were different. There were varied opinions as to the level of racism in the police and in particular whether it was any more prevalent than in wider society, but its existence was not questioned. Perceptions ranged from 'inherently racist' to 'an intransigent minority'. However, officers agreed that the power and responsibilities they had meant that the police had to be seen to be better than other institutions'. (Home Office; Attitudes of People policy document 2000).

The introduction of an 'ethnic monitoring policy' for the police service in London is worthy of emulation. Indians are not an ethnic minority here. The racial gap must be bridged. The last rounds of promotions in the police service show that the racial status quo is likely to continue for the next 10-20 years with Indians continuing to be nothing more than an inconspicuous minority in the hierarchy of our police service. Mr Guy and his deputy Commissioners Messrs Snaggs and Grant must address this problem now. Preaching that the police service is not PNM without acknowledging and redressing this problem of a racial imbalance with its obvious political implications will only reinforce the perception that the service is PNM.

I shall end by quoting the first paragraph of the Equal Opportunities policy of the London police: "The Metropolitan police seek to employ a workforce which reflects the diversity of backgrounds and cultures within which we operate and provide a working environment free from any form of harassment intimidation, bullying, victimization or unjustifiable discrimination". Over to you, Mr Guy.

One of the special things that made Trinidad and Tobago a paradise was its people. Our reputation for kindness, warmth and hospitality is internationally acknowledged and known. We could boast that 'yuh cyah geh lorse in Trinidad, man' because you could always stop just about anyone and ask directions. If your car stalled on the highway or you got into an accident good Samaritans would forget their outing and unhesitatingly stop to help out. There were no strangers; strangers were friends you had not met. All of this is changing (or has already changed). People are now scared to stop to help 'strangers'. Our way of life is quickly changing.

Based on the present trend the murder rate for this year is likely to break all records: eighty-two murders in 7 months and 1 week. I am heartened to hear that the government has finally decided to import foreign expertise to help our local law enforcement agencies in their loosing battle against the rampant and escalating crime situation. Let us hope it is not too late.

There is an evil and savage dimension to criminal activity in Trinidad. Our nation is paralysed with fear. Simple robbery is no longer "simple". It must involve some element of damage, rape, bodily harm, murder etc. The bandits are young and armed. The headline in Wednesday's newspapers said it all: "5 shot in 4 hours". Gang shootings and public assignations are now commonplace.

Frighteningly, the police, despite their best efforts, seem unable to cope with this onslaught of crime. Arrests and convictions are rare. A friend's car was recently stolen from outside TSTT in San Fernando. I asked whether he reported the matter to the police and his immediate response was "yeah but dat is jus fuh style because yuh know dem eh goh do nothing. I goh have to find meh car myself". This just about sums up our malaise. (The sad thing is though, my friend did in fact recover his car by dint of his own effort.)

Tonight a charity show is being held to help raise funds for Chutney singer Anil Suchit. Docs Engineering and George Singh are organizing the show. It starts at 8pm at the Docs Sporting Complex in Caroni. Anil's story is heart breaking. He lived in a 'modest' 2 bedroom in a poverty-stricken area called 'Bangladesh' with his wife Jenifer and two children five year old Anjellia and four month old Kevan. On the 22nd June 2002 at around 9:30 pm, his wife was cooking when shouts of "police, police! Open up!" rang out. The Suchits refused to open their doors and the electricity was suddenly cut off. Three masked bandits literally chopped their way into the house by mashing up the bedroom window. (This was the only window without burglar proofing and poor Suchit was saving up to secure it with burglar proofing later that month.)

As the bandits rummaged through their bedroom Suchit's wife begged them to take whatever they wanted but leave them alone. Instead, they took 2 cell phones and Anil's wallet and then attacked her husband, savagely chopping him on the head, left arm and on both legs. Anil was then beaten mercilessly with a baton. Little Angellia grabbed onto her father's legs and started screaming. She was kicked off by one of the bandits who was about to chop the 5 year old but was mercifully spared when the leader of the gang stopped him. Baby Kevan was snatched from his mother's arms and flung onto a bed that was then set on fire with gasoline. The house was doused with gasoline and set ablaze. The family tried to rum out but was ordered back inside the blazing inferno by the bandits. Shortly after the bandits left Anil, covered in blood and bleeding profusely from his chop wounds, crawled through the passageway of the front door and collapsed in a heap. Neighbours who miraculously managed to pull them out before they were cremated alive saved the family. Thank God for the courage and goodness of these neighbours.

Suchit lost everything in the blaze. What sort of evil is this? If people shout 'police'! outside your home at night what are you supposed to do? To date no one has been arrested for this horrible crime. This fact feeds our growing sense of insecurity.

A nation gripped by fear and petrified by daily kidnappings, robberies, shooting and murders, our way of life is under serious threat. The way we live is rapidly changing in response to criminal activity. The diseased tail is wagging the dog and forcing social change. This change, my brothers and sisters, is certainly not one that is "forged from the love of liberty" but is one "forged from the evil of criminal activity".

Let us show that we will not allow the bandits to suffocate our essential goodness. Spare a moment's prayer for recovering Anil Suchit and the many other victims who have suffered at the hands of these animalistic bandits. Let us support the Suchit family by attending the fund-raising charity show tonight at the Docs Sporting Complex in Caroni. Cheque contributions can also be mailed to Anil Suchit C/o The Chutney Organisation of T&T, PO Box 147, San Fernando. May God bless our nation.

Chief Justice (CJ) Satnarine Sharma's strong maiden speech at the ceremonial opening of the new law term (2002-2003) confirmed that former CJ Michael de la Bastide had passed the baton of leadership of the judiciary into safe hands. In a powerful and candid address the new CJ tackled head-on the appalling state of the Magistrates court system, the need an independent budget for the judiciary and the frightening inaction of the Commissioner of Police (COP) and the Minister of National Security to the cries from the Magistracy for protection in light of death threats.

The dilapidated and sub-human condition of some of our Magistrates courts is well documented. The sad sight of a sweating dedicated Magistrate fully clothed in jacket and tie, trying to dispense justice and do battle against the heat with an old, noisy, rickety fan in a small, smelly courtroom is all too familiar. The lack of technology and the consequent slow, grinding pace of justice has meant that the poor man's court is tethering on the brink of collapse.

What grabbed the headlines however, was the CJ's startling revelations about the frequency and number of death threats to Magistrates and the reaction of the Minister of Nation Security Howard Chin Lee and the Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy to the frightening situation.

According to Sharma, former CJ de la Bastide wrote Chin Lee and Guy on February 2002 to express his grave concerns about the lack of proper security for Magistrates. Mr. de la Bastide had enclosed a letter from the Magistrates that documented some of their complaints. A cursory glance reveals that a Magistrate had her home firebombed, intruders were leaving bullets with Magistrate's names on them in the Magistrate's private office at the courthouse (which is guarded by police officers), death threats from prisoners in open court, slashed car tyres at the special court car park for Magistrates, physical attacks from prisoners in open court etc.

The most alarming illustration of the Magistrates' predicament is the fact some were informed by the police that underworld assassination and murder contracts had been taken out of their lives. In one instance, a Special Branch inspector and Superintendent of police actually informed the Magistrate that he should be ready to shoot to defend himself; but on additional security was offered!

De la Bastide received no response to his first letter of February 22nd and on June 4th again wrote Chin Lee and Guy, diplomatically and doubtfully suggesting that perhaps his previous letter was not received. Astonishingly, there was no response to this letter either. The CJ quite rightly described the disrespectful lack of response "an act of gross discourtesy and as affront to the office of the CJ not to have even acknowledged receipt of the letters, let alone deal with the request for a meeting to formulate plans for the security of the Magistrates".

In any civilized democracy with respect for the rule of law, immediate apologies and an urgent meeting would have followed suit. Instead, we have Ag Inspector Christopher Holder, President of the Police Social and Welfare Association trying to defend Guy via a misplaced and arrogant attack against CJ Sharma.

In a media release Holder accused the CJ of adopting the "Woodford Square Model" of debate and advised Sharma to be "more temperate". This rude and insolent response serves to reinforce the CJ's point about the disrespect shown to his office and by extension the entire judiciary. This unfortunate, blatant attempt to belittle CJ Sharma is clearly premised on the mistaken assumption that Sharma must/would tolerate such derogatory and below-the-belt responses because he is new to the office and should want to steer clear of controversy.

Holder is clearly out of his (little) league. His unjustifiable, attack and gutter-type, political response underscores the wider problem of indiscipline in the police service. Holder is presently acting as an Inspector of Police and is in line for promotion. If these are the kind of police officers who progress in the police service the present malaise is quite understandable. In what could be interpreted as a veiled threat, Holder also gratuitously advised Sharma to be "more sensitive to the integrity of the very important security detail and not strip it in public". Nowhere in his wonderful press release did Holder deal with the real, and only issue raised by CJ Sharma viz, the gross discourtesy of the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security in failing to even acknowledge, (far less reply to or deal with) 2 letters from former CJ De la Bastide about the worrying lack of security for Magistrates who are targeted by frequent death threats from criminal elements. Common sense would tell us that this is indefensible and wrong.

Get a grip Mr. Holder; your tactless 'Woodford style' attack on CJ Sharma is arrogant, as it is tasteless, and insulting. I trust that you will have the food sense to apologise in due course and one day understand your role as an officer in the administration of justice. But then again, common sense is not so common now, is it?