THE EDITOR:
HAVING read your article captioned Ramesh cries crocodile tears, I wonder how many United National Congress (UNC) supporters and MPs read that article and understood that it contained facts as regards Ramesh Maharaj.

Having listened to Senator Wade Mark on television on the morning of April 26, 2006, when he was asked by the host Andy Johnson whether he believes that Ramesh Maharaj was responsible for the demise of Basdeo Panday and in part the UNC, Mark replied it was the People’s National Movement (PNM).

What he and others like himself who only have turned vision and not laying blame where it belong, fail to realise that during Panday’s trial, Rosemary Johnson testified that in February 1998, she wrote a letter to the Defendant with Liability and Asset Forms for the year ended 31/12/97.

As a reminder to those who forgot, at that time the Defendant was the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the UNC was the Government, Ramesh Maharaj was a Member of Parliament and Wade Mark was a Senator.

So one can easily say that the offences were committed while the Defendant and his party were in control; and he was notified as regards the breach and that was ignored.

So could Wade Mark and other thinkers like himself please explain to the sensible thinking public of TnT how is the PNM responsible for Basdeo Panday’s predicament at this time?

Wasn’t it said at a UNC meeting at Mid-Centre Mall, that Ramesh was going to represent Panday in the matter?

He was not a member of the defence team, as I recall, but upon Panday being convicted he is making all types of utterances.

Basdeo Panday is a qualified attorney-at-law and he must be acquainted with the Integrity in Public Life Act; ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Wade Mark, if you have not read the article, remove your glasses; get a pair of binoculars, read the article and see through the lines, then wipe away the crocodile tears and remove the horns from Ramesh, the traitor, who you all have welcome on board.

By the way, Jack Warner, was Ramesh in court with Panday?

THE EDITOR:
ALUMINUM smelter plants are traditionally located where power can be generated cheaply.

Either where there are abundant hydrocarbon resources or a surplus, note, of natural gas or water (which we certainly don’t have -- this still being a rare commodity in many areas).

Why is Prime Minister Patrick Manning in such an almighty rush anyway to deplete our supply of natural gas, a commodity in constant demand by the first world for energy -- to sustain the cost of his “new skyline”?

Has ALCOA been given a “sweetheart deal” now that China, the at-all-costs go-getter nation, is clamping down, and what will they be paying for our natural gas, as compared to world prices?

This information, surely, cannot be confidential -- those assets belong to each and every citizen of TnT, not just Patrick Manning and his PNM team of mismanagers.

How many tonnes of aluminum are projected to be produced annually to produce profits of US $10b a year?

How many Trinbagonians know, or have bothered to try and find out, the downside by-products of 1 tonne of aluminum?

Well, here’s an interesting one.

The ratio is 3.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne of aluminum!

The smelting process itself is responsible per tonne of aluminum for the production of 1.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide (from the consumption of the carbon anodes) and the equivalent of an additional 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide from PFC emissions. PFC’s are potent global warming gases as compared to carbon dioxide and have long atmospheric lifetimes.

For example one kg of PFC is equivalent to 6500 kg of carbon dioxide. As to promises that the pot liner waste will be disposed outside of TnT (where?) -- given our notoriously poor record of policing (no pun intended) who will ensure that this is not observed in the breach?

What will be the gain to TnT, financially or in terms of actual employment, to warrant this disgusting destruction of communities, rare wildlife, fauna and marine facilities that can be utilised for tourism, not to mention the rape of fertile agricultural land and pollution of the atmosphere in the process?

At the end of it all, would Mr. Manning have brought the healthcare sector up-to-par to deal with other possible detrimental effects to the health of the citizens?

Aluminum is also cited as quite possibly being involved with Alzheimer’s disease.

That affliction might, however, prove a blessing in time to come to those who value the beauty of TnT, given the destruction that will be wrought.

Maybe Mr. Manning does know why he is bringing in all these foreign doctors, nurses and pharmacists after all -- stocking up for our inevitable future -- that is, unless we put our foot down now!

In any but a society afflicted by the most appalling apathy, such a move would have sounded the death knell of the administration that dared initiate it.

Enough is enough, we must ensure that he sticks to destroying the skyline, not everyone and everything -- or better yet, replace him with someone who is really interested in the future of TnT and the welfare of all that dwell therein.

THE EDITOR:
“BLACKMAN stop demonstrating burning tyres and equipped yourself for real employment in the 21st Century.”

It is noticeable that my African brothers and sisters are very reluctant to equip themselves to secure real employment in the 21st Century in spite of the numerous opportunities established by the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government particularly under Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

I remember the late Dr. Eric Williams had opened the way by enactment from secondary education.

Today, Prime Minister Manning has put the icing on the cake by establishing free tertiary education.

In addition to affording the young people the opportunity to be in all facet of work, notwithstanding the government established financial institutions whereby citizens can access small loans to become entrepreneurs.

As such, I would like to ask this question: Why our African brothers and sisters are not capitalising on these luxurious opportunities to uplift the life of the African community, instead of burning tyres, demonstrating, marching and being just concerned with CEPEP and URP employment thus negating real employment and, by the same token, apportioning blame upon the government instead of examining their conscience for greater heights.

For instance, I as a young man was not so fortunate; I had to curtail my secondary school to work because my parents could not afford to pay school fees.

However, when I was enrolled in the public service, I ensured that I pursued every concernable course to enhance my job opportunities.

Among those courses, I was awarded two scholarships to pursue courses at the Labour College, UWI, the Technical Institute and so on.

I wonder why these young Africans don’t do likewise for their self-determination.

I want to implore my beloved African brothers and sister that the only way we could access the $58 billion budget is to equip ourselves with the relevant tools to do the particular job required.

Therefore it is incumbent that we stop blaming people, blaming the government and start blaming ourselves for our failures.

Remember the government has established all the opportunities just for us African people to access, thereby educating and eliminating poverty.

Remember, “we can do it if we try”.


PS: Imagine the country cannot service sufficient skilled labour for our projects underway and you have my African brothers and sisters crying out that they cannot get work.

THE EDITOR:
VERY soon the nine-day wonder of Sean Luke’s brutal murder will be forgotten among the statistics.

As usual, as with the case of several others, very little, if anything will be done.

Such is the tragedy of living in a backward primitive society such as ours.

There is need for legislation to effect drastic changes in this country.

There continues to be glaring examples of sexual abuse by paedophiles in almost every community and this will continue unabated for years to come.

Not too long ago, a known paedophile, an administrator in one of the leading boys’ schools in Arima continued to fondle and caress the genitals of the boys under the very noses of the teachers, some of whom protected the individual to gain favours.

One teacher, hoping to get help for the boys, was told by the area supervisor: “If you care about your job you will keep quiet.”

The timely demise of this character was a relief to relatives of the victims who were children of bankers and teachers, and, in one case, the nephew of a government minister.

These families will continue to bear the hurt.

Sadly, the authorities have failed the children.

You must believe the above, I have been a victim.