THE EDITOR:
ARTHUR CHARLES and his entire family would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Health (John Rahael and his staff), to Dr. Niles, his secretary who is always with a word of encouragement and a smile, Dr. Michaels of Surgitrin Ltd., St. Clair Nursing Home and their staff for saving my father’s life.

Prostate surgery was done on him in August 2005 by Dr. Niles, for which he had been awaiting through the general hospital for the past year and nothing was being done.

To date, after his surgery by Dr. Niles, he has recovered well.
Thank God.

I do hope the Ministry of Health continues with their drive towards eliminating the high back log of surgeries, so that the sick do not continue suffering. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sympathy to John Rahael and his family at their deep loss.

THE EDITOR:
WHAT do TSTT, Basdeo Panday and Alloy Lequay have in common?

They are three monopolistic dinosaurs who do not know how to let go of the power which they once held unchallenged and in the case of both Panday and Lequay they run the risk of having to take an undignified exit after having undoubtedly made sterling contributions in the areas which they served.

TSTT, of course, will not be making an exit.

In the new environment they will have a chance to make amends.

It was instructive to hear their Legal/Corporate Communications specialist admit on television that they would have to change their culture now that they are having to operate in a competitive environment.

Now to Lequay.

You have made a sterling contribution, not measured by the success of Trinidad and Tobago cricket but by having run, unlike football, a corruption-free and efficient organisation.

Please sit down with Deryck and have a smooth transition.

Your protege was soundly beaten in a free and fair election.

Finally, Panday: You have made a sterling contribution to the political and national life of this country over the past 45 years.

Do not destroy the legacy you have created over all those years.

Do not allow yourself to be used by Ramesh Maharaj to resurrect his dead political career.

Without you, Ramesh Maharaj would be consigned to the dustbin of political history.

There is still time -- hand over to Winston Dookeran gracefully and enjoy your retirement.

THE EDITOR:
WHO is to protect the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago from the lies, the guile, the manipulations, the frame-ups, the set ups, the wickedness, etc. from the American Government as carried out by the FBI, the CIA etc.?

Not Patrick Manning, the Attorney General and the government!

Not Basdeo Panday and the Opposition!

Not the Judiciary!

Not the Law and Association! Not the IRO!

And certainly not the news media!

A case in point: representations were made by the American Government to the Trinidad and Tobago Government for the extradition of Olive Enyaooma.

Enyaooma was arrested and appeared before a magistrate who refused to grant him bail.

Enyaooma had one previous conviction of obscene language.

I always thought that a person was innocent until proven guilty but it would appear that this does not apply to a person if he is Black and especially if that person is Muslim.

Only recently, three White Americans were granted bail.

During the court hearing, it was discovered that there was no law under which Enyaooma could be extradited.

Our puppet government aided and abetted by our puppet Opposition therefore introduced retroactive legislation (back-dated legislation) so as to ensure that Enyaooma could be extradited.

The Law Association, the IRO and the news media remained very silent while the integrity of our Constitution and our independence was being compromised and trampled upon.

Evidence was also accepted from a John Doe.

The Attorney General, Mendez and Seetahal must now tell the citizens of TnT who is that John Doe.

Enyaooma was extradited and appeared in front of a judge in Florida charged with receiving and being in possession of arms and ammunition.

As an ordinary layman, I cannot understand how a person in Trinidad could be charged for receiving and being in possession of arms and ammunition located in America.

Evidence was accepted from a CIA/FBI agent who stated that Enyaooma was a member of a terrorist organisation in Trinidad and was involved in transporting heroin from Afghanistan.

This was a terrible lie and has now been exposed as such by Robert Muellar, FBI director who stated quite clearly and categorically that there were no terrorists in Trinidad.

This lie was only told so as to influence the members of the all-American jury who have strong feelings against Muslims as they view all Muslims as terrorists and also the question of race always plays an important part in the American judicial system.

In such a situation and environment, Enyaooma could not and did not receive a fair trial.

It is indeed regrettable and a pity that both our prime minister and our Leader of the Opposition were involved in carrying out such a grave injustice to a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago.

This should not surprise or shock anyone as these two gentlemen over the years have shown utter disrepect and contempt for the Black community in Trinidad and Tobago.

DEAR EDITOR:
IT is with deep hurt and disappointment that I write this letter.

I am an avid fan of the Spalksman -- Anil Roberts.

I read all his articles, watch all his shows and also listen to all his radio shows.

In fact, not only me but also my children.

On Thursday, November 3, 2005, I was tuned into Spower and the topic was “Horning Your Wife”.

Spalksman you are always giving somebody a steups and a whaat, so now it is my turn to give you a steups and a whaat!

I have always supported your comments and views but this time I don’t.

I will no longer be reading your articles, watching your show and also listening to you on the radio.

Imagine my children, and I’m most certain many others, were listening to you on Thursday.

How could you support a man horning his wife?

That is totally unbelievable.

You who are an idol to children and to many, should know better.

Spalksman, you are turning into some kind of monster.

The fact that you justify and support this kind of behaviour, shows that you have no real values and you are just a fraud to the public.

It also shows that you who are a married man have absolutely no respect for your wife, children and yourself.

I feel as though you have horned me as your fan by your opinions expressed on Thursday.

I want you to take a piece of your own advice: check yourself, because you seem to be suffering with serious star rightness.

But before I end and bid my final farewell, take another steups and a whaat! So goodbye and good riddance.

THE EDITOR:
MINISTER of National Security, Senator the Honourable Martin Joseph has been the subject of a lot of unfair and unfounded criticisms since his appointment.

Everyone in Trinidad and Tobago ought to be aware of the main reasons for the crime pandemic this country has been experiencing over the last few years.

It did no occur overnight and indeed it couldn’t be solved overnight.

What we know is that given Minister Joseph’s track record, our prime minister could not have made a better choice.

Perhaps this country needs to be reminded of some of the highlights of Joseph’s record of effective performance:

1). He was the architect of the People’s National Movement (PNM’s) victory in the general election of 2002;

2). In his first portfolio as Minister of Public Utilities and the Environment, the country saw the advent of the phenomenally successful Community Enhancement Programme and Environmental Protection (CEPEP), despite criticisms from the Opposition and similar non-civic minded individuals and organisations (obviously for other selfish reasons)l; and

3). When he served as Housing Minister, he developed the Master Plan that would enable the PNM to fulfill its mandate of ensuring the provision of (10,000) housing units per year over the ensuing five years.

The executive of the PNM Point Fortin Constituency and our Member of Parliament fully support Minister Joseph’s efforts to deal with the cancerous roots of this crime scourge, which has been plaguing our country and causing some grief and disruptions to our normal lifestyle.

We are confident that Trinidad and Tobago will shortly see the effects of his managerial skills, with the reduction of crime.

We also encourage all and sundry to support the minister’s efforts -- he cannot do it alone!

He heeds the support of all of us.

We must send a strong message to the criminal elements out there.