Moontown

Jamaica Observer

THE security forces are allowing residents of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town freedom to move around in their communities in an effort to relieve restrictions imposed since the commencement of operations on Monday.

Citizens are being reminded that there are still serious concerns about safety and security in the communities as criminal elements continue to fire at members of the security forces, the police high command said this afternoon.

“The security forces are requesting residents to heed their advice in relation to moving around the communities and to avoid coming into contact with barricades and strange objects which may be dangerous,” the high command said.

“Parents are being asked not to allow children to move about unsupervised. In the event of any explosion, citizens are advised to go indoors.”

Residents of these communities can call the police to report any suspicious objects or security concerns at 119 and 946-1248.  (Jamaica Observer)

Jamaica’s Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson is now in Washington attending the inaugural Caribbean/United States Security Cooperation Dialogue.

Senator Nelson is one of 15 National Security and/or Home Affairs Ministers from the Caribbean who will be meeting with high level US officials.

The BBC Caribbean says Caricom security officials have already received an assurance from the US that Washington remains committed to a $45 million pledge by President Barack to underpin a security partnership with the region.

Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, Arturo Valenzuela told the meeting that the success of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative will require the allocation of adequate resources for enhanced law enforcement and prevention programmes as well as judicial reforms.

On the issue of the illegal drugs trade, Mr Valenzuela said Washington knows it must also reduce domestic demand to limit the flow of illicit drugs to the United States.  (Jamaica Gleaner)

The Jamaican government has revealed that the death toll from the West Kingston operation has risen to 73.

This has moved from the earlier figure of 44.

The police say the 560 persons being held in detention are being processed and those who are not considered to be persons of interest will be released and provided with transportation to their homes.

Also, the police say residents of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town have been allowed to move about without restriction. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Jamaica Observer

HUMAN rights group Amnesty International has called for a thorough investigation into the deaths of those killed in the security operation to arrest Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

In a release today, Amnesty said while the Jamaican police have a duty to maintain law and order, the attribution of extraordinary powers to the security forces may lead to human rights violations.

“Security forces have so far accounted for four firearms seized, quite a low number compared with the number of people killed,” Amnesty said.

The group said the human rights record of the police force in Jamaica is dire.

“Every year the police are responsible for a high number of killings. Evidence indicates that many of these killings are unlawful,” said Kerrie Howard, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Americas programme

“In this context, residents of the affected areas, including those not involved in the armed confrontation, may become victims of abuses by the security forces. Only an impartial and thorough investigation of every death or injury caused by the use of force will enable the facts to be established regarding possible unlawful killings or extra-judiciary executions.”

Richard Charan South Bureau

The future of the Alutrint aluminium smelter at La Brea - one of the country’s largest single investments - will be decided by a new government that campaigned on a promise of ’no smelter will be built’.

Whether the $3.2 billion project, stalled because of a High Court injunction, will be abandoned or not is a decision energy experts are waiting on as they remain unsure about the oil and gas policies of the People’s Partnership.

The status of an industrial port under construction at Claxton Bay, an industrial island in the Gulf of Paria and a steel complex, is also unknown.

A port and power plant are being built on the Union Industrial Estate, La Brea, in support of the smelter.

But Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and electoral candidates Errol McLeod, Winston Dookeran, and Ernesto Kesar previously said that smelter projects would not be pursued.

The new administration has been given some time because of the court action.

In June 2007 a judicial review application was filed challenging the Environmental Management Authority’s (EMA) decision to grant a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to Alutrint for the smelter’s construction.

The challenge came from the Peoples United Respecting the Environment, and the Rights Action Group.

The High Court injunction stopped the project.

The case was argued in the Appeal Court, with the EMA warning of catastrophic consequences - financial, environmental and social - should the order be allowed to stand.

Anti-smelter activist and university professor Wayne Kublalsingh said his group met with coalition members separately ’and they have given the assurance they will stop the smelter or halt the process and re-evaluate it’.

Dr Kublalsingh said his group was asked to come up with alternative plans for the smelter site, but there was no objection to the power plant or port.

’We are developing plans for 500 acres of arable land that (steel company) Essar was supposed to build on,’ he said.

A fisheries plan is also being developed for the Claxton Bay area, he added. (Trinidad Express)

Mark Pouchet

The Queen’s Park Oval will now host one One-day International (ODI) and the first Test in the current series involving the West Indies and South Africa.

This was the announcement coming from West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday on the changes to the schedule of matches in the Digicel Home Series.

The matches which were slated to be played in Jamaica, will now be played in Trinidad because of the on-going unrest in the Reggae Isle over the intended extradition of alleged drug don Christopher ’Dudus’ Coke. Over 40 people have been killed since a State of Pubic Emergency was declared in Jamaica on Sunday after violence flared in the West Kingston region.

The fifth and final Digicel ODI will now be played at the Oval on Thursday June 3, while the first Digicel Test match will also be played at the same venue from Thursday June 10 -14.

The two-day warm-up match for the South Africans will be played on June 6 and 7 at a venue which will be announced in the coming days.

Ironically, the shift of games brings matches to Trinidad after the two Twenty20 and two ODIs that opened the series last week in Antigua, had been shifted from the Oval because they had been slated before and after last Monday’s general elections.

Yesterday, Queen’s Park Cricket Club cricket manager Bryan Davis said the WICB had first contacted him about the availability of the Oval for the rescheduled matches last week Thursday and they called yesterday morning to get confirmation before they made their media release yesterday afternoon.

’I gave them the okay,’ Davis told the Express.

’I think the pitch and the outfield would be ready seeing that the cricket season just finished with the last tournament being the (Carib)T-20 competition.’

St Lucia had also been in contention to host the rescheduled matches, reportedly because of concerns about the weather in Trinidad heading into the start of the hurricane season on June 1.

And Davis acknowledged that the rains could be a concern.

’If the rains fall whole day, it is difficult to prepare the pitch and outfield adequately, but we don’t expect rain to fall all day, ’ he said before concluding, ’ And I hope the rain keeps away for the actual matches.’

NEW DIGICEL SERIES SCHEDULE

Tomorrow: Third Digicel ODI at Windsor Park, Dominica

Sunday, May 30: Fourth Digicel ODI at Windsor Park, Dominica

Thursday, June 3: Fifth Digicel ODI at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

Sunday, June 6 to Monday June 7: South Africa warm-up match - venue TBA

Thursday, June 10 to Monday June 14: First Digicel Test at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

Friday June 18 to Tuesday, June 22: Second Digicel Test at Warner Park, St Kitts

Saturday, June 26 to Wednesday, June 30: Fourth Digicel Test at Kensington Oval, Barbados

Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

UNC chairman Jack Warner said yesterday that he will be part of the Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s Cabinet-on her insistence.

’Initially I said I didn’t want any and I meant that seriously, but the Prime Minister insisted that I must be in her Cabinet and I said okay,’ Warner told the Express yesterday after Persad-Bissessar was sworn in as Prime Minister at Knowsley House, Port of Spain.

As an Opposition MP, Warner was the shadow Minister of National Security, Sport and Foreign Affairs.

He said yesterday that he was ready to serve and place his efforts into any portfolio he is given by Persad-Bissessar.

’I can serve in any position, wherever she wishes to give me is good for me,’ he said.

GREETING: Tunapuna MP Winston Dookeran, left, greets a supporter with open arms at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, yesterday, before the swearing-in ceremony of Kamla Persad-Bissessar as Prime Minister at Knowsley Building. -Photo: CURTIS CHASE

In Monday’s general election, Warner the Chaguanas West MP secured the highest number of votes.Yesterday, he said he was able to serve the people of his constituency well and also conduct his official business as Vice President of FIFA.

Warner said he has no problem wearing another hat, as he was committed to improving the lives of the people of this country and since he became an MP in 2007, he had worked for their benefit. He said as a Government Minister, the first thing he would work toward addressing is the traffic jams.

’One thing I will be tackling immediately is the level of traffic jams that exist right now, both at the Price Smart area and in Chaguanas itself. It is ridiculous that year after year, day after day, we can’t transform that, but now that we are in Government that will be top priority,’ Warner said, as he chastised the former PNM Government for not dealing with this pressing issue.

Tunapuna MP Winston Dookeran, who will be sworn in as this country’s new Finance Minister tomorrow, also said he was ready to get down to business and examine the nation’s accounts. Dookeran said no time would be wasted and he will officially begin work next Monday. (Trinidad Express)

Ria Taitt Political Editor

’There will be no witch hunt but we will ensure that those who have done the crime will do the time,’ Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stated in her first press conference following her swearing-in at Knowsley Building, Port of Spain, yesterday.

Speaking with reporters, she said: ’We are looking for corrupters because every dollar taken away (by corruption) is one dollar less for laptops for children, for hospital beds. So we will be going after corrupt officials.’

Persad-Bissessar reiterated that she would be having four legal ministries. She said the Ministry of the Attorney General would be curtailed to some extent. It will now deal more with the public law issues and the constitutional law issues. She said this was why she chose Anand Ramlogan as Attorney General, saying his tremendous experience in public law, administrative law and constitutional law would be an asset.

She said the choice of an unelected MP would allow the office to have less conflict of interest, adding that in some jurisdictions the AG is not a politician at all and comes in as an appointed person.

’As a member of the Senate there is more distance,’ she said.

Persad-Bissessar said yesterday while crime/corruption is top priority, ’as the heavens opened’ (and the rains and flooding come), she had to deal immediately with flooding, so that was given ’day-one priority’.

She said the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) had contacted her and told her that as the tides came in yesterday evening, the flooding could worsen. She said this was why she agreed to allow public servants living in South and Central to go home early yesterday.

She added that systems would be put in place today to deal with the flooding, including having all the MPs out in the field.

’This is why we voted for change. Flooding has been a perennial problem and we need to deal with it,’ she said.

Persad-Bissessar said she also believed that if the public did not vote for a particular candidate, she should not put them in charge of a ministry.

’But we will have places and spaces for those others who came close to the edge (victory). We will have places for them. There is enough in the governance and the administration that they would have a role to play. But I do not share the view that persons who have lost the election should be given the forefront in a ministry,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said she would convene Parliament as early as possible, if not next week-which has two public holidays-the following week. She reiterated that the People’s Partnership Government would pull back the Integrity in Public Life Amendment Bill and put it before a joint commission. She will also bring a Procurement Bill.

Persad-Bessessar said the offer to reside in the official PM’s residence is still open should President George Maxwell Richards so desire.

’We are willing to open the residence to him when it becomes available,’ she said.

Asked where she would live, she said: ’I am sure there would be somewhere.’

She noted that she would not be able to commute every day (from her home in Siparia).

She said she would also do everything she could to honour the pledges and promises she made.

Conceding that she got a little emotional when she said ’together we aspire, together we achieve’, Persad-Bissessar said the election result showed that people voted against tribal politics.

’And that is what I believe-that we must come together. If we do, we will all rise, regardless,’ she said.

She said hers will be an exciting Cabinet, very inclusive within the framework of all the elected members. ’You will get some surprises,’ she said.

Persad-Bissessar also said she planned to continue to hold post-Cabinet news conferences. She said she thought that the media (which had been accused of bias by the PNM), did a ’great job’ in the election campaign in keeping the issues on the front burner.

’As of today, I will become the target. I don’t mind. I look forward. I look forward to partnering with you to get the messages out,’ she said, stressing that the People’s Partnership Government will keep talking to the media which is part of the guardian of the rights of the people.

’Thank you for a free press!’ she said. (Trinidad Express)

-Anna Ramdass

President George Maxwell Richards said yesterday although many do not have full confidence in women to act independently of patronage, there is evidence to show women have achieved in every sphere and level.

Richards was speaking at the official swearing-in ceremony of Kamla Persad-Bissessar as this nation’s first female Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Knowsley, Port of Spain.

The roof of the President’s House caved in last week after heavy rainfall, hence the use of Knowsley House for the ceremony. The space was cramped and uncomfortable, and guests were crammed into the small area to witness the historic moment.

Richards, in his address, said the swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister usually took place at the President’s House in the presence of one or two witnesses. He said in 2007, after Patrick Manning was elected prime minister, the decision was taken to hold the ceremony at a venue where a wide audience could be accommodated.

’This was to signal the inclusion of all the people of Trinidad and Tobago in such an important occasion in the life of our country,’ Richards said.

Although thousands were not present at Knowsley to witness the ceremony as was the case in 2007 at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, when Manning was sworn in, a little over 100 specially invited guests were present to see Persad-Bissessar take the oath. Members of the media were asked to give up their seats for other guests. Tents were pitched outside and televisions erected to accommodate some guests. Schoolchildren and some supporters gathered outside, directly opposite Knowsley, and they cheered loudly after the ceremony.

Richards, in his address, said the swearing in of Persad-Bissessar as this country’s first female prime minister was another milestone in history.

’By their action on May 24, 2010, the people of this country have shown their willingness to open avenues of possibility for all citizens. They have made a powerful statement of endorsement and of intent, certainly regarding the gender factor which, in spite of our protestations to the contrary, has, for some time and in significant ways, registered a deficit in our dealing with our women,’ Richards said.

He said there was ’no gainsaying that our women have made tremendous strides in the public as in the private sector’ but noted that ’many of us, at least subliminally, do not repose full confidence in our women to act independently of patronage of one kind or another’. (Trinidad Express)

Aretha Welch

The pundits have hushed, the smoke has cleared, the elections are done but you are still not making enough to feed your family.

Now, a new Government stands at the helm of ship T&T. The People’s Partnership Government includes former Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) boss, Pointe a Pierre MP Errol Mc Leod.

But what exactly does this mean for the $10 per hour minimum wage?

How quickly can those making the minimum wage expect an increase?

How significant an increase can they expect?

BIG INCOME: Calder Hart

Economist Jwala Rambaran also asks on what grounds the increase would be calculated.

“There must be a study of what it takes for a person in T&T to live above the poverty line. Not as it stands today, but an adjusted one, which works for T&T and the cost of living today.

“While labour leaders, including Vincent Cabrera of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIWU), have said the country’s minimum wage had put a seal on how much some families in this country can achieve and attain, outgoing Prime Minister, Patrick Manning had said on the hustings that the minimum wage was one of the fixtures which helped keep businessmen in Trinidad and Tobago competitive.

Manning questioned whether or not his challengers would render business uncompetitive by allowing high wages to become a mainstay of the T&T economy. He said that his party had allowed business to prosper by ensuring a low cost of labour, which kept both businesses alive and employees employed.

Now, the People’s Partnership must strive for two goals: a flourishing business community; and a happier worker who won’t see a life of selling marijuana or robbing a few neighbours at night as easier and more profitable than working eight hours per day.

Can this be done?

The numbers
A worker who is taking home minimum wage in T&T for a 40-hour work week would make $400 each week, or $1600 per month. Is $1600 per month a minimum wage, or in fact what international economists term “poverty pay”?

According to People’s National Movement (PNM) advertisements in the print media prior to the party’s May 11 manifesto launch, the “implementation” of the minimum wage is something the Government has “achieved”.

But Cabrera questions whether the minimum wage was in fact implemented at all, as the previous Government’s advertisements so boldly stated.

And New National Vision (NNV) leader, Fuad Abu Bakr asks: How does an adult in T&T who has to eat, transit to and from work and put a roof over his head survive on $1600 (US $266) per month.

The inequity
Both business journalists and average citizens have posed the question: How can any Government call this honest pay for honest work? What is honest about persons working eight hours per day but being unable to supply themselves with their basic needs?

On December 18, 2009, former Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira revealed in Parliament that former UDeCOTT chairman Calder Hart had a total monthly compensation of $146,000.

A worker on minimum wage makes a total of TT$19,200 per year.

Speaking in the House of Representatives, Nunez-Tesheira said Hart’s salary, from September 1, 2006 was $85,000. From October 2009, the salary was increased to $90,000 per month.

Other perks were: a motor vehicle (not to exceed $425,000); $6,000 housing allowance; telephone allowance of $500 per month for a land line plus overseas calls; a cell phone and an allowance of $500 per month; entertainment allowance of $2,000 per month; group life plan with coverage up to two times annual basic salary; membership in the corporation’s health plan and an annual executive medical not exceeding $2,500 in value; and gratuity equivalent to 20 percent of basic salary earned over the period of employment.

As chairman of Home Mortgage Bank, Hart received $14,375 per month. As TTMF (Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance) chairman, he got $9,000 per month. As NIB chairman, Hart received $10,000 per month. And as NIPDEC chairman, he got $9,000 per month. Additionally, Hart had drawn a bonus for 2006-2007 of $95,625.

In justifying Hart’s compensation, Nunez-Tesheira gave unsolicited information about Vishnu Ramlogan’s earnings as president of TIDCO between 1999 and 2001, during the UNC’s tenure.

This amounted to $3.1 million or an annual average income in excess of $1 million, she had said.

Nunez-Tesheira also detailed Donald Baldeosingh’s generous package under the same administration.

She said Hart’s compensation package was much less than the salaries for equivalent private sector positions.

But that’s not the issue for the man on the street who has to decide whether to buy a loaf of bread for his family or travel to work.”

The heads could make that (Hart’s salary),” said a woman on Independence Square, Port of Spain, “if we as a country have enough money to pay. I don’t mind, running a state enterprise is hard, stressful work I am sure. What I mind is that I am paid this crap and nobody else seems to mind. Because I don’t have letters behind my name I have to settle with this. Well everyone cannot be an academic, but everyone who is willing to work should be paid decently.”

She shook her head in disbelief as she walked towards the Morvant taxi stand, baby on hip.

The working impoverished
According to the US State Department’s 2008 Human Rights Country Report on T&T, the minimum wage in 2008, which stood at $9 per hour at the time, did not provide for an acceptable standard of living.

The report said: “The national minimum wage was TT$9 (approximately $US1.45) per hour, which did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family; however, since 2006 the government provided limited food assistance for poor families through a national cash transfer program. There were occasional press reports of minimum wage violations with no enforcement by the government.”

Since then the minimum wage has increased by TT$1.

Last year, Nunez-Tesheira stated that the country’s per capita income was an impressive US$16,090, more than double the 2001 figure of US$6,890. This works out to an estimated TT$96,540 per year. In other words, if the country’s income is distributed equally, each citizen would get close to TT$100,000 per year. While she used the statistic to illustrate that the country’s situation is improving, what is also evident is that while the country is getting richer, inequality is increasing.

UWI economist Marlene Attzs has shown, in presentations to journalists, that in 2007 (as well as several other years), the annual salaries of the 30,000 people employed in the energy industry (oil, gas and petrochemicals) added up to more than three times the combined annual salaries of the rest of the work force (570,000) in T&T.

Despite attempts to convince us that $10 per hour is a pillar of equity, it is evident that wealth and income are inequitably distributed here in T&T.

With a new Government coming in, those who earn $1600 per month wait with bated breath.

awelch@trinidadexpress.com