One of the 11 men on trial for the murder of businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman was this morning  freed. 

After spending nine years in prison, Joel Fraser walked out of the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain a free man after presiding Judge Malcolm Holdip upheld his no case submission in which his attorneys said that the State had failed to present any evidence linking him to the crime. 

Similar applications were made by the Fraser's co-accused when prosecutors closed their case last year. However, all except Fraser's were overruled by Holdip. 

In a brief interview as he walked out of the court with his attorney Ulric Skeritt, said: "Justice has been served." 

Holdip's ruling means that the other accused still on trial will now have the opportunity to call decence witnesses or testify in their defence before Holdip sums up the case to the jury and allows them to deliberate over their guilt or innocence. They will return to court next Monday. 

Naipaul-Coolman was abducted from her home at Lange Park, Chaguanas, on December 19, 2006. A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released and her body has never been found. 

Since the trial began in March 2014, prosecutors have claimed that she was held captive in a house at Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, before she was killed and her body disposed of. 

In addition to circumstantial evidence recovered at the homes of the men, who all lived in the hillside community, prosecutors relied on the evidence of their main witness Keon Gloster, who was allegedly present but did not participate in the crime.

While testifying last year, Gloster repeatedly claimed that he was coerced by police into implicating the accused men, most of whom he is related. Gloster was deemed as a hostile witness and his sworn statements given to police were tendered into evidence and read to the jury. 

The trial began with 12 accused men, with Allan "Scanny" Martin was shot dead by police after staging a daring prison break from the Port-of-Spain State Prison at Frederick Street, last July. 
 

A 52-year-old relative of missing mother of three, Hassina Sarah Khan, was being questioned yesterday at the Couva Police Station in connection with Khan’s disappearance.

Khan, 41, of Dow Village, Couva, was last seen alive on Tuesday morning near her workplace, Universal Foods Limited, in Point Lisas. 

Relatives said Khan was attempting to get child custody and a restraining order to protect herself.

It is alleged that the relative was living abroad and had the same issue with another woman and reportedly “changed his name.”

However, in a brief interview yesterday, relatives who rallied at the police station said they were there to show their support and get answers.

“Everybody is here and we hoping that he will answer all the questions. All he doing is crying,” one said. 

The relative said that Khan was allegedly being stalked by an ex-lover and she had an ongoing child custody matter in court involving their five-year-old daughter and was attempting to get a restraining order.

“We put out flyers and we searching for her. She was living separately and he was stalking and following her and was very abusive. She attempted to get a restraining order but it (the matter) was put off,” she said.

If anyone has information on Khan’s whereabouts contact the Couva Police Station at 636-2333.

A T&T national is safe after a boating accident that occurred off the coast of Puerto Rico yesterday.

T&T Guardian understands Sean Alonzo was aboard 'Afunday' along with two other crew members who were from the manufacturer when the vessel hit a rock.

All three men were rescued from the vessel and taken to safety.

T&T Guardian understands that the vessel was being delivered to Trinidad after being ordered by Ansa Mcal Chairman Norman Sabga.

Today he told us, he was relieved that all crew members were unharmed. Sabga ordered the boat three years ago from Spencer Yacht Inc.

Powergen has closed the Port-of-Spain plant on Wrightson Road, marking the end of 121 years of power generation from that plant.

The plant was officially retired at midnight and the four stacks that have been a part of the Port-of-Spain skyline for years, are coming down.

The following is a statement from Powergen:

"Thursday January 14th 2016 marked the day that the curtain came down on PowerGen's Port-of-Spain plant. The four stacks that have held iconic status in the landscape are now retired and will soon no longer form part of the Port of Spain skyline.

This mandatory cessation of power supply is in accordance with contractual terms between the Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (PowerGen) and the Trinidad & Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC).

In a message to staff, PowerGen's Ag. General Manager Mr. Surin Ramsingh said, "While many have relied for decades on the electricity generated by this power generation plant," it is the company's employees, who have been "an integral part of this critical service to our nation, and the true power behind the stacks.'

In expressing his thanks, Mr. Ramsingh also recognised their commitment and delivery, which he described as having "fueled this facility and illumined thousands of lives over the years."

Since it was first established by Edgar Trip in 1895 and through the changes to a state-owned enterprise in 1937, this site has been a power source to Trinidad. 

With the establishment of the 33,000 Volt Busbar System, installation of the Parsons Steam Turbine units in 1961, and the installation of the General Electric Steam Turbine Units in 1969 and 1974, the Port of Spain Power plant produced power at a capacity of 260,000 kilowatt. By 1984, that had increased to 308,000 kilowatt with the addition of two 24,000 kilowatt Rolls Royce Gas Turbine driven generators.

Effective midnight 14th January 2016 the units were retired from the nation's power generation infrastructure. This heralds the commencement of the decommissioning process which has 
been in development over the past year.

PowerGen continues to operate its two power plants at Point Lisas and Penal."

Kelvin “Saucy Pow” Darlington was on Monday denied bail after he appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old runaway from the St Michael’s Home for Boys.

Darlington, known mostly for his cross-dressing and gyrating in public, is accused of sexually penetrating the teen on New Year’s Day, by the bleachers at the side of the basketball court at Constantine Park, Macoya Road, Tunapuna. 

He appeared in the Tunapuna Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Gillian Scotland after being charged on January 10 by Officer Medford of the Northern Division Child Protection Unit. Darlington’s case was adjourned to February 5. 

Police said the sexual assault stemmed from a sexual tryst involving the teen, Darlington, a woman and another man. The woman is being sought as well after having had sex with the teenager, while the man is wanted for his role in the incident. 

Police said further charges were expected to be laid against Darlington after investigations revealed he allegedly committed similar acts in other policing divisions, including Tobago.

A La Brea businessman was shot dead this morning. The police believe the man was one of the biggest drug lords in south Trinidad.

According to reports, about 11 am, Curtis Williams, 50, also known as “Papa Willie” was in his Railway Road, La Brea home when a man, who was carrying a child, called from outside the gate.

Williams left his house, opened the gate and invited the man inside. He and the man then went upstairs. After a while the man and the child went downstairs and subsequently left the house.

Williams was at home with three of his children and step children. His eight-year-old daughter, whose name is yet to be disclosed, later came downstairs.

Distraught, she told her brother, “Pa dead.”

They contacted the police who discovered that the recording device in the security cameras was removed. 

Police have no leads, but they believe that Williams’ death is related to allegations of him being a drug lord. Williams was the owner of a security firm called Williams’ Enterprises. 

Investigations continue. 

In my January 4, 2015 article, I selected four local stocks that I anticipated would do well in 2015; these are shown in the upper portion of the table. My sole declining stock was Agostini’s Ltd, which lost $0.36 or 2.06 per cent of its value. Even so, its total dividend for 2015 was slightly increased to $0.56 from the previous year’s $0.55. On the other hand, TCL gained almost 60 per cent, cumulatively influenced by the rights issue, debt refinancing success and the reasonable likelihood of a dividend payment in 2016.

AHL delivered modest capital appreciation, with the price peaking at $16.00 on January 26, 2015. The changes in government and of Central Bank Governor have introduced elements of uncertainty as to the way forward on the CL Financial, Clico, Republic Bank, Angostura and related matters.

In the case of PHL, steady unspectacular growth and diligent attention to variable cost items seemed to be the formula for success.

Local selections

Trinidad Cement Ltd

You may well ask: “Why TCL, again?” The short answer is that I believe that its transformation and streamlining is still in the early stages and that those processes will prove to be increasingly profitable.

TCL is also an exporter and we have precious few of them on the exchange. (The other major exporter is Angostura.) Although Carib Brewery probably does a fair amount of exporting, its results are buried within the ANSA McAL group’s figures. While the local economy may not experience much growth in 2016, some strategic pockets of activity will benefit. These include export manufacturing and housing.

The share price peaked at $4.75 on December 2, 2015. Perhaps, the run-up in the share price was a little too fast? This may have panicked some investors, who then decided to take some profits.

When the audited results are released in March, investors will have a clearer perspective on what to expect in the coming year. Until that time, the share price may continue to drift.

I have estimated that the closing price next December could be $5.50 or higher.

Prestige Holdings Ltd

In a slow growth economy, PHL’s continued focus on cost controls and invigorating customer service will serve it in good stead.

Next month, the company will release its audited results for the year ended November 2015. Most expect that this will be accompanied by an increased dividend.

As its stock of cash improves, it is likely that it will grow its business by consummating an acquisition within its field of expertise.

Steady profits from its existing franchises combined with the possibility of an acquisition underpin my recommendation to buy this share.

I estimate a December 2016 price of $11.00; if an acquisition occurs, it could be higher.

Caribbean cross-listed companies

The robust expansion in share prices in Jamaica that occurred in 2015 may not be repeated to the same extent in 2016. Even so, there are some regional companies that deserve our attention and focus.

National Commercial Bank Jamaica Ltd

NCBJ is a dynamic entity, which, for a long time, has been trying to gain more than toe-hole in to the Trinidad market. It has had some success with its capital markets operations. Now, it has decided to up the stakes by proposing to take a 29.99 per cent ownership in GHL.

This proposal has been described as a “partnership”. With Lok Jack and Ahamad interests having only 22 per cent equity, it is reasonable to assume, that, after a suitable “learning period”, the NCBJ interests would begin to assert their influence commensurate with their larger shareholding.

In the medium term, many would agree that, after a suitable period of courtship, the two groups may decide that a less expensive merger would be in their best interests.

The outright purchase of GHL by NCBJ in the future may saddle the latter with too much debt; we have already seen that it has resorted to the sale of its future credit card receivables to obtain financing for the proposed share purchase.

We can estimate GHL’s full year’s 2015 profit attributable to shareholders of at least TT$300 million. NCBJ’s proposed 29.99 per cent of this is about TT$90 million, which translates to almost J$1,800 million.

For its year ended September 2015, NCBJ recorded net profit attributable to shareholders of J$12.3 billion; thus, the possible inclusion of GHL’s net profits could boost NCBJ’s bottom line by about 15 per cent. Some of this could flow to NCBJ shareholders in the form of higher dividends.

My target year-end price for NCBJ is TT$3.00, translating to about J$60.00 in its home market.

GraceKennedy Ltd

Another energetic Jamaican-based company is GraceKennedy Ltd, which is now focussing on two main areas, food and finance. The recent disposal of its Hardware and Lumber Ltd subsidiary would have provided it with a useful gross cash infusion of about J$869.75 million (about US$7.21 million); this can now be used to help grow its two core business groups.

The company has external operations in the UK, USA and Africa. Effective January 1, 2016, Massy Trading replaced AS Bryden and Sons (Trinidad) Ltd as the local beverage distribution partner for Grace Foods International. The group remains focussed on achieving its 2020 vision of deriving most of its income and profit outside of Jamaica.

At J$6.19 their EPS for the third quarter was lower than the J$7.21 for the comparative period in 2014. Some of this decline related to one-off expenses occasioned by the integration of the enlarged US food operations. The application of the asset tax, lower foreign exchange gains and higher finance costs also contributed to the lower result.

On a positive note, dividends improved from J$2.33 in calendar 2014 to J$2.48 in calendar 2015. It is likely that this trend can and will be sustained as the group continues to expand internationally and become more profitable.

Perhaps, its share price would again reach TT$5.00, which it attained on June 22, 2012?

Sagicor Financial Corporation

From a high of $11.75 back in January 2010, SFC’s share price has mostly been on a free-fall to lower and lower levels in the main, for good reasons. This decline was only occasionally punctuated by temporary upward blips that lasted for brief periods before the price slippage resumed.

Within the next six months or so, the company is expected to execute several actions that should redound to the benefit of shareholders.

These include the re-domiciling of its operations from Barbados to another jurisdiction, possibly T&T.

In May 2016, it will also repay all of its preference shares, which have a fair value of US$128.9 million and settle a 5.0 per cent note with a fair value of US$44 million.

The funds for this exercise were secured back in August 2015, when it issued a bond of US$320 million. US$160.5 million from that issue was used on September 10, 2015 for the early settlement of 7.5 per cent 2016 senior notes with a face value of US$150 million.

After these transactions in May 2016, SFC’s debt level will improve. Additionally, it is expected to confirm its complete exit from the European market, with no residual costs or liabilities.

There is a maximum residual liability under the original sale agreement (which has not been signed) of US$5 million, which is likely to be included in the fourth quarter’s results; this item should not dramatically affect the full year’s performance.

In its third quarter report to September 2015, EPS, after including a loss on discontinued operations of US$0.061, registered at US$0.06. This is a strong improvement over the restated 2014 loss of US$0.028; in 2014, the discontinued operations accounted for a loss per share of US$0.099.

Also, it is likely that the interim dividend for 2016, payable after September 2016, should see an improvement from the regular payment of US$0.02.

Let us see how these selections perform in the coming year.

Dividend increases by banks (optional section)

In addition to NCBJ, four banks have also increased their dividends, including two that have decided to pay special (bonus) dividends. Scotiabank and First Caribbean, paid or will pay a special dividend this month; the former of TT$1.10 while the latter will pay US$0.063.

In the case of FCI, consistent with its improved profitability, it has increased its regular final dividend from US1.5 cent to US2.0 cents. In addition, it has allocated US$100 million from its ample reserves to the payment of the special dividend of 6.3 US cents.

First Citizens Bank (FIRST) also increased its final dividend to $0.74 from $0.61; this brings its total dividend up to $1.32 from 2014’s $1.18. This increase was approved despite its miniscule EPS improvement to $2.51 from 2014’s $2.50. This may reflect one benefit of government ownership?

Republic Bank’s (now, RFHL) final dividend moved from $3.00 to $3.10.

Interestingly, none of the prices of these stocks have risen dramatically in the trading days following these announcements; perhaps, after the year-end lull, the market will “wake up” to these developments in the coming weeks and months? Or, is there a reason for the inertia?

Next week, we will review the 2015 results of Agostini’s Ltd.

A review by 
Janine Charles-Farray

When musical acts make it on an international stage, diehard fans always go back into the history of the band “before they were famous” to dig for buried treasure to unearth the secret of their success. 

Part of a band’s history might include the first musical festival they ever played. For Caribbean Rockers 5 Miles to Midnight, one of the defining moments of their musical journey may be on the horizon as they prepare to raise funds to showcase at the prestigious South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival in Texas, USA. The festival is in March. The band hosted a fund-raiser on December 18 in its first performance at the Little Carib Theatre, with the show titled 5 Miles to Midnight before Christmas. 

The band, with members Rhys Thompson on drums, Alex Ou Young on rhythm guitar, with Dale Dolly on keyboards, Shallun Sammy on lead guitar, Mark Wallace on bass, and Liam King on lead vocals, presented a selection of songs from its 2014 EP OMG it’s 5 Miles to Midnight’s first EP. 

It also shared three brand new songs, Tragedies, Decisions and Demons. The songs were written by King with music done collectively by the band. They were delivered with 5M2M’s usual precision and tightness, and their whimsical flair for unexpected and entertaining arrangements. 

That being said, there was definitely a need for clearer diction on the lead vocals. The chance to form a connection with the new songs previewed at the show was lost due to sloppy words wrapped up in excessive performance affectations, riffs and slurs. 

While appropriate for that rock star flair, should they have the opportunity to go to SXSW 2016, introducing the band’s repertoire to a whole new audience will require them to be on point in ensuring that people can understand the lyrics. 

The show lasted about an hour-and-a-half and other highlights included a cameo verse on Adele's Hello by hip hop freshman Inzey, and a soca segment by guest performer 5Star Akil. 
Yung Rudd and Mr Mark Hardy also joined the cast for a thoroughly enjoyable punk rock thrash out of Susan Maicoo’s classic 90s soca parang, Trini Christmas is the Best, along with their hip-hop hits Sunday Lunch and Nah Boy.

Overall the sound of 5 Miles to Midnight was amazing. There was a very enjoyable charisma about this band. It is clear that in ten years spent playing together they have managed to develop a cohesive chemistry in their performances with a focus on the music rather than individual personalities. 

Their hard rock sound, cleverly peppered with multi-cultural influences from the Caribbean, is unique—aptly branded Island Rock (iRock for short). The band explained more in a post-performance interview at the Little Carib Theatre.

“When we say ‘island rock’ we really reflect that combination of island and rock, which we love,” explained Sammy. 

"We're looking forward to getting the band out there, so people could actually get to hear us outside of Trinidad, and not just having to pay for advertising outside of Trinidad... actually being there so they could feel the vibe of the band," added King.

The band intends to carry all original songs to the SXSW stage and they feel like their latest offering, Tragedies will be the tune to give the band its breakthrough. Bassist Mark Wallace has high hopes for the new music.

"I think the plan when we go to South by Southwest is to push the band to every- and anybody who is there. It’s like a big networking thing. We want to go and meet as many people as possible,” said Wallace.

“We’re also trying to plan a showcase in New York after, probably in the fall. So we have to build funds and make connections and get to networking.”

The band is hoping to raise TT$140,000 to cover the cost of the trip to SXSW 2016.

Arranger, composer, producer, teacher Natasha Joseph has been an ambassador for the steelpan, representing T&T in many countries such as USA, London and Japan, Tobago Jazz, Barbados Jazz, St Lucia Jazz and Grenada Jazz festivals. 

After placing second in the Pan Ramajay soloist skills competition in 1993, Joseph went on to join the Panazz Players and toured extensively with the group. Panazz won the Sunshine award in 1997 for Best Recording by a steelband.

A self-taught musician, Joseph has shared the stage with many local and international jazz artistes such as Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Elan Parle, Chantal Esdelle and Moyenne, Michael Boothman, Clive Zanda, the late Raf Robertson, Arturo Tappin of Barbados, Joe Baione, Kim Waters of the USA, Jeremy Ledbetter of Canada, Alexis Baro of Cuba, Charlie Sepulveda, Fidel Morales, and Gabriel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico.

For the past five years, she has been the steelpan facilitator for the FCB steelpan and jazz workshops in Trinidad, and also teaches steelpan and guitar privately. Her teaching includes stints at St Andrews Private School, Bishop Anstey Junior School, Sacred Heart Girls’, private classes in music theory, improvisation and steelpan rudiments, Blackman’s Private School, and founder of Music JYM (Juntos Y Mejorar).

In June 2012 she received her diploma in Recording Engineering and Production from The Audio Institute of America.

A well-known drillmaster, Joseph has helped to bring Phase II Pan Groove to victory in 2013 and 2014, and second place in 2015 in the National Steelband Panorama. She has been working with their arranger Len “Boogsie” Sharpe for the past seven years. She is also the arranger for the Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra, which placed fifth in the non-schools category for Junior Panorama 2015. She also arranges for Platinum Steel Orchestra, an all-female single pan band taking part in the National Panorama 2016, a first in the competition’s 53-year existence

Q: Tell us about your early years and your family…where born, where grew up, schools attended including primary, etc?
A: I was born in Barataria. Both of my parents were from south, so my early years between the ages of three to seven were spent back and forth between Thick village, Fyzabad, and Barataria. During that period, I attended Pepper Village Government School and St Theresa’s RC School in Malick. I attended Malick Secondary Comprehensive School, and I’m currently a student at the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, UWI, pursuing a certificate in music. My father was an ace pannist with Solo Harmonites. 

What attracted you most to the steelpan?
As a younger person growing up I did not like pan at all. I always found that it was too noisy until one day, I heard the beautiful arrangement of the song Sailing by the late Clive Bradley for the band then known as Fertrin Pandemonium and also, Catelli All Stars’ performance of Curry Tabanca. I was captivated by their performance and enjoyment of the music. 

What are some of your favourite pieces of Trini music?
The music of Clive Zanda, the late Andre Tanker and Earl Rodney.

Which of your work do you rate as the most satisfying and memorable?
Working with young people. The work I do with the Ethnic Jazz Club which is led by Chantal Esdelle, and Panazz Players’ history of performances, tours and recordings. I have learnt and continue to learn a lot from these experiences.

What is your favourite pastime/interest/ hobby outside of performing/playing?
Listening to music, playing table tennis and just relaxing.

What goals and or ambitions do you still have? What are your ‘steelpan’ plans for the future? 
One of my goals is to ensure all pan players have an applicable understanding of music theory. It will make a huge difference in the understanding, execution and the time it takes one to learn an arrangement.

Of all your shows, concerts, performances, which would you like a first-time audience, listener or viewer to experience? 
Kaisoca Quartet, which is led by Kyle Noel, is a group committed to keeping our culture alive while staying current. Other members of the group are Chantal Esdelle, Douglas Redon and I.

Of all your accolades, prizes and awards which do you rate as extremely special? 
Second place in the 1994 Pan Ramajay soloist skills competition. 

What advice would you give to the young people of T&T?
Never stop believing in yourself, there is no end/stopping point when it comes to learning. Apply yourself at all times, whether it be towards schoolwork, band practice or training. There is nothing that you cannot do—cannot means will not, so push yourself especially when things feel hard, and always have patience with yourself, your peers and your teachers.

If you could pick any singer and/or band to perform just for you who would you choose? 
Earl Rodney and Jason Baptiste

Do you play mas? What thoughts do you have for the improvement of Carnival, especially as it relates to the steelpan?
I have never played mas. But if I ever decided to play it would be with All Stars, I have loved their sailor mas since I was a child. I hope one day we can figure out how to have Panorama without the competition aspect of it. 

Who are the people who influenced and inspired you the most, in your career and in life in general?
My biggest inspiration and encouragement came from Mr Richard Gaskin who was my form teacher in Malick Secondary Comprehensive School. There is where I learned to play steelpan and was always in awe of his skills as a musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist with perfect pitch who taught me some valuable lessons in arranging and approach to playing music. Earl Rodney, Clive Zanda, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, Robert Greenidge and the late Clive Bradley have also been great influences in my career.

What daily motto do you live by?
Once you believe you will achieve.

Describe yourself in two words, one beginning with N, the other with J, your initials.
Nice and Jazzy.

• If you have any suggestions of persons who should be featured in this series please email Nasser Khan at nkhantt@gmail.com

Tribute delivered by Rev Daniel Teelucksingh at the funeral service for Dr Jit Samaroo at the Armalaya Presbyterian Church—January 9, 2016

The hills of Laventille missed the late panman Rudolph Charles and asked through David Rudder’s song:
“Where the man with the hammer gone?...
The dragon don’t walk the trail no more.”

Now today, the hills of Lopinot also ask in mournful tones about the passing of Jit Samaroo:
“Where the man from Renegades gone?
Why you up and leave?
Why you make we grieve?
The genius of the tenor pan
don’t walk the trail no more.”

There is an answer to Lopinot and all pan lovers who will miss the master of the panyard: I’ve always heard that there is music and an angelic choir in gloryland. Well, today we say farewell to Jit, this rare, celebrated musical colossus who joins the heavenly orchestra. Only once in a lifetime we meet someone like this. Through his passionate musical eloquence earth dances. Now, our lovable Maestro will play for saints and angels in eternity’s panorama.

 From henceforth, music out yonder will be richer as Jit Samaroo, arranger and composer par excellence, joins Rudolph Charles, Bertie Marshall and Winston “Spree” Simon who have taken to higher places the unique symphony of the steelpan with the rhythms and melodies of T&T. Jit and other masters of the art form have left us, but our hills and valleys will always be alive with the sound of their music.

I cherished the years 1969-1971 when I first met Jit. His music was in its infancy, finding expression as he led his brothers and sisters, all mere children in a fledgeling band first called “the Samaroo Kids.” An awesome musical force was here awakened, creating an explosion of talent from one of our finest family steel orchestras of the 20th century.

 I always respected Jit’s style of living wherein he demonstrated to us that greatness and humility may not be strangers. For, though he was applauded by presidents and prime ministers, celebrities and royalty in various countries, he never lost the common touch. All through his life he was preeminently a family man, and herein lies the secret of his successful career. This is the guarantee that his music will live on, immortalised in the music of his children and generations thereafter.

 Our country solemnly pays tribute to Jit Samaroo in the honour roll of our music ambassadors. He carried beyond our shores the strains of steel to enviable levels of global acclamation at the prestigious theatres of international music. A treasure he will always be, standing tall in the nation’s hall of fame.

In 1895, Port-of-Spain was illuminated with electricity by the Trinidad Electric Company under the directorship of Edgar Tripp. This was not extended to San Fernando, which remained with darkness well into the 20th century.

A few of the larger businesses on High Street as well as a couple elegant homes on the heights of Springvale had electric power supplied by Delco plants, which were a kind of generating unit that stored a weak electric power in large lead-acid batteries. They were of little use other than as power for a few light bulbs. Delcos were also utilised in the Palace Cinema and other movie houses in the town. 

As early as 1910, the issue was raised that San Fernando should perhaps procure its own power supply but appeals to the Colonial Government fell on deaf ears.

The Borough Council, under Mayor Charles H Gopaul decided to take matters into its own hands in 1921, being himself a prominent townsman and totally disgusted with the nonchalance of the central government to development of San Fernando. He applied for a mortgage on the town to central government and Governor Sir Hubert Wilson approved the San Fernando Loan Ordinance No 29 of 1921. 

The intrepid town engineer, J J Waddell was instructed to undertake the necessary works to erect a power station on Carib Street, where the Borough Water Works had existed since 1881. The generator was a steam unit manufactured in the UK and cost $18,000. In conjunction with civil engineer A F Watson, the power station was completed and lines strung throughout the town. On December 15, 1923, Governor Sir Hubert Wilson threw on the main switch and the town was lit by electric light. 

Initially, the poles extended only to King’s Wharf and the business district of High Street, but by 1925, homes in Paradise Pasture and Vistabella were connected. One of the original lightpoles can be seen in the centre of the junction of St James Street and Pointe-a-Pierre Road. The price of a unit of electricity was considerably higher than in Port-of-Spain because of the economies of scale. At the time, San Fernando barely had a population of 12,000 persons.

The power grid extended as far as Les Efforts (East), which was still a sugar estate and toward Vistabella along the Pointe-a-Pierre Road. Marabella was as yet still a ramshackle little village on the outskirts of the old Union sugar estate with its racecourse. Much of the private electrical wiring and general contracting work done in the town in the 1930s was executed by the resolute Raymond Dieffenthaller and his large emporium, Hardware and Oilfield Equipment Company Ltd. 

In order to improve the service, additional steam generators were purchased in 1927, 1931 and 1935. The Borough Power Station had an enviable track record of service, since it performed with a minimal number of power outages, the most noteworthy being during the industrial unrest of the Butler era (1936-37) and during World War II when fuel supplies for the generators were rationed.

At this time, fuel was often in short supply since every possible drop was needed for the war effort in Europe. With the advent of T&TEC and the construction of the Penal Power Station in 1953, the San Fernando Borough Power Station closed in 1954 with the generators being sold to T&TEC. The power system was removed to Penal which was a state-of-the-art facility with huge turbines fuelled by natural gas.

This gas did not come from offshore wells (which were many years in the future) but from a reservoir on Clarke Road where some of the original piping and valves can be seen today inside the Petrotin compound at that location. 

The old power station is historically significant because it was the first municipally-owned power station in the British Empire. The factory shell was renovated in 1939 to make room for the additional generators, considerably altering the original appearance. In 1986, much talk was centred on making the old power station a museum and cultural centre but of course, nothing was ever accomplished in this direction.

Today, the building still stands on Carib Street exhibiting its ‘new’ (1939) frontage and serves as the transport yard for the San Fernando City Corporation. Inside the compound, there is not much to be seen except the old administration office and a pump-house for the Borough Water Works which dates back to 1881, which was yet another institution for which the town had fought bitterly…another story for another day.

Forward Jason Marcano grabbed a first half hat trick last night to steer defending Digicel Pro League champions Central FC to an impressive 7-0 win over Point Fortin Civic Centre at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

It was the highest scoring league win for the Couva Sharks this season, but second overall to current DPL leaders Defence Force, which demolished Morvant Caledonia United 8-0 seven days ago.

Defence Force (24 points) also enjoyed a win last night, crushing St Ann’s Rangers 4-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, to maintain its three-point gap on second placed Central FC (21 points).

Defence Force veteran midfielder and current team captain, Jerwyn Balthazar, scored all goals to add a beaver trick to his already exciting, season. The 33-year-old Balthazar netted three times in the first half for the Army/Coast Guard combination before eclipsing his personal best this season—a hattrick in the win against Caledonia this month—by adding his fourth on the night, just over the hour mark.

While in Couva, Central showed no mercy against the visiting Point Fortin opposition. Marcano scored in the 11th, 23rd and 43rd minutes, all off the assists of midfielder Sean De Silva, who ended the night with four assists and a goal.

De Silva intercepted a pass in midfield to set Marcano free and the veteran midfielder raced 25 yards towards goal before slipping his shot beyond Civic goalkeeper Miles Goodman and into the back of the net for a 1-0 Central lead.

PFCC’s trouble doubled when Ataulla Guerra made it 2-0 on 17 minutes, finding the gap from inside the area by curling a right-footer into the far bottom corner following a De Silva pass. The match was well out of Civic’s reach by the half, trailing 4-0, after Marcano added his second and third items in similar fashion by bundling in De Silva corners.

Former Civic star, Marcus Joseph added another Central goal on 64 minutes, beating a hapless Goodman from close up following a Guerra feed to put the score at 5-0.

And if that didn’t add insult to injury, Central’s interim head coach Dale Saunders threw in young forwards in the onslaught, replacing Joseph with Ricardo John, winger Darren Mitchell with Nicholas Dillion and Marcano with Kadeem Corbin. John, just eleven minutes on the pitch, snatched his debut goal in the 77th minute.

John, 20, showed good speed and strength to hold off a challenge from defender Kern Peters, after running onto deep pass from defensive midfielder Elton John, before comfortably hitting past Goodman for a 6-0 score.

De Silva, who scored a double in a 3-0 league win over Civic on September 26, wrapped up last night’s 7-0 win with a deserving item to top off a brilliant match performance. The former Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 and Under-20 World Cup player let off a powerful strike to beat Goodman at the near post after surprising defender Andrei Pacheco with speed and composure inside the box.

Stars win again for coach Russell
Earlier in the first match of a double-header at the Couva venue, North East Stars edged Club Sando 1-0 for their second consecutive league win and third unbeaten since acquiring new coach Ross Russell earlier this month.

Gorean “Ratty” Highley gave the Sangre Grande outfit the valuable item in the 71st minute when he smashed a rebound into the roof of the net after Sando goalkeeper Kelvin Henry had made a superb save to deny the striker from the penalty spot.

Highley, now with four goals from the last three outings, was pulled down in the area by defender Coneal Thomas, forcing referee Dennis Changiah to point to the spot. 

Sando, riding a three-game winning streak before kick-off, had an excellent equalising opportunity seven minutes later. But forward Kevon Woodley headed overbar off a well-placed Akeem Humphrey cross. North East Stars had two late efforts through Chike Sullivan and Neveal Hackshaw, while Woodley had a solo attempt for Sando, however 1-0 it remained in favour of the visitors.

North East Stars climbed two spots up the ladder into third with 20 points, two points ahead of Police FC, which had a 3.30 pm date with W Connection at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima,.

Also, Morvant Caledonia United snapped a five-game slide by edging cross-town rivals San Juan Jabloteh 1-0 through a late Sheldon Holder goal at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Results

San Juan Jabloteh 0 vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Sheldon Holder 81’)
Defence Force 4 (Jerwyn Balthazar 4’, 26’, 45’, 64’) vs St Ann’s Rangers 0
Club Sando 0 vs North East Stars 1 (Gorean Highley 71’)
Central FC 7 (Jason Marcano 11’, 23’, 43’, Ataulla Guerra 17’, Marcus Joseph 64’, Ricardo John 77’, Sean De Silva 86’) vs Point Fortin Civic 0

WALTER ALIBEY

Collin Pereira and Dominique Martineau of the Richard Jones Running Club secured wins in yesterday’s T&T International Marathon 5k Road Race at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. 

In a race in which the number of participants dwindled because the of the global economic crisis, Pereira recovered from a 100-metre gap that was opened up by Lionel Dandrade of the T&T Road Runners Club, to cross the finish line first in a time of 16 minutes and 29.57 seconds. 

Dandrade held on for second position in 16 minutes and 29.04 seconds and Pereira’s training partner Shivan Baboolal was third in 16 minutes and 29.09 seconds. After the race Pereira said while he was happy to have won, he was a bit dissatisfied with his time. 

“That time was far too slow for me because women running in the United States produced times like those. I would have liked to do better but that didn’t happed today so I will have to go back to the training field.” 

Aware of the experience of Dandrade, Pereira kept his eyes on his counterpart before passing him by the US Embassy at Queen’s Park West and went on to finish in front the White Hall.  Pereira said he would like to see local road race organisers pay more emphasis on middle and long distance running in T&T, saying that is needed. 

The race began at Casual roundabout and took the runners down to St Clair Hospital where they turned on to Elizabeth Street and headed out towards the savannah at Stollmeyers Castle. 

The runners then had to make a lap of the savannah before crossing the finish line at the White Hall. Pereira said at the start he thought it was going to be a battle between himself and his partner Baboolal, but Dandrade threatened to steal the win from the start. 

Meanwhile, Kirk Hern was fourth in a time of 16 minutes and 30.44 seconds while Kerwin Pantin completed the top five finishers with his time of 16:30.52 seconds. Among the women Martineau was a runner-away winner in 22 minutes and 33 seconds, well ahead of second place Salena Scott and third Nisa Charran. 

Martineau said she was satisfied for the win but feels the race lost it’s competitiveness as some of the top runners such as Tonya Nero and other top local female runners did not compete. 

“The conditions etc were all good for a fast race, so I just took off and ran as I normally do. I didn’t even know that I was in front and heading for the victory until I heard it being announced on the final stretch. It was a really good race which felt as though it was longer than the 5k distance but it was good in any way” Martineau said. 

Today a number of runners will take to the road again for the staging of the T&T International Marathon from St Mary’s Junction in Freeport to Port-of-Spain where it will finish in front White Hall.

David John-Williams, the T&T Football Association president, is hoping the Soca Warriors can get maximum six points in its next two matches of the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers against St Vincent and the Grenadines.

He says this will be his New Year’s wish. “The Copa Centenario is history. It’s a big blow. We have to take the punch and right now the immediate goal is the two games against St Vincent/ Grenadines. We must target six points. Six points are not guaranteed but we must aim at it. I am hoping we can get six points against St Vincent and the United States gets six points against Guatemala and we can start planning for the Hex,” John-Williams said.

The football federation boss met with coach Stephen Hart to begin planning for the two matches, expected to be held in St Vincent first on March 25 and then at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on March 29. Six points in both matches will push T&T to ten points in four matches with two remaining games at home to Guatemala and away to the United States in September.

The top two teams from the group will advance to the CONCACAF Final round of six teams from which the top three will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The fourth-place team will meet the fifth best team from Asia in the intercontinental playoff for a chance to qualify.

John-Williams said despite the recession, he was committed to pushing on with the business of T&T football as he sees it as a shining light for the country. 

“Of course it’s a headache (financial challenges) but you live in hope. You try to do things that are very important to change the situation. It was disappointing that we did not get into the Copa Centenario. It would have been a good financial boost for the FA. But we live and we learn. We are still on target to complete our financial statements for February so we can probably access funding from FIFA.

“It is very critical for us to do our financial statements to show corporate Trinidad and Tobago that we are serious about what we do and that they can come back on board,” he said

According to John-Williams, “I just want to tell the public that we are a new administration I haven’t taken up this job to try and fail or feel sorry for myself. There will be challenges. At the end of the day I am president of all football in T&T. Not everybody will agree with what this administration does but I can assure them is it will be in the interest of T&T football.”

He also spoke on the dismissal of American coach Randy Waldrum as T&T women’s head coach, saying Richard Hood was named as the new coach on Wednesday.

“I did approach Randy because people asked me to talk to him. I told him we were on some tight deadlines and we agreed on certain dates for some proposals that didn’t happen. And we as an administration was under some pressure to deal with it and we dealt with it,” John-Williams said. He said Waldrum was not employed on a full-time basis. 

“If I were to tell the current Soca Warriors that Stephen Hart is coaching in Bahrain and is going to come here every 20 days when there is a World Cup qualifier, the public will want to crucify me for it. Why should I do the women the same thing and this is exactly what was happening. You can’t sit in Houston, USA, and pick a team for my Trinidad and Tobago. The public needs to understand that” he noted.

In a strange twist, West Indies Men’s team is now ranked No 1 in world T20’s, but, on paper, it is WI Women, ranked No 2 in ICC World Championship standings, who have a much better chance of winning ICC World T20 2016.  

Also, if WI Women maintain a continuing ranking, being in the first four world’s women’s teams to the end of the qualifying period in the last quarter of this year, then they will automatically qualify for ICC Cricket 50-overs World Cup 2017 in England. That would be a wonderful achievement.  

But WI Women could even top those 2017 qualification hopes, for 2016 must be WI Women’s best opportunity to try to emulate their male counterparts’ achievement of winning ICC WT-20 2012 in Sri Lanka. It could be WI Women’s turn this year in India!

Previous No 1 ranked men’s team Sri Lanka has recently been beaten by New Zealand, losing that top ranking then too, allowing WI to succeed them. Meanwhile, WI’s women, with pedigree and experienced personnel still intact, can pull off that final surprise!

Serious retainer contract issues 
What is quite interesting in this short lead-up to ICC World T-20 2016 in March is that most of WI’s Men stars who made that win at Sri Lanka 2012 possible, while still playing well elsewhere, are no longer even contracted by West Indies Cricket Board. No-one even knows if, indeed, those players will be “allowed” to be included in selection processes for ICC WT-20 2016.

Except for Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels and Denesh Ramdin, who have been awarded 2016 contracts from WICB, all others who won ICC World T20 2012 are now languishing in loose limbo.

Darren Sammy, captain in 2012, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell and Dwayne Smith are either lustily plying their trade for private entities, injured, banned from bowling, or semi-retired.  

How exactly will WI replace these guys if they are not allowed to be available for selection? Most of those players named are still eligible to play for WI, even without contracts, but will they indeed be selected, given the agro of the last two years? Who, in the present WICB-NAGICO 2016 competition, plus those contracted for 2016, would be ready replacements for those WI dynamos of 2012’s win?  Tough questions that must be answered immediately!

Can WI women deliver?
Meanwhile, WI Women still have nearly all of their veterans who have had very bitter disappointments when close to that promised land of a world championship. They are now undertaking an always difficult, competitive tour of South Africa, before embarking on what could be swan-songs for many; to India. W-WT-20 2016 could be WI Women’s very last chance at world glory in the foreseeable future, for several veterans playing in such tournaments!

They recently beat Pakistan in ODI’s and T20 Internationals, but have fallen at penultimate hurdles -  semi-finals three times in the last four World T20 tournaments; 2010 in West Indies, 2012 in Sri Lanka and probably their best previous chance, 2014 in Bangladesh.  

Those, though, were massive improvements from 2009, when they were eliminated in the group stages, so WI Women must compose themselves fully to scale those two last hurdles in India to get to the final, then win, ICC W-WT-20 2016!

It must be noted that this tour to South Africa by WI Women is a renewal of an always very tight, tough tussle between these two teams.  Having played each other sixteen times previously in ODI’s, each team has won seven games, with one tie and one no-result. Hard cricket indeed!

In T20 Internationals, WI Women have won all nine meetings between the two teams, so they should be confident to again eclipse their hosts in three ODIs; 24, 27 and 29 February; then three T20 Internationals on March 4, 6 and 9. What excellent preparations for ICC World T20 2016 in India! 

New captain Stefanie Taylor, like compatriot Chris Gayle, at least on the field, is required worldwide and continues to be excellent. Her stint in Australia could only make her better, more knowledgeable, and, as WI Women’s captain, more astute. Her leadership, batting, fielding, cajoling and encouraging her troops, will all be extremely vital if WI Women are to win in India.

It is also pleasing to note that former captain Merissa Aguilleira has recovered from her injuries and have improved much this last year. Not only will her almost always superb wicket-keeping skills be necessary, but her welcome return to batting form against Pakistan, and combative attitude, not to mention experiences, could make her Taylor’s crutch when team chips are down.

New vice-captain Shakera Selman has matured quickly, while Shermaine Campbell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Stacy-Ann King, Kyshona Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Shaquana Quintyne and Tremaybe Smartt; all well experienced; should make waves.  Hayley Matthews and Shamilia Connell are enterprising cricketers who would add value to every game for WI Women.

This is the best time of our lives, and last time, perhaps, that this group of women might have, collectively, a chance to win ICC Women’s World T-20. Go girls, do it for us in 2016!  Enjoy!

DirecTV Trinidad has added local Channel CNC3 as part of its channel lineup on Channel 131. This  marks a milestone for the company, bridging the gap between international and local content, offering a more comprehensive entertainment experience to subscribers. 

CNC3 is now available to more than 40,000 DirecTV postpaid and  prepaid customers throughout the country. CNC3’s Nicholas Sabga expressed his enthusiasm on this new partnership, saying: “CNC3 is pleased to be directly on the DirecTV platform. It offers viewers an easy way of accessing our content. We are extremely pleased by the actions taken by DirecTV to have this done as it will strengthen both local companies’ position as the demand for high quality local content continues to grow.” 

DirecTV general manager, Bernard Pantin added: “DirecTV is very proud of making this happen. This emphasizes DirecTV’s commitment to Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean, and has been made possible by the expansion of available satellite capacity. We now enter our 20th year of operation better than ever before.

“This represents the first phase of expanding the reach of local channels to the wider Caribbean and we look forward to working with CNC3 in the coming months to achieve same.”

Customers will be able to use their pause live, rewind and record features on CNC3 content.

For more information on DirecTV and to find CNC3 on their TV guide, visit www.directvcaribbean.com.

During Thursday’s post-Cabinet press conference, Minister of Labour Jennifer Baptiste-Primus expressed concern that contract labour was out of control in T&T.

It’s unclear exactly how the Labour Minister intends to approach this issue, in which she sees contract labour as a “parallel workforce,” but there are issues at play here that do deserve sober consideration.

As a former trade unionist, it’s possible that Mrs Baptiste-Primus sees the presence and growth of this body of workers as a cheat, a way of engaging labour while minimizing corporate commitment.

There is merit in this concern. The rise of the contract worker has coincided rather closely with an era of rapidly changing governments and has, for some, become a way of temporarily employing supporters during the five-year term of a political party.

As a result, one of the largest single employers of contract labour across a range of Ministries, state agencies and public sector quasi-businesses is the Government itself.

In February 2012, Public Services Association Watson Duke warned that more than a third of the 33,000 jobs in the public service, more than a third are vacant and of those that are filled, only 5,000 are employees and most of the remainder were working on contract.

Contract workers and special purpose agencies were implemented as an expedient way to avoid the achingly slow but generally accountable bureaucracies of the public service, but such speed and spending largesse may now seem an extravagance to a sitting Government with a sharp eye on preemptory austerity measures. NIPDEC alone promised $813 million in work for small local contractors in 2013 at the end of 2012.

The NCC announced in February 2014 that it owed $115 million in back pay for contract work done between 2010 and 2012. Two months ago, the Government appointed a committee to examine all contract workers in the public sector as a matter of priority. In the private sector, contract work can be a way of avoiding the requirements of full-time employment for some businesses, shunting the untidiness of taxes, medical support and other perks of the permanent employee onto the worker for the duration of their time with the company.

That’s fair when the pay reflects the lost benefits and the employee has a strategy for operating successfully within the terms of the contract. It becomes unfair when contract work becomes a blunt instrument used to treat workers unfairly and to sever their employment if circumstances become difficult.

The Minister of Labour must also wrestle with the reality that skilled labour has become far more migratory than ever before, as talented, qualified employees with higher levels of employability decline to allow a business to chart the course of their career and choose employment opportunities according to taste and opportunity.

On taking office, the PNM Government temporarily froze employment under contract to review the nature and renumeration of the positions that were being made available. That led to protests by workers who found their contract renewals halted until Minister of Finance Colm Imbert stepped to clarify the situation.

What T&T needs more than a ministerial intervention in the minutiae of such labour arrangements is greater formal guidance at the industrial relations level for both employers and contract employees in both the public and private sector about what constitutes a fair contract and clearer guidance on terms that should be part of any reasonable contractual arrangement between both parties.

There are some jobs that will always be better filled by a full-time employee, but there are others that will benefit from being handled by someone with a specific skill set and both kinds of workers should enjoy the support and guidance of government-led industrial relations oversight.

The Zika virus has hit Barbados. It won’t be long before it is in T&T. It rarely causes any problems but the painful memory of Chikungunya lingers strong enough to cause anxiety at the thought of another mosquito borne disease. 

The symptoms are mild and up to ¾ of infected people will never know they have it. There is some concern that it may cause a birth defect called microcephaly, but this is not yet proven. As a precaution, pregnant women are told to make sure they are not bitten. 

It is just one of a long line of Old World mosquito borne diseases to enter the Americas, ever since the Atlantic slave trade introduced the Anopheles and Aedes aegypti mosquitos from West Africa to the West Indies. 

These are the mosquitos that host malaria for the Anopheles and yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and now zika, in the case of the Aedes aegypti.

Conditions for mosquitos were made perfect when the forests were razed for sugar plantations. In an out of balance eco system mosquito populations would explode. It’s no surprise that in our part of the world we humans are the ultimate cause of one of our own greatest annoyances.

The economic cost is huge. During the chikungunya epidemic of 2014 some island economies creaked under the strain of the bend-over-in-pain disease. Jamaica lost US$60 million and 13 million man-hours to the disease. If T&T was affected proportionally we could guestimate that the economic loss here was US$120 million and 6.5 million man-hours lost. 

Researchers have found that in the years after El Niño cycles mosquito populations get out of hand in the Caribbean. El Niño in the West Indies usually means drought. Mosquitos stop reproducing but their predators die too. When the rains return the mosquitos come back with nothing to stop them. 

One thing that always gives me relief in the jungle is the fact that there are so few mosquitos around. I’m not talking about the twilight zone, the hour around dusk, when mosquitos can swam. No, I'm talking about the other 22 or 23 hours a day when you don't get bitten by mosquitos. In an intact ecosystem, mosquitos don't get out of control. 

We’ve been trying to eliminate mosquitos for decades by inflicting chemical warfare on them. We have not fared well. Fogging is done with an insecticide called Malathion, which is mixed with diesel and sprayed in neighbourhoods. It isn't much of a solution. 

We've used that for decades, and guess what, mosquito populations are out of control in urban areas. One reason may well be that the chemicals are not very selective, and they kill both the mosquitos and their predators. 

The mosquitos wait for a post-fogging rain to breed unchecked and come back with explosive force.

I usually sit at home in a stifled room because opening the windows means getting swarmed by mosquitos. I have been a fool though. In my grandfather's house all the windows were covered in mosquito netting. The nets were fixed in to frames that could be slid in to place when needed. 

Not many houses have that again. I suspect that burglar proofing and mosquito netting may be a difficult combination, but with proper design these two negatives of Trinbagonian life can be kept outside. And what about insect vector control? I haven't seen them by my house for years. We used to get regular visits. 

They would leave telltale yellow cards, usually by the electricity meter, with the date and signature of the inspecting officer. They would do things like make you remove tyres or plant pots with water, or clean drains and gutters where mosquitos breed. 

Mosquitos must be good for something. Lots of mosquitos are pollinators. It is just a few species that want our blood. Mosquito larvae serve as food for fish, frogs, lizards and spiders. Bats eat mosquitos too, but unfortunately it seems that they prefer moths. It’s hard to think of something positive about mosquitos, or to identify a role that they fulfill that can’t be carried out by another species. 

Our challenge is to keep them away from us while not indiscriminately killing off everything around them. The answer may be in a genetically modified mosquito that mates with female mosquitos to produce sterile offspring. Tests are being done with that in Key West and in Brazil. 

In the meantime, get those mosquito nets installed.

AMERY BROWNE

There are few more emotional topics for our population than maternal death. It must be an unimaginable horror for any family to spend months preparing to welcome new life into this world, and then to abruptly lose the mother and sometimes the baby as well. 

The nature and extent of media coverage of any given case also can lead to significant trepidation among other expectant women regarding the safety of their own pregnancies.

In the year 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history recognised that maternal health required definitive action and determined that by the year 2015 countries would reduce maternal mortality by 75%.

Needless to say we in Trinidad and Tobago have failed miserably to achieve our target of a maximum of 14 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2015, although obtaining confirmed current statistics in this land is as difficult as getting nuclear launch codes from Air Force One. In 2010 our maternal death ratio was 46 deaths per 100,000 live births and in 2013 it was 63 per 100,000 live births so we are very far from “mission accomplished”.

The causes of maternal death include hemorrhage or bleeding, high blood pressure in pregnancy, embolism, unsafe abortions, and obstructed labour.

In many cases there is nothing inevitable about maternal death, and there are additional measures that we as a society can take to reduce its incidence. There is increased risk among adolescents, so improved adolescent health services, effective health and family life education, and improved reproductive health services for girls would make a significant difference.   

The quality of prenatal care is also an important factor impacting maternal mortality. Generally each pregnant woman should have a minimum of 4 clinic visits and should benefit from proper screening (such as blood pressure monitoring) to identify risk factors, with provision of basic medication, counselling and advice on warning signs.

A related factor is the need for skilled and competent attendants to be present at all births with proper monitoring and response to emergencies as they arise. We must bear in mind that someone can be skilled but temporarily not competent as occurs for example if a nurse is saturated with fatigue or if a doctor is saturated with alcohol. We have some of the best doctors and nurses in this country, but just like with the police service a few rogues with atrocious attitudes can effectively devalue the entire sector. 

Our Ministry of Health has become a legend in its own right at announcing committees and investigations, most of which never end or lead to meaningful implementation of recommendations. Indeed that Ministry has launched more probes than the Russian space programme but the problems persist and in some cases are worsening.

There is an almost complete absence of accountability in the health sector; often the medical fraternity protects itself, and the policy-makers view the negatives in the sector as a personal liability and predictably end up functioning in the role of public relations artiste and cover-up specialist.
We must not overlook the link between staff morale and improved outcomes.

Far too many of our health care providers are retained in demotivating and highly tenuous arrangements by the state, and workplace distress and victimisation, uncertainty over renewal of contracts, chronic staff shortages, experienced midwives feeling underutilised, substandard equipment and abysmal working conditions contribute to an environment in which service providers may not give of their best, with potentially serious consequences for service receivers.

At the end of the day we are left with a nation in which many deeply distrust the system of health care upon which they depend. This has created the perfect environment for suspicion, for the unreasonable assumption of neglect in all hospital deaths and negative outcomes, and for increasing tension between client and provider.

Some would take comfort in the suspension of 3 doctors related to a recent case of maternal death under the TRHA. On the face of it we should welcome the removal of those being investigated from the scene of the alleged wrongdoing so that they would be less likely to influence witnesses, manipulate files and other evidence, or repeat the transgressions pending the conclusion of such investigations.

Those among us who have been paying attention should be forgiven however for wondering firstly whether accountability really is the objective of such investigations, and secondly whether our Ministers and senior public servants would one day be treated in like manner when accused of letting down the public’s trust.

The Government seems to be on an ongoing plan to implement revenue related strategies which they say have become necessary because of the depressing oil and gas situation, exacerbated in no small measure by the alleged irresponsible spending of the past administration, case in point being the huge sums being owed to Chinese contractors according to the latest from the Chinese embassy. 

Austerity has never been appreciated by any populace, no matter how necessary and well–meaning they may appear to be, for when “bread and butter” issues are involved there can be no “understanding.” 

Look to Spain, Portugal and Greece and see the mayhem which so called “austerity” has brought with it. Government must ensure that  there is an acceptable balance between austerity measures and how much the population is willing or able to bear, difficult as that maybe. 

For the moment they are in a fortunate position, for the country at present is aware of our economic circumstances and how they came about and is willing to give the government a chance to weather the storm. 

But when deprivations accumulate the people’s patience can run thin and the long term effect will be, as it has happened elsewhere, of a government which has turned against them with the fatal consequences that usually follow. The NAR seemed to have been well-meaning in their austerity programme but look what it has brought them.

Now with the stalling of pay increases and back pay, with the prospect of retrenchment growing, the increases in VAT already being exploited by the unscrupulous and with the property tax looming, one does not have to guess where all this would lead. 

Politics is perception and what other can there be but that of a government ever ready to be oppressive, which is why the Government must not bury its head in the sand and delude itself into thinking that the people will understand that what we are doing is good for them, if even it is. 

It must woo the populace, allowing them enough time, as with a possible concession on basic food items inter alia, even as it must implement some revenue raising measures, and simply hope that the people will go along. 

And the record of the previous administration is to the Government’s advantage, for no matter how tough it may appear to be, it will take nothing short of a miracle for them to be seen as an option considering the fact that their mismanagement in the eyes of the populace, ironically enshrined in their “freeness,” would have contributed significantly to the need for these austerity measures now.  

So the government must work the politics of this necessary austerity and never ever believe that the people will understand if the situation becomes too difficult to bear.

Dr Errol Benjamin