Recently I read statistics showing an increase in unemployment in T&T over the last couple of months. Due to the present economic climate in our country I must say that, to an extent, this could be expected. No one wishes for this, but you can learn from what has already taken place in other nations in the past all around the world. Let us face it, the world in general is going through some testing times and we are all part of this some way or the other. 

My plea is to businesses not to use this economic slowdown as an excuse to send home workers who have been loyal and faithful to you and your business in the boom days. 

Without a doubt the easiest way to cut expense is to send people home and ever so often this easy route is taken. Business owners, have you explored other channels? Remember that these people have families which include children who are dependant upon them and many times that person is the sole bread winner of that household.

I will like those who are the employers do a little more thinking and see if there are other possibilities in these trying times that could be implemented to save jobs. Believe me it is not comforting to any parent knowing that they cannot provide basic needs for their home. 

As organisations you have an important part to play on this road to recovery. Remember in the good times those employees were there for you, show them your support now.

Arnold Gopeesingh,

San Juan 

Potential entry into the Cuban market was one of the reasons which influenced the decision by Carib Glassworks to invest in a new plant, said David Hadeed, the managing director of Carib Glassworks Ltd.

Carib Glass will be commissioning its second furnace in April and this will double the company’s capacity from 35,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes annually.

“We have not waited for the plant to start producing to look for markets in which to sell. We have been actively visiting Cuba, as well as other markets, and this helped form part of our decision to make this investment. We felt this was a market where we would have opportunity to expand business relations. Right now the majority of glass that enters into the Cuban market comes from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. The Cubans are happy they will not have to wait 30 days to get glass from us like their suppliers in Europe. We have a unique advantage in terms of proximity, which we hope to leverage” he told the Business Guardian.

Hadeed spoke last week Tuesday during a tour of the Carib Glass and Carib Brewery, Champ Fleurs. 

Cuba’s Ambassador to T&T, Guillermo Vazquez, was hosted on the tour by senior management of two ANSA McAL companies: Carib Glass and Carib Brewery.

According to ANSA McAL’s group 2014 annual report, the beverage sector’s growth in 2014 was driven by increased sales in its soft drinks and brewed products portfolios. Smalta, Carib Light and Mackeson showed healthy growth over prior year. Exports increased from all three breweries.

As for Carib Glass, according to the annual report, the company had a challenging year with a 50 per cent reduction in plant capacity as a result of the shut down of one of the two furnaces. Nevertheless, the management had been successful in maintaining supply to key customers. 

“About 15 months ago, Carib Glass made a decision to invest in expanding our capacity, an investment of $180 million. We are the only glass container manufacturer in the Caribbean, with major exports to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico and the US,” Hadeed said.

He also said recent visits to Cuba have given them more insights into that market.

“About a year ago we went to Cuba, got support from the exporTT Trade Facilitation Office in Cuba who set up a series of meetings, where we met with alcohol, beverage and food manufacturers. We have since gone back several times in the last year.”

He said the companies wanted to show the Cuban Ambassador the investment they are making in the plant and so invited him to tour the plant.

“We wanted guidance from him on how we can navigate the different political landscape in Cuba. We know how to do business in economies that are similar to ours, open market economies, but Cuba is slightly different. The ambassador has been gracious enough to give us guidance.”

He also said Cuba may not be an open economy like T&T but each market that Carib Glass is in right now, possesses its own “unique challenges.”

“In order to have a dynamic export business you have to be adaptable to the unique demands of each separate market. Different customers in different markets have different expectations and different duty structures, which require a great deal of flexibility in how we approach each market. So, while the Cuban market may not be open in the truest sense, it is just a different market. It is not necessarily better or worse.”

Carib Glass has been exporting throughout the entire region from Guyana all the way up to the US, he added.

Their biggest regional market is the Dominican Republic.

“We know how to export. There is no glass manufacturer in Cuba right now. In the short term, we are looking at satisfying their glass demands since there is an opportunity to leverage the Cuba/Caricom Free Trade Agreement.

“In the short term, our focus is supply. If going into the market will put us in good stead—and it becomes viable to make a direct investment there—it is something we may consider. Right now, I cannot specify what we will do. We have the strength of the ANSA McAL Group behind us from a financial standpoint so once there is a feasible investment opportunity, there will be consideration given to it.”

The interest from T&T companies came as US President Barack Obama held the first visit by an American leader to the north Caribbean country in 88 years this week. Obama praised Cuba’s achievements in health and education and vowed to establish greater economic ties between the two economies.

Carib Beer

Carib CEO Ian MacDonald, who is from Canada, had a private meeting with the Cuban Ambassador after a tour of the Carib Brewery plant. He told the Business Guardian that Cuba is “on the brink of greatness.”

“I think Cuba is on the brink of greatness, especially with what is going on with the United States. President Obama is visiting Cuba. I have many American friends who want to visit Cuba but they were prohibited because of the Helms-Burton Act which is now softening. Cuba has tremendous growth opportunities and it is a place where people want to be. There is tremendous opportunity to explore Cuba,” he said.

MacDonald believes that Carib has a lot of potential to do well in the Cuban market.

“I think we have got many hidden treasures in T&T, one of them being the products that Carib produce. I think Shandy would be an excellent fit in that market and our brands would be well received. I have visited Cuba and I have seen the tourism potential and how it is becoming an internationally recognised product today. There is equity in the Carib brand and there is a lot of potential to experience growth in that market.”

Before they officially enter that market, MacDonald said both parties need to know if it is viable. 

“We need to ensure we do not just march into something and expect it to succeed. There has to be a well thought-out execution plan. I am supportive of any opportunity to grow our business and grow it with great partners,” he said.

Despite the fact that the majority of Cuba’s economy is in the hands of the state and the private sector is still small, he said Cuba is evolving at this stage.

“If you look at Cuba last ten years it has changed immensely. I think the potential for Cuba exists. Canada has invested in Cuba for decades, so there has been a partnership with the Canadian Government. Today they see that benefit. Seeing the ties between the US and Cuba develop, only increases the potential for that market. I do not see barriers but opportunities,” he said.

Sheldon Wood, Carib’s export director, who also spoke during the meeting, said Cuba is “ready to explode.”

“A lot of changes have been happening and there will be a lot of opportunities. Carib’s brands are unique in many ways. For example, the Shandy brand, there is no other brand like that in Cuba now. There is no other soft drink that has beer in it and it represents something unique that the Cuban people will embrace. The financial terms must be discussed as it has to make sense for everyone. There is also Carib lager beer which is our flagship.”

Wood said the Cuban market is growing and there is high per capita consumption of beer.

“They love brands such as Cristal, Bucanero and others. Based on their imports we can say there is the appetite for trying new beers. Once we get that route-to-market sorted out—getting the products from Carib brewery to the lips of Cuban consumers—it will be a great opportunity for all involved.”

He said Carib is in 29 countries around the world and the mandate is to continue growing.

“From the Caribbean to Europe to the North America you can find our beer, Shandy and, of course, Malta.” 

In its end-of-mission press release, Elie Canetti, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) team that conducted an Article IV consultation on T&T earlier this month, said that this country was “not in a crisis” because of its “substantial financial buffers” and its “low, albeit rising levels of public debt.” The financial buffers refer to the savings—both the foreign reserves and the monies in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF)—that the country has built up over the years.

Canetti added that despite the financial buffers and the country’s low, but rising public debt levels, “the country has under-saved and under-invested in its future,” in recent years, “taking into account the size of energy revenue windfalls.” 

On this point, Canetti concluded: “As a consequence, the imbalances that are now starting to build up could lead the country to uncomfortable levels of debt and external financial cushions absent further action.”

Several questions arise from the judgment formed by the IMF mission chief on the performance of the T&T economy:

A. Crisis or downturn?

Canetti’s conclusion is based on the fact that T&T had an HSF balance of US$5.77 billion at the end of June 2015 and foreign reserves of US$9.531 billion at the end of February 2016, which were down from US$11.316 billion at the start of 2015. 

Countries are considered to be in financial crisis if they have exhausted their savings and, more particularly, if they are unable to access loans at non-usurious interest rates from the international capital market to settle their domestic and international financial commitments as they become due.

Jamaica has been in crisis for much of its post-Independence history, which is why that country has been forced to endure 15 loan programmes with the IMF since its independence in 1962, borrowing funds for 16 of the 30 years between 1984 and 2014, according to a Reuters report in October, 2014.

T&T was in crisis at the end of 1986, when the administration of George Chambers was defeated by a landslide by the coalition led by the late ANR Robinson. In December 1986, T&T had run down its foreign reserves and was unable to access US-dollar loans from international lenders to settle the principal and interest payments on its loans, which were due, or were coming due. 

Former Finance Minister, Wendell Mottley, in his book Trinidad and Tobago Industrial Policy 1959 to 2008 estimates that the total capital expenditure by this country between 1974 and 1983 in developing the infrastructure and funding the methanol, ammonia and iron and steel plants at Point Lisas was US$3.3 billion, a significant percentage of which would have been borrowed.

T&T was forced to enter into loan agreements with the IMF and the World Bank in 1987 to 1989 period because no international bank would lend the country the money to repay the Point Lisas loans, which were “bunched” in that period. 

So, in an attempt to diversify the economy away from its dependence on oil, the T&T State adopted the role of entrepreneur (a chapter in Mottley’s book) and undertook a massive programme of expenditure, partly funded by debt, to build the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and wholly owned ammonia, urea, methanol and iron and steel plants (what was then called ISCOTT) as well as the highway, electricity supply and the port at Point Lisas.

That expenditure and that debt led the country into a crisis at the end of 1986, when commodity prices collapsed and the interest rates on its loans increased.

If policymakers of today do not, or cannot, learn from the mistakes of the past, then this country is doomed to repeat the 1986 experience.

Models of development

In my view, the main lesson from 1986 is the issue of ownership.

In its post-Independence history, T&T has adopted several models of development:

1. The State as entrepreneur: As outlined above, this meant the State borrowing the money and making the equity investments in 100-per cent-owned companies or in joint ventures with foreign partners. This meant that the State—which is simply a proxy the taxpayers—was taking the risk of providing the equity and borrowing large sums of money to develop infrastructure and plants;

2. Foreign multinationals as entrepreneur: Large multinationals like ArcelorMittal, Methanex, the Potash Corporation, BP, Shell/BG, BHP and others invested in buying or building plants in T&T. These companies are driven by the profit motive and the risk and rewards of ownership accrue to mostly foreign shareholders, based in London, New York or Luxembourg.

3. State as nanny: The Marxists and Trotskyites among us advocate a model of state ownership of the commanding heights of the economy (Point Lisas and Point Fortin), not driven by the profit motive of returning value to shareholders, but by a social motive, in which the role of trade unions takes primacy and workers receive double-digit wage increases, with only lip service being paid to productivity.

4. Ownership by locals: My model, as stated on numerous occasions in this space, is of local ownership of the commanding heights of the economy, driven by the profit motive with dividends and profits accruing to local institutions and individuals and workers encouraged to buy shares in companies so that they share the risks and rewards of ownership.

In my view, for T&T to develop in the post-energy future, its individuals and institutions need to take on the responsibilities and risks of owning much more of the plantation than we currently do. This is not excluding foreigners or the State (on behalf of the population) from ownership, but simply to ensure that T&T individuals and institutions are the main owners.

And ownership needs to extend to beyond T&T:

• upstream: owning the source material (which would mean owning an iron ore mine in the case of ArcelorMittal);

• midstream: which would be owning the plant and the value-adding companies and products;

• downstream: local ownership of the ships that transport the product; the insurance, the financing as well as the marketing of the production and the marketing of the final product and the market intelligence.

Owning the plantation is necessary but not sufficient, as there is money to be made all along the value chain and that money ought to accrue to T&T individuals and institutions.

The closest that we as a nation have come to this model of local ownership is in Lawrence Duprey’s ownership of the methanol complex at Point Lisas. 

Duprey was an example of mobilising the T&T’s savings to invest in the T&T’s natural gas. The mobilisation of T&T’s savings as the start-up capital for the diversification of the T&T economy is absolutely necessary.

Duprey’s problem was that he placed the risk of ownership on mainly unsuspecting policyholders and not on eyes-wide-open shareholders. 

It is obviously better if the risks and rewards of ownership accrue to willing shareholders rather than unwilling policyholders or an inefficient, nepotistic and inevitably corrupt State. 

The perfect example of dysfunction in T&T today is that we still export most of our high-quality cocoa (raw material) to Europe and Japan, where sugar is added to it and it is sold back to us at exorbitant prices.

T&T needs to ask itself: why, in 2016, do we still export our cocoa and import chocolates? 

The answer, of course, is that our exchange rate is grossly overvalued, which subsidises imports and penalises exports.

To achieve this model, we need to diminish the profits our corporate sector makes from importing, marking up and selling to the local market and, at the same time, increase the profits from exports through adding-value to local products and by owning the value chain.

B. Have we under-invested in our future?

From my perusal of the 2015 Review of the Economy document, T&T collected $100 billion in energy taxes and royalties in the six years between the 2010 and 2015 fiscal years (for the period October 2009 to September 2015.) 

T&T collected $15.733 billion in taxes and royalties on the energy sector in the 2010 fiscal year, $18.437 billion in the 2011 fiscal year, $18.274 billion in the 2012 fiscal year, $17.150 billion in the 2013 fiscal year, $19.368 billion in the 2014 fiscal year and $11.677 billion in the 2015 fiscal year. 

If the argument is that too much of that $100 billion was spent on transfers and subsidies, that is certainly correct (see Table above). 

By my calculation, T&T spent $172.8 billion on transfers and subsidies in the six-year period under review, which would have been more than half of the country’s total expenditure, according to the 2015 Review of the Economy. 

But, in reviewing T&T’s expenditure on transfers and subsidies with a view to decreasing it, it must be remembered that money spent on transfers and subsidies improves the lives of the population. Less money transferred to the population will mean a lower standard of living for a significant percentage of the population.

Even though ArcelorMittal closed its doors due to the factors in its global external environment, National Gas Company (NGC) chairman, Gerry Brooks, said the gas shortage to the plant was not the reason for the plant shutting down. This means, he said, other plants at the Point Lisas Estate would not shutdown as a result of shortage of gas.

According to Brooks, a gas shortage has existed in the energy sector since 2010. In total, domestic consumption is between 1.5 billion cubic feet and 1.7 per day. That consumption figure would be dependent on whether the plants are up and running or whether they are down for maintenance. 

Addressing the issue as to whether other companies on the industrial estate had approached NGC indicating a problem with gas shortage, Brooks confirmed but added the company has always worked closely with the players.

“They have approached us because, remember, we are the aggregator of gas, we do not produce the gas. What we have done in the past is work with the upstream companies and the downstreamers to have a joint coordinated effort.”

Asked what NGC has done to mitigate the problem of a gas shortage, Brooks said the company has many initiatives in place which are estimated to increase the volume of gas by between 100 million and 200 million standard cubic feet/mmscf.

He added that measures are expected to be rolled out between 2017 and 2020.

“We have worked very closely to coordinate supply between the upstream companies: bpTT, BHP, Shell, Repsol with the downstream companies who require supply.”

In its summary financial statements for the year ended December 2015, TTNGL reported an increase in assets from $2.9 billion in 2014 to $3.2 billion in 2015. 

According to the chairman’s statement accompanying the summary financial statements: “The T&T NGL Ltd recorded after tax earnings of $402.8 million in 2015. This is a significant improvement over the loss of $804.2 million incurred in 2014. It is commendable given the global decline in energy prices and the very challenging industry conditions.”

Long-term, medium-term and short-term measures have been implemented to mitigate the problem, Brooks said. 

“We are meeting regularly with the Point Lisas Energy Association and we are coordinating the maintenance of plant on the upstream side, with the maintenance of plant on the downstream side, to ensure that we optimise the supply of gas to the downstream companies.” 

The Point Lisas Energy Association comprise executives from companies that produce ammonia, methanol, urea and iron and steel and all are located in Point Lisas.

With this application of managing the gas curtailment, the company has had a “good run” year to date.

Another potential measure to mitigate gas shortage is improving the supply through innovation: “We have a project called TROC (Trinidad Region Onshore Compression project). We are using compression techniques to improve the supply of gas. We are in discussions with bpTT and other colleagues and we are close to completion of moving multilateral and bilateral agreements that would facilitate that. 

Propane-to-downstream

The next project that NGC will be undertaking is the propane-to-downstream project. 

“This will utilise propane as a feedstock for some of the downstream companies which we are prepared to fund and which we are also prepared to approve through our investment process. That has the potential to bring 100 million or 200 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) on a daily basis to help alleviate the problem. That is a 2017 initiative.”

He said NGC is also examining how it facilitates Juniper since that project is estimated to bring 585 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) of gas on stream.

Smaller marginal fields are also part of NGC’s measures to mitigate the gas shortage. 

“The small and marginal fields are the fields that have a potential to bring approximately 80, 100, 150 and sometimes 200 million standard cubic feet of gas to the table. 

“We are mapping that, relative to the world (programmes) of the upstreamers and or independent companies, and linking that back to infrastructure, asking: how can we realise production from these fields in the shortest possible time so it will liberate more gas and help us to get past this curtailment problem?”

In the longer term, he said: “The work (programmes) of upstream companies from an exploration standpoint to drilling in the deep is going to be important, as well as our work on Loran/Manatee. Remember that has 10 trillion cubic feet of gas. 

“That work is taking place from a commercial standpoint (export) and a country standpoint (to service companies in the energy sector). We recognise that it is a difficulty and I think we have a number of people and organisations working closely to try to solve it.

“There is no silver bullet that is going to cure (the gas shortage) in 2016. What we are doing is building the foundation: maintenance, the propane-to-downstream project, the TROC project, Juniper in 2018, our exploration programmes, drilling in the deep, Loran/Manatee.” These measures, Brooks said, would be in place throughout the period between 2017 and 2020.

No port talks

Brooks’ optimism at the end of the gas shortage, comes as president of the Plipdeco port, Ashley Taylor, indicated in an interview with Business Guardian last week, that ArcelorMittal never said it was having any challenges. He also added there was no monetary impact on the port’s bottomline concerning ArcelorMittal’s pull out. 

According to the 2015 third quarterly results, the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Ltd earned revenue from not only being a landlord to its 103 tenants but from various port facilities.

“Containerised cargo operations experienced a 15 per cent increase in throughput when compared to the same period in 2014. When further segregated, the data showed a four per cent increase in imports, an eight per cent increase in exports and a 60 per cent increase in transshipment cargo. 

“General cargo experienced a 10 per cent decline due to an 88 per cent decrease in exports, a one per cent increase in imports and a four per cent increase in transshipment,” Taylor said in the report.

While there were many factors affecting ArcelorMittal’s total operations, one major factor the company faced was an oversupply of steel in the global market. According to a September 3, 2015 article in Forbes magazine: “The Chinese steel industry is currently characterised by an oversupply situation, primarily due to a slowing Chinese economy. 

“Chinese steel production stood at 823 million tonnes in 2014. Steel production in China comfortably outstripped demand in 2014, which stood at 711 million tonnes. Weak domestic demand has provided a sharp boost to Chinese steel exports, which rose 27 per cent year-over-year in the first seven months of 2015.”

ArcelorMittal also explained in its 2015 financials that the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) had started to export to the markets in which ArcelorMittal had a presence.

“While the majority of these exports are directed to Asia, an increasing proportion is being directed toward ArcelorMittal’s core markets, Europe in particular. While not a sustainable long-term strategy, Chinese exports in 2015 were increasingly being sold at prices below cost (CISA reports large and medium-sized mills losing RMB 53 billion (US$8.6 billion) from January through November 2015), negatively impacting prices and therefore margins in many regions.”

The Government will have to ensure that there is a complementary public transportation system in place before it removes the fuel subsides, according to UWI economist Roger Hosein.

In an interview with the Business Guardian on Tuesday, Hosein said he was in favour of the removal of the fuel subsidy, arguing that in a recession “there is a need for economic adjustment” and that the country cannot afford to continuing supporting gas and diesel prices. 

But, at the same time, Hosein warned that in an effort to reduce the inflationary pressure caused by higher fuel costs, the Government will have to ensure there is a proper public transportation system.

“I think the removal of the subsidy can act as a good signaling effect to the population that we are in a new normal but, to ease any associated inflationary outcomes, it is important the State manages the transitionary period. In parallel, improve the complementary modes of public transportation.

“During a recession and overall period of stagnation, there is a need for economic adjustment and—this becomes a necessity— there are clear losers and clear winners. The challenge is to minimise the extent of loss of those on the receiving end.”

On Monday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert told a news conference he intended to remove the fuel subsidy and will send a clear signal when he presents his mid-year budget review to the Parliament.

“I intend to start the discussion with the statement I will be making to Parliament on April 8. I intend to start the ball rolling in terms of telling the country what the Government has in mind in terms of the way we are going to be dealing with the fuel subsidy and the timing of the phasing out of the fuel subsidy. I did say on October 5 that is the plan but we have to talk to the population first,” Imbert told the news conference.

The minister added, “I am going to start the ball rolling by asking the country to consider if this is the way we want to go: continue or let the price go up and down like virtually every other country.”

T&T has been spending billions every year to keep the price of fuel low and, for some time, successive governments have raised issues about whether the subsidy was the best way to spend the country’s resources.

Imbert said the timing was good now since crude prices were low. When the subsidies are removed, people will be paying market price at the pump for their fuel.

“Obviously, if it’s done now, the effect will be much less that if you do it when oil is US$100.”

Hosein said fuel subsidy, in its current format, was counterproductive and—with low interest rates in the bank—may have spurred an increase in the purchase of vehicles which has led to a rapid increase in traffic, carbon dioxide and a reduction in worker productivity.

The university lecturer said as economic rents fall there is now need to rebalance the situation and that the Government needed to either increase the cost of using roads with a toll or increase the cost of fuel by the removal of fuel subsidy.

“Removal of the fuel subsidy will lead to a reduction in government’s fiscal outlays, increase the cost of using vehicles and reduce congestion on the roads.” Hosein said.

He said the Government will also have to consider the timing of the removal of the subsidy since it will have to come up with a formula to prod businesses and the transportation sector to move into other fuels like CNG.

Hosein also raised the issue of a mass transit system inclusive of a rapid rail as a means of reducing the transportation burden on the population.

Since 2011, the former government gave itself three years to move hundreds of thousands of vehicles including the country’s bus and maxi-taxi fleet to CNG but, to date, it has not been successful.

There have been several stumbling blocks including the high cost of the CNG tanks, the reluctance of the maxi-taxi operators to transition to CNG, insufficient service stations carrying CNG and the cost of conversion.

Governments are actively working the world over, including in the Caribbean, to improve the governance within the public sector. The governance (SOEs) is important because they provide important services within a country and constitute a large and important part of the economy in terms of employment. 

As a part of our regional columns on corporate governance, the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute (CCGI) is launching a series of articles that focuses upon the governance of state owned enterprises (SOEs). In this first article, we define what an SOE is and identify some of the international standards and applicable laws and regulations that apply to SOEs in the region. 

What is an SOE?

Amongst many policy makers there has been a level of confusion as to which organisations are SOEs. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) define an SOE as being any kind of enterprise where the state owns shares in it. This simple definition provides a very useful method for identifying in many cases whether an organisation is an SOE or not. For example, let us take the much discussed case of CL Financial. 

The Government provided more than $20 billion to the company but left the ownership of the shares with the original owners. Some people have argued that this lack of direct share ownership means that the company is not an SOE. 

However, we would argue that the shareholding agreement for the company gave the state the right to appoint a majority of the directors and that this indicates that there was a very significant level of state control. CL Financial should therefore be regarded as an SOE. 

International standards for SOEs

The key international governance standard for SOEs is the OECD Guidelines for state owned enterprises. These guidelines were first published in 2005 and have been revised in 2015. They are fully aligned with the more general G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance that were also published in 2015. Both the principles and guidelines have benefit from extensive consultations. Many of the CCGI’s partner organisations; in both developed and developing countries have been active participants. 

The OECD Guidelines outline the state’s role in an SOE as follows: 

“The state exercises the ownership of SOEs in the interest of the general public. … The members of the public whose government exercises the ownership rights are the ultimate owners of SOEs. This implies that those who exercise ownership rights over SOEs owe duties toward the public that are not unlike the fiduciary duties of a board toward the shareholders, and should act as trustees of the public interest. High standards of transparency and accountability are needed to allow the public to assure itself that the state exercises its powers in accordance with the public’s best interest.” (p.32)

Key regulations and laws 

Jamaica

In Jamaica the key references for SOE governance are: the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act (2001); the Companies Act (2004); the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Code on Corporate Governance (2009); the Accountability Framework for Senior Executive Officers (Permanent Secretaries, CEOs of Executive Agencies and Public Bodies) (2010) and the Corporate Governance Framework for Public Bodies in Jamaica (2012). 

The Framework (2012) is currently being expanded with a Code of Conduct for Directors, a Competency Profile Instrument for Boards of Public Bodies, and a Performance Evaluation instrument. At present the PSOJ is in the final stages of revising the Code on Corporate Governance, CCGI’s comments are available on our website, and the Ministry of Finance and Planning in Jamaica is actively working on progressing the complementing components of the CGPB even during the course of the current election process under way.

T&T

In T&T the key references for SOEs are the Companies Act (1995); Integrity in Public Life Act (2000), the State Enterprises Performance Monitoring Manual (2011) and the T&T Corporate Governance Code (2013). 

SOEs must, of course, comply with their bye-laws, special legislation applying to them, and laws of the country and special directions in cases where they are regulated, for example, in the financial sector. All directors of SOEs should be aware of all legal requirements.

At the same time, they should be aware that the law is the minimum standard that needs to be complied with; it is not an indication of best practice. 

Many directors have found the tools developed by the Energy Chamber to be very useful. These are freely available on its Web site (http://corpgovtt.info/). 

One of the tools includes a customised assessment of the current SOE legislative requirements in T&T and has four levels of maturity progression: Level 1 is the legal baseline. 

Specific indicators define what each level of progression means and the CCGI recommends that all SOE Boards should consider assessing their organisation using this framework and using this as a basis for developing plans for improving their compliance and governance.

Probity, transparency, accountability, and assured sustained performance are four hallmarks of corporate governance for all sectors and type of organisation. Many countries have adopted legislation that enables citizens to get access to information on companies that fall under its remit. In the case of Jamaica this is the Access to Information Act (2002) and in T&T the Freedom of Information Act (1999). These acts should be regarded as a “back-stop” feature of corporate governance because other existing legislation in both countries already mandates disclosure of much of the information covered in these acts. 

In addition, international corporate governance standards recommend high levels of disclosure and transparency. The CCGI believes that in many cases the usage of Access to Information and Freedom of Information legislation is as a result of levels of disclosure and transparency of a company being below these international best practice standards. The Freedom of and Access to Information Acts of T&T and Jamaica are, from a corporate governance perspective, only likely to be used if good corporate governance is not taking place. 

Disclosure of performance and governance information in the Caribbean is very poor (details are available on the CCGI website) The International Benchmark is that 51 items should be disclosed by public interest entities. In T&T, only 12 items are recommended and there is guidance on an additional 16 items. In the case of Jamaica about 35 items should be disclosed. 

Companies that demonstrate sustained commitment to high environmental, social, and governance standards have been shown to be consistently higher financial performers than their less well governed peers. 

This is the reason why corporate governance standards focus upon disclosure. Disclosure is so important that the OECD Guidelines for State Owned Enterprises (2015) dedicate one of its seven principles to this topic:

Principle VI: Disclosure and Transparency: state-owned enterprises should observe high standards of transparency and be subject to the same high quality accounting, disclosure, compliance and auditing standards as listed companies.

The institute recognises that the reform of SOEs is challenging because these organisations are very complex due to the state itself not only having a shareholder and investor role, but also being involved in regulating the very industry in which the SOE is operating. 

Defining the state’s role and determining effective relationships between the SOE and key stakeholders that normally include the shareholding ministry, portfolio ministry, cabinet, ministry staff, citizens, and regulators is not easy. 

We recommend that a starting point should be with the shareholding ministry. In all cases a Ministry should be able to demonstrate to the public that it has:

(i) developed requisite policies for the SOEs in its portfolio (including how the ministry avoids potential conflicts and market distortions associated with being policy setter, regulator and market participants),

(ii) given clear and informed direction on what results are expected,

(iii) reviewed and concurred with the approach the SOE has taken to achieve the results,

(iv) monitored the achievement of the results in an assured way,

(v) has complied with all laws, regulations, and applied best practice standards, incl. engaging stakeholders in respect of their material interests in the organisations activities.

The application and execution of these standards would play a significant role in improving transparency, accountability, and performance of public sector organisations in the Caribbean.

The CCGI is a regional, independent, non-profit, professional membership organisation registered with the Accreditation Council of T&T. CCGI is the award body that provides the Certificate and Diploma in Corporate Governance and the Chartered Director qualification throughout the Caribbean. The CCGI welcomes membership applications and participation in its courses and events throughout the region. +1 (868) 221-8707 www.caribbeangovernance.org

Written on behalf of CCGI by Dr Axel Kravatzky, chairman of CCGI, and Dr Chris Pierce, director of education of CCGI.

I don’t remember being much of a good student in primary school. I was rarely in the top five, maybe once in a while in the top ten. I remember Common Entrance as terrifying.

All I have in my head is a picture of sitting in a room full of wooden desks, with the bright light from a large window to my right and a “lucky” stuffed toy we were allowed to bring with us in those days. Perhaps mine was a white unicorn, in front of me, watching me writing, writing, writing until my hand hurt.

I passed for Bishops Anstey High School, while girls who usually had better marks than me, but didn’t survive that one exam as well as I had, cried and cried when results came out. It’s painful to think about even today, that pressure and those immense feelings of relief and failure, when we were so young. 

Nonetheless, I never attended high school in Trinidad, instead becoming a Queen’s College student in Barbados, and later attending three additional high schools in Canada. In all of these, I was undeniably, unremarkably average.

I don’t remember any passion for my subjects or any particular drive to do well. I barely passed physics and chemistry. I feel I like was on automatic, doing school because that’s what adolescents do, not necessarily connecting to a compelling reason, plan or future. I was a reader, and I liked writing poetry, but I had no real hobbies or areas of excellence. My mother most likely despaired, wondering if I’d turn into a delinquent, while I got through reality from shifting locations in my own teenage dream world.

Adults are so different from children that we should reflect on whether they see the world, and our expectations of them, the way that we do. Their inability to connect to our standards and aspirations might not be a sign of present or future failing on their part. They are just growing at their idiosyncratic pace, and partially living in their own world.

Parental expectations can also be wholly unrealistic. We want our children to do well in all subjects as if it’s a national norm for adults to be great at eight separate things simultaneously. By the time we grow up, we accept that we might be better at art and math than biology or creative writing, but we scan report cards with that very measurement rule still in our minds.

Ziya’s only just started primary school, yet parents are already concerned about revising classwork in the afternoons and reviewing term material for assessments, producing a sit down and learn practice, and comparing the percentages that children get at the end of term. 

I believe in none of these. Afternoons are for self-directed learning, including play. Revising for assessments hides what was actually learned, or not, in class. Sitting still and memorising book knowledge gives concepts that can be regurgitated without understanding of their applicability or meaning. Percentages are great for knowing how your child performs in assessments, but not whether she or he increasingly loves learning, which is a wide indicator of when students will do well.

Any time spent with our children will tell us how they best learn to think, question, apply and remember, and which skills they have mastered or are still developing. Parents’ job is not to follow the Ministry of Education curriculum, but to do whatever enjoyable activities help to strengthen our children’s’ capacities, without resorting to more school.

All this sounds like letting education slide, but I’m more concerned with our despair when children don’t excel early on. Not all can excel every year for their entire school lives. Not everyone’s academic performance will peak when they are children. They might finally find their feet in university, in a job or in a course that offers an alternative to traditional subjects. That was me.

I began to seriously excel at university, finally. A surprise to many, I ended up with three degrees, plus focus, discipline and ambition. My mother need not have been so worried, and perhaps as parents neither should we. That’s the lesson I now try to live with Zi.

Dr Wendell C Wallace, 
Guest Writer, CISPS

The last two decades in T&T have seen a proliferation of crime plans aimed at crime reduction. Some of these were locally designed; others had significant “foreign” components and influence. These plans included, Operation LEAP, Operation Anaconda, 21st Century Policing, and even a State of Emergency. Generally, they lacked any notable input from the wider citizenry. Overall, it might be argued that these crime plans had varying degrees of success. 

From a professional viewpoint, the plans lacked a suitable evaluative component to assess what worked and what did not. However, from a layman’s perspective, these plans did not result in any decreases in the serious crime of murder. 

As security is central to people’s well-being, it should also have a key role in the development of a country’s security policy. Instructively, an Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) report (2003) noted that “A national security policy sets out the Government’s approach to security and how such security is expected to be achieved. National security policy involves major decisions about the security sector which affect the external and internal security of state and society.” 

Broadly speaking, T&T needs an apolitical crime plan or a national security policy with high levels of permanence, patience and persistence similar to the National Security Plan of the USA, emanating from the Office of the President (2015). With this in mind, the focus in T&T, for example, should be on the creation and implementation of a long-term National Security Policy which is able to support changes in the structures of government, promote greater regional co-operation on national security issues, and equip national security officials with effective intervention tools. 

The following, by this author, is a proposed 20-point National Security Policy for crime reduction in T&T (2015-2020):

1. A Safe City Programme with intense police patrols in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Chaguanas, Scarborough and Arima aimed at securing the major cities. As the cities become safer, the initiative should be extended to the concentric zones on the outskirts of such cities.
2. Expansion of municipal policing and the creation of a Tobago House of Assembly Police System. This will help free up the T&T Police Service for major crime fighting initiatives as well as increasing the capacity of the TTPS.
3. Implementation of the Private Electronic Monitoring Systems (PEMS). This is a private camera monitoring system which can be utilised in hotspots areas of crime and business districts.
4. Return of the Police Marine Branch. Presently, much of the policing is land-based despite the presence of numerous offshore islands and waterways which are used for illicit activities. This initiative will also serve as an additional security layer as well as facilitating greater involvement in policing for people who do not reside on the mainland.
5. Implementation of CCTV on state public transportation.
6. Creation and use of intra-governmental social programmes in hot spots of crime (ie the avoidance of strict legislative agenda) as crime is first and foremost, a social phenomenon.
7. Introduction and/or expansion of police mentoring schemes such as drug and gang awareness programmes for juveniles.
8. Implementation of CCTV along all highways to assist with the reduction of carnage.
9. Strengthening the capacity of the judiciary by establishing a Juvenile Justice System and the construction of a juvenile facility to house female juveniles who run afoul of the law.
10. Reintroduction of a Juvenile Bureau in the TTPS to track at-risk youth at the early onset of delinquency.
11. Mandatory national youth service for juveniles aged 14-25 who are either in non-productive capacities and/or at-risk for delinquency. This will serve to reduce juvenile delinquency as well as increase national pride.
12. Implementation of a functional Witness Protection Programme (with contemporary legislation).
13. Restructuring and modernising of the present system of the issuance of Fixed Penalty Notices (tickets) for errant motorists.
14. Implementation of legislation for the delivery of Fixed Penalty Notices via the postal service with stringent penalties for non-compliance.
15. Construction of a police station at L’Anse Fourmi/Bloody Bay junction in Tobago to assist in stemming the tide of illegal activities in the Main Ridge (a tourist attraction in Tobago) and increase visitor safety.
16. Creating a system of halfway houses to assist with the re-integration of prisoners into their social milieus after release from prison.
17. Restructuring/expansion of the judiciary (infrastructure) to improve its efficiency, efficacy and service delivery.
18. Improved scanning at all seaports especially for vehicles moving between Trinidad and Tobago.
19. Increased funding for research on juvenile delinquency and violence in schools and for alleviative programmes.
20. Drafting of legislation such as Anti-Social Behavioural Orders (ASBOs) and Parental Responsibility Laws to hold juveniles and their parents responsible for their behaviours.

The Caribbean Institute for Security and Public Safety conducts a range of training programmes for organisations and individuals in the fields of law enforcement, security, corrections, OSH, supervision and management. Conduct us at 223-6999, 223-6968, info@caribbeansecurityinstitute.com, www.caribbeansecurityinstitute.com 

—Dr Wendell C Wallace is a barrister, criminologist and university lecturer

There is an urgent need to have a special Caricom forum involving key states of the region to begin exploring a unified stance and strategic intervention that complements the strengths and addresses the weaknesses of our capabilities in the Caribbean—a Caribbean Risk Threat and Vulnerability Assessment (RTVA) to determine the gaps and to begin proactively engaging all players and national security platforms to ensure a collaborative and co-ordinated approach against the global war on terrorism. 

A recent breakthrough by SKY News UK with the discovery of the IS files concerning personal information of foreign terrorist fighters is a great step forward in pinpointing IS’ organised structure and platform foundations.

T&T as Caricom’s Security lead has to be proactive and intentional in intelligence management of such information. I have advocated strongly and renew calls for a special Caricom consortium on this and a review of the threats to the region. T&T needs to lead and initiate this—now.

The discoveries and files, and the electronic data are a cyber fingerprint that can reap extensive results. Once the ICT analytical approach is properly managed, manipulated and electronically explored with the finest subject matter experts that exist within our national security domain.

Amalgamation and joint operations/agency approach are necessary to get all the experts who can apply the ICT probes and software dynamics to ensure a complete information gathering process is executed.

Because terrorists operate like a business, it is important to go after them with a variety of legal measures and not just criminal law. Many countries are focusing on penal law and  exploring administrative and regulatory law that would help address facilitation of terrorist business practices.

The United Nations 2014 anti-terrorism resolution, which clearly defines the initiative of  T&T working closely with its international counterparts, echoed recently by the Minister of National Security, must also be firmly reiterated by local authorities, as access and interface regarding the IS documents must be initialised to guide and assist the local systems with all relevant information.

IS is financing itself primarily through the oil trade, coupled with other global illicit activities that echo the alignment of Transnational Organised Crime and Terrorism. There has been a huge transformation in international terrorism over the years. Today, there are global networks for both crime and terrorism that operate outside their borders.

Groups like IS are closer to the historical trade traditions of the Middle East than to industrial capitalism. That is why they are more focused on generating money by trading in oil, other raw materials or goods to finance their terrorist organisation. Global financial investigations and intelligence have shown they also launder their money through trade-based money laundering.

It is a fact terrorist groups and international criminals are among those who have profited from globalisation. They have successfully used the opportunities and the vanishing of borders for their own purposes and earned significant wealth.

Revenues from all these commercial operations need to be transferred from one place to the other. The Hawala system involves the transfer of money via trusted people and “underground” systems without banks or official processes. The money also intersects with the legitimate economy and trade and is a trade that interacts with the illicit economy worldwide. One must not dismiss the existence of cybercrime and cyber terrorism among the business sectors that terrorist groups participate in.

Terrorists ask themselves: how can I make money today and tomorrow? Cybercrime is part of that. There is more than a decade-long history of al-Qaeda involvement in fundraising through the Internet. This applies to IS also seen in how they use computer technologies, the Internet and social network capabilities for public relations activities, connection and recruitment.

Garvin Heerah
Former National Operations Centre head 

Human beings are not free moral agents! We were created to always serve or channel the Holy Spirit. The true sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was not that they ate a fruit that was forbidden to them. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the fruit! They chose to serve Satan instead of serving the Holy Spirit. 

All the great saints before us have known this! This can be seen by how they reacted when facing their greatest challenges. This knowledge was the source of all their power, authority, abilities and gifts, from David to Jesus. 

That is why Jesus, when faced by the shocking horrors of the cross that He had to suffer, said in my words: “Father I choose to serve You always, take control of me through the Holy Spirit anew” or “nevertheless not my will but Thy will be done.” 

David knew this too. Therefore in his darkest hour when threatened with rebellion and murder by stoning from his own men after the Amalekites had taken their wives and children from them and burnt their town of Ziklag to the ground, put on the ephod or like Christ, reaffirmed His constant surrender to God. 

Are you facing problems that are causing you pain today? If so, please use the true secret of the cross by now saying to God, “Not my will ever again be done in my life but yours as I choose to live in love and submission to You instead of fear and rebellion against you…”

Grace and shalom be richly multiplied unto you brethren and sistren.

Minister Fitzroy Junior Othello

With respect to the possible removal of the gas subsidy I put in my two cents.

1. Remove the subsidy over a four-year period by 25 per cent per annum;
2. Simultaneously reduce personal income tax by five per cent;
3. Introduce a road toll on the Solomon Hochoy/Uriah Butler Highway with exemption for taxis and buses. A $2 per car would bring in a minimum of $10 million annually which could be used for road and bridge maintenance.

The net result would be more money for the Government and probably less traffic on the roads.

 Roger Henderson

There is an offensive billboard advertisement posted on the west bound lane just outside Valpark. It features two women wearing bras with the word “bra leluliah”—an obvious conflation of the words bra and hallelujah. Perhaps the company thinks this is wonderful, witty and wry, but as a Christian I find the use of a sacred word to describe underwear deeply offensive.

The world Hallelujah punctuates the praise literature of the Bible which climaxes with a scene in describing all of heaven praising God with the word Hallelujah after the final defeat of evil. Consequently this word is a highly significant and important word of praise in Christian worship of all sects and denominations.

It is also particularly sad that the offensive billboard appeared during the Lenten season, a particularly Holy time for Christians where we reflect life and suffering of our Lord. I have sent two emails to the organisation to complain and am yet to receive even the courtesy of an acknowledgement.

While I agree there may be greater and more serious problems in our society, the constant drip of disrespect for religious faith will continue to undermine our nation’s moral fabric

I therefore call upon my fellow citizens, especially those who care about God and seek to worship Him in spirit and truth, to raise your voice against this insult and to boycott the company until the billboard is removed.

Darryl Thomson

We the residents of Cascade, between Foncette Rd and Pomme Rose Avenue, have a serious problem that is gong on for years at the top of Foncette Rd. 

There is an abandoned lot which is not maintained or cleaned, that is home to sand flies, mosquitoes (may even have the ZIKA virus) and all others dangerous insects. There is water collecting on the land which has come from the top of Mount Hololo!

The owner has been notified several times but he does not seem to care and all the residents on Foncette Rd and the ones on the south side of Pomme Rose are in danger.

The authorities need to act on this serious health issue that is affecting Cascade residents.

Sylvia Roach

It takes “you” to start a trend: shop local, eat local, spend local and enjoy local. There is a serious issue that plagues our society today where we believe that everything foreign is above the average in excellence. In the Caribbean we have been brainwashed into thinking that what is produced by the Western culture is better in relation to that of our own local products. This is something that saddens me because I too have fallen into the misconception that purchasing foreign goods will allow me to be viewed as sophisticated and distinguished. 

In order for Caribbean countries to fully accomplish growth and development, it is imperative that there be significant investments in local markets. The presence of so many multi-national corporations operating in T&T today is indeed alarming. These corporations exploit our resources by exploiting raw materials and paying lower wages with little or no benefits which do not equate to that which is paid in the parent company, and they continue to enjoy huge profits which is integrated globally. 

What baffles me most is that we have the purchasing power and must take control of it. I continually use the example of fast food restaurants on our island; for every foreign fast food outlet, there is a local alternative. We need to eliminate the stigma attached to supporting local establishments; too often people are disparaged because they choose to purchase a product or service produced in T&T instead of an internationally known brand. It is widely viewed that being able to afford foreign goods and services places you in a higher socio economic bracket. 

The Government needs to make a concerted effort to decrease the level of imports this country consumes simply because it contributes negatively to the current economic situation. What we should be doing is investing those resources in local products and services.

Essentially, we need to encourage consumers to develop the habit of supporting local products. Focus on products such as Matouk’s or Mabel vs Heinz; Sunshine vs Kellogg’s; or Flavorite vs Haagen Dazs. While this seems like a simple solution, many of us have become accustomed to the idea of having multiple options to choose from. 

Sadly, children are categorised by the quality of snacks in their lunch kits; teenagers are classified based on a particular brand of shoe or attire. This idea of labelling contributes to so many social ills that need to be addressed.  The starting point is “us”—we need to banish the inordinate opinion that everything foreign is exclusive or first-class and start supporting our own.  

With regard to our music and fashion industry, why is it that only when our music becomes internationally recognised because of one artiste winning an award that we are filled with so much pride for our culture? Why is it that only when Anya Ayoung Chee won Project Runway that all of a sudden T&T has so much pride in our culture?  

It is galling that we have to be proud of where we come from and what we produce only when the first world countries give us that five-minute opportunity for fame. We must realise that we are heavily controlled by the western culture and that nothing happens unless they approve it. We do not feel accomplished or successful unless we experience what they have defined as success. 

Until we feel proud about our own culture without reward and support our own ventures just for the sake of building an empire, we will never be able to envision what it is like to achieve true development. 

Supporting local is a lifestyle change and it can be very easy once we set our minds to fight the urges that have been instilled in us from a very young age and simply invest our money, time and energy in our local industries. We need to always remember that the secret to getting ahead is getting started!

Dario Gonzales,
UWI, St Augustine

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados—What is the Outlook for Caribbean trade and business? This is the question the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has attempted to answer through the production of their signature publication the Caribbean Export Outlook, which was released recently at their headquarters in Barbados.

Now in its second edition, the Caribbean Export Outlook offers a range of articles on key growth industries for the region such as cocoa, tourism and the creative sector. 

Highlighting the importance of the creative industries at the media event, executive director for the agency Pamela Coke-Hamilton said Caribbean Export had been mandated to take the lead in establishing the Caribbean Creative Industries Management Unit (CCIMU) and that “90 per cent of royalties for Caribbean artistes remain uncollected because the region does not have the infrastructure and monitoring mechanisms in place to enforce payment, resulting in the loss of export revenue.” 

The publication has a section dedicated to the music industry and intellectual property rights with feature interviews with musical icon Shaggy who has successfully paved the way for other Caribbean artistes, and shares his knowledge of the music industry and intellectual property issues.

The publication is produced by the agency with contributors from a team of industry experts and writers with the aim of providing a comprehensive yet easily manageable source of research and analysis of industries and markets that firms looking to grow via exports can reference. 

Importantly, it also provides an insight to several Caribbean markets for potential investors to consider. 

The Caribbean Export Outlook is just one of the mechanisms the agency is using to support the region’s private sector as part of the Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP) funded by the European Union under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).

With the circulation of the first edition to more than 22,000 regional and international readers, this latest edition is hoped to penetrate the international business sector even further, establishing itself as a “must read” for the business executives interested in trade with the Caribbean and as an effective promotional tool for regional businesses.

The public explanations offered by the board of directors of the Housing Development Corporation for terminating the services of Ms Jearlean John as Managing Director of the corporation on the basis of her “tone” at their climactic meeting are insufficient.

It is therefore expected (perhaps hoped for in the name of sanity and professionalism attending the responsibilities of a state board) that the board can explain in a logical manner its decision more substantively. On the other hand it would be unbecoming and unprofessional of someone of Ms John’s standing to have in the manner described. Which is it? It is clear that far more information has to be provided. 

The fact is that recent and past history have shown that in such matters, the population has not been given the “whole truth and nothing but the truth.” According to reports that have surfaced, the board asked Ms John to explain certain car rentals. Whether or not she “exploded” and displayed arrogance and insolence as claimed, it is said that the board has invoices for vehicles rented at very high cost, and without apparent justification.

On a number of occasions Ms John has said that she never used vehicles provided by the HDC as she has always had her own vehicle to take her to and from the job. What therefore is the explanation for the rental of a high quality, high-cost vehicle? 

For whose purpose was the rental arrangement made? And who used the vehicle? If it is that no one used it, at least consistently over the period 2011-2015, then why was the arrangement made and who made the decision?

And if there are no logical and acceptable explanations to those questions and more, then surely someone has to answer for the expenditure of public funds. The board of the HDC has to answer to a minister and eventually to cabinet for the performance of its duties. Minister during the period under review Dr Roodal Moonilal has said that he did not engage in micro-managing the Corporation and therefore could provide no answers to such questions. 

Of course it is remembered that a few questions over the use of vehicles by Dr Moonilal when he was minister did surface; but in the end there was no clear resolution to that matter.

So if not the minister and not the MD, then who has to answer? 

But beyond questions surrounding a vehicle or two or three, the HDC has not historically been the most efficient and transparently run state agency. 

This culture leaves room for suspicion and the requirement for clear accounting for the expenditure of taxpayers dollars, which are now in very short supply.

So too have there arisen questions over the distribution of homes to individuals, processes used by the HDC, even the fact that buildings were left untenanted for a couple years before a rush to distribution towards the end of the term of the last government.

What is at stake here is information on the political culture of governance utilised by governments in spending public resources. The matters involved here cannot be left to speculation and political bantering between parties/governments. 

In such circumstances, quality governance cannot emerge out of a situation in which there are no transparent and logical answers on the expenditure of public funds and procedures adopted by a board of directors.

Ultimately the Cabinet has to take responsibility to give account on these matters. 

This Land of the Lost column will become a monthly feature. In some ways, this is where my column had its beginnings, observations of our failures and weaknesses as a people, flaws we are either unable or unwilling to purge. 

We celebrate our hognarance, wear it like a coat of arms; “because yuh see me hyar, it have nobordy more ignorant dan me!” In some instances, my frequent exposure to the worst of Trini behaviour suggests it comes from a pit of despair.

Everyone walks around cocked like a pistol, compressed by the vise that is life; money troubles, job insecurity, traffic, domestic sparring... brooding becomes cussing, quickly escalating to violence. 

One recent incident brings this point home. The story of the young woman who was viciously clobbered by a man whom she reported gave her a bad drive is nothing short of madness. After her would-be attacker abruptly pulled in front of her to let out a passenger, she blew her horn, overtook him and went on her way, That was apparently enough to light his fuse... He reportedly chased alongside her, eventually blocking her vehicle, dragging her out into the street and punching her multiple times in the face. Her mother and sister tried to intervene and got a beating as well for their troubles. 

We’ve long since shed social mores of civilised society. In place of decorum and grace there is monstrous behaviour, a sense of entitlement to anti-social attitudes forged in the kiln of ketch-arse life. “Nobordy dozen undastan what I does be dealin wit so I doh cyer!” 

This warped idea of “struggle” as imposed by the nameless, faceless “people and dem” is why taxi drivers, and others co-opt the shoulder as an additional lane because they earn their living on the road. They don’t have time to sit in traffic like the rest of us law-abiding, law-abandoned citizens. Pedestrians, bodi vendors and purveyors of tepid soft drinks better watch dey contents because the shoulder is designated for taxi drivers. Exemption from the law also seems to apply to people in luxury cars who have important places to be with their very important, ignorant selves.

Traffic is a definite stressor, Trini people’s reaction to this stress, however, points to something deeper and more sinister. Just this past week I heard something which should leave any civilised person aghast. 

I was dropping off de Madame at Caribbean Airlines Piarco office, the entrance to which abuts a busy, major roadway. She got out and stood on the bridge to the compound while I parked across the street. It was only afterwards she told me of a taxi driver’s putrid verbal abuse towards her. 

Standing on the bridge she was startled by the aggressive horn-honking and wild gesticulations of this driver. As the Madame stepped back, he pulled in to drop off his passengers and continued with his quarrelling, insisting she was standing in the middle of the road. 

She explained to him she was not in the road at all, but on the bridge to the Caribbean Airlines compound, and furthermore there was no need for him to speak to her that way; well who tell she say dat? “Why yuh doh haul yuh *@#45_&^! and furdarmore (0^%&%$^*! This was no youth with golden teeth, knit vest, and a leather marijuana leaf pendant. This was a man in his 50s, ah proper “oncle”!

I always warn the Madame about publicly reproaching rude and obstreperous people in this diplomatic fashion. Speaking politely and firmly to transgressors in this Neanderthal-nation is interpreted as “Oh you feel you betta dan me, I bet ah buss up yuh....!” Is one thing if she doh mind getting a cut--- for her out-of-school lessons, but I am usually standing nearby and I too will pass in the rush. 

A pleasant security guard on the Caribbean Airlines compound came out to commiserate with the obviously shaken Madame. I too, tried words of comfort, “dat driver was lucky I was parking at the time because I woulda...” Well..I woulda share the cuss is all. 

That’s the trouble in this beast nation, these lower lifeforms, lacking the mental equipment to rationally argue a position or, more often, determined to defend the indefensible, resort to profanity and violence when presented with a reasoned argument or an unassailable condemnation of their wrongdoing. 

There is no data to support this wild assertion, but when you are out there every day battling for your dignity, trying to avoid a parking lot bacchanal or a grocery store dust up, it feels like the iniquitous in society are in the majority. 

Wrong and strong, hognarant; to a considerable extent, these are our defining characteristics. We can’t see that it is wrong because it is so prevalent. Also, perceived victim-hood means people confuse standing up for themselves with “doing fuh dem.” 

Given the risks associated with trying to change the culture, the only viable options are migration or further cloistering among the decent in society.

Since 6 am on Tuesday, Deputy House Speaker Esmond Forde has been breathing a sigh of relief following his return from London—and Belgium.

“I returned from London last night, after leaving Belgium Saturday,” Ford said Tuesday morning. “I could have stayed in Belgium until Monday, but it was cold. And now the very Brussels airport lounge I departed from last Saturday was the one that was bombed this morning. ”

Forde has been in shock all week following Islamic State’s Belgium suicide bombings killing 31 and injuring 200. Deputy House Speaker, he represented T&T at an African, Caribbean (ACP)/European Union Parliamentary gathering last week in Brussels alongside thousands of delegates. Forde feels doubly blessed. 

Brussels’ Parliament where his meeting occurred, was one block away from the metro where terrorists also detonated a suicide belt.

Brussels was a manifestation of experts’ warnings following last year’s Paris attacks, about increasing threat of Western attacks, particularly by IS members/sympathisers returning home. Prior to Brussels, T&T national security was monitoring reported UK discovery of detailed IS applications on 20,000 jihadis from over 51 countries.

This writer reported after the Paris attacks, that 89 T&T nationals—fighters plus families—were estimated with Isis. National security now confirms the figure has crossed 90, but isn’t in hundreds. National security, however, noted local recruits flow since 2013 has slowed, concurrent with IS asset freeze/destruction. Arab Weekly reported IS’ January 2016 memo on a 50 per cent wage cut for fighters and austerity measures including dropping newly-weds’ $1,500 perk.

Local security sources are also measuring radical fundamentalist influences on recently heightened school violence at a couple of institutions. Pilot detention centres including in Central on Thursday reported containment of behaviour.

Also, on Tuesday gone, a local Umrah tour leader—handling tours for 37 years up to 2015—informed his 40-member group (paying $30,000 each for a Saudi Arabia trip), that South America’s Caracas and NY embassies refused visas for the London/Turkey/South America trip, scheduled to depart Wednesday. 

A member confirmed he was told at the NY embassy of a halt on visas for T&T/Guyanese nationals since pilgrimages were being used by some as cover to go join IS.

In January, US General John Kelly estimated 150 Caribbean nationals departed for Isis last year—50 more than 2014. Kelly warned of a shift of radical rhetoric away from joining the Middle East fight and toward local attacks. He cited Jamaica, Suriname, T&T and Venezuela as vulnerable due to lack of resources.

Islamic Front’s Umar Abdullah who claims to have a list of nationals with Isis—most from south/central—claims the dead include Milton Algernon, Shaun Parsons, Ashmeed Chote, a Gonzales man, southern businessman plus the son of the Enterprise masjid member whose wife and daughters fled Turkey in 2014.

Abdullah says Shane Crawford’s mother confirmed hearing from him a month ago. Rio Claro imam Nazim Mohammed said Thursday his wife hears from their daughter and family who went to Syria last year. Others with IS include one Chris Lewis, Abu Mansour al Muhajar, Abu Abdullah, Zayd Al Muhajir and family. Four from south/central held in Turkey last December, remain detained, national security confirmed. 

Local authorities aren’t unheeding. Government’s Anti-terrorism Desk now links the Attorney General’s office, National Security, Foreign Affairs, local and international agencies. Laws including forefeiture of assets are being pursued. 

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed Cabinet will shortly obtain measures—incorporating anti terrorism legislation—concerning returning IS fighters. Anti terrorism law prescribes sanctions for involvement in terrorist activities.

T&T born, UK-based terrorism expert Candyce Kelshall (Buckingham University Centre for Security & Intelligence Studies/vice chair, British Transport Police—Independent Advisory Network) said post Brussels, T&T’s threat level must be increased. “There’s an above average representation of T&T nationals involved in IS and no certainty how many have returned. Air arrival alone isn’t adequate means of judging.”

“T&T should be vigilant. Increased savagery in recent T&T criminal attacks isn’t unrelated to ISIS. The Caribbean will see an increase in criminality mixed with sadistic ritual. Limb removal is a staple Isis tactic. That’s not to say Isis is responsible for attacks but criminal elements are influenced by such behaviour. Protective services and civil society must demonstrate ISIS style barbarism won’t be tolerated.”