There is so much that I wish to comment—the murder of innocent teenagers, spiralling gang-related violence, the death of babies at hospitals, the downturn in the economy, the success of Divali Nagar and the inequitable funding for Ramleela.
Every time I read the newspapers my head just spins faster. The untimely death of baby Marissa Ramlal, the destruction of poor farmer’s crops on the eve of Divali at Diamond Village and the low bail set by one unnamed magistrate in a drug trafficking case—it’s as if our society is in a daze or has just given up or is in a state of paralysis.
Wasted crops
Where is the public outrage over the murder of 14-year-old Kimberly Tiffanny Monderoy? Her life was snuffed out by a stray bullet fired by rival gang members at the Cuthbert Circular Road in Diego Martin.
How could a 19-year-old shoot a 15-year-old at point blank range in Laventille in joke while “playing” with a loaded illegal firearm?
How could the Estate Management Business Development Corporation so callously destroy full-grown crops of pumpkin, pineapples, dasheen and pommecythere the day before Divali, when the poor farmers in Diamond Village kept begging that they were just about to harvest their crops for sale to villagers for Divali? Was there no understanding or human compassion? Would two days have made a difference? Had they returned the day after Divali the crops would have been all but gone.
Does no one care for the hard labour of the poor who are simply trying to make an honest living without a gunning down or robbing someone? The farmers claimed they had been begging Caroni to sell them the lands to no avail. Lenora Alexander glumly said, “We were not given any notice about the demolishing of our food crops. “They came unexpectedly and started to destroy everything that everyone in the village have been working hard for over the past ten years and more.”
And what are we to make of the candid comment by Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan that she found the bail granted to Kyle Riley who was charged with trafficking ten kilos of cocaine too low? She is reported to have rhetorically questioned why a man accused of drug trafficking could be “allowed” to leave police custody in light of the serious nature and prevalence of the offence.
I wish to commend Mrs Ragoonanan for being so bold and brave. That she felt so strongly about the matter and wasn’t prepared to simply frown in silence or steups about it shows strength of character. There should be an investigation into this matter as the bail set was $25,000 and this is ridiculous.
What on earth prompted the Government to issue cheques for sums ranging from $500 to $1,200 to Ramleela groups across the country at a time of such unprecedented wealth? It was the lowest disbursement ever by any government. To make matters worse, the goodly minister in her speech actually stressed the need for accountability and demanded transparency from the lucky groups! The average Ramleela celebration costs $40,000 to $75,000 over nine nights. The money given could barely buy two cases of Chubby and ten aloo pies to feed the children who act and dance each night, but the minister wants accountability.
Pocket change
I hope a similar call is made when other groups are given financial assistance that make the Ramleela budget look like mere pocket change.
The avalanche of medical negligence cases has cascaded. I am appalled at the way the poor in our society are treated. Most cases will never see the light of day because only a small handful of doctors are willing to testify in court on behalf of victims and the Government refuses to establish an independent medical complaints council that can evaluate claims of medical negligence.
The medical profession must police itself and such an institution will strengthen the integrity of the profession as a whole. No government minister will dare seek medical institution at our public hospitals so tough luck to the rest of us.
Everyone, except the Government, sees the international economic crisis coming at us like a train in the distance with its headlights on.
AmCham director Hugh Howard was the last to join the growing chorus of public opinion, warning the Government that it cannot escape unscathed and urging pre-emptive measures including reduced spending now.
No one in the Government seems to be listening because one-eye man is king in blind man land and the PNM knows that the people that voted them into office are all blind to everything except race.
So why bother?
by Anand Ramlogan 2008-11-09