分类： society

As Trinidad and Tobago’s school holidays commence, the Children’s Authority has issued crucial guidance to parents and guardians, emphasizing the continued importance of child safety protocols during the festive period. Executive Director Sheldon Cyrus delivered a stark reminder on December 11th that parental responsibilities must remain paramount despite seasonal distractions.

Statistical data from the Authority reveals neglect persists as the most frequently reported form of child maltreatment, with parental inattention creating dangerous vulnerabilities. Cyrus specifically warned against the provision of alcohol to minors, noting its capacity to impair judgment and increase susceptibility to predators.

The Authority’s comprehensive recommendations include ensuring children receive balanced periods of rest and recreation during holiday cleaning activities, establishing clear behavioral expectations before social gatherings, and educating youth about bodily autonomy and consent. Children should be empowered to decline unwanted physical contact, even from relatives.

Crucial safety protocols emphasize teaching children about appropriate versus inappropriate touching, monitoring digital activities, reinforcing road safety principles, and instructing children to refuse gifts from strangers. The Authority stressed that every citizen shares responsibility for child protection, urging immediate reporting of suspected abuse to emergency services (999) or their dedicated hotline (996).

Additional preparedness measures include ensuring children memorize their full names, ages, parental contact information, home addresses, and identifying trusted adults to approach if lost during holiday excursions.

Trinidad and Tobago is mourning the passing of Ferdinand ‘Ferdie’ Ferreira, a foundational figure in the nation’s political landscape and close confidant of first prime minister Dr. Eric Williams, who died on December 11 at the age of 93. Recognized across party lines as an unwavering patriot, Ferreira dedicated his life to national development and political scholarship.

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles led tributes, honoring Ferreira as a man whose “life lived in service, integrity and devotion is honoured by God Himself.” Born in 1932 on Dundonald Street in Port of Spain, Ferreira became one of the few authorities capable of speaking comprehensively about Trinidad and Tobago’s political evolution from colonial times to the present.

As a founding member of the People’s National Movement (PNM), Ferreira served in multiple capacities including elections officer and labor relations officer while acting as trusted adviser to Williams and subsequent party leaders. His expertise became so renowned that the PNM described his home as “a museum of sorts” containing historical documents, laminated articles, photographs, and recordings preserved with his late wife Pearl.

Beyond political service, Ferreira was a prolific writer who authored two significant works: “Political Encounters 1946–2016” (2018) and the autobiography “Portrait of a Patriot” (2022), launched the day after his 90th birthday. His intellectual contributions earned him the honorary degree from the University of Trinidad and Tobago in 2021 and the D. Eric Williams Medal of Honour in 2019.

Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum. Former culture minister Joan Yuille-Williams remembered him as “the most dedicated servant of the people” who “didn’t look back for anything for himself.” NAR former deputy leader Winston Dookeran praised Ferreira as “a foundation stone for the building of the independent TT,” while former minister Vasant Bharath noted his commentary was “never about spectacle – it was about service.”

Ferreira’s legacy includes his recent work preserving the PNM’s history on film through interviews with founding members. He is survived by his children David, Donna, and Jaime, daughter-in-law Lavaughn, and numerous grandchildren.

The Estate Police Association (EPA) has issued a stark warning about the deteriorating credibility of Trinidad and Tobago’s industrial relations system due to persistently delayed wage negotiations. Association President Deryck Richardson revealed that unresolved negotiation cycles spanning from 2014-2016, 2016-2019, and the still-pending 2020-2025/26 period continue to severely compromise the collective bargaining process.

The systemic delays have created a situation where wage settlements lose their real value due to inflationary erosion, forcing employees to prioritize back pay over meaningful improvements in living standards. Richardson emphasized that expired negotiation cycles fundamentally restrict both parties’ ability to implement substantive changes to collective agreements, as addressing past ‘lived realities’ becomes increasingly impractical once the relevant period has passed.

A particularly concerning example emerges from the National Maintenance Training and Security Company, where years of delays may result in estate constables receiving no wage increases whatsoever. This stagnation places their basic compensation at par with security officers lacking police commissioner-issued precepts, while supervisors receive only minimal adjustments.

The association notes that successive minimum wage adjustments have effectively overtaken earlier wage proposals, creating the false impression that workers have received adequate increases. Richardson clarified that the minimum wage represents merely a protective floor rather than a genuine assessment of officers’ skills, responsibilities, and risks.

Compounding the problem, job evaluations across state companies and statutory bodies remain outdated, failing to reflect modern duties and expectations. The state’s continued reliance on antiquated assessment methods further undermines fair compensation practices.

These negotiation delays also generate substantial back pay obligations that burden state finances and complicate long-term budgeting. The EPA emphasizes that timely settlements would enable responsible financial planning while ensuring workers receive increases when they actually matter.

The association confirms it has submitted proposals to resolve all outstanding negotiation periods and now calls on the state to honor the collective bargaining process, return negotiations to proper timeframes, and restore real value to the nation’s estate police officers.