Trinidad & Tobago
Rowley vexes women
Port-of-Spain – Despite the national outrage and a firestorm over his remarks on domestic violence, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley last week rejected all claims they were rooted in “victim blaming”.
Rowley came under intense fire after advising women to choose their partners more wisely. Speaking on the night of February 6, Rowley said, in part: “You call on the Prime Minister to do something about crime. I'm not in your bedroom. I'm not in your choice of men. You have a responsibility to determine who you associate with, and know when to get out, and the State will try to help.”
He was later accused of a lack of empathy or compassion by citizens, non-governmental organisations, and activists concerned with violence against women.
A subsequent release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated otherwise. Titled, “Protecting our citizens from domestic violence”, the document stated Rowley's remarks were “misinterpreted by some groups which claim that the Prime Minister blamed the victim for the heinous incident that took place on Sunday 5th February, 2016”.
Reference was being made to the gruesome murder of 27-year-old Jamilia DeRevenaux at MovieTowne in Port-of-Spain the night before. DeRenevaux's throat was slit in an alleged domestic dispute with a man against whom she had a restraining order.
The statement also read: “The Prime Minister was conversing with the people and his statement has been taken out of context. He categorically rejects this interpretation of his statement. His comments at the National Conversation were based on the statement from the audience which lamented that domestic violence was so pervasive and happening within private spaces, in their very homes.”
According to the release, Rowley has “already responded on the various strategies to deal with violence”, and also further advised “while he could provide protection in the wider environment for women, he could not provide such protection in the private spaces and lives”.
Additionally, “The Prime Minister, being a father and grandfather and understanding the importance of the association we keep and our personal well- being, offered further empowering advice to our women by advising women that, ‘You have the responsibility to determine who you associate with, and know when to get out’.”
Also, “The Prime Minister wants women to be empowered to make smart choices. The Prime Minister does not blame the victims of domestic violence but rather sympathises with the victims and the families of both the victims and the perpetrators. The Prime Minister is aware that such acts of violence are a clear signal for help by both victim and perpetrator. The Prime Minister is treating with amendments to the legislation to offer greater protection to domestic violence.”
It also noted: “The Office of the Prime Minister does not condone domestic violence and is doing everything possible to reduce this scourge.”
The statement did little to quell the firestorm. It raged on Facebook, where in an apparently mocking summation of what Rowley had said, lecturer at the University of the West Indies Gender Department, and women's activist, Gabrielle Hosein wrote: “Men are going to be violent. Therefore women are responsible for choosing their men carefully. Therefore those women who did not make good choices with regard to men can be blamed when those are violent toward men, for men are violent, that is all.”
On the other hand, Communications Manager at the Prime Minister’s office, Arlene Gorin-George, in responding to some of the Facebook comments, noted Rowley’s language could have been more elegant, but defended his intentions.
“While the language could have been more eloquent, I get what he was trying to say,” she wrote.
The Women’s Arm of the Opposition United National Congress was not as forgiving, describing the statement as being tantamount to “victim shaming.”
Said the Women’s Arm: “Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or any wrongful act is held entirely or partially responsible for the harm that befell them. The study of victimology seeks to mitigate the perception of victims as responsible. There is a greater tendency to blame victims than perpetrators.”
The women called for an apology. What Rowley said placed an additional burden on victims and their families, who have undergone tremendous psychological and physical trauma during their ordeals, the group said.
“We also would like to ask the Prime Minister: were Nadia Simms, Rachel Ramkissoon and other women who were victims of heinous crimes, were they also murdered because of their ‘choices’?” the group wanted to know.
The Women’s Arm also alleged Rowley shed accountability for other murders by playing the victim card.
Couva North MP, Ramona Ramdial also called on Rowley to apologise, rather than defend his statement. The prime minister’s language was “poor and crass”, and his response at the public event should have been more “solution-oriented”.
Ramdial said Rowley’s focus must be on improving the legal system and assist all women in regards to the granting of protection orders, training police adequately to deal with domestic issues, have social officers at all police stations, and build more shelters and safe spaces for women through collaboration with NGOs and Community Based Organisations.
She also called on Rowley to exercise more sensitivity when dealing with domestic violence.
However, the PNM’s Women’s League saw it differently. Rowley was not victim-blaming but “simply reiterating” the same advice all parents give their daughters, which is to choose a partner wisely, the group said.
The group accused Rowley’s critics of saying nothing about actual murders, and instead “unfairly” used a 30-second soundbite to bash him and “derail vital issues”.
Said the group: “For those fortunate enough to listen to the part of the conversation which treated with the response of the Police Service to crime in general, and domestic violence in particular, the Prime Minister delineated the roles to be played by everyone, and the shared responsibility of all citizens, including women, to address what is clearly an unacceptable situation.”
It added: “On no occasion did the Prime Minister attempt to cast blame upon or shame women who have been victims of domestic violence. Instead he asked women to use resources available to them, one of which was their ability to choose their partners wisely.”
The League said Rowley had nothing to apologise for, and such calls are “disingenuous at best” since they do not distinguish between the content and delivery of Prime Minister’s comments.
In delivering the homily, Santa Rosa's parish priest Fr Dwight Black challenged citizens to adopt virtuous practices to rid Trinidad and Tobago of the violence.
“People are becoming so scared. It says to me there is something seriously wrong about who we are as children of God. I am not going to focus on the negative anymore. It feels so negative I don't want to come out of my bed. What is the use in doing anything if nothing good could come out of the human person,” he said.
Additionally: “In order to get out of a deep hole, you must have a positive mind. The ironic thing is our country is so religious. Many times Islam was used to bring tribes together. We need to use positive methods to get out, I am sure the pastors use the word of God. We must not keep telling ourselves we will not get out.”
Black said: “In Tobago, we have saying “One one coal does fill basket. Virtue has a way of transforming the acoustics of aggression into love.”
He called for duty, using the example of his stepfather, a policeman, who often abandoned family celebrations to report to work. He also called on the media to report as much good news as bad.
Pentecostal pastor Apostle Vernon Duncan, in delivering prayers and brief exhortations, said the officers and leaders need to call upon God.
Duncan recounted an experience on his visit to west Kenya, where men were dying from malaria and HIV/AIDS and women seemed unable to cope.
Also attending the event were Pundit Gyan Gosine, Imam Mahmud Muhammad, Seventh Day Adventist Pastors Brendon Thomas and Pastor Clive Dottin.
Imbert spoke in response to queries following RBC Royal Bank’s recent decision to increase fees and charges on services across the board for general and business clients. The announcement did not go down well with customers, with some threatening to shift business.
Last week the bank’s senior manager, corporate communications, Nicole Duke-Westfield explained that while most charges pertain to people coming in to do business at branches, RBC’s ATM withdrawals and deposits remain free of charge. Deposits and withdrawals on all age-based accounts for seniors and youths are also free.
Last week Imbert was asked about statements he had made during the 2017 budget debate about looking into high bank fees. At the time, he was responding to concerns about bank fees raised by independent senators Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir and David Small.
Said Imbert: “The Central Bank Act gives the Central Bank the power to fix the fees and charges to be charged on loans, advances or other credit facilities, by a financial institution. Note that these are just fees related to loans. The law does not speak to fees and charges on withdrawals, overdraft, credit and debit card fees, ATM fees, monthly fees on accounts etc.”
Additionally: “These other fees and charges are not regulated by law at this time and in other countries these fees are subject to fair trading and unfair contract terms legislation and disclosure provisions. This is what I spoke about in the Senate — that is, whether we should change the law to allow the Central Bank to regulate all fees charged by commercial banks. It is a matter that is being carefully studied at this time.”
They are appealing to the government and the Tobago House of Assembly to work out a plan to save the industry.
President of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association Chris James said half a dozen restaurants and a similar number of guest houses have closed because of financial troubles, while others have “eroded their savings.”
“It’s a daily struggle to pay bills, including basics like electricity and water,” he said.
Kelvin Parker, whose apartment rental business was recently repossessed, said the situation was further exacerbated because commercial banks “have no assistance for any one of us in this industry at this time.”
President of the Tobago Chamber of Commerce Demi John Cruickshank said for the past seven or eight years businesses in Tobago have been on the decline because of the steady decline of the tourism industry.
From a high of 80,000 visitors previously, there were only 19,000 international arrivals to the island last year.
“Of the 30 million tourists to visit the Caribbean last year, Tobago got a mere 19,000. That is less than two percent at a time when the country needs foreign exchange,” he said.
“A number of guest houses and hotels are struggling, but bankers in Port-of-Spain only concerned about getting their instalments. But apart from the instalments, hoteliers and guest house owners have other commitments, including NIS, health surcharge, electricity and other bills.”
Cruickshank said these concerns were raised with the Bankers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago some time ago and he hopes to raise them again with current president Anya Schnoor.
He also wants to meet with Minister of Finance Colm Imbert, the Tobago House of Assembly and other stakeholders “because as it is owners of these establishments now have to be labourers and jacks of all trades to keep going and we are concerned that things will get worse.”
James admitted: “It is a very negative situation in Tobago. Hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and guest houses have been plagued by a range of problems, including the lack of direct international flights to the island, not enough destination marketing, water and staffing shortages,” he said.
James said hoteliers have no idea what the deal was with the planned Sandals Resort.
“If any concessions are afforded to Sandals we would like similar benefits,” he said.
He said while it will take at least two years for the Sandals Resort to become operational “we are optimistic that their marketing and airlift will help us and the economy of Tobago.”
James added: “We have an amazing group of people that have stamina with what we have to go through on a day to day basis to keep going, but many of us getting to the end of the tether.
He added: ‘There is a severe foreign exchange problem but we have the highest retention of the tourism dollar in the region because over seventy per cent of every dollar is retained in Trinidad and Tobago.”
The increase in violent crimes on the island is not helping. “It is very concerning and if the crime situation is not brought under control it will put a severe dent in the economy of Tobago,” Cruickshank said.
He is appealing to the central government and the THA to come together to do something about the industry.
“The former PP government in Trinidad and the PNM-led THA were not talking. Now you seeing the repercussions of all the policy wars and the businesses are suffering,” he said.
Based on the numbers of males and females in the country, the Central Statistical Office says the country's population can now be stated as approximately 1.4 million people.
The population data was obtained by the CSO's Population, Social and Vital Statistics Division.
The total consists of 679,288 males and 674,607 females and represents the CSO's 2016 mid-year estimates.
The CSI said in a statement: "Based on these official statistics the population of Trinidad and Tobago can now be stated as approximately 1.4 million persons. From a historical perspective the country's total population stood at 1,213,733 or approximately 1.2 million persons, based on the results of the 1990 Population and Housing Census.”
It added: "In 2000 the corresponding figure was 1,262,366 or approximately 1.3 million and the 2011 Population and Housing Census yielded a tally of 1,328,019 which when rounded to the nearest hundred thousand was still 1.3 million persons."
The 1.4 million mark was not attained until June of 2016, it added.
The mid-year estimates are calculated as at June of every year using the data from the preceding Population and Housing Census as a baseline.
Births, deaths and estimated net migration are the data used when compiling mid-year estimates, the CSO said.
Dillon also denied that high-risk deportees with military training in explosive, firearms and other types of weaponry were no longer under watch by the Special Branch.
Saying the US always notifies Trinidad and Tobago about the arrival of deportees, Dillon said based on their criminal record, law enforcement officers then take a decision on whether monitoring should be done.
“Based on the information we get from the deportees, we put them in different categories because not all of them are criminal deportees who have committed a serious offence,” Dillon explained.
Saying Trinidad and Tobago will continue to keep potentially dangerous deportees under watch, Dillon added, “If the United States sends someone who is involved in gang warfare or someone who has committed murder, we will definitely monitor those individuals. There is no question about that.”
However, he noted the government had a duty to provide rehabilitation to the deportees so that they will not fall into a life of crime.
Dillon stated: “The Ministry of National Security will continue to support Vision on Mission and other social groups. We have to look at how we can rehabilitate and prevent them from continuing on a path of crime. We have to see how we can we reintegrate them in society.”
He also said those deportees who are no longer of questionable interest to law enforcement officials will be removed from the radar.
“We are also working closely with the minister of Social Development and VOM which comes under National Security to support their initiatives. We want to strengthen VOM and offer our assistance to their existing programmes because some deportees come here with no attachment whatsoever and we have to catch them as early as possible so they don’t enter into a life of crime,” Dillon added.
Reminding senators that customs duties were increased on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products by 20 and 15 percent respectively, Imbert said the excise duties on these products were increased on these respective products by similar percentages. He said the increased duties could provide an additional $60 million in revenue to the country and it costs taxpayers $500,000 per year, “to treat just one lung cancer patient.” Comparing figures from October-December 2015 to October-December 2016, Imbert said there had not been any real change in revenues collected from taxes on beer or cigarettes.
In the case of beer, Imbert said revenues were $47 million in 2015 and $54 million in 2016. He said revenues from cigarettes were $50.8 million in 2015 and $58 million last year. However Imbert said the noticeable change was in revenues collected from rum and spirits.
Indicating it was too early to know the real reason for the decline from $57 million to $36 million, Imbert said his preliminary research suggests that rum and spirits retailers chose to “exhaust their inventory” over the Christmas period. He said this resulted in rum and spirits being sold at the old prices. Imbert indicated that by the first quarter of this year, there should be an increase in revenue from taxes on alcohol and spirits.
“Rum and spirits have a long shelf life. This is what I have been told. This is something that I cannot say I have a lot of experience in,” Imbert remarked.
Indicating that price increases in alcohol have not reached the level to curb consumption of these products, he said this was because consumers “don’t have any option, unless you get involved in some sort of illegal activity.”
Stating this speaks to the issue of inelastic taxes, the minister disclosed that prior to the removal of taxes on hybrid vehicles in 2015, less than 20 of these vehicles were imported into Trinidad and Tobago. A total of 453 hybrids came into the country once these taxes were removed, he said.
In his contribution, Opposition Senator Wade Mark reiterated his charge that the taxes being imposed were illegal. He called for the motions to be withdrawn or for Imbert to “withdraw from the Cabinet.”
Last November, in response to the same claims by Mark, Imbert said the taxes outlined in the 2016-2017 Budget are all “perfectly legal.” At that time, he referred to a legal opinion from the Treasury Solicitor which he received on this issue as well as on the online tax announced in the Budget.
Mark yesterday said the Opposition got that opinion by “innovative means” and wondered whether Imbert consulted with the Parliament’s officers regarding the contents of that opinion.
