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00:00:00What's going on?
00:00:11And a very special good morning Trinidad and to the rest of the world, I'm Arlan Hopkins.
00:00:15And as always, welcome to The Morning Edition.
00:00:17It's April 23rd, 2024 and thank you very much for joining us.
00:00:21So tell me, how did the dust treat you yesterday?
00:00:24It was very, very bad.
00:00:26As I looked to the northeast, you could not see the northern range.
00:00:31So yesterday morning, I decided, well, here's what.
00:00:34I had to go to the grocery.
00:00:36So I did go to the grocery and as I'm on the highway now, the Churchill Roosevelt Highway,
00:00:41and I'm heading west, just maybe about 11 o'clock or so, and it was very, very hazy.
00:00:49But let me tell you what I saw that I never saw before concerning the Saharan dust.
00:00:55I saw waves, waves in the atmosphere.
00:01:01And that is to tell you how thick the dust was yesterday.
00:01:05Yesterday was a horrible day when it came to the Saharan dust.
00:01:11So I tried to stay as much as possible inside.
00:01:15While I was moving from the grocery to the car park, I forgot to put on my mask.
00:01:23And almost immediately, I felt that something was wrong in my system.
00:01:27I felt that something was going on with my throat.
00:01:30So that's to tell you how serious it is for people like me who have allergies.
00:01:35It's very, very serious.
00:01:37So again, we have to keep our eyes on the children, especially the very young ones,
00:01:43and the elderly, keep your eyes on them.
00:01:45You know, the elderly like to go outside and sit down in the gallery and take a breeze.
00:01:49And there's no breeze out there in Saharan dust.
00:01:53All right.
00:01:54So let's check out to see what's happening in the Daily Express today.
00:01:58All right.
00:01:59So 12th baby dies.
00:02:01But NICU head denies any link to April 4th to 9th bacteria outbreak.
00:02:10Preterm births on the rise.
00:02:13The housing takes political hands-off approach.
00:02:17So in deep thought, Health Minister Terence de Alising is in a pensive mood
00:02:21during yesterday's news conference at the ministry's corporate headquarters
00:02:25at Queen's Park East in Port-au-Spain.
00:02:28And as we told you, 12th baby dies at Port-au-Spain General Hospital.
00:02:32Another baby died at the neonatal intensive care unit of the Port-au-Spain General Hospital
00:02:36at around 2 a.m. yesterday, increasing the number of known neonatal deaths to 12 this year.
00:02:44However, the baby girl's parents, who wish not to be named, told TV6 News
00:02:48that she was born on February 28th at a gestation of 29 weeks and 2 days
00:02:54and weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces.
00:02:58Apart from being premature, she also had jaundice, her parents said.
00:03:02All right.
00:03:03Moving on to some sport now.
00:03:06No thanks.
00:03:07Narine shuts down talk of World Cup return.
00:03:10Sonal Narine was humbled by the public calls for him to come out of international retirement
00:03:14to play in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
00:03:17But he maintained that the door is now closed on that part of his career.
00:03:22Now, the 35-year-old Trinidad and Tobago player represented the West Indies
00:03:26in all formats of the game from 2011 to 2019
00:03:30and has been one of the key players for the Kolkata Knight Riders
00:03:35since his first season of the league in 2012.
00:03:39All right.
00:03:40So that's good.
00:03:41But listen up.
00:03:42I mean, why are we not focusing on the very young cricketers in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean?
00:03:51What about the young ones who are in their teenage years?
00:03:56Why are we not focusing?
00:03:58Put better focus on them now.
00:04:01Let's focus on the younger ones now.
00:04:03Let us return to the days of when the West Indies team was a brilliant team
00:04:08and when I knew every member of the team now.
00:04:11Yeah?
00:04:12Let's try to do that now.
00:04:14And let me tell you, for the cricket lovers, you all are going to hate what I have to say,
00:04:19but there was a time I knew everybody on the West Indies cricket team.
00:04:25I knew.
00:04:27The studio says that when everybody was good.
00:04:29But it is true.
00:04:31Right?
00:04:32I loved people like Richie Richardson and Vivian Richards.
00:04:37Vivian Richards, to me, is one of the greatest cricketers ever.
00:04:40I mean, anyone who could be looking at a bowler and doing them that, I mean, he has to be great.
00:04:48Right?
00:04:49So that's the kind of mental stability everyone had, too.
00:04:53And there was this trust to be the best.
00:04:56In recent years, we have not seen that, the trust to be the best.
00:05:00Yeah?
00:05:01So let me stop there because I know you all may want to call
00:05:04and say certain things about cricket and what I said and so on.
00:05:08All right?
00:05:09So let's move on from there.
00:05:10All right.
00:05:11So let's remind persons about Trinbago and I's feature where they can send photographs and so on.
00:05:17Yeah?
00:05:18So we do have this this morning.
00:05:20It's a beautiful image of yellow roses.
00:05:24Yeah?
00:05:27Is that a yellow rose or yellow roses?
00:05:30One is blocked by the other one.
00:05:31Yeah?
00:05:32All right.
00:05:33So thank you very much to the person who would have sent that to us this morning.
00:05:38All right?
00:05:39So you have your coffee.
00:05:41You have your tea.
00:05:42You have something to eat and come back.
00:05:45We're waiting right here.
00:05:47Yeah?
00:05:51How did I look?
00:05:52Not too impressive.
00:05:53We're coming back, everybody.
00:06:00What's going on?
00:06:01What's going on?
00:06:02What's going on?
00:06:03Hey, hey.
00:06:07What's going on?
00:06:08What's going on?
00:06:09What's going on?
00:06:10What's going on?
00:06:16Hey!
00:06:17Hey!
00:06:19Is that real?
00:06:20I'm looking ahead of it.
00:06:28Well hit.
00:06:30Away it goes.
00:06:35That is a ridiculous.
00:06:36Oh my!
00:06:37Look at this.
00:06:59This is clinically proven to improve glucose metabolism, enhance insulin sensitivity, and
00:07:04slows glucose absorption in the gut.
00:07:07Berberine Plus, providing a natural path to a healthier you.
00:07:10Pick up a bottle today at Pennywise and all leading pharmacies nationwide.
00:07:15Universal Church presents Programs of Faith, 5.30am, the Hour of Miracles.
00:07:245pm, it's possible.
00:07:31Now, on TV6.
00:07:34Once you believe you can achieve, listen to athletes recall crunch times and they often
00:07:41talk about visualizing the goal, the point, or the end of the game.
00:07:46The same can be taught to the kids.
00:07:54Teach your children to visualize positive outcomes for their endeavors or see themselves
00:08:00confidently facing new challenges.
00:08:03When they see their future selves are successful, they start to believe in their capabilities
00:08:09and realize that they have the potential to accomplish their goals.
00:08:14It also fosters a sense of purpose and direction in their lives and empowers them to take ownership
00:08:21of their dreams and aspirations.
00:08:24At the end of the day, do your best.
00:08:28Share if you found this useful.
00:08:31Like and follow CTA's profiles for more parenting tips.
00:08:35The letter of the day is the visualize.
00:08:51Alright Sam, welcome back everyone.
00:09:06So it has been a busy night, eh?
00:09:08When it comes to crime too, I understand that a few people are now dead and this follows
00:09:14a drive-by shooting in Beverly Hills and I also understand that four persons are wounded.
00:09:20Alright, so we'll try to get additional information for you throughout maybe today, well this
00:09:26morning or maybe throughout today but of course you can look forward to more news in connection
00:09:32with this matter in the TV6 News this evening.
00:09:35Alright, so again a few persons have been killed in Beverly Hills and four wounded.
00:09:41Alright, so we're moving on.
00:09:43Okay, so the deaths of babies at the NICU of the Port of Spain General Hospital have
00:09:48gripped the nation for the past few weeks.
00:09:50Yesterday a twelfth death was confirmed.
00:09:53Of course the NWRHA is now saying that that twelfth death is not linked to the bacterial
00:10:00outbreak.
00:10:01Alright, but there is a psychological side to things.
00:10:05So joining us this morning is President of the Trinidad and Tobago Psychologist Association,
00:10:10Kelly McFarlane.
00:10:11Ms. McFarlane, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
00:10:14You're very welcome.
00:10:16Good morning.
00:10:17Yes, again, well we have been grappling with this issue for the past few weeks.
00:10:22Of course, as I said earlier, another death has been confirmed at the NICU.
00:10:29But how are we to deal with a situation such as this, Ms. McFarlane, because I know not
00:10:37only is it a concern to many people but I'm sure it is having a mental impact on everyone
00:10:45in Trinidad and Tobago.
00:10:47I'd like to first say, you know, my sincerest condolences to the parents and families that
00:10:56are affected by these tragic losses.
00:11:00This is something that, you know, those who experience it have the unfortunate but very
00:11:10real knowledge of what this really feels like emotionally, psychologically.
00:11:15It affects them socially, sometimes even with regards to their work and their ability to
00:11:21function.
00:11:22The way that we as a society deal with this is firstly by empathy, right?
00:11:29I think that one of the first things we always have to remember is that we can't judge or
00:11:38have our own individual expectations about how people will deal and cope with things
00:11:44like this.
00:11:46It's a very personal and individual experience from parent to parent what their healing process
00:11:54would look like and what they would feel like and look like at this particular point in
00:11:59time having just lost their child.
00:12:02The best thing we can do is offer support in the comments and when calling all the radio
00:12:09stations and so on.
00:12:11Offer resources for help and allow people to have a healing process.
00:12:20And I think that's a very important point that you have made there because I think that
00:12:26people need to be allowed to grieve and not be given a time limit and not be told, well
00:12:34here's what, this is over, let's move on.
00:12:38This is just not how it works, right?
00:12:42Correct, correct, correct.
00:12:45Because, you know, there are many factors, there are several factors that affect how
00:12:52someone copes with tragedy from social resources to financial resources to the way they think
00:13:02about mental health, the way they think about themselves, to whether they're experiencing
00:13:07guilt, to whether they feel, you know, they're in a state of denial, where they are on the
00:13:13continuum with regards to healing or to grief.
00:13:19And the amount of social support that they have or even professional support that they
00:13:23have, there's so many factors that come into play here.
00:13:27And so because we don't know people's individual circumstances and their past experiences,
00:13:35it's very difficult to measure people, you know, according to what we've seen other people
00:13:41do or seen on TV or heard on Google or wherever.
00:13:44So, you know, we really have to take this as an individual sort of experience.
00:13:51Yeah.
00:13:52What should social and professional support look like?
00:13:58Right.
00:13:59Social and professional support, again, will take the individual experiences and resources
00:14:06of the parent and the parents and even leverage their social support and the other things
00:14:12that they have that can contribute to maintaining optimal functioning, whether it's at work
00:14:18socially, but also mentally and emotionally.
00:14:23Your mental health provider will look at, you know, your process, you know, allow you
00:14:33to talk, allow you the space to talk and express what is really contributing to whatever symptoms
00:14:40you're experiencing.
00:14:41And again, this is very much in a continuum.
00:14:44All of the parents won't feel the exact same way or have the exact same cognitions or thoughts
00:14:50as each other for different reasons.
00:14:52And so sometimes a great deal of it is looking for those negative or irrational cognitions
00:15:02or thoughts that people are having and trying to help people make sense of their experience
00:15:08or at very least reduce how much impact of this has had on them through talking, through
00:15:17trying to make sense of things, just day by day, step by step, but not having expectations
00:15:25that might not be realistic.
00:15:29But, you know, Ms. McFarlane, I think that what may happen is that some couples or families
00:15:38who have been affected by these tragedies, I think that they may try to take matters
00:15:45into their own hands and believe that they can deal with the situation.
00:15:50And in some cases, they may not be able to do it because they too are under pressure, right?
00:15:59So everyone in the relationship is now under pressure because everyone needs that period
00:16:08to heal and vent and should have people around them who can empathize with them.
00:16:20Correct. Yes, yes, for sure. Sure.
00:16:25Ms. McFarlane, I'm giving all the answers this morning.
00:16:30Right. But I know you know what I'm speaking about, right?
00:16:34Because sometimes in relationships we feel we can deal with it.
00:16:39And sometimes it is because of ego. It is because we feel we macho and we can deal with it.
00:16:45But I am under pressure too, right?
00:16:48And I want you to heal, but I want the healing process to be sped up, right?
00:16:54And that is not always what is necessary, right?
00:16:58Yeah, I think a thing to consider there would be what does the healed version of this person look like?
00:17:08A misconception is that if you're healed, you look, you sound just like you did before the tragedy occurred.
00:17:15And that is not necessarily realistic and it's not necessarily true.
00:17:20People don't always go back to exactly who they were after experiencing a trauma.
00:17:26It becomes part of their life.
00:17:28What we get to do is desensitize them to it a little bit or enough that they can function.
00:17:35And on that note, I would say while again, yes, some people will go through their process and heal on their own, so to speak.
00:17:44What we look for in persons who have experienced this type of profound tragedy is marked sort of decline in their functioning, their everyday functioning.
00:18:00The things that they are saying will give us a sense of how they're thinking.
00:18:04If there's a sense of hopelessness, if there's a sense of just sort of repeating regret and guilt and self blame.
00:18:13If they are saying things about self harming, you know, these are the things that kind of cue us in that, OK, this is going on for a while.
00:18:24And there's a decline in their mental health and their functioning, their emotional and physical functioning.
00:18:31And even if they're having sort of physiological responses that don't, there isn't a medical basis for it.
00:18:40It could be psychosomatic.
00:18:42Right. Then we know that whatever has happened to them psychologically is taking a toll on them in a much larger sense.
00:18:51And that is when we want to ensure that they get professional help.
00:18:56And to be honest, the earlier the better, because what we want to try to avoid is the person developing post-traumatic stress disorder, because it is it is quite traumatizing to go through nine months of pregnancy.
00:19:14And all that comes with that. Right. And then you don't get to bring your baby home.
00:19:20You know, so so there is one of the things that you did ask earlier, what can we do?
00:19:27I guess the community, the larger community, the family and so on, is look out for these sort of signs, because your loved ones themselves may not be that tapped in to, hey, my mental health is declining when they're hyper focused on sort of, oh, my God.
00:19:46You know, this has happened. I feel, you know, I feel whatever I feel.
00:19:52So we kind of have to look at how is their functioning being affected.
00:19:59Yeah. But, you know, sometimes because sometimes things are so close to you that, you know, sometimes you don't see it.
00:20:10So the people who are directly involved may not see it.
00:20:16And sometimes maybe someone on the outside needs to identify that that that something is wrong.
00:20:24So this may be a new concept, but maybe someone within the family has to take on that responsibility, you know, and look at the couple and look at the players involved and monitor them.
00:20:38So there has to be a sort of constant monitoring.
00:20:42That's right. And sometimes it might come from within the family. Sometimes it might be a neighbor or a friend.
00:20:48Sometimes it might be a boss or a co-worker that says, you know, you know, fine for the past month or two, you've been really edgy.
00:20:58And, you know, as you raise that point, the people around you, your community, I'm speaking about the mothers and the fam have had this loss.
00:21:12They also kind of have to be aware of some of these signs that I just mentioned, because what could also happen is that we say, well, they lost a baby.
00:21:24So, you know, all of these experiences or the ways that they are responding is normal. But how do we know, hey, where's the line between what's normal and what's kind of tipping over into a trauma response or PTSD or mental health condition?
00:21:41And how long do we see, oh, this is fine, this is normal, this is, you know, they've had a tragic loss, you know.
00:21:50So we want to kind of, you know, while on one hand, again, we don't want to decide and judge how long somebody should experience the symptoms of grief and loss at what level.
00:22:05We do want to, at least within a two month period, start seeing some level of return to some level, even if a little bit of functioning similar to how they functioned before.
00:22:21So let's say they're going to work and they're gazing off a lot, or they're not going to work at all, that they're able to come back out and start by going to work.
00:22:29And if these things aren't happening, then maybe we need to consider some referral information for mental health professionals, stepping in and helping them some more.
00:22:43One of the most important things when we consider helping someone who needs help, psychological help or any sort of social help, is asking them what help they want, what help they need, and not assuming what help they need, what help they're ready for.
00:23:01So a lot of times we try to help by telling someone or minimizing, not intentionally, but telling them, oh, that's okay, so and so, that happened to so and so, they were fine by so and so time and, you know, things like this, and it's meant to be comforting, it's meant to be encouraging, it's meant to establish hope for the person.
00:23:23But sometimes it backfires in that the person might feel invalidated or they may start coming down on their own selves about not their healing, not looking like June who last year lost a baby as well, you know.
00:23:40And so just kind of educating yourself, even, on how you can support someone who's experienced something like this is a good first step as a family member, or just somebody who cares about somebody who's had a tragic experience, and then asking, hey, you know, what do you need?
00:24:00Do you need me to pick up the kids? Do you need me to take the kids out for a day, the other kids, you know, out for a day so that you can just have that time to yourself? Do you need me to sit here quietly and not talk? Do you need me to allow you to vent? Do you need me to be vexed with you? You know, what, you know, what will help you? And because, again, as I said in the beginning, what might help one is not necessarily another person.
00:24:25It has to be a delicate balance, because while you want people to grieve, but you don't want them to slump further and further and further, but then, too, you cannot rush them to speak, right, and to share what they want to share with you. You just can't do that. So you have to have that right delicate balance, as I said.
00:24:53That's correct. That's correct. And part of, you know, figuring out how to do that is educating yourself and communicating with them about what they need. And the part about educating yourself comes back to how do I know when it's time to push a little bit that we need to get you just a little help so that we can push you further along on this journey of recovering from grief.
00:25:22And not having expectations about what that recovery looks like, but they may need a professional to really help them.
00:25:29Yeah, but of course, there must be consistency. When we're speaking about counseling, when we're speaking about support and help, it has to be a consistent exercise, right?
00:25:41That's right. That's right. Yes, so that the person doesn't feel betrayed again or alone again. And so that they really know that, even if it's one person in their life, that they can go to and vent.
00:26:00Because, you know, sometimes when someone is going through something as tragic as a loss, you know, death, sometimes they feel like a burden. And that's the reason that they don't reach out to their loved ones, at least just to talk, which would be something that would help them quite a lot.
00:26:22And because they're already in a state of mental stress, the negative thoughts that are already there could easily spiral and they can easily start feeling alone and hopeless. And all of the thoughts may not be completely true or rational, but they're there because they are in that state of mind.
00:26:43And so the consistency helps the grieving, the bereaved to really know and trust that this is a safe space. At least I have a safe space when I truly, truly need it.
00:26:57I have one more question for you, Miss McFarlane. And as we look at this entire situation, as I said earlier, this is something that we have been grappling with for the past two weeks or so.
00:27:16Every morning we get up and we look at the newspaper. There is a different story concerning that. A lot of people are speaking. But as you look at all of the players involved in this here, you feel that there is need for a greater level of sensitivity on the whole as we deal with this situation?
00:27:37Yes, yes, yes.
00:27:41That is of utmost importance. I mean, at all levels from society, the family, the hospitals.
00:27:52Having, you know, speaking to and about these families, these parents, these mothers that have lost these children with empathy, whether you agree with the cause or you fully understand the situation or not, we have to bear in mind that there are people, there's someone who has lost their child.
00:28:19And there is someone who is in pain, whatever the reason for the pain, there is someone who is in a lot of emotional pain.
00:28:27And if you were in pain, you would want empathy, you would want sympathy, you would want to be handled with care while going through your grief. When we're not in pain, we want empathy and sympathy and to be handled with care. So far less for when somebody is in extreme pain.
00:28:44And so, you know, let's focus on sharing resources, let's focus on sharing words of affirmation, words of support, words of care, words of understanding as well, as much as we can, because we want to be a part of their healing and not their spiraling into a diminished sense of mental health, state of mental.
00:29:10Yeah. Kelly McFarlane, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Psychologists Association. It was a pleasure speaking with you this morning. Thank you very much.
00:29:19You're very welcome.
00:29:20All right. So it's time for a quick break. We have this for you, an unusual butterfly from Taramati Kenneth. Taramati, a very special good morning to you. Thank you very much for that photograph. We're coming back.
00:29:40We'll be right back.
00:30:10Cruising hotel and yachting center cruising to a whole new world.
00:30:40Do you?
00:31:11You.
00:31:17What you can see from this image is a man lying in a pool of blood in his living room.
00:31:23He was shot dead a short while ago as two bandits tried to rob him and his family.
00:31:29What you can't hear is his wife crying inconsolably.
00:31:33What you don't know is that his four year old daughter is standing looking at her father, confused, begging him to wake up.
00:31:40Can you imagine what this wife and child are going through and what they will have to go through?
00:31:45They try to process what has happened.
00:31:47How can we begin to help?
00:31:50We can start right here at the victim and witness support unit from investigation to counseling to helping families find justice to helping families find peace.
00:32:02This unit gives victims and witnesses hope to cope.
00:32:06We are the victim and witness support unit bridging the service gap between the victims, witnesses and the police.
00:32:20Well, all right.
00:32:21Janice Dakota.
00:32:23Yes, founder of Officium.
00:32:25Officium.
00:32:50I'm going to be in a mood when you want to go.
00:32:55Oh, I'm on the thing.
00:32:57Oh, I'm not getting anything.
00:32:59Oh, I'm sure.
00:33:00The reason I know you're in.
00:33:03Just give me some time.
00:33:05Oh, no, no, no.
00:33:06Oh, no.
00:33:07But there's something really good.
00:33:09And people.
00:33:14All right.
00:33:15So welcome back, everyone.
00:33:16So we are discussing now the T.T.P.S.'s conflict resolution caravan for secondary schools.
00:33:22And we do have in studio this morning, Sasha Williams, Goddard, a woman police corporal and Janice Dakota, founder of Officium Trinidad Limited.
00:33:35And as I said, we are speaking about the conflict resolution caravan for secondary schools.
00:33:40Ladies, thank you very much for coming.
00:33:41Thank you.
00:33:42Yes.
00:33:43Well, corporal, let's begin with you.
00:33:47All right.
00:33:48And let's speak about the conflict resolution caravan.
00:33:51Is this something new?
00:33:53Relatively.
00:33:54Yeah.
00:33:55So we started with one cycle last year.
00:33:57September 2023 was the first cycle.
00:33:59It was a pilot project.
00:34:01And we are now running a second cycle because, of course, it was an extreme success last year.
00:34:06And we received so much good feedback from the schools and the requests were pouring in.
00:34:11Our commissioner decided that we should do a second cycle.
00:34:14So we're here rolling it out a bit longer, targeting a larger number.
00:34:18But we're going to be all over the country on all the secondary schools, as many as we can fit in the time that we have.
00:34:26Yeah.
00:34:27But what's the rationale for this?
00:34:29Oh, this is...
00:34:30Well, I've got...
00:34:31Marlon, we've seen the...
00:34:32I know.
00:34:33We've seen the school files, videos.
00:34:35We've seen the issues, the social media posts.
00:34:38We've seen them.
00:34:39And we understand that there is a challenge with students and violence.
00:34:44We understand that there is a need that needs to be addressed.
00:34:47And, of course, the TTPS, we are not just into the reactive anymore.
00:34:51We are also very proactive.
00:34:53We're trying to get these issues from its root causes.
00:34:57So we decided that this is something that definitely should be undertaken.
00:35:02We're lucky to have good partners and solid stakeholder partnerships that enables us to do these types of projects.
00:35:09And we really want to get this issue of violence among youth and general violence down as much as we can across the nation.
00:35:18Yeah.
00:35:19Mr. Koto, let's speak about your organization's participation in this exercise here.
00:35:27Okay.
00:35:28So the Officium Training Limited has partnered with the TTPS to form the Community Conflict Resolution Center.
00:35:35And out of that center, one of the services that we offer is the caravan.
00:35:40This is one of the outreaches of that center.
00:35:42As Corporal would have said, we would have all seen the headlines.
00:35:46And what we have come to understand is that these young people, those that are involved in the issues that we are seeing on social media,
00:35:54we want to give them the opportunity to have information so that they can make a better decision.
00:36:01Now, Officium came on board with the TTPS not to eradicate or to disengage the part of policing that is punitive.
00:36:13We came as someone to undergird the work of the police service.
00:36:17So what we did is that we added ADR, which is Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Services, and principles to the toolkit of policing.
00:36:27So what we do is that we go into the schools and we teach them.
00:36:30We teach the young people about anger management, understanding your triggers, your biases, and that things,
00:36:35so that they now can have information to make a better decision.
00:36:41All right, Corporal.
00:36:42So how many schools are you all targeting this year or this time around?
00:36:46This time our target is 50.
00:36:49However, I must say that we have been getting so many requests.
00:36:53It may go a little over, but our target right now is 50 schools.
00:36:58Yeah. Has the exercise started as yet?
00:37:01Oh, yeah. Yes, we're in the third week, actually.
00:37:04So we have been to South, West, for the Spain and Environs, East, and we're going to Tobago next week.
00:37:12Right. So let's get into the program, if I can put it that way, when you all visit the schools.
00:37:21What are some of the components of the program?
00:37:24And what are the messages that you're giving to the students?
00:37:32How the messages are being embraced?
00:37:35So part of the program that we really use is young people of purpose.
00:37:43So it's a group of young people that have been trained at UWE by Arts in Action in the arts and drama.
00:37:49So we use drama as part of our teachings, our teaching tools,
00:37:53so that we use conflicts that the young people can see what a trigger looks like.
00:37:58Why are you triggered?
00:38:00So we use that as something that they can relate to.
00:38:03That is one of the ways that we use to reach our young people.
00:38:06When we go there, we start with that.
00:38:09One of the topics that we also include is the low on you,
00:38:12because even though we are trying to get them to understand,
00:38:16we also have to let them understand that there are consequences for their actions,
00:38:20should they decide not to take the information given.
00:38:23So those are some of the things that we use.
00:38:25We use art, we use drama, we also engage the law,
00:38:28we also inform them of the law and the consequence.
00:38:32We also teach them about their self and understanding how you react to conflict,
00:38:38what happens in you.
00:38:40And that mostly, the most important part of conflict resolution
00:38:44is the way that you feel and the way that you react.
00:38:47So those are some of the things that we teach them,
00:38:50and that is how the program is rolled out in the schools, from school to school.
00:38:54Yeah, and you feel, Corporal, that the children are absorbing the information
00:39:01and you can almost see that they understand what you all are trying to do
00:39:06and there's almost a change happening?
00:39:09Oh, definitely. Feedback is important to us.
00:39:11Yes.
00:39:12So we try as much as we can to gather feedback.
00:39:15We do it structured via feedback forms,
00:39:18as well as we interact with the students in real time,
00:39:22and we try to get that on-the-spot feedback from them and their understanding.
00:39:27So all of the sessions are very interactive.
00:39:30So in the interaction, we gauge where their understanding is at.
00:39:34And though there is a set structure and we have skits, it's very versatile.
00:39:41So we can adapt to all the different dynamics at each school that we go to,
00:39:46and we understand, okay, if this school needs a particular skit,
00:39:51a particular type of teaching, if we need to emphasize law more here,
00:39:55we need to emphasize triggers more here.
00:39:59We have that amount of versatility within the team
00:40:03that we can shift things around and really capture the audience that we have before us at each school.
00:40:09Yeah. So it's a question that I'm always asked
00:40:12whenever I see all of these videos being placed on social media,
00:40:18and I'm sure that you can give us an indication as to what is happening at the nation's schools
00:40:22and what is happening among the youth population and so on.
00:40:26The simple question is, why are they so angry?
00:40:29What are they angry about?
00:40:31Why do they feel that they have to lash out and beat one another?
00:40:34What is all of this about?
00:40:37Now, part of that is part of how we were socialized.
00:40:41I often say that as Caribbean people, when we were younger,
00:40:45and I think you can relate to, your mom will tell you,
00:40:48go inside, don't ask questions, cry when I hit you, don't cry when I lash you.
00:40:53And, I mean, not knocking the way that we were raised because it would have done us some good,
00:40:59but when we were trying to instill discipline,
00:41:01what we did is that we did not give room for expression of emotion.
00:41:06When you talk to most people, most people don't have high emotional intelligence in that
00:41:12they can't identify the difference between being angry and being embarrassed,
00:41:16being angry and feeling a loss of control, even in parenting.
00:41:20So then we realize that there is the only expression that we were really ever really given to is anger.
00:41:27And we find that if, as in school, the child feels as though I'm not being accepted,
00:41:33or I need to be a part of, and then they don't know how to express it,
00:41:37the first thing is to try to use up your authority and to enforce it.
00:41:42And so then we have room for aggression to grow.
00:41:45So that is one of the factors.
00:41:47Now, it is something that sociology calls a wicked problem, that it is complex.
00:41:54So this one answer will not be, of course, the broad brush for it,
00:41:57but it is one of the prevailing factors that we are seeing, that we have to teach them.
00:42:02How do I identify what I am feeling, why I am feeling?
00:42:06Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic and the way that that would have stifled expression in schools,
00:42:12because we see it when we go.
00:42:14Most times, most schools, the problem year is like the Form 3 year.
00:42:20Between Form 3 to Form 4, those were the ones that came out of COVID.
00:42:24So then you found that those that would have sat SEA in the COVID time and would have been at home,
00:42:29there was a lack of socialization and understanding school culture.
00:42:33So when they came back, the culture of the school was changed so that there are different ways.
00:42:38Even when we go into the schools, we don't only deal with the students,
00:42:42we deal with the teachers as well, so that we teach them how to identify particular cultures
00:42:47that are harmful and how to break that up and how to really treat with it.
00:42:51It is necessary to have it both ways, because if you just deal with the children alone
00:42:56and the teachers can't identify, it's a problem.
00:42:59So we teach everyone how to manage and how to understand what is happening.
00:43:03Yeah.
00:43:04Mr. Kutu, I'll come back to you, because you're speaking about some analytical things,
00:43:09but I want the corporal to come back.
00:43:11Mr. Kutu, I'm coming back to you, right?
00:43:15But corporal, how can more schools become a part of this program?
00:43:20So though we have a target group for this cycle, I ask schools that may be interested
00:43:25to simply send us an email, the email address is on the flyer,
00:43:28so that we know that there is a request or there is a need or desire for us
00:43:33to have our services at your school.
00:43:35It's as simple as sending an email.
00:43:37We compile the lesson, I send it up to the commissioner, and we get the approval,
00:43:41and then we do our next cycle.
00:43:43But I want to add to what Mr. Kutu just said there, and I think it's so important
00:43:47for us to understand what's happening with the young people
00:43:51so that we can effectively address it.
00:43:53And everything she said is correct, but I want to add,
00:43:57I think that we stopped teaching children consequences.
00:44:03And it's why we included that lower new factor in the teaching, in the modules,
00:44:08because I've realized that there is a mass desensitization
00:44:12to what the consequences for actions among a particular age group.
00:44:17And that is as a result of parents wanting to provide a better life,
00:44:23better opportunities, and we have given our children a little too much sometimes.
00:44:29So especially during COVID, when devices were very cheap and readily available,
00:44:35each child that we have interacted with has at least two or three devices of their own.
00:44:42And they have so many things that they just get rewarded for doing nothing or misbehaving.
00:44:49Sometimes I had a parent that came to me for assistance,
00:44:53and she bought a smart watch for her son who was being suspended every week.
00:44:59He was giving trouble.
00:45:01Actually, one of those videos that we saw on social media,
00:45:05and he was disobeying her, the school, everybody,
00:45:08and she was at loss of what to do with him, and she brought him.
00:45:12But she just bought a smart watch.
00:45:15So we are rewarding negative behaviors, destructive behaviors as parents.
00:45:20And I don't think it's intentional.
00:45:22I think it's just we parent from our deficits.
00:45:25So we may not have had everything that we wanted as a child.
00:45:28We want to give our children everything that they want.
00:45:31We may not have had a lot of opportunities,
00:45:33but we have misdirected that desire to parent well,
00:45:37and that has caused this generation to learn that they can be rewarded
00:45:43for not performing or for just misbehaving.
00:45:49So the corporal has just thrown water on my argument to Miss Dakota.
00:45:55They're working in sync this morning here somehow.
00:45:58I don't know. I don't know.
00:45:59Partnership indeed.
00:46:01Or they're in sync.
00:46:02Effective partnership.
00:46:03Because I was listening to you speak about, you know,
00:46:08we can identify the reason why certain people are doing things
00:46:12and COVID this and all kind of things.
00:46:15But, you know, sometimes I feel, Miss Dakota,
00:46:19especially when it comes to violence at schools,
00:46:24we are afraid to call it what it is.
00:46:31And there's always this.
00:46:33We don't want to criminalize persons.
00:46:37And we always want to treat it with kids' gloves.
00:46:42Heady ladies.
00:46:44That's what you think.
00:46:46You also have that view.
00:46:48And my personal position is,
00:46:53is that there have to be repercussions for your actions.
00:46:58Oh, definitely.
00:47:00So I'm listening to you saying that, you know,
00:47:03and I'm saying to myself, that's because he has never been to a caravan.
00:47:07And then let me state it here.
00:47:09You want me to say it's controversial?
00:47:10No, no, no.
00:47:11Somebody needs some blows here.
00:47:13No, listen.
00:47:14Go ahead.
00:47:15I'm trying to be.
00:47:17Let me say this here.
00:47:19And let me say it as plain as it can be.
00:47:22This is the TTPS.
00:47:24And who the TTPS is, is who the TTPS is.
00:47:29And at the end of the day, if you break the law,
00:47:32the law has a responsibility to you
00:47:36as much as you have a responsibility to keep the law.
00:47:39However, our job here, as I said it earlier,
00:47:42our job is not to eradicate that part of policing at all.
00:47:46Our job here is to undergo the efforts of the TTPS
00:47:49and give another tool in the toolkit.
00:47:52There are those that are bent on doing their own thing,
00:47:58and then there are systems set up for that.
00:48:01What we are doing is not sugarcoating anything.
00:48:05When we go to the schools, we tell them,
00:48:08we came to give you an opportunity for change.
00:48:12And our opportunity for change is not just telling,
00:48:15boy, behave a good girl.
00:48:17We give you that opportunity with knowledge.
00:48:19We give you that opportunity.
00:48:21There's actually the opportunity for young people
00:48:23to volunteer with the CCRC and with the young people of purpose
00:48:27so that you can become involved in something positive.
00:48:30The option is there for you.
00:48:32There are hands reaching out to you.
00:48:35But at the end of the day, if you are bent on doing the wrong thing,
00:48:39there are systems set up for that.
00:48:41There is no sugarcoating here at all.
00:48:44What we are doing is creating avenues for you
00:48:46to have the opportunity to change,
00:48:49and so that we do it.
00:48:51The reason why the TTPS would have partnered with OFISIM
00:48:53because we do it now with knowledge
00:48:56and with experts that can execute that knowledge
00:48:58in a way that you can understand,
00:49:00in a way that it would be palatable and acceptable to you
00:49:03at your developmental stage.
00:49:06If you are so bent, then the system has its way.
00:49:12I'm glad to hear that, Ms. Dakota.
00:49:16The last time that you all would have had this exercise,
00:49:22have you seen a change in the behavior of students
00:49:32as it relates to the schools that you all would have visited in the past?
00:49:35Actually, it sounds unbelievable,
00:49:39but all of the schools that we were at were the last caravan.
00:49:43Based on the feedback that we received from the schools,
00:49:46they have had a tremendous decline.
00:49:49Almost zero incidents of conflict at each school.
00:49:54So we know for certain that the caravan works.
00:49:58We know for sure that the information is reaching
00:50:01and that the methodology is right.
00:50:03So we can boast that through the caravan,
00:50:07we have seen a success.
00:50:10And the protect and serve mandate never ends.
00:50:14So even if we're at a school and we're doing proactive initiatives
00:50:19and we're doing preventative measures,
00:50:23the protect and serve mandate never stops.
00:50:26Even if it means we have to protect the other students from you,
00:50:29the protect and serve mandate never ends.
00:50:32It never stops.
00:50:34But it's a situation where there has to be constant monitoring, right?
00:50:38Oh, yes.
00:50:39And also the program has to meet the needs of the school, right?
00:50:42Yes.
00:50:43So it's not a cookie-cutter approach.
00:50:44Oh, no, definitely.
00:50:46So then the material is written, like I often tell them,
00:50:50the material is written to suit the school.
00:50:53That is why Corporal was saying earlier that we have a program
00:50:59where we have different skits that highlight different topics
00:51:04and different areas of mediation
00:51:06and mediation principles and the law principles and practices
00:51:10so that when we go, depending on what is the needs of the school,
00:51:14we pull that one.
00:51:15And then sometimes, even on spot,
00:51:17we would realize that something else is prevailing here.
00:51:20So then we have a hybrid of it.
00:51:22So then everything is not at all cookie-cutter
00:51:25because the problem is complex.
00:51:28So the solutions must be complex as well.
00:51:31Yeah.
00:51:32What's next for as you roll out the program?
00:51:35What's the next few steps for the program and for you officers?
00:51:41So we, of course, we're going to continue intense follow-up
00:51:45because we want to make sure that the solutions
00:51:47that we are providing to the schools are long-lasting.
00:51:51We are not about putting plasters on chopped wounds.
00:51:55So we want to make sure that the wounds are healing nicely
00:51:59and that we manage what's happening at those schools.
00:52:02So intense follow-up is, of course, next on the agenda,
00:52:06the completion of this caravan, followed by another cycle
00:52:10because we have requests that we have not yet fulfilled,
00:52:13followed by another cycle,
00:52:14and then we continue that intense follow-up.
00:52:17There are also some schools that may require further intervention,
00:52:20and we understand that may be necessary in some places.
00:52:24We have done it before,
00:52:25not particularly with schools on the caravan,
00:52:28but we have done interventions that last three months,
00:52:31that last four months,
00:52:33according to the needs of the particular school.
00:52:35We go to the schools and we interact with the staff,
00:52:38the students, and all of the components of the school
00:52:42to help, as Ms. Igoto mentioned, reshape the school culture
00:52:45and rebuild the school to a place where we can indeed have
00:52:49a safe learning environment for all of our students.
00:52:52So, yeah, it depends on what the needs are
00:52:55that comes out of our follow-up and our assessments
00:52:58that will determine the next step and the way forward.
00:53:01Ms. Igoto, you have a minute.
00:53:03So, as Ms. Goddard was saying,
00:53:06the programs that we do for the schools,
00:53:09it is something that we at the officium really tailor-make.
00:53:12At that point, we would go in and have discussions
00:53:15with the principal, have discussions with the teachers,
00:53:18so then we realize that most teachers, they are burned,
00:53:22and they don't know what to do.
00:53:25So what we do is that we walk them past that ledge,
00:53:28we walk them back from the ledge,
00:53:30and we help them with a structured program
00:53:32that can now address harmful cultures,
00:53:34address the issues that are happening,
00:53:36teach them how to identify, and move the school forward
00:53:39as best as we can.
00:53:41Yeah, I know that the program has already been filled
00:53:45this time around, but if schools need to contact you,
00:53:48how do they do that?
00:53:50So they can email us at communityconflictresolution
00:53:52at gmail.com,
00:53:54or they can send a WhatsApp or message to 396-8322,
00:53:59and we will definitely card them in,
00:54:01we'll communicate with them, find out what's best for them,
00:54:03what their needs are, and we'll take it from there.
00:54:06Yeah, ladies, it was a pleasure speaking with you all this morning.
00:54:09Thank you very much for the work that you all are doing
00:54:12at the schools. We need it.
00:54:14I know it's hard work.
00:54:16But we need it, and thank you very much.
00:54:18You're welcome. Thank you for having us.
00:54:20All right, so we are going to a very short break, everybody.
00:54:22We're coming back.
00:54:33The 2024 dry season is upon us,
00:54:36and with that expectation, harsh dry conditions
00:54:39and in the face of rising global temperatures,
00:54:41we must all do our part to conserve our water use.
00:54:45At the Water and Sewage Authority,
00:54:47we applaud the efforts made by citizens in 2023
00:54:50to conserve water and value every drop.
00:54:53How can you get involved?
00:54:55By employing simple water conservation techniques at home.
00:54:59Here are some tips.
00:55:01Close the tap when brushing your teeth and washing dishes.
00:55:04Use a bucket instead of a hose
00:55:06when washing your vehicles and driveways.
00:55:08Repair leaks in toilets and overflowing water tanks.
00:55:12Use your washing machine for full loads only.
00:55:15Also, use the value every drop hashtag
00:55:19in your social media posts
00:55:21showing how you conserve our precious resource.
00:55:24Join the movement as we value every drop.
00:55:29Why should one use Turmeric Excel?
00:55:31Just because the bottle says take two a day,
00:55:33a lot of times the products don't have enough to benefit you, right?
00:55:37Turmeric Excel has 45 times more active curcumin.
00:55:40Far more absorbable and we can do it at such a small dose.
00:55:45The choice is clear.
00:55:47The TV6 News is the number one news broadcast
00:55:50and the most watched program in TNT,
00:55:52including all cable programming.
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00:56:37With Jesus Every Day
00:56:40Jesus Every Day
00:57:05Good morning.
00:57:06I am Anselm Gibbs with a news update.
00:57:09As investigations continue into the deaths of babies
00:57:13at the Port of Spain General Hospital,
00:57:15the Minister of Health says the matter is confined
00:57:18to one regional health authority.
00:57:21As soon as we recognized the problem,
00:57:24we took steps above and beyond the normal procedures.
00:57:29The issue, whilst of great national importance,
00:57:34it is unfortunate that it has now been politicized.
00:57:40Police are investigating the death
00:57:42of an 80-year-old retired school teacher.
00:57:45According to reports, Dennis Ramlall's body
00:57:48was found on Monday morning at his home in Debe
00:57:51when his brother went to check on him.
00:57:53Investigators say Ramlall's hands and feet
00:57:56were bound with tape and a sheet.
00:57:59The body appeared to have stab wounds to the chest,
00:58:02according to police,
00:58:03who are looking at robbery as a possible motive.
00:58:12And in the weather forecast,
00:58:13the Met Office says dull, hazy and breezy conditions
00:58:17are expected with a low chance of brief isolated showers.
00:58:22Tonight expect mostly fair and hazy conditions
00:58:25despite the isolated shower.
00:58:28Temperatures will rise to 33 degrees Celsius
00:58:31in Trinidad and 32 in Tobago.
00:58:34A moderate to high concentration of Saharan dust is present.
00:58:38People sensitive to changes in air quality
00:58:41should exercise the necessary precautions.
00:58:44These conditions are expected to persist throughout the week.
00:58:48Seas will be moderate with waves reaching
00:58:50between one and a half and two meters in open waters
00:58:54and below one meter or occasionally choppy
00:58:57in sheltered areas.
00:59:02The TV6 Daily Health Tip is brought to you by OmegaXL.
00:59:09Welcome back, everyone.
00:59:10So could mental exhaustion be draining you?
00:59:13Mental versus physical exhaustion.
00:59:16So mental exhaustion appears
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00:59:21or continuous stress, much like physical fatigue
00:59:24but affecting the mind.
00:59:27Management techniques, taking breaks, incorporating exercise
00:59:30and finding relaxation methods can help manage symptoms.
00:59:34And that's today's TV6 Health Tip.
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01:00:11Whether wet or dry season, hazards can strike without warning
01:00:14causing you or your family to quickly evacuate.
01:00:17You may not have the time to grab the essentials.
01:00:19Be sure to have your grab-and-go bag
01:00:21in easily accessible locations.
01:00:23Here are the top seven categories that should be included
01:00:26and tailored to your family's needs.
01:00:28One, non-perishable food items, water and utensils.
01:00:32Two, pre-seed kit and extra medication.
01:00:36Three, personalized items.
01:00:39Four, change of clothing and comfortable footwear.
01:00:42Five, copies of important documents
01:00:45such as birth papers and certificates.
01:00:47Six, cash and small bills.
01:00:50And seven, tools, safety items, and equipment.
01:00:54For more information on how to be ready,
01:00:56visit odpm.gov.tt.
01:00:59A message from the ODPM.
01:01:02The Small Gold Championship goes to the televised rounds.
01:01:06It's the Ministry of Sport and Community Development's
01:01:09seven-a-side tournament powered by Red 96.7 FM.
01:01:13Eight teams will compete in the quarterfinal rounds.
01:01:17Organ Utes.
01:01:18Team Ricochet.
01:01:19Marksmen FC.
01:01:21Wolfpack FC.
01:01:22Southside Hustlers.
01:01:24Love and Life.
01:01:25Who is Next?
01:01:26And Ramashre Brothers.
01:01:28All the action will be live on TV6
01:01:30on April 27th from 5 p.m.
01:01:32at Skinner Park, San Fernando
01:01:34with team Activated Four
01:01:36who will be the 2024 champion.
01:01:39Come out and rep your community.
01:01:41Fun and entertainment with Red 96.7 FM DJs
01:01:44and radio personalities.
01:01:46It's the Ministry of Sport and Community Development's
01:01:49seven-a-side tournament.
01:02:47All right.
01:02:48So welcome back, everyone.
01:02:49So there was a recent merger of the operations of TTMF
01:02:53and those of HMB.
01:02:56So we do have the Chief Executive Officer
01:02:58of the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Bank, Brent McPhee.
01:03:01He's here with us this morning.
01:03:03Mr. McPhee, thank you very much for coming.
01:03:05Thank you very much, Marlon.
01:03:06Good morning, Marlon.
01:03:07Good morning to Trinidad and Tobago
01:03:09and the wider viewers and listeners of the morning edition.
01:03:13Just one quick correction.
01:03:14I'm the Chief Operating Officer.
01:03:16All right.
01:03:17Yes, of Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Bank.
01:03:20So just to give a little background,
01:03:23on January 17th is when we would have completed
01:03:26the merger, January 17th this year.
01:03:29TTMF would have acquired 100% shareholding
01:03:32of Home Mortgage Bank,
01:03:34thereby creating Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Bank.
01:03:39So just to acknowledge persons who would have been instrumental
01:03:42in bringing us to this point,
01:03:44we would have had Ms. Ingrid Lashley,
01:03:47who would have been the former MD,
01:03:49CEO of Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company Limited,
01:03:53and she planted the seed.
01:03:55Then Minister Winston Dukkaran would have made the announcement
01:03:58back in 2012, and then, you know,
01:04:01that seed would have been planted
01:04:03and work would have been done.
01:04:05So let's say that there are a couple of times
01:04:08that you can announce a merger at the beginning and the end.
01:04:11Yes.
01:04:12The merger was announced at the beginning
01:04:14when all the work had to be done,
01:04:16so it took a little while to bring us to this point.
01:04:19Mr. Robert Green would have been instrumental as well
01:04:22in terms of, and he's the current MD, CEO of TTMF,
01:04:25and, well, Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Bank now,
01:04:28and he would have done a lot of work
01:04:30in terms of bringing us to this point,
01:04:33and, of course, we have now the current chairman of TTMB,
01:04:37also the chairman of NIB,
01:04:39who would have been, due to his persistence,
01:04:42when he joined in quarter 2, 2023,
01:04:45he would have done a lot of work to bring us to this point.
01:04:49So due to his persistence, we really completed the merger.
01:04:53Yeah.
01:04:54What are the benefits for your customers
01:04:57because of this merger?
01:04:59Right.
01:05:00So TTMF and HMB brings together
01:05:04over 90 years' experience in the mortgage finance
01:05:07and housing industry.
01:05:11So there are a number of things that we have brought together
01:05:15that involves the closing of the gap of the housing deficit
01:05:21that we have at this point in time, right?
01:05:24We know that it's over $100,000,
01:05:26units that has to be built,
01:05:28and TTMB, from the beginning,
01:05:31where you want to save towards your down payment, et cetera,
01:05:35and you want to invest your funds,
01:05:37even if it's not towards housing
01:05:39but it's towards your wealth creation,
01:05:43we give competitive returns.
01:05:45We have a fund that is 100% guaranteed
01:05:48from day one when you invest.
01:05:51So if you didn't know that, now you know.
01:05:53So that you can invest, and it's very competitive returns.
01:05:56We have interest rates as high as 5%
01:05:59based on your risk appetite.
01:06:01Then we finance developments,
01:06:04both private and public development or public housing.
01:06:09So we have a number of private developments
01:06:13that are taking place across Trinidad and Tobago,
01:06:16and we also finance contractors who do housing
01:06:21for HTC.
01:06:23So breadth in terms of housing units being constructed,
01:06:30and it's all towards affordable housing.
01:06:33And the third part is that, okay,
01:06:35so now you're ready to own your home.
01:06:38We also offer residential rates,
01:06:41interest rates that are very competitive,
01:06:44geared towards affordability as well,
01:06:48as low as 2%.
01:06:51Persons are very familiar with that rate,
01:06:53and there is no limit in terms of what we finance.
01:06:56So that, in terms of the end-to-end process,
01:06:59in terms of housing,
01:07:01that is one of the major benefits that we intend to,
01:07:05we are doing at this point in time.
01:07:08We also have understanding that the catalyst
01:07:14for well-creation is property ownership.
01:07:18One of the catalysts is property ownership.
01:07:21So it is that we intend to continue along those lines,
01:07:26introduce products that are geared towards inclusiveness,
01:07:31that is built on excellence and trust.
01:07:34So we are going to continue that journey
01:07:37on building on what we already have
01:07:40to move towards an expanded product base,
01:07:43an expanded product and service introduction
01:07:47that involves a wider range of distribution network,
01:07:52inclusive of digitalization.
01:07:55So, you know, you don't have to,
01:07:56it's not necessarily brick and mortar,
01:07:58but we're going to have brick and mortar.
01:07:59It's going to be a combination of the two.
01:08:01Yes.
01:08:02So that we are going to build on that.
01:08:04So those are the main benefits
01:08:06Those are the main benefits that we intend to explore.
01:08:10The intention is that we drive the cost efficiency down.
01:08:13So it is not about passing on or increasing
01:08:17cost to the customer.
01:08:18It's about increasing or improving our efficiency
01:08:22so that we drive the cost down
01:08:23and we pass that on to the customer.
01:08:25So the merger has already resulted in new products
01:08:31being offered by your organization?
01:08:35Not yet.
01:08:36We do have a few products that are already being offered.
01:08:40Right.
01:08:41And we're going to build on that.
01:08:42So, I mean, the merger just took place in January.
01:08:45So we are moving towards the rationalization of assets, etc.
01:08:50No job losses.
01:08:51There's nothing like that.
01:08:52It's just a matter of bringing two organizations together
01:08:55seamlessly and then moving into the different areas
01:08:58that we intend to.
01:09:00It's going to be along the sustainability development goals as well,
01:09:06taking that into consideration.
01:09:08So it's a number of areas that we are going to be exploring
01:09:13and bringing to the public, bringing to the citizens.
01:09:16You know, when we speak about financial institutions,
01:09:20persons who are doing business with financial institutions
01:09:25or persons who are investing in financial institutions,
01:09:29they're always concerned about the stability,
01:09:32the financial stability of the organization.
01:09:36Let's speak a little bit about that.
01:09:37Absolutely.
01:09:39So the two organizations coming together
01:09:43has in excess of $8 billion in assets, right?
01:09:47Profitability has been in the vicinity of not excessive,
01:09:52just about $200 million or so.
01:09:55Just to mention, of course, that that profit
01:09:58goes back to the people of Trinidad and Tobago
01:10:00because we are 71 or thereabout percentage owned
01:10:05by National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago,
01:10:08and of course the dividends that we pay
01:10:10goes towards the National Insurance Fund,
01:10:12and the remaining percentage is owned by the government
01:10:14of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:10:16So when that dividend is distributed,
01:10:18it comes back to Trinidad and Tobago.
01:10:20So every cent that you invest within the organization
01:10:24goes towards the development of Trinidad and Tobago
01:10:27and the growth of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:10:32So that, in terms of the stability,
01:10:35a number of it over, I mean,
01:10:38we have been profitable for a number of years.
01:10:41We have had no issues in terms of stability.
01:10:48We have a strong management team,
01:10:50a very talented management team and staff.
01:10:54That we will continue to build and grow the organization.
01:10:57And judging from what you have told us just now,
01:10:59I get the impression that there are a number of checks
01:11:03and balances in place to keep the organization
01:11:06stable and upright.
01:11:08Absolutely.
01:11:10So, I mean, everything is based on our framework.
01:11:15We, of course, focus on what the risks are
01:11:19to the organization, and we take proactive steps
01:11:22in terms of dealing with those risks,
01:11:24mitigating, putting measures in place to mitigate
01:11:27against those risks.
01:11:29So what we do in terms of how the organization is structured
01:11:38is based on best practice and governance.
01:11:42Number of committees that are in place,
01:11:44audit committees, internal and external audit,
01:11:50just to ensure we also have the enterprise risk,
01:11:54as I would have mentioned, and the risk department
01:11:57that evaluates credit and all operational risks
01:12:00that the organization is exposed to.
01:12:03So we continuously examine these risks
01:12:07that the organization, emerging risk, existing risk,
01:12:11just to ensure that we are doing things
01:12:13that are to keep the money safe.
01:12:16Yeah.
01:12:17Now, I'm just reading some notes here.
01:12:22Speak a little bit about the Salmon Tree Fund,
01:12:27because I see that the Minister of Finance
01:12:29would have spoken about it.
01:12:31It's an open and mutual fund which offers investment
01:12:34primarily in a portfolio of residential mortgages,
01:12:37providing investors with high returns
01:12:38and safety of capital.
01:12:39Speak a little bit about that for us.
01:12:41As the Minister would have indicated,
01:12:44we would have introduced the Salmon Tree Fund in 2020.
01:12:49We didn't know that COVID was coming at that time.
01:12:52But that would have been the time
01:12:54that we would have advanced the Salmon Tree Fund.
01:12:59The returns, the annual returns to date
01:13:04is in the vicinity of 3%.
01:13:08It is backed by mortgages.
01:13:10So when I say it's backed by mortgages,
01:13:12a customer has a mortgage with the institution
01:13:15and that is backed by property.
01:13:17So in essence, that investment is backed by real estate.
01:13:21So it's a new fund.
01:13:24It's a growing fund.
01:13:25We've been consistently paying a good return.
01:13:30That 3% is higher than a lot of institutions.
01:13:34I'm sure it's higher than the savings that you receive.
01:13:38And as I said, it's backed by assets
01:13:41of the organization that are performing assets.
01:13:45Yeah.
01:13:46So I just want to get this clear.
01:13:48So is it that your organization only provides loans
01:13:54to people who want to buy or who want to invest in HDC homes?
01:14:02Or if it is that I am a land developer,
01:14:06a private land developer,
01:14:08or if it is I just want to purchase a piece of land,
01:14:11will the organization give me a loan?
01:14:13Yes.
01:14:14Right.
01:14:15So the short answer to that is yes.
01:14:18Of course, if you're buying land,
01:14:20we want to understand that there is a plan
01:14:23that you are going to construct.
01:14:24So it's not about speculation.
01:14:26Yes.
01:14:27It's not about, well, I leave the land
01:14:28and you need to use the land.
01:14:30So even if you purchase the land,
01:14:32you have a certain time period that you need
01:14:34to either build your home or do a development.
01:14:38So as you would have mentioned,
01:14:40we have financing for developments,
01:14:44multiple units in place, both private and public.
01:14:48And we also have financing in place for residential.
01:14:52So if you want to buy land and construct, we do that.
01:14:54If you want to purchase the home outright, we do that.
01:14:57If you want to renovate the home and retrofit your home,
01:15:01we do that as well.
01:15:03You have a property that you have built up equity in
01:15:09and you want to do some investment using the home,
01:15:12we do that as well.
01:15:13So anything that involves real estate financing,
01:15:19we do that, including commercial.
01:15:22Yes.
01:15:23Let's speak a little bit about the lending criteria
01:15:26because sometimes people feel when they go to the bank,
01:15:29sometimes the only thing that the bank is not asking for
01:15:32is their blood type or a pint of blood.
01:15:35So let's speak a little bit about the lending criteria.
01:15:39All right.
01:15:40So I know that persons will perceive the mortgage process
01:15:45as painful, as you would have mentioned,
01:15:47and there are a number of things, a number of factors
01:15:51that go into when you qualify for a property.
01:15:55Your salary, your age, the stability of your job,
01:16:01the property that you intend to own,
01:16:04all these things factor in into your retirement age,
01:16:09all these things factor in into what you qualify for.
01:16:14But understanding that this is the largest investment
01:16:18that you will make in life, we want to make sure
01:16:22that when you make that investment,
01:16:23your investment is safe.
01:16:25So the process, in terms of the legal process,
01:16:28ensuring that the property is free of encumbrance,
01:16:33if it is, that if it has a loan that is paid off
01:16:37so that when you own the property,
01:16:40it is free of anything that has, any baggage from before.
01:16:45The person you are selling,
01:16:46you want to make sure that that is the right person,
01:16:48you know, that person is a legit person to sell.
01:16:51So we go through the process to ensure
01:16:54that these things are in place.
01:16:57It has to be done according to law.
01:16:59So talking about country planning,
01:17:01we want to make sure that you have the necessary approvals,
01:17:04or not necessarily you, but the person
01:17:06who is selling the property has the necessary approvals
01:17:09so that you would not, down the road,
01:17:12experience any discomfort in owning the property
01:17:16by finding out, well, this person encroached
01:17:19on somebody's land.
01:17:20So the process, while it seems that it's a long process,
01:17:25it is all to ensure that you are safe,
01:17:29that your investment is safe,
01:17:31that you can rest comfortable after you own,
01:17:34after you pay for that property.
01:17:36Yeah.
01:17:37Mr. McPhee, anything else you'd like to tell us
01:17:39before you leave us this morning?
01:17:40Yes.
01:17:41Well, I mean, in closing, I want to emphasize the point.
01:17:47You know, every dollar that goes to the institution
01:17:51is for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:17:54And you want to invest so that your savings grow,
01:18:00that your wealth grows.
01:18:02You want to invest in housing, property development, et cetera.
01:18:10You want to see that new home going up.
01:18:13You can say that my investment is part of that.
01:18:18You want to focus or invest in residential,
01:18:26affordable housing, the institution they invest with.
01:18:30It shouldn't have to be a mortgage bank.
01:18:32The decision that you make now,
01:18:35it is about the impact on your future.
01:18:39And we are saying, own your future.
01:18:41Yeah.
01:18:42How many branches do you all have?
01:18:44We have five.
01:18:45So we have Port of Spain, Central, San Fernando, Arima, Tobago.
01:18:51And, of course, people can get additional information via a website.
01:18:55Absolutely.
01:18:56So our website, info at ttmortgagebank.com.
01:19:02And, of course, our number, 625-863.
01:19:06Give us a call.
01:19:08Hit us up on the website.
01:19:10We are available to chat.
01:19:11All right, Mr. McPhee.
01:19:12Thank you very much for coming this morning.
01:19:14We do appreciate it.
01:19:15Thank you very much for having me.
01:19:16All right.
01:19:17So we are going to a very short break.
01:19:18We do have this image for you,
01:19:19the emerald green and cooling waters of Paria Waterfall from Kim Govia.
01:19:25Good morning, Kim.
01:19:26Thank you very much.
01:19:27That looks cool, boy.
01:19:28We're coming back, everybody.
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01:20:35Hi, I'm Apostle DeVeans,
01:20:37welcoming you to my television broadcast, Turning Point.
01:20:40I believe that this could be the turning point in your very life.
01:20:44Join me every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 6 a.m.
01:20:49for a dynamic turning point moment in your life.
01:20:52May the Lord bless you.
01:20:53Have a wonderful day.
01:20:56I grew up in a country,
01:20:58a small little town called Bougmanatras in Santa Cruz,
01:21:02a very special place to grow up in.
01:21:05And now as an adult,
01:21:07I think of those children in Trinidad and Tobago
01:21:10who do not have a safe place,
01:21:13who are maybe not even lying in their own beds or a bed,
01:21:17and there's no roof to shade them from the sun
01:21:21nor to protect them from the rain.
01:21:24When I started looking at Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago,
01:21:29they answered a call I have deep inside of me.
01:21:32What they were saying to me was that we can make a difference.
01:21:37I'd like to ask you to consider coming on board.
01:21:41Consider helping Habitat for Humanity in whatever way you can.
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01:22:06Pick up the place like a dojo.
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01:22:52All right, so welcome back, everyone.
01:22:54So we are taking a few of your calls this morning.
01:22:57You're calling us on 623-1711.
01:22:59The extension is $19.95.
01:23:01As I always tell you, a lot of things happening in Trinidad and Tobago,
01:23:04and we want to hear from you.
01:23:06So, again, you're calling us on 623-1711.
01:23:08The extension is $19.95.
01:23:10Just time to take a few calls there.
01:23:12So please call us now.
01:23:14$900 million-plus on COEs and no value for money spent.
01:23:20So the country has spent more than $900 million
01:23:23on recent commissions of inquiries.
01:23:26And the population feels that the only people who gain from them
01:23:31are the attorneys and the commissioners.
01:23:35And I'm sure that a lot of people feel that way.
01:23:38Usually when you have a commission of inquiry,
01:23:40sometimes what is said at the inquiry, a report has to be done,
01:23:46and then you have people who are going to say,
01:23:48well, we can't publish that or broadcast that
01:23:52because a number of things would have been said publicly,
01:23:55and we don't want to open ourselves to legal action and so on.
01:24:00So at the end of the day,
01:24:04sometimes people feel that the only people who benefit from it
01:24:11are the lawyers.
01:24:13And usually we hear in the parliament the list of the lawyers
01:24:17and the millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars
01:24:20that some lawyers do get.
01:24:22So, yeah, I do agree something has to be done
01:24:25with the conduct of these commissions of inquiry.
01:24:28You're calling us on 623-1711.
01:24:31The extension, it's $19.95.
01:24:35As we told you earlier, 12th baby dies at Port of Spain General Hospital.
01:24:40So another baby died at the NICU of the Port of Spain General Hospital
01:24:44at around 2 a.m. yesterday,
01:24:46increasing the number of known neonatal deaths to 12 this year.
01:24:51But NICU head denies any link to April 4th to 9th bacterial outbreak.
01:24:59You know, let's take a call.
01:25:01Good morning, caller.
01:25:04Caller, good morning.
01:25:06Morning to you, Mr. Hopkinson.
01:25:08Morning, sir.
01:25:10Tabakit here.
01:25:11Tabakit is in the house.
01:25:12Always good to hear from you, Tabakit.
01:25:13Go ahead.
01:25:14Oh, yes.
01:25:15Look, you said something there, and it touched a nerve as a concerned citizen.
01:25:22I honestly believe all these commissions of inquiry,
01:25:26it's a revolving door syndrome.
01:25:29And I'll tell you why I say revolving door.
01:25:33We have different political parties, but in the justice system, it's the same place.
01:25:40And I'm saying the time has come to say, you know what?
01:25:44Let it be.
01:25:46Because, Mr. Hopkinson, it's not making sense.
01:25:51We have countless commission of inquiry where you have files and ton loads
01:25:57out there and nothing has been done.
01:26:01And I'm saying it's a waste of taxpayers' money, and I believe let it go.
01:26:07Mr. Hopkinson, sorry to say, but this new investigation that they're going to have here,
01:26:13it's another waste of taxpayers' money.
01:26:17And I'm bringing it real to you this morning as real as I can bring it as a concerned citizen.
01:26:24All these commission of inquiry is a waste of taxpayers' money.
01:26:29Tabakit out and out.
01:26:31All right. Thank you very much.
01:26:32Well, Tabakit, I think you were also speaking about what transpired at the NICU, right?
01:26:39I do agree with you that people need to be held more accountability for their actions,
01:26:45and I'm speaking in a general sense in Trinidad and Tobago.
01:26:50But we must find out exactly what happened here.
01:26:53Let's take another call.
01:26:54Good morning, caller.
01:26:56Hi. Good morning, Marlon.
01:26:58Morning.
01:26:59I just want to draw your attention to something which is very, very ridiculous.
01:27:04Imagine if you have a traffic ticket in San Fernando, Marabella, Rio Claro,
01:27:11Mayaro, in the southern region.
01:27:15There is only one T.T. Post office, which is in La Romaine,
01:27:20that you have to go there and pay your ticket.
01:27:23This is a serious inconvenience for the people who live in the south, and it's ridiculous.
01:27:30The transport commissioner had to take some flak for this because he is in charge,
01:27:34he is in the head, and he has to do something to make that right.
01:27:39There are other T.T. Post offices in and around, let me say, San Fernando and whatever.
01:27:45But, oh, God, do something better than that.
01:27:47Why do you like to suffer people like this? Thanks a lot.
01:27:51Yeah, I think I agree with you.
01:27:53We're working with a very old system in Trinidad and Tobago.
01:27:58I mean, if you get a ticket in Tunapuna and you live in San Fernando, right,
01:28:06why can't you pay the bill or the ticket from San Fernando?
01:28:11To me, there has to be a connected network where just as you can pay a bill using your credit card,
01:28:22it should be like that.
01:28:23So you set up a network, you have a credit card, you have to pay a bill,
01:28:27or you have to pay a ticket, and you go online and you pay it.
01:28:32It should be as simple as that.
01:28:34Take, for instance, at police stations, if there's an accident and you go to the police station,
01:28:38the police officer has to fill out a form long like this.
01:28:42What are you doing that for?
01:28:44They should have computers.
01:28:46You just go on the computer, and you put in the information,
01:28:49and you send the information wherever you have to send it to, right?
01:28:54It should be like that.
01:28:56Things are too difficult sometimes in Trinidad and Tobago.
01:29:01You remember back in the day when we were speaking about how there should be, what do they call it,
01:29:09where you do court matters using technology, virtual settings.
01:29:19All of a sudden, now you have virtual settings?
01:29:21Before COVID, that was frowned upon.
01:29:24No, we can't do that.
01:29:25How could we do that?
01:29:27But COVID forced us into that.
01:29:31I think that's an issue we do have in Trinidad and Tobago, too.
01:29:34There has to be a will, and there has to be a vision as to where we're going and what we're doing.
01:29:40Let's take another call.
01:29:41Good morning, caller.
01:29:43Morning, Marlon.
01:29:44Morning.
01:29:45Marlon, sometimes we say things that sound good.
01:29:51Studio, could you give me a little audio?
01:29:53I need to hear what the gentleman is saying.
01:29:55Go ahead, sir.
01:29:56Yeah, Marlon, what I'm saying is that we love to hear things that sound good most of the time.
01:30:02You know, damn if you do, damn if you don't.
01:30:06We have to decide whether we want this commission of inquiries or not.
01:30:11Maybe we should partake and give our input in the consultation that's taking place in the Constitution.
01:30:17But the thing is, Marlon, right now, this follow-up that people are asking for that happens
01:30:23also takes more lawyer money.
01:30:26It is a cost to the state.
01:30:28Lawyers get involved every step of the way, in and out of our courts.
01:30:32Now, the thing is that we have a commission of inquiry right now waiting to commence,
01:30:38already started on that highway to point exercise.
01:30:44Now, what are we doing?
01:30:45What are we going to say now, that we should stop that and smash brakes right there and don't have any more?
01:30:51The thing is, Marlon, that if we want to hold people accountable in this country, we see what takes place here.
01:30:57It's money involved.
01:30:59It takes a lot of money.
01:31:00So we've got to decide what we really want, because on that last commission of inquiry with Paria,
01:31:05right now we have our court.
01:31:07In the court, you have us, who is the body that should have been inquiring into that matter.
01:31:15They are in court right now.
01:31:17That matter is going before our magistrate court right now.
01:31:19So we have parallel investigations taking place.
01:31:22So we've got to know what we really want in this country.
01:31:24Yeah.
01:31:25Thank you very much, Kola.
01:31:26But I'm not against commissions of inquiry.
01:31:29I think they are a benefit.
01:31:31They provide very important information that members of the public should know and must know.
01:31:37But I think that there has to be a realignment of how these commissions of inquiry are done,
01:31:43so that at the end of the day, there is some measure of accountability.
01:31:48All right.
01:31:49We just have a few more minutes.
01:31:50Again, you're calling us on 623.17.11.
01:31:53The extension, it's 1995.
01:31:57And you know sometimes, right?
01:31:59So the argument is, well, we can't divulge the information in the report of the commission of inquiry.
01:32:06But isn't that information in most cases what would have been said publicly?
01:32:12So, you know, as they say these days, make it make sense now.
01:32:17Make it make sense.
01:32:18You're calling us on 623.17.11.
01:32:21The extension, it's 1995.
01:32:25So you can please call us now.
01:32:27Dyalsing, hands off.
01:32:29Minister no role in probing babies' deaths.
01:32:32Health Minister Terence Dyalsing says that he will not be involving himself in the independent investigation
01:32:38by the Pan-American Health Organization, PAHO,
01:32:42into the deaths of babies at the Port of Spain General Hospital due to a bacterial infection this year.
01:32:50I don't know about you, Em, but I just find there should be more information as to the state of the NICU right now.
01:33:00And there should be more assurances to members of the public, to expectant mothers,
01:33:07to families who are expecting children, babies, that all is well with that department.
01:33:17I would like to see a lot more information being given about that.
01:33:21All right?
01:33:22So you're calling us on 623.17.11.
01:33:25The extension is 1995.
01:33:28Police are expected to approach the Director of Public Prosecutions within the next two to three days
01:33:35with a much more solid case file as investigations into the death of 18-year-old Hannah Matura come to a close.
01:33:46All right?
01:33:47The lines are free.
01:33:48623.17.11.
01:33:50The extension, it's 1995.
01:33:52We just have about a few minutes again, you know.
01:33:56Yeah, so hopefully we're having a better day than yesterday.
01:34:01That dust, boy, I know that it must be affecting many of you.
01:34:07Right?
01:34:09What?
01:34:10What, studio?
01:34:11Oh, there was a nice shower this morning.
01:34:14All right.
01:34:15So hopefully that would assist us in some way.
01:34:18Yeah?
01:34:19Again, you're calling us on 623.17.11.
01:34:22The extension, it's 1995.
01:34:24Is that going to do it for calls?
01:34:26We're taking one more.
01:34:28All right.
01:34:29Nobody calling.
01:34:30Nobody want to talk to me.
01:34:31They're tired of hearing me talk.
01:34:35All right.
01:34:36Caller, good morning.
01:34:38Hey, morning, my man.
01:34:39Morning.
01:34:41Go ahead, sir.
01:34:42We're listening.
01:34:44Yeah, just trying to get the call on, what you call it.
01:34:50All right.
01:34:52The governments of this system, all governments throughout the world,
01:34:57they are so corrupt.
01:34:59They have no idea that God, Jehovah God by name,
01:35:03is the God that will bring justice to this world eventually.
01:35:09So, I mean, let's face it, my man.
01:35:13His king, who is Prime Minister Jesus Christ, had no opposition.
01:35:18So, he will eventually bring all governmental systems to an end
01:35:23and bring wicked system to an end.
01:35:25So, with all the money that countries have,
01:35:28they have corrupt people who are governing them.
01:35:32Jesus Christ, his kingdom, his government has no opposition,
01:35:37nor will it be passed on to any other corrupt system.
01:35:41So, I mean, we have to face that.
01:35:44He says in Mark 1, verses 14 and 15, he says,
01:35:48Repent, and have faith in the good news.
01:35:50So, whether we like it or not, my man,
01:35:53this system is coming to an end quickly.
01:35:56But the governments of this world have no idea what is coming.
01:36:00So, that is all I have to say this morning.
01:36:02All right. Thank you very much, sir.
01:36:03Thank you to all of our callers.
01:36:05We do appreciate all of your views.
01:36:07We are going to a very short break, but we have this for you.
01:36:10That is beautiful.
01:36:12Yeah, that is a beautiful picture there.
01:36:15Yeah, we are coming back.
01:36:17Pondon that, you all.
01:36:42Island Finance.
01:36:43Visit a branch near you or islandfinancetrinidad.com
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01:36:55It's crystal clear.
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01:37:04Tension is building in all the best leagues in the world.
01:37:07And the heat is on.
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01:38:46But I won't come, I know I won't make it
01:38:51No, I won't make it
01:38:54Even though the road is long
01:38:57But I won't come, I know I won't make it
01:39:00Yes, I won't make it
01:39:02All right, so welcome back, everyone.
01:39:04So we do have a very interesting segment for you now.
01:39:07So two out of three blind persons are female.
01:39:11This is because women have a higher susceptibility
01:39:14to vision loss than men.
01:39:16April is Women's Eye Health and Safety Month.
01:39:19And joining us to tell us more about eye care
01:39:22is Surgical Services Manager, Priyanka Prasad.
01:39:25Ms. Prasad, good morning.
01:39:28Thanks for having me, Lee.
01:39:30Of course.
01:39:31Ms. Prasad, well, I did not know this,
01:39:34that women have a higher susceptibility to vision loss.
01:39:39This is new news to me, Ms. Prasad.
01:39:41Please tell us about this.
01:39:44Yeah, actually, studies have shown that
01:39:47in total, 60% of those cases are women.
01:39:54And women are generally at a higher risk for visual impairment
01:39:59because we have so many hormonal fluctuations in our body,
01:40:04especially during pregnancy and middle age.
01:40:08All right.
01:40:09Ms. Prasad, we're having some difficulty in hearing you.
01:40:12We'll try to correct that.
01:40:14All right, studio?
01:40:15So, if we can correct that.
01:40:18So, here's what.
01:40:20We have to go to a very short break.
01:40:22We're coming back, everybody.
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01:41:19Lift my eyes unto the hills.
01:41:22We only have one place to go for help.
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01:41:37We are destined to be.
01:41:40Welcome to your new season.
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01:42:14I grew up in a country.
01:42:17A small little town called Bougmanatras in Santa Cruz.
01:42:21A very special place to grow up in.
01:42:24And now as an adult,
01:42:26I think of those children in Trinidad and Tobago
01:42:29who do not have a safe place.
01:42:32Who are maybe not even lying in their own beds or a bed.
01:42:36And there's no roof to shade them from the sun
01:42:40nor to protect them from the rain.
01:42:44When I started looking at Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago,
01:42:49they answered a call I have deep inside of me.
01:42:52What they were saying to me was that we can make a difference.
01:42:57I'd like to ask you to consider coming on board.
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01:44:12All right, so welcome back everyone.
01:44:14So we are continuing our discussion on Women's Eye Health Month,
01:44:19which is April, and we're speaking to
01:44:22Surgical Services Manager Priyanka Prasad.
01:44:25Ms. Prasad, thank you very much for staying with us.
01:44:30Thank you.
01:44:31All right, so Ms. Prasad, let's try again.
01:44:34So we were speaking about vision loss among women,
01:44:38and the cases among women concerning vision loss, it's very high.
01:44:45That is new news to me.
01:44:47What's the situation as we look at vision loss among women in Trinidad and Tobago?
01:44:54So we would generally see a lot of women come in with conditions such as cataracts,
01:45:01glaucoma, refractive errors, age-related macular degeneration,
01:45:07which can cause a disruption to the central vision in our eyes,
01:45:12and also women with autoimmune diseases.
01:45:15These autoimmune conditions tend to contribute to inflammation,
01:45:21which can cause visual hindrances in the eye.
01:45:24And we notice that women are more predisposed to these types of conditions
01:45:29because we have a lot of changes going on within our bodies.
01:45:33Yeah, and I was just going to ask,
01:45:35what is contributing to all of these eye ailments among women?
01:45:43So definitely the hormonal fluctuations,
01:45:47and we see that especially during pregnancy or menopause,
01:45:52but there are also a lot of genetic predispositions.
01:45:56And, of course, systemic health conditions, for example, hypertension or diabetes.
01:46:03And diabetes, as we know, can also lead to significant visual impairment
01:46:09if it remains unfit or uncontrolled.
01:46:12It can lead to potential blindness.
01:46:15So some of the diseases being experienced,
01:46:20it is because of our lifestyles, right?
01:46:23And if we make changes, we adjust our lifestyle,
01:46:28it could prevent us, or women, from having vision loss.
01:46:35Correct.
01:46:36So, I mean, usually we would eat a lot of fat food and stuff,
01:46:40but if we consider adding some more fruits and vegetables
01:46:44and just have a balanced diet,
01:46:46that is a key factor in helping to promote better eye health.
01:46:51Also, including your omega-3s,
01:46:54even exercise, adding that to your daily routine,
01:46:58managing your stress.
01:47:00And if you're a smoker, you might want to quit smoking
01:47:03because studies have shown that smoking can lead to an increased risk
01:47:07of age-related macular degeneration.
01:47:10Yeah.
01:47:11What are some of the red flags that women should be looking for?
01:47:15What are some of the symptoms that people may think,
01:47:20you know, I think that I may be having eye problems, you know?
01:47:23What are some of the symptoms, you think?
01:47:27I think not just women, but everybody should look out
01:47:31for any sort of change in their vision.
01:47:34So if you're having blurry or distorted vision,
01:47:38redness, itchiness, burning, sensitivity to light,
01:47:42low tolerance of flashes of light,
01:47:45or any sort of discomfort in the eye,
01:47:48you definitely should go to your eye care professional,
01:47:51whether that's an optometrist or an ophthalmologist,
01:47:53so that they can take a look and advise you
01:47:56if there's any changes occurring within the eye.
01:47:59Yeah.
01:48:00But you know how we are, Miss Basan,
01:48:04that we like to put things off and put it off
01:48:06and put it off and put it off?
01:48:08And I'm sure my question is a rhetorical question.
01:48:10That should not be done, right?
01:48:14Of course not.
01:48:15It should not be, because if you keep putting it off,
01:48:17then if something is changing in terms of your vision,
01:48:21you want to be able to plan for treatment
01:48:24because you want to prevent any further visual impairment,
01:48:28which may lead to blindness if left untreated or uncontrolled.
01:48:33So you want to make sure that your treatment is tailored
01:48:36to help with preventing any sort of vision loss,
01:48:40either in the near or distant future.
01:48:42Yeah.
01:48:43Let me ask a question,
01:48:44and I'm not asking this to be controversial, Miss Basan.
01:48:47I'm not trying to put you in any heat this morning,
01:48:51but you know there are optometrists
01:48:53and there are ophthalmologists.
01:48:57How do people make a decision
01:49:02as to whom they should go to for treatment?
01:49:07So optometrists are really like your first step.
01:49:12They will do your general evaluation on the eye.
01:49:16They look at the back and front of the eye,
01:49:18and if they pick up any sort of change occurring,
01:49:22they will advise you and they will refer you to an ophthalmologist
01:49:26who will then do further treatment and investigation
01:49:30and suit your needs.
01:49:32Yeah.
01:49:33Well, that's a good explanation.
01:49:34We'll stop there, Miss Basan.
01:49:36I don't want you to get in any trouble, right?
01:49:39But as we observe Women's Eye Health Month this month,
01:49:46what's the message that you want to give people?
01:49:51You know, women play such a major role in society,
01:49:56in their families, as leaders, as supporters to others,
01:50:01as nurturers.
01:50:03You know, they may not be able to do their surgery for cataracts
01:50:07this month because they need to use that fund
01:50:10to buy school supplies for their kids.
01:50:12And so they just end up waiting and waiting
01:50:15until their vision keeps deteriorating
01:50:18and, you know, eventually they may get blind.
01:50:21But I'm advocating for women to start putting themselves first
01:50:26prior to time in their health care, specifically their eye care,
01:50:31and get their annual comprehensive eye examination
01:50:35so that, again, if something is changing in the back of the eye
01:50:39or front of the eye, we can treat with it
01:50:41because vision is not just sight.
01:50:44Vision is life.
01:50:46Yeah.
01:50:47Are you all seeing eye problems at a very...at an earlier age?
01:50:56Because as I...as I...
01:51:01What's the word I'm looking for?
01:51:03I'm just thinking that I'm seeing more and more,
01:51:06and I don't know if that is just my view,
01:51:09that more and more children are wearing glasses now.
01:51:12So is it happening at an earlier age?
01:51:17Yeah, actually, that is true
01:51:19because a lot of kids use their screens, their phones, iPads, tablets.
01:51:26They use it so much.
01:51:28They tend to develop myopia or short-sightedness,
01:51:33so they are advised to go to their optometrist or their doctors
01:51:38so that they can develop a plan of treatment for that.
01:51:41Yeah.
01:51:42Because it tends to progress, so it's better to, you know, treat it early.
01:51:46So it is happening at an earlier age now, you think?
01:51:51Sorry, I didn't hear that.
01:51:52So vision loss is happening at an earlier age
01:51:55than what would have transpired, let's say, 10, 15, 20 years ago?
01:52:02Yes, there is some studies showing that.
01:52:06We are taking a problem out of kids with short-sightedness,
01:52:09and they are coming into the clinics.
01:52:12We also notice women from the age of about 40
01:52:15will tend to develop some eye changes,
01:52:19and they develop cataracts and stuff at an earlier age as well.
01:52:23So definitely, we are recommending any sort of changes to go to your doctor.
01:52:29Yeah.
01:52:30What disease do you think is most susceptible when we speak about vision loss?
01:52:35Is it cataracts? Is it glaucoma?
01:52:38What is it that you're seeing in most cases now?
01:52:44So cataracts is one of the most common eye conditions,
01:52:48and this is because it really is an age-related change.
01:52:53So a lot of people will develop that as we get older.
01:52:58It can be treated simply with surgery.
01:53:02I say simple, but it's still surgery, but it's a routine surgery for us.
01:53:08It is something that will give you just a simple blue in your vision.
01:53:13So you might think, oh, well, it's not great, and you leave it,
01:53:16and then keep progressing.
01:53:17So if you notice that, definitely go to your eye specialist.
01:53:21Yeah.
01:53:24Let me see.
01:53:25Is there anything that you'd like to tell us this morning
01:53:27that we have not touched on that you think is of importance
01:53:30that you'd like to tell our viewers this morning?
01:53:34I just want to stress that if you do have any underlying conditions,
01:53:41like diabetes, that's a significant one,
01:53:45definitely go to your doctor to manage the diabetes,
01:53:48but also see your ophthalmologist, because diabetes can affect the eyes.
01:53:53So significant screening and management, or full management, is required.
01:54:00So definitely make sure you get everything treated.
01:54:03Yeah.
01:54:04But I think it is safe to say that vision loss is treatable
01:54:07and in most cases preventable, right?
01:54:11In most cases, yes.
01:54:13There are some conditions like glaucoma, which if it's not treated,
01:54:17it can lead to blindness.
01:54:19And unfortunately, sight loss from glaucoma is not sight that we can restore.
01:54:25So if you are coming from a family with a history of glaucoma,
01:54:30definitely ask for your doctor.
01:54:33Ms. Basard, thank you very much for speaking with us this morning.
01:54:35We do appreciate it.
01:54:36Bye for now.
01:54:39Okay.
01:54:40All right, so that's going to do it for our show for today.
01:54:43But before we go, we leave you with this image,
01:54:45captioned, Sunset View from Tabakit.
01:54:48It's from Avion in Whiteland.
01:54:51Avion, have a good day.
01:54:54See you tomorrow, everybody.
01:55:24♪♪♪
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