DEAR EDITOR: The equal opportunity legislation usurps powers and discretions from first parties and involves others compulsorily. That is always wrong.

It does not protect or recognise the rights of families, properly speaking, or of parents over their children in general, or schools. It might be said that the proposed tribunal would take these issues into account, but the private and voluntary, old and new business of families or of parents, or schools, could never be theirs.

This applies in business also. Where there are no hard-and-fast rules, “discrimination” can not decide agreement and performance, distinction or profitability; and, where there are, it is mischievous still.

The only  “standards” will be a “proven discriminatory” record of “offenders” and “decisions of tribunals dispersed in time, based on the conflicts engaged and, their “discernment” of “public opinion” and other “non-sectarian” and “neutral” indeterminates.

Rational application is impossible while patterns for collusion are set up, with and without privity, against existing and future contracts and current negotiations.

Pre-emptive and other legal remedy for rights of principal, are rendered ineffectual, even if kept. Once hearsay is accepted in criminal cases, will it be admitted here as well?

On the other hand, known standards that are true and their pursuit by organisations, or judiciary, are not persecution; so the premise and/or unstated goal that certain individuals or groups need protection for opportunity and, from persecution, is false.

Also false is the premise that statute makes counter-principles right. Where organisations choose to offer additional public services to the ones they make according to their identity, purpose, rights, etc, then,
1. it must be by their consent and authority,
2. it must be funded separately,
3. it must be revocable and
4, it must leave secure, other rights, with their funding not made conditional.

Activity that is always criminal or illegal – abortion, circulating poisons/information for miscarriage, pornography, promiscuity, invasion of privacy, etc, must always be excluded, not “excludable”, and punished, not “punishable”.

Fostering known standards that are true, is what merit, ability and integrity achieve for the State. Yet the Government shows itself willing to develop gravely offensive legislations; and identifies them with inter-racial solidarity and integrity in public affairs.

It is further evidence of a Government that is rash, not just one-sided; totalitarian, not merely incompetent and, calculating, not only impaired.
Elias Galy, Port of Spain

DEAR EDITOR: In the name of the Lord and all who hunger for the Word, I encourage everyone to remember our baptism - when we became Catholics, as well as the grace, mercy and compassion given us.

God in Christ has empowered us through the Holy Spirit so that we, the ones who have received God’s grace baptism, would be bold, brave and courageous to let the light of God shine out from us to the whole world.

In spite of this knowledge made known to us, we see each and every day harried and harassed men, women and children who have nowhere else to go but our streets.

Members of their human family fail to respond to those who have to live on the pavements of our streets day and night, in the sun hot as hell, and especially on those rainy days when the rain just continues and continues.

We are compelled to ask where is the mercy and compassion that is expected from baptised Catholics?
David Lynch, Port of Spain

Dear Archbishop Gilbert: I recently visited Port of Spain and must admit to being spooked by all the reports of crime.

I agree with you that the restoration, and in some cases, adoption of good moral values is key in the reintegration of criminal offenders into the community.

However, it is also clear that the deterioration of these values is role played by the material world many of us live in.

It is clear to me that people become trapped by the belief that material prosperity will bring happiness and when this dream loses its direction one turns to drugs, alcohol, sex or whatever to fill the void.

I believe in God, but only good orderly direction can help steer the ship of moral integrity, since God works through people to create a higher understanding of his will for mankind.

Part of the higher understanding is steering the ship thru the troubled waters of drug and alcohol abuse into the waters of moral integrity and belief in a higher power.

I agree with Trinidad’s independent senator Dana Seetahal that good alcohol and drug treatment is necessary to reduce crime.
Mike Kanalley, Auburn, NY