Emerson John Charles discusses his journey from Belmont Boys Secondary (now St. Francis Boys College) to becoming an advocate for fitness, community development, and innovation. He credits his secondary school teacher, Mr. Albert King, for inspiring his development.
Emerson reflects positively on his school experience and maintains strong connections with his peers through a WhatsApp group.
Despite the stigma of the Belmont community, Emerson has found it to be a source of pride and personal growth. He is now an innovation expert, holding multiple leadership roles and stressing the importance of systematic innovation management. He outlines the five steps to developing an idea and emphasizes the need for an ‘army of design thinkers’ to address various problems across different sectors.
Lastly, Emerson advocates for creating a national innovation agency and innovation centers to boost Trinidad and Tobago’s competitiveness in global indices.
Month: August 2025
What is Wrong with Our Medical System?
While out on my early morning run in the rain before 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, I passed hundreds of citizens huddled under huge umbrellas, waiting to register for free medical care from the US Navy. This intake area was set up less than 100 metres from the Port of Spain General Hospital. Police cars blocked entry into the street to manage the large crowd. (The last time we saw persons waiting in the rain like that was the the Burna Boy Concert in Tobago!)
This scene came less than a month after another massive free medical initiative — the Hands International mission, led by Trinidad-born surgeon Dr. Reynold Steve Agard and a team of 120 medical professionals from California and other parts of the USA. Over four days at the Community Hospital of Seventh-day Adventists, they treated and performed surgeries for thousands, with more than 8,000 people registered before the mission began. They even announced plans for an additional 2,000 free cataract surgeries later in the month.
In both cases, the turnout was overwhelming — clear evidence of the desperate need for accessible healthcare in our country. If you cannot afford private medical care, you are often left waiting, suffering, and hoping for a miracle.
What makes this even harder to accept is knowing that many qualified doctors in Trinidad and Tobago are not being employed — a fact highlighted recently by a young female doctor on social media. How can we have an overburdened healthcare system and unemployed medical professionals at the same time?
These foreign medical missions should be welcome additions, not lifelines for thousands who feel they have no other option. It’s time for a serious national conversation — and action — to ensure that quality, timely, and affordable healthcare is available to every citizen all year round, not just when a foreign team visits.
7 to 70 (7k) means celebrating my 70th birthday …
Dennise Deming invites everyone to join her 70th birthday celebration with a 7K run/walk on Sunday, November 16th. The event, titled 7 – 70 (7K) will start at Harvard and loop to the Savannah and back. Participants, including men, women, children, and grandparents, are encouraged to register on Race Roster. Dennise will also provide a training program for registered participants to ensure they are prepared for the event.
Register here: https://raceroster.com/events/2025/107590/7-to-70-7k-run
Passion, Communication, and Community by Laura Dowrich
Media and communications professional Laura Dowrich shares her deep-rooted passion for Caribbean culture. With nearly 30 years of media experience, she reflects on how the communications industry, particularly digital media, has transformed. \
Dowrich currently serves as the PR manager for the Turks and Caicos Islands’ destination management organization. She highlights the challenges and benefits of social media, emphasizing the importance of countering misinformation.
Her advice to young people interested in communications is to study the field, find mentors, and develop strong interpersonal skills. She also underscores the need for leaders to respect their communications advisors.
Apart from her professional life, Dowrich speaks about her love for music and her efforts to support the Caribbean music industry through her podcast. She calls for more structured industry support and encourages Caribbean unity through travel and cultural exploration.
T&T Is Not the U.S.—Think Twice About Stand-Your-Ground
Just over 100 days have passed since the UNC (United National Congress) returned to office. While it’s still early, I had hoped to see stronger direction—especially in dealing with crime and education, two critical areas that continue to cripple our nation.
Instead, the government is pushing forward with a Stand-Your-Ground Bill—a law modeled after the U.S. that allows someone to use deadly force if they feel threatened, even when retreat is possible. But Trinidad and Tobago is not the United States. We are a nation of 1.3 million people with deep community ties, high tension, and low public trust in law enforcement.
Many citizens are already speaking out. Across social media and in public forums, people are warning that this law could increase violence, encourage aggression, and distract us from the real causes of crime, like the steady inflow of illegal guns and ammunition.
Criminologist Daurius Figueira has warned that such legislation could worsen racial tensions, citing parallels to high-profile U.S. cases such as Trayvon Martin.
https://newsday.co.tt/2025/06/08/criminologist-stand-your-ground-could-fuel-racial-tensions/
Others have pointed out that our current laws already offer self-defense protections under the castle doctrine and Section 7 of the Summary Offences Act. So why rush to add a controversial law we may not need?
https://villagevoicenews.com/2025/06/03/beckles-calls-for-consultation-on-proposed-stand-your-ground-laws/
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has cautioned against rushing this bill through Parliament without first educating the public and holding national consultations. She cited research from Oxford that showed Florida saw a 24% rise in homicides after passing similar legislation. https://azpnews.com/penny-wants-education-first-on-stand-your-ground/
The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) and the Tobago Chamber of Commerce have also voiced concern. They’ve called for a more community-centered approach, investing in youth prevention, not just harsher laws.
http://martingeorge.net/v2/index.php/2025/05/29/ida-tobago-chamber-urge-caution-in-implementing-st look and-your-ground-law/
We’ve had better responses in the past. Under former Prime Minister Patrick Manning, discussions about stopping the flow of illegal weapons and ensuring cross-party collaboration were serious. The Special Anti-Crime Unit (SAUTT), though controversial, made real progress in border protection and reducing kidnappings. But SAUTT was disbanded under the current Prime Minister, and the gap it left remains unfilled.
Crime in Trinidad and Tobago cannot be solved with imported policies or political posturing. We need long-term planning, stronger investment in education, and national collaboration.
The UNC must do better. We need laws that are rooted in our reality—not borrowed from countries with different cultures, systems, and histories.
Tobago – Youthful leadership, little progress …
When Farley Augustine and his team won the election in Tobago, many of us celebrated the arrival of a younger, seemingly more progressive leadership. We expected bold new ideas, forward-thinking policies, and a tangible shift toward modernization. His calls for Tobago’s autonomy and his determination to transform the governance model are commendable. However, my recent experience using the APT James ferry service reminded me just how far we still have to go, especially when it comes to basic digital systems and customer service.
The process feels stuck in an outdated, public-service mindset. For instance, passengers traveling with vehicles are required to remain in their cars for almost two hours before departure. Why can’t they be allowed to board the vessel and access basic amenities like restrooms or the restaurant during this waiting period? From a business standpoint, keeping passengers engaged and comfortable on board for longer could generate more revenue.
Another example of the absence of progress is the inconsistency in how identification is handled. I was able to use my driver’s permit in Port of Spain but was required to show my national ID in Scarborough. Why aren’t these protocols standardized? And why, in 2025, are we still dealing with printed paper tickets followed by tiny paper stubs as tickets?
In a world where digital solutions are standard, why can’t we simply show our ticket on a phone? The reliance on paper signals resistance to progress and a failure to modernize basic operations.
There are also serious safety concerns. Hundreds of vehicles idling in tight quarters for extended periods is a risk. In the event of an emergency—an explosion or fire—how would people escape?
With a youthful leadership team at the helm, I expected bold steps toward digitization and efficiency. Instead, I’m seeing a continuation of old-fashioned, inefficient methods dressed in youthful enthusiasm.
Finally, I couldn’t help but notice that the captain of the APT James appeared to be a foreigner. While I fully respect experience and global expertise, it raises a valid question: Are we doing enough to develop and promote qualified local talent to hold these key positions?
Tobago deserves better. We deserve systems that reflect the modern world and leadership that not only envisions transformation but delivers it. A younger face alone is not enough—we need meaningful change.
Dennise Demming 