Tobago's Education System Poor Performance

Minister of Tobago Development, Dr. Delmon Baker

Tobago’s population of about 56,000 is roughly 4.3% to 4.5% of the national population. That in effect meant Tobago should have attained at least sixteen national scholarship awardees out of the four hundred and twenty-eight instead on the three it received. Those statements were made by the Minister of Tobago Development, Dr. Delmon Baker as he highlighted how Tobago students are vastly under-performing. He said, “our system should have produced at least sixteen, just by raw numbers, by averages, unfortunately we are under-performing in that area”.

Dr. Baker indicated that he was raising an alarm bell because the under-performing is being duplicated at the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) and Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) levels. That situation he said, “puts our society fundamentally behind our counterparts in Trinidad”. Taking a line from a song by ‘Shadow What Wrong With Me’, the Minister said the question which must be asked is, “what is wrong with the education system in Tobago as to why we cannot meet our quota of scholarship students, of SEA passes and of CXC passes?”.

Dr. Delmon Baker seeks to Implement Maritime Monitoring System for Tobago

Dr. Delmon Baker, Minister in the Ministry of Tobago Development (MTD) will soon be seeking Cabinet’s approval for his Ministry to implement a Maritime Monitoring System (MMS) around the island of Tobago for the purposes of monitoring the meteorological aspects of the marine environment and providing necessary warnings to appropriate individuals, in particularly members of the fishing community.

Delmon Baker Admits.

Dr. Delmon Baker
Minister of Tobago Development

Minister of Tobago Development Dr Delmon Baker yesterday admitted he did undergo gastric bypass surgery.

His confirmation came only after an exclusive Express report yesterday headlined "Baker's secret surgery".

Last Friday, the Express questioned Baker on whether he had undergone surgery and who acted for him during his sick-leave period.

The minister neither confirmed nor denied the query and instead questioned, "What concern is that to the Express?"

Baker's surgery was shrouded in secrecy as even Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan had refused to comment on the issue and his Cabinet colleagues were in the dark as to what procedure Baker had undergone.

After publication of the story in yesterday's Express, Baker's ministry issued a press release providing full information on the minister's condition.

The release stated he had undergone surgery to treat with existing medical conditions.

"Dr Baker has diabetes and hypertension which has resulted in metabolic syndrome. He was advised by his doctor to undergo this medical procedure to assist in improving his health. Dr Baker informed The Honourable Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of this health matter and he subsequently applied for ten days sick leave for the period October 25, 2012 to November 3, 2012," stated the release.

Baker, according to the release, underwent gastric bypass surgery at the Westshore Medical Hospital on October 25.

Based on information, the Express had reported on Monday the surgery took place at the Mt Hope Hospital.

The release added that Baker "progressed well" in his recovery and officially resumed duties as member of Parliament for Tobago West and Minister of Tobago Develop-ment on October 31.

"Minister Baker wants to assure members of the public that he is well and continues to conduct his duties in seeking the interest of all citizens, particularly those he is representing within communities of Tobago," stated the release.

Although Baker has confessed to having surgery, the question remains as to who acted for him and took responsibility for the Tobago Development portfolio during his absence.

The Express yesterday contacted chief executive officer of Government Information Services Ltd (GISL) Andy Johnson and enquired whether any releases were issued with respect to an acting appointment.

Johnson said no releases were issued by GISL on any acting appointment for Baker.

He added that he called the Office of the President to enquire same and was told there was no notification from the Prime Minister's Office on this.

reproduced from Trinidad Express

Delmon Baker Hospitalization

Tobago Development Minister mum on medical procedure at Mt Hope hospital

Dr. Delmon Baker, Minister of Tobago Development

A medical condition of Tobago Development Minister Dr Delmon Baker is being kept top secret.

The Express was told by a source that Baker underwent gastric bypass surgery recently at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), Mount Hope, but when contacted to find out if this was true, the Minister was non-commital.

In a brief interview by cellphone last Friday, the Express asked Baker whether he did in fact undergo surgery, to which he responded: "What concern is that to the Express?"

Told that he was a Government Minister and his health would be of public concern, he said: "I don't understand how that concerns the Express."

Pressed further, he said: "I am not confirming or denying anything."

Asked who acted for him when he was hospitalised, Baker said: "The Prime Minister is responsible for that, you should ask her."

Questioned on whether he was fully recovered and in good health now, he said: "I am fine now."

Asked if he was back out to work, he said: "I am working now."

In response to text messages from the Express, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan also refused to comment on the issue.

Questioned on whether Baker underwent gastric bypass surgery at EWMSC, Khan replied: "No comment."

Asked why there was secrecy with respect to Baker's hospitalisation, when in the past there were constant updates and information on other Government Ministers, including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar herself when she was hospitalised, Khan repeated: "No comment."

He suggested that the Express seek answers from Baker himself.

Sources have told the Express that Baker did indeed undergo a surgical procedure at the public hospital.

The Express understands that Baker attended last Thursday's Cabinet meeting but even some of his ministerial colleagues were in the dark, telling the Express confidentially that all they knew was that he had "medical issues".

Communications Minister Jamal Mohammed, when contacted yesterday by phone, confirmed that Baker had surgery, but "I can't say exactly what it was."

Asked who was acting for Baker and for how long he was out of office, Mohammed said he could not recall who was the acting Minister, but indicated that Baker was on "just a little over a week" of sick leave.

"I don't think it was anything major...yes, he's cool," said Mohammed when asked if he saw Baker last week and if he was in good health.

This is the first time that the medical condition of a Minister is shrouded in secrecy.

In June 2010, former justice minister Herbert Volney underwent cardiac surgery at EWMSC and day to day updates were given by Government Ministers, including Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and former health minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis.

Even when Persad-Bissessar herself fell ill, there was full public information on her ailment, treatment and state of health.

In May this year the Prime Minister fell ill in Barbados and was hospitalised at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Then acting PM Jack Warner called a news conference to provide the nation, through the media, with full information, saying the Prime Minister was resting and undergoing a battery of tests.

In August, Tourism Minister Stephen Cadiz fell ill in Miami and was hospitalised.

There was no secrecy in his ailment as Cadiz's staff and he himself kept the media updated on his condition, which was over-exhaustion.

Even, Khan, during last month's budget debate, advised Parliamentarians to follow Cadiz's example and exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle as he noted that the Minister had lost a lot of weight.

In the past there has also been public information on the medical treatment of former prime ministers Patrick Manning, Basdeo Panday and Arthur NR Robinson.

Baker was promoted to the Minister of Tobago Development in June in the Prime Minister's Cabinet reshuffle.

He was formerly the minister in the Ministry of Finance.

His predecessor, Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, was shifted to the post of Minister in the Ministry of the People.

According to medicinenet.com, gastric bypass surgery is a procedure aimed at weight loss.

"Gastric bypass surgery combines the creation of a small stomach pouch to restrict food intake and construction of bypasses of the duodenum and other segments of the small intestine to cause malabsorption (decreased ability to absorb calories and nutrients from food)," stated the website

Reproduced from Express Trinidad.

Free Airfare for Tobago Patients from PP Government

Dr. Delmon Baker
Minister of Tobago Development

The Minister of Tobago Development, Dr. Delmon Baker made the announcement yesterday that  Cabinet has committed itself to paying the full airfare of Tobagonians who need to travel to Trinidad for specific medical treatment. He was speaking at a post Cabinet media conference at the office of the Prime Minister in St Clair.  

 Currently, patients requiring specialist attention may take 90 days to be seen at the clinics in Tobago. Noting that patients requiring ENT (ear, nose, throat), orthopaedic and other specialist attention sometimes have to come  travel to Trinidad for urgent attention or even for their regular clinic appointments.

The Ministry of Tobago Development had a rebate vote, he said. This allowed such patients to come to the ministry and seek a refund of 75 per cent of their airfare, after they had travelled to Trinidad for medical attention.

However, Cabinet yesterday agreed on the provision of the full advance airfare for such patients as well as the full advance airfare of one accompanying adult. Government through the Ministry of Tobago Development would now pay 100 per cent of both airfares.

This would allow Tobagonians to access medical services much faster and also those who could not afford to travel in the first instance, hopefully within a week of first applying for the facility.

"This is good news for the health care system as a whole in Tobago, it is good news for the patients in Tobago. Because of this decision we are able to have the team (permanent secretary and other members of the financial assistance committee at the Ministry) look the doctor's report, examine whether the patient applied to any other agency, before "quickly" making the decision that the patient needs the urgent medical care and pay for the ticket so the patient can come to Trinidad," he said.

The announcement comes one day after reports that Rahil Hosein, of Tobago, died seven days after being hospitalised waiting for brain surgery.

Government's decision could be an election sweetener, as it prepares for the Tobago House of Assembly election.

Baker refutes London's claim for $100m

Minister of Tobago Development &  Member for Tobago West
Dr. Delmon Baker

$100 million claim made by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for the newly opened Scarborough General Hospital is now being refuted by newly appointed Minister for Tobago Development Dr. Delmon Baker.

Both THA Chief Secretary Orville London and his Finance Secretary Dr Anslem London have been insisting that the central government had failed to honour its parliamentary allocation in the national budget and release the money for the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA). They explained that the funding was needed to implement a range of new services as well as employ additional staff at the new hospital in Signal Hill.

However, in an exclusive interview with Tobago News last Sunday, Dr. Baker emphatically discounted the THA claims.

He revealed that newly appointed Minister of Finance Larry Howai, was expected to meet with THA Chief Secretary Orville London about the issue last Tuesday.

"I have been advised that the THA is already in receipt of that $100 million they are suggesting is being owed to them by the Peoples Partnership (PP) central government," stated Baker, who was a Junior Minister in the Ministry of Finance before his recent elevation to the Cabinet.

Baker said that based on his investigations, which included discussions with the Budget Director and the Minister of Finance; he was informed that the THA had collected just over $100 million in tax revenue for the fiscal year 2010/11.

"The THA only remitted $75 million of that to the Ministry of Finance," he reported.

"They kept back $25 million," charged Baker. He continued: "In the first quarter of the fiscal year 2011/12, the Ministry of Finance returned the $75 million in a bundle with the THA's quarterly allocation. If you add that to the $25 million the THA had retained that would give you the $100 million they are now querying for the TRHA."

Later during his address at a meeting held by the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) in Patience Hill, Baker slammed into the financial affairs of the current Peoples National Movement (PNM) administration of the THA.

"According to the Auditor General, over $300 million of our money has not been accounted for by this Assembly," charged Baker.

The fiery Baker promised to paint the streets of Scarborough with yellow-clad jersey supporters emblazoned with the message "Audit the THA," before the next THA polls.

Reproduced verbatim from Tobago news

The Newly Installed Minister of Tobago Development meets with THA Chief Secretary

Newly Installed Minister of Tobago Development

meets with THA Chief Secretary, Orville London

 at the Calder Hall Administrative Complex

The newly installed Minister of Tobago Development Dr Delmon Baker met for the first time since assuming his new portfolio with Tobago House Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London yesterday (Tuesday 10th July 2012) . The chief Secretary stated that the Minister asked for an informal meeting which ended up being an intense but cordial 90-minute session. "There were certain areas we discussed that were hopeful with respect to the relationship between the Ministry and the Tobago House of Assembly, with Dr Baker indicating that he would formalize certain aspects of the discussion with correspondence to the Assembly. The first sign of dialogue seem to be emerging as London indicated that Dr Baker was willing to engage in discussion with the Assembly both at the policy and the operational levels with respective teams to try to resolve issues that have bogged them for some time. Further london said, "We will not have agreement on all issues but I am heartened that the Minister is prepared to have meaningful discussion with the Assembly on a regular basis,"  

The issues that were discussed surrounded several issues of concern to the Assembly: they include; a second Carnival in Tobago, the challenge of the Tobago Local Public Assistance Board and its non appointment which was causing hardships to scores of Tobagonians, construction of police stations at Roxborough and Old Grange which was two years overdue, the outstanding $100 million parliamentary approval due to the THA for completing the commissioning of services at the new Scarborough General Hospital and the process for the review the THA Act and Constitution as it related to Tobago.

The Tobago Chief Secretary said Dr Baker was "not particularly enthused" about a second Carnival in Tobago, adding that he (London) hoped that the issue was now off the drawing board.

Dr Baker was reluctant to speak to the media regarding his discussions with the Office of the Chief Secretary at the Calder Hall Administrative Complex, Scarborough. The meeting was held at his request.