Obstacles Encountered While Writing 'The Formation' 

My reply to that response was an email titled: -

On the Public Forum

from: Garvin M. <garvindmaurice@gmail.com>

to: 

date: Jun 15, 2023, 10:05 AM

subject: On the Public Forum

Greetings to the members of the CBRC,

I thank the board for continuing the trend of keeping the membership informed.  Perhaps the membership could have been afforded the opportunity to comment.  Nevertheless, in full support of that approach, I offer the following: -

"Discrimination occurs when a person is unable to enjoy his or her human rights or other legal rights on an equal basis with others because of an unjustified distinction made in policy, law or treatment." - Amnesty International.

• As evidenced by documented custom, practice and convention, from time immemorial, all financial members of an organization are entitled to request and unconditionally receive copies of the minutes of Annual General Meetings (AGM, AGMs) of that organization.

• The President of the Board of the CBRC does not have a legitimate role to play in the fulfilling of a financial member’s request for copies of the minutes of the CBRC’s AGMs.  Therefore, direct communication with the President on such a request will be unprecedented, unconventional, irregular, inappropriate and wrong.  I will not do it.   I do apologize to Ms. Lee, President of the CBRC, for not directly responding to that letter that  bears her signature.

• I, a financial member of the CBRC, made a request for copies of the club's AGM minutes.  The ‘concerns’ 'feelings' and 'views' of the Board relative to my website cannot be legitimately, democratically and without discrimination, commingled with my request for copies of the minutes of the CBRC’s AGMs.  

• The minutes are not to be ransomed.

• THE CENTRAL BANK RETIREES CLUB DISCRIMINATES.  The letter contains evidence of the CBRC’s discrimination and begs the question – who is going to guard the self-appointed guardians of the Central Bank’s reputation?

“Oh, what a tangled web [they] weave when first [they] practice to deceive!”  Sir Walter Scott.

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That letter presented a rebuttal challenge given that it does not contain a single fact of any consequence.  Not one.  Readers should stop reading now.  What follows is most likely to be an exercise in futility with the only outcome being the documentation of my comments for future reference.

Are you still reading?

Ok.  Here we go. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As members saw, the letter from the CBRC was competently photocopied then emailed to me on Thursday 25th May 2023.  Below is the contents of that letter, in black fonts.  The web version of my inserted comments are in blue italics.

Dear Mr. Maurice

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Retirees Club ('CBRC', 'the Club'), I am writing in response to complaints you have raised regarding delays by the Board of the CBRC in providing you with certain documentation which you have requested and to which you feel entitled as a member of the Club.

• I do not feel that I am entitled.  I know that I am entitled.  It has been shown that from time immemorial it is a custom and practice that the financial members of an organization are entitled to request and receive the minutes of the organization’s AGM.

• Where is the CBRC board's proof that a financial member is not entitled to request and unconditionally receive copies of the AGM minutes?  Where in this, this letter is the CBRC board's proof that a financial member is not entitled to request without an explanation and receive the minutes of the organization’s AGM?  

While we understand that you feel aggrieved by the delay, we are disappointed that you have sought to engage the entire membership of the Club in a personal matter, and to embroil the Management and Senior Management of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago in the internal affairs of the Retirees Club by the sharing of related correspondence between yourself and the Club.  

• The matter ceased being ‘personal’ when the Administrative Officer advised me that I am required to explain the purpose for which the information is needed.  Admittedly late but for me, the machinations of the CBRC’s Board of Directors became discernible from the 15th February 2023.  Therefore, I adopted a different approach.  If conflict is unavoidable then, if possible, one should choose the arena. 

• The matter was also brought to the attention of the Equal Opportunity Commission of Trinidad and Tobago [EOC].  Here is an excerpt from my last piece of correspondence to the EOC: - "Thank you for your email and the information provided.  I am sure that the then Executive committee of the Central Bank Retirees Club [CBRC] discriminated against me.  Successive committees, with hold-overs from the discriminating committee, continue to do so.  As of 22 May 2024 I have not received the documents that I am entitled to as a financial member.  However, I am not so aggrieved that I will spend my limited financial resources on attorney's fees without seeing an avenue to recoup my expenditure.

I have come to accept that Mistah Shak encapsulated them when he sang the kaiso 'Rogue': -

" ... me and meh batch, we decide to run da drug BLOCK

everybody don know we behind it but we doan give ah ..DAMN"

I thank you and your team for your advice and acknowledge your decision to close this case." 

• As stated in this letter, the Executive harbours ‘concerns’ about my website.  Knowing the baselessness of their 'concerns' they devised a scheme in an attempt to influence what has become my website.  Consequently, the Executive, without any legitimate grounds, sought to link a financial members’ request for the Club's AGM minutes to their ‘concerns’.  In so doing the CBRC is blatantly discriminating.  One rule for Garvin Maurice and another rule for everyone else.

• If, after declining an open invitation to be a party to what has now become my website, the Executive harbours ‘concerns’, then those ‘concerns’ could have been expressed in a conversation or a separate letter.  Better still, do your research.  Gang leaders and tyrants wield their authority over their turfs and serfdoms guided by 'concerns', 'feelings', 'beliefs' and 'point(s) of view'.  It is intellectual malpractice to manage a seemingly structured, democratic organization, governed only by such unsupported and unfounded perspectives.

• Aware that at some point in my quest for social justice, I will be asked the question – what efforts did you make to bring about a resolution to the problem?  In my answer to that question I will be able to present documentary evidence.  I corresponded with the custodian.  I wrote to the Secretary.  I brought the issue to the attention of the membership.  I wrote to the Equal Opportunity Commission.  I brought the matter to the users of moral suasion.  "At times, moral suasion has to be employed – telling financial institutions (or institutions that are fully supported by the Central bank) how they are expected to behave"*

• The Secretary of the BOD is party to a dispute and a member of the club’s Executive.  It is contrary to the principles of natural justice for the Executive to be a judge in its own case.  Therefore, I had no reason to continue ‘one on one’ communication.  Additionally, I am sure that everyone can recall the statement – “Until such time this matter is considered to be closed” uttered by that, that Secretary.  Further, consistent with established norms and conventions, I will engage in dialogue with the custodian or the Secretariat on my request for copies of the Minutes of the CBRC AGM.  No one else.

• It is a democratic practice to seek third party intervention in any available form.

Regarding the statements which you have circulated there is much with which we can take issue, including your apparent attempts to cast doubt on the competence and integrity of the sitting Board.  However, we leave that for another time.  For now, we must disagree with your depiction of your request for information as a routine one, since addressing it would have entailed a significant amount of dedicated time and effort on the part of the Office Administrator.  In the circumstances the Board, not unreasonably, requested to know the purpose for which you required the information, which you declined to provide.

• As per established norms and conventions, the Board does not have a legitimate role to play in a financial member’s request for copies of the minutes.

• It was at this point that the scheming of the Board became apparent.

• Everyone has seen the relevant job description.  Assuming that the minutes of each AGM has 10 pages.  As of December 2022, the CBRC held 19 AGMs, therefore 190 pages.

• Assuming that I had asked for the entire 19 sets and not just the 11 as per email dated 6th March 2023 and repeated on the 20th March 2023.  That request may take 20 significant minutes of dedicated time and effort to print 10 pages.  Three (3) sets of AGM minutes per hour.  Six hours and twenty minutes of significant, dedicated time and effort to print 19 sets of AGM minutes.  Even with those exaggerated numbers, my request could have been easily fulfilled within ten (10) dedicated working days.  However, the requested minutes are undelivered after more than 6 months and counting.   Today is the 15th June 2023.   I made the first request on the 17th November 2022.

‘… so much to do so little done …’  Alfred, Lord Tennyson. 

Your refusal to disclose the intended [Once more.  Neither the Secretary nor the board has a legitimate right to ask a financial member why copies of the minutes of the Club's AGM are requested.] use of the Club's information became more concerning when it came to the attention of the Board that you had established a website which, in your E mail of December 2, 2022 to members, you described as "the CBRC website... viewable at https://www.cbttreetireesclub.com" [my work in progress website is offline at present.  However, I will have it online for five (5) days, beginning on 19 June 2023.  Sleuths may investigate and make copies during that time.][please do not try using the name of the website as written in this letter because the spelling is incorrect.  Your search will not offer the correct alternative] and which, upon investigation, was seen to be populated ["populated"?  The requested information was for one (1) article] with information of the type you were requesting from the Board.

Again, knowing that the Board does not have a legitimate role to play in fulfilling a member's request for copies of the minutes, I made no such request to the Board.

The Board was immediately concerned that your unsanctioned website, clearly purporting to be associated with the CBRC and over which the Club had no editorial control, posed a danger of reputational damage to the Club and by extension to the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago whose name forms part of the name of the CBRC. 

The Board was also of the view that the unauthorized online publication of the Club's private information amounted to the unethical and possibly illegal use of such information.  It should be clearly understood that the CBRC is a private membership organization and information it may publish from time to time concerning the Club's affairs, while not necessarily sensitive or confidential, is intended for the use of members and not for worldwide scrutiny on the open internet.

’unsanctioned’ ‘editorial control’ ‘reputational damage’ ‘unauthorized’ ‘more concerning’ 'private information' 'unethical' 'possibly illegal' 'may publish from time to time'.  Quite a word salad!  Exactly what type of organization do these, these people believe that they are administratively in charge of?  A website that has now become mine should be authorized, sanctioned and subject to their editorial control?   Do they believe that they are entitled to some sort of control over what is now my intellectual property?  

• It is clear that if the Board had ‘editorial control’, ‘sanctioned’ and ‘authorized’ the web site, there would not be any ‘danger of reputational damage’ or evidence of blatant discrimination.  Ent?

• As has been the case from time immemorial, published statements, proven to be inaccurate have been retracted.

• Continuing this exercise in futility.  Imagine informed adults stating that Garvin Maurice or anyone else in Trinidad and Tobago can damage the reputation of another person or entity in this, the land where sound bites containing the words ‘integrity’ ‘honour’ ‘ethics’ ‘principles’ ‘morality’ ‘respect’ and ‘social responsibility’ are bandied about for the primary purpose of getting momentary bragging points.  Reputational damage!  Their conduct in this matter; their uninformed utterances; their lack of integrity is clearly not damaging anyone's or any institution's reputation!  Ent!  

• On the topic of 'reputational damage', is the Central Bank and the CBRC membership aware of the 'process' currently used to recruit, employ and appoint a CBRC Office Administrator?  State the mechanics of that process!  

• Ethics?  I may be wrong.  Perhaps the emails were among those that 'accidentally' did not come to me.  Yes, ever so often, my email address is 'accidently' taken off the list of CBRC members.   Anyway, I have not seen or heard of CBRC vacancies advertised or interviews conducted.  What I've seen, however, are CBRC employment contracts apparently just given to friends and neighbours.  Very ethical.  Reputational damage?  No way.

• Because of the search parameters that I placed on my domain, the website will not be shown in a random search.   Only persons in possession of the name of the domain can access the site.  Try doing a search for “The Central bank of Trinidad and Tobago Retirees Club” or some such variation without using the name of the domain.  See if the name of my domain will be in the results of your search.  Then try searching for ‘The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Retirees club magazine’.  Note the difference in your results.  To further establish a point, try searching for a world-renowned private club, the freemasons.  You will find numerous web pages on the topic of the freemasons.  However, the ‘sanctioned’ and 'authorized' web pages will be discernable.  The statements in this paragraph should be investigated.  Then the statement about ‘worldwide scrutiny on the open internet’ should be checked for its conformity to the facts.

Having regard to all these considerations and to your status as a member in good standing, the Board at its regular monthly meeting held on Saturday May 6, 2023, among other things took the following decisions:

• The information you have requested will be provided subject to you giving an undertaking in writing that it will not be used for publication online or to inform any online publication or any other form of publication in whole or in part

As predicted – here we have an edict.  Top-down communication that is also discriminatory – such a stipulation that is not of general application is discriminatory.  The CBRC 2022 – 2023 Executive is attempting to ransom the minutes of the Club’s AGMs.

Those ransom demands will not be met.  Therefore, on my website where the Executive for a particular term were to be listed, I will simply write words to give effect to the fact that the Administrative Officer along with the 2021/22 and 2022/23 CBRC Executive discriminated and tried to ransom the information.  Parts of this CBRC’s letter will be the documentary evidence.

• In accordance with Section (8a) of the Club's constitution the Board will initiate for the approval of members the drafting of a formal policy governing the acceptable use of the Club's data and publications, in addition to other areas of the Club's internal governance.

The words about the Club’s data and publications are irrelevant and impractical in today’s world.  Who will perpetually determine what is ‘acceptable’ and what is ‘unacceptable’?  What are the means whereby ‘unacceptable use’ of the Club’s data will be prevented?  

• You are requested to desist from publication of any website or online platform that purports to represent or emanate from the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Retirees Club or is likely to be interpreted as representing or emanating from the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Retirees Club. 

In the matter of my website, another person's perception and interpretation of its emanation is not for my consideration.  Readers, viewers and listeners are required to be even more discerning in the age of the internet, social media and artificial intelligence.  Refamiliarization with the world of publishing, social media and the internet is suggested.  Further, I have not made any claims that my website is ‘The Official’ CBRC website.  However, to personalize the website, I will look at my use of 'the' the definite article and 'a/an' the indefinite article.

Remember, to publish on the internet, one is required to buy an available domain name.  With my money, I bought the referenced domain name.  Therefore, it is legally mine.  [The ‘sellers’ and I continue to hold different opinions about what is a sale: I do not appreciate being told that I ‘bought’ something but I have to pay for it annually.  Anyway, ‘bought’ it is.  I 'bought' that domain name].

But wait!  Here is an option!  Complete with a logo, the CBRC should establish “The Official [chosen name]” website.  Now there is a project deserving the attention of the CBRC’s Board.  That is what is done in democracies!  Entities publish official versions.  Those official versions are differentiated and discernable by their use of a 'proper' logo and sometimes the word 'official'.

We trust that our efforts to resolve this matter will be satisfactory to all concerned and we look forward to your continued involvement as a valued member of the Retirees Club.

"continued involvement"?   If you cannot change the environment you should change your environment.

‘We trust that our efforts to amicably resolve this matter will be satisfactory to all concerned’.

‘We trust that our efforts to resolve this matter will be satisfactory to all concerned’.

Given the insincerity and the ever-changing positions displayed by the Administrative Officer and the CBRC's Board of Directors over the past months, it must be said that those two lines are lovely bits of sarcasm.  Ah good one is ah good one!

Yours sincerely 

Belinda Lee

President

Board of Directors

Central Bank of Trinidad & Tobago Retirees Club

*Excerpt - Monetary Policy in Trinidad and Tobago: How it Stacks up to Other Central Banks.

Address by Dr. Alvin Hilaire, Governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.

Launch of Monetary Policy Report, November 23, 2017.