- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 25/Jun 04:13

Unsettling events for Trinis in Mideast

THE EDITOR: As a Trini living and working in the Middle East for several years, June 24 was quite an extraordinary experience. As your readers will already know, recently there has been a series of military exchanges in the region between Israel, the US and Iran. However, on Monday the conflict, which was stewing around us, finally hit home (so to speak) in Qatar when loud explosions were heard outside. The family was just having dinner. A quick glance revealed that projectiles were flying in the sky and exploding, and these did not seem that far from our apartment. Later we came to learn that the projectiles were missiles being intercepted. The family was obviously disturbed and we took shelter as best we could. The disturbance seemed to last several minutes and there was a sense of being helpless to the events. Although my family and others naturally feel shaken by the events, what we experienced is nothing compared to the suffering of others in the region. It is this perspective that gives me some solace. Qatar authorities have done well to reassure all expats that the authorities are prepared for various situations and therefore calm should prevail; this is heartening to hear. The other Trinidadians living here are taking these events quite well, surprisingly. Initially there was a lot of alarm among friends but later that evening attention shifted from the present troubles to the "morrow." That is, who is going to work tomorrow? Well, several men complained of belly pains, so I think there would have been a surge of Trini sick-leave applications. I do not mean trivialise the events occurring here with jokes, but humour has certainly helped us cope with the traumatic events. As tensions were ramping up in the region, the Foreign and Caricom Affairs Ministry in TT issued a public advisory several days ago to nationals living aboard. It was proactive and commendable, advising, among other things, for nationals in the region to: register on its website, develop contingency plans, and arrange travel documents, etc. I hope the ministry continues to monitor the situation closely and find mechanisms to communicate with us rapidly, such as with WhatsApp or SMS (Short Message Service). To achieve a faster communication with us in Qatar (seven hours ahead of Trinidad), I think some overtime may be in order for some officers at the ministry, and this would be more than justified. We are hoping for cooler heads to prevail here and in the region, of which there are already signs at this time. I also pray that none of you in TT experience any conflict on this scale. EHAB ALI via e-mail The post Unsettling events for Trinis in Mideast appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.