By Raffique Shah
March 11, 2016
I am relieved to learn that the Cabinet “retreat” in Tobago last weekend did not have as a main item on its agenda achievements of the not-so-new Government during its first six months in office.
If it did, I would have screamed bloody murder, not to add rape of the Treasury, because although I’ve never been to Hotel Magdalena, I should think it’s an expensive place.
It would have been sinful in the extreme for Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to have spent a million dollars or more discussing “achievements” that are so sparse, he could have assembled his charges and colleagues to occupy some benches around the Savannah, sip coconut water (in the spirit of buying local), and comprehensively cover all successes, if there were any, in fifteen minutes flat.
At least we were spared the hollow trumpeting-which is little comfort, really.
According to the PM, the Cabinet “focused on financial management of the State’s affairs, the prioritising of projects and the treatment of Government’s commitments, including arrears owed to public servants and other debtors”.
Hello, it’s about time, maybe even past time, that these issues are resolved one way or other.
True, they comprise an unfair burden imposed on the incoming Government last September, part of the pre-election extravagance of a regime that was prepared to mortgage the whole damn country in a bid to retain power.
Let’s be honest here: in early 2015, when the then Government agreed to settle with the Public Services Association (PSA) at a fifteen percent increase in wages and allowances for the period 2011-2013, the price of oil had already declined to below US $50 a barrel.
The irrepressible Watson Duke, leader of the PSA, told public servants, “Go and buy a wheelbarrow!” He said they will need it to carry all the money they will get.
Other public sector workers-protective services, daily paid, health sector etc)-would all benefit from the money-tree, except that the PP Government never intended to pay the billions due to them before the election.
The same held true for contractors who conducted $1-billion-plus in projects to boost the PP’s election image.
And the ex-cane farmers who are today marching for however many millions forget that Kamla Persad-Bissessar promised them that money on the campaign trail in May 2010, but delivered barely a fraction in 2015, on the eve of election.
However, Rowley and his colleagues knew of all these debts before the general election, although the precise details may have been vague.
What nobody could have predicted was the collapse of oil prices, going below US $30 a barrel, and staying depressed for such an extended period.
According to the PM, at the retreat, Finance Minister Colm Imbert apprised his colleagues of the country’s financial dilemma. Rowley said T&T was not bankrupt but it has a cash flow problem.
In other words, we are close to broke, we need to dip into our savings just to pay bills and meet our debts and other financial obligations.
What the Government has going for it is understanding and patience on the part of most of the population. Public sector workers, for example, have not engaged in industrial action or other forms of protest. And even the impact of VAT-restructuring on food prices and other essential consumer goods, which are being exploited by some rogue merchants, has not provoked outrage.
But the Government is testing people’s patience and tolerance to the limit.
Dr Rowley’s mettle is also being tested by issues relating to two ministers, Marlene McDonald and Camille Robinson-Regis.
In McDonald’s case, allegations of impropriety that date back to before the 2010 election, which seem to be supported by documents, have resurfaced to haunt her, and by extension, the PM.
It seems strange that the offences, if they can be so described, were unearthed during the tenure of the PP Government, but other than speak about them in Parliament, they did nothing. Why? And why now?
The timing is curious. But if the allegations are supported by documentation, the PM should act and not hide behind the “bring the evidence” refrain.
In Ms Robinson’s case, she seems to take her responsibilities as a person in public life, a senior minister at that, lightly.
Really, why would anyone, except a business depositing the day’s or week’s sales, or a criminal stashing his loot, walk into a bank with such a huge sum of money in cash?
Her transaction may well have been legal. But it looks bad. And that should never be for someone who values her integrity.
Dr Rowley and his ministers must understand that after the multiple sins of the PP regime, the population does not trust politicians.
Like Caesar’s wife, or maybe Mr Regis’s, they must manifestly be above suspicion.
One of my friends years ago before 2010 told me the downfall of the PNM will come from within just like the UNC. All the skeletons in the closets will come out whenever the shit hits the fan. Shah, you asked many “ys” in your article. And I say to you …it is the new game put out by the foreign oil and gas corporations that ran our industry for years and people have become real fed up. You see the same result in the USA with Donald Trump a runaway GOP. Everything comes to an end. WE ARE CONTINUALLY BEING PLAYED ELECTION AFTER ELECTION. When Barrington Skippy Thomas goes on radio and named names (business persons, Rowley and his bunch along with MOONILAL and his bunch) of who was at a recent victory party (SINANANs)… after the 7th September 2015 T&T GENERAL ELECTIONS it did not surprised me. I knew I had to blog to get rid of Kamla. I now know I have to blog to get rid of Rowley. ROWLEY THINKS WE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT HIS MONEY LAUNDERING WOOS THAT MANNING VENTED ON IN PARLIAMENT RE HDC. WE ALSO KNOW ABOUT GARCIA AND FAMILY AND THE GEORGES AND FAMILY AND….I knew my whistle blowing work has just started. Shah we do not need to rate Rowley’s government. THEY ARE NO GOVERNMENT. THEY BELIEVE THEY CONNED US ALL ON HIS ELECTION PLATFORM. THEY ARE SO WRONG. THE GAME IS FOR ALL OF US TO RISE UP AGAINST THE FALSE PAPER UPPERCLASS THAT RUNS THIS COUNTRY PUT THERE BY THE G8. REMEMBER GUYANA! BUT I BELIEVE THE HAND OF GOD WILL CHANGE THINGS HERE. When you look at the USA who we copy every damn thing from except maybe the few good things that works there…you see CHANGE that do not look like change. Moves are afoot to pull the rug from under Mr TRUMP…he is being castrated as the worst President to ever BE. ALL OPPONENTS BOTH GOP AND DEM seem highly lacking. I wish I had a crystal ball but we will see what unfolds there. I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A PERSON LIKE TRUMP IN T&T. Shah, when the people begin to see the writing on the wall here it will be worse than 1990 here. Imagine we are at a time when our wages are WAY below par, and we are being asked to tighten our tightened belts and THEY THE UPPER CLASS ARE HELPING THEMSELVES HANDSOMELY TO OUR LITTLE TREASURY MONIES AND THE INFLATED GOODS AND SERVICES BEFORE US. WE MUST NOW GROW CASSAVA FOR OUR OWN CONSUMPTION. THEY HAVE NO SOLUTIONS TO OUR HUGE PROBLEMS OF SURVIVAL. THEY ARE A BUNCH OF VERY SICK PEOPLE JUST LIKE THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN USA. Yes Shah our politics will CHANGE this round.
What’s emerging:
Patience and tolerance vs deepening sadness and frustration
Lack of achievement vs destruction of the institutions of governance.
Simply put this government is so bad…they are “unrateable”.
Everything is in decline and like the Titanic sinking.
Right…and “we” rather reside at the bottom of the ocean…rediscover and habitate Atlantis, than go back to the Pirates Of The Caribbean(Bollywood Verision)
Here is what the bottom of the ocean is beginning to look like —-“One supermarket owner and food importer is warning that this country is running short on food supplies and that there could possibly be a crisis within the next three months.
He is saying international suppliers are threatening to pull out from supplying this country with food since businesses do not have foreign exchange to pay them.”
You will reside there because you don’t know better.
YES THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE THAT KAMLA AND SHE OWN THIEF FROM ALL AH WE.
Kind sir I deal in facts not in propaganda. Making unsubstantiated charges is a lie. I notice you like to lie, as a Christian please repent and don’t make a fool of the faith.
The boy you and your sleeper cell friend SHALOM loves….take a read….below
BILLION$ DOWN THE DRAIN
By Andre Bagoo Tuesday, March 22 2016
click on pic to zoom in
DETAILS of yet another Petrotrin project, in which billions have been wasted, emerged yesterday.
A Parliament committee heard that while $3.3 billion has already been lost through expenditure on the litigious issue of the World Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) project, a further $3.2 billion has gone down the drain in relation to a separate project involving an ultra low sulphur diesel (USD) plant constructed by South Korean firm Samsung Engineering and Construction Limited.
Petrotrin officials told the Joint Select Committee on State Enterprises that the USD facility – which was meant to handle highly toxic materials such as hydrogen sulphur – was built with 200 design flaws, did not comply with required earthquake specifications and featured a beam which was bent out of shape. As in the case of the World GTL project, the USD project was entered into during the tenure of the Malcolm Jones-led board, back in 2009.
The Parliament committee also heard of a $5.3B bond — in relation to a separate project — looming on the company’s books; an expenditure of $200M on a new company headquarters which stands unfinished; problems with asset integrity; routine delays on projects and the crippling effect of the ongoing oil revenue downfall on capital development and operations.
In relation to the USD project, the committee heard how Petrotrin entered into an agreement back in 2009. Committee chairman Independent Senator David Small said the project cost was the single largest capital expenditure in Petrotrin’s history. Yet, he said, the project lay incomplete for four years due to structural, steel and seismic design issues, according to 2016 budget documents.
Petrotrin’s vice president – refining, Jonathan Barden, gave a detailed report. “The USD project has, indeed, a very unhappy history,” Barden said. “Originally the project was started in 2009 with an anticipated completion date of 2012. A fixed-price contract was (awarded) to Samsung Engineering Construction Limited for US$220 million. There were amendments to that contract and that contract paid, essentially, US$260M to Samsung.” But problems emerged.
“There was an extensive delay caused by industrial relations,” Barden said. He said this delayed the project to 2013, when the plant was close to completion. However, during pre-commissioning activities a structural flaw was discovered.
“One of the beams on the plant actually bent,” Barden said. “Which was a very serious issue. When that was investigated, it was determined that that structural member had been inadequately designed. And some subsequent investigation indicated that it was not the only structural member that had been badly designed.” A review, furthermore, indicated that in the original invitation to bid document – issued in 2009 – the wrong earthquake resistance had been specified. A value of 0.3g was stated, though the correct specification should have been 0.75g.
By September 2014, Petrotrin sought to have joint remediation done with the same firm. Samsung proposed an unorthodox method to fix the problems, called base isolation. Controversial firm SNC Lavalin served as a consultant in relation to possible repair. But by August 2015, it was clear Samsung was not going to complete the plant. The contract was terminated in December 2015, two years after the flaws first emerged.
Said Small, “the short version of this is that 3,000 million has been spent on a project that was badly designed in the beginning. As it stands now we are not even sure if it is going to work, going forward.
We have spent $3B and because of design imperfections. It looks complete but it has not been able to work.” Jones served on the board from January 7, 2002, to October 11, 2010. The Committee heard of a US$35M sale of assets – with conditional board approval – in relation to the World GTL project to NiQuan Energy.
Petrotrin President Fitzroy Harewood said the total expenditure on the GTL project was about $3.3B.
Chief Financial Officer Ronald Huff said a US$850M bond due in 2019 (placed in 2009) looms over the company’s operations in relation to a separate project, understood to be what is called the Gasoline Optimisation Project.
“It is never far from the back of our minds,” Huff said. Harewood said the company has deferred some capital projects and reduced costs and is only spending on things needed to keep the refinery operations – the main source of revenue – going
Certainly as Chairman at the time the contract was let, Malcolm Jones *may* carry some of the blame. But the Bagoo report is too flimsy to allow that conclusion.
The very basic question as to which party — Petrotrin or Samsung — had detailed design responsibility for the plant under the agreed contract is not addressed.
Even if Petrotrin had responsibility for detailed design, a failure as to *structural* engineering must be laid first at the feet of the structural engineers. The Petrotrin Board would not have been in a position to second-guess the structural design engineers, only to make sure that those engineers met all necessary professional qualifications.
Some engineers’ names and signatures will be on that design document. Some original designer’s name will be there, some reviewer’s name will be there, and some senior engineer’s name will be there signing off on the work product. Who were they? Bagoo has either not bothered to find out or not bothered to report it.
One thing is certain: Malcolm Jones is not a structural engineer, and his name will be nowhere on the structural design document. Even if he were a qualified structural engineer, he would not have functioned in that capacity, rather in that of Chairman of the Board.
Obviously Bagoo is straining mightily to make Malcolm Jones personally responsible, and without even the slightest showing in that regard.
Bagoo is obviously a UNC “personnels”. Like Gail Alexander, Anna Ramdass and others, he has little credibility. He has allowed himself to be used to be part of a malicious sectarian UNC campaign of vilification against the PNM and its accomplishments in the energy sector. See the Indian Policy for an idea as to the sectarian animus driving such behaviour.
In the light of that animus and that Policy, it is not an accident that the last UNC government brought baseless charges against Julien and Jones, the main architects of PNM’s great success in shaping the country’s energy sector. They want to destroy PNM’s reputation in that regard, even as they systematically looted NGC, Jones’ crowning achievement.
Bagoo is part of the mud-slinging strategy. Moreover, along the way they could *teef* a large chunk of the country’s Treasury, under colour of “legal fees” … $45 million alone for the Jones matter, for a matter that didn’t even make it to court!
Bagoo’s report is a malicious media hatchet job. If Jones were truly blame-worthy in this matter, Bagoo could certainly marshall the facts to make that case. He hasn’t. Therefore we can be sure that Jones is personally and professionally blameless as to this matter.
Who then, — one will be justified to wonder, — are the real miscreants? Who are the structural engineers whose names appear on the design document? Maybe you can tell us.
Until then, you are following Bagoo to do evil, in this defamation campaign against a good man who has served the country well.
Btw, the word “shalom” is the Hebrew word for “peace”, which for the time being I continue to extend to you.
Shalom.
“Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment…” (Deuteronomy 23:1-2)
Yoruba,
Y’all are giving weight to indian racism. Why are we even entertaining these talks? The idea of going after an individial for a project that wasn’t successful is LUDICROUS! They are childishly trying to keep negative media attention on the PNM, to soften the blowback from their evil deeds during the last political term! Andre Bagoo is Typical…could you find me an African youth and PNM supporter to compare with ramdass or bagoo?? Think about it…atacking an elderly man, old enough to be his parent at least….BUTTTTTTTTTT he’s Dark skinned Arican….these people are SICK!! Find me the equivalent of Bagoo and Ramdass in age on the PNM side…you won’t!..That type of mentality does not exist among Africans in T&T…it is lopsided…i want to see a new generation of politically vicious young african PNM supporters TOO! This Kumbaya crap is worthless with the caste minded!…like casting perals before SWINE!…So nasty and disgusting(behaviour)…
Trinudad & Tobago “Fair” Media
Express-Hindu women in charge
Guardian-Hindu in charge
Newsday-Hindu/Indian in charge (wholly)
WINTV-Hindu owned & Controlled
IBN-Indian muslim owned & controlled
TV6-Hindu Controlled same company as Express
CNC3-Hindu/Indian run (same company as guardian)
CTV- under UNCOPP a flat out Hindu political station, Under PNM “for everybody”
This current situation of the Bullying, “wrong and strong” attitude where The Hindu/Indian community Bullies the African community with their control of the media to drown out the interests of the PNM in favour of their UNCOPP is potentially hazardous for ethnic relations. BUTTTTTTTTTTTT as long as Africans throuh PNM ideology, continue to ethnically divorce themselves from the ethnic, politically masked war for T&T, thesea uses will continue! Look at how hard one side is fighting and the other, even with political power doesn’t WANT to fight back!! The ‘secret’ to the fervour in the indian community’s onslaught politically, is that at a young age they are trained to see EVERY issue as a political one and also to see politics aswn ethno-religious war…pay attention! As i said…find me an African equivalent to Bagoo and ramdass orthe many others….you won’t…African people are too ‘shamed’ to fight back…even with their Kumbaya political ideology….if it isn’t about race, why not fight back?? Why not put the same vicious pressure on UNCOPP members and representztives as they are doi g to Malcolm Jonesand Marlene?? Why not??? Because African are afraid to upset their Indian friends/relatives etc….afraid of being deemed ‘racial’ ….how come that doesn’t stop or even slow down the ramdass, the bagoo, the ramcharitar,etc.????
My advice?? Either fight back at least twice as much or….Lie back and ‘Skin Up’!…you CANNOT do both!!
Sunshine-Indian in charge
Alyssa:
Perceptive as usual. May God in His mercy put a hand to get us out of the situation that He put us in. That is why my position does not *appear* to be quite as militant as yours. I am aware that the enemy will ultimately hang himself with his own rope. Like Kamla is hoist with her own petard in the hiring of relatives matter. Anyway, let us not emulate Satan because the earth for the moment is given into his hand…
On that I agree. I even have a suspicion that certain UNC “personnels” are actually the ones who are blameworthy in the present matter, and it helps them to cast blame on the convenient, but fabricated, whipping “boy” of the moment. In the normal course of events, structural engineers don’t make that kind of design error, because they deliberately over-design using a large safety margin. Therefore, if a steel beam doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, the error is usually not a design error, but somebody fiddling the supply specs on the steel to *teef*! So the whole hullabaloo about “design error” is likely a cover-up for some teefing that went on… long after Malcolm Jones had demitted office…
May the Most High expose the wicked in this matter, and in all the other matters where the usual miscreants are wickedly plotting and scheming to advance themselves at the expense of the rest of society. And may He bring peace and comity to this land.
Shalom.
“Thus saith thy Lord Yahweh, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.” (Isaiah 51:22-23)
Alyssa:
I’ve already responded to this idea that you have that we ought to emulate the wicked, in order to defeat the wicked. This is a wrong idea, as I’ve already opined.
I just wanted to share with you and the rest of the blog, especially Kian, Rodwell and Neal (hope he returns), a couple of video clips that pertain to the deep spiritual issue, which ultimately rests in the identity question.
The first premise of the position that I take, and in respectful opposition to yours, — because believe me when I say I have a very militant streak in my make-up and part of me can still flash with sufficient indignation to fight back with metaphorical sword, so I understand exactly and precisely where you’re coming from, — is that we the so-called “Negro”, so-called “African”, or whatever else may be the preferred byword-du-jour, are the Chosen seed of the Most High.
I’ve written at length on this matter, but I was pleased today to come across a so-called “white” guy saying the same. Check out: Gentiles Awakening: [Negros] ARE the Israelites.
The second premise is that as the Chosen seed, we the “Negro” have the power of the Word. We have the power to speak things into existence! I also came across this video:
The Silver Tongue of Fire….
It speaks, among others, to the power that the true seed of Israel has, — when living in Truth, — indeed even to bring down kingdoms, as demonstrated throughout Scripture. That power is still ours to reclaim. Check it out.
The clear conclusion is that we defeat ourselves if we adopt unrighteous ways, seeking to defeat the enemy. It is a hard lesson for the natural militant to learn and to assimilate into the spirit. But trust me when I say that that is the way of the ultimate militant! Which this sister certainly is…
May the Most High reveal Himself to those of His children who seek Him but know it not.
Shalom.
“I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not…” (Isaiah 65:1)
PNM incompetence and corruption are repeating havoc all over the land. The more things change the more they remain the same.
Both major political parties in T&T should be disbanded.Along with their supporters they about party not country.let the chips fall where they may, FIX T&T NOW!
BY the banned Canadian firm No Bagoo now Shalom ….defend the undefendable…..
Canadian firm paid $102M for $3.2B waste
Wednesday, March 23 2016
SNC Lavalin – a Canada- based firm currently facing fraud and corruption proceedings in that country – was paid $102 million for managing what has turned out to be a $3.2 billion waste: Petrotrin’s ultra low sulphur diesel (USD) plant.
A Parliament committee heard on Monday of $3.2 billion being spent by Petrotrin on the USD plant which contained more than 200 design defects from day one, a bent beam and wrong seismic specifications.
The committee was told that when the problems were picked up in 2013, Samsung Engineering and Construction Limited proposed an unprecedented method to remedy the issues raised called “base isolation”, a method untested in relation to oil refineries.
“We then went through a number of months working jointly with Petrotrin, Samsung and the project management consultants who were SNC Lavalin,” said Jonathan Barden, Petrotrin’s vice president – refining.
Despite talks and meetings, over years, no solution was ever identified and Barden indicated base isolation is unlikely to be used.
The USB project was started in 2009 and constructed by South Korean firm Samsung Engineering and Construction Limited. But according to statements made by Government officials in Parliament in 2013, SNC Lavalin was hired to manage the project in 2009. The then Government Whip Dr Roodal Moonilal, speaking during a private motion brought by Diego Martin North/ East MP Colm Imbert (now Minister of Finance), told Parliament that the Malcolm Jonesled Petrotrin board granted a $42 million project management contract to SNC Lavalin on July 15, 2009. However, Moonilal said, the value of this contract rose to $102 million “due to delays”.
SNC Lavalin is currently facing a criminal fraud charge in Canada, due to come up for hearing in 2018. Minister of Energy Nicole Olivierre yesterday said a lot of money was spent on the project. “The company is looking at it to see what can be done because a lot of money was expended,” Olivierre told Newsday after appearing in the Senate for Question Time. “We need to determine what it will take and we will have to see what is the best way forward.” Chairman of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Victor Hart yesterday welcomed the disclosures made at the Parliament committee, the Joint Select Committee on State Enterprises.
“We are not fulfilling our supervising responsibilities as we are seeing with Petrotrin,” Hart said. “Why we don’t we fire people when they are not performin
Obviously something went wrong. I do not seek to defend the indefensible. I seek fair-play and strive to be fair-minded.
If there was wrong-doing then blame must properly be apportioned. Reaching back five years to blame the “Malcolm Jones led board” is clearly over-reach. It is also a way to shift blame-worthiness away from the real miscreants.
If there was no wrong-doing then the problems are techno-managerial, the challenge remains to find proper solutions, and the Minister is right. Obviously the Hassanali board failed in that respect.
Not incidentally, if the problems are techno-managerial, then Jones is off the hook. You cannot blame Malcolm Jones for a bent beam. Period. Instead, look for teefing. By far the most likely explanation for a bent beam is that it was off-spec. This is one way to fiddle on a contract for the purpose of teefing.
Neither can you blame Malcolm Jones for an earthquake spec, which in any case cannot be the cause of a bent beam. An earthquake spec is a judgment call, because the higher the spec, the higher the construction cost, obviously. If Government environmental regulations mandated a certain minimum spec, then an honest investigator ought to look to see who gave the necessary authorization to proceed from the environmental angle. Again that will not be Malcolm Jones.
To drag his name into this matter when it is the Hassanali Board that would have had the responsibility to fix the techno-managerial problems that arose lets us know that there is an agenda driving the reporting of this matter.
The agenda is not hard to discern. UNC have cocoa in the sun! No name is on this article as you cite it, but the UNC are not lacking in media “personnels” to mount and perpetuate this attack on a good man who has served the country well.
And let me repeat, UNC was able to loot the Treasury as much as it did because of NGC. NGC has contributed $billions to the Treasury since he brought it into existence. Lest we forget, Malcolm Jones was the one tasked “to design, to build, and to operate” NGC. At this task he succeeded brilliantly. In any country without the sectarian sickness under which we suffer, he would be highly extolled and decorated, not made to suffer continual defamation and slander on matters whicb on any fair reading, he *cannot* be guilty.
May the Most High expose every wicked device of the miscreants who would foist evil upon this land as they pursue their wicked sectarian agenda in derogation of the social contract that they pretend to uphold, of “here ev’ry creed and race… find an equal place”.
Shalom.
“Thus saith thy Lord Yahweh, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.” (Isaiah 51:22-23)
Time to fire the new Central bank governor since NOTHING has changed …..same forex problems!
The old Central Bank Governor was fired for misconduct in office, lest we forget…
He tried to spin it otherwise, but that matter has been, … er… litigated already on this blog.
He is taking it to court; let him try to extricate himself there from his blatant violation of his duty of confidentiality.
Of course in the court of a certain sectarian opinion, he is by definition best known to them, blameless of all wrong-doing whatsoever …
Shalom.
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over … to work all uncleanness with greediness.” (Ephesians 4:17-19)