Thursday, December 31, 2009

To protect, serve and pilfer with pride.

Honestly...............what more can be said? I guess the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is entering the new year with a new and improved motto.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Peter Taylor - The Uncomforter



It is the mandate of the PNM government to make citizens of Trinidad and Tobago uncomfortable, because according to Peter Taylor Minister of Consumer Affairs, the increase in the property tax is necessary because Trinibagonians 'wid dey farse selves' have been living off the fat of the land (Which incidently is their country and their right). We have become too comfortable according to Peter Taylor (isn't it the job of the goverment to make citizens comfortable?) so Nunez have all right to increase taxes in our comfortable rear ends. If yuh didn't know now yuh know, PNM in control...yuh done know! ©

James Philbert no Sherlock Holmes


Much thanks to James Philbert we now know why this country has one of the lowest crime detection rates the world has ever seen. Imagine Sunday 20th, two days after the fracas outside Parliament between civilians and police Mr. Philbert was quoted in the Sunday Express as having stated that his men may have used excessive force and he did not think there was need for such force by his men. This report in the Sunday Express remains unchallenged to this day by Mr. Philbert and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service so one can only assume that what was reported by the Sunday Express was the truth.


Fast forward to Tuesday 22nd, and here we have none other than Mr. James Philbert Acting Police Commissioner on TV6 news reviewing what appears to be a police created 10 second clip of his men ‘arriving’ at the scene in front Parliament on Friday. The video does not show any of the footage that was shown Friday evening by several media houses of the police beating, assaulting, pushing and antagonising the protesters. Yet still, ignoring all the lengthy clips provided by various media houses showing his men using unnecessary force to remove a group of citizens exercising their constitutional and human rights, Mr. Philbert says that based upon the police’s footage he is of the view that his men did not use excessive force.


What is even more amusing is Mr. Philbert says he is awaiting an ‘investigation’ before submitting the matter before the DPP. If this is in fact true, then why is Mr. Philbert making a statement as per his views concerning the actions of his men if he is ‘awaiting’ an investigation? If he has already concluded that his men did nothing wrong then why have an investigation? With this level of inconsistency coming from the head of the Police Service, his use of inadequate and blatantly biased evidence to justify the callous and unprofessional behaviour of his officers and his pronouncement on an issue even before receiving a report regarding a so called ‘investigation’, is it any wonder that the police service is unable to solve crimes. Mr. Philbert has breached every single investigatory and enquiry procedure in the book and it is quite clear to all and sundry that our TOP COP ain’t no Sherlock Holmes!


I also noticed that Mr. Philbert has indicated that there were many laws broken such as people jostling the police and swinging signs at the police. I wonder if Mr. Philbert is aware that it is a criminal offence for his police officers to unnecessarily jostle a group of citizens exercising their constitutional rights? I wonder if Mr. Philbert is aware that citizens of Trinidad and Tobago have a right to self defence irrespective of whether the person assaulting them is a police officer. It has been reported and has since not been denied that the police attempted to forcefully remove the protesters and as per Article 19 and 20 of the Human Rights Charter, I wonder if Mr. Philbert is aware that this is a breach of International Human Rights? Time and again the Police in Trinidad and Tobago seem to be totally oblivious of the laws they are responsible for enforcing. Hence the reason you have a man being arrested for exercising his constitutional rights with the police using a Highway Act to evoke arrest despite the fact that said individual was on a side walk nor was said individual ‘blocking’ and preventing anyone from entering or leaving Parliament. ©

Our Prime Minister the 'Optimist'


Our Prime Minister's signature was the only signature standing at the conclusion of the Summit of the Americas yet he hailed that Summit as a huge success.

Long before his return, news media the world over reported that the meeting in Copenhagen was a colossal failure without the arrival of a consensus, with several nations accusing the USA of using dirty back door deals and acting like a bully. The Cuban Foreign Minister went as far as calling President Obama an 'imperial and arrogant liar'.

Yet still our Prime Minister returns to us with the confidence of a man who has the world in his hands and declares Copenhagen a 'success'. If nothing else, Trinbagonians can boast of having the most optimistic Prime Minister the world has ever seen. Whether that optimism improves our Prime Minister's leadership qualities and decision making remains a mystery. ©

Sunday, December 20, 2009

State violence and breach of International Human Rights

According to Cambridge’s Online dictionary a protest march is defined as “an occasion when people show that they disagree with something by walking somewhere, often shouting and carrying signs.” In this same dictionary a riot is defined as “a noisy, violent, and uncontrolled public meeting”. With regard to the above definitions it can be clearly seen that a protest march ought not to be managed or dealt with by a riot squad because a riot squad’s sole purpose is to disburse and quell a violent uncontrolled public meeting and bring such meeting under control through the use of physical force.

A protest on the other hand does not require the presence of a riot squad as the very concept of protesting is a basic human right as enshrined in the Human Rights Charter, Article 19, the right to freedom of opinion and expression and Article 20, the right to freedom of assembly and association. The actions of the Police in front of Parliament last week Friday were a clear breach of International Human Rights. The minister of national security therefore owes the citizens of this country an explanation as to why from the time of the Summit of the Americas to the events occurring outside of Parliament last week Friday, his government through his ministry has sought the use of a riot squad to deal and treat with citizens who were not rioting but merely exercising their rights as per the human rights charter.

This action of the police has served to reinforce in the minds of many that it is a political tool of the PNM government, used to silence and intimidate those that are opposed to its policies. The silence of the government with regard the illegal actions of the police demonstrates that it is a government what will seek to silence
those oppose to it using any means including state violence. Worst still, time and again the Police Service which is responsible for maintaining law and order, has persistently demonstrated by their actions that they themselves are not knowledgeable about the laws they are responsible for enforcing and upholding, nor do they seem to comprehend to whom they are accountable and to whom they have a duty to protect. Thus very often you find the police service is found guilty of ill treating and abusing the very citizens they took an oath and swore to protect.

The ignorance and disrespect shown to citizens is not exclusive to the police service. Take for instance the disdain and disrespectful remarks made by Ms Esther Legendre who unfortunately is our ‘Honourable’ Minister of Education. A woman who because of her education portfolio, should be encouraging dialogue and the transfer of ideas from all fronts of society concerning national issues because dialogue and the exchange of ideas whether one agrees with said ideas or not is part of the education process. Minister Legendre was shown on television on Friday night speaking in parliament, referring to the protesters as pathetic. “Twelve people protesting” she bellowed while glowing in the admiration of her other misguided colleagues. Many have expressed shock at the Minister’s lack of professionalism and disrespect for the voice of the people, because be it twelve persons or two hundred thousand persons, in a democracy everyone has the right to be heard. What I find amusing is the inability of someone who is a Minister of Education to count, because at a simple glance even a 10 year old could have guessed that there was probably over a hundred people in front the red house.

Then there was Min Colm Imbert who incidentally had a more accurate guess as to how many people were protesting, nevertheless Colm described the protests as ‘political’. My question to Colm Imbert is what exactly is wrong with that? This is a democracy is it not? The government to which Mr. Imbert belongs IS POLITICAL therefore any opposition to the policies of his government will be political. Why therefore does Mr. Imbert think that he and his POLITICAL party has a monopoly on the politics of Trinidad and Tobago and therefore are the only ones who ought to be and have a right to be political? Politics is about formulating national policies such as the amendment of tax legislation Mr. Imbert therefore any objection to or discussion about your government’s plans will be political. Now that we’ve all been made aware of this fact can we talk about the Police’s actions on Friday which was political and which ought not to have been political?

Mr. Imbert was also quoted as saying “I myself came out on the public gallery and I did hear what appeared to be a megaphone or some form of amplification and that is not allowed.” I would like Min Imbert to inform the general population under what law can a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago not use a megaphone. I will also like Min Imbert to inform the general public why when those preachers come out on the Brian Lara Promenade using those portable megaphones, why the police do not arrest them. Could Min Imbert indicate if any such law preventing the use of a megaphone is constitutional and more so in line with the Human Rights Charter?

According to Article 20 of the Human Rights Charter everyone has a right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. The word peaceful here does not pertain to noise/sound in the form of speech via amplification. The word peaceful here pertains to assembly and association without violence and we know this is so because Article 20 follows suit to Article 19 which states that as humans we have ‘the right to freedom of expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontier.’

The key phrase of Article 19 is the right to ‘receive and impart information and ideas through any media’. According to Cambridge Online Dictionary ‘media’ is the plural of medium therefore what Article 20 is stating is this, it is our fundamental right to receive and impart information and ideas through any medium and that includes the use of a megaphone. Minister Imbert et al need to educate themselves with regard our national laws and more importantly International Law especially law concerning human rights.

It is indeed a travesty when persons seek public office and then attempt to use the position acquired to misinform and miss-educate citizens for the purpose of psychologically binding and subduing said citizens. The opposition forces in this country ‘all’ of whom are political owe it to the citizens of this country to keep a very watchful eye on this PNM government because from all accounts this government has no regard whatsoever for the rights and voice of the citizens of this country. It is imperative that we as citizens nip the emerging state violence in the bud because if we fail to do so, it is as Prime Minister Manning once said “We will pay in Blood!” ©

Saturday, December 19, 2009

To grieve is to be strong


To grieve for someone is an element of strength not an element of weakness. It is the strength of your love that lingers after they're long gone. Our love is strong, our tears and grief are manifestations of that strength. When we hurt it is that strength which sustains us to carry on. It is like a back up power pack, we hardly ever notice its effect.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Lesson in Vocabulary


Nothing irks me more than people ignorantly referring to a person's use of swear words such as 'FUCK' as a sign of limited vocabulary and snobbishly indicating to such persons to 'extend their vocabulary'. What does the word vocabulary mean? According to cambridge's online dictionary vocabulary means "all words used and known by a person."

The last time I checked "FUCK" is a word with several definitions. So to all the uneducated uptight smart arses out there....... please EXTEND YOUR FUCKING VOCABULARY! ©

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Maturity


You must be human enough to make mistakes, you must be human enough to get angry or upset.....but! You must be mature enough to make peace after all is said and done....... - Oke Zachary ©

Sunday, November 15, 2009

White Folks


"There are white folks, and then there are ignorant motherfuckers like you" - Barack Obama (Dreams from my father)

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Liberty


A portrait of the French revolution...after the plebs beheaded their bastard king who bankrupted their country.....and the flag didn't cost them $2 million....And here in T&T they want to talk about patriotism!!!!!! Gary, Patrick et al better becareful less they get what they asking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Subway Wins Round 1



I’m pleased to announce that Subway Trinidad Limited has won round one and thus retained me as a customer. Below is a caustic complaint I sent to Subway International @ www.subway.com, a complaint which stemmed from the poor service I received at Subway St James on Sunday 1 November 2009. What basically happened was the manager at that branch was selling spotted wilted old lettuce and passing it off as legitimate healthy lettuce.

I sent that email to Subway International around 9:30 pm and by 4:00 pm today (Monday) I received a phone call from a Ms. Bain who profusely apologise for the situation. Ms. Bain was quite pleasant and indicated to me that she actually does not see my complaint as a ‘complaint’ but as positive feedback as sometimes they may lose a customer and not know why so she was grateful that I took the time to address the issue that affected me.

Ms. Bain also confirmed my suspicions that the lettuce that was being served at this branch was in fact not to be served. She explained to me that the lettuce (Iceberg) is actually delivered from the US and sometimes ‘inevitably’ they may get a bad shipment (This I can totally understand), however she indicated and as I would have expected, whenever a branch receives a bad shipment of lettuce they are in fact supposed to return it to the supplier and not serve it to the end customer. Ms. Bain even gave me her mobile number (I suspect it’s a company phone but that’s beside the point) and told me if ever I should have any more problems at any branch I can feel free to call her and have the matter addressed. I will also be provided with vouchers for free subways as compensation for the terrible service I received. So hats off to the customer service at Subway I feel quite satisfied with the manner in which the issue was dealt. If ever any of you hard working Trinibagonians who like to ensure you get value for money should get any bad service from Subway....report them to the international branch at www.subway.com.

The service I received at that St. James branch is another example of poor customer service in this country. And I just want to say that the problem is not only on the side of business owners it is also on the side of consumers because consumers do not know their rights. While I was in the line complaining about the lettuce there were two young women behind me who were laughing at me, apparently in Trinidad and Tobago once you stand up for your rights you are the joke of the day. While cashing I noticed that the girl who attended to me applied copious amounts of brown lettuce to the sandwiches of those two laughing goons....much to their delight....apparently they are unable to tell the difference between spoilt and healthy lettuce. I’m the one who had the last laugh though, because now I have vouchers to receive free subways and all it cost me was an email to the right department. Bless!


The Complaint

Good evening, I would like to express my dissatisfaction at the level of service I received from the above branch (St James). Now I do realise that you guys are an international franchise but I would like to think that those who choose to represent you should do so in a manner that does not tarnish the image of your company. That said, I visited the above branch of Subway and noticed that the lettuce in the vegetables display were wilted and had lots of brown spots on it. I asked one of the workers to speak to the manager who incidentally was the person taking the orders, so I enquired of the status of the lettuce because apart from looking totally unappealing to the eye it looked quite rotten.

The manager to my surprise told me that the lettuce is "Iceberg" lettuce and that is how it comes. Now...nothing annoys me more than people trying to take me for an idiot, I purchase iceberg lettuce all the time from our local supermarket and I've never seen any with wilted leaves and brown spots and this is iceberg lettuce shipped from the US to our country! Clearly the manager thinking that because I'm a local I wouldn't know what iceberg lettuce looks like...attempts to hoodwink me so they can sell me their rotted lettuce.

The other assistant then proceeds to dress my sandwich with the same wilted spotted lettuce and when I asked her to take out the ones with the brown spots and wilted leaves she was more annoyed than I! This is nothing but third world customer service and totally unacceptable. It is disgraceful that these people are willingly selling the public of Trinidad and Tobago rotten vegetables with their subway sandwiches. According to this following website www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Vegetables/Iceberg.html it clearly states that one ought to avoid Iceberg lettuce or any lettuce for that matter that are wilted and has brown spots. I respectfully request that you submit this link to the owners of the Trinidad branch of subway so that they will know what healthy lettuce looks like and that they will also know that the citizens of Trinidad are not idiots...we know what healthy lettuce looks like as well.

Best Regards,
Oke Zachary

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Dictator Logic


Not a year goes by without there being massive protest to accompany the G20 Summit of the world’s richest countries. As a matter of fact such protests are now seen as an integral activity preceding this Summit by international activist organisations. This year's G20 summit saw about 35,000 people assemble for protest action in London. Apart from literal protests many of these organisations send the G20 committees submissions, outlining their disagreement with certain policies or proposing new policies as a way forward for the citizens whose lives will be affected by the decisions made by the G20 leaders.

When one considers the above one really has to wonder if Patrick Manning is truly interested in making this country a developed country by 2020 and if he is, what exactly his definition is of developed country. Does his definition only include the construction of tall buildings, having an executive president and the ability to host summits (Political tea parties)? Or is it to enhance the standard of living for the citizens of this country through responsible leadership, diligent fiscal policies and the enhancement of and promotion of citizen’s democratic rights?

These questions must be asked because during the last Summit of Americas held in Port of Spain there was a dire breach of citizens rights through the setting up of a security zone around the Hyatt by the government. This was an outright illegal act as such powers falls under the Commissioner of Police and not Cabinet, a point Senator Dana Seetahal has repeatedly raised in the senate. What we had for the Summit of the Americas was a limited State of Emergency without the actual declaration of a State of Emergency. This action by government shows a worrying trend with regards its attitude for the rule of democracy and the rights of the citizens to whom they are accountable.

In addition to the above we saw the Government through its puppet James Philbert, trample on the citizens right to Freedom of Speech by refusing permission for Trade Unions and other interests groups from holding any type of march or protest in Port of Spain. Even at the Drummit for De Summit 2 in St. James which I attended, the police attempted to shut us down and came out in full riot gear for us despite the distance between us and the Hyatt. Freedom of speech in Trinidad and Tobago is under serious threat by this Patrick Manning led government. First of all it boggles the mind why with the existence of the Human Rights Charter as decreed by the United Nations, why we even have a law that states we must request permission from our Police Commissioner if we want to protest, are we living in a police state or are we living in a democracy? Someone needs to challenge the legitimacy of that law because it is in direct conflict to the following Human Rights declarations to which our country is a signatory:-

Human Rights 13, 18 – 21

13) Freedom of Movement

18) Freedom of thought

19) Freedom of Expression

20) Freedom to meet where you like

21) The right to democracy

With these rights in mind I couldn’t help but acquire a sour taste in my mouth when I saw on TV tonight, none other but our smiling dimpled face Prime Minister on the news saying that if anyone should protest during the upcoming Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting they will not be embarrassing the government they will be embarrassing the country. That is nothing short of psychological political warfare, it is gutter snipe dictatorship logic. Citizens need to tell Patrick exactly where to get off with this empire like attitude thinking that citizens ought to hold some bizarre balisier ritual by walking over hot coals barefoot in honour of the father of the nation. Patrick’s claim that protesters will embarrass the country is akin to a relative telling a battered woman not to tell the police how her husband beating the living hell out of her because it will embarrass the ‘family’. Freedom of speech and freedom to assemble are not only our democratic rights they are also our human rights. It is indeed a travesty for a politician who was elected democratically to be so opposed to citizens exercising their democratic rights because what that does is illegitimise his very position as a ‘democratic’ leader. ©

Thursday, October 22, 2009

PNM Mantra

Ah PNM mantra....."together we goh bite yuh together we goh bleed yuh! We goh tax yuh in de east, we goh tax yuh in de west, tax yuh in de north and tax yuh in de south!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Get A Life


Should someone suggest you get a life, you'd be wise to ignore their advice because a life is a very expensive thing to maintain. - Oke Zachary ©

Friday, October 16, 2009

The Truth About Black People


If you are genetically of African descent in any minute way, if you are ‘dark skinned’ or not of pure Caucasian bloodlines, I would strongly suggest that you ensure that you are seated comfortably, have a glass of water and some pain killers before you proceed to read this blog. What I am about to tell you will rock the very foundation of your ‘reality’ (or should I say the reality that was GIVEN TO YOU?). What I am about to tell you will unearth, crumble, crack, crease and shatter millenniums of ‘falsehoods’ imparted to peoples of colour, particularly to peoples of African descent. Falsehoods that have been securely passed on to generations after generations as a poisonous societal inheritance which is designed to ensure you ‘know your place’ in this crafty system of subconscious racism and bigotry.

My dear brothers and sisters and other enlightened individuals, the truth about black people is the fact that you are in fact not black! And I question you, if you are not black then why should you feign ‘black pride’ and accept a label that has been stuck onto your head decades before you were even born? Today we live in a world where a man whose mother was Caucasian and whose father was African is described as the ‘first black president of the United States of America’. Today I challenged some of my co-workers, I pulled out my literally black wallet and asked them what colour was my wallet to which they replied black. I then asked does Obama look like this colour? A resounding no was the answer. I then asked do I look this colour? A resounding No. I asked do you guys look this colour? A resounding No.

I then ask so why do you call Obama the ‘first black president of the United States’ and why do you call yourselves black? But they couldn’t grasp the simple commonsense analogy, so entrenched is the system of inferiority flowing through the veins of the children of slaves. I pointed at my wallet and said this colour is what you have been taught to be black from the day you were in Primary School when you were now learning about primary colours was it not? So why then after learning the fundamentals of colours, society then teaches you to believe with outmost conviction that people who are not Caucasian are in fact black?

And if in primary school when you mixed the colour white with black the resulting colour was not black but ‘gray’, why then are we taught that a man whose mother was white (i.e. Caucasian) and whose father was as they say ‘black’, he is in fact not considered white, not brown, not grey but is instead.....BLACK? Even Obama looks at his face in the mirror every single day, has been looking at that brown caramel face for 40 plus years every single morning, and so strong is the concentrated potion of racial inferiority flowing through his mental consciousness that he declares himself a ‘black’ man. One of my ‘fair skinned’ co-workers of East Indian descent felt she had a point to prove so she jumps into the fray and declares “But I would be black too if I go to the US.” So I look at her, I show her my wallet and I ask her if this is the colour of her skin. She does not answer my question but merely repeats that she is ‘black’. I ask who told you that? She replied “‘they say so, and that is how I was born.” I asked who ‘they’....she replies ‘they’.

She then declares that if she goes to the United States she wouldn’t say she’s black or Indian anyway (footnote....noticed she didn’t say she wouldn’t say she is African or Indian....she said ‘black or Indian’) she would say she’s a Trinidadian. At this point I recognise the thick coat of ignorance that has all but embalmed her consciousness, poor soul she doesn’t even know the difference between nationality and ethnicity. So I then asked her, if you say that when you go to the US if your ethnicity is questioned you would say you are a Trinidadian why do you and others refer to Obama as a ‘black’ American President? Why isn’t he just an American President full stop? Silence....no answer. (Footnote ... historically George Washington is listed as the first American President, it is of great importance to note that according to history there never was a first ‘white’ American President there has only been a first American President .....hmmmmm)

When the truth I spoke started to unravel the centuries of falsehoods in their subconscious I was then asked the typical question of denial, “So what does it matter anyway”. After millions of our ancestors and generations have been lost due to them being considered racially inferior it is of no consequence to their descendants as to why they are called ‘black’, when every single minute of every single day of their lives there has always been a brown face staring back at them in the mirror. The question alone suggests that we as a people do not know where we came from nor do we know and understand the pain suffered by our forefathers. We do not fully comprehend and appreciate the sacrifices of people such as Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther and Malcom X.

I was then asked the question ‘Wha happen you not proud to be black?’ And my response to that is a) I am not the colour ‘black’ and b) I am not proud to be black because the description of my people as being ‘black’ is in fact derogatory and has always been a derogatory term used by the Caucasian slave master. The word ‘black’, used to describe people of African descent was never used in a positive manner so why should I now adopt the derogatory labels which was used to psychologically maim my ancestors? When Nelson Mandela was fighting apartheid in South Africa he and the other indigenous South Africans who at that time and even today make up 90% plus of the population were dubbed as ‘blacks’. Before the abolition of slavery in the United States and throughout Europe, people of African descent were labelled ‘blacks’. When Rosa Parks demanded to sit at the front of the bus she was taken to court because as a ‘black’ she was to be in the back of the bus. Both Martin Luther and Malcom X were murdered because they challenged the system of oppression and discrimination levelled against the ‘blacks’.

That is the history of ‘black’ people, that is where the definition originated and the definition never lost its meaning. To willingly call yourself a ‘black’ person is to defend a system that is designed to keep you enslaved mentally, to make you believe that you are inferior by fooling you into thinking you should have pride in being labelled in a derogatory manner. To willingly call yourself a ‘black’ person is to act like a woman who despite being beaten mercilessly by her husband, defends her abuser and accepts the abuse as her entitlement in life. Why are we so proud to push our chests out and accept and maintain this crafty psychological abuse?

When people can look at a man with the skin complexion like Obama and say that he is ‘black’ is one of the reasons why I’m always amused when people claim to be fans of Bob Marley. Good ole uncle Bob had the opportunity to leave us a profound message before he passed.....”Free yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds”. Currently it is still okay to refer to British citizens of African descent as blacks but it is highly offensive to refer to a growing population of Indian immigrants as ‘Paki’......food for thought my friends......food for thought................... ©

Thursday, October 15, 2009

You've Been Blogged!


The elusive media in Trinidad and Tobago (Elusive only to the control of those sitting on the government benches in parliament) continues to be a hot topic (they just can’t stop bitch) amongst the stooges of a megalomaniac Politobot, who has mastered the art of being the first human transformer, perpetually transforming himself between democrat and despot, indecisive of which he ought to be. The latest round of bitching comes from decepticon Swaratsingh who has been quoted as saying “It always amazes me that you choose to spend the post-Cabinet news conference thinking about what you want to ask a person who is not present!” In his always captivating commentaries Paolo Kernahan in his weekly skews pointed out that in relation to Swaratsingh’s claim above, it amuses him that Swaratsingh thinks they (the media) don’t know that the ‘missing persons’ are actually made to be absent.

I would just like to add to Paolo’s observation that I too am amazed that unlike the Government, what Swaratsingh fails to realise is the media engages in preparation and planning before they arrive at the press conference, they do not wait until they are actually there to ask questions by ‘vaps’. Just because the Government to which Mr. Swaratsingh is affiliated does everything under the sun by ‘vaps’, from answering or more so ignoring questions in parliament by ‘vaps’, or granting by ’vaps’ billions of dollars and contracts to that ‘state mutant’ fondly know amongst the plebs as UDECOTT, doesn’t mean that the media which seeks the public’s interest will follow suit.

Swaratsingh continued by saying “Unfortunately, you do not get to make decisions as to who comes to the post-Cabinet news conference...” Paolo has accurately identified the fact in his article Meet De Press, that Swaratsingh’s comments reflect the fact that the post-Cabinet news conference is used as a propaganda mechanism by the government. I would like to add to Paolo’s observation and go even further by saying Swaratsingh’s stated position reveals Government’s desire to control everything in this country. As far as this government is concerned the citizens of this country ought not to have brains, and ought not to use those brains to think for themselves. We are expected to bow before the PNM Pharoahs and flock to the PNM Educational Meetings in the thousands declaring magnanimous smiles on our faces if only to have a droplet of Patrick Manning’s saliva splash onto our faces and bless us as he screams into the mic at sonic high pitch about his government’s 2020 vision which as each day goes by looks more like 4040 vision.

Paolo has alluded that the sooner Government realises that not all reporters are employed by the Government Information Service there will be a different relationship between the media and the Government. I say the sooner Government realises that the media is not serving a four year term nor does it have to face the electorate anytime in the near future the more respect they (the Government) will have for the media. The media by default has a much longer expiration date than any political party or Government which is why they will always have the support and trust of the people. As sexy as Patrick Manning may believe his conniving dimples to be, nothing turns me on more (stirs my civic consciousness) than reading a piece written by Paolo or another of my favourites such as Martin Daly, Raffique Shah or Judy Raymond.

Paolo is quite right by saying if the government continues to attack and undermine the media, what they will do is create a vacuum effect much like when the foolish Americans removed Saddam and indirectly precipitated the rise of the Taliban. What decepticons like Swaratsingh and Parsanlal fail to realise is they are indirectly contributing to the proliferation of bloggers such as myself who are not beholden to any media association and who will not be so forgiving and willing to use ‘tact’ to express our dissatisfaction with the bullshit that is passed off as ‘responsible governance’ by this current PNM Administration. As Paolo has rightly said these decepticon stooges are only inflaming the public with their gimmicks. So due to your repetitive ‘bitching’ about the media......Swaratsingh......YOU HAVE BEEN BLOGGED! ©

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Differently-able


The abolition of the term 'disabled' is long over due because we live in a world of differently-abled people, all of whom are capable of making an enormous contribution to our collective existence. - Oke Zachary ©

A Shame Upon Our Nation



The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has dealt a severe blow to the human rights image of this country by presiding over blatant modern day slavery. I say hats off to the Chinese labourers who had the courage to say enough is enough and take a stand against the grotesque treatment being meted out to them by the Chinese company which brought them here to replace national workers. Imagine the Chinese project manager had the audacity to say that they are Chinese, in attempt to justify the horrendous living conditions of these workers. Ancil Rogette had an apt response, “We are Trinidadians and what you are doing here is against the laws of Trinidad and Tobago and not in sync with the ‘standards’ that we have set!”

I also say hats off to the OWTU for throwing their support behind these Chinese workers despite the local Trade Union Movement’s initial and continued objection to foreign labour replacing our own local labour in this current global financial stagnation. The rights of workers and more importantly the fundamental human rights of individuals must always take precedence at all times.

This Government has brought a humongous shame and disgrace upon the human rights image of this country by presiding over this modern day enslavement of Chinese workers despite us being a member of the Human Rights Charter. The deplorable conditions in which these Chinese workers are asked to live are also in breach of our own OSHA and other labour and social laws. Imagine a hundred plus people living in these 4x4 compartments with small wooden windows as ventilation, no air condition units to deal with this humidity, no washing area and one kitchen. Come on Trinidadians we should be ashamed to have foreigners living in such squalid conditions in our twin island under sun. When the foreign media gets a hold of this story, which foreigner is going to believe the paradisiacal pictures on our tourism brochures on display in our Foreign Missions and Embassies?

Not only has Patrick Manning sacrificed our treasury on an alter the way Abraham slaughtered a lamb to appease Yahweh, Patrick is now seeking to sacrifice the image and reputation of our country’s flaying human rights record (the crime rate is doing its own damage) to achieve his deluded dreams of a herculean legacy, demonstrating that he is willing to go any lengths including turning a blind eye to clear breaches of human rights. Not a week goes by in this country without shame falling before the feet of our citizens. Our corruption index is at an all time low because of the revalations coming out of the UFF Commission and now our human rights record is due to be raped. Is there anything that Patrick Manning intends on leaving in tack after he demits the lofty office of ‘God Prime Minister’? ©

Sunday, October 11, 2009

BS


If its brown like bullshit and smells like bullshit then guess what, it is bullshit! © - Oke Zachary

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

To Protect, Serve and Disrespect With Pride


A student at the St. Joseph’s College in St. Joseph reported to her Principal that $1400.00 was stolen from her bag and was advised by said principal to report the matter to the police. The police were called in and students belonging to the class of the student whose money was allegedly stolen were stripped search by male and female officers respectively. Not being privy to how the actual searches were carried out I cannot say if the officers did it in a demeaning or intimidating manner but some thoughts do come to mind with regard to this whole fiasco.

I first want to address the manner in which searches are conducted by police officers in Trinidad and Tobago. Most police officers in Trinidad and Tobago have no manners....plain and simple. They do not know how to speak to their fellow citizens with respect. I have seen police officers speak to adults as if they were speaking to their own children. In the United States of America for example if you are in a vehicle and a police officer wants to search you, his requests for you to vacate the vehicle usually goes like this “Miss/Sir could you ‘please’ step out of the vehicle?”. Secondly officers in the US ask you to step out of your car if they notice you acting suspiciously, they do not ask you to step out of your vehicle and search you by guess because they get a ‘vibe’ to do it.

I remember once I was sitting in the front seat of a maxi taxi heading out of Diego Martin and there was a police road block in the environs of Powder Magazine. Our maxi was stopped and the police began their ‘selective’ searches...’you come! You Come!’ At the time I was about 22 years old and I remember sitting in the maxi and thinking to myself that something is fundamentally wrong with this procedure. What right does a police officer have to stop a public vehicle or any vehicle for that matter in the absence of a search warrant or any legitimate circumstances such as the search for a known fugitive or a threat to national security, rudely shout at people to vacate the vehicle only to be publicly searched simply because they get a ‘vibe’? Since when is sitting in a maxi heading out of Diego Martin a suspicious act?

Highly annoyed that I was being unnecessarily delayed highly annoyed at having to witness fellow citizens being subjected to such barbaric humiliation I remember sitting in the front seat looking straight ahead, not because I was the least bit intimidated, on the contrary I was firetrucking annoyed at having my Saturday morning rudely interrupted by these uncouth ruffarians in uniform. Low and behold a hand suddenly shoots into the vicinity of my face ‘You come!’ I turn my head nonchalantly at the uniformed pig that barked the order and gave him that look I’m most famous for...the one where I use my eyes alone to tell you what a f***k head I think you are. I considered my options, allow the arse to search me unlawfully or assert my rights and risk being beaten in handcuffs all the way to the pig style (station) to which these animals belong so they can charge me for using ‘obscene language’, even though I didn’t use obscene language as I was too busy shielding blows and stemming the flow of blood from my rude, how dare I declare my rights lips.

I must confess I copped out and took the easy route. My bag was searched and I was patted in public for the first time in my life by a police officer and I must say it is the most humiliating thing ever. Up to this day I have no idea what prompted my search. It’s not to say I was dressed like a ‘bad boy’ and even one's attire, whether dressed like a bad boy or not is not sufficient reason for an officer to search someone because that is blatant discrimination. Even at the age of 17 I never succumbed to peer pressure and indulged in oversize gaudy clothes...straight fitted Levis all the way thank you, I was always conservative that way and my peers accused my pants of being ‘ying’, and I was never one for clothes with big prints. I had on a pair of Levis and a plain t-shirt...so what exactly prompted that officer to call me out for a search?
Honestly before that faithful morning it never occurred to me that simply sitting in a maxi taxi minding my own business on my way to Port of Spain was suspicious activity enough to warrant an officer to search me. And they say we have more rights and freedoms than the people of Cuba? The police service needs to do a complete overhaul on the level of training that is given to officers. Officers must be trained to be seen to be and act as part of the community. Officers must be seen as pillars of respect not pillars of disrespect and champions of bullying tactics. What kind of message is the police service sending to a five year old when an officer pulls over a maxi and shouts out at a passenger ‘You Come!’

My other bone of contention is with these uppity parents of these St. Joseph students and the Parent Teacher Association who seems to represent only one type of class of schools and children. Granted the experience I mentioned above was the first and last time I was searched, as a student I do recall on many occasions making my way home from school or from the library, seeing police officers rough up and strip search students of what may be considered ‘schools of lesser quality’ such as the comprehensives and I do recall that these students would have either been making their way home or waiting for transport. The police would collar these students, clout them and search them in the middle of the road. I remember this one time seeing a female officer ‘bitch slap’ a girl, her head practically did a 360 degree turn.

Not once have I ever heard any head of the Parent Teacher Association speaking out against the police brutally meted out to students attending ‘certain’ schools. But the minute the uptown children are given a little taste of the medicine that is dished out on a daily basis to the downtown students all of a sudden we are hearing about investigations and enquiry into the police’s actions. This is nothing but another blatant example of the gross class discrimination that permeates this rotted society of ours. I also note with much amusement that the Parent Teacher Association does not also see it fit to question why a school pupil will be in possession of $1,400.00, but then again this is uptown people we're talking about here.....who knows it's probably the girl's daily allowance! ©

Sunday, October 4, 2009

"Practicing Medicine"


Doctors in Trinidad and Tobago certainly live up to the reputation of 'practicing medicine'. - Oke Zachary ©

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Attack On Trade Unions A Further Erosion Of Our Rights And Freedoms


It is quite clear that the current PNM administration through two state entities namely TSTT and PTSC is hell bent on sending a message of intimidation to the working class of this nation in addition to unleashing the conditions for a cruel indefinite wage freeze upon the labour force of this nation despite the continuous rise in the cost of living and government taxes. This current government has done everything in its power, from raising taxes, to raising utilities to squeeze the blood out of the working class of this nation to satisfy its insatiable reckless spending.

The solution to TSTT’s and PTSC’s request to decertify two of this country’s largest unions is quite simple. Every single member of the unions representing workers of these two entities should stop work ‘indefinitely’ until a message is sent to the bourgeoisie management and their bourgeoisie bosses in the respective Government Ministries that the workers are the life and blood of those companies. Every other single union in this country along with all political opposition forces and NGO’s should take this attack on the working class of this country extremely serious and give their all out support to the respective unions until government desists from oppressing the working class of this country. Massive rallies should be organised to picket TSTT, PTSC and the Parliament. Now is not the time for 'clan protectionism' or the 'it doesn't affect me attitude'. What the working class in this country need to understand is once Government (the largest employer in this country) begins to attack the working class and stifle justified wage demands it ultimately sends a message to the private sector who will follow suit.

The rights of the citizens of this country are being eroded every single day by this run away government, either through limiting of funds to the judiciary, the non-appointment of key public officials such as DPP, Solicitor General and COP, the proposal of a rogue ‘Draft Constitution’, the inexcusable reluctance to hold Local Elections and now the decertification of unions. Now is the time for citizens to open their eyes and see the storm approaching on the horizon, this storm is no longer ‘creeping’ it is now a full blown category five hurricane bearing down on our rights and freedoms! ©

Monday, September 28, 2009

Patience


Patience is not mundane inactivity, perpetual submissiveness or perverse tolerance. Patience is but a time interval to gather your thoughts to execute the best decision. It is your time line to gain understanding, a vital interval that allows the development of your plan of action or your response to whatever external stimuli. Thus the equation reads...Patience = Prudence. Oke Zachary ©

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Ego


The Ego is a self generated currency imagined by those devoid of character. It is of value only to the one imagining and to no one else. Pity those with the Ego, for they have not learnt the basics of ‘life’s economics’ and are victims of their own self induced ignorance. - Oke Zachary ©

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Congress of the Blockheads


"Anyone taken as an individual is tolerably sensible and reasonable - as a member of a crowd, he at once becomes a blockhead." - Schiller

Monday, September 14, 2009

Echoes of The Emperor’s Band




I heard an echo today, an echo amongst the ‘subjects’ of T&T......The Emperor has a band.....The Emperor has a band.....The Emperor has a band and it’s divinely called ‘Divine Echoes Orchestra’. The Emperor has a band and he has set aside 5 million dollars to fund his creation. When I heard this echo I thought to myself never! This could never be.....not when our country is facing a severe economic downturn. I hurriedly purchased an Express to confirm the ‘echoes’ of my fellow countrymen and low and behold, on page 7 of the Express all was confirmed to me. The Emperor has a band.....and it has cost his subjects (taxpayers) 10 million thus far. The Emperor has a band.....with instruments purchased from Miami.....but don’t worry......it’s only to the tune of 1 million!

The Emperor has a band.......and they played at a ‘free public concert’ at Pleasantville East Secondary School last Saturday in the Emperor’s San Fernando East constituency. The Emperor and his Empress along with several royal stooges attended this ‘free concert’. I mused that line over several times.......The Emperor has a band.....and they played at a ‘free public concert’? But how can it be free when the subjects (taxpayers) are footing a $10 million dollar bill for this divine royal creation?! How can it be free when the Express article has indicated that the Emperor intends to spend more on his divine band? Amusing you say? Wait until I hit you the best part!

The Emperor has a band..........but the Emperor is quoted as saying ‘the band would not be a “government” band and while it will initially be funded it would be “weaned” off of state money.’ Hmmmmm....the Emperor has a band that is not a “Government” band......well why the hell are the subjects (taxpayers) footing the bill for this non-governmental creation?! And if it’s not a Government band then what the hell is its purpose? I do recall the Emperor saying he has aspirations of becoming a Pastor? Is he going to become a pastor like one of those big time US Televangelist? Is this the Emperor’s smart man way of starting up the orchestra for his church by using taxpayers money? As a taxpayer can I request that the Emperor’s band plays at my impending birthday party?

The Emperor has a band.....The Emperor has a 10 million and counting band but on the front page of the Express there is a young child from the Beetham no more than 8 years old trying to full a bottle with water from a nearby canal, an image I’m more familiar with seeing on BBC while they are carrying a story on some impoverished African country. The Emperor has a band but the Beetham has had no water for the last couple days. The Emperor has a band......but so sweet is the sound that he does not hear the cries of his subjects residing in the Emperor’s political strong hold. Imagine that....the Beetham which is just on the outskirts of Port of Spain, home place to the Emperor’s Palace yet these subjects have no water.....but the Emperor has a band! A 10 million dollar and counting band!

The Emperor has a band......but subjects are going to have to pay more property tax because there is no money left in the treasury. The Emperor has a band.......but half an hour of rain saw my work place being flooded by water last week in the heart of our city. The Emperor has a band.....but young Stefon De Coteau has to wait until next year to see a neurologist because of our poor healthcare system.....while a cyst grows on his brain. The Emperor has a band.......but so sweet is the sound of his band he did not hear the gun shots that killed 5 people in a party on Sunday nor did he hear the gun shot that killed Sunil Sookdeo at his father’s poultry business. The Emperor has a band......but so intoxicating is its sound that he is incapable of discerning the blatant inefficiency of Martin Joseph....not even if that inefficiency knocks him over in his royal behind! The Emperor has a band.....and so sweet is the sound that he does not hear the cries of the families who have lost a loved one to rampant crime. The Emperor has a 10 million dollar band.....while the local art forms of calypso, soca and steel pan continue to be seriously under-funded and neglected.

Who says this country does not have potential as a tourist destination? We have an Emperor.......and he has a Band. We have an Emperor.......and he has a Palace. We have an Emperor......and he has subjects who live in abject poverty. We are the epitome of the perfect tourist destination........a modern day dynasty.....with all the right components. The Emperor has a band....but so sweet is the sound.....like the Piped Piper he is able to mesmerize and capture the waterless subjects of his political strong holds.....like an infestation of mad rats.....he is able to rally them to his call at any given election.....if only to cast their vote for the emperor.....so sweet is the sound of his band. The Emperor has a band......and I am not willing to sing for him................. ©

Sunday, September 13, 2009

What they Say....


It's not nice or all true......but they can't stop talking about you. - Miss Meek

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Simply passing through...........


Former Attorney General Brigid Annisette-George.......when she was a PNM senator and Attorney General she would beat her chest with pride like a mighty Roman soldier in battle while making her ‘contributions’ in Parliament. Tork about boast, tork about brag. The PNM was perfect and all was well in sweet T&T.

Now that she is no longer Attorney General and it has been revealed that an administrative error occurred with the UFF Commission under her watch as Attorney General, particularly the none gazetting of the Commission she is no longer a Roman (sic PNM) warrior. Her weak response to an Express reporter concerning the none gazetting of the UFF Commission was that she has ‘returned to private life and prefers not to comment’.

When people can make statements like these it is clear that their stint in public cum government life was nothing more but a 'passing through'. It does not give the impression that these people were there to make a difference, a contribution for the benefit of country. They were just passing through to see what they can get out of the system.....unconcerned about leaving any positive legacy behind or leaving their mark so other's coming after can learn from their journey.

Such is the way of T&T’s politicians, boast and show off in ‘public life’.......... Deny, denounce, avoid and pass blame on resumption of ‘private life’. Or better yet, you can also deny, denounce, avoid and pass blame while remaining in public life.....but you have to perfect the art....... like Colm Imbert! ©

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Passport Appointment To See A Firetrucking Neurosurgeon!


Young Stefon De Coteau who has been diagnosed with a cyst on the temporal lobe has been given an appointment in 2010 to see a neurosurgeon........someone who has something growing on their damn brain has been given a 2010 appointment to see a neurosurgeon!


A young person 19 years of age, named Stefon De Coteau has been given what me conservatively call a firetrucking passport date to see a flipping neurosurgeon! Maybe if I say it loud enough the Minister of Ill-Health Jerry Narace may hear me and do something about it instead of jumping about like a blimping jack in the box boasting about this horrendous health care system we have in sweet Tie & Tee! ©

Human Cockfighting & Its Moral Contradictions


This week someone wrote an article requesting a ban on boxing and I could not help but agree with the arguments proposed by said individual. Boxing and certain other martial arts disciplines are the only sports which opponents are actively encouraged to strike each other’s heads, an act which can cause serious long-term brain damage or possibly death as well as damage to the eyes. There are many medical studies which have proven that boxing is an extremely dangerous sport as chronic brain damage is caused by repeated blows to the head.

One can easily argue that there are many other dangerous sports such as downhill snow skiing but the fact remains boxing is an exception because the sole purpose of the sport is to cause bodily harm and ‘knock’ your opponent out. I am not going to discuss at length the medical effects of boxing as these should be pretty obvious to anyone with an iota of commonsense and basic knowledge of the functioning and vulnerabilities of the human body irrespective of so called ‘protective gear’. It is noteworthy however that both the British Medical Association and the World Medical Association have long been calling for a ban on boxing as a sport due to the negative medical effects it has on boxers (who happen to be HUMANBEINGS).

I would however like to address the moral contradictions of people championing boxing as a sport and national governments allowing the promotion of boxing as a sport while simultaneously banning sports such as cockfighting under the pretext of ‘animal cruelty’. Cockfighting is a blood sport between two roosters, more commonly known as gamecocks and is bred specifically for the sport. The correlation between boxing and cockfighting is that just as how boxing does not necessarily result in death so too a cock fight may not necessarily end in the death of a bird however the birds do suffer physical trauma which may result in death.

In Trinidad and Tobago game cockfighting is illegal and has also been illegal in Britain since 1835 and is illegal in all 50 States of the United States of America. It is without a doubt that many animal welfare groups played an important role in seeing the establishment of laws for the prohibition of this gruesome sport and a gruesome sport it is, there is nothing entertaining about two cocks pecking each other mercilessly in a most bloody fashion. In 2007 President George W Bush signed additional Animal Fighting Legislation into law on the heels of the indictment of Atlanta Falcon’s celebrity quarter back Michael Vick for violating federal laws against competitive dog fighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and engaging in the act state wide. This new legislation covered dog fighting, cockfighting and other animal fighting.

My question is how can we as the supreme intelligent specie on this planet value the lives of other species to the point that we will enact laws to prevent any kind of sport that involves the purposeful infliction of physical harm by one animal to another while at the same time promoting a sport that encourages the purposeful infliction of bodily harm by one human being to another? Why is it morally wrong for two cocks to gouge each other in the eyes but it is ok for two human beings to repeatedly punch each other in the head, eyes, chest and abdomen until blood is spilled and one is knocked unconscious? Boxing is nothing but a human form of cockfighting. It is a cruel, bloody and violent sport that should be banned forthwith! Human health cannot and should not be sacrificed for the sake of mundane human entertainment. There is something extremely perverse and rotten about human nature when we have laws against animal fighting while we actively support and promote human fighting as a sport. ©

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Keep Em Entertained

But we've been trained that we must be entertained at all times so you just keep them entertained nigger keep them entertained. Keep them entertained while they poison us with our food, keep them entertained while we think we own a piece of land, keep them entertained while we erect those blood diamonds as our brand, keep them entertained while we medicate and ignore the youth, keep them entertained while this world we globalise, keep them entertained while America peforms genocide, keep them entertained so they'll continue to worship a lie, keep them entertained so they'll work until they fucking die you just keep them entertained nigger!!! - Miss Meek


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Marijuna Truth Advertisement


Keep em entertained! Just burn that fly nigger keep burning and dieing nigger. Put it in that poison wrap and smoke a sack a day, who you going to sue when they take your lungs a way? See this is my marijuana truth advertisement, Miss Meek is reaching out to the youth and advising them unveiling lies and myths with an undeniable truth....lungs don't like smoke nigger! - Miss Meek

Monday, September 7, 2009

The Feasibility of Unfeasible Governance!


On Friday September 4, 2009 Gary Hunt revealed close to a billion dollars was spent preparing the site for the proposed Tarouba Sporting Complex. For the sake of repetition and to ensure that the point gets across, not that I doubt anyone’s ability to comprehend.....close to a billion dollars was spent ‘preparing the site for the proposed Tarouba Sporting Complex’. What that means Trinidad and Tobago is close to a billion dollars of our tax payers dollars has been spent in a time of severe economic slowdown and we have absolutely nothing to show for it not even a stadium!

When pressed by Opposition MP Hamza Rafeeq for the cost of the entire project Hunt responded “It is not feasible to give a projected cost for the entire sporting complex and all lanned infrastructure, as the under briefs for all sporting infrastructure are not yet complete." When pressed about the expected date of completion Hunt responded "It is not feasible to give the completion date of the entire sporting complex." When pressed about the annual cost of maintenance of the complex after completion Hunt responded "It is not feasible to give a projected maintenance cost of the entire sporting complex as the user brief for each component of the planned complex is not yet complete."

Am I seeing things? Am I being delusional while reading the Express? Is this a nightmare? What exactly does this government think they are running a parlour? So what the hell exactly is 'feasible' to Gary Hunt?! You mean to tell me these people spent close to a billion dollars without doing a cost analysis and feasibility study? No one in the Ministry of Finance saw it fit to do a budget for this project before any site preparation was conducted? By Hunt’s response I suppose it is a high probability that this project could cost us 80 trillion dollars and more because clearly there is no budget limit or exit strategy if the project happens to be not so feasible! And I guess that the stadium can be completed somewhere between the years 5080 and 5081 by that time my behind would have been buried and reincarnated multiple times and each time I die it is with an expression of great annoyance splashed across my face with a balsier dagger sticking out of my faint heart!

And is if to ensure that the citizens of this country are kept on the alert, heart racing as if we are watching a terrifying horror movie all alone in the wee hours of the night, a mere day after Hunt’s flabbergasting revelations of the infeasibility of him not being able to feasibly account for projects under his not so feasibly managed Ministerial portfolio, we are now hearing news of the potential collapse of the Uff Commission after 3 million has been expended on this not so feasible fiasco and which does not include the cost of Government’s legal counsel! Why? Because the Commission was never ‘gazetted’?! What crockery is that?

Every day I open the blasted ‘gazette’ and reading about so and so said this at the Uff Commission and so and so was interviewed at the Uff Commission, heck as far as I’m concerned that is enough gazetting, let the damn Commission continue! I want to know about the evidence Carl Khan has and what Calder Hart’s wife has to say about Khan’s allegations of her family ties to directors of overnight company CH Development which UDECOTT awarded the contract to build the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower!

This government is demonstrating a most wasteful and obscene form of governance ever witnessed in this country. This is what Patrick sacrificed Dr. Rowley for? This is what the purging and political exorcism of the great PNM was about? To facilitate financial mumbo jumbo and national espionage! Perhaps Patrick should include a team of financial advisers to his team of ‘political educators’. First it is a Minister of Finance who does not know how a fixed deposit is operated, now we have a Sport Minister who can’t give any feasible responses to the projects falling under his portfolio and a 3 million dollar ungazetted Commission of Enquiry! I would seriously like to know the feasibility of having an unfeasible government mismanage an economy to the point that one day we may end up just like Guyana, a land with a history of wealth transformed to a land of despair all because of one man’s unfeasible blindness and stifling egotism! ©

Saturday, September 5, 2009

National Awards Politically Motivated


While Devant Maharaj and dem odder boys who obsessed with race try to pollute the minds of the uneducated and ignorant in this country Panday, Manning and all their Indo, Afro, Chinee and Syrian big boy friends tiefing de money of the poor TRINIDADIAN!

There is something extremely sinister on the horizon when people start to talk about STATISTICAL MAJORITY in a multi-ethnic society! - Oke Zachary ©


"Last week, the Indo-Trinbago Equality Council, which is headed by Maha Sabha executive member Devant Maharaj, issued a statement claiming that with "Indians constituting a statistical majority of the national population of over 43 per cent as compared to the 38 per cent for their African counterpart, it is inconceivable how and why Indians only receive a mere 10 per cent or 25 per cent of the national awards handed out annually." (Maharaj's population figures are inaccurate: according to the 2000 census, persons of Indian descent make up 40 per cent of the populace, and persons of African descent 37.5 per cent.)

But, says Dumas, "I don't know that we should go on the basis of giving awards on the basis of racial quotas." As to whether there is racial bias in the awards, he suggests, "I would like to see what happened under the Panday regime." In fact, during the UNC's five-year tenure, only 29 per cent of the National Awards went to Indo-Trinidadians. As Table 1 shows, there was no systematic racial pattern in the awards given out between 1996 and 2000, when the UNC held office."

Read the full story at Trinidad Express

Planet of Wishers


As children we wish to grow older but as adults we wish to return to our childhood youth.

We wish for a good job and when we get that job we wish we could stay home and do nothing but relax.

We wish for cars but when we get them we wish we did not have the expense of having a car.

Some wish for fame but when they get it they then wish for privacy.

We wish for knowledge and understanding but when acquired we abhor its implications for our actions and wish for ignorance.

We wish for many friends and then wish for solitude.

Some wish for public office and then wish for unaccountability.

Some wish for truth but when truth is revealed they wish it was kept concealed.

We wish for wives and husbands but depending how the marriage goes we then wish for girlfriends and boyfriends.

We wish to acquire maturity then wish for the playfulness of children.

We wish for the energy to keep going then wish for a moment to just stand still.

We wish for progress and change then we wish for the way things were.

We wish for a life of order then wish for a life of spontaneity.

We wish for development and urbanism then we wish for nature and wild life.

We wish for control and then wish for the abscence of responsibility.


We are a planet of wishers wishing for things we do not necessarily need but wishing all the same because to live without a wish is to live without desire. What have you wished for lately? ©

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Begging Politely


Nothing irks me more than an impolite beggar. Now don't get me wrong, if a homeless person decides to beg me for a little 'small' change I don't expect him/her to get down on their knees and prostrate themselves at my feet. I do however expect them to have the respect that goes with conversing with people who do not have a bond of familiarity with them and I also expect them to ‘beg’ in a less demanding manner without a disposition of entitlement.

For instance there is this particular guy who hangs outside the bank and begs me every single day. This is his approach to begging me on any given day :-

“Short man gimme ah dollar nah!’

“Soldier gimme ah dollar nah!”

“Aye...pappy gimme ah dollar nah!”

“Blackman gimme ah dollar nah!”

Now granted I am only 5 ft 10....who in their right firetrucking mind really believes this ‘Blackman’ will give them a dollar after being called short?! And it is not just what he says it is how he says it....in a very demanding voice that portrays a disposition of entitlement and familiarity as if we are pals.

There are those who do not respect bodily space and the boundaries that accompany such space. I am specifically referring to those that walk straight up into your face as if they are about to kiss you or they come so close to you to whisper in your ear “Boss you could just spare me a minute?” At this point I'm usually pondering whether I will be able to hold my breath long enough to get around them before their usual self produced ‘cologne’ assaults every single nerve cell in my nasal cavity.

My usual response to that kind is “Not today”. I mean, if you are going to beg for money then just get on about it and beg, don’t expect me to stop dead in my tracks empty my head of all thoughts and personal anxieties and ignore all priorities to stand up for 15 minutes to listen to the depressing chronicle of your sad pathetic life that is going to end in a climax of a request for a damn dollar! My 15 minutes is worth more than a firetrucking dollar!


One time a guy tried that one on me and I was like ‘Not Today’....well boy did I get a cussing of a life time! He was like “Not today? Not to f**king day? I ask you for something? Eh? I ask you for f**king something? You eh even know what the f**k I was going to ask you. Doh worry God will f**king do for you, I hope you does tell God not to day!” Well no need to tell you how unmoved I was and if he was trying to reach that part of my soul...the compartment with the label ‘empathy’ on it....he was clearly not hitting my emotional G-Spot!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Seriousness


Seriousness is a disease, the greatest disease of the soul, and playfulness the greatest health. - Osho

Finger Licking Good!!!!

Finger Licking Good!!!!
A moment every Trini could relate to :-)

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