Arseness

Nothing peeves me more than people trying to justify arseness.... ©

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. ©

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!

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 ©

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................... ©

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! ©

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’? ©

BS

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

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! ©

"Practicing Medicine"

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