The writing is on the wall!

Father what have I done?! I can't believe I voted for this PP Government, is this the making of our own Nazi Government? Why does Kamla et al feel they have the right to infringe on my constitutional rights? The mere fact that Kamla, Ramlogan et al are seeking to destroy the constitutional rights of the citizens of this country by passing a law in Parliament to prevent Clico depositors from taking legal action against them as is their constitutional right, is proof that they know what they are doing IS WRONG!! If they really believe in their hearts that their approach is the right move why not let it take it's course in the courts and let our justice system give the final decision? Kamla is being a hypocrite what does she mean it's tax payers money that is being used to bail out Clico? What's up with the subtle divide and rule implications in that statement? So who's money is being used to bail out HCU? And aren't Clico depositors tax payers? People need to understand that yes with high interest there is high risk, but the Central Bank which is the financial regulator of this country did not indicate to citizens of this country that Clico's policies were a ponzi scheme nor did they indicate to the general public that Clico was in financial trouble and I do not recall Clico's auditors giving them a year end qualified auditor's report! If anything who ever is Clico's auditors, along with the Central Bank failed in their duties and should be jailed for misbehaviour in public office and a derelection of duty! This government is out of order! And I hope all citizens of this country irrespective of policital affiliation will open their eyes and see this is the beginning of something very ugly! It is this same subtle manner that Hitler took control of Germany and led an entire country of millions a stray! 'We will let the people decide' was Kamla's election campaign, and within five months she and her deceitful government is ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DECIDE! How can so called leaders of the people like Mary King, Stephen Cadiz, Prakash Ramadhar, Garvin Nicholas and Hamel-Smith sit idly by while this insiduous criminal act is being perpetrated on the people's of this country by none other than their own government! Is Verna St. Rose also prepared to walk for this latest faux pas by the PP Government? She is unusually silent! I see very dark dark days ahead! ©

Dealing with a parasitic criminal element

I just watched a video clip on Rachel Price’s facebook page from Ian Alleyne’s crime show, showing the CTV clippings of a man who was shot and killed while waiting to buy bread at a bakery when some men stole his vehicle. This man had a wife and a four month old baby at home waiting for him and that is the first point I want to make, criminals do not care that their victims whom they slaughter like pigs, have loved ones waiting for them to come home. These criminals also do not value the lives of their victims, the lives of us law abiding citizens means nothing to them hence they have no qualms about pulling out a gun and shooting us for a vehicle that we’re most probably still paying the bank for.

For someone to kill another human being with such ease, that person has to have the mentality of a cold blooded parasite, what I call a locust mentality. A locust does not work in the field but it will fly into a garden and clean up everything without once thinking about all the hard work the farmer put into that garden. These criminals are human locusts, they are parasites but unlike locusts which just takes what they did not work had to grow without murdering the farmer, these human locusts are not only taking what they did not work hard for, they are also heartlessly murdering the hard working law abiding citizens of this country and by extension murdering the soul of this nation, because when a father, mother or child is murdered a family is also damaged or in some cases completely broken and the psychological scars remain long after the decomposition of the deceased loved one.

While we the law abiding citizens go to school to get an education, to get a good job, get up 5 am every morning to go to a job that some of us hate but we do it anyway to make ends meet, these criminals waste their schooling years, they then spend the majority of their late teens on the block smoking illicit drugs and then when they mature into young adults they come out with guns in hand to rob and steal from and kill hard working law abiding citizens for what they worked hard for, all so that they and their ‘baby mamas’ could wear the latest brands and go to the latest fete driving a car that they killed a father of a four month old baby the previous night for. That is the mentality of a parasite, feeding off of a productive host to the point of killing it. We the law abiding citizens are nothing but a fat succulent host to the criminal element in this country.

When a farmer encounters locust in his garden he does not capture them and put them somewhere and try to reform their parasitic mentalities /instinct because he knows all too well that is their nature. Nothing he does will be able to convince the locusts that it has no right to just fly onto his farm and kill his crops. The farmer gasses them, he sprays them he eradicates the locusts. So too we as a country need to eradicate these societal locusts from amongst us. I cannot for the life of me understand why successive government after successive government refuses to implement our laws on the death penalty, as far as I’m concerned the government is being negligent, is in contempt of our courts and the death sentencing judgements they have delivered thus far and is violating the constitution of Trinidad and Tobago by not upholding the death penalty. On the 19 of June the United States executed a convicted killer by firing squad, I’m pretty certain if we start putting criminals in front of a firing squad many of these gun toting cowards would think twice about their actions. Criminals are cowards and while they are more than prepared to take a life they are not prepared to lose their own.

We also need to change the outdated colonial laws concerning the ability of law abiding citizens having the right to bear arms. As it stands there is no law granting law abiding citizens the right to carry a fire arm, yet still the criminal elements has an abundance of weapons and ammunition while law abiding citizens are virtually unarmed defenceless sitting ducks keeping their fingers crossed that today is not the day their ‘number’ is going to be called. Many uninformed people like to proffer the thesis that giving citizens the right to bear arms will give the criminals more guns. This is an absurd argument as the criminals already have guns in the absence of any such law. Citizens having the right to bear arms will level the playing field, it will give citizens the opportunity to protect themselves and their families when the law is not around and it will make criminals think twice about brazenly walking up to someone and try taking their vehicle or breaking into their homes.

These laws preventing citizens from having arms is an old outdated colonial law that was used to ensure that our enslaved forefathers never had the capability to rise up against their colonial oppressor and they have to be changed now! As long as the death penalty is not enforced criminals will continue to kill without compunction and as long as law abiding citizens are not given the right to bear arms we will continue to be sitting ducks in the hunting fields of the criminal elements. The new government needs to take urgent action concerning these issues, for far too long we have been silent and ignoring them as a nation like a the proverbial ostrich burying it's head in the sand which has only lead to the death of more unarmed law abiding citizens, as the maxim goes “Fight Crime, Shoot Back!” ©

Ghosts of Governments Past

Once again, after a politician of East Indian descent has ‘risen’ in the form of Mrs. Kamla Persad-Biessessar due to the overwhelming support from the beautiful citizens of this country of ‘all races’, we have a ‘political zombie’, rising up from the political cemetery in the form of former UNC Government Minister Mr. Trevor Sudama to preach about the plight of the Indo community at the hands of a racist PNM. A PNM that has had people of East Indian descent in its cabinet as well as holding top positions in the hierarchy of the political party itself. Is Mr. Sudama saying that the nine Indian Cabinet Ministers of the recent PNM Government and PNM stalwarts such as Ralph Maraj, Jerry Narace, Errol Mahabir and Kamaluddin Mohammed are Indian sell outs? What about Christine Sahadeo, Christine Kangaloo and Mustapha Abdul-Hamid? And where would Mr. Sudama put Mr. Parsanlal’s loyalties after all he’s half Indian half African.

Mr. Sudama has alleged by quoting a ‘commentator’, that where the Indo has done well in education, professions and small business, it has largely been through their own efforts and not because of any special favours from the PNM government. Are we to take it then from Mr. Sudama that the Indo population does not utilize GATE? Do they not apply and attend the University of the West Indies, COSTATT and UTT like their fellow citizens of other races? Do they not utilize the government’s small business loan programs? The interesting thing about people like Mr. Sudama is they never seem quite capable of articulating that which they claim, that the PNM as a government has systematically excluded the Indo community.

All the services provided under the PNM Government was and has been available to all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago be them African, Indian, Syrian, Dougla or Chinese, and this not only pertains to education it also pertains to government grants for people with differently abled children, CDAP etc. If it is said that the PNM is racist against the Indos then who they favour the Africans? If so then what is the status with the East West Corridor? No scholar worth his degree can accuse the PNM of being biased against Indians while refusing to put a big question mark over the East West Corridor which is comprised primarily of people of African descent, who have always supported the PNM and who have been systematically ignored by the PNM for the last 41 years.

Mr. Sudama then went on to make reference to the racial composition of the various State Boards, the police and army. Apart from the fact that Mr. Sudama made no mention as to how many Africans were placed on state boards when he was a Government Minister under the Basdeo Panday UNC, this is an age old accusation that has been repeatedly refuted with facts and as I pointed out in a July article in 2009 the statistics from the Central Statistical Office and Council for the Professionals clearly show there being a disparity of Indo Trinidadians in certain fields as most probably being a circumstance of cultural choices. For instance as doctors a whopping 80% of our doctors are of East Indian descent, where as in fields such as Nutritionists the percentage was 22% which suggest that this field is practiced mostly by citizens of Afro and other ethnic groups.

In addition Indos seem more drawn to technological fields for instance at UTT a technical Institution, 80% of the graduates were of East Indian descent while the student population at UWI is only 35% Indo. Even though some Indos have gravitated to the protective services this is still an area that is chosen as a career field by people of African descent. Therefore one cannot reasonably expect to have many Indos holding senior positions if the employment population is predominantly of another race. Shall the African community along with the Mixed, Syrians et al now accuse the UNC of racial bias because 80% of this country’s doctors are of East Indian descent?

Mr. Sudama further makes reference to Mr. Manning’s vetoing of Indos to top positions in the public service as further proof that the PNM had something against Indos, but it is interesting to note that he makes no reference of Mr. Manning’s repeated unceremonious and unexplained vetoing of Mr. Williams as Police Commissioner and Mrs. Carla Antoine-Browne’s appointment as Director of Public Prosecution, both of whom are of African descent. It is this type of wish washy analysis by people like Trevor Sudama that does more hurt than good to the ethnic fabric of T&T.

With regard the refusal to grant a radio license to the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, on this point at least Mr. Sudama is correct in saying it was a blatant act of bias, but bias for what purpose? Was it because it was an East Indian organisation requesting it, or because it was an East Indian organisation from the core support of the PNM’s political foe the United National Congress? How come when East Indians like Mr. Hafeez Karamath get big time contracts under the PNM it is not perceived as racism but when the PNM refuses to grant the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, an organisation openly supportive of the UNC a radio license it is perceived as racist as opposed to political? That is nothing short of selective interpretation by the likes of individuals like Mr. Sudama who rather than engage in nation building prefer to embark upon a path of speratists.

The biggest joke in Mr. Sudama’s article is when he makes reference to the crowd at the PNM’s political gatherings being comprised mainly of African descent and boast about the fact that the People’s Partnership had a much greater cross-ethnic appeal and that the PNM must embark on a ‘journey of transformation’ in order to re-engineer and reconstruct itself to appeal to Indo voters. This from man who was part and parcel of the Basdeo Panday UNC that was fixated on the Indo Community and the Indo Community alone. Let’s be real, the People’s Partnership is a new kid on the block and more specifically it was the only ticket to Parliament for the UNC. What Mr. Sudama should ask himself is if the UNC was so all inclusive why did it take so many years for them as a political party to appeal to the other races in the country?!

Yet still the core support of the UNC cum People’s Partnership is still predominantly of East Indian descent. I supported the People’s Partnerhip, I attended the rally in Fyzabad and I could count the amount of people including myself who were not East Indian, I felt like an exotic flower, like a tulip standing out in a field of roses! And when one looked at the People’s Partnership’s political rallies and their election night victory party, even though the election results showed people of all ethnicities voted for the Partnership the crowds was 99% East Indian probably with exception of Mr. Warner, Gypsy Peters and Maakandal Daaga all of whom were on stage! So Mr. Sudama I say to you, one ought not to throw stones when one lives in a glass house!

It is a crying shame that at a time like this when the country is actively involved in a critical form of political metamorphosis, blossoming and shining like a woman with child, full of potential and promise that people like Trevor Sudama should seek to invoke baser emotions in an attempt to stir up trouble. Just as I was certain there would be no hope for political revitalisation in T&T should the PNM regain government in 2010, so too I'm certain should the People's Partnership not keep it's distance from people like Mr. Sudama it will not only be the downfall of the Partnership, but will also signify the derailing of all that the Partnership promises to be for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. People like Trevor Sudama are what I refer to as the political un-dead. They are political zombies vying for attention in the wilderness. Mr. Sudama is in political purgatory, haunted by his own racial insecurities and fallacies and this beautiful rainbow country will do well to look forward and celebrate life with the living rather than be distracted with the corrupt soothings of Ghosts of Governments past. ©

T&T Media Houses Must Step Up

This is an open letter to the managers, chief editors and directors of all media houses in Trinidad and Tobago. As one of the main watch dogs of our democracy it is imperative that an emergency meeting be convened as soon as possible during this week, and agreement arrived to give Mrs. Persad-Bissessar leader of the UNC Coalition, free air time equivalent to that which Mr. Manning hijacked by abusing legislative provisions. It is totally unacceptable for Mr. Manning to be using state resources and legislation to further his agenda and that of the PNM, it amounts to an abuse of power and an attempt to force himself upon the population of this country using unconventional, unethical and undemocratic means.

Selwyn Ryan was on the ball in his Sunday Express editorial when he articulated that MR. Manning is embracing the Burnham Doctrine of using state resources to stay in power. Mr. Manning had the opportunity to engage in a free public debate with Mrs. Persad-Bissessar that would have been aired free of charge for all to see and he and his party chose not to participate. Therefore it is nothing but a disrespect and utter contempt for the electorate that he should now turn around and bully our media into giving him free air time to say what he would have had the opportunity to say and defend if he chose to in a debate, it is cowardice and undemocratic.

The free air time given to Mrs. Persad-Bissessar should not be construed as support for the UNC Coalition, rather it should be seen for what it is, the media fulfilling their role as democractic watch dogs, fulfilling their mandate to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago by ensuring that our democratic process is not polluted or rigged in favour of power hungry individuals. The events of this past week has been an eye opener and citizens should be of grave concern at the type of governance being proposed by the actions of Mr. Manning. I for one have no intention of waiting for the evening to arrive to find out just how disasterous the day has been, the type of governance being proposed by Mr. Manning does not appeal to me under any circumstances. ©

More questions for Manning than Volney

I see nothing wrong with what Justice Volney did. He is a citizen of this country and he is entitled to his political convictions. He did the honourable thing by resigning, and did so without being asked, he did not wait for anyone to find out that he was contemplating being a UNC candidate, nor did he wait to be 'asked' to resign under a cloud of controversy. He did so on his own volition. Considering the above I'd say Justice Volney has been quite transparent with the public of Trinidad and Tobago.

But considering that Prime Minister Manning has claimed Justice Volney has been under investigation by the security services for some time now, I want to know a couple things. How come the security services did not unearth Justice Volney's UNC dealings? Is this further proof of their vulgar inability at investigative work? Secondly why is the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago aware of a judge being investigated? Isn't that the job of the Police Commissioner and DPP? And if so then why does Mr. Manning have access to such information? Is Mr. Manning interfering with the independence of the security services and Judiciary?

The burning question of them all, how come Mr. Manning did not question Calder Hart’s integrity and still to this day does not question Calder Hart’s integrity, despite the fact that the PNM Attorney John Jeremie has indicated that he initiated a criminal probe into Mr. Hart since late 2009? Why is it okay for Mr. Manning to meet personally with a public figure who is being investigated by the Attorney General and who subsequently leaves the country after said personal meeting with Mr. Manning, but it is wrong for Justice Volney to voluntarily resign as a judge and make it known to all and sundry in a most public affair his intentions of being a UNC candidate?

I do believe our Prime Minister has once again a case to answer.

PNM Education

So apparently the PNM faithful were mesmerised by a 15 year old who attends QRC and spoke at the PNM’s political meeting in Maloney on Monday night, so mesmerized were they that according to the Express’ report, he had the crowd ‘hanging on his every word.’ Apparently the crowd became so disruptive by this young man’s speech that they had to play the PNM’s political road march song to bring some order.

So what exactly were some of the utterances of this PNM golden child? I quote in verbatim “Look in your own house, are there any coal pots? Fireside? Fibre mattress? Buffalo pillows?” and the crowd responded with a resounding no! He then continued “Or do you say flat screen TV, a car in the garage, a computer. Ladies and gentlemen we are a prosperous people. Yet there are people trying to convince you that the economy is in bad shape, but on the other hand in their mouths are promising pensioners $3,000 a month. Do you believe that? Are they trying to insult your intelligence?” Is it just me or does it seem that only people of little intelligence would have regarded this young speaker as some sought of political guru?

First of all the references to the coal pots, fibre mattresses etc as a sign of economic stability are quite silly. Once again here is the PNM, using a youth to boot, preaching to the illiterate faithful and trying to convince them that somehow or the other the PNM is responsible for global modernity and technological advancement. Next thing you know they will tell you be grateful to the balisier because you have a blackberry phone and you don't have to use a pay phone! And apparently Serta, Lensyl and Restonic all got their ideas of using reinforced foam and springs to make mattresses in the 21st century from the PNM government! No more fibre mattresses, all hail Manning! Oh and by the way, someone should indicate to PNM members that if you have a fireside in your house then you probably live in one of those big houses in Maraval, possibly on Calder Hart’s street! Although why you would have a fireside in the Caribbean eludes me but a fireside ‘inside’ of your house is in fact not a sign of poverty ask the Canadians!

Then there is the equating of material things with prosperity. Only a fool will believe having many material things is a sign of prosperity, that is what I refer to as the 'ghetto mentality'. You can have flat screen TVs, an expensive car, the latest laptop and be dead broke, bankrupt or up to your neck in debt. Furthermore none of these items mentioned are 'investments', they are either expenses or luxuries, which while they may be amusing and entertaining, they add no significant value to your life or your well being. So once again the PNM imbuing the minds of their followers with garbage and they lap it up like hungry dogs. My amusement reigns supreme!

Fallen

It is okay to allow another to play with your heart for it can bring you much amusement to see them gain a false sense of worth when in TRUTH and FACT they are worthless. You do not however allow another to break your heart, because then they break your spirit and a broken spirit knows no amusement. ©

Trespassing Prime Minister

The incident reported in the media on Tuesday regarding Prime Minister Patrick Manning, his security detail and an 81 year old pensioner has raised some serious issues regarding the protection of citizen’s rights and property, and their insulation from the political directorate. The gentleman made it quite clear to Mr. Manning that he did not want him on his property, he was quoted as telling Mr. Manning ‘You’re not welcomed here I want nothing to do with you’. Mr. Manning then proceeds to ignore the admonition of the property owner and decides to ‘brush’ pass him onto his property which then caused the gentleman to take hold of Mr. Manning by the shoulders telling him “You didn’t hear what I say? You’re not welcome here!”

At this point Mr. Manning’s security detail sprung into action to separate the two and proceeded to tell the owner of the property “You cannot do that, you cannot touch the Prime Minister!”, to which the pensioner appropriately responded “You have to be mad this is my house!” When I read this news article and saw the clipping on the evening news, chills ran down my spine and it should have the same effect on you. If this incident isn’t a clear example and more proof that our politicians are clearly out of control then I do not know what is. What right does the Prime Minister have to trespass on the private property of citizens of this country? Is Patrick Manning above the law? When a Prime Minister acts with such scant regard for the laws of the land is it any wonder that the police officers of this country also feel they have the right to enter people’s property unannounced and without the express authority of the owners or necessary court sanctioned warrants?

Can this pensioner, I or any other citizen of this country simply enter Mr. Manning’s Diplomatic centre at whim, even if security personnel tell us we can’t enter? What was even more surprising is that one of Mr. Manning’s security detail reportedly admonished the pensioner telling him ‘You lucky, you cannot touch the Prime Minister….no matter what you are not supposed to touch the Prime Minister” , at which point the pensioner again declared in astonishment “You must be mad this is my house!” Rightly so, the only explanation that could be given for Mr. Manning and his security detail is that they are in fact mad. What does the security detail mean no matter what you are not supposed to touch the Prime Minister? Ironically the same security detail did not admonish any other individuals who chose to ‘touch’ the Prime Minister by shaking his hand. It reminds me of a couple years ago I had to face a visibly upset member of Mr. Manning’s detail glowering at me because I refused to wind my glass down to shake the Prime Minister’s hand while stuck in traffic.

According to the laws of the land if someone trespasses and invades your home aren’t you permitted within the law to defend yourself and property? I saw the clipping on the evening news; Mr. Manning virtually brushed aside the gentleman on his own property! Do citizens not have the right to defend themselves and their property in this country anymore? Since when because a person is Prime Minister they can enter the private homes of citizens at whim, whenever they feel like without the property owner’s permission? The security detail then proceeded to stay on the pensioner’s property after Mr. Manning left further compounding the illegal trespassing of private property of a citizen of our democratic Republic. Perhaps Mr. Philbert or whomsoever is in charge of the Prime Minister’s detail should have some legal workshops with the PM’s security detail so they won’t come across as being so totally ignorant to the laws of our land.

For instance the pensioner explicitly told the Prime Minister to not enter his premises, the Prime Minister in his usual arrogant manner ignored the gentleman and proceeded to break the laws of our Democratic Republic by entering the man’s property. Not only was this illegal it was also unnecessary harassment and provocation of a citizen of our country, it was an abuse and invasion of the pensioner’s private property and the pensioner therefore had every right to seek to remove Mr. Manning and defend his property even if it means removing Mr. Manning physically. The person whom the security detail should have admonished was Mr. Manning, he should have pulled the PM aside and politely advise him that even though he is the Prime Minister, he is still subject to the laws and bound by the constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and therefore it would be an illegal act to enter this pensioner’s property as he has so explicitly indicated he does not want you on his property.

If the Prime Minister can brazenly disregard the citizens of this country and enter our homes whenever he feels like then something is terribly wrong in our country. Fellow citizens, do not take this incident lightly, pay close attention to the actions of our politicians. Something terribly ugly has happened to our political system, we now live in a country where our public servants act as Kings and Lords over us believing they can say whatever they want to us, not account to us for their actions and now enter the sanctity of our homes without our permission. I would really appreciate if Mr. Maharaj, Garvin Nicholas, Gillian Lucky or some other legal luminary within our country pay this pensioner a visit pro bono and see what legal course he can take considering the Prime Minister and his security detail’s illegal trespassing on his property as well as being unnecessarily threatened and harassed by the Prime Minister’s security detail because he sought to defend his home. I’m calling on my fellow citizens, wake up! Arise from your slumber! Our democratic rights and freedoms are under severe attack, we are losing this country everyday to the arrogance of our politicians and pretty soon one day we will get up one morning and realize we are prisoners in our own country. ©

PNM running out of spin material

Evidently there is a strong belief in the minds of the current PNM Government members that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are by and large a bunch of complete idiots. First there was the 'Minister of Souls' Dr. Dick-Forde, indicating to us that we should be ashamed for exercising our democratic rights by demanding transparency and accountability with regards state enterprise UDECOTT and it's chairman Calder Hart. Apparently citizens asking questions about the clear breaches of procurement practices by UDECOTT revealed by the UFF Commission and the demand for Mr. Calder Hart's resignation in light of allegations of family links in the awarding of billion dollar contracts have some how not succeded in alerting the government into thinking that something may be seriously wrong with UDECOTT, rather it has apparently caused great offense to the rank and file of the PNM Government.

Then there is Attorney General John Jeremie who claims to have launched a criminal probe into Mr. Calder Hart since September 2009, yet this criminal probe was unable to confirm what Mr. Khan revealed about Mr. Hart's family links at the UFF Commisson despite having been commissioned by Mr. Jeremie almost six months ago. Instead the COP, a political organisation which does not have any of the resources available to the Attorney General, was cable of obtaining documents from the Malaysian Government within weeks for a small fee of USD $3000.00. Not only does this situation call into question the efficiency of the Attorney General and whichever investigating authority he selected to carry out this criminal probe it also raises questions about Government's committment to get to the bottom of the allegations against Mr. Hart and UDECOTT if ever there was a committment in the first place.

Enter Mr. Parsanlal who at this Thursday's weekly cabinet media briefing, went on record as saying government's reason for not taking action against Mr. Hart sooner was due to the fact that all that existed with regards Mr. Hart and UDECOTT were allegations. Apparently it has eluded the government and continues to elude the Government that these very allegations which they the government claim they could not have acted upon, are the same allegations which resulted in the COP uncovering the Malaysian documents establishing the family ties to Mr. Hart and CH Development, it is the same allegations that revealed breach of procurement practices by UDECOTT and identified the fax number on CH Development correspondence as belonging to that of none other than Mr. Calder Hart.

Everyday I watch in amazement as the PNM government single handedly engages in a mission of spin and denial, an action which would have no doubt stir the ire of a population in other parts of the world so much so that there would have been a coup and forceful removal of government. I do believe that it is the passive nature of the Trinbagonian people that this PNM government is erroneously mistaking for naivety. Make no mistake about it, the citizens of this country are increasingly becoming agitated of the arrogant nature of our elected officials and the PNM will pay dearly for the ill treatment and disrespect they have dished out to the citizens of this country in abundance and no amount of spin will deliver them from the impending Political castration.

The Great Prison Break

Labour betrayed by an 'Independent Judas'

As someone who is keenly interested in the labour movement, for the life of me I cannot understand how a man like Michael Annisette could be President of NATUC. Ever his appointment as an ‘Independent Senator’ Mr. Annisette’s credibility has been persistently questioned by various parties as he performs his duties in this country’s senate not as an Independent senator but as a perceived PNM Senator! As someone who is supposed to be the ‘voice of labour’ in the senate Mr. Annisette has done nothing to suggest that he is a representative of the working class, on the contrary he has been pro-government 99% of his sitting time.

How can the President of NATUC openly criticise a member union for legitimately defending the rights of workers? Mr. Annisette was quoted in the Daily Express as saying “nobody can be against the upgrading of a state institution. We need to modernise the system if we are to attain first world status”. Well I’ll be damned if Michael’s words weren’t pulled in verbatim from the PNM’s manifesto of ‘Vision 2020’! Funny how Mr. Annisette didn’t give any evidence of knowing what was wrong with the system to begin with, but I will give him a hint. The problem started and stems from the inefficient, mediocre corrupt managers of the system, i.e. the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Therefore Mr. Annisette seems to not know what he speaks of because if an organisation is corrupt and inefficient and a management team presides over such organisation for decades then simply changing the workforce is not going to help because you will also need to revamp, modernise and purge the managers of the corrupt system which Mr. Anisette claims needs modernising. And to demonstrate how much I agree with him I suggest we begin revamping this management team by first having President George Maxwell Richards revoke the appointment of Independent ‘PNM’ Senator Mr. Michael Annissette!

If Mr. Annisette is so concerned about the manner in which the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is going about in treating the public servants of this country why doesn’t he as an Independent Senator and Labour Representative go into the Senate and demand that this anti-worker PNM government treat with workers in this country with dignity just as how it is done in the countries with ‘first world status’ such as Canada? When the Canadian government undertook a similar project with its tax bodies not only did it rehire the staff, staff were given a two year employment guarantee, their union was granted automatic successor ship and only two officials of the new body are appointed by the government. The other members are appointed by independent bodies and by independent bodies I mean “independent,” not independent where the Prime Minister has a veto over who is appointed!

Mr. Annisette’s talk about ‘first world status’ and the need for a ‘roundtable approach’ is nothing but hogwash when one compares it to the archaic, dogmatic manner in which this PNM government is treating with the employees of Customs and BIR. Retrenching workers (now euphemistically referred to as VSEP), attempting to derail the PSA by not granting it successor ship and creating a tax collecting special purpose company controlled by the ruling party outside the oversight of Parliament is not ‘first world status’! That is taking us back to the Stone Age! Just look at what is happening with special purpose companies like UDECOTT using state funds to sabotage a Commission of Enquiry and big honchos in UDECOTT awarding contracts to their families in Malaysia. Not surprisingly this same ‘Independent PNM Senator’ is also a director of UDECOTT. Well as the saying goes if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then guess what, it’s a duck! At least this sort of financial espionage and nepotism was contained to a much greater extent under the watchful eyes of the now maligned service commissions!

It is no wonder then why the labour movement in this country is not only perceived as weak, politically tainted and manipulated by politics when you have the President of the National Trade Union Centre treating lightly with a politically violent and blatant attack on workers’ rights and in the same vein heaping scorn upon the leader of the PSA who is going all out to preserve the dignity of his union’s members. If the labour movement in this country does not soon wake up and remove forthwith the obvious Judas who is also working part time as the anti-Christ in our senate and strip him from the Presidency of NATUC, an organisation whose interests he clearly isn’t serving then there is no point saying we have a labour movement in this country. Labour in Trinidad and Tobago is dead! ©

Creating Opportunity

Being interviewed by TV6 news on Carnival Monday Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert lamented the fact that citizens of this democratic country were not taking the advice of the police with regards the wearing of jewellery. He went on to state that the police specifically told citizens to not come into the city wearing their jewellery as this would create ‘opportunities’ for criminals. At flittering consideration Mr. Philbert’s recommendation might seem practical and therefore we may be quick to say ‘it good for dem’ should anyone be robbed of their gold chain on Carnival Monday or Tuesday, however that would be a fatal mistake and gross perversion of our democratic freedoms.

As citizens living in a democratic country it is our fundamental right to purchase and wear jewellery and other luxuries when and wherever we choose without having the fear or concern of creating opportunities for criminals. When a Police Commissioner could come on national television and make such empty statements it makes citizens feel more insecure, legitimizes criminal activity and holds the victim of a crime accountable for someone else’s callous actions.

If we are to go by Mr. Philbert’s logic then I can only conclude some of the following:-

•Pretty soon the police will be issuing travel advisories to tourists telling them to stay away from Trinidad & Tobago as their presence would create an opportunity for criminals.

•Citizens will be told not to drive into the city with their vehicles as this would create an opportunity for the criminals to steal them.

•Citizens will be told not to buy houses as this would create an opportunity for criminals to break into them.

•Citizens will be told not to wear nice clothes as this would give the impression that they have money and create the opportunity for criminals to rob them.

The point I am making is there will always be ‘opportunity’ for criminal minds. Truth be told, the successful lives of ordinary working class people in this country is by itself a lucrative opportunity for criminal minds who prefer not to work but instead choose to live off of hard working law abiding citizens. Criminals are committed to being the human parasites going so far as to killing their victims for their property. If one were to consider the vast majority of murders in 2009 not many of the victims were adorned in lavish gold jewellery and many were killed in their homes. I think the Commissioner’s time would be better spent on improving the efficacy of his men and enhancing the disgustingly low detection rate of the rubble he presides over known as the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

Mr. Philbert’s unfortunate statement is a just reflection of the dismal intellect emanating from the underperforming craniums of those charged with the responsibility of governing this country whose ideas and thought processes are completely void of any modernity. As far as they are concerned everything that goes wrong in this country is the citizen’s fault. The only solution now is for us as a nation to ‘create the opportunity’ for political and social innovation by removing the old political guards who are determined to keep us entrapped in a vacuum of mediocrity and psychological underdevelopment.

Panday staying true to his word

I honestly don't know why everyone is jumping on Panday's back because he refuses to step down as Opposition Leader despite receiving a sound cut tail from Mrs. Biessessar.

Mr. Panday is after all staying true to this word, many would recall last week that Panday said if Kamla wins the UNC will mash up in six months. I guess many of you neglected to read the fine print which read as follows..... ( if Kamla wins I Basdeo Panday will mash up the UNC within six months.) ©

CARICOM BLOCKED FROM LANDING IN HAITI....AND RIGHTFULLY SO!!!

Within hours of the 7.0 magnitude eathquake hitting the capital of Haiti, the United States Government had already started to mobilise a national co-ordinated effort to assist the people of Haiti. US forces were dispatched; aid supplies were already being collected for dispatch. US generals had already worked out the logistics as to what machinery, military boats and air craft were to be dispatched as well as how many personnel they would need on the ground, by Monday there will be 10,000 US military personnel in Haiti.

By day two of this tragedy US forces had already landed in Haiti along with rescue units from other countries (none from Caricom). US forces had already landed in Haiti before President Obama made his first speech about the tragedy in Haiti with a Chinese relief team being first to arrive. It was only on Saturday four days after tragedy struck Haiti that the first senior western official arrived in Haiti in the form of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The USA means business in its efforts to assist the Haitian people. With the consent of the Haitian government they have received permission to take over Haitian land and air space as well as permission for US doctors to operate on Haitian citizens before receiving licenses to do so from the Haitian government. The US’ response to Haiti has been aggressive if nothing else and the Obama Administration must be soundly commended for a rescue mission well executed.

Compare that with the weak, feeble and most embarrassing response of Haiti’s brothers and sisters in the form of CARICOM, an organisation that has most certainly demonstrated its irrelevance and gross impotence if nothing else through its embarrassing response to the crisis facing its Haitian brothers and sisters. Instead of quickly organising aid and military relief what does Caricom do? They send a team of technocrats to ‘assess’ what the Haitian people need (read they went to Haiti for photo ops!), as if the fucking pictures circulating on BBC and CNN weren’t enough! Imagine American military planes and boats are busy arriving with resuce teams, military personnel, food and medical aid, and Caricom sends a delegation with their hands swinging and they expect to get clearance to land? Manning promises the Haitian people US $1 million, but with the Haitian banks in literal ruin I wonder if it occurs to Patrick Manning that US $1 million is about as worthless as toilet paper to the average Haitian? Are the Haitian’s going to make fish broth with the money?

The Haitian government has been virtually crippled so they themselves do not have the infrastructure and expertise to properly utilise US $1 million even if they did get it in cash which would mean that the Manning Administration would have to wait months to give that money to the Haitian government for them to get all the administrative expertise in place, and while waiting for this to happen how many Haitians would have died if it wasn’t for the US government? Then Mr. Manning says the T&T government is ‘considering’ using one of the fast ferry boats to deliver supplies to Haiti. Again, considering? People are buried dying or waiting to die. Those that aren’t are starving or running out of basics like water but yet still the Patrick Manning Administration is ‘considering’ whether to use one of the fast ferries to send supplies to Haiti!

I have not heard a single CARICOM country issue military aid to Haiti. Why did Manning not send a battalion of our Defence Force instead? After all these guys do nothing year after year but perform their function as ‘NATIONAL SECURITY GUARDS’. A batch of T&T soldiers despatched with medical aid, doctors, food and building material would have been a better gift to the Haitian people than US $1 million dollars.

CARICOM has passed up on a golden moment to stake their claim in the region and earn their respect from the Western powers. Instead of effecting an aggressive co-ordinated relief effort to assist Haitians Caricom has only succeeded in booking a date to have "consultations" in Dominica. Once again Caricom has demonstrated to the world that they are nothing but an old boys club whose only capability is that of holding talks and summits. Caricom’s weak response to Haiti demonstrates that the region's tax payers are not getting value for money because should there be a tragedy of catastrophic proportions within the region Caricom is not prepared, equipped or capable to deal with it and the situation in Haiti is blatant proof of this fact.

Is it any wonder then that the US authorities refused to allow the Caricom delegation to land? What purpose would the Caricom delegation have served other than to slow down the aid operations, depress Mr. Preval with a bunch of meaningless bureaucratic bullshit talk while offering no immediate assistance to his people while they starve and rot in the streets of Port au Prince? Get real CARICOM! I doubt very much it was a coincidence you were blocked from landing in Haiti and rightfully so, you would have proved to be nothing but an annoying fly buzzing in the face of the US administration.