Tag Archives: Suruj Rambachan

Mad Men with Big Stones

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Master and Commander Far Side of the Ocean: Dr/Mr Hafizool Mohammed

Master and Commander Far Side of the Ocean: Dr/Mr Hafizool Mohammed

I chuckled when I heard about a man stoning the Parliament. I wasn’t the only one. And that should disturb us. Why? Not because I am likely to stone the Parliament myself; but because the idea of stoning this current Parliament elicits not outrage or concern from portions of the citizenry, but rather a tacit understanding of what could lead a man – mentally disturbed or not – to dry dry so pick up two stone and pelt the Parliament.

On a daily basis the country is protesting in small ways and big. The two largest protests we’ve had so far were the Section 34 march and the THA 12-Zero smack down. Trinbagonians of all levels of sanity are letting this government know that they are sick, tired and fed-up. Yet the government seems not to care. Is full steam ahead in Full Dotish mode!

Dr Indira Rampersad whose go to analysis these days for PP incompetence is race!

Dr Indira Rampersad whose go to analysis these days for PP incompetence is race!

You have Warner and Ramlogan blaming their losses not on incompetence, but race. You’ve got supporters of the government, like Indira Rampersad and Sat Maharaj propping up their incompetent and failed leaders by echoing the same race diatribes; and then you have supporters of Rampersad and Maharaj telling you to your face, don’t take them on when they talk race, you know how they stop? Well, actually, I don’t know how they stop. But I wish they would stop. I wish too that members of the Maha Sabha community would stop pretending that their leader isn’t talking race. Because the more silent you remain, the more it sounds like consent to me. Just saying…

I also wonder how Indira Rampersad, as a political analyst, can be taken seriously at her day job any time soon after that succinct piece of analysis two Monday’s ago; and whether the goodly doctor is still credible enough to teach courses in politics let alone grade examination scripts.

But Rampersad’s credibility issues paled in comparison to this week’s misstep. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Mr/Dr Hafizool Mohammed, Master and Commander, Far Side of the World. If you haven’t read his CV in Friday’s Trinidad Guardian, please find a copy now and avail yourselves. He’d make a killing on Kindle.

Here we have a gentleman whose resume seems more padded than a marginal seat ballot box. Mr Mohammed’s referrals are impeccable: one is dead; the other simply does not exist. His time at an American Military Academy is so flawless; there are no records of his presence. His work for NATO and the Pentagon so top secret that there is no proof. Why didn’t Her Majesty’s Secret Service not hire him instead of Daniel Craig?

Reshmi-Ramnarine-and-Tim-GopeesinghAnd this man of action is also an intellectual. A doctoral degree from an online, unaccredited University, and a thesis that quotes Wikipedia and Islamopedia liberally without even citing them as sources.

And you know the scary thing? This is typical, par for the course behaviour of the People’s Partnership. I remember John Sandy and Prakash Ramadhar in late 2010 heartily endorsing Reshmi Ramnarine’s appointment as SIA Director. When the Opposition did its job and opposed the appointment there was loud criticism. The accusation was Ms Ramnarine was being opposed for the job because she was a young, Indian woman. No government has proven to be more adept at waving the race card than this one. At every misstep and criticism they have raised the issue of race and been barely taken to task for it. The whole country fighting them down and jealous them based on ethnicity, not incompetence.

Within days of Sandy and Ramadhar’s endorsement we would learn that Ramnarine’s CV was doctored. She had no degree from UWI, she was in fact grossly underqualified for her job. Ms Ramnarine resigned and now lives and works under a new identity.

Omar Khan

Omar Khan

By June 2011, Omar Khan, who had been appointed as Chairman of T&TEC, was also under the microscope for doctored credentials. It appeared that Khan’s first degree in engineering from UWI and his MBA from the Arthur Lok Jack School were both false and he had acquired his engineering qualifications through a correspondence course. And in much the same way Khan wrote his way to an engineering degree; he wrote to tender his resignation, listing personal responsibilities as his reason.

In July of that same year website ttonline.org asked the question “Is ‘Dr’ Suruj Rambachan suruj in orange shirtReally a Quack?” raising issues about the credibility of the doctorate which Minister of Foreign Affairs Suruj Rambachan had acquired from an unaccredited university in Hawaii.

You don’t need to be an ace detective to start seeing the trend of falsified resumes, unaccredited universities, fake degrees, high paying jobs and friends and family of the People’s Partnership. New Politics!

Not me nah, I only meet the man one inno!

Not me nah, I only meet the man one inno!

In the case of every person I’ve named thus far their applications and credentials would have been vetted not by one, but several persons. Using Mr/Dr Mohammed, Master and Commander Far Side of the Ocean as an example: Winston Dookeran would have recommended him, then both the AG and the Prime Minister would have looked at his application and qualifications; then they would have sent on the name to the President. In short, neither Dookeran, Ramlogan, Persad-Bissessar nor the President (either Richards or Hamel-Smith) ever bothered to run a simple background check on Mohammed’s credentials. Or, maybe they were depending on the media and the citizenry to never ask or search and thereby get away with giving an unsuitable person a job he isn’t qualified for. It makes you wonder how many more unqualified hacks we have sitting in positions they have no qualifications for and will they too be unearthed.

It also makes you wonder about Presidential nominees and their qualifications. Two weeks away from nomination day and at the height of Carnival fever in the country neither the PP nor the PNM have announced their candidates. If Section 34’s proclamation is anything to go by, the Cabinet might use Machel Monday as a convenient time to hood wink the population. In fact, given that Budget 2013 was presented to us on a stage in the midst of a fete in Mid-Centre Mall, why not announce the Presidential nominee the same way. It would be in keeping with the style of governance of this lot.

And when you think about how this government operates, is almost as if they pelting big stone at the country for the last 32 months straight. So then, technically speaking, that homeless man last week was probably just practising self-defence.

We in Full Dotish Mode…Chupke Chupke!

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…And a Boddle of Rum!

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Hear nah, i feel 3 Zero have to be the official drink of the People’s Partnership and all man Jack Warner and Jamal Mohammed taking it through an IV.

I thought today’s low point was people from East Port of Spain telling reporters frankomen that if the Government aint give better paying jobs they will loot out Port of Spain….but no, it got better than that. Because angry citizens threatening to pillage and sack is one thing. But when you have your Minister of Local Government saying normal normal on TV that $69 a day is minimum wage you have to read between the lines and get what he saying. After Kamla and she small goal side pound Manning and the PNM for encouraging dependency, “gimme gimme” attitudes, and perpetuating a culture of handouts, Suruj Rambachan will come and admit that they government willing to pay people to work for 4 hours a day! because suruj cyah mean that people going to work an 8-hr day….which is the length of a normal working day….for $69. And if you telling me you hiring people for 4 hours a day, then the UNC is not only part of the problem, them IS the problem! Is not them self complain about this shit? Really?

And all of a sudden Jack Warner, the minister of everything, can’t be found to address a National Security issue…..well look thing!

But in the middle of TV6 news tonight i see the extent of this government 3 Zero problem. Imagine COP member, appointed Senator, Minister of Information, Jamal Mohammed will send a letter from the Office of the Prime Minister to the head of news at TV6, couched in racist language attacking the media and issuing  a not-so-subtle threat?

Take a read at CCN TV6′s post:

#ProtectThePress
Government’s Communications Minister Jamal Mohammed writes CCN Group Head of News a letter of complaint which he said is not the government’s position but “just the vides of an insignificant muslim coolie from San Juan”. He said the letter was not for publication but CCN Head of News informed him that that was not possible given his position in the Cabinet. CCN regards the letter

to be an act of attempted intimidation and, therefore the contents deserved to be made public.
The e-mail pointed out the following:
1. ‘Something seems to be going on at TV6 and the Express and it is not too nice.’
2. ‘A blind man can see that there is a clear bias at both TV6 and the Express.’
3. ‘…reports are being presented in the name of investigative journalism and the only rationale for these reports is to embarrass certain individuals.”
4. “It is clear to me that there is a specific agenda to discredit Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and members of her government.”
5. “Since May 2010, I have seen for myself a deliberate and targetted barrage of accusations and misrepresentations about the People’s Partnership as if there is an ultimate objective to make the Government fall.”
6. “To make matters worse, a deliberate programme has appeared on both TV6 and the Express, where the PNM is being re-branded, refreshed and re-aligned so that it will become a new PNM ready for governance with the fall of the People’s Partnership”.
7. “I have noticed that anytime (without exception) there is a perceived problem concerning the Partnership Government, there is always a PNM Official ready, willing and able to make comment. This is most unfortunate.”
Should Jamal Mohammed be put on suicide watch? Better yet, should we put Kamal Mohammed on suicide watch because I sure Cha Cha want to dead with shame right now.
I hope that after penning that particular letter he write a letter of resignation one time too.
This government gone clear! and yet our biggest critic on media and culture can’t manage to do a proper column yet about how the UNC and Media. In 1996, within the first 90 days of his government Panday attacked Jones P Madeira because he was pissed off at how often pictures of him with a glass in hand appeared in the newspapers. Panday issued a ban on the Guardian and all of its reporters from all Government functions until Madeira was fired. That was the ultimatum. In a scramble some of the top news paper editors and publishers of the region flew in to Trinidad to meet with Panday and assuage his feelings by offering to be media watch dogs. His relationship with the media thereafter didn’t improve.
Flash forward to UNC 2010 and though Kamla started off on a positive note with the media in the last 3 years her government has issued attack after attack on the press. It started with appointments to state media boards, then the changes at CNMG, then the firing of Fazeer Mohammed. Then the death threats from Sasha Mohammed/Janice Thomas to Express editors and reporters. Then the raid on the Express. Then the raid on the Newsday. In between you had the government restricting all advertising funding to the Mirror Newspaper and Gayelle.  Then there was the firings at Power 102.1 FM.  Then recently there have been the attacks on Asha Javeed and Denyse Renne by UNC bloggers.  And I feel quite certain that I have missed a few.
Jamal Mohammed must have lost his mind. Or maybe he is just an example of a meltdown within the government. I mean really….”insignificant muslim coolie”? Does that mean “recalcitrant minority” off the hook now? Study yuh head good….you think if Keith Rowley was to ever put God out of his thoughts and use language like that to describe a citizen here he or his party could live it down? Yet Mohammed felt the need to use reductive language, of a racist nature and then pretend he wasn’t doing so in his official capacity as Minister of Information? Is it that he and Dominic Kallipersad are penpals and often discuss politics together? In what capacity other than his official one could Mohammed have been writing a media house?
He has brought the Senate, the Cabinet, the Government and the Country into disrepute with this letter, and he has also threatened our democracy by issuing this veiled threat to the media. Express and TV6 are doing their jobs…plain and simple….and it would have been great if Jamal Mohammed….a member of a bloated and overstaffed Cabinet…had actually done his!
JAMAL NEEDS TO GO, NOW!!!!!!!!!
De Vice Cyah Done!

Compare and Contrast : A Rally Go Round!

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Budget Matikor programme. Photo E. Pantomime

I from Central….Couva North. Basdeo Panday Country. I from a constituency where if Panday sneeze, 15, 000 does show up to hand him a handkerchief and ask, “Yuh alright, Boss?” Is so Couva North stop. We did real like Panday. So when after 3pm on a Saturday evening in the heart of Chaguanas I could breeze down the highway and find a park and stroll into Mid Centre Mall Carpark for a  Budget Maticor know is water more than flour and like they aint put enough dhal in the loya!

Crowd and Venue

The thickest the crowd ever got. Photos by E. Pantomime

The edges of the crowd and how the rest of the carpark looked.

The other side of the stage. That camera rig isn’t cheap to rent.

Crowd size I know is important to a lot of people who currently observing the political situation because it will help to tell us where the electorate’s head is at…so let me begin by describing yesterday’s lay out. The UNC used the part of the Mid Centre Carpark that is at the back of the mall and Hi Lo. The main stage for the MPs was at the eastern exit, the stage for performers was behind Marios. It was two massive dome stages, the kind HD normally uses for Machel Monday. Two of those in the Mid-Center Car Park takes up a lot of room. Couple those two stages with another smaller stage for their control crew and media cameras; and two more small stages for camera men and equipment and you are beginning to get an idea of how contained the space was for the event. Then along the fence area were food stalls and then on the end that is normally the main entrance to that car park where the security booth is were the portable toilets. My point is, that you can’t think of the entire eastern car-park as free and open because there were a lot of things crammed into the space…..the only thing not crammed in was people. Even with all of those stages, stalls and booths in there the space could have held a crowd of 20,000 and that would have made it difficult to move. Movement yesterday was never difficult. Only in front of the actually stage was the crowd thick…but not so thick that you couldn’t walk through and make your way to the front and take pictures. There were TOP supporters, brown band maxi taxis from the south heartland, Collin Partap had a flag crew there, as did the AG, and Ramona Ramdial. The bussed in CEPEP crews were pretty obvious.

Giveaways for the crowd…

When you consider the size of the mandate this government holds; when you consider the size of its support base; the resources it put out yesterday and all week long you get confused. Kamla announced since last Sunday that she holding a Pre-Budget Rally. There were countless radio ads for an entire week. Across FB you had Ministers using their walls to rally people, Surujrattan Rambachan and Anand Ramlogan’s walls were the ones I noted. Even COP councillors got in on the action promoting Budget Matikor. I expected to see the crowds Warner boasted about. 30-40,000. At a generous guess I’d say the crowd was about 13,000 at its peak.  And in all likelihood it was less than that. Later on that evening when i went to Price Plaza just a stone’s throw away from Mid Centre, that mall’s carpark and business places had more people going about their month-end business than Budget Matikor. Not even the neighbours on my street, who can easily be described as UNC Die Hards bothered to attend the rally.

Now this can be interpreted in multiple ways: the have complete faith in their government, or they have become disenchanted…..make of that what you will.

Where for me things got exciting is as usual the dynamics on the stage and the content of the speeches.

IT was pure UNC attack mode with Kamla warning about a gathering storm, saying the lines are drawn and telling the crowd they know who the enemy is. She reminded me of Capildeo asking the DLP to attack the PNM in the 1961 elections. We going good in this place!

You had Suruj Rambachan further extending the dependency syndrome that the UNC deplored 2 years ago by announcing 6000 jobs in short term programmes coming up. This seems to be their way of shoring up votes for THA and Local Government Elections. So if you thought the 10 Days Mania was something specific to PNM or Afro-creole people….think again. UNC pushing the 10-Days mentality hard….change? No, EXCHANGE!

Marlene Coudray got dragged up onto the stage too. And it was a painful thing to see. Coudray’s speech delivery was heart rending. There was no pep, no heart, no belief in her hype even. She seemed to be a woman still deep in mourning. And to have dragged a woman who has recently lost a child in such a way out this weekend to simply say to the crowd that Gender will be bringing new programmes onstream shows you just how insensitive and manic this government has become. The PM could have made that announcement herself and left Coudray to mourn in dignity. But this is a Government that will send 5 men to sit on television and gossip like vicious, bitter women about Rowley’s parking habits, and to attack Asha Javeed.

The AG was brought on to bark and growl….and Anand has effectively become the UNC’s version of a rottweiller. He yelled at the crowd that he not moving, not leaving. Said again and again that Rowley was a liar….but never once did he actually touch Section 34, the time line and his role in piloting the Bill. He went on to list all of the people he will be taking out lawsuits against….and I am still waiting to find out if we have benefitted from any of his lawsuits to date? Any? Has anyone been charged? Made to serve jail time?

Moonilal, announced as a man with more degrees as Rowley, then came on stage to prove just how dunce he really is. Within mere minutes of coming onstage Moonilal went on to state that Rowley got no signatures on his petition and handed the ag President a bag of paper. I was willing to forgive that lie on the basis og politicking….then Moonilal decided to play the ass with national history….a feature with this government. A people so insecure about their position and heritage here that they have to lie and re-invent history. Moonilal told the audience that Adrian Cola Rienzi founded the OWTU….not quite Mooni. Cola was its first sitting president when Butler had to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Butler still is and will always be the founder of that Union. But you see, when you don’t know, and you drunk in a fete, you will listen and applaud anything without questioning it. And that’s the kind of voter base this party is encouraging. Change? EXCHANGE!

After Moonilal we had speeches from Ramadhar, who spent time talking about Section 34 and its fallout in code and then exhaling with relief and sitting down after warning us to not repeat 1990. Too late Prakash…and your speeches at these rallies don’t actually constitute new politics. You have failed. Go to the back of the class.

In the wake of Ramadhar we had three asses follow: Ahsworth, NJAC and Warner. Their specific purpose was to recite Psalms 23, remind the audience that no murders had taken place in Morvant/Laventille for 20 days  (until last night) and that better days are coming. Tedium and boredom.

Then came DJ Larry Howai, the person I had shown up to hear…..not the conch shells and the free vuvuzelas that were handed out. And Howai’s comments were mundane at best: improved healthcare, education, lower food prices, make groceries more affordable and help people have more money to spend in groceries. No details on how these things are going to be improved or whether money spent on these areas last year were well spent. After Howai’s speech I am convinced that the thrust of Monday’s Budget will be to distract the population with focussing on decreased food prices by November 15th, and there may well be a couple stings in its tail. So look out for what may happen to gas subsidies, utility rates and the property tax.

The highlight of the evening was the PMs announcement of No Vat on food items….and my brain went fuzzy for a minute because under the PNM  between 2002 – 2007 VAT was removed from many food items. The list goes:

CONSUMER ITEMS THAT CARRY NO VAT • unprocessed food of a kind used for human consumption; • rice; • flour; • milk in any form, including processed and tinned milk; • margarine; • bread; • baby formulas and baby milk substitutes. • cheese and curd; • corned beef; • curry; • fresh butter; • peanut butter; • table salt; • salted butter; • tinned sardines; • smoked herring; • toilet paper; • yeast; • baking powder; • pasta, whether or not cooked or stuffed (with meat or other substances) or otherwise prepared, such as spaghetti, macaroni, noodles, lasagna, gnocchi, ravioli and cannelloni; • cane sugar; • cocoa powder, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter; • coffee; • mauby; • orange juice; • Herring; • Tuna; • Mackerel; • Ghee; • soya-bean oil; •) maize (corn) oil and its fractions; • sesame oil and its fractions; • chicken sausage, canned; • salami sausages; • icing sugar; • preparations of malt extract; • corn flakes; • biscuits, unsweetened; • grapefruit juice; • vanilla essence; • soy sauce; • tomato ketchup; • prepared mustard; • mineral water; • ordinary natural water; • aerated beverages; • orange drink; • grapefruit drink; and • vinegar

So then on what items is Persad-Bissessar’s government removing VAT on?

Her most desperate attempt at attacking Rowley last night was in the form of a cheque that was signed by Duprey to the PNM for party financing. The link that our Silkened PM fails to make with her cheque revelation is this….Rowley links the cheque on May 18th from Steve Ferguson to Section 34….can the PM show how the PNM when in Government colluded to free criminals? Change? This Section 34 issue is even worse than Exchange!

In summation Budget Matikor was a real let down. The familiar refrain of Blame the PNM, and anything but the PNM, and Make Sure and Don’t Vote Back the PNM was the message of the day. This wasn’t about the Budget…it’s not about food prices. It was entirely about attacking the PNM, pandering to their voter base and trying to distract from the crime of Section 34, the declining economy and the sting that is coming in this Budget’s tail. Oh, and it was about attacking the PNM, just in case you missed it in all the previous speeches!

At the end of the day what the PM and her Cabinet assured us of yesterday is that she is no longer listening to the people, she’s too busy drinking her Kool Aid mixed with Vodka!

De Vice Cyah Done

Budget Matikor!

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Budget Matikor- adjectival noun to describe a party that prepares you for sex. etymology, English and Bhojpuri. Refers to Matikor night in traditional Hindu weddings when the young bride to be is prepared for her upcoming wedding and wedding night. Usually involves, food, dancing and alcohol. Budget Matikor is a party thrown by the PP to soften the people up for the bull the budget will put on us. Usage: Is Budget Matikor in we pweffen this weekend!

I just finish bag about 500,000 pholourie with some watered down pommecythere chutney. Just now me and Ambassador Baps going and booojay some lawah because it is Budget Matikor!

 

Yes folks, the pre-Budget Rally to help us forget that Kamla and her Cabinet tried to free Ish and Steve with Section 34….and to grease us up to take the bull that will be Budget 2012/2013 is under way.

The CEPEP Workers Ready!

The Flags Ready!

The Ipads Ready!

Larry Ready!

Keshorn Ready!

The stage is in front of us time to get advantageous, rape the treasury and pump we flag!

Mind you, I hearing that the headliner act, Mr Heh Haaaa might be missing ah fete….we go see if he will let Miss Must Fete party without him tonight.

 

But in all seriousness folks we need to assess a few things.

Trinidad and Tobago, the land of 9 days wonders has broken that trend with Section 34, more than 20 days have passed and we still vexed as ever about the fast one this government try to pull on us and the constant lies, half truths and misdirections they keep pulling out of hats. Instead of Kamla Persad-Bissessar womanning up and telling the country the truth she gives us 30 minutes of televised lies in a speech and then tells Ernie Ross to handle the PR and marketing for the next week. Then in that week you have her bloggers attacking people using racist or violent language to do so. I see on Suruj Rambachan page they called Rowley Rawan…the old Hindu standby for insulting anyone of afro-creole descent….liken them to the greatest villain in the Ramleela, ent? One wonders if Warner will be given the role of Hanuman or Ram in this epic, given his proximity to Sita….

So, in this past week anyone who questioned the Government’s role in passing Section 34 was attacked, called racist, threatened with violence. Reporters who were doing their job and investigating and probing public officials were targetted and attacked by no less than the Minister of National Security….imagine Jack Warner has surpassed Manning for aggression and rumours of corruption! Media workers have been threatened with having the details of their personal lives and sexual orientations revealed….all in an attempt to intimidate them and make them cower before the might of the PP. A coalition government that Prakash Ramadhar remains committed to.

Well Mr Warner, let me save you the harassment. I am a try-sexual. I will try anything once except you and your stinking government…..and I put high on that list Doopeesingh, Roodimonster, &&, and yourself! Print that son…and keep harassing me.

What continues to bemuse me is the behaviour of UNC supporters, rabidly lashing out at all and sundry in defence of their party, and in defending their party they are defending and supporting shit! Not a group will stand up and say to Kamla and her small goal side ENOUGH! Not one of them will say to her publicly, this is wrong, you are hurting the nation…..not one of them will put country before tribe and yet they continue to carry the privilege of being called citizens.

In their bid for ethnic dominance in a multi-ethnic space they have lost sight the rights of other groups…..every creed and race can only have an equal place here, after they have had their fill…..tsk tsk UNC/COP….you will suffer for your greed. Mark my words….and I will write the obituary!

So today we have a fete…because Miss Must Fete needs her weapons of mass distraction…it’s the only way she can rule (not lead…never lead…and I point fingers now at the local Feminazis who have supported her, continue to support her and willingly line up for National Awards and yet never once speak about against the foolishness).

Today we will hear about all the good the Party has done.

Today we will hear about Manning, Rowley, Hart and how TheVote for It Too!

Today we will hear Howai deliver a revised budget, because with the country vex so, Kamla will try to give an elections budget of goodies and the treasury cannot afford it.

Today folks, we will hear our Budget be delivered at a fete!

We won’t hear them account for their spending of the last year…and remember they ased for money 2 more times after the intial budget and still went over budget in several ministries. We won’t hear any analysis of last year’s spending or how we are going to weather the economic storm that is here…..the drizzle done coming down….

We won’t hear how much this week’s public broadcast on all local stations and today’s Budget Matikor costing the tax payers…..instead we will hear that the Partnership is strong and LOOK AT PEOPLE! And we have a bigger crowd than Rowley….because political dick measuring is the level of responsibility that we have put into office.

We have gotten a pack of rotten, sickening spoilt brats as a government and they need to be disciplined.

But there is a shift in the winds folks….the citizens brought it on….the government is desperate. In their backrooms and corridors the Jahaji Desi’s are frightened. The UNC supporters are frightened. The COP remain helpless…content to guzzle what they can for as long as they are allowed to guzzle…..but the citizens are waking up.

I will be at Budget Matikor…look out for the videos as I post them up on Twitter and FaceBook and Veetle.

De Vice Cyah Done!

The Re-Shovelled Deck :A Govt on All Fours…

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The Re-Shovelled Cabinet. Photo courtesy Guardian website

(2years, 29dys)

I grew up in a house where All-Fours was a serious game. My uncle played tournaments. It would irk him to no end to see how casually his nieces and nephews would play things like Rummy without a properly shuffled deck, removal of the Jokers and proper cutting. It was from him I learned to play cards, to understand the signs of the game of All-Fours, and to know that even if I was dealt a weak hand, if my partner had a stronger hand, and we both understood the mechanics of bluffing and kept straight faces, we could come out with solid wins.

Kamla’s much anticipated re-shovelling of the Cabinet yesterday, went far beyond my expectations, and yet fell short of it in some ways. She was right to call it a Cabinet Reconfiguration, because that’s what she did. Kamla took her old cabinet to a joiner and basically asked, “How I could make this thing look and function different, without wasting the material?” After announcing the cabinet last night, the focus of everyone, from layman, to political parties to political gurus, was the appointment of the Minister of National Security. Supporters of the party hailed it as a good move, detractors frothed at the mouth, and some dashed off hastily written press releases. I was more interested in the details of the entire cupboard. My father is a joiner, is so I stop!

By now we all know who the players are in this NEW CABINET…and that’s what it is. Yes they are still calling themselves the  People’s Partnership, but the 2010 Cabinet and the 2012 Cabinet look very different. It’s almost as if we got a new government, without going to the polls…..that can’t be good, because it means that 2 years and 1 month into office, Kamla and her even larger Small Goal side are starting from scratch.

In the midst of an economic meltdown, spiralling crime rates, rising unemployment, meteoric food prices…..this government that promised to bring change, is attempting to press the re-set button and act like the last two years of misstepping didn’t happen.

The Old Cupboard….

Kamla, as card dealer, revealed two things last night: she knows that her government and governance is failing; and she knows she has to make her boldest move for Ejection 2015 (it’s not a misspelling) now!

Her speech last night was filled with the usual campaign rhetoric, but in a more subdued tone; because while Kamla’s words stated that her government had been working hard and achieving much, the Cabinet she was about to reveal said louder than anything else in the room that the PP has failed. Kamla referred to a depleted treasury, yet, we know that Dookeran came and met a stable economy; just as Devant Maharaj met a Caribbean Airlines that was in the black. We know too that in 2010 she met a crime rate that was lower than what we have right now.  But of course, this government never admits to making a mess of things, just like the last regime. So Kamla segued into listing her changes by implying that she consulted with the people and was now taking the criticism on board.

Understand that this Cabinet Re-Shovel comes in under one month since they spent $9m patting themselves on the back for being in power for 2 years and staying stronger than ever. In less than a month of that Eat Ah Food Fete the Partnership was destroyed when the MSJ broke ranks. It’s something she didn’t make mention of last night. Indeed the four parties that remain don’t like referring to the MSJ anymore because they know that in truth and fact they are no longer the People’s Partnership, but rather a UNC Alliance All Fours Team. And in future that’s how I’ll be referring to them.

This UNC Alliance is now faced with a significant task, turning the tide of public opinion that is growing against it. You see there are several levels of dissent Kamla has been coping with and her reconfiguration last night was meant to address all issues:

1. The MSJ Split

2. The COP discontent

3. The Muslim Vote Discontent

4. The Swing Vote Discontent over an under performing economy, spiralling crime, and corruption.

 

The MSJ Split means that the 5-party Panchayat is dead. This of course means that Kamla hs to pull the troops in tighter, closer, give the impression of being a tight-knit unit that includes everyone. Couple this with COP discontent over the San Fernando Mayorship and general feelings of being sidelined and ignored and the solution becomes clear: increase the number of COP members in the Cabinet, while giving Marlene Coudray a ministerial position. Look closely at the list of appointees and see what’s going on. No wonder Lincoln Douglas denied he agreed with Nalini Dial’s comments…and no wonder COP Cabinet Members and Executive members attacked Dial’s comments in such a savage way. In exercising her right to post tasteless comments on her private FB wall, Dial was upsetting the apple cart of new Eat Ah Food positions. Douglas publicly agreeing with Dial might have cost him a ministry. Now the COP has almost doubled the number of previously held positions and gone from 6 to 10 Cabinet posts. Several of those positions are held by people who never faced the electorate at the polls such as Bhoe Tewarie and Ganga Singh. To see Ganga Singh, whose name is synonymous with corruption at WASA be let back into our government has to be one of the most galling things on the face of the earth. Now Kamla’s Corruption Chorus Line of Goopeesingh, Ramadharsingh and Singh can just call themselves the Three Tenders.

The Cabinet still remains predominantly Hindu in terms of its religious make-up, but in the Jahaji Desi groups of late there has been a lot of complaint about the lack of Muslim representation. Whether unwilling or unable to add more Muslims, Kamla decided to kill two birds with one stone and add a COP member who comes from the most prominent political Muslim family. Her new Minister of Communication, Jamal Mohammed is the great-nephew of PNM stalwart Kamaluddin Mohammed, and nephew of former PNM Senator Nafeesa Mohammed. One member of the Mohammed Clan in Parliament must be the equivalent of about 50 muslims at least, right Madam PM? I hope those ratios work out for you.

Now  to issue number 4. Kamla is trading on a few givens with the Trinbagonian psyche. We have a high tolerance for corruption in this place, once our pockets not affected directly. Once we benefitting from a corrupt act or a corrupt person, Trinis will more often than not look the other way (Dear Lord thank you for my Tobagonian mother) and give people a bligh. And to the Europeans and Americans who don’t understand how there can be citizens of this country who’d support a man as obviously corrupt as Jack Warner being a member of government….that should now answer your question. Jack is beloved in his constituency because he gets things done…temporarily. And Trinis love a quick fix. Long term goals and vision does make them impatient…we like things to happen one time…and see immediate results…even if they worth fuck all. So an action man like Jack, who willing to put Fifa money where his mouth is will be immensely popular here. You want a wall built overnight? Jack will get it done….it’ll fall down the next time rain fall hard, but the point is he built the wall…and that’s what Trinis will remember. You want your national football team to get to the World Cup…easy peasy, Jack will get it done…but they don’t care that he has screwed over present and future generations of young local footballers to do so. So, Kamla, aware of all of this, appoints Warner as Minister of National Security. This appointment is an admission that John Sandy has failed and Trinis are fucked when it comes to the crime situation. Forget the SoE folks….the ultimate weapon in Kamla’s arsenal is about to be deployed. I feel quite certain that Jack has been given the mandate, by fair means or foul, bring that crime rate down! And this appointment is a double edged sword. If Jack succeeds, Kamla has 2015 in the bag….if Jack fails, he gets the axe and so does Kamla….if ever someone was relying on the strength of their partner’s hand it is Kamla.

Unfortunately this appointing of Jack as Security Minister means that the country will suffer in the short and long term. The appointment will further tarnish our international image. Even if Jack makes inroads into crime, it’ll be quick fixes. Downturns that will be quickly trumpeted all over the media, while the longterm side and after effects might just kill our children….23 years later local football still reeling from November 19th, 1989.

Larry Howai’s appointment as Minister of Finance is a better calculated risk. When the foreign team hired to turn FCB around from financial failure couldn’t do the job, it was Larry Howai that was promoted to do the job.  And I sincerely believe that he has been brought on board by Kamla to clean up the colossal mess that Dookeran made of the economy. Howai’s mandate has to be put a halt to the decline….and try and stimulate some growth, please. If he does that, he’ll be the PM’s blue eyed boy, because the two fronts on which Kamla was all geared to lose Ejection 2015, was crime and the economy…..sounds like PNM 2010 deja vu doesn’t it?

Mindful of the fact that she was getting rid of two Afro-Trinbagonians (and all yuh could cry for Verna all all yuh want, after what happened to Cheryl Miller under her tenure she deserved to be fired), and was likely to face a pounding for the ethnic make up of her Cabinet, Kamla ensured that she did the requisite window-dressing….and I want you guys to note that she ensured that the two (redundant) ministries that deal up with issues like culture and diversity are headed by Afro-Trinbagonians. Game to Kamla….let the black people and them complain now….Eintou if you aint get no money for you Support a Bad Habit Committee is because Douglas, not Kamla, turn you down.

She has also set herself up nicely to ensure that the grassroots battle for Tobago and Local Elections can be efficiently fought. The offensive Shoppin Toppin has been moved from everyone’s sight and put under Glen Ramadharsingh (shudder) and Delmon Baker is now at the forefront. It’s now up to Assworth Jack and his spinning TOP to do the necessary and try and bring home that THA Elections….Kamla depending on your hand boy!

Suruj Rambachan, who was  spectacularly inefficient as a Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communication Minister has now been made Minister of Local Government…..he’s close to all the plum Regional Corp contracts that make pocket lining so easy, and he can overseer the pack setting for next year’s local government elections. Chandresh Sharma has been given Transport, lucrative contracts and kickbacks for party financiers in that ministry as well.

So, now that we’ve arrived at this point I hope that the reader sees that the Reconfiguration exercise on the PM’s part was actually well thought out. She’s battling on several fronts and knows this. Yes, Jack Warner’s appointment as Security Minister is a big deal….but the even bigger deal here is that Kamla has begun to battle for 2015. Whether it will be effective now depends on performance. It is this that both the PNM and MSJ have to contend with.

Watch out too for the disappearance of the COP. With the MSJ gone the remaining members of the All Fours Alliance will begin to merge and morph and all sound the same. The COP’s identity is now entirely subsumed. No more standing up for principals and rights and Mayorships in San Fernando (ent Navi Murad-Ali?).

With a bigger Cabinet though comes more salaries to pay and more mouths to feed.

De Vice Cyah Done!

…The Cupboard Was Bare!

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It’s Cabinet Reconfiguration week, folks. And most, if not all of you, must know  the nursery rhyme Old Mother Hubbard!

Methinks a bare cabinet is what Kamla has been coping with these past few weeks (if not 2 years), because is the same rotting shelving board and rusty hinges she trying to move around to give the impression of a new look and freshness.

And that’s one of the sad things about our politics and governance. Look around you and notice that it’s often the same old, corrupt and dishonest geezers, or young party fanatics who are only too eager toe the party line, repeat drivel and assist in violating the country further.

Since Kamla’s announce that she was going to reconfigure her Cabinet…as opposed to reshuffle, because this PM likes new words for old things….the country has been rife with speculation about which ministers will be moved and who is likely to replace whom.

I want to be a little more pro-active than that and suggest my own changes:

National Insecurity is a big issue here. Everyone (except the govt) acknowledges that there are too many problems, serious crime is up, and People Resembling Sandy needs an anatomy lesson, because like he thinking with his elbow! Instead of setting a thief to catch a thief though….in other words, Making Jack Warner Minister of National Security….which is the most persistent rumour, Kamla should instead appoint the one thing that has been tripping up and stalling the criminal elements here and then some….yes, you got it…..STRAY BULLETS…..I endorsing Stray Bullet as Minister of National Insecurity.

The Ministry of Finance is another hotspot in Kamla’s Closet…ooops, Cabinet. Because our Minister of Finance might be the only person I know who could make a gyro cart, coconut vendor or doubles man go buss! It’s Fizzle, not fiscal policy with Dooks….so, my first choice for Min of Finance is Sauce Doubles, if he turn down the work because Curepe making more money than Dooks, then hire anyone of them “foreign nationals” on the Avenue!

 

 

 

I believe that our loud mouthed Attorney General, who can’t recognise a piano to save his life, but knows how to interfere with Integrity Commission enquiries should be replaced by the Consitution….plain and simple. Just rest it on the seat he used to occupy in Parliament. The Cover page alone more intelligent than Anand!

 

As for Sports, take yuh pick Kamla, a cricket bat, football or swimming pool will sound more coherent and sophisticated, and do more for Sport in this country than Anil could “talk” about in this lifetime. Plus all three objects know that drugs and sports don’t mix!!!!!!

You also need to move Suruj as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Information. Number one, no foreign or local person would have affairs with Suruj…number two Suruj is racist and is not a true reflection of our demography…in fact your entire Cabinet ignores the complexity of the country’s demography. But I think that is deliberate, because you endorsing the Indian Time Now policy….and that’s your prerogative, but at least get someone who understands how to conduct foreign affairs….pretty much any of the imported prostitutes from Latin America that (allegedly) know Ravi Ratiram name real good!

And for Information put Sat Maharaj…yes, you heard me. Since it going to be propaganda anyway, put somebody who will make me laugh. I want to hear Sat talk about who wearing and aint wearing underwear….it seems to be quite a fixation with him…first was the OJT underwear lines, then was Harry Harnarine’s. I want to listen to Sat talk about Indians here as if they are still citizens of the continent of India….and I want to watch the Indian community here continue to remain mum on the issue of Sat and your government and the tensions and misconceptions about our society your are intent on creating.

I can’t think of who could replace Chandresh Sharma in your closet, Kamla? Maybe we should give HD a turn? After all, he sing real soca tune about Hard Wuk…..and you done very practised at handing him cheques and holding his hands in public!

Any blank copy book you find can replace Grim Doopeesingh…..and any jackass not named Deviant could handle the Transport Ministry.

 

Is Friday Folks…and apparently International No Drawers (Panty) Day….how fortunate for the Cupboard Lady!

 

De Vice Cyar Done!

Crime Clusterf@$k/Political Pantomime 22mts, 17dys: Salary Increase????

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The PM delivering a speech in Parliament in 2010...her salary, along with the salary of our MPs are up for review...Photo courtesy Jyoti Communications website.

Plenty new and interesting stories on the horizon today folks, the Salaries Review Commission contemplating increasing the salaries of the PM and her MPs, the last time they got a salary increase was 2006.

As a worker, I could understand it…but as a citizen of this country looking at all of the abuses of state funds and state infrastructure, and the pure underperformance of most, if not all, ministers, I’m against it. Last May the parliament quietly gave itself the right to drive state vehicles as well as keep its travel allowance.

The PM agreed to a salary cut for herself and her ministers to top up a Children’s Life Fund, any salary increase should go directly to that fund. As far as I am concerned they’re already paid too much to do too little, with no accountability and no pressure to perform!

Ag Superintenant Bisnath Maharaj  is the new SSA Director, says the Express, he replaces Reshmi Ramnarine. The appointment is not yet officially announced. I waiting to hear who Bisnath related to.

The PM is confident that today’s peace talks with other Partnership leaders will go well. We are confident too that Prakash has totally boiled down and that all is once again well with the coalition. So, all that talk about the COP being abused in the Partnership, about the Party being forced to accept the dictates of the UNC is now just that, talk…..and see how we playing nice? We making Dooks the Acting PM in Kamla’s absence. We Stronger than Ever…..repeat it often.

Mr Shoppin Toppin has come forward to say his wife is an honest woman…when you consider that the underground allegations are that the credit card was being swiped by him at ATMs….and to date I still wonder why no one ever demanded ATM footage to know who was swiping the card…he’d better come out and defend his wife because she may well be supporting his expensive tastes off that credit card. Everybody and their husband eating ah food with this government, oui.

Two of the leading stories of the day deal with the sexual abuse of minors. And I’m hoping that Minister St Rose Greaves will spend less time assuring the media that Cheryl Miller is mentally unstable and earn her salary by tabling the Children’s Bill. Between March 3rd to the present this government has used excuse after excuse for why the Bill can’t be tabled. Maybe in light of the assault on little Aaliyah Johnson and the 5 yr-old-boy who allowed himself to be buggered in exchange for sweets by several boys and men, Verna will start to act like a Ministers and a little less like an authoritarian standing by as abuse takes place. I believe that a revamped Bill with stiffer penalties are necessary. And it’s been necessary years now. This is a government that does well gallery itself about the Life Fund it started, and the Oncology Centre for Children that they turn some dirt for, and yet 22 months later, they can’t table the Children’s Bill for debate?

The news reporting 10 murders in the last 5 days…..repeat after me, “There is a Crime Plan, the SoE was a success.”

So, now I hearing that Omar Khan really resign because he name jumping in talk about misconduct in public life. The Integrity Commission is now conducting investigations into the Ministry of Public Utilities, specifically T&TEC , because there is talk about abuse of public funds while Khan was there. Further it appears that Khan’s qualifications, attached to a Cabinet note were in fact inaccurate because he doesn’t have a Bsc in Engineering or an MBA from the Institute of Business. Bobol and more bolbol with this government. There are investigations into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Communications, because it is alleged that Minister Suruj Rambachan has interfered with the media freedom.

Is bobol and more bobol with this government. When you want to learn how to undermine a system and abuse state resources just take pattern after the members of the People’s PArtnership. No wonder the Guardian UK said that JAck Warner was fortunate to find employers with lower ethical standards than FIFA….what that really tell you about the people who running this place?

De Vice Cyah Done!

TWICKS (This Week in Clusterf@$KS: March 19-25th) Elections, Ejections, Insurrections…and Good Family Values

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And the parodies of Kamla continue. Photos today all courtesy memgenerator.net.

 

How you think Suruj Rambachan take he coffee this morning after Jack Warner’s win as party chairman? Black and bitter?

Well, as I predicted, Jack is Back and is not we say so, is the people say so!

Following a UNC internal election that was fraught with problems: voters being turned away,  

Voters not finding their names on the list even though some of them were lifetime members, and an extremely low voter turn out, that not even UNC Elections Chairman Khemchan Ramdath wants to comment on. According to Sampson Nanton, of CNC 3, who was at the Rienzi Complex last night, UNC voter turn out was approximately 13,000; this is from a list of 81,000 registered voters.  When questioned about the low turnout, Ramdath quickly corrected Nanton and said he “feel” the number is actually closer to 20,000. That didn’t make it better…this is a party that swept to victory in 2010 with hundreds of thousands of people voting for it….it’s registered list of voters is 81,000 and barely 20% of its electorate turned out to vote….Are the party members disentchanted? Is it that they didn’t know yesterday was the Internal Elections? That can’t be…because Herbert Volney text me twice and people from Jack Warner’s camp was actually making phone calls…even to PNM members, to come out an vote. So what, pray tell, accounts for the low voter turn out yesterday. And how can the PM claim that yesterday’s elections shows democracy when there were all of these flaws and discrepancies?

Is she lying? Being ironic? Or being disingenuous?

I can’t begin to tell you the concerns this raises for me with the 2015 General Elections about voter turn-out, as well as the transparency of voting lists. Why is it that in an election process that described itself as open, free and fair, so many people couldn’t have access to the voting lists? The UNC really needs to check itself, the party’s name has become synonymous with corruption, deceit, malpractice, litigation and lots of other generally nasty things. And considering that a significant sector of this country regards the party as the “Indian” party and representative of the “Indian” demographic, by proxy, people are going to associate the party’s negative image with its supporters….lemme break it down: If the party corrupt, then its supporters corrupt…..and you know how does generalise in Trinidad and Tobago…If people saying the supporters corrupt it will soon be “all indians corrupt”. Watch yourself UNC, you are doing a disservice to your supporters with your questionable activities.

Well, everybody know Marlene Coudray removed herself from the COP this week….a self-ejection that had the politics hot. Word is this morning that new comer Coudray beat Fuad “Card” Khan for the position of 3rd deputy political leader in the UNC internal elections. But that aint even the juiciest piece of Marlene’s story….after all that bluster and grand charge from Joseph Toney and Prakash Ramadhar this week; and all the comments about how the “poaching” of party members by the UNC is a dangerous thing etc…and Marlene taunting Prakash to say she is not an egg, she can’t be poached (10 pts to Marlene with that inaccurate response to a word whose meaning she unclear on)…is to wake up this morning and find out that is more than the pestle in the mortar and that COP’s relationship with Marlene Coudray very complicated and shaky since 2010.

So it appears that Marlene knew precisely what she meant when she told journalists earlier this week that she stopped being an active COP member almost two years now. And Prakash….I don’t need to tell you that the current story that bubbling up from through the cracks of your party’s information channels smelling bad!

It’s been another week of protests in south Trinidad, from Claxton Bay to Mayaro. we had that sterling bit of behaviour from MP Winston Gypsy Peters this week that indicated only too well the People’s Panchayat govt’s position on political patrimony…we only here to serve our people….not PNM people…..the PM, as ever, was mum on Gypsy’s outburst. Her refusal to address any controversial issue head on has become my favourite feature of female leadership. Because whenever I hear any of the feminists defending her cry for “special needs” as a female PM, I think yes, of course….sealant for her lips to avoid explanation or accountability for any and all matters of state that require actual leadership!

The strike at TCL has also taken on a sinister tone, with a lot of violence and each side labelling the other terrorist. Errol of Clan McLeod, aka the Labour Minister, is treading cautiously as mediator of the negotiations. I can almost hear him now…Boromir style: One does not simply intervene between TCL Management and OWTU Protestors!

But the biggest story this week has to be Squandermania inna 4D….aka Family Values…aka the PM the big spender and minder of her entire family on the State’s pocket.

This week several stories made it’s way to the surface:

It is alleged that Kamla used the Govt Visa Travel card to pay for her Machel Monday pumped up kicks..aka $5000 Louis Vs.

It is alleged that Kamla pays almost $2000 daily to have her hair done. It is also alleged that she fired Bally as her hair dresser mere weeks ago because he had become too pricey and has instead hired a Filipino woman to dress her hair. This hair dresser is housed in a hotel at the State’s expense. Mind you, the PM’s official residence has a hair dressing salon in it….why doesn’t the PM just use her hair dresser there? Could it be she doesn’t actually live there?

It is printed in the newspaper, that Kamla’s sister Vidwattie Newton, who she swears she pays out of her own pocket, received a check from the govt in 2010 that Nicole Dyer is now claiming is a per diem for travelling with her sister on some trip or the other. The PNM has promised to keep the heat on the matter.

It is alleged that Vidwattie Newton, 2 sons and 1 other nephew live at the PM’s official residence while the PM herself lives at her private home in Phillipines.

It has been stated categorically by Minister of Foreign Affairs, sew…Suruj Rambachan that the PM’s use of state funds to look after her family, and her use of not one, but two residences, is actually as a result of values she acquired from growing up in an extended family and therefore, we should be happy, and stop criticising the PM because in practising nepotism and abuse of state funds the PM is in fact an exemplar of good family values.

It is now alleged that an elevator that was purshased by the state to be installed in an HDC building has been deployed to another State building, the PM’s official residence. There will now be another elevator in the PM’s residence to allow her to get to her bedroom more comfortably.

This PM has surpassed Patrick Manning for her open abuse of public funds. To date the lavishness of the PM’s official residence is what can be pinned on Manning…and his defence is a simple one…it belongs to the State. How does the Kamla justify leaving her family to live at the state’s expense and then having taxpayers support  the upkeep, security and maintenance of a second home? And all of this money is being squandered during harsh economic times….so the the average Trinbagonian who ketching dey arse to make ends meet, gets to hear about the PM and her friends and family, living it up!

Kamla has gone quickly from being a breath of fresh air, and symbol of new politics to smelling like something decayed and stale. She is colonial politics dressed up in expensive clothes, hair and make-up and made to look modern. But the citizens know the difference….that’s what accounts for the low voter turnout even from her support base and the daily criticism from her objectors and opposition.

And in the manner of all foolish leaders in this country Kamla has now become a joke to be parodied around the internet in various jokes and memes….and at this rate….she’s going to be a historical footnote in our political history come 2015.

In other news, the murder toll is now 86 murders for the year thus far. TSTT CEO resigns under protests and West Indies beating Australia in One Day games…it could only be 2012 folks.

Have a great week!

DE VICE CYAH DONE!

Clusterf@$ked! State Sponsored Racism People’s Partnership Style!

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The most honourable sew.....ooops, Surujrattan Rambachan himself. Photo courtesy Newsday's website.

During the campaign season of May 2010, fmr PM Patrick Manning on a stage in the Hi Lo carpark of St. Augustine, before a crowd of diehards, sipped from a bottle of Blue Waters and assured the crowd that only water was flowing on his platform, but he was sure something stronger was flowing on the other platform.

As I stood on the sidewalk observing the meeting I said to my friends, “That’s why I can’t vote for the PNM. Any party that promoting that kind of subtle stereotyping and racism, on shit.” What Manning was easily doing on his platform that night was giving credence to an age old stereotype that Indians are alcoholics.

Thereafter I was totally disgusted with all things PNM.

On the night of May 24th, while tears of joy, hugs, congratulations and elation was flowing at the Rienzi Complex, Roodal Moonilal announced to the crowd, in a moment of pure abandon that has been seared indelibly on my mind that,  with the PP’s victory he could now celebrate holidays like Emancipation….it was then and there that any respect I had for the People’s Partnership came to an end.

In the 21 months and 29 days that this government has been in power there have been regular displays of State Sponsored Racism  by them. It is a situation that I have been watching and commenting on, but today the Pantomime going to take these idiots to task!

The average post colonial government is interested in two things: regulating the state (via discipline and control of the population, usually through the police and armed forces) and retaining political power in order to control state resources…keep that very clear….PNM, UNC, COP….all want the same thing.

We have, since May 2010, observed that this government has decided to use the Treasury as its own petty cash till and state vehicles, state housing, state credit cards as their own private property.

Apart from this general abuse of all things belonging to the State and therefore the people of Trinidad and Tobago, the government has also sought to promulgate the good old colonial stand-by practice of divide and rule to ensure that it keeps its party base solidly behind  it and in support of all its policies, good or bad….because at the end of the day everyone knows that the UNC on it’s own doesn’t seem like an inclusive party. The bitter after taste of 1995′s “Is Indian Time Now” got rid of that impression. The general public thinks of it as the Indian party, members of the UNC think of it as the Indian party, scholars who write about race and politics refer to the UNC as the Indian-led party….so the thing that makes the UNC appear to be an all-inclusive party is/was the COP, because it had middle and upper class voters from across the ethnic divide…who all felt they could no longer throw their weight behind an arrogant and indifferent PNM govt that also seemed too tribal for their tastes.

So now we have a government that disguised itself as All-inclusive but at every turn has subtly and overtly been promoting ideas of ethnic superiority.

Let’s take a look:

From the start of their campaign in the early part of 2010, the PP coalition was careful never to mention the words “African” or “race” on its platform…but it took great pains to assure its supporters that Kamla was being attacked, fought and vilified because she was both Indian and Female….supporters of the PNM were therefore considered to be both racist and sexist….and it is a theme that that has persisted in their party rhetoric ever since. Jack Warner himself insisted later in 2010, after they had won the elections, that Kamla was being given a hard time because not only was she a female Prime Minister, she was also an Indian Prime Minister…such comments were made to put the Afro-descended people of Trinidad and Tobago on the back foot. To say anything negative about Kamla meant that you were both racist and sexist…it couldn’t possibly mean that you had a problem with her bad policies and inconsistencies…it meant that you were prejudiced.

In pushing this head, the Government effectively painted the percentage of the population that supported the PNM goverment, or, that looked like what they assumed to be the PNM’s voter base: Afro-Trinbagonians, as racist and even sexist…..Afro-Trinbagonians didn’t have common sense to see the wrongs being perpetrated agains the entire society….Afro-Trinbagonians just prejudiced.

As 2011 wore on it became worse…there were insidious remarks being made online and offline about negative social values that were associated strictly with the Afro-Trinbagonian community.

Let me put it in common language. Black people wotliss, only like to drink, fete, party, buy clothes and shoes, have no business head and NO FAMILY LIFE! Any part of that list make you think of the PM on Machel Monday night? Answer me straight?

The mantra of BLACK PEOPLE HAVE NO FAMILY LIFE became insistent and persistent. The message that began to subtly emanate from the government….and that was overtly being said online by many pro People’s Partnership supporters was that the black family, or lack thereof was what was wrong with Trinidad and Tobago. By the time of the 107-day SoE the government was subversively attacking “young black males from single-parent homes” and “people resembling” John Sandy. So careful was the government about not saying Black People or Africans, that when Minister of National Security John Sandy went onto CNMG on the evening of August the 22nd, accompanied by the AG, to defend the call for the SoE, he was reluctant to express it, but eventually said, “young black men from single parent homes.”  And after he said it, the AG repeated it, several times.
We had not one, but TWO of the most prominent government ministers stating blatantly on national television that the problem with Trinidad and Tobago was young black men from single parent homes….in short…lemme translate it….black men are criminals and the cause of all our problems!

Not one aspect of white collar crime was effectively addressed or dealt with during that SoE.

Then 2 weeks later in Parliament…unsure of how to say it again, Sandy stated that the majority of the criminals in Trinidad and Tobago’s society are “people who look like me.” In case you missed it, Sandy is tall, muscularly built, dark skinned and for all intents and purposes appears to be an Afro-Trinbagonian….but I doubting his ethnicity long time.

The SoE saw over 8000 people be arrested, most of them young black men. For the first 2 weeks of the SoE every night there were images of young black males being arrested and tossed into the back of vehicles…and the government was trumpeting loudly, “THE SoE is a SUCCESS”….months later, of the 8000 plus that were detained, only 13% of that figure was actually charged with something….yet for the national community the mental images of young black men in handcuffs being led away by police remain….and the message sent by the government then was….ONLY BLACK COMMITTING CRIMES….and don’t get me started on the initial hot spot list that targetted black-dominant areas…as if crime in Trinidad and Tobago only limited to “certain” communities.

Throughout that entire SoE the race war raged online and supporters of the PP gleefully endorsed the SoE and trumpeted everywhere that blacks are monkeys (don’t forget the airline pilot with the FB post that said it folks), that blacks don’t have any family life and could only be criminals….in fact one prominent blogger in the past has indicated that if all black people were thrown into the sea Trinidad would be a safer place. PEANUTS anyone?????

Jump forward to the Motion of No Confidence. Roodal Moonilal spent much of the time on his feet responding to Rowley’s list of complaints against the government by labelling Rowley a racist! Yes….you heard me…after Rowley list the issue of Reshmi’s name change and alleged job in the Ministry of Education, the issues with surveillance and defence breaches, the issue of Shoppin Toppin’s credit card fetish, the issue of the stagnant economy….Roodal’s best response to the criticism of the government is that Rowley is racist.

Keep it firmly in mind folks….to criticise any wrong doing of this government makes you racist!

A letter from a suppporter of the PM endorsing Nepotism as Good Cultural Values

Now jump ahead to 2 nights ago….Sewage….sorry, I  had a septic overflow in my apartment this morning….Suruj Rambachan announces on state television, in a post-cabinet meeting that the PMs abuse of state property and state funds is justified because she is merely showing good cultural values…..again the implied message is….Indo-Trinbagonians have culture and traditions….Afro-Trinbagonians don’t. Afro-Trinbagonians don’t know about family life….that is why they don’t understand why the PM’s entire family living off the state…No Sewage…oops…I mean Suruj…that’s not good cultural valus…that’s NEPOTISM, son! And it look like I hadda school yuh!

For those of you interested, his comments can be found at this link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150613227276433 ( i not on my pc…so embedding is a task)

I aint have time to deal with all the other crap the government doing today….

But my message to my readers today is this….

If the Government doing shit and you speak up about it, you’re not racist, you’re sensible….

If you feel like criticising the PM’s defective policies, you’re being a citizen, not a racist.

To all supporters of the People’s Partnership whose first response to criticism of the govt is to justify lying, stealing, unaccountability etc by saying it’s GOOD CULTURAL VALUES….you’re being prejudiced…..

Don’t fall for the State Sponsored Racism that the People’s Partnership pushing….their MO is divide and rule….and stifle your criticism by making you feel that to speak out against their abuse of the system is racist….

CRITICISING YOUR GOVERNMENT ISN’T RACIST…IT’S YOUR CONSTITUTIONALLY ENSHRINED RIGHT!

The only racists I seeing right now are sitting in Parliament!

DE VICE CYAH DONE!

Crime Clusterf@$k/Political Pantomime 21mts, 3dys: Panic at the Disco!

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The Pink Palace in Penal was aswarm with Government Ministers and UNC activists ready to march against the No Confidence Motion being brought to you by the letters PNM, the numbers 10 and the Keith of Rowley!

 

Is real Panic at the Disco for the People’s Panchayat!

Kamla summon her whole deck of cards…..except Jack!

The Government that has never stopped campaigning is going into hyperdrive this week.

All because the Keith of Rowley and his paltry band of 10…wait, 9, because Patos on the road to recovery….are about to deliver a No Confidence Motion????
Surely in a partnership that is stronger than ever, with a slew of ministers who performing so efficiently and a the hardest working Prime Minister in the world Queen Kamla can’t posibly be afraid?
So then why 3 public meetings this week?

To avert what?
To explain what?
You aint even make 2 good years in government yet and you already have to convince YOUR constitutents? Water more than flour boy!

Mind you Scott Drugg Report Rambachan is insisting that the govt not panicking and instead trying to make out that the Balisier  Tie Affair is a larger issue. Drugg Report Rambachan also trying to convince us that the group of activists who petitioning for a shift in the highway route also asked the PM to hold public meetings of national importance. Desperate much?

PNM all yuh look for that though…..all yuh well embarass all yuh self with that public squabble over which knot it make more sense to go with in Parliament…As a political party you have yet to prove to a wider public that you are capable of change and evolution. All yuh try to pressure Rowely and end up defecating right where all yuh have to eat…PUBLICLY….Carry on Smartly with the internal squabbles and see where it will get you…..

While the Panchayat’s inner circle running like headless chicken to drum up support and figure out what The Keith has up his sleeve, Principal Sita Gajadharsingh-Nangar fights with a security guard and the Minister of Women’s Unmentionables indicates “It wasn’t us!” It appears that this Principal won’t get a break. The Maha Sabha  and its supporters continue to attack her and people continue to give them their support. What is happening to Gajadharsingh-Nanga is abusive and illegal….but not a voice has been lifted in condemnation of Sat!

In the latest We Were Never Going After Calder Hart news, the probe’s chief investigator is going on 21 months leave….like he in government? I wonder where An& Ramlogan these days? What really has this AG of ours achieved since he get into government? And it seems Glibbs under fire for stalling too. Glibbs you will never get fired, boy…you are too good a Fall Guy. By tomorrow they go blame you for the KFC Baby death…watch and see!

The country’s murder toll hit 61. But the kuchoor in the politics so intense people don’t even have time to pay attention to who get murdered these days.

TCL strike to hit tomorrow….well let me see how the government dealing with a strike and no-confidence motions and Glibbs and Vasant and Jack and whatever else gets thrown at them this week!

Is the hunt on for a new SSA head? Government have 3 more days before the current contract expires…are they making a move to renew or replace? Any family members applied?

Eviction for former SAUTT head?

De Vice Cyah Done!