ABC to be UNC
Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2001
THE EDITOR: Judging from Basdeo Panday reneging on his accord with the nation. It seems that the following rules apply, where he is concerned for UNC members.
1] You must believe that Basdeo Panday could never be wrong.
2] You must believe that Basdeo Panday is always right.
3] You must refer to rule #1 if you have any doubts or questions.
4] If you still have doubts then rule #2 applies.
Jasper Webster
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Office first, later for country
Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2001
By Raffique Shah
I'M TEMPTED to echo a remark made famous by CLR James. Whenever politics in this country, and oftentimes elsewhere in the world, took a particular turn, "Nello" would turn to us lesser mortals and say: "I told you so!" But then I'm not in Nello's league, and I won't arrogate unto myself the status of political pundit or guru.
Still, I was not surprised when Basdeo Panday and his MPs, as well as those UNC members who benefitted from the spoils of office, decided not to honour the agreement reached with the PNM as soon as they realised that Patrick Manning, not Panday, will be the new Prime Minister. In other words, all Panday's rhetoric about "a mature people showing the world we could work things out peacefully", was just so much hogwash. What he had hoped for was that he could dupe Manning into accepting him (Panday) back in office, in which case he would have jettisoned the agreement as soon as he got control of the House and the Senate.
President Robinson rained on Panday's planned parade by choosing Manning over him. And therein lies the main bone of contention: MORE
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Winner take nothing
Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2001
By Denis Solomon
I KNEW it would never have worked, but I confess I didn't foresee how quickly it would collapse.
What a bunch of clowns we have produced! From Arthur N R Robinson, with his waffling about spirituality, down to Sat Maharaj with his bin Laden similes, the political class of Trinidad and Tobago has revealed itself in all its glory. Ignorance, stupidity, bad faith, arrogance, suspicion, superstition, greed; a persistent refusal of objectivity, a total incapacity to see beyond the immediate rewards of office; these are the qualities that starkly characterise the politics of Trinidad and Tobago at this moment. And they are displayed against a Constitutional background that both the major actors and the country as a whole persistently refuse to see as offering no possible legal way out of the monkey-pants.
Everybody fooled themselves that the "deliberate judgment" clause of the Constitution empowered the President to appoint a Prime Minister without a majority. (The Express said that in an editorial as late as December 28). This nonsense enabled us to blind ourselves to the fact that the UNC-PNM "agreement" would solve nothing even when Robinson had made his choice. Mr Robinson, knowing full well that the clause was both legally irrelevant and politically useless, should either have refused to make any appointment or, having made it, kept his mouth shut. MORE
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A gentlemen's agreement?
Posted: Saturday, December 29, 2001
By Donna Yawching
OKAY, so let's run through this again. Two men, who just happen to hold the fate of the nation in their hands, meet to negotiate power. After days of bargaining, arguing, cajoling, threatening, whatever, they emerge smiling and patting each other's backs like old buddies.
They have, we are told, not just arrived at but actually signed an agreement. They have agreed to cooperate in Parliament, for the good of the country. Like two veteran boxers unable to knock each other out, they have also agreed to leave the final declaration of a winner to the referee–who, in this case, happens to hold the highest office in the land.
They both agree that he will decide, in his absolute discretion, who the Chosen One shall be; and that this decision will be accepted without question or complaint -both men, presumably, speaking on behalf of their followers.
Sounds simple, doesn't it? MORE
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PNM, a most embarrassing spectacle
Posted: Saturday, December 29, 2001
by Carol
The most embarrassing spectacle is the new Manning's arrogance and games. He is humiliating the PNM supporters by his brazen conduct. Already we are hearing that overtures are being made to UNC members to cross the floor the very thing for which they condemned the UNC.
He has increased the size of the cabinet to employ most of his supporters. This was another of the actions for which the condemned the UNC.
Controversial figures like Lenny Saith, Knowlson Gift and Arnold Piggot are returned to cabinet as if he has a mandate from the people to do as he wishes. To add insult to injury he has made his Wife a minister demonstrating the hypocrisy in condemning UNC's nepotism.
What can we the citizens expect?
We can expect more of the same corruption, wastage and lies.
Apparently Manning is out to ensure that in whatever short period he holds office he would never be reduced to poverty again.
Don't get me wrong, I detest the UNC but PNM cannot be the alternative.
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Is it another 'old boys' club cover-up?
Posted: Friday, December 28, 2001
by Geoff Hudson
Unlike my more "gentlemanly" anti-corruption allies who shrink from what they stuffily refer to as "ad hominem" comment (and which they would view as "in fra dig"!) I have no such reticence and happily tell Mr Panday "I told you so"! I wrote numerous anti-Piarco contract letters which, in reality every instance, Newsday graciously published. Many then were the apologists and defenders of that shameful shed, but who have now subsided into (hopefully embarrassed) silence.
Many professional journalists and political commentators have repeatedly and erroneously stated that the Panday-Maharaj rift started with the UNC party elections and I have rejoined "Not so!" It commenced with Maharaj's telling the Panday Cabinet that giving the Piarco contract back to Galbaransingh, following the Deyalsingh Commission of Enquiry, was "ultra vires" the Constitution.
This is the same Constitution that President Robinson said he relied heavily on during his Christmas Eve televised address to the nation. Panday was, by the way, safely in St Lucia on other business when his fellow Cabinet members did what their Attorney General told them was illegal (then they said that they didn't do so - NIPDEC did so! A flagrant distortion.)
All are free to hold and state their views (something that Panday did not encourage nor support) but I will always maintain that, first and foremost, Piarco was Panday's downfall. The Rule of Law is there. One can insult it, ignore it, sneer at it and defile it, but ultimately one does so at one's own risk. Panday was headstrong and seemingly had a chip on his shoulder after years in opposition, he lost his perspective and any proper sense of values and propriety. His being a lawyer by profession condemns him more. Ignorance of the Law is no excuse but he could not even plead that!
The UNC, on assuming office in 1994, said not one word about Manning's surrendering TTEC's generating independence to a foreign entity which it had previously condemned just as Manning, on assuming office in 1991, said nothing about Robinson's NAR in its last days in office hurriedly signing the AMOCO 20-year National Gas Contract (terms and conditions secret) which the PNM too had previously condemned and lambasted.
I notice Manning, barely in office for 48 hours, is already praising Panday! What are we to get now? Another "Old Boys' Club" cover up of all the highly questionable, suspect matters during the one and a quarter Panday Administrations?
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Panday the traitor
Posted: Friday, December 28, 2001
By E. Small
Basdeo Panday and his bunch of cronies has once again tried to betray the psyche of all right thinking Trinbagonians. I am one who had seen through the facade of this new found willingness to discuss urgent national issues.
Just when we thought the goodly gentleman had turned over a new leaf (not) there he goes acting true to form and breaking the 10 point agreement between himself and the PNM leadership (as though we were expecting anything different).
Panday I remember when you were in opposition and the then house speaker Occah Seepaul had pugered herself in court, you agreed with Manning to remove her. We all know the outcome of that. What about the changing of the financial year - from January to October? What about the crime bill which caused Hulsie Bhagan to leave the UNC? Didn't you give Mr. Manning your commitment then? You've proven time and time again that you cannot keep your word and that you are a prime example of what a traitor looks like.
The only sad thing is that your followers can't see beyond race. If they could, they would have turned against you a long time ago. You are not only a traitor to your tribe, but to all of Trinidad & Tobago. You had a golden opportunity as the first Indo-Trinidadian Prime Minister and you failed miserably.
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Maha Sabha: President Robinson’s statement biased and divisive
Posted: Friday, December 28, 2001
The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) has said President Arthur NR Robinson is "a symbol of national disunity" based on his statements made on Monday when he announced Patrick Manning as Prime Minister.
President Robinson in announcing his decision in an address to the nation said he had turned for guidance to Almighty God as well as to oaths of office which members of high public office are obligated to take — that is, to discharge their duties conscientiously, impartially, without favour and honesty in arriving at his decision.
In a release the SDMS Secretary General, Sat Maharaj, said his excellency's claim that God assisted him "is offensive to people who have other ideas concerning the role of divine intervention in our political affairs". Maharaj said the SDMS considered the President's statement as being "biased, tenacious and divisive". The SDMS further stated that the constitution did not give the President the right to "scoff at the decision of the majority of voters — 278,781—who wanted Basdeo Panday and the UNC to continue in government".
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Treacherous Men!
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2001
By Dr. Roberts
The UNC! What more can be said about that bunch of thugs? The impact of the new Government has not even sunk into the psyche of the people as yet, and the tribal drums are sounding. They want out! Pure plain and simple. So it would seem that the 10-point agreement isn't even worth the computer paper it was printed on. It just goes to further concretize our goodly, albeit frail president's concerns about morality and spiritual values in the country and when weighed in the balance, UNC-again- is found to be wanting. So, will there be:
1. No commissions of enquiry?
2. No EBC cleanup?
3. Fresh elections next 3 weeks?
4. More time for the perpetrators to scrub their hands and try to expunge all evidence before the forensic investigators come in?
I think Dhanraj, Jagdeo Singh and Tim Gopeesingh are all lonely men, why not let them have some company so they can reminisce on old times?
We live in interesting times, don't we?
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UNC cannot go forward until Panday accounts
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2001
FORMER Naparima MP Ralph Maraj believes that the United National Congress (UNC) cannot go forward until and unless the party asks its political leader Basdeo Panday to say why he was unwilling to tackle the allegations of corruption levelled against his administration.
However Maraj questioned whether the members of the UNC had the "wherewithal" to ask the former Prime Minister to account on this issue.
Maraj told Newsday yesterday that he was pleased with the appointment of People's National Movement (PNM) Political Leader Patrick Manning as Prime Minister and felt Manning's appointment presented an opportunity to "re-establish and deepen good governance in Trinidad and Tobago".
" I have no doubt that he (Manning) will immediately set up commissions of inquiry into allegations of corruption," he declared and pledged to "remain in the politics to help establish good governance".
Maraj praised President Arthur NR Robinson for exercising "wisdom and sound judgement" throughout the events arising out of the unprecedented December 10 electoral deadlock.
Regarding the political future of the UNC, Maraj agreed with former Attorney-General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj that Panday's refusal to tackle the corruption issue has resulted in the party occupying the Opposition benches in Parliament once more. He added that at this time the UNC "should do a deep analysis of their situation" in order to decide where the party goes from here.
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Pact conceals more than it reveals
Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2001
By Stephen Kangal
As a fitting climax to the theatrics of the recent election campaign, the electorate dealt a not entirely unexpected rude awakening to the main protagonists of the recently concluded political drama. Having being driven to hammer out a Ten-Point National Elections Avoidance Emergency Pact, the leaders appealed to the much maligned media, aka the sacrificial lamb, to market the contents of the delicately negotiated package to the electorate.
I hope that the media fraternity will not be seduced into stymieing public discussions of the proposals because the Pact is notable more for what it conceals than what it reveals.
The likelihood of an election tie was well known at least two weeks before polling day. Yet promises and education bombshells rained ceaselessly on the hustings. This expected political stalemate is now being used and abused as an excuse for political bargaining and trade-off. It is also being cited as the unforeseen mitigating circumstance to circumvent, albeit on a temporary permanent basis, the promises contained in the respective manifestoes which, in the words of the UNC, constituted a social contract with the electorate and which contract is now being unilaterally breached.
Why must important national interest issues relating to investigation of widely perceived allegations of corruption be relegated to the back burner and be obfuscated and diluted with peripheral non-issues? Is the Ten Point Pact intended to replace and supplant manifesto promises? Can we ever accord credibility to and hold governments accountable for their future election manifestoes since they can be suspended for the most frivolous reasons? Would the Leaders have us believe that they have not recommended to The President who should be appointed Prime Minister in spite of having agreed on a Parliamentary collaborative agenda and made the identification of a Speaker a pre-condition to the appointment of a PM? Why did they include item 1 in the Pact when it was The President's constitutional prerogative ab initio to appoint a PM? What is the quid pro quo for agreeing to a certain PM? Is the March Presidency at stake? These are legitimate questions that the electorate must ask. For Mr Panday to impute that "...anyone who walks away from it (the Agreement) will pay for it politically and pay dearly..." is symptomatic of his alienation from the psyche of the electorate. Is the accord relating to the non-investigation of the EBC and non-appointment of A Special Prosecutor so sacrosanct that it has instantaneous effect?
The Honourable PM deluded himself into believing that he was so au fait with the mood and modus operandi of electorate that when he hurriedly reverted prematurely and confidently to them for a new mandate they rejected him.
He has in fact paid dearly for going back to them four years ahead of time. He cannot speak now with authority about the electorate's sacred role and function vis-…-vis the Pact to the population at large hoping to containerise them in support of a hurriedly and secretly concluded limited agreement which is yet to be debated and passed in Parliament and which transgresses manifesto promises.
The media should not sheepishly submit itself to the whims, fancies and unpredictable wild mood swings of those political opportunists and chameleons who, when it suited them, denigrated and discredited media reporting functions and sought to incite their supporters unnecessarily against the media in their quest to derive cheap political mileage.
In conclusion I am convinced that the media will not now abdicate its responsibility to educate, inform and encourage healthy deliberations within the ranks of the governed.
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Reactions to the appointment of the new PM
Posted: Tuesday, December 25, 2001
Roy Augustus - Newsday
Roy Augustus, who was Junior Minister in the Education Ministry, said, "No comment as yet." He said the appointment was not discussed by him and other members of the UNC and until such time he would rather not comment.
Jearlean John - Newsday
Jearlean John, who was Transport Minister, said that Robinson's decision was a difficult one to make. But her cellphone went dead and she was not contacted again.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar - Newsday
The outgoing Attorney General Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed yesterday that the United National Congress (UNC) will convene a meeting today to discuss the decision of the President to appoint Patrick Manning as the new Prime Minister. Speaking via telephone from her Penal home, Persad-Bissessar said there will be a meeting today to discuss the issue. Persad-Bissessar, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Siparia and the first female Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, said she will comment after the meeting.
Subas Panday - Newsday
The brother of former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday said, "Only time will determine which direction the country goes." He added, "Because remember there is no winner and so time alone will tell." Subas Panday is the MP for Princes Town.
Roy Augustus - Newsday
Roy Augustus, who was Junior Minister in the Education Ministry, said, "No comment as yet." He said the appointment was not discussed by him and other members of the UNC and until such time he would rather not comment.
Ramesh - from London - Newsday
"If only Panday had listened to me and appointed Commissions of Inquiry he would have been still Prime Minister. Mr Panday has led the UNC into Opposition"
Ralph Maraj - Newsday
"I wanted Patrick Manning to be Prime Minister. I have no doubt he would manage the country well."
Trevor Sudama - Newsday
"I think we can still look forward to something new, the policies. I am interested in seeing how the new government would deal with expenditure and question of the tendering procedure."
Sadiq Baksh - Newsday
"I love my country and which ever government is there, I am always willing to assist to do good and my constituents should not take it hard."
John Rahael - Guardian
"It's wonderful! Fabulous! Praise God! Our work has now begun. We await Mr Manning's Cabinet and are eager to get to work."
John Humphrey - Express
"I do not believe the President made the right decision"
THA Orville London - Express
"This was like a game and we had gone into overtime. I am relieved"
Lloyd Best - Express
"I think it was the wrong procedure. He should have put into a hat. I am not optimistic."
Gerald Ferreira - Mayor San Fernando - Express
"I was not surprised. He was the obvious choice"
Trevor Davidson - Charlotte St
"I was happy like all the other people on Charlotte St who jumped and danced and screamed out and began to burst firecrackers yesterdays"
Skay Lilywhite - Tragarete Rd
"I enjoyed the steelbands that came out last night and is glad for the chance for the country to breathe some fresh air."
E-Mail: R.B.
I have a confession to make: Barring Patrick Manning, Basdeo Panday was my second choice for Prime Minister.
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Controversy about the President's statement
Posted: Tuesday, December 25, 2001
By Carol Smith
The President emphasized that the basis for his selection was the constitutional imperative that freedom is founded on moral and spiritual values and the rule of law. What he implied is that Basdeo Panday was weighed in the scales and was found wanting.
The President further implied that Mr. Manning is more likely to uphold these values than Mr. Panday.
Many will condemn these statements but on the scales Mr. Panday and his bunch were the worst this country has ever seen.
The Guardian Editorial said, "Today and tomorrow, when the President's remarks concerning the importance of recognising moral and spiritual values in the person of the Prime Minister sink through, they will be much more than disappointed. Likely they will be angered that Mr. Robinson put these values on the scale and Mr Panday was found wanting."
Many UNC supporters would be angry but the truth of Basdeo Panday's abuses and the corruption in his government is clear for all to see.
An intellectual giant Mr. Manning is not but he certainly was not as corrupt and as arrogant Mr. Panday.
Can Manning do better, I think not but he certainly cannot do worst.
Mr. Panday said he did not know about the two expensive new cars that were purchased for the Prime Minister's use on the eve of the General Elections so he would not have to bother about that now. He will not be using them.
PNM and Manning got a Christmas gift as many will claim but Basdeo Panday worked hard to ensure the gift was delivered.
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Thanks Mr President for removing Panday
Posted: Monday, December 24, 2001
From Kurt Garcia
Dear Robbie
You have long cherished yourself as a patriot and a democrat and you have witnessed our country being raped and pillaged by the most vile of men, who you know only to well having regretted your brief but dangerous and ill fated, ill advised association with them. You who preferred to be shot by Abu Bakr rather than surrender to anti democratic forces.
I am sure you know of what you spoke when you tried to tell those now in the last hours of their powers certain things like " they are violating the spirit of the Constitution and ignoring its preamble " " there is a creeping dictatorship in Trinidad " and " if they are not stopped it turns from streams to rivers, from rivers to seas "
Yes Robbie you had long come to regret your mistake of putting men so callous with the truth and our democratic traditions into power, even though we had all agreed that we would give them the chance after the fact. But they took your and our kindness for weakness and our humility for stupidity and history has now given you a golden opportunity to repair the further damage done by these men to our body politic, democratic traditions and nation's image.
Taking all that have transpired without going into details of a government that failed less than one year in office, it does not take a Rocket or DNA scientist to know that you would have appointed Mr. Patrick Manning as the new Prime Minister as anyone with any sort of logic, understanding, untainted and unbiased should have known. Look I even not like that and I can still surmise that's why I don't understand how people can think otherwise. Thank you Mr. President for doing the right thing.
Kurt Garcia
Mucurapo Rd
St James
Controversy about the President's statement
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Every cook can govern
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2001
By Raffique Shah
IT IS almost two weeks today since the general election of December 10 ended in an unprecedented 18-18 tie between the UNC and the PNM. President Arthur Robinson, in keeping with his status as both President of the Republic and elder statesman, in a bid to have the hiatus resolved amicably, has succeeded in having leaders of both parties meet and reach a "limited agreement". On these bases they will allow a new government to be formed, and more important, allow it to function. But, by coincidence or design, the final results are yet to be ratified, and until that time Basdeo Panday's lame duck government stays in office.
This electoral hiatus, the second in 12 months, has been very revealing–and I am not referring to the almost equal division between the two main racial groups in the country. Last year, President Robinson also took quite some time before he appointed Panday as Prime Minister, then because the Elections and Boundaries Commission had not given him official results of the elections. So, on two occasions within one year, people have had the opportunity to see the country function without an elected government in place. And contrary to the popular belief that politicians are indispensable, the evidence is there that "auto-pilot" seems to be a better option than some crazed "pilot" who is bent on crashing the ship of state just to show everyone that he's the boss, dead or alive. MORE
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Emphasise the negative
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2001
By Denis Solomon
I CAN'T think what President Robinson had in mind when he asked for a written undertaking from members of Parliament to support their respective leaders.
Was he hoping that his task would be made easier by the last-minute (or rather, first-minute) defection of some unprincipled opportunist, drunk with the sight of power?
It is interesting how desperation has led to reliance by all concerned on the negative aspects of the situation.
The President is supposed to assure himself that someone has a majority in the House. He now seems to be reduced to assuring himself that no one has a minority.
Mr Manning "explained" the need to choose a Speaker before a Prime Minister by saying that the parties wanted to be sure that the Speaker would use his casting vote in favour of the status quo. I said in my Wednesday column that that was not only false, but was particularly inappropriate coming from Mr Manning, who has gone down in history as the only Prime Minister to attempt to fire a Speaker for lack of bias toward his party. MORE
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Dead men walking
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2001
By Donna Yawching
IN CASE no one has noticed, this country has been without a clear governing body for two whole weeks. Oh sure: technically the old government holds the line until such time as the President pronounces otherwise; but in reality, they're nothing more than zombies, dead men walking, waiting for the signal that will either bring them back to life, or else consign them definitively to the grave.
The most interesting aspect of this unorthodox situation is that no one (barring the politicians themselves, and perhaps a few businessmen) really seems to care very much. By about two days after the election deadlock, most people seemed to have lost interest in the topic of who will form the next government; everyone is just shrugging mentally and "waiting to see". MORE
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Wake up and smell the curry
Posted: Saturday, December 22, 2001
From: Raul
If before he was a hero, Panday is now a god...
PM calls emergency Cabinet meeting
Prime Minister Basdeo Panday called an emergency Cabinet meeting yesterday to effect management plans for the distribution of emergency relief to flood victims in Central and South.
At the meeting, it was decided that an Inter-Ministerial committee chaired by the Minister of Finance, Gerald Yetming, would be charged with the responsibility for the operation. Additionally, NEMA under chairman Col Dave Williams would effect distribution of emergency relief today.
The Defence Force will work closely with both NEMA and the Inter-Ministerial Committee. Regional Corporations are also required to provide support to this emergency initiative.
The relief effort will take the form of a cash payment to each affected family that has been certified by the authorities in charge. The relevant authorities have already taken steps to identify those affected families who will benefit from this emergency assistance.
"Your government is asking all NGOs who can assist to contact NEMA and offer their services," said Panday.
"One of the pillars on which this government has been built has been that no one should be left behind. It is in this context that my government and my Cabinet have taken the decisions to bring some relief to the less fortunate," he added.
The PM advised all citizens who have been affected by the floods to take the initiative to contact NEMA at 623-2070; 623-1943 or 623-8004 for immediate assistance.
Simply put, $1,000 times 10,000 'constituents' equals $10,000,000 or, in other words, a marginal seat or two in the inevitable upcoming national elections.
We can't accuse anyone of political patronage, but we just might.
What wouldn't they give for a John John fire, just about NOW!
It is only a matter of time before someone suggest that, as a symbol of true national unity, they take Patrick Manning's advice and create a new settlement in the heart of Tunapuna, call it 'Goodwill Village' and bring all the flood victims to live there.
Tunapuna will be lost forever, and with it, your hopes of ever winning a national elections again.
Six words of advice to Manning's advisors: Wake up and smell the curry.
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Coitus Interruptus
Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2001
by Denis Solomon
I am glad that the recounts in Barataria and San Fernando West have delayed any action the President may take to appoint a government. The delay gives me the opportunity to make my comments on the so-called agreement between those two gentlemen before the matter goes any further.
I'll start with a paragraph that was cut, for reasons of space, from my column in last Sunday's Express. It is relevant to what I have to say today.
The Sunday column examined suggestions made by former Independent Senator Professor John Spence for the resolution of the crisis. One suggestion was for alternating Prime Ministerships, and another was for free voting in the House of Representatives. These ideas had also been put forward by Lloyd Best. My column as it appeared ended by saying that this was the key to the whole situation. In the part that was omitted, however, I went on to say that MPs even now are theoretically free to vote however they like. The party whip is internal to the party, not part of the law. So parties might readily agree to "allow" free voting, while privately discouraging it. Besides, the sanctions inflicted by maximum leaders on errant members do not occur in the life of a Parliament, but rather in the selection of the party's candidates for election to the next one. The mentality of doctor politics would not change overnight. MORE
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Slay-ride
Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2001
by Terry Joseph
ALTHOUGH imagery conjured up by the Mitchell Parrish-Leroy Anderson Christmas song "Sleighride" is deliberately alien to this culture, there's something about the title's phonetics that rings true.
Here in the tropics, no snow is falling. Nor are friends shouting "Yoo-hoo", politicians having tainted this otherwise cheerful greeting with an adversarial aura.
Indeed, nothing about the local version of Christmas 2001 is "like a picture-print from Currier & Ives," the legendary 19th Century lithographers whose winter scenes became the agreed Yuletide visual reference; earning them enduring endorsement in "Sleighride". MORE
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Time to break new ground
Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2001
by Bukka Rennie
Pat Flounders, 51, shot herself in the head last week. Her husband died in the World Trade Center debacle on September 11. She had seen the scenario on TV and called her husband who worked on the 84th floor of the south tower. She insisted that he should leave for home immediately but instead he chose to stay back to assist a co-worker who had gone into shock.
That worker, in consideration for whom Mr Flounders gave his life, may have been of another race, may have been white-American, Afro-American, Jewish, even Muslim, it simply did not matter then. Flounders' decisive action reflects the "human-ness" upon which the future of this entire world rests.
All who will be sarcastic about this characteristic quality of the human being, all who will talk tongue-in-cheek about the ideal of democracy and the empowerment of the common citizen everywhere, only do so because of their inability and failure to recognise and pay homage to that specific human quality of which we speak. Without that quality there is no hope. It is all that we have ever had upon which to build. MORE
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Open Letter to the President
Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2001
Dear, Your Excellency President Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson
As a citizen of our beloved twin island nation, I wish to protest a very sinister situation where an incumbent Prime Minister is denying and rejecting the call or move for an Inquiry into what is supposed to be the most important and most Independent of our institutions, the Elections and Boundaries Commission.
Sir, even the thought of this happening, is ludicrous and frightening, moreso its active pursuance and it only amounts to using the considerable influence of a Prime Minister to protect an independent body from the scrutiny of the citizens of this land where and when its role and function is being called into serious question.
For all intent and purposes the EBC is supposed to be a guarantor of our democracy and must be able to stand any legal inquiry at any time, by legitimate authority, bearing in mind that the body is not above the law and it is employed and paid for by the people. In the light of numerous complaints and court cases involving matters in the EBC domain, and the EBC itself, not to mention the constant allegations of impropriety against the body. You are kindly being asked to examine this particular scenario, if you have not done so as yet and bring your considerable wisdom and experience to bear on this matter. I am sure future generations would look upon you kindly for your deliberations on the matter.
Sir, there is indeed every need and very compelling reasons for an Inquiry. It would be a travesty of Justice if a partisan interest should be allowed to scuttle the calls for an investigation into an "Independent" institution. It should also be mandatory that the leadership of the EBC issue a statement on this matter, lest the impression be given that they are being spoken for, and they have no problems with that. They simply cannot remain silent and let the impression take root that totally wrong signals, are being sent on their behalf. Silence is not an option for them as it only enforces the suspicions of collusion and complicity, so widespread among such a large segment of the society.
Mr President, I am appealing to you, to use your good Office to bring sanity and decorum to the matters affecting the EBC, this most important facilitator of our democratic traditions. This situation cries out for your urgent intervention and rectification.
I would like to thank you in advance for your kind consideration of my appeal to you.
Thanks once again.
KURT GARCIA
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Manning declines comment on PM appointment
Posted: Tuesday, December 18, 2001
Attorney-General Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the reason why President Robinson had not made a decision regarding the appointment of a Prime Minister was because he has yet to receive the official results of the recounts in the Tunapuna and San Fernando West constituencies.
Persad-Bissessar met with Robinson at President's House on Sunday where she reportedly furnished him with documents that were supportive of incumbent Prime Minister Basdeo Panday being re-appointed but has subsequently declined to reveal the nature of those talks.
Defeated UNC Tunapuna candidate Mervyn Assam will seek a final recount today of some 800 ballots by Elections and Boundaries Commissions (EBC) Chief Elections Officer Howard Cayenne. The recount, which was completed on Saturday, confirmed the People's National Movement's (PNM) Eddie Hart as the winner.
The San Fernando West recount, which was requested by the PNM's Diane Seukeran, is also expected to be completed today.
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Corruption as a result of democracy
Posted: Monday, December 17, 2001
by Mary K King
Economic corruption is generally defined as the misuse of public office for private gain. But corruption is more that this. A government is corrupted in the general sense if it is prevented from serving all the people without favour to any.
In T&T there are two concepts associated with government, which are of importance to this larger idea of corruption.
The first is a democratically elected government formed by a political party and the other is equity and fair treatment for all. It is possible to have a democratically elected government formed by a political party, which is supported or elected by a slim majority of voters who are united around a common cause. Unfortunately, this cause may adversely affect the rights of the large minority. If this were the case then the people would have bred a partisan, a corrupt government. What is even worse is that such a government does not need to even satisfy the non-partisan wishes of its supporters if the belief is that the competing party, were it to form the government, would not “favour” other side. MORE
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Outrageous Mr Panday
Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2001
EDITOR: I think it is morally reprehensible and outrageous that a Prime Minister could reject and block calls for an Inquiry into an Institution that is constitutionally independent. I am referring to his rejection of such a demand in the accord reached with the Opposition. I could have understood why he would not want an investigation of his UNC, but certainly not the EBC.
I further think it is incumbent on the EBC Commissioners themselves to issue a statement on this matter for all the right reasons. If they do not then, tremendous damage is being done to one of the most institutions in our country's democracy, as it is being enmeshed into partisan party politics and the aura of impartiality and neutrality is lost.
Did Mr Panday ask the EBC's opinion in this matter and why is he representing the interests of an "independent" body.
Akelaton Williams
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Hart wins Tunapuna recount
Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2001
People´s National Movement (PNM) candidate for Tunapuna Eddie Hart was declared the winner of the seat at 1.30 pm yesterday.
This followed five days of recounting the 44 ballot boxes containing the votes cast in Monday's General Election.
Returning officer Ivor Allum said Hart received 8,807 votes, while United National Congress (UNC) candidate Mervyn Assam received 8,539 votes, a difference of 268.
Following the election on Monday night Hart was declared winner of the seat with 8,819 votes, beating Assam by 276 votes. Assam had received 8,544. Allum said Assam had until Friday to request a final recount which has to be done by Chief Elections Officer Howard Cayenne.
During the recount, Assam challenged the initials on the back of almost 800 ballots cast at polling stations in known PNM strongholds in the constituency.
However Allum said he would not strike them off and would leave it up to the CEO if a final recount was requested.
Assam is expected to request a final recount on Tuesday.
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Dougla Government
Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2001
by Terry Joseph
Among the more memorable references to predictable products of genetically mixing two different types of people in equal proportions, is the Mighty Dougla’s 1961 prize-winning calypso "Split Me in Two".
For those not of Trini origin, Dougla is the colloquial description of a half-breed comprising parents of identifiably Indian and African heritage. Being of such stock, the singer fully assumed the sobriquet and penned a humourous ditty to lament his fate, if Indians and Africans in this country were all repatriated to their respective motherlands.
The song won him that year’s prize and helped thwart any further notion of going back to roots in the physical sense. Not unsurprisingly, audiences embraced the piece, laughing all the way to reality. MORE
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One-and-done proposals
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2001
By Denis Solomon
PROFESSOR John Spence, former Senator, has made some interesting proposals to deal with the Parliamentary deadlock. They were published in Friday’s Express.
In view of the statements of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition that we might have a government by the end of the week, Professor Spence’s proposals may have been superseded by the time this column appears. Nevertheless, some of them address the major issues. So it may still be useful to compare them, and my comments on them, with whatever arrangement emerges from the Panday-Manning discussions.
Mainly for reasons of space, I am omitting one or two of Professor Spence’s proposals that refer to election funding, party broadcast time and media coverage of Parliamentary debates. The ones that in my opinion address the central issues are the following: MORE
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Nightmare at Crowne Plaza
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2001
By Raffique Shah
ANYTIME the citizens of this country, or people elsewhere in the world, have difficulties in determining differences between "police and thief", we would find ourselves in deep crisis. It is not that this has not happened before. In fact, today, it is not uncommon for bandits to disguise themselves as policemen, gruffness et al, and proceed to gain entry into people’s homes and commit the most heinous crimes. Conversely, we have seen many policemen collaborate with criminals, from drug lords to burglars, reducing the concept of law, order and justice to a joke, and law-abiding citizens to victims of both "police and thief".
This analogy came to mind when news broke late last Friday night that the leaders of the UNC and PNM had arrived at a "limited agreement" to break the 18-18 deadlock that resulted from the December 10 general election. At the time of writing this column (Saturday morning), details of the agreement are yet to be made public. I cannot, however, conceive of what kind of consensus, agreement–call it what you will–Basdeo Panday and Patrick Manning could possibly arrive at. Here we have the leaders of two parties that purport to represent different policies, different principles, and radically different approaches to governance, supposedly finding common ground that will allow them to form a "government of national unity", whatever that might be. MORE
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Two Man Rats
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2001
By Donna Yawching
IN THE wake of the recent election and its unprecedented results, my political pipe dream of a few weeks ago is starting to look very appealing: we should just forget about elections altogether and hire a government of competent professionals, rather than being periodically saddled with ego-driven megalomaniacs.
However, since no prophet is ever heeded in his own country, this is not likely to happen for at least another hundred years. In the interim, it would seem, we’re stuck with the megalomaniacs.
And it's nice to see two of them being forced to dismount their high horses and meet in civil negotiation. The process should bring both men down a peg, since each knows that he needs the other desperately. Despite all the big talk, Mr Manning would be loathe to face another election: the results could just as easily swing out of his tenuous grasp. MORE
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Missing Trini's
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2001
THE EDITOR: There were people in 1995 who found the murder and crime rate horrendous and out of hand, especially after two people were murdered in Westmoorings and they were so moved that the following events took place, protest outside the Prime Minister's home, headlights of cars on in the daytime, groups formed to fight against crime [ATTIC], newspapers ads, red jersey days and a massive hue and cry, with which I agreed 100 percent and fully supported.
However today I notice that the murder and crime rates is at record levels and there are more ghastly and brazen murders than 1995, and I am yet to hear from all the people who were so incensed back then. Have they noticed?, are they dead?. Could it be that they have all migrated, please can someone help me locate these people, such a large group cannot just disappear without a trace or sound.
Our task should be much easier now as the Prime Minister and Minister of National Security is the same person. I do not think the fight for political life would take precedence over the fight to save physical life, but we first got to find those Trini's missing in reaction. The reward is a safer TnT.
KURT GARCIA
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35 or 37 constituencies
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2001
From: Dexter J Rigsby
THE EDITOR: While the country finds itself in yet another constitutional dilemma, the tie in the race for governance comes as no real surprise given the fashionable element of "same race" voting now synonymous with this country's General Elections.
At this point the frustrated citizenry appears to be heading hastily to the polls once more, and so, marking an unprecedented but likely voting hattrick for a mere 15 month period.
The scary part is that the dead lock situation can be juxtaposed to a recurring decimal unless an appropriate amendment to the constitution is contrived and enforced.
The EBC is considered chief culprit for the stalemate and is being chastised by the UNC, PNM and a disgruntled electorate, thousands of which were disenfranchised on Election Day.
The numerous anomalies were outrageous and included names of the deceased on the final electoral list while legitimate voters were deleted.
Dead folks were even furnished with poll cards, giving credence to the improbability that they had more rights than the living. There were also claims of duplicated names, which inferred obvious voter padding. And the list went on.
The management of the EBC must be deemed incompetent because of its myopic thinking and assurances of readiness when they were ill equipped to deliver within an absurd time frame.
Before we know it a second year of regression would have engulfed TT. But no clairvoyant aptitude is required to predict that ineptness, corruption, and the unrelenting quest for power will supersede the very fundamental issues, which our illustrious party leaders promised to address. Apart from another General Election in three months time, political gurus speculated on the dismal prospect of the UNC and PNM governing for 30 months each.
The thought of a successful candidate "crossing the floor" was even contemplated. So we have a unique situation where one person can determine which party governs. You would agree that a person undertaking such a venture would be deemed a betrayer and based on the current emotional electorate coupled with crime trends, he/she would probably need police protection. As for the unification of both parties, we'll simply have to wait and see. Those being three of the serious options proffered, I feel that we should contemplate adding our subtracting one constituency. Wouldn't an odd or prime number of seats make it remote for a recurrence of the present crisis? Of course, this would have to be done in time for the next election, whenever that is.
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Remove EBC for incompetence
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2001
From: W Craigwell
THE EDITOR: The outcome of the just concluded election, ending in a virtual "tie", eighteen-eighteen, provides the President with a wonderful opportunity to settle the corruption issues and secure the removal of the Elections and Boundaries Commission for incompetence.
This falls within the grasp and power of the President, who in recent times, referred to the actions of the Prime Minister, as to that of a creeping "Dictator".
This is the opportune time, to affect the change by appointing another Prime Minister who, in his opinion, can command the majority in the house. Only in this way can we appoint commissions of inquiry into the serious corruption allegations and secure the removal of the Elections and Boundaries Commission for incompetence.
A confident UNC government, dismissed the "excess focus" on the supposed corruption charges.
This had no effect, because the PNM was successful in picking up the two Tobago seats and the one in Tunapuna, a better all round performance.
The hope of the UNC leader is now for the President to reappoint him but apparently there was a change of concept. Power sharing is now extended to the Opposition Leader as a compromise.
No such thing. "Power" lies in the hands of the President. Any agreement between the opposing sides, must treat the corruption issue as the number one priority.
It must not be allowed to be thrown out on the wayside for the guilty ones to be free. If you did the crime, you must serve the time.
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No Way Back
Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2001
By Denis Solomon
THE 2001 election has just about convinced us that we cannot elect a government under our present system. Since 1995, when Manning failed to realise that his majority of three was unrepeatable, we have had a 17-17 tie, a narrow and dubious win for one party, and now an 18-18 split Racial voting has burst the chains of the constituency system. A 50-50 racial split in the population has produced a 50-50 distribution of seats.
The solutions bandied about have been vacuous and self-serving. Some proposed an immediate return to the polls. But this could only produce more of the same. Even a nineteen-seventeen situation has already proved unworkable. The likelihood of tiny majorities was foreseen as early as 1976 when the Constitution was amended to enable the House of Representatives to elect (i.e. to enable the government to appoint) a Speaker from outside the House. The politicians wanted government to be all-powerful, and the population was deluded into the belief that democracy was assured as long as that government emerged from an elected Parliament. No one acknowledged any need for an independent legislature. The fact that thirty-six is divisible by two would be taken care of by gerrymandering. MORE
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Comments on the Election results
Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2001
By Amon Hotep
These 'Political spin-doctors' could interpret the Election results anyhow they want but the results clearly show that the majority of Africans and Indians in Trinidad suffer from racial insecurity.
The support for UNC/Panday in spite of the widespread reports of corruption and countless other ills show that his supporters distrust the African based PNM not because of past corruptions but racial fears that has been nurtured within their closed community.
The core PNM supporters have very good reasons to be distrustful of the UNC government. The UNC having made much about corruption under the previous composition of the PNM have turned out to be worst than any other government in the history of this country. They have also been the worst at wasting public funds and trampling on the rights of people apart from having a minister on murder charges for killing a fellow UNC councillor and countless other improprieties. MORE
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Caught in a constitutional bind
Posted: Wednesday, December 12, 2001
by Bukka Rennie
What a country! That a regime which collapsed after only nine months in office; that breaks every law in the book and every socially acceptable convention, some members of which have been indicted on numerous civil and criminal charges ranging from voter padding to murder; whose leader, himself, has been found guilty before the courts on two occasions of favouritism and bias in the awarding of particular contracts, a most damning characteristic for someone holding the office of Prime Minister who is supposed to be fair and just in his dealings with public affairs that such a regime could get 18 seats after virtually dying in office; after increasing the public debt to a new high of some $30 billion in a mere six years; that anyone could commit all these "political do-nots" and still capture so many votes and command so many "minds" is a downright, dirty, low-down shame.
That is not democracy. That is a throw-back to the backward ages when people worshiped "royalty" and blood-lines and caste-lines and leadership was about supposed proximity to the "divine one" and the capability to rally tribal cohesion. Nothing more, nothing less. MORE
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Panday calls for Government of National Unity
Posted: Wednesday, December 12, 2001
In a release issued yesterday, Robinson spent a lot of time citing historic examples of leaders in conflict situations coming together to solve the conflict. He pointed, for example to the meeting which took place between the "founding fathers of the nation, Eric Williams and Dr Rudranath Capildeo, which broke the impasse to our independence, after a history of acrimony between the leaders".
The impression is that Robinson is encouraging both leaders to come together, thus relieving himself of the responsibility of taking any decision.
Under the Constitution, the responsibility for making a decision in the selection of a Prime Minister, is placed solidly with the President. The President is however faced with an 18-18 tie. Robinson therefore yesterday called both Manning and Panday to a meeting at President's House.
Speaking to the media after the 25-minute meeting, Manning said he was confident there would be a new government in place by the end of this week. He was cautiously optimistic that PNM would still form the next government. "It is entirely possible, and very likely," he said.
He stressed: "The leaders of the country understand precisely the situation that faces us, and we are determined to do something about it in the shortest possible time". He added that the path the country should take was a matter which "we are still to determine".
Stating that there would be no time-wasting, Manning said he and Panday would meet "in due course".
He declined however to comment on the power-sharing arrangement proposed by Panday. The General Council is meeting at 5 pm today to discuss the current situation in the country, he said, adding that he would also be discussing this issue with the party's leadership today. Manning also sidestepped the question of what conditions the party would seek to impose on any arrangement.
Asked whether the PNM would insist on Commissions of Inquiry and on an overhaul of the EBC before a deal was struck, Manning said: "You must understand that we are in uncharted waters and we have to sit down and think," he said. "But," he emphasised, "we recognise the need to keep faith with the electorate. And therefore there are parameters within which we have to operate".
Manning who met with all the party's candidates in San Fernando yesterday afternoon, said he did not want to venture any opinion on what the PNM's membership and supporters would want at this stage.
On whether he was prepared to enter into a coalition arrangement, Manning said there were only two parties in the Parliament today "and the moment you say coalition, what you are saying is that there would be no Opposition. I don't think you really want to say that".
Sources revealed that Robinson spent all day meeting people from all quarters of the national community. Among those who visited the President's House were Senior Counsel, including Russell Martineau, Martin Daly, IRO head Noble Khan, Herbert Atwell and Gerry Hadeed.
In building his case for political co-operation, the President's release pointed to the example of President Kennedy of the United States and Nikita Khrushchev of the former Soviet Union, who established a hotline between Washington and Moscow so that they could talk to each other. "The President expressed the view that this is a critical moment in the history of the nation and needs decisive action on the party of its leaders and provided also opportunity for progress", the release said.
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Resolution for a national gov't
Posted: Wednesday, December 12, 2001
The Editor,
Whereas the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago faces a stalemate in the parliamentary elections of December 10, between the People’s National Movement and the United National Congress, each securing 18 seats.
Whereas general election were held one year earlier on December 11, 2000 virtually showing the same result.
Whereas all indications, including election results dating back to November 6, 1995 at the latest, point to similar results being obtained in a further election
Whereas the electorate has indicated a diminished interest in the elections of December 10, 2001 compared to December 11, 2000.
Whereas it is the responsibility of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, according to the Section 76 (1) of the Constitution, to appoint a Prime Minister where there is occasion
Be it resolved that we call on the President of the Republic to compel the members elected to the House of Representatives on December 10, 2001 to arrive at an arrangement by which a National Government can be formed from amongst themselves, to consider vital national issues such as constitutional reform and other issues which the negotiating parties may deem of consequence.
Dr Kirk Meighoo
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Can someone tell me where I live?
Posted: Tuesday, December 11, 2001
m Marina Lewis
THE EDITOR: It's not often that I have reason to write to the Editor of any newspaper but today I definitely have something to say. Yesterday being December 10, 2001, Election Day, I made up my mind and marched to my usual Polling Station in the Arouca South Constituency. On arrival I was informed that my name was not on the Elector's List and that I should visit the Elections and Boundaries Office, Pro Queen Street, Arima. As a reasonable citizen I did as I was told.
At the Elections and Boundaries Office, I was informed that I did not exist. I mean I had my Identification Card (issued by the said Elections and Boundaries Office) in hand and still I did not exist.
My name was not on the list and there was no registration card, in my name, at their office. I was asked to wait (this is at 4 pm). I waited and waited and every time I asked I was told to wait some more while the situation was being "checked out".
Eventually at about 5 pm the news came that someone had gone to the Polling Station to investigate further. Please, I think I'm a bit smarter than that! I was advised to wait some more. At 5.30 pm I asked to speak with a Supervisor, since I was a bit tired of taking messages, from several different people, each advising me to wait. I waited ten minutes and at that point I must admit that since the Supervisor had no interest in speaking to me, I snapped and I regret my behaviour, because I have always prided myself on being a rational and civilised human being.
However, I do not by any means offer any apologies to anyone at the Election and Boundaries Office, Arima. At 5.45 pm I decided to leave since in my case, no matter what transpired I still would not be allowed to vote.
All that said and done, it's Tuesday December 10, 2001 and I am visiting the office again. This time I'm told that I do exist but I now reside in Siparia. Shock of shocks, I was also informed that I had asked to be transferred to Siparia.
It doesn't matter that I've been living and registered at my current address for the past 21 years or that I like where I live. Please!!! I think moving from Malabar to Siparia is something I would have remembered. Especially since it was done some time between November 30 when the EBC published their preliminary list and December 10 when I could not vote, because I did not exist.
I hope if the EBC is giving me a house in Siparia, that it's a large one, at least five bedrooms and bathrooms, a three-car garage (with three cars of course) spacious living and dining area and furnished at a cost of at least two hundred thousand dollars.
Don't forget the handsome husband and at least two children (one boy and one girl). I'd also like to know my full address. If anyone can help I'd be happy to move in, tomorrow morning if the house meets my approval. It may sound like I find this situation humorous, but I think I'm entitled to at least some answers and an apology from the EBC. If anybody can help me figure out my true place of abode, I'd really appreciate some assistance.
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Election dead-heat: UNC 18 - PNM 18
Posted: Monday, December 10, 2001
It is an 18-18 tie and unlike 1995 when the NAR came forward to break that 17-17 deadlock, there is no one to help either the PNM or the UNC this time.
The UNC lost one of its seats - Tunapuna. The candidate Mervyn Assam, who had been one of the main campaign speakers, lost the fight in a close battle with the PNM's Eddie Hart, whom he defeated in 2000 by 336 votes.
The PNM gained Tobago East through Eudine Job, while the once powerful NAR has now been wiped out of the political scene both in Trinidad and Tobago.
The NAR is just holding on to four seats in the THA, and after Hochoy Charles sacrificed his THA seat to fight the Tobago West seat, the NAR has just three.
The three UNC dissident Ministers Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Ralph Maraj, and Trevor Sudama lost their seats under the Team Unity banner although Maharaj saved face by retaining his deposit.
Team Unity, whose members broke ranks with the UNC, failed to make a difference as their campaign suggested.
The UNC retained the other marginal seats - Ortoire/Mayaro, St Joseph, Barataria/San Juan, and San Fernando West. There was a close fight for the Toco/Manzanilla seat with the PNM's Roger Boynes retaining the constituency.
According to the Elections and Boundaries Commission, preliminary statistics show that 508,560 cast their vote in yesterday's election, compared with 597,000 in 2000.
It is up to President Arthur NR Robinson to determine who is most likely to command a majority in the House of Representatives.
Whatever happens the country will have to go back to the polls over the next few months. One hopes that the Elections and Boundaries Commission will use the time at its disposal to further improve its procedures to ensure that every single Trinidadian and Tobagonian, eligible to do so, is able to exercise his or her franchise.
Panday calls for Government of National Unity
Resolution for a national gov't
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Heartless to return child to abusers
Posted: Monday, December 10, 2001
THE EDITOR: I find it very hard to believe that any member of our police service which is here to "Protect and Serve" could have been responsible for returning a battered and abused child who was seeking the protection of the law to a situation of danger without allowing her legal representation as happened to the young Nigeria girl according to a report in yesterday Newsday.
I find it equally hard to believe that anyone from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could have participated in such an act of brutality. But it seems that the story is accurate. And any claptrap about her "being on foreign soil" does not impress. She was not on Nigerian soil when these misguided members of the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs forced her to return to her abusers. MORE
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Beach rights
Posted: Monday, December 10, 2001
By Reginald Dumas
IN May last year I wrote a series of articles of Pigeon Point. One of the issues I addressed was the public's right of unhindered access to the beach adjoining the Pigeon Point estate. Robinson Crusoe Ltd, the Ansa McAL company which owns the estate, was then strongly suspected of eyeing ownership and control of the beach. This view was equally strongly denied by the company, which protested that it had always "allowed" free access to the beach, a pronouncement which came a few days after a man was shot dead at the Point. A security guard employed at the time of the estate has been committed to stand trial for the murder.
Under the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, as then attorney general Ramesh Maharaj told Parliament last year in response to a question from Pam Nicholson, the public has free access to all beaches in Trinidad and Tobago. Also, he went on, the foreshore, i.e. "(the) seashore lying between the high and the low water marks"-in other words the beach- "belongs to and is vested in the state." MORE
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Local investment in T&T's energy sector
Posted: Monday, December 10, 2001
By Mary King
THE local newspapers reported on two interesting events recently. The first was that President Chavez of Venezuela intends to increase the royalty payments by companies operating in that country's energy sector and the second is the conclusions drawn by the workshop on local involvement in investment in the T&T energy sector.
President Chavez is concerned that the people of Venezuela have remained poor in spite of the huge natural resource deposits and lays this at the feet of the insufficient rents paid by the exploiters of that country's natural resources.
The workshop in T&T demonstrated that there were only two major local investments in the energy sector. One is in downstream steel, Centrin, which has not been successful and the other is by CL Financial in its methanol plants, considered a success by the report. MORE
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By Ballots, Not Bullets
Posted: Sunday, December 9, 2001
By Raffique Shah
SO, some of my fans-cum-critics asked me, will you flee the country on Tuesday if the UNC is re-elected to government? Hell no! I responded. Why should I? I survived the worst days of the PNM in government, a time when banditry by ministers like John O'Halloran was rampant, when Afro-Trinidadians were as fanatical in supporting "their party" as most Indo-Trinis are today slavishly tied to Basdeo Panday and the UNC. Worse, as someone who led a mutiny against the military high command during the Black Power revolution of 1970, I was seen as Dr Eric Williams's worst nightmare-hence an enemy of his party and government.
Special Branch policemen stalked me for years: I couldn't flush a damn toilet without them listening to it! Then I watched as some of my comrades from the struggles of the 1970s fell victims to the lure of power and dollars and joined the PIP (Party in Power, mattered not which one it was). But I refused to compromise in what I saw then, and still do now, as a fight for social and economic justice, and true political independence. I should mention, though, that during the worst days of the PNM I never felt physically threatened. That was partly because as a people, we have never resorted to violence to settle political differences. MORE
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Re: Denis Solomon’s “Clash of extremes”
Posted: Saturday, December 8, 2001
By Mawlana Hasan Anyabwile
Though poles apart I am a regular reader of columnist Denis Solomon. His latest analysis “Clash of extremes, I and II” (7th Nov, 01 and 14th Nov, 01) in my view was an honest attempt to come to grips with events larger than Trinibago’s cote ce cote la, which passes for commentary and analysis.
Before we examine what the writer wrote in classical structuralist thinking which has seriously hobbled his findings and conclusions, permit me to clarify a matter. It has to do with a claim by Mr. Solomon that I propounded (in what manner he did not clarify) ‘…the following astonishing syllogism: Islam requires Muslims to revolt against unjust regimes; the state permits the practice of Islam: therefore the state permits revolt against itself.' Now that is asinine from head to tail, as for me I have never held that position! My position is that according to my convictions, I reserve the right to defend myself and to do so; I do not need state approval. Furthermore, the state does not allow the praxis of Islam; it allows freedom of worship and assembly. As for the articles in question there are some major points which I am at odds with and which I intend to refute in the following passages. MORE
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Brian Lara No. 1 again
Posted: Saturday, December 8, 2001
ABSTRACT: The Express
ALL IT took for Brian Lara to be ranked once again as the top batsman in the world was a single series. Suddenly, against Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago’s greatest ever batsman rediscovered his form to be the leading batsman on either side with 688 runs at an astounding average of 114.66.
Moreover, it was the way he made those runs.
Even as the West Indies coach Roger Harper was dutifully advising something akin to a grafting approach, Lara was playing strokes as only he can. In the process he hit three hundreds, including 221 and 130 in the third and final Test at Colombo’s Sinhalese Stadium.
Prior to the series Lara was No 8 in the ranking system, respectable perhaps but not what one would expect from the man who held both the Test and First Class batting records.
It took him only two Tests in which he scored 178, 40, 75 and 45 to race up to No. 3 behind the underrated Zimbabwean Andy Flower and India’s Sachin Tendulkar.
One Test later he became only the fifth player to score a double-hundred and hundred in the same Test and was back at the top, where most commentators believe he rightly belongs.
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Mr Panday who was NAR's Judas?
Posted: Friday, December 7, 2001
THE EDITOR: Mr Panday, in preaching to the choir, urges it to "Never Forget..."
OK, Mr Panday, here goes...
Never forget who was the "Judas" who mash up the NAR coalition, the first and only truly cross-sectional, cross-ethnic Government we've ever had. Who mash it up and for why? Not enough "goodies"?
Never forget who is the "Judas" to Law and the Judiciary who crows "Justice" in boastful triumph when a court decision goes his way and trashes and insults the courts when it doesn't.
Never forget who in 1990, when our whole democratic process and freedoms were under armed threat, declared "Wake me up when it's over"?
Never forget who urged his supporters to hate the free Press with the battle cry "Do them before they do you".
Never forget who equates democratic politics and freedom of choice with "War" and who believes "People only support Political Parties for what they can get out of it"(!! our democratic leader!)
Never forget who benefitted from the Indian Rice deal and who didn't (the hungry).
Never forget who benefitted from the one night stand, multi-million dollar, Ms Universe contest and who didn't (the poor).
Never forget who benefitted from the illegal Piarco terminal contract (which contravened our very Constitution) and who didn't (the homeless).
Never forget who benefitted from InnCogen and who didn't (the jobless, and certainly not the country during the recent nationwide blackout).
Never forget who benefitted from the NWRHA and who didn't (the sick).
Come on Mr Panday, get down off your high horse, stop telling the electorate of an inefficient PNM - we know about that - tell us what your regime has done to merit your boast of "Performance", tell us who have benefitted and we can deduct those persons from our 1.3 or 1.5 million who have been left out in the cold, badly scarred by your repeated acrimonious threats to our traditions of free speech, free choice and to the very underpinnings of a cherished democracy.
Never forget who could not bring himself to sign the Chapulpetic protocol on Press Freedom when so many surrounding governments with far more recent democratic pedigrees gave it full support, (in the spirit of freedom!)
I would rather live under a democratic incompetent than a dictatorial genius, rather be poor and free rather than rich and subject to the ephemeral whims of a Despot.
Goodbye Mr Panday; Hello the choice!
Never forget it was you who frightened the electorate and demonstrated we still have sense and free will.
B SURDUM
Port-of-Spain
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Money Power vs People Power
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2001
Dear Editor
I would like to complain about the obvious obscenity of a political party purchasing every available time slot available in the electronic media and advertising on every single page available in the print media. It seems the strategy is to drown out every other voice and view by monopolising the various arms of the media. Where the money comes from to do such a thing is highly questionable and suspect, it is also immoral and unethical to attempt to buy out every space for the expression of the people.
It sems like the ordinary people are up against the power of those who have money. My message to all the people is they cannot afford to lose this war. People ower must prevail.
Cindy Williams
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Sheldon Blackman has a Problem
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2001
Dear Sir/Madam
Kindly allow me space in your newpaper to air my view on the Sheldon Blackman and Dr Keith Rowley issue over the singing of a political calypso.
It seems Mr Blackman and his UNC supporters seems to be saying that he has no right to be attacked for his performing of the Calypso attacking the PNM.
Mr Blackman should know that once he enters the partisan political arena attacking one side or the other, he should expect to be attacked in return and should not be so naive. Did he not see PM Basdeo Panday and others viciously attack Cro Cro, Sugar Aloes and Watchman when they sang political tunes against the UNC. What is he complaining about.?
KURT GARCIA
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Get real, Reverend
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2001
By Denis Solomon
Reverend Cyril Paul's special Advent Sunday sermon at the Aramalaya Presbyterian Church was described in Monday's Express as offering "spiritual guidance to the congregation with regards (sic) to the attitude that should be adopted on Election Day, which Paul referred to as ‘a make or break day for Trinidad and Tobago'".
An election is a pretty reductive phenomenon. The range of behaviours open to participants is severely limited. They amount, in effect, to two: vote, or don't vote.
So to offer any kind of advice, let alone "spiritual" advice, on an election is an uphill task, and can only be accomplished by a considerable expenditure of hot air, cliché, and copious self-contradiction. Only a Bossuet could get away with it, and Reverend Paul is no Bossuet. MORE
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A political melody
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2001
By Terry Joseph
With the increased frequency of elections since 1995, a brisk market is evolving for calypsonians who can at short notice successfully peddle custom-made songs, cut on the bias of a selected party and tailored to fit the body politic.
Sage counsel cautions against premature appraisal of any creativity-inducing stimulant, but among early negative yield from this entirely market-driven niche has been a type of calypso that substitutes unfettered opponent-bashing for probity; literally a "battery-included" product that relegates writing craft to the status of a distraction.
Dr Hollis Liverpool (aka calypsonian Chalkdust) may have been just a tad stern on fellow artiste M'ba, but he is unassailably accurate in his analysis of the overall situation. To be identifiable as an official calypso mouthpiece for any one political party is only achievable at the sacrifice of integrity as political commentator at large. Previous examples abound. MORE
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Give us significance!
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2001
By Bukka Rennie
Politics in T&T has been reduced to the ridiculous. We are an island community of just over one million citizens graced with a fortune of oil and gas, the proven reserves of the latter having recently been put at 13 trillion cubic feet and increasing.
We are a dependent economy with direct foreign investments to the tune of some US$6 billion largely expended in the oil, gas and petro-chemical industries.
And as is the case in all historic arrangements between peripherals (ie dependent underdeveloped economies) and epicentres (ie modern, industrialised metropolis), the raison d'etre of all economic activity within the borders of the peripheral territory is geared to the satiation, satisfaction and value-added accumulation that generates ongoing development for the metropolitan source of investment funds. MORE
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Murder at Port-of-Spain General Hospital Ward 51
Posted: Wednesday, December 5, 2001
The lack of security at the nation's oldest and largest public hospital has now been tragically exposed. Three masked gunmen were able to enter the Port-of-Spain General Hospital on Saturday night, kill a patient in Ward 51 with a fusillade of bullets, and then escape without any hindrance or alarm whatever. The carefully planned assassination was an outrageous episode having regard to the status of the institution, the long history of complaints by staff nurses about the lack of security particularly at nights and the fact that the victim was in the hospital fighting for his life after he had been shot and left for dead by a team of assassins three weeks ago. MORE
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Exodus Rules The Region
Posted: Monday, December 3, 2001
By Terry Joseph from Grenada
THE EXODUS Steel Orchestra is today US$21,000 richer, for having won both categories of Saturday night’s inaugural Caribbean Panorama contest.
Plagued but not interrupted by sporadic rain, the competition saw nine bands from the Caribbean vie for prestige and prizes in a six-hour joust at Grenada’s National Stadium. Guyana North, the only eligible South American orchestra, failed to show.
The event borrowed heavily from the Trinidad and Tobago model, starting some 75 minutes late and then running for six hours. Among thousands witnessing the historic event was French ethnomusicologist Aurelie Hemlinger, who flew from Paris to continue research for her doctoral thesis: "The memorisation of repertoire by the steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago". MORE
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Unholy Political Mess
Posted: Sunday, December 2, 2001
By Raffique Shah
WATCHING fellow columnist Kevin Baldeosingh having to defend his position as an atheist against "reformed" scientists and religious bigots, I'm very tempted to intervene in the debate. Unlike Kevin and the irreverent BC Pires, who regularly rattle the chaplets of religionists, I tend to keep my agnosticism to myself, leaving others to pursue their beliefs however they may choose to so do. In fact, on many occasions I have written that although I do not believe in them, religions and belief in God (by whatever name) are indispensable in modern society.
The simple reasoning is this. A society like ours that is seen as God-fearing (correct term-not God-loving), where people flock to churches, mandirs, mosques and other places of worship. Yet, in spite of having so many religions we have so much crime, so many atrocities committed, can you imagine what a hell-hole this country might have been had the masses not feared God? The young criminals who casually suffocated my colleague, Major Joseph Mader, to death two weeks ago, must be young people who attend some church or tabernacle or mosque somewhere. And those who openly steal from the public purse, who manipulate contracts and commit the vilest of white collar crimes (in other words, bandits who own Benzes), can be seen on Sundays in the front pews of some of the most upscale churches in the country. MORE
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Shadow and Substance
Posted: Sunday, December 2, 2001
By Denis Solomon
EVERY time you compare the operations of our pseudo-Westminster parliament with the workings of the genuine article, there is a lesson to be learnt.
After the United States, the nation most likely to suffer from terrorist attacks in the aftermath of the invasion of Afghanistan is Britain. Certainly far more likely than Trinidad and Tobago.
Yet when the British government reacts with legislative proposals that threaten civil liberties, it encounters far greater difficulty than the government of Trinidad and Tobago ever did to its assaults on freedom of assembly with the Summary Offences Ordinance, freedom of speech and the press with the Equal Opportunities Act, and human rights in general by withdrawal from the American and International Human Rights Conventions. MORE
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Niki is BIG ENUFF
Posted: Sunday, December 2, 2001
by Terry Joseph
After an absence of three seasons from the Carnival novelty-song circuit, Nikki Crosby is back and with requisite flourish, as evidenced in her 2002 offering "Big Enuff".
Written by former 96.1 FM jock Third Base (who has also established a musical presence in the Carnival mix) "Big Enuff" is a laugh-riot, perfectly executed by top-drawer comedienne Crosby.
And "Big Enuff" happened quite by chance. Speaking to the Express, Crosby related the events leading up to her recording of the song. "Actually, I wasn't going to do that kind of thing anymore," she admitted, "but 'taking basket' from friends who kept asking for a little something, I finally gave in." MORE
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Wallowing in superstition
Posted: Sunday, December 2, 2001
By Donna Yawching
IF VS Naipaul had written it, we would all be up in arms: how could he-how dare he-expose our primitive stupidity for all the world to snicker at? But since it appeared instead in the local media, that was okay: primitive stupidity was implicitly sanctified under the halo of "we culture" -a pathetic willingness (indeed, eagerness) to succumb to superstition at the drop of a hat.
I'm speaking, of course, of the slightly deformed anthurium that had the misfortune to grow somewhere in the backwoods of Couva, where (according to the front page report in the Express) "it is being viewed as a miracle." It's true that in communities like this one, you probably have to take your miracles where you can find them; but it was nevertheless disconcerting to see, in the 21st century, a knot of people doing reverence to a misshapen flower, and describing it as a sacred sign. MORE
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Taliban are human too
Posted: Sunday, December 2, 2001
By: Adrian Geoffrey
It is unbelievable how an entire world turns a blind eye to the post-Taliban atrocities being perpetrated by America and its allies under the banner of "War Against Terror".
While, on one hand, it is okay for USA to haul former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosovich before a UN tribunal for war crimes (defending his country, is what he claims), they are leading the massacre of unarmed men in Afghanistan.
In a fair world, they, too, would be chastised for infringing Geneva Convention guidelines on the treatment of Prisoners of War. I don't think these guidelines are solely for the protection of American and British troops. Why then is there no outcry against the heinous slaying of men who have surrendered their cause, are imprisoned and unarmed?
Is the propaganda so good as to fool us all into believing that America dropped bombs on a prison of unarmed, chained and guarded men to stop "a prison riot?"
Really! Remember what many felt should have been the fate of insurgents on the way to prison in Chaguaramas in 1990? Propaganda, then, would have been simple; but in Mazar-e-Sharif on bloody November 26 they have to convince us that there was a battle so fierce that both prisoners and guards alike had to be bombed (all killing 700 to 900 Taliban men) to quell it.
Not convincing enough? So, then, we are to be told, it still took "another day of fighting" to justifiably kill all of these "terrorists".
Where are the "journalists" who felt compelled to toe the line and write glowing praises of Americans (most of them merely regurgitating most of what they were fed through the many means of American re-education).
Where were they when this action was threatened by Donald Rumsfeld (USA's Defence Secretary) who, at the height of the Taliban's negotiations to surrender, said foreign Taliban troops "must either be killed or jailed for life".
And is that so different from any other lunatic saying "let's crash a plane into WTC to protest US foreign policy (or whatever crazy idea they really had).
Where were these "journalists" when rebel forces, while urging Afghans to lay down their arms were vowing vengeance on foreign fugitives. Where were they when Rumsfeld, buoyed by these slayings by the Northern Alliance and the success of US bomb raids, said fleeing Taliban troops "will be hunted down wherever they hide." Geeze! Fleeing, man.
Where were they when over 100 young Taliban recruits (unarmed boys; perhaps forced by the Taliban) were executed while hiding in a Mazar school. Was it, to you, as simple as UN spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker put it: "Punitive action." And how do you see the Great Anthrax Hoax - the feeding frenzy for a population eager for the smell of blood?
Doesn't it tell you something when at the UN conference on Banning Germ Warfare earlier this month, the Federation of American Scientists told 144 nations in Geneva that US Anthrax attacks were developed from a US Government Lab?
Think of this, then: Just a week or so before September 11, Americans were dubbing George Bush as "President with the lowest IQ ever."
Once the foolish attacks on WTC came and he promises to "hunt them down" (which is all he has kept saying in many different words ever since) suddenly, he's the icon of American might and the "Leader of the free world"?
Do you realise that as long as he can keep his people's blood running hot, even if that means frightening them now and again, he remains popular. And his policy of slaughter (or that of those for whom he is fronting) stays acceptable?
Some may consider it farfetched but, think: Why does each new American administration have to bomb some common enemy, if not to show its might? There are many examples since Kennedy, but what was Bush's reason for attacking Baghdad in January? Anyway, I'm no supporter of the Taliban. But, tell me, aren't Taliban human beings too? I know they have been called terrorists, targets and rioting prisoners. But if they are indeed human, why is it just to slaughter them by the hundreds?
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On the Robert Linquist forensic interim report
Posted: Saturday, December 1, 2001
Thomas
The single, most egregious manifestation of an act of corruption by any Government of Trinidad and Tobago is the Piarco terminal. This is true whether viewed from the standpoint of its brazenness, being high profile and ever conspicuous, in the obscene amounts of misdirected monies involved or in the enormity of the lies constantly fed to us in its defence by the high level officials involved.
The Newsday precis (Nov 28 page 3) of the Robert Linquist forensic interim report is a further clear and timely reminder of this — if any were needed by anyone with eyes to see and sense to think. That the Prime Minister has had this report since last December without taking any action (or even announcing that he has it) is as equally instructive as the report itself. Obviously, in the face of the report's conclusions and findings the Prime Minister had an overwhelming obligation to act. That the Government or any of its members could commit such an illegality as the Piarco affair on the population and offer itself for re-election is, at once, a reflection of its amorality, its defiance of the norms of acceptable conduct and our generally immature level of politics or, at least, knowledge of how democracy works / is supposed to work. The Piarco contract is a clarion call for us at once to correct this gaping lacuna.
Under a properly functioning democracy, beholden to a Constitution, the scam that is the Piarco terminal could hardly have been perpetrated on the population and, by the slight chance that it had, those involved both in Trinidad and Florida would by this time have long been facing the courts on serious criminal charges.
As it is, not even an apology is offered to the man in the street be he poor, deprived, unemployed, ill or suffering while he is being robbed by those with more than plenty (but who still want more)! It is truly appalling and a shameful indictment on all of us who should speak out in protest and who have instead, chosen to remain uncaring and silent. MORE
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