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25.01.02 We have been inundated with calls from many sectors, mainly the media seeking our views on the call made by the country’s largest business groups and supported by the President of the Trade Union center that Messrs Manning and Panday meet for immediate dialogue, return to a functioning Parliament or return to the polls. We were with the belief that ours is a position that is well known. Any return to the polls, however early or late, must be with a new and independent Elections and Boundaries Commission and a revised, clean and sanitized voters’ list. And enough time must be allowed for that to be done. The large business organizations must abandon their hypocrisy and tell Raoul John, a co-signatory to the call, that he could make life a little easier by doing the decent thing – resigning as a member of the Elections & Boundaries Commission. The business groups’ call lost focus and objective practicality once it omitted to deal with the lack of confidence in the EBC and the integrity of the Electors’ List. Moreover, the call lacked any credible respect at all, once Mr. John was made a signatory to it. It no doubt seems expedient that the country returns to and enjoys, as it were, the assurances of a functioning Parliament. There is no argument that our current political uncertainty will impact businesses and if therefore prolonged, will have consequences for jobs and the country’s socio-economic well-being as well as its international standing and credibility. These are not new pronouncements. Labour has heard them all the time. They came a thousand times from the untrustworthy lips of the very ones who now hold us to ransom. And of course, these are very important concerns which sober, responsible, mature and selfless leadership would have considered in its approach to the Crowne Plaza negotiations some six or so weeks ago. In addition, and as a commitment to honourable behaviour, such sober, responsible, mature and selfless leadership would have held and caused his sycophantic follower ship to hold a tight and principled subscription to the ‘ten point accord’ resulting from those negotiations. No other Trade Unionist, independent of big business and Party in power, even if only on the periphery of such power, could have freely negotiated an agreement, scuttle that agreement, make new demands, set about pernicious agenda, dictate preconditions to a new round of talks and remain unscathed and supported by business leaders. Something smells here – something is rotting in the state of Denmark. It is true that politics and its many contests for power and its conquests too, are not tea parties and church gatherings and are therefore not for the faint hearted. But when one goes beyond that paradigm and engages literally in a seeming subjugation of the country, moves to penalise and destroy the country – one might well indeed be engaging within the realm of treasonable activities. It is still to be hoped however, that principal combatants in the war over office and power will see country before party, nation before tribe and the interest of all before self. It is with this philosophy that we must employ mechanisms to right the wrongs of our recent past. Yes, it is necessary if we are to address seriously the cynicism among so many about politics and governance in Trinidad & Tobago. Bring on all of the important and necessary Commissions of Enquiry to provide the grounds if any, for the pursuit and prosecution of all those high and low, who have pinched the purse and pillaged the resources of the country. The country is informed that there is an agreement to meet but time and place are not yet decided. We hope that the meeting will be soon and that God be put above Country, Country before Party and all else before individual and personal interests. The meeting between the two leaders must be guided by commitment to service of Trinidad & Tobago, morality and integrity in the conduct of our public affairs. And that any decision on a return to the polls must be conditioned by the establishment of a new and independent Elections and Boundaries Commissions and a revised, clean and sanitized voters’ List. Have an enjoyable and peaceful weekend. |
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21.01.02 Last Friday’s piece was aimed at holding a line on the political issues while also maintaining the social and cultural consistency with which many of our people pursue life in Trinidad & Tobago. All of the fetes are sold out – the All Inclusives are the order of the day or maybe evening at $300 - $350 per head. Still the talk in all these fetes is about the crucial political scenario facing the country in this period of mas. The calypso tents too and the dens of comedy and picong are having a field day with standing room only. I actually heard someone identify our two key political actors: as Carnival characters: one as Pierrot Grenade and the other as the long time Wild Indian who always had, it seemed, a close association with the Midnight Robber. And this is how it went:- This place is something else! We complain about how Pan had left the Pan Man behind and that Kaiso with few exceptions, has taken a speed and a tempo that have moved it away from good lyrical social commentary, sweet catchy and party melody to senseless rhapsody of wave and wave, hand – han- han – han – hand. But not so with mas! That aspect of the recreational culture is blossoming and holding on old forms and base interests and instincts in some cases. And this is not to the credit of our top Carnival Band leaders and individual masqueraders nor even the lowly ones who will hardly graduate beyond the hapless ‘Jab Jab’. No. it is our true true masmen in and out Carnival who are to be credited or blamed for it. Who else but our itinerant minstrel politicians – in and out of Whitehall – sometimes with egg on their faces (or is it white paint?) – who but they have kept the Pierrot Grenade character and characteristics alive? Who else but those of our politicians whose only method is to appeal to the base instincts of their unconscious followers, will take the Wild Indian character that was big mas at one time- the Comanche and the Sioux – and manipulate that into big Indian in Wild racist politics? Who else but our trickster and prevaricating politicians – in and out of St Ann Residences – have been speaking with forked tongues – pontificating on the politics of inclusion publicly but pushing race division and enmity and confrontation on the streets from Central trenches? Politicians who freely make accords on ‘ten point agreements, then programme their sycophantic minions to reject said agreements and then manufacture ten point to justify discord with their own freely negotiated accords. These are politicians who are made about power and who must never be allowed to manipulate and abuse the rest of us as fools - not even with the connivance of the Caricom Bureau. Now one also hears about some unprincipled, very difficult, if not altogether impossible preconditions as we are positive that should Pierrot Grenade agree to that bravado and grandstand nonsense, Wild Indian will be drunk not to eat his backside raw and wipe the silly paint of his face. But remember is Carnival and in this Republic – is like anything could happen. However, there is a feeling that some true masmen are showing signs of worry and trembling on the official announcement of the EBC Probe. Their response to it showed much discomfort, unease an even a tendency to carelessness – naming other people as villains. They say anything that comes to their minds especially after they had imbibed a few, and these days it is well known that they can barely manage less than a few. Poor chaps – any is only one probe that has been announced. Could the others be announced and set to work now? |
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16.01.02 Our True Masmen - in and out of Carnival We very often worry about too much modern commercialization of some things cultural to Trinidad & Tobago. We complain about how Pan has gone beyond the Panman and that Kaiso with some exception, has moved away from good lyrics and catchy melody to a mad rhapsody of wave and wave and hand, hand, hand. Not so with mas however! That aspect of the recreational culture is blossoming and holding an old forms and base interests and instincts. And none of our top Carnival Band leaders nor even the lowly ones can take credit for this. No! It is our true Masmen in and out Carnival who must take credit or blame for it. Yes! Who else but our itinerant minstrel politicians – in and out of Whitehall – sometimes with egg on their faces (or is it white paint?) – who but they have kept the Pierrot Grenade character and characteristics alive? Who else but those of our politicians who can only appeal to the base instincts of their unconscious followers, will take the Wild Indian character that used to be big mas at one time – the Comanche and the Sioux (soo) – and try to translate that into big Indian in wild politics? Who else but our trickster and prevaricator politicians – in and out of St Ann’s Residence have been speaking with forked tongues – pontificating on the politics of inclusion publicly but pushing race division and confrontation on the streets from Central trenches? Politicians, who freely arrive at ‘Ten Point Agreements’, programme their sycophantic minions to reject them and then manufacture ten points of justification for disagreeing with their agreements. These politicians must be mad men. Yes! Mad about power. But they must never be allowed to manipulate and abuse the rest of us as fools. Now, one hears about some very difficult, if not all together impossible preconditions to another attempt to negotiating a ‘new deal’ – so to speak. Well, if Pierrot Grenade agrees to that grand stand nonsense, Wild Indian will be drunk not to eat his backside raw. But, is Carnival and in this Republic – is like anything could happen. However, I am sensing that some people are becoming worried and trembling at the lips with the official announcement of the EBC Probe. Their response to it showed much discomfort, serious unease and a tendency to carelessness – naming other people as villains. But, I should hardly think that there is anything there as one of those particular people has always been like that. He says anything that comes to his mouth especially after he has had a few, and these days, I understand that he can barely manage less than a few. His enthusiasm has the knack of driving him into the realms of indiscretion. Poor fellow – and only one Probe has been announced. Resources must be a problem – human and other necessary resources – but at all the probes should begin now – Inncogen, the Airport, Trinmar’s South-West Soldado Project, NWRHA, NP, Desalination Plant, Telecommunications Licence, the InterIsland Ferry, the Beauport – they should begin now and done quickly. I would particularly like the one on Trinmar’ South-West Soldado to extend to some other matters which have affected Petrotrin – as small as such matters may be deemed to be. I would like to see the expert dexterity with which a certain bright and leading light of a UNC Attorney would deal with some alleged indiscretions on his part, there as well. He and other now come champions of justice UNC style, democracy and the politics of inclusion UNC style had better be careful and take this advice – ‘Watch your rhetoric and your wild enthusiasm’ – Because, everybody peeping and seeing. |
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14.01.02 I would be less strident in my call to Caricom to stay out of the internal affairs of Trinidad & Tobago, but I, nevertheless agree with today’s Express opinion. Point One – Something is wrong. Something is wrong, repulsive and reprehensible when proper protocol is breached and even disrespectfully abandoned to allow for the worst display of arrogance and rudeness as displayed by the MP for Couva North. Nobody else could have done him that and escape unscathed. Not anybody. There could be no excuse – absolutely none – for notice of a Caricom initiative coming to the attention of Mr. Panday MP before it being made known to His Excellency, the President and the Honourable Prime Minister. But it is inexcusable, absurd and ludicrous that the MP for Couva North would announce the Caricom decision – sounding like he was threatening everybody by it – before His Excellency the Secretary General of the Community had the chance to do so. As a result, it is not unexpected that such a Caricom initiative could well be in jeopardy unless there is a display of magnanimity by our tow principals here – namely the President and the Prime Minister. The Second Point: And here is where the Express Opinion is most helpful. Do we remember the political crisis and mounting protests, the burning, the looting, the anarchy almost and near shut down of the economy and social life of Guyana following the election of Janet Jagan to the Guyanese Presidency in 1997? Do we remember the Caricom Heads of Government’s decision to intervene in that political conflict? Well, the Honourable Basdeo Panday, then Prime Minister of the key member state of Trinidad& Tobago was the most strident of voices opposing a Caricom intervention. We must ask why! Do we remember the political crisis, which started with the street protests by public sector workers and then joined by supporters of then Opposition Leader Comrade Ralph Gonsalves shortly after the 1998 election victory by the James Mitchell Government in St Vincent? Do we remember Caricom’s decision to intervene there too? And do we remember our then Comrade Prime Minister’s stance? Prime Minister of the key member state of Trinidad & Tobago was the most strident of voices opposing a Caricom intervention. We must ask why! Do we remember the political crisis, which started with the street protests by public sector workers and then joined by supporters of then Opposition Leader Comrade Ralph Gonsalves shortly after the 1998 election victory by the James Mitchell Government in St Vincent? Do we remember Caricom’s decision to intervene there too? And do we remember our then Comrade Prime Minister’s stance? Prime Minister of the key member state of Trinidad & Tobago was the most strident voice in opposition to the Caricom initiative – even suggesting that it was obnoxious to think that Caricom might consider coming to Trinidad if workers and their Trade Unions were to engage in street protests against the government then. Remember that? And do we understand now – why? In both those two situations – Guyana and St Vincent – Mr. Panday was remarkably evident and strident in his disagreement on the new spectre, as he described it, of opposition parties using Caricom to de-stabilise duly elected governments and frustrate their countries’ democratic institutions. Of course, there is much debate as to who of the 18/18 divide got the popular vote and who should form the government in Trinidad and Tobago. Would the Caricom Heads be asked to consider and resolve this question? Should they? I think not! That would be a most unwelcome meddling in our business and may well be seen as an attempt to frustrate the will of our people – however many of them. The Caricom initiative should itself, however be not frustrated. It should be concentrated on having Dear Brother Panday honour the agreement which he brokered with Mr. Manning in their 10 – Point Plan. Let this key member state in the Caricom Community be seen to be always playing a key role in the subscription to good principles. Let its key leaders behave always in such ways as to justify the key role that Trinidad and Tobago must occupy – not only economically but also in a Caribbean model of spirituality subscribed to by such earlier greater leaders as Alexander Bustamante, Norman Manley, Grantley Adams, Errol Barrow, Bradshaw, Marryshow, Moore, Burnham at a time, Jagan, Eric Williams, Rudranath Capildeo. Those were leaders of great character when we spoke of one Caribbean – One People and also when great emphasis was put on and there was subscription to – Morality and integrity in the conduct of our public affairs. |
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11.01.02 T&T - an island people with a 1 tracked mind and a 9 day mentality Sometime ago last year, the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union and our Integrity Platform called for the establishment of Commissions of Enquiry into a number of specific instances of allegations of Corruption in State Enterprises and other areas of the Public Sector. We said then that it was necessary to carry out such enquires before any General Elections were held so as to save the country the ignominy of having newly elected and re-elected members to the House of Representatives tiptoeing at the behest of a policeman as he hustled his quarry down to the station. Had our call been heeded, we feel certain that today’s political stand-off, the uncertainties, the strike against the processes of Parliament and the threats against the peace and for civil disorder will not have occurred. It is difficult not to identify this place as having a one-track mind and nine day mentality. The more skillful and seasoned of our politicians and print media editors take advantage of this weakness all the time. We are made to jump, as if blind folded, from issue to issue – each time abandoning conclusive consideration of the former issue at hand and going on with all our energies to the new one that is presented sometimes fleetingly. And the more ridiculous and sensational the issue the easier we are propelled and mesmerized by the rapid fire quick tongued politicos. The same ones who have recently condemned protests, placard bearing, demonstrations, strikes and other forms of legitimate struggle are now promoting the same as they deem the shoe to be on the other foot. Unprincipled as they are, they make agreements in the evening and at the break of dawn they beat war drums and scuttle those agreements. We must however, see the whole game plan behind all of the grand charging. In politics, like in many battles, the least worthy and most unscrupulous of the opponents would most often and before all else cry foul, claim victimisation and seek high ground to obfuscate the real issues, confuse the minds of their obsequious followers and play for time and sympathy. In other words and in our current situation, some fleet footed and smart politicians – let me hasten to say that the PNM does not now possess that important resource - are taking everybody for a ride while they prepare their troops for the battle of the streets, make institutions of power ineffective and redundant and so save their own backsides from the slammer. The only thing that has successfully competed with Mr. Panday’s skillful play of politics, for equal attention are Mr.Manning’s less than time-appropriate and politically devoid Cabinet appointments and his justification of them. Those of us who want to save Trinidad & Tobago and are thinking sensibly and dispassionately must catch the point that is attempted here. Much respect, no offence meant. Last evening, I read the ISS report on Petrotrin and Trinmar for the seventh time. The Soldado Reactivation Project, Oil Tanking and other salient matters ring loud bells. The resounding peal of those bells demand an immediate enquiry before others escape our territorial jurisdiction. We will neither call that George, David, Gordon, Gangbar nor Basso. Thorough investigations and then arrests and prosecution must be done. I happen to have a reasonably wide circle of friends from all over the place. The things that I heard about what has happened at NP, TSTT, MTS, NWRHA, SWRHA, Caroni Lands, Airport Project, the Inncogen Project, ETP, Road Paving Contracts, LNG Gas Deal, Desal Project, Miss Universe and the former IDC Pension Fund. Oh Lord, I hear so much – they are enough to chronicle the saga of a slippery Fox and his Cabinet of Kleptomaniacs. Or could it be titled – Kleptomania Trinidad Unlimited. The Parliament could well be opened and be unhung. Dhanraj could be the Speaker and Establish the Commissions of Enquiry, he will sing too, arrest, prosecute and fail the most prominent among the kleptos and call that performance ah la National Unity. |
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09.01.02 Staff Reductions at State Sector Entities There could be no good reason – indeed there could be no sensible national requirement to reduce staffing levels by way of retrenchment or ‘new’ forced ‘ voluntary’ separation at the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad & Tobago Limited. Any such strategy must be to satisfy the interests’ demands of Cable & Wireless. This must not be allowed and in that regard the OWTU extends support and solidarity to the Communication Workers’ Union. TSTT is more than profitable and has indeed performed well and been making handsome profits. Why should anyone want to adversely affect that reducing staff beyond the Company’s level of competence? And to whose benefit would that be? It could only be Cable & Wireless! There are a few but important recent examples of State Sector entities being shorn of their essential human resources, much to the disadvantage and detriment even of the state entity. Petrotrin is a case in point. Since its coming into being and its successorship to predecessor Companies in 1993, Petrotrin has had three forced Voluntary Separation Programmes. Yes, I know that this expression in oxymoron but it is a fact that Petrotrin’s Management and political appointees to its Board had, on all three occasions – the third is continuing – used its so called VSEP to hound and chase many many of its most competent, skilled, qualified and experienced employees out of the Company to make way for political sycophants and expensive contracts with political investors. But all of that notwithstanding, Messrs Petrotrin continue to bewail high and unmanageable employee and operating costs exacerbated by low crude prices and narrow Refinery margins according to its most authoritative spokespersons. Indeed, many senior employees who have remained, but who are alienated and ostracized, will tell of duplicated contracts and costs sometimes dubious and for the same one item or service. They will also tell of key operations being made many times more risky as a result of such being done without appropriate and acceptable manning levels and no pun is intended. There is the case for instance three (3) years ago when an important interconnecting plant being shut down and kept shut down for some three (3) weeks due to the departure of three (3) employees who with their nine (9) remaining colleagues were made to do overtime on 24hr, 16hr and 12 hr. shifts and who could not even be programmed for vacation leave because of inadequate staffing. That was three years ago. That situation however is the same if not worse today as permanent and skilled temporary staffing levels have been further reduced on a Company wide basis. But is there hope? Would there be a paradigm shift with the change in government? For, however long or short maybe the new government’s tenure might be. Fingers are kept crossed. The Petrotrin Strategic Business Unit model has not worked. It has only brought about expensive duplication and triplicated asinine management tendencies and excesses. There is a compelling need for reorganization and restructuring of the company or we may wake up one morning soon and find that the whole damn shebang has been cut to slops. T & T.E.C. too is shadowing its graveyard due to Board and Executive Mismanagement. We shall revisit Petrotrin and deal with T & T.E.C. and NP in subsequent segments of this programme and in our representations to government. Please stay tuned to I 92.5 |
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Population commends OWTU for recognising their conduct There have been many calls for a rerun of the piece that we did last Monday, New Year’s Eve. But the situation is a dynamic and changing one and so many things have been said and have happened since Monday. I have therefore taken the liberty, hoping that our dear listeners and subscribers would agree, to making some important amendments and inclusions here and there but generally maintaining the essence of last Monday’s message. It is really commendable how the population, including a very large cross section of UNC supporters, has responded with discipline and maturity to the 18-18 political gridlock and the unprincipled stance and drumming of war cries by the leadership and some senior members of the UNC. It is pure hate and poison that continue to ebb – now it is gushing – from the vituperative assails by spokespersons – one was on TV6’s Morning Edition today – spokespersons whose objective is to precipitate confrontation on our streets. Their attitude is to break up the whole damn thing if they did not have control. They must not and will not succeed. Last weekend’s rant and rave by Ramnath and Suruj – remember Rambachan and allegations of a man shooting at himself? – the rantings and ravings by these two, last weekend were the antics of coward mice whose only recourse is to appeal to the base instincts of the least conscious of their followers. And Wade’s remonstrations were the Mark of an ordinary Mongrel more commonly called a Dustbin Terrier. The equally vitriolic and vituperative attacks on the President of the Republic by known bigots and dividers must meet with our strongest condemnation. They must not escape unscathed. In 1995 when the Member for Tobago East made his assessment on moral grounds and was guided by his spirituality to have Messrs Panday and his UNC ascend to the Prime Ministership and government, all was well with Mr. Robinson then. Judgements on grounds of morality and conscience, spirituality – not religion – spirituality that is a sense of higher being, beyond the flesh – all of these were acceptable and welcomed back in 1995 and Mr. Robinson was a hero then. Today, judgement and the exercise of a discretion provided for in the Constitution are determined on the same grounds but with Mr. Robinson in a different position having greater moral authority and possessed with greater knowledge of the performance, the modus operandi and modus vivendi too of the slippery silver fox and his disgusting sycophants. They must be constantly reminded that the UNC government was aided and given every opportunity to rule. It brought itself down by its own divisive tendencies, its greed and corruption. It therefore has none to blame but itself. It is inconceivable that in our current circumstances they could have again been appointed to the leadership of the country. They lost because of their lack of spirituality and their non-subscription to acceptable standards of morality and integrity in the conduct of the nation’s public affairs. They brought almost every public office into disrepute. We must demand that they respect and leave the office of President alone. The UNC’s leadership is dishonest and vile when it claims the President’s action to be unconstitutional and the Manning Government illegitimate. The leaders of both the UNC and PNM informed the country that they would refer the decision on who would be Prime Minister to the President’s determination and that they would abide by the President’s decision. Well, His Excellency has decided – only to be reviled by the most reprehensible of the snarling vipers in Caribbean politics. It is sickening – the way the issues are twisted and the President maligned. But Trinidad & Tobago is unique. Not only have we escaped any notion of adventurism by even one ambitious Army Sargeant but we are also still without a Minister of National Security eleven days after and the former Minister of National Security himself carelessly borders on the capital offence of TREASON by suggesting the establishment of an ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT with headquarters in Central Trinidad. It is perhaps fortunate for the Bas that Mr. Manning does not know or does not understand well enough the politics and gamesmanship. To denounce a government as being illegal and illegitimate and at the same time establish an alternative government suggests certain imperatives. That is no dolly house cabinet. A reading of Rousseau may help one to understand this. I will not elaborate. But Mr. Panday is seen to have since backed down. There is a suggestion that he will back down even further once the Commissions of Enquiry get going. There is an important question though - Is the Prime Minister up to the task? |