Welcome to our Virtual Village!!   Where would you like to go first? Link to other sites  Site Map  Send us some Feedback

 

 

 

 

OWTU SPEAKS 2007.11.16

 

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks!

 

The lion’s lashing out is not only on account of aging the lion is desperate and lashing out wildly because he is wounded – even mortally!  Hate and bigotry may be responsible for the dotishness often associated with ungraceful aging but it is usually an ambition unfulfilled which brings on bitterness and a desperate lashing out against all who are perceived to be obstacles in the way.

 

That point having been made, let’s talk a little bit about the usefulness or otherwise of the Opposition in Parliament.  First – Parliament is the legislative assembly consisting of the Upper House or Senate and the Lower House or House of Representatives.  It is the body of persons belonging to Parliament for period between successive dissolutions.

 

The parliamentarian is a skilled debater in the legislative assembly.  He parleys, discusses, speaks.  But he also represents people, and if his representation is honest and true and people related, his discussions and speeches – his parley and his representative action ought to bear influence on legislative issues and policy formulation.

 

To suggest that Parliament is an idle talk shop and that Opposition MP’s – the greatest team of talkers now assembled – make no difference to governance is highly conjectural.

 

To begin with – the talk shop that is parliament ought not to be an idle talk shop if the parliamentarium is a skillful, truly representative, honest and therefore productive debater and discussant.

 

In the instant case however, there is little hope, that with the exception of the Couva North MP when he is not venomous and desperate and the MP for Siparia, the Opposition bench is woefully devoid of skillful practitioners.  There are many serious challenges ahead.

 

Neither are we likely to have national anxieties calmed by the oft vacuous palliatives which the San Fernando East MP offers as a salve.

 

It is foolishness in the first degree to even joke and the man was serious it is foolishness in the first degree to think that any tenderfoot can advance to the Master’s in anyfield after one week of retreat.  It is like insisting that  a good lawyer and a former high performing and dignified Minister is qualified to be demoted to the rank of Deputy.  A nonsense case of a Pierro Grenade playing smart with foolishness.

 

Have a good weekend Trinidad and Tobago and please could there be some peace and forgiveness on our killing fields?

 

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks!

 

**************************************************************************************************************************

 

 

 

 

 

OWTU SPEAKS 2007.11.12

 

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks!

 

The most foolish and spite laden post balloting comments to have been made came, unsurprisingly, from the two(2) political leaders between whose parties the electorate shared the forty-one (41) parliamentary seats on Nov. 05.  The leader of the Opposition must never be allowed to forget that he intoned that there will be more murders, kidnappings, rapes, robbies and other serious crimes and that when these occur the electorate must curse itself and cry and blame itself, the C0P and the PNM for rejecting the UNC.  And indeed, it was the UNC that was the biggest loser in the elections as its base support has been receding as the natural ‘setting of the sun’.  The COP  did not lose anything that it had.  It started out with only its jahagi bundle and ended the day with the support of 148k votes.  The UNC on the other hand lost significant base support and a constituency which it had earlier commanded.  It was stung by those losses and the enormous election dollars which were spent as though freely contributed by rich clubs and their governing bodies committed to a ‘goal fest’ political football tournament.  Jack Spaniard sting is joke compared to that of the maribone or the seven-mile racer.  The Bas cried as he cussed.  He begged for only one last chance but the fete match was over and soccer dollars were insufficient to sell his un-requited love.

 

The other dotish comment came in the conundrum which bad mind, vindictiveness and spite have often spun.

 

The leader of government explained that an experienced MP and high performer former Minister was needed as Deputy Speaker because the Government faced an experienced Opposition in the Lower House.  Nonsense!  Rubbish! BS!

 

The post of Deputy Speaker is boo and is only allowed a shy at umpiring the game on the rear occasion that the Speaker is absent.  Anybody with basic common sense, knowledge of the Standing Orders and an aptitude to chairmanship may qualify as Deputy Speaker.  The Opposition is given more credit than ought to be attributed to it and even the most experienced Deputy Speaker will do less to stymie a marauding Opposition than an intelligent, high performing Minister will make a mark in the governance and country Management process.

 

Or does Mr. Prime Minister see an experienced Deputy Speaker as defender and protector of an inexperienced government bench?  Or is an experienced Deputy Speaker any higher in the order than a Cabinet Minister?

 

One thinks that Mr. Manning is running out of plausible excuses for harbouring grudges against anyone who contends against his views.

 

This has been the OWTU Speaks and I am Errol Mc Leod wishing all a safe evening and a productive week.

Good Evening.

 

***************************************************************************************************************************

 

 

 

 

OWTU SPEAKS 2007.11.09

 

 

The Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union extends Divali Greetings to all in the Hindu Community and indeed the national community of Trinidad and Tobago.

 

We pray that the radiance of this festival of lights will truly conquer and overcome the too many areas of darkness in our sectoral, community and national being.  The illumination and the energy which will expel the dark shadows that inject uncertainty and fear in our steps to national unity and harmonious living may be discovered in the flicker of the solitary deya or candle just ahead of us.

 

We require only the resilience to keep going forward out of the darkness and into the light.  The cleansing radiance of the light of divali may also heal the minds and hearts of the politically venomous and all those possessed by malice and the divisiveness bred by primordial instincts.

 

May the light cleanse and illuminate the thinking of those mortals who exercise authority in the land – authority vested by the power of the people.

 

May we all be inspired by the light!

 

Shubh Divali

 

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks!

 

***************************************************************************************************************************

 

 

 

 

OWTU SPEAKS 2007.11.07

 

It was George Chambers who said ‘fete over, back to work:

 

In our instant case, it is hoped that after today’s last lap at Woodford Square, we will all set about working in the national interest.  Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks!

 

If it were always possible to discover the thoughts of men and to know what passions are stirring within; If it were possible to know the contents of post election speeches prior to the exercise of free franchise, it is more than likely that tens of thousands more would have either voted for the COP, migrated to the PNM or may have, in utter disgust, stayed away from the polls and thereby perform the absolute last rites of the poison stricken Basdeo Panday UNC.  Did you see the odious character of a devil possessed power hungry war monger whose belief it is that he owns and controls the lives of half the country’s population?  Did you notice the responses to the election results on Monday night?  Did you glean the subliminal inclination to race when it was suggested that the leader of another losing party had wronged himself and his p--- country?  That was one time when the thoughts of a man were easily exposed for discovery.

 

It was a wounded and desperate political animal at a microphone, and sorrow drowning spirits, themselves affecting some sensitivities and consciousness seemed pervasive.  It was nasty!  It vindicated the decision of all those who stayed away and who voted for the COP or PNM to not give another chance to those who had once abandoned their loyal subjects for the parasitic oligarchy.

 

The elections are over and the people have spoken.  Old issues remain on the national agenda expecting on old attitudes to adopt new approaches – it sounds full of dismay- but the people have spoken- and their decision is to be respected.

 

We offer congratulations to the electorate for having gone about the elections in as peaceful and democratic a way as to make us proud of our country.  We offer congratulations to all the winning candidates and wish them five (5) years of honest and faithful representation of their constituents’ and the national interest.  We also offer congratulations to Winston Dookeran who, even in defeat, emerged taller than others who contended for top leadership of the country.  Dookeran was as usual graciously magnanimous following the preliminary results which put COP out of the race.

 

There was statesmanship, decency and a quiet morality uncompared when the COP leader addressed his audience and the country.  We wish him well.

 

The Partying is over! Back to work!

 

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks!

 

 

****************************************************************************************************************************

 

 

OWTU SPEAKS 2007.11.02

 

 

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks!

 

We have reflected over the past three (3) days and while it is true that the authorities did not relent on the major issues which have been the catalyst that caused our reaction in the first place, we have demonstrated that we are no easy push over.

 

The struggle will resume after the General Elections.

 

Spite, vindictiveness and bad mind did not prevent us from showing the independent thinking and determination of the members of O.W.T.U. and other Unions in solidarity with us.  We feel stronger today and we know better how to affect the soft under belly of the spiteful and vindictive.  We go back to full service and production to remove any reason that the cowardly might use to call a State of Emergency and postpone the Elections.

 

All of the crap which they have peddled among their minions and the gullible have come to nought.

 

It is regrettable that with the exception of a few – too few to run away with a requisite number of seats – the old intransigent guard is likely to emerge as imperial governor again on the close of the ballot next Monday.  But this will not be forever.  Change will come, change must come some day soon.