Politics

The bombshell from UNC Chief Whip Jack Warner that there is a church being built in the Heights of Guanapo, in Arima, with the active support and involvement of PM Manning, ought not to have exploded, but it has. Manning’s inept handling of the issue has opened up a can of worms that has served to expose the sycophantic relationship that exists in Cabinet.

I sometimes cut out articles that I find newsworthy with the intention of writing a future column. For some time now, I have been compiling a file with clippings about violence and indiscipline in our schools.

The issue is not necessarily who the stronger or better candidate is in the UNC internal elections. If the objective is to dislodge the PNM from office the relevant questions are:

Minister Colm Imbert is responsible for three projects that have eased the strain on many citizens. I refer to the interchange, the water taxis and the much-improved Tobago ferry service. The traffic gridlock was the cause of much stress and anxiety. Now, the situation on evenings heading out of Port-of-Spain has noticeably eased up with a saving of at least 20-30 minutes in travel time.

For quite a few weeks now, I've been thinking of what it means to elect people to form a Government. The more I thought, the more questions kept coming into my head. Questions which needed to be answered. The source of my answers were primarily Google searches, byut also from various other websites and some books.

PM Manning’s attitude towards crime has always been one of casual indifference. His flippancy is manifested in public statements that constantly seek to downplay the true state of social decadence and the chaotic breakdown in law and order. As head of the government, his attitude will inform the priority and policy of his administration towards crime.

Emile Elias struck a raw nerve and put the Government on the back foot, when he said the cost of hosting the summit had crossed the $1billion mark, and was probably well over $1.2 billion by now. He confirmed what many of us had been suspecting and questioning, in light of the Government’s conspicuous omission regarding the cost of this elaborate international adventure.

With an unemployment figure of over two million people, a sinking pound, a crumbling property market and crashing banks, I expected some kind of post-war depression when I arrived in London, last week.

Things may get uncomfortable for Finance Minister Karen Tesheira as the extent of her deposits, investments and shareholding in CL Financial and its subsidiaries are revealed. Her shares in CL Financial were worth $11.7 million. She closed two US-dollar accounts with Clico Investment Bank on December 31, 2008, before the maturity date.

The issue of the veto given to the Prime Minister in the constitution is the subject of debate again. Mr Manning asserts that the framers of our constitution deliberately gave an unconditional veto to the PM and no reasons were required. He could exercise the veto in a vacuum.

Panday’s call for a re-definition of one of our nation’s watchwords that was drummed into my ear in primary school was shocking and amusing.

The scathing criticisms levelled against Clico’s head, Lawrence Duprey, by PM Manning and Finance Minister Nunez-Tesheira echo the criticisms levelled against Harry Harnarine and the Hindu Credit Union.

 My fellow Trinidadians, what is happening to our beautiful country? I am shocked by the utter disregard for the suffering of our people that has been shown by our government.

We are so racially sensitive that once “outsiders” or “others” criticise our race, tribal leaders immediately train their snipers at the messenger, in an effort to obfuscate the message.

Recent statements made by prominent PNM officials show pangs of political guilt over the sad state of its “natural constituency” (to borrow Danny Montano’s expression).

History was made yesterday - at least in Trinidad or perhaps the democratic world. The Speaker of the House Barendra Sinanan has found a prima facie case to refer the Government of Trinidad & Tobago to the Privileges Committee of Parliamentary Ministers for a determination of contempt of the House.

There is probably more corruption under the PNM than any other government. The machinery is well-oiled and runs smoothly, and unlike the UNC, it isn’t concentrated in the hands of a few but spread a little more evenly, across the board.

The public service is supposed to be the engine for the implementation of government’s policy.

Maracas Royal Rd,
St Joseph,
26th April, 08.

Friends Countrymen,
Once again I am baffled by the political hoopla from our citizens, this time from the firing of Dr. Rowley. Even opposition parties have been unwittingly caught up in the spin.

There is a growing awareness among many that Dr Rowley was dismissed in very questionable circumstances.

Sometimes they say a "picture is worth a thousand words" and that has proven to be so true; then there is another saying "actions speak louder than words" and that too has over time proven to be true as well...without question...Mr. Speaker?...!