Public Service Announcement

It's already been said, but it bears repeating, so listen up fellas:

Women are people too. We have thoughts, feelings, concerns, priorities, and rights just like men.

I say that to say this:

We owe you nothing.

Racism: It Is What It Is

In the wake of the appalling comments by journalist Darryl Heeralal, I've taken a lot of flack for:

a. daring to deem the statements racist, and

b. daring to ask how someone who has claimed such racist sentiments as his own can then be said to -not- be a racist.

Hysterics or Hilarity?

(from The New Yorker)

Once upon a time, the blatant lies and pathetic attempts of misdirection by T&T's politicians caused me great upset.

A single headline quoting Jack Warner, Anand Ramlogan or any number of other local politicians was enough to cause a spike in my blood pressure as I struggled to fathom the audacity required to insult the population with such boldfaced doublespeak. My loved ones feared that I'd eventually keel over and die of an aneurysm while reading the morning paper.

A Sad State of Affairs

So... I just stumbled across a Jezebel piece titled "How to Get Out of a Hook Up When the Guy Is Already in your Apartment". I was pretty sure it'd raise my blood pressure before I clicked the link, because I just knew that the odds of the first sentence being "Tell him it's time to go" were slim to none. 

Sometimes I hate being right.

I'm not African

I was chatting with someone a few weeks ago, when I made reference to the politics of various ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago. When I used the word "black" to describe the group to which I ostensibly belong, she stopped me and - ever so politely - corrected me to "African."

I paused for a second, but I gave in. I did this for two reasons:

1. We were talking about something else and didn't want to get side-tracked in the little bit of time that we had.
2. I didn't think an explanation of why I don't identify as "African" would be appropriate at the time and in that setting. 

I've noticed that people who do identify as African tend to become offended by that revelation. So, just this once, I went a long to get along. Always with the intention of correcting the misconception at a later date. I haven't had the chance to do so yet, though, and it's crossed my mind a few times since, so I figured I'd write it out.

So, here are the four reasons that I don't identify as African:

Tall Tales

After Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh announced his intention to go on a hunger strike, it became painfully clear how much nonsense was floating around in the public domain about the Mon Desir to Debe section of the San Fernando to Point Fortin highway.

It was only after watching the Prime Minister address the matter for the first time today, that I realized how much the People's Partnership Government is responsible for the fact that some of the most intense commentary on the issue is coming from people who have no clue what they're talking about.

In the spirit of the Communication Ministry's 12-point Fact Sheet aimed at refuting Kublalsingh's claims, please allow me to cut through just a bit of the b.s.:

Trini Commitment

There's a lot of debate about whether Highway Re-Route Movement leader Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh is really on a hunger strike, whether he's being childish, whether he's trying to prey on public sympathy to manipulate the government, etc.

I'm interested in none of it.

VAT Trap

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan

This VAT-removal gimmick that the People's Partnership Government is trying to use to distract us from the fact that Jack Warner is still a minister, Anand Ramlogan is Attorney General and the Prime Minister would rather parade the catwalk than address issues of national importance is creating a lot more problems than it's going to solve.

Immoral Authority

“Where were the citizens who want to protect our democracy when there was evidence of political manipulation in the arrest of our former chief justice?

 “That was a huge blow to democracy. How come political relics of the past are coming forward now when they had opportunities in the past to change the system and did not take the benefit of that opportunity?”

That's Prakash Ramadar, political leader of the COP and Legal Affairs Minister, questioning the moral authority of citizens of T&T to demand better of his government.

At the Tipping Point

A tipping point is defined as "the critical point in a situation... beyond which a significant and often unstoppable ... change takes place".

I look around and I wonder when T&T will reach that point and what it's going to take to get there. Given the nation's history of generally mediocre (and often piss-poor) governance, the decade of sky-rocketing crime, pitifully crumbling infrastructure and an incumbent government that shows open disdain for its citizenry, I honestly wonder how much more people need to see before deciding that - whatever it takes - real change is imperative.

Another School in Poor Condition

This is how the experts at the Ministry of Works and Ministry of Education have collectively decided to deal with electrical problems at St. George's College.

The panel is overheating and the wiring is starting to burn, so they've just posted a fan there to keep things cool. Just for the while, I'm sure.

Political Patronage Continues

Stumbled across this this morning:

Prematee Ramnarine, mother of former Security Intelligence Agency (SSA) head Reshmi Ramnarine, has been promised a promotion to the post of Clerk IV at the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco)—a position that does not exist in the establishment.

Ramnarine, who has more than 25 years’ service, approached the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) last year, claiming she had been bypassed for a promotion. In a bid to bring a speedy resolution to the matter, former chairman Robert Ramsamooj agreed to enter into a voluntary conciliation mediation agreement between Namdevco and Ramnarine.

Yes, you read that right. The mother of the infamous Reshmi Ramnarine (who changed her name to Shashi Rehka last May) is now embroiled in her own employment scandal. Prematee Ramnarine was somehow promised a promotion to a Namdevco position that doesn't exist and is now in mediation to resolve the situation.

Parliamentary Race Baiting

National Security Minister
Jack Warner

After a week spent neck deep in news, I don't generally bother with the local happenings much on a weekend. But, once I stumbled across this, I couldn't let it pass:

In defending Ramlogan, Warner charged that Rowley had signaled him out for "persecution" because of his ethnicity.

"It's because you have a problem with the individual," he said.

Warner questioned how come Rowley did not have "one" like him sitting on the PNM benches or going up for elections in the PNM convention which takes place today.

"They don't count. You are attacking the Attorney General because the AG represents the things you dislike," said Warner. 

B.S. in Communications

In the wake of the controversy over his ill-advised email to the Head of News for CCN, Communications Minister Jamal Mohammed has issued an apology:

Political Fatigue

National Security Minister
Jack Warner

Looks like Jack Warner really has bitten off more than he can chew...

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has instructed National Security Minister Jack Warner to get some rest.

Persad-Bissessar, speaking at a lavish fund-raising dinner by the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) on Sunday at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, said Warner had not slept in 48 hours and ordered that he not work on Monday.

"Jack Warner, you are grounded after you leave here tonight, you will go home tomorrow, I will ask other ministers to take up all your meetings, and Maureen Warner, ground him tomorrow, let him sleep because he hasn't slept in 24 to 48 hours," said Persad-Bissessar.

Sleep well Jack, because you've got lots of questions to answer when you get back.

This is not a fete

Lawrence Duprey

I imagine that the reason that Lawrence Duprey, former executive chairman of CL Financial (a company so poorly-managed and well-connected that its collapse nearly destabilized the national economy and has cost the taxpayers $21 billion) can boldly declare (in a 50 page witness statement, naturally) that he did nothing wrong while Auditor Chanka Seeterram freely admits that he cooked the HCU books to hide a $31 million loss is because this country has never prosecuted anyone for white collar crime.

Latest PP Misstep?

Communications Minister
Jamal Mohammed

Just in case you thought that the last line of my last post was a throwaway, here are the details, courtesy of TV6's Facebook page:

PP Government: Worst administration ever or evil geniuses?

So, the protests continued in East Port of Spain for the second day in a row today. For those keeping track, it was also the second day of the spectacular failure that is the People and Projects for Progress Programme - a venture that has succeeded only in being the most alliterative gimmick/make-work program that this Government has been able to come up with so far.

Few are surprised at this turn, as it would seem that one half of the population saw right through Jack Warner's attempt to buy peace in Laventille and the other half figured that it was just a matter of time before the savages flipped out again.

At the very least, most folks had to admit that Jack totally screwed up by getting involved in Laventille. He's in way over his head.

But ... What if - for a second - we give the People's Partnership Government more credit than they've ever shown the potential for deserving?

Corruption? What corruption?

"They talk of corruption in my Government and up to today they cannot give me one specific instance of corruption. They call names, they blame people, there's nothing I've seen evidence of and I promise you this—the day any evidence of corruption comes in my face I will deal with it.

"No minister will stand, no councillor will stand and no board member will stand. I've already demonstrated my commitment to transparency and accountability."

That's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, speaking at at THA election fundraiser.

Blame Game

Health Minister Dr. Fuad Khan

Read this Express article and cringe as the people in charge of this nation's healthcare system frantically pass the buck after a patient dies because no one at the Health Ministry, North West Regional Health Authority, or Port of Spain General Hospital could figure out how to get their hands on a cranial drill in time to save him.

I'd ask if anyone would be held responsible for such a gross failure in the public health system, but - alas - I know better.