A PLOT TO KILL ME
PM tells of shocking event before coup anniversary last year
By Anna Ramdass – Published: 28 Jul 2009
Prime Minister Patrick Manning claimed last night that there was a plot to assassinate him last year. Speaking at the PNM’s meeting in Arima, Manning reminded the crowd of an incident that took place in July last year, when a marked police vehicle attempted to “peel off” one his security detail vehicles as he and his wife, Local Government Minister Hazel Manning, were on the way to the gym.
PM: Bloodshed averted
By Richard Lord – Published: 28 Jul 2009
Prime Minister Patrick Manning disclosed last night that an unnamed organisation was behind a plot to kill him. He said this was revealed to his wife Local Government Minister Hazel Manning three days before last year’s anniversary of the 1990 attempted coup.
What Plot Against The PM?
By Sean Douglas
July 29, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
ACTING Commissioner of Police (CoP) James Philbert yesterday denied that Prime Minister Patrick Manning had ever lodged a complaint about any plot to assassinate him.
Asked if he’d ever got such a complaint from Manning, Philbert told Newsday, “No.” However, Philbert added that based on the Prime Minister’s claims in the press yesterday, he would investigate the case.
Philbert said, “There is an investigator assigned to it already.”
He declined to comment on Manning’s attempt to link former Acting Cpl Clinton Auguste to the supposed “hit”, challenging Newsday to specifically say where Manning had made such a link. Attorney Garvin Nicholas said Auguste, his client, has flatly denied any link to any plot.
“He is appalled by it. He is very disturbed that the Prime Minister would try to link him to any criminal group. This matter will be looked at in some detail to determine whether libel action should be taken against the Prime Minister,” he said.
Nicholas accused Manning of dragging Auguste into his fanciful stories.
“Manning’s intervention has already cost my client his job,” he said.
Auguste lost his job on March 20, after the findings of a Police Service Commission tribunal, but he has said he would seek a judicial review against his firing. The tribunal met after the Prime Minister accused Auguste of discreditable conduct when he challenged his security detail on July 26, 2008. Auguste had attempted to stop the unmarked security detail, which he claimed was speeding dangerously, at about 3 am that day. Although he did not name Auguste, Manning, at a PNM political meeting in Arima on Monday night, referred to the incident of when he and his wife Hazel, the Local Government Minister, were stopped by a marked police vehicle on their way to the gym. Manning claimed two days before this incident someone went to Hazel’s office and told her a certain organisation was behind a plot to assassinate him.
Nicholas said Manning was wrong to hint that his client may have been part of a plot with other persons. “There’s absolutely nothing to substantiate what the Prime Minister said (Monday) evening. This (Auguste) matter to which he refers has been aired and investigated in a tribunal, and it was never indicated that there was ever any suspicion of an assassination plot against him,” Nicholas said.
Nicholas said he had received no documentation (that is, transcripts and witness statements) from neither the Police Service Commission nor the Acting CoP regarding the tribunal, despite writing three times, and speaking at least once to Philbert. “On July 22, I filed at the Ministry of National Security, a request for all the documents…I don’t know, if that might have brought the matter to the fore of the Prime Minister’s mind,” Nicholas said.
“In addition, if we are to consider the way in which things unfolded at 3.30 in the morning (on July 26, 2008) when the Prime Minister stated he was going to the gym even though there are gym facilities at his multi-million dollar residence, he made no attempt to contact either his Minister of National Security or any of his security heads to alert them to any suspicious activity which would have been the responsible thing to do by any Prime Minister with an assassination threat on his mind,” he added. Nicholas suggested Manning’s claim may be linked to calls for an inquiry into the July 27, 1990 attempted coup by the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen. “One year later (after the 2008 incident) when the national population is calling for an inquiry, he comes up with this fanciful and salacious story to deflect attention from the real issues,” he said.
Manning yesterday refused to take questions from reporters about his report of an assassination plot at the end of a business breakfast meeting held at Paria Suites, La Romaine. He told reporters he did not want to remove the focus from the discussions of the breakfast meeting.
“If I go to answer questions it will divert attention away from what our main purpose is today and we don’t want to do that,” Manning said before he and his security detail left.
Manning has publicly reported death threats twice before; in November 2003, when commenting on similar threats against the Speaker of the House of Representatives and again in July 2005, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the 1990 attempted coup.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,104568.html
Related News:
More questions than answers
Why did Prime Minister Patrick Manning wait a whole year to say that there was a plot to assassinate him? Mr Manning made his claim on Monday night, the 19th anniversary of the 1990 coup attempt, while addressing the crowd at a public political meeting in Arima. According to him, the information was given to Local Government Minister Hazel Manning last year, on July 24.
Dookeran, Panday: PM’s claims raise questions
Prime Minister Patrick Manning must come clean on the bombshell he dropped about a threat to assassinate him in order to validate his statement.
Senior cop to probe plot to kill PM
Bakr: I know nothing about attempt
Panday: Manning needs a lie detector test
Seetahal: Manning took it to extreme
Prime Minister Patrick Manning took it to the extreme when he said his not reporting a threat to his life prevented bloodshed, says Independent Senator Dana Seetahal.
‘Prime Minister should have revealed this before’
PM must give more info on plot to kill
Attorney Garvin Nicholas has called on Prime Minister Patrick Manning to say more on the alleged plot to assassinate him by an unnamed organisation.
Manning also spoke of death threats in 2003, 2005
It was a case of deja vu on Monday, when Prime Minister Patrick Manning, on the 19th anniversary of the attempted coup, claimed that a threat was made to assassinate him
…No questions from the media
Prime Minister Patrick Manning refused to respond to questions from the media yesterday on claims that an organisation had plotted to have him assassinated.
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog – URL for this article:
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=1340
Mr. Manning reminds me of Christopher Columbus.
A damn Blasted Liar.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just because a plot to assassinate the PM is not made wholly public to the community at this stages does not mean the PM is a liar.
Anyone in the position of the PM would need to be cautious of divulging information to hastily. Look what information does in TT, it sends the community bonkers.
Can we all get some perspective and stop acting irrationally every time there’s media about the PM and his policies unless we have constructive criticisms to make!!
Mr. Manning…if yuh cyah Handle the Heat…get out the kitchen. Your responsibility…like everybody else ..is to report a threat on your life to your security team and the Police. Lead by EXAMPLE NAH! STEUPS! Talking bout BLOODSHED! There is BLOODSHED every single day in TnT…because crime is out of hand…or that not important cause is not your blood??
You cyah take criticism…well …sorry sir..it comes with the territory. It happens everywhere in the world. Saying MATT is anti Government is so childish and petty. If you keep putting yuh foot in your mouth..it is reported! If yuh do something good…it is reported! Your dictatorship behaviour is you own worse enemy.
I don’t understand where is this so call “integrity”? You all get away with everything in Parliament…and I have to say …only in Trinidad and Tobago cause everywhere else…people resign when the screw up! Not here…the worse the behaviour….the more it is supported. So when the Media put pressure on these National Issues…is a problem..cause it making you look BAD?? I doh understand. Woe is our land. God really have to help us!
Talk about political arrogance, and Mickey Mouse shenanigans, in the absence of a sensible or even relevant, and caring Opposition. You take care of the pressing business of state dear sir, and leave our more competent and -if one may say -our well paid British Scotland Yard security experts to handle your security.
This issue is much ado about nothing, and merely another irrelevant political distraction. Mr. M would be well advised to begin the long overdue task of divesting some of his enormous power, and make immediate steps to find a successor to his political fiefdom- that is not a member of his family. Too much is at stake Mr. PM. There are still PNM constituencies that are without basic infrastructure, the jobless rates are escalating, and wealth distribution STARTING WITH STATE LANDS, should be the number one priority for your government.
You take care of these and similar issues and you can live to be One Hundred years, as well as walk naked and blindfolded from your San Fernando billion dollar residence, and well served constituency to the Red House every day, and live to tell your great grand children.
All of you know I do not live in TT, but, listen to this. I was in a meeting in my new hometown, in June, of an international think tank(or so we like to call ourselves). We always invite students from neighboring universities to participate in our deliberations. I cannot recall how Chavez of Venezuela’s name was mentioned, but the young man seated next to me, a Venezuelan, launched into a tirade about him, saying he should be killed, and asking that someone do the job for him. I was stunned! What was even more stunning was that no one in this group said a word to contradict him, or to say that we do not advocate assassination as a means of promoting global understanding.No one said that the US is against forced removal of any head of state, democratically elected. We, of course, are not an agency of the US government.
A number of people in this group of mine, belong to international business groups, some in the oil sector. Houston, you know, is the global headquarters of the oil industry.
Had we been anything but theorists, someone could have contacted this young man, through the sign in sheet, and proceeded to try again, to take out the president of Venezuela, since doing it at the ballot box has failed so miserably.
Now, who are we to say that similar conversations are not going on in TnT, since attempts to move Mr.Manning, through the ballot box, have also failed? Every time I come home, and daily in the internet versions of the newspapers, I read diatribes against the Prime Minister.
There are those who believe that blood sacrifices are needed to make changes. There are those who look for inspiration to the demons let loose in other places, and long for an unleashing of violence.
Everyone reading this, knows that I stand by what I write. I do not need a job from anyone, so I can speak without fear.
At best, Manning did not take this threat seriously. At worst, he is outright lying as a way to deflect from calls for an inquiry into the 1990 coup, crime and other issues.
Very good Trini-at- home, that makes two of us including journalist Mr. Alleyne that still care about this issue. Here we are worried about this comedic act , by a well past his prime ,self serving ,misguided political nut, on the anniversary of the 1990 massacre that went by with hardly a ripple. Come on Madame L use some of your independence and influence and tell the two nepotistic kings on both sides of the so called political divide, to ensure our former President , /PM get to see his maker with some semblance of peace. Ahwe Buay Robbi aka De Castaria Kid have been demanding a Commission of Inquiry from the two folks that benefited most from his then political demise, hmmm?
Those European wannabe Venezuelans have cohones , unlike us , and would do the right thing where they deem it necessary as far as the military buffoon Mestizo Chavez . It’s part of their savage Conquistadores legacy, for outside of the progressive and politically mature Costa Ricans, each Latin American State experienced perhaps 100 military coup / political assassinations since gaining independence from their ‘African -Spanish Colonial masters. ’
Just a bit of spade calling on my part , but I just simply despise selfish, politicians , irrespective of their genetic/ ethnic / racial make up , or regional location.
Sup par health care service in Trinidad and Tobago as manifested by one 1915 built General hospital in Tobago , along with Nigerians, Cubans and Trini doctors fighting like cats and dogs not to help local patients, but to see who can draw a bigger salary , or perhaps steal the state’s medicines more efficiently to furnish their private high end clinics. In the mean time the PM followed closely by the Opposition leader cannot run fast enough with their family to Cuba , Miami , England and Scotland fast enough when a chest pain , upset stomach or grand child is about to be delivered , unlike the desperate locals.
The current and last President of big brother America enjoyed boasting about love for their respective daughters , for all the world to see. A year ago MBA President G W Bush married off one of his daughters in true royal fashion in the White House , and Obama kisses his every night to sleep ,as he tries to show that he is a much better father than his Kenyan Phd dad was. In the mean time both had no problem in kissing the ring of King Abdallah Saud , leader of an undemocratic oil rich state that still treats women as foot cloth , and prevents them from even driving. Hypocrisy or political expediency.? Please tell
Every day local citizens are cowering in virtual jails , as criminals run rampage across our twin island state ,still awaiting a miracle from the clueless Scotland Yard overpaid blokes, and these two clowns defined as leaders are complaining about treats to their lives along with relatives. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article?id=161457469
It is obvious that a very destructive and irresponsible development is taking place in our country , and it led my our local petit bourgeois political elites in and out of government .
Are they not concerned that they are giving our already overtaxed security forces too much to chew on , with the vast array of authentic blue and white color crimes they have to contend with?
“the military buffoon Mestizo Chavez.”
Are you calling Chavez a buffoon? If so, you are ignorant. Chavez is one of the most progressive leaders in the world today. If you do not know that, then everything else you think you know is a waste of time.
Neal,you are ranting again. One of these days you would have an apoplectic fit.
I cannot believe that someone who so often purports to side with my point of view, (ha, Ha) calls Mr. Chavez a buffoon.People who do not agree with the politics of various third world leaders, use words like that to try to reduce them to an absurdity.
I do not own stock in a Venezuelan company, nor do I have shares in its oil business, but Mr. Chaves seems not only to be willing to distribute the wealth of his ountry among his people, all of his people, but also to help those in need in the USA.(Free heating oil for the poor of the East Coast. )This ‘buffoon’ stole the show at the Summit of the Americas, not by giving Obama a book, in Spainsh about oppression in Latin America, but by arriving almost secretly at Chaguaramus, while everyone was clamouring at Piarco.
Hostile media people use word that are loaded with venom about every incident.
I do not think for a moment that Mr. Manningis making up death threats, what would be worse would be if he identified these people and silently arranged to erase them, the way Forbes Burnham would have done. When he went down to confront the media twosome who were playing the fool, he showed that he is willing to tackle touchy issues, head on.
You are right. He cannot stop the doctors and medical staff from stealing supplies, mis-treating the poor, and in some cases secretly sterlizing African originated women.(TWO OF MY SISTERS WORKED AS POSG UNTIL THEY MIGRATED). What some of the medical people want is a privitzation of health services, lkie they did with the Post Office, so that every last penny can be squeezed from the poor. For that to happen, their mantra is “A Failed State” “Things are out of Control” and such.
Those people are not working in the best interest of TnT. They working for they own self. They might work with others outside the country, to force political change. Never forget that India invaded Figi, supposedly to protect Indian businessmen there who said they were threatened. India cannot do that overtly in TnT. All hell would break loose with Big Brother, whose zone of influece we live in.
All threats against a head of state and/ or a Prime Minister must be taken seriously.
Manning’s mystery
Newsday Editorial
Thursday, July 30 2009
Last Monday evening Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced to his PNM supporters in Arima, that there had been a plot to attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister. Apparently, this “plot” was revealed to the Minister of Local Government, who is Mr Manning’s wife, last year at the time of the observance of the eighteenth anniversary of the 1990 attempted coup by the Muslimeen.
Strangely, the news of this plot was never reported to the police service by the man who is head of the National Security Committee of Parliament. The Acting Commissioner of Police stated that he had no report of any such plot. However, the Commissioner will now begin some investigation, albeit a year later. It is not yet known whether Mr Manning raised this with the National Security Committee he chairs, but we expect that the Minister of National Security will enlighten the nation as to what he, or his intelligence officers, may have known about this supposed threat upon the life of the Prime Minister.
Of course, it may be that the Security Minister was kept in the dark, just as the Commissioner of Police was. Mr Manning’s own explanation—if we can say that anything was in fact “explained”—is that he chose not to make the threat public, because, had he done so, “… there would have been bloodshed that morning and certain people would have been killed. There is no question about it. I thank Almighty God we did not report that.”
“There is no question about it?” The Prime Minister is absolutely confident that, had he reported a threat upon his life, that there would have been bloodshed, and “certain people” would have been killed? What exactly is being suggested here?
The “morning” he referred to was on July 26, 2008 when he and Mrs Manning were on their way to a gym. There was some sort of confrontation with a police officer. Is Mr Manning connecting the two events? Already the policeman driving that car has lost his job.
And, apparently Mr Manning also knows who was behind this threat to “attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister…”, for he claims the threat came from a “certain group” obviously known to him. Given that this alleged and unreported threat came on the anniversary of the July 1990 attempted coup, we could be forgiven for assuming that the Prime Minister was referring to the insurgents who attempted the coup. If this is not the case, then Mr Manning should at least let us know that there is another “certain group” out there, making threats on the life of the Prime Minister.
It is more curious however, that Mr Manning can make the announcement of this threat by a certain group to attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister in a speech where he also rejected calls, once again, for an official inquiry into the coup attempt of 1990. By his own admission, he is claiming that danger to the Prime Minister still exists from a “certain group,” whose identity is hardly veiled by his comments. Certainly, any news of a possible threat to the life of the Prime Minister, coming from a “certain group” active on the anniversary of the coup, requires that the Government inquire into any possible connection between 1990 and the alleged threat to the Prime Minister. Certainly, Cabinet owes it to the country to issue a statement on these startling revelations.
Notwithstanding Mr Manning’s unsupported claims about a plan to “attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister,” we remain quite unimpressed with his vainglorious claims to “Fear no man.” He has, as far as we know, no credential to heroism.
Mr Manning owes this country a serious explanation because the affair is very much a mystery. Who is the person who walked into the Minister of Local Government’s office? And why, had it not been reported to police?
http://www.newsday.co.tt/editorial/0,104603.html
PM goes silent on death threat
PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning yesterday remained mum on details of an alleged plot to assassinate him which was reported to him in 2008, declining queries from reporters on the issue but hinting that the matter could soon be discussed in a press conference.
PM must give more info on plot to kill
Attorney Garvin Nicholas has called on Prime Minister Patrick Manning to say more on the alleged plot to assassinate him by an unnamed organisation.
Dookeran: Manning using politics of fear
Congress of the People leader Winston Dookeran has expressed disbelief over statements by Prime Minister Patrick Manning that an organisation was plotting to kill him.
I see you point Ms. L and concur. Thanks very much for the enlightenment. Our good friend and neighbor Mr. Chavez has his heart in the right direction, but is going up against an entrenched / threatened class willing to collaborate with external enemies of the state for narrow interest ends. I have a profound distase for any Military leader , and sometimes it shows as I seem incapable of containing my self, even long after they’ve become ‘democratically elected leaders.’
Let’s wish him much success in all his positive efforts. I need to brush up a bit on my History re Fiji however, as I was not aware that such a move was made in the past by India.I agree , Trinidad and Tobago is a ‘horse of a different colour.’
Your point about the need to take all threats against a head of state and/ or a Prime Minister seriously is also duly noted. I might have gone a bit overboard in leveling Machiavellian motives to our PM in this case.
I got to find a way to symbolically make my omelets without breaking too many eggs. It’s somewhat difficult ,but can be done. Keep them honest.
Warm regards.
It wouldn’t be as hard to believe if the Prime Minister was following through on a plan to improve the lives of the average citizen. We have witnessed extravagant over the top spending by this administration that has netted the average citizen migraines at best.
I personally do not condone assassinations of any leaders. Their removal should come in form of a democratic process.
People are fed up with the theater of this government. Trying to play the victim won’t help now. Nobody feels sentimental to a leader that allows the country to be plundered by outside forces in order to pad his plush lifestyle.
Vote him out, but make sure the grass is greener on the other side.
Wonderful analysis Miss Edwards. I do agree with a lot of the points put forward by Neal but he lost a lot of points when he head for the gutter and describe hugo chavez as -buffoon mestizo.I am always at a loss whenever, a progressive leader tries to re-distribute the god-given wealth of his country to everbody especially the most vulnerable…. some peolpe always see this as some form of economic tyranny.The most vocal opponents are the ones who donot care a damn about the people as they claimed but rather their bank account.The petro caribe arrangement(even though trinidad was against it…goes against the spirit of Caricom) is a welcome move because it benefits a lot of non-oil producung caricom states that saw their oil bill quadruple in the last 8 years.If people can believe DR Goopesing that etnic cleansing is taking place in health sector in Trinidad why is it not plausible to believe the PM claim of alleged assasination.
Take it easy cousin Curtis , Let the man have his day in court . This is Sweet, Sweet, T&T aka Rainbow country. Mr Panday is fee to appeal his matter to Mother Britannia’s anachronistic Law Lords until hell freezes over, he gets to age 105 , or Mickela becomes a great grand mother-which ever occurs first. We could care less , money still ” is no problem,”there is plenty of oil and gas under our soil and waters , and so we can string along with his theater. http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=16
I am getting a bit worried about you now Curtis . Didn’t you idly boast that you were living in Canada since 1986 and is proud of that fact since this Canada is a democratic country – par excel lance – the likes of which we could never dream of? We’ll have to get Interpol to examine your horns my friend. I think that you are sharing the same residential complex with Obama half brother in Beijing China.
http://www.thomascrampton.com/people/mark-ndesandjo/
In that country my friend they give people cowboy trials , and put four bullets in the back of their heads the next day. We do not play that tyrannical game in my country Trinidad and Tobago.We have a rich legacy of free , and fair trials , and at the end of the day according to my loving granny , ‘where ever it hang ,we let it swing- the verdict that is.
If you doubt me , then ask Uncle Shah , Rex Lassale , Abu Backer, and Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma. This may sound to some as a contradiction , but I believe that our nation’s democratic and Human Rights credentials were elevated over the past three plus decades because of our Criminal Justice records. Today we are fortunate to have the wise council of Mr Shah to keep us balance , when I cannot get a soothing peak from the sleeping duck, Mas Camp President Mr . R. I became a full Vegetarian as a result of the past Health Foods Radio programs by cousin Rex Lassale. Not coincidentally , I too decided to run from by country soon after the efforts of my former brother police and our nation’s much revered Muslimeen mastermind ,Abu Backer- and watch him smirk repeatedly for the benefit of our cameras along with his 10 underage wives . Only recently I saw a respectable Commissioner of Police tried to arrest our one time Chief Justice at his residence with a legally obtained warrant , and had to put his tail between his legs like a zandolee and run back to his St James home with his perplexed crew in tow , after being rebuffed like a school kid by the upstanding Legal London Educated Jurist. In the end justice was served to the benefit of this CJ , and all is well and sundry in racially tensed Trinidad . Where else in the world Curtis , but perhaps you know otherwise. I don’t know about you , but I ain’t trading my blessed country for any where else , for all the tea in Africa.
I don’t care any more about you Shanghai Province guys teas , as that country cares little about justice and democracy . All you care about is capitalist dollars and natural resources to service to large population and ,below standard industries.
Good luck .This PM would outlive all of us.That leaves PNM in power until 2050. Sorry.
I see no reason to doubt or dispute the claim of the Prime Minister. There are large numbers of people in T&T whose animosity towards Manning is based on race, and there are few operants that are more influential than prejudice. I have heard people under the influence of drinks reel out elaborate plots about how they could kill Manning. Some of them sheepishly tried to laugh it off after they became aware of my disgust, but that did not fool me.
People hate Manning because they consider him a bad and corrupt PM, and others hate him because their cultural psyche is incpmpatible with black national leadership. Yes, I said it!!!!
What are some good things that Manning has done for the people of Trinidad and Tobago? Perhaps that is a way to determine if he is worthy of our loyalty.
Some people want a national leader that is Black to succeed so bad they are willing to risk the sanctity of the nation to see it. Yes, I said that!!!!!
Let us place race to the side and talk about the issues that he has made steps to resolve or has resolved.
“The virtues and duties of any ruler are as follows:- generosity, high moral character, self-sacrifice, honesty and integrity, gentleness, self control , patience and tolerance, forbearance, and conformity to the law.” The Pali Canon/ Buddha ’s teachings
Come on Bro Ruel , in the interest of fairplay we must be prepared to throw cousin Curtis a bone . He is making some efforts to elevate the discourse with some very solid points one must agree. Correct? Outside of his subtle derogatory slight aimed at getting some unknown blogger s riled up- which we ain’t fall for – Curtis is sounding almost like Prof. Ghany , or Dr. Selwyn Ryan with this point. I too am a bit hard press to place a finger on an issue as Curtis claimed “that he has made steps to resolve or has resolved.”
Let’s stack Mr. M up with other national leaders and see how he emerges. What’s the Doc’s claim to fame , the introduction of Dude 10 days program to serve black ex criminal supporters ,and it has survived to present day although in different forms and for wider bases.
He also gave us free education , and the British cast away Common Entrance system that enabled local elites to benefit via cronyism and similar quid pro quo actions to get their kids into our domestic prestige educational institutions , and eventually Oxford and such noble foreign higher learning circles , after which they can in some true Trini ungrateful manner, tell us ‘to kiss dey so and so,’ when they’ve received global glory, often the beneficiary of free scholarship obtained initially at the hands of dedicated teachers. .
Chambers showed the world that T&T was an international contender and had a sense of independence by halting Ronald the Yankee Cowboy President’s Grenada anti socialist forays for perhaps a week while Eugenia Charles and the Bajan joker Tom Adams took their 30 pieces of silver via the useless Caribbean Basin Initiative, along with all our oil dollars while they still laugh and look at Trinis as a bunch of bumbling idiots- just like they and other Caribbean members are prepared to continue doing re the Venezuelan PetroCaribe Oil jig and dance that is dangled by our ‘regional statesman/ hegemonic aspirant leader, ’ Chavez. http://bajan.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/venezuela-caribbean-petrocaribe-law-of-the-sea/
Is any one on this board old enough to remember the ill fated Arawak Cement factory sweet heart deal we signed with these Bajan upstarts? I have no conceivable idea when Trinis would learn to put their own interest over others. However , many were not fortunate to benefit from the wisdom of the smartest woman that ever lived. She always admonished me to “ never cut your nose to spoil your face.” Guess what she never was fortunate to Study engineering at UWI like Mr M , Law and Acting at Oxford like Mr. P., a few corresponding classes for a diploma like Chamby the smart one, or history and Philosophy respectively by the Doc or the Castaria Kid.
Robie the Castaria Kid took credit for finally giving Tobago a deep water Harbor and an airport. He is not too worried that the last Tobago hospital was constructed when Queen Elizabeth 11 was an embryo. Remember also that whereas the Doc- for all his bombastic front page posturings -disappeared under his bed with Erica in the famous 1970military chess play led by the youthful Tethron Lieutenants , and Brigadier Sk, while Robbie stood up to Muslim wannabe Backer and his tugs in the Red house and shouted “attack with full force ,” just like his namesake the Italian/ French Napoleon B.
Full mark to Robbie and his name will be immortalized in history as a courageous leader than took one in the knee for his troops , while other toothless tigers were frolicking conveniently on vacation .
Uncle Panday has shown the world what a good father can do in support of his children , via education and eventually political patronage . That put’s him right up there in lofty circles with the Antiguan Birds , Bajan Adams , and Yardee’s Manleys. http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/forum/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/3533
This leaves Mr . M. Well I think he has some bragging rights in the female department. Panday has a terrible track record in his dealings with women politically , unless they belong to his household. The Doc tried to appease his female fan base , and made some overtures with the famous Mureul Donnawa Davidson , Lystra Lewis and other convenient members of the ‘brigade.’
Uncle M to his credit , has done some mix and matched maneuvers that ensured women get some prominence – especially his number one female pitbull and supporter Hazel. Can’t blame him for that , as politics can be a very dirty game , and one should always have one’s back covered , Ater all daughters would defy you , and marry who they want , and loyal friends would stab you in the back if expedient. It is obvious that if placed under a microscope none of our leaders can cast the first stone when it comes to political stewardship while in power. The Doc was self opinioned. Cambers many claimed was duncey. Robie was insecure and too arrogant for many liking. Patrick is vindictive , and opportunistic ,according to his enemies . Panday is a benevolent , corrupt ,nepotistic dictator , too fixated on his tenuous legacy according to his critics. There is therefore work to be done Curtis.
Report threat to police, Mr PM
Today’s Editorial
July 30 2009 – guardian.co.tt
Having chosen to make the disclosure of an alleged threat on his life public, even if delayed by one year, Prime Minister Patrick Manning now needs to make the information available to the police so that the threat to the life of the chief executive officer of the State can be investigated by them.
This threat should not be taken lightly and allowed to pass without the full security system of the State being put to work on the matter. Whether Prime Minister Manning is “not afraid of any man” is irrelevant. The fact must be that people who would contemplate such a crime against the constitutionally elected leader of the nation cannot be allowed to exist amongst us to plan further crimes against the country.
In the instance of the alleged attempt to separate the Prime Minister’s convoy of vehicles, that is a well-known incident and the officer has been reported, investigated and dismissed from the service for inappropriate behaviour. There however was nothing in that finding which indicated anything sinister in the behaviour of the officer. There certainly was no evidence from the investigation to suggest that the officer in question was part of some clandestine plot to assassinate the Prime Minister; punctilious and silly perhaps, but no hint of the officer working with others to assassinate the Prime Minister.
The question therefore is why bring this matter up in a conversation that he was having with party supporters about assassination threats against the life of the Prime Minister? Next is Prime Minister Manning’s cryptic assertion that it was fortunate that the assassination threat made against him was not reported then as there “would have been bloodshed.”
Whose blood would have been shed and by whom? Prime Minister Manning has fallen into the habit of making assertions on a range of issues without giving details or logical explanation. This seems to suggest that as Prime Minister all he needs to do is to make a claim which should then be accepted without question. But having been in political office for close on 40 years, Mr Manning must know that that is not how a democracy works. Moreover, it is he who has been calling on the media to properly inform and educate our audiences on matters of the day. It certainly cannot be that Mr Manning would expect the media to simply report the story he has given without investigating such statements which involve the security of the nation.
So if the Prime Minister is to be taken seriously with this his latest claim that he has been targeted for assassination, then he has to make the report to the police, give all the information he has and allow CoP (Ag) Philbert James to set his officers to work to find the would-be assassins. If not, then there would be some who would accuse the Prime Minister of seeking a diversion to take the heat off his Government for bluntly refusing to establish a commission of enquiry into the events of July 1990, crime in the country and his recent fourth postponement of local government elections.
One of the continuing contentions about the July 1990 coup attempt was the claim that there were indications before hand that there was some form of clandestine activity going on behind the scenes. And that warnings were being ignored. The alleged threat could be another early warning signal which the State must investigate to completion.
http://guardian.co.tt/commentary/editorial/2009/07/30/report-threat-police-mr-pm
I want to state this: Had Selwyn Richardson unearthed a plot to assassinate him, would anybody have believed him? Would the Guardian with its long history of Anti-African agendas(Monkey Eric is my favorite. Check any newspaper from the 1954-56 era.(Opps,I forgot they had a fire)have believed that there were mischievious plots afoot?
By attempting to ridicule the claims of the leader of the governing political party, the Grand Old LAdy of St. Vincent Street has seemingly issued a carte blanche invitation to anyoe to ‘go get him”, with thir tacit support. Frequently, newspaper people feel that the government is against them.I would like to hear from such shining lights of the journalistic field like Mr. Alleyne, Mr.Johnson and Mr. Smith, what they think of this latest post.
I would hate to see a funeral for Mr. MAnning with a tombstone that reads “I told you so”.
Those who wish to emulate the unrest in places like India, Pakistan and Nigeria, and long for a bloodbath in an attempt to even imaginary scores, those who wrongly believe that if things go south for him, others would have a better chance, need to be warned that the chaos that would follow could make previous periods of unrest, like 1937-38, 1970 and 1990 look like children playing whoop in a backyard.
Our entire oil industry depends on a stable government. Our being able to eat depends on the oil industry.
While Mr. Manning is no Ghandi or Martin Luther King, we should not forget the unrest that followed their sudden and untimely violent passing, at the hands of enemies, some public, some secret. Neither India-Pakistan nor the USA could ever live down the shame and ignominy.
Oh please. Manning would have to genuflect in front Panday and do the shuffle thing to win your loyalty. Yes I wish to see a blackman succeed. I certainly do not to see Trinidad or any other Caribbean nation converted into a fascimile of ancient India with blacks in the role of untouchables and people like you assuming the role of Brahiminan supremacy. And that certainly would be the case if Trinidad and Tobago cae unde the rule of anyone that pleased you.
Manning would be a fool to even make an effort to win over jerks like you. Yes I said it! There are people in this world who because of their mindset are naturally born enemies of people of African descent, and they should never bother to win their hearts. I also said that too! Manning and any other blackman vying for he leadership of T&T need to reach out to people whose psyches are formatted for tolerance and inclusiveness, and just say “F” off to the narrow assed racist jerks whose hate is as natural as their appearance. And I said all of that too!
Well Neal, I suppose that I asked for a portion of what I really wanted and that was my fault. What I left out is more about the Prime Minister’s vision for the future of the nation. What is it and what are the steps he has taken to move the country in that direction? How long will it take and what is our role as society? What benefits will our loyalty yield us?
It’s sad that some would like to give someone something without letting them earn it for themselves based solely on what they look like. No wonder there are so many raced based failures. No one without reason should want their leader to fail. However, everyone should want their leader to work for them and be successful in order to lift the morale of the nation. A nation trying to right a wrong based solely on identity politics and social distance with perhaps some xenophobia is immoral. Basically, to root for someone only because they share your racial identity is wrong no matter how you spin it! Just because it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck doesn’t make it a duck. Now please think before more is said.
Time to give it a rest cousin Curtis. Just let it go for it ain‘t worth it . There is absolutely nothing wrong than to hold on blindly to what might eventually turn out to be wrong perceptions. Men have been known to poison themselves ,as well as kill their wives and daughters in certain parts of Trinidad , because they see certain individuals as some phantom romantic threats. Follow me? Stupid barbaric wars have been fought across the globe due to the fact that dumb, idiotic leaders have the wrong perceptions of others that look, and behave differently due at times to unpalatable ideologies. Remember George H Bush alleged War on Terror against innocent Iraqis , when it was his greedy Saudi ,conniving pals that indirectly financed and gave tactic support to nut case Arab virgin obsessed suicidal maniacs that under the watchful eyes of the FBI became pilots and used airlines as weapons of mass destructions and dented Americans image on September 11th? The list of examples are endless.
Follow the words of the enlighten one on the subject of negative perceptions.
http://www.humanistictexts.org/buddha.htm
“Therefore, whatever there be of material phenomena, sensations and feelings, perceptions, mentation, or consciousness, whether past, present, or future, of oneself or external, gross or subtle, lofty or low, far or near, one should understand according to reality and truth, “this does not belong to me; this I am not; this is not my self”.
All is temporary, and whatever rises musteventually fall, and or might leave us , die , fail us ,and get lost. It can range from love , children, big house , money ,career- as a lofty POS Doctor , present state of success , power – once more -suffering and all that crap is merely for a time, so why fight? It does not mean that we should not strive tfor them , but be realistic in the process.
We all have blue eyes and green eye bloods in us Curtis, so hatred is stupid , ent?. I am you, and you are me- especially if we co existed and cohabited as a people for hundreds of years. Rwandans Hutu and Tutsi knew it , so does Yugoslavians Muslims Serbians , Albanians , and Croatians, Indian Muslims and Hindus, and Sri Lankan Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils. We cannot ignore this fact , else we can suffer similar fate , with more devastating result I assure you. Since you don’t want that , do your part to diffuse the hate and enhance the love. Let our leader know that greedy unsatisfied selfish dogs with bones in their mouths , that stands near rivers across bridges ,and snap at other dogs with bones might loose all due to – yes, false perceptions. Follow?
While you are at it , let me encapsulate this long drawn out discussion ,set your mind at ease, and perhaps take the liberty to speak on the behalf of some our more learned friends that have tried to worked with you for some time. The vast majority of African folks that make up our population , with few exception -like others- are hard working , loving , law abiding, dedicated and even conservative people that care about their fellow nationals irrespective of how they look , or where they came from. They are patience , kind ,appriciate the merits of sacrifice ,and arelong suffering as a result of being the beneficiaries of a strong and beautiful people with a rich though ignored history . Many are in need of help , but numerous amounts have succeeded through will and determination just like others in our country.
They do not care what their neighbors – and especially East Indian in particular possess ,as some were led to believe. They simply want a piece of the action that is due to them as a result of the sterling sacrifices previous generations have made for this country through the centuries ,and the fact that we are blessed with abundant resources that remained firmly fixated in the hands of a few . Often the antagonism emerge when they too perceive that others like yourself , Dr. Coopering , and other agents of the status quo ,are trying to give the nation a ‘6 for a 9’ by crying loudly- like the neighborhood cats in the night -about perpetual victim hood , while obviously doing quite well socially, economically and politically, as can be attested by any member of the blind association that happen to care to research such subjects .
You just continue to stay engage , love self, and remember that suffering can be curbed by controlling anger and inspecting deeply the nature of your perceptions. Reach out to others that are different, and not necessarily only Caucasian now that you are fully aware that we are the same.
Much love, to you and our 1.3 million brothers and sisters on this our special Emancipation week. Let’s celebrate resiliency in the grand kids of Africans slaves , and East Indians indentured , as well mosaic of other races that choose to be part of this beautiful experiment.
Who cares about useless politicians. If Mr Manning chooses to put on a Dashiki and change his name to Olauda Equano , or some other African sobrigue every Emancipation day celebration , good for him , if it brings him some peace. If he is scared to visit a Pagwa festival because he hates to get his clothes dirty with the colorful Abir ,or not visit a St James Hosay festival because he cannot trust his police can protect him from assassination , then it is his loss.At least he had Tassa drums in the PNM Tacarigua Sports day celebration, and that’s a start. If Mr Panday wants to ban Best Village when in power ,blame Africans for every crime that ever committed in our country ,but give politically motivated ‘shout outs’ during Emancipation , and in the past nominated Gerry curl hair Olympic running success story Ato Bolton, a Senatorial seat , good for him. All aha we are one family my son. There’s got to be some dysfunctions
In the mean time listen to one of by global Black Socrates female disciples. Let it go , my friend .
Sing Keyshia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAgRgy1I8hg
I get it, but the disparities that face various groups won’t go away without reasonable protest. For the individual happiness is the key. As far as the group, the individual can only enjoy limited happiness without the success of the group. Even Keisha Cole and Missy can enjoy only limited happiness in a world where happiness removes them further and further away from people like them. After we have a real attempt at the reconstruction of the Diaspora that allows us to compete unhinged form other groups will I let it go. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he can feed his own family forever.
I think it’s about time they charge him for “wasting police time.”
He’ll have to join the line with other opportunist that attempted to do similar maneuvers in efforts to bamboozle the unsuspecting rabid fans. You know that trouble is brewing when your Commissioner of Police and his law enforcement fraternity , are wasting time listening to drunken Las Cuevas fishermen ruminate about alleged kidnap plots against certain Palmist elites young ladies, eh? How sad that our Cops who should be using their full resources to go after real crooks and bandits , are instead forced to pursue unsubstantiated and outlandish claims by local crafty politicians desperate for sympathy votes, and willing to sacrifice their own kids as pawns.
Well, now you know what is meant by ,typical crass, imbecilic ,and often comedic Trini tribal politics. I am a step ahead of you , as I had the benefit of the wise words of perhaps the smartest woman that ever lived. She always cautioned me to sometimes take the words of most speakers – especially I might add,that of politicians – ” with a grain of salt.”
We know that the majority of our criminal elements that perennially commit some of the most callous crimes are quite dumb of course , but this would be falling to lowest depths of stupidity, if attempted in our small neck of the woods, agreed?