Sunday, May 2 2010
IF MADE Prime Minister, UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will not live at the official Prime Minister’s Residence at La Fantasie Road, St Ann’s, sources yesterday disclosed as the UNC and PNM continued to put the finishing touches on their manifestos which are expected to be unveiled this week.
Sources close to the UNC Leader yesterday revealed that Persad-Bissessar has privately assured her colleagues that she has no desire to live at the controversial residence and that she would open the facilities up to the public. However, there is as yet no final plan on what form this arrangement would take or what the facilities would be used for.
“She has said she would not want to live there,” a source said. “It would be opened up to the public.”
Word of Persad-Bissessar’s private assurance to top-level UNC members came one day after Prime Minister Patrick Manning hosted a lavish reception for members of the local art fraternity at La Fantasie Road, which is off-limits to the public.
Full Article : newsday.co.tt
et KAmla dispute what I have written. You see, I grew up in Cumuto, and lived among indians all my life in TNT. I know what I say to be true. Perhaps the younger generation, raised in a more liberal atmosphere may be more broadminded, but I do not hear it,or see it.There has been quite a lot of inter-racial relationships betwen my family and Indians over the years. Our first baby-sitter was an Indian, and I only learned of the restriction on eating utensils when I was about 15.
PAnday’s comments last election made sense to those who were listening, and were the rantins of a senile old man to those who did not understand the message,
HAs the break with th e PAndauys meant a total repudiation of “Race, ethnic poliycs”? Or is it going to be down to the wire for those two: The Spiritual BAptist PAtrick versus the anointed Hindu woman?
I am at the highest level of existence, T-MAn, I humbly report. I am at the fourth stage of existence- beyond childhood, marriage and family raising, and seeing one’s chldren settled, where one sees clearly how things are connected.
I guess we are shaped by our experiences and those experiences make Ms. Edwards who she is. We cannot argue with that; however the “things” of which you speak regarding Indians are foreign to me.
Personally I find the PMs diplomatic house to be a great idea and structure…if you want to entertain and house world leaders then you need a structure that is worthy to do so.
What I find ironic is that the same trinidadians who complain about la fantasie, run and go to the White house in Dc and take pictures knowing FULL well that it was built using slave labour…
(just my two cents)
I totally agree with Mrs Persad-Bissessar.
How can a normal family of four, or even five, desire to live in a huge mansion which probably has 300 rooms…if it cost $300 million dollars.
I am assuming that one room cost at least $1million.
How can a small family desire to live in a hotel-like mansion, when there are so much poor people out there living in squalor.
I think it is a great sin.
The house should be made into a hotel.
The only reason Kamla would not live at La Fantasia is that it will be Hypocrisy .From your comment I say then she should walk the whole of T&T and give all poor people some money .Leaders Lead by example while educating their followers to be leaders. Why don’t you leave where you are living and live in squalor like others to show your sympathy.?
Now, supposing Ms. Mohammed’s suggestion had credence, I could see a laughable plan whereby Ms. Bissessar’s government(if it wins) leases back part of the “La FAntasie Fantastic Hotel, for large sums just to host diplomatic functions. Now, into whose pockets would that lease sum go? The government built infrastructure in Port-of_Spain because it was tired of leasing substandard building space at the cost of millions per year.
This building is a saving against further costs. “When the oil runs out” we would still have some fantastic structures, owned by the People of Trinidad and Tobago, that would include the Financial Complex, the Courts of Justice, The NAtional Library, The Performing Asts Complex and the new Customs House. Investing in Trinidad and Tobago, if it’s a good thing, should also be done by the government on behalf of the people.
I would like to see the figures on how much the government spent in the last five years leasing space in the city, and who owned these buildings, and were thus the beneficiaries of the government largese.
We have a more prosperous city thn any other CAribbean island(English speaking) because we are a ore prosperous place. The sight of the city and its fine buildings say so.
Now, I still know how to do tapia and plaster, and how to chop grass and collect cow dung to make leepay.
Does anyone need lessons? My fingers are no longer strong enough for doing wattle, but I could give lessons.
It is certainly getting more and more sad, but believe it or not folks, May 24th is almost here, and we are still to hear from new age agent of change,and high priestess Kamla , about what alternative policies her party is advancing for the benefit of our country in terms of enhancing security, stimulation of the economy,curbing corruption, closer interregional integration, with implications for immigration, improving infrastructure especially in the enclaves of our poor or lower social classes, and overall foreign policy ,especially with respect to competing hegemonic powers ,and global conglomerates , as such is closely linked to the presence of our abundant ,natural ,and human resources.
Pity the enamored members of the sleeping 4th Estate ,is so busy cheering , that they too have abrogated their civic , and moral responsibilities ,of asking the tough questions, and advancing these ,and similar issues for open discussions.
Coming to think of it , I know who to blame for that , yes her high end foreign handler , and former third their advisor to Uncle Obama Mr Campbell is it?
Here is the directive ‘Americana style,’ it seems: When you are low on substance , then ride the time out , and saturate usually comatose Trinis , with foolish ,distracting nonsense ,such as anticipated PM’s residence -you might not even get a chance to occupy-so that you won’t be committed to anything ,should any semblance of success accrue later.
Ah ha ,chant the mantra with me people, ” that’s change we can believe in,” yes?
My final comment on this issue: ANTI, as in Anti-Manning, is not a manifesto.
Kamla, I agree with you fully. We have our 1st citizen, the President of the Republic, living in a ‘house in the yard!’ on the President’s grounds while the Prime Minister lives in 5-star opulence next door! Since the palace has been built I have advocated that it be made the residence of the President until President’s House – a national treasure – which is in a disgraceful state of disrepair, is restored to its former glory.
Kamla, let the powers-that-be find you a suitable residence until the President is returned to his rightful home. Nuff respect!!
I am almost afraid to hope that Trinidadians will do the right thing and vote for a change of Prime Minister. Patrick Manning is stale but then he was never fresh. It is very sad to see him wasting money by the million and much of it on himself while the people of this country suffer so badly!! There is no proper Health or Social Welfare system in place to help those who need it . The
Mental Hospital and orphanages are a disgrace and NO better than a
bankrupt country anywhere in Africa or India.
Share the wealth. Baksheesh please. we the people are equal in this Island . Who made manning and his crew better than the rest.
CHANGE THINGS THIS TIME PLS
You people talk as if you’ll dunce, if PNM should lose the election do you think Mr. Manning would folu up these buildings ,put them in his back pocket and take them to wherever he resides next? I only hope that Kamla and them ,if by flukes they should win,they would NOT be using any of these buildings ,and create some change of imagination for the people.
Share The Wealth you say, yet for the past 6 or 7 years out of the 15 years that i have been living in San Fernando ,every where you look there is a new big building being constructed almost every month. I think there is a lot of wealth going around but only in certain people’s hands. Get the picture?
My people need to behave and speak with some sense. Patrick Manning is not a hermit crab. He cannot carry the new residence way with him if there is a change of Prime Ministership. How long did Panday take before he evacuated the reiidence that was used then? How long before he handed over the keys to the two matching black Mercedes Benzes? If he, for all his nastiness, spite and wishing the country ill, knew about handover of power and state assets, what make ANYONE think that Mr. Manning would not do likewise?I am afraid my country is consumed with bias, spite, pettiness and plain bitching, that is rather unseemly in a country with free public education from nursery school to PhD. Somewhere along the way, pettiness seems to have gotten in the way of clear thinking. Such a pity. Again, we are more like Britain and the US than we are like Thailand, India, and some other countries. Despite the reluctance of the then president of nigeria to make Mr. Johnathan the Acting President, at his death, there has been no bacchanal.This is unlike what happened when Mandela took over. We are better than that.
What Mr. Manning would need to do if the election goes against him, is to walk through with the new occupants to be, and a team of photographers, and treasury officials, documenting what is being handed over as state assets, so that somebody’s bougie or cousin Boyie cannot walk off with things and claim they were never there in the residence. This happened after independence. We smarter now, I hope.
In any case, a handover requires an audit. Its good business practice.
Ms Edwards i admire your courage and frankness to speak out on these issues and other ramblings of our misguided leaders. Is there any way that I can get in touch with you and share your knowledge with some of the youth with whom I educate?
what happened? Mrs. Kamla won as I told earlier… here I am seeing some oppossitions have been making interpretations that Manning would win… they have to be blushed now if they have a face shameful..
conragulations to You TnT people.. I love you all you did the best already
Best regards