By Heru
March 04, 2008
Under different conditions I could have supported the idea of the Prime Minister having a private jet at his disposal but not in this climate of increase crime, widespread traffic jams, double digit inflation and increases in the cost of essential services.
Patrick Manning denied that his government was interested in purchasing a private jet from Bombardier in 2006 after he and several of his ministers went for a test ride in one to Antigua. I am of the view that Patrick Manning only put his desire for a private jet on hold because the move was unpopular so close to an election, especially after the story broke that Bombardier was also bidding for the $20 billion rapid rail project. The conflict of interest together with the general unpopularity of using taxpayers’ funds to purchase a private jet for his use could have cost him dearly. Now that he has secured another five years in office, he intends to pursue his desire for a private jet to accompany the new Prime Minister’s mansion.
Many citizens do not believe that Caribbean Airlines came up with the idea to introduce an executive jet service business and then approached the Prime Minister for funding. Of course, Arthur Lok Jack, Chairman of Caribbean Airlines, would have us believe that they pitched the idea to the PM and the PM agreed and arranged the financing. The Express newspaper reported that Arthur Lok Jack, “confirmed statements in a Caribbean Airlines press release that Government would be underwriting the cost of the venture, eliminating ‘the commercial risk’ to Caribbean Airlines.” This means that Caribbean Airlines knows that this is a risky venture unless taxpayers foot the bill.
Many believe that the Prime Minister suggested this venture to Caribbean Airlines and assured them that his government would underwrite the cost. Other newspapers reported that the money was paid to Caribbean Airlines to acquire the jet from Bombardier before the Prime Minister took the matter to Cabinet.
A few months ago, Dr. Rowley signaled that the government should be considering cutting the subsidy on gasoline – a move that would mean an increase in the cost of goods and services, including transportation to the common man. Dr. Rowley argued that the funds could be better used in other areas. Does he feel that an expenditure of TT $300 million to purchase a jet to service the Prime Minister together with its monthly maintenance fee of TT $12 million is a better use of our resources? Should we cut the ‘subsidy’ on gasoline and purchase this jet for the Prime Minister?
Now that the PM has seen the 246ft luxurious super-yacht that Prince Charles would be cruising through the Caribbean on, I am sure he is thinking about the government acquiring one for his use to make regular trips to Tobago and the rest of the Caribbean.
Patrick Manning is becoming too high maintenance for the purse of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. He could do us all a favour and get his head out of the clouds.
State pays $65m on private jet
Wednesday 5th March, 2008
A down payment of $65 million has already been made on the private jet being bought by Caribbean Airlines to initiate its new private jet leasing company. This money, it is understood, was wire-transferred last Friday, after a Cabinet decision on Thursday.
Lok Jack: Jet under construction
Tuesday, March 4th 2008
Stressing that Caribbean Airlines (CA) was “not playing politics” with its proposed jet service, airline chairman Arthur Lok Jack yesterday categorically denied that Prime Minister Patrick Manning instructed the State-owned airline to get into the “risky” executive jet service business. In an interview with the Express, Lok Jack also disclosed the executive jet was being manufactured “right now” and is expected to be delivered to CA by October/November.
Flight Of Fancy
Wednesday, March 5th 2008
It is a Bombardier jet after all. The jet which Caribbean Airlines is set to lease will be the same model type on which Prime Minister Patrick Manning participated in a test flight to Antigua in September 2006.
Ramesh: Tell citizens total cost of jet
Wednesday, March 5th 2008
“The Prime Minister must tell the country whether the initiatives to acquire a jet for his use originated in the boardroom of Caribbean Airlines or whether it originated from the Prime Minister and/or the Government,” Maharaj added.
COP speaks out against private jet
Wednesday, March 5th 2008
The purchase or leasing of a private jet by Caribbean Airlines should be immediately halted, Congress of the People (COP) political leader Winston Dookeran says.
Flashback 2004:
Manning wants private jet
By RIA TAITT
Friday, February 6 2004
Prime Minister Patrick Manning wants a private jet. He told a post-Cabinet media conference yesterday that “as Trinidad and Tobago moves into developed country status, and as we begin to exert greater influence in the region, the Caribbean and western hemisphere, and especially if we acquire the headquarters of the FTAA, you are going to see a need for greater travel by the political directorate of this country, and other questions (about an executive jet) will then arise if not before.” He pointed out that this was the way the petroleum industry operated.
Full Article : newsday.co.tt
Flashback 2006:
Mannings on test flight of private jet
By KRISTY RAMNARINE
Thursday, September 14 2006
Less than 24-hours after Government announced it was shutting down State-owned airline BWIA, Prime Minister Patrick Manning went on a test flight of the executive private jet which the State is considering buying for a reported US$50 million.
Government officials yesterday confirmed that Manning, his wife Hazel and other officials were taken for a test flight aboard the Bombardier Global Express Jet last Saturday.
Full Article : guardian.co.tt
Mr.Daniels please.go get them on this story because you are a defender of TNT or a puppet ot the Emperor,Patos?
Fooling TT
Two senior officials, one a former chairman of BWIA and the other a high official of Caribbean Airlines yesterday hit out at the airline’s announcement of the purchase of a private jet for a Caricom “niche market.”
Airline owes citizens hard data, says Panday
Jet will provoke population
OPPOSITION Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj yesterday called on Prime Minister Patrick Manning to state whether the Government had agreed to underwrite any losses associated with the purchase of a private jet by State-owned Caribbean Airlines.
COP members criticise ‘Air Farce One’ purchase
Private jet a Govt ‘gift’
A HIGH ranking Caribbean Airlines (CA) official who wished to remain anonymous yesterday questioned why the Government feels the need to acquire an executive jet.
Govt didn’t give CAL downpayment for jet
Government did not give Caribbean Airlines (CAL) any money to purchase the Bombardier executive private jet before the matter was discussed and approved by the Cabinet, reliable sources said yesterday.
Here they go again! cannot solve the myriad of problems confronting the people of TnT, but want to ride in style and luxury, at the people’s expense to boot!
Even a cursory look at the proposition reveals that the demand for executive jet travel in the Caribbean region is highly speculative and most risky as an investment vehicle. That’s precisely why the CAL chairman took pains to reassure his stockholders that he was not stupid enough to have their money jumping up in Manning’s steelband. This means that government would heavily subsidize this shaky and senseless undertaking.
True to form, that is talking before thinking, Manning told us that other Caribbean heads of state would seize the opportunity to squander their scarce resources on expensive, private jet travel. He failed to realize that his pomposity and the lack of accountability he displays to his nation is not widespread in the Caribbean.
Manning, like the victims of colonial brainwashing, wants to ape his former masters and present handlers by acquiring the trappings and extravagances associated with power.
This man, who speaks of himself in the third person singular, must be restrained from such narcicissim and self-indulgence.
This is symptomatic of how the country is being governed. Take WASA for example , which has been a drain on the treasury since 1965. In their wisdom, they appoint a senior level engineer, Mr. Grimes, to the CEO’s postion in 2002. At the time they rationalize that Mr. Grimes has the necessary experience to guide WASA to prosperity etc, gave him a super salary (unheard of before the day), Audi motorcar, etc. Six years later, WASA has sink much deeper into debt, and the country is none the better for it, but Grimes, his cohorts are basking in money and prestige.In any other country, Mr. Grimes and his gang would be history by now.
That is how the country’s problems are addressed…just give puppets big positions and money, and hope the problems go away. And don’t worry too much about it until the next elections.
Re: the jet, Manning will maintain that that the position of Prime Minister is owed this luxury (like how Mr. Grimes’s largess is justified ), regardless of whether it is really deserved. The sycophants and blind supporters will always support such decisions, right or wrong, but as always, the taxpayers will have to foot the bills for the mistakes.
It doesn’t matter, like they say..who vex, vex. With all the oil money flooding in, non-performance can be hidden for now, so don’t fight it…enjoy and pay later…or better still let you kids and grands pay for it.
What the hell is going on in these people head…..the price of everything is going up….and yet they want to purchase a useless (i say useless because they could fly like everyone else)piece of “equipment”…come on there are no beds in our hospitals…i have seen and had families who have died because of no proper equipment in these hospitals…and yet they are spending all these monies…What is going on??? Why do i have to go in the supermarket and pay so much money on basic items….Cheese, Chicken, milk, flour, oil…and now even doubles….4 DOLLARS!!! I am going to make my own from now on….Why was the government voted into power….dont get me wrong i am not into politics….but now with everything that is affecting me directly…i have to share my words…$50 million US and a maintenace fee of 2Million every month….Families are suffering….What the Hell is really going on???
Notwithstanding the hight costs for purchase and maintenance of the plane, could there be some other undisclosed ulterior motive? It has been proved in the past that an accessible private plane can be used for other purposes such as hurried flight and the like. Hopefully, this is not the case.
FULL SPEED AHEAD
Imbert: No backing down on buying executive jet
While Prime Minister Patrick Manning is perceived to be the driving force behind the proposal, it was Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert who yesterday faced the barrage of questions on the jet at the post-Cabinet news conference.
No answers
ONE DAY after receiving a letter from Caribbean Airlines (CA) proposing the purchase of a $400 million jet for an executive jet service, Cabinet agreed to the purchase, Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday.
No done deal Imbert: No money paid yet
WORKS and Transport Minister Colm Imbert is denying that Government has already paid for the controversial $63 million Bombardier Global Express XRS executive jet to be bought by Caribbean Airlines (CA)…
…Panday wants details on $m buy
Probe Govt jet deal
Up, up and away
Supposing-now we only supposing, as Composer once reminded us-this country’s local government election was tomorrow, day after tomorrow, next week, week after next, next month, month after next or next year-would the PNM end up losers because of the prime ministerial jet (let’s call a spade a spade or a plane a plane). Or, five years or thereabouts from now, when the general election is, in fact, called will voters move to punish the PNM and its political leader for his vainglorious, spendthrift ways by voting them out of office? And now to make both questions one-will there be any political costs to be paid by this administration, this government, this party in power because (a) it (they) have decided to saddle the country with a multi-million dollar gadget purely because the Prime Minister is the kind of man he is and because (b) of the underhand, roundabout, taking-people-for-fools way all the interested and, indeed, connected parties have gone about it?
One has to understand the psyche of the Politician which obtains today in TNT.
If you pass by “Wannabe Emperor” Panday’s home you shall see the “Security Cameras” and if you recall,He gave up Cricket and soccer for Golf!
They send their children to school in foreign countries and not to UWI despite the high academic standards of UWI.
They drive foreign made and assembled cars but not cars assembled in TNT.
Ramesh Maraj was known to love “goodies” from England and the Emperor Patos son is in or was or has been to Germany for education ?
So what you have to understand is the ” Psyche” of these racially elected Members of Parliament ( all of them) they do not have any confidence in any of the Institutions( including the Parliament ) of TNT nor do they have any confidence in anything TNT and they seek to emulate the Yankee leaders ( Bush etc ) in everything they do!
President ” George “Wya” “Bubba” Bush has a Private Jet ( air force one) The Emperor want one too!
The King of Spain has a Palace the Emperor wants one too.”President Bush retreats to ” the Ranch at Crawford,Texas” The Emperor retreats to Salybia Resort!
The only problem with the ” Air Force one thing ” is we “eh have no air force!” So he looking for a substitute!
Look at the cars he bought for the Prime Minister…all foreign …how come he did not get a “locally assembled car ???”
Look at these people and you find something sick about them.
They all suffer from a combination of disease endemic to them which is called,(“Americanitis Cnadianitis Engladnitis”).
It is a disease which forces the victim to assume the mental make up of these countries and constantly seeking to gain their approvals while seeking to distance themselves from anything TNT yet are forced to pretend every five years to be everything “TNT” for election purposes.
This causes the victim to suffer from great stress hence their heart conditions and their mental conditions which allow them to make the most idiotic decisions which you see them making daily!
Mr.Daniels of course shall ( if he dares to open his trap) rush to their defence as he must since he himself may well be a victim of the dreaded aforementioned disease.
Ever notice how they do not have any “originality ” whatsoever ? Everything they do is a “copy cat” of the USA,Canada and Britain ?
Notice how eager they are and were and shall be to “sell off our Natural wealth ” to the foreign countries in the face of all the wisdom in business which every ” coconut vendor and channa seller and bake and shark seller knows? You do not “eat your seed” and you do not allow control of your “source of wealth” to go to another!
Which coconut vendor is so “chupid” as to give up control of his or her coconut trees to someone else?
Think folks these people are mentally ill and in dire need of treatment and when you point out their illness they are going to come at you with a viciousness and hatred and seek to destroy you in every way today,yesterday and tomorrow…ask Gene Miles and Lawyer Bayless Frederick,Jack Kelshall,and many of the people who tried to change things as they were mown down by these sick and insane people who stinks up our Par lament daily!
You all know that I am right and I do not blame anyone who is afraid to speak out because these mad people are going to come at you with all the resources of the State of TNT!
What a pity our very own resources used to enrich them and stifle us!
I am not afraid because I am the fearless TNT Republican.
For a while I thought I was alone in my observation that this government–and I include the opposition–does not serve the interests of the masses of TnT. As every preceding commentator has correctly stated, the former colonizers and Washington, D.C., are firmly in control of our destiny as a people, thanks to Manning, Panday and those who have become well-paid apologists for this exploitive and oppressive system.
I have vowed not to resort to the type of demeaning name-calling indulged in by Mr. Daniels. These discussions are too serious and we should not allow ourselves to be sidetracked. This is a common tactic employed by those who benefit from and wish to maintain things the way they are. Soon we will be treated to another, “if it were Panday in office, you all would not have said anything.” What I do know is that if it were Panday in office and the social and economic circumstances were the same as today, Mr. Daniels would be in the forfront leading the charge, and with good reason!
T&T’s politicians are all the same! Panday would have done no different, were he Prime Minister today. In fact he would probably be worse! So panday supporters shouldn’t get on thir high horses…
Manning showed his emporer-wannabe side way early in the day, first with the issue of the executive presidency, then with the construction of his and Hazel’s Palace. Now the trend continues with his leer jet. No doubt the tax-paying public is paying for all of this, so I really do hope that they get a good chance to voice opinions.
One would argue that a country’s leaders have a right to certain luxuries by virtue of their position. But third world leaders take this right too literally, and forcefully. Manning may think that the oil boom,the pretty sound national economy, and the 5% unemployement means he has done a good job (some may agree, I am not disputing here), and that he deserves this “pat on the back”, but the fact remains that T&T still has a fifth of her children living below the poverty line, and their is still much suffering, crime etc. on the part of those who put him where he is! I just think that he should be a little more considerate before he goes spending on luxuries…
Where are all the hard-core PNM supporters’ voices on this one?
It is a pity that some of you simply will not call a spade a spade ,a crook a crook a thief a thief a racially elected body of misfits ” racially motivated and simply incompetent and crooked…a Finance minister wanted in Barbados for theft…55,000,000,000.00 US Dollars of TNT money unaccounted for ….sweet heart deals to foreign companies giving away our OIL Fields and natural Gas fields ….paying incompetent and ineffective British Police Misfits whose high qualifications simply drove up the crime rate….promoting police officers and giving them raises as crime escalates…deplorable and sickening traffic conditions and shall we find even one single word to complement this Government ( both the Majority and the Minority )????
So please,Kerry,you have not the skills and we have not the time for you to try to water down this latest squandering of our country’s money on a blasted jet for the “EMPEROR PATOS” because what the heck will he need a jet for ?
So he and his boys and girls could make a “fast getaway” to the Cayman Islands ( Ivor Archie’s old stomping grounds)to place our TNT’s money in safe keeping from the more and more embolden bandits who rob us with a gun and the bandits who rob us with a pen???
Please,call a spade a spade and a thief and incompetent exactly what they are and please,if you are scared “shitless” of them we shall understand because they are extremely vindictive and could have you” disappear!”
Write your obituary and face the reality which they shall never face: One day they shall die and the question is do you die like a thieving coward or like an honest and courageous Patriot?
I know it is not a language of which some of you are accustomed…but in TNT there are many Patriots something of which this Government ( both Majority and Minority ) do not ever understand nor shall ever understand nor shall ever speak of as they pin unearned medals on each other’s chest and seek the
“Lear Jet” to make hurry their escape to the Cayman’s?????
Say what I am still the fearless TNT Republican and shall always be because I have already written my obituary have you?
IT IS TIME TO INTERJECT SOME SOUND THINKINK INTO THIS DEBATE. Reginald Dumas does exactly that!
FULL STORY
The assault continues
Reginald Dumas
Friday, March 7th 2008
Over the years I have often written and spoken about what I am satisfied is an unrelenting assault on our fundamental institutions by Patrick Manning-led administrations. In truth, it isn’t so much the administrations as Manning himself, to whom, in an article I wrote last November, I gave “full marks for consistency and tenacity in his pursuit of one-man preeminence.” Many see the appointment of a Cabinet of new and untried arrivants as a further step along that road. I suspect Ken Valley and Keith Rowley and Knowlson Gift might agree.
By “institutions” I don’t mean only the formal structures like the judiciary, Parliament and the Service Commissions. I mean also the standards of perception and conduct necessary for civilised societal living. I mean too the cumulative effect on those standards of the messages sent to the population by government and quasi-government action, as well as the lessons drawn-and, I expect, intended to be drawn-from those messages.
For instance, when, in a society deemed secular, the PM makes constant public Biblical references, wears his born-again Christianity on his sleeve, and neglects the Trinity Cross issue, what is he saying? When he takes his oath of office in Woodford Square as distinct from any other public place, and sees no problem in wearing his balisierparty tie while on government business, what is he telling us? When Caribbean Airlines, a state-owned company, puts the same balisier on the tail of a CA plane, what are we to assume?
It was the CEO of CA, Phillip Saunders, who made the announcement. “It is part of the new Caribbean personality series of designs called ‘Caribbean Flava’,” he is reported as saying, sounding rather like an ice-cream salesman, I thought. The balisier was included “simply because it is beautiful,” he added; there was no political significance involved. It’s possible Saunders convinced himself that his “explanation” made sense. Maybe it did, but it quite defeated my meagre intellect.
Another CA official, François Pariseau, was quoted as insisting that the balisier would not be removed: it had been printed in CA’s notebooks in January without complaint from anyone, he went on, and the matter was being blown out of proportion. His tone gave me the impression he thought he was putting a bunch of unruly schoolchildren in their place. As with Saunders, I could only wave feebly as his argumentation passed me by.
You can excuse these just-come foreigners; they must do what they must do to preserve their no doubt healthy compensation packages. (I hope that the Minister of Finance, who claims the government is fully committed to transparency and accountability, will soon tell us what those packages are.) What really disturbed me was the reaction of some government Ministers.
Neil Parsanlal strangely asked if companies could be categorised as pro-UNC if they used a version of the rising sun. I wonder what he would say if Petrotrin started doing just that next Monday morning.
Stanford Callender said he didn’t care what was painted on the plane; he was interested only in the service provided. I have to conclude from this that an Hitlerian swastika or an image of Osama bin Laden would leave him totally unfazed. Good for him.
And Joseph Ross said that it was CA’s decision, “and if they felt they could put that, so be it.” Everyone was free to think as he liked, the Minister assured us, and, after all, CA “was a private company”. It clearly didn’t bother Ross that CA hadn’t merely thought, it had acted, and that (he should ask Conrad Enill about this) the cessation of BWIA’s flight operations and the start-up of CA had cost the T&T taxpayer $2 billion. Some “private company”.
Could Ross tell us who owns CA? When are these owners going to see any accounts of its first year of operation? What role did the CA board play in the choice of this contentious symbol? And now that a decision (inspired by whom, I wonder) has been taken to remove it, I notice that Saunders says that CA’s about-turn is by no means an about-turn, and that Parsanlal continues to make strange statements. I can’t wait to hear from Ross and Callender.
Larry Ousman had a letter in the Express of February 29 which we should all (and people like Parsanlal in particular) read and digest. “The balisier on the plane’s tail will not change some mindsets,” he wrote. “It will, however, rub salt in the wounds of others (and) add to the very real ‘we/them’ and ‘we time now’ concepts. No good can come of that. It will continue to divide It is necessary that the Government represent all of (the) country (The) issue is (not just about) a beautiful flower or an artistically pleasing logo. It is about a principle, representation and awareness.”
Exactly.
Grow up Trinis! in today’s world of internet technology, instant communications and endless urgency why Donald Trump Rock Stars Sporting personalities Hollywood players American and European Gangsters cum Corporate CEOs Rap Artist and CIA rendition/kidnappers can own a private jet and not the dignified OFFICE of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister.
Those making noise on an issue like this are just to damn dumb jealous and have no idea of our nations importance in the international community.
Trinis are ferrying to China as if it was no body business, what are we saying- that our government should be left behind in the cue while other nations time warp ahead of us.
Lets stop looking down at ourselves and envy for our benefit rather than petty gossip.
Is it we would like our Nation’s Head of State compromised on some gangster oil tycoon jet; Hailliburton Exxon or Shell to name a few?
I must add; on the other hand buying a jet for the exclusive service of the office of the Prime Minister should be above board transparent and worthy of its mission.
Small matter.
The prime minister should have a jet.Of any country they work hard they desirve it, that is if you are woking with others leaders in the country to make T&T a better and safe place to live in and work, doing the job right,well here is some of the things that the prime ministers forget to do.How about single mother’s a progarm setup for traning for jods and fathers without jods and youth’s
in there local district.Thank god for panday and the new airport.
I was there for christmas,my goodness the traffic jams lord,and food price, and now food is going to increase.God have mercy on the people in T&T because there will be more crimes more violent but pat go on and get your 300 or 400 million doller jet with taxpayer dollers ok, T&T is a disaster waiting to happen and don’t think the police’s are doing the jod eather
An extract of a speech entitled “THE JET IS YOURS”…
My fellow PNM citizens, a jet is more important that solving Crime at this time. Even though a Recession is imminent and food prices are skyrocketing, land prices already left the gate and demand-push inflation is getting the better of real wages, don’t worry, my Jet will make things all right. Don’t study those people who are still sore losers, some of whom I told Imbert to refer to ‘lost and still in the political wilderness’. It must Work, we must get the stadium built, someday, as a Tsunamis are on our door steps. Ten more towers must go up, as we need to get more Chinese on the voter-list, to ensure we get a two-third majority next time around. It is in the country’s best interest to get ah JET. If you don’t support me then those other people will get in here, and you know what they did the last time. Did I not do a good job at proving this? I employed the best calypsonians, the best media hacks in the party to bury them. To my pseudo-Indian named bloggers, keep it up to make it look like is One Love for this Jet. I have instructed Mariano to tell the people on my behalf that “These are business transactions,” and, “You don’t conduct business decisions in public.” Don’t the public know that once they put us here, we could spend all they money and they can’t have a damn thing to say? The jet is yours, as I will get the Balisier back on the Tail to prove it. So it is imperative that I have your unequivocal support. Regards PaTOS
It is such a shame that we are headign down this road , similarly the same road Mr. Forbes Burnham headed and the spin off is Guyan in it’s present state , how unforunate . I am all for 1st world living , but get it right first , first world is about systems and mindsets ( buildings in between not first) and I am sure 300mil can go a long way in developing this human and material resourse , he want something to bring to 1st world
is not buildings is Liscensing, Health, Nat Sec , Immigration , Customs, Prison , forensic computerisation , Independant Intelligence dept , ( like CSI, Law and Order nah), proper and up to date laws so the police can do thier job the right way , build the systems and then we can talk about jet and frivilous attachments . Come on guy , guyana on the horizon if he do not stop
seems like we have a concensus of opinion on the matter,but wait, are we really living democracy? I havent seen anyone agreeing with this decision to get the Jet, but never mind, everything is in place for its aquisition. Trinidad is now launching its new tric-tatorship, welcome everyone. and please dont try to stand in the way of the PNM, just hold your peace and live in total insecurities…
Hwa Hwa Hwa….I eh hearing ah word from all the Ruel Daniels and Linda Edwards….Like they feel PNM supporters go get a free flight on the plane so they eh complaining.
wait wait wait all in favour of this jet i want them to hush when they go to the hospital and have to duck piegon droppings and no medicine.
When they great great grandchildren hungry and have to stare at a non-functioning rapid rail
When we back to donkey cart because oil price drop and all fall down
When we can’t afford CEPEP no more, hell we can’t even pump water, because the pump break down and no money to fix it.
Clearly we have not learned a thing from our past and hence will repeat it all over again
Money is flowing PNM in power…. when money dry up the masses will cuss and spit on them again. A nasty cycle we really don’t have to go through
Browne: Govt gave CAL US$52m for jet
“We did not advance the full US$63 million. On that I am clear. The number was 52 to $53 million,” Browne told yesterday’s post-Cabinet press conference at Whitehall, contradicting the statement made by CAL’s Chairman, Arthur Lok Jack, that Government had advanced US$63 million to the company.
More conflicting figures in CA deal
Minister in the Finance Ministry Mariano Browne said yesterday the Government had advanced only (US)$52 million to CA for the jet acquisition, and not (US)$63 million which CA chairman Arthur Lok Jack had claimed on Wednesday.
Browne says jet costs US$52M
MINISTER in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne fuelled further controversy over Caribbean Airlines’ (CA) plan to acquire a $400 million (US$65 million) executive jet, when he disclosed yesterday that US$52 million ($312 million) and not US$63 million ($378 million) was advanced to CA, for the jet acquisition.
Talk to us, Mr Manning
Mariano sweats under inflation probe
MINISTER in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne denied that removing the $2 billion gasoline-subsidy would aggravate inflation which currently stands at ten percent. Browne was answering reporters’ questions at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall which became heated.
It seems that the government has some extra cash to throw around. Has anyone heard of the fund set up just for this money? The last I heard of the Heritage Fund it was grossly under utilised (meaning not enough was deposited). Please let us save the extra cash or invest it wisely for future generations (gold preferably).
Every contry with money own’s a jet.What is the problem? The small minds even if they are educated are still small.
Forget about it.
Hi this is my first time writing to this site, However one can write in lent or short the words it is up to a good man a man would only go in one ear and come out the other. I just want to say I wish there were some people in Trinidad with some balls and start a revolution in Trinidad and Tobago before the summit. I am well travelled and met different people all over the world but I have never seen people like us in TNT.
We still voting for Indian or African in this day and age, and you never see the rich people voting or their children don’t have cloths to go to school. All you see is the poor old and young voting for a government that don’t care about them and to add insult to injury is the same poor old people getting their pension cut and is the same poor man living in lavantille how still doesn’t have a toilet to flush. At the end of the day I don’t blame the PM and his rich boys for what they are doing.
My term and this is how I see real things when you got something good do not waste any thing from it. If some body can make a change things would be good but it looks like no one wants change
You know, Michael might not be too lucid either due to some degenerative mental deficiency or the results of his standard one education under the tutelage of one of our numerous overworked and under paid teachers , but he more than make this up with what the old folks call ‘common sense.’ Why in this day and age poor , old ,and young people are still voting for Indian and African he wisely enquire? To further exacerbate the problems its primarily the same poor bumbling Lavantille idiots devoid of a decent toilet , or the barefoot, rice paddy Chickland fool that recently lost all his savings in the HCU before he or she could transfer it all to the Canadians Imperial Bank. It would appear as if indirectly Michael and myself on the same track thus far , even with his simplistic childlike thinking and all. Follow my logic , no one with the exception of a few crooks can really become rich while working for the government , then this is limited to mostly greedy parasitic business class and old money French Creole leeches in our land correct? They are immune from the social and political problems that affects the rest of the two perceived enemy masses that are the byproducts of slaves and indentured labor, and are in most cases unconcerned while locked safely in their secured enclaves.
Of course they would be well advised to wake up and throw a bone or encourage their political friends in both parties to finally start distributing piece of the economic pie to hungry desperate citizens like Michael or else his talk about revolution might just be taken seriously, and who have more to loose, the poor nuts from Movant ,Lavantille , or Caranage , or the elites from Westmorings , Maraval, Federation park, or Montrose Chaguanas.
Trinidad and Tobago has lost its posterity in the caribbean and worldwide. Be brave an google the word Travel and put Trinidad and Tobago in the same sentence and you’ll see what I mean! Warnings, warnings and more warnings to visitors to the twin island about the state of crime. OUr government, whether UNC or PNM, should hold their head in shame as leaders and former leaders.
ONce the USA of the caribbean, now eve guyana is turning their noses at us, forgetting the $500M they owe and tried to pay back in lagoon rice that even the hogs in T&T wouldn’t eat. Now the Prmie M want to own a Jet? For what? What the hell did he do to present himself with such a grandiose prize?
People are dying for lack of proper health resources, medication, hospital beds, proper waiting room and chairs, doctors and nurses well trained and he wants to spend billions on a F@*%$ing jet! That money should be spent on hospitals and medical equipment cabable of performing brain, bone and other scans that would save the life of citizens who provide the cash for him to buy jet and upgrade the “prmie minesterial mansion.”
No, no, the citizens are not worth that much in his eyes. His aim is to get rich, enrich his friends and relatives and live off the sweat and blood of Trinbagonians. LIke president Obama said a few days ago “Manning will be remembered not for what he built, but for what he burned.”