By Michael Harris
May 11, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
The suspension from Parliament of the Leader of the Opposition by the UNC-led Government last week is a total abuse of power, a denigration of our Parliament and a threat to our democracy.
It is a total abuse of power because in the absence of any final report of the investigation into the e-mail affair from the police or the Integrity Commission the UNC Government went to the Parliament and, acting as investigator, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner all at the same time, used its majority first to censure the Leader of the Opposition and then to banish him from the Parliament for the rest of this term.
It is a denigration of our Parliament since the UNC has used the Parliament to continue its election campaign strategy of vilifying and demonising Dr Rowley. They have seamlessly, without pause or hesitation, taken that strategy from the Monday night forums into the halls of Parliament, reducing the latter to a mere instrument of their campaign.
It is a threat to our democracy because if a government could legally use its majority to remove the leader of the opposition from the parliament then it could also do the same to every opposition member of parliament, thereby not only frustrating the will of the people who elected those MPs but effectively instituting a one-party state.
Let us be clear. Two years ago Dr Rowley took a serious risk when he brought to Parliament a series of e-mails which raised frightening allegations of serious and criminal misconduct in public office. And, as I wrote in this column then, “no government implicated by authenticated evidence of such crimes should be allowed to remain in office.”
But I also went on to say that “if the e-mails are demonstrated to be fabrications then there can be no question that Dr Rowley should immediately resign as Leader of the Opposition, as political leader of the PNM and indeed from Parliament itself. For it would have been an act of colossal irresponsibility and contempt of Parliament and of country to have brought such allegations into the public domain without demonstrating that he had sought to conduct the requisite due diligence with regard to the verification of their authenticity.”
So that it is not the fact that Dr Rowley has been suspended which is the problem. The problem is the fact that this UNC Government took it upon itself, knowingly and deliberately, in the absence of any “authenticated evidence” one way or the other, to summarily condemn and convict Dr Rowley on the basis only of its own majority.
Since she and her Government took their action the Prime Minister has been desperately seeking to justify the unjustifiable. First she was at pains to try to show that the Government was acting within the Standing Orders. She quoted Standing Order 55 (16) which states that “Nothing in this standing order shall be taken to deprive the House of the power of proceeding against any member, according to any resolution of the House”.
But neither 55 (16) nor any other Standing Order of the House could give legitimacy to a government proceeding against a member simply on the basis of its own allegations and in the absence of any “authenticated evidence” from a non-partisan investigative agency. That is what makes it a total abuse of power.
The Prime Minister’s next attempt at a justification was even more ridiculous and demonstrative of this Government’s contempt for the concepts of legality and due process. She is on record as stating that “she could not await the conclusion of police investigations into suspended Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley’s Emailgate claim before acting to clear her and other cabinet ministers’ names. She said it was critical that she do so now as the Parliament was close to dissolving.”
Such a statement absolutely boggles the imagination. She “could not wait on the conclusion of police investigations” so she went ahead and used her majority to convict Dr Rowley. That in itself is a statement worthy of its own censure. In all these particulars this UNC Government has once again demonstrated how utterly venal and fundamentally corrupt it is.
But the fact that the Government “could not wait for the conclusion of police investigations” also reveals a sense of desperation in their ranks. After the Vernella Alleyne-Toppin fiasco their campaign strategy of demonising Dr Rowley must have taken a serious blow and now they are desperately trying to get it back on the rails again.
But to have resorted to such a fundamentally anti-democratic and totalitarian stratagem would suggest that their internal polls are telling them that the writing is on the wall. Their removal from office cannot happen soon enough for they are now a clear and present danger to our democracy.
Dumas says Rowley’s suspension Unacceptable
By Richard Lord
Monday, May 11, 2015 – guardian.co.tt
More criticism has come to the Government over its suspension of Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley from the Parliament for his failure to apologise for his Emailgate statement from almost two years ago. Former head of the Public Service, Reginald Dumas described as “incorrect” the decision by the Government to use its majority in Parliament to suspend Rowley before two separate investigations being conducted by the police and the Integrity Commission were complete.
Contacted yesterday for comment on Rowley’s suspension, Dumas said he “cannot accept the argument that Rowley had misled the Parliament, especially since the two investigations being carried out by the police and the Integrity Commission were still incomplete.” Dumas added: “For Parliament to leap to a conclusion before getting the results of the police investigation is incorrect.”
He said while it may be true to say that Parliament was free to regulate itself, “there was no natural justice. To condemn somebody before evidence is received was unacceptable.” Dumas told the T&T Guardian he “disagreed with the procedure followed to suspend Rowley.”
Persad-Bissessar told reporters on Friday that she was compelled to clear the names of her Cabinet ministers and herself in the Emailgate matter as Parliament will dissolve in about five weeks. She said that Parliament had the legal authority to take the action which it did in the matter.
Rowley was also referred to the Committee of Privileges for allegations he made while presenting a motion of no confidence against Finance and the Economy Minister Larry Howai last month. Dumas said he wondered if Rowley would be arrested when he attempted to attend a hearing of the committee, which takes place in the Parliament. He also said that Rowley was “not given a fair opportunity to reply” in the matter in Parliament.
Full Article : guardian.co.tt
Take a look at Capil’s piece.
Sometimes I get the impression that in this country there is one law for the PNM and to hell with everyone else.
Dr Eric Williams summarised it as “who don’t like it get to hell outta here”.
PNM could say anything about anybody but you have to watch your “Ps and Qs” if you say anything against their party and leader Dr Keith Rowley.
Dr Rowley could enter the hallowed halls of Parliament, our highest court, as he did in May 2013 and proceed to accuse a sitting Prime Minister of among other things conspiracy to commit murder. He not only gets away with it scot-free but also says he is the victim.
By his language and accusatory tone, he accuses the PM and senior Cabinet members of a most heinous crime. The coverage in the media, based on that misinformation, was overwhelming.
The only problem is the basis for Dr Rowley’s argument was false. The e-mails were faked, concocted, fabricated.
It means therefore, to use unparliamentarily language, the e-mails were lies.
There is no obfuscatory euphemism to apply in the circumstances. Many commentators proceeded to lambaste the PM and UNC based essentially on a lie and a falsehood.
Think about it… in this First World T&T, someone (most likely a PNM apologist although I’m not sure) sat down and concocted a lie. He/she must have known the truth will ultimately come to light. But clearly he/she did not care. Why? Because this is PNM country and in PNM country, the truth does not matter. So the PNM lies… what’s the big deal?
The PM says the 31 e-mails do not exist. She and former AG Anand Ramlogan applied to the Supreme Court of California and pursuant to a court order, Google’s custodian of records filed an affidavit advising that the bulk of e-mails were false. The argument cannot be advanced if the e-mails are false, the content can be valid. You cannot argue on the basis of content unless the e-mails were fabricated with the sole intention of creating a scandal that never existed.
The PNM wants us to examine the content and forget the lie. Really?
If someone can concoct these fabricated e-mails, what is to stop them from going further and putting infrared rays in the DPP’s office to create another falsehood? I cannot believe you once there is a lie. Anything is possible.
The PNM will deny it to high heavens but many remain uncomfortable with all that transpired with cocaine in former minister Sadiq Baksh’s water tank.
Was that another attempt to fabricate another lie to a competitor’s disadvantage? What manner of evil, human would do that to another human being? Would he sleep comfortably knowing that Mr Baksh could have gone to jail in the pursuit of some wicked agenda?
What about the 187 “voter-padders” charged in the height of a political campaign? I know some of them and they still haven’t overcome their utter despair. Many do not talk about that experience which represents a shame on our democracy.
While the cases were dismissed, the purpose was achieved. The reasoning behind it all was to falsely, publicly and egregiously humiliate political opponents, not to seek convictions where truth will prevail.
The PNM will deny this of course.
What about former chief justice Sat Sharma? I cannot imagine the hurt suffered by, and damage done to this eminent jurist and his family by the attempted wrongful arrest. How does one recover from these lies? How does one not lose faith in our democracy after such an experience? The PNM will lie and say they had nothing to do with it as if we are all fools. Was it not former PM Patrick Manning who called Mr Sharma to his office to answer charges?
What about Occah Seapaul? The PNM was willing, in pursuit of its agenda to place a sitting Speaker of the House, the third most senior person in the country according to our order of precedence, under house arrest.
In this PNM country, when you mention these facts, when you attempt to connect the dots, you are told to keep quiet. But the PNM can accuse the PM and ministers of conspiracy to murder and the coverage is immediate, extensive and for a considerable period of time.
We speak pompously about objectivity, truth, balance and commitment to the facts.
It was John Milton in Areopagetica who advised “let various views contend in the marketplace of ideas and citizens can be trusted to make the best decisions”. This he felt was the essence of democracy but for it to work citizens had to be informed.
But in T&T, the PNM’s views always take precedence.
I stand to be corrected.
You say the same things over and over again.
“Reiterating that Government had evidence from independent sources to support its argument and with Parliament due to dissolve on or before June 17, Persad-Bissessar said if Government did not do this now, “that would have stayed on the Hansard record for the rest of our lifetimes.”–Prime Minister.
I note with disappointment the continued lack of understanding of the time factor by Mr.Harris and Mr. Dumas. One would expect these honorable gentlemen to desist from using the words “abuse of power” and fueling the misconception that the Leader of the Opposition could do and say what he want. The real abuse of power came from the Leader of the Opposition.
Dr. Rowley is known at times to stretch the truth and at times to just tell lies. In his bio he states that he has 2 children but only recently acknowledged that he has a son through Al Rawi. He accused the former attorney General of going to the New York mission and doing a head count another lie. He said he did not have a million dollar property at Woodbrook place yet legal documents show his signature on documents indicating differently. Of course Landate remains his albatross.
The Prime Minister has on several occasions requested a speedy end to the emailgate issue. It must be noted that it took 2 years or over 700 days to investigate 31 emails made in Parliament and they have not yet finish their investigation. To me this is nothing but a fishing expedition promoted by a police service operating as a law unto themselves. One should expect Justice within a reasonable time frame. For instance it would take me less than 2 hours to determine if these emails are true or false once I have the information from Google. The information from Google arrive in March (another joke) but no solution for almost 2 months. So who is protecting the Opposition Leader and why?
There appears to be a PNM police and justice system working in tandem with Balisier house to pervert the course of justice.
Mr. Dumas and Harris are known PNM apologist and therefore one could only conclude that they are part of this system.
THE HEAD COUNT WAS A FACT. HE WANTED MORE INDIANS EMPLOYED AND DID NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT FALSE PAPERS. IMAGINE WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT ALL OF WHOM HAVE FALSE PAPERS. HOW THEN CAN THEY UNDERSTAND THE COSTLY NATURE TO THE COUNTRY OF MOODY’S REPORT? THEY ARE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS.
Hehe you swallowing “coolaid” too easily boy. Please stop spreading lies.
I do not believe that some UNC supporters here do not understand the arguments being made that show a clear abuse of power that could very well be illegal.
One party in a dispute does not get to present evidence and claim it is sufficient to make a pronouncement of guilt then sentence a person. The government could very well be cherry-picking reports that favour them. That is why evidence need to be gathered and evaluated by an ‘independent’ body. This is the reason the Police, the Integrity Commission and the Privilege Committee are the best we have at present to address these issues.
Kamla’s UNC clearly abused their powers and this is more egregious than Rowley’s emails which I thought he had no right to present in parliament as he did.
That is the “bush” the PNM hiding their leader behind. He cannot hide behind that Balisier bush any more the rising Sun will burn it to the ground. No one wants to say it but the institutions of the state are favoring the kid from Mason Hall. It is highly unusual that the police and IC would take such a long time to say the emails are FAKE.
You cannot accuse a sitting Prime Minister of plotting to kill a reporter while the Mason Hall kid had these emails in his possession for an incredible 6 months and the police looking at these 32 emails for the past 2 years. Even the CoP came forward and say it fake. They are the biggest threat to democracy, the lazy set of nincompoops who take their directive from Balisier house.
FACTS ABOUT THE E-MAILS
1. anan@gmail does notexist and cannot be created due to gmail “6” characters requirement.
2. The dates in some of the emails do not match real calendar dates.
3. The time zone is not consistence
4. Rowley has changed his tune about Thomas Smitham of the US Embassy involvement
5. The date format “9/06/12” are wrong
6. You cannot send one email from 2 different email addresses and the recipient would receive it as one email. In other words you cannot send an email from anan@gmail.com and anand@tstt.net.tt to kamlapb1@gmail.com and Kamla would receive one email.
7. The Judiciary has denied any request was made to promote DPP Gaspard to a judge.
8. The US Embassy has denied any knowledge of a conspiracy.
9. Sunday Guardian editor Debra Wanser has denied anyone from the Government ever asked her to pull or suppress any story in connection with Section 34.
10. The DPP has denied anyone from GOVT approached him about appointment as Judge
11. United states information technology expert Jon Berryhill says the emails are fraudulent
12. Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams admits emails fake
13. US court Docs citing Google data: anand@tstt.net.tt DOES exist, but alleged Emailgate emails were never sent.
14. US court docs, citing Google data: kamlapb1@gmail.com DOES exist, but Emailgate emails were never sent.
15. January 15, 2015. AG Ramlogan wins emailgate defamation claim against Opposition leader Dr. Keith Rowley. Rowley and Al Rawi failed to file a defence in the law suit and asked for an extension. They did not honor the deadline date AGAIN and the judge has ruled against them.
CONCLUSION: FAKE
YOU ARE WATCHING TOO MANY MOVIES. YOU HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN UNREAL WORLD. YOU THINK THIS IS A BATMAN MOVIE. YOU ARE SHOWING THAT YOUR SCHOOL FAILED YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT “DUE PROCESS” IS. GET A LIFE.
I have my degree bud…always in the top 5 students in class.
Beating book and passing an exam is not ALL to school. Wake up a**** and smell the coffee that is life.
Jerry, your contributions are too valuable to waste time exchanging thoughts with people like Mamoo. You have a lot to say (as you normally do) but being sidetracked by Mamoo is a waste of your valuable time. Tell us more of your experience with the energy sector because that is the driver of this economy. Five years from now matters might be different but not get caught by distraction. It is a strategy to distract one of the best writers on this blog so that they can spill their garbage.
That is a non sequitur. The issue is not if the emails were fake or not. Even if they were fake, I am speaking about due process where evidence is collected by one side and the accused gets to present their evidence and arguments. A ‘neutral’ party gets to judge and sentence.
All these cut and paste responses do not change the fact that the PP/UNC with Kamla at the helm is simply another edition of vile and corrupt politicians. With all their Lawyers and SC’s they gave to themselves, they either lack a basic understanding of due process and natural justice or they just don’t care.
I guess they plan on winning votes by insulting the sensibilities of people and then throw bags of cash at them.
Yes you may do your song and dance but the truth is the truth. In fact lies come from the Devil who is the Father of lies. Truth comes from God who is the source of Truth. Guess what? God is stronger than the devil and lies cannot stand the light of truth. You pnmites are under a strong delusion because you refuse to believe the truth you will believe a lie. And that is indeed the sum accumulation of your arguments. Nuff said.
Most everyone would agree that no one is above the law. Each and everyone of us will agree that the law of the land supersedes all other laws. Most sensible people will also agree that every single situation cannot be legislated into law because laws are enacted based on our intended natural behavior, but behavior cannot be legislated. So in lieu of that, rules and regulations are used in guiding us on acceptable behavior, given particular circumstances. Since behavior is infinitive and cannot be regulated, a lot depends on one’s respect not only the law but the spirit of the law as well. Process is the avenue by which laws are properly administered, in order to be in conformity with the mores of a particular environment. As an intelligent species, humans are expected to have some natural sense of justice, morality and ethics. In other words, in addition to laws we should be guided by principles. Governance requires a higher sense of principled behavior and it is natural to expect that those entrusted authority, exercise principles of behavior that are more tolerant, all encompassing and law abiding than the ordinary man in the street. In other words, a higher sense of understanding of laws and principles and justice is expected from those empowered to govern.
It is not by coincidence that there is such a vast difference in the way we differ on principles on this blog. When the current government is the principal target of our discussions, we dig deep inside to either condemn or justify their behavior. Based on the laws we inherited from our history and nurturing, it is evident that the behavior of o ur prime minister and those around her leaves a lot to be desired. Not because we hate her or we are not in conformity with her political thinking. Her behavior has generated a lot of attention because from what most expect from a person holding the office she does, is a higher degree of intellect, somber thinking, and respect for law and order. Her behavior appears to deviate from natural practices, considerations and reasonings held dear my our history and way of life.
The process used to suspend the Opposition Leader, Dr. Keith Rowley is wrong, not in compliance with proper judicial practices and clearly her actions is one deeply rooted in self-indulgence and self preservation. The respect for Trinidad and Tobago is NEVER her first consideration and most times not at all. Listed below are words attributed to her and others that confirm that kind of thinking.
“Persad-Bissessar told reporters on Friday that she was compelled to clear the names of her Cabinet ministers and herself in the Emailgate matter as Parliament will dissolve in about five weeks. She said that Parliament had the legal authority to take the action which it did in the matter.”……Taken from the Express
“But in T&T, the PNM’s views always take precedence.”…….TMan
“There appears to be a PNM police and justice system working in tandem with Balisier house to pervert the course of justice.”…..Mamoo
In Kamla’s mind process and jurisdictory compliance must take a back seat to her considerations. What concerns her is that she must clear her name by any means necessary without consideration of what the Police might say or what the Integrity Commission might say or what the truth might eventually reveal. What is most important to her is in fact self-preservation. Process means absolutely nothing to her and why should it when you consider what she has done in the past. This is a woman who, on attaining command of the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago, decided that it was in her interest to fire the head of intelligence. A man with military, police and international security experience and replace him with a young Indian girl whose only experience was that of a clerk in the office of the Intelligence Service. When asked to explain her logic, she is yet to offer a reasonable explanation for her action. Dr. Rowley warned her that allowing Jack Warner to be an executive in FIFA and being a part of her Cabinet was a conflict of Interest and not in the best interest of Trinidad and Tobago. She chastised Dr. Rowley and sought the advice of Ellis Clarke and other eat-a-fooder lawyers who would do anything for a buck and they gave her the answer she wanted to hear. It turned out that Dr. Rowley was right and Kamla had to eat her words. On the cancellation of the OPVs. Over three hundred and sixty personnel received training on how to operate and manage the ships. Very valuable training in military and intelligence. They were at the very end of the training which cost the government millions of dollars. She dismissed all the trained personnel and most were allowed to take their training and do whatever they want with it. Imagine ships worth hundreds of millions, training worth tens of millions, experience that are invaluable and men and women left with training in intelligence that many nations consider impeccable for national security reasons. Kayla just willy nilly dismissed the personnel, sold the ships and that was that. No consideration for the borders of Trinidad and Tobago, drug dealer and other smugglers can come and go as they like, that did not bother Kamla. In the meantime it was almost a daily occurrence of Kamla’s Professional Misconduct by doing only what she wants to do without regard for process or lack of consideration on what her rulings might entail. When the solicitor general was tired of Anand Ramlogan and the nepotism and professional misconduct he was involved in, she wrote to Kamla, expecting a prime ministerial judgement, what did Kamla do? She turned over the letter from the Solicitor General complaining about Anand to Anand. Again professional misconduct on Kamla’s part. Kamla did not wait on anybody to give her and SC, she took it for herself (after all she is the prime minister and she can do anything she wanted). She claimed that something fell on her foot and needed an elevator in her house and as usual she got it (of course with government’s money). She is yet to occupy the residence that the government has prepared for her, why? Because to do so, would entail strict accounting and reporting of who comes in and goes out. She uses her home for both professional and private duties. We will NEVER know which one is which because she does not have to account to anybody. She has used her office to allow the most vile things to be said of Dr Rowley. Parliament has now become not a law making body but a political platform to launch attacks on Dr. Rowley, a man who has proven time and again to be decent, law abiding, country loving and true to the letter of the law. That CANNOT be said of Kamla, the law for Kamla means what ever she wants to think it is at any given time. She interprets the law to mean anything that she wants to do. So, it comes as no surprise that before allowing the cause of the email to take it’s natural process, the stepped up to the place and before the Police or the Integrity Commission could render a verdict on emailgate, she played prosecutor, judge and jury in finding Dr Rowley guilty and stripping him of his position as Opposition Leader. The only kind of places in which those kind of things happen is in a dictatorship, plain and simple. Prime Minister Lamla Persad Bissessar has now become Dictator Kamla Persad Bissessar. Based on reports about blogging for the UNC, we have to assume that those who so righteously find absolutely no fault with her behavior are paid to do so and therefore principles and reasoning are not considerations in their thinking. Anything contrary to their thinking is the PNMs fault. Even when they do naughty things and are caught, the replies are almost inevitably “the PNM did it too”. If we are to use this trend of reasoning, it must be suffice to say that when caught with professional misconduct they always look to the PNM misconduct to justify their misconduct. IN conclusion, Kamla’s utterances and behavior must be treated with suspect and with time and a different outcome to her fortunes in the next election, be prepared people. We would know it all and hear it all. And what we shall be hearing and knowing will not be nice. It is time Kamla is exposed to who she really is and that her basic concerns are not Trinidad and Tobago or the people or Trinidad and Tobago. Her concerns start with Kamla and it ends with Kamla.
Rowley: Suspension a distraction
By Ria Taitt
May 12, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has said the Opposition was not giving priority to going to the High Court to fight his suspension.
Rather, he said the issue would be taken to the court of public opinion.
“The Parliament is due to be dissolved on June 17. Between now and June 17, we are not giving any priority to going to court to fight any matter. What they (the Government) want is that distraction. The UNC is looking for distractions and we will not afford them that,” he said, adding that the PNM was staying focused on an election campaign and a government to be held accountable.
He also said the Opposition would not reconsider its position to boycott Parliament. “We are fighting the bigger fight,” he said in an interview yesterday.
To those who said he was running, Rowley said he has never run from a battle on behalf of the people of this country.
He said the Opposition would not allow this abuse of Parliament to go unchallenged and would not take part in it because it was an illegality.
He said the most important issue before the Parliament was the development whereby the Government could suspend an Opposition member denying him his constitutional right to speech in the Parliament, to represent the interest of his constituents by using its majority to bulldoze their way and to throw him out, without going through due process, without allowing the member of be heard and to call witnesses. He said every single item with respect to natural justice, outlined in May’s parliamentary practice, was abandoned.
“And to do it now on the verge of the election as part of its election campaign, we are saying that the Parliament has now become effectively functus (ended). The last five weeks the Parliament has only been used to advance the UNC election campaign, and the slander of Vernella (Alleyne-Toppin) was central to this campaign strategy,” he said.
Full Article : trinidadexpress.com
Good one Ria…. Ah distracted from emailgate… Prison gate next.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PM-justifies-Rowleys-suspension-303357361.html
Oh AfroBuddhaSunGod,who lies in pur hearts ,and not some foolish sky heaven,please explain to Kamla ,and these neo-tribal ,cyber clowns,who choose to defend her stupidity ,the following:-
No one across de length,and breath of T&T gives a hoot,about emails ,or bogus evidence, she might have garnered ,from some California lawyers,to prove her innocence.
What de hell,so white Euro ,Yankee investigation-lawyers, cannot lie ,for the right price too Kamla?
Speaking of the great United States ,here is the deal.
If Americans were idiots ,like you, your handlers,party,and government,two of their Presidents ,would have done prison time ,and one impeached ,for well documented misdeed.
The first would be Richard -I’m not a crook-Nixon. He was pardoned ,for his role in the Watergate scandal. Thank you very much Nixon ,for ping pong diplomacy,and the rest we can say is emerging China power history.
The second was Ronald Reagan.He was allowed to ride off into the sunset,with the Ouija board playing Queen herself Nancy Reagan,even though his finger prints,and hair dye,were all over the case ,in the Iran/Israeli/Contra guns,for drugs scandal.
Did someone mention,the end of the Cold war,demise of the USSR,&America emerging,as the sole remaining Super power?
The last was Bill Clinton,aka Slick Willy. Maybe Americans were simply sympathetic for his marital sex starved plight,since most realized,he and Hilary did not touch knees,hands ,foreheads,shins ,backs ,or toes ,since Chelsea was conceived ,decades ago, those Arkansas chicken farms ,where ‘Whitewater flows.’
“I did not have sexual relations with that woman ,”my butt! Every single soul in America ,knew what was occurring ,on a nightly basis ,in the Lincoln bedroom-with the full knowledge of his wife-between a fat ,young ,ambitious Jewish American intern(with the luscious lips/bubbly smile/eager body )and the Commander in Chief,and yet, most were prepared to let it fly,including Congress-since many in that Christian nation,were not ‘without sin themselves,and so were unprepared to cast the first stones.’
As such,no impeachment for their President,who helped steer their country through its best economic years,then eventually moved on,be perhaps the best/most important ex president of the USA,via his role in Civil Society/philanthropic organizations.Thank you very much ,Bill Clinton initiatives/Bill Clinton Foundation.
If ,a few New faces were to be erected on Mt Rushmore today,all three patriotic Presidents would be there ,for their role in bolstering the status of their country,and furthering the cause for humanity.
Translation:A win/win for the American people,and Hilary -Tammy Wynette-Rodman-stand by her man-Clinton,might ,if lucky ,be the next US President,and this is all due ,to her supportive loyalty.
It’s the way ,the big boys ,and gals ,from the Industrial North roll folks.
As for we stupid bums ,from the underdeveloped,Global South?
Well,we don’t really care if we are the laughing stock of the world,our Parliamentary business comes to a halt,or democracy becomes tarnished.
As long as Kamla ,and de tribe thinks ,they could gain some tenuous mileage,they’ll go for jugular of the Mason Hall kid-who they deem a threat,because he stands in their way to more power grabs.
The biggest irony for me however is this ,as I observe these country despising cretins-who choose to hide behind legalese ,to push their agenda-is this:-Afro Trinis in contrast,lack this diabolical mindset,and would in contrast ,often use good judgement,when in the political drivers seat.
If not ,Raffique Shah/Rex Lassale would be dead some four decades ago,from a firing squad ,re those 70’s political debacles. Well done Papa defy Eric Williams.
Basdeo Panday would have worn prison blues ,for Airport scandals ,illegal offshore accounts,and likewise,his CLICO -tom cat maneuvers ,to get a free education,at Trini Shareholders expense ,from pal Dupree,to pay for dem two ungrateful daughters of his schooling.
A Certain Chief Justice ,would still be finishing his jail sentence,for trying to obstruct Justice-on behalf of his ex PM pal,who subscribers to a philosophy that ,’Politics has a morality all of it’s own.’
Need I go on?
Well ,I guess ,that’s the price ,we have to pay,for having a multi-ethnic/diverse tribal society.
Nation Building,would forever remain ,a serious challenge.
Let me add for de record,that I for one ,am very happy about our make up, as a budding nation,and won’t want it any other way.
Why is this so ,you asked,even with all our major problems/challenges?
I’ll tell you.
I’m a globally savvy,political animal,with a keen sense of history.
I am cognizant of the fact that ,the enemy of T&T ,is not religious,and political dogma,or cultural differences,linked to the competing racially tinged tribes ,but narrow,self serving ,destructive elitism.
There is much work to be done,but with the proper will,nothing is impossible,si?
Thanks Ria Taitt ,for laying out an excellent case re the lack of political prudence, by the desperate Kamla,and her PP goons-all of which can only work against our National self interest.
Nope, Kamla,the PP,and gullible/sheep- herd-like members of de tribe,cannot be this foolish ,or naive,to think, that they can hurt The PM in waiting,Dr Keith Rowley,or gain some significant advantage,with this kindergarten political strategy.
Stay vigilant people!
I love this land, Y tu?
This rowdy rowley guy must be learning disabled. I am wondering how he got his PhD in rocks and soils.
How could a man complain of being denied his opportunity of free speech in the House when he and his entourage keep walking out?
He was in his element when he brought six no confidence motions to the House, ranting and raging against the PM, but now that the shoe is on the other foot, he cannot take the heat. He runs out of parliament, tries to revive some more emails,renews some old corruption allegations, organizes a march and plays the victimization card.
When the Police and the Integrity commission wake up from their slumber, they will render the same conclusion as the US State department- Fake emails.
He has already explained his actions; to stay for the debate would be to lend legitimacy to an proceeding which he deems to be illegal.
Think about it; the e-mails in question have not been officially declared false by the relevant investigating authorities. The government has jumped the gun….
The wisdom of Suzanne Mills:
During my down time, some random PNM fan on the rant demanded to know why I hadn’t aimed my arrows at MP Vernella of hyphenated surname for her off-coloured comments in the Parliament about someone assumed to be the Opposition Leader.
“I’m not in the business of defending sexists,” I countered.
No doubt Vernella’s slimy attack was carefully orchestrated, cleverly so because the woman pulling the bow has a track record for eccentricity and hails from Tobago, the latter meant to give credibility to the story. And in the case of public outcry, everyone would dismiss it as a Vernella.
But when you think about it, you can’t be half outraged as many non Indo Trini men conveniently were. This was tit for cat. Keith Rowley hit at the PḾs private parts and he got clouted back. Extreme what Vernella said, but how is one attack on one woman worse than the other? When you descend into the gutter, you get covered in muck. And Rowley did. He is the one who brought the fire and brimstone down on his kin.
Why must I defend Rowley anyway when he has the ever faithful Colm Imbert to shield him? I don’t support people who will not sit and take licks in the very Parliament whose privilege they have used to accuse and abuse. You know, for someone who regularly speaks of testicular fortitude, Rowley is forever on the run. But then again bravery comes from the heart and soul and is not to be found in the trousers, as a man who speaks of cats and nipples would assume. In five years, the PM has stood up like a woman. I guess cats and nipples beat out testes every time.
And poor Imbert has to read a prepared text that is way below his intellect.
“Come and say it outside Parliament,” he dares.
His boss spends five years using parliamentary privilege to attack, attack, attack, often baselessly, but the PNM wants to deprive its fellow representatives of the same right.
Rowley deserved to be booted out. This is justice. This is karma. Here we have an Opposition Leader who should exercise judgment and restraint running into the legislature with a scrap of paper, sullying everyone’s name, levelling accusations of a massive conspiracy which like the man so desperate for power that he is, he also took to the house of the Integrity Commission chairman, in the process compromising the integrity of the commission. Imagine if he were the DPP. Everyman would be charged without cause. Imagine if he is PM. Run for cover.
Rowley says the PP Government is using these motions to prevent the PNM from getting into power. So he expects to be handed the post just so? He has to fight for it. That́s politics. He has been campaigning for five years to remove the PP. He wanted them gone on May 25, 2010. So they must not battle to keep him out?
These emails, patently and proven false, became a means of keeping section 34 (for which he voted) on the front burner.
Take a look at a statement Rowley made back in June 2013.
“Somebody who had access to where those e-mails were, in one form or the other, that person put them all together on two pages. I received that…it was a compilation of these conversations.”
How does he know that? Did the clandestine sender say so?
He further stated: “I received no e-mail transmitted from one machine to my machine. I received two pages prepared by somebody.” You know what the key word in that sentence is? “Prepared.”
These emails were a concoction as Google has shown. And the Opposition Leader will not admit he was wrong. That’s why he has to scamper from the House.
My media colleagues may not like to hear this, but we have been reckless and unfair. The TT press loves a label and has been judge and jury for the past few years, tritely tagging accusations so these become scandals without a scintilla of proof. Email gate, prison gate. No gate, but PNM gate.
And disappointing really when you think of journalists of the calibre of Woodward and Bernstein and their months and months of painstaking and exhaustive investigations to break the Watergate story. We need to watch or read “All the President’s Men.” That is investigative journalism. Watergate became Watergate after the fact/s, not before. The press here hears a rumour and it becomes a gate.
The bottom line is that the Opposition Leader will not face the music but he loves to wine. And if he is unaccountable now, just wait. People say Kamla Persad-Bissessar is this country’s worst PM. They’ve seen nothing yet. Rowley will be dictatorial and arrogant. I am putting that on the record on this Mother’s Day. Mark my word and remember what I have said. I know he will.
The reading of the faked e-mails in Parliament had intent of bringing the PP Government into disrepute and to cast negative public opinion and to discredit the PM maliciously. That is very clear with respect to intent. Now knowing that the Integrity Commission and the Police Investigative team in T&T have been working on this case for the last 2 years with no reports to date, does it surprises us that an overseas external agency has cleared her and her government of any connections so serious implicating them with motives of plotting to murder a reporter. This is very serious and we expect to take this as a joke. Does it ring a bell that ‘when you dig a hole for someone you literally fall into that self-made hole’. Possibly and maybe the local investigation teams will come up with the same conclusion that will clear the PM and some of her ministers. After all where are their assessments coming from, overseas! So, calypsonians, begin composing some ditties, as the world knows that you’ll are excellent political commentators in song and that what we need not the griping and complaining.
One of the things that is very clear in these pages is that we know exactly who is who. There is a side that clearly lacks morality and ethics and have absolutely no respect for law. Law for them means only when things are in their favor. When it does not fall within their realm of sanity then it is always the PNM. The issues are clear and the state of the treasury is diminishing. It has been said that Putin is a bully but he knew enough to know that when credit rating houses issue a report on the health of a nation’s finance it is not about politics but how politicians manage and spend the people’s money. Russia, like many of the countries in the bric block of nations were downgraded and Putin never tried to blame or imply ulterior motives. Moodys and S&P are definitely NOT in the business of making mistakes, because if they did, they would not be in business. The last time Moodys made a mistake was in 2008. The mistake they made was in not calling the financial pictures of Wall Street early enough and they paid dearly for it. So, the cry of Kamla, Howai and Jwala that Moodys must be mistaken is PURE gimmickry. Every single department is today more adversely managed than they were in 2010. Spending under Kamla is like drunken sailors visiting bars on the day their ship touched land. Accounting is atrocious and purposely so, because the more confusing things are, the better for the corrupt. Moodys know this and said so in many ways. Kayla never takes responsibility for anything, unless its a case when the people rises against one of her ministerial appointments with sufficient evidence for the case of dismissal, she will then rise, fire the minister, then say how tough she is. It is without doubt a mockery of governance. And those of us who are vigilant will see to it that every effort is made to enlighten. Kamla treads on ignorance, it is her hope that all who come to her is ignorant, it is her hope that all who support her are ignorant. This strengthens Dictator Kamla and we can’t wait for her to pull that date from whatever part of her body she chooses, then we shall see. Trinidad is well on its way to becoming another Guyana and another five years of dictator Kamla, ungovernable would be the word to describe it.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/-Risk-consultancy-on-Rowley-suspension-303534891.html?m=y&smobile=y
Oh Yeah,not too clueless about tribal corruption Kamla,and the undemocratic regime she leads,Howai,de ex First Citizens Bank bandit,turned glorified Finance Minister,by said PM,their equally corrupt ,undemocratic cousins in Guyana ,and the people’s push back ,by their barbarism in Guyana.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/article/20150512/LOCAL/150519889
Speaking about clear ,and present danger,and the social miscreants ,who are chiefly responsible for such ,in both fiefdoms.
Pay attention people,as to what the narrative would eventually be in the end ,when disgusted citizens ,in both countries decides to destroy the government,party,leaders,and by extension ,diabolic tribe ,that has caused their socio -economic-com political pain.
https://guyaneseonline.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/guyana-elections-2015-businesses-jittery-abc-diplomats-and-joint-services-urge-normalcy/
In their quest to hold on to power,these non-patriotic,country haters,would resort to any means necessary-including stirring up the brew,conducive to violence.
Then of course, would eventually ,put on the fake cloak of victimhood,when the inevitable ‘political blowbacks,’ occurs.
As we like to say on the streets however,’when your neighbor’s house is on fire,burn yours.’
Hopefully I got that correct.
What’s dat,I got it wrong ,for it’s ‘wet’ yours?
To hell with wrong quotes,just tell your ‘greedy, dog with ah bone,me me ,gime,gimi leaders ,’to ‘beware of a man / woman,with nothing to lose!’
Stay vigilant T&T!