By Raffique Shah
January 04, 2016
In a few months, I shall cross another threshold of aging, scoring seventy years of life and officially transitioning into the status of “old geezer”.
The dawning of a new year set me thinking about the past and the future, although I know I have fewer years ahead of me than behind me. In such circumstance, retrospection becomes the preferred option.
When I was a young, meaning a teenager-into-the-twenties, enjoying life to the fullest during an era of universal revolution—in global politics, sex, fashion, music, education—I did not see myself getting past forty.
Full of energy and fuelled by a daring to change what I could not accept as fate in post-colonial Trinidad and Tobago, I thought then that I would “live fast and die young” in accordance with the street-lingo that was popularised in movies that influenced my generation and others.
But by quirk of the very fate I had challenged and sought to change, I survived the many adventures and some misadventures of my youthful days, coming closer to death more often than most people would in several lifetimes.
Indeed, I can say of my life thus far that I enjoyed many incarnations-professional soldier, militant mutineer, utopian revolutionary, defiant prisoner, uncompromising fighter against inequity and injustice, dabbler in conventional politics, crusader using the power of the written word, and more.
I have lived well past my life expectancy given my chequered experiences, but if I had to do it all over again, there are few things I would change, and this late stage is hardly the time to rectify my shortcomings or undertake new ventures.
Oh, I’m very aware that many people lead very active lives in their seventies, eighties and even nineties. But on the larger canvas of life, they are the fortunate few. Too many older people suffer with debilitating diseases that make their twilight years sheer torture, and to add to their woes, others they interact with, through insensitivity more than malice, make their lives hell.
These are not very pleasant thoughts for an old geezer to entertain on New Year’s morning.
But for me, they are sobering.
Last night, my nerves and tolerance were tested to their limits by a few inconsiderate people in my neighbourhood who believed that I, and others residing half-a-mile away, were dying to listen to their music. They almost killed me with jarring, mindless noise. In fact, with several DJs on the block competing for dominance, the cacophony was maddening.
Then the Baghdad-like battleground, on which the gunners had been test-firing their ammo from late afternoon, erupted with explosive fury from around half hour before midnight. I heard howitzers, bazookas, machine guns, tanks, naval fusillades, surface-to-air missiles and other artillery I could not identify rattle the place with the combined power of an earthquake and a volcano.
Trained as I was in all types of warfare and weaponry, I could listen to the bombardment, cuss quietly and then fall back to sleep even as they continued their barrages. But I thought of others my age, many of them infirm, being subjected to torture by noise.
It’s pointless calling the police: they don’t even bother to answer their phones, and if they do, they cuss you, the complainant. Why don’t you go to sleep, geezer, give the people a break?
Noise pollution has long passed epidemic proportions in this country, and no government or other agency will ever do anything about it. They will not explore systems used in the developed world where noise pollution is well controlled, and where the same persons who raise hell here would meekly conform when they migrate.
But this is Trinidad, the noisiest country in the world. Even as I write, magistrates are granting licenses to fete promoters to host ear-shattering Carnival fetes, many in residential districts, all exceeding decibel-levels that could drive people mad, and for durations that deny them sleep a-la-Guantanamo.
Magistrates, eh, abetted by the police (no objections, sah!).
See why I woke up this morning thinking with trepidation of aging?
If you think that ours is a society in which little children are made to suffer in silence, pray that you never grow old. The abuse old people are subjected to by government officials, public servants, criminals and even neighbours and families, many of them pray to die to escape this geriatric purgatory.
I see advertisements inviting young people to invest some of their earnings towards their retirement so that they can enjoy their “golden years”. Sure, it’s wise to save while you earn so that you can boost your inadequate pensions.
But “golden years”? Forget it!
Abandon all hope once you enter the living hell of old age in this cussed country.
What a spendid blog! As one who is turning seventy this year, I fully understand the horrors of noise pollution and other kinds of abuse that elder folk endure. I hope that your blog awakens those who promote fetes and the authorities who give them permission to consider to take action to solve the problem.
Hey brother, you should be thankful for what you have, as well as what you haven’t.
Shah would not have added so many more years had he been living in China,Saudi Arabia,Iran to name a few countries…thanks to williams!
The worst is ahead, culture has shifted, everything design to make our lives easier has now taken away family time. That means if you have children they will put you in nursing home where you will be treated as a wasting away piece of carcass. Why? Because they don’t have time to look after the old geezer.
There with the noise level up high you will not be able to protest. Worst if you have a bad caregiver, licks will be the order of the day and night.
As for the noise you have to lobby your member of parliament to put in place legislation stating no noise from 10:00 p.m. To 6:00 a.m. Or noise level must be significantly reduced to location. (They could include the decibel level) That way if there is noise passed these times you can call the police who will go for the first few months of this legislation and remind people to lower the volume.
Until then good luck reasoning with these bars and DJs.
One of the courses I enjoyed while at university was a course call the Lifespan similar to this one https://legacy.saylor.org/psych302a/Intro/
I think it is a humanities course worth taking because it looks at human development from pre natal to death. It discusses each stages of life and the changes associated with it. It prepares you for those changes in human development so you have a greater appreciation when it occurs.
I remember looking at a video on Kathryn Hepburn during her latter years and the effect of aging on her. How the hearing and other senses changes as we prepare to reach the end. If I was an educator that course would be a requirement….
Mamoo…if you expect me & other bloggers to actually believe that YOU went to anything other than secondary education…improve your tact & grammar…it should much better results that crudely trying to inject it (LIE) into your ‘contribution’
“To him that is pure, all things are pure, to him that is defiled all things are defiled” says the Good book. We see the world through our own prison. In your case you think everyone Winnie is as dumb as you.
Mamoo, it is a question of discernment. One gives clues as to one’s educational attainment in the kinds of errors one makes in one’s grammar and spelling, and in the reasoning processes one displays.
That’s how a lot of people fail job interviews and don’t even know why. If you claim on your resume to have a degree, and you make the kind of grammatical error that no graduate, intending to be formal in his speech, would make, then you would quickly assessed to be a fraud and accordingly shown the door.
On such basis, in my opinion, you have not had *formal* education beyond primary school, because you obviously have never had to go through the rigours of constructing a formal argument to prove a statement, or at least to try. This you would have learnt in secondary school.
There are a lot of people who are self-taught. All power to them, and I do not demean their accomplishment in the slightest. Michael Anthony, the historian, is one of them, and I value his work quite highly. Butttt…. even the most accomplished of auto-didacts will make the kinds of error, either in writing, speech, or both, that display lack of *formal* education.
You are self-taught to perhaps a high school level, but with gaps. Your *formal* educational attainment, however, is not more than Standard 3. In my opinion.
There is no shame in that. The shame is in lying about it. You brought up the whole matter in case you forget, otherwise I certainly would have kept my opinion to myself.
Shalom.
Each are entitled to their opinion. As you have your opinion Yoruba it is what you give the world just an opinion based on your own experience and world view.
In my view you and Winnie failed Standard 3 but manage to become egotistical and self opinionated in all that surrounds you. That view has not changed.
Hi Raffique
I enjoyed reading your journey through your life as it continues. I left Trinidad as a young man for Europe, and now I live in North America. In Canada there are strict rules in regards to noise. As a young man I was not made aware of the damaging effects of noise. I have to say I am fortunate not having to grow old their. Although I love Trinidad I was planning to return in my retirement years but seeing the breakdown in law and order I changed my mind. As a senior going on eighty I still work in construction drive my trucks and tractors.I am not an old geezer. I also had an exciting and dangerous life, been in the Army and Police forces in Europe, North America, and Trinidad is as dangerous as it could get.
Anyway thanks for your story.
Rafffique, I want you to address a situation with respect to the property tax the new Govt. is putting into action. I am not a political sycophant, yet a tax payer.
Fact: I was involved in a “regularization of squatters” with the last Govt. This project was very advanced and now jobless. We noticed that in areas such as Diego Martin, La Brea, Laventille, Morvant, Sea Lots, Pt. Fortin, Never Dirty (most occurrences), the squatters are very present and regular. In fact in some cases, over 50% of the persons are squatters.
Fact: Persons who are squatting, DO NOT pay property tax, yet enjoy the “rights” as a property owner such as water, waste removal etc.
Fact: The People’s Partnership did not impose the property tax because most of the real estate owners became exempt as they were registered to pay property tax.
Fact: The property tax will not affect the squatters as they continue to live off the state, encouraged by the state.
Fact: This is a bias to law-abiding citizens. Still yet some squatters are not poverty stricken.
Mamoo:
“Each *are*”?
That is exactly the kind of error that gives one away…
Had Mamoo reached Standard 5 in the Primary School I attended, he would not make such a grammatical error.
In any case, as the philosopher says, you cannot teach a pig to sing; it only irritates the pig. And when you see a bird in flight, there is no need to inquire into its flying certification.
Unfortunately, Mamoo is neither the proverbial bird, nor the pig that sings. That much is fact, not opinion.
Shalom.
Yes, yes Yoruba. The British schooled you well… lol As a descendant of slavery please try and be ah lil more humble. I know your lacking some of those qualities.
Mamoo plays the slavery card.
It is slender accomplishment to get subject and verb to agree. The point is that *you* have not yet attained to that slender accomplishment, demonstrating that you do not have the educational accomplishment that *you* claim. You are a liar and a deceiver.
You would wish! Actually, I am first and last a seedline son of Israel. That makes me literally a “prince with God”, an heir to the kingdom. I say it not with pride, but in deep humility, and in submission to God’s Word:
“And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:6).
“For thou art an holy people unto Yahweh thy God: Yahweh thy God hath *chosen* thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 7:6)
It is as Yahweh’s “chosen” that we came to be known by terms cognate to “Israel” = “prince with God”, notably “Bantu” = “children of God” literally, and “nega” = “king or prince” literally. These terms acquired derogatory connotation when God drove us out of the Holy Land, and sent us back into slavery, from which He had delivered our forefathers when He chastised Pharaoh and delivered us out of Egypt:
“And Yahweh shall bring thee into Egypt (slavery) *again* with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy (redeem) you.” (Deuteronomy 28:68)
It is in fulfillment of this prophecy that we the “Negro”, aka niggers/niggas/nega, were scattered to the West in the holds of cargo slave ships, into slavery. There are no other people on the planet that are a match to this prophecy.
Therefore, I come from a line that has seen and suffered enslavement. That fact is wholly consistent with being “prince with God”, and heir to the kingdom. That history of enslavement for the most part gives the “Negro” a becoming modesty, even when our gifts are seen to be almost effortlessly superior; see as one touching example, this BBC interview of Foreman, Frazier, and Ali.
Our destiny is stated in prophecy:
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests…” (Revelation 5:10).
and was already stated as part of the Holy Covenant already quoted:
“… ye *shall* be unto me a kingdom of priests…” (Exodus 19:6)
That is the Promise that has stirred envy and hatred in the heart of all other nations, notably and especially among the sons of Esau (aka Edomites), of which the brahminist Hindus are a notable branch.
Now, Pride is certainly a sin before God. But lying and deceit even more so. We must know exactly who and what we are, so as not to fall victim either to false pride, on the one hand, or false modesty, on the other. The British, at their best, embraced a becoming modesty as a virtue. We could do worse than to emulate that virtue.
In any case, that virtue is taught in the very Book that was given to our Israelite forefathers. That it came back to us via the British neither exalts the British nor demeans us. It merely shows the wondrous works of the Most High God, the God that spoke to our forefathers, and made us, like it or not, His Chosen. That is cause, neither for false pride, nor false humility, bur rather, simply, renewed submission to His Holy Covenant.
That is where I stand. And I say all of that, — as I must, as a servant of God, called, chosen, and faithful, — not so much to Mamoo, as to my “Negro” brethren. We, as Israelites of the seed, must no longer be ensnared by this or that complex deriving from the still historically recent enslavement of our forefathers. This is the “slavery card” that Mamoo the dalit, of all people, cleverly plays.
We should now be past that. Let us by all means wear our gifts and accomplishments lightly, but also let us be clear that our prophetic destiny is that of the prodigal son who is nevertheless still the legitimate heir. We are being raised back up.
Our job in these parts is to help the dalit overcome the reproach of *his* enslavement. Unfortunately, many like Mamoo are so busily engaged in trying to enslave others, they do not see they are inviting God’s condemnation.
No Mamoo, it ill-behooves you as a dalit descendant, made free in this land by such as Eric Williams, to seek, however slyly, to put me in my place as a slave descendant. You wish!
May the Most High continue to expose the wicked, and the wicked deeds that they wickedly do. And may He roll away the reproach of slavery, finally and for good, from all of His Chosen, that we may live free in His sight, and enjoy His bountiful grace.
Shalom.
“And ye *shall* know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
Mamboo went to a University? Well I’ll be dar…..! Come on Mamboo, and remember ‘dat according to chapter 24 of de Bagwas Gita, ‘lying is an abomination to God.’ Ooops …, Lo Siento. I take that back, it’s our Christian Kings James Bible, that denounced lying.
What’s next Mamboo? Let me guess , you , and the racist weasel, religious bandit/spiritual advisor of Auntie K,in Sat Maraj, and women abusing, dead beat dad, a la Pundit Sharma,the politically disgraced UNC MP, are all by products of Indian high caste , since ‘you alze,’ desperate ancestors , were forced to come to T&T, to cut sugar cane , like their simi African- black skin- less fortunate, poverty stricken Untouchable, Indentured brothers/sisters?
You can talk until all dem South of de Caroni Water Buffalos come home, but none of us in the know ‘ain’t buying Mamboo.
From the first day , I read one of your blogs ‘some eight years ago – ‘me think,’ I had you pegged, as just another simi literate , alcoholic ,’country bookie’ – no disrespect to our fellow rural &T citizens.
If you as claimed , went to any University on planet earth, and worst yet, graduated , then said institution , should not only be shut down permanently, but the still living relatives , of each of your Professors ,should be arrested forthwith, and beaten to within an inch of their lives.
Pathetic – ‘Trologian bum!’
Notice how in contrast , that even though he can be quite irritating , and tend to occasionally ‘get under our skin’- as we like to say on de streets-none of my fellow Patriotic Progressives , would even think , to make such disparaging comments, about our slick , neo tribal , cyber amigo , TMan?
The reason is simple. He ,- as stated – went to one of T&T elite colleges ,somewhere South West of the East West corridor.
We never doubted him one bit Mamboo, for as they say in Matthew 7 verse 20 , of dat blue eyed – Sky god – King James Bible,’Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know dem .’
Put differently, and to quote my Brother Yorouba Israelite – ” It’s a question of discernment ..”
Just having ‘a lil bit oh fun,’ at your expense Mamboo.You can disregard all that I’ve just said…. or maybe not.
Oh yeah , and according to an often quoted proverb, “He who knows not and knows not he knows not: he is a fool – shun him. He who knows not and knows he knows not: he is simple – teach him. He who knows and knows not he knows: he is asleep – wake him. He who knows and knows he knows: he is wise – follow him.”
Swine flu, and people dying left, right and center, across my T&T,and no one is truly concern. Afro Kinky head WASA Manager murdered in mysterious fashion , a few months ago , during Kamla’s government reign.
Fast forward to 2016, and a questionable fire , started on a second floor of WASA headquarters,allegedly destroying hundreds of important papers , that could have implicated a few PP party hacks maybe, and few care.
Yeah Uncle Ganga , and we can suspect why you ain’t fearful.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-01-07/singh-not-afraid-wasa-audit
Seriously folks. I’mm prepared to heed the prudent advice, of my dear Sistaz Alyssa, and so give Papa Rowley , and the crew, a break , as they try to settle down , during this tumultuous socio-economic / political time, as his Honeymoon period winds down.
Tell you what however, and I ain’t kidding here … thank you very much for nada. My patience is fast eroding. I want to see someone charge , a few heads rolling , some convictions , jail time given, and properties confiscated , where warranted , for criminal activities committed by folks in high office .
Enough already!
Stay vigilant T&T!
I luv dis land, Y tu?
Neal,Yoruba & Kian are telling UNTRUTHS!!! Mamoo DID attend Univeristy!!!…He, suruj, the ex airport authority Head/chutney Limer & ‘Mastor Stuffy’ all Studied & Graduated TOGETHER With uh-nazz’…
P.S. Neal, you mistook me…i didn’t say tive PNM a break…i said The PNM & UNC are NOT The Same!!…(in context)…UNC IS a Hindu Party…the don’t ‘Pretend’…when THEY got in office all the most powerful, lucrative, society changing Ministries went to Hindus and/or indians down with the Hindu Agenda a.k.a. ‘Indian Policy’…in fact…if you paid attention, evwn when African stooges were given ministries, they were staffed up to the Neck with Hindus/Indians! To make sure things were ‘going as planned’…now….look at the power distribution under PNM…did you see the board for RHA that was just appointed by Deyalsingh?? I didn’t see ONE African…not 1…niw to be ‘fair’ i don’t know the particulars or why buttttttttttt NOT ONE?? Maybe i saw a shortened clip on the news of the appointees…maybe…
Winne it seem like you have a ting for Hindu men ah notice all you seem to talk about is dem. Please you not a Hindu but could dream of being one, leave the people alone nah.
Brother Neal,I read you load and clear. This blog has accorded me the opportunity to learn – yea learn. I have read blogs in other print and cube media but most are a bunch of jack asses shouting insults to each other. People should not feel intimidated or shy about expressing their thoughts here but the conversations should at all times be civil. Nothing is to be gained by calling people you don’t even know names with insults to boot.
I have stated in the past and continue to believe, that TMan and Mamoo have something to offer. What they offer most is an insight into the psyche of those who think differently of themselves. Their perspectives provide a avenue of opportunity to get a deeper sense our fellow Trinidadians, whose allegiance to what we work so hard toward, is split by reason of ancestry and geography. Their reasonings and the principles that we hold dear are different. We see Trinidad in its natural plurality to be something of value, They see the plurality as something that they must conquer and reform to their reality and way of thinking. There are stark differences in terms of who we are and who they are. If we are to maintain civility and trust we must continue to probe the loyalty of our cousins (the Indo). They too must learn to understand us. And this is where I believe this medium provide the best opportunity to investigate, probe and share visions of ourselves. I must admit that it takes an open mind to achieve this and it is obvious that some come to this space with closed minds. When those closed minds seek our indulgence, we owe it to ourselves to attempt to open those minds to the reality of what we know of Trinidad and Tobago. It is also true that among some of our inhabitants, the history of Trinidad and Tobago as it presently stands is an anathema to their progress. It is our duty to remind and insist that
our historical truths does not stand as an affront to them. But we must be firm in our resolve. There is no doubt in my mind that Alyssa’s presence, Yoruba’s analytical and probing consensus and your (Neal), witty and sound social commentary we stand to gain and grow.
Together, we must stand as an antidote to the poison being fed by those who do not share the same national interests as we do. I realize that I am speaking at a higher level but it is where we must strive to make our adversaries aspire to, if we are to maintain that civility we seek for our redemption.
“……Alyssa’s presence, Yoruba’s analytical and probing consensus and your (Neal), witty and sound social commentary we stand to gain and grow.
Together, we must stand as an antidote to the poison being fed by those who do not share the same national interests as we do……I am speaking at a higher level but it is where we must strive to make our adversaries aspire to, if we are to maintain that civility we seek for our redemption.”
Bro Kain
Once more Brother , let me say thank you for your extremely gracious comments, and your willingness to lay out in detail , your reasons for engaging . I too share the idealism . A word of caution is in order however.
What you might consider as my “satirical ,” and or, “witty social commentaries ,” others would vehemently disagree , or due in great measure to cultural sensitivities , would denounce in words , that might not be fit to be printed , on dis here Trini Center Nation-Information Highway. Am I right, or am I right, mi Patriotic Hermano?
Now for de record , I don’t give a rats behind , as to how others view me, or perceived loved , and the reason is clear. I was given away at the age of 8 weeks by my 17/18 year old mom – and just like Barrack Hussain Obama -ignored by my useless bum of a father , where his mom instead ,raised me until she died , at the age of 53, when I turn 16- thus becoming a man on said day.As such , I have a heart of stone. Enough however, about yours truly.
I get it , you see the need to go after Cuz Mamboo , for the way he attacks Sistaz Alyssa , but he might likewise feel justified , since she has not hesitated to ‘take off de gloves,’ as it were , when it comes to him , his people / culture / ancestral homeland, and recently his lofty Island Scholar -University accomplishments.
I am not saying that he is correct, but you must see it from his standpoint. As a matter of fact Brother K, I am on record , for doing perhaps the same job on a certain , alleged Yankee based lawyer -female blogging enthusiast , who I , (as you might recall) ,dismissively labeled as Inderia/Indrani- something, and why?
I saw her as a naive , condescending , neo trial , misguided fraud- whose fangs were too firmly planted on her Hindustani Queen’s rear end – and so felt it tainted her views.
If I am not mistaken , you- good gentleman as you are -once came to her rescue , as I Neal , was in one of my ‘Sledgehammering swinging modes,’ during one of our feisty exchanges.
As a matter of fact, some might correctly say, dat so brutal was my treatment of this disrespectful creature ,that it’s the sole reason ,as to why she packed her doggy bags , and ran back to the smelly Richmond Hill Zoo York hell hole , by way of …..ummm….Barackpore ,she initially emerged from,to do whatever she did before,attempting to pontificate / lecture,us more learned grown up blokes.
Here is the deal Bro K. We can talk until the catfishes , Cascadoos, Piranhas,and Great White sharks ,from the East Dry River , decides to migrate , to dem waters below de Caroni Bridge. That however ,won’t change the mindset of most folks on this here Blogosphere , much less those that revere Auntie K, in wider La Trinity .
This is what makes politics – in it’s widest definition – so intriguing. It’s consist of competing wants / needs ,and the art , by those who profess to care ,for prudently finding ways of achieving same meaningful ‘end’- without murdering each other – of course- as is done within more savage geographical enclaves , across de Global Village, si?
There is work to be done ,and optimist as I am , I fervently believe , such can be achieve, challenging as it may be.
What’s your end game mi patriotic – progressive Piasano? It’s all that matter. Is your self interest , so different to mine that we cannot ….? Can our dormant patriotic spirit ,override that of narrow self interest habits , so as to propel us towards a win/ win result? No se.
Stay tune for my response to Sistaz A,who seems convinced that the PNM , and UNC ,are two ideologically different political parties – merely because the former neo imperial / elitists leaders ,rode the backs of desperate Slave oriented Christians , and the latter, their equally desperate Hindus , and (as she conveniently left out )Muslims ,to power.
Tell you what , if I wish , I can get a beautiful 20- 25 year old Venezuelan Chica, everyday of de week , to help me …. ummmm … improve my Espanol. Thank you very much , General Chavez , and your clone Senor M ,almost destroying this once envied , neighboring Latin fiefdom.
Sadly , that country has more oil/ gas than we in La Trinity do, and yet , citizens in that Yankee hated Socialist den , cannot even purchase toilet paper. Go figure.
For all of the regurgitated psychobabble , that we are daily subjected to, by delusional Trini Tribalists, about de greatness of glorified , competing -phony democratic – Nuclear fiefdoms , India , and Pakistan ,many of their respective citizens , are breaking down the door to make T&T their home, and their is a reason.
We have guys , even on dis here Trini Center , who would defend the socio- political monstrosities ,that is presently existing in the likes of Zimbabwe, Nigeria , South Africa, and most of the other underachieving ,borderline ‘Failed States,’that make up the Virgin Continent, but none of them , including that political fraud Makandal Dagga, would choose to live there. Thank you very much Kamla , for your 30 pieces of silver , essentially encouraged me to ignore , and ‘drown’ my people in the smelly disease infested Mang, near the Beetham Labasse.
Let’s once more ,as budding Social activist , stay focus the prize,and what can that be ? I’ll tell you:- 1. Holding leaders/ power brokers accountable.
2.Ending suffering where feasible amongst the socially deprave / downtrodden.
3.Empowerment of the weak.
4.Striving to ensure equal playing field justice is de norm.
5. Ultimately making sustainable development , more than some idiotic catch phrase, pushed by self serving , disingenuous leaders- in ,or out of power, si?
Luv Humanity people, and forget de tribe, for failure so to do , can have dire consequences.
Trust me on dat, as I have been in de trenches , and so witnessed, the ugly fall outs, of man’s depravity , to their fellow human beings.
Ain’t life beautiful folks?
‘Me think’ so.
Mamoo, said he went to university, nothing wrong with Mamoo, saying he did.
Perhaps, as he said he work in construction, his occupation may have taken him there to perform some construction work.
Under the present government and the challenges they face to rebuild the economy, there is need to operate differently. The challenges that lie before us CANNOT be approached with a ‘business as usual’ attitude. This government will have to do many things simultaneously in order to attain certain goals that the people are looking for. In so doing, many who are in the government’s camp may feel displaced and unwanted but as currently constituted they should not feel sidelined if they know that they have something to offer. These are some of the things people are looking forward to:
1. Reviving the economy.
2. Avoid too many displacements.
3. Seek and employ new relevant talents.
4. Comprehend and arrest the salient factors of our demise.
5. Pursue & bring to justice wrong doers of the PP govt.
6. Review & produce where necessary revisions to
constitutional flaws in the judiciary and relevant
services.
7. Review and correct practices in our foreign service
8. Appoint a good Commissioner of Police.
9. Seek better remedies for crime.
10. Review all essential services that affect the lives of
our citizens.
These are only a few of the many things this government need to brazenly approach and correct. In reading the guardian of today January 10, 2016, I read an article written by Shaliza Hassanali entitled “Former MPs job hunting”
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-01-09/former-mps-job-hunting
highlighting the plights of former ministers of government and was wondering what do we do with known talents? First of all, we should not assume that all former ministers have talents. In the case of Devant Maharaj, many saw him as a former GOPIO operative, backed by Kamla’s guru Sat Maharaj and not sure whether he possessed any talents at all. As a matter of fact, it should not be the policy of government to recycle ‘spent force’, someone is either relevant or irrelevant. IN the case of some of the former PNM MPs, there are still lot of openings left in the diplomatic corps and state boards that they can fill.
I am not sure if Shaliza’s article was meant to inform or appease
but it is clear that the government is till a long way off retrofitting it team to fulfill its requirement. In the case of the Opposition, we continue to see a lack of morality on the part of Kamla’s style of governance. The Speakership of the House of Representatives is a revered position. Even though it does not actually happen, those who have been so appointed respected the position as one of fairness and decorum and as such never ventured to return to that body again. Dating back to men like Arnold Thomasos and Hamilton Maurice (great Speakers of the past), there is an almost sacrosanct reverence for the position and the person that holds the position. But once again, Kamla Persad Bissessar, has shown that she shows no respect for tradition, history and parliamentary decorum by bringing back former speaker Wade Mark as an ordinary Opposition senator. This to me lacks class, respect for history and an insult to the
respect we should have for the Parliamentary system of Governance. The appearance of Wade Mark, the former Speaker Of the House of Representative, as an opposition senator demeans the stature of that position and pales the historical prominence that his predecessor Barry Sinanan enjoyed before him. It shows the lack of morality in the person who appointed him, so to speak.
We, the People want our system of governance to be sanitized and brought back to its former glory. It will take time to get there but we sure hope that Dr. Rowley will begin the process of returning the Parliament to some form of respectability.
Yes Mr Shah it is even worst in North America where we copy every blasted thing there. Our own beautiful culture even in food is dying thanks to the mob rule we are under. There in North America, as a retiree, they take your doubly taxed earnings from T&T and tax it again. Your government with their friends employed in the Embassies there are clueless to defend your interests there. They sleep in government offices paid for by your tax monies and can do nothing for you. And as a fixed income earner we pay other taxes as well for they can take anything from you without much of a fight. I guess we too have to pay to keep the queen living the good life. I feel no sorrow for the demise of the UK for it will come just like the Roman Empire. Old people in these societies are abused every which way. If we shit too much we pay tax. The company where I worked treated me like a dog for nearly 30 years. I worked over 3000 hours per year in my senior years doing ONCALL activity. Can Mr Rowley tell us how much we pay to keep our engineering in Brussels. Can Mr Rowley look into the injury clauses in the Yara system in signed work contracts and determine if they are just. Can Mr Rowley determine what Workmans Compensation has to do with Severance pay when one is injured on the job and is terminated? Can Mr Rowley look into who has to declare one’s injuries to NIS? Their methods of assessing internal injuries to the injured on the job is horrible – can he correct this. Can he ask the judiciary why foreigners can come into our country I never got any recognition from my foreign bosses operating in my country as I was slave to them. By my efforts on the job I saved the three plants from endless disaster over 15 of those years with no salary increases. When I was transferred by another foreigner operating in my country I was sacrificed by MJ. He threatened them with loss of work in T&T. Yet in 2015 MJ was given another huge assignment by Mr Rowley. But God will have the final say. Change will come. The guilty will be punished. Our country had us enslaved for years and now still do as we are asked to bear the burdens of their passed mistakes. Manning put a ceiling on my salary and doubled his and I know he is suffering now. He said he wanted to attract more qualified persons to run the government…persons like like Calder, Gibbs, Ewaski etc. God doh sleep. MJ and KJ should leave our country alone, they rip we off enough already. KJ outside son sold our gas at $1 US per million BTU for years. TITAN who is still run by the PNM. They were given natural gas free as it was bussing in the early startup days. The truth will one day be told. As we speak we must understand one fact that our plants are always maxed out and we suffer from the endless unscheduled consequential plant shutdowns that cost millions of US dollars and lose of endless revenues to us all. That certainly was not the Hon. Eric Williams dream for Point Lisas or elsewhere in T&T. The mob took over the PNM in 1981 and are still with us. But all the money MJ and KJ make will blow in the wind when they are dead and they will suffer for all the lives they put to the sword. SK and the Syrian turn will come to. The rip off from selling cloth to now will come back to haunt them just like in Syria. God doh sleep.
Some people argue that the swing from UNC to PNM does nothing for T&T. But I see God is fixing T&T. In plain language there are 700,000 active voters out of the 1 million possible. PNM has 200,000 PNM til ah dead voters. UNC has slightly less blind devotees. Hence when you do the math there are 300,000 plus floating voters. And most of them are of mixed breedings. So come next election PNM will be judged very carefully on their performances. People will jot stomach the same clueless shit from them. So Shah change will come. The elders will have their way.
“…there are 300,000 plus floating voters. And Most of them are of mixed breedings…” -Jerry Hussain
R-U-B-B-I-S-H !! I’m sorry Jerry…your mechanical engineering skills do not automatically translate to the social sciences or genetics…That is ant-intellectual talk! How do YOU know who is ‘mixed’ & who is not?? Intelligent guesses CAN be made, but saying that peopke of ‘mixed breedings’ are the floating voters shows ignorance of the SOCIAL perspective….i hope we all agree that NOBODY is GENETICALLY pre-disposed to being ‘fair’….it is how someone is RAISED & SOCIALIZED (Home, village, city, country, club, school etc) so IF there are 300,000 ‘floating voters’ you have no idea what their geneology is….that is a DOTISH MYTH- that ‘mixed’ people are ‘split in the middle’ and make choices for country & not race LIE…FACT there are people of half indian/african parentage that are either Hardcore PNM or Hardcore UNC for different but similar reasons….the FACT is MOST people of dual parentage either were MORE influenced by INDIANS, Africans or 2hite society culture in T&T and THOSE experiences & socialization SHAPE their OPINIONS…i cannot BELIEVE that YOU jerry speweing that NONSENSE….in reality, historically most children of dual indian/african parentage aligned themselves with the PNM & their African side because of Indian/Hindu racism.!!….similar to MANY OTHER societies e.g. in the U.S,canada,U.K. Where half African parented children were historically SCORNED from White society and were readily ACCEPTED by Africam communities….even adored for their NON-African heritage (sad)….BUTTTTTTTTTTTT something starnge occured over the decades….as Anti-African racism morphed or lapsed somewhat to allow for (in the case of T&T) Indian society to show favouritism to ‘mixed’ children as opposed to those who look 1000% neegah/rawan….soooooo, these psychologically scarred children actually enjoy their stTus as ‘better than pure neegah’ in the eyes of Ind7ans et al and try to distance themselves from their phenotypically ‘pure’ african bretheren in search of acceptance & kinship with the straight & soft hairs (Indians,chinese, whites, syrians, ‘red’ africans etc..)…all of this Social reality simply MANIFESTS ittself in politics where alot od ohentotypicall mixed Africans are joining parties like COP etc not because of a sense of morality, but a petty CLIQUE mentality…. i.e. They know that they are afforded better social piveledges than P’oure’ looking africans and so they want to solidify that status socially & politically….it has NOTHING to do with a sense of ‘country’….it is selfish & seof centered!….doubt me?? Look at how segregated socialization is in T&T at the clubs, beaches, even carnival bands & parties…..tell me that you don’t notice how the light skin african/mulatto/Venezuelans/Colombians etc.Phenotype & indians always somehow end up ‘falling in love’??? This is NOT a ‘coincidence’…it is a mentality that can be observed & deciphered with social science!….T&T has an invisible phenotypical structure or pyramid based on the value of your phenotype…this can be divided infinitely…..basically it starts with two basic groups ;(1)those with straight hair & (2)those without…
Naturally, the only group with thick,wooly,curly hair is
African! So already everybody knows it is bettwr to identify with being Indian, chinese, syrian, whatever! Regardless of economic or class status!…just how you LOOK!….so all of the straight haired groups naturally form cliques among themselves rather than migrate DOWN to the African group (marriage,courtship etc.) Of course, all of this is understood but NEVER admitted (never admit an advantage to those with a DIS-advantage)…All of these issues simply MANIFEST themselves politically…especially with the lapse in organized religion in recent times (facilitated by american media)..e.g, many christian africans now, would rather marry a non-christian with the phenotype they want (Straight Hair) than a fellow christian e.g. Wade Mark, Anthony Carmona,John Sandy,Machel etc…also, take note that in these popular examples the African has Much More Money,Power or Status relative to their Non-African spouse..?coincidence?? Observe you surroundings/social circles & YOU tell ME…if it is in fact a PATTERN or ‘coincidence’….this is why the IMAGERY of a particular political party is important….e.g. PNM’s Imagery as a party, is large groups of dark skinned people (supporters) although this is misleading as many are not of that hue BUTTTTTTTTTT thise are the types that march & burn tyres……look at COP….look at the meeting BEFORE 2010…..WHITES, light zkinned Africans, wealthy ‘christianized’ Indians & Hindus who pretended not to be UNC socialized… (Prakash)…i remember seeing ‘rastamen’ dark, black skinned of low socio-economic backround shown in full ‘loving’ embrace of the ‘high society high coloreds’ and whites….on COP’s facegook page…..THAT was the BAIT….in other words…vote for COP in 2910 and no more classism & raciam….join this party (COP) and as a poor black man, you will finally get to rub elbows with the light skinned women & men you who scorn & segregate themselves FROM you, …LIE lol…lol…again….no psychologist or sociologist would look at these pictures on a private or Political facebook page & think….”hey…what a coincidence they were taken &
posted for potential NAIVE voters to see!”
OPEN YOUR EYES AFRICAN PEOPLE!
Did you whine on a boomsy today as you do in bed so that your kids could learn sexual behaviours as you and your kind do as Gypsy says you are just one of the black hen chickens that left your child to blog a pack of tartar.
Hey misses read your lines or go back to school and learn something about reading. I AM A CHEMICAL ENGINEER and I have done more for this country than you and your family combined can never do.
The media is making much of the Marlene McDonald situation. I refer to it as a ‘situation’ because to call it any other name would be misleading and cannot be an indication of what is really involved here. It has reached this stage of conversation, because somewhere or somehow in the minds of those who have highlighted this situation, feel that somehow with the election of the new PNM government, we have automatically returned to a standard of morality in public affairs. It could be the only reason why this situation is being pursued as a case of immorality in public affairs. One must first ask the question, what is to be gained by this new charge for Marlene to resign?
Wayne Sturge, the UNC lawyer and UNC senator, is banking on the new governments first project to pass a Whistle Blower’s bill.
But, can Wayne Sturge be a true whistle blower? To begin with, his charges started with him saying that Marlene used her offices too OWN (yes own) four houses. He stated emphatically that she was the owner of these houses. His charges depressed from four houses to one and now to just the peddling of her influence as a member of government to help a friend get a HDC house. Judging by the complaint and the complainer, this can hardly be a case to be considered as serious. If Joe Public (an ordinary man in the street) were to do the same thing, the media would hardly even look at him, far more taking him seriously. Coming from someone whose has an extensive background in law and politics, this is indeed shameful that a public figure is using the media to figure exactly what he want to come up with as a main charge to spoil the name of a minister of government. In many jurisdictions (other than Trinidad) he would be charged with public mischief.
Here he is, a lawyer, a politician, a senator cannot make up his mind whether she used her offices to own houses or whether she peddled her influence to gain favor for a friend. This is tantamount to public mischief by an officer of the law (Wayne Sturge). This man cannot be serious. So too, the media cannot be serious either. It appears to me, a mere citizen that Wayne Sturge is using the media to actually build a case and they (the media) is gleefully complying with his request. To add insult to injury, Kirk Waithe, one who has used his influence too highlife the misbehavior in public life, has come up with the concept that
Marlene should step aside until an investigation is conducted.
From a purely moral point of view and realistically reasoned view, I would agree with him BUTTTTTT…that is not the case here. The accuser don’t really know yet what he wants to state as the case against Marlene. Did she use her influence to gain four houses, one house or did she just peddle her influence?
This is the question to asked of Wayne Sturge. If he cannot snowier with some degree of legal authority, then he must be made to be called a fraud. Any fool following this debacle can see that the intent of this situation is purely political. Marlene McDonald has made public, information about the state of the HDC as conducted under the last administration and it is filled with corruption. If Wayne (the joker) and the last PP administration had anything against Marlene why did they not bring it up during their last five years in office? Why wait till now, eight years after to resurrect morality in public life against her? This thing is not just rotten, it smells stink from its root.
Marlene McDonald needs to resign. Get off the biarse train you are on.
Riiiight…and YOU jerry…are you ANY WAY biased also?? Please answer….if so…WHY ‘toss’ the label of ‘biarse’ to someone other than YOURSELF??…
Kian, You and anyone else that tries to defend against these petty, twisted, jaundiced assaults on the pnm, DESERVE jerry mamoo etal (UNC)…I do not give TWO S#%#$ if Marlene ‘organize’ a house for her man 10 years ago…this is ludicrous….the india population 340,000 cheered on and enjoyed FIVE years and THREE months of ethnic victimization and an emptying of the PUBLIC coffers (treasury) into the hands of Hindus & then the rest of indians (in that order), staged ANTI MARCH marches, scoured the two islands for every inch of prime caroni real estate and gave it away to Hindus, and the rest of indians (also in that order respectively)..and NOW, after voting for more of THAT, but LOSING….either of them want to get ME to even consider buckling because in the LAST term, she did thus?? LoL….go ahead Kian…you encourage them…!
As i said numerous times…, it was boldly stated DURING ‘their’ 5 year, 3 month term, as well as two by-elections BUTTTTTTTTTT, for even the MOST dotish….you saw September 7th 2015?? It was CONFIRMED T&T politics for the Indian community and their political party 340,000+…..it is about RACE & RELIGION…not how many BILLIONS are stolen!….or which unc minister (s) plotted to ‘take out’ a senior counsel, or which UNC minister tried to bring in an extra range rover for a friend under 1 chassis number….excetera excetera excetera….I DO NOT CARE EITHER whether or not PNM commits corrupt acts…as long as they handle ‘our’ business right…
but don’t mind me…keep encouraging the racists, double standards…..BUTTTTTTTTTTTT, NOT I…
http://rogerwilli.blogspot.com/2009/07/marginalization-of-persons-of-african.html