If I sound angry, you have read me right. I am really angry. And the source of this outrage is the absolute lack of management at the Registrar General's Department on South Quay, Port of Spain.
This department represents everything that is bad in government service, except possibly the levels of corruption.
They just do not know how to organise anything. When CEPEP was formed, a host of new people were brought into the system, trying to get name approvals, filing company incorporation documents and worst of all, lining up by the cashier to pay for every document.
You would think the Registrar would plan for this, wouldn't you? And when NEDCO was giving out small and medium sized loans, all those poor people from Laventille and Morvant and Cocoyea who wanted to bottle a little pepper sauce and jam had to register their businesses. They had to go into this very formal, unfriendly environment that the registrar told us was "user friendly".
I have listened to countless stories from women who didn't know what they were supposed to do, the alternative of course being that they would have a hire a lawyer. So the lines got longer. And the cashier? The cashier still opened at 8.30 with an hour for lunch. In a government office the cashier is closed for lunch. More recently they have extended the cash to 3 p.m. long after everyone wants to leave the downtown Port of Spain dump. Listen, every store should close for lunch, the racing pool should close and the Play Whe machine should close for lunch. Business people should take their cue from none less than the Minister of Legal Affairs. Who he, by the way?
When the department began issuing computerised birth certificates, no provision was made for the thousands of people who poured into Port of Spain to get certificates for themselves and their children. You would think that in this 2010, the department would know the value of networks and put a simple system in place.
They waited until tens of thousands of people from South Trinidad lined up outside their building in port of Spain from 5.30 a.m. before they opened an office in San Fernando. The office, of course, does NOT deal with company documents. They put people under tents to wait with a number to get a birth certificate. Now they are putting people under the same tents to wait to be called to the cashier. These people are raving mad. People who come to do business with the Registrar of Companies are put in a tent! A guard comes around, calls your number, lines you up as if you are in a ID parade and then marches you to the cashier.
You would think that a department dealing with lawyers will be well organised. You would think that the lawyers themselves will insist on better service. BUT NO! Their clerks know how to beat the system. They take a number for the cashier while they are waiting in the line to get their documents checked and move across to the line while the poor "don't have no friend" sits in the tent as if they are in a WAKE!
The truth is that lawyers have no intention of fixing anything. I have said repeatedly that this is a mediocre profession where duncy people could look bright because they are fighting against other duncy people before some duncy lawyers who make it to the bench. Look at the Attorney General, a mediocre lawyer who looked good because he won a few cases against the government when former Prime Minister Patrick Manning had tried to run away with the Constitution. Now he is in government he doesn't know what he is talking about.
I mentioned all this to a lawyer yesterday and I was told that I would not get a lawyer to represent me when I have to face the courts. Well good for all you who are happy making plenty money overcharging for deeds and traffic offences and poor policing and challenging politicians who themselves don't know the law.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
That Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister
Talking about polka, can we move on a bit to the shuffle... the Cabinet reshuffle?
Prime Minister it is clear that several members of the Cabinet have not made the transition from private to public business.
I had asked you early o'clock to bring them in school and teach them the process for decision making and knowing when to open their mouths. Prime Minister, the Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is the perfect example of how your selection has failed. Ramlogan comes from a profession that is mediocre at best and where a bad lawyer can look good. He made his name and a lot of money on the back of foolish decisions made by former Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Madam Prime Minister, Manning cantered away leaving the law and due process in his sorry wake. Fortunately for us he didn't canter towards the winning pole in the May 24 elections.
Anand seized the opportunity and the attendant publicity. His column in the Guardian newspaper was a lot of rambling and very, very limited.
Next thing, he is there alongside you on May 26, exactly five months ago being sworn in as Attorney General because he won a few matters against the state.
He entered office and behaved as if he was still fighting everybody...he would put Manning in jail, start a public enquiry on everything, send Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson into the arms of US jurisprudence.
Madam Prime Minister, how did you ever allow Ramlogan to put both Mark Seepersad and Gerald Ramdeen on the team that will investigate five state companies? Just google those two names and you will see how often they appeared together. Do they belong to the same law firm?
And Madam Prime Minister where did you get the Minister of Health from? And why did you have to pull Nan Ramgoolam out of the ashes and make her Minister of Public Administration?
Public servants might be annoyed at the one percent over three years that the Chief Personnel Officer has offered them, but they are more annoyed by the little bulls you have running around their offices, trampling on everything.
I am glad at least that Anand has gone quiet these days. And Madam Prime Minister when you fire a whole bunch of them please don't say "Read my lips". Because we don't know what those lips will say when they announce the new bunch of misfits.
Prime Minister it is clear that several members of the Cabinet have not made the transition from private to public business.
I had asked you early o'clock to bring them in school and teach them the process for decision making and knowing when to open their mouths. Prime Minister, the Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is the perfect example of how your selection has failed. Ramlogan comes from a profession that is mediocre at best and where a bad lawyer can look good. He made his name and a lot of money on the back of foolish decisions made by former Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Madam Prime Minister, Manning cantered away leaving the law and due process in his sorry wake. Fortunately for us he didn't canter towards the winning pole in the May 24 elections.
Anand seized the opportunity and the attendant publicity. His column in the Guardian newspaper was a lot of rambling and very, very limited.
Next thing, he is there alongside you on May 26, exactly five months ago being sworn in as Attorney General because he won a few matters against the state.
He entered office and behaved as if he was still fighting everybody...he would put Manning in jail, start a public enquiry on everything, send Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson into the arms of US jurisprudence.
Madam Prime Minister, how did you ever allow Ramlogan to put both Mark Seepersad and Gerald Ramdeen on the team that will investigate five state companies? Just google those two names and you will see how often they appeared together. Do they belong to the same law firm?
And Madam Prime Minister where did you get the Minister of Health from? And why did you have to pull Nan Ramgoolam out of the ashes and make her Minister of Public Administration?
Public servants might be annoyed at the one percent over three years that the Chief Personnel Officer has offered them, but they are more annoyed by the little bulls you have running around their offices, trampling on everything.
I am glad at least that Anand has gone quiet these days. And Madam Prime Minister when you fire a whole bunch of them please don't say "Read my lips". Because we don't know what those lips will say when they announce the new bunch of misfits.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Stay away from style...
Here is a picture of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding which appeared in South Bound on September 12.A reader from the Netherlands sent me two pictures from the Waterkant website to show that I may be stuck in a time warp. She (asked for her name to be withheld) said I was somewhat unfair in my criticisms of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and while I may be spot on with the political commentary I should leave the style and entertainment arena alone.
In the first picture Surinamese First Lady Ingrid Bouterse wears what appears to be a polka dot dress as she visits the visually impaired children at the Blind Centre in Paramaribo. She wore tinted glasses as she was led around by the kids on a tour of the facilities. Let me here compliment Mrs. Bouterse for some of the activities she has been engaged in as First Lady since August 12. Stories were attached by the reader from the Netherlands.
The second is a picture of Jamaican singer Busy Signal at a back to school party at the Anthony Nesty Sports Hall, also in Paramaribo. Busy Signal is accompanied by a dancer on stage. You may express your opinion in the comments box instead of sending email messages.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Take a deep breath.........count to 10
Madam Prime Minister, I notice that your ministers are talking first and thinking later. If you are indeed in charge, and not a figurehead, it might be time for you to take a position. In the first place Jack Warner opened his mouth on the use of the bus route and then said he would listen to suggestions. Secondly he opened his mouth even bigger about the PH taxis and when there is an uproar he will listen to suggestions. On the issue of the water taxis, on the one hand Warner is going to sell some of them and on the other he is going to expand the service to include two other terminals.
Madam Prime Minister, if I may say so, this sounds suspiciously like Patrick Manning. "For all those who protesting, it will not only be two smelter, they will get three".
Madam Prime Minister, in case you have forgotten, it is that type of attitude which hustled Manning out of power. He had become so brash he could say anything he wanted. And he would spend loud money on consultations so people could listen to him and he could stuff his ears with cotton wool when it was their turn to talk.
The other issue Madam is the attack on the Chief Justice by one of your ministers. Madam Prime Minister, the record is clear on what the man said during the budget debate. And the record is equally clear on what he said in his explanation in the same august chamber.... a poor attempt at making excuses.
Madam Prime Minister, please remember that Manning had launched a vicious attack on a Chief Justice he perceived was sympathetic to your party. Now your front bench has shown that they are not averse to attacking a Chief Justice they perceive is sympathetic to the PNM. Madam Prime Minister this can only get worse. It started with Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj when Michael de La Bastide was Chief Justice and spiralled out of control with Manning while Sat Sharma held the office. Now the attacks have descended to the realm of the obscene. The cost of housing the Chief Justice for one year is the same as the cost of your ten day trip to New York for the Indian Independence Day parade.
Does anyone remember, Prime Minister, an incident that posed a security risk to the CJ outside his private residence. I vaguely remember this incident and I have been unable so far to get information on it, but I will continue to search. Failing that Prime Minister, I will concede that I am wrong.
Madam Prime Minister, if I may say so, this sounds suspiciously like Patrick Manning. "For all those who protesting, it will not only be two smelter, they will get three".
Madam Prime Minister, in case you have forgotten, it is that type of attitude which hustled Manning out of power. He had become so brash he could say anything he wanted. And he would spend loud money on consultations so people could listen to him and he could stuff his ears with cotton wool when it was their turn to talk.
The other issue Madam is the attack on the Chief Justice by one of your ministers. Madam Prime Minister, the record is clear on what the man said during the budget debate. And the record is equally clear on what he said in his explanation in the same august chamber.... a poor attempt at making excuses.
Madam Prime Minister, please remember that Manning had launched a vicious attack on a Chief Justice he perceived was sympathetic to your party. Now your front bench has shown that they are not averse to attacking a Chief Justice they perceive is sympathetic to the PNM. Madam Prime Minister this can only get worse. It started with Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj when Michael de La Bastide was Chief Justice and spiralled out of control with Manning while Sat Sharma held the office. Now the attacks have descended to the realm of the obscene. The cost of housing the Chief Justice for one year is the same as the cost of your ten day trip to New York for the Indian Independence Day parade.
Does anyone remember, Prime Minister, an incident that posed a security risk to the CJ outside his private residence. I vaguely remember this incident and I have been unable so far to get information on it, but I will continue to search. Failing that Prime Minister, I will concede that I am wrong.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Hush! Don't Cry
Ariti Jankie of the Express South Bureau just collected the first copies of her new novel HUSH! Don't Cry. For Ariti, it has been along hard road to publication, but perseverance and a fighting spirit won out in the end.Dear Zorina,
The novel, HUSH! Don’t Cry has brought me unexpected blessings.
Wednesday, I took the first 10 copies to the Express, South Bureau and sold all among my friends within an hour. They were so generous with warm embraces and hearty congratulations, I felt humbled.
Also, I called Deosaran Jagroo, the CEO of Caroni (1975) Limited to give him the good news of the release. He ordered five copies. Similarly, I have been receiving great vibes from this novel and have yet to notify my other big brothers and friends.
It is not often that good luck strikes and when it does, it banishes a lifetime of suffering and pain. I wanted to share this with you. And to include your generosity in reading, editing and getting the manuscript ready for publication.
HUSH! Don’t Cry has been a great experience so far and I wanted to share this with your blog readers.
Ariti
Book Review
HUSH! Don’t Cry is a compelling story of strength and power. The author, Ariti is incredibly at her best in this intricate but revealing novel deftly woven around themes of diaspora and gender.
The nostalgia and desire of the Indians in Trinidad for their original ‘homeland’ and the sense of double displacement that this nostalgia evokes within those who try and trace their ‘real’ roots is skillfully portrayed by Ariti.
The story revolves around Meera, who like the saint who endured all hardships, became an epitome of sacrifice and suffering before she let her inner strength and determination empower herself. Marrying her daughter to a “suitable boy” from “the golden land of India” (p.15) was a dream that Meera’s mother Sumintra, had sought to fulfill for her daughter. Meera lived her mother’s dream getting married to a boy (Kapil) from the land of her ancestors—a country which she knew “held secrets for her own discovery” (p.82). The groom and bride when married looked like ‘Ram and Sita’. Meerawanted to transmit her “pride of ancestry” of India to her daughter, but the trial and tribulations that Meera goes through eventually makes her realize the worth of her ‘own’ culture and sense of self which is a powerful mix of the East and West.
“Getting away from her loved ones” and moving to India liberated Meera and reduced the “pains and humiliations she faced” (p.81). However, she soon realized that Western women were considered by Indian men to have “no culture” and were referred to as jutha bartan (soiled dishes). This view was reinforced by Indian women who perpetrated atrocities against their own gender. And yet, there are anomalies even within them as they themselves rebelled against society and at the same time discriminated between themselves and ‘Western’ women.
Meera’s husband Kapil’s moral frailties eventually killed the love Meera felt for him. After a long struggle with herself and coming to terms with her unfulfilled thirst for her husband’s love, she realizes that she had been trying to live up to her mother’s false dream. She loses her innocence in that struggle to survive and emerges “a pioneer like her ancestors rooted in slavery and indentureship” (p.167). ‘Home’ for her was Trinidad—a space which drew life and solace from ancient Indian scriptures and traditions and yet gave her the power to take control of her own destiny.
HUSH! Don’t Cry thus completes a full circle with the protagonist pledging to work towards making her daughter Kavita’s dreams come true rather than living the dream of her mother, Sumintra. In that, Meera would find the strength to live her own dream.
Dr. Priti Singh
Jawaharlal Nehru University
September 12, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Laptops, ahoy!
So Madam Prime Minister you are back from New York (again) and the 17000 plus HP laptops are also here.... at the whopping cost of $83 million TT almost $5,000 per unit or say around US$900,
I don't know if the cost of all these contracted companies is included in the $83 mil. I understand that the IT companies will be visiting schools to take the computers and do several other things with them. My concern, however, Prime Minister is what will become of these laptops. How many older students will tap up the little ones to get the use of the unit. How many older brothers will sell the laptop? How many will borrow it to go watch a movie with his girl friend?
I can imagine them cheering for you "Kamla, Kamla" while Vin Diesel is being "Fast and Furious" and I am being conservative, Madam Prime Minister.The maxi taxi driver might need a laptop too.
I can go on and on Prime Minister but I know I run the risk of being told that children in middle income families have their personal laptops and there is no reason why children from lower income families should also be able to use one.
The truth Madam Prime Minister is that those people buy their own laptops and upgrade them or replace them frequently, because they can do whatever they want with their money.
Madam Prime Minister, if that is how you are going to measure your successes, then something is wrong.
Your first step should have been to make sure every school has a proper computer lab with full time staff and let ALL students have access to computers. But the money is there so let us spend it and next year we will spend another $100,000,000 or so. And you are delivering on promises to the electorate. Right?
I don't know if the cost of all these contracted companies is included in the $83 mil. I understand that the IT companies will be visiting schools to take the computers and do several other things with them. My concern, however, Prime Minister is what will become of these laptops. How many older students will tap up the little ones to get the use of the unit. How many older brothers will sell the laptop? How many will borrow it to go watch a movie with his girl friend?
I can imagine them cheering for you "Kamla, Kamla" while Vin Diesel is being "Fast and Furious" and I am being conservative, Madam Prime Minister.The maxi taxi driver might need a laptop too.
I can go on and on Prime Minister but I know I run the risk of being told that children in middle income families have their personal laptops and there is no reason why children from lower income families should also be able to use one.
The truth Madam Prime Minister is that those people buy their own laptops and upgrade them or replace them frequently, because they can do whatever they want with their money.
Madam Prime Minister, if that is how you are going to measure your successes, then something is wrong.
Your first step should have been to make sure every school has a proper computer lab with full time staff and let ALL students have access to computers. But the money is there so let us spend it and next year we will spend another $100,000,000 or so. And you are delivering on promises to the electorate. Right?
Monday, September 27, 2010
So many Prime Ministers
Prime Minister, since you have been in office we have had four prime ministers. When you went to the Caricom Summit in Jamaica, Austin Jack Warner, acted for you. When you went to New York for 
10 days Winston Dookeran took charge. Now you have gone to the UN General Assembly, Errol McLeod is driving around in PM1.Patrick Manning must be so hurt at the passengers his pride and joy is shuttling around. I don't know where else you will be going this year, but a Caricom powwow before Edwin Carrington leaves office and the Cancun Climate Change Conference might be on the travel calendar.
If that is so Madam Prime Minister I urge you not to confuse thousands of school children who are guessing about who is holding fort for you. In fact I asked seven teachers over the weekend and four of them said Jack Warner is in charge.
Then Prime Minister in January you will be going to India as special guest for that country's Republic Day celebrations and most likely to also receive the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award. I know that Roodal Moonilal will not miss that trip so he is out. You know something Prime Minister? Maybe you should leave him home and let him drive around in PM1.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
When you are travelling...
Dear Prime Minister whenever you are presenting the face of Trinidad and Tobago at international events, make sure we look like a Trinidad and Tobago government.
Why did you have to take along the Minister of Housing (second from l) on this UN trip? He had already gone to the Indian Independence Day parade in New York.
It is bad enough that we have a man short on tact as our Foreign Affairs Minister and that he has to accompany you.
I hope this is not a case of "Have plane, will fly". And now that we have two airlines, (Air Jamaica) we can fly more. Have a safe trip anyway.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Send your PR man to school, Prime Minister
If Garvin Nicholas is going to remain your press officer you should let one of your Government Information Officers prepare him for the job.
Newspaper reports say that Nicholas turned down the offer of being the Chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation in favour of being seen alongside you on television. Someone should tell Nicholas now that there is a huge difference between practising law and being a communication specialist. The first and foremost is the choice of words. On your ten-day trip to New York we were told that you did not attend the main event you had gone there for.. the Indian Independence Day parade. Your PR man was saying on the radio that you were "under the weather"
"Under the weather" is no excuse for not attending an important function. Nicholas left a lot of people wondering what he meant by "under the weather".
Newspaper reports say that Nicholas turned down the offer of being the Chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation in favour of being seen alongside you on television. Someone should tell Nicholas now that there is a huge difference between practising law and being a communication specialist. The first and foremost is the choice of words. On your ten-day trip to New York we were told that you did not attend the main event you had gone there for.. the Indian Independence Day parade. Your PR man was saying on the radio that you were "under the weather"
"Under the weather" is no excuse for not attending an important function. Nicholas left a lot of people wondering what he meant by "under the weather".
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Go easy on the POLKA...dots...
On the trip to the UN go easy on the POLKA dots. These were from the trip to the Caricom heads of government Conference in Jamaica.Now I run the risk of being put in my place by minister of Works Austin Jack Warner, but say wha...
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
If it looks like Hillary...
It certainly won't be Hillary Clinton taking the oath on the Holy Gita. I always had problems with the make over Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and other members of the previous UNC administration got. You never got a chance to focus on what they were saying. Maybe the style and fashion advisors are the same.Pictures courtesy Trinidad Guardian
Friday, August 13, 2010
Madam Mayor
I am happy that Marlene Coudray is the Mayor of San Fernando. I still do not know the nature of the fallout between Coudray and Patrick Manning and at this point I really do not want to know.
I am happy for a specific reason that has nothing to do with the PNM or the Peoples Partnership. It has everything to do with how the council is run.
Mayor Coudray knows all the ins and out, the entire workings of the council and as Mayor she must erase what is bad and promote what is admirable. To start with, the Mayor must ask the new Chief Executive Officer to maintain a proper record of all contractors so that councillors do not get contracts through the back door.
Former Mayor Ferguson knew that was one of my biggest beef with the corporation. I will still like to know how Jennifer Marryshow's spouse became a contractor with the San Fernando City Corporation when he had no skills... no knowledge and couldn't hire people with those qualities. How did Hasoma continue to get contracts after Marryshow became a director of the company? Those contracts passed through a process involving civil servants and Marlene Coudray was the head of that branch of the public service.
I have heard numerous stories about why Marryshow was favoured. I went several times to Coudray's office without success. I was asked to leave my name and phone number and never received a call.
I want here to tell Coudray of two, only two of the experiences I have had. One actually involves Ferguson. I called him on his cell. He didn't recognise my number but he still answered. He was at his brother's funeral in Grenada and he asked me to call him on Sunday when he returned to Trinidad.
On another occasion I called him about the Waterfront development project. He did not answer. Within ten minutes he returned my call and said he was at a meeting at PTSC in Port of Spain. The man does not even know my name but he returned my call.
The other involves the new Speaker of the National Assembly in Suriname, Jennifer Simons-Geerlings. I walked past Simons once in Paramaribo when I was trying to get an interview with Desi Bouterse. When Simons became chairman of the Assembly, I called her to find out what arrangements were being made for the election of the president. A colleague at the office where she worked as a doctor answered the phone, asked for my name and number so she could call me back. YEAH RIGHT!
In four minutes flat, my phone rang. Jenny Simons had returned my call. The colleague, also a doctor relayed the information to Simons who was at another office and THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN SURINAME returned a call to an ordinary San Fernandian.
Even if Coudray did not want to return my call her secretary should have called me with some reason or referred me to someone else. And please don't tell me that the clerk did not forward that message.
I have known Mayors and Town Clerks in San Fernando from the seventies, before the term of the late Carlyle Kangaloo. Many of them have died. I liked Rakeeb Hosein and Gertrude Kirton and Lynne Sumadh. I never let Clyde Boyce, Vasco Loreilhe and Fitzroy Fahey get away with anything. And I kept the late Ralph Gordon Neville Brown and Bury Clifford on their toes.
I objected to San Fernando being made a City because I knew we would get nothing for it except higher rates and taxes. And I am on record as having warned the people of Chaguanas that "City" is a word that comes with partying for politicians that taxpayers must pay for. All this nonsense about 'City" must be put aside and needs of people must be addressed instead.
San Fernando is a City, but we have a dump for a market in Marabella. San Fernando is a City but the streets are a mess. One cannot walk on Coffee Street without fear of pigeon droppings. San Fernando is a City, but there are barrels covering drains in Mon Repos. There is no proper drainage on Jones Street.
San Fernando is a City but vendors control the town. The City hired a town planner from Port of Spain, Margaret McDowell to address the vending problem. She brought the Princes Town taxis to the Library Corner to create chaos and the vendors are still on High Street.
Madam Mayor, I do not want to hear anything about sanitation standards in food places. That is a routine thing and should be done as a matter of course...no pun intended. I want to know how this dump of a town can earn its title of "City"
And I am looking to you to show me how that is done.
I am happy for a specific reason that has nothing to do with the PNM or the Peoples Partnership. It has everything to do with how the council is run.
Mayor Coudray knows all the ins and out, the entire workings of the council and as Mayor she must erase what is bad and promote what is admirable. To start with, the Mayor must ask the new Chief Executive Officer to maintain a proper record of all contractors so that councillors do not get contracts through the back door.
Former Mayor Ferguson knew that was one of my biggest beef with the corporation. I will still like to know how Jennifer Marryshow's spouse became a contractor with the San Fernando City Corporation when he had no skills... no knowledge and couldn't hire people with those qualities. How did Hasoma continue to get contracts after Marryshow became a director of the company? Those contracts passed through a process involving civil servants and Marlene Coudray was the head of that branch of the public service.
I have heard numerous stories about why Marryshow was favoured. I went several times to Coudray's office without success. I was asked to leave my name and phone number and never received a call.
I want here to tell Coudray of two, only two of the experiences I have had. One actually involves Ferguson. I called him on his cell. He didn't recognise my number but he still answered. He was at his brother's funeral in Grenada and he asked me to call him on Sunday when he returned to Trinidad.
On another occasion I called him about the Waterfront development project. He did not answer. Within ten minutes he returned my call and said he was at a meeting at PTSC in Port of Spain. The man does not even know my name but he returned my call.
The other involves the new Speaker of the National Assembly in Suriname, Jennifer Simons-Geerlings. I walked past Simons once in Paramaribo when I was trying to get an interview with Desi Bouterse. When Simons became chairman of the Assembly, I called her to find out what arrangements were being made for the election of the president. A colleague at the office where she worked as a doctor answered the phone, asked for my name and number so she could call me back. YEAH RIGHT!
In four minutes flat, my phone rang. Jenny Simons had returned my call. The colleague, also a doctor relayed the information to Simons who was at another office and THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN SURINAME returned a call to an ordinary San Fernandian.
Even if Coudray did not want to return my call her secretary should have called me with some reason or referred me to someone else. And please don't tell me that the clerk did not forward that message.
I have known Mayors and Town Clerks in San Fernando from the seventies, before the term of the late Carlyle Kangaloo. Many of them have died. I liked Rakeeb Hosein and Gertrude Kirton and Lynne Sumadh. I never let Clyde Boyce, Vasco Loreilhe and Fitzroy Fahey get away with anything. And I kept the late Ralph Gordon Neville Brown and Bury Clifford on their toes.
I objected to San Fernando being made a City because I knew we would get nothing for it except higher rates and taxes. And I am on record as having warned the people of Chaguanas that "City" is a word that comes with partying for politicians that taxpayers must pay for. All this nonsense about 'City" must be put aside and needs of people must be addressed instead.
San Fernando is a City, but we have a dump for a market in Marabella. San Fernando is a City but the streets are a mess. One cannot walk on Coffee Street without fear of pigeon droppings. San Fernando is a City, but there are barrels covering drains in Mon Repos. There is no proper drainage on Jones Street.
San Fernando is a City but vendors control the town. The City hired a town planner from Port of Spain, Margaret McDowell to address the vending problem. She brought the Princes Town taxis to the Library Corner to create chaos and the vendors are still on High Street.
Madam Mayor, I do not want to hear anything about sanitation standards in food places. That is a routine thing and should be done as a matter of course...no pun intended. I want to know how this dump of a town can earn its title of "City"
And I am looking to you to show me how that is done.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Ride out Atherley!
There is talk around town that Ian Atherley will be mayor of San Fernando again. According to the reports circulating around San Fernando, the Prime Minister visited Atherley at his pub opposite Skinner Park.
Now can you tell me why the Prime Minister should go to a rum shop to court a member of the PNM? During his tenure as mayor Atherley did nothing to distinguish himself and the City Corporation was so plagued by one internal dispute after the other that the people's business had to take a back seat.
There is a word for that and it is called "mismanagement". So why would the Prime Minister go to a pub frequented by PNM members and PNM supporters to court a member of the PNM? Atherley fell out with Manning before the 2007 elections. It was so bad that Manning went to Parliament to amend legislation just so he could remove Atherley by having new nominations for aldermen.
People were "begging" him on public platforms to join the COP, even to be the single UNC/COP candidate against Manning in San Fernando East.. Not Atherley! All the signs were clear that the PNM was going to win.
Atherley never left the PNM. In the build up to this election, he sat on the PNM platform and never said a word anywhere against Patrick Manning. Rowley spoke out against Manning, but not Atherley.
But in case I am giving you the impression that Atherley is being loyal to his party we can look at his past. He once contested the elections for the City Council for the Organisation for National Reconstruction (ONR) and lost. Before the dust had cleared Atherley was on Coffee Street partying with the winners from the PNM. Since then Atherley has known where his interests lie.
And today, reports suggest that he can once more be mayor of this dump of a town that he once presided over!
I am giving fair notice to everyone that I am back in town and I am going to ensure that the People's Partnership Council does not go the way of the PNM. If those councillors think they will take taxpayers money to sound good, let them know that this City must look good and feel good and residents must get the benefit of all the increassed taxes they have been paying since San Fernando became a city. And if Atherley is the mayor, well... we will see about that!
Now can you tell me why the Prime Minister should go to a rum shop to court a member of the PNM? During his tenure as mayor Atherley did nothing to distinguish himself and the City Corporation was so plagued by one internal dispute after the other that the people's business had to take a back seat.
There is a word for that and it is called "mismanagement". So why would the Prime Minister go to a pub frequented by PNM members and PNM supporters to court a member of the PNM? Atherley fell out with Manning before the 2007 elections. It was so bad that Manning went to Parliament to amend legislation just so he could remove Atherley by having new nominations for aldermen.
People were "begging" him on public platforms to join the COP, even to be the single UNC/COP candidate against Manning in San Fernando East.. Not Atherley! All the signs were clear that the PNM was going to win.
Atherley never left the PNM. In the build up to this election, he sat on the PNM platform and never said a word anywhere against Patrick Manning. Rowley spoke out against Manning, but not Atherley.
But in case I am giving you the impression that Atherley is being loyal to his party we can look at his past. He once contested the elections for the City Council for the Organisation for National Reconstruction (ONR) and lost. Before the dust had cleared Atherley was on Coffee Street partying with the winners from the PNM. Since then Atherley has known where his interests lie.
And today, reports suggest that he can once more be mayor of this dump of a town that he once presided over!
I am giving fair notice to everyone that I am back in town and I am going to ensure that the People's Partnership Council does not go the way of the PNM. If those councillors think they will take taxpayers money to sound good, let them know that this City must look good and feel good and residents must get the benefit of all the increassed taxes they have been paying since San Fernando became a city. And if Atherley is the mayor, well... we will see about that!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Lessons for Rowley
For a little while I did see Patrick Manning as a prime minister. He had the look of a prime minister, he dressed well (I hope not at taxpayers' expense) and he spoke well. And please don't hand me stories about looks being deceiving.
Somehow I cannot picture Keith Rowley as a prime minister. His voice grates on my nerves, when he lifts his arms in front of the TV cameras, all those huge wet patches bother me and his pronouncements are more of convenience than of conviction. At least that is how it seems to me. Of course my opinion of him is coloured by an early judgement and try as I might to change, I find the effort burdensome. I was passing through Couva during an election campaign in the nineties. The PNM was having a public meeting in from of Republic Bank. Rowley was speaking. "If it wasn't for the PNM, you would be living in Bangladesh", he roared. I thought I might be mistaken until I saw the footage on Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) the following night. I don't feel I should comment on that issue anymore.
Having taken over the leadership of the grand ole party from Manning he found himself leading the PNM into a local governemnt election- the election that would never have taken place if the PNM was still in power.
He was in government so long and voted with the PNM time and again to deprive me of my right to choose my local governemnt representative. He never did anything to make sure I retained that right to vote. The he walks about telling Kamla Persad-Bissessar what she should and should not do.
The classic, however, is after the damaging results, he tells us that he is good, but not so good. GOOD WHAT! The new PNM leader failed to bring out his supporters to vote and that essentially is how good he is. No one expected him to win all the corporations, but good lord, does he not see that the places where they won, it is still Eric Williams they were voting.
Does he not realise that he could not mobilise his supporters?
And here is why. The example I am using is how Marabella West was lost. If you look at the post of July 12, you will see that Rowley did not care about public opinion. He retained Jennifer Marryshow as the candidate and the electorate told him what to do with his prize candidate. People did not want Marryshow, but Rowley did not care about that - very Manningesque I must say.
Anytime a leader can say that Jennifer Marryshow is the strongest councillor, or that Jennifer Marryshow is their strongest candidate they are saying that the party is in very bad shape. That is the worst start a leader can have...not losing an election, but the standards he sets for his party.
Which is why Pennelope Beckles must get more involved in the PNM. Forget tht job you were given to keep you quiet. Set high standards and people will look at you differently.
Somehow I cannot picture Keith Rowley as a prime minister. His voice grates on my nerves, when he lifts his arms in front of the TV cameras, all those huge wet patches bother me and his pronouncements are more of convenience than of conviction. At least that is how it seems to me. Of course my opinion of him is coloured by an early judgement and try as I might to change, I find the effort burdensome. I was passing through Couva during an election campaign in the nineties. The PNM was having a public meeting in from of Republic Bank. Rowley was speaking. "If it wasn't for the PNM, you would be living in Bangladesh", he roared. I thought I might be mistaken until I saw the footage on Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) the following night. I don't feel I should comment on that issue anymore.
Having taken over the leadership of the grand ole party from Manning he found himself leading the PNM into a local governemnt election- the election that would never have taken place if the PNM was still in power.
He was in government so long and voted with the PNM time and again to deprive me of my right to choose my local governemnt representative. He never did anything to make sure I retained that right to vote. The he walks about telling Kamla Persad-Bissessar what she should and should not do.
The classic, however, is after the damaging results, he tells us that he is good, but not so good. GOOD WHAT! The new PNM leader failed to bring out his supporters to vote and that essentially is how good he is. No one expected him to win all the corporations, but good lord, does he not see that the places where they won, it is still Eric Williams they were voting.
Does he not realise that he could not mobilise his supporters?
And here is why. The example I am using is how Marabella West was lost. If you look at the post of July 12, you will see that Rowley did not care about public opinion. He retained Jennifer Marryshow as the candidate and the electorate told him what to do with his prize candidate. People did not want Marryshow, but Rowley did not care about that - very Manningesque I must say.
Anytime a leader can say that Jennifer Marryshow is the strongest councillor, or that Jennifer Marryshow is their strongest candidate they are saying that the party is in very bad shape. That is the worst start a leader can have...not losing an election, but the standards he sets for his party.
Which is why Pennelope Beckles must get more involved in the PNM. Forget tht job you were given to keep you quiet. Set high standards and people will look at you differently.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Welcome Kamla, Rowley; Bye Ferguson
Thanks to those of you who wrote reminding me that local government elections will take place on July 26.
First I wish to congratulate the People's Partnership on winning the general elections and also to extend best wishes to Prime Minister Kamla-Persad Bissessar.
The truth is, if we did not have a change of government there would be no local government elections this year. So we have the new government to thank for that.
Just let me remind you of the posts last year concerning the functioning of the City Council under HIS WORSHIP the Mayor Kenneth Ferguson. I hope I am seeing the back of Ferguson who confessed to me that he was virtually helpless to make any changes or to tackle the corruption I had brought to his attention.
What is most baffling about the People's National Movement (PNM) is that the only member of the old council they have retained on their slate is the one who I had cause to go to the Mayor about- JENNIFER MARRYSHOW. Is there some reason that the PNM wanted Marryshow there? Marryshow's only claim to fame is that she is a CEPEP contractor and she and her spouse are contractors with the City Council through her company Hasoma Limited.
Ferguson even confessed that Hasoma did not know that when building a drain, they should take the water to the river instead of into the community."Even an 11 year old child knows that", he told me. Yet he, Mayor Ferguson, and his Council continued to support this woman by giving her more contracts.
When I inquired about her candidacy, I was told: "Rowley really like she, he have full confidence in she". Well, good for him! And with that I also wish to welcome Keith Rowley to the leadership of the PNM, a role he fits perfectly.
First I wish to congratulate the People's Partnership on winning the general elections and also to extend best wishes to Prime Minister Kamla-Persad Bissessar.
The truth is, if we did not have a change of government there would be no local government elections this year. So we have the new government to thank for that.
Just let me remind you of the posts last year concerning the functioning of the City Council under HIS WORSHIP the Mayor Kenneth Ferguson. I hope I am seeing the back of Ferguson who confessed to me that he was virtually helpless to make any changes or to tackle the corruption I had brought to his attention.
What is most baffling about the People's National Movement (PNM) is that the only member of the old council they have retained on their slate is the one who I had cause to go to the Mayor about- JENNIFER MARRYSHOW. Is there some reason that the PNM wanted Marryshow there? Marryshow's only claim to fame is that she is a CEPEP contractor and she and her spouse are contractors with the City Council through her company Hasoma Limited.
Ferguson even confessed that Hasoma did not know that when building a drain, they should take the water to the river instead of into the community."Even an 11 year old child knows that", he told me. Yet he, Mayor Ferguson, and his Council continued to support this woman by giving her more contracts.
When I inquired about her candidacy, I was told: "Rowley really like she, he have full confidence in she". Well, good for him! And with that I also wish to welcome Keith Rowley to the leadership of the PNM, a role he fits perfectly.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
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