By Dr Selwyn Cudjoe
December 28, 2020
Trinidad and Tobago became an independent country in 1962 and a republic in 1976, in which the people, through their representatives, were supposed to control their affairs.
Such a political arrangement sounded enticing since it promised to place the country’s destiny in the hands of people they knew, rather than foreigners (white) whom they did not know.
Over the years, citizens’ rule morphed into a Cabinet culture controlled by one or two persons, who demand: “No damn dog bark.” When one minister tendered his resignation to protest this one-manism, he was removed immediately from the Cabinet and later from a place in the Government. He had not learned to say, “Yes, Your Majesty,” in an accommodating manner.
The recent changes in the Public Procurement Act (PPA) and the Central Bank Act (CBA) demonstrate a continuing tendency to remove the people’s business from their control and place it in an ever-tightened centre called a Cabinet. As this centripetal tendency tightens its grip around the necks of an unaware population, it gradually disenfranchises ordinary people and places the control of their affairs in the hands of a wealthy ruling clique.
Martin Wolf calls this tendency a “Pluto-populist strategy” in which politicians use identity issues to convince voters to act against their own interest. Wolf notes: “To achieve this end, they (politicians) have to convince a large proportion of the population to vote against its economic interests by focusing on culture and identity” (Financial Times, December 23). Afra Raymond alerted us to this tendency when he described the implications of the PPA amendments. He says these changes “are a serious blow to the long-term campaign for proper control over transactions in public money and are extremely detrimental to the public interest. Our elected representatives proposed to our Parliament that the biggest contracts executed with public money were better administered without independent oversight as intended by the Act, proposed as #1 of 2015” (Express, December 20).
He opined: “The current debacle, in which a PNM government has effectively crippled our independent oversight agency, is merely the latest chapter in that party’s long-term and deep hostility to any such oversight.”
Last Monday Faris Al-Rawi went on the offensive. He claimed that the amendments to which Raymond referred were only part of a long-term oversight function of the Act. He didn’t explain why the Cabinet needed to bring yet another independent agency under the tight grip of a Cabinet that opens up itself to corruption, favouritism, and authoritarianism.
A week earlier, via an Omnibus Bill, it was discovered that Cabinet changed the terms of the office of the governor of the Central Bank from a fixed five-year term to a minimum of three years and a maximum of five years. King Imbert reasoned that “governors of the bank are usually appointed later in life, rather than at a young age….If one wishes to renew the appointment of an older incumbent under the existing law, the Government is tied to a second fixed term of five years, making a total of ten years in office, rather than eight or nine years as the case may be. This makes succession planning cumbersome.” (Express, December 20.)
He did not say why serving for ten years was/is necessarily incompatible with the efficient running of a Central Bank, especially if the governor is doing an outstanding job. I am not even sure why a government should practise age discrimination in such an important job. Alan Greenspan served as governor (chair) of the US Federal Reserve for 19 years. The length of his tenure did not make him less effective.
My term as a director of the Central Bank (2003–12) convinced me that a central bank is strongest when the governor is independent of, even though he must work with, the finance minister. However, King Imbert wants a governor who is more compliant with his wishes rather than maintaining the bank’s independence. Senator Wade Mark says King Imbert wants to turn the bank “into a virtual division of the Ministry of Finance”. (Newsday, December 10)
Over the last five years the CBA was amended four times with the intent of giving King Imbert more control over the running of the bank. Terrence Farrell notes: “The UNC’s troubling assaults pale in comparison with the sledgehammer the PNM has taken to the Central Bank over the last five years. The PNM administration seems allergic to institutions which are independent within the executive and run by unelected persons.
“It is clearly one of the reasons for the pre-emptive assaults on the Office of the Procurement Regulator rendering it a eunuch, so that the hands of elected ministers will not be ‘tied’ by unelected officials.”
Farrell’s No Sacred Cows Revisited and Mark’s vigilance may have prevented King Imbert from appointing Vishnu Dhanpaul to replace Alvin Hilaire as the governor. While it’s commendable that Dorian Noel was appointed deputy governor, I wonder if Shelton Nicolls, one of our more distinguished Central Bankers, will ever become governor of the bank? He may be too old three years hence.
The politicians we elect are supposed to act as our servants, yet they do everything in their power to resurrect the ancient credo of the divine rights of kings. As the poor people struggle to be free, this ruling clique does everything to solidify their power over us, believing that it is their natural right to control their “subjects”.
The PNM, it seems, is always working in the interest of their wealthy friends rather than the people who elected them. Wolf reminds us: “There is none so blind as the rich egotists who will not see.” Does it really profit these men to gain the world and lose their souls?
Yes. And one of the most unfortunate extensions is the unyielding , blind, loyal and dedicated support of the “PNM till ah dead” tribe.
Tman and Mamoo are religiously motivated racists, that use lies and misinformation to tow the “Hindu” and indian right wing agenda for UNC/COP/PP/TOP/NJAC political party that reigned over Trinidad & Tobago between 1986-1991,1995-2001 and 2010-2015. The central bank was ETHNICALLY STOCKED (institutionalized racism) between 2010-2015, and the “stock” are extending the UNCOPP’s reign beyond their 2015 official exit from office.
NOTE: According to this article, a current, white-passing, non-african, PNM minister, is trying to replace the current african bank governor, with a Brahmanist (“Hindu”) Indian one.
The UNC forever changed that bank and all state enterprises into ethnic battle grounds. The indian community’s support for this racism, demoralizes the african population into responding with resistance. If Indians refuse to take a principled stance against their socia’, politica’ and religious (racist) leaders in the effort of racist domination of africans…..why should africans go against their leaders outside of their own groups benefit?
percetion is that pnm has always been a racist party with window drsssing of indians for pr . so what you are saying two wrongs mke it right ??????
Whose perception? Racists in the UNC/Indian Community??
Apples and oranges! The term ” racism” has no real practical value within indian societies (india, trinidad, guyana, fiji etc)
Because indian spirituality via brahman-ist (“Hindu”) scriptures, the term racism INVALIDATES their belief system and therefore RE-PURPOSING the term to functionally mean Anti-racism or anti-submission to indian, anti-african racism as a negative thing is their insidious knee-jerk response historically.
Indian muslims and christians (loosely converts of brahman-ism (“Hindu-ism”) are in most instances ideologically identical to the formal brahman-ists.
Caste in Christianity · Dalit Camera
https://www.dalitcamera.com/caste-in-christianity-2/
How Indian Muslims Remain Caught Up In An ‘Un-Islamic’ Caste System | Youth Ki Awaaz
https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2017/06/caste-and-muslim/
Why criticising the PNM about the central bank and ethics rings hollow in 2020 to an African trinidadadian population and the consequences of indian racist politics via the UNCOPP and that bank 2010-present
When Race Trumps Reason | Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
https://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=6547
A Stunningly Bad Appointment | Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
https://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=9031
Inconvenient are you a racist? All your copy and paste seems to be about race. And it seems as though you are bipolar, judging from you lil rants. Please get some help. You dismissed the very serious topic by the author.
An honest response to the current situation. The sad reality is those at the top does not care about building a nation. All institutions feed into the tentacles of the PNMism. That means they will only respond to the massa’s plea.
When Dr. Rowley came to Parliament and read a set of accusations against the PP. We saw how these tentacles unfurled. (1) The media went wild with these accusations, for several weeks one particular newspaper headlined this story with all ridiculous almost seditious accusations against the PP. (2) The police started an investigation into these accusatory statements and it went on and on for years. Nothing came out of it…..After an incredible amount of years. The PNM tentacles are deep within the police force. The minister of national security often seen in the National Operations Center.
(3) The DPP when prosecuting the former AG Ramlogan acted at lighting speed. When it came to the Rowley files they just sh*t on it, or could not be bothered.
(4) The former AG, Prime Minister and Minister accused in the Rowley files had to go to Google to clear their names.
The PNM shut down, Caroni Ltd. Petrotrin, and many of the industries in the Point Lisas areas or rather they are shutting down because of their policies. Money for importing items is drying up like a desert that had a shower of rain. And the free fall is really bad. And yes the current Governor General of the Central Bank is nothing but a PNM puppet, doing all Imbert wants…..
Imbert is the king of mortgaging the nation’s future. Borrowing to pay back loans. Recent borrowings US 500 million on the external market; US $300 million from three multi-lateral agencies –$150 million from the Andean Bank, S130 million from the IDB, and $20 million from the World Bank; in addition to a US $900 million drawdown from the HSF .
TnT has been borrowing and using up all its reserves….But who cares. Imbert wife recently received a settle from the housing corporation a cool $7.5 million. Yes they are living lavishly, along with an AG and National Security Minister who are using their positions to dig deep into the treasury. When good men keep silent, evil men reign. This is not the time for silence but the code of silence is very strong in the PNM. Because great is the PNM.
Kamlamania 2010-2015 is the pre-requisite study to understanding trinidad’s current financial woes. The indian community, along with the whites, chinese, syrians, co-signed and wagon circled the Kamla Persad-Bissessar led, wildly, fiscally irresponsible, UNC/COP/TOP/MSJ/NJAC “People’s Partnership” (PP) ‘s Disastrous exhorbitant spending, mismanagement of state funds. Induan Billionaires and millionaires were created by inflated contracts at the expense of and detriment to the society as a whole’s economic future. NOW., Their same racist malignant enablers and supporters like Mamoo, Tariqandalus and Tman, are shamelessly trying to deflect blame away from their beloved (BOAT) brahmin princess Kamla and unto the PNM and african people for what they did. No intelligent, honest adult in trinidad gkves credence to the lies of Mamoo, Tman and tariqandalus.
BTW…Why did UNC Minister 2010-2015 Vasant Bharath’s India born wife Arvinder Bharath, leave her then mere , 4 year old leadership role at royal bank to join the central bank in 2013? It must have been a coincidence! Wasn’t King “Winston” Dookeran who was minister of finance? Or was it King “FCB 10 million golden handshake” Larry Howai?
Howai gets $10m parting gift from First Citizens
https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.425354.3646b8bbd7
NOW the supporters of THAT want to feign concern for T&T’s economic future and wellbeing? Give me a #*%${}$# BREAK!!!
Kamla left over $30 billion more in the HSF and over 12 months of import cover, if she thief and Rowley didn’t kindly explain where the money gone. From 2010 -2015 Kamla spent about the same amount of money maybe a bit more than Rowley 2015 to 2019. For it she built 106 schools (not counting the many schools that were almost completed) Dr Gopeesingh further noted: “Under my tenure as Minister of Education, we have constructed more than 83 new primary and secondary schools and over 83 ECCE centres, with another 90 under construction, and completed more than 4,500 infrastructural, repair and maintenance projects, in more than 850 schools.
Rowley built 1 school. She built, aquatic Center, tennis court, cycling velodrome, started the Point Fortin high way. Rowley can’t complete it. She built the teaching hospital, the Couva hospital, open the El Dorado nursing training Center, started construction of the Point Fortin and Arima Hospitals. She refurbished and built health care centres. Carenage Health Center.
The PP built 8 brand new police stations and refurbished several others. Started construction of a port at Galeota Point.
TRAINING INSTITUTIONS:
Unprecedented amount of Skills Training Institutions established by the UNC/People’s Partnership government. 2010-2015
• Drilling Academy at Ste Madeleine
• MIC Institute of Technology Welding Academy, Macoya
• Aviation Institute in Camden, Couva
• Woodford Lodge
They built the Chagaramas Board walk, very beautiful place to visit. Government workers also got up to 25% increase, unemployment was at 3.5% the lowest in the Western Hemisphere. Murder rate was down
The list is endless now give your list since you believe that Rowley is the best leader ever. I will help you with a few (1) shut down Petrotrin. (2) claim to save the economy, (3) keep taking the money Kamla left in HSF (4)take away laptops, cut GATE and reduce funding for all education programs, cut school feeding programs, (5) cut funding severely to regional corporations, (6) Highest level of flooding because drains are not being cleared…(7) everything shutting down
Inconvenient when you start your diatribe. Please emancipate yourself by having a good education. Rowley was never for anyone except himself. By the time he finish with TnT we will be worst than the Congo.
so when you compare the ills of both which one is the better of two evils ? kamla who stole when there was plenty of rowley who steal and theres as he say none ?
Raymond R,
Do you really expect me to engage a racist, sycophantic liar like yourself on red herring points about who BUILT what, while you mamoo and Tman evade or deflect every fact i submit ? Really? I am not one of those bleeding heart ‘liberal ‘unity’ negroes that you built you gall and self esteem on. This is NOT a debate! The UNC support base and ideology is anti-african, pro-apartheid and anti-justice! They have proven without a doubt that financial and other corruption is fine and they do it as a group with no remorse, and a sense of joy that they are disenfranchising and impoverishing the masses of african trinidadians in the process. This is all i need to know that person’s of this ilk should never be supported economically, socially or politically. I don’t CARE about all the secondary peripheral issues enough to shake that focus!!!…….JUST LIKE YOU!!!
NO caste/Varna minded (anti-african/anti-black racists) , should hold positions of authority over african people!! (or anyone else really).
The UNC and indian trinidadian/guyanese politics has ALWAYS been at it’s CORE, brahman-ist (“Hindu”) far-right wing, CASTE-IST/VARNA-IST/ANTI-AFRICAN/ANTI-BLACK and incredibly, brazenly dishonest! However, they are obsessed with deflecting away from that into their fabricated grievances…It EH WOKIN’ ON ME!! No matter how many fake or real scandals the UNC trumps up about the PNM or african political selections, will sway my gaze from THEM AND THEIR DANGER TO AFRICAN TRINIDAD’S FUTURE AND WELLBEING!!! I see you for what you are:
UNC aka Raymond, T-man, Mamoo,
We The Racists? India’s Obsession, Skin-Deep Prejudice
https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/we-the-people/we-the-racists-india-s-unfair-obsession-skin-deep-prejudice-454098
Inconvenient Truth PLEASE RESPOND
Kamla left over $30 billion more in the HSF and over 12 months of import cover, if she thief and Rowley didn’t kindly explain where the money gone. From 2010 -2015 Kamla spent about the same amount of money maybe a bit more than Rowley 2015 to 2019. For it she built 106 schools (not counting the many schools that were almost completed) Dr Gopeesingh further noted: “Under my tenure as Minister of Education, we have constructed more than 83 new primary and secondary schools and over 83 ECCE centres, with another 90 under construction, and completed more than 4,500 infrastructural, repair and maintenance projects, in more than 850 schools.
Rowley built 1 school. She built, aquatic Center, tennis court, cycling velodrome, started the Point Fortin high way. Rowley can’t complete it. She built the teaching hospital, the Couva hospital, open the El Dorado nursing training Center, started construction of the Point Fortin and Arima Hospitals. She refurbished and built health care centres. Carenage Health Center.
The PP built 8 brand new police stations and refurbished several others. Started construction of a port at Galeota Point.
TRAINING INSTITUTIONS:
Unprecedented amount of Skills Training Institutions established by the UNC/People’s Partnership government. 2010-2015
• Drilling Academy at Ste Madeleine
• MIC Institute of Technology Welding Academy, Macoya
• Aviation Institute in Camden, Couva
• Woodford Lodge
They built the Chagaramas Board walk, very beautiful place to visit. Government workers also got up to 25% increase, unemployment was at 3.5% the lowest in the Western Hemisphere. Murder rate was down
The list is endless now give your list since you believe that Rowley is the best leader ever. I will help you with a few (1) shut down Petrotrin. (2) claim to save the economy, (3) keep taking the money Kamla left in HSF (4)take away laptops, cut GATE and reduce funding for all education programs, cut school feeding programs, (5) cut funding severely to regional corporations, (6) Highest level of flooding because drains are not being cleared…(7) everything shutting down
Inconvenient when you start your diatribe. Please emancipate yourself by having a good education. Rowley was never for anyone except himself. By the time he finish with TnT we will be worst than the Congo
Yes I appeal to Inconvenient truth and along with brother Raymond we are asking him to show himself from his snake hole. Billions vanished into thin air. from the non-theifin Rowley… or could I say the smart man thief.
Goebbels is clear, keep repeating a lie and soon everyone will believe you. ……..
“…T&T will be worst than the congo…” – Raymond R
But NOTHING can EVER be worst than this:
India Worst In The World For The Highest Number Of People Without Basic Sanitation
https://thelogicalindian.com/story-feed/awareness/india-worst-sanitation-toliets-open-defecation
Indian police the most corrupt; religious leaders too not immune: Survey- The New Indian Express
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/mar/07/indian-police-the-most-corrupt-religious-leaders-too-not-immune-survey-1578696.html
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Inconvenient
Those who are different from me do not impoverish me- they enrich me. Our unity is constituted in something higher than ourselves. -in Humanity. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery- author of The Little Prince.)
Give up your obsession with everything Indian and you will free yourself.