Pay heed, Madam PM

By Keith Subero
Octobeer 06, 2014 – trinidadexpress.com

The Prime Minister, should be “so advised” that before she makes any other statements on Dr Wayne Kublalsingh’s hunger strike, she should re-examine the Dr James Armstrong independent report on the Debe to Mon Desir section of the Point Fortin Highway.

Questioned on her return home last week, the PM responded that the Highway issue was in the hands of lawyers and it would be inappropriate for her to comment.

That may be appropriate now, but obviously, the PM was not “so advised” when recently she trumpeted her success after her intervention in the Soca Warriors High Court matter against the T&T Football Association.

7 thoughts on “Pay heed, Madam PM”

  1. Kublalsingh having lost 3 times in court should have realise that fasting would be an excercise in futility. Nobody cares if he dies, in fact some are hoping he would die quickly so that the media could blame the PM.

    As long as this matter is before the courts this Prime Minister would not budge. To those who think she could be swayed just look at Jack Warner a man now condemned to the political dung hill. There was a time when the media believe that Jack was not removable. And so to many others within the coalition.

    The highway will be beneficial for wild life because it will slow the movement of water creating a natural barrier and allowing for a return to wildlife long gone since the 70s. Why is the PM persistent? She is from the area and understand the enormous amount of time wasted in commuting. Besides Penal, Debe, Siparia, Fyzabad will benefit from the highway. These areas were long neglected and is the future economic growth poles of the nation. To not build the highway that will pass at the edge of the lagoon will see 150,000 citizens denied the right to better transportation system.

  2. I have often mentioned that in order to understand how the Trinidadian mind operates we need to take into consideration ethnicity and descendancy. Sure, there are many traits that can be considered ‘Trinidadian’ in practice but those traits are subservient to the more ingrained mind set that we put into place from birth to adolescence which formulate our basic character traits. I say all of this to point out the differences in character of the more prominent officials in our society on how they react to the Kublalsingh hunger strike. Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar (a hindu) – she will not meet with him to discuss the issues of the HRM (let him die). Ramlogan (a hindu) – no let him die, Sat Maharaj (a hindu) – let him die, Mamoo – let him die. Compare the reactions of christians like the Archbishop of Port of Spain, His Grace Rev. Harris, a genuine concern for the life of Wayne Kublalsingh and his deteriorating condition of his health. It is a reaction imbedded in his natural concern for the humanity for the man regardless of Kublalsingh’s religion, which is hindu. The writer of this article, obviously a christian, thinks that it is worthy to publicize this issue because it borders on the humane side of our integrity. The issue itself has nothing to do with religion but how it’s interest is responded to, has something to do with what is inane in the character of those who respond. Sat Maharaj who prides himself in characterizing his involvement in public issues as a hindu, has shown that he has no desire or concern for the well-being of another hindu, Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh who has decided to put his life on the line to prove his commitment to the HRM. But Sat would have nothing of it because it goes against the grain of what he believes in, and his benefactor Kamla Bissessar, in keeping with her public actions, never goes against what Sat says or believes. What kind of a prime minister is this? She uses her position of prime minister conveniently, if it goes against what her guru believes, she will not do it. Being prime minister should have nothing to do with your religion in the official capacity as prime minister. And yet we see time and again she puts religion first and official capacity last. What should we as christians, gather from the kind of governance to which we are subjected to? Should we just remain quiet and say nothing? Should we too deny our christian urgings to be humane and show concern for the life of an individual, regardless of religious affiliation and not follow the teachings of our forefathers and mothers? No, I believe that the Archbishop is correct in his concerns and all christians should come to the aid of a man who is so committed to his conviction that he is willing to die for it.

  3. Kian, your bias is seriously hurting your viewpoints in this debate. The reaction of the government members, including the PM has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with politics and the advancement of the government’s agenda, with a pending election in the wings.All religions advocate the basic tenets of the ten commandments. It is people like you and other distorting merchants of the scriptures who falsely interpret and ascribe false motives to individuals.Most importantly, Christians (I am one) cannot make claims of consideration, humanity or tolerance. Christianity was used to rationalize slavery, decades of war, and many other atrocities which occurred, spanning the history of the universe.
    Kublalsingh egotistically soaks up the parade of political well wishers, as he tries to hold the government to ransom. There are two opposing, legitimate, scientific environmental views regarding the construction of the highway in the particular area in question.Who appointed Kublalsingh as God of the universe?
    Finally, it should be pointed out that most of the “Hindu traits” which you so adamantly criticized and which are imitated by successful Africans,are responsible for the isolated success of T&T in the Caribbean context.The values of discipline, hard work,entrepreneurship, future planning,and education have guaranteed the Indians and Africans of T&T, a promising future.Let’s try to inculcate some of these values in the “hot spots’ of T&T.

  4. TMan, you have the capacity to engage in a good debate when you are not too emotional in an issue and I do welcome your arguments. First of all there is nothing in my comments that says that I am for or against Dr. Kublalsingh, but as observers of society, it is the strong and committed one who make and leaves marks in history that we use as measures of strength and courage to determine the integrity of a cause. History, of course makes a sounder judgement on the impact of one’s courage to face ‘Caesar’s stand’ on any issue. Dr. Kublalsingh has put his career, commitment and literally put his life on the line for a cause he believes is just and worthy of his sacrifice. If you look at it objectively, you must admire a man who have given up so much to prove the worthiness of his sacrifice. It is not often in everyday life that an individual take such a stand and he deserves more than passing admiration for that. Your reply is political in which you have interest in defending, so, naturally Dr. Kublalsingh’s behavior is offensive to the dividends that you hoped would be gained were he not to have taken this stand. So in fact it was NOT integrity that you are defending but the effect of damage to your political realities. As for what you inaptly described as my christian distortion of the scriptures. Please re-read my comments and you will find nothing about the scriptures. I will reiterate my observations for which you take offense but I say it proudly. The stand taken by the prime minister, the AG and Sat was to not listen or speak to Dr. Kublalsingh. Were he to continue with the hunger strike as he stated, death will be inevitable. I also stated that my comments was not religious or racial but my observations were that in response to Dr. Kublalsingh’s hunger there were more sympathies coming from the christian and more antagonism coming from the hindu sides. The is the stated fact for which the evidence proves. You are the one distorting my comments to suit your political stances. Go, read the comments again, then tell me where the distortion is. You know that you are very political and when you read contrasting comments that do not sit in well with your political persuasions you get slighted. I am saying it loud and clear that Kamla is a follower of Sat Maharaj and whatever Sat says, she does. Now call me a hypocrite for that! If you are honest with yourself, you will find that facts bear me out. There is a saying that if you are in the right place at the right time, then there is no stopping you but if you are in the wrong place in the wrong time there is nothing that you can do to advance yourself. What Kamla and company inherited was a good economy, good planning by the previous administration and a good infrastructure, so naturally, she could have afforded to spend, spend, spend. She did that for five consecutive years in deficit spending because we did NOT, I repeat NOT have to work too hard for it as long as there is oil and gas to help the economy along. If per chance, your theory that “The values of discipline, hard work,entrepreneurship, future planning,and education have guaranteed the Indians and Africans of T&T, a promising future” were in a place like Montserratt in the Caribbean, tell me how you were going to be successful in a deserted economy without the help of natural resources like that which exist in Trinidad? It is the same reason why Kamla continues to spend more than what is taken in, because she knows that the oil and gas money can be used to pay for what she is burrowing. That is NOT, I repeat NOT hard work, that is taking advantage of what comes to us naturally, without us having to do any hard thinking to take care of the spending. Kamla has done absolutely nothing to advance the development of Trinidad and Tobago. She has worked with what she met and has contributed nothing in terms of policy to develop any sector of the economy. I say this with emphasis and conviction, period!

  5. Now on to more important affairs…Ummmmmmmm,what do you know,reports claim dat de AG, and his God fearing, Christian wife ,went to another fiesta ,with their PM, then got into an accident , that almost send dem to their maker.

    Asked if he was okay, the AG told the Guardian, “I am a bit shaken, but I am all right.”
    Translation:- ‘I’m shaken , but not stirred ,’ as my much adored British blokes, who made the 4 overpriced Range Rover -I miraculously acquired ,after only 3 years in an unelected office, on a paltry salary ,of a one term , nominated Cabinet member- would say.
    Now if a god truly exist, or Karma has any merits ….well, someone smarter than I could finish that thought.
    Hey Kian, as my extremely wise, late, Tobago Granny would say back in de days,to yours truly,”ah rather you than me,”mi amigo, as you once more strive to change the mindset of the Trini Center chief ,Neo PP trologian/Party hack, as he tries to regurgitate daily, his party leaders chief , failed,electioneering talking points.

  6. Come on Neal. At a time like this when the AG and his family narrowly escaped what could have been serious ,tragic consequences, you show no sympathy.
    Is that because he continuously gives the proverbial finger to the Port of Spain elite? And the PNM? And always comes out victorious and vindicated.
    What’s really bothering the Northern PNMites in particular is that this underprivileged, southern, uncouth but brilliant Indian has the audacity to tell it like it is and occupy the office of the AG. (I have heard it whispered in certain circles.)

  7. Lo siento TMan, but unlike you, I won’t waste sentiments, when non is due. Sympathy should be given to living relatives of dead individuals, or those stricken with serious /debilitating illnesses, that those UWI trained-DR Goopesing -once discriminated students , turned medical practitioners , are unable to cure.
    If my comprehension of the article is correct, your glorified ,legal luminary , turned Un-elected MP/ AG ,and loving wife ,came out of a fender bender unscathed.
    Tell me something my learned friend. If the AG from your adopted Euro dominant Canada , had likewise introduced during a 4 year tenure of office , almost 15 pieces of -what his party considered -important legislation , on behalf of his government, and- due mostly to faulty crafting , and lack of foresight by party power brokers-all but one got through the House , how would Canadians asses him or her?
    All this over the top accolades for the opportunistic. , former Guardian columnist, and tribal activist , is getting quite tedious.
    Even morally repugnant,lifetime anti capital punishment advocate / legal barracuda, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, is more palatable , since he can claim to have done something while in office.
    Ummm, he ensured a former client of his died by hanging – even if cynics scoffed at him , since that client if still alive , would have been able to drive the final nail into his coffin….so to speak.
    Tell you what amigo,’me think,’ your bombastic, delusional AG, is giving no one but himself , de symbolic middle finger.What an utter embarrassment indeed, for this once treasured Republic of ours.
    I luv dis land , Y tu?

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