Backward ever, forward never

By Raffique Shah
November 16, 2014

Raffique ShahThe land slippages and other failures that occurred on the newly-opened section of the Solomon Hochoy Highway might be a blessing in disguise if the Government could resist the temptation to play politics with the costliest public works project ever in the country. This is also no time for those who oppose the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the new highway to gloat over the defects, seeing them as “karma” or punishment for the Government for proceeding with construction even as protestor Wayne Kublalsingh remains at death’s door in his marathon hunger strike.

Reality is the 50-kilometre, $7.4 billion new highway extensions (well, there are two separate four-lane highways from the outskirts of San Fernando that converge in Mon Desir) are a huge cost to taxpayers, and citizens must demand value for money. This significant sum of money is not coming from the Prime Minister’s pockets, or any of her ministers’ bank accounts.

It is our money that they are spending on the project, so we’d do well to ensure that contractor, OAS of Brazil, delivers road surfaces, overpasses, embankments and so on that will last for 100 years or longer, that the new highway won’t fall apart soon after they pack up and return home.

That defects, however minor, show up so soon is cause for concern, but also timely. OAS will now have to remedy the failures to the satisfaction of engineers who are paid to secure the interests of the citizenry. More fortuitous, the experts can increase their vigilance on ongoing works, and check on the integrity of all that has been completed.

It is disturbing that a few days’ rains could have done the damage we saw. Nidco, the executing agency, said slippage on parts of the shoulder occurred because drainage works in that section were incomplete. Okay. But why would they open any part of the highway before important drainage is complete? Is that the Government, wanting to capitalise on their “project pride”, threw caution to the wind and demanded to cut a ribbon and hold a party? Citizens can also ask if the shoulder slippage was caused by incomplete drainage, what caused the damage to the more elaborate Golconda interchange?

There is an even more pertinent follow-up issue. Thus far this year, we have experienced a substantially below average rainy season. One month ago, WASA complained that its dams’ levels were way below where they should be in October. While some districts have experienced heavier rainfall, most of the country remained relatively dry—until last week’s three-day wet spell. And even that was not the typical rainy season deluge.

Other than some flash floods in downtown Port of Spain and isolated districts in the east and south, there was nothing to signal a normal rainy season. Thus far for 2014, the Caribbean has had no tropical storms or hurricanes of note. In fact, many of the islands complain about drought.

If, therefore, in this dry wet season parts of the new highway collapsed, what would happen when weather patterns return to normal, when it rains heavily from June to December? Would we see widespread slippages, asphalt surfaces virtually disappearing?

These are frightening prospects, and all the more reason why the authorities must ensure that every square metre of work done by OAS is double and triple-checked while they are still here.

Works Minister Suruj Rambachan, in an attempt to explain the defects as being normal, pointed to landslips on the Hochoy Highway, particularly in the Claxton Bay district. In fact, a few days after he spoke, there was a significant slippage on the Forres Park flyover, caused in part by the rains. Director of Highways, Roger Ganesh, blamed the soil-type and size, presumably meaning weight, of trucks that frequent that area.

They are both correct—to some extent. Since that highway opened some 40 years ago, sections close to Claxton Bay have failed repeatedly. Major reconstruction and repaving works have been conducted at least ten times—and the surface is still not nearly perfect.

This begs the question: are there no engineering solutions to such challenges? I cannot believe that 100 years or more after major highways and freeways were constructed in developed countries, and have withstood the test of time, earth movements, ever larger vehicles and more traffic, that our engineers cannot design comparable roads.

The Churchill-Roosevelt Highway was hurriedly constructed by the Americans during the Second World War (sometime in 1943-1945). It was upgraded and dualled in the 1980s, and it is probably the most stable roadway in the country. The Maracas Road and Lady Young Road, built on difficult terrain many decades ago, continue to serve us well.

Seventy-plus years later, with all the modern technology available to them, today’s engineers and contractors cannot conquer soil challenges and cope with rain! Rain, for heaven’s sake!

European space scientists have successfully landed a working space craft on a hurtling comet 311 million miles away from earth. In Trinidad, a few days’ insignificant rain wreaks havoc across the country, damaging even a brand-new billion-dollar highway that is under construction.

We seem to be going backward ever, forward never. What a country.

41 thoughts on “Backward ever, forward never”

    1. Mamoo, sometimes it is good to listen to the advice of old people. You know, the one about, “when you have nothing to say.”

      You are becoming the comic relief on this blog site.

  1. “I cannot believe that 100 years or more after major highways and freeways were constructed in developed countries, and have withstood the test of time, earth movements, ever larger vehicles and more traffic, that our engineers cannot design comparable roads”.( SHAH)

    This is either an assumption or a very uninformed statement created to stimulate discussion. I have witnessed the construction and upgrading of the Western end of the Trans Canada highway in B.C.
    It took over five years to complete and was plagued with multiple engineering problems , including damage by frost heaves and poor water drainage. And these problems occurred in areas which had already established roadway.There are other examples which I can site in North America. In a climate like T&T there are bound to be problems and slippages; this is part of the process in road building.If in fact, a foreign company is allowed to build a highway in T&T and disappear afterwards, then there must be major flaws in the contractual agreement. Is this what Shah is suggesting without proof? If he is making this accusation, then it can only be described as shoddy, biased journalism.

    1. TMan, thank you very much for the International Highway Statistic, but it is quite noticeable that you left out the beginning of the paragraph. “Are there no engineering solutions to such challenges.”
      Don’t you think that you have completely missed the point?

      One wonders what would have been your response if this had happened to the previous or any other administration.

  2. Shah your sins follow you to your grave…. remember what they taught us years ago in our childhood days. Do onto others as you would have them do onto you. We were once a good nation of people ….perhaps every creed and race once had an equal place. Not so now. How things have changed since black power in 1970. Just for the hell of it, I am a chemical engineer of 30 plus years in building huge (Plant Revamp) projects from the Fedchem days to 2009 when Mr Malcolm Jones the ex PM’s best friend shut me down. Later for a different company, I worked on the BG Gas to Liquids Plant (their first plant in Carapal). You remember The Petrotrin one failed miserably. Imagine we could not even build a Gas to Liquids Plant in Petrotrin (a simple plant) ourselves. But we, our people worked on two for BG for foreigners who could get anything done once they sweeten the pot .
    Anyway I was forced to leave Trinidad for a better life elsewhere.
    Shah, you see all our gas from offshore have liquids as they come onshore. In the Fedchem days we used to drain our Separators of it, in the Fedchem days and we would call Trintoc to take the liquid Hydrocarbons away. These liquids would coke up our catalyst and cost us millions in losses for renewed catalyst charges and of course, downtime to change the cooked up useless catalyst. I am talking millions of USD in catalyst for catalyst that normally lasts ten plus years in the the process system but back then would last mere months. And the foreign owners/managers never lost as we were forced to sell our gas for less than $1USD per million BTU of gas instead of $8-10 per million BTU of gas elsewhere. Nevertheless the oil company was never seriously interested in the liquids hydrocarbons. Yes there were problems in collecting and transporting it but in the bigger picture the return on investment was too small for them. Instead the local grass cutters relished it for their lawn mowers. Anyway disposal of this gasoline type liquid that slipped through the Slug Catchers was problematic. So Malcolm jumped at an opportunity. Also Malcom was too embarrassed for failing to properly install adequate separation equipment and a flare system in our NGC facilities to deal with and market this liquid for profit for the country. I recall begging Malcolm one day through his colleague Herbert but he turned me away saying to me, he does not talk to little people like me. Until one day someone bigger than me, told him about Conoco and company and then came Phoenix Park Gas Processors Limited (PPGPL) – a Malcolm Jones company built with our treasury monies. But PPGPL was never conceived properly for it only took a small portion of our gas for processing. When we developed more and more incoming gas lines the problem got bigger and bigger. In simple terms only a portion of the gas distribution network was fed to PPGPL. So much so whenever problems occurred in the system (gas comes off shore at around 1800 psig and over the long runs, slug catching, pigging etc., the pressure before PPGPL drops off to around 600-700 psig depending on the consumption of the users. Fedchem and other Ammonia, Methanol facilities etc. and users want it at 300 psig ideally. Hence when a gas stream contains liquids both water and liquid hydrocarbons and even solids (mud, sand etc.) the control letdown valving must be sized accordingly. When trips occur the problems grow worse very fast. These control valves cannot be conventional types but very specially engineered as there three phases of flow we are dealing with. But they were as sized by Malcolm and his boys who knew little engineering techniques. And Conoco does not care who shuts down just as long as they could keep their plant functional produces a cheap product that worth millions more abroad or if the plant has to, it shuts safely (ESD systems). People like me objected strongly and vocally to Malcolm’s plan where he installed his people in PPGPL to make sure his interest was well served over the years. Until recently the UNC government took over. We hoped things would change but instead it got worse after they got all what they wanted from persons like me. Shah you think they care about the island wide electricity that feeds off the system. When we get blackouts nine out of ten times it is because of the poorly built NGC system.
    But Shah you feel it is any different with the water or the road systems. When PNM lost power in 2010, I had many conversations with this UNC government (I remembered they once muttered that what PNM took 30 years to steal we will steal that and more in less than five years). Anyway one of these conversations was through APETT related discussions around the time JAW talked about no more flooding in PoS in 2010. He had a plan but where the hell is that plan. Our water, gas, road, housing problems etc. comes from lack of proper use of our engineers. APETT and Max and company were only interested in having a good time after they coined from huge contracts associated with poor engineering. When you do your research you will find that these people makes millions on the side with projects like Brian Lara stadium, hospitals, Rapid Rail …you name it.
    Water was my pet project in the industry. Shah all we need to do is put the students, young engineers to work on studies of rainfall, catchment areas, flows, capacity of our systems, damming water, patterns etc. Collection of data before Basis of Design concepts is no rocket science. If you go to places like the Netherlands you will understand engineering a bit more. We need to school our people. But Malcolm and the PNM and this regime are not for that. The road building project in South is all about who makes money where and when. I remember all the poor engineering on the north-south road about 10-15 years ago. We really do not want to learn now. The wishy-washy contracts are all about stealing from the public purse just like the airport scam. When the public get blasted vex and retaliate then perhaps there will be some painful learning.
    But Shah if you have balls go in the Appeal court on the third floor in PoS courts and request a report in my file in my case which I won more than one year ago and still costs have to be settled. The case was against Deanne Rameshwar Mc Leod. This lady lawyer robbed me of plenty. You must know an Appeal court case is not cheap and she did make me pay especially when you fight against lawyers and The indo Law Association. They have no mercy when it comes to injustice and money. I wonder if ordinary people knows the significance of QC in Trinidad. I say no more for now…

    1. I need to support you here although I am hesitant to get that deeply involved as you share with us. I had my running in with Ken Julien and companies. How is it that we can have a zoologist in charge of the ISCOTT, QC dept.? How is it that Caroni(1975) Ltd. can manage all satellite companies distillery, Mon Jaloux, etc. using the same fiscal budget for the sugar company whereby the GM at that time Gordon Maingot made 25 trips in 1 year to the UK to say he’s negotiating. Negotiations my foot maybe in the interest of Tate and Lyle. Some of the bloggers here use racism as a forte for the free laughs for top dogs. The people must realize that the PNM has been discreet in thieving whereas the UNC cannot be bothered who says boo. When Weekes, Shah, Panday conceptualized plausible reasons for marching the streets of T&T that was good then but soon as office comes their way the reasons disappear. I am amazed as to the assets held by thieving politicians overseas. The mind just boggles.

    2. “Water was my pet project in the industry. Shah all we need to do is put the students, young engineers to work on studies of rainfall, catchment areas, flows, capacity of our systems, damming water, patterns etc. Collection of data before Basis of Design concepts is no rocket science. If you go to places like the Netherlands you will understand engineering a bit more.”

      The locals can do the job as engineers. Suruj has sourced many of them and save the nation a lot of money on road construction. The PNM wasted a lot of money hiring foreigners as engineers. Local talent can certainly solve this local problem. My cousin studied at UWI could not get a job, move to Canada and is a manager of an engineering firm.

  3. Let’s give Jack his jacket. The Americans are damn good in civil engineering (roads and bridges). Remember we are talking about roads above ground, even underground, Lock Joint irrespective of soil variations and composition did a great job on the sewer pipes in North and South of T&T. To boot, the average Trini work very well overseas but for some reason or the other are unable to do the same locally. Was Jack Warner interested in building a tunnel to Maracas? No further comment?

  4. With all the revenue the T&T government generates from it’s oil and gas export, one would think that the Island would have the best infrastructure in the West Indies. However, corruption, greed, and self interest always takes precedence over the basic needs of the people, especially poor people. The government needs to invest in its people because they are going to be the caretakers and leaders of the future.
    We need to invest in education for everyone, not just formative but higher skilled education where we produce Engineers in all fields of science, doctors, high quality teachers that promote learning (who are correctly supervised), vocational training that target the technology driven oil and gas industries, farming (organic), social services for the poor, better healthcare, crime reduction, more police oversight, true prison rehabilitation (and not torture dungeons), and just basic human rights with equal access regardless of gender and class.
    The government spent billions on a road that is already falling apart? We have way too many intelligent people doing nothing in Trinidad because they were excluded from the educational process. If we invest in people, we have the capability of building an educated workforce. An educated workforce resolves the need to import or contract with outsiders. Lets keep the money circulating in Trinidad.

    Perhaps one day someone will coalition the poor and disenfranchised and create a real movement. There is tremendous power in the poor and voting can create change (but that is another topic)…

    folks de world eh changing….we changing de world and the rich is telling we what to do….If we doh wake up, Trinidad will really have to worry because we will become another Nigeria or worst…Dubai…

    Your op ed was insightful.

    1. Hey Indira, it does not hurt to be an idealist , but a government that’s practically fighting for it’s life , laden as it is ,with ideas deficient leaders, uncertain if they can win a reelection, after four squandered years , of repeated political mishaps/faux pas, and not too subtle criminality,cannot achieve the noble things you’ve put forth.
      The fact of the matter is , that the Opposition smells blood , and like hungry baracudas , are encircling the Captainless ,PP Ship, as it drifts along.
      Oh , by de way ,y Indira, that Mayaro ex tempo, simi Yankee king Gypsy , became a UNC star,and so launch his political career, when he sang “Captain the Ship is sinking,” as a condemnation to bright boy George Chambers.
      Just maybe , you can become a PNM star too ,by singing a hot number, denouncing the Siparia Queen, while simultaneously ,praising the Tobago Wajang -Uncle Rowley…ummmmmmm , de PM in waiting , hmmmmmmm?
      Your call, mi Chica! Duty calls.
      What’s that? You ain’t touching dat with a 10 ft pole , as we like to say on de streets?
      As I suspected. Your hash critique -verbal , or in song -is limited to ‘de other ,’ si?
      Intiendo.
      I luv this land ,Y tu?

  5. I was especially touched by the comments of Jerry C. Hussain and admired the responses of Loyal Trini. I admire honest conversations when put without an interest in supporting or denigrating an institution for simple political reasons. This is what I see in the prior mentioned blogs. We cannot deny that politics play a major role in anything that we do, say, read, hear and wish for but there is a greater role for citizens to use whatever forum is available to them to speak to truth and conscience. However we surmise the problems we are experiencing, the reason is always and will always be political in nature. Why? because politics is the vehicle through which anything gets done and since the main source of income in our beloved Trinidad and Tobago is through government spending, herein lies also, the greatest failures that we face today is that of governance. In so called democratic societies the world over, one thing is omnipresent and that is the everlasting presence of contractors. They are sometimes called lobbyists, they are sometimes called donors, they might also be called ‘supporters’, a fancy name for them is financiers. What these people do is shower a lot of money into the accounts, pockets, portfolios, habits, religious affiliations, vices and other forms of entertainments all done for the good of the party and the individuals themselves. There is mutuality of benefits with this arrangement because the politicians are in the business of using any means necessary to convert people to their way of thinking using media to do its bidding. The means through which these biddings may occur may be lies, untruths, half truths, diversions and painting themselves as knights in shining armor even though most pot the times they are really wolves in sheep clothing. There is an unholy alliance between those who govern and (I use the word in a collective sense) contractors. They are evil because what is sacrificed by their behavior is the people, especially those with good intentions. What we expect and want from government is good governance, what do we mean by that? simple, we expect that they would employ the best people to run the affairs of government, we expect to see good, qualified management personnel throughout the service what do we get instead ‘party hacks’ taking control of all the essential departments in running the country. This cannot be good governance, it is in effect a recipe for disaster and what is unfortunate about it is that we all suffer the dire consequences of bad governance. We lived through the governance of Albert Gomes, Roy Joseph, Norman Tang and the French creoles and whilst they never showed any favors towards the major population they also never wantonly took from the treasury to deprive the population either. Of course oil was not around as prominently as it is today but they shared some of the wealth. Came the PNM and Dr. Eric Williams lived for his country. They took us to higher levels in education, self acknowledgement, purpose and design. But they never built institutions that further our developmental prospects. In reading the comments of many of these bloggers, many get the feeling that these people think that what they see as the Trinidad of today is the way it has always been. There is no sense of incremental knowledge and hence there is backwardness in so many areas of our lives. I read with disgust the racial animosity coming from the minds of individuals
    who have no sense of history and ancestral sufferings. The petro dollars has made them feel invincible and high achievers without understanding what it took to bring it to where it is today. “I had many conversations with this UNC government (I remembered they once muttered that what PNM took 30 years to steal we will steal that and more in less than five years)”……….Jerry C. Hussain. This mantra is not new, it has been around for many many years. Unfortunately, what we are experiencing is possibly the worst government in the history of this country. Their number one motive is to ‘TAKE’ yes take. In her five years as prime minister and with oil prices reaching as high as $110.00 per barrel, this government has never put one penny into the treasury. Some might say what are you talking about? What I mean is this, if I ran my household the way this government has run the country I would end up in line with the vagrants because I would be penniless. In five years they have run five deficits, meaning they spend more than they earned. It means that each year they had to ‘burrow’ to meet their financial commitments. We have a finance minister who don’t see, don’t hear and don’t know. We have a prime minister who is yet to get in front of television cameras and inspire us, we have every reason to believe that Sat Maharaj is the real prime minister of the country. The person whom the constitution has designed to represent us in the most honorable way is the president. While he gave us a most inspiring speech at his inauguration, he has been most decisively absent and careless with the authority vested in his seemingly good persona. Most disappointing behavior is the acceptance of $28,000 per month allowance for lack of quarters even the government made sure he was well lodged. Because of this behavior one would have no difficulty in assuming that he is dishonest and unprincipled.
    The least said about the Attorney General, the better. As far as most people are concerned, we are still waiting for the appointment of an AG. The Central Bank – Lord put a hand!
    If we look at the management of this government what we see in one in which there is one Mindset. It is not one in which there is diversity of thought and conviction. Cabinet goes into discussions with a pre-determined outcome because there is no one to tell the other that ‘there are other considerations’. Jerry was right right, when Trinidadians get an opportunity to work efficiently elsewhere, they do so convincingly because that may be the only opportunity they get where they can apply value to their ability. We need a government that recognizes ability. We need a government that appreciates and nurtures potential in our citizens. We need a government that stand for and encourages good management. We need a government that does NOT look at the texture of one’s hair or the color of his skin but sees the individual for what they can do for the country. We need a government that sees country first. We need a government that would promote Trinidad and Tobago based on the potential of it’s people and not the extravagance of the oils dollars we produce. We need people on the international scene who are best suited to show and present our potential and character. Not the likes of Hamid Ghany and Bhoe Tewarie. One is on record as saying that having five years of deficit spending is a ‘strategy’, what otter rubbish ever uttered by a person who holds the distinction of having being principal of a university. My daughter once wanted to apply to the University of the West Indies to complete her Phd, with my knowledge of the personnel I dissuaded her and today I can proudly say with no apologies ‘thank God for Oxford’. We need men and women of substance, individual character, fortitude and knowledge to run our most prestigious institutions, what we have today is a bunch of characters holding the required academic credentials and nothing else. We must remember that the knob of these people is to develop young minds and what we expect coming from these institutions is graduates of substance, commitment and potential for greatness. If all we get are people who ‘want a job’ then we are definitely following the wrong paths in the training of young minds for fixture leadership. It takes leaders to develop Leaders. It must be our goal to educate, train and develop the very best minds in our midst. There is an old NAACP commercial which says that “a mind is a terrible thing to waste” and I feel sad that with the kind of governance and management of our systems of learning we are not pursuing the abundance of the mind but the waste of the mind.

  6. KIAN: I agree with your rhetoric. However, Jerry you really nailed it. I grew up when Sir Williams was Prime Minister and yes…I cried when he passed away… I was 12 years old living in NYC with my brother and 4 sisters. So here is the typical NYC melting pot story… in 1976 my parents sent their 5 daughters/ children to NYC so that we could attend college and get a better education (thank you Jerry for also seeking a better life..). I recall the Black Power Movement, the OPEC strike, the sugar cane farmers strike and the problems with the St. Helena Derrick (my father used to weigh his sugar cane there…) and the many, many floods in T&T.I recall reading the Guardian to my illiterate father daily. My father loved politics and adored Dr. Williams and his intellect. When Basdeo Pandyae (sp) came to our village as a young activist man who supported the working class farmers, my father cried because finally someone was going to advocate for the sugar cane farmers.
    Today, we have yet to find a moral Prime Minister who would advocate for the people. The story of my father is long gone and today most people in Trinidad cannot relate to his idealization of politics.
    Here is my take again: We need to look at the statistics and do the math. In 2013, T&T exported approximately 1 billion dollars in raw materials to Guyana (Guyana is on the brink of collapse). We imported about half a billion dollars of materials from Guyana. This trade does not include resources exported to other countries. Where is all that money going??? We know and the truth is…”I ain’t no Senator’s daughter” so it is not going in my pocket. Nepotism at its best.

    Is there anyone out there that would be willing to stick their character, moral beliefs, love for their country and run for the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago?? We need to seek out and find those individuals who care about the future of Trinidad. We do not need politicians who keep people and businesses in their back pockets.There are many children out there who have the norms, values and mores of an “accomplished leader” but they get overshadowed by the wealthy children. Did we forget where we came from?? Descendants of slaves and indentured laborers….
    A few days ago in the US,National Public Radio (NPR) did a mock debate about putting a cap on how much wealthy candidates spend on their campaigns. My view is that there should be a cap. Why should the rich get more air time when there are stronger candidates with less money who really care about helping poor people.

    But we are talking about Trinidad politics and guess what?? It is the same politics as the US but with different players. We need to be vigilant and seek out and nurture strong candidates that are invisible to the public.
    Throughout world history and perhaps since the beginning of agriculture, the wealthy somehow have this belief that they know what is best for the majority. Is this why they conquer and destroy?
    What makes a wealthy person thinks that they know what the majority need? Does having money/wealth makes you a good leader? In my opinion, you may know how to sell and make money (mostly through unscrupulous means)but it does not make you a leader. This is what the United States is experiencing with Bill Gates from Microsoft and the common core (I actually like the common core..not invented by Gates). He wants to change the way on how American children are educated even though he was a college drop-out. What makes Bill Gates an expert on education?? Why should some rich man tell the a country how they should raise, educate and care for their children??? Trini is such a beautiful place and I miss it so much. I really love T&T and I hope people take a stand and really fight for their right to live like everyone else…
    PS: my sisters and i all attended college and grad school. Life is tough but once you get an education…the world is yours!!

    1. Indira, I applaud you for your foresight and loyalty to our beloved country of Trinidad and Tobago. It is ideas like yours that enlighten those who might be timid to express their views but are willing to uphold the dignity and hope for the red, white and black. This is a vehicle where ideas flourish but there are few who have any love for the development of our nation. My hope is that you remain with us to continue with your positive inputs to what can be a vehicle of change and positive ideas.

    2. “Is there anyone out there that would be willing……….” You have completely received my attention in this regard.May I take this opportunity to nominate Indira Mulligan.Maybe T&T must “turn the page” since they require individuals (like yourself)with “new” ideas politically and otherwise.

      Formulate a “new party/vision” recruit individuals who will not “divide and conquer” since that’s the norm in T&T today.I have always been an advocate of “Adult Education” Encourage adults to educate themselves;then they (adults)can/will reason with their children to embrace education rather than “gangs and drugs”

      Here is a “new idea” The city of San Francisco (USA) first introduced “flex time” i.e. they varied start times for their employees.Some started their day at 9:00 a:m others at (e.g) 11:00 a:m etc.They made allowances for parents who required “baby-sitters & daycare” Result:almost 90% of employees applauded and accepted “flex time”

      1. The idea sounds good to both Kian and Swordfish but T&T is a small economy compared to the likes of China who is battling corruption and pollution as major internal problems but deflecting such in negotiating trade agreements with the US and Canada. Take for example the assets held by Chinese in California and BC. How many of them work in China and have homes overseas? Trinis are no different. How many Trinidadians have returned to their homeland especially in the 70s to offer their expertise only to be frustrated by their own kind and entrenched systems? When I say own kind I’m not implying race but professionals in respective fields,for example when the large economies promote whistle blowing, here in T&T you can literally lose your life if you encourage such. I for got the name of the calypsonian that said ‘we like it so’. I do hate to say this but Trinis are good in copycatting and talking rather than promoting originality of ideas. For example, Why would any sensible regime destroy the best converter of solar energy into potential energy (sugar cane plant) rather than downsizing your plant to accommodate local markets only, than becoming obligated to international and regioanl markets such as the Lome convention that has tied us to? If Trinis are good talkers then we should have the gumption to negotiate away from such ‘colonialistic’ conventions. That’s why I applaud Eric Williams and Capildeo, in how they put their heads together as a united front at Marlborough House in seeking independence for T&T. The press does not relate to this but really gets itself involved in promoting parochial feedstock that keeps us precipitated into decadence rather than elevating ourselves into excellence. Enjoy some of these quotes from Friedrich Engels. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/f/friedrich_engels.html

        1. Yes, we as Trinis are indeed copycats but we can do better than that because we have throughout the years shown innovations in music, art and culture which can be developed into sciences. In nurturing such sciences we have the capacity to build true character and enhancement of culture. Education, for example is used purely as an academic tool in which to enhance one’s opportunity to be ‘accepted’. When viewed through it’s natural channels of growth, education from elementary, secondary, tertiary and post graduate studies, is paraded, fostered and marketed as a product that we offer to those who exploit us and use our talents to their advantage, without elevating any kind of developmental models that can be beneficial to society at large or aid in the production of our natural resources. Take for example, in the past few months the oil industry has suffered many spills that have polluted our waters, fields, communities, villages and homes with people crying for help in eradicating this problem. As a solution, there were exchanges between the executives of the industry, management of the offending companies and unions pointing fingers at each other for months and sometimes years, without a proper formula for prevention. Every time this happens the same ‘mauves langue’ approach is used to convince the population that the fault lies somewhere in between the accusing forces. The public never understand what forms the basis of the problem, likewise we are never told of the solutions either. Since we are an oil and gas producing nation, why can’t we have an institute of learning or study of these natural disasters, whereby we can understand why they happen and how to correct them so that we have learned solutions to these occurrences? This, in my view is true education where a product is developed to serve country, industry and communities. In music, pan and calypso offer unheralded potentials where the calypsonian can be a fully employed professional creating room for lyricists, musicians, educators, scholars, study curricula, analytical and creative developments which can advance this art to a science. The same goes for pan which has greater potential to become a viable and economic success employing people in manufacturing, tutoring, the arts, culture, education, sales and retail. Such is the potential if the approach to education extends from purely academic to developmental science. The nation can have a lot to offer if we embark on pursuing enhanced ventures in developing in talents that we already have.

      2. Excellent point and many countries are adopting this strategy. When you have an educated and working community you will see a reduction in crime such as rape, battery, and assault. An increase in sex crimes against children and women tend to show up in countries with high illiteracy and unemployment rates…especially when it is generational…Trinidad has all the ingredients…

        1. Maybe with some “friendly persuasion” from some of the contributors on this blog you can cogitate positively.One of Britain’s most revered Prime Ministers (Sir Winston Churchill) (God rest his soul)never attended a University.

          Nonetheless,he was “a leader” someone who makes the “tough” decisions.Oftimes,these decisions are un-poular,and usually the correct choices.Society has leaders and followers.Those who lead must be “firm but fair”

          Leon Panetta recently criticised Barack Obama:”The President approaches every situation as a Law Professor (which he is)and not as a leader” Love him or lump him The Rt.Hon Dr.Eric Williams was a true “leader”

          “Patience is a virtue” there are several accomplishments acquired through “prayer” If it’s the will of The Divine Source:that Indira Mulligan becomes the “leader” of T&T…you can take a shuttle and isolate yourself on the “comet” of which Shah wrote..”thy will be done”

          1. I have spent enough time cogitating about the leaders of the world and yes, Churchill’s greatness may not be doubted, but like all great leaders, his greatness is not without nuance. Former President Bush kept a bust of Churchill on his desk at the White House during his term. It was his attempt to associate himself with the war leader. When President Obama became President, he had the bust returned to England. President Obama’s Kenyan grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama, was imprisoned without trial for two years and was tortured on Churchill’s watch, for resisting Churchill’s empire. Churchill was also an imperialist and there were many, many, many factual instances where “he was not at his finest hour.”

    3. Looks like we have a budding PM here in Indera, folks, and aren’t we de fortunate ones.
      Living in America since age 12 , but miss she T&T , bad, bad, bad, bad! Well I’ll be damn, and who is kidding who here folks?
      Pimple face Yankee, and Europeans kids ,are leaving the comfort of their lands and travel to underdeveloped countries, where they often make significant dents on society , via Civil Society organizations they help create, but these Trinis, are always auditioning for jobs , only for us to find out much later ,about their bogus credentials, acquired in phantom Universities, or worst yet , think they have to become politicians to help elevate their counties of birth.
      What a tragedy!
      Hey Sigmund Freud, where art thou, psychoanalyst friend , when we need you? Here is another candidate for the couch. Well, there is always that TV fraud ,Dr Phil.

      1. Sigmund Freud is passe’ and there is no auditioning for jobs on this end. Trinidad has enough lawyers….

        Yes I left Trini at a young age but worked on my parents farm every summer until I was accepted to law school. No shame in slaughtering, plucking, gutting and washing chickens while my school friends were traveling all summer basking in the sun or working at lofty jobs. Definitely no shame in manual labor. I learned a lot from the market…negotiation skills, people skills, public speaking, and even warding off sexual predators and harassers.
        I never lived with my parents but my mother was great at writing individuals letters to each of her daughters and through those letters, taught us how to live together and survive in the U.S. It was extremely challenging.
        I still have a few of her letters that I keep and will one day give to my daughters.
        Yes, I agree that there are many peace corp workers out there that travel to underdeveloped countries and “do good” work like building wells for water, teaching and showing farmers how to grow crops, helping teachers in classrooms, etc. Although many of these individuals have good intentions and literally do good work, many use these tasks as resume points to get into their next lucrative job in their homeland and guess what…they never look back.
        You make very broad and sweeping statements that may not be accurate. I think many of the people who work for the big corporation call the T&T Government (the biggest employer in T&T), are well educated (“real degrees and credentials”)and some may at one point have idealistic goals. However, the problem arise when they become too comfortable in their public service jobs, because of a lack of oversight, and begin to use their position for personal financial gain.

        This needs to stop and it will happen with writers like Mr. Shah (whom my father knew…not personally), you, Jerry and all the voices here take a stand. The internet is powerful and we are having food for thought here…

        Trinidad has a great University with many talented people but because of nepotism and favoritism within the system (as Kian stated)the greater talent never get to see the admission door. These are the ones we need to seek out and fight for…

        I truly believe that there is tremendous power in the poor because they are the majority and carry the vote. These politicians are slick doctors because they keep injecting the poor with a medicine call hope. Hope that one day, they will get something called education and jobs. This medicine is running out and soon it will be gone. When all the hope is gone then the poor will realize that hope was never a medicine but a disease called lies….when this is realized…the movement will begin.

        1. The poor might be powerful in theory, but if not properly mobilize by the socially conscious, no good can accrue , for them, or society as a whole.
          When it comes to lawyers, I agree, that not only does T&T have too much, but the world at large.
          “Jerry and all the voices here take a stand…..”
          Don’t we all writing on Trini Center?
          Are you trying to convince us that you and your lonely 4 siblings , shipped off to cold, racist America , under the guise of education, reached adulthood, without suffering some of the post ‘daddy traumatic issues,’ , Freud spoke about in his studies.
          “I never lived with my parents ….,” and yet you dote over them, in words, as if they were the best folks on earth, when indeed you despise them.
          Trust me , when I say,Women from your background -more than any other group on planet earth-have suffered your share of growing pain ,and no matter how you try to mask it , same. shines true, ‘sistaz Indera.’ Get down on that couch, and bare your soul , mi amiga, on this taboo subject!
          Love humanity people!

          1. So sad that you are trying focus on me and not the topic at hand. It becomes a banal discussion.
            But I will indulge…
            It’s misguided misogynistic views like yours that sets the country back. Don’t try to detract from the topic here…raising the social consciousness in the poor would be nice…but it starts with basic education in reading, writing and how about creating jobs for the parents. Only through equal access to education can we achieve that level of social consciousness and economic freedom. If one cannot read, then how are they to learn about attaining some level of social mobility. The facts show that if you give someone a job and treat them with respect, you will, in time achieve such mobility. Having a job brings income into a family and gives the parent some sense of dignity as a provider.

            There are no “daddy” issues here and shame on you again for quoting Freud, a cocaine, elitist, misogynist who really who had some serious “mommy” issues. Even my 11 year old son knows that. Very sad that you share his views. So very antiquated.

            But back to the topic at hand…
            Each and every day people all over this planet make great sacrifices on behalf of their children. Sacrifices like crossing risky boarders with children in tow, traveling in cargo boxes where they are piled in like sardines so they could get to another country, or how about giving all their life’s saving to some lunatic trafficker just so they can get on a shoddy crowded raft and travel thousands of miles across dangerous oceans…They do all of this, risking their lives on behalf of their children.

            Neal, What do you say to the young women out there whose parents made those sacrifices…

            “Women from your background -more than any other group on planet earth-have suffered your share of growing pain…you have daddy traumatic issues ,and no matter how you try to mask it…you despise your parents…your father or mother”

            Good luck because they will spit on your face man.

            You need to check your facts especially that couch stuff and bare your soul crap. This is 2014 not 1420.

            We don’t need another Freud freak out there telling us women what is wrong with us… we need educated women out there who know how to read and interpret laws, ordinances, international contracts, dispute resolutions, etc. because each and every country’s Constitution was written or drafted by lawyers and not Psychoanalysts. Constitutions are cleverly written and we need leaders that will read and interpret it in favor of its people. If amendments are needed then we need to coalition for change. I know…easily said than done…because change does not happen overnight…

            Your views on women come across as “dangerous.” There are many verified scientific research going on and the only way to be part of it is to keep up with the trends. Freud is hardly discussed in schools across the world (ask my 16 year old daughter and she will tell you that Freud was secretly trying to analyze himself and his weird relationship with with mother). Please do not quote this man…he sets you back hundreds of years.

            So in sum…your point clearly demonstrates what Mr. Shah’s article wants us to avoid “backwards ever, forward never.”

            Now I will digress, the real truth is that I loved my father and when he passed away 14 years ago, I wrote his eulogy that night without hesitation. I wanted everyone to know that he was a fantastic human being and he made great sacrifices for his children. There are no “daddy issue” as you belch out while probably lying on your couch. You have exposed your soul and man…do you have some serious mommy issues.

  7. Trinidad only really goes forward because of the one factor that cannot be controlled by anybody anywhere…. that is through the progression of time…. if it wasn’t for that Trinidad might have now been counting 1866 as acalender year given the number of slave mentality people living in this country

  8. What is the alternative? The PNM has recently rolled out their main objectives if elected. Rowley showed his lack of vision and imagination by recycling the same old tired goals over which the PNM had complete control during their multiple years in power. The party which sowed the seeds of corruption in T&T is now claiming to be the agents of anti-corruption measures.It is now fashionable in T&T to make frivolous charges of corruption without any shred of evidence.

    Rowley identified as areas for reform—internal self-government for Tobago and the nature of the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago; abolition of appeals to the Privy Council and the making of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) the final appellate court; the role and functions of all service commissions; appointment of a Commissioner of Police; the role and functions of the Salaries Review Commission; the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the exercise of prosecutorial authority in relation to white collar crime; electoral system reform; clarification of the role and power of the President.
    The PNM had multiple years in power to fix these basic institutions and did nothing. The PNM has been promising internal self-government for Tobago for decades…nothing.
    Rowley is poised to become the next PM of T&T, but it seems that he is determined to blow his chances by using inappropriate, negative, and thoughtless instinctive responses to every issue.

  9. Under the PNM no new highway was going to be built. That would satisfy those who think $7 billion is too much for the highway. Of course none of them even know where south of the Caroni is and the two major oil booms that passed through TnT like a dose of salt they conveniently forget. Let me say no development of any significance was done in the south despite the fact that billions in oil came out of the land. Under the PNM this money was sent to develop Port of Spain.

    The Liquid to Gas LGT cost tax payers $3.5 billion with nothing to show, silence from the media. The Toruba stadium $1.2 billion with nothing to show except a white elephant, cost over run in every PNM project to the tune of over $3 billion. Yes over $10 billion wasted during the PNM years but not a word from Shah on this, Shah only sings for his supper. The road will be there for generations and will improve the life of southerners by the way where is that fraud Kubs, after 62 days he refuse to die, he thinks the highway cost too much also. Him and Shah are knife and fork indians.

  10. 58years according to the chief whips… but only talk…. how much %age salary increase in 58years…. about 9%….compared to 24% inthe last 4years, how many TT$ trillions under the previous regime that were not spent on salaries, infrastructure development, social and national security, that should have been in the Treasury but unacountably disappeared,

    Rowley ever explain his Cayman Island bank account?

  11. You can talk until the Caroni Water Buffalos comes home TMan, but never can your UNC dominant PP get a second crack at running this country , after their ghastly /dismal performance over the past 4 years under Kamla. Sorry mi amigo, but it ain’t happening.That kind of idiocy was acceptable in Guyana, over the past 2 decades, but never here.
    Sometimes I wonder if it’s a grown , thinking man behind this sobriquet, or perhaps your 12 year old grand daughter writing, pretending to be an adult..
    Prior to her power grab, you used considerable energies ,trying to convince us , that we should give Auntie Kamla , the Siparia Queen a chance , as she was a different leader, to the self serving, nepotistic, ‘Divider in Chief,’Papa Baz-of “dis is our time , “fame.
    We heard you, held our noses , and voted for her, and although , we paid a dear price , as our country has regressed considerably, both economically, and politically, we are still happy , as T&T democracy was on display otra vez, and what a beautiful thing it is?
    Well mi amigo , it’s time for ‘you allze, ‘ to reciprocate.
    Repeat after me TMan…Dr Rowley, ain’t Patrick Manning. New leader, which made all your above points moot. He won’t make his wife a Cabinet minister , over better qualified , elected MPs. He won’t force his legal neophyte/politically clueless daughter down our throat. He won’t drag his brother, across the globe, as some glorified, over paid assistant, at tax payers expense.
    There won’t be no need to fire 15 out of 20 MPs in 4 years , because he instead , would have done his home work, during the selection process.’No cat in bags ‘TMan, like we say on de streets. Ummmmm-Tom cat/ dead beat dads, philandering MPs, women beaters, weed heads,incompetence of the highest order , arrogance beyond measure.Hey TMan, and how is that loquacious, overrated AG, who along with his Justice Minister, was unable to properly draft, much less table a proper bill? Let me see , only 2 out of 15, was not rebuffed by the Parliament, due to technical flaws?
    Changes are coming TMan. Don’t be scared .Embrace it!
    A new day is dawning. Well, I hope so!

  12. “So sad that you are trying focus on me and not the topic at hand.”
    Not only is she naive , but equally delusional folks.Worst yet, regurgitating the same old tired
    , escapist talking points , to bolster her arguments. I am surprise she did not squeeze in racist-like a few of the usual suspects do-because she too think I hate her people.
    As de wisest woman, that ever lived, in my Tobago Granny, would often say to yours truly, back in de day, “call names , and I would whistle! ”
    Seriously though, what de hell are they teaching you guys in LSAT classes these days in Yankee land Indera, before they allow ‘your allze,’to enter law schools? This used to be such a noble profession.
    So because because pimple face 16 year olds kids, such as your daughter , aren’t interested in Freud, it means he is irrelevant as far as understanding psychology as we know it today?
    Your 11 year old nephew can also play XBox/play station blindfolded, doesn’t mean he is a technology expert. Call me back , when your social meadia obsessed daughter ,can read Kafka, The great Gasby,1984,The Lonely Londerners and House for Mr Biswas, and live to tell what any was about. I and you did , by age 16, because of circumstances.
    You need to do something to chip away at that oversize ego , that is blocking the right side of your brain , mi amiga, for it’s clouding your reasoning.
    Don’t take yourself too seriously either.
    Give poor , Third world refugee women, low education, glorified legal profession mantra a rest , for while you and your equally pampered, neo elite siblings, were sitting in the comfort of Richmond Hill- Zoo York , listening to LL Cool J, Run DMC, and Public Enemy, trying to play cool, others like yours truly, were working in the trenches , better understanding the subtle nuances , of social deprivation, as it affected immigrants , chiefly of color.
    Sorry to disappoint you mi Chica, but my concerns , while traveling on this here Information Highway, have nada to do with you , Your clueless Auntie Kamla, Basdeo , and that wet behind the ear, by way of Oropuche princes Mikila , aka Indera -reincarnated -or maybe it’s Benazia Buttho -or any such elites.

    I am more concern about 16 year old Trini girls ,from the camp, that Mama Venna St Rose tried unsuccessfully to help escape abuse , and early marriages -and thus incur the wrath of the real mysogynistic PP carbal.
    I am concern about the barefoot, and pregnant every other year , poor Indo Trini female, as well, as the Afro Trini poor from Lavantille, that has to endure violence on a daily basis ,from her gang banging boyfriend , while the religious bozos in their respective community, remain silent , because governmental benefactors are throwing them a bone.

    You have a choice my dear, and here it is:-1.Roll up your sleeves, and get down and dirty in the trenches , with progressives ,who wish to make a difference, or stay in your alleged crime free , unsullied world , where you can stay from afar ,and pontificate of how great North America /Western Europe is , or what potential T&T has , but lack opportunity for authentic progress, due to it’s saturation, with too many Afro savages.
    Ahhhhh, Uncle Sigmund would be proud of me today.
    Neal , he would have said , you will certainly obtain catharsis, because you firstly , acknowledge that demons do exist, and are willing to confront them.
    As for Sistaz Inderia?No se. How about hopeless? Too defensive to be convincing, and living in denial, as she hides behind her credentials, fancy accent, and suspect friends.
    Let me guess, you are not a practicing attorney, but sits in an office all day , sipping Starbucks, and munching sugary Dunken Donuts?
    It’s a beautiful life , ain’t it people?
    ‘Me think so.’
    I luv dis land, y tu?
    Ok Neal, it’s about time you get this blog up and running. The world , and by extension T&T , is finally ready for this.
    I need me a good foot soldier , are you ready Indera? Yes , and here is lesson number 1-we are always auditioning!
    I wish you well, mi amiga!

    1. This is my last post because you stuck on Freud. You have no idea what is going on in the world of education today..You need to look at the High School Curriculum of other countries and you may just learn a thing or two about what children are learning today. All the books you mentioned are in a basic 11th grade Advance Placement literature course (except for those written by Trinidadians). Children are learning to program and code in the 4th grade at age 9.
      This conversation is such a waste of data space….
      adios..

  13. Spoken like a typical coward. Didn’t expect that from you Indera. I though you lawyers had guts.
    Can someone tell this clueless comedian , that it ain’t only her who was exposed to the American education system.I raised four kids in it, mi amiga. No need for her to try and white wash it’s image , to impress us, for we are aware of all it’s deficiencies.
    Yep , only expose your kids to computer programming, as that would prepare them for life.
    Let me guess, you likewise only expose them English, because you want them to grow up to be good Americans, si?

  14. There is no doubt that this discussion has ignited passion and generated a lot of information that I find fascinating and interesting. There is however, one regret that I must confess we should avoid and that is personal attacks. I believe that we can challenge one’s stated ideas, views and opinions but we should avoid bringing one’s personal family into the discussion unless it is relevant to the conversation. Just my personal observation and dont mean any disrespect. Real education is the only cogent way forward for the coming generations of Trinidadians. No amount of politics, propaganda, advertisement, self-praise, campaigns or deprecating of others can take the place of an honest and truthful approach to educating our young ones of our history and how it affects us.

    1. Absolutely a statesman like comment and I agree with you. I often wondered at times how is it that some of these comments get past the editorial committee. In the past I have read disparaging comments such as ‘bastards’referred to the PM and her colleagues, to Chambers etc. Respect for people must be encouraged although there would be some disagreement of ideas. I love social commentary as expressed in some calypsoes but that does that mean I love all calypsoes. Rachel Price (entertainer) vs Carmona (public figure) has been taking over the spotlight, compare this to some years aback, how did Gene Miles (public servant) feared against the likes of O Halloran and cohorts? Education is the solution and let’s move away from ignorance is bliss. Keep up the excellent input Kian, Indira, Swordfish, Jerry and also Shah for his clinical writings.

      1. Loyal Trini,Kian,Jerry,and Shah:”The pen is mightier than the sword” This blog is a medium to institute “change”.Minus the personal attacks;we must endeavour to “encourage” Shah;and plead with Indira to remain with us….I am confident that several politicians read our responses. God bless!…merci

        1. Well said Swordfish! There is no doubt that the conversations on this medium is at a higher level than most. Those who recognize that Trinidad and Tobago is a piece of ‘rock’ that we all inhabit, should also know the importance of co-habitation. The most mis-understood and mis-used word in the politics of today is ‘equity’. The dictionary describes the meaning as “the quality of being fair and impartial”, the defining word is ‘quality’, too often I have seen it used by people of so-called intellect and high position to mean ‘quantity’. Those who are of the belief that when ‘educated’, positioned and titled individuals say thing they should be naturally taken as ‘true’, even though in many cases they are false, are in effect easily controlled by the way words are put to them. That is the reason why those of us who participate in these conversations must be vigilant is pursuing truth and ‘vision’ rather than misconstruing events, history and dictum. The detractors, although negative and not well meaning can sometimes be persuasive and destructive in handling our emotional state of mind. So it is for this reason we must continue yo pursue truth.

      2. Hey Bro Jerry, pray tell, how you were able to joint this ouster “Statesman “list, mi amigo, when I of all people , after one lighthearted banter ,with some ego inflated,expat, found myself cast aside , as a mere rogue , and vagabond, hmmmmm?
        Well… no offense meant on fellow expats , still trying to find their way in dis here, Hobbsian world , that is “nasty, dirty, and short.”

        Shame on you Royal Trini, for begging our Trini Center Administrators, to pull de Beijing style censorship playbook, and decide, what is palatable for our consumption, as far a dialog.

        http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/04/economist-explains-how-china-censors-internet

        For your information, some people traverse this here info highway,with the hope of being occasionally enlightened, and where appropriate, will likewise try ,and pass on something , that’s of relevance to the rest of humamity-not solely to bore others to death, with feel good mantras, back slapping, and selective outrages.

        There are those of us , who chose not to use this forum , as a means of getting our egos massage.We are not auditioning for phantom jobs ,our leaders in and out of power ,are handing out, and so , no need to polish our comments, in efforts to catch the eye of some Human Resource department.
        No need to try and impress others on how educated we are either,or how noble , or selfless our families are , while throwing not too subtle jabs at the poor , weak , and less fortunate ,stuck at the bottom of the socio -economic barrel ,across the globe-all the while interspersing commentaries, with phony concerns for their plight.
        Have I , as Bro Kian lamented ,occasionally pushed the button a bit? Maybe so, and where appropriate, extend apologies to ‘deserving candidates.’
        Emphasis on deserving.
        It’s a beautiful life.Live it!

  15. http://m.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2014-11-21/sookdeo-tackles-love-and-loss-first-novel

    Is this author “man hating,” as claimed here? Perhaps not, but who cares , really? ‘Me think ‘however, this might be more a case of ‘Christian hate/bashing,’ and the honest among us would agree.
    While hiding behind typical escapism, and glorification of fake culture,more Indo -Trini women , are afraid to admit ,that they have been subjected to blatant abuse, and misuse ,by their own, and what a sad tragedy.
    The faulty tales of rapes, and similar relationship excesses, are a better sell, for members of the co-opted , lazy media agents, and the various intellectual cowards, who masquerade as so called experts.
    Speaking of which , how is that Bollywood wannabe businesswoman Shacha Singh doing these days, now that she has taken her 30 pieces of silver ,to guarantee her silence, after her one time Sweetman , MP Pundut Shama, nearly murdered her in public?

    http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/04/02/ministers-firing-sparks-debate-about-women-race-politics-in-trinidad-tobago/

    Here we have a coward , willing and able ,to beat up defenseless women from within his camp, but running to the Parliamentary hills ,and worst yet courts, like an Icarcas Zandole, when confronted by a real man.
    Thanks Dr Rowley , for slugging this bum in de face, when it counted.
    Sadly his legal mama could not protect him then , when she was a non entity, and -try as she might-she most definitely could not likewise, when she was in charge.

    Ain’t certain why people, but yours truly , gets such sadistic pleasure, in exposing these frauds-wheresoever they emanate from -de lagoons of Central, cockroach infested dens of Zoo York, or European ghettos.
    Luv humanity people, and forget the tribe! Failure so to do , can have dire consequences. Trust me on that.

    1. Neal Yuh have too much PNM baggage and you acting like yuh going through PMS…Just relax and do some critical thinking.

      We love yuh bro…

  16. Well I’ll damn! ‘Me think,’ this UNC , neo tribal spokeswoman , is getting bored ,regurgitating the typical ,useless mantra-no one with a brain, finds useful, or better yet relevant- that she perhaps garnered ,at the feet of her grandpa/grandma, about how her people suffered ,at de feet of them African savages in T&T, and so once again, she want a piece of me, huh?
    Tell her for me people , it ain’t happening, for I don’t converse – or rather-have little patience , for any self serving , clueless, revisionist, masquerading as a caring, educated individual.

    Weren’t she the same one ,who said -and I paraphrase- I won’t have anymore discussions , with the likes of you Mr Neal, since I am a smart , Yankee educated lawyer, and you instead , spen tall your life in rhe hills of Caranage, Toco, or Speyside?
    A word of advice for you ‘Sistaz Indiana ,Indera,’or whatever sobriquet you too, choose to call yourself on this here Trini Center info highway.
    “Stay in your lane ,” and instead keep auditioning for possible PP jobs.

    You can continue to- symbolically- kiss your Siparia Queen butt, while kidding yourself ,as to what a great job , she ,and her fellow political/economic bandits ,are doing .
    See how much credibility you will derive , with our astute readers, fellow commentators ,via such time wasting escapades-that even a Caroni simi literate cucumber farmer, or Lavantille , high school drop out-gang banger can see through.
    In the interim , I will continue to do my moral duty, and educate the masses, as to the blatant corruption,and greed,we as a nation have been subjected to,over the past 4 years , as our country titters on the brink of becoming a ‘failed state.’
    Speaking of which, let me add that my heart bleeds for our dear ‘President Cameo,’ and his once revered office .
    The man did not ask for this, but sadly, everything this regime , or their cronies touch , sadly becomes tarnish.
    Nevertheless, we wish him , and his lovely family well, for ‘dis too shall pass’-as we like to say on de streets.
    Keep your head up, Uncle Cameo! It’s only a few more months, and is back to the political wilderness, for them.
    Hopefully our loyal expat Sistaz Indera/Indiana, get her coveted UNC /PP job before then, since no unqualified bozo, ain’t slipping into any high end office , under a Rowley regime -as was de norm under ‘Her Madjesstrick, Queen K.’
    Be forewarned Indiana , ah mean Indera.
    Self loathing fraud!
    Sorry Indiana/Indera, but love is an alien concept , for ‘you allze folks.’
    Anyone who would rent his wife out to the boss, or worst yet,give his or her under aged daughter , to the highest bidder for personal gains , won’t know what love is, mi Chica.
    For de record , this cultural behavior I am referring to, ain’t guess work, but a fact.

    http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/MAN–OF-TWO–HOUSES-283794181.html

    I luv dis land, Y tu?
    Long live de Republic of T&T!

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