Causeway a lost cause

By Raffique Shah
April 26, 2015

Raffique ShahTrust Trinidadians, or more accurately Trini-politicians, to engage in verbal battle over almost every issue—from the distribution of pampers to mothers of newborn babies to building a multi-billion-dollar causeway from Port of Spain to Chaguaramas.

Most people never heard the word “causeway” before Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar uttered it at a UNC rally in Fyzabad last week.

Even as Partnership supporters applauded wildly and noisily, most of them had no idea what the hell she was talking about.

But if Kamla says “causeway”, then it must be something beneficial to the party if not the country.

And no sooner had she touted the idea as if it originated in her imaginative mind than Colm Imbert shot up to claim PNM ownership of the concept, pointing out that it was among his party’s highways proposals in its 2010 manifesto.

Before you could say “traffic jam”, every John, Dick and Harrilal was debating or commenting on “de causeway”.

You think these people are for real?

It is they, meaning successive governments, who created the traffic nightmare that is getting into and out of Chaguaramas and neighbouring communities, and now they want to lay claim to solving the problem—with our money, of course.

Let me at the outset say that Chaguaramas is one of the most picturesque parts of Trinidad, with huge potential for integrated development.

I shan’t dwell on its history, on its acquisition by the Americans during the Second World War, on the battle to reclaim it, or on the infrastructural works that the Americans conducted during their occupation of the peninsula.

Suffice it to say that I was among the few hundred Defence Force personnel who lived on “the base” during the period when it was in its pristine, natural glory.

Then, its emerald forests teemed with wildlife, from dinosaur-like iguanas and giant macajuel snakes to howling monkeys, ocelots, armadillos, huge spiders, scorpions and centipedes, and more, much more.

The mostly placid waters in its many bays were blue to aquamarine, and perfect for swimming.

Because so few people had access to the area, fishing was good.

The more enterprising of the troops would simply dive and surface with big lobsters.

It was a nature-paradise.

For obvious reasons, that pristine state could not last.

Development was bound to come, the only question being in what form it would.

I have no doubt that the early entrepreneurs had the blessings of the ruling PNM.

By the 1980s, some planning had taken place and Chaguaramas became a haven for “yachties” and associated marine activities.

But from as far back as in the 1960s, the junior officers of the Regiment had documented our view that while the peninsula was ideal for the Coast Guard, it was not suitable for the land forces.

Its fundamental flaw was the one-route-in, one route-out, and that lone road being susceptible to landslips at numerous points, and strategically an obstacle course for the military.

We had recommended the removal of the army’s main base from Chaguaramas, and that Government consider a new coastal road from the base to Port of Spain.

Many of the Sandhurst graduates had travelled in Europe and seen such highways, especially in Holland.

We did not envisage the transformation of Chaguaramas into and entertainment and recreational epicentre, with the attendant traffic woes that, by the turn of the century, had become a daily nightmare for people who work there and the many thousands who patronise the establishments, beaches and parks.

Today, gridlock is commonplace.

Enter the causeway, a nice-sounding solution to the problem that the politicians are selling to their supporters without a hint of its probable cost, construction timeline and environmental impact.

The project closest to what might link Chaguaramas to Port of Spain I’ve come across online is the 10.7-mile, six-lane Vasco da Gama bridge near Lisbon, Portugal.

It was built in three years (1995-1998) using four contractors working simultaneously.

The US$1.1 billion project was designed to withstand winds of 155 mph and earthquakes of the strongest-imagined magnitudes, with a life-span of 120 years. The deepest foundation piles (7.2-ft diameter) were driven 312 feet under mean sea level. Understandably, it’s a toll road.

Motorists pay €2.65 and truckers €11.55.

On paper, and I imagine on the ground, this seems to be the answer to our Chaguaramas traffic woes…but wait.

Can we see any Government bringing in a similar structure at that modest cost and within such short time?

We’d be lucky if it stays under US$3 billion and is completed in ten years.

Assuming the Government, whichever party is in power (both say they are committed to a causeway), delivers trumps—within budget and time, and meeting the requisite specifications—then imposes a toll for usage (say $5 per crossing), can you imagine the Trini reaction?

“Why de @$%& ah mus’ pay to use mih own road in mih own country? Yuh ‘ent see dem nastiness mad?”

Maybe I am too cynical, but more and more I’m coming around to the belief that people get the government they deserve. I hear so much fluff from political platforms, and I see so many people falling for it, really, I think they deserve each other.

That’s why the causeway may be a lost cause before a pile is driven.

43 thoughts on “Causeway a lost cause”

  1. Quote It is they, meaning successive governments, who created the traffic nightmare that is getting into and out of Chaguaramas and neighbouring communities, and now they want to lay claim to solving the problem—with our money, of course, Unquote. I begin at this point in your article. This is totally untrue. Every government in the world has to deal with development of infra structure and Carenage is no different. I used to live in School Street in the 50s on the mountainous development there in the late 50s – started by my father. You may not know it but tongkabeen, cashew, mango, orange, pumkin, etc. and many other estates of fruit trees were planted there by the Europeans and growing wild perhaps replanted by the many birds living there and other numerous things off the land for us to live and consume. We were supposed to become hill people. The plains were for them and the french creoles. Carenage was meant for development before the PNM or any locals came into power. My father used to say the foreigner often chose the best lands to call their own nested against the mountains, steams, waterfalls, and protected by the bays. I used to spend my youth during the holidays in Scotland bay ( used to be the best water in T&T to bathe ). Yes the Cocorite fishermen we grew up with would drop us off and we set up camp there for a week or so in July/August. We had fun and scout days. There were no cell phones then or Laptops to distract you. Carenage I roamed throughout my early years. I know a Raleigh bike. I know Westmoorings as swamp with crabs and Stingray at the mouth of the river where all the silt over the year formed a sand bank. My father worked for Salvatory who owned Westmoorings and made a living from working on repairs to his Chicken farm on the Morne Coco road’s end in those difficult days. This road was more important to us than the Western Main road at that end in that time. Growing up we knew Aligators from the Main Land in that swamp where the Western Main road was located and is now WEstmoorings. But Shah we knew back then that the British/ Americans always prevented us from developmental progress and the Decentralisation plans by us being shelved over the years that comes with that. It was always the money …if we had it …they would drive up the costs. Why do we always run to them for completing all our big projects? Perhaps because of Venezuela the USA also too never wanted us to develop as a Republic especially under Eric Williams and people like Best and others. They are strong in Trinidad still just to divide us and rule over us of course behind closed doors (we are so played we say it is the lodge) as these two countries, our beloved islands that saw many battles since the 1500s and still do and still have numerous resources and surrounded by water with three mountain ranges etc. …is a wealth everyone in the outer world want to be a part of wants, even the drug trafficers . Our greatest enemies are still among us, like a viper or two waiting to pounce on us just like they did in Grenada under one of own, our greatest Prime Minister – George Chambers. You know the other two deputies were only in it for the money/wealth. Eric felt he needed them though. We were brought in to grow their plan. They were the after thoughts when human labour forced on us was important. Shah I thought you knew and saw the bigger picture or is it once bitten you are twice shy of the truth. Where they set up their army camps in the East was the ideal place for the army. They knew but we wanted it for housing. Nevertheless Tetron was for their protection. My father used to enjoy the Aripo area. They knew the beauty of Trinidad. Where they built the road to Maracus, arguably our best beach, was for them not us. I remember as a boy we could not ride into Goodwood park…it was for WHITES only even Glencoe. I remember the big project of LOCK JOINT …was for them. Shah, perhaps you should read more into our development. They are sitting there screwing us up BIG TIME. Divide and rule was designed by them to keep us apart and poor and lost souls. In the very early years around the mid 50s they told Eric, you want it take it …take it with no help from them and ever since they have been pulling the carpet from under him and us. In those days we would go to Cambridge, Oxford, Howard, MIT etc…. have all the papers (BUT THEY HAD FALSE PAPERS as no one among them had any time for school)yet we were never given the opportunity to development our own country. Shah you could see all this happening in USA, not after 1776. Even then there was slavery that has still not ended…check what is going on in Balimore. Shah the more things change the more they remain the same. Shah my pension was taxed before it became pension, now its taxed again in T&T, and again where I live in their land it is taxed again as income. Do me a favor for I have tried and try to find out the boball behind ” our double taxation cause”. It is a useless clause designed to hoodwink all ah we poor trinis that did not escape the tar brush. Yes Capitalism is at its worst. And now there is ISIS, Capitalism turned inside out as dey say. Shah do you know the first steam operated Ammonia Plant was built in Trinidad – the CF Braun 1966-7 built plant( yes the smallest of three Yara Plants owned and operated by them) that Eric said we would benefit from and we did but was never recognized for our worth right there south of Point Lisas – FEDCHEM. Yes we hold shares in Tringen 1 &11 but we do not decide what is profit and loss – they do as they learnt from the British and Americans. All the experts came down to make sure that plant worked well unlike the first in atlas methanil where both Robley and Mercy , the two uncle toms have taken all the kudos. Shah the two of them are examples of us still being ruled behind closed doors. That plant the CF Braun designed plant did not have the benefit of spare flown in today so the experts made sure everything worked without any setbacks. The two of them, the uncle toms cannot help any of us move forward. Yet they hold big pappy positions in our land still. They are just stooges for the foreigner. And there are more…… Shah we did not create our own problems…they did by interfering, frustrating, providing road blocks to all our development plans for true honest development. I still remember, my father who passed in 2012 at 90, saying to me we have everything two small countries would wish to have. They used us as they will tell you a great training drive at the technician level was undertaken by them as managers in the post war days. My father learnt to be a builder then. But that was it for training (other than in the the Texaco and Shell days). We were used all the time, BIG TIME. My father was against the shutdown of that rail system but when you put two and two together, they strategically had their hands in that pie as well. Which country (developed, developing or under developed country) shuts down a rail system. They made sure there was no cash to run it. Especially as you consider in those days what our greatest exports were. My grandfather Charles Newallo of Newalloville, San Juan helped developed that system back then. Shah you have to do rethinking on this one. We were never expected to get out of the starting blocks for this race to develop status. Shah you ever stop and think why Barbados has achieved this and not us? why is it the Bajan dollar is so many times stronger than our dollar? It has nothing to do with Economics or otherwise …it has to do with who own and controls what in Barbados. We were supposed to do the same suck up like uncle toms to them. We were suppose to suffer enough until we paid attention and then ONLY THEN they will allow progress in OUR (OR IS IT THEIR) country. Trinis would go anywhere but home and make it big time because there are different waters in the world that are controlled far differently. Shah do not be afraid to talk your mind….I know who you work for. They shut down my important messages all the time. We got to break free of their shackles. God want us to live as he created us….talking the truth. We need to come together to fight them….not become like Nepal or India or Africa. God takes away from you what you do NOT USE or your use to serve Him. Jesus Christ did not die on no cross for six hours to NOT SEND a serious message to all of us. The only fear we must have is of GOD NOT MAN. Man is just a dumb creature just as the animal is.

    1. A very passionate piece of writing Jerry. You cannot be more correct and the same applies to Caroni (1975) Ltd. with respect to controlling the markets for sugar. Setting aside Panday as a politician, what Panday achieved for the sugar workers have been entered into the annals of history. This is also applicable for Weekes and Shah. One thing must be kept in mind, how many times we have been caught out fighting amongst ourselves when the imperialists sit back and enjoy what our two islands got to offer as sun and beverages and laugh at us at our expense? I also know that this blog site is read by many T&T citizens all over the world simply because they cannot separate themselves from their navel strings, which is a good thing. At the same time some of them do sing the mantra i.e., we cannot separate the bad habits of gnawing at one another. Therefore one of the lessons to be learnt is the corruption that exists at home must cease where the spoils are taken to the imperialist countries for safe keeping. As you closed off with biblical connections I would say whatever is sown in the dark always surface in the light.

    2. A brilliant example of off-target verbosity, an unfortunate characteristic of older people.

    3. Great recorded history and that is exactly what is sounds like…his story. Look we cannot keep looking back with nostalgia while ignoring the pressing problems at hand. You all had your great jobs with benefits, paved a way for your offsprings and gave opportunities to unskilled friends and collaborators. The Chaguaramas beach is an oily swamp and probably have no natural life left, the coral reef are dying, we have no rice, sugar cane (we import sugar now), and it is all about the rich getting richer and how to keep poor people uneducated and to the side. Trinidad has a lot of internal problems that steams from years of class oppression. We need to look beyond party lines and make decisions that benefit our environment, our well being and last..our economy. If we all take care of our country by creating an educated workforce, reduce traffic and encourage public transportation, preserve our wild life and encourage home farming, we will have an intelligent and healthy workforce. Folks, we are playing with our future. We can sit back and idolize the past or we can make legislative decision that affect the future outcomes of the young people of T&T. For many of you that have spent years in politics, perhaps you are too comfortable and have lost your passion for fight. What happened to loyalty to the flag and to each other… We need to work towards progress and make economic decisions that benefit our people and not the private stakeholders. We are all one people….hate and racial strife is not the intelligent way to progress….This causeway might solve some problems.. but we need to encourage public transportation to protect our land and it’s beauty. Pollution is a bitch..look at LA and China.. they have no idea what a blue sky looks like or what stars look like from earth.

      1. Just a word or two about progress Tant Bean, you can never know where you are going, if you have no idea where you come from. You must have a compass of where you are now and a history of how you get there before proceeding to new horizons. I don’t want to say too much because I’m not sure where you are coming from. But be aware of proceeding full speed ahead and you are not sure to where you are going!.

        1. Tanty Bean is just another KAMLA who never had any clues of where we came from to understand where we are at and to research and figure out how we go forward. She probably used to beat too much book in her school days and did not realise what school was really all about.

  2. The “causeway” is a lost cause before it begins for several reasons. Reason#1. Where is the study? Where is the blueprint? Where is the reason for building a causeway?
    Reason#2. Is the causeway an idea just like the LRV or whatchamacallit that Kamla saw in China, or is it just that she went to Panama, saw one and decided she want one? Reason#3
    Of what benefit is the causeway to easing traffic? Tell us what the study says. Reason#4. Could it be, just thinking out loud, that now that the land is divided up by Bhoe Tewarie between him and his friends, it is now time to sell the marketing of the commercialism of Chaguaramas? Experience has taught us that we have to be careful of words that come out of politicians mouth, especially this one, Kamla. She is yet to tell the values that we are to derive from the idea, yet everywhere we turn, we are hearing the word “Causeway”. Reason#5. What are the environmental impact of building such a project, does anyone know? If not, then why are we jumping on this bandwagon? Reason#6. What is the cost? – I am sure it is prohibitive and how are we going to pay for it? Reason#7. Who are the main beneficiaries of this project? And what does it mean to the average citizens? Those are just some basic questions that comes to mind that we must get accustomed to asking before getting too Kamlaish about getting new things. As a soldier, I too experienced the dependency of the one-way-in one-way-out traffic syndrome and it was a common theme of discussions. But we should not get too caught up on the so-called ‘development’ syndrome. We have come to like the term ‘development’ by thinking new concrete means ‘advancement’ but it can also be a hindrance when we move too fast without planning. Getting rid of natural vegetation is not always a wise idea. We must become more constricted in terms of how we allow our maiden lands to fall in the hands of “developers” to be “developed”. As a matter of fact, I do believe that we need legislation to restrict the “giving” away of our lands without the consent and communications with the people. I am very wary of Bhoe Tewarie and his teams, especially with the Laladharsingh crowd who have gotten a free ride to do as they want with our resources. This is in fact a very troubling development.

  3. “Enter the causeway, a nice-sounding solution to the problem that the politicians are selling to their supporters without a hint of its probable cost, construction timeline and environmental impact.”Shah.

    It would cost the taxpayers nothing because it will be built then tolls will ensure it returns the cost of building it. Same as the airport and the roads those are what you call investment projects. The Partnership is good at doing investment projects and finding the right people to do. Canada has a track record for undertaking difficult technological engineering. The Confederation bridge is one such project “The Confederation Bridge joins the eastern Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, making travel throughout the Maritimes easy and convenient. The curved, 12.9 kilometre (8 mile) long bridge is the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water, and more than a decade after its construction, it endures as one of Canada’s top engineering achievements of the 20th century.

    1. Which engineering school you went to, MAMOO? I just want to know so that I can keep my grands far away from that school. You sound like you need a brain transplant. You know or ever did a rate of return on ANYTHING. Please lets keep to educating one another on this blog. You and TANTY BEAN need to know Trinis are more educated than you think they are. We really past that stage.

      1. I have visited Queens New York many times. I have driven on the Triboro bridge built across the ocean. There I pay my $5 then it went up to $7 to drive into Queens. You pay a toll to maintain the bridge and to pay off extra cost. After the causeway is built Trinis will still have the option of the non-toll local road.

        Now I know I am far advance than you intellectually because living in the Beetham have its disadvantages.

        1. Yes YOU ARE WAY FAR ADVANCE IN BS. You feel you can just CUT AND PASTE everything. And copy everybody’s ideas in life just like your party members think. You must have watched the add on the Television by the SOURCE – I want that. Please talk about the little things you know about and leave these much bigger matters to persons in the know. You are clearly full of BS.

      2. Jerry, don’t be dismayed by the negativity of the propagandists. It is classic paganism. Don’t question it, just do it. From their perspectives, we are not supposed to ask questions about what Bhoe Tewarie is doing, has done or intends to do. They just expect us to be stupid ala Jaishima Leladharsingh’s advice. We are not supposed to know who the beneficiaries of the Causeway project will be, nor are we supposed to ask questions regarding the environmental impact, nor are we supposed to ask whether there is a green paper put out for study or any entertaining of questions regarding the project. Nor are we supposed to know who are the brainthrust behind the project. We are not supposed to be concerned about the destruction of pristine land for manmade concrete. We are not supposed to ask questions about the costs and who bears the brunt of it’s development. We are not supposed to question the project after the deals have been made, and now that they are ready to complement the deals with the implementation of the necessary infrastructure, Mamoo and TMan are the paid consultants to tell whomever would listen, that it would be just like the massive Triboro bridge in Queens, New York. Yeah baby! We are big times, we are in the class with London Bridge, Triboro Bridge, George Washington Bridge, Ifill Towers in France!. Only problem is, this does NOT help our current or planned future traffic woes. Nor does it do anything for the ordinary man who did not partake of the behind the scenes deals that Bhoe and friends made. But you are being encouraged to pay tolls, travel frequently on the Causeway to Chag where there will be plenty of shopping, just like New York and all will be happy and well. People, please don’t be too quick to be taken in by this folly. Does the Causeway, as an additional venture to enhance transportational variety a good idea? Sure. Do we need it now? NO. Do we just go ahead because the politicians ask us to? Hell No! Provide us with the details, provide us with the documentation, telling us that we are not destroying wild life, provide us with the environmental studies showing that the project will have no ill effects on wildlife and residential co-habitation (along with the development), the natural environment is not affected etc etc etc. I am from a small village in the South. In the 1950s and 1960s, our dense forest was destroyed and replaced with a teak plantation. Today, we suffer from a shortfall of rain, we hardly ever have dew, the temperatures have increased by at least 5 degrees, the soil have stopped producing rice, peas, corn, pumpkin in abundance, they way it used to before and generally it is just a mere fraction of what we enjoyed prior to the replacement. The beneficiaries are the sawmill and contractors who deal in teak and wood. We the planters? Well, we make out how we can. It happened just because we allowed the politicians the benefit of having their way. The result opened the way for the businessmen, curtailed the production of the planters, a changed natural environment (for the worse) and so a local population is not quite as happy as we were in the 50s and 60s. So, tell me propagandists, what good is development if we are not informed about the potentials? Jerry, you have been a welcomed addition to this site because your experience and knowledge of the history of our country is noticeable and informative to those who lack the knowledge. So, keep put the good works and NEVER allow the propagandists to get to you! Right On!

  4. We were never expected to get out of the starting blocks for this race to develop status.  Shah you ever stop and think why Barbados has achieved this and not us?”
    Bro JC.H

    Great question,and the answer is obvious.
    Barbados,is ‘a cohesive nation of people,’with a common culture,and blessed with visionary leaders,with one common objective.I’m talking about ensuring that ‘The national interest,’remains paramount.
    T&T in contrast,has a collective of stupid ,delusional tribes,but worst yet,we are dominated by a bunch oh self serving,elitists,non progressives,unable to see the bigger picture,beyond their little toes.
    If you doubt me then answer the question as to why ,por ejemplo,Barbados is a member of the CCJ,while T&T is still obsessed with old ,conniving,senile White English ,Law Lords males,from the Privy Council,who decides if our laws ,are constitutional?
    Basdeo Panday,de self anointed savior of so called- discriminated Indo Trinis ,was totally against the CCJ, but only because Tobago’s-globally adored Statesman- ANR Robinson,thought about it first,then did everything to bring same into fruition -not him. While in power,he Baz,and personal criminal lawyer ,Ramesh, did everything possible,to destroy it ,then maligned same ,as an Afro dominant ,substandard legal entity,that would work against the rights,and interest of their people.
    Fast forward to 2015,and he as an irrelevant political figure,suddenly has a hard on for it.
    Well,..I take that back,for once Basdeo the crook Panday,Jack FIFA Warner,and the most immoral AG ,in the history of T&T,Ramesh -lifetime anti capital punishment/pro death penalty Maraj,put their heads together,anything can happen-even a stupid notion for Referendum ,which is an alien concept,in our country.
    He Baz ,and former Chief Justice pal,Sharma,idly boast of vindication,when the latter won ,a case to elude jail,for his misdeeds.
    He Baz ,applauded ,hand picked local judges,who ruled in his favor ,over his well documented criminal activities.
    We know where these political creatures would be right now ,if they were living in Barbados ,JC.H,don’t we?
    Kamla, an ardent protege of Basdeo, likewise despise the CCJ,and dem incompetent Caribbean judges,who serve therein, but have no problem ,grabbing one of our local legal heroes,to become our President.
    Every other day ,one open the papers,we here of her taking legal action against a Tobago born political figure,name Kieth Rowley,and yet this comedian want to get the vote of Tobagonians,and by extension,African folks ,so as to retain power.
    That sort of idiocy ,won’t be tolerated in Barbados,JCH.
    Her one time crooked AG, hated foreign Yankee courts,so much ,that he almost got a law past ,to ensure that two UNC supporting,white color Bandits ,Ish ,and Steve,not get extradited.
    Her government first political act-after reading Afro dominant,Caribbean leaders , and their desperate citizens,the Trini financial riot act,of “no more blank checks,”-was to scrap the pending OVP , border water, patrol ships, that were carded to curb the influx of drugs,small arms weapons,and illegal immigrants,that have since flooded our country.
    How many folks were murdered ,in gun related activities again JCH?

    OH yeah ,121,a drop of 22 ,from de previous year,but whose checking?
    Yet,as crime escalates,gun shot victims body bags increase,many linked to drug wars,and illegals run roughshod all over our country,she and handlers runs around the country ,indulging in pre elections gimmicks,about Chagaramas Causway.
    Hey ,and how his that Guinness fasting record holder Dr Kablasingh fellow doing these days folks,with dem Debi Highway project squatters?
    Yeah JCH ,dem Bajans ,are ten time smarter than us T&T blokes.Yes sariiii!They won’t let no Guyanese take over their country,from George Street, to Carnbee Tobago.
    They won’t cancel a smelter plant ,that could have created much needed jobs,and enhance diversification of an economy,to then send same elsewhere.
    They won’t spend 5 million to send back five harmless West Africans ,while signing off on a 5 year continuous trade expo,for tribal cousins ,from South Asia,whose immigrants ,can do as please,while pretending to do business .
    Hey folks,’me think,’ an Indian Ambassador,recently warned us,about these business frauds,who sells dumb Trinis ,useless substandard items? What’s dat,he too was silenced by Kamla cyber fans,for being just another paid PNM mouthpiece?
    Not surprising.
    Would Bajans give the green light to East Asians, to do as please -as is now done in T&T-because they want to lie in bed ,with resource starved China?
    Oh ,and by de way,some say ,4-illegal Jamaican Yardies ,were involved in the robbery,and murder of Uncle Haung,the Curepe businessman,with 800,000 in his back pocket.
    The cynic in me might add however,that one would hope ,that none of the Chinese illegals,that their Ambassador was allowed to do as pleased ,did not end up working in Mr Haung Supermarket,or the Million and one ,rum shop,unregulated Chinese food establishments, that are now scattered ,all over my T&T.
    Tell me folks,what is a bigger concern for you as citizens,the expanding behind, guts /waistline of our obese Trinis, which translates to diabetes,abd high blood pressure,or some stupid law that would send Trinis to the gallows for having a nip in their car glove compartment?
    Yeah we know ,people are dying all over T&T from drunken driving,and none of them ,is a siparia born PM,who like her mentor Baz,do take her share of the alcoholic poison,then attempts to engage in flourishing speeches-like ,’don’t don’t Jumbie me,bout no general election,….I buy my own shoes,that are purchased by my …..ummmmmm luving husband,…… there will be only one woman left standing-‘even though the so called. fight,is between the male, alleged sex fein -Opposition leader, Dr Keith ,with a penchant for 17 year old chicks,not 63 year old broads.
    She want the Police to be more vociferous in their policing,even if she interviewed,hired ,and confirm s.White foreign Canadian,as Commissioner in five days,while Uncle Williams,aka de Hollywood. Bollywood,Nollywood actor,is left languishing,for five years.
    Tell you what folks,dem Bajans,and the rest of the Caribbean,are having a good laugh, at the idiocy of we Trinis,from our political heads,to the paraplegic ,wheel chair ,foul mouth ,women abusing ,Sando ,opportunist homeless bum.
    Rumor has it ,that this bum, will soon win one of dem PMM constructed,and PP completed HDC -Monnilal -houses,Kamla and their other UNC dominant,PP goons ,hope to reward loyal supporting fans with,just before that prospective elections.

    Tell me again folks,with citizens like these,who needs enemies?

    Look ,let’s cut through de chase ,as we like to say on the streets-for here is deal T&T:- As of 2010,it’s now obvious dat -” You’ve been misled,you’ve been had,you’ve been took…. We hold these truths to be self evident ,that all men are created equal ,and endowed by the creator ,with certain inalienable rights.
    When this rights have been destroyed,over long period of time,it is your duty to destroy,or abolish that government!”

    Put differently,Kamla and her self aggrandizing,corrupt,politically clueless ,cabal manipulated,PP goons ,,must go.
    It’s about darn time,someone else ,get into that political door.
    Sing Brother Billy Paul.
    Where you at,Dr Keith Rowley,aka De PM,in waiting?
    Yeah we know,putting dem symbolic ducks in order.
    Go gem big fella!

    https://youtu.be/3c-QkSXMl98

    As our Progressive Cyber Editor ,Uncle Shah said ,and I of course ,am paraphrasing -To hell with Causeway to Chaguaramas!
    Let’s together build.one to a.more sustainable economic future.Maybe we can do more than give Kamla styled ,lip service to the weak,and unempowere among us.
    How about trying to fashion a society,where political transparency,and equal playing field justice,becomes the norm ?
    Here is an idle thought,that some cynics might deem idealistic-use religion,as a bridge ,and not a wedge ,that separates us.
    Stay vigilant people!

    1. “Barbados,is ‘a cohesive nation of people,’with a common culture,and blessed with visionary leaders,with one common objective.I’m talking about ensuring that ‘The national interest,’remains paramount”—Neal

      Yes Barbados is still a slave nation in comparison to sweet TNT. Their economy is in shambles, unlike TNT economy that is robust and firing on all cylinders. TNT unemployment rate stands at 3.5% a record for any Western nation. Compare that with your beloved Bajan nation. See what they did about 2 years ago in your great homogeneous nation.
      While TNT under the PP has not laid off workers, Barbados did the opposite As a result, 3 000 public servants, both from central government and statutory corporations will be going home next year in two tranches.
      “Cabinet has also agreed to support following additional measures:

      A 10 per cent cut in the salaries of all Ministers, Government MPs, Parlia-mentary Secretaries, Per-sonal Assistants, and other persons designated as “political appointees” in the employ of the government.

      A 50 per cent cut in the external travel budgets of all ministries, and statutory boards.

      A freeze on all non-statutory discretionary waivers unrelated to the earning and/or direct saving of foreign exchange for the next three years. It is projected that this measure could save the government at least 100 million dollars over the period.”
      Yes u may think Barbados is the jewel of the Caribbean but your ignorant PNM brains is failing you.

      1. Someone once wisely stated ,that ‘statistics are like a woman’s bikini ,it reveals a lot,but conceals that which is vital,’and were spot on.
        Who do you believe folks ,your very eyes ,or the stupid ,over de top bragging of this braying cyber donkey ,and worst yet , quasi educated PP fanatic,with his fangs,firmly fixated, in de rear end of his Siparia Queen, Kamla?
        Hey Mamboo,come on mi country hating piasano.Just stop it with this Andy Johnson orchestrated, PP talking points ,ummmm,regurgitation of bogus statistics ,aimed at trying to justify citizens votes ,for that political lightweight Kamla.
        No one is falling into that UNC trap again,and you don’t need to convince me,as I won’t vote for her ,even if she paid me a 5 million bucks.
        Seriously though, if what you are saying about resource depraved,Slave holding Barbados is true,then pray explain why de hell aren’t we seeing Bajans, running to make T&T their home ,like your Guyanese cousins ,are seeking to do here in T&T,as well as said Barbados-on a daily basis?
        Watch folks ,as this hit and run salipainter ,disappear into the sunset,and throw his rocks ,at some poor cyber creature .
        Yep, the dumb cowards ,always do,and this Mayaro ,theologian drunkard,is a.leader of the wolf pack.
        Please someone explain to him ,that his mismanaged ,underachieving,resource laden country ,is the richest in the entire ,English speaking region,and we are quite the laughing stock of the world and have no one to thank for that ,than Kamla ,and her corrupt minions ,in and out of government.
        My Tobago ,is the most backward ,and neglected island in the Caribbean ,based on our vast resources,and worst yet,the huge sums ,that was historically spent ,by previous regimes,and especially the present one ,during the past five years -to keep members of your fellow ,Brown Triumphalist tribe happy.
        These greedy ,ungrateful ,selfish,country hating leeches!
        This too shall end,and why you ask? I’ll tell you!
        De Guyanarization of T&T ,must never be allowed to take place !
        No sariiii!
        It’s one term,and back to de political wilderness,for these undemocratic clowns-where they belong.
        I love this land, Y tu?
        Long live the Republic of Tobag….ummm….lo siento,T&T!

        1. “Please someone explain to him ,that his mismanaged ,underachieving,resource laden country ,is the richest in the entire ,English speaking region,and we are quite the laughing stock of the world and have no one to thank for that ,than Kamla ,and her corrupt minions ,in and out of government.”

          I think the real laughing stock is your papa Dr Rowley. Did yuh mamma told you wha happen? I suppose she didn’t just ask Aunty Vernella she knows. But seriously Trinidad has move beyond your propaganda and fountains of misinformation. The Queen of Caribbean was not laugh on when the President of China came to TNT, the first time a Chinese President came to meet the Queen, the American Vice President came to meet the Queen. She went to Canada and was given a State welcome first ever in the history of TNT. The Queen was the first to speak in Columbia recently. Yes the President of Shell a $70 billion U.S. Company Executive made his first trip to Trinidad to meet the Queen. Her majesty has put TNT on the map as a place to do business no easy achieve.
          While all of that was happening the whiner man was wining on a 17 year old child. Please stop your duatribe and bow to the Queen.

          1. I like your arguments Mamoo. The facts are indisputable but your opposition’s bias is impenetrable, good luck.

          2. ” Yes the President of Shell a $70 billion U.S. Company Executive made his first trip to Trinidad to meet the Queen. Her majesty has put TNT on the map as a place to do business no easy achieve.” – This is classic pagan ritual. She got elected as prime minister, now she and her tribe feels that we all should worship her. She boasts, nobody tells her when to call the election, the last time a prime minister called an ‘early’ election he lost! Hey Kamla! I’ve got news for you! Whenever you call the election – You loose. There is something called the Constitution. Not your constitution, or one that you might get Balgobin and Seeteram and Wade Mark and idiots like that to put their name to then call it a constitution, I am speaking about THE Constitution. Please do not put God out of your thoughts and feel that your mandate goes beyond five years. May 24 is that day of reckoning and I hope to God that YOU show some respect for the Constitution. The next thing we might be asked to do is sing “God Save Kamla”
            Is this what cyber is all about? Is this what governance is about? Is this what we are being asked to have respect for? Is this what we are being asked to vote for? Does this show any inkling of nation building? Is this about re-electing the most unqualified prime minister in all of history? If the answer is “yes” to all of the above, then it is quite evident why we are so damn backward. It is obvious that those who support this government feel that the only thing that matters is M-O-N-E-Y. Caliber does not matter. Commonsense does not matter. Standing in terms of quality does not matter. Ability to hold one’s own in the international sphere of things does not matter. Influence does not matter. I am appalled at the idiocy that passes for governance. The spin doctors feel that their only winning strategy is to say the most negative and idiotic things about Dr. Rowley and that gives them the edge. Sometimes it feels like we are all in a world of madness and everything that goes on id guided with a figure in the shape of a human, colored in red, with two horns and the evil symbol in the right hand, looking down on us and leading us ALL in the pit, blazing with red hot fire and brimstone! Who are we being led by? the Queen from Siparia. People get out of that road to hell while we still have time, the devil want souls and M-O-N-E-Y is the incentive and inducement, you follow to your own demise. Great men and women do things unselfishly. When those with the power to elevate others use only the power of M-O-N-E-Y, not love, not caring, not fairness, not inclusiveness, not morality, not ethical behavior, not principle to achieve material things, then we know that we are in bad shape. Martin Luther King once said “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”. While the Constitution gives Kamla and company the comfort and convenience of today, it would be interesting to see what happens when the challenge and controversy occur.

        2. You sound like a lost donkey chewing on slated politics and looking for an arse to bite. You have serious mental health issue as you try to juxtapose your banal argument. If you don’t like saris…but prefer bikinis…go to Nigeria or one of those corrupt dictatorship…where your bias ideology will be welcomed…Trinidad belongs to all of us. Your fear is fear of life and the unknown. Too bad your granny did not teach you world politics. You and your party are still studying the behavior of chimps while trying to figure out how to lead the PNM. Human research is available..

          1. Aye Tanty Bean I like your satire. He may not understand you though…He is intellectually bankrupt…Keep posting.

        3. De Guyanarization of T&T ,must never be allowed to take place !
          No sariiii!
          It’s one term,and back to de political wilderness,for these undemocratic clowns-where they belong.
          I love this land, Y tu?
          Long live the Republic of Tobag….ummm….lo siento,T&T!

          Gospel my friend, Gospel. I have been pointing this out for some time now. Guyana is the model they wish to impose on T&T, for it is the one Geographical location where the ethnic triumphalist, due to the boot licking and apathetic somnolence of our African Brothers and sisters in that burg, have managed to convert into their own little India, complete with all of the caste specifications they have brought to the scheme.

          The Bajans and others have long taken note of the behaviors in Guyana, and keenly using this awareness to prevent any replication of it in their little idyllic island communities. They will not allow these aspiring Aryan slave master successors to assume a role they feel is ready made for them. And black people need to wake up and understand that if we thought the white man racist, well, they learned from the from the template of the first society where humans were stratified based on how the looked. David Duke once said that never understood the concept of racial supremacy until he visited India. He felt that he shared something very important with the people whose views and thinking about race paralleled his

    2. Neal, you have a real keen sense of people who disguise themselves. Whether it is Indira, Indera or Calibou1. You know your targets and how they operate. They are some real cuties! aren’t they?

      1. “….the real laughing stock is your papa Dr Rowley. Did yuh mamma told you wha happen? I suppose she didn’t just ask Aunty Vernella.”
        Mamboo
        Put down the Babash,and Vat 19 Mamboo,for the only conclusion,I can now come to ,is that you are obviously suffering of sclerosis of the brain -if such an ailment exist.
        Pray tell me ,good fellow,what de hell ,you are blabbering about here?
        Let me put a few scenarios on de table,and if you are smart enough,you’ll tell me ,what possible crimes were committed,if any.
        1.A 20 year old Keith Rowley ,had unprotected sex ,with a feisty, 18 year old chick,thus producing a male child ,45 years ago.
        That child ,and his mom ,eventually went to live in Canada-not like numerous, scheming,fake Trini refugees- which can best describe , most of your country hating cousins ,who followed Basdeo Panday ,in 1986,instructions,as he sort to undermine his PM ,ANR Robinson’s government.
        2. Indo-Neo tribal -Anti genocidal head guru,Dr Goopiesing ,had a male child ,perhaps over the same time period,with some unfortunate female.
        This child was abandoned ,and grew up with mucho hate ,and anger at the world.
        One day ,as the fat bastard ,was feasting on an unhealthy doubles,a fellow citizen,politely asked him, to turn off the engine of his car,since he could not stand the fumes .
        He in turn ,in like manner ,to a Beetham,or John ,John bandit,ran to the trunk of his car ,grabbed a cutlass,and proceeded to beat said man ,to submission.
        Within the time ,it would take you Mamboo,Kamla,and her equally alcoholic mentor,Papa Baz ,to finish a bottle of Old Oak Rum,this young son ,was placed on a secret flight ,to some European fiefdom ,so as to elude charges,and punishment -all as a favor ,to his proud,influential, Government minister papa.
        3.Pundit UNC MP -Sharma,likewise had an outside kid ,with a woman, somewhere in T&T,but like many men of his generation,refused to support said kid.
        Prior to that situation however,he also started an illicit affair ,with an ambitious, poxy face ,Bollywood wannabe Chick,with nothing to her name-but …ummmm,…..her unmentionable assets.
        Somewhere around 2010,and yes, within the time ,it would take for Antie Kamla ,to find her favorite toilet,in that 15 room mansion of hers,this chick got a high end ,wink /wink,government business contract,and eventually walked off like a bandit.
        Not surprising,the stupid ,gullible members of our Trini 4th Estate ,and dem typical cyber yapping clowns ,choose to buy the bogus ,’rags to riches,/hard working,industrious gal story,’and so sang her praise,as someone with high business acumen.
        She in turn ,felt it was time for her to up de ante ,as it were ,and purchase ,either de Grand Bazaar,or Trincity Mall,and so picked a fight ,with her much older male lover ,who in turn ,almost murdered her ,in the full view of his baby mama,accompanied by his young illegitimate kid,and public at large.
        To date no charges were laid ,and all the females Involved in this public spectacle,have been silenced-either by treats to their person,or perhaps lucrative financial incentives,for such is the ways of ‘de tribe.’
        There you have it Mamboo.Get to work,and prove to me ,you ain’t some lame brain ,mental degenerate .
        Three cases ,all of a sexual nature.Tell us which behaviors,are of a criminal nature?
        Don’t worry folks ,this is the last we’ll here from this coward, on the subject of sexual impropriety.
        Since most of you are much smarter/more honest, than this UNC fanatic,you can come up with the correct answers,to my brain teaser.

        Poor creature,probably believe,that when I used the sobriquet ‘Queen,’to describe his clueless,delusional leader ,that was meant to be some form of compliment.
        Well,…..what can one expect,from a simi literate bozo, ,who only visited school,during August vacation period,due to the fact that he had to help put food on the table ,to assist the 28 member family,forced to live in a 1 bedroom bungalow,in dirt poor Mayaro?
        They must be paying him much ,for him to have his fangs ,so firmly fixated ,on his Auntie Kamla posterior,ain’t it?
        Highlighted a million plus ,so called achievements of his Queen ,but conveniently forgot to add ,that she was the first Hindustani female PM ,to visit ancestral India ,and bowed down on her knees ,and kiss the feet of another human being.
        Talk about a revolting,pathetic ,embarrassing spectacle-unprecedented in the entire annals of Queen Liz Commonwealth!

        http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/-Watch-dog-group-disappointed-Kamla-goes-back-on-her-pledge-301500071.html

        If as claimed ,her Madjesstrick Queen Karma,has done so well,and is so adored,then explain why she is so hesitant to call the elections,so that her voting subjects, can show their love?
        What’s her claim to fame people ,that in actuality ,make her stand out as perhaps the worst PM in the history of T&T,and perhaps the English speaking Caribbean?
        1.Our entire financial institutions, are in shambles /disarray,including our Central bank. Business blokes ,cannot conduct important business transactions,since we are constantly running out of US dollars ,and other foreign exchanges.
        Insider trading ,and financial shenanigans involving Howai ,the First citizens White color bandit,turned glorified Finance Minister.
        Attempting to now muzzle our Credit Unions ,after what one of their most ardent supporters Harie Harinarine ,did chiefly ,to poor Caroni Limited pensioners, savings at the HCU.
        Would authentic, global conglomerates, line up to conduct business in our T&T ,just yet,with Uncle Howai,and company track record?

        http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/HOWAI–PRESENT-301500651.html

        2.Muck up our health care system.
        Dr Goopiesing ,eat ah food ,incompetent students at work,thus making a truism to de saying that the chicken has come home to roost. Still forcing females patients, to undergo expensive C sections,and murdering them in the process.
        Encouraging poor people to avoid state run hospitals,and so instead,visit
        their private clinics,often at exorbitant cost.

        3. Contributed to the ghastly crime scenario ,in T&T.
        What do you know-Four Minister of National Security,three of which were useless military bums,and one a global ,financial crook.
        Micromanagement of law enforcement institutions,after repeated purges,and saturation ,with incompetent/unqualified, tribal minions.
        The results being, that ILLICIT Drugs,are now a staple product, in our trans shipment (positioned)country,as turf war shootings becomes the norm ,all because these corrupt, political clowns, reneged on a deal to provide proper border patrol ships .
        It should be noted,that the UNC business cronies are having a laugh,since they are left untouched by scared law enforcement officials.
        Did anyone charge that business goon, who during the unconstitutional curfew, claimed that the containers laden with chickens, were his ,but not the millions dollars worth of drugs?
        Tell you what folks,for anyone to think ,that the Chinese motives for engagement with a resource laden country like ours ,are noble ,must be ultra naive ,or a fool.

        Hey Mamboo,your PM studied law,and so can talk up a storm,while saying nada. It’s a UWI Hugh Wooding thing.
        You ,learned how to take a drink in front of a crowd ,without flinching.
        I studied History,Sociology,Politics,and International Relations,plus worked for decades ,in dem grand corridors of power,where I was able to observe ,up close ,the machinations of power brokers ,of competing hegemonic forces,as they played the likes of a Kamla ,and similar others ,from the Global South,like a violin.
        Keep reading,and you, and kind ,might learn something.
        Hey Kian ,mi amigo,you are correct,I have this uncanny gift ,to be able to smell frauds like Caribou1 ,Inderia Indrani Ghandhi,Trini Rawoils,and company,a mile off.
        The first thing they attempt to do ,is ingratiate themselves with you,then when you subtly rebuff dem ,then hit them a sledgehammer,in de you know what,when they get out of hand ,they resort quickly to ugly tribal antics.

        Ahhhhhh…’The University of St James,’ Kian,and no ,it wasn’t Kamla ,new ,water down Service,where she pushed through, 200,000 plus ,simi criminal SRPs-most of dem,kids of cronies.
        Back then SRPs ,were hired as drivers,and station guards,but today…..?
        Do me a favor Kian,and tell this new cyber clown ,Tanty Bean ,dat while he and most of de tribe ,was busy, wasting time learning Urdu,Punjabi,Bengali,Nepalese,and Hindi,I was already dabbling with the finer intricacies of politics.
        Ain’t life beautiful folks? ‘Me think so.’
        Luv Humanity people!

      2. Over the last several weeks I have been following this blog to get a sense of how the nationals feel about their government. I personally am not a fan of either the PNM or the PP combination. Both are corrupt, both have done good as well as bad. However, most or all of the respondents have taken sides and possibly due to racial pride or other factors which I am ok with. But to agree with someone’s point of view here or to identify with a particular party appears to be taken as “We and Them” by some. Mamoo, whether you like his position or disagree with him, he enunciates or shares his party’s achievements by listing them. I have done some random fact checking of what he detailed and they turned out to be correct. Therefore, if I agree with him on the facts and you don’t then there is an inherent bias in your position. And again you are proving it is impenetrable. Kian, don’t peddle off yourself as an intellectual and impartial observer if your DNA is no different from the historical sleaze that have run this country from the inception to now.

  5. Take a read again Shah. They want this one buried and they want the world like IMF to sell the world that we cannot manage our own affairs while this government bleeds PETROTRIN with huge monies from the company pocketed with no service returned. HOW MANY YEARS YOU THINK THIS WAS GOING ON. Our juland was a scholar who helped himself BIG TIME and do not forget ME AND MR JONES.

    Like the CAUSEWAY Shah take another read. They want this buried.

    The Jeff Clark connection
    Story Created: Apr 25, 2015 at 9:54 PM ECT
    Story Updated: Apr 25, 2015 at 9:54 PM ECT
    It was sold as a new rush of oil prospecting in South-West Soldado, a decade-old dream of dizzying black gold that would reduce Petrotrin’sreliance on imported crude and inject some much-needed cash into the State energy giant’s balance sheet.
    Instead, there were false starts to the much-ballyhooed SW Soldado development project; a failed shipyard expedition to the United States, insider information provided to a Houston start-up and a small Mexican firm, and the theft of US$750,000 (TT$4.794 million) in public funds.
    Camini Marajh, Head, Express Investigative Desk, delves into Petrotrin’s troubled and increasingly expensive bid to reactivate the SW Soldado field and the rich deals that have benefited a few individuals. This is the eighth in a series of articles.

    Questions remain over the circumstances in which an ille¬gal advanced payment was made to the company’s Mexi¬can contractor, Maritima de Ecologia SA de CV, also known as Marecsa, and the facilitating role played by American expat Jeff Clark, for all of the parties connected to the Soldado affair.
    Among them: why did Petrotrin make a payment ahead of time, in violation of its own contract agreement? Why was the board not told? Why did the company accept an almost US$2 million performance bond from an underwriter that did not meet the minimum investment rating requirements? Where did Dexter Daniel get the authority to negotiate and decide on a variation of the contract terms? Why is there no documented evidence of this material variation or agreement to prepay?
    Also, why was it necessary for Petrotrin to seek legal sanction on an internal request for payment document? And having secured legal input, why did the company then fail to follow the advice of its internal lawyers and vary the terms of the contract to reflect the reported changes to the agreement? Why was a copy of the contract not included in the Daniel memorandum, seeking approval for payment of an upfront commissioning fee? And what about the contention of the VP Finance that she signed under a false premise?
    Also still unclear are: who are the beneficial owners of the private bank accounts? Are the accounts still active? Where did the money go? Who are the un-named Petrotrin contacts who used general man-of-business Clark as a conduit for the repayment instructions and subsequent money transfer? Where did Clark get the authority to request and direct repayment to non-Petrotrin bank accounts?
    What was it about the Clark repayment instruction that caused Maritima’s top executive Gabriel Delgado to transfer US$750K to two Port of Spain bank accounts shortly after receipt of the money, at a time when he was floundering financially and unable to make even the lease payments on the barge? What made him believe Clark’s story that Petrotrin wanted its money back when the oil company had just paid what its lawyers insist was an agreed-to mobilisation
    fee? What exactly was mobilised?
    What was his understanding of the arrangements that made him transfer the remaining Petrotrin funds without a single question posed to Clark and the oil company? Was he as naïve about the repayment instructions as he has let on? And if we believe his version of events, why did he transfer the money to non-Petrotrin bank accounts?
    Also, if this was at all or in any way connected to a legitimate business transaction, why was one set of the money remitted into Clark’s separate company account, Sterling Marine Ltd (SML), and not the locally incorporated Maritima Trinidad business unit? Was the US$100K paid directly into Clark’s SML account payment for services rendered?
    Delgado has not answered the basis of that transfer to any degree of satisfaction and has provided the stock response: “Funds were returned as per the bank accounts indicated” and “we did not question”.
    His refusal to be forthright on the issue of the prepayment and subsequent transfer of funds from Houston to Port of Spain or to identify the party who put him on to the lucrative oil production deal provides an insight into how the parties operated. Petrotrin has refused to provide a proper account for the failed Soldado contract and has instead demanded that we name our sources on this investigative series.
    The oil company has also refuted claims made by its Mexican contractor and naval architect, Delgado, that the American expat who lived in a leased Diego Martin townhouse for several years acted in an unofficial capacity for unnamed individuals inside of the State-run company and has publicly asserted it had “absolutely no dealings” with Jeff Clark.
    Continuing Sunday Express investigations have however revealed the State energy giant has been less than honest with the public on this matter. Petrotrin’s own official documents show Clark was well-known to persons inside of the State-run oil company. He was directly involved in arranging the performance bond and expediting payment of the upfront commissioning fee of US$1.25 million to Delgado.
    The evidence trail show nine days after SW Soldado projects man¬ager Dexter Daniel secured payment approval from the vice-president Finance and E&P (exploration and production), Clark provided Petrotrin with a written testimonial to the invoice accuracy of a copy of the original Maritima-submitted invoice, dated March 26, 2012.
    The handwritten note, signed by Clark on the top, right-hand corner of the single-page document on August 24, 2012, stated: “I certify this is a true and certified copy of the original.” Petrotrin insiders report the Clark-certified invoice was walked through the system and entered— as evidenced by the date stamp on the document—into the company’s computerised SAP financial system the same day, a Friday.
    On August 29, 2010, three days into the working week, the so-called mobilisation money was wire-transferred through intermediary bank Citibank to Delgado’s Membersource Credit Union account in
    Houston, less US$187,500 in withholding tax.
    The invoice document, like all the other related Petrotrin payment documents on this matter, speaks to a “commissioning fee” and not “an advanced commissioning” or “mobilisation fee” as Petrotrin has said. The invoice document actually describes the payment as part of the agreed-to tender contract and cites the refe¬renced contract term 2.1, which specifically talks about a single lump sum payment “when the contractor has completed commissioning and test run and Petrotrin has certified the facility for the commencement of services”.
    Petrotrin has publicly maintained it approved and paid a negotiated mobilisation fee of US$1.25 milli¬on to Delgado’s privately owned marine company but failed to disclose the approved award did not include prepayment of any fee, mobilisation, commissioning or otherwise. It also failed to disclose the approved contract award did not have a mobilisation fee but a commissioning fee, which, according to the contract, was only payable after the Maritima-contracted production facility was in Trinidad and certified fit for service.
    Also, as reported previously, the company ignores the fact that mobilisation and commissioning are two distinct, non-synonymous activities. The State oil company has also failed to respond to a published June 8, 2012, e-mail which identified Clark as an involved party in an internal company e-mail on expediting payment of the upfront fee to Delgado.
    By Delgado’s own account, albeit a limited one, Clark was “a broker in the middle of everybody”, representing myriad interests associated with the Soldado contract, including Petrotrin, the broker on the contract Comprehensive Insurance Brokers Ltd (CIBL) and lastly, as the local agent of his own Mexican incorporated company.
    Delgado said he was approached by Clark after he won the Soldado contract with an offer to secure the requisite insurance needed to satisfy the terms of the just-landed Petrotrin contract. He said Clark told him he was associated with a Port of Spain brokerage house later identified as the Neil Gosine-run CIBL. According to Delgado, “Clark was the person with the contacts in Trinidad. He was talking on behalf of individuals inside of Petrotrin. He took me to CIBL.”
    Delgado’s version of events suggests that the parties knew each other before he won the contract but he declined to call names. “We did not question,” he said to repeated questions from this reporter about the identity of the key players involved. “That was never disclosed or asked,” he said, making clear he asked no questions and received no answers about the parties involved or anything unrelated to the specific contract agreement signed with Petrotrin.
    Yet, he was an integral part to the illegal prepayment and subsequent repayment of two sets of Petrotrin money to private bank accounts in Trinidad, one identified as Clark’s and the other an unnamed account using Clark’s temporary business address at 9-11 Fitt Street, Woodbrook.
    For someone who knows a lot about what went on behind the scenes and who the beneficiaries of the private bank accounts are, Delgado is saying very little on the matter.

    —continues next Sunday

  6. Shah in Petrotrin, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH REVENUE OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS WAS PAID IN DEBT SERVICING or GIVE ME A PERCENTAGE OF INCOME EARNED?

  7. Shah “Causeway is a LOSS CAUSE”. This rings with me in every which way. I remember a tune by SHADOW in the days I would go to every tent in town. I remember in a tune SHADOW referred to “DEM BOYS JAIL”. His tent was opposite the jail on Frederick Street in PoS. And I said to myself ever since especially as an engineer (salary capped by PM Manning for fear of high inflationary tends hitting the country – BS of course) when I had to work over 3000 hrs per year to make ends meet and then I had to be medically boarded (NO NIS INJURY BENEFIT GIVEN) as they say…..anyway I said to myself we are all jailbirds (slaves) in this country. All these companies where senior managers and up serve themselves huge salaries and we got peanuts even peanuts with endless overtime. This country is really DEM BOYS JAIL. I left Shah for I no longer wanted to do jail time but I hope that one day GOD will smile my way and allow me to enjoy heaven in T&T again just like in my boy days there before I die like my father did. Yes I AM GUILTY OF LIVING IN MY PAST, even though the WHITES never did bother me then. Shah you remember KIRPIRLANI how he died and how much he used to pay certain managers in his company …persons who sat on their arse whole day and did nothing just as we seeing today from this government. They sure have fun in our Parliament…kicksing in Parliament. Shah do you know how many BILLS (or BILGES) were brought before Parliament and what did we benefit from these?

  8. Shah you were wrong as IT WAS NEVER WE MONEY. It is ALL THEIRS, we are just the pawns in the system …there to serve them and them ONLY.

  9. But back to the Causeway as a loss, let us go deep into our history with a quote from Eric Williams our first Prime Minister… quote It is the story of the misrule of metropolitan bureaucracy and the indifference of metropolitan scholarship. Trinidad and Tobago attracted metropolitan attention only in periods of riot and disorder (1903 and 1937), only when the discovery of oil made it an object of interest to the British Navy and British capitalism, only when its in- valuable natural harbour, Chaguaramas, made it a useful pawn to be
    traded by Britain against American aid in the Second World War -1940s, unquote. This was when the first rape of Chaguaramus took place. And again from the historian, quote To metropolitan officialdom and the metropolitan press, Trinidad and Tobago emerged, after the revelations of the bankruptcy of
    colonialism by the Royal Commission of 1938, merely as a colony
    with a higher national income than its neighbours which, by imperialist criteria, did not need the economic aid provided under Development and Welfare by the United Kingdom. unquote. Yes we were robbed of aid even after giving up the best part of Trinidad …..but we came out of it as in 1960 supposed the agreement with the USA quote A warehouse harbour in Chaguaramas -Chaguaramas lies in the North West Peninsula of Trinidad west of Port of Spain; the name is often applied to the entire peninsula, but is sometimes used to refer to THE MOST DEVELOPED AREA. The entire peninsula was leased to the United States in 1940 for the construction of a naval base under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement. The base was also used during the early 1960s as a BMEWS early warning radar site, as well as serving as a missile tracking site on the U.S. Air Force Eastern Test Range. The base was scaled back in 1956 and the area was returned to Trinidad and Tobago control in 1963. BMEWS for their security purposes – wow, nothing in it for us the plebs. [1] Chaguaramas was the location slated for the construction of the capital of the short-lived West Indies Federation. It is also the place where the Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed, establishing Caricom, the Caribbean Community and Common Market, in 1973. The Chaguaramas Peninsula supports one of the few remaining areas of dry forest in western Trinidad. It has been the center of yachting activity in Trinidad. The Chaguaramas area also contains some dockside facilities, mostly for the transfer of bauxite ore between ship and shore, or from smaller boats to ocean-going vessels. The function of such docks is easily recognizable as the docks and buildings are colored pink from the bauxite dust. The waterways in this area are considered excellent by divers and fishermen.unquote. To the present day there was a lot of local development but by WHO. And as for further note quote “Tobago, also sighted by Columbus in 1498, did not have any permanent European settlement until the 15th century. Its development as a sugar colony began when it was ceded to Britain in 1763 and continued throughout the period from 1763 to 1814, during which time Tobago changed hands between Britain and France several times.” unquote. And more so quote French Settlers – In an attempt to strengthen their control in Trinidad, the Spanish King issued the Cedula of Population of 1783, which incentivized citizens of any ally nation to settle in Trinidad, as long as they were Roman Catholic. The Cedula attracted mainly French settlers: planters with their slaves, and ‘Free Coloureds’ and ‘Mulattos’ from the neighbouring islands of Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica began migrating to Trinidad. The French Revolution further accelerated this exodus and these new immigrants established the local communities of Blanchisseuse, Champs Fleurs, Cascade, Carenage and Laventille. This mass migration resulted in Trinidad and Tobago having the unique feature of a large French-speaking ‘Free Coloured’ slave-owning class. By the later 1790s, Trinidad’s white upper class consisted mainly of French Creoles. The French influence began to dominate the island and French patois, a blend of French and Twi or Yourba words, became the island’s primary language. The French also left the population with a large enthusiasm for the Catholic tradition of Carnival.unquote. Fact Chaguaramus was taken away from us by foreigners. Fact the Afro trini were brought here mainly by french influences, noting the places they inhabited in North Trinidad in the beginning. Fact – no one knows who owns the area in those days particularly from Cocorite to Chaguaramus but we know who resided there – peasants were Afro French and their supposed leaders/owners of the land were French Creoles who did not and still cannot control their sexual pleasures – hence the land and the people were raped and used as forced labour. Fact – Now comes talk about Causeway and who is in the lead position further development there – an Indo-Trini Leader, foreign to the residents of this land whose people just shutdown Caroni and who now wants to rape and further institute their control over this land and its people – do they have excellent entrepreneurial skills for this? No I do not think so. But perhaps we must answer two other related issues (1) Is the treaty of Chaguaramus with the USA completed, over and done with and do we now own our own country to be allowed to build ANY causeway? (2) Bhoe has leased out the lands there, to who and when and does this man whose son is big in COP has any legal right to do what he is doing? Perhaps COP voters need to ask his son what are his father’s intentions. I am sure the father will be totally mum on anything to do with this Causeway project. And again from what plan of theirs they can say it will cost $X Billion and in Y years we will have a Causeway – do we not deserve to know before we stain our fingers. And what really is the plan of development for Chaguaramus – must have a return on Investment and for WHO. Nobody especially the UNC who loves money will not want something big in their pockets. They do not love the poor scrunting residents of Carenage at all. The “what niggers?……” their fellow UNC supporter said. Yes what does the people with our deep French and African roots who reside there gets? Or is this just another distraction from other things like PETROTRIN corruption which is happening NOW as we write. WE NEED TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY NOW for WE NEED TO GET THEM OUT OF GOVERNMENT NOW.

  10. Shah perhaps you can write a piece on “THE CONTINUED ASSASSINATION OF THE CHARACTER OF DR. ROWLEY”. I need more information on what is behind this plot. I believe the Causway is a distraction while they plot to take Dr. Rowley totally out of the running before election day. i smell a rat with them. Do not underestimate their Indo lawyers and Judges? Perhaps the Caueway was put on the table to distract us from PETROTRIN, GROSS REVENUES 2010-2015, LEGAL BILLS, the highway contracts, NGC expenditure and PHEONIX PARK ISSUES, HDC HOUSES, even what they accomplished in their years in office etc. Plenty monies changed hands between 2010 and now. Plenty persons in government were fired for WHAT REASONS, we need to know. Remember we put them in power because of corruption by PM Manning. We seem to be in the same position as 2015 with corruption issues. Only the lawyers and judges and companies like SIS are making a killing off ah we. Perhaps with the Causeway project they are playing up to French Creole and Syrian votes. As Crazy said In time to come……

  11. All ah we thief was what Carty said many years ago in the 80s; over 30 years ago. Why does this, Carty words, keep ringing in my ears since 2010?

  12. This Jerry Lewis Hussain guy keeps providing us with off-target verbosity…annoying, almost as if there is nothing to do in the retirement home.

      1. Retirement is a problem for you. It sure takes one to know one. But more importantly I wonder if you have any respect for your mother or father.

  13. Well,I’ll be ..dar..,and dem fellow cybanetic boys of ours ,in T-man,and Mamboo,are driving hard,on dis here Information Highway ,hmmmmmn?
    Just hope Cuz Kian,and Bro J.( L.)CH have on their bullet proof vests.
    Hey Tman,if you guys keep this up,we just might add ,more bodies ,to the murder rate ,si?

    Seriously folks ,it’s a beautiful day in T&T,ain’t that de case?
    Just opened my browser today,and there it was, a leading headline,stating that our T&T ,is home to the happiest people in de Caribbean,and when it comes to the other 194 nations,we rank what , 41st?
    To hell with deaths,ugly gore ,pain,daily traffic pile ups,divergent politics,falling oil prices,tenuous health ,suffering by the poor /weak ,and desperate ,for a bit.
    This is something worth celebrating,’me think.’

    http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/-UN-ranks-TT–as-happiest–Cbean-nation-301640011.html

    The people of our blessed country -as a collective-are good people-and one can add,in all honesty-so are most of our leaders.
    Most are pretty sophisticated,and knows fully well,that we have a little,unpolished gem here ,that’s worth preserving.
    The challenges we face daily,might often times, appear insurmountable,but when compared with what those folks on the wider global front are grappling with? Well,…you get the picture.
    There is work to be done,for sure ,and perhaps a greater sense of urgency is needed,by those with the means to make a difference.
    To the uninitiated,the sparing,and or sometimes slightly harsh ,cyber jousting ,a few of us across Trini Center Nation ,engage in,might appear ..a bit blunt,and even counterproductive,but closer observations would show, that those who choose to remain engage-really care.
    Translation:-there is a.method to our( seeming)madness-as we like to say on the streets.
    Give it time ,and we’ll find a way ,to get it right.
    Hopefully ,this won’t take 4 to 500 years ,like those big boys /gals ,that constitute the more industrial Global North.
    Hey ,no one said Nation building ,was gonna be an easy ,proposition,did they?
    Hang in there T&T!
    Ahhhhhh,this sure feels good!
    Today,with no prompting,yours truly,went out of his way, to indulge in 3 ‘random acts of kindness.’
    I admonished the first person,I extended same to,that she should continue the trend. She rolled her eyes ,and said she would.
    I was happy to see that the second ,,did likewise to another ,within 30 seconds of receiving.
    Ain’t know ,what,or where I am going with this new found Neal, via this here blog ,…..but nevertheless…!
    Love Humanity!

  14. I strongly suggest that certain ex-pat bloggers residing in the Disunited States of America refocus their energies on trying to solve the racial and police abuse conflicts where they live in Zoo York and Baltimore etc. instead of waxing daily on Trini topics which they are gleaning from the Trini national rags.Close your browsers because you are using the worst possible source for accurate information, that is the Express.

  15. Go easy on de United States Tman.
    You never know ,when you-or more so-desperate members of de tribe ,who suddenly could find themselves without a home /country, may need them again,hmmmm?
    Remember,just a few moons ago,many were hiding in plane fuselage,and under toilet seats ,in efforts to escape T&T?
    Hope you bums are aware ,as to what is the reality re political appointees,when a government changes hand ,under our Westminster system,si?
    It also mean ,those old, geezers cousins of yours, who, courtesy Kamla/Winston fat cat Dookie ,are stinking up de joint ,at our various foreign embassies (selling passports /birth papers to illegals) got to come back home ,and plant bygan ,sweet peppers,and cucumbers ,to augment their pensions.
    Talk about an embarrassing political creature ,this Dookeran fellow.To think ,that a few progressive nationals thought he could have evolved into a viable candidate ,for the top job ,as PM.
    To see what he,and his COP party ,has been relegated to,is pathetic,and almost criminal.
    Yeah Dookie,glad to know ,you and Tman ,think it’s newsworthy,two Trinis were found, eating buss up shut,and curry cat fish ,in de Nepal ,post earthquake rubble.
    Wake us up,when you are ready instead,to make a coherent statement on China ,re their dehumanizing treatment of Tibetan Buddhist, or Uighurs Muslims, in their country.
    That is ,if you can find the time, to put down ,the bowl of oily dog/almost extinct tiger testicles,you are slurping on.
    As to the more serious issue at hand,meddling ,domestic/foreign based expats?
    Ain’t know ,or even care really, who my country hating amigo Tman ,was directing his misguided rant to folks,but I’ll take the library of responding for my fellow progressives,by adding the following in ending:-It will be a freezing day in hell-if such truly exist-when I have to become defensive,and or,be apologetic ,about engaging in any discourse,on a legal forum ,involving T&T.
    Too much is at stake.Namely ,ensuring that these socio -economic ,self aggrandizing barbarians,don’t continue to overrun de Trini pearly gate.
    My ancestors came to this land,packed like sardines ,on smelly,uninhabitable ships.Many choose death ,by drowning,while others endured the dehumanizing experience,and eventual trauma,to come here ,then use their souls ,building Mama Europe.
    Yours had a free choice .This included,staying in India ,and remain a dirt poor ,insignificant Untouchable/low caste,or seek fame and fortune in T&T,courtesy Mama Britain.
    Yours were handsomely compensated ,for their efforts,but mine won’t.
    Mine fought for independence, behind visionary Founding Fathers,while yours acquiesced ,to White dominance ,and begged England to continue their rule.
    It should be remembered,that the last White Police Commissioner ,to serve T&T,was Tony May.It took Euro wannabe,tribe member Kamla,as PM,to place a White-Canadian lord ,to overseer our Police,and we know ,what a disaster that was.
    Surprise,surprise,which Trini tribe ,still have a hard on ,for Mama England Privy Council.
    Thankfully this too shall end!
    Yep,’by the hook,or the crook,’as we like to say on the streets.

    Long live the Republic of Tobag..,ooops,lo siento T&T.

  16. Neal, I do not need to second the motion, nor say “Hey, Neal way to go” on your appropriate commentary regarding these newly found “Trinis” who only discovered that they were Trinidadians in 2010.
    They should be grateful to Jack Warner, whose hate for the PNM and to some degree hate for himself, catapulted them into office.
    Jack was so incensed with that hate that he resolved not to help or put anyone liking, resembling or professing to be PNM, be given an opportunity in this government. He was so incensed that he even became a fake hindu. As fate would have it, he was so resoundingly rejected by the pagans he profess to love that he now have to eat all his words towards people like me. A word or two to TMan. I have given Trinidad and Tobago the best of my life and risked that same life defending the democracy that I so resolutely adore, that ten like TMan could not get me to stop loving my country. It is not where I am. It is who I am that counts and I shall forever fight for and defend my country. Those fake Trinis who now occupy the corridors of power feel that they now can pack me on a plane and spend fifteen million dollars so that they can no longer hear my voice are sadly mistaken. I am 100% Trini and will make sure that their new found arrogance will be short lived. We will see to it!

    1. Those “fake” Trinis who occupy the corridors of power are just as patriotic and dedicated to the success of T&T as anyone else, before 2010 and continuing.Those who support the existing government are also no less patriotic than anyone else.
      Implicit in your statement above is that somehow you have some sort of monopoly when it comes to T&T…a monopoly based on culture, patriotism, governance, entitlement,religion, etc….
      Also, if the present government is defeated in the next election, the lives of its supporters will not change in any significant way. The new regime will be welcomed. The new PM will be celebrated and no one will be disenfranchised or suddenly be less Trinidadian.

      1. TMan, somehow I get the impression that you know what real democracy is. When you are objective, you provide a real opportunity for conversation but when you go on a tangent of PR and propanganda its when you lost most rightfully thinking people. I don’t think I have a problem with what you stated above. It is good for democracy when ordinary folks can take interest in what is happening in government. This should not be taken as an acknowledgement of your partisan beliefs but simply an acknowledgement of magnanimity in the fellowship of good citizenry. I’m glad that you feel that way and wish you well.

  17. Winston Dookeran is a true statesman of T&T. A man who controlled the financial coffers of this nation and never took one cent that did not belong to him. That’s facts. He has never took the liberty to ride the excesses of what a government offers to it’s ministers. A man of integrity, honesty and trustworthiness who has done his best in bringing a unified nation whereby diversity and equity would be common place. Club 88 is a good example of this, where he stood up with ANR when NAR was splintering.. For those who deride him should really follow up on the ethics and discipline this man has extolled on all occasions including the current ministry he holds, External Affairs.

Comments are closed.