Exploiting the Privileges of a Minister

By Stephen Kangal
July 13, 2021

Stephen KangalThere at least two matters that I consider to be very frivolous and entirely vexatious in the unwarranted Statement of the AG delivered in the House when it met on Friday 2 July to consider The Finance Bill.

We had our saturation fill on these Bills on Monday to Wednesday last.

Under the guise of Statements by Ministers AG Faris Al- Rawi used this privilege to shamelessly repeat and reiterate the exact contents of his speeches made on both bills on Monday and Wednesday almost verbatim even though that matter was under the exclusive preserve of the adjourned Committees of the Whole and procedurally out of bonds from the floor of the House.

He was doing this repetition with the full approval of the Speaker who harassed Opposition MP’s for this same practice and even unsettled them to the extent that they the young ones lost their train of thought by frequent unnecessary one-sided interruptions from the very biased Chair.

When the Opposition protested at this weird un-parliamentary development and abuse of the time and Standing Orders of the House for naked Bills electioneering purposes by AG Al- Rawi, the Speaker dismissed their concerns in a most disrespectful manner that will have angered and unsettled the most sedate of MP’s.

The Speaker ought to have adjourned the House for 15 minutes for tempers to cool, had an informal chat with the two MP’s one of whom was the ag Chief Whip. She could have also asked Deputy Speaker diplomatically to chair proceedings at resumption.

But no she used a most frivolous reason to expel these two MP’s from the House thus depriving the constituents of San Juan/Barataria and Couva South of continuing representation in the House on what were very low-keyed procedural matters and allowed AG to continue his boring repetitions on the two Bills.

He also proceeded to make a most stupid and dotish accusation that The Leader of the Opposition and Couva South MP had falsified the records of the House that are in fact the exclusive remit and duties of the Hansard recorders. The records of the deliberations of the two Committees of the Whole (Hansard) cannot be falsified by statements issued outside of the proceedings of the House even by MP’s or Ministers.

These are mere allegations or statements alleging the secretive introduction/gutting by new simple majority amendments. They can have no locus standi in the Hansard records of the House and indeed cannot change or falsify anything as foolishly posited by the AG.

Why did he not move a motion of Censure? He fully well knew that he was spewing utter rubbish in our living rooms to deceive and manipulate the faithful 28% base.

This Speaker is without relent subservient and beholden to the Government side. Her politically partisan and her total, unrelenting mis-management and obfuscation of the proceedings of the House do not seem to abate.

It is obstructing the smooth deliberations of the House and the hallowed tenets of our democracy.

The only trouble is that the Opposition is the hapless victims of her biased dictatorship.

There is no hint of a cessation in this increasingly toxic situation in the highest court of this land. Some thing has to give because we cannot proceed along this treacherous route for another four tortuous years.

16 thoughts on “Exploiting the Privileges of a Minister”

  1. The Speaker was a former Minister in the Manning administration. She should not have been chosen as Speaker of the honorable republic because (1) She is too closely align with the government. She being a former government minister. (2) she being a woman one can see her emotional disdain for the Opposition. (3) she allows anything her colleagues want. (4) when the Opposition quotes “standing orders” she threatens them, when Al Rawi and Deyalsingh do the same she sides with them. (5) she is a class act bully. Taking out her anger on the Opposition, she sounds like an angry black woman. (6) she does not understand democracy knowing that the Opposition represents over 300,000 voters. (7) Rowley and Newman George are drinking buddies and Rowley may have slept with her… (8) she should be psychologically evaluated, she seems to be bi-polar.

    The Opposition should walk out every-time she sends an Opposition member out. From Arnold Thomasos to Wade Mark, men who held this office in the highest regard….to this totally bias House Speaker… Democracy is being destroyed.

    1. “she sounds like an angry black woman. ”
      “she does not understand democracy”
      “Rowley may have slept with her…”
      “she should be psychologically evaluated,”
      “she seems to be bi-polar.”
      These are of course statements made by Mamoo towards their favorite target Keith Rowley and the Speaker of the House.
      Not only are these statements puerile, demeaning and insulting, they are also disrespectful towards towards people who are more intelligent, more accomplished, more thoughtful and of course who are more responsible than he is. Those who want and deserve respect MUST first show respect. The hindu tirade against African people, the PNM and African government officials have become untenable at best. They cite the decades old statement by Dr. Eric Williams “Indians are a recalcitrant minority”, the Tobago councilman “the Calcutta ship” as reasons for their embitterment. What is demeaning about facts? It is true that Indians continue to be a “recalcitrant” group in the population. It is FACT that Indians continue to have an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline. The figurative meaning of the term “Calcutta Ship” is a large group of Indian passengers making their way to Tobago. Taken to its logical conclusions, there is nothing insulting to these statements. Compare that to the constant insults meted towards Dr. Rowley and African people such as calling us “monkeys” “unintelligent”, “criminals”, “uneducated”, Dr. Rowley is “incompetent” an “oreo” ,”rapist” etc etc. Those are fighting words and the prolongation of this attitude cannot and will not lead to any meaningful acceptance of each other. If Indians want to be respected, they must extend that same respect to African peoples as well. The continued antagonism is unhealthy and nothing good WILL COME OUT OF IT.

      1. Kian,
        “Hostile and recalcitrant minority” was not aimed at the indian demographic, it was directly aimed at Bhadase Sagan-Maharaj and the DLP….and they KNEW IT!

        “A hostile and recalcitrant minority”
        https://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=5729

        Indian politics practitioners like to throw stones at african trinidadians, and then hide behind the indian masses!

      2. Kian you obviously hate democracy and free thought. Let me make it clear I am not a descendent of a slave. I know how to treat people with respect. The speaker for what I have mentioned does not come across as unbiased. A role that is necessary for democracy to prevail.
        Just go and take a look at the Parliamentary channel and you will understand what I am saying. She is the most “uptuse” person in the house. It has only gotten worst over the years. But she is there with one objective in mind support Rowley at all cost.

        1. Mamoo, democracy for you means you can say and do anything towards someone else, but when the situation is reversed you call it by another name. Read what you write.
          No one versed in the English language will see you as one who is in command of English literature.

  2. The anti-democratic forces appear to be emboldened by the assassination of the Haitian President, Jovenel Moise. There are many who thought Moise was a tool of colonial and elite powers, but whatever we think about him, his assassination was anti-democratic, and it has embolden those who think that they can bypass the process of democratic elections and gain power through the gun, those who prefer the bullet to the ballot. Stephen Kangal writes, “There is no hint of a cessation in this increasingly toxic situation in the highest court of this land. Some thing has to give because we cannot proceed along this treacherous route for another four tortuous years.” After Selwyn Cudjoe’s poignant plea to stop the verbal violence, along comes Kangal trying to incite people to some anti-democratic scampishness, “something has to give because we cannot proceed …for another four tortuous years”. Well I hate to burst your bubble but that is the democratic process, a political party has been given a mandate to govern for a particular period of time and you have to deal with it. You can’t overthrow by coup, violence, assassination or whatever anti-democratic event you imagine. Learn to live with it. And personally the way the obstructionist UNC is functioning in Parliament, with their infantile attempts to bully the Speaker, and their irrelevant and incompetent opposition leader with her history of racism and corruption, Stephen Kangal may have to proceed for far more than four years. At this rate, with the obstructionist UNC and their incompetent leader I see many, many more years in opposition for the UNC. Learn to deal with it.

  3. Birdie,
    Stephen Kangal was deputy high commissioner 1996-2000 in the ministry of foreign affairs….interesting timing and place eh? I am certain he didn’t “exolit the privileges…” After all, Stephen Kangal has the same robust integrity as devant, anand, seweruj, kamla etc.

    1. I was sent there by the GORTT. I did not exploit any privileges but at time entitlements were unilaterally curtailed by Knowsley. such as travel to T&T at the end of three years. The current discussion is exclusively based on “the timing factor” of persistent and widespread poverty in T&T when nationals are under heavy manners to eat and survive. Ostentatious
      and luxury-prone consumption by Government Ministers is the real issue. They must demonstrate a clear willingness to share the burden of austerity measures and not indulge in practices that can telegraph the wrong messages to the now poverty-stricken and new cadre of the dispossessed. They cannot send negative demonstration effects to the besieged and bereft society. That is the only issue that is time-bound and socially determined. It must be burden sharing-empathy and oneness in this guava season .Terms and conditions based on legalisms are irrelevant- conspicuous consumption by the people’s reps must be reigned in or postponed to better times and sunnier days. We must not change the subject of the national outrage mobilised against conspicuous consumption of luxury goods at this time.

      1. There is no “We” Kangal. Neither you, nor kamla and the UNC, have the moral authority to lecture anyone about appropriateness or how NATIONAL discussions should be guided. This is Stephen Monohar Kangal:

        “Have not we and our pitris toiled on the sugar plantations of T&T and were rewarded with starvation wages when others abandoned sugar as a symbol of slavery? What is the reward for this devotion when 9,000 sugar workers are decanted unto the roti line? They are left to fend for themselves. The perpetrators of this most brutal and disgraceful act know that indians will take this lying down and their labour, union and political leaders will not and have not raised a single finger in violent and sustained protest?
        -Stephen Monohar Kangal

        Indian Arrival Day , 2005, Centre point mall
        Function held by CUSTOMS & EXCISE
        Chairman- Punditji Bisram Siewdath
        Acting Comptroller Of Customs & Excise Leonard Watty
        Deputy Comptroller Ayesha Babwah
        Honourable (UNC) Guests Monohar & Amina RAMSARAN

        Stephen Kangal: Indian Arrival Day Speech
        http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/selfnews/viewnews.cgi?newsid1117565346,4234,

        Yeah Kangal… There is no “We”… You keep focusing on your latest UNC propaganda, and i’ll keep focusing on your 2005 speech and especially the part about “… Violent and sustained protest…” and who were the “others” who ” abondoned sugar as a symbol of slavery” ? The portugese? The Chinese? The Irish? Who? I know it can’t be the recently emancipated africans who were FORCED to leave their homes and land by then recently passed ” Squatter Laws”, that FORCED them to flee north in cramped, landless conditions! That speech tells me what Stephen Monohar Kangal’s true passion is… and it isn’t tax exemtions for public officials!

        Kian, Yoruba, bobby and birdie…
        Pay attention to the announced hierarchy of customs at that time and in the audience!

      2. “They must demonstrate a clear willingness to share the burden of austerity measures and not indulge in practices that can telegraph the wrong messages to the now poverty-stricken and new cadre of the dispossessed.” …Kangal
        Every time this man comes on this blog to elucidate, he makes what should be considered simple, sound foolish. There are some established facts that we all should not ignore:
        1. For the past one and a half years life in general has been strangled by the effects of covid19. 2. This virus has destroyed millions of lives, government initiatives, companies, large and small business. 3. It has interfered with our ability to travel and make bold moves. 4. It has crippled economic growth. 5. It has interfered with family and community life as well. 6. Governments has made subsidies available to large and small business alike. Governments have also made amends in the lives of poor people by making welfare commitments. Having said all that, does it mean that those who are well off should live as though they are making use of their last meal? Kangal seems to think that because some people enjoy privilege, they should act as though their lives are plagued by poverty. Let me be clear, his criticism was aimed squarely at the PNM or those who enjoy privileges offered by the government. There is nothing in offering suggesting that Kamla should come down from her palace and eat among us poor people. There is nothing he said that suggests that the rich pundits should come to the poor people of Laventille and make nice with them, His writing specifically means that the PNM should behave like paupers during this period to show that they empathize with the poor. FOOLISH……… This is a man who had the opportunity that very few of us will ever have, employed in the foreign service and seeing life outside of Trinidad and Tobago. He therefore should show a more enlightened view of how catastrophes interfere with normal living. While we should all be empathetic about the misery that cover has brought to living, we still need to lead our lives in a way that is as unobstrusive as can be. I don’t see the lavishness in taking advantage of their privileges as Kangal wants to make of it.

  4. Racial polarization stirred on by errant politicians is doing Trinidad a grave injustice. Reading the posts one sense the insecurities of our black brethren. They are more supportive of party and race rather than the truth. In the process politicians can live above the law and not held to account. Dr. Rowley accuse Andrea Bharrat gatherings for the spread of Covid, knowing full well it was his Easter invitation to free up that caused the explosion. Yet the tribalist felt the need to defend his Misogyny.
    One opinion piece questioned the PM on the luxury car issue and the tribalist rose to his defence. One even accusing the Express of being anti PNM, even though their star reporter Ms. Javed had an affair with former AG Jeremie and after Stewart Young. And is known to write utter garbage defending her PNM fan club. But this is what a newspaper gets for prostituting itself.

    The tribalist scream race at all points in time. They are forever looking at your image and judging you. This type of racial polarization must end or else criminals will become community leaders.

    1. ? But Mamoo’s post should have been made 70 years ago! The indian community’s criminals became political leaders THEN ! The first political leader of the indian political party, and the “Hindu” Maha Sabha “religious” organization, Bhadase Sagan Maharaj, was an INFAMOUS criminal organizer! Bhadase’s indian community knew this, and still supported him and his criminal son-in-law Sat Maharaj, who STOLE ACRE AFTER ACRE OF LAND BEHIND “The Divali Nagar” since the original acreage was GIFTED FOR FREE by former then Prime Minister A.N.R. Robinson 1986-1991. So mamoo (stephen?) is too late! His entire political dynasty and network is built on a solid foundation of organized crime, criminality and racism! Also Bhadase and Sat were both criminal racists, controlling and dictating policy, culture, nepotistic hiring and organizational focus of the Maha Sabha, which from it’s inception, is the SPINE, and guru of the UNC…what are the logical implications???

      Focus on the implications of the legacy of racist, criminality of indian politics (DLP/UNC…) and when you’ve solved THAT, maybe Mamoo could give advice to others.

      Who is more “tribal” than Mamoo,Tman and UNC supporters?

      1. How to destroy a nation… Over 45,000 Indian businesses in Durban, South Africa destroyed. One white South Africa lady said she took 11 years to build her business. They burnt everything to the ground! Why? The demons came and in jealous angry rage kill, steal and destroy. South Africa is finished economically. It is like a war zone only worst.
        We see it with intifada in the US. We saw it with Abu in 1990. And here is a shameless display to open stealing. As the Scripture commands “Thou shalt not steal”. There is of course ugly people like Inconvenient doing the stealing. They know how to destroy a nation. Warning to TnT businesses, with the economic depression coming steel proof your business. It have a lot like those SA in TnT….
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JevGPfr7TvE
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrw-CbjpGfQ
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsDVyQgakLQ
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJgWY4s4MLE
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pae5ATP5jvw

        1. EFF Chair Dali Mpofu responds to ‘Indian’ racism remarks
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzUDYedtpeU

          EFF stands its ground on ‘Indians are racist’ comments
          https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/1960157/eff-stands-its-ground-on-indians-are-racist-comments/

          White, Indian South Africans more likely to be appointed and promoted
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VWaZYD5p2Q

          White,Indian groups over-represented
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjtaP1N45XM

          The Myth Of Mahatma Ghandi (South Africa)
          http://www.raceandhistory.com/historicalviews/ghandi.htm

    1. The indo-Aryan is Esau-Edomite, seedline sons of Abraham-Isaac-Esau, near-kin to the Negro/Bantu, who are sons of Abraham-Isaac-Jacob.

      Their seedline is polluted by the original invasive species of the planet .. the fallen angels. That is why they are relatively pale of skin. That is also why varna=color=caste is to them so important. It is a marker of the fallen angel seedline in their makeup.

      Esau was given temporary dominion, under which the most High gave him rope to do his will. His dominion gift was with the sword (Genesis 27:40 ?). Therefore, there was no requirement of righteousness in the exercise of that dominion.

      Meantime the permanent grant of dominion to Jacob was temporarily suspended because of the failure of our Negro Israelite forefathers to keep the righteous law of the Covenant. We were condemned under that Covenant to a limited servitude. Four hundred years! That time is now up.

      The cup of affliction has now passed to Esau and his “soft hair” paler-skin confederates. The hand of judgment is now upon the “heathen” — literally the invasive ones who have gone everywhere conquering enslaving and establishing themselves as parasites upon indigenes who had not the might to resist enslavement/colonization. That in itself was one of the curses listed at Deuteronomy 28. Thus the term heathen applies to the Edomite Christian nations, also the Ishmaelites Arab ones, as well as the brahmanist indo-Aryan one that took over India (as they seek under “Indian Policy” Item #10 to take over Tobago btw). The heathen nations invariably hide under religion, but to be heathen does not involve a religious test as spuriously taught. If you are an enslaver, colonizer, or aspire to take over what is not yours, you are by the biblical Hebrew definition a heathen (nation). Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and now Rome and its successors are the heathen empires of Scripture. All of them may collectively be called “Babylon”.

      In opposition to Babylon is the biblical idea of Zion. It is the historical and prophetic mission of Negro Israel to establish Zion. It must be a righteous remnant that must do so. Those of us who cleave unto Babylon — whether of Christian, Muslim, Hindu or other “faith”, or capitalist, communist, or Marxist ideology upholding mere variants of Babylon — will be cut off and die under the judgment plagues now unleashed upon the world.

      Shalom.

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