By Cecily Asson and Andre Bagoo Tuesday,
April 23 2013 – www.newsday.co.tt
“DON’T cry for Jack Warner…you haven’t seen the end of Jack Warner yet.”
These were the words of consolation Warner shared with executive members and regular staffers of his Chaguanas West constituency office, following his resignation as chairman of the United National Congress (UNC) and as National Security Minister.
“It is not the end of the world,” Warner said as he hugged party members, one by one, at the office Caroni Savannah Road, Chaguanas yesterday. “It is the beginning of a new era…don’t cry I tell you.”
Warner’s resignation as UNC chairman, ended his six-year tenure as a high-ranking member of the Couva-based party.
Warner, 70, stated he will remain an ordinary member of the UNC. He said he was resigning as chairman to prevent any fallout from his resignation from Cabinet amid fraud allegations.
“I think that if by chance my presence in the party was felt in some quarters to be objectionable it would be better for me to be a party member on the floor,” Warner told Newsday, before he went to the constituency office.
Asked to describe his relationship with UNC political leader, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Warner said, “It is still very cordial and why should it not be? In fact, I sent her birthday greetings.”
Warner’s resignation as UNC chairman came one day after his resignation from Cabinet.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar on Sunday accepted Warner’s resignation as National Security Minister. That resignation came two days after the findings of a report prepared by former Barbados Chief Justice Sir David Simmons. Sir David’s report into the affairs of regional football body Concacaf accused Warner of fraud in his football affairs. Warner has denied wrongdoing and has dismissed Sir David’s findings as baseless.
On Sunday, as he left the private residence of Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, he did so in a Toyota Prado executive SUV equipped with security detail. Yesterday, Warner’s arrival to his constituency office was low key — he arrived in a black Nissan Tiida car.
“People are emotional and I must be there to comfort them. I have to be strong to comfort them. It won’t do for me to cry or collapse. I have to be strong,” Warner told Newsday.
Several “grassroots” supporters including a couple from within the constituency arrived at the locked gates begging the security to let them in but they were denied entry as it was only for executive members.
A woman told Newsday: “I hear it have a meeting and that’s why I am here — I want to see Jack.”
Following the meeting Warner held a brief press conference where said all will be revealed on Thursday night at Pierre Road, Felicity, at a public meeting he will host, and on Friday in Parliament.
At the head table, he was flanked by UNC vice-chairman Khadijah Ameen, who will act as chairman until that substantive post is filled. Senator Emmanuel George replaces him as National Security Minister.
Warner told reporters he gave his executive committee the background as to the reasons he resigned the two important positions. “I also told them as well that there is no point for them to be vex or angry with anybody or go no any placard demonstration. No ‘bring back Jack Warner’ protest. I made that quite clear.” Several constituents had gathered at the constituency office early yesterday morning, saying they planned to start a campaign to get Warner reinstated as UNC chairman.
Warner went on to give his reasons for tendering his resignation as a government minister. “I resigned, first of all as Minister of National Security because I felt that as a minister of a Cabinet, there has been for the past three, four, five weeks, a concerted effort by certain agencies and people to get Jack Warner.
“I felt enough was enough and I didn’t have any reason to get the party or government involved in that.” He then said why he also stepped down as party chairman. “I resigned as party chairman because I think there has been external as well as internal factors impacting against me and I felt I couldn’t fix the external without fixing the internal. So therefore for me to sit down as chairman and not be comfortable, I prefer to stay on the floor and be a floor member.”
Warner revealed that he has not heard from some of his Cabinet colleagues since handing in his resignations – not that he expected it.
“There are some colleagues in Cabinet who will never call me. I am sure you know who they are and if you say you don’t, then I don’t. But there are some who will call me and they have called me whole day like the ‘Gypsies’ (Winston Peters), the De Coteaus (Clifton De Coteau), Anil Roberts, Dr (Rupert) Griffith, Fuad Khan, Fazal Karim…those are the people who I expected would have called me. There are some others who would have not called me.”
Warner said he was happy that the heads of security all contacted him and praised him for making a dent in crime. “They were high in praise for what I did in the short term of nine months, the talk about Laventille crime is down, the murder rate is better this time than as it was the same time last year,” he said.
“That gave me comfort and if I didn’t have a chance to finish what I wanted to do with the Coast Guard, the army, the SRP…but I am quite sure someone else will.”
Warner dismissed suggestions that he was pressured into resigning. “I left my home (on Sunday en route to Persad-Bissessar’s home) with my notes going to resign, going to offer my resignation because I was hearing all kinds of talk.”
“I am getting tired,” he said, “I have been out here for the longest while. I might have done something wrong in my youth, in my mother’s womb. I have never seen such a concerted effort to get rid of one man. There, I am seeing some degree of success,” Warner said.
He admitted to being hurt, after reading in the newspaper, that the PM was “stunned” at revelations coming out of the Concacaf meeting in Panama.
“I felt if she was stunned without speaking to me, then it doesn’t make any sense…that was the catalyst (for him tendering his resignation).” Warner called the allegations involving Concacaf and FIFA, “so spurious” saying that it has been in the public domain, “since God knows how long.”
Now without a ministerial portfolio, Warner said he has the chance to say much more than he could have said while inside the Cabinet. “At the end of the day I felt that I should possibly stay back and look in and have a better chance to see objectively what’s happening.”
He promised to give an account of his stewardship at Pierre Road on Thursday and is calling on all 19,000 persons who voted for him, to attend and hear, “what I have done and what I have failed to do.”
On Friday, in the Lower House, Warner will respond to an Opposition motion regarding the allegations against him.
Warner yesterday promised not to run from the media and also reiterated that he will not undermine the party of which he remains a member.
He said he spent his first full day as a simple MP and ordinary UNC member going for an early morning jog, watching IPL cricket on television, watching a western movie and last night, spending a relaxing evening with close friends.
It was out of respect, Warner said, that he opted not to attend last night’s UNC Monday Night Forum in Penal, as he did not want to take away the spotlight from the Prime Minister whom he sent a birthday greeting yesterday.
Now as a UNC MP, subject to the Government Whip, Warner expressed a preference for sitting next to Independent back-bencher St Joseph MP Herbert Volney, who was dismissed from Cabinet last year over his role in the Section 34 affair.
“If I have any say, I would like to sit next to MP Volney,” Warner said. “Because that part of the chamber is close to where the PNM leadership resides and I could keep an eye on them. I would get a good view at the back of their heads.”
The Government Information Services Limited yesterday issued an advisory on behalf of the Office of the President confirming that Warner’s appointment as minister had been revoked. Warner had been a minister since 2010, first of Works and Transport and then of National Security in 2012.
Warner yesterday emailed his resignation as UNC chairman to general secretary Dave Tancoo. The email to Tancoo was addressed to the political leader.
“Dear Political Leader, I refer to the above referenced subject and do wish to advise you that I have tendered my resignation as Chairman of the UNC with immediate effect,” Warner said.
“I do wish to thank you and all our Party members for the love and confidence reposed in me these past years and I do sincerely hope that our Party, the United National Congress, can grow from strength to strength, under your leadership. With kindest regards, Jack Warner.”
Asked whether he expected Warner’s resignation as UNC chairman, Tancoo said, “No, I did not expect his resignation.” Ameen said she was surprised by Warner’s resignation.
“I was surprised when he resigned as chairman,” she said. “It appears that we cannot do anything to change his mind. He had started to do a lot of work.”
Ameen was last night due to meet with UNC political leader, Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar, ahead of the party’s Monday Night Forum rally event at Penal, in order to discuss possible measures to deal with the vacancy in the chairmanship.
The UNC chairman is normally elected by the party’s national assembly – a body comprising all its members. A special national assembly may have to be called to deal with the chairmanship issue, under UNC party rules.
Asked for her thoughts on being asked to hold on as interim-chairman in these circumstances, Ameen said, “At this time, my thoughts are for the welfare for UNC as a party to continue to strengthen the party. Mr Warner has been a tremendous advocate and chairman of the party and there is sadness within the party to see him resign.” She said she would work with Warner in the future. “The way I look at it is what is important is that the work of the party goes on,” she said.
On upcoming Local Government elections, she said it was possible that supporters of Warner might withdraw their support from the party because of his resignation from the party and Cabinet.
Ameen said Warner had been instrumental in the party’s preparations for the Local Government elections and had attended meetings of coalition chairmen to plan the campaign. She said he had overseen constituency executive elections on Sunday.
Early yesterday morning, emotions ran high outside Warner’s Chaguanas West constituency office where there was a steady trek of constituents and non-constituents. Hoping that he would be present, they dropped in to offer their personal support. They were all disappointed however, as the gates to his office were tightly locked. Just after 8 am yesterday, office staff locked themselves inside the office and were not seeing any members of the public.One woman who came to collect a letter was told to return in two days.
Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagessar, attorney Carol Cuffy-Dowlat and other unidentified activists were the only ones allowed access to the office using the entrance through the doctors office located downstairs the building to go upstairs.
Shedding tears was Victor Baptiste, 70, of Couva who condemned Warner’s detractors.
He cried openly as he said: “I am here to show my support. No one is perfect and all the people who are just accusing, they themselves have done something wrong and they don’t want to admit it, but I say their time is coming. The man is a human being. It is unfair.”
Rosewatti Khan and her husband Hashim Khan of Iere Vilage, Princes Town were also there.
“I am crying and I don’t want to break down now,” Rosewatti told reporters. “It hurt me so much to see what happened to him. He is a people’s man. Right now it hurt me as if is my child, my brother. Mr Warner helped me. I came here seven times to meet Mr Warner. I came here Friday night and hold on to this gate until Saturday morning when he came here 3 am in the morning. I am grateful to Mr Warner.”.
Indal Singh, chairman of La Paille Party Group, has mounted the “Bring back Jack” campaign. Activists are planning to hold mass meetings to get Warner back.
Singh said: “If we are to go through this land, we are going to fight this action tooth and nail – we will be walking with our soldiers and ask them their support to make sure Jack Warner rethinks his position and come back as the chairman of this party, the great party which I helped to build. One link of the chain of the party too much to break.”
Another constituent told Newsday that Warner should be judged by his work and his achievements.
“Let FIFA business be FIFA business. Mr Warner is our MP and his track record will show he is no lazy man and he always proves himself.”
“A friendly eye could never see such faults.”
The pressure was too much for the PM and the UNC to ignore. The PM made the right move, to protect the international image of TnT. That is what leadership is all about. But Jack is a talker and one can expect him to have much to say in the coming days and years ahead. He enjoys considerable support in his constituency and I am sure after the next election when the dust is clear he will resume his position as a government minister. Albeit it an embattled one at that.
Jack Warner if he has the savvy which he tries to project–sometimes effectively–he must also realize by now who is at the heart of his demise, and why?
In the process of arriving lonely, friendless and on foot at this exit gate, he needs to reflect on some simple facts.
One is, as a Dalit, that bowing down to Hanuman only confirms and re-affirms one’s inferiority and Hanuman’s superiority.
The other, related to number one, is that Hanuman surely does not wish to be indebted to anyone, and above all, to a plantation Dalit.
Jack must have known his money couldn’t buy him love, but surely he must have assumed that it could buy him some admittance, if not respect.
Nope!
Jack’s monies–we have to assume some is his–used as it was to punt the UNC party into elected office must count for something, but not something within any Brahmin class or consciousness. And not when it publicly and globally pissed off the cabal.
The third factor he must surely be contemplating is how far he has further fallen in the unforgiving consciousness of Black TnT.
And in falling, how far has he also dragged down Black TnT with him. A descent that has been reluctant on their part, and a descent even further unforgiving, and also with some perverse sense of comeuppance and payback!
Remember who was used by the UNC to accuse other Black people of being ‘racist against Indians”?
Jack possibly assumed that such attacks, egregious and dishonourable, might not have gone un-noticed for its lack of morality, even by those he was trying to curry-favour.
If he assumed otherwise, that his amorality in this regard went un-noticed or un-recorded, how gauche he must be?
Because even curry-favour will eventually fall out of favour. Jack’s has been spectacular and not unexpected.
What is even more sad here is that not only was he unloved deeply in the Black TnT sector, but now he has given that sector, too, even more reason to doubt its ability to avoid getting stiffed by ‘its own’ with and/or without its own efforts.
It is tantamount to being so unlucky, ‘even wet-paper da cut yuh!’
He nonethelesss got some little comfort when the CoP came out early, praising him so profusely it backfired; but even backfiring is in these circumstances of some comfort; that some firing is not all bad, and is even better still, because it is some friendly-firing.
Finally, how has the mighty fallen? Or been drowned by a tsuname of its own making!
And in addition to falling, how has the mighty demonstrated that not only is might not inherently right, but that might cannot also avoid learning the hard truth, that being in the abject position of kneeling before Hanuman, while being pissed off is bad enough, being pissed on is even worse!
Shalom!
Neverdirty, what a clever piece of writing, you have said what many have talked about and discussed but never but it in a forum like this one. Indians in Trinidad has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to assimilate and be educated in the christian schools and institutes of higher learning, while the rest of us either shunned or never took the time to learn of the Indian psyche. In this context, it is assumed that ‘Indian’ is hindu or belonging to the the ancient eastern philosophy where worshipping of idols, mythology and using animals and other objects as it’s source of godliness.The christian creed is simple and and important at the same, it tells its adherents ghat “thou shall have no other god but me”. The ten commandments are ever present in the mindset, there is a fear of god, god is all mighty and fearful, a large portion of the christian world (like the catholic church) the vows to the idea of material poverty. So, in this respect it should not be surprising to anyone that christians live with the fear of God ever present in their memory. Christians are alerted by what they do and how they do it, because acting contrarily will record it as a sin in their spiritual lives. Then there is forgiveness etc, etc. Contrast that to the world of mythology where there are literally thousands of gods where dealing with myths, sacrifices, religion, giving thanks, seeking riches, material gains, hoarding of money etc, take on a way of life that is totally different from the christian concept. TMan, this is only an explanation not NOT a monologue of superiority. In many of these religions there is the concept of superiority and inferiority. The millionaire move exploits this concept so in its finality within the same society some are seen as superior whilst others are seen as inferior. Using this as a background, it is easy to understand why for example the PM uses her house rather than the official residence to make pronouncements, because the act creates an aura of godliness, superiority, power, resourcefulness and authority instead of coming from an institutionalized settings where power rests with the office and not necessarily the officeholder. Whether we believe it or not we are inherently defined and controlled by our belief inner systems, so when we act we act inconsonant with what we believe, our fear and non-fearing of that which we worship comes into play. In Jack’s case, he has confused his reality because he has confused his basic beliefs – catholicism with his publicly adopted hinduism, he has gone out of his way to instill his new found religion in the mind of his constituents and the nation at large that he is someone else other than other people might otherwise think. And why is he doing this you might ask? For money and power naturally. So, now that his troubles are beginning to mount he is looking to the morality that so naturally comes with the christian beliefs system in us to be forgiving towards him. He naturally expects us to be more considerate in understanding his plights. He paints himself as a victim and expects us to see that he is being persecuted by an unholy alliance of those that hate him. He will never see himself as his own worst enemy. It would be interesting to see which God he prays to, to seek salvation.
Correction – where the mention of “millioniare move’ it should be “millionaire movie”, there are of course a few typing errors and I hope the reader detects that where the meaning conveys a different sense because of the error in writing.
The “dust” has cleared.”If it walks like a duck;and quacks like a duck;it is a duck”
“I think that if by chance my presence in the party was felt in some quarters to be objectionable it would be better for me to be a party member on the floor,” Warner told Newsday, before he went to the constituency office. That statement sounds contrite, coming from a man with an ego as big as Trinidad, one has to get the impression where did he all of a sudden get that kind of humility to be so accommodating? Well, the image of him is really bigger thaw life itself because he is a hometown boy that came from humble beginnings, was a school teacher and pulled himself up by the boots and became an international celebrity in the sports world. The Jack we are witnessing today is a man who is so well travelled, that he has met with the best and the worst in the world of power that he chose that he chose to be with the latter power types. And so, having reached to the pinnacle of power in the international arena he could buy and sell influence with the wealth that he has acquired. As a force who is used to navigating and gaining control through his influence of money and power, he had little or no problem in using his charms in a fragmented UNC to fast track his closeness to real power in the political world. And he did all of this and got the power he wanted. But he never cared to get anything through normal operating channels, it was always his way or no way. He loathes abiding by anything appears to stagnate his progress, so the unparalleled power he enjoyed in the UNC party was something he took for granted and never thought that anything like public pressure was able to bring him down to earth. He is a cunning man who seems to understand where is foot is planted at all times and he knows when to be humble. He under-estimated what the voice of the public can do but is not afraid to say what he feels because he thought of himself as a powerhouse. So, unless he is brought to a court to answer for his mis-deeds he will never think that he also has to abide by our laws and regulations. Politics provided the means for him to exercise the powers that he has but abiding by the laws of the land is another.
Kian to me Jack is no different to those in the past or present or to come like him… they climb on other people’s back when the opportunity presents itself…they are crooks…they get to a position through someone else’s sweat or if you like master plan (FIFA is a money making business and USA and Concacaf expansion was very much on Havelange’s agenda 30-40 years ago and he benefited immensely – Jack was in the right place in the right time). Hence JAW like everybody else had a choice to become a real statesman or just another crook like Maddoff. But who knows…perhaps he felt sucking up and being in the lime light was so easy and comforting and so liked power …it got the better of you and I say it again you become just another crook when that happens. As for me just another non white person from the same country as JAW it is indeed a sad and disgusting time. What do I say to someone who asks ..Are you from the same country as JAW? Perhaps I should reply…go ask your mudder. You see now why black people can get nowhere…in central Trinidad there are still those uneducated arses who want to cry for him. Can they not see what he stands for in values, morals, etc? But then again the same went on in Jamaica with the cocaine king who had to be smoked out by USA. When will we learn what is right for us from what is totally wrong? JAW was bad news a long long time ago.
I take this blog seriously, because it provides the means for an ordinary citizen to present views that would noy otherwise be heard in a public forum and so allows the private citizen to participate in the issues and problems that will allow free flowing ideas to be elevated. Reading through these blogs about 75% of the people who participate have no agendas. They care to take personal and private ideas for further consideration and comment so that we learn by other peoples observations. And there are those again who use it to propagate their political views and aspirations. Their are also those who see it as a way to be mischievous and accusatory while claiming that those whom they support are better for all of us. I have no problem with all of that because it makes for building one of the great watch words of our national psyche – Tolerance. Tolerance should not be a practice of just reading, hearing, listening, studying or observing, it must allow us to manipulate and integrate our ideas with those that we view as making sense to us and our understanding of nationhood. I woke up early this morning because I felt that I have had my fair share of sleep and so, with nothing else to do I started viewing the Parliamentary Channel and to my surprise I had the pleasure of watching Independent Senator Rolph Balgobin make his contribution on the Defence Act Bill now before the Senate for consideration and I was most fascinated by the depth of his imagination. He made a very stunning observation that CRIME as we use it in Trinidad is NOT a case of poor people gone bad but one that is perpetrated by the rich and educated alike. Crime is a reflection of all of us, it is an amalgamation of all of our experiences, failures, wishes and hopes. It is the exhibit of what has become of our social fabric – crime is a direct reflection of that. And so Jerry, when we watch that individual called JAW, we must ask ourselves, who is this man? what does he stand for? why is he on our minds and take SO MUCH OF OUR THOUGHTS and imagination? Why do we love him? why do we hate him? why do we find him fascinating? There are some obvious misconceptions too. His character has been sold to us a “a hard working minister”. We have heard it so many times that many of us actually believe that to be true. Why cant we view it another way – lets say that if he is a many who is satisfied with only 3 to 4 hours rest in a 24 hour period and he meets people to hear their grievances and he appears to have literally hundreds of bank accounts, what should we say is his motives? Is it to get up and meet people? Is it that he is worried about his hundreds of millions? Is he worried about making more hundreds of millions? is he worried about the loss of his hundreds of millions? or is he just a simple good and honest soul who want to see other people become just as successful as he is?. Yes, we must ask questions of JAW and all of those who come to us asking that we support whatever agenda they put before us for consideration. I put it to you that JAW is a reflection of all those things and more. He can use his background for good or bad and from what we have learnt about him he shows no tenderness to abiding by legal laws and practices that is expected of all citizens. It appears that he would stop at nothing to get to where his appetite aspires to. Politics being the most visible of all aspirations is where he is most comfortable because it brings out the good, the bad and the ugly in those who practice it. I have seen where many bloggers castigate others for their political affiliations because they feel that their beliefs are superior to others, I find that to be rubbish because the moment you ‘believe’ then you are no better than the fish that got caught in the fisherman’s net and therefore you become expendable. We should always make the politician work harder and harder. We have a tendency in Trinidad to make the politicians work easy because there are measurable options which they choose to stir our emotions. In our parliament those emotions come easily to debate because the form the backbone of our belief system. How many times do we hear them debating the eliminating of poverty? how many times do we hear them debating fairness? how many times do we hear them talking about creating avenues for our youths to be protected by a greedy, reckless, selfish, self-agrandising population. I remember once wearing an old, sweaty and smelly cap in a bar. I made a mistake and left it on the counter to go to the bathroom. When I came back it was gone. That is the extent to which our people has degenerated, we will take anything from any body, use it and dont care of the consequences. I went to a cricket match with some friends and family, one of us had a liquor can from which we all participated in drink. He put the bottle down temporarily and next thing we know, it was gone! There is very great social dis-contentment by which these politicians prosper and to fix it would mean that their support would be lessened not enhanced. So why do we need this bunch of crooks in our midst?
JAW is simply looking for a hole to crawl into to try to justify his crooked past.
Do not be surprised with JAW brings down Kamla and the PP and becomes the new PM – he is very ambitious.
The G8s do not go after sovereignty of state – JAW wants to be PM by unseating Kamla in the UNC – there are those who will support him in this goal of his.
We know money talk …so ..is it the man or his “stolen” monies they want piece of?
There are many shades of Jack, by the time he entered politics he had a well established career in one of the most corrupt organisation FIFA. Yet Jack used his global influence to get various high profile politicians and sports personality to TnT. He manage to get TnT into the Workd Cup as the smallest nation ever to do so. His influence resulted in South Africa, the first African nation to host a World Cup. His mistake was to cross the British by promising them the World Cup even telling Prince William that he would do so. A humiliated British Political establishment and media wrote several articles against Jack MI 6 presented recordings of Jack bribing Concaf officials to dethrone the head of FIFA. It was very embarrassing but Jack had 9 lives and he survived that one claiming he retired from FIFA.
If anything could be said of Jack as a politician he got things done in an efficient manner and helped many poor and dispossessed people who would remain loyal to him to their dying day. He vociferously defended the P.M. He is a high achiever and a man of action many projects that got done on time and lower than cost had Jack signature to it. He gave freely. Jack downfall apart from the FIFA scandal was that he talked to much and made some influential people angry with him. Those people in turn did everything to end his political career…
But the story of Jack continues and I expect that he will start the Warner Foundation and continues to use his wealth to improve the lives of ordinary citizens. The accusation that he used his corrupt wealth to assist the PP in winning the election is unfounded. He used his wealth yes but one must not be quick to ascribe criminality to a successful black business man. After all the thieves in FIFA I am sure are still there…he is no longer there.
Pantin hits the nail on the head with these words.
It must also be said that unfortunately, in trying to make political capital by raising these corruption issues in Parliament or elsewhere in public, the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) is laying itself wide open to the charge of blatant hypocrisy.
After all, some of the biggest corruption scandals in this country, involving top ministers of government, have taken place under the reign of the PNM.
Think Johnny O’Halloran and Francis Prevatt, to name just two. Plus a host of PNM hangers-on who stole millions of taxpayers’ dollars over the years with complete impunity.
In truth, some of the same people who once schemed their way to wealth under the PNM have turned up doing the same under the current Government.
So that what we may well have here is a straight case of six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Little wonder that criminality is so widespread in this country and so difficult to deal with, evoking that other old local saying: “If the priest could play, who is me?”
“Trying to make political capital…by raising corruption issues in Parliament, is …blatant hypocrisy. … Some of the biggest scandals in the country …have taken place under the reign of the PNM?”T-Man
Please folks , is this kind of borderline stupidity , portrayed as sound logic ,really emanating from a person that was born in this country,was fortunate- as claimed – to go to a high end Catholic , Tini elite college, or better yet , spend a large segment of his life ,in an advance , democratic ,Industrial country, such as Canada?
Isten guy,the Opposition leader , just like his counterpart , Auntie K, both have a few things,in common,and I ain’t refering to curry duck , wild meat limes ,or Bushrum.
For quite some time , they both served ,under strong , psycologically insecure ,egomaniacal,political leaders ,in Basdeo Panday, and Patrik Manning.
Both have seen the worst ,as can be expected of their respective leaders, as far as sleeping at the wheel, when it comes to curbing corruption,failing to push any authentic ,national security initiatives ,or reticience in embracing ,prudent economic policies , which would have harness our natural resources / human potentials, so that benefits could be obtained for all citizens – outside of the Panday, and Manning family clan- one should emphasize.
Whether via character assainations, or unflattering labels ,for their willingness to stand up and be counted ,they both had to pay some public ,and private price.
One might say, with some conviction ,they are both trying to push a new culture , within their respective parties, and hopefully the nation at large,but the well known ,idiot die hards ,of the both former leaders, along with their minions , in and out of power, prefer the staus quo, and so would use every ploy at their disposal ,to thwart their efforts,aimed at changes.
Sorry TMan ,but it ain’t hypocrisy to demand answers in Parliament , re matters of corruption ,on the part of Party Chairmen/high end , influential , members of government.
I leave you to conclude if it’s hypocrisy by your PM ,to send her Pit-bull AG Rammy , out to prosecute, every person on planet earth , except her former boss Basdeo ,de Piarco Airport King,or the two UNC high finance pals, Ish , and Steve.
In our 50years of independence , we have had what , 2000 elections-100 of which were national?
If memory serves me right , only twice was the PNM ever defeated in a national election , by the Trade Union pressure group / activist ,turn political party – ULF/ UNC.
To your direct accusation , let me add that -the fact that scandals were allowed to continue unabated, under PNM stewardship , as claimed by T- Man , is just as damning an indictment ,on his leaders ,within the then Opposition , if you ask me.
That seemingly, unstoppable crimes,remain’s widespread in the country,is not because the past three Police Commissioners ,were inept, or the DPP , is a PNM/anti PP stooge,but because equal playing field justice ,remain’s an elusive dream.
Custom officials were looking the other way , during bogus State of Emergency , as alleged chicken ladened , business containers , go unchecked , and it ‘s real products of maybe weapons, and drugs , are then distributed , by criminal profiteers. That must end ,if eliminating crime is the goal, TMan.
Last time I checked , some government officials were in drug cartel, criminal haven Columbia , to get info on how to tackle this national epidemic / drug menace , but Brazil got ships ,that were intended for our overwhelmed Coast Guards,and T&T ,left holding the billion dollar bags. That idiocy ain’t happening if eliminating crimes , beyond military powers of arrest , are a priority , by any leaders.
Empty prattle ,by a clueless POS Mayor ,Lee Sing ,of introducing only big guns ,to kill poor folks, or Ministerial leaders ,secretly cuddling ,extra judicial,anti Afrikan / genocidal security apparatus,such as the Flying Squad ,and worst yet, having fast irrelevant ,octogenarian one time Professors ,pedaling spurious conclusions ,about our National music , re it’s direct link to runaway criminality ,are what I expect from backward, border lined Failed States/desperate ,banana Republics, not my T&T . Well, if ending crimes, are a priority.
Don’t worry T- Man , for if we ensure that Basdeo ,his UNC pals Ish /Steve , his one time colleague Jack Warner ,his generous CLICO buddy Duprey, HCU , Florida based ,high end bandit, Harry Haranarine ,and similar others , all do serious jail time ,for their crooked deeds, then those low end , mostly simi literate ,hopeless, high school drop outs, blue color thugs , will get the message , and cut back their revolting , criminal activities.
Most would realize that -a new day has dawn , and it ain’t business as usual in T&T.
Speaking of HCU, let me guess TMan – the HCU failed why again? Yeah we know , Afrikans were allowed to join, against Hindu head guru Sat’s ,expressed wishes.
Ok Sat ,we get it ,CEO Haranarine ,and his 2000 plus investors , wanted you dead , because you were a racist bastard, not that you too ,might have escape like a financial bandit , after discouraging many – to only invest in a HIndu tribal establishment . How is that heart feeling again?
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/HARRY_S__HIT_ON__SAT-159143805.html?m=y&smobile=y
Luv humanity , people! While at it, do me a fovor , and denounce all forms of tribalism! The returns can b tremendous.
Kian JAW also rubbed shoulders with the likes of Panday and Duprey and understood the games of politics well.
Warner hung his mouth where the soup was dropping and drank liberally. Of course he understood that it was quid pro quo. That he had to deliver something in return, And he did. He delivered the capacity to discriminate against the house from whence he came, by rationalizing it using the strategy in place. That is, label the black man as racist in order to provide cover for the Bramhin PP leadership
Look. People do not wake up morning and become racist in terms of group behaviour. It has to come from somewhere. It must have a source, a foundation. Africans are mostly Christians, and we have, more than any other group, embraced the behaviorial concept enshrined in the beatitudes. We have no relationship with people being born into caste superiority and others into caste inferiority. In all of the institutionalzed systems of racism we have experienced in this world the practitioners embraced such beliefs, religious or cultural. It is as simple as that.