In disgust I recently made myself a new pledge that I hope will be my small part in aiding the development of my nation. It is to try and offer some level of positive and emotional uplift for the youth of our country. One must admit that every Tom, Dick and Bridgelal is getting in on the act of taking pot shot on perhaps the most neglected and abused people in the entire country today, I am talking of course about the people that make up more than half of the population- if you happen to throw in the many of mixed parentage that have occurred throughout the years. Let me cut through the suspense and state clearly who I am referring to,Yes, Afro Trinbagonians as some of our world traveled and educated media experts and local intellectual elites like to call them. Seeing that we are the equivalent of baby North America and tend to often emulate all their actions, I thought I’ll take the liberty of lumping most of the many mixed ethnic groups into this category in keeping with the USA where the 1% rule applies- you know what I am talking about, any meager percentage of black a person have in genes , makes them black especially if the other portion is white. Who knows where that can eventually lead, perhaps the evolvement of our own local Obama with similar ability to preach about hope, kumbaya, and lofty future ideals that are totally impossible to bring to fruition in present lifetime unless…….Cut it out! We should not get carried away just yet with this fantasy, since there is much work yet to be done.

As I've said, I believe that someone owes our nation and it's young this much, and since no one wants to step up to the plate and lead the way, I will take the challenge. I personally believe that the common vitriolic attacks that are presently leveled on this segment of our population are destructive. Our country has certainly made its levels of mistakes over the years and you don’t have to obtain a degree from the same prestigious school attended by luminaries such as Dr. Deosaran, Hamid Ghany, Selwyn Ryan, or even the young Mickela Panday to know that the ship of state needs rectifying and we can do better- if we try, in the words of Black Starlin. However explain to me innocent observer that I am, how that can translate to ‘beat up day’ for this particular group for every conceivable ill that ever took place or is still occurring today?

You might note in my introductory paragraph that I mentioned my intention to address the needs of all our youth of the nation. Since this is Not ID Amin Uganda, or those military henchmen that comprise present day Fiji, I am particularly concerned about our Indo T&T youths that make up the other half of our population as well.For thoes of us not too aware, they appear to be hurting as well. It is my view that they too are being blatantly misled by very deceptive and disingenuous leaders, and others of influence with obvious hidden agendas. They are told that every child of mixed race in the country was the byproduct of a possible rape of some ‘African sadistic animal, which oviously can never be true. They are also led to believe that every Indo Trinbagonian criminal- unlike their African counterparts were arrested, prosecuted, and put away primarily due to their race, and the only civil instrumental body that stand between them and justice is the Privy Council. This many are savvy enough to recognize as a deliberate falsehood as well. They are told in both overt and covert fashion that the African government ran this country to the ground since independence, and has discriminated against their parents in terms of necessary advancement, territorial development and a multitude of social, economic, and political needs too numerous to list. Likewise, this baseless assertion should be laughed at by the astute youth as he recognizes that it is devoid of any merit. I view it as a travesty to mislead these future generations in this deliberate manner into believing that everything that’s perfect that has occurred in this nation of ours is the result of their own highly moral and culturally solid race, and the opposite is true of kinky hair neighbors in similar struggles , and so I think that it is incumbent on me to do my duty when needed.

I’ll tell you what, it is also this overwhelming love I have for this country that has prompted some of my actions. It is very heart rending the way that nationals relish the opportunity to attack our country with little concerns for its complex historical inheritance. As a matter of fact, there are known democracies across the globe where the simple thought of doing similar ghastly acts, can result in big brother hunting you down, and the entering of charges against you for treason and possible sentences of the highest magnitude while you are still contemplating present or future acts. Surprisingly, some of the most callous remarks are either from the very educated or the fortunate nationals that lives abroad. The first misleading efforts some like to make is to tell our youths and fellow citizens that all is fine in our big twin brothers in North America and across Europe. The next mistake is to inveigle them into the ‘pipe dream’ that their lives would be much better if they had remained in the various respective motherlands. Fortunately most of our literate youths are expose to the internet and have means of verifying the veracity of some of that friction, and hopefully won’t fall for it. Let them put the fallacy to the test and try to get a Roti in Pakistan, or Bake and Shark in South Africa like I did some years ago at two respective restaurants. I am still choking from the Pita Bread and bread and something I obtained for my efforts at both places. As Ishmael Khan, -or is Gilbert Peterson my old school mate- might say in summation, I believe I have proven my point.

Since I view myself as an equal opportunity attacker, I made it my duty in the past to deliberately throw a few critical lobs at the present political regime in power in keeping with an objective habit I am happy to say I developed over the years. However, upon further observation I recognize that this might just not be the best practice as there are many fellow citizens that are hell bent on playing hardball with unfair tactics that I have alluded to throughout my discussion. There were repeated attacks on collective integrity and characters in the past few weeks leading up to Emancipation, and the barrage of blows are still flowing with one principal goal in mind- the complete destruction of the entire psyche of our future budding leaders. "What has black leaders done to help their own desperate and poor," some asked. "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery," others chuckled in reference to Bro Bob. "Black Criminal culture, 50 cents ain't have nothing on them," others lamented and the list goes on amidst the silent HCU meltdown,Caroni Bridge debacle, rape and murder of baby Hope .

I am beginning to get a much better appreciation for the huge task ahead of some of these our leaders in their quest to settle the affairs of state and maintain good stewardship of the nation’s resources. So Mr. PM I am in your corner on this Caricom sometimes imbalanced partnership you are endeavoring to achieve, even if it cost us half our oil and gas to Barbados. If you feel like wearing your Ganaian Kinte outfit to work seven day per week and invite the President of Sudan, and Congo over for British Tea over the coming months, I am behind you. I see what you are attempting to do, if we cannot get any love from fellow nationals lets reach outside- almost like thinking outside the box eh?. If it takes a few more over the top Afro centric festivals and QP Savanah oildown cookouts to help build self esteem, go for it. You can count on me to do my duty for the benefit of the nation, as our children needs all the encouragements and role models they can get. As for Tobago , what more can they desire, Deputy PM for its Assembly Chairman London, Crab race, Jazz festival and Bikini laden girls in the annual Great Race.Anything more ,would be greedy of them. Don't worry I have your back on this one. Once more this is certainly a relatively nice nation, and still a paradise some still believe. Hopefully that’s something we can all agree on, particularly our younger generation.