After six years and seven months it may be a little too late to say, “I told you so”, but who’s listening anyway?

When Patrick Manning was given the Government by then President Robinson in December 2001, I applauded the fact that we will see the end of Basdeo Panday, but it didn’t happen. He’s like a bad flu that keeps going around but not quite leaving… He and he alone was responsible for that fiasco (let the President decide when he was the incumbent and the President had no love for him) so everything that went wrong since then can be attributed to that one stupid decision. Robbie, meanwhile, enjoys the benevolence of a grateful Patrick up to today.

But back to the point - I was willing to, and did give Patrick a clean slate after all his fumbles of the 1991-1995 term, but what did he do as one of his first acts? Appoint his wife as a Senator and a Cabinet Minister. Very sorry, but I am on record as saying that I don’t care if Hazel is the best candidate for the job, it’s just not done. What can be more nepotistic than what he did? Hiring his sons too? And what did we and the media do at the time? Were we so fed-up of the UNC six years in Government that anything we got after was palatable? The public and the media did not give, nor sustain, any pressure as they did in the private jet or the current UdeCott affair. They just rolled over and accepted the “charming” Hazel.

An issue like this set the “accepting” tone for the first year - remember we had to go back to the polls - the next five years and now this term. The arrogance has gone so far, the media finally got a taste when Hazel proved to have a nasty bite - “the Prime Minister has spoken!” Does Robbie has all his faculties to remember his prophetic words, “streams into rivers and rivers into seas”? It always starts small and snowballs gently until you wake up one morning and realise that it’s too late.

How independent is Independent Senator Michael Annisette? I hold no brief for any Independent Senators as I always question how “independent” can these people be? Are they beholden to the President who appoints them who in turn is elected by the party in power?

But back to Annisette - a veteran trade unionist who was appointed as an Independent Senator in the current Parliament - and I believe the first high ranking trade unionist to be so. What is he doing on a Government Special Purpose Company board and behaving like a badjohn during a press conference? Frightening how far the tentacles of power can reach…

as opposed to what I mean…

For those amongst us, who knew DOS in the olden days of computing before Windows, do you remember “wysiwyg” - “what you see is what you get”? Listening to the news since Monday evening about what our Prime Minister said at his breakfast meeting (the Newsday reported it as a partisan crowd consisting of PNMites), I believe a new acronym should be coined for, “what I said is not what I meant”.

But before I go on, I must share what I thought is the answer to the age old question of why some people can be baffled by BS. Hint - they are not paying attention! The mystery is solved… prepare to be amazed when you do the little exercise at this site:

 http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=DDD9F1C2-9CDB-8C68-07EEC88298E0F5CE&sc=rss

Can it be this easy to manipulate people? Well I know that there is no voice over and all that, but is there some way that those who speak to us are really using psychology to make us think differently?Well marketeers and advertisers have always been accused of using subliminal messaging to manipulate consumers, so who are politicians for using it on the electorate?

I wish I could get transcripts of all speeches just to have fun with it…

PM said, “free enough to ensure that they achieve their mandate”.

PM meant, “unbridled authority to do as they please”.

PM said, “the public had no need to fear any abuse of authority”.

PM meant, “not interested in you, only the Treasury”.

PM said, “whatever arrangements we put in place are meant, of necessity, take into account the need to give individuals who have responsibility for execution, the requisite authority”.

PM meant, “authority without responsibility”.

PM said, “UdeCoTT is not operating on its own. UdeCoTT is really the major agency through which the Government is seeking to bring about new arrangements in the construction sector”.

PM meant, “All of us are involved. We are using them to bring the local construction industry to its knees and indirectly export money”.

PM said, “As we seek to change the established order in the construction sector, there is resistance from those who feel the status quo must be preserved”.

PM meant, “do not question what we do, just accept it”.

In a future post, I will give actual verbatim from a Joint Select Committee (this is public record and available) that was sent to me just to give an idea of how ineffectual they are.

At least four thousand children affected by the decision to recall the CAPE test papers scheduled to start from this week. The Communication Studies exam written last week has to be re-done. Yes, you parents who were willing to pay up to TT$5,000 for your child to get an undue advantage over his or her peers, congratulations. Be proud that your children will be model students learning at the feet of their masters - growing up ready and willing to cheat, lie and steal to get what they want - just like you.

For those not in the know and trying to figure out the rant, the story broke last week that CAPE (the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations which replaced Cambridge A’Levels) test papers on Communication Studies were sold to students in advance of the exams for the whopping sum mentioned above for an original paper. This was last week - one exam paper - then yesterday the Express, who broke the story, revealed that other papers were also being circulated via email. The CXC (Caribbean Examinations Board) had no choice but to step in and take this drastic action. And yes, if you are wondering, it’s only in Trinidad… The rest of the Caribbean Islands will proceed as normal.

My first reaction was, who can afford this sum? The general consensus, however, is that money may have been pooled by a few to share the cost. I questioned this too because I would expect human nature to make someone hide the fact they are planning to cheat. Have we changed our norms of behaviour so much where it is acceptable to be a cheat? We get in groups with like-minded individuals and decide how to proceed with plans and arrangements to pay? My word, I don’t even jump a place in line because that’s cheating…

What about the majority of students who made their study timetable and were preparing to write these critical exams? This is the final hurdle before moving on to university or going straight to the world of work while taking some time to decide their career path. Because of a few, in pursuit of selfish gain, everyone else have to suffer. I see that the police were on the case, but knowing our guys, I don’t have much hope. And even if they were caught, what pray tell will be the charge and what is the maximum sentence if found guilty? I can’t begin to think what should be the punishment for this - especially if the parents are found to be the key culprits. 

The old Bas, along the lines of, “lies, damn lies and then statistics” first attributed to Leonard Henry Courtney likes to trumpet that there’s, ”corruption, more corruption, then PNM corruption!”

I have held the view some time now that we are a corrupt little society. I ask many people why are they surprised when politicians or other public officials are accused of corruption? These people are Trinidadians from the same society as us! Like it or not, they are a reflection of ourselves - they just happen to be in the pubic glare. (Note that I specifically left out my Tobago people. I’m sorry, but there are reasons we are known as “Trickidadians” - Tobagonians are different). 

Let’s start with Licensing Office - oh… my… god…  They are so bad, it’s institutionalised. A couple was telling me the story of what happened when their elder son went to take his driving test about two years ago. He was asked if he needed any ”help” with the test for a fee of TT$300. Not having the money he refused the offer and got a tough test. He did pass though, but the shocking part was when he went back a few weeks ago with his younger brother. Two years ago to rent a car for the test was TT$150, but it was now $450. And no one is asking for $300 anymore… The “fee” can no longer be refused! They have set it as part of the car rental because the officer must get his take.

A couple of weeks ago we heard a live taped conversation on IBN TV about how to go about licensing foreign used cars that were older than five years. I mean, you can get anything you want there once you know someone and willing to pay the fees. And what steps have been taken to make it a cleaner more efficiently run Government office? Absolutely nothing.

Here’s another one. Ever had to deal with the Electrical Inspectorate? I’ve heard that 9 times out of 10, someone building their own home use an unlicensed electrician. For all intents and purposes, he may be very skilled and knows the job inside out, but he just doesn’t have a licence. However, he knows someone who does… A very simple transaction, the tradesman who did the work gets the application for inspection signed by the licensed electrician, the application is lodged and his “partner” comes on site for the inspection. Cursory checks made, inspector is happy and fees paid by the owner to ensure all runs smoothly. Inspector gets his and the signatory on the application gets his cut. He didn’t do any work, but it’s his signature!

Shall we go to WASA? Now the story I heard is that they have inspectors there too, but they like to do the jobs themselves. When the property owner comes in with his application for approvals, an approach is made to have someone who can handle the job with a guarantee of no inspection failures, that is, no delays. Most of my conversations are with home buyers/home builders who speak to me on fiscal issues but they can’t help telling me their troubles. I strongly condemn the practice of paying these little bribes and having to avail themselves of solicitations made by the inspectors themselves, but I have to realise that I am not in their position. Anyone can preach from a soapbox, but when you are in the trenches trying to get things done, it’s a different story.

This vein of posts can go on and on it seems as people are emailing me their own little stories. If I am missing over the next few days, it’s because it’s Mother’s Day weekend. If your mother is still alive, don’t forget the extra special effort to look her up. If, unfortunately, she is not, at least remember her well. Have a good one…

“A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert the wives, wives their husbands, but a mother’s love endures through all” - Washington Irving

In Trinidad, they are taxi drivers… If someone was to ask you for a quick answer to the question, “what does the “H” on the plates mean?” What will it be? No, it’s not “hire” or “hired”, it’s “HURRY”.

Every day on the road you see people driving on the shoulders, but I remember clearly taxi drivers pioneering this new style. Nowadays, from young girls, little old men, container trucks, buses, you name it - they are all on the shoulder as if it’s a legal lane. And while I sit with the rest of the plebes in the official lanes, one question is always uppermost in my mind - how hurry can these people be?

The thing is, the same traffic they are trying to get away from is caused by their driving habits. I can take a very serious bet that we don’t have to send millions and billions of dollars to get an immediate relief in traffic jams if drivers only obey the rules and use a little intelligence in their driving . I am sure anyone reading this can remember being caught, for example, in an intersection because some inconsiderate fool went into it knowing full well he had nowhere to go. Or the lazy one who sees everyone parked on one side of the road so that two lanes can still pass, but he/she decides it’s too far to walk and parks on the opposite side? Instant traffic jam.

But back to the shoulder driving. How do you sit down some one and make them understand that traffic slows because someone has to slow down or stop to let you in? It’s a chain reaction: traffic slows naturally (I mean all of us are on the road), first idiot overtakes and compounds the problem. Second, third, fourth and hundredth idiot follows quickly after and by then it’s the classic “channa bottle” jam. And of course the ignorant behaviour is not too far behind - I mean, come on, you were driving in the shoulder to start with! How intelligent is that?

The funniest I’ve heard was Jim Rohn though - another one of my heroes. He asked the question, “who are these people? What a marketable skill to have, beating the traffic… If you beat it today, does it stay down for the rest of the week, or is it back up to go another round with you tomorrow?” I am sure you empathise with the sentiment.

I always end up in the same place no matter what topic I write about. Where are the police? I have seen motorcyle cops ticketing people in the US as if they are on a quota system. One guy with a bike and a radar gun and he’s on whole day hiding in different locations. In Trinidad it takes about five cops to catch a speeding driver and then none for a bit as the opposite lanes flash their lights to warn speedsters that “dey timin’ up de road!” A word to these flashers - don’t do it. You may save a speedster from a lesson today and he takes someone’s life tomorrow.

Stephen Cadiz pre-empted me for my wrap up today of the last few posts.

In today’s Express he questioned the purpose of the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TnT (SAUTT) and why so much money had been spent on that unit on one hand, yet the Police Service was not being developed to the same extent? The Opposition UNC always mention the TT$15billion spent on National Security over the last six years but how was it allocated?

SAUTT have helicopters but the Police sometimes operate out of condemned buildings. (Did someone say it is easier to buy a chopper than get a TnT contractor to put up a building on time?) They have their fleet of vehicles bearing the newly created TTAG1 plates but the Police never have a vehicle in the station - or so they say. SAUTT have “special weaponry” that we heard were lent to the Guyanese Security Forces after the massacres in that country. I never heard anyone question what type of weaponry they were talking about and what exactly makes them “special” for hunting men?

My worry about SAUTT stems from the uneasiness I have when I see heavily armed soldiers patrolling the streets. Last Christmas they were in our malls - young soldiers in full battle dress with some very powerful looking weapons. These guys, and the man who leads SAUTT, are trained for war and I fear the mayhem that could result if something goes wrong one day.

This private army (for want of a better description) in Wallerfield has been, since inception, on the fringes of illegality. As far as everyone in the know are concerned, they are not a legal entity. Created by the PM and his AG (according to our constitution, the only two members required to form a government) outside of the normal police and army, it comprises members of both these units and civilians, but what is their true purpose? Certainly not crime fighting because that is getting worse by the day.

Late last year the Minister of National Security spoke about making SAUTT a corporation - like UdeCoTT. Can you imagine? A well equipped, mean fighting machine with reputedly exceptional spying capabilities answerable only to their single shareholder - the Corporation Sole.

So, the PM is protected by a private security firm and the rest of the population have to do with the under-trained and ill-equipped Police Service. Did the Mongoose Gang of Grenada during Gairy’s time, the Ton Ton Macoutes of Haiti during the Duvaliers’ reign and many other variants from Zimbabwe to apartheid South Africa start “innocently” enough and then turned on the population by the their masters?

Lyndon Guiseppi fired and escorted out of RBTT? But what is this? Just last week I quoted him on my post re: his concerns about cost of homes, the attendant mortgage costs and risk to the economy…

http://nastylittletruths.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/the-love-of-money/

Something that we weren’t supposed to know?

In keeping with the vein of the last posts, before my diversion, (we ended with uprising and rebellion) I want to introduce you to a rarely known and hardly ever stated role of Governments:

“…one of the roles of governments is to protect the rich from the poor and vice versa”

The simplest way I explain this to people, without sounding like a revolutionary, is in business and monetary terms. Whereas Governments have made interventions to protect the poor from the rich in certain areas - open markets have more competition so prices go down and choices are wider; consumer rights and other laws (remember the days of “no return, no refund”?) - what has our government done to protect the rich from the poor?

I’ve noted in recent times the tendency of Government spokesmen to blame the business community for any perceived gouging or unfair pricing practices. This is treading dangerous ground and the business chambers have been up in arms protesting vigorously so as not to put their members to any undue risk. (Remember what happened when Mugabe gave his supporters free reign to seize and occupy white Zimbabweans’ farms?) And if you listen carefully, it’s the neophytes speaking showing their inexperience and a naivete about who really pulls the strings in politics.

But are the moneyed elite in Trinidad at risk from any uprising from the poor? I see how the arms of the state, especially the police, treat the poor and I can state unequivocally that the rich have nothing to fear. I remember with distaste some judgments handed down by our courts to rich and poor and the startling difference is indicative of where the bias lies. Anyone remembers the Amoroso and Brad Boyce trials? I would venture to say that they are quite safe.

The larger issue here is if we accept the Government’s descriptions of the real money men as “captains of industry” or as parasites feeding on a host (the market) until there is no more to take. When taken into consideration that every one of them has an exit strategy in the very likely event things go south, it is easier to think which group they fall into…

When you see the few who gives back as much as they take, however, it really is a marked difference. They accept, unlike the majority, that they are nothing without labour to support their businesses. They also have a clearer understanding that their support of communities result in a happier, more educated and overall better workforce for they themselves to tap into. I have no compassion for businesses who will not do on-the-job-training and apprenticeships but will headhunt any skill they require. Their motto is, “let someone else train them and we will take them after”. They are the true parasites and, unfortunately, I know too much of them.

They come from north, south, east, west and central. They come from overseas even… All to feed like pigs at the trough called our Treasury, but at the expense of the patrimony of TnT citizens and their children.

I have to make a diversion off my current topic based on today’s story with Ken Valley and his hope that Keith Rowley takes up the challenge to contest Patrick for leadership of the PNM next month.

Two worries: All of a sudden my only hope, the party, seems to have gone into hiding. Remember every Sunday night on the news we saw a very sage looking John Donaldson giving a press briefing on the deliberations of General Council? Where are they now? Nothing to say since the Rowley firing?

Second, we have to read between the lines and remember that the PNM voting system is based on delegates and not one man-one vote. As a matter of fact after the last fiasco with the UNC/Ramesh/Deputy Political Leader affair, Patrick was on record for saying that it just shows that a one man-one vote system was not in the best interest of political parties. Hmmm… does he have the executive elections all sewn up already that’s why he was brave enough to cut Rowley? It is quite possible that the Machiavellian plans were put in place long before now.

Keith comments last week was instructive though when pressed for an answer on if he will fight for the post: “everyone encourages you to buy big belly horse but no one helps you to cut grass when the place dry”. Fight or die Keith. There is no future in the back benches. Contest the post, and if you lose at least you can say you tried to save us and we didn’t heed the call. Don’t only use the UdeCoTT issue to remove yourself from public life. That’s small fry compared to this battle… money versus morality.