Class Act

This is not about blind nationalism nor foolish pride. This is about something like purity, about some sort of ideal. It is about things making sense, for a change. Look to India and there you will see a team of Trinbagonians. Not some haphazard bunch of men with a sport in common, but a team. No star batsman, no star bowler, but a team. They spent the entire tournament as a unit.It was a total exhibition of class. Finally I feel like I could stand up with older men who have seen great West Indian teams of the past and say "Yes...I see one too."

Not a team by fluke, but intention, preparation and habit. Aspiring together and achieving together; exhibiting discipline, tolerance and productivity. A team that made us proud and surpassed our expectations. Dare I say more than we deserve? No, that would be wrong. If we did not deserve it, if it was not our time for such an example then, simply, it would not exist for us to see.

Now it is for us to take their example, to look at how Ganga and the management instilled a sense of responsibility into everyone and made a group of men, who had a sport in common, turn into a team. A team that didn't dissolve or turn into a pumpkin at midnight.

How this all came together in a land filled with the stench and stink of such shitty politicians is not important. What is important is that we've been shown a way put of our own filth. Not by some foreigner or some self-righteous conman, but by our own. Trinis like you and me who like ah fete and ah j'ouvert. Some who eat five finger from right off the tree, some who love pomerac and sorrel. Doing things in our own way, charting the unknown come hell, highwater or Udecott. I am thankful for this team and their example. True they came in second, and hats off to the other team for a game well played. Ganga himself admitted afterward that the team did crack under the pressure of the final with some players unable to find their form. They proved over the course of the tournament though, both in victory and their solitary loss that form is temporary, but class...class is permanent.

Jazz In the Calalloo

In the spirt of a recently concluded Sunday lunch, by today leftovers, this blog is a recipe for a quite unusual dish called 'Melting Pot'

Ingredients:

1 existing twin-island Republic population;
1 combination mixture of crude oil and river water;
85 exploited Chinese labourers;
400 plus murders for one calender year and counting;
1 Overworked Police Service;
100 sun kissed beaches;
A bevy of politicians;
1 looming smelter plant;
1 lb of salt for every citizen regardless of age, gender or health condition;
1 lb of sugar (see above);
Pepper;
1 beer (stag);
1 pseudo beer (carib);
1 bottle of Puncheon Rum;
1 pinch of concern;
Liberal helpings of the media;
1 Year of typical tropical weather;
1 earful of hearsay;
1 over done tag line (The Greatest Show on Earth);
1 outdated mentality (Carnival mentality);

Method:

Begin with bevy of politicians and apply to the existing twin-island Republic population pre-soaked in Carnival mentality.
Bevy of politicians are chilled and pre-wrapped in The Greatest Show on Earth tag line.
Feed Puncheon to overworked Police Service.
Skewer the overworked Police Service, add salt and sugar without regard for age, gender or any existing health conditions.
Ignore the looming smelter.
Combine all 85 Chinese labourers with half of the media.
Combine the other half of the media with the 400 murders plus and combine with previously overworked Police Service.
Ignore the looming smelter.
Prepare the 100 sun kissed beaches with equal amounts of Stag and Carib.
When this is done, shell the 1 year of typical tropical weather and mix in slowly (WARNING: DO NOT IMMERSE IN WATER, PRONE TO FLOODING).
Press play on earful of heresay.
Add one pinch of concern and pepper to taste.
Set to a boil in oil and water combination.
Do not ever decrease temperature, best consumed piping hot.
Before blessing the food, ignore the looming smelter.

Somebody tuh Hug Up

As I sit here typing I am faced with a most delicious question. What do I write? This question is not posed from that shadowy area known as writer’s block, where many a creative figure throughout time has been lost to the reverse of the crackheads’ itch. This reverse, absolutely no sense of sensation, is more dreaded by writers. This time, rather, I can savour a taste, a sensation of exhilaration and badassness as I realize that it is because I have so much from which to choose that I ask, ‘What do I write?’

Do I write about the national U20 football team and their World Cup experiences? In my mind I can already romanticize an older Leston Paul sitting, in what strangely is not a West Indian living room, with child on his lap who is idolizing some Italian footballer on the TV screen, and Leston beaming, telling the child about sharing a field, a moment of battle and camaraderie with this same man. I can see the amazement and wonder in this child’s eye.

Do I talk about the conflicting thoughts I have about Rio de Janeiro being awarded the Olympics in 2016? Indeed it is a triumph for the South American continent as Rio will be the first of its kind to be entrusted with the responsibility of hosting these time honoured games. A triumph too for Rio was chosen over Madrid, Tokyo, and Chicago (the not so subtle attempt at influence by the Obamas did not help the windy city).

But one cannot help but wonder what will be done with the favellas and its inhabitants that overlook the poshest parts of the city. Already having a ‘lower class’ stigma attached to them, what manner of oppression will be constructed and released by the government and other associated ‘organizers’? And one cannot also help but to recall that the current PNM (non)-government administration’s response to a similar problem when the eyes of the world blinked on our little island for a few days earlier this year, was to build a wall around them. Entrapment, endangerment, disgust and fear, were all employed under the guise of security, beautification and long-term planning. What will Brazil do?

Or do I write about my own intensely personal and ever enlarging internal journey? Perhaps I can use this form to confront the ‘self’ and address the ego. I can document here thoughts, feelings, actions, beliefs and emotions. I can undress; strip free of all labels, all judgments, in a systematic and symbolic fashion for all to see. I can share what I have learnt over time about ego and its role, about its triggers and suppressors, its pros and cons. Or I could delve into my struggles with both a specific, romantic love, and a universal love. Maybe then, I could bare my soul?

Or do I write about women who dare question the man’s world? The Gayatri Spivak’s, Melre Hodge’s and Atillah Springer’s amongst us. Modern day giants whose shoulders will one day support others. Now Sycorax is seen and heard. Her voice is powerful; her image is calm. Sycorax seeks not revenge but the safety of her children, the end to oppression, and a little bit of time to relax and hug her youth, because some things yuh could write about and other times yuh just really need to share yuh touch.

Divine Denial

What is a gun? What does it symbolize? I was talking to my mother about this and she concurred that guns symbolize power. Makes sense don't it? The question of what guns symbolize came to my head recently. I was watching a local news broadcast some night, may have been last night or on Wednesday...yeah it was Wednesday.

Anyway, I watching the screen dey and see dey talking bout how Trini police went on a Liat flight and seize ah Puerto Rican national who has a history of protesting, yuh know nah, ah professional wajang, with ah cause. As the story goes, the officers boarded the plane with guns drawn, some of the semi-automatic, find the man, take him off the plane, handcuff him then deport him.

Aite cool, so news time now and they interviewing acting commissioner Philbert. He defends the act of his officers stating the dangerous intent of one Alberto "Tito Kayak" de Jesus Mercado (from now on Jesus), and deems that to have not taken action would have been reckless.

Now I hear what the man say, but my brain start doing this thinking thing that it like nah. What the hell Philo mean? Yuh want tuh deport somebody, I could understand that. but explain why one would board an international flight with weapons drawn to remove a man who has never been associated with violent acts. Why not use the same three officers to escort him off the plane into a more secluded area?

See I studying how it look to the Spanish moms and dem, who sit down looking out the window, only fuh d door tuh open and three black, shiny, heavily armed and heavy breathing man tuh storm past she, hit she with ah rifle butt in she head, drag out ah man, only tuh hit she in she head again.

The irony is that Philo saying his main thing was not to be reckless. Yet his actions in authorizing such an operation was reckless. If Jesus had decided to strike an officer would he have been shot? If an officer tripped, trying to manouevre his bulky frame down the aisles of the Liat plane and his weapon went off, what would Philo have done then?

Jesus has been allowed entry into Israel, the United States, namely New York and the United Nation headquarters. But not Trinidad. And I believe that has more to do with our police force's incompetence rather than Jesus' danger level. To try to justify it any other way is a denial of divine proportions.

So guns symbolize power. A little power is a dangerous thing and right now it seems the little bit more that Philo get has made him a little more dangerous. I hope that it dissipates with the summit. Next thing you know we will have officers jumping out of jeeps with guns drawn at vehicular accident scenes when they coming to 'lend assistance'.
Oh...wait...that going on already...

Evil or Stupid

The choice seems simple, but the consequences are very grave. Are our leaders evil or are they stupid? Is the police force really just a bunch of bumbling idiots, or are they cantankerous and evil? Is the inability to find missing children as a result of criminals being smarter than the police and the existing public, or do the police know things that they are not sharing? And even worse are they withholding this information for personal gain or profit, while our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and cousins, nieces and nephews, godsons and goddaughters...while our children pay the price?

Were our politicians really unaware that the Brian Lara Stadium was being filled with condemned steel? Or has someone's pocket been lined with more coins and dollar bills than we can possibly hope to count in what lifetime?

If our leaders are this stupid then we are truly lost and our best bet is to endure our time under the direction of the dunce class. If they are stupid, then we should market ourselves as the world's greatest spectacle. Because that's what idiots do, make a spectacle of themselves. I can think of a catchy slogan, something like 'The Greatest Show on Earth' perhaps. It has a nice ring to it, something marketers seem to like.

If we are a nation led by idiots, then we should spend our money on entertainment, we should all be drinking and forgetting so that this terrible times passes quickly. If any one of us is harmed by the stupidity, a helpful word, a pat on the shoulder and a hot rum should fix the offendee right up.

If our leaders are evil then we need to speak up. The blood of dead children is not just on their hands but all of ours, since we as a society of a MILLION plus, sat by and did absolutely nothing.

We elected to spend time in church, filling buildings with our voices instead of filling streets with our love, concern and anger. We continue to treat our politics and its developments as soap operas, our politicians as favourite actors, and ourselves as shit.

If our leaders are evil, then they have been created, and continue to be nurtured by this very society. If our leaders are evil, we are responsible whether we voted them in or not, for they are a product of us. If our leaders are evil and we are unprepared to act to address this, then it's best that we accept our fate since we seem impotent, a body of people unwilling to struggle for anything better.

What we go do?

If you pay a doubles man all of your three dollars, what do you expect in return? Two barra and some channa, maybe a lil pepper and mango chutney on d side depending on your palate. And what if you find a stone in yuh doubles, and yuh bite and crack way one of the last few good teeth in your mouth, because you never study oral hygiene too much in your life thus far. You didn't pay for stone, yuh pay fuh doubles. Even more, you eh pay fuh no crack teeth so who going and pay tuh fix yours. You going and gansta the doublesman for the money, like if you is some PNM Councillor? Or do you take the case up with the Ministry of Works and Transport, Stones Division, because them stones find a way into your mouth of their own free will? And if you cah find nobody tuh blame, or just to take you on as a matter of fact, what do you do then? You and yuh crack teeth have to go by the dentist, and pay the smug bastard too. How you going to pay him, with your own money? So, how much really was that doubles?

Baby Marissa was a sad, sad case. The amount of political dodging and PR deflecting done would have had even Batman and Robin in awe. And with wit and satire aside, the death of this innocent should rest on all our minds. Who defends the defenseless? How is it that a government has basically left a child to die and faces no repurcussions. Is this Trinidad or Gotham? Our citizens seem to have no interest in acting and no interest in activism, thus we shall reap what we sow. A government full-up of supervillains who look upon us commoners with scorn. And we have no superhero candidates, Lawrence Duprey is way too old and ugly to be Batman, though he has the billionaire and mysterious disappearances part down. Rowley is no Robin, although some ladies may be willing to pay to see him in tights and recently he has been singing like a lark, but I seriously digress. Less than a month after the death of Marissa, who cast not a contrary vote against nor issued a contrary word about the vindictive administration, comes the announcement that the government will be leasing some 200 BMW vehicles for the Summit of the Americas. Would Batman stand for that? This is the same administration that was not flexible enough to assist in raising funds for ten month old Marissa, yet can apparently do German approved flips and enough of these flips to secure 200 BMW vehicles for lease!
No one doubts that the Summit of the Americas is indeed important, but at what cost? If this were Gotham and we had a Batman, should we not take him to task? If we had superheroes in this place they should bring the evil doers to justice, whether it be Minister of Health Jerry Narace, or his holiness Father Manning, or a clerk who forgot to make a follow-up call.

Our murder rate is currently approaching 500 persons for the year, many have asked at what cost? Marissa cost us 200 vehicles.

We More Dan Mad

It is said that the character of a nation can be judged by how it cares for its less fortunate. Probably the least fortunate institution in Trinidad and Tobago is the St. Ann's Mental Hospital, or affectionately, the mad house. Recently I heard about the confession of a former mad house worker who said that, "The grounds in St. Ann's better than the General Hospital...that's about it." The end, no more no less. The mad house hovers like a spectre in Trinidad society. When there are discussions on health in the nation, it always centers around the needs of the 'normal' citizenry. At few occasions are the needs and the plight of the patients at St. Anns ever voiced or even met for that matter. Clamouring for beds, medication and doctors are only the concerns of us, the 'normal'. And why are we normal? Because of how we are able to fit into the fabric of a society where people park on a highway the night before a holiday to observe their religion? Or perhaps our willingness to continually not wear seatbelts, or taxi-drivers that make their daily living on the emergency shoulders of our roads? Maybe what makes us normal is our satisfaction with our present position of 'choice', most happy with that 'choice' being reduced to a free stained index finger every five or so years. Yes, us the 'normal' ones will work eight hour days and drive four hour traffics. We will pat our sons on their heads and tell them they should be strong men, while they observe us lusting after women other than their mothers. We will be more interested in what tasty bits of commess our leaders offer up, rather than addressing real issues. We are 'normal' because we can continue to vote on race. We are 'normal' because the political parties know they can win elections simply by appealing to race.

I think I will take my chances with the not normal. I think it makes more sense to be in a room with 'crazy people'. Let me shit in my hand and throw it on the ceiling too, because that's where I'm supposed to behave like that. It's not as if we 'normal' people take our waste and just dump it whereever we feel. You will never find our rubbish in the rivers, drains, and once beautiful natural areas of this land. Of course not, cus we 'normal', and the mad house is for mad people.

Artificially Flavoured

A double-standard usually tends to expose itself in very ironic fashion, for instance in issues of race. For thirteen years now, many have debated as to whether or not O.J. Simpson should have been found guilty in the double murder of his estranged wife and her lover. At the time, the competent and almost magical courtroom presence of Johnny Cochrane mesmerized us all. I can remember that rhythmic tag-line of his, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!" And acquit they did. What followed was intensely mixed. People both white and black felt that O.J was guilty. But the issue was not really about guilt, but rather race. The difference was that O.J. was being extended the privileged side of the double standard that often exists when it comes to the races, all be it because of his celebrity. Fast-forward to today and ironically O.J. is now on the other side of the double standard. While his image had been spalshed across the media, and others still have insinuated that this is in some way justice, for his previous acquittal, the double-standard has again reared its head, though not specifically with this case.
On October 3rd 2008, while O.J. was being convicted in California, a white State trooper was being acquitted in South Carloina. Indeed the case of Lance Cpl. Steve Garren is not a new one in terms of U.S. law as it deals with allegations of police brutality, though this time with a twist. Or at the risk of being crass, with a swerve. It is 'alleged' that the officer under question intentionally ran over a suspect with his car in order to stop him from fleeing. The jury in the case was shown a video of the incident which occured in June 2007 which showed the suspect, Marvin Grant, at first running from the patrol car and then suddenly changing direction and running right into the vehicle's path. He was hit at this point. On the video the voice of Officer Garren can be heard saying, "Hey, I nailed the (expletive) out of him." Followed by, "Yeah I hit him. I was trying to hit him."
Police in the U.S., as in the world over have guidelines of force that they must follow. Because an invidiual is suspected or guilty does not give an understanding of permission to use 'excessive force', as it was in this case since the suspect was on foot and unarmed. With this in mind there are two explanations for Marvin Grants' change of direction relative to the cruiser. Either Mr. Grant has a death wish and tried to get runover, or the officer tried to hit him, as he is heard saying on the video.
As previously stated Officer Garren was acquitted and herein lies the double standard. O.J's conviction is seen by some as justice acting in its ultimate manner in ensuring that O.J. does not escape the long-arm of the law. And while we are distracted by mainstream media's almost blanket coverage of this, a white trooper is being acquitted of vehicular homicide against a black man in the southern U.S. Admittedly, connecting the two cases is a bit of a stretch. Yet it seems possible using race, an artificial tie that binds.

Wailin' on Pailn

The unknown is usually a scary thing since it comes shrouded in so much uncertainty. In politics, however, reality is becoming less and less consequential. When John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, Republican poly-tricksters bombarded the air waves with her positive qualities, while Democrats tried to do the same with her negative qualities. It was amusing to watch the dance, to watch the spectacle as they each paraded in full costume, almost like mas bands with varying portrayals and all reality suspended with the audience in full awe of their craftmanship and paying no attention to their substance. That is what politics has become now, an art, not science. It cannot be science when a vice-presidential candidate is shielded from the press right after lighting up the political scene with a magnificent speech at the Republican National Convention. And again, science cannot be the focus when releasing previously protected candidate, only to have her fall flat on her face after which you claim unfair treatment and sexism.
Palin is at best, dotish, as evidenced by her interviews with Katie Couric. She can't provide clear and coherent answers to questions that a conscientious TEENAGER can handle. In her defense she claims that she is not elitist. Since when did elitist expand into being able to explain yourself? This is all art. Palin is a choice meant to simply appease the Republican conservative base. She is a gun-toting, evangelical politician. Complete with American backwoods 'sass', and narrowmindedness that people call small town charm, in her case its more like a sham. Palin has no substance. She can't remember what magazines she reads to be abreast of world issues and cites Alaska's geographical closeness to Russia, or at least she tries to explain it.
All this however makes Joe Biden's job harder in tonight's debate. All Palin has to do, after her last couple weeks of pin the tail on the idiot, is survive. All she has to do is survive! The onus is on Biden, as the elder statesman and experienced politician to take this debate. To graciously smash this woman who couldn't even win a beauty pageant under the stage of American politics. Yes my words sound harsh, but it is this sort of blood that journalists and supporters everywhere are hoping for. Conservative journalists will get the opening to accuse Biden of being sexist, while liberal journalists will get the nail in the Palin coffin that they've been searching for. Meanwhile, the public is at best entertained and at home, comfortable in their skin, thanful for the spectacle provided, God forbid that they would have to actually think for themselves.

Man

(The previous post, 'Birth and Death', gives context to this poem)

Dem say dat I reach here first
And dat she did come out of me
Really?
So society say dat she
mus answer to me
Really?
Dat I doh even have to really love she
Jus give she shelter and a lil money
Leh she buy some clothes fuh d baby
And when i reach home mih food better be ready
Really?

Dat cah be all dat make a man
really...
What about being soft with strength?
Helping her stand when she doh have the legs?
How 'bout lowering yuh ego
When she doh really need yuh help to go
toward realizin' her dreams?
Dat soun' more like what being a man means

Doh treat she sour, your job is to empower
And when the challenges make it harder to stand
extend a hand.
Is not a contest, a burden or a job
And if allyuh vex, yuh cah hit and shove
Man, if yuh want to be loved, then love.

Birth and Death

I've been intrigued by the connection between birth and death for many years now. As a man, the act of birth is a mystery to me. I was too young to remember my first-hand encounter with it, and I can never carry out that act myself. Yet, that aside, it remains part of my respect for women in that they have the power to commit an act that I can only wonder and write about. What I find truly amazing is how closely the life of mother and child are tied. Sometimes just for the child to live, the mother has to die. True, through medical and technological developments, the fatality rates for mothers has improved over time. This is not to say, however, that the risk to mothers is any less. The aspect of the balance, the fine line between her own life and the life of her child, remains. This is a commonality of life. Every man, every woman, is born with some woman having put her life on the line for their existence. Birth by itself is a miracle to be respected, as to is woman for the part that she plays. Indeed men are integral, for conception, but birth is all woman.
So how is it that men kill women? Even more integral, how is it that men kill the women they claim to love? Passion without reason is a dangerous thing. In today's world, many individuals place the location of their self-worth outside of themselves, mostly in material things, new house, car, anything that blings. Others value themselves through relationships, their passion is tied to the actions of another. Now sharing a life, being in a relationship is a beautiful thing, but it should be shared. Furthermore, self-worth should come from within the individual. Yes external events can affect how you feel, but your sense of self, your perception of who you are should come from within. Love can turn to hate in a heartbeat. But what value is placed on the life of a woman, an angel of life, when she is executed because she has chosen to end an unhealthy relationship? How many dictators are there in this land? And then, to not have the courage to face his actions, the 'man' turns the gun on himself.
Yet there is also the otherside, that no one but that man knows what was going on in his head to cause such an awful reaction. What processes are necessary to foster such a disconnect? How does what you love become who you murder? And while 'men' keep killing women, baby boys are born with less examples of what it means to truly be a man.

Flood

Through its infinite wisdom, the universe saw it fit that I would not live as an engineer. That being said, it is with limited understanding of structures and flow that I offer this criticism. First, how is it that Port-of-Spain still floods? And I wonder if anything is being done to address this fact. Something must be in the works, there is no way that the government would blindly move to expand the pressure on the infrastructure of the capital without first ensuring that said infrastructure has the capacity to handle the increased load. Right? Politicians may be evil and uncaring but they aren't stupid right? How blind can Vision 2020 really be? Ironic that 20/20 means perfect sight, yet this vision seems to have more cataracts than a home for the aged. Many objections have been raised from different circles, from artists to politicians, to engineers and academics. The current expansion is often labelled as being 'un-sustainable' by the dissenters. Yet the government is still forging along, taking a 'father knows best' approach. All the voices of objection aren''t silenced, but they are ignored. Yet is this not a democracy? Where do we go, who do we turn to now? After objecting and having our say, father knows best and lets us know this, so what is left? What is next after we object like well-mannered, respectful citizens? What is left for us when our objection leads to no change? How long will we be patronized for? Or do we perhaps make a bargain with evolution and exchange our revolutionary spirit for gills so that we can live in the floodwaters? When will our limit be reached and our frustration at not being heard lead us to action? Until such a time, until we either take control of our destinies or roll over and give up totally, all we can continue to do is object like good, little citizens. Some say we're waiting on a leader. Yet revolutions are made by people, not leaders. The people must first rise, then we can deicde who will lead. But we happy with what we have. A rum to drink, a party to go to, and a rich mind to distract. Welcome welcome one and all, to the land of fetes, trini to the bone...trini to the bone.

Obamania

It amazes me how much hope society vests in modern day politicians and governments. Traditionally society or the mob, has always loved to be in awe of a leader, whether it be king, pope, or politician. Charisma and the gift of speech is a most effective tool for catching the attention of an audience. A man or woman, with the right voice, vibe, and 'feel', can get others to follow their will. Masters of rhetoric are older than the written word itself, before we wrote it we spoke it. Over the years these great speakers have used their powers to achieve goals that were important to them. Martin Luther for Protestantism, Frederick Douglas, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X for 'civil' rights. And now today, Barack Obama for 'hope' and 'change'.
Decades ago, the America political landscape had no room for a black politician, much less one with a 'foreign' sounding name. Today things are evidently different. Not only is Obama black, but also his message is a positive one. He has crossed borders and boundaries with an appeal that stretches across gender, age, race, sexual orientation and even nationality. For older people like my parents, people who grew up in an era painted with the billy club stokes of racist police men, bombarded by the images of black Americans being abused en masse by dogs and water hoses, the image of a clean-cut and well-manicured Obama is indeed a sign of hope and change. I cannot help to think, however, that his widespread acceptance by white Americans is somehow a necessary verification for his global appeal.
Obama has an allure that the world cannot seem to shake, and I wonder if I am alone in my doubts. One word comes to mind, cynic. I had a conversation today that went something like this,
"What do you think of Obama?"
"He's a politician."
"What kind, good, bad, ugly? What?"
"They're all the same on one level, they can't be trusted. Obama can't be trusted."
The dangerous part of this 'Obamania' is how blindly people support politicians. One everyone's lips are the words hope and change. But what will Obama change? The corrupt US political system with its acres of complicated lobbies and backdoor interests? Will he be able to keep his promise of restoring morality to America? How does a man restore morality? Obama is a politician, and as such will say anything to get elected. He must appear to be, must be perceived as a man that fits the expectations of the American people. Granted, he has not gone as far as some in ridiculous assertions, but the restoration of morality to a nation is something that even the biblical Jesus could not attain, and he died to try and solve it.
I am encouraged by Obama's rhetoric, but view it only as that, rhetoric. Even rhetoric though, can be a start for change. If anything, this is what he shall accomplish, the beginning of a new direction, which in terms of a life's work is a huge and fantastic feat within itself. However, it's not enough to win an election, and thus the spin cycle continues. And while Obamanics place there hope in the image of a man, his message of society healing itself is lost. Putting us right back where we started, "It amazes me how much hope society vests in modern day politicians and governments." While politicians make promises that they can't possibly be held accountable for, the less wealthy members of society are left out of all processes. They promise to restore morality while a young girl is being raped by an uncle. They say they believe that health care should be available to all but have no comprehensive plan to make that a reality. They promise a crime-free society, yet it is evident that crime is a part of a life where there is money, property, and value. A politician will say anything to get elected. They are not driven by a concern for others but rather by a thirst for power. None to the same degree as the next, but yet it is a main motivator for them all. In Obama it seems the mob has found a symbol. Symbols can fade faster than people, but sometimes they last long after the originators have gone. I hope that Obama can become a symbol for true change.

Symbolism

The men's 100m final was an amazing race. Congratulations go out to all who took part, especially to Usian Bolt and Richard Thompson whose efforts led to a word- record performance by Bolt and medals for both. Sport has traditional been a measure of society. C.L.R.James in Beyond A Boundary, explored how cricket and the way it is played is a reflection of a society's fabric. When West Indian cricket is doing well so are our societies and vice versa. Currently West Indian cricket is both erratic and eccentric which should be of no surprise since the islands of the region have their strong points, and their weak points. Just as in cricket a lack of consistency is what plagues out team, in our societies we see a lack of commitment and dedication.
Trinidadians like to think of out nation as the leader in the region, and with good reason. We have one of the stronger economies, our vast reserves of energy deposits ensure that we are always a prime market for investment, and we have an emerging and vibrant financial sector. All of these factors combined with a mostly un-healthy a dose of arrogance have contributed to the assumption of leadership. Jamaica is another island that also sees itself as a regional leader. Her lands may not contain the same sort of energy deposits, but time and again Jamaican nationals have proven their mettle and worth. Really though, the start of all this can be traced back to colonial times. Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad (Guyana was no slacker either) were the main revenue earners for the British Empire. With (In)Dependence, the reliance on Britain was not sufficiently eroded, and as such these nations retained their relative importance with each trying to outshine the other.
To date there has been no clear winner. True economically Trinidad seems to have done the most. Our measure of success though, must not be merely economic. All the islands have chronic problems of policy implementation which can be easily spotted when looking at the relative inefficiencies of their health, education, sport and other social service sectors. And it is sport that seems to have undergone a change in Jamaica. It was symbolic in the 100m final to see Thompson lead the race for the first 50 meters only to be overtaken by Bolt. Jamaica has developed a formidable athletics program over the years that started to bear fruit a long time ago and now it seems to be in full season. There on the track was Thompson the Trinidadian who was trained by some of the best in America. And then passing him like a bolt of, well Bolt, an athlete that trained in Jamaica, by some of Jamaica's best. Symbolic indeed, for the region still insists on looking outside of itself for verification. A lack of resources is always the excuse as we continuously weaken ourselves. Somehow, Jamaicans have begun to find a way to work around their material limitations and succeed, at least in sport.
The essence of the thinking that was necessary to do this though, the proactive nature of that thinking is the true Caribbean resource.
A.S.F. Andrews {M.ar}

Who's for Dinner?

I remember having a conversation with an American some five odd years ago about food. I was naively trying to impress upon him the urgency of knowing how to grow and prepare your own food. Try as I might, my infantile line of reasoning did nothing to convey my point. Indeed, at the time, my point was one that sounded like conspiracy and must have seemed to be more paranoia than common sense. He could not agree with me. Wal-Mart, Winn-Dixie, Publix and any other supermarket were always well stocked with food.

If my American friend and I had that conversation today, I would have no difficulty in convincing him. Now, merely five years later, the US is faced with rations with certain retailers limiting the amounts that consumers may purchase with respect to essentials like flour, rice, and cooking oil. If we are to believe Western media and by extension propaganda, then this can be attributed to two main factors, namely, the rise of a huge middle-class in Indo-China, and the displacing of agricultural land by the more lucrative bio-fuel industry.

However, such a narrow view would lead only to an incorrect diagnosis as other factors are being largely ignored. Firstly the over zealous use of fertilizers, though exponentially increasing crop yield in the short-term, does the opposite in the long-term. Therefore, fields that were once brimming with produce, now fight to give mere fractions of what they were previously capable. Some fertilizers are in fact like steroids for soil, giving immediate benefits suited for shorter goals, yet damaging the soil in a way that compromises longevity. Secondly basic math illustrates that the current food shortage will only worsen. Since land is a limited resource and global population is growing how then, can we use less land to produce more food? More agricultural land is cleared for development projects in nations of the global south (3rd World). For decades, economics has taught that in order to develop, these nations must move away from such agriculturally intensive economies and produce manufactured goods. In a nutshell, we have spent the years after WWII lessening the portion of land in use for food, while world population has been increasing. The rate at which arable land is disappearing and waters are becoming polluted, it looks as if this is only the start of what will in years prove to be a crisis in every sense of the word.

Undoubtedly, upon reading this other factors will come to your minds. It is important to not simply accept what media shoves down our throats. They would have us believe that the world will starve because of the rise of non-white nations. India and China have only been following the path of development as lad out for them by Western powers. They have been very good boys and girls in adopting this, and now they seek to nourish themselves. And yes, this increased demand is causing stress on the world's food supply. But five years ago, this was also the case. The same Western economists who advocated massive expansion of these economies and the investment bankers who invested huge amounts of foreign capital into these economies were only focused on profit. No one thought of the effect that more manufacturing would have in the long-term. Greater industrial need for land fostered competition for space, and in some spaces the alternative use was agriculture. Since firms are focused on earning profit, this is overlooked.

This condition makes the space that we control as individuals, families, communities, villages, towns and cities, one of great potential.For a garden at home, a compost heap, seedlings, and some water is all you need. Grow easy crops like seasonings and peppers. You may only save a little every month, but a little adds up over time. Knowing how to plant in these times is important. I myself have been gardening for years. There is nothing as rewarding as reaping, preparing and eating your own food. But if you don't have a green thumb and everything you try to plant falls flat, try cannibalism and start with a 'PH' driver.

2 Young 2 Soca; Too Old for B.S.

On Sunday last, I had the dis-stink-tion of listening to a comment from Machel Montano during the TV6 Evening News broadcast. The story was touted as one relating to his Alternative Concept 3+3 Concert that was held on Saturday night, Mr. Montano though felt it necessary to speak out on crime.

Serious? A plea from Machel about the crime in the country? And not only that but his blaming the government and saying that they must address the situation. What about self-responsibility Machel? As an individual that has two cases before the courts that are violence related, how is the government to blame for your actions? When, on stage in 'Wiked in White', you massage your crotch into a young woman's head, all be it part of performance, what sort of mentality are you pushing and engaging in? Indeed, you have done a lot of positives, had a strong influence on many youths who would otherwise be in gangs and shooting guns. But our problem is not just one of weapons, it is one of mentality and culture, and these things must change.

As a role model to younger people, every move and decision is followed and analyzed. Indeed, life in the public scope is not fair as your every action is under a microscope. Yet, with great power comes great responsibility. To the young man that you don't have one on one contact with, to not accept responsibility, even on the level of an individual that was present, is wrong and sets the wrong type of example. The government is not omni-present, WE have to begin to make these changes.

Split Me In Two

"If they sending Indians to India
And Africans back to Africa
Somebody please just tell me
Where they sending poor me?
I am neither one nor the other
Six of one, half a dozen of the other
If they serious 'bout sending back people fuh true
Dey bound tuh split me in two." Dougla - 1961 Trinidad Calypso Monarch

The act of splitting involves taking something that was once singular and dividing it into something that is now multiple. For the Dougla it was difficult to reconcile how he could be split as it is for me, though mine is not a question of race but rather principle. It becomes difficult to find the balance between caring about a nation and preserving the self. I question my motivation, should I be concerned with what my country should do for me, or should I be concerned with what I can do for my country? Why do I even question such a thing in a place where if I point out to a fellow driver that he is doing the wrong thing only to have him describe my mother's most intimate anatomy? Why focus on doing for my country when so many others are just getting theirs and living it up? Why not follow the other trained professionals, get a government sponsored education and by extension a personal skill upgrade, and then buss it, jet off to a new place, new time, but for the same wine and dine?

What is my role in a society that is lawless? And by lawless I don't even mean the murders and robberries, I mean the simple inability of the average Trinidadian to respect the laws of the road. There was a time when a round-a-bout had a right of way, this is almost no more. There was also a time when indicators were used to signify that people are changing lanes, now they merely slow the daily flights on our nation's roads down. I am convinced that Bwee buss in the plane business so that now we have Caribbean Airlines in the sky, but Bwee wukkin taxi, P/H, transport and everything else on the ground.

Time and again we change government, and time and again we get new institutions, policies and structure. Yet every time we end back up in the same place, namely inefficiency, ineffectiveness and no accountability. Whether it be to decentralize some aspects of the health sector into regional health authorities, or to shift from URP to CEPEP, these are merely surface changes. Little if anything at all is done to address the attitude, mentality and purpose of the people within these organizations.


So many questions; maybe Dougla was right yuh know? Maybe it need two of everybody a ying (good) and a yang (bad). This way, people could really live what they saying on both sides instead of crying about crime and living lawlessly at the same time. But when they do that...I goin' Tobago.

Un-Commissioned

Greetings one and all. I hope that the holiday season passed safely for you all. Here in Trinidad, there were many who were missing safety from their season. Indeed, it seems that to crime there is no end in sight. My question is how can their be?
It becomes easy for the public to blame the police, since they are in charge of crime some of the responsibility lies with them but not all of it. The entire population, young and old, must accept responsibility for crime being where it is. The police service is not omnipresent nor omniscient, they cannot be in all places at all times nor can they know all things. Yet to hold policemen fully responsible for crime is to assume both of these things.
This, however, is not a vindication for a police force that is sluggish, corrupt, and misleading. How is it that a gas station can be robbed on a main road, separated from the police station by one building. Yet when the gas station attendant runs to the station to alert the police of the robbery, he is told 'We have no vehicles.' How does that man feel, after he just run to alert them and no one is willing to run back with him to assist?
Commissioner Paul made an appeal for public support very early into the new year. Indeed, a crucial aspect to getting a handle on crime. After this appeal, however, he authorized the raiding of Beetham Gardens and Chafford Courts in Port-of-Spain. Both of these areas are low-income and do have criminal elements residing in them. Yet, the warrant-less search of residences, the ransacking of homes and violence used toward residents does anything but build public support. Ironically enough, these are the very areas where public support needs to be built. The police need residents in the Beetham to be confident that they treat suspected individuals fairly or else how will they receive valuable information? If public support is raised in higher income areas like Lange Park or West Moorings or Valsayn or Gulf View, how does this help when, largely, criminal elements tend to come from lower income areas?
No Commissioner Paul, your approach is wrong. The support that you pleaded for has to come from the low income areas, you already have the high income area support since they want you to do your job and protect their investments and homes. In the low income areas, where people do not have, there is a higher chance of criminal activity. A higher chance of a young man consciously deciding to join a gang. How can his grandmother feel about turning him in when not more than a week ago your officers broke down her door and ransacked her house? Will she feel like the police will rehabilitate her grandson, or will she see them as only an oppressive force that don't care about poor people? And when the poor feel uncared for, what direction is left for them to turn?
You cannot treat low-income citizens as second-class citizens simply because they live in high-risk areas. Whether or not we like it, this country's constitution affords the same rights and respect to all of its citizens, even criminals and undoubtedly those living in criminal areas. To subject these individuals to the fear and trauma that is an unexpected, early morning raid, and not even have a legal document to back it up gives the impression that the police can do what they want when they want. Just as fire brings fire, the unfair treatment will only serve to increase bitterness that will be turned against the police service and the general population. Thank you Commissioner Paul, for 'protecting and serving'.

Will we hear you?

So that's it. The polls are closed, the results are in, the people have chosen. Civic duty has been exercised, or so it has been said. Amazing that such an important 'duty' lasts for only one day. If you exercised for one day every five or so years, what kind of shape would you be in?

We have three political parties with very similar agendas, and the difference comes in how they propose to achieve these shared goals. But, the PNM is not socialist, the UNC is not green and the COP is not liberal. There is no ideological difference. There is, however, enough perception of a difference, and this is why the system triumphs. All of the podium speeches and the verbal battles through the mud work at achieving one thing. Trivializing real issues and giving importance to minor aspects. For instance, Manohar Ramsaran when speaking about Kelvin Ramnath who recently had heart surgery tried to convey the idea that Ramnath was not healthy enough to represent a constituency. Ramnath's response explicitly directed Ramsaran to ask his wife about Ramnath's health. To my knowledge Manohar Ramsaran's wife is not a member of the medical profession.

The witty comebacks on the campaign trail, displays of bravado and machismo by both men and women, get the attention of voters. This latest election proves that. The voters, the body of the electorate that exercised on Monday, November 5th, indicated satisfaction with the choices given to them.

And yet, almost 45% of the population that was eligible to vote did not. With everything that was spent on political rallies, newspaper ads, entertainers, what a spectacle. And still almost half of the nation was not satisfied with the choices available, which is significant. For another five years, we will be sitting in Trinidad. Five carnivals will come and go, five Christmas seasons, five birthdays, five years of marriage, five of our own years, however we choose to measure it, time will pass. As this time passes, do we forget about our civic duty or does it become a daily exercise? Is the choice of voting the sole manifestation of our right to democracy? Where is our voice?

The Mystique of Kamla to Panday's Mag(deo)

I think at some point in time, every boy wonders about what it must be like to have breasts. After time, some of us grow past this stage and are able to see a woman as an individual and not just someone who has strangely exciting body parts. For others...well, not so much growth is achieved.

How the woman get jam so? Uproar in the nation, UNC-Alliance mad tuh treat Kamla so. She was Bas girl! He protoge! The Robin tuh his Batman! She get embrace and then disgrace.

Undoubtedly, if elected Leader of the UNC-Alliance, Kamla would have wielded immense power. And she had more than enough support within the party if it took 5 hours of deliberations to come to a decision other than Kamla at the helm. The current joint leadership is a sham. Warner is the financier, the money. If Jack threatens to leave, where does new money come from? Not just new money, but new money equal to Jack's? Hmmm.....

In the now infamous rally, Kamla said "I want to tell my political enemies close to me and far away that Kamla is a woman who gets knocked down, but she gets up again and they are never going to keep me down."
Yes Kamla, play dead tuh catch corbeaux live. But is two ah dem ent?
Aite, de corbeaux have de money, but what about de silverfox?

Ahhhhhh, she forget silverfox.

Silverfox bring back Ramesh.
Ramesh and Kamla don't talk at all, at all, at all.
Tuh use 'hate' is tuh treat it lightly. Look Kamla and Jack was talking on de campaign trail after d whole leadership stink, sharing seat next tuh each other and ting.

Ramesh and Kamla...dat and ah big belly fowl yuh will nevah see!

So, if Bas jus taking one more run, and after him only Kamla was really lineup in d party tuh take he place, why bring back power-hungry, party-splitting Ramesh?

There is a young, fresh candidate for Oropouche West. An engaging lawyer, educated in Britain who goes by the name of Mickela Panday. She is young, so she lacks political experience, but she definately has her father's charisma. With a few more years, and his guidance, she will be a most formidable opponent. A few years. She secures her seat in this election, Ramesh and Kamla waste time fighting each other, once again splitting the party leaving Mickela to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes.

Or I could be mad, I mean after all it is just speculation...right?