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'the bongo night'



She looks at me and says ' you know what night it is?'. I immediately think of 'the bongo night' and she says 'it's Sunday that means popcorn'. So much for 'bongo'. Love the tropics, it is dark by 6.30 and will be light by 6.00am. This is good for ones being, the daylight and nighttime are more or less equal, good balance.

We attended a showing of yet another brilliant artist, Abigail Hadeed, whose work spans decades. Her photography is exceptional and her current show ' the Weight of Water' at the 'Y' is something not to be missed. We are a truly talented people, only 1.3m of us yet we can produce world-class works of art. This is why we are very special, very special indeed.

I see the great country of America is having their 'midterm' election.  Why should this be of any import for a small island like ourselves? Well for starters I think there is an equivalent Trini population living in the good ole USA. Depending on how the vote goes on Tuesday we might very well see a re-migration back to the island. The POTUS has stated he will repeal the birthing right to citizenship by Executive Order even though his own children would have to be sent back to wherever their mother was born. The world is a crazy place, some places crazier than others. I hope those Trini's who are eligible to vote in the midterms are cognizant of the very real issues. Sending troops to stop a nonexistent migrant issue says where this guy's head is!  
I must say that the American style of politics is probably one of the most democratic in the world. Can't say that I subscribe to the funding system but all in all it is a fair system. Much better than ours that will support a minority government, winner takes all, non-elected Senate and other persons having ultimate power but not elected. Even our Mayors are appointed. Time for a radical change in our politics!

The Rock lost two greats in the last week. The Shadow and De Fosto. The changing of the guard. It happens and soon we will be welcoming the new greats. It is how things happen. It's like seeing Abigail Hadeed tonight and remembering Norman Parkinson and Noel Norton. What I find amazing is that we do not for one minute think that it is this is who we are and take the necessary measures to save the art. We produce doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
We produce the most amazing artists, the most creative people, and their work is nowhere to be seen or heard. We contracted the Chinese to build NAPA and SAPA but we never contracted any person from the Rock to build a real-life exhibition of who we are. How about starting with us understanding what the steelpan and calypso is? It is not a piece of old iron made by persons who don't matter or a way of communicating a message! It is a magical instrument and an art form that must be given its rightful place. When one thinks of belonging maybe this is where the problem lies, we do not know who we are because we take who we are for granted, not for one-minute understanding our special place in the world. We want to get rid of Columbus but to replace him with who? Columbus was real and is a part of our history so to was the Shadow and De Fosto, what do we intend doing about this?

I see the PMOTT is hot on the trail of white-collar crime. This is truly great news for the Rock. Since the 1940's Caura Dam debacle no one has raised the issue of corruption and prepared to deal with it.  Lock Joint, DC 9, Gas Station racket, O'Hallaran, Piarco Airport, HDC, EMBD, ferries, Petrotrin, Caroni Ltd land, CLICO, and everything else that the taxpayers are involved in.
It is a truly sorry situation that the majority of millionaires on the Rock actually became millionaires by default.

People of the Rock, big up our artists, they truly represent who we are!

Good night and good luck!

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