There is something inherently wrong with how we are doing the business of the Rock. I listen to the music for the 2018 Carnival, there are some waste of time pieces, but some fabulous road music. When you think of how many songs are produced and how many winner tunes there are it is truly remarkable that every year you can have this. We have perfected the art of the massive fete, people base the success on the food, the outfits, location, performers, sound system, bar, decor. No longer just the bar and the music. Going to a fete is an all encompassing experience, and why not. I believe in evolution and simply Carnival has evolved. Today there are tens of thousands of people participating as against the masqueraders of the 60's and 70's. Of course things have changed but if Carnival had not moved with the times then it would have simply died. Using a GPS to find your band rather than walking across the city searching is a great innovation. OK as a result you do not see the rest of Carnival and so? There are probably more people playing in steel bands on Tuesday than before. I wish they would bring back the 'war' mas by the steel bands and the staged battle performed in the Savannah. Sure Calypso is dying but whose fault is that? Soca is thriving and who is responsible for that?
So back to the business of the Rock. Carnival will survive and thrive. Businesses are slowly but surely being stifled and being made to suffer with this administration's fiscal policies, if in fact they actually have a policy. There are service providers who are willing to work but have no idea what is the plan by the Government. Traveling from Tobago yesterday the infrastructure at Piarco International is crumbling before ones eyes. I have never seen the buildings and public areas in that deplorable condition. Piarco is looking like some third world, back water, poor ass country. There is no public funding being utilised for anything anywhere. Yet, we have close to $1.0BN being spent on two projects that nobody wants other than the PMOTT. The highway to Manzanilla to be used by maybe 1000 vehicles per day and the 30 year old fantasy of the infamous Toco Port and the accompanying infrastructure. Why? Surely the common sense approach in a recession would be to get the economy to tick over spending available funds on maintaining existing infrastructure and not foolish pie in the sky waste of money projects. These bridge to no where projects are a complete waste of money and bring not a single cent in development and investment.
It is every politicians dream to pour concrete and lay asphalt. Dealing with the Maraval traffic does not constitute progress, dealing with the broken down public transport system does not a successful politician make, finishing what another politician started is taboo and must never ever be done, this under the pain of death!
When will we actually grow up? I hope to have a couple more years left so maybe just maybe, I may see one or two sensible decisions being made when it comes to public spending. Do not get me wrong, they have been some bright ideas coming forward over the years but I am speaking of constrained finances and limited resources to do anything with and therefore one has to work smart.
The issue of the spend on education over the years and the corresponding results can tell us that there must be a serious look at public expenditure, all round. What about the spend on national security? Are we one iota better than we were ten years ago, the answer is no, so how come?
This is my point, what is it that the PMOTT sees that we the plebs do not see? He spent 4 hrs of his limited time yesterday in Tobago discussing the now 27 month old problem with the air and sea bridge and it is still being discussed and promises continue to be made, how come?
Is no one in Government seeing what we are seeing, are they so far removed from the reality which is life on the Rock that they are now clueless to the fix? Probably.
I guess that is why one of the biggest supporters of this regime in the calypso world is asking, in song, 'how come nobody is answering their phone?'
Every day there are issues of governance, questionable statements by persons who should know better and situations happening that boggle the mind. One issue that comes to mind is the never ending situation with the appointment of a Commissioner of Police. We have a crime situation that now overshadows the daily price of crude oil and natural gas. With now officially 50 bloody killings for the month already and we are playing smart with foolishness. What in God's name is the problem? Is it that the results of the interviews for the COP are so close that a decision cannot be made? Impossible, it is stupid politics playing out and in the meantime supermarket owners, husbands, wives, children are being subjected to the most horrific crimes. Every single day you procrastinate and four more citizens of the Rock are killed, then you are now personally responsible. I am saying that the PMOTT must now be held responsible for every killing by his inaction. Before I am castigated, the PMOTT is the person in charge and if he is not making a demand on those responsible to complete the exercise then he must be held responsible.
' Helloooo Rowleeeeey'
I remember children visiting our house on Jouvert morning dressed in old clothes with homemade cardboard face masks. Times are a changing!
Tonight's musical choice is none other than the late great Hugh Masekela!
Good night and good luck people of the Rock!
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