...how was your Carnival?

This year we may very well have a repeat of Lord Kitchener's 'Rain-O-rama' for the road march. We are 7 days into February and it has not stopped raining. I know we have had so-called dry seasons with fair amounts of rain just like I remember a period where we did not have Petit Careme for a number of years straight. Then there was a Carnival when there were music trucks stuck in the mud in the Savannah and being on Independence Sq sheltering from a deluge. Many times we get a good sprinkle for Jouvert, seeing pan players draining tenor pans every now and again, so we shall see what happens. Somehow I don't think it will affect the Carnival children because rain does not stop play.

I see a notice in today's media that between the TTPS and the CDA Police traffic is to be monitored along the Western Mn Rd into Chaguaramas from tomorrow, Thursday 6th. This is with a view to ease the gridlock experienced not only by the partygoers but more importantly the citizens who live along the route. Apparently last night was another nightmare of traffic gridlock. Citizens living on the route had to take the law into their own hands to deal with the mess created by the various events being held in Chaguaramas. And why, because the same TTPS and CDA Police were nowhere to be found. Guys, Carnival for the Peninsula starts the weekend before Carnival, not Carnival weekend. The hard part is that this traffic gridlock happens every year without fail. Why is it that traffic plans cannot be managed over this period? It is like the residents of St Anns asking for some relief from the Savannah traffic woes over the Carnival weekend, starting Saturday morning with the children's parade. Or the other gridlock with the City trying to empty on the Tuesday night. It is obvious that with main streets blocked off for the mas bands the side streets cannot handle the exodus of vehicles. If the TTPS cannot handle it, as they have shown to be incompetent over the years, then hire a professional traffic consultant to assist. Hey, Musk sent a roadster into space yesterday, surely we can deal with Carnival traffic.

There is now precedent set for all future governments of the Rock when it comes to public procurement and the disbursement of taxpayers monies.

•  Cabinet Minister's are now authorised to negotiate contracts directly with any vendor or service provider.
• Cabinet Minister's are now authorised to commit public funds with no approval either from the Cabinet or Parliament with no signing authority from the Permanent Secretary, the chief Accounting Officer.
• The Central Tenders Board is no longer allowed to overseer the tendering procedure for any Statutory Body.
• The Attorney Generals Office is no longer required to vet and approve contracts signed between the State and the vendor. 
• Authority is given to all to have contracts not only prepared but for contractors to proceed with mobilisation, required certification and testing and actual completion of works even before monies have been approved.

The persons who have approved this system of public procurement are probably saying that the time saved by easily bypassing all rules, regulations and procedures will save the country huge sums of money and finally Government will be able to remove the logjam in public procurement. This is indeed the best news this country has had since a Minister in the first UNC government of 1995 thought that having to go through a rigorous tendering procedure was a complete waste of time and only led to delays. So we are back to the future with this new fangled way of (not) accounting to the taxpayer. The new refrain will now be 'doh study nutten, is we'.
I hope that John Public understands the dangers of the precedent set and the blatant misuse of power by the Cabinet headed by none other than the PMOTT. Something else I do not understand is why is there no uproar from the LOTO, could be it has everything to do with Tobago?

The PMOTT has recalled the troops back to barracks on Ash Wednesday for a meeting on something or the other. That is a good day to meet, for those Ministers who partake in the festivities they must be saying ' of all the days he could have played golf and left us alone this is the day he picked'. One tends to make the most friends by calling for a meeting on Ash Wednesday.
Why the meeting? Could it be that this is the mid-term period of his administration and time for serious reflection? Some flicking behind the ears for a lousy job done by the majority of the Cabinet, a State of Emergency, the restless trade unions, Cabinet reshuffle, Cro Cro, or maybe simply, how was your Carnival?

The murders continue unabated. The Minister of National Security remains in the position after being a complete failure in the eyes of the public and by the results shown over the last 2 1/2 years. There is no consolation for the people. The citizens may have gone in a slightly different direction this week because of the festivities but come Ash Wednesday it will only be ashes that could save this failure of a government from the wrath of the people. 'When calypsonians sing against the PNM is because they will lose the next election' - old Trini saying.
The PPG lost the last General Election for a myriad of reasons. The PNM won the election because of a well managed election campaign and convincing rhetoric, maybe some good campaign tunes. Not long into the term of the new Government the people saw that all was not well. Ministers were caught out involved in 'simmy dimmy' and were not fired, unlike the policy of the PPG. Major mis-steps were made for no apparent reason, inexplicable actions by Ministers and other failures soon showed the population that the package that they were sold was not what was actually delivered. And so we are on the merry go round once again. I really hope we all think long and hard about our future, it is ours.

Go to a pan yard, buy a costume, sprinkle glitter in your hair, listen to some great Soca, look at children's Carnival on Saturday, it is nearly here!

Enjoy tomorrow people, good night and good luck!