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normal bandits



Today was no different. We had the whole gang here for lunch, as usual, we are extremely fortunate to have children and grandchildren nearly every Sunday. The kitchen goes crazy, the cousins flying low, ole talk and picong, probably about three minutes of serious conversation, the best! The entire meal was grown and produced right here on the Rock. OK, the vino was imported, can't get used to Pomerac wine as yet!

The Rock continues to amaze! Spy versus Spy! Planes, ships, men in trench coats, ladies smoking cigarettes through a slender tube made of silver or jade, code names like 'Cuffie' being used. What the hell is going on? Reports of a terrorist plot, people detained, the wrong house being searched by the police, nothing, absolutely nothing found to suggest a terror plot, yet the Rock is under a terror watch.  Reports of a foreign spy plane flying around Chaguanas, probably searching for the best doubles man. A foreign spy ship docking at Port of Spain and restocking supplies for its next voyage, not once but twice in a couple months. All of a sudden the Rock is the place to be. The Diplomatic Corps making statements and issuing Travel Advisories telling their nationals to stay away from EDR and other places. We who live here stay away from those same places for obvious reasons like drugs, guns and normal bandits.
What is really the truth behind all this 'spy versus spy'? Why is our Government being drawn into the international arena where we supposedly do not have evidence on the guy running the Beetham mafia, nor the Enterprise section but we are now holders of 'credible information' on a major terrorist plot to destabilise the country? I say this is total BS! This is yet another ruse to distract the population from the every day issues of murder and mayhem where the current Government refuses to accept responsibility, blaming the previous Government for their complete lack of vision or fortitude in dealing with crime. Of course it could also be the powers that be really spying on our neighbours, Venezuela. Quien sabe!

The 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea closed today. I looked at some of the activities and must say that the visuals are far better than the Summer Olympics. The snow, the colours of the athletes uniforms competing, the back drop of the events all made a very spectacular sight. That is of course if you were not looking at the sport of 'curling'. The sport is likened to 'shuffleboard'. It is without a doubt the most boring sport I have ever witnessed. The Winter Olympics Committee should seriously reconsider the sport of 'curling'. Having a Jamaica or Ghana bobsled team is the best. 'Curling' holds no interest for me. There are 'curling shoes' and 'curling brooms' manufactured for the sport.
The politics that played out in the Winter Olympics I thought was quite something. The North Koreans making the play to have the Peninsula go as one and the issue of the Russians not being able to compete as a nation because of a previous doping scandal says a lot. The Games are political and whether you accept that or not it says that it can in fact be manipulated to suit a number of interests. Maybe athletes should be allowed to compete as individuals.

Back home we see all kinds of bacchanal as usual. The St Agustine Nurseries is one of the issues. Why you may ask? Well, it is one of the only 'germ plasm' fruit tree nurseries on the island. The fact that it has not been given the prominence it justly deserves is no excuse to have it bulldozed to be replaced with public housing. The PMOTT has made the most ludicrous statements regarding the site. If he for one minute understood the critical importance of the facility then he would not be authorising the destruction of the decades old 'germ plasm'. We are a signatory to a UN Convention to protect such facilities. The PMOTT is constantly claiming that he is a licensed farmer, so why would you willingly destroy something as critical as a 'germ plasm' facility? I guess the same way you single handedly destroyed the 'sea bridge' would answer that.

In discussions with ordinary folk the talk is things on the Rock are not good. The economy has actually stalled, there are no new business opportunities and what is left is not able to support current levels of operations. I really hope the PMOTT understands what is happening and that it is real. This is not something fabricated by the last Administration, he needs to take ownership. Years ago Guyanese 'businessmen' would arrive in Trinidad with bags of money in hard currency to trade. Is this where we are heading?

What is going on this week? Music Festival at Queens Hall showcasing the real talent of the Rock. Good stuff!

Good night and good luck people!












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