One Nation

Must be the Blood Moon or just in a good mood. Listening to Astrud Gilberto and The Girl from Ipanema, lovely cool tropical evening, it's 6.45 and now getting dark, a beverage, quiet time. Ran out of vitals so headed down to the 'all inclusive' store in lower Maraval. Approach the cashier and she remarks 'wine and chocolate' with a questioning face. I love it, I love the fact that in typical Trini style a comment can be made and there is no offense taken. One of the people who has worked with me from inception, 31 yrs ago, had a heart attack this morning. He is a cancer survivor and now this. He is in a hospital, well looked after.  Sometimes you forget that we are all getting on in age, we feel invincible as we should, but time does catch up. The prognosis says that he should be okay. We wait and see. The Parliament meets tomorrow to debate the appointment of a Commissioner of Police. The Parliament is actually on vacation and is being called back to a sittin...

I walk twice per day in my neighborhood which just happens to be bounding a golf course. When you walk regularly in your local you tend to notice things, a pattern, other walkers, people who do what at what time, who leave home at certain times, all kinds of stuff. Do you know that golfers are very dangerous people? A golfer who is late for his or her tee time is equally as lethal as a golfer leaving the 19th hole. In case you live on or near a golf course this is a public service message, beware! My life partner and I attended the 'Gay Pride Parade' today at Mandela Park. We actually went early to the fair and did not take part in the actual march. We thought it was only right that we support. I am not going to go into the 'if and or buts' as to the gay issue except to say, people of the Rock, grow up! The world has moved on, we need to understand that people have a right, it is as simple as that. On the news tonight the march was featured and then the segment clo...

There must be an election in the air, yes another one! The media is alive with the two or three spokesmen of the rulers of the Rock. Headlines every day, media conferences, fire and brimstone speeches, threats made to attorneys at law, making light of perceived corruption with a simple justification, like every couple of hours. I tell you something is up! Take for instance the government's stance on the decriminalizing of the weed. On week ago the PMOTT makes the statement that it is simply not on his government's agenda. This is after Caricom meets and the Report of the Regional Commission on Marijuana is presented. The Commission was set up to 'conduct a rigorous inquiry into the social economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean, dismantling of the prohibition of marijuana in its totality across states'. The Commission was set up in March 2014 during a Caricom meeting in St. Vincent. Strangely enough, it only took four (4) years ...

For some unknown reason, the Rock seems quiet. Whether the politicos are all on vacation, the World Cup has ended, Wimbledon decided, August holidays, I am not sure but the Rock seems relaxed. It is a good thing because we do need to exhale. For a nation this size we do go through trauma not experienced by much larger countries. Between the crime, race, religious, gender, politics, economy, the price of gas and other minor issues that affect us we are doing OK. I am a regular walker in my neighborhood, I see it at 5.30am and then again in the evening. I have become quite an observer, not maco, but taking an interest in how we live. When we built in the Maraval valley, 35 years ago it was a different place, it was considered 'bush' country. Today it is now populated by hundreds of people, people from all walks, young, elderly, professionals, non-professional, retirees, a microcosm of the Rock. What amazes me is how we who populate the valley live. There is little or no diffe...

What a day! The tennis sharing time with the football (not soccer). At the end of it all, we saw the world come together to play the best of the best. Today should send a clear message that the world is made up of 7 plus billion people, a relatively small number who are refugees, who play a major part in civilization. Not because we may be poor and destitute are we a lesser people. It is simply our circumstance in a particular period. Events preceding us have us where we are and strangely enough the current world powers had a major part to play and therefore they must accept some responsibility for where we are today. The French football team says it all! Felicitations France! The 2026 World Cup is being played in Canada/USA and Mexico. How is that going to happen with the current situation with borders? The POTUS was right there, a stone's throw from all the action and thought it wise to play a round of golf at his own property rather than attend the tennis champi...

What a weekend, FIFA World Cup Finals and Wimbledon finals! What to watch? Well based on the times you can watch both, one after the other unless of course, the tennis goes into a horrific 6 hrs ordeal. It is a wonderful experience seeing the best of the best compete. I am not a sports crazie but champions are champions and tomorrow is going to be a day to remember. If you are that bored then you could look at the golf game in Turnberry. This week on the Rock there was a relatively nothing story about an MP who had a medical situation. We all have our stories and when we fall ill that's it, we treat with it and bounce back within a couple days. I had an episode in 2013 when I collapsed at Miami Airport and was hospitalized. I was on official government business and as far as I was concerned my situation was not a private issue, even though the state did not incur any costs. Apparently, the issue on the Rock is what is private, what is public? As a public figure, meaning an elec...

With news being instant one can hardly stay out of the goings on worldwide. Within the last 24 hours, we had resignations by two Cabinet Ministers in the UK, a new far-right Justice was proposed by the POTUS for the US Supreme Court, all the boys in the cave rescue in Thailand were brought safely to the surface, France beat Belgium to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals on Sunday, and here on the Rock the mobile phone of a guy who happens to be the son of a senior Cabinet Minister was found after reported stolen. It is truly amazing that we are so connected to the world. I know that the technology has been there for decades, CNN was founded in 1980 bringing 24 hr news to the world, long before even Kylian Mbappe was born. So, why the lesson in something that we all know already? Never thought you would ask. What the hell is the reason for resurrecting loss-making TTT? What could possibly be the reason for shutting down one loss-making state-owned media house, sending home sta...

Our eldest is a football 'peon'. Every statistic the game is played by is known and if you only venture an uneducated opinion you are immediately put in your place. He is not alone, as in the world of sports there are experts around every corner. This World Cup will be an interesting outcome as all the big names have already gone home, including the host country. I like not being a 'peon', because anything I say can, in fact, be a result. There will be a world after the World Cup. I am not sure if Mr. Putin is pleased but that may be reflected in the upcoming meeting with the POTUS. The fact that the 2026 World Cup is being played in a soon to be a walled off country may not be of any interest unless of course the finals are played in Mar-a-Lago. Our Minister of Education, who after his lifelong career in education as a teacher, Principal, head of the teachers union, seems to be at sea with issues surrounding private secondary schools. Isn't it strange how many M...

Headed down the islands for a day trip today. Family and friends, some visiting from the UK, were camping out on Monos and we had a great day. Grandchildren with accompanying grannies made for a wonderful day. The heavens opened at some time and there was a mighty squall. Reminiscent of last Sunday's deluge. We obviously picked a good day because there was no traffic in or out of the peninsula. Of course, I had on my spy glasses looking at everything on the way. It is amazing what you see if you want to see. Let me back up a bit because there are three locations that I had the pleasure of visiting over the past five days and I can only say what a dump we have become.  National Stadium: Driving to a function at the carpark of the Hasley Crawford Stadium one can only be embarrassed over what was once the pride and joy of the Rock. The carpark is a potholed, unpaved, treeless barren landscape. Looking at both stadia one wonders if there is anyone in charge. The fa...