Skip to main content

A YI YI YI YI YI !



Storms, earthquakes, fire, and brimstone did not rain upon the weary citizens of the Rock over the weekend. In fact, we had a beautiful two days, with the full moon in effect, no rain and happy times. Pan on the Avenue in Woodbrook and a calming of the people. A welcomed respite from all of the goings on during the week.

The PMOTT headed to Caracas this weekend to sign a deal with persons who are not authorized to sign anything. Why would we do this is anybody's guess. I guess for a politician any news is good news even if it is no news. Love the interview with the press on the airplane, POTUS style, with the PMOTT with a glass of wine in his hand. The press were invited for the meeting in Caracas, but were not allowed to actually cover the meeting, and no one had a problem with that. I guess any other PMOTT with a glass would have been ridiculed by all and sundry, quite rightly so.

Caracas put me in a music mode of many years ago, Edmundo Ros! Edmund William Ross was born in Arima, my hometown, in 1910. His mother was Venezuelan and he spent his late teens in Venezuela. His claim to fame was his nightclub in London, the Bagatelle Restaurant, in the 40's and 50's. It is reputed to be the first time the soon to be Queen,  Princess Elizabeth, danced in public. Edmundo died at the age of 101. Arima is famous! At a Panorama one year Edmundo was brought on stage as a visiting celebrity and very few people knew who he was. Our connections with the mainland are historical. It is sad that the only reason we want to talk with our neighbors, who are suffering, is for economic gain. 'A YI YI YI YI!

The fate of the State owned Petrotrin will be determined this week. Like Caroni and so many other loss making State owned enterprises the time has come. The 70's era is finally coming to a close. I hope that the powers that be also look at all the other enterprises that are a drain on the public purse. The PMOTT was once the jefe at National Quarries. I cannot think for one minute why does the taxpayer own a quarry? Is this of absolute national importance? Critical to the survival of the State? Like CAL, Lake Asphalt, TSTT and so many others.

' I knew Trinidad to be unimportant, uncreative, cynical. The only professions were those of law and medicine, because there was no need for any other; and the most successful people were commission agents, bank managers and members of the distributive trades. Power was recognised but dignity was allowed to no one. Every person of eminence was held to be crooked and contemptible. We lived in a society which denied itself heroes.
'The Middle Passage, V.S Naipaul.

This is Naipaul in the 60's. In 2018 has anything changed? I am very concerned about my homeland, the Rock. Will our youth stay and rebuild the Rock? Do we have it in us to make the change? Time alone will tell. The current leadership, on both sides, sends a very clear message, we are no where closer to achieving any recognised status of any world!

People, stay up, be proud, good night and good luck!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'apology' expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone

Today Trinidad and Tobago was on fire. The discussions on the 'apology,' discussions on the status of the Parliament, everybody is now a certified meteorological expert reporting rainy season rain, people were out and about being very assertive about things that many of them did not really understand. Heat in the place! The statements being made, which caused the 'apology' to then be made, were being said, I think, without really understanding who we are as a people. This is 2017 and we still are having trouble in coming to grips with many social and historic issues that strangely enough are being discussed every day in many places and yet it is only a problem depending on who makes the statement. Let me say that the statement that was made was, even though to many factual, however it rubbed people the wrong way. This is where I have a problem. You read columns written by certain persons that under no circumstances will offend any sector of the society. That same posi
2 comments
Read more

'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 h
Post a Comment
Read more

'aghhhhhhhh'

This week has me feeling so down about the rock and what really is our future. I have always considered myself to be Mr. Optimistic. Things would be bad, sometimes downright terrible with little or no hope and I would be there battling it out. The hard part is our present and future position is all man made [excuse the gender] and it seems that no matter what we do, how we vote, who we put our trust in, it somehow ends up bad. In 1956, the hope was there, a mass appeal, in 1986 it returned and was destroyed by 1990, in 2010 432,026 electors voted for the Peoples Partnership, in excess of 60% of the population. By 2015 a lot of the love disappeared and we found ourselves in a position of no-where once again. I use these years because the popular vote was there, the majority voted overwhelmingly for the winning party. Even though the winner in 1956 did not win by any semblance of a majority, over 80% of the electorate cast their vote. It is interesting to note that in 1956 the PPPG
1 comment
Read more