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'1%'


I started to venture south to Chaguanas this morning completely forgetting about the Beetham Highway closure. As soon as I realized what was happening I made a legal U-turn and headed back into the city. Apparently, people were stuck for hours in a major traffic jam and the word coming out of the Ministry of Works was 'that is the price of progress'. I think not. That is the price of poor planning. No one considers that if during the closure, which was inevitable due to the works being carried out, there was a national emergency, like maybe a deadly earthquake, thousands of people would have been stuck in a massive traffic jam. Surely the powers that be can plan for all eventualities.

The '1%' is the talk on many political platforms. In recent times a certain sector of the Rock's society, the Syrian/Lebanese community, has been vilified and condemned for being successful. This has stemmed from a TV show with now deceased Anthony Boudain on whose show about the Rock certain statements were made about 'the community' by a certain member of the said 'community'. It was said that even though the 'community' made up only '1%' of the population they were the most successful, not an idle boast. After the showing of that particular episode, the country has gone '1%' mad. The 'community' is now viewed as a soulless, money grubbing, heartless, insular people. Reference is now constantly made about the '1%' when making a point about the economic situation. Who has, who has less and who has none. It could be in reference to the Petrotrin refinery, bankrupt by foolish political interference and gross mismanagement, but the '1%' is named as a possible beneficiary or any other deal going down, all of a sudden the '1%' is the culprit. Why is this, are we so insecure that we have to blame someone or an entire community, who by the way has every right to be here as all of us, for our own shortcomings? It's as though the less successful ventures or the fact that not all of us are businessmen are as a result of the 'community'.
Who do we think benefits from the taxpayer dollar? The '1%'? We cannot be that stupid. Since 1956 money has been misspent, embezzled, friends and family, widespread corruption, graft and any other word you choose to use to describe the Rock. So, the OWTU is not part of the problem with the issues of Petrotrin, only the '1%'?
Any Administration who allows anyone, regardless, to benefit from state contracts, whereby that person is awarded a contract by corrupt means is guilty. Zoning in on the '1%' is just finding a scapegoat. Which party, the ruling party and the opposition, has not courted the business community? Which political leader has not met with business owners to solicit campaign funds? If they say never they are lying through their teeth. If they say that car raffles, BBQ's and car washes raise the $100M required to run a successful general election campaign they are strangers to the truth. All of them!
The '1%' is not '1%'. The business community on the Rock is made up of thousands of people who work damm hard in building their businesses. To cast blame on a particular grouping is wrong, to say that making a profit is obscene and not part of who we are is just plain ridiculous. To say that the '1%' is not part of our society is a racist statement likened to the Jews in Nazi Germany. This nonsense has to stop.
It makes me wonder if the campaign finance comes from 'drug money', 'car dealers', or 'money launderers'. Could be? Maybe this is why we cannot get a grip on crime. I guess the '1%' will be blamed, they are the only people involved in illicit dealings?!' Believe that and you will believe in rocking horse sh.t.

I am not in a good mood tonight because I am vexed with the Rock. Why are we blaming others for our shortcomings, we are the vote, we are the people in charge! Not the '1%', not the '10%', not the '45%', the '51%'.

Let us be practical and honest with our evaluation of how things are and not quick to lay blame on others.

Good night and good luck and Happy Republic Day, I hope you are a recipient of a National Award.
  

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