The Manicou Report

By Jumbie on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

Work? Survival?

By Dirk Dagger on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

Well to tell you the truth, I kinda agree with the man. I used to work Caroni 1975 Limited, not cutting cane but on the actual plant. My girlfriend at the time, her father was a cane cutter. The man used to get up at 3 am to cut cane and come back home all mid-day. I used to feel sorry for him. It was real hard. I don’t know if slavery is a right word to use though, because you getting honest pay for an honest work. But going into the canefield with a cutlass to cut a ton of cane can’t compare with cutting grass on the side of the road with a weed wacker and finishing work by 10 ‘o clock.
As far as the operations of Caroni went, it never really make any set of money. To me, Caroni was Trinidad’s biggest welfare programme. I left there knowing there was no future.

By Toronto Trini on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

definitely not slavery…you don’t have to swing a weed wacker..

By bandwagonist on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

capitalism at work

By Toronto Trini on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

Hard work and sacrifice…thats what our parents endured to educate their children and build a comfortable home for their families..it was the only work that they knew..and they had the forsight to know that the only way out was a good education…..Slavery? I don’t think so..work is work and that has always been the attitude of the indian ..work hard and sacrifice ..something the other side still cannot understand… and after 200+ years I don’t think they will ever get it.

By Mani on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

Jumbie, cutting grass must be slavery too.

Dirk, well I wouldn’t agree that it was slavery either. In fact I don’t consider either to be slavery. What I would like to know is what was the yardstick the PM used to draw this conclusion. No doubt cutting cane must be grueling work (especially as there are machines that could do that work), but I don’t see how from his view it could be slavery. While Cepep is not slavery either, it is a job that provides no benefits to its workers. If you get sick and have to stay home, you don’t get paid, etc. I don’t know….the debate on these will never end.

Bandwagonist, the beauty of capitalism.

Toronto Trini, what other side are you speaking of?

By Jill on Oct 26, 2007 | Reply

i am sure the actual work could be compared to slavery, but it is a job.. how else would we “reap” the benefits of cane if it weren’t harvested. i believe the cane workers were shafted, but slavery is not the right word to use..

toronto trini who is this other side? blacks ?

thanks for saying what cepep was i didnt know.. but no benefits is closer to slavery.. that ain’t right at all, those people need benefits!

By JohnBoy on Oct 27, 2007 | Reply

Why people can’t see de ting and leave it as de ting? As Jill said I took the comment to mean work that be compared to slavery in its laborious nature said and as Dirk Dagger said it wasnt easy! From 3 in de morning? Given our colonial past nobody sees the parallel??? Geez. Who can dispute that all the people who work Caroni in those fields worked damn hard and earned their living honestly? I never got anything other than that from de man statement but then again I have to remember de audience. Yea Toronto Trini; THEY will never get it?

By Toronto Trini on Oct 27, 2007 | Reply

Jill…the other side is de “PNM till ah ded” wearing blinkers… not only blacks as you put it…my inlaws are indians and they have always voted PNM and for years whenever I question them about their loyalty..their answer would always be …..”because the PNM gee we we house” ..mind you this time around I think they are beginning to see things differently…they also want change.

By Jill on Oct 28, 2007 | Reply

okie, thanks for clarification! i rel wish i could vote dred, it hurts our consulate has nothing set up for the process

By Shivonne on Oct 29, 2007 | Reply

“gee we”
I like that. Two simple words to describe our political process. Gee we house and free education and free jersey and rum and roti and anything to make sure we don’t have to work hard. The PNM is not the only party to exploit this attitude and even foster it. Clearly people everywhere tend to vote for those who they feel will best serve their interests. In this country, though, we don’t want our elected leaders to give us opportunities, we want a free ride. And when the oil dollars gone and we have nothing to fall back on, not even a work ethic or alternative economic options or a proper way to feed ourselves, well…Spend money like water in good times and ketch ass after: our whole country is being run like a rapper with his first record deal.