Government Ads
Here what I vex for today. Now I know, that the role of Government is not only to implement programmes and initiatives for its people, but to inform them that such programmes exist and how to access them. Obviously the three most common mediums for this are through the media. Fine. But when one observes the kind of advertising being undertaken by this administration during this election period, it has become obscene. Since this election began, the evening news has become flooded with brand spanking new computer generated ads not alerting the public to programmes available to them, but touting the “Government’s” 2020 vision. And that’s not the only one. Take for example this ad that was in Sunday’s Guardian:
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This ad is “advertising” some kind of conference or the other that took place somewhere around Sep 28th. There is no real information in the ad for people who want to access the National Training Agency. And yet there it is - two pages of full colour. My question is, did this ad have to be printed, or could the government have chosen to save taxpayers thousands of dollars by not running such an unnecessary ad? This wasn’t the only ad, by the way.Look at the other offending one (mainly from the Guardian, but I think I got a couple from The Sunday Express too).
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So along with an “ad” for the National Training Agency. We have ads for housing, Science and Tertiary Education, Vision 2020 etc neither of which are aiming to share any real information with citizens. But wait, that’s not all. Next we have a 4 page full colour ad for what? For the “Government” to inform the populace that it is building schools. What a waste.
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I’ve seen this ad at least twice this week; same full page, same full colour. I would love for Camini Marajh to do an investigative report into the amount of money the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has spent on advertising - in particular a month-by-month comparison between January and November. It would be interesting to see in comparison to the earlier part of this year frankly because I’m of the view that the Government has funded it’s campaign through the treasury by way of Government advertising.
And that cannot be right.
3 Responses to “Government Ads”
By ed on Nov 3, 2007 | Reply
I agree that this is sketchy, but it’s unfortunately also very common. Our city councilors and state reps in NYC are forever sending out taxpayer-funded campaign material, disguised as “legislative updates” or whatever. Gross.
By TriniObserver on Nov 5, 2007 | Reply
Not only is it very common, but it has happened in Trinidad before.
I guess it’s all moot now anyways.
By TriniHere on Nov 6, 2007 | Reply
Don’t get tie up dey Manicou…
Yes, it is magnified based on the fact that it’s election time, but truth be told they have been advertising their programs ad nausea for years.
Remember, one of the biggest problems governments have is the fact that people do not know what they are really doing and what programmes the people can benefit from.
The PNM, if nothing else, has been doing their best to let people know.
Now that the PNM has won (thank God!), we have to agitate them to deliver, and to DELIVER NOW!!!! Not in 4.5 years from now!
Say a prayer and thank God that we did not awaken to Basdeo Panday as ‘Executive’ President, Ramesh as Prime Minister, and Jack Warner as Minister of Finance!
People, be for real - you didn’t want the most viable option ever presented in this ‘2-party’ state - COP. So, be quiet and get active and AGITATE the government to DELIVER!