Archive for the ‘Development’ Category
Wednesday, July 18th, 2007 |
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| Guardian 25/12/2006 |
I want you all to listen to this. Remember last Christmas Eve when Santa Manning came on TV and in his Christmas message to the nation he declared to us that he had a change of heart about the smelter in Chatham? Apparently is not so. The truth is that the Environmental Management Authority denied a certificate of Environmental Clearance not only for the Smelter but for the entire industrial estate in Chatham. But that’s not the story we were told, now was it?
We were led to believe that it was a gift from der Führer, that he after much thought and deliberation, decided that he would never subject the Chathamites to a smelter. Even long after that Christmas Eve message he stated that the Government may well have to reconsider its decision to move the smelter project from Chatham. How could the reconsider it if was entirely out of their control? Furthermore in the day after the address to the nation when speculation was rife about the reason for the change of heart, why didn’t those in power just tell the nation that the CEC was declined? In fact they never gave any reason at all. Does anyone else understand this?
Here’s a recording I made of Power 102 a few nights ago when Anil, Chris and Sprang were discussing these new developments along with some other smelter issues. By the way, did you know that the head of the Environmental Authority, Dr John Agard, is against the smelter, but presided over a board that approved the smelter in La Brea, yet didn’t resign in indignation? Who would have thought?
Tomorrow: The UNC Alliance
Posted in Corporate, Development, Environment, PNM, Politics | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 |
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| Photo from today’s Newsday: Where we going? |
Looking at this Newsday photo it occurred to me that things could still be worse. When the Securicor guards with the shotguns start delivering the milk, that’s when you know inflation is out of control. When I was in the Midwest stores it was the firearms and Sudafed they kept under lock and key, here it’s the baby milk.
Posted in Development, Social Issues | 14 Comments »
Thursday, April 19th, 2007 |
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| Construction work on the Prime Minister’s Residence |
Some pictures from today’s Newsday that shows construction work being done on the Prime Minister’s new residence in St. Ann’s. I’m surprised that people aren’t more disgusted by this that they seem to be. It’s not just that the old residence was somehow deemed unsuitable, but that local construction workers are not being used to build it. According to the Prime Minister they’re a little on the lazy side. How are people not outraged by that. How insulting.
it does make me wonder though, if there is more in the mortar than the pestle. This is just pure speculation mind you, but is there something secretive going on there that macocious and talkative Trini construction workers shouldn’t be allowed to see? Trinidadian construction workers have built up the vast majority of this country’s buildings haven’t they? So what makes the PM’s residence so special?
Posted in Development, Infrastructure, PNM, Politics | 5 Comments »
Monday, April 16th, 2007 |
Ah sorry boss, but it eh have no water no way.
Maybe we did promise you some water a long time ago but that was yesterday.
Where you from? Carapi-who? How yuh spell dat boss?
It have a place like that in Trinidad? Roger! Rogah! Whey yuh dey, boy?
Rojah, Rojah!Come and hear this nah. You ever hear of a place called Carapi…..boss, whey yuh say yuh living again? Yeah, Carapichina. *Guffaw* *Guffaw*.
Nah boss, sorry no water no matter where. Is dry season, yuh know. Yuh didn’t hear the Prime Minister beg allyuh for patience? Is all about dat doh have water yuh know.
Is Arima, Cunupia, Chaguanas, San Fernando, La Romaine, South Oropouche, Debe, Penal, La Brea and Fyzabad. Is pressha all around yuh know.
What is that about buss main? Yeah well the buss main and them is a problem, we does be lossing plenty water through that. Some ah them main and them around since the 1800’s yuh know. So when Works and them res’ a pave on top ah that the main and dem does buss.
We cyah do nothing about that. What it is you asking me about Alcoa. What Alcoa have to do with anything. Rogah, bossman say how Alcoa go be using the same amount ah water the whole ah Trinidad does use right not and how we promise Alcoa all the water they need. Not me boss man, is Grimes and them who say that. Parder, is millions ah gallons yuh say dey? Whey dem getting dat from?
Anyway bossman, doh frighten, we go put in a work order. Roger, yuh have a pen, boy? Whey dey does keep the form and them?
Posted in Development, Infrastructure, PNM, Politics | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 |
Yesterday it was announced that Alutrint has received their certificate of environmental clearance from the EMA. I have to admit it came as quite a shock to me as I imagine it did to a lot of other people. With so many other things going on, the smelters really haven’t entered my mind for a long while. Obviously the people to whom smelters are important haven’t put it out of their thoughts and probably thought it best to relay the news during this period when too much cricket has dulled our senses.
Whatever the reason for the timing, I can’t help but wonder if this means that we’re getting a smelter for sure or if someone or something is going to stop it.
Posted in Corporate, Development, Environment | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006 |
You know them people who does be real poor, dey doh have nothing to eat but yet they rocking out with the latest fashions? Dem so does be fighting other people for 10 days, but dem have the latest Jordans and all kinna brands your working self can’t afford to try on? If you lived just one day of your life in Trinidad, you have to know someone like that. I know people like that. In fact my cousin is their de facto leader.
How about you passing by Beetham Gardens and you seeing rows of shacks and on the shackiest of shaks you seeing big maco Direct TV dish heng up on front of the house? Yuh doesn’t ask yuhself why? You want Direct TV too and you want Jordans too, but you know you can’t afford that and toilet paper, so you choose toilet paper.
I think the scientific term for that is misplaced priorities. And you think this mentality is reserved for some people only, meanwhile our very own Government Ministers sho signs of this illness.
Enter Colm Imbert. In the wake of Monday’s flash floods, Minister Imbert has voiced his Government’s intention of ensuring that the new rapid rail system is elevated in some areas so as to avoid contact with the ground in areas that are prone to flooding. Now I’m thinking, why not fix the flooding itself?
I’m sure the rail system when it arrives will be the most complicated, technologically advanced infrastructure Trinidad and perhaps the Caribbean will have ever seen. It’s going to take all the expertise we have here as well as from foreign sources in order to get this thing started and to keep it going. So if we could accomplish that and yet remain unable to tell some rainwater, “No, you doh stay here, you go so. You go down in that drain and take a left. You set ah water, go down so and take ah right. I eh want to see allyuh liming in this area here.” What business we have building billion dollar rapid rail?
Why do we want to develop from the top go down? it’s like a caller to a radio programme said, “They want to build a houssse by building the roof first”.
It’s not like they don’t know what’s causing the flooding. They know. They just won’t deal with it.
People who live in areas prone to flooding, must accept that that’s how life is.
Posted in Development, Infrastructure, PNM, Politics | 9 Comments »
Monday, October 23rd, 2006 |
Well at least someone is taking the bull by the horns. At least someone’s thinking. In light of the Carifesta IX fiasco which resulted in hotel rooms for the 1200 performers being scarce, someone has decided that cruise ships would help solve the problem. Because if we had trouble finding space for just 1200 performers it will be chaos with the thousands of Indian spectators alone.
I think it’s actually a good idea. In lieu of building massive new hotels which I’m pretty sure Patos has been itching to do, utilizing the instant hotel that is a cruise ship, is the best thing.
The best part of it is that it shouldn’t really cost the Government anything since the ships themselves would be earning revenue from the bookings themselves. Sounds great if you ask me.
I’m sure that I like many other people would love to get through this Cricket World Cup and not be embarrassed. Although I want Grenada, Jamaica or Barbados to also shine, the vast majority of my concern is set aside for Trinidad. It’s almost like a cricket version of Room Raiders and I don’t want for us to be caught with our pants down.
For sure, you and I know that there are embarrassing situations just waiting to happen. Hell, I walk down the streets of Port of Spain all the time and see things that are potentially embarrassing. Whether it’s how we treat the homeless or the filthy streets, there’s always something. And oh gosh that filth is something. I will hate for the thousands of tourists to come to Port of Spain or even drive along our highways and see how dirty and smelly Trinidad is. I honestly hope that the Government is planning to do a lot of clean up work for the country in preparation for the World Cup - a NARescent National Clean-Up Day if you will. The clean up of High Street in San Fernando was a great start, but Trinidad definitely needs more.
In fact, think we’ll do well to take a few lessons from Rotenburg, Germany, the city that hosted the Soca Warriors during World Cup 2006. But I won’t hold my breath for that one.
Posted in Cricket, Development, Environment, Infrastructure, Social Issues, Sports | 7 Comments »
Tuesday, October 10th, 2006 |
“We are responding aggressively to the rise in criminal activity. Kidnappings for ransom have declined significantly from a high of 58 in 2005 to 8 cases at the end of August this year. May I take this opportunity to congratulate our security forces for their efforts in this regard and we make bold to say that anyone who kidnaps someone for ransom will be caught.”
Budget Speech, page 7, paragraph 3.
On Monday before the budget speech, Riaz Khan was kidnapped while standing outside his father’s business place at Jerry Junction, Carapichima and before the budget debate had even begun, Riaz Khan had been shot dead and his body dropped off at the Caroni Cremation site.
On Budget Day itself Rehanna Ramlochan left home to go purchase medication at a nearby pharmacy but wasn’t seen after she purchased the items in the pharmacy. A $1m ransom was demanded for her safe return.
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| Prime Minister Patrick Manning |
Now I agree that there were far fewer kidnappings this year than last year so far, but exactly what are the stats on arrests in kidnapping cases is what I would like to know. The Prime Minister has stated that if you kidnap you “will be caught”. Where has this 100% arrest rate been shown in the last 2 years? Where is the evidence? Saying it under Parliamentary privilege doesn’t make it true.
I don’t know the facts myself on the arrest rate for kidnappings with ransom, but if I had to bet guess all I have on this, I’d bet guess that this arrest rate is nowhere near 100%. So the question that follows is, what measures did the government put in place that has so emboldened Mr. Manning to say something like anyone “who kidnaps someone for ransom will be caught”? What did they do in the last budget to ensure that crime has less and less of a grip on society? What could make a Prime Minister herald by a policy of “not very much”, and a history of “glaringly insufficient” as the definitive reply to the kidnapping scourge?
Let’s imagine (God forbid) that I were the Prime Minister wanting to boast about my 100% arrest rate for kidnappings. I would say,
“Well Mr. (or Madam) Speaker, last year we had 58 kidnappings and 58 arrests, this year to date we had eight ten kidnappings and ten arrests. May I take this opportunity to congratulate our security forces for their efforts in this regard and we make bold to say that anyone who kidnaps someone for ransom will be caught.”
But that’s just me.
So what’s the plan in next year’s budget for crime? Believe or not, there’s just one new measure taken in this year’s budget to deal with the growing crime problem. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourselves. In fact the section on crime in the Budget speech is about 3 1/4 pages long of which one page deals with promises for next year. The other 2 1/4 pages is a rehashing of all the “great” things they did in previous years.
So the only new measure introduced to combat the crime scourge is the purchase of a sophisticated radar system and the purchase of three offshore patrol vessels. However neither of these will materialize till 22 months after an agreement is reached with the bidder. The date for the proposed meeting with said bidder? December. So by my calculations, we won’t see anything of these vessels till November 2008 for the earliest. That is two years away people! (By the time December 2008 rolls around, the Summer Olympics in Beijing would have been long completed and the United States would have already chosen its next president. My point is don’t hold your breath).
In addition to the purchase of the offshore patrol boats, they will acquire six fast patrol boats, and 4 interceptors for both inshore and offshore operations as well as by 26 four armed helicopters. Mr. Manning didn’t say whether or not this would also take 2 years so I assume we’re supposed to guess.
If this is as good in real life as it sounds on paper, it will be excellent. Our southern coast is just a giant welcome mat for guns and drugs. The combination of the radar system and patrol boats should make a dent in either of these items landing on our shores. But what about the guns that are already here, I wonder?
The past implementations highlighted in the budget were:
- A community programme in Gonzales called the Pride in Gonzales Project which is taking a community oriented approach in order to improve the social and physical conditions of the community of Gonzalez.
- The Dial 555 initiative whose function I cannot tell apart from that of Crimestoppers’.
- Various pieces of legislation including the passage of the No-bail for Kidnapping Act.
*Quite curiously, the blimps weren’t even mentioned for the duration of the speech.
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| The Urkel Years |
Now, there is nothing wrong with either of these initiatives. They are all good measures and I’m sure will accomplish something. But, if this is what passes for aggressive in this country, we’re in deep trouble. Apart from the proposed offshore patrol, I think our Government has created the most passive crime plan known to man. How could an “aggressive” crime plan which consists of waiting for citizens to call you with tips, “lending support” to various community programmes, and passing legislation in the Red House, really be called aggressive? Well Mr. Prime Minister, I really beg to differ.
Are there criminals in the country right now quaking in their boots because of the blimp or legislation? As a matter of fact are they any more afraid of being caught this year than they were last? Probably not. So when the Prime Minister talks about the aggressive response to crime and that anyone who kidnaps for ransom will be caught, I have to wonder how many other Government ministers are smoking the same wacky tabbacky.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish that the parents of Riaz Khan be not dismayed by the seemingly passive response to crime and instead take Mr. Manning’s words as a personal pledge that that their child’s abductors will be caught. The fact that it’s an empty promise should be of no consequence to them. The fact that they have no redress if their abductors aren’t caught should mean nothing. They should avoid comparisons to George W. Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” sign displayed on the USS Abraham Lincoln. Just because the person who spoke these words is oblivious to their human implication, shouldn’t suggest that he is a political robot. They should take comfort in the fact that the Government tried their best.
And to the rest of us: keep watching your backs. The drug scourge might take a dip in late 2008, but the senseless gang violence may or may not dip with it. In any case there are enough guns on the streets to keep us busy for years to come. And if this is aggressive, then we don’t have much to hope for.
Posted in Crime, Development, Infrastructure, PNM, Politics, Social Issues | 16 Comments »
Friday, October 6th, 2006 |
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| Chin |
Well the Play Whe man has gotten his two weeks notice. You know it have to be hard when even the Play Whe man getting retrenched (not even VSEP eh). Not even Chinese Bicentennial could save Chin (I think that’s his name). So in it’s 2006/2007 budget available here, the Government has declared a war on vice on things such as alcohol, tobacco and gambling. The budget detailed that a 15% tax be levied against all rum and beer from local and regional sources, and that non regionally-produced alcohol be taxed 30%. Additionally the Government imposed an immediate 15 per cent increase on excise duty on tobacco products. Which means if any of allyuh smoking a cigarette right now, yuh owe the Government money.
However gambling was the hardest hit with a new anti-casino and anti-online gaming laws. The Budget speech addressed it as follows (page 50):
Mr. Speaker, the emerging trends in casino-type gaming activities are of great concern to the Government, particularly its rapid spread in urban, rural, and semi-rural communities. The Government is totally against the operation of casinos and all casino type establishments.
Global research findings have shown that the gaming industry can destroy the financial security of families, negatively impact marriages, encourage deviant behaviour among children, undermine work ethic, cause increases in crime, including that of money laundering, and give rise to problem gamblers. The Government is strongly against the proliferation of these casino-type establishments in Trinidad and Tobago.
That means no Play Whe, no slots, roulettes or black jack, no Cash Pot, Pick Two, Lotto or any of other 351 games now run by the NLCB. Don’t worry people, yuh sou-sou hand still safe.
As far as the budget makes it sound, legal gambling in Trinidad is all but done. And when I say legal gambling, I mean just that. Every town has a Whe Whe man. I know exactly where ours is - standing in front of bank. However I don’t play Play Whe or Lotto, so I doubt I’ll turn to Whe Whe, even for protest’s sake.
But what about horse racing? I may be wrong, but isn’t the primary purpose of horse racing “bet-taking”? And therefore isn’t it gambling? However horse-racing wasn’t cast in the lake of fire and brimstone with all the other vices. I’m not sure what makes some types of gambling more corrupting than others.
So what about punchboard. Doh play yuh don’t know what punchboard is. If you ever been to a school bazaar, you know what punchboard is. I was such an addict. Punchboard was my bazaar game of choice - that and the one where you’d throw the rings on the items perched on the big blocks of wood. But I’ve moved away from being the 10 year old addict and into a well-adjusted adult.
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| Neighba, wha yuh dream? |
So as I mentioned before, not only are some types of gambling outlawed, but the prices of alcohol and cigarettes have been increased. By the way, has increasing the prices of alcohol and cigarettes ever helped to decrease their use? I know some countries have tried it, but I don’t know of anywhere where it has actually worked.
In any case, whether it works or not, there are thousands of people who’ve had their entire social lives wiped out by the budget.
And it’s fine if the Government wants to go after what it perceives to be the causes of social decay, but in my opinion it’s such an easy target. Why not go directly after crime itself, which is on everyone’s minds? But anyway, that’s the subject of my next post.
Grandma and Grampa took a chance,
Remember how they did that dance,
What I say is truth - no lie,
So come on down and take a try,
If yuh want a chance to live it,
Only lottery classic could give it,
(I can’t remember this line (or lines)…someone help me out)
On any given Saturday!
Just to add to this story, someone talking on Power 102 was just saying that Manning and his Governent in a way was trying to go the George Bush route of morality. Their plan may be cloak himself in moral superiority and in the process have anyone not with him, appear to be against moral values. And if you paid even 1 second of attention to W’s last political campaign, you’ll know how well that worked. So could this be? Are we seeing the emergence of liberal and conservative politics in Trinidad & Tobago?
Just be aware that when it comes to politics, there’s always more in the mortar than the pestle.
Posted in Crime, Development, PNM, Politics, Social Issues | 12 Comments »
Thursday, September 21st, 2006 |
A reader in England (who always sends me some good stuff) sent me this excerpt a couple days ago from a story carried in this month’s issue of Yachting World. The story is about the crime wave in the Caribbean and more specifically Trinidad & Tobago. Yay, at last we get recognized for something right?
Now, Yachting World is referred to as the oldest, most read, and most widely circulated magazine about sailing there is on the market. And that makes me wonder how important is the yachting industry in Chagauramas to Trinidad and how much does Trinidad stand to lose from the backlash coming from the publication of this article?
Of course I don’t mind that it was printed, but it’s worthy of note that our crime wave has more observers than we’re willing to acknowledge.
I’m not sure if it’s the whole story, but what the person sent to me is as follows. (Unfortunately the story itself was not printed on Yachting World’s website, although tidbits on this month’s issue were posted.
Crime wave in the Caribbean
The yachting community in Trinidad is
increasingly targeted for thefts and gunpoint raids.
Katherine Gilbert reports
AFTER ARRIVING in Trinidad on 15 August ready for two months of yacht maintenance, I was alarmed to hear of the increase in armed robberies on yachts and aboard the local ‘maxi’ taxis. Only two days after arriving in Trinidad, at 0300, sailing yacht Vestler was boarded by three men who held the crew at gunpoint and stripped the yacht of valuables. As the only crew member on board our yacht, it was unsettling to listen to the Mayday and unnerving that it took the coastguard around two hours to respond.
Worrying statistics
Reports of the Yachting Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT) record that in the last half of May, five dinghies were stolen from boats and one robbery was foiled. It may have been coincidence but the crew that foiled the robbery found their dog floating dead in the bay. In July, five dinghies plus engines and two generators were stolen from boats at anchor and in marinas, even though the dinghies were chained, locked and/or lifted out of the water.
In addition, two boats were broken into, robbed and vandalised. Nor were boats the only targets. A yachtsman was robbed at gunpoint at 1000, when two men boarded a maxi-taxi near Tropical Marine. Their target seems to have been someone who had just left and ATM with a pocketful of cash. However, many more crimes have gone unreported to YSATT and are therefore not included in this summary.
So far the relevant authorities have done nothing substantial to address the issue, forcing individuals and concerned groups to set up their own night-watch systems.. These have helped to prevent some crimes, but it’s a losing battle against armed robbers.
Did you notice the part where it said that it took the coast guard 2 hours to respond? That’s my favourite part. A little worrying eh?
Posted in Crime, Development, Politics | 5 Comments »
