Sticks and Stones

Media threatened at cell tower dismantling
Ruth Osman

Sunday, May 27th 2007

Media personnel were threatened by men contracted to dismantle a Digicel cell tower at Jerningham Avenue, Petit Bourg last Friday.

TV6 camera woman, Kerry Patrick, told the Sunday Express that she, along with photographers from other media houses, was taking shots of the dismantling process when the workers asked them to desist.

She said they complied but the men, who felt they were being ignored, were upset.

"One came out of the van and pelt a stone after the Guardian photographer," she said. "He missed and he came up to me with a stone in his hand."

President of the Association for Radio Frequency Emission Control in Trinidad and Tobago (ArFECTT), Peter Permell, in a press release, condemned the "unwarranted and unprovoked verbal and ... physical attack on the media personnel".

He said that the matter should be taken seriously and called on Digicel to issue a public apology to the media houses and the residents of Jerningham Avenue.

But Digicel public relations manager, Kevin Garcia, says that it is unfair to blame the company.

"We are getting reports that there may have been words between people, but there were villagers there also ... It's anybody's guess if it was the villagers or the sub-contractors," he said.

The telecommunications company is conducting investigations into the matter.

But what nonsense Kevin Garcia talking? It unfair to blame the company because the people who working for them assault media workers? And I real upset about this one because is my colleagues in the media that were attacked.
Words between people? Anybody's guess? Lets see. We have a picture!
Who is this? A villager? And why would a villager attack the media person who came to cover the very thing that they were fighting for? Wouldn't they be glad the media was there? Mr Garcia, your company has ultimate responsibility for all its workers, including sub-contractors. Unfair to blame the company? Look you get me vex yes. You hire your rango-tango people who have no behavior and then saying it unfair to blame the company?
If I hire some people to do some work in your house and they thief from you or damage something, ent is me you coming to look for?
Mr Garcia, your company's slogan is 'Expect More, Get More". Well I expected more from you.
Steups. You making me feel to switch back to the other network.

Swami's Secret

Guru, 85, held in sex assault
Phoolo Danny-Maharaj pdanny@trinidadexpress.com

Monday, May 21st 2007

An 85-year-old religious leader from India was detained by San Fernando police yesterday and, up to late last night, was being questioned by officers into allegations of sexual assault.

The spiritual teacher, or swami, who is said to have hundreds of thousands of devotees around the world, arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday and was expected to conduct Satsangh (religious discourses) across the country throughout the month.

The guru, also an author of dozens of religious books and and a composer of religious songs, along with other devotees from Trinidad and a contingent of other spiritual aspirants from India, was staying at the home of devotees on the outskirts of San Fernando.

Police reports indicated that a 22-year-old Guyanese woman who came to Trinidad at the weekend visited the religious leader on Friday.

This is when the incident was alleged to have happened.

Police reports stated that the woman visited the guru and was alone with him in a room when she was sprayed with a liquid. She alleged she was then assaulted.

The woman was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital for treatment.

Police said a medical examination was done and showed the woman had sexual intercourse.

Attorney-at-law Prakash Ramadhar is representing the religious leader.

Listen, rape is a serious crime, and should be seriously dealt with, but honestly, I want to know Swami's secret. I want to know how an 85-year old man, who judging from an photo I saw, had to be physically supported by two police officers to get up the steps of the police station, could hold down a young girl and rape her. I want to know what is that spray he used. The makers of Viagra would love to know also.

In another news report the girl said she was assaulted for an hour. I want to know how an 85-year-old man could keep it up for an hour.

Do you know how many happy women there would be if more men knew the Secret of Swami? I mean Viagra takes a while to work. This stuff has instant results! One spray and you stay. You know how much money Swami could make with this product? You know how many marriages he could save?

Seriously though, the girl said she was naked when she was sprayed. Umm.. how did she get naked? She said Swami told her to take her clothes off so he could do some ritual. Yeah right. I smell something fishy here. Time will tell if the allegations are true tho.

Hail to the Chief

Panday gets perfect bill of health
Anna Ramdass aramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Wednesday, May 16th 2007

Political Leader of the United National Congress (UNC) Basdeo Panday has been given a clean bill of health and is expected to return home today from London with his wife Oma, UNC vice chairman Vasant Bharath said yesterday.

Panday left for London earlier this month for what he said were medical checks to his heart and entire body.

"He has a perfect bill of health...though he's not a young man, his years are catching up," Bharath said in a telephone interview with the Express yesterday.

Bharath said he spoke to Panday yesterday and he (Panday) said he was in good spirits and getting ready to return home.

When one looks at the number of years Panday has struggled for this country, by walking, marching and protesting for the cause it is more than most people would endure, Bharath added.

Panday will be celebrating his 74th birthday this month.

Congrats Bas in advance on your 74th birthday and on your clean bill of health. Does that mean you could return to occupying your jail cell, seeing that the reason you're not in it now is that your lawyer was able to convince a judge that you were so sick and frail that you would die in jail? You probably don't want to huh? I know. That would keep you back from doing your work for the country, marching and protesting and calling for anarchy and blood.

Congratulations, though, on your miraculous recovery, and your ability to fight the lion again. Welcome back, though it seems like you were never really gone. Your shadow was always there with the UNC. Now the phoenix has risen from the ashes to lead the troops again.

Congrats to the UNC on the return of your leader for life. I bet he'll be around for a long time. It's good to see that you all still support him, especially Mrs Kamla Persad Bissessar. That sort of blind loyalty is exactly what's needed to move the party forward. The troops must have one mind and vision always.. the leader's. That way you're always sure who's the boss.

Oh, rats!

From the Trinidad Express, Wednesday, May 9th 2007 (Paraphrased)

A company that submitted a $21 million report containing a "number of deficiencies" has been awarded a second contract for $37 million to take another look at the country's transport problems.

Government said it was not satisfied with the report submitted by Parsons Brinckerhoff, the firm contracted to do the Comprehensive National Transportation Study (CNTS), but has since given the same company the $37 million Mass Transit Study.

"We are not satisfied and, in fact, the Ministry met with the consultants very recently and reiterated our dissatisfaction with their performance in terms of the fulfilment of obligations under the contract and we have given them a final deadline to correct these deficiencies," said Transport Minister Colm Imbert.

Imbert said that Parsons Brinckerhoff submitted its final report in November 2006 and technical officers of the project implementation unit for the CNTS undertook a detailed evaluation of the report.

In December, that unit advised that the report contained "a number of deficiencies based on the terms of reference and scope of work", said Imbert.

Imbert said that the contract for the CNTS was for $21 million, of which approximately $10 million had been paid.

The second study contracted to Parsons Brinckerhoff-The Mass Transit Study-is worth $37 million to be conducted in three phases.

Of this amount, Imbert said some $5.5 million had, so far, been paid to Parsons Brinckerhoff.
He said the final costs for both studies were not available.
It was only last October that Government terminated Parsons Brinckerhoff, which was contracted to evaluate bids on the $1 billion rapid rail system.

This came after it was revealed there was a conflict of interest between Parsons Brinckerhoff and Bombardier, which had also submitted a bid for the Trinidad rapid rail project.

So, Mister Imbert, imagine that you give a man a work to do. The work he does "contains a number of deficiencies", translated: it was total and utter caca, yet still you give this man MORE of your money? A $21 million dollar piece of rubbish was submitted, yet still you give them ANOTHER contract for $37 million? Something not right here. Wait. I seeing a familiar name. Hmm.. Bombardier. That is not the same company that give dear old Patrick Manning a ride in their executive plane? The company that spawned rumours that Mr Manning was looking to buy a Bombardier jet? ( Something that he deny). So this same Parsons Brinckerhoff , that associated with Bombardier get a contract to do a mass transit study, right after messing up a national transportation study? Hmmm....I smelling a rat here.

Speaking of rats: From the Express of the same day:

A massive clean-up at Chaguanas and its suburbs has begun, following complaints by residents that there was an unusual number of rats roaming the area.
Mayor Suruj Rambachan said yesterday the Chaguanas Borough Corporation had taken the reports seriously and "we have started a clean-up of areas in Lange Park to rid the area of rodents".
"We expect householders to do their bit by keeping their premises clean. They should desist from throwing discarded food in open drains because this encourages rats to live there," Rambachan said.
Dr Agenath Misir, who runs the Insect Vector Division of the Ministry of Health, said the division had stepped up its rodent control campaign throughout the country and advised homeowners to report the presence of rats in their area.
Misir said rats should not be encouraged as pets. "They are dangerous rodents that cause leptospirosis, which is a deadly disease."

So the same people that dumping their rubbish all in the drains and keeping the place nasty complaining now about rats. Blame the government again for your dirty behaviour. Pelt fridge and stove in the river then complain when it flood. Throw your doubles paper in the drain and leave your Carib bottle by the side of the road. Is the government fault for not picking it up of course, so anything bad that happen is not your fault.

Well admittedly it might not be everybody doing this nonsense, but is the few nasty ones that make things bad for everyone.

And what is this about keeping rats as pets? WTF is that?

Methinks there may be an outbreak of rats of the human sort.

Rumshop Advice

From the Trinidad Express Saturday, May 5th 2007 (Paraphrased)

Prime Minister Patrick Manning's special adviser, Herbert Atwell, is paid $23,000 a month to give advice on matters of national concern among his many duties.
Atwell is employed under contract as director of public affairs for the Prime Minister, and in addition to his salary, he receives a transport allowance of $2750, a phone allowance of $500 and a subsistence allowance of $100 a day when travelling on official duty beyond 16 kilometres from the Prime Minister's office.
Atwell also enjoys an advance of $175,000 to purchase a vehicle which was bought tax free, as well as an advance to cover insurance expenses. A further advance of $20,000 was allocated to cover repairs to the motor vehicle.
Atwell's duties include reviewing and revising press releases, organising meetings with Manning internationally and locally, making recommendations to Manning to organise events, conducting meetings with citizens and organisations seeking Manning's intervention, as well as providing briefs to the PM about national concerns and issues.

So Patos, you paying a man $23,000 a month to advise you and still you doing nonsense? Clearly this man giving you bad advice. He ent worth the money. Listen Patrick, some of the best national advisers sitting down right now in various bars in Trinidad and Tobago. You want advice? All it costin' you is a drink.

One cold Carib and your rumshop adviser will tell you that you losing popularity because of your damn arrogance and not caring what people say or feel. These are the same people that vote for you that you snubbing now. These are the same people that could NOT vote for you later.

Another Carib and you will find out that Trinbago people getting wise now. They say if you put a crapaud in a balisier tie to run for elections people will vote for it. Not so again eh. All that free education we getting.. we using it eh.

A nip of puncheon and you could find out that building a big big stadium in San Fernando doh make sense if the people still can't go to the hospital for some basic healthcare. If your population not healthy, which sports they going to play? People sleeping all on the ground in the hospital and you building big big stadium for who to play in? Your adviser like he himself sick. Hmm.. I'll drink to that! Another round!

What bout the water problems? Ah bottle of Johnnie Black and you will find out that it not right that for years and years we know that all WASA pipe leaking and WASA in a mess. Instead of fixing the water problem though, you decide to build a big big smelter that nobody in the country except you want, to pollute the little bit of water that we have. When people in the country start to bawl you say you giving $600 million to fix up WASA. This is right after you say you giving $600 million to fix up road. So after we fix up de road, WASA could come and dig it up again. Anodder $600 million. Meanwhile, poor people in Barrackpore bathing in chicken farm water and drinking it too. Lawd meh head spinning. Like I drink?

Another rounds of Johnnie dey, Patos boy. Nice. All the big big building you constructing, that driving the prices up. Your buildings going up and prices going up too. You ent doin nothing to help control high prices, but instead you contributing to it. What you say? We have to develop these industries to progress? Eh heh? Take a trip down Singapore pardna. Them doh have much natural resources, only human resources and still them economy among the best in the world. Them decide that this is the age of technology and computer run tings. So them developing plenty computer business. They have oil business too eh, just like we, but them concentrating less on dem smoky industry and moving with the times. Electronics and ting. Ah read dat on de Intahnet Patos. You know what dat is? You know what a computer is?

Most importantly Patos, and you getting this one free because my head spinning and I cannot drink anymore. God give you two ears and one mouth for a reason. You does talk too much stupidness, Patrick. Listen to what you saying sometimes nah. Some of the tings you say, you embarrassing yourself and the country. Better to say you ent know, but you will find out and get back to we. But doh say the first thing that come out your mouth, nah. They say George Chambers was duncey? Patos, I feel you is the man that have that title right now eh.

See? That ent cost you no $23,000, and you getting advice that working. So hear what to do. Fire Herbert Atwell and hire the first drunkard you meet in any rumshop. It go be money well spent.
Cheers!

A new vision

The exams are over, school is out and some of the stress is off of me. Feeedom! I decided to take my freedom a couple of notches higher and get myself some contact lenses. I never know that they could be so liberating. After wearing Coke bottle lenses for almost 30 years (don't try to guess my age), this new experience was liberating. It was also very strange. My brain was having difficulty relating to the fact that I didn't have to adjust my lenses on my face to see something up close. In fact the brain was finding it hard to accept that I didn't have to go up close to see stuff at all. I went to the barber and I could see everything he was doing. I didn't have to fish for my glasses when he asked if the cut was OK. The glare was a bit much though, so I went out and got me some shades and I looked..cool! The nerd was gone! An amazing transformation.
I kinda like the nerd though, so I don't think he's going very far. He's still going to be around a lot.