Waiting for Justice

According to Wikipedia, the population of New York as of 2006 was 19,306,183. New York is a total of 54,475 square miles (141,089 km²) in area, making it the third most populous city in the USA.
According to Wikipedia, the population of Trinidad and Tobago as of 2005 was 1.3 million. Trinidad and Tobago is a total of 1,979 square miles (5,128 km²) in area, making it a fraction of the size of New York.
According to the BBC, the murder rate in New York for the year was 428 as of November 18.
According to the Express, Guardian, Newsday, Bomb, Punch, Tanty, Granny and everybody else, the murder rate so far in Trinidad and Tobago is 338.
So could someone explain to me how the hell a country that is the size of a pimple on the face of New York could have a murder rate that almost as high as that of New York? Even more disturbing is the fact that while New York's murder rate is going down and is presently at the lowest it has been in 40 years, in T&T ours seems to be going up.
According to the BBC,

The soaring murder rate of the late 1980s and early 1990s was largely a result of turf wars between gangs running the crack cocaine trade. The turnaround in violence from the early 1990s was attributed to the city's zero tolerance policy, which saw police crack down on minor offences and drug dealing.

Gang warfare? That sounds familiar. But zero tolerance policy? Even on minor offences? Eh eh. Not in sweet T&T where anything goes, and our national motto is "Free Up Yourself".
In addition to the attitude of citizens, a big part of the problem is the ridiculous justice system where cases are tied up in courts for years and years. The Bible as a book of wisdom explains T&T's position quite simply but accurately in Ecclesiasties 8:11. It says:

When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.

Plain and simple, there is the root cause of our problem. Everybody could do anything and get off scot free, so everybody does what they want.
Even in the schools, students rule because they can't be disciplined or expelled for bad behaviour, so they do what they want.
Murder, crime, violence, road deaths; all are tied in to the lack of accountability in T&T. Anything goes in this sweet land of ours.
To the authorities... Bring back accountability. Please fix our justice system or lack thereof. It's killing T&T.

P.S. If you want to have media briefings from the police, please find someone who can speak clearly and fluently and who will not pause after every three words to think of what to say next. It's annoying to have to listen to that sort of nonsense and it makes those who run the system appear even more incompetent.

The United National Congress of the People's National Movement

Trinidad sweet, yes. I got these in my email today. I would think it was staged, but still interesting. If only such unity were really possible. T&T might have been a better place to live in.

School Daze

Mrs Dagger, who is an educator in one of our nation's not so esteemed Government-run educational establishments, will on occasion arrive home and throw herself at the mercy of my ears to tell me the most unbelievable of tales. I don't know how she makes it through the day, because the stories I hear are enough to make a grown man cry.
Take for example, the class of Form Four students who actually tried to explain to their teacher that a literary device was something that one hooks up to a computer. The children actually argued the point, not giving way at all. The poor woman had to inquire of her colleagues if she was wrong and actually stupid.
This same teacher gave an assignment, and informed the students that in writing the essays, one had to use one point per paragraph, meaning that each paragraph should centre around one idea. One eager child raised his hand and asked if he could use commas too. The poor woman could not continue the class after that.
Consider the young lady who inquired as to what it meant when someone called one an "embassy." Clearly she meant imbecile. How ironic.
How about the young student when asked in a Principles of Accounts exam to explain what capital was, wrote Port-of-Spain.
One lively lad deduced that the capital of Venezuela was V. Indeed it is, eh.
Consider that it is only the sixth week of the school term and all these events have happened within this time frame. Yes, these are true stories, I kid you not.
And this lack of knowledge doesn't only extend to the lower forms. Sixth Formers are also subject to this stupidity. Consider the entire class of Sixth Formers who didn't know what or where Quebec was. Well all except for one bright lady who said that 'quebec" was the position or place one was in, for example in front or behind. I am still trying to figure that one out. Perhaps someone can help me. Maybe the poor child was thinking of "queueing up?" I don't know.
What I do know is that our education system is in a really sad "quebec."

Vote for GOD!

After all the nonsense going on in the political arena these days, GOD has finally decided to step in. I for one am glad to hear this. For too long the country has been run without GOD. Even Mr Manning, who says he's a born-again man seems to be operating without consulting GOD. We seem to have become a society without GOD. This is strange since it is a known fact that GOD is a Trini (or ten of them.) GOD seems to be Alien to everyone in T&T right now, however.
Now that GOD has stepped in, I think things will change. People will think about GOD more now.
Imagine if we let GOD run the country. Things would certainly be different with GOD in charge of everything. People would look to GOD for all the answers. Now our country has new hope thanks to GOD.

God help us all!

Law and Disorder....Criminal Minds

So the police killed seven people last night and I have to say that in six of those cases I am
not sorry at all. In my books, only one of those people was an innocent. Wendy Courtney was killed by a stray bullet as she tried to close her window to protect herself. (Please note: A window is hardly likely to stop a bullet. The best thing to do is get as far away from the window that you can.) Still, it was sad that she had to die because some stupid fellas decided that they wanted to follow the wrong path. Of course the families of those killed are not likely to admit that their loved ones were on the wrong path. According to the mother of one of the men shot, a 17-year-old boy to boot:

"My son was working to buy his school-books and was waiting for his CXC results, he was a hard-working boy."

Hear more:

Friends of Blake and Lewis, who wished to remain anonymous, also angrily expressed their feelings saying "the police willfully kill the men, they had no gun on them, nothing to deserve what they get."

So all the men that police shot yesterday were innocent. Police just decided that these random men, going about their random business needed to be killed yesterday. Police said "You know what, we have too much bullets today. Let's go open fire on some innocent men and kill them, then say that they shot at us first."

It's amazing. If we go with what the families of men who are killed or arrested by police, there are no criminals in Trinidad and Tobago.

I think the families of these people who know that their relatives are involved in shady activities and say that they are innocent, while they reap the benefits of their nefarious deeds are just as much criminal as the ones they try to protect.

In my book if the police had to shoot at you then you were up to SOMETHING and it couldn't be good.

Mentally Disabled Government

So champion for the rights of the disabled in Trinidad and Tobago George Daniel score a big victory in court yesterday. Quoting today's Trinidad Guardian:

The disabled community scored a major victory in the San Fernando High Court yesterday when a judge ruled that the State’s failure to provide wheelchair access to the Hall of Justice was in violation of their right to freedom. The State was ordered to put necessary measures in place to ensure they had direct wheelchair access to the court with immediate effect. Ruling in favour of president of the Trinidad and Tobago Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) local chapter George Daniel in a constitutional motion against the Attorney General, Justice Nolan Bereaux ordered the AG to pay all Daniel’s legal costs.

Now hear the interesting part:

Through his attorneys Anand Ramlogan, Mikela Panday and Joan Ramnarine Furlonge, Daniel filed the motion in March 2005, challenging the denial of access by wheelchair-bound people to the Hall of Justice.

So since 2005, a disabled person sue the State because he couldn't get into a Government building that the Trinidad people paying tax for. Now what a smart government woulda do, is to build a nice lil ramp for disabled people to get into the Hall of Justice. How hard is it really to build a ramp? I mean even a CEPEP crew could do the job in less than two years. They coulda even have a big opening ceremony and cut ribbon and thing and talk bout how they progressive and so on. But no, not my government. They not that bright. Instead:

The AG was represented by attorneys Christopher Hamel-Smith and Kavita Jodhan.

So instead of building the ramp for the disabled people, the AG hire two lawyers to justify why he shouldn't make it easy for the disabled to access a Government building.

The State was ordered to put necessary measures in place to ensure they had direct wheelchair access to the court with immediate effect.

So now, the State have to pay legal costs for Georgie D and his lawyers plus still build the bloomin' ramp immediately.

Clearly we dealing here with people in charge who are mentally deficient. But then again is a case of the little people not really being important to them. Do big business and to hell with the small man.
Well take that mister AG. Now you have to obey the ruling of the court eh. I mean, if the AG doh obey the law then tings real bad. Unless he appeal.
Wait.. you really go appeal boy? Nah!

Minister Ra-Hell's Hospital of Horrors

From the Trinidad Guardian Wednesday 13th June, 2007
Man walks with bed to Sando hospital

BY ANIKA GUMBS-SANDIFORD

PICK up thy bed and walk.
The biblical saying has come to pass at the San Fernando General Hospital.
Unable to bear seeing Jimmy Smyke, 55, in pain while lying on a bench on ward 11, his wife Irma, yesterday returned to their home at Clarke Street, Vistabella, and brought a bed to the hospital for her husband to lie on.
The red metal bed was set up inside the ward along a corridor.
For the past four days patients at the SFGH have been forced to lie on the ground due to a bed shortage caused by overcrowding.

Yesterday patients were heard complaining about back pains as they were seen sitting on wheelchairs and wooden benches or lying on stretchers
A hurt Irma said Smyke, a heart patient, was admitted to the ward on Monday night after complaining of severe chest pains.
However, Irma said when they arrived on the ward a nurse told her there were no available beds.
“I stayed the night with my husband and as soon as morning broke and the doctor came on the ward I asked him if I could have brought a bed for my husband. He told me, ‘Absolutely,’ so I called my son and we went home and got the bed.

“This is absolutely ridiculous. If a dog sick do not bring him here!” Another patient Khsio Manickchand, 47, who slept on a mattress on the ground, said he had to share the narrow mattress with another patient.
Manickchand said he was warded at the hospital after suffering a severe virus attack.
Holding up his drips, Manickchand said: “Look at my condition and I have to share a mattress with a stranger...imagine I am sick and I am still uncomfortable.”

Look where we reach in this country. The prime minister taking taxpayers money to fix up his house nice, nice while them very same taxpayers can't get a bed to sleep on in the hospital. He talking stadium, rapid rail, interchange, smelter, jobs for all, houses for most, Caroni land for some! In the meantime, sick people sleeping on the floor, and it so bad, somebody had to bring a bed from home. In a country with oil and gas coming out our arse and money to burn, a man had to bring his bed from home so he could get somewhere to sleep in the hospital.

Mr John Rahael, you should be ashamed of yourself. As Minister of Health, your job is to make sure that people get quality health care at public institutions, both in terms of technology and customer service. Your job is not to smile and pose for the camera when the Government buys some piece of equipment and then talk about the state-of-the-art health care available in T&T. State-of-the-fart is more like it. Pictures don't lie Johnny Boy. You failing bad. With all the billions of dollars floating around in the economy, we dont even have a proper health care system.

What would it take to build a proper hospital for the people? Is our damn money you know. Not yours! We just put you there to manage it, but you not managing sh*t. Those same people who are lying in the corridors and on the floors of the nation's hospitals are the ones that are putting bread and butter.. excuse me.. caviar and champagne on your table. They are the taxpayers. But you take their money and literally kick them to the ground. You bite the hand that feeds you. One day, that hand is going to not appreciate getting bitten all the time, and you might get an unlucky blow that could land you in the hospital.

JFK Terror plot in Trinidad

I turned on my TV today and I was in shock. Finally the whole world knows about Trinidad and Tobago, but not for anything good. Four extremists decided that it would be a good idea to blow up JFK airport by setting off explosives in the main fuel line. These guys decided that Trinidad would be a good place to hide out while they hatched the plot. One was even a Trinidadian.
So it was all over the news that the terror suspects who tried to blow up JFK were held in Trinidad. Now on top of the crime that plaguing us every day, we have to contend with the fact that the rest of the world now thinks we're a hotbed of terrorist activity, and a "potential source of terrorist funding". My country may not be the best, but it sure ain't no hotbed of terrorist activity.

I think this whole thing was just an example of the US using the fear of its citizens to distract them from what's happening in Iraq. The plot was never in any danger of actually being executed, and the authorities knew about it from the get-go. The plotters didn't even have the equipment they needed to carry out the attacks.

On paper this would have been a potential disaster, since the fuel line runs under neighbourhoods in Queens. From working in industrial safety for years, though, and knowing something about pipelines, I think that the effects of an explosion would not have spread so far, since safety systems would shut down the entire system in seconds.

While I am not minimising the seriousness of the potential threat this attack could have been, I also think the extended media coverage was an attempt to quell the voices of discontent against the Iraq war. It's classic politics. When the natives grow restless, give them a reason to realise that they depend on you. Draw attention away from the real issue: the war on Iraq is hurting America more than it is helping it.

And as for those extremists... I am not a lover of the US or US policy. In fact, I hate US policy with a passion. But I know that the American people don't make US policy. US policy is made by men in black suits in a White House. Do these extremists really believe that if they attack the American people, it will affect the men in the black suits personally? They and their families are always safe. All you hurt are innocent people who probably don't agree with US policy either. But you don't care do you? Bloody selfish bastards. You don't care about people. You just care about your misguided mission.

In the meantime, my country is getting a worse international reputation than it already has. Nobody will care that we were the ones that invented the steel drums. Nobody will care that Dwight Yorke and Brian Lara are citizens of this country. Nobody will care that we produced two Miss Universe winners and one Miss World Winner. No one will care that we produced Olympic gold medal finalists in the 100m, 200m and also had silver medals in swimming. Who will know that we had a world boxing champ? Does anyone know that Heather Headley was born here? No, they just love her music. Nobody will know that Trinidad's Carnival is the greatest show on earth, so much that all the biggest celebrities come here to enjoy it.
That's sad, because though T&T isn't perfect, for me it's paradise.

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.

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!

Yo ho ho and a tube of rum

This is why I love Trinidad and Tobago. It's the ingenuity of the people. You think the ICC could stop them from bringing their alcohol to the Cricket World Cup? Why pay $30 for a drink of rum from a band of pirates when you have free rum at home. Put it in a tube of sunblock and enjoy your cricket. I wish nobody would have patronised the ICC with their outrageous prices, and with them killing the spirit (pun intended) of the game. I think my people are some of the most ingenious people in the world, and the could acheive great things if they set their minds to it.

What's good for the goose......

So a magistrate has refused to grant a license for the promoters to host the annual after Carnival cool down fete on Manzanilla Beach this year. The reason she cited was that the event had become ungovernable, what with the robberies and the lewd behavior of a couple of young ladies last year. I have no problem with her refusing to grant the license. As a matter of fact I would support her, but I would also extend it further.

Let's refuse to grant licences to the promoters of all the fetes that take place in the Carnival season. Because as we know someone always gets robbed, stabbed or killed at these events. Don't even talk about the lewd behaviour that takes place. The scantiest of outfits appear at these parties and the behavior of the party goers borders on pornographic. Imagine a fete with names such as "Till Drunk Do Us Part"... Imagine all the drunk drivers trying to wend their way home after leaving that party. Didn't these promoters get a license? What about those parties where the stipulated dress code is sleepwear, and we're not talking about granny's flannel pyjamas here. Weren't those promoters granted licenses as well?

Going further, we all know that the height of debauchery in Trinidad and Tobago is Carnival time. I think some brave magistrate should block the Government from having Carnival, a festival of drunken revelry, wanton sex, violence and crime. What went on at Manzanilla last year pales in comparison to what goes on at Carnival every year. Apparently what the Government considers to be immoral throughout the year does not apply at Carnival time.

Let's face it, we live in a hypocritical society. But until there is equality for all, Ms Magistrate..please give the people their license.

Trini Pride

Today I'm beaming with pride. A Trinidad national has won an Oscar award. No, not for acting, but for his involvement in the development of visual effects software for films. Dr Anil Kokaram, 39, a Sangre Grande-born engineering lecturer at the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland received the Scientific and Engineering Academy award at a ceremony held in Beverly Hills, California, USA, on Saturday, a fortnight ahead of the headline acting awards event. Kokaram received the award with three members of UK software developer The Foundry’s development team—Dr Bill Collis, Simon Robinson and Ben Kent —for their work on the design and development of Furnace, an integrated suite of software visual effects.

For a Trinidadian to win such a prestigious award, should be a source of great pride for all of us. It's also another notch it our belt of achievements. We have 2 Miss Universe Winners, One Miss World Winner, An Olympic 100 metres gold medalist, A world boxing champion, An Olympic swimming medalist, An Olympic 200m medalist...the list goes on. It was a Trini that wrote "Who Let the Dogs Out", not the Baha Men. They just bought the song. We are a nation full of many talents. If more of us would use the talent for good and stop playing the fool, Trinidad would be such a great place.

Congratulations Dr Kokaram!!