What To Expect
David Fraser
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
GOVERNANCE NEEDED - TALK LESS ACT MORE
There are those who act without much fanfare, and those who rely on style to see them through crisis. However, style soon burns out like the proverbial torch in the dark night. Government by style lacks temerity and by necessity begins to fade away in the people's minds as a serious organisation capable of really doing anything to bring relief or solutions to their myriad of problems.
It is unfortunate that the Government instead of anchoring itself as a performance organisation, seems to branding itself as one that cannot get anything done or knows what its about. This is absolutely far from the reality, but unfortunately perception drives reality.
The consensus among some key opinion leaders is that the Government needs to settle down and begin the process of delivering for the people. The Prime Minister still engaging in extended honeymooning saw it fit to come to the Parliament to speak about a children's fund, rather than announce a radically new health policy to effectively address a broken down public health care system. Several recent polls in 2Q 2010 show health care as being right up there with crime as the most pressing issues uppermost in the minds of the people of T&T.
Kamla Persad Bissessar's advisors need to understand that a public relations gesture cannot anchor or even provide the substance upon which to hang the health policy of the country. The Prime Minister should have had a comprehensive policy position within which she could have long, medium and short term deliverables and objectives which would have been a positive move, giving people some hope for the future.
It might be good to say that the government does not have ideas, but a Government is as good as the quality of its thinkers, and not because persons are elevated to high office that it makes them creative intellectuals or go getter's. Unfortunately, the PM's mantra about caring for the children and hearing their cries have lost its flair and impact.
The media and key opinion makers now want something new and substantial to report upon. The photo ops and meaningless statements are losing their sting. The Prime Minister needs to cultivate a new image. Spin doctors seem incapable of making the transition from opposition politics to governance. Kamla Persad Bissessar is in need of a make over. The march along the yellow brick road to government has happened and now the Prime Minister needs to be reshaped, repackaged and presented to the public with a GOVERNANCE agenda.
The Prime Minister needs strong willed and objective thinkers to advise the government if they are to make meaningful progress and move society forward quickly.
The Politics of Trinidad and Tobago is not easy. 2010 is not finished and we have seen the fall of two maximum leaders in Basdeo Panday and Patrick Manning, the collapse of a government, the rise of the first female leader of a major political organisation and Trinidad and Tobago's first female Prime Minister.
The year 2010 is not over and the resounding support from the public for the peoples partnership in June seems to be wavering in November. Trinidad is in the middle of a leadership crisis. The change of government was not able to deliver as yet, on hefty expectations created by platform promises during the fiercely fought 2010 general elections.
For many years the population wanted a credible political alternative to the Peoples National Movement (PNM) and in May 2010 voted overwhelmingly for change. But the jury is still out there and people are looking on and debating whether the administration will make the full term.
I believe that the people's partnership will go to a full term. But power cannot hold political parties together and if things are not working out well, then there may be a need to solidify the situation.
Manning collapsed because he could not hold the PNM party together, not because his government Ministers were about to defect. It is also dangerous to use up grassroots goodwill. It is too early in office to heavily defend the Government using grassroots supporters. This is exactly what happened to Patrick Manning and the PNM which led to their downfall.
The more that the leadership style of Manning and PNM was criticized, the deeper into the ground the party buried itself. Anyone can justify anything, explanations are always out there to be had, but it is the result which matters, and without tangible results, talk will soon fade away if the criticisms on the other side seem to have traction backed by a non performing government.
Kamla Persad Bissessar's challenge as a leader is when to stop playing with her popularity and the people. Dr. Keith Rowley is a weak leader, incapable of bringing people together for a common purpose. His style of management and people skills are not suited for public life, and his list of friends maybe as long as his political enemies. But in politics he can suddenly turn from being the people nightmare to the peoples fare, everyone eating out of his hands.
The Peoples Partnership needs to settle down and begin the painstaking process of becoming a national party under one umbrella, one objective, and most importantly, start to think as one government. There are many bright and well intentioned people, but the government must not get caught up in total-politics.
Most importantly, merit and trust must return to politics and this must be achieved by a strong willed leadership that is willing to lead by example, and give those who are competent the opportunity to develop their ideas. Last but not least, talk less, act more, people will soon give praise and recognition where it is due.
END
It is unfortunate that the Government instead of anchoring itself as a performance organisation, seems to branding itself as one that cannot get anything done or knows what its about. This is absolutely far from the reality, but unfortunately perception drives reality.
The consensus among some key opinion leaders is that the Government needs to settle down and begin the process of delivering for the people. The Prime Minister still engaging in extended honeymooning saw it fit to come to the Parliament to speak about a children's fund, rather than announce a radically new health policy to effectively address a broken down public health care system. Several recent polls in 2Q 2010 show health care as being right up there with crime as the most pressing issues uppermost in the minds of the people of T&T.
Kamla Persad Bissessar's advisors need to understand that a public relations gesture cannot anchor or even provide the substance upon which to hang the health policy of the country. The Prime Minister should have had a comprehensive policy position within which she could have long, medium and short term deliverables and objectives which would have been a positive move, giving people some hope for the future.
It might be good to say that the government does not have ideas, but a Government is as good as the quality of its thinkers, and not because persons are elevated to high office that it makes them creative intellectuals or go getter's. Unfortunately, the PM's mantra about caring for the children and hearing their cries have lost its flair and impact.
The media and key opinion makers now want something new and substantial to report upon. The photo ops and meaningless statements are losing their sting. The Prime Minister needs to cultivate a new image. Spin doctors seem incapable of making the transition from opposition politics to governance. Kamla Persad Bissessar is in need of a make over. The march along the yellow brick road to government has happened and now the Prime Minister needs to be reshaped, repackaged and presented to the public with a GOVERNANCE agenda.
The Prime Minister needs strong willed and objective thinkers to advise the government if they are to make meaningful progress and move society forward quickly.
The Politics of Trinidad and Tobago is not easy. 2010 is not finished and we have seen the fall of two maximum leaders in Basdeo Panday and Patrick Manning, the collapse of a government, the rise of the first female leader of a major political organisation and Trinidad and Tobago's first female Prime Minister.
The year 2010 is not over and the resounding support from the public for the peoples partnership in June seems to be wavering in November. Trinidad is in the middle of a leadership crisis. The change of government was not able to deliver as yet, on hefty expectations created by platform promises during the fiercely fought 2010 general elections.
For many years the population wanted a credible political alternative to the Peoples National Movement (PNM) and in May 2010 voted overwhelmingly for change. But the jury is still out there and people are looking on and debating whether the administration will make the full term.
I believe that the people's partnership will go to a full term. But power cannot hold political parties together and if things are not working out well, then there may be a need to solidify the situation.
Manning collapsed because he could not hold the PNM party together, not because his government Ministers were about to defect. It is also dangerous to use up grassroots goodwill. It is too early in office to heavily defend the Government using grassroots supporters. This is exactly what happened to Patrick Manning and the PNM which led to their downfall.
The more that the leadership style of Manning and PNM was criticized, the deeper into the ground the party buried itself. Anyone can justify anything, explanations are always out there to be had, but it is the result which matters, and without tangible results, talk will soon fade away if the criticisms on the other side seem to have traction backed by a non performing government.
Kamla Persad Bissessar's challenge as a leader is when to stop playing with her popularity and the people. Dr. Keith Rowley is a weak leader, incapable of bringing people together for a common purpose. His style of management and people skills are not suited for public life, and his list of friends maybe as long as his political enemies. But in politics he can suddenly turn from being the people nightmare to the peoples fare, everyone eating out of his hands.
The Peoples Partnership needs to settle down and begin the painstaking process of becoming a national party under one umbrella, one objective, and most importantly, start to think as one government. There are many bright and well intentioned people, but the government must not get caught up in total-politics.
Most importantly, merit and trust must return to politics and this must be achieved by a strong willed leadership that is willing to lead by example, and give those who are competent the opportunity to develop their ideas. Last but not least, talk less, act more, people will soon give praise and recognition where it is due.
END
Saturday, October 30, 2010
SWINGING TO THE RIGHT
The Oxford dictionary definition of liberal is 'open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values' and this is exactly what obtains. Liberals throw away everything, opting to try anything including the stupid. Liberals are a dangerous breed. They live in a world of their own, wallowing in the dream land of the deluded. Liberals are those who walk around believing things will get better if we treat everyone as human beings. Liberals have great confidence in people who consistently fail, see only the good in humanity and believes the world will get along or is getting along just fine. Liberals stupidly believe that the west must allow Iran and Venezuela to have nuclear weapons, that NATO should be dismantled, there should be no immigration policy in the United States of America and Europe, and the world can be one. They stupidly believe that if they allow their children to roam freely, learn to love obsessively and dotingly that life will always be beautiful, absent of failure and unfulfilled expectations. Liberals are dangerous because they ultimately destroy countries and generations of young and impressionable minds with their diatribe of nonsense which gets them in trouble. A liberal is a dangerous person to the world and the philosophy must be discouraged as much as possible. The dangerous philosophy of liberals are the belief that the state must look after you, thereby one does not have to worry, be creative or strive for betterment. The world of stagnant liberalism, where the state prints money if we run out and give it away instead of working for it, is the type of society we should strive to become. Liberals refuse the accept that with the advent of capitalism that people began to rapidly progress. After 1780 the world took off ushered in the Industrial era with the invention of the steam engine and society never looked back. The west was the place to be, the opportunity that capitalism offered poor and destitute European settlers in the north american continent is what opened it up to become the most developed country today in the world. While the United States was busy prospering and developing, Canada was constructing the worlds largest third world nation, opting later on to pursue a similar model of development when they got and still have reach nowehere. The US clearly offered the best opportunity and best reward. The rest is now history. I wondered if the United States pursued the despotic model of Iran, Indonesia and India whether it would have progressed in the way it has today?? Absolutely not. Next time you see a liberal ask them how would they do it differently? The world today is recognising that the dreams and delusions of liberals are not paying off and there is a fundamental shift back to traditional values and the sober way of doing things. Liberals make promises they cannot keep and blame conservative and sober minded people for their failures. The world is not impressed anymore with imaginary characters and people often ask the question, "I thought these guys were in charge"??. Liberals are consistent failures who seek to find adequate blame for their incompetence and ineptitude. Liberals fear a swing to the right, but this is not avoidable since they got beautiful mandates and did nothing leaving people with the impression that they are just empty barrels. As they say in the land of calypso, rum and food, Trinidad & Tobago, it looks like the world "Swinging to the Right" coming from the absolute left....END
Sunday, June 27, 2010
BRIDGES - STREET CROSSINGS & SHORT MANDATES
By David Fraser
If there is a very wide street to cross we use a walkover or over pass which provides for safety and ensure that we can make the voyage quickly, at anytime we so desire, and that it does not interfere with what is happening underneath. This is the concept behind the age old bridge, which continues to play an important part in modern society linking countries, towns and states, reducing danger, commute times and the ability of society to move freely. We tend to take for granted the significance of the simple bridge, and when they are in disrepair do we feel the consequences. Everything turns into chaos, and everything appears as though there is no way out of the situation. Street crossings appear to not have any real use until one does not exist, and the attendant problems arise, people get injured, some of them fatal. Now if we have a short street to cross, the problem changes in dynamics. For before proceeding to cross, we must first be assured, absolutely, that no automobile is within near danger of our person, if we are to reach the other side safely. Each time we decide to cross the street, we take on an element of risk. This risk is weighed in the balance; meaning that we cognitively calculate at virtually the same time, all the risk factors involved, and determine the best approach to mitigate or avoid danger. We seldom jump in front a moving train, truck or bus, unless we have serous problems, are depressed or insane. When this phenomena transpires, it is considered an unusual occurrence to which one has no control over. However, it does not mean that the means to avoid such occurrences does not exist. While some may want to argue that human beings are prone to mistakes, and yes they are, but like the person who decides to jump in front of the truck or train, these events are highly unusual circumstances. In Trinidad & Tobago, however, it seems the abnormal and one in a million occurrence has now become the new reality. Unfortunately, it signifies a society which has lost a middle class base, caused by political games which never really were about the best for the society. This was a place governed by dictators who always had another foot in a world elsewhere, where things were markedly superior and better. Panday was a Londoner, who flew back to Trinidad on his free time to enjoy his hobby, playing games with peoples lives. Manning was similar, when not riding around on a privately leased jet and giving away the treasury to Jamaica, Grenada. St. Vincent and sundry other persons and countries, with spiritual adviser in tow - whether in person or spirit - thought the people were surfs and mendicants, dedicated to an underclass ignorance which will see them stay domicile forever and revile him. In both cases, Panday and Manning destroyed the bridges which were the linkages between them and a successful political career. Panday & Manning payed the ultimated price for their actions, having now to cross the road after taking extreme precaution, and one day they had to cross a highway without the overpass they previously destroyed, and disaster struck. History has a way of turning against those whom they cast great things upon. The People's Partnership started off to great acclaim by a media openly supportive to the extent that the Government can do no wrong. I believe that the party is enjoying a honeymoon, longer than most governments have had, and while still enjoying the tail end of that media holiday, the Government is trying to build new bridges across Trinidad & Tobago. Admirable, and a strategy which all good political pundits will use upon an election victory to bring those not on your side to be a part of your team, thereby strengthening your political resolve. Not to be outdone is the C&B campaign (Clean & Beautify C&B), while not unique or novel, is a welcomed signature of at least playing the Public Relations reserve for every last drop in the "Spin Doctor's" Barrel of political tricks. There will come a time when the government will need to anchor its moorings and offload its policy goods on a population excited, eager and holds great expectation for the promises of a new dawn in the Politics of Trinidad & Tobago. There will come a time when meaningless photo opportunities will tire out the media, hard news or salient information will now be driving the headlines, and a population eager for information will decide on a way forward. There will also come a time in the near future when the avid supporters of the government in the media are absorbed into cushy state paid jobs as communications personnel. This will leave a political void in the media, which will now be occupied by those loyal or supportive of the opposition. This will be the turning point that will determine the metal of the state's ability to respond and manage such a communications crisis. The PNM & previous UNC administrations suffered the same fate, and it is a recurring problem which must be managed. So it is necessary to anchor the Government as a serious delivery organisation which is driven via a policy vehicle crafted by the society. For the fall back of the Government will be their track record, and starting right will create a foundation upon which it can rely in a crisis. How this is done, will engage thinkers and planners, but is a model that is needed for the society to government to sustain. Last, but not least, the promises on the platform must dovetail with physical demonstrations of wanting to make change, not mere talk, unsupported by real substance. Style, while it has a place in politics, needs to be buttressed by tangible evidence of wanting to do better. For one, I believe that our constitution needs changing, to reflect the new reality. Five years for an elected Government is way too long a mandate in a small country such as Trinidad and Tobago. I believe that not only limits must be placed on terms, but the mandate period also. This inordinately long period gives too much power for too long a time, and certainly this is reflected in the fact that over the past ten years we have had six general elections. What is taking place in the politics is reflective of a society bringing pressure to bear on every government beyond the norm, the solution is to call an election before it is constitutionally due to keep peace. Shorter mandates do not make people feel very bitter, it gives hope that they can effect change sooner rather than later, and it encourages better representation and Leadership from Government. The controls are in the hands of the People's Partnership, and they must resolve to start building strong bridges upon which the society can better connect itself, and make it easier for everyone to progress.
END
If there is a very wide street to cross we use a walkover or over pass which provides for safety and ensure that we can make the voyage quickly, at anytime we so desire, and that it does not interfere with what is happening underneath. This is the concept behind the age old bridge, which continues to play an important part in modern society linking countries, towns and states, reducing danger, commute times and the ability of society to move freely. We tend to take for granted the significance of the simple bridge, and when they are in disrepair do we feel the consequences. Everything turns into chaos, and everything appears as though there is no way out of the situation. Street crossings appear to not have any real use until one does not exist, and the attendant problems arise, people get injured, some of them fatal. Now if we have a short street to cross, the problem changes in dynamics. For before proceeding to cross, we must first be assured, absolutely, that no automobile is within near danger of our person, if we are to reach the other side safely. Each time we decide to cross the street, we take on an element of risk. This risk is weighed in the balance; meaning that we cognitively calculate at virtually the same time, all the risk factors involved, and determine the best approach to mitigate or avoid danger. We seldom jump in front a moving train, truck or bus, unless we have serous problems, are depressed or insane. When this phenomena transpires, it is considered an unusual occurrence to which one has no control over. However, it does not mean that the means to avoid such occurrences does not exist. While some may want to argue that human beings are prone to mistakes, and yes they are, but like the person who decides to jump in front of the truck or train, these events are highly unusual circumstances. In Trinidad & Tobago, however, it seems the abnormal and one in a million occurrence has now become the new reality. Unfortunately, it signifies a society which has lost a middle class base, caused by political games which never really were about the best for the society. This was a place governed by dictators who always had another foot in a world elsewhere, where things were markedly superior and better. Panday was a Londoner, who flew back to Trinidad on his free time to enjoy his hobby, playing games with peoples lives. Manning was similar, when not riding around on a privately leased jet and giving away the treasury to Jamaica, Grenada. St. Vincent and sundry other persons and countries, with spiritual adviser in tow - whether in person or spirit - thought the people were surfs and mendicants, dedicated to an underclass ignorance which will see them stay domicile forever and revile him. In both cases, Panday and Manning destroyed the bridges which were the linkages between them and a successful political career. Panday & Manning payed the ultimated price for their actions, having now to cross the road after taking extreme precaution, and one day they had to cross a highway without the overpass they previously destroyed, and disaster struck. History has a way of turning against those whom they cast great things upon. The People's Partnership started off to great acclaim by a media openly supportive to the extent that the Government can do no wrong. I believe that the party is enjoying a honeymoon, longer than most governments have had, and while still enjoying the tail end of that media holiday, the Government is trying to build new bridges across Trinidad & Tobago. Admirable, and a strategy which all good political pundits will use upon an election victory to bring those not on your side to be a part of your team, thereby strengthening your political resolve. Not to be outdone is the C&B campaign (Clean & Beautify C&B), while not unique or novel, is a welcomed signature of at least playing the Public Relations reserve for every last drop in the "Spin Doctor's" Barrel of political tricks. There will come a time when the government will need to anchor its moorings and offload its policy goods on a population excited, eager and holds great expectation for the promises of a new dawn in the Politics of Trinidad & Tobago. There will come a time when meaningless photo opportunities will tire out the media, hard news or salient information will now be driving the headlines, and a population eager for information will decide on a way forward. There will also come a time in the near future when the avid supporters of the government in the media are absorbed into cushy state paid jobs as communications personnel. This will leave a political void in the media, which will now be occupied by those loyal or supportive of the opposition. This will be the turning point that will determine the metal of the state's ability to respond and manage such a communications crisis. The PNM & previous UNC administrations suffered the same fate, and it is a recurring problem which must be managed. So it is necessary to anchor the Government as a serious delivery organisation which is driven via a policy vehicle crafted by the society. For the fall back of the Government will be their track record, and starting right will create a foundation upon which it can rely in a crisis. How this is done, will engage thinkers and planners, but is a model that is needed for the society to government to sustain. Last, but not least, the promises on the platform must dovetail with physical demonstrations of wanting to make change, not mere talk, unsupported by real substance. Style, while it has a place in politics, needs to be buttressed by tangible evidence of wanting to do better. For one, I believe that our constitution needs changing, to reflect the new reality. Five years for an elected Government is way too long a mandate in a small country such as Trinidad and Tobago. I believe that not only limits must be placed on terms, but the mandate period also. This inordinately long period gives too much power for too long a time, and certainly this is reflected in the fact that over the past ten years we have had six general elections. What is taking place in the politics is reflective of a society bringing pressure to bear on every government beyond the norm, the solution is to call an election before it is constitutionally due to keep peace. Shorter mandates do not make people feel very bitter, it gives hope that they can effect change sooner rather than later, and it encourages better representation and Leadership from Government. The controls are in the hands of the People's Partnership, and they must resolve to start building strong bridges upon which the society can better connect itself, and make it easier for everyone to progress.
END
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES SAY “TAKE BACK T&T NOW!”
By David Fraser
Many persons are wondering if the entire Gulf of Mexico and eventually the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans will be covered by a thick layer of crude oil, as a result of the leaking well off the coast of Louisiana in the United States of America USA. While the story is of importance to the world and the serious transnational (international direct neighbours impacted) issues involved this oil story is being milked for what it is worth. If all the drilling in the gulf coast stops then world oil prices will soar.
Maybe OPEC will see this as an ideal opportunity to experience another oil boom which is now needed to support the consumption expenditures and appetites of these natural resource (cursed) based economies, notwithstanding the many corrupt deals and siphoning of state resources that will occur as a result of high oil prices.
The dictators of the third world will continue to be entrenched by high oil prices and never will these countries be able to think beyond the next dollar, apart from the sale of a barrel of oil. Natural resources have been a curse to countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, which created a steep culture of dependence and unproductive pursuits, and the public addicted to enjoying handouts have stopped working and producing for the betterment of the society.
It is a tragedy, the level of madness which have become the norm in Trinidad and Tobago, buttressed by dangerous wealth transfer schemes hatched by Patrick’s dictatorship, which were created to keep power at all costs and support a permanent underclass. As oil revenues increased, so did the arrogance and stupidity of the leadership of the country.
Politicians became arrogant and filled with stupid pride and literally aggravated every world leader and businessman who came to our shores looking to invest. So hubristic was our government, that they turned their backs on deals which could have made us paradise and insulate the society against the draw backs of a Government dominated economy.
Again, we see the vulnerability of hydrocarbon dependence and how windfalls not earned creates tin gods and self proclaimed great doers who cares not one iota about anyone or anything.
Trinidad and Tobago is a society where the middle class and the people who actually produce are targeted by the state for being productive and successful. The middle class and producing groups among the society under the PNM rule were taxed to the hilt, and made to pay for the excess of a tyrannical madman. His was a government obsessed with misleading and brainwashing the ignorant, while crime and terror kept in check a society using fear and violence. The PNM style of rule especially in the past three years saw some of the worst and most brutal acts in recent Caribbean and world history.
This was a country where the people had to endure naked nepotism and illegal and irresponsible give away and transfer programmes to one dominant group in the society; these dangerously ignorant underclass segments among the population were fuelled with smart cards, community development grants and transferred throughout the country via free housing government projects.
Safe communities with their tranquil life styles and traditional village culture, who never knew what it was to sleep with burglar proof windows and iron doors, suddenly became prey for a predatory group of lazy mendicants who were used in a crime revolution to wreak havoc on law abiding and honest citizens.
This was our reward, where disrespected, unproductive and unfit citizens were chosen for enrichment and recognition, as opposed to the upright and diligent among the society. This is what happens with sudden rich rewards from natural resources, and a government does not have to work to earn. It can benefit a nation or destroy a country in the hands of unfit leadership.
The gulf oil tragedy exposes the vulnerability of Trinidad & Tobago to environmental disaster and how our economy can go into a tail spin. We now understand that the HSF, short for Heritage and Stabilization Fund is inadequate to treat with any eventuality. One environmental disaster and we are finished. The US20 Billion dollars set aside by BP to pay for clean up represents three complete national budgets committed, given that we have oil and gas flowing to pay for such cleans ups.
This 20 billion US$ figure does not include what the government of the United States is spending on the problem, so it is important that we diversify away from the dependence on oil and gas.
Let it also be known that the integrity of the pipeline network in Trinidad is questionable, and the former Government had a report given to them on this issue and never acted to do anything. Trinidad is a time bomb waiting to explode, and the biggest culprit may be the Government and hence the reason for not acting on such a problem.
A rupture of our gas pipelines could result in the destruction of forests, thousands of people and the economic well being of Trinidad and Tobago for several decades or perhaps never recover like Jamaica and Haiti.
While everyone argues over more giveaways, we have a society spilt by a dictator and his cohorts of every productive and responsible character of the depressed communities of the east west corridor, central and south. It means that we have a large segment of the society preoccupied with lies, deceit, and most of all just trying to get more from the state without paying for anything, while some productive and law abiding people lose their homes, and families are permanently affected or destroyed and become underclass.
Who looks out for them? No one! This is a society which has created a culture where you are either rich or poor, that’s the only way you can be treated fairly by government. In the middle and you are dead. So the political culture of the past encouraged everyone to famously state “ah poor” which of course justifies continued feeding and free loathing at the trough.
We need to rise up as a conservative voice of stability, sanity and clear thinking, and make Trinidad a better place. But it can only happen if we decide to stay and take on the fight instead of choosing to leave the rabble rousers to continue wreaking havoc in our country. Take back T&T Now! Start the campaign “TAKE BACK T&T NOW” come be part of the Progressive Conservatives.
TAKE IT BACK!
By David Fraser
Many persons are wondering if the entire Gulf of Mexico and eventually the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans will be covered by a thick layer of crude oil, as a result of the leaking well off the coast of Louisiana in the United States of America USA. While the story is of importance to the world and the serious transnational (international direct neighbours impacted) issues involved this oil story is being milked for what it is worth. If all the drilling in the gulf coast stops then world oil prices will soar.
Maybe OPEC will see this as an ideal opportunity to experience another oil boom which is now needed to support the consumption expenditures and appetites of these natural resource (cursed) based economies, notwithstanding the many corrupt deals and siphoning of state resources that will occur as a result of high oil prices.
The dictators of the third world will continue to be entrenched by high oil prices and never will these countries be able to think beyond the next dollar, apart from the sale of a barrel of oil. Natural resources have been a curse to countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, which created a steep culture of dependence and unproductive pursuits, and the public addicted to enjoying handouts have stopped working and producing for the betterment of the society.
It is a tragedy, the level of madness which have become the norm in Trinidad and Tobago, buttressed by dangerous wealth transfer schemes hatched by Patrick’s dictatorship, which were created to keep power at all costs and support a permanent underclass. As oil revenues increased, so did the arrogance and stupidity of the leadership of the country.
Politicians became arrogant and filled with stupid pride and literally aggravated every world leader and businessman who came to our shores looking to invest. So hubristic was our government, that they turned their backs on deals which could have made us paradise and insulate the society against the draw backs of a Government dominated economy.
Again, we see the vulnerability of hydrocarbon dependence and how windfalls not earned creates tin gods and self proclaimed great doers who cares not one iota about anyone or anything.
Trinidad and Tobago is a society where the middle class and the people who actually produce are targeted by the state for being productive and successful. The middle class and producing groups among the society under the PNM rule were taxed to the hilt, and made to pay for the excess of a tyrannical madman. His was a government obsessed with misleading and brainwashing the ignorant, while crime and terror kept in check a society using fear and violence. The PNM style of rule especially in the past three years saw some of the worst and most brutal acts in recent Caribbean and world history.
This was a country where the people had to endure naked nepotism and illegal and irresponsible give away and transfer programmes to one dominant group in the society; these dangerously ignorant underclass segments among the population were fuelled with smart cards, community development grants and transferred throughout the country via free housing government projects.
Safe communities with their tranquil life styles and traditional village culture, who never knew what it was to sleep with burglar proof windows and iron doors, suddenly became prey for a predatory group of lazy mendicants who were used in a crime revolution to wreak havoc on law abiding and honest citizens.
This was our reward, where disrespected, unproductive and unfit citizens were chosen for enrichment and recognition, as opposed to the upright and diligent among the society. This is what happens with sudden rich rewards from natural resources, and a government does not have to work to earn. It can benefit a nation or destroy a country in the hands of unfit leadership.
The gulf oil tragedy exposes the vulnerability of Trinidad & Tobago to environmental disaster and how our economy can go into a tail spin. We now understand that the HSF, short for Heritage and Stabilization Fund is inadequate to treat with any eventuality. One environmental disaster and we are finished. The US20 Billion dollars set aside by BP to pay for clean up represents three complete national budgets committed, given that we have oil and gas flowing to pay for such cleans ups.
This 20 billion US$ figure does not include what the government of the United States is spending on the problem, so it is important that we diversify away from the dependence on oil and gas.
Let it also be known that the integrity of the pipeline network in Trinidad is questionable, and the former Government had a report given to them on this issue and never acted to do anything. Trinidad is a time bomb waiting to explode, and the biggest culprit may be the Government and hence the reason for not acting on such a problem.
A rupture of our gas pipelines could result in the destruction of forests, thousands of people and the economic well being of Trinidad and Tobago for several decades or perhaps never recover like Jamaica and Haiti.
While everyone argues over more giveaways, we have a society spilt by a dictator and his cohorts of every productive and responsible character of the depressed communities of the east west corridor, central and south. It means that we have a large segment of the society preoccupied with lies, deceit, and most of all just trying to get more from the state without paying for anything, while some productive and law abiding people lose their homes, and families are permanently affected or destroyed and become underclass.
Who looks out for them? No one! This is a society which has created a culture where you are either rich or poor, that’s the only way you can be treated fairly by government. In the middle and you are dead. So the political culture of the past encouraged everyone to famously state “ah poor” which of course justifies continued feeding and free loathing at the trough.
We need to rise up as a conservative voice of stability, sanity and clear thinking, and make Trinidad a better place. But it can only happen if we decide to stay and take on the fight instead of choosing to leave the rabble rousers to continue wreaking havoc in our country. Take back T&T Now! Start the campaign “TAKE BACK T&T NOW” come be part of the Progressive Conservatives.
TAKE IT BACK!
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