Tantie Talk
Over dis weekend, I come to realise dat a lotta what does plague dis
country real easy to fix...it easy, but at de same time it hard like transport on Ash
Wednesday morning, because it sooo simple nobody go take yuh serious. We have plenty
complaints 'bout de Police an' de way dey not Protecting & Serving as dey should...it ent
have too many dat ent justified, but what I did come to realise over de weekend, is dat it
ent only de Police or even only de Gov't fault, is ALL ah we in T&T fault.
Lemme explain...two incidents dat I hear from de people dat was involve
show jes how little tings could make a big difference. De firs' one happen in Diego. Allyuh go know
by now 'bout de traffic commess dat went on in Diego Martin over de
weekend, wid cars backup all de way 'long de highway an' de main road...well, fus' to
begin dey shoulda never schedule two setta roadworks on de only two road
into/outta Diego fuh de same time. Dat only take a lil bit of common sense, but apparently dis particular
commodity was in short supply when dey was plannin' tings. But after dey done gone an'
schedule de tings, is like dey manage to do de impossible - dey manage to keep it secret,
because it seem like most people did only find out 'bout it when dey get ketch in de
jam...from what I hearin' is like de notice 'bout de work on St. Lucien Rd only appear fuh
one day, in one newspaper...an' it wasn' in neither of de 'big two' papers to boot! But
wait, it have more...as I did start off telling yuh, a fren' did tell me how dey was
takin' dey lil walk to get papers on Saturday when a motorbike police pull up (by de
junction of Sierra Leone Rd an' de Main Rd) an' ask dem "ahmm, where is Diamond Vale?" Is what
yuh suppose to do when dat happen? Mih fren' manage to keep a straight face, an' explain
where to find it. It turn out dat de officer did actually know where de West End Station
was, but he didn' realise dat was Diamond Vale right dere. Now, what I want to know is
how come we spen' one loud setta money on patrol car an' bike dat have all kinda
sophisticated gadgetry an' ting in, an' on dem, but yuh mean to say we cyant spen' no time or money
to make sure de people who usin' dese tools have de knowledge to utilise dem properly?
Is no wonder dat Vehicle Graveyard in de St. James Barracks always full! It doh take too
much time or money to make sure dat all policemen an' women, know someting 'bout de area
where dey workin' ...is what ever happen to de Community Police program anyway? Dat was a
real good ting, de men an' women used to be all over de place on dey small motorbike,
an' everywhere yuh used to be seein' people smilin' an chattin' wid dem, dey was truly
appreciated an' welcome in ALL de communities in T&T. I dunno why it is we keep
forgettin' dat sometimes, in fact most times, is de simple tings dat does make a difference...a
big difference.
De nex incident also happen on Saturday, but in Woodbrook dis time. An'
because I ent see no mention of it yet in de papers I ent go name de place where it
happen. Anyways, jes around lunchtime mih nex fren' was in dis lil shop when some bandits
come in de place. Fortunately nobody get roughup, beat or harm apart from de psychological
trauma...as a matter of fact at leas' one of de bandits was quite polite - asking mih
fren to "get dong on de floor please"...is a pity I cyant say de same ting 'bout de police
who turn up on de scene. Yuh would think dat if three carload of police turn up at a
crime scene, at de very least ONE car wid 2-3 officers coulda make a drive roun' de area
arksin' people on de street if dey see anyting. But no, all man jack stay inside de place
an' de way dey was carryin' on wid de people who jes experience de robbery yuh woulda swear
dey feel is de customers an staff who was de bandit! Dey totally didn' do anyting dat
coulda even remotely be called 'good' police work...I ent know, maybe is too much
C.S.I. an' all dem odder police show on TV have we spoil, but somehow I feel dat once
police reach, dey not suppose to let people leave de place widout at least trying to get some
kinda information an' details from dem dat might prove useful in de investigation. An' to
make matters worse dey was lettin' people INTO de place! Yuh feel dey could find any
kinda clues at all wid dat setta people traipsin' 'bout de place? Now I could well
imagine dat some police does be well frustrated wid all de 'bad press' dey gettin' 'bout
de kidnappings an' murders an' robberies dat seem to be goin' on free sheet...but dat
doh mean dey have to come chargin' in de place like dem Hollywood Sherrif, ready to
shootup de place if by chance somebody sneeze! Yuh mean to say dey ent have no kinda
counselling to help dem deal wid de day-to-day crap dey have to be wallowing in? Is any wonder
dat yuh hearin' 'bout plenty domestic violence involvin' police? So, as I was
saying...is de simple little tings dat we doh take on dat go continually come back to haunt
we. We lookin' at de big picture "CRIME IN T&T" an' we ent lookin' to see what we could
REALLy do to help de situation...if yuh call 999 because a man breakin' dong yuh door, de
las' ting yuh want to hear on de line is "OK, so where yuh say dat street is?
Simple tings like recent, up-to-date maps of POS, Sando, Scarborough,
Arima, Couva, Chaguanas, Tunapuna, Grande an dey environs go not only help de police
do de job, but it go help de plain ordinary Trini get to know dey country better -
not to mention dat when tourists visiting dey go make use of dem too. I ent know how
much it does cost to 'make' a map, but I damn sure dat de benefits to T&T, including de
take from selling dem, bong to mus' outweigh de production costs. An' along wid de maps,
I go stick mih neck out an' say dat yuh bong to find plenty more than one or two
psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors in T&T who go be willing to volunteer dey services in
helping de police to be more effective doing dey job. I feel sure dat we ent reach de point of
no return yet, we could still pull together an steer T&T back on de right
track...nevermind what dem so-an-so politicians say an' do.
Have a Happy, and Peaceful Divali T&T...remember what the festival is
all about and may T&T's lights continue to shine brightly in the future.
:+:+:+:+:+:+:+::+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:
BACKCHAT: Issue 40
Tantie, yuh does really make sense. Next ting yuh go be Prime Minister!
//Trinidad
I have been observing that you hardly ever announce anything Hindu or
Indian. This is Divali time man. This is the largest national festival in Trinidad
after Carnival. Bamboo bursting everwhere in yuh head. Deyas twinkling like stars in
the darkness. Indian food for so all about. Traffic jam in the highway for Divali Nagar.
Celebrations in plenty place where Hindus live. And they ignoring that??!!!
Come on man/woman. Wake up and get real.
//Trinidad
Re: Trinidad Express (Oct. 13)..."A UNC activist who works closely with
MP for Barataria Dr. Fuad Khan..."
Before judging Dr Khan, this person should try to ascertain his reasons
for not wanting Trinidad and Tobago to be the FTAA headquarters. Maybe Trinis should
have a public debate (write to the newspapers) and bring it into the light!
First of all, this concept of Free Trade is utopian, just look at the
results of the last World Trade Organisation on September 14th. Poor countries are now
standing up to rich countries' (USA and Europe) manipulation. Yes poor countries (in which
we are included; no-one where I live knows where T&T is and equates us with Santo
Domingo. I was even asked if we have cars in my pueblo!) would gain from freer trade among
themselves. Hence the G20+ lobby created by India, South Africa and Brazil I suppose. The
degree of farm support given to farmers of the Northern countries distorts trade, their
tariffs on farm goods and textiles distort trade, their industrial tariffs (look at the
steel industry in USA) distort trade. The 'Singapore issues' include three other factors:
investment, transparency in government procurement and trade facilitation.
Sure, being a headquarter may put us on the map but at what cost, the
cost of being a puppet to a rich country? The fact is that many rich countries show
little interest in compromise to bring about real free trade. I would like to know if our
government has had serious talks with Lula Da Silva of Brazil, almost our neighbour,
who is most interested in real free trade. Brazil would be the more logical
headquarter as they are doing a hell of a lot of PR work to promote their country. Of course I
would agree that Trinidad makes logistical sense being a 'cross-roads' of travel.
I am not saying that Dr Khan is right, I am just saying that I don't
know the reasons for his posturing. Also, instead of focusing on tourism and people
visiting our country (which is a highly saturated market), we should focus on strengthening
our currency. Strength of economy is what positions a country in the world map today
and gives its citizens dignity. Consider that the petroleum company Repsol in Spain
has invested heavily in the production of natural gas in Trinidad and in the Atlantic
LNG plant, increasing their natural gas reserves here in Spain. Has that benefited
T&T in terms of strengthening our economy, how are these northern countries
exploiting us through our government's ineptness? We are still not on the map at least in
Southern Europe, and even if they know about us they consider us to be an 'underdeveloped'
country, especially as we need visas to visit most countries in the world. Consider Morocco
who has loads of visitors annually. Consider the colonial attitude of the visitors,
beautiful country, low salaries, poor people, cheap holiday, let's go back home now.
//Barcelona
You know something tants...? people like to watch swamp and say is wasteland and it ent doing nutten
so fill it up and put building and house and high rise apartment block and
high price condo on it.... remember when environmentalists were protesting that filling in the
lands off the Foreshore was a bad idea - no body took them on and the work went ahead. We build big
time shopping Mart and to great fanfare and trumpets movietown look
alikes flew in.....
Then last week we had floods in Woodbrook!!! And now the pigeons are
coming home to roost.... we filled in the swamp lands where mother nature kindly held
the excess rain water peacefully for millenia and lo and behold massive flooding. The
only people who could be surprised now are those who had "hard ears" back then.
What I find interesting is that private business developers will press
on with making their profits, undisturbed by the cost of repairing the flood damage
(which is only NOW setting off on its years of destruction to come). While taxpayers will
have to foot the bills to repair the damage and local residents will suffer the actual
burden of personal losses year after year. Tell me who the foolish people are!!!???
Long live the democratic process that finally managed to get the Marli
Street blockade moved.
//Trinidad
Keep up the good works. I am always happy to read your news and opinions.
//Canada
Now... about goin' tru Customs and Immigration in Toronto (and Montreal
back in de days when yuh coulda get a direck flight from Piarco tuh Dorval). The
officers I had to deal with in said airports were always very courteous and extremely
professional. Whenever I was travelling with my children (wen dey was small) I was called to a
special line and processed quickly and courteously. One recent example was the last time
I travelled to Toronto with my grandson - with written authorization from his parents.
The immigration officer carefully examined our relevant documents. Then he took the
child aside gently and asked him who I was to which grandson replied with a shy smile, "My
Nana". He made a notation on my declaration card and sent us through to customs. The
customs officer (probably prompted by said notation) also asked my grandson who I was,
to which my grandson made the same reply. I mention this because this same grandson
was once accompanied to Trinidad by my cousin. The Trinidadian immigration
officer not only did not verify that the cousin was authorized to travel with the child but
also waved away the authorization when it was offered to him. I am grateful that
Canadian authorities are so careful about childrens' safety.
De border (versus de airports) might be a different story.
//Canada
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Tobago W.I. |
Divali Nagar Events:
Tuesday 21st - from 6:30pm: Devotional Songs, D. Rampersad Indian Art
Orchestra, Indira
Mahadeo, Aarti Butkoon, St. John's United Tassa Group, fashions modelled
by Miss India World Caribbean participants, Sitarist Ganga Ji (Italy) and more.
Wednesday 22nd - from 6:30pm: Feature address by His Excellency, George
Maxwell Richards.
Entertainment by RBTT Dragon Boys Tassa, Chan Ramlal's National Indian
Orchestra, Coca Cola Teen Talent Dancers, Miss India World Caribbean participants,
Rajasthani Folk
Dancers (India), Sitarist Ganga Ji (Italy) and others.
Thursday 23rd - from 6:00 p.m.: Feature address by UNC/Opposition Leader
Basdeo Panday.
Entertainment by Active Traders Trishul Indian Orchestra, Indar
Kanhai, Krishna Maharaj,
Petrotrin's Boodoosingh Tassa Group, Rakesh Yankaran, Miss India World
Caribbean participants, Clico fireworks and more. |
Argentine Cinema Wednesday:
Wednesday 22nd - "Bromato de Armonio". Humour show (1998). A premiere
of "Les Luthiers"
at the "Teatro Coliseo", Buenos Aires, the year 1998. "Les Luthiers" is
a quintet of Argentine musicians and humorists that have a long and well respected
celebrity among Latin audiences all over the world. Their intelligent and subtle humour
includes the use of the most weird musical instruments ever invented.
Showtime: 5:00pm, TATIL Building, 4th Floor, 11 Maraval Road, POS.
Seating capacity is limited. Please call 628-7557 to guarantee reserved
seats. Early arrival is recommended as Tatil's main entrance closes at 5:00pm. |
Sacketteers Hike to Brasso Seco and Lalaja:
Sunday 26th - Brasso Seco to Lalaja. Assembling from 7:00am Cor.
E.M.Rd. & Maturita Rd,
Arima. Contact Garth 675-1742, Lennox 625-9814,674-1350, Ricardo 682-8577 |
Healthy Eating Magazine For Divali:
Ministry of Health statistics show that one of the main causes of death
in Trinidad and Tobago is cardiovascular disease. A magazine on the theme "Food culture
and (un)healthy eating" for Divali. The Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council (ICC) is
inviting writers to submit their work for publication in its Divali 2003 souvenir magazine.
Writers can e-mail their submissions to mahab@tstt.net.tt or post them in a hardcopy
format to the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council, Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan.
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707. |
Studio Film Club Presents ""Ali: Fear Eats the Soul":
Thursday 23rd - Studio Film Club presents Rainer Werner Fassbinder's
"Ali: Fear Eats the
Soul" (1974) which tells the story of two people. Emmi Kurowski (Brigitte Mira) is about
60, a widow who works two shifts as a building cleaner, and whose children avoid her.
Ali (El Hedi ben Salem) is about 40, a garage mechanic from Morocco, who
lives in a room
with five other Arabs and describes his life simply "Always work, always
drunk." 'Ali' is not even his real name; it's a generic name for dark-skinned foreign
workers in Germany. Main feature begins at 8:15pm.
Our film in celebration of Historic Calypso Month will be a 1980's
episode of 'Musical Epidemic' by Banyan starting at 7:30pm. |
Deborah Jean-Baptiste and The Oratory Foundation present Oratory 8 -
"By The River".
Nov 1 and 2, Naparima Bowl at 7pm.
Monologues include, "Roll On River, "Washerwoman" and many more.
Also on stage will be students of the Oratory Foundation, Jeunes Agape and others. Tickets ($50) available
at RIK nationwide. |
All Saints Health Fair:
Saturday 25th - All Saints Anglican Church Health Fair at the church
grounds and hall from 10:00am. Admission: free.
~ ~ ~
The Shelter Brunch & Family Fair:
Sunday 26th - The Shelter ~ A Safe House for Victims of Domestic Violence ~ Brunch &
Family Fair at Chinese Association, St. Anns from 10:00am to 2:00pm.
Auction, live entertainment, stalls. Contribution: $50
~ ~ ~
Bruno Browne Cup:
Saturday 25th - Bruno Browne Cup match at President's Grounds, St. Anns
from 3:00pm.
Carib's RFC vs Northern's RFC. Admission to game: $25 and 'After Party'
at Pelican.
Tickets available from Northern's Rugby Club Members.
~ ~ ~
Express Children's Fund Dinner:
Saturday 25th - Express Children's Fund Annual fund-raising dinner and
dance at the Trinidad Hilton Ballroom from 7:00pm. Entertainment: Mungal Patesar and
Pantar, BlueVentures and DJ Larry Govia. Donation: $350.
~ ~ ~
"Chinese Men Can Cook":
Saturday 25th - "Chinese Men Can Cook" Fund Raising Dinner at the Chinese Association,
St. Ann's from 7:30 p.m. Call 624-7150. |
All Creatures Great and Small:
Sunday 26th - All Creatures Great and Small, a concert in aid of animals
at Little Carib Theatre, cor. White & Roberts Streets from 6:30 to 9:00pm. Performances
by Karen Carnavon, Sonja Dumas, Elspeth Duncan, Carol Hosein, Alexa Khan, Navid
Lancaster, Paula Obe, New Wine (otherwise known as Atheleny). Admission: $50. Proceeds
go to the Animal Welfare Network (AWN). For tickets call Elspeth Duncan: 645-5832, O'Leo
Lokai: 687-6536,
or Gina @ Vinmer Vet. Clinic: 628-2773 |
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