Like a backyard tief

I just don’t know nah,,, dis Integrity Commission like it cursed, a real zeppy get laid on it.

Now the Chairman, the devout RC priest, the man who studied ethics and thing, get caught lifting articles from more reputable writers for his own newspaper columns.

In a column titled "The colour of intelligence", published on December 24, 2007 in the Trinidad Guardian, he copied 300-plus out of 1,000 words (and took four of his seven arguments) from an op-ed [sic] piece in the New York Times written on December 9 by psychologist Richard E. Nesbitt. Most recently, on April 13, 2009, in a piece titled "The financial crisis and ethics deficit', Mr Charles lifted virtually in toto [sic] a column written by Catholic scholar Darrin Belousek and published in America: the National Catholic Weekly on March 30.

Nah man, where is the integrity? He says it’s the pressures of deadlines… trust me, ask any university student about the pressures of deadline and we could tell you all about it. And on top of that, we cyah plagiarise!

Now dis man study law too eh and is a qualified lawyer, and have PhD and ting from places like Yale and Harvard, that they so proudly print in de papers for the whole world to see, and now he coming out like a closet tief. You know like how it have one man in de village always so prim and proper and when yuh ketch yuhself he is de man tiefing all dem panty from the backyard lines?

Like I say, is like ah obeahman put a zeppy on this IC. Either that, or Papa-tricks seer ‘oman doing something now.

Breaking news: I hear the man just resign… I have to check this….

A beautiful day

Today is a nice hot day… 16°C. Ha, imagine a Trini saying that, eh?

Anyway, I did my laundry, hung it outside, cleaned the house, pulled the weeds from my garden and sat on my door stoop to enjoy the sun.

Had my camera with me and  a little entertainment going on the speaker system (Brian Silas), so I decided might as well go the whole hog so to speak.

That was my refreshment… one of several.

This pretty sight was directly opposite where I was sitting on the stoop.

This little beauty was by my left ankle when I was on the stoop, in my garden.

The far left is the cherry blossom, (the trunk you see) and the droopy plant is a birch. My Canon has a special “Foliage” mode that supposed to enhance plants, which is what I used in this shot. Must be my natural skills cause I am not seeing any difference from:

This was taken in “normal” mode. This flower looks like a multitude of brightly coloured pencil shavings.

This was the view on my right side.

Now to make some channa and alloo and some buss-up shot for dinner…

Windmills shopping

The main sign at the Windmills Shopping Complex…

Punks took this photo (and several more) of the windmills on top of a tall column.

The walk-in market. Some nice deals to be had here.

Circus of clowns

Well, one part of the controversy ends… McFarlane resigned his post on the Integrity Commission.

Now I have to ask this… can a man claim to be appointed to a post if he doesn’t qualify for appointment? Since he didn’t qualify in the first place, how can he be appointed, and therefore ‘resigns’?

I tell you, Trinidad and Tobago is a daily circus of clowns and clownish behaviour led by Ringmasters Max and Manning, oui.

In other news, in the chess game of State vs Bakr, Bakr opens with a mighty ‘gangsta’ move, submitting an affidavit citing agreements between Bakr and the PM. The State countered with a Privy Council defence that ruled that the Gangsta opening is null and void and remains an imaginary thing between the PM and Bakr, and does not have relevance in the game.

Will Bakr have to forfeit the prize? No doubt we will see some fine wriggling and slick manoeuvring in days to come.

Hidden flowers

Found this black tulip peeping out near my neighbour’s front door.

I don’t know the name of this flower, but I found it further down the terrace where I live.

These bluebells are near the wooden fence in my back garden, just under my white rose.

These are at the front of the house by the neighbour with the black tulips.

A pertinent question

General Secretary of the Duncey Association (read: Police Social and Welfare Association) is charged with killing of Pastor Brian Pierre.

The preliminary enquiry is under way at the Arima Court.

Now the duncey is represented by Senior Counsel Israel Khan and attorney Ulric Skerritt, both of whom we know don’t come cheap.

My question therefore is: who is footing the legal bills for the duncey? Is he paying his own bills, or is the monies coming from the coffers of the Duncey Association? If indeed the latter, why?

More on Integrity… or the lack of it

Well, imagine my surprise this morning when I learnt that McFarlane was appointed to the Integrity Commission illegally.

Section 4 (5) of the Act states as follows: A person shall not be qualified to hold office as a member of the Commission where he is a person in public life or a person exercising a public function or a person who is not a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago".

Section 2 of the Act defines as a person in public life a person listed in the Schedule.

The Schedule lists ten categories of people and Item 9 of the Schedule states: "Members of boards of all statutory bodies and State enterprises, including those bodies in which the State has a controlling interest.”

McFarlane is a member of the boards of the National Insurance Board, the National Insurance Property Development Company Ltd and the Home Mortgage Bank.

One may well wonder why I am carping on this so much. In light of all the corruption in Trinidad & Tobago, where we have fallen in the global corruption ratings steadily, this Commission is one of the last bastions of checks and balances provided to the people from the excesses of Papa-tricks and cronies.

This reminds me of when ANR Robinson was appointed as President illegally, no one could be bothered. Trinidad and Tobago remains a place where the significant life changing events are given less priority than cleaning up some dog shit from your front yard, never mind that the events could make you lose your damn house.

Letter from a reader

It is with dismay and anger I write this letter. I have seen in the newspapers that the NHA tenants are considering asking NHA not to raise the rents of their apartments.

This is so ridiculous that I am nearly beside myself with anger at these people. Some of these rents are as low as $100 per month, and yet they are claiming that they are unable to pay this due to hardship.

Considering that many of these people occupy these apartments for upwards of 20 years, the inability to pay the low rent is a sad testament to the policies of the PNM, whom we know acts as a Godfather to occupiers of these properties. Have their circumstances in 20 years not improved significantly enough to pay this fee? And yet, if one were to conduct an investigation, one would see the tenants and their nennen going to every fete that comes along, not to mention forking out many times this amount to jump up in bands for Carnival, or attend Panorama.

In some cases, the properties are occupied (illegally in certain cases) by relatives of the original tenants, the original tenants having moved on or passed away. Many times this younger generation is better educated and have lucrative jobs – how many are ‘residual squatters’ of the CEPEP and other similar programs? And yet they protest a rent that cost less than the 4 boxes of KFC which they eat in less than a week, and many times less than the cost of the brands, bling, or bail they pay for on a regular basis!

In the meantime, a young single mother like myself have to pay $1800 per month for a small apartment privately, a rent based upon the whims of my landlord who can raise the rent at any time he fancies, and me having no recourse but to pay if I want a roof over my head and that of my 2 year old. Add to this day care fees for someone to look after my child when I go to work, the astronomical cost of groceries, of healthcare for a vulnerable child (and myself), for clothing for a child who outgrows everything in a matter of months, the cost of milk and diapers, and one can see the struggle I face daily to live on a salary that barely meets my needs.

Yet, when I apply for an NHA property, I am given a run around by those who love to exercise their petty power, who take pleasure in humiliating me and people like me simply because it gives them a sense of superiority.

No, I say raise the rents to the appropriate level that is required for the maintenance of the apartments at least, and those who don’t like it can get the hell out and find alternative accommodations in the real world!

On Henry Charles, ethics and integrity

I was wrong about the reasons of why Zainool Hosein resigned from the Integrity Commission.

However, I am still of the view that McFarlane ought to tender his own resignation, given that he has a prior cushy relationship with Calder Hart. A relationship that is freely admitted, and that can be easily verified by the way.

Potentially, this is disastrous on the new Commission. For one thing, it is already one member short, thus making the casting of votes (if that is required) dubious in case of deadlock. Further, if to avoid a conflict of interest, McFarlane does recuse himself as he says he will do, then that leaves only 3 members.

On the issue of him having to file declarations with the Commission of which he is a Deputy Chairman being a case of himself reporting to himself, McFarlane said: "Surely in relation to that point the proper thing to do in a case like that is to recuse ourself [sic] from discussions on a matter that concerns yourself".

Is that sufficient to decide potentially legally and damaging issues? Let us not forget how many thousands of dollars in damages had to be paid to Rowley.

The past Commission, in my humble opinion, was a political tool. Of the many hundreds of persons who did not file their papers with the Commission on time, if at all, were many members of the PNM, members of PNM appointed State boards, etc. Yet, the only one prosecuted (persecuted?)  was Basdeo Panday, Leader of the Opposition. Clearly, a political witch hunt by the PNM. After more than 3 years(!), he still remains the only one so charged.

Now, I hold no brief for Panday as all my readers know, but to me this sparks of a insanity that reeks of cronyism to the highest level. By that I mean all the way up to Papa-tricks.

What remains to be seen, aside from the possible removal of McFarlane, is whether the ethical Father Henry Charles, Chairman Extraordinaire, will allow himself to be manipulated by the political heavyweights. My opinion? He has little choice. He will be used.

If indeed he is to make his mark, then the first order of business, of necessity, will be to begin charging those miscreants of law & order and hauling their sorry arses before the courts, political affiliations aside. How much of this will be done, and how much McFarlane stands in the way of it being done, remains to be seen.

A question of Integrity

Oooh, the clot thickens…

The Prez has appointed new members to the Integrity Commission after the questionable integrity of the past members forced them out some time ago.

Now the whole issue has a lot of ‘iffy’ little conundrums about it. One can wonder what exactly is in the mortar besides the pestle, so to speak. Regular readers of this blog may know my suspicions get raised when the wind blows and the kilt raises.

My first little bit of scepticism came from the period of time that it took to appoint a new commission. The old one reigned en masse in February, and it took old Max until April 9th to write to the Leader of the Opposition to name prospects. Okay, a month and a half to find people willing to serve, then our cacahole Opposition Leader loses the letter from Max, and thus a new Commission was appointed without his input (as if that made any difference).

Today, 2 things aroused my suspicions that this new Commission may not be as unblemished as the country hopes.

One, the Express reveals that the Deputy Chairman is a sitting board member of 3 State companies. Not only that… the 3 companies coincidentally has Calder Hart as the Chairman or Chief Honcho… so Hart is his boss. Hmm, the man who is allegedly the most corrupt man in the country being your boss, and you may have to decide on matters that involve him and his cronies… I love it… we getting better by the minute here.

Two, the Guardian reveals another member resigned mere hours after being appointed. Justice Zainool Hosein (a man known for his integrity in the past) has resigned because of ‘personal reasons’.

Okay, the article makes out that he resigned because he was promised the Deputy Chairman post which went instead to Hart’s minion. This I don’t believe fully… Hosein has in the past been a man who earned his credible reputation, and something this petty seems out of kilter with what is known about him.

Is it then perhaps he has been very conscionable and resigned because he objects to the Hart’s heart being appointed? This may be more likely believed, at least to me.

The only question in my mind now is: How soon before we see this questionable member removed?

Coconut bake and education

Ah yes, yesterday was a day to remember. First, I had to take Punks to her new secondary school. It doesn’t seem so bad, but then again, the entire secondary school system in England does need an overhaul (a sentiment I may add, many people working within the system does not share).

I am not pleased with how I see Punks being taught at primary level either, and I have seen her run into difficulties by how she was taught… errors I have had to correct at home. I know they are errors because I have seen her performance increase dramatically when they are corrected.

Unfortunately, the regulations set forth by the Gov’t (based upon advice by educators) say this is the best way forward, so the entire population for the past 2 generations have been ‘dumbed down’. Further dumbing down is planned, as can be evidenced by keeping an eye upon the BBC news. This is also evidenced by the excellent performance of students from so-called Third World countries who are deemed to be ‘backwards’ in their education systems and yet  come here and surpass all natives in their drive and successes.

Punks new secondary school is Catholic (groan) but since we have little choice in where she was placed, we accept the fact that she now has to do her best. Thankfully, I will still be around to help her.

Her induction was a painless process in so far as it went, but then again, at induction, we see the best face of the school (or any organisation). The best spin is put forth, and the parents and kids are all hyped into thinking the school they are attending is the best thing since sliced bread (or coconut bake). Me? I reserve judgement till I see the performance of the teachers.

Anyway, the school is located on a popular bus route, and not too far away.

After the induction, I took her to see the new Wolverine movie, which I found extremely entertaining. Punks certainly enjoyed it, being one of the more animated viewers.

PUSSY on sale – special offers too

I know, I know. Another ‘raised eyebrows’ post from me, since I don’t normally use headlines like these. So what is this post about?

Well, yesterday I went to the shop around the corner to get fresh bread and some milk. Not for the first time, I saw on the counter, next to the cash register, PUSSY on sale on a special offer too. This time however, I had my camera with me since I promised myself that I would take a photo to share with my readers.

No, the PUSSY is not my neighbour’s cat. Rather, it is something designed to enhance performance in people. Seriously!

It is an energy drink! (^_^)