debut: 2/16/17
38,886 runs
Absolute foolishness... Leader Of Grief PM Rowley
“Absolute foolishness.” Those were the words the Leader of Our Grief and Sorrow used when he described “the heavy foreign exchange spending on Carnival costumes...He insists that costumes are not investments” (Guardian, February 26). Such statements are “absolute nonsense” and “absolute foolishness” combined in one.Four questions: when did the Leader arrive at such quintessential wisdom?; when did he realise purchasing Carnival costumes is not an investment?; what measures did his Government take to dissuade Carnival revellers of their mistaken beliefs?; did he ever speak against the loans that banks and credit unions offer to revellers to purchase Carnival costumes and to go to exclusive fetes?
Similarly, the Leader made foolish statements at the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados. He insisted “actions or acts of violence in the public space in certain instances, must now be regarded as acts of terrorism...In order to address that, we believe that the legislation [which he does not outline] needs to be cognisant of what exactly we are experiencing now as against what the existing legislation anticipated”. (Express, February 23.)Since the Leader governed Trinidad and Tobago for ten years, one would have thought he would have told his colleagues what he did to stem this upsurge of violence and the foolish behaviour of his citizens.The Leader enjoys making such obscene exaggerations. Ten years ago we elected his party. When he assumed office he promised he would bring down crime and lock up white-collar criminals. He selected Stuart Young to tackle these challenges but he accomplished little.He alerted us to this challenge when he spent millions to entertain foreign heads of government at the Hyatt Regency two years ago. He even wanted to join the Mexican government which sued the US government for exporting firearms to its country which resulted in the deaths of many Mexican citizens.A forward-looking leader would have told his colleagues how T&T diagnosed these problems and what were its results.But the Leader does not work in such a manner.
One cannot say the same thing of the Leader who simply mobilises language to cuss, intimidate and demean his people. One wishes that he had used the English language to inspire and elevate the political and intellectual advancement of his people.The Leader said we are faced with a threatening phenomenon: terrorism and the effective dissolution of the state. Yet the Leader cannot report on one piece of legislation that his Government passed and, more importantly, what actions he has taken to avoid such apocalyptic gloom he predicts.Given Young’s past failures, his limited experience in government, and his yet-to-be announced political philosophy, how will he deal with the terrorism the Leader prophesises and the dissolution of our way of life?After ten years of being at the helm the Leader sees everything as “absolute foolishness”. But what does he call electing a prime minister without a mandate, or suddenly coming to the realisation that uncontrolled violence can cripple a state? And isn’t it absolute madness to place a commander in office months before a new election is to be called?
—Prof Cudjoe’s e-mail address is scudjoe@wellesley.edu. He can be reached @ProfessorCudjoe.
“Absolute foolishness.” Those were the words the Leader of Our Grief and Sorrow used when he described “the heavy foreign exchange spending on Carnival costumes...He insists that costumes are not investments” (Guardian, February 26). Such statements are “absolute nonsense” and “absolute foolishness” combined in one.Four questions: when did the Leader arrive at such quintessential wisdom?; when did he realise purchasing Carnival costumes is not an investment?; what measures did his Government take to dissuade Carnival revellers of their mistaken beliefs?; did he ever speak against the loans that banks and credit unions offer to revellers to purchase Carnival costumes and to go to exclusive fetes?
Similarly, the Leader made foolish statements at the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados. He insisted “actions or acts of violence in the public space in certain instances, must now be regarded as acts of terrorism...In order to address that, we believe that the legislation [which he does not outline] needs to be cognisant of what exactly we are experiencing now as against what the existing legislation anticipated”. (Express, February 23.)Since the Leader governed Trinidad and Tobago for ten years, one would have thought he would have told his colleagues what he did to stem this upsurge of violence and the foolish behaviour of his citizens.The Leader enjoys making such obscene exaggerations. Ten years ago we elected his party. When he assumed office he promised he would bring down crime and lock up white-collar criminals. He selected Stuart Young to tackle these challenges but he accomplished little.He alerted us to this challenge when he spent millions to entertain foreign heads of government at the Hyatt Regency two years ago. He even wanted to join the Mexican government which sued the US government for exporting firearms to its country which resulted in the deaths of many Mexican citizens.A forward-looking leader would have told his colleagues how T&T diagnosed these problems and what were its results.But the Leader does not work in such a manner.
One cannot say the same thing of the Leader who simply mobilises language to cuss, intimidate and demean his people. One wishes that he had used the English language to inspire and elevate the political and intellectual advancement of his people.The Leader said we are faced with a threatening phenomenon: terrorism and the effective dissolution of the state. Yet the Leader cannot report on one piece of legislation that his Government passed and, more importantly, what actions he has taken to avoid such apocalyptic gloom he predicts.Given Young’s past failures, his limited experience in government, and his yet-to-be announced political philosophy, how will he deal with the terrorism the Leader prophesises and the dissolution of our way of life?After ten years of being at the helm the Leader sees everything as “absolute foolishness”. But what does he call electing a prime minister without a mandate, or suddenly coming to the realisation that uncontrolled violence can cripple a state? And isn’t it absolute madness to place a commander in office months before a new election is to be called?
—Prof Cudjoe’s e-mail address is scudjoe@wellesley.edu. He can be reached @ProfessorCudjoe.
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