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Former Oropouche West MP Stacy Roopnarine has been announced as ex-Minister of Trade Vasant Bharath’s “Deputy” at the upcoming UNC internal elections on December 5.
(Courtesy Outlish.com)
There has been no comment yet from Mrs Bharath although Mr Live Wire was unreliably informed that Nicole Dyer-Griffith phoned her to offer support and counselling.
Who would want to be a UNC member these days?
Bharath’s decision to join Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Roodal Moonilal in the leadership race offers UNC members the most unwholesome choice of rivals since the movie “Alien versus Predator.”
Persad-Bissessar not only ran the most corrupt Trinidad and Tobago government of all time but half of her Cabinet might be on the sexual offenders list by now.
“Stink Mouth” Moonilal, a man who once publicly attacked Jack Warner for not submitting more housing applications for persons of Indian descent, is famous for holding pholourie fund-raisers that were less transparent than the late Pablo Escobar’s shell companies.
And now Bharath, the man who bought a Porsche on taxpayers’ money, could not make out Anil Roberts in his famous Room 201 video and allegedly threatened ex-National Security Minister Gary Griffith in a witness tampering scandal involving PCA director David West which led to a Cabinet shake-up.
Bharath had allegedly asked Griffith, via a text message, to consider whether his “partners would believe that he did not know what statement the AG was referring to.”
Roopnarine, a former roommate of Griffith’s, thinks Bharath is just the man that her country needs.
“In my own view,” said Roopnarine, via a press statement, “the UNC as a major political party is at a state where we need to focus on building the organisation from the ground up.”
And who better to build from the ground up than a man who was rejected at the polls and a woman who was rejected by her party’s screening committee?
Meanwhile, in the halls of governance, the Prime Minister continued his passive-aggressive relationship with the media by not appearing to explain the particulars of his wife, Sharon’s, trip to Malta for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on November 27-29.
Once more, Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie did a sterling job of filling in the blanks.
Cuffie said, according to the Trinidad Guardian, that he couldn’t say why the PM’s wife had to accompany him, or give a cost for the Malta trip.
Well, that answers that then.
It is not that Mr Live Wire has anything against Mrs Rowley making her international bow and simultaneously stealing Michelle Obama’s thunder as the world’s most elegant first lady.
Not to mention the fact that “Keithos” didn’t fare too well the last time he left his wife at home and went down San Fernando to play mas.
But the damn conference is just three days long. So yuh mean Rowley couldn’t spend those three nights getting better acquainted with his new Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister, Dennis Moses, and going over CHGOM notes?!
And is that the best signal to send to the public after a penny pinching budget and when citizens still afraid to say “full it up” at the gas station?
Of course, it might well be that Sharon is paying her own way or she might provide professional services to the Prime Minister there, which would make her presence worth every cent—by which we mean as a legal expert, get your mind out of the gutter!
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
There is a third option. Most married men actually like a little free time here and there without hearing the madam moaning: “What you still doing on that laptop?! Oh gorm, come in bed nah…”
Dr Rowley, please blink three times and touch your nose if Sharon is making you carry her!
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Making a point about transparency and the communications minister’s role is very fair game. One reason this site is one of my favorites is that I trust Lasana’s credibility as a journalist as much as I appreciate his writing and ability to “raise questions” while painting the picture. That said as many have pointed out a cursory glance at Wikipedia or the CHOGM’s official site would reveal how much of a non-issue the Prime Minister’s wife traveling as an official delegate really is. For people like me who didn’t check I expect that this is something that Lasana would know (and/or check) and treat with accordingly while putting it in perspective.
Thanks Charles. I think the situation was exacerbated by the Communication Minister’s failure to answer basic questions on this one.
A response should come from the gov’t before anyone verifies with CHOGM.
Personally, I do believe it is a relatively minor issue. But I think the principle of questioning one’s leaders is a good habit to have.
And I think when it comes to spending people money no question should be a “silly question”
My apologies for christening you with a new name…
All is I can say is this….clearly Kamla and her cabal were a blessing in disguise. Without their 5 year reign of terror, all of us who are finally speaking up and speaking loudly about the things we should have been speaking up and even more loudly about for many many years, may never have grown the cojones to so do. That is all.
Sorry Cindy I want to like your sentiment but still can’t see any blessing… ?
It was meant to be very tongue-in-cheek
Shot, boy ! Let’s see how the women’s arm will respond ! 😉
She’s the Lady Vice Chair. Not a DPL
good luck, hope you guys pull it off.
I vote Camille too. Isn’t she a deputy political leader? I putting the $20 I would have played in lotto on Camille.
I take that bet! My money is on The-Hacker-Formerly-Known-As-Colm-Imbert!
We’ll see?
So I lose.mih money already? He picked the pompek? I’m $20 poorer? It’s all good cause l found $20 in the car park by Best Auto Friday ??
Colm will be this administration’s first “superminister”!
It’s the Rottweiler and Pompek combination. Lol.
Woop woop! How many doubles can I get with that?! Lol
Lol. Is that a trick question? 4 or 5 …depending…
Who cares? ?
“Roopnarine, a former roommate of Griffith’s, thinks Bharath is just the man that her country needs.” ah ded ! LOL!
Ahem. I hope you are not attributing a smutty double entendre on “country” eh. Mr Live Wire is too classy for that! Lol.
ha ha ha of course not …..
Ting to cry for allyuh does laugh..
Hahaha
Well look ting! I actually missed that one?
So long as we agree that I never said that in the first place. 😉
I’d love it to be Nicole Olivierra just to see if I can notice the puppet strings! Lol. (Teasing PNM-ites! Teasing!)
whistles*
Lol noooooooo. But if I had to guess I’d say Camille
So who is yuh one and only one doo do Nicole Ulerie? You not joining the group lottery? Lol.
I say Camille
Ummmm. First?! Wrong administration. No 10 days PM wuk sharing round dey. Is one and only one
Imbert!
Finance and PM duties are too tall of an order for Imbert.
Haaaaaaahaha
Why you so? LOL
y;all better wake up…maybe the bar this time is short. and so he is. the leader of the pack
Ahhh… I didn’t think of that. Well, he would have to be elected to head off controversy about the first appointment. My money is on the Sarcastic One, Colm Imbert, as the first acting PM.
That should get CAISO aroused. Lol.
Who gets your vote Vernal Damion Cadogan? And Chabeth Haynes?
cause he been pm since day one
Taking bets on who will be the first to act as PM…
I would agree with you, Rhoda Bharath that it isn’t a lead story at all. It really is more an issue of communication than about Sharon travelling to be honest.
Another great piece. Your gift is appreciated! Enjoy your weekend.
Also note it was not Dr B that we had a problem with KPB taking on trips – it was the sister who was ‘working’!
True. But I still think on principle we should have justification for spending. Doesn’t mean something is automatically wrong with the practice.
I doubt that most people who travel for business would generally take their spouses. But there might be some occasions when that works.
So just give us the data so we can absorb it.
Lasana Liburd…Ive had a think. Sorry. Gail on shit with today’s Guardian lead. Sorry.
Where were the questions about the agenda for CHOGM? What does the PM and Min of FA&Caricom hope to tackle or achieve etc? What real query do we have about Sharon’s travel on this trip?
As a front page lead this story fails.
Ah weak wid dis one!
The view is, spouses are not elected officials. We West Indians forget government is about public service, not a career. Hence, the reason why I support term limit. It allows others a chance to serve at the highest level, then move back to the private sector and make their money
Listen, my view is we should encourage more questions for our political leaders. Not less. Even at the risk of sometimes asking silly questions.
Silly is one thing. Redundant is another. Gail Alexander isnt a rookie.
Well, you have a point. But I still say if Maxie Cuffie was not misquoted when he said he didn’t know why Sharon is going or what the cost was, then it is an own goal.
He should have handled it better.
Fair enough.
This is off of Wikipedia eh…not even the official CHOGM site…so doh call yuhself a “reporter” and a lil research is beyond your scope
Structure – The core of the CHOGM are the executive sessions, which are the formal gatherings of the heads of government to do business. However, the majority of the important decisions are held not in the main meetings themselves, but at the informal ‘retreats’: introduced at the second CHOGM, in Ottawa, by Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau,[7] but reminiscent of the excursions to Chequers or Dorneywood in the days of the Prime Ministers’ Conferences.[4] The rules are very strict: allowing the head of the delegation, his or her spouse, and one other person. The additional member can be of any capacity (personal, political, security, etc.), but he or she has only occasional and intermittent access to the head.
Well, yes, that context should have been provided. But the Communications Minister should be reliable than Wikipedia.
There are some events that PMs or Heads of Governments take their spouses. And some they don’t, even when the option is there.
But this entire matter could have been headed off from the press briefing.
This is our first couple’s maiden official trip abroad, perhaps Maxie will be better prepared next time now that he knows what people want to know.
And Maxie is a former editor. And a competent one. So that was a lapse I would not have expected. But mistakes happen and I expect he will be on the ball next time.
Competent is a relative term eh ….. I was a competent table tennis player in my school, but would probably be less so elsewhere.
Lol.
Lol. Well, like I said, I don’t think the Communications Minister helped.
It just seems much ado about nothing, especially since the composition of the delegation was released which wasn’t the case previously.
But if this is an issue, it must be a real slow newsday. “PM takes a small contingent to CHOGM accompanied by his wife”
I’m flabbergasted at the magnitude of this story. What will they do next?
Agreed in both cases. But I think those figures must be ready for us, particularly after the last administration was so reckless and the current PM made much of that.
This is only an issue because the Communications Minister did not have what should have been basic information.
Perhaps he shouldn’t give briefings if he doesn’t have all the facts at his disposal. In all fairness, the delegation seems small and the event is no fly by night junket.
I’m curious as to why the Communications Minister didn’t clear this up if it is scheduled as some people suggest.
But if there are events for the Spouses, wouldn’t that be official travel?
Perhaps he shouldn’t give briefings if he doesn’t have all the facts at his disposal. In all fairness, the delegation seems small and the event is no fly by night junket.
On that, we can agree.
Rhoda Bharath, I just had a thought… Would Penny have been a shoe-in if she was challenging for the post of UNC political leader?
Or did I just waste a thought? Lol.
Thought wasted…
Hahahahaha
Hahahaha
How on earth would Penny even qualify?
You have to be more than just a curry duck enthusiast to even be considered for that post! LOL
Is the bar really set that high Vernal Damion Cadogan? Lol.
Which one you think isn’t a curry duck enthusiast, Kamla, Moonilal or Vasant?
I say Vasant. We all know that the only thing Moonilal won’t eat is thing to drink!
But I was saying IF she was eligible though. It is more an indictment on the quality of the wanna-be leaders than anything else.
And that isn’t necessarily a plug for Penny either eh. But amongst that lot…
Nah is the “Professional services ” part….get yuh mind out the gutter
Stay off , what do pple do at carnival, that is why I switched off of it, the folks are hypocritical.
My reference to carnival switched you off?
Lasana Liburd, if the government wishes to borrow a page from the US policy book, the president would reimburse the state for the cost of his spouse and or children to travel with him/her.
Thanks for that Eric A St Bernard. And I would welcome that.
Not to mention the fact that “Keithos” didn’t fare too well the last time he left his wife at home and went down San Fernando to play mas.
Lasana Liburd warn a sista not to have anything eating when reading nah boy….yuh nearly make mih choke!!!
Stacy for the win! lol
this is not a fete in here…
Mr Live Wire opened and closed this innings with two sharp boundaries. If yuh don’t like yuh hand stretch it out.
Dis Jab Jab doh fraid…
I don’t know that anybody in the UNC could provide a wholesome choice nah…
Waiting to see though if Vasant’s slate is the slate of rejects.
Lol Keith Look Loy. Well yes..2 months ago the party was better than slice bread and queen Kamla had a plan for everything. All of a sudden the party needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Well since they sank lower than de white line I guess it’s a good place to start ??
…Their collective behavior is disgusting. Lacking in ethics and morality. Even in good political common sense. No hope…
And if it wasn’t important enuff to do it when it was suppose to be done, it makes no difference now anyways
A position she well qualified for ask Nicole.
lol
…Oh, and regarding the UNC leadership bacchanal? The less said the better. The devil. The dark blue sea. And the bluest dark sea…
Ah deputy essential
I think you’re a bit unfair to the Comms Minister eh…this is the transparency we looking for….HRH QEII probably requested her to attend
…Beg to differ. Some people WOULD have an issue. This “travel freeness” was a major criticism levelled at PP. Unless Mrs. Rowley is officially a part of conference events – as in “The PM of Trinidad and Tobago and Mrs. Rowley” – the Rowley’s should pay her way if she is on vacation. Not saying she is. I also agree that it takes a simple clarification from the Minister of Communication to give all of us some ease…
That’s what I’m saying. I just assumed that for something so big it’s a given that there is an official function for spouses. The sneaking around the issue is a problem. I agree if she’s just tagging along this should be made clear and he should also clarify who’s paying. We desparately need a communications minister who can communicate.
By the way is there a precedent for a PM taking their spouse to something like CHOGM? I’m thinking this would be a given. I could be wrong but to me they may have social activities for spouses.
I’m sure there is a precedent for everything under the sun, after the last administration in particular. I’m not saying it is necessarily bad either… But tell us how our money spending. I don’t want any bad habits creeping in on that score.
Even that, they could tell us though. In terms of “spouse activities.” The Communications Minister was no help. Like he was afraid to ask! Lol
That’s what I find so strange. There’s no need to be defensive. Just come straight out and say what it is. People wouldn’t have an issue with Sharon accompanying him. Especially if she looking good ?. But he starting off bad with the sneaking thing. Maxie is in a mess with that job boy. I give him a couple months but no improvement. We need someone articulate and confident. I ent getting that from him at all!
That’s what I find so strange. There’s no need to be defensive. Just come straight out and say what it is. People wouldn’t have an issue with Sharon accompanying him. Especially if she looking good ?. But he starting off bad with the sneaking thing. Maxie is in a mess with that job boy. I give him a couple months but no improvement. We need someone articulate and confident. I ent getting that from him at all!
The summit that was hosted here in 2009 there were activities for the spouses of the delegates. I recall them visiting the Wild Fowl Trust at Petrotrin. That’s normal.
Thanks Justin N C Pablo. Thats what I was trying to remember. I think they visited the chocolate factory as well. Or it could have been the SOA.
So Justin N C Pablo, you’re saying a three day event has time for sight seeing? Well yes. But I’m with Rose-Marie Ingrid Lemessy-Forde on this. Give us info. That’s all we are asking for.
What’s the information that is needed, the reason for Mrs Rowley accompanying her husband, The cost, what?. I noticed that the opposition is not making an issue of this as the press is, that may be so because they are aware that there are provisions for this.
We often refer to first world practices and processes and yet the mind set remains third world. Think how ridiculous it would be if Obama or any other first world leader must explain the presence of his wife on a similar occasion.
Steups. We should know the cost for the entire expedition. And reason for their trip.
Bet you wanted to know why Kamla’s sister was traveling with her.
And don’t give me that “it’s third world to ask my leader to justify his spending” nonsense. That only works on people who don’t have passports.
Lasana – the reason for the trip is self evident. The attendance of spouses at such events is not unusual – I’m sure ours followed a set protocol.
I really don’t understand the issue here. Should the cost be given? Ok. Did they spell out who was going? Yes. Should a female PM have a makeup artist in their entourage? Yes they should. I posted an article in another thred I tagged you in with an interview with Angela Merkel. And major leaders like Obama and others use makeup in their appearances as well. So Kamla having one really isn’t an issue to me.
Now on the matter of her sister travelling with her, that’s another matter entirely.
Lasana – the reason for the trip is self evident. The attendance of spouses at such events is not unusual – I’m sure ours followed a set protocol.
I really don’t understand the issue here. Should the cost be given? Ok. Did they spell out who was going? Yes. Should a female PM have a makeup artist in their entourage? Yes they should. I posted an article in another thred I tagged you in with an interview with Angela Merkel. And major leaders like Obama and others use makeup in their appearances as well. So Kamla having one really isn’t an issue to me.
Now on the matter of her sister travelling with her, that’s another matter entirely.
The best since elections!!!
Way sah! Everybody get tap up here?. Seriously though the UNC politics really does make for great comedy! Love the play on Porsche! Because nobody cyah talk “posher” than Vasant. He could give lessons to de queen??
Lawd fadda !!!
This was a brutal read. The amazing thing is the UNC and some uninformed neutrals see Bharath as untainted. They must have completely forgotten all to which was referred in this piece.
And to think yuh eh even mention de time he drove over a woman foot… allegedly.