Wine of astonishment: Rhoda grabs President by his jewels, as ‘new media’ goes balls deep

Trinidad and Tobago can only look on aghast as a once beloved public figure hurtles towards the rocks and now looks certain to be divorced from a position that he truly cherished as much as we loved seeing him in it.

But enough about the break-up of “Brangelina”. Anybody caught the latest on President Anthony “Pussyfoot” Carmona?

Well it appears that while the two island republic gets through the week with large and frequent bouts of tea sipping, “President Powers” prefers wine. And that’s not the half of it.

Photo: Wine to the side! A curious label on a bottle of wine has raised questions for President Anthony Carmona. (Courtesy Rhoda Bharath)
Photo: Wine to the side! A curious label on a bottle of wine has raised questions for President Anthony Carmona.
(Courtesy Rhoda Bharath)

A bizarre photo which shows the seal of the Office of the President on a bottle of sparkling wine has sparked a furious conversation that probably won’t help your digestive system much.

Is the Office of the President, packaging, selling or distributing wine? Wouldn’t flesh-colour belts be more in line with the Carmonas’ brand? Does Pussyfoot just like to see his label everywhere like The Donald?

Mr Live Wire understands that Government ministers, who also run thriving trades in second-hand vehicles, are furious at the possible implications. So far, Carmona has not commented on the furore although a non-reputable source from the Office of the President told Wired868: “Can’t knock da hustle… On My Level… THat Part!”

University lecturer, author, blogger, radio talk-show co-host and Facebook bad-ass Rhoda Bharath spelt out the allegations against Trinidad and Tobago’s Head of State in a Facebook Live webcast, which surprised many internet users who thought that function was designed to show off your Sunday lunch or moan about long queues.

In the old days, Bharath would have had to pass over her information to a media house in return for a 30-second soundbite to make her case to the public. Today, she can deliver her own newscast while showing off her bookcase and musical preferences and engaging “Nokio”, “Phelps” and “Dennis” in running commentary.

There was a marked difference in the tone of the traditional and social media reports too.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago President Anthony Carmona is snapped before a meeting with China President Xi Jingping in Port of Spain on 2 June 2013. (Copyright Frederic Dubray/AFP 2016/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago President Anthony Carmona is snapped before a meeting with China President Xi Jingping in Port of Spain on 2 June 2013.
(Copyright Frederic Dubray/AFP 2016/Wired868)

Old media excerpt: “Allegations of misspending: There is silence from President’s House… about questionable spending.”

New media excerpt: “You see when it comes to State funds and we tax dollars jumping up and wining going down the f**king road… We can’t have the President running slack with we money!”

Ahem. Beat that for incisive commentary in your weekend column, Martin Daly SC!

Bharath mentioned the Auditor General’s 2016 report on the President’s House, which stated that: “There were 85 instances of incorrect classification of expenditure totalling TT$2,685,236.90 in contravention of Financial Regulation 65.”

The Auditor General further noted that “TT$300,444.92 sampled from total purchases amounting to TT$685,469.22 for the President’s household were not entered in the Inventory Register.”

So what were these “incorrect classifications”? The Auditor General asked the President House’s to clarify in a 15 March 2016 memorandum but no response was released.

Bharath attempted to fill the knowledge void by suggesting that they might be—according to alleged whispers—jewellery and toiletries among other unmentionables.

Photo: Reema Carmona (right) poses next to Ban Soon-Taek, the wife of United Nations General Secretary, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, at a UN event on Tuesday 23 September 2014. Rum shop logic is when you hear breakfast function and dress for breakfast fete. (Courtesy Zimbio)
Photo: Reema Carmona (right) poses next to Ban Soon-Taek, the wife of United Nations General Secretary, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, at a UN event on Tuesday 23 September 2014.
Rum shop logic is when you hear breakfast function and dress for breakfast fete.
(Courtesy Zimbio)

Trinidad and Tobago, she said, might now have State jewels. And President Pussyfoot’s lifestyle is “Ova Dweet”.

“When they demitting office, them jewels staying right there for whoever become President and President’s wife,” said Bharath. “That jewellery belongs to the State! I don’t care if it is a Rattan’s bracelet he buy for she, once it is tax money buy it that belongs to us!

“The President’s wife must be ‘Doh-Care-Gaza-Princess’. Because how you could be a person of principle and not turn around and tell your husband: ‘No honey, buy it out of your salary’.”

That is, of course, if the President did make such purchases And, for the record, Mr Live Wire does have his doubts as to whether Carmona indeed possesses jewels of any kind, let alone any that a future president might want to inherit.

And, to be as fair as possible to Reema Carmona, Mr Live Wire would also like to stress that the First Lady could not possible have Doh-Care-Gaza-Princess as a tattoo on her person. We would have seen it already.

Still, it appears that another Trinidad and Tobago public figure has to answer questions on the possible misappropriation of funds.

Or, as Bharath succinctly put it: “People who not supposed to be f**king up with we money, f**king up with we money…”

Photo: Lecturer, author, blogger and all-round bad-ass Rhoda Bharath. (Courtesy GISL)
Photo: Lecturer, author, blogger and all-round bad-ass Rhoda Bharath.
(Courtesy GISL)

What else is new. Been there, bought the tee-shirt with a bounced cheque.

However, President Pussyfoot clearly has a new new media sparring partner. And star comedian Rachel Price might have to make room on her throne as the undisputed queen of the video blog.

Waaay sah. What kinda Kia Ranking thing you on, Rhoda?!

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About Mr. Live Wire

Mr. Live Wire is an avid news reader who translates media reports for persons who can handle the truth. And satire. Unlike Jack Nicholson, he rarely yells.

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177 comments

  1. if i spent the companies money like that i would be so fired

  2. When Manning had the Coat of Arms on his vehicles,,,,where was Rhoda?

  3. The powers that you think i have….

  4. A country really get the leaders that they are deserving off, go Trinis!!!!

  5. Just say you want to put your own President in office and dun the story nah. Ah shame for us as a nation, when this is a headline. Ah real shame. Give us a break with all the fb games. Our country is at stake, our future, our young people see us behave recklessly. What is their example. The President will respond. He just not jumping on any bandwagon , he gathering his facts. Yes, some people gather facts. Just wait and see. Right or wrong, wait and see… and stop the garbage headlines and talk. Ah feeling sick! Trinidad and Tobago. Ah shame! It’s not a laughing matter.

  6. One should read the response of opposition member of parliament for Oropouch East, who dismisses the controversy as a mere political hoodwink!…..Then and again, expect anything better from a politician?

  7. While I agree that the country should know about the shortcomings of its president, I can’t help but notice that Ms Bharath seems to be more interested in the actions of the president’s wife. Some jealousy at play here?

  8. let the president roc sooooo with that them on failure things right through while they tax us hard for them 2 fly jet like puffy and jay z and drink and eat expensive while some of us cant even take our families out for ah pizza an is dat straight

  9. We never see what kind of wine the Queen and other world leaders consume….but Trinis fussing about Mr Carmona’s stock. If he had cheap wine….he would have been criticized….he got the expensive wine…same critics. He should have done like Pres Hassanali….have NO wine.

  10. When Manning was drinking all kinds of thousand dollars scotch nobody made any issue but you want to make issues now !!!

  11. Love the title “Wine of Astonishment”

  12. Is there no one in this country with any integrity. We seem to be recycling a bunch of con artists charlatans corrupt unworthy jokers in high office. What a God damn shame. Shame on all of you greedy people.Venezuela…here we come.

  13. If this story is true .. why can’t we not get answers? .. are we waiting for the cover up explanations?

  14. Is this porn…what kinda headline is that?

  15. Yeah let’s remove the president and that will reduce the murder rate. Baratheon was invited to Dr Rowley’s book launch so I guess she is singing for her invite.

  16. AH bunch of unc clowns wouldn’t like her but u go girl

  17. How do we remove a President in this country?this one overstayed his time.

  18. We didn’t know he was “ah drinker”

  19. Where is kirk waithe looking for Marlene I guess.

  20. This president is a fraud, he projects morality, but he,s just another politician, arrogant , greedy ,and abusive.

    • Anthony Daniel sorry I could not like you contribution more than once. The funny thing is though, people only looking at the wine, what about the other queries? The $300,000. jewelry, the nanny /grand mother $35,000. salary, the repairs and maintenance of properties in Fyzo. SMDH.

  21. Is all stetup they want to come again with there propgander
    So they could put one of their hounds there

  22. ..the kaisonians are getting their songs ready now for 2017 on many serious issues facing T&T..

  23. Whatever became of that Parang side -” Priniciples of Fairness”?.

  24. Do not know if to laugh or cry… Guess I will simply get damn angry…. ?

  25. May be Mr President did not like the imported whiskey?

  26. This was such a fun read. From the headline to the very end! Every single line was a hoot! Lasana I think yu a “Ova Dweet” with dis one?

  27. It’s all concocted by Hilary to get Gerry off her case.

  28. Kamala unc play the whole country of Trinidad and Tobago and her Zombies followers can go to hell

  29. Rhoda is a crass tasteless unimaginative excuse for a journalist. Last year and four years before she had the worse to say now all of a sudden she gets quiet as a mouse. Steups…..singing loudly for supper.

  30. Lovely..I wish I could write like that

  31. “In the old days, Bharath would have had to pass over her information to a media house in return for a 30-second soundbite to make her case to the public. Today, she can deliver her own newscast while showing off her bookcase and musical preferences and engaging “Nokio”, “Phelps” and “Dennis” in running commentary.”

  32. If a President allegedly files false financial claims in an inventory and that is accepted as normal,then we have reached.

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