Guardian angel lifts skirt again; ad calls Kublalsingh a reptile

The Trinidad Guardian newspaper had observers covering their eyes again when the self-declared “Guardian of Democracy” published a photograph, presumably of activist Wayne Kublalsingh, with the headline: “Trinidad and Tobago discovers a human reptile.”

Under the photograph ran the caption: “The Kub-lal. An unusual human reptile discovered here on the pavement basking in the limelight everyday outside the Prime Minister’s office, defies medical explanation by surviving without food and water for weeks without any sign of health issues.”

It was, according to a footnote, a “paid advertisement” by a group that referred to itself as “Citizens4dhighway” and apparently gets medical advice from the same dark alley as Health Minister Fuad Khan.

Photo: The Trinidad Guardian newspaper published a slanderous attack on Highway Re-Route activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh.
Photo: The Trinidad Guardian newspaper published a slanderous attack on Highway Re-Route activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh.

Phew. For a second, Mr Live Wire thought the Guardian newspaper was run by some perverse, soulless psychopaths with less human decency than the Boko Haram, who were happy to bully, slander and vilify a frail lecturer on a hunger strike.

But, no, Guardian did not really think those things; the newspaper was paid to publish it, you see. So that makes it alright. Not so?

It is a defence that would not work in court for a hit man or drug mule. But, for a multi-million dollar media house, who knows?

Mr Live Wire is passing the collection basket around to fund a second Guardian ad, which reads: “This newspaper will screw anyone for money while its owner holds the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for outstanding contributions to public service. Does that mean prostitution is now legal?”

Or maybe: “Wanted: Human beings with common decency to replace heartless f**ks at Trinidad Guardian who ran Kublalsingh attack ad.”

Perhaps Guardian editor-in-chief Judy Raymond can tell us what it would cost to have the people responsible for publishing that advertisement slap themselves repeatedly. Clearly the Guardian has less concern for what happens between their sheets than the average prostitute.

Photo: At least some prostitutes have standards.
Photo: At least some prostitutes have standards.

And, for those who say the Guardian is entitled to take all paid ads to run its organisation, ask yourself if the newspaper would still have published if the payer replaced the word “Kub-lal” with “Sabga.”

The popular nutsman, “Nuts Landing”, often tells a joke about a supposed shooting on the Brian Lara Promenade.

An armed assailant fired a bullet which flew straight through the arm of a bystander and killed a passer-by. The police arrested the shot bystander.

“But I didn’t shoot him,” said the bleeding bystander. “Why are you arresting me?”

“Because it’s through you the man dead,” replied the policeman.

The made-up bystander obviously had a point. But the Trinidad Guardian, which collected money and then hid its payer’s identity behind a murky, unregistered organisation, has no case.

Photo: Activist and UWI lecturer Dr Wayne Kublalsingh.
Photo: Activist and UWI lecturer Dr Wayne Kublalsingh.

But then who needs to justify their actions in Trinidad and Tobago if they have a million-dollar attorney on speed dial?

 

Editor’s Note: Click HERE to view the Trinidad Guardian’s apology on its digital paper.

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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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253 comments

  1. Carson Charles said that no aggregate was being removed from the Northern Range, but reporters have something different to say based on investigations:

    http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Stolen-material-used-in-highway-works-261398581.html

  2. O’Conoor is being disingenuous. The HRM disputed the swamp, the discussion went round and round with no resolution.

  3. It says a lot about us as a people that we are now allowing the highway debate to become one on whether Wayne is taking any water. The little boy who tried to gain some publicity just showed how shallow he is. He is being hailed for jumping into something he does not understand – if Wayne could fast, me too!! Serious fasting and self sacrifice is way above merely the physical. Now his ignorance is being accepted as a standard by which to judge the serious actions of a committed leader?? Give me a break. Just as he is reported to be the one who protested the “unbalanced” nature of the UWI seminar when Dr Rowley decided to participate and the others did not even respond to the invitation. But he is following the lead of similar minds who think that PR will overcome honest commitment, keeping one’s word and the principles of integrity and accountability. Let us commit to saving our beloved country – in what ever way we can.

  4. as i was saying the HRM themselves seem to lack ethics

  5. But the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure met with the civil society groups last week and according to O’Connor, who attended the meeting, the following facts emerged, undisputed by anyone: “The route between Mon Desir and Debe does not pass through the swamp as previously claimed. The only place where mangrove is being destroyed is along the Mosquito Creek stretch which is not in dispute. No mountain is being removed from the Northern Range to fill the swamp.

  6. I agree. I don’t think we’re aiming for complete transparency though. But we can certainly insist on transparency on key issues. For me – I want to know if hydrology reports were done. What did they say? Is there a possibility of increased flooding? What’s being done to mitigate it? If you ask the important questions you may not achieve transparency but you could be part of a process that influences some measure of change. Even if the full truth never comes to light publicly, isn’t that worth something?

    I get you. A lot of people don’t like the man. But this is too important to make it about a man, even if you feel he’s trying to make it so. Don’t give him the satisfaction then, and defy him by focusing on the meat of the matter.

  7. I tell you what i want from govt nicole and ill end it..i want the govt to reduce all state expenditure..even do away with govt quangos…and scrap the fuel subsidy..less central planning and more local planning.. it doesnt matter who is in charge..as long as we have a huge state doling out subsidies and make work projects ..we will never have a culture of efficient transparent govt…

  8. Back to the man again. One could argue Darryn… that your approach is a bit adversarial and not as helpful to moving the discussion toward a solution as it could be. That doesn’t make you a bad person. You just feel strongly about something. Nothing wrong with that. Now let’s get back to issues and solutions. What can we do? Do we just throw our hands up and say that’s life in sweet T&T? How do we hold our government accountable? Ideas?

  9. The issues need discussing by whom? How discussing it gonna help?

  10. But who here has said don’t build the hway? Not even the HRM says that. They have said re route or abide by the armstrong report. They are also on record saying if after abiding by the report the right thing is to build the hway they will stop their protest.
    So….who is saying don’t build? Or are we blurring the issue strategically again?

  11. Those issues are never going to go away..and i agree they need discussing…but that why i was never on board with the hrm…they adopted a really unneccsarily adversorial approah that was nev er going to be helpfull …

  12. Thank you for indulging me btw Darryn. Most people who express strong views against Kublalsingh run very far away when prompted to discuss issues. I appreciate that you have made an attempt to raise an interesting question.

  13. “call for a change”…LOL,,,,this country has way too much apathy…we will continue the foraging of the abyss.

  14. Agreed Troy Roberts I want to know as well!

  15. Yes they would remain, unless we discuss those, raise them to the forefront instead of the man and his method, and call for a change. Is it too late for call for a change?

  16. If the govt reroutes the highway..wouldn’t the issues surrounding cost and transparency remain…how can hrm say they are for the highway when clearly the issues they have problems with affect the very nature of the whole project?

  17. I have little faith in the authenticity of Dr. Kublalsingh and even less in the integrity of the local media.

  18. Wait nah ppl still eh know d difference between Slander & Libel? Smh…

  19. Not a soul is saying the highway shouldn’t be built. Choose an issue on either side for us to discuss and let’s all benefit from the discussion.

  20. I haven’t heard any clear arguments against the highway..the armstrong reports says more analysis needs to be done not that the highway should not be built…and i’m certainly not saying it should be built if most people there want it..but the voices of people in the area are nowhere in this debate..

  21. Oh gorm Alana Morton… Don’t call out the boys so nah! :-/

  22. Any. What is an argument by the people in the area that is not being heard. Name one. Let’s discuss it.

  23. Well Darryn, the clear arguments have failed. . . what do you suggest they do now?

  24. Soooo, if 100,000 people say build a highway that doesnt meet procurement standards, and 15 protest against it, build?

  25. In what way? What is not being heard?

  26. Good. We’ve now agreed this is an extreme act. And it should not have had to come to be. But so be it, it did. What now? What of the arguments? Let’s talk about those.

  27. The issue of CECs, EIAs and Hydrology reports remain clear for me….they were issues since Imbert had oversight of the project…but perhaps that was forgotten…just like the water issue.

  28. Of course not…everyone has a voice…but the voice of the people down there is not getting heard

  29. People never need to turn to extreme acts..and in this issue ectreme acts was never needed ..just clear arguments

  30. I am a taxpayer and I don’t live there. I’m not an expert and I have questions. Do I not deserve to have a voice? Are my questions not valid because I am “from tong”?

  31. Lol..i prefer more expert voices..rationale arguments and people who live in the area being heard. Thats all…not a side show ..that doesnt accomplish anything

  32. In the same way a community that feels marginalized and turns to burning tyres makes it about them? When dialog and reason don’t work, people turn to the extreme. Is it my personal choice? No. Do I feel the need to demonize a man for his choice? No. How does that help the situation?

    Further – how is that not playing a part in amplifying the voice that says “do not question me”? If you have questions, why not promote discussion that brings us closer to a solution?

  33. The man made it so….or the media coverage?

  34. or for “Environmentalism” in T&T for that matter?

  35. So who would you suggest be the spokesperson for the HRM?

  36. I agree nicole..there are issuez..but its disengenuous to say discuss the issues and not the man..when the man has clearly made it about him because of his method..

  37. I find it really interesting that conversations always focus on the method of execution of the protest and who is protesting, and not a lot is said by anti-HRM about the actual issues. Why shouldn’t there be hydrology reports? Shouldn’t we all want to know? Why weren’t there more bidders and if the process was wrong, why can’t it be subject to amendment now? Etc etc. As taxpayers, let’s discuss the real issues instead of the man and his process.

  38. Darryn that wasn’t an ad, that was just a vid shared. (as far as I remember) and also I don’t recall the HRM stating ANYTHING about this ad in question. . . officially.

  39. And yes i do think kubs is a hypocrite ..and really isn’t the spokesman we need on environmental or other issues

  40. Darryn yeah boy, you real hung up on these “rules” but really choosing to ignore the big picture, why is that?

  41. Im 50/50 on it…i agree that mega projects like this need much more transparency and nidco hasn’t handled the project well…but i don’t care for the antics if the hrm..they have been dishonest in their communication…they complain about this ad..but released their own crass ad with an old woman telling kamla to stuck the highway between her legs remember..and some of the things they have isn’t true…so. im not happy with either side

  42. It matters to you…on every thread.

  43. Darryn so to get to the REAL issue. . . do you not support the ReRoute?

  44. So just ignore his hunger strike then?..it doesnt matter and it doesnt matter if hes cheating his own rules..just focus on the issues ..lol ok

  45. Im a supporter of the HRM….let me be clear. I think the questions raised about this project are quite valid.

  46. Well..was just asking your opinon as supporters of him..and i gave you mine

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