Daly Bread: Challenges to the use of power; and semi-legal State greed


When Abraham Lincoln said that you could not fool all of the people all of the time, he could not have known that information technology would come to bear heavily on both the ability (fake news) and inability (investigative reporting) of the powerful to fool the people.

Lincoln would be astounded to see that a pocket-size device could deliver and receive news and can also be used to make news. Exposure can be instant. Going for lunch, playing mas or having a bikini car wash/watch out.

Photo: Iconic former United States president Abraham Lincoln.
(Copyright Medical Bag)

In this environment, the practice of the powerful and the insecure of acquiring additional trappings to adorn the proverbial Emperor’s clothes has grown. However, when the powerful are exposed, the adornment of awards, even at the highest level of the Nobel Prize, cannot protect high office-holders and those with form but flawed substance from the judgement of public opinion.

Currently, the fall from grace of the de facto leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, is playing out to media audiences worldwide. The movers and shakers and those who bestow awards placed full confidence in Suu Kyi as a lioness of independence, fair play and peaceful opposition. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, no less.


Sadly, having achieved de facto leadership of Myanmar, she apparently became complicit in the iron grip of the military, in opposition to whom she had previously appeared to stand. In local parlance, she is a “sell-out” because a minority Muslim population within Myanmar have been the subject of what the UN Human Rights Chief has called “a text book example of ethnic cleansing” at the hands of Myanmar’s military.

Many of her admirers in high places have now openly turned against her.

As I have already commented, when our Chief Justice returns from his trip to the Netherlands—his return reportedly scheduled for yesterday—he must answer the questions that have been put to him by the Trinidad Express newspaper. The adornment of “official business” will not dilute the public interest in having those questions answered.

Photo: Chief Justice and JLSC chairman Ivor Archie (left) signs a MOU for use of a new automated Case Management Information System. (Copyright Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago)

Meanwhile, the horrendous cost of the State enterprises is being exposed as a result of the work of a Joint Select Committee of Parliament.

Since 2002, I have been urging a radical change to the use of these State companies.  It seems, however, that their colossal presence in the economy suits the politicians—of whatever stripe—because those enterprises are vehicles for the dispensation of patronage and the satisfaction of what I have called “semi-legal greed.” The State Enterprise system is as much a veil over questionable conduct as are some awards.

A report in the Trinidad Guardian last week informed us that “a total of 39 State enterprises had racked up a debt of $44 billion by the end of 2016.”  There is talk of “Boards gone rogue”. Now we know one of the true reasons why the country might be going broke.

It must be borne in mind that there are a lot more than 39 State enterprises and statutory authorities. The Guardian report also tells us this: “Two state companies—Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott) and the Petroleum Company of T&T—together accounted for more than half of the $44 billion debt.

Udecott’s debt is reported to be $11.4 billion. This State Enterprise was the favourite of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning.  It was the vehicle for grandiose erections of tower buildings and a stadium which were a wasteful use of the healthier cash-flows of that time.

Photo: Late former Prime Minister Patrick Manning (right) with then UDECOTT executive chairman Calder Hart.
(Copyright The Globe and Mail)

Those ready to challenge the use of power are few. It is routine for those in high office to co-operate with each other in making unsuitable appointments and to attempt to shield each other from scrutiny.

More recently, we had charges and counter-charges being made in connection with the procurement  of vessels to service the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago. While all of this is being played out in the public domain, there is a faltering sea bridge seriously hurting the people who need it most

I hope we do not intend to continue to look away from what is plainly in front of us regarding the misguided use of power.

More from Wired868
Noble: The Gangster and the Gentleman—an East Port of Spain bandit tale

MENDOZA: I am a brigand. I live by robbing the rich. TANNER: (promptly) I am a gentleman. I live by Read more

Noble: When money became a problem—how T&T wasted three “oil booms”

In September 1973, we, as a nation, were blessed with a bonanza from new offshore discoveries and a sharp rise Read more

Noble: Understanding poverty and greed; two sides of the same coin

“Poverty is hell, and the angels are in Paradise/ Driving in their limousine, where everything is nice and clean…” Shadow, Read more

Noble: The problem with Roget’s fixation on criminality of ‘urban youth’

“In my 50-60 years, I have never heard so much corruption in my land as in the last few days… Read more

Noble: Are we all living pipe dreams, like Mahal, while T&T suffers?

Mahal was the walking legend in Trinidad from the 1930s to the early 60s. He pretended to drive a car Read more

Daly Bread: The poisoned well of “distrust of persons in public life”

Why has the perception of improper influence changed?  The main character in the recent television series The Diplomat asserts that Read more

About Martin Daly

Martin G Daly SC is a prominent attorney-at-law. He is a former Independent Senator and past president of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago. He is chairman of the Pat Bishop Foundation and a steelpan music enthusiast.

Check Also

Noble: The Gangster and the Gentleman—an East Port of Spain bandit tale

MENDOZA: I am a brigand. I live by robbing the rich. TANNER: (promptly) I am …

12 comments

  1. From day one of his appointment the legal elite was angry that this black tobagonian was appointed CJ. Since then they have been looking for any reason to attack him

  2. Stewart Young claimed that Roodal Moonilal acted corruptly by inquiring about an HDC house for his acquaintance, and as such will be brought to court. Does the same apply when the CJ seeks a favour for his friend at the HDC for a house?

    Will a warrant for the CJ be read out in Parliament?

    Waiting for Stewart Young…

  3. C j have to go an mr Dillon must take over as the new c j

  4. Allyuh ent sick and tired and angry saying the same thing over and over and nothing changes? They don’t give a flying elephant

  5. Expose all ah dem. Wey dey feel it is

  6. He’s not I said he’s not stepping down.

  7. It will be interesting to see if the CJ falls for this fishing expedition

  8. Shameless people holding high office!

  9. Aung San Suu Kyi is caught between a rock and a hard place. I’m wary though of what the UN has to say on the matter. The citizens on the ground report differently (of course) and the UN is not above agendas. Does the CJ have to answer to anything? Makes it sound as though there is some consequence if he doe not. The LATT’s vote of no confidence seemed to be a lot of clanging but not much else. This may very well be much of the same.

  10. Well we will see this time if is sorry or goodbye

  11. Well we will see this time if is sorry or goodbye

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.