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Soca star Machel Montano secured his ninth Road March title yesterday after his collaboration with Super Blue, “Soca Kingdom”—an okay song but a brilliant marketing slogan—beat Iwer George’s “Savannah” and Patrice Roberts “Carnival Sweet Fuh Days” into second and third place respectively.
Even more important, Machel got a clean bill of health from the Trinidad Guardian, after the newspaper claimed that he had been whisked away from the Socadrome for medical attention on Carnival Tuesday after “suffering from a sort of illness.”
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
The Guardian article identified its source as “a member of Montano’s entourage”—which, arguably, could be any woman between the ages of 20 to 45 who looks good in shorts. Or, worse, Sunny Bling!
Machel countered that he left the Socadrome in a hurry because he was due to perform at the Queen’s Park Savannah at the same time.
“[The Guardian article] has absolutely no truth to it,” Montano told the CNC3 Morning Brew. “I was on the road all day [on Tuesday], and right after that performance, if you have footage, I was performing on the stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah for more than 20 minutes.
“So when did I ever get in an ambulance or be sick? It’s not true.”
The Guardian did not apologise for its story—which was headlined “Machel checks Medics after Socadrome gig”—but, to be fair, at least the newspaper did not ask Machel if he was a lesbian.
In other health news, the Newsday reported that taxpayers spent close to TT$1 million on the medical bills for Public Administration and Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie for less than two months’ treatment at the St Clair Medical Centre in Woodbrook, as he recovered from a stroke.
Eh… Somebody warn Phillip!
The decision to foot the bill is consistent with the country’s commitment to the health of its senior public servants. But TT$1 million for just over a month?! Thank God, Darryl Smith took his Sport Ministry staff to the Hotel Magdalena and not St Clair Medical then!
Of course, Mr Live Wire is thrilled Maxie is on the mend and that his job has such excellent health care benefits. Most of us can only afford to go to the General Hospital where the waiting room might as well come equipped with bibles and brochures for coffins and funeral spots.
And speaking of coffins and holy books, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley insisted that the detention of roughly a dozen people since Carnival Thursday was not “a joke or persecution”—thereby inadvertently confirming the plausibility of either possibility.
Rowley explained that the Government had received “credible information” about possible criminal behaviour meant to disrupt Carnival.
“When the Government sees it necessary to indicate that we’re dealing with credible threats, I just hope citizens take that phrase very seriously,” said Rowley. “As chairman of the National Security Council, we’ve had to monitor the activities of some of our citizens—a small minority—but we’d be putting our heads in the sand if we don’t acknowledge and accept that we, as a people, are part of the scourge of international unacceptable developments.”
(Courtesy Jyoti Communication)
So, wait, we should be comforted just because you find it credible, Keithos?! So how come the DPP ent lay charges yet? (One of the 13 men, Tariq Mohammed, has already been released without charge).
Is this the same government that can’t find a working boat for Tobago? And whose choices for Police Commissioner—“Stephen the placebo”, “reckless Harold” and “Farmer Dulalchan, the roti watchdog”—look to be the dodgiest line-up of perps since the “Usual Suspects”?
Who exactly allyuh monitoring if “Godfather Burkie” could be on the PNM Deputy Political Leader’s My Lime list and waltz into the President’s House easier than he could get a Tribe costume?
Speaking of ole mas, 37-year-old reveller Francesca Cabrera faced public condemnation after images surfaced of her chipping in the Lionel Jaggessar and Associates band on Carnival Monday with her five-month-old grandson.
The infant’s mother, Bianca Cabrera, 23, also played in the San Fernando ban along with his three-year-old sister.
The Children’s Act 2012 states “a person who wilfully exposes a child in a manner likely to cause that child’s suffering or injury to his/her physical, mental or emotional health commits the offence of cruelty to a child [and] could be liable to a fine of TT$5,000 and/or imprisonment for six years.”
A police woman who witnessed the scene scolded the grandmother and suggested she hand the child to someone else. Eh… hand him to whom?
There is nothing to suggest that the WPC immediately ordered them out of the band and took them home or to the nearest police station. Still, Children’s Authority communications officer Cheryl Moses-Williams and Lionel Jaggessar Jr commended the law officer for her “prompt action.”
“The Children’s Authority is in high praise of the woman police officer,” stated Moses-Williams, “who cautioned a mother for carrying her young child in her arms while she paraded in a band on Carnival Monday.”
Which shows not only the extent to which lawlessness pervades Trinidad and Tobago society but also our inability to grasp what intervention and decisive action really look like.
‘Mommy Dearest’ had some advice for concerned commenters.
“I want people to stop minding my business,” Bianca told the Trinidad Express. “I know where my children are. They’re not hungry. Tell them to go and take care of their families.”
Trini sweet fuh days! But all this sugar cyar be good for we neither…
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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.
Machel should be ashamed to claim that road march because all I heard on both carnival days was one line sung at machel and then the pumped up chorus by super blue being played whole day. Four lines of a calypso, the soca mafia has spoken. Machel your personal GREED is destroying the art form.
Where was the police when the now 37-year old grandmother got pregnant at 14?
If I was that law officer, that child and grandma were going straight in a patrol car to be dropped either home or to the station. I would be generous and allow them to pick their preferred destination.
New event ROAD STAGE…not ROAD MARCH. ..2018 most played song on the road was HULK…BLAXX boi….d SOCA MAFIA is real….hmmmm
How much is enough?
$1M dollars for one month stay at local, private hospital St. Clair Medical. We wait the cost of his bill for his (so far 3 months) stay at a US hospital. Which of course will need to be paid via scarce US currency. Yet we have not been told which illness struck down the MP and no updates on his current state of health. This whole scenario like the threat to Carnival…we need details.
Today’s Guardian:
“Five of the 13 people detained in relation to an alleged terrorist plot targeting recently concluded Carnival celebrations, were released by police between Wednesday evening and last night…”
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-02-15/imam-knocks-police-intel
“Five of the 13 people detained in relation to an alleged terrorist plot targeting recently concluded Carnival celebrations, were released by police between Wednesday evening and last night…”
(Trinidad Guardian 16 Feb 2018)
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-02-15/tariq-mohammed-terror-plot-claim-just-ludicrous
He has no competition. They play it on stage and that’s it.The most popular time on the road was Hulk.
That’s the dishonest thing about the Road March competition.
Martin what do you think of this?
Lasana Liburd Road March you like = “De People’s Choice”. Road March you don’t like = “Is de Soca Mafia!” I might do an article on this for you, but I realize that conspiracy theorists don’t take well to having their beliefs challenged.
Hahaha. Feel free to send it Martin!
Ha Ha excellent commentary… Lasana please ask men with a sizeable belly why they insist on wearing tight polo shirts… gosh man… my six pack went away years ago … so i wear a large shirt..but everytime I see a MP I does see them in size small on a size xlarge belly… National coaches too eh
Once again you choose to disparage the name of the honourable Maxie Cuffie. While stating how happy you are for his recovery you could not help making a snide remark about how unfair it is that he should be afforded such health care. Were you so concerned when Franklin Khan was away for the time he spent in Thailand. No but again black people deserve the least because their lives clearly don’t matter to people like you.
Sigh. You saw what’s in your mind. How about you quote where I said it was unfair that he got health care.
And you mentioned Franklin Khan when I specifically said that it is routine that senior public servants get the help he got.
So you’re showing your bias and not mine I think.
Lasana you have the patience of Job!
The Soca Mafia has spoken
For real
Sweeter.. for the prisoners
True
The DJs have spoken!
Sweet fuh days… http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-02-14/prison-probe-wifi-jail
Can’t get any more direct than that!!!