Trinidad and Tobago's cocoa is the best in the world and it's because all our cocoa is in the sun.

“I have nothing to hide. If some people say forensic audit, then go ahead, because I have no cocoa in the sun, so I’m afraid of nothing.”

The man who dropped that bombshell was toeing the baleezay line: since, at the time, he was taking his cue from his line Minister, Emily Dick-Forde, who had earlier stoutly defended Calder Hart this way:

“Mr Hart’s resignation would have been a surprise, but it also would not have been, because I think if any of you as human beings would have been hounded and treated the way he has been, I think you all would understand. So, a resignation is part of normal governance, people move on, but I think in the circumstances, we in Trinidad and Tobago should be very ashamed of what has happened, a person, a human being has been treated very, very badly, by us.”

The Trinidad Newsday story whence the above were culled went on to state:

Annisette then admitted he had spoken to Hart on Sunday after Hart fled Trinidad. He declined to give details of their conversation, saying it was a personal call.

From their talk, did he expect Hart to return to Trinidad? Annisette said, “Yes, yes. He didn’t give a specific time, but he will be back.”

Court protocol demanded that pre-action protocol letters be served on Calder Hart...so they were.

Pure protocol demands Annisette and Dick-Forde be served pre-action protocol letters as well...so proceed, for Trinidad and Tobago's cocoa is the best in the world and it's because all our cocoa is under our brand of the sun.

I gone!

Sat plagiarizes Anand at will.

The following presentation is colour-coded for easy referencing.

Compare what Satnarayan Maharaj recently said:

The PNM during all its time in office never sought to address the special needs of the African community. It was Dr Keith Rowley who had made the comments during a debate in 2003 that Costatt should focus more on young black males. He has now admitted that the PNM government of the time should have had the courage to stand by that programme.

It was Minister Dr Emily Gaynor Dick-Ford who, while contributing to the private motion brought by the then opposition calling upon the government to operationalise the Equal Opportunities Commission, said: “The need to focus on the needs of some of our young African males is a real need. Regardless of how it is framed for it to make it seem discriminatory to any other group, we cannot deny this is a vulnerable group in the current painful crime rate.” After such revelations were made and nothing ever done to address the situation, race is the card being played in some parliamentary debates and on a number of “talk” programmes on radio. I applaud Dr Rowley’s punch line: “African youths were overachieving in the jails and underachieving in the classrooms.”

We must remember the words of former Police Commissioner Hilton Guy, who called for personal responsibility: “When you have parents praising their unemployed children who wearing $2,000 sneakers and everything they’re wearing is a ‘brand name’ and they come home in the night with a bag of goodies, the children you are growing here, you are not only sowing the seeds, but fertilising the criminal. Stop blaming others.” The PNM has ruled this country for over 40 years. It must take much of the blame for the present situation. We cannot ignore the reality that some of these areas have degenerated to slums and crime dens.

It was only a few weeks ago that we saw a by-product of this type of neglect from a 14-year-old girl who smeared social media networks with racist comments against the Prime Minister. Some politicians came to her defence but the nation heard not a word from her parents. Afro-Trinidadians are victims of a political culture, where politicians use people for votes and then forget about them until the next election. The “new  PNM” should put more effort into making meaningful contributions in the Parliament rather than try to use racist propaganda that benefits no one.

(See: http://www.guardian.co.tt/node/23226)

to what Anand Ramlogan said three years and two months before Sat said what he recently said:

Recent statements made by prominent PNM officials show pangs of political guilt over the sad state of its “natural constituency” (to borrow Danny Montano’s expression).

Dr Keith Rowley chastised his colleagues for not owning up to what was, in truth and fact, an official policy of the Government in the form of the infamous “Afros First” affirmative action plan for student admissions at Costaatt.

In the Senate, Minister Dr Emily Gaynor Dick-Ford said the Government needed to do more for “our young African males.”

Contributing to the private motion brought by the Opposition calling upon the Government to operationalise the Equal Opportunities Commission, she said:

“The need to focus on the needs of some of our young African males is a real need. Regardless of how it is framed for it to make it seem discriminatory to any other group, we cannot deny this is a vulnerable group in the current painful crime rate.”

For the record, I actually agree with her.

Almost immediately, people were calling in on radio talk shows to justify the need for affirmative action, blaming the UNC, the Church, Sat Maharaj and “Indian teachers” for the plight of black youths.

I am tired of hearing PNM supporters blame everything and everyone, except the Government and their beloved ruling party, for the present predicament.

We must remember the words of former Police Commissioner Hilton Guy, who called for personal responsibility:

“When you have parents praising their unemployed children who wearing $2,000 sneakers and everything they’re wearing is a ‘brand name’ and they come home in the night with a bag of goodies, the children you are growing here, you are not only sowing the seeds, but fertilising the criminal. Stop blaming others!” 

“African youths were overachieving in the jails and underachieving in the classrooms” (to use Dr Rowley’s words), not because of political neglect by the UNC and NAR governments.

And black leaders have a duty to stop making excuses and offering baseless explanations.

The man I support for the next President of the USA, Barack Obama, faced a severe backlash from the African-American community, because Rev Jesse Jackson (who didn’t realise his mic was still on), criticised Barack for “talking down to black people.”

What Barack has done is to call for the black community to take some ownership and responsibility for its actions.

The PNM has ruled this country for over 40 years. It must take some blame for the present situation.

Are we supposed to ignore the reality of the slums and shanty towns it created, and pretend to imagine the great city of Laventille that it built?

...Afro-Trinidadians are victims of our political culture, where politicians use people for votes and then forget about them until the next election.

The political paternity test shows that the Laventille of today is a PNM creation. It’s high time it takes responsibility for the mess that it has made in our backyard.

(See: http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2008-07-27/ramlogan.html)

then, tell me whether Satnarayan is guilty of plagiarism or not: for nowhere in what Satnarayan said did Satnarayan say he was saying what Anand before had said.

Btw, Satnarayan Maharaj is the Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (Auspicious Assembly of The Everlasting Law).

I gone!

Flagging on the highways and byways while wearing a crown.

The news that the colossus temporarily designated to take the wheel would find himself in the predicament of having to flag down a passing vehicle to get to his desired destination brought a smile to face, for, on hearing it, my memory swiftly raced back to these lines from Maestro Aldwyn "Lord Kitchener" Roberts:

FLAG WOMAN

You have no band
Without ah beautiful Flagwoman!
You have no band
Without an experienced Flagwoman!
The band will have no control
The music will have no soul
The revellers wouldn't play
Their usual mas' on Carnival Day!

Chorus:
A woman with the happy touches to set you bumping
Sure to get your rhythm when she start waving
When you see she get dat fever is plenty trouble
Whether you're sick or single
You bound to wiggle!

I always know
From my experiences long ago
A flagless mas'
Is like a ship without a compass
When you playing without a flag
The whole rhythm seems to drag
But is only a Flagwoman
Could put some pepper inside the band!

Chorus:

Ah different band
When a woman is in command
The way she move
She put everybody in she groove
She wining from left to right
The Flag flying like a kite
That generates the moves
And make you jump like ah kangaroo!

Chorus:

For Carnival
Ah done have plans for the bacchanal
Ah making sure
Ah find exactly what ah looking for
Ah peeping thru the Arcade
Watching all the parade
Man, ah wouldn't jump in ah band
Lest it led by a Flagwoman!

Chorus:

(The above was transliterated by me, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCRwG48a8BQ)

Oh yes! The news of the colossus flagging down vehicles on the highway sure had me wistfully smiling.

But, on a serious note: Wey de hell was his security detail? or, do we now have to put a woman in charge of such arrangements?

...Man, ah wouldn't jump in ah band
Lest it led by a Flagwoman!

PP, or bust!

When the People's National Movement adopted MAGNUM EST PNM ET PRAEVALEBIT, it damn well knew what it was doing, for, thereafter, it embarked on an insidious plan to ensure, whether in power or not, PRAEVALERE it did. Hence, under the PNM, no appointment to any public business oversight office was ever made in oversight: rather with both the magnifying and guaranteeing of PNM domination in mind. Such was the case even when, to a gullible public, it appeared otherwise.

If you think I fabricated that, perish the thought, else perish, ENIM MAGNA EST VERITAS ET SEMPER PRAEVALET and, the undeniable truth is the worst PP is better than the best PNM!

Concurrency matters.

Whuh you could buy with TT1¢, eh?

And, ever tried to buy something costing TT$8,000.00 with cash?

Jeez!

It's time to:

1. do away with the TT1¢ piece,
2. replace the TT$1.00 with a coin,
3. introduce a TT$500.00 bill!

All in favour, say, "Aye!"

All against, wait outside, because this here is serious business!

Welcome to the Ponderouser ©!

pon·der·ous [pon-der-uhs]

adjective

1. of great weight or influence; heavy; massive.

pee·wat [pee-waht]

noun

1. a thing or person of minuscule or inconsequential weight or influence; a lightweight.

Welcome to The Ponderouser ©!!

The land where, to succeed, you have to be, or befriend, a ponderous person!

Yes! Welcome to The Ponderouser ©!!
The land where only peewats get gunned down for the things they say or do.
And where only peewats does pay their lightbill!
And where only peewats does pay their traffic tickets!
And where only peewats does pay for the gas they get from NP!
And where only peewats does get disconnect by WASA!
And where only peewats does have to wait and wait and wait to get a HDC house!
And where only peewats does get a general runaround when dey visit a govament office to do ah simple transaction!
And where only peewats does actually have to sit and pass dey regulations or driving test before dey get a Driving Permit!
And where only peewats does have to take a number dat calling four years down de road just to apply for a passport!
And where only peewats fight up with KFC for a bread, even though they have six CAPE distinction or university degree!
And where only peewats does lose dey life savings when financial havens crash!
And where only peewats does have to deposit 130,000 if dey want to borrow 100,000 from de bank!
And where only peewats does cyar even get de time of day from dey member ah parliament!
Buh wait na??!!!!!

Whuh de jail wrong with me boy? You know, instead ah pressing 2011 on mih Time Machine console, I press 2009???

lol

I gone! Going back to the present and beyond where all things are looming bright and beauteous!

Whirrrrrrrrrmmmmmmm!!!!!! Zwooooshhhh!!!!!!

Ponderous issues of our sincerity.

Without casting aspersions on anyone real or fictitious, as one who prides himself on and jealously guards his independence of thought and expression, I must ponder aloud and sincerely whether there is anybody, be it man or beast, in Trinidad and Tobago that's Calpurnian enough to be integrated into the Integrity Commission?

In my view, Integrity Commissioners aren't intended to be diplomats, since integrity and "diplomacy" cannot coexist: the former is blunt and unyielding, the latter, pliant and ingratiating.

And, since integrity is unyielding, the only conceivable option is to allow all investigations to run their full courses regardless of any wobble; for, truth be told, we are fed up of persons in public life escaping opprobrium on the grounds of some Integrity Commission proven or alleged faux pas.

Divvy it up directly among the poor!

 Subsidies are existential: they exist to buffer the weak from the buffeting of economic vicissitudes.

To be effective therefore, subsidies must be progressively applied rather than in across-the-board fashion. So, who have more than enough corn already need crocus bag to store the excess, not more corn; and who have no corn or not enough, need!

Trinidad and Tobago's population presently hovers around 1.32m; and, with the average family unit comprising 5 persons, that means there are 264,000 households in this twin-plus-five island state.

Now, in delivering the 2011-2012 National Budget, the erstwhile Minister of Finance disclosed:

"...in Trinidad and Tobago poverty is estimated at 17 percent of the population with the level rising to 30 percent in some geographic areas..."

(See: Managing Our Social Safety Net, page 23 of the 2011-2012 Budget, at: http://www.finance.gov.tt/content/Budget-Statement-2012.pdf)

In layman terms, what he really meant is:

"...in Trinidad and Tobago, it is estimated that every sixth person you meet, or, a total of 225,000 persons comprising 45,000 households, live in poverty: in other words, they do not even earn enough income to eat..."

(See your calculator for the computation.)

Wherefore then, may anyone in their right mind justify the untouched continuance of the Fuel Subsidy, a subsidy which comes at a cost of TT$4.8b per annum and whose true cost is much higher, given that a quarter or more of the subsidized fuel is siphoned off at will and with impunity?

Wherefore then, too, would anyone in their right mind object to the following suggestion?

If one quarter of the Fuel Subsidy be redirected straight onto the pockets of those 45,000 households (by way of the Ministry of The People and Social Development's Direct Cash Transfer Programme?), then, after allowing for a management fee of 5%, each presently-poor household would get TT$25,300 per annum, or $2,100 per month.

(See your calculator for the computation.)

Subsidies are existential: they exist to buffer the weak from the buffeting of economic vicissitudes.

To be effective therefore, subsidies must be progressively applied rather than in across-the-board fashion. So, who have more than enough corn already need crocus bag to store the excess, not more corn; and who have no corn or not enough, need!

Paradigm shifting Trinbago.

The news that unemployment has risen (and been rising since 2009 thereabouts) gives cause for major concern...and fount of major headache, if not immediately and adequately addressed. For, whenever national fortunes take a turn for the worse, society's most vulnerable are the ones who first and mostly feel the pinch.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the segment predominantly upon whom such a sorry lot has fallen is: the Afro-Trinbagonian. The overall lot of the Afro-Trinbagonian is what it is as a consequence of a sustained plethora of misguided/misapplied political motives over the years.

It is time we, as a nation, stop behaving like the proverbial ostrich and deal with the unsavoury problem. If we don't it will surely ferment until it becomes untenable. Those responsible for that to which I've just alluded were shooed from office in May 2010 and replaced by those whom we yet believe have the capacity for getting the politics right.

My expectation, therefore, is the 2011-2012 National Budget will begin the rectification process, for the last Budget evidently did not.

Plain talk, like yawning in spirited company, might be bad etiquette, but at least it's honest.

Auditor General must intervene in UDeCOTT.

Law is a stratified thing -undermine its precedents and the whole shebang collapses.

But, when law collapses, it does not in domino-effect fashion, rather in cascades. It cascades because every law derives its power from some other law. In other words, every law is part of a wider network. Hence, in some way or the other, every law impinges on every aspect of how society's business is ordered.

That's why legal draftsmen are so highly-prized -theirs is the task of ensuring the construct of every law is properly designed, set out and laid. When legal draftsmen muck up, the law as enacted won't withstand the tests of time and probity. Hence, when crackshot legal draftsmen abound (or are given their due latitude) every law, ab inito, is settled...meaning, unchallengeable.

This discussion is thus preambled as it really is intended to address an alarming confession made by Mariano Browne, a former Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, concerning the overbearing delay by the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago [UDeCOTT] to have its accounts prepared, audited and published.

Initially, under the rubric "Shut down UDeCOTT!", I had posted in my blog and copied to several others an article which began this way:

One must not be surprised the "breaking" news that, for many, many years the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago [UDeCOTT] has not filed, far less, prepared, any financial statements..., nor has not been audited by the Auditor General of Trinidad and Tobago (as required by law, whether such statements are prepared or not)...

To that, Mr. Browne emailed me the following response, which he also posted in the JahajeeDesi forum):

That is incorrect on several grounds.

First, Udecott's financial statements  do not have to be audited by the Auditor general.

Second Financial statements were completed for 2007. 2008 and 09 were delayed by PWC who feared to publish in light of the COI as they did not know where that was going.

Third, Ms Jerlean John is on record as saying that she is not signing of on any accounts/ statements before her time.

So there you have the reasons for the delay in 08 09. And of course 2010 cant be published if you have not agreed 08 09.

If periods before 2007 were not filed that is a secretarial oversight which be easily corrected.

Mariano Browne
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device available from bmobile.

In my honest opinion, his attempt at rebuttal flopped for several reasons. Moreso they warrant criminal investigation into misbehaviour in public office as a start, for his amazing admission that the non-submission by PWC of its reports for three years was by design, not accident:

"Financial statements were completed for 2007. 2008 and 09 were delayed by PWC who feared to publish in light of the COI as they did not know where that was going"

constitutes a series of acts of hiding/withholding evidence in which he (and his Cabinet colleagues?) were complicit!

The Attorney General needs to let the Anti-Corruption Bureau have a go at this, then turn whatever is unearthed over to the Police.

Though several reasons exist for the complete rejection of Mr. Browne's explanation, the only one with which I shall here treat is his notion that

"Udecott's financial statements  do not have to be audited by the Auditor general."

I object! The laws, as I'd stated, insist they must. Indeed the laws insist that the books of all State Enterprises are to be audited by the Auditor General! Here's what our Constitution has to say (highlights are mine):

Establishment of Office and functions of Auditor General.

116.    (1) There shall be an Auditor General for Trinidad and Tobago, whose office shall be a public office.

(2) The public accounts of Trinidad and Tobago and of all officers, courts and authorities of Trinidad and Tobago shall be audited and reported on annually by the Auditor General, and for that purpose the Auditor General, and for that purpose the Auditor General or any person authorised by him in that behalf shall have access to all books, records, returns and other documents relating to those accounts.

(3) The Auditor General is hereby empowered to carry out audits of the accounts, balance sheets and other financial statements of all enterprises that are owned or controlled by or on behalf of the State.

(4) The Auditor General shall submit his reports annually to the Speaker, the President of the Senate and the Minister of Finance.

(5) The President of the Senate and the Speaker shall cause, Port to be laid before the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, at the next sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives after the receipt thereof, respectively.

(6) In the exercise of his functions under this Constitution the Auditor General shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.

119     (9) For the purposes of subsection (8) and section 116(3) an enterprise shall be taken to be controlled by the State if the Government or any body controlled by the Government-

(a) exercises or is entitled to exercise control directly or indirectly over the affairs of the enterprise;

(b) is entitled to appoint a majority of the directors of the Board of Directors of the enterprise; or

(c) holds at least fifty per cent of the ordinary share capital of the enterprise, as the case may be.

In my thinking:

• by placing the provision vesting the power in the Auditor General to deal with State Enterprises immediately after the subsection where he's empowered to delegate, can only be interpreted that, regarding State Enterprises, such power may only be exercised by the Auditor General, or auditors whom the Auditor General chooses, not whom the Board or CEO of any such State Enterprise does.
• in effect, therefore, what 116 (3) does is expand on the description of the institutions described in 116 (2) which the Auditor General must examine.

Furthermore, the Constitution contemplates the Auditor general having to deal with more and more "clients" as time evolves, for Section 117 (5) of our Constitution guarantees that:

The Auditor General shall be provided with a staff adequate for the efficient discharge of his functions.

Let us see what precedent shall come undone of this! For justice may only be served in this instance when the citizens get full disclosure concerning the inner secrets of UDeCOTT over the Hart-filled years especially.

As we await that justice, just remember what Lord Atkins said while we wait:

"But whether the authority and position of an individual Judge or the due administration of justice is concerned, no wrong is committed by any member of the public who exercises the ordinary right of criticizing in good faith in private or public the public act done in the seat of justice.

The path of criticism is a public way : the wrong headed are permitted to err therein : provided that members of the public abstain from imputing improper motives to those taking part in the administration of justice, and are genuinely exercising a right of criticism and not acting in malice or attempting to impair the administration of justice, they are immune.

Justice is not a cloistered virtue : she must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny and respectful even though outspoken comments of ordinary men."

http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/890137/

And that was in culmination of one of the most famous cases ever fought in Trinidad and Tobago: Andre Paul Terence Ambard vs The Attorney General Of Trinidad, in 1936.

May God help us see the light!

Shut down UDeCOTT!

One must not be surprised the "breaking" news that, for many, many years the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago [UDeCOTT] has not filed, far less, prepared, any financial statements for the past seven (years), nor has not been audited by the Auditor General of Trinidad and Tobago (as required by law, whether such statements are prepared or not) sent me into guffaws, for, invariably, the local media are slow on the draw: if they weren't they would have heeded my alert of 2008, which was given in my analysis of the stern admonition none other than the Commander-In-Chief, His Excellency The President, gave to the entire staff of said Auditor General way back in March 2008.

Please read:

>>All would be well if you do as I say and NOT as I do!<<.

Any State-owned company that has not prepared or submitted financial reports for such a long period as UDeCOTT has, ought to be shut down by imperial edict [order of Corporation Sole], or, wound up, placed in receivership, liquidated, stopped from operating, however one may want to describe it, for it's the Public Purse which is at risk when such companies do business, hence, when the brown, smelly stuff hits the fan, it's T&T's future generations and the weakest of the present who have to pay, since the Fat Cats make sure they hoff their money before things fall apart!

And, may God help us to see the light!

From one Richard to the next.

From one Richard to the next:

Dear Richard Seecharan,

In commenting on Minister Warner's publicly-expressed hope for funds to execute his Ministry's 2011-2012 programme, you alleged that:

"...this PP govt is sinking deeper and deeper into a pile of BS and feces.
One prays and hopes fervently that they see the error of their ways and start taking governance seriously - so many people placed their faith and trust in the PP, confident that there will be drastic change from the PNM. The nation needs a successful PP govt, we are in serious trouble, but alas! the PP does not seem to understand what is required of them."

My dear Richard, this gov't has no choice but to sink "deeper and deeper into a pile of BS and feces (sic)", for:

1. when it ascended the throne last year May, it met a T&T landscape entirely overwhelmed by said pile of BS and feces (sic); which, at once
2. it recognized to be the pervasive manifestation of 54 years of PNM's MAGNUM ET PRAEVELIBIT crap; crap that
3. over said 54-year period had become so entrenched, said pile had become thoroughly bottom-driven; hence,
4. to staunch it, this gov't had to hold its breath and descend, literally, into the depths of hell (which, as all know, is not a task the squeamish embrace); ergo,
5. everyday since then, this gov't gets deeper into the said pile, as, shovel load by shovel load, it removes said "BS and feces (sic)".

In summation:
The task is of epic proportions, as many generators of pure BS and feces (sic) are still hard at it, even as they yet squat where they were installed by the shooed regime. So the cleanup ops will be time-consuming and, as all cleanups go, sometimes will require rough effort, other times, a delicate touch.

Some of us may not be there to rejoice when it's completed, but, completed, under this gov't, it shall be!

Parting shot:
If I were still a wagering man, I'd wager that by May 2015 said pile of BS and feces (sic) and the relevance of those who deposited it would be no more and that, from long before then, T&T would be able to inhale and exhale with consummate ease and delight and that, any new crap would be sent packing with dispatch.

But, I took my chances on January 24th 2010, then on May 24th 2010...and won. No need then for me to linger at the gaming table -there's work a-plenty yet to be done.

© Richard Wm. Thomas,
    kid5rivers.com
    Five Rivers,
    Arouca,
    Trinidad and Tobago.

The freedom-loving people of are free at last!

From: CCDSJ_TT <CCDSJIntl@gmail.com>
To: caribbeantalk <caribbeantalk@yahoogroups.com>; CongressOfThePeople <congressofthepeople@yahoogroups.com>; jahajeedesi2005@yahoogroups.com; PeoplesPartnership@yahoogroups.com; TrinidadTobago@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 2:55:18 AM
Subject: [**CARIBBEAN*TALK*] JACK wants mo money: 'I would like to see plenty money boy. Plenty, plenty money'

Like we said yesterday, this PP govt is sinking deeper and deeper into a pile of BS and feces.

One prays and hopes fervently that they see the error of their ways and start taking governance seriously - so many people placed their faith and trust in the PP, confident that there will be drastic change from the PNM. The nation needs a successful PP govt, we are in serious trouble, but alas! the PP does not seem to understand what is required of them. 

Warner hopes for ‘plenty’ money in budget

By Richardson Dhalai Thursday, September 29 2011

Declaring he was optimistic that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure would benefit from “plenty, plenty money” in the 2011/2012 nation budget, however, Minster Jack Warner tempered his expectations saying the nation’s purse was “limited’ with his Ministry facing stiff competition from other Ministries which were also hopeful of increased allocations from the Ministry of Finance.

Speaking to reporters while on a tour of road rehabilitation works at the Tarouba flyover, Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, San Fernando on Tuesday night, Warner was asked what he would like to see in the national budget for his Ministry. “I would like to see plenty money boy. Plenty, plenty money,” he responded.

“I want to see money for PURE. [Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency]. PURE alone is asking for $1.3, $1.4 billion dollars. I want to see money for that. I want to see money for flood mitigation so that we can prevent flooding in the country,” he said.

“I want to see money for land slips, for bridges, so that we can arrest the problem in these areas, I want to see money for traffic wardens so that we can have traffic wardens doing what traffic police supposed to do. So I want to see plenty, plenty money, and I not so sure I seeing that,” Warner added.

Asked if he was not optimistic about increased budgetary allocations, he said, “No, I have to be realistic. The money is not there, and it is just a limited amount of money to do so much, and no more, but while I want plenty money, I have to be realistic.

“But hopefully they will find some money for the Mamoral dam as well; all these things are needed and they are vital, and while I am anxious, the other Ministers are equally as anxious,” he added..

http://newsday.co.tt/politics/0,148053.html