Principally about credit cards.

Re: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-03-10/vernella-pleads-ignorance-credit-card-terms-%E2%80%98there-was-no-deliberate-misuse%E2%80%99

wherein it's stated that, concerning the misuse of her official credit card, the Honourable Minister of Tobago Development (dunno whence the Guardian got the "Tobago Affairs Minister" appellation) told the House of Representatives:

“When I was told by the PS (Permanent Secretary) that you cannot withdraw from the card, I paid that back although I had done government business with  it—there was no deliberate misuse of the card...I use the card as advised by my principals in the ministry.”

First off: when the Honourable Minister referred to "my principals", she would've meant "my principal officers", since she is neither the Minister of Education -that's Dr. Tim- nor of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education -Fazal, take a bow!

With that settled, let's proceed, shall we?

It's an undisputed fact that, for the sake of a scoop, true journalists would go to great lengths and would delve into nooks and crannies only the very lusty-hearted would dare enter.

It's also undeniable that, during intimate exercises, those transported into the realm of ecstasy would, while in or almost in that state, state things which otherwise they would not, nonetheless which are true.

As one taught well by Daddy -may God have mercy on his soul!- I never judge the water by the surface, for still waters too may be shallow. So, when the Honourable Vernella Alleyne-Toppin forthrightly explained what had transpired, she mentioned PS and "my principals", forthwith I recalled the Ministry of Community Development and Gender Affairs secret scholarship awards, as I was the one who bussed the mark on them -the date was Friday November 30th 2007...read What a birdie whispered to me.- then, eventually, others, like the Honourables Devant Maharaj and Anand Ramlogan.

Therefore, it may be worthy of note that the PS to whom the Honourable Minister of Tobago Development referred also was PS -acting at the time, I believe- to the then almost all-powerful Joan Yuille-Williams during the time the latter was Minister of Community Development and Gender Affairs, since it was during such tenure the trysts were initiated and consummated -to hide the shame the whole incestuous affair was cloaked as a "Financial Assistance Programme" [FAP, which, by the way it was administered, really meant "Family And PNM"].

I may also be worthy of note that the said PS is the wife of Maxie Cuffie, a well-known unrepentant mover and shaker in and of the PNM aggregation, who presently calls the shots at the one-time little-people's paper, the TNT Mirror. Maybe that explains why the TNT Mirror of late openly indulges in bigging-up the PNM and attacking the Kamla Persad-Bissesar administration -why, even as recently as March 4th last, Maxie expatiated...see "Talking Bull" in the TNT Mirror at http://www.tntmirror.com/2012/03/04/talking-bull

By the way, as much as he loves the PNM, the PNM didn't see fit to accept his offer to be sacrificed on its La Horquetta/Talparo altar in 2007 -see "Cuffie faces PNM Screening at http://www.newsday.co.tt/politics/0,57925.html.

Some are fond of insisting the Public Service must remain independent of ministerial approbation, even though it is the Ministers' heads that are on the chopping block when things go awry or don't go at all, because public servants, through whom ministerial directives are executed, fail to perform their duties, or, worse yet, because of other powers tugging at their cords, put away their PNM ties merely to trick their new bosses into lowering the drawbridge for the Trojan Horse to enter. Maybe the next occasion the required majority is had, the Constitution would be amended to fix that problem.

But, then again, maybe everything I've herein conceived was born of a fevered mind...so, best thing for me at this stage to do is to logoff and go take my pills.

Bahbye!