Rowley Gone

Interesting news coming out of Port-of-Spain as the Trade Minister was fired, I see. Keith “all I need is a tea-cup to fight” Rowley has been fired by Dictator Manning. What’s better is that Ken Valley has now been revived from the political grave by the media to give his take on the situation which is basically him telling everyone that he told us so. Well guess what, I told everyone so, before you tubby. The Express quotes Valley as saying:

those who have ears to hear, would have heard what he said before the election (about Prime Minister Patrick Manning)”.

I suppose we can take that to mean that the people of Trinidad & Tobago have ears of corn, since they did not heed Mr. Valley’s warnings of Mr. Manning’s impending dictatorial tenancies.

I wonder how Keith must be feeling right about now, having been with the PNM for so long and now being tossed aside. One gets the feeling that there is certainly some animosity, even sadness in it all as Rowley sat in the benches with no name plate, throwing glances at Patrick when he wasn’t doing the same.

I know I can count on my team to pick at the bones as the carcass rots in the sun. First Ramesh comes up to say that the collapse of the Government is at hand, happening in mere months when he thought it would be over a course of 3 years. Looks like someone owes me a doubles for winning a bet!

Next, Kamla hops out of the kitchen to say that Manning owes the country an explanation considering Rowley has had experience in parliament and if what people are saying about his firing being on account of laying allegations on the PNM then all of this should be addressed. But more important than that, more important than whatever problem is going in within the PNM is that they are masters of diverting attention. We still have high food prices to deal with over here.

Oh yeah, and Jack said something about how Colm Imbert is up next. Gold star for effort, I suppose. I swear, you give the man a safe seat in a strong UNC constituency and he thinks he’s the greatest politician since Basdeo Panday.

Well, I am still here in London. Oma is coping. I think I will try to do this more often, blogging my thoughts in one collective post rather than try posting ever so often during the day. What do you think? Feel free to follow me on Twitter, I will update there more often and save the meatier things for right here on the blog.

I think we need to have a meeting with Jack so he knows when is the right time to talk and when to be quiet.

Now I’m Banned From Parliament?

Well, look at this. Yesterday I made an attempt to perform my duty and represent the people of the country that I love when I was stopped by Senior Superintendent Lopez. We had a bit of an exchange as The Express reports:

“The suspension was for one day, so I come to do my duty and I don’t know who’s stopping me from entering the Parliament…is it the Speaker? Did the Speaker order you to arrest me if I come here?”

The officer, in a very soft and almost inaudible tone, said: “Yes Sir, the Speaker has said to restrain you from coming.”

Panday shot back, “Restrain me physically, with force and violence and that kind of thing.”

“No violence Sir,” the officer immediately replied as Panday quipped , “How could you use force without violence?”

Trying his best to control the situation the officer told Panday, “I know you are a man of wisdom.”

Panday replied: “Anyway, anyway…this is not your fault, I am not quarrelling with you, I assure you of that, OK.

“I am here to do my duty because I received no communication from anybody and I presume that I was right to be here, if however you say you are instructed by the Speaker not to let me in, I will comply with your wish.”

“You have your duty to do and I have mine,” he continued as he asked the officer, “May I ask your name please sir..because I am going to have to swear to [an] affidavit”.

Panday explained that if the Opposition takes legal action against the Speaker, the entire controversy will have to be documented.

The officer gave his name as Senior Superintendent Lopez as Panday continued, “Thank you kindly and can you tell me when he (Speaker) instructed you.”

Lopez said he was given notice on Thursday by Sinanan to block Panday from entering the House and told Panday, “I appreciate your cooperation”.

“My pleasure, my pleasure,” responded Panday.

So it occurs to me that the PNM really has it out for me this time. Barendra Sinanan must have really gotten his palms greased with some oil money to go along with this one. The media was in my face so I figured why not tell everyone what the PNM is all about – I might as well, Ramesh and I have an ongoing bet to see who can get the most press coverage for the year. As I am about to tell the media how it is all a big conspiracy, the unthinkable happens.

“Mr Panday! Mr Panday! That is a lie! It is not a conspiracy! You lie!” shouted the unidentified man.

The man was restrained by some Charlotte Street vendors who told him to shut up and behave.

He refused to listen and proceeded to shout and yell and verbally attack Panday, pushing media personnel in the process.

“Just so! Just so! Let me have my say! Let me have my say!” shouted the man.

As the fracas heightened, Panday calmly said, “Alright, alright…I’m going home”.

He then gently made his way through the crowd and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

The bugger cut me off! I’ve been telling Oma we have to start doing like the royalty we are and have a veil or blanket of some sort over us when in public like Michael Jackson does with his children. (When I was discussing this with her one time, Jack was there and said that it would be a good idea if we all did it, especially since Ramesh’s face has been harder to look at lately what with the botched Botox job and all.)

Oh and I appreciate the media realising I was able to disappear in the blink of an eye – I figured since I would be banned from parliament (forget that I said I didn’t know, shh) I would take up magic.

Well, I better get some rest, I have to prepare for a meeting with those vendors (do I know how to take advantage of a situation or what?)

Wade Mark says he has a plan for next year (that’s political speak for “we have a year to think of something”). Got to love Wade, and all our members. Always thinking on our feet!

And The Laptop Debacle Goes On

DEPUTY SPEAKER Pennelope Beckles yesterday disclosed that Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday had been warned before last Friday’s sitting of the House of Representatives about not using a laptop computer during a sitting if he was not going to contribute to the debate.

–Newsday Article

I don’t know why she has to be getting involved in all of this. Is someoneangry because we don’t like her album? Tell-tell baby! Walla walla dumping, take of your shoes and tell your Prime Minister something!