Prime Minister Patrick Manning has urged citizens to be supportive of efforts for next week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) since investment flows from it will "redound to the benefit of present and future generations." In an address to the nation last night, Manning said: "Every positive story of T&T that emanates from this meeting will go a long way towards our international prominence."
When I read this, a song phrase immediately popped into my head:
Uh huh, uh huh, we like it… ah ha, ah ha
One of the ‘disco’ tunes from way back…
My point is that we saw no benefits - from numerous ‘international’ meetings held previously. From hosting Miss Universe to a just recently held Summit, we have yet to see even one bit of tangible evidence that we have benefited in any way.
For the summit of the Americas the big "catch" for the PNM government was Barrack Obama and Michelle Obama. For the CHOGM, it appears to be the French president and his wife - former model Carla Bruni (if she attends). From all accounts I have read so far it seems that the French president invited himself.
Manning said T&T, as host, would also experience invaluable promotion for its stability, harmonious diversity, democracy and adherence to human rights and freedoms.
I am still laughing over that. I hope Manning informed all his visitors that the tobacco bill was passed yesterday and that smoking is now ‘illegal’. But you can bet your ass and its load, that there would be a lot of smoking and drinking going on behind closed doors.
It occurred to me that quite a lot of the laws against smoking mentions cigarette. Does this mean then that cigars are permissible?
Obesity is a problem in the UK (and may well be in Trinidad if I recall correctly). So is diabetes, heart disease, etc. Far more is spent on health care on these than on smokers. Are we to regulate people's diets too? Once you cross the line, where will you stop?
It seems that I am right once more, and that the government is now going to regulate people's diets. I did point out that once they have crossed the line with the tobacco bill they are opening the doors to gain more and more control. It does not stop only there though.
As I have pointed out for the past two years, there is a gradual encroachment and reduction in the people's rights. But those who are too blind to see, you will just have to feel! We like it, ah ha ah ha…Narace revealed yesterday a committee had been established to address the question of alcohol use. The aim is to promote responsible drinking, he stressed, adding alcohol was also on Government's target list.
