Guanaguanare: the laughing gull

Rest In Peace, Josiah Governor

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:17:00 +0000

Today I am remembering with parting blessings, little Josiah Governor, who died last Friday. He is being laid in his final resting place today following a funeral service at Simpson’s Funeral Chapel on the Eastern Main Road, Laventille. The service starts at 10:00 a.m. and the burial will take place at the Tunapuna Cemetery. SOURCE

Rest in Peace, Josiah.

Please let his story, like those of too many other children gone before him, motivate us to be more humane in the way we treat our children.

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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Red, White and Black [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:16:00 +0000

Uploaded by Trinnilicious4life
RED, WHITE AND BLACK
By Gary Jackson (2012)

Spoken:
This is what I meant when I gave the nation as its slogan for all time:

Discipline, Production, Tolerance.

Our national flag ------ all of us, our national coat of arms with our national birds. Inspired therein is the sacred trust of all our citizens. So it is today, please, I urge you, let it always be so. Let us always be able to say with the psalmist:

"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."

Words of the founding father. Yeah, gimme the music!

Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black

Oh yes, I remember liming on the main road whole night
Me, you, Chin and Dougla, everything was all right
All this talk I hearing lately 'bout racism and ethnicity
---------- the love deep inside of me
For my beautiful twin island, Mother T&T.

Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T.

T&T, T&T, children of mother T&T

So much to unite us and bind as as one people
To me it's more than obvious, we are inseparable
Ain't nobody like we, J'Ouvert morning, come, you go see
No race, no class, no envy
Is pure love, children of Mother T&T.

Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T

Oh yeah, oh yeah!...

Let me tell you the only way to go forward
Is to love one another, love one another... oh yeah
love one another, love one another.

Let's take Trinidad and Tobago higher

Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T

On this grand occasion, fiftieth anniversary
Time for deep reflection as we celebrate the journey
Kaiso, steelpan, chutney
Crab and dumpling, ------ roti
Laventille or Caroni,
Pure love, children of mother T&T.

Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black
Gimme the red, white and black, Mother T&T

T&T, T&T, children of mother T&T

Spoken:
I know we may come from different fathers
But that is no reason to keep us apart
Trinidad and Tobago, it's time that we start
We heading for a new future
And we could only do that together as one people
Mother Trinidad and Tobago, love you! Yeah, yeah!
Mother T&T, T&T, T&T, children of Mother T&T.

Blessings!

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Gary Jackson!

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Red, White, Black- Ris, Yu, Peiti

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

If you haven't already seen Carlisle Chang's account of how the colours were chosen for the national flag of Trinidad and Tobago, then have a listen to the video below.

Outside of our national flag, I first heard this particular combination of red, black and white being referred to in Juan Luis Guerra's song,"Naboria daca, mayanimacaná"- a song about Caribbean First Nations conquest and genocide - where he uses the Taino words "ris, yu, peiti" meaning "red, black, white."

More recently I was reading an article by the archaeologist Arie Boomert, "Crossing the Galleons' Passage: Amerindian interaction and cultural (dis)unity between Trinidad and Tobago." Journal of Caribbean Archaeology, 2010, and I discovered more mentions of red, black and white, this time referring to the colours found on the pottery of First Nations peoples in Trinidad and Tobago"

"Pre-fired painting in red, white and black remains typical...."

"In Trinidad the earliest Saladoid pottery is known only from the southwesternmost part of the island. This Cedros complex is typified by relatively thin, well made ceramics including predominantly round or oval flaring open bowls and dishes, restricted bowls or jars, inverted bell-like bowls, keeled bowls or jars, and bottles showing painted, incised and modelled decorative motifs, for instance comprising white-on-red and rarely white-and-black-on-red painted designs..." SOURCE

I pleases me, even if the similarity is only coincidental, to think that the choice of colours for our flag was not a coincidence but proof of guidance by a persisting Amerindian esthetic or spirit. This land is red, white and black on so many levels.

Creation of the National Flag of Trinidad and Tobago
Carlisle Chang

Uploaded by thebookmann

Some of our songs which mention our national flag or colours:

3 Colours. By David Rudder, Bunji Garlin and Faye-Ann Lyons.

All Ah We Is Trini. By Rajin Dhanraj

Fighter. By Maximus Dan

One Family. By Nadia Batson

Red, White and Black. By Gary Jackson

This Is My Flag. By Rocky McCollin

True Colours. By Singing Sandra

Which Bone? By Joanne Foster

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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

All Ah We Is Trini [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Uploaded by MszStudz
ALL AH WE IS TRINI
By Rajin Dhanraj (2010)

Now that the silly season gone,
Time for we country to move on
With smiling and coconuts,
Got to let the healing start.

Chorus:
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
Show your Trini spirit, time to bury the hatchet
All ah we is Trini and we love we country
Hold the other flags back, wave the red, white and black
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
So let the whole world know we are Trini to the marrow.

Now is not time for pettiness
Got to fix we country business
Now let's work and doh complain
So Trini love will flow again.

Chorus:
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
Show your Trini spirit, time to bury the hatchet
All ah we is Trini and we love we country
Hold the other flags back, wave the red, white and black
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
So let the whole world know we are Trini to the marrow.

When I say Trini you must know
That I also mean Tobago
Now, captain rev the engine
This ship ready for sailing.

Chorus:
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
Show your Trini spirit, time to bury the hatchet
All ah we is Trini and we love we country
Hold the other flags back, wave the red, white and black
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
So let the whole world know we are Trini to the marrow.

So glad we in a democracy
We following the majority
We are happy and we are celebrating
Unite for the country to win.

Chorus:
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
Show your Trini spirit, time to bury the hatchet
All ah we is Trini and we love we country
Hold the other flags back, wave the red, white and black
'Cause all ah we is Trini and we love we country
So let the whole world know we are Trini to the marrow.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Rajin Dhanraj.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

La Tierra Del Olvido [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Uploaded by PlayingForChange
LA TIERRA DEL OLVIDO
By Carlos Vives

Como la luna que alumbra | Like the moon illuminates
Por la noche los caminos | the roads at night
Como las hojas al viento | Like the leaves in the wind
Como el sol espanta al frío | Like the sun dispels the cold
Como la tierra a la lluvia | Like the earth to the rain
Como el mar espera al rio | Like the sea awaits the river
Asi espero tu regreso | So I wait for your return
A la tierra del olvido. | To the land of forgetfulness.

Como naufragan mis miedos | Like my fears are destroyed
Si navego en tu mirada | If I look into your eyes
Como alertas mis sentidos | Like my senses are awakened
Con tu voz enamorada | With your beloved voice
Con tu sonrisa de nina | With your girlish smile
Como me mueves el alma | Like you move my soul
Como me quitas el sueno | Like you make me lose sleep
Como me robas la calma. | Like you take away my composure.

Tu tienes la llave de mi corazon | You hold the key to my heart
Yo te quiero | I love you
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor | More than my life because without your love
Yo me muero | I die.
Tu tienes la llave de mi corazon | You hold the key to my heart
Yo te quiero | I love you
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor | More than my life because without your love
Yo me muero | I die.

Como la luna que alumbra | Like the moon illuminates
Por la noche los caminos | the roads at night
Como las hojas al viento | Like the leaves in the wind
Como el sol espanta al frío | Like the sun dispels the cold
Como la tierra a la lluvia | Like the earth to the rain
Como el mar espera al rio | Like the sea awaits the river
Asi espero tu regreso | So I wait for your return
A la tierra del olvido. | To the land of forgetfulness.

Tu tienes la llave de mi corazon | You hold the key to my heart
Yo te quiero | I love you
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor | More than my life because without your love
Yo me muero | I die.
Tu tienes la llave de mi corazon | You hold the key to my heart
Yo te quiero | I love you
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor | More than my life because without your love
Yo me muero | I die.

Yo te doy... Oye! mi corazon. Oye! | I give you ...Oye! my heart. Oye!

Tu tienes la llave de mi corazon | You hold the key to my heart
Yo te quiero | I love you
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor | More than my life because without your love
Yo me muero | I die.
Tu tienes la llave de mi corazon | You hold the key to my heart
Yo te quiero | I love you
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor | More than my life because without your love
Yo me muero | I die.

Yo me muero... | I die

Colombia! Tierra mestiza. | Colombia! Land of mixture.
Mi Colombia, mi Colombia, tierra hermosa | My Colombia, my Colombia, beautiful land
Llena de mares, llena de montañas | Many seas, many mountains
De pajaros, de pajaros...aye! de arboles | many birds, many birds...aye! many trees...

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

My heartfelt thanks to all the Colombian musicians and performers and technicians who were involved in the production of this Playing For Change video. Quite stunning! At the start of the video it is stated:

"No matter how much division and struggle we face in life,
we can always persevere with the power of music and love."

We have both in abundant supply in Trinidad and Tobago - love and music. Thanks to all the cultures that bless this land. Special thanks to those that do not erect enclaves, but mingle to embrace and to create and to enhance a common homeland.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

The T&T River: "Tips on Preventing Child Abuse – Educate yourself please!"

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:40:00 +0000

I came across a very thoughtful, informative and moving post on child abuse at the blog The T&T River. I am recommending it here: "Tips on Preventing Child Abuse – Educate yourself please!"

T&R River, I tried leaving a comment on your blog but I kept getting the message that there was an error with my submission. Thank you for this post!
Blessings
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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Har Taraf Har Jagah [Ghazal]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:24:00 +0000

Uploaded by Cypher88888888
HAR TARAF HAR JAGAH
Performed by Lata Mangeshkar and Jagjit Singh
Album: Sajda

For Josiah Governor

Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi
Phir bhi tanhaiyon ka shikaar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi.

In every direction, every place, there are several people
Even then, man is a victim of loneliness.

Subah se shaam tak bojh dhota hua
Subah se shaam tak bojh dhota hua
Apni hi laash ka khud mazaar aadmi
Apni hi laash ka khud mazaar aadmi.

From morning to evening, he is burdened
A man is a grave for his own corpse.

Phir bhi tanhaiyon ka shikaar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi.

In every direction, every place, there are several people
Even then, man is a victim of loneliness.

Har taraf bhaagte daudhte raaste
Har taraf bhaagte daudhte raaste
Har taraf aadmi ka shikaar aadmi
Har taraf aadmi ka shikaar aadmi.

In every direction, there are paths running
Everywhere, man is a victim of man.

Phir bhi tanhaiyon ka shikaar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi.

In every direction, every place, there are several people
Even then, man is a victim of loneliness.

Roz jeeta hua roz marta hua
Roz jeeta hua roz marta hua
Har naye din naya intezar aadmi
Har naye din naya intezar aadmi.

Everyday he lives and everyday he dies
Every new day is a new waiting for man.

Phir bhi tanhaiyon ka shikaar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi.

In every direction, every place, there are several people
Even then, man is a victim of loneliness.

Zindagi ka mukkaddar safar dar safar
Zindagi ka mukkaddar safar dar safar
Aakhri saans tak bekaraar aadmi
Aakhri saans tak bekaraar aadmi.

The fate of life is journey after journey
'Til the last breath, man is always without peace.

Phir bhi tanhaiyon ka shikaar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi
Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi.

In every direction, every place, there are several people
Even then, man is a victim of loneliness.
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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Lata Mangeshkar and Jagjit Singh.

I am deliberately returning to "Sajda" tonight to settle my troubled heart and I dedicate this song "Har Taraf Har Jagah" to Josiah wherever he is now beyond the pain of this world. I read that Josiah wanted to become a police officer and I find myself wondering if this desire was inspired by his own situation of powerlessness and pain. Did he see police officers as superheroes who could protect the weak and stop the abusers in their tracks? Could he have wanted to be for others the protector that he never found in those who surrounded him? It is this aloneness that is brought to mind by the lines:

Har taraf har jagah beshumar aadmi
Phir bhi tanhaiyon ka shikaar aadmi.

In every direction, every place, there are several people
Even then, man is a victim of loneliness.

I did not respond well to the news of Josiah's death. Since my post, I was relieved to find the article below by an unidentified author. I wish that I had been able to write it because it addresses with empathy the roots of the problem rather than the fruit. Josiah's abuse and death, the dysfunctional family into which he was born and the neighbourhood which harboured his abusers are all fruits of a violence that is systemic in our society.

It helps nothing to simply respond with anger like I did, if we are not going to do something, no matter how small, to start addressing the underlying causes. Yes, some may say that it is the anger of others that is needed to shock the dreamers awake. We all share this society and at some point we have to tell those who have become too comfortable with their "issues" that society is no longer going to be their enablers, that they also have responsibilities as adults to find a way to address their problems. But anger can lead us to respond rashly and anger also fades after a while and very often when it is spent we find that we have not moved forward but have slipped back into passivity to await the next trigger. It is the thoughtful analyses of people like the author below which should be solicited and used towards creation of support systems to help those who feel that they lack the tools to help themselves.

A failure to act turns fatal.
Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 25, 2012 at 12:09 AM ECT

Amidst the regrets and recriminations heard every time a child is murdered, many persons invariably hasten to make a distinction between "discipline" and "abuse". Yet the reality is that most abusers do not know when they are stepping over that blurred line, and so "disciplinarians" can easily become child-killers in a society where corporal punishment is widely approved.

In the case of six-year-old Josiah Governor, who was beaten to death last Friday, reports suggest that the alleged killer used to beat the boy to do better in his schoolwork. If so, the perpetrator was performing an act which 98 per cent of parents and teachers, according to a 2004 survey headed by Prof Ramesh Deosaran, approve. This, along with distrust of the police, is why Josiah's neighbours, despite hearing the child's cries over many months, never reported the matter to the authorities.

Yet the neighbourhood was only the last set of adults to fail Josiah. Even the circumstances of his birth made it more, rather than less likely, that the odds would be against him as he grew up. His mother was in her teenage years when she conceived him, and so little more than a child herself. Josiah's biological father abandoned him when he was still a baby, hence further weakening the child's family network. When Josiah's mother formed a relationship with another man, this created another downward spiral for, while there are many good step-parents, adults who are not biologically related to children are more likely to abuse them.

In an interview with the Express yesterday, Josiah's paternal grandmother revealed that she was aware of the abuse her grandson was experiencing — indeed, the child had begged her to take him into her home. But, when she threatened to report the abuse to the police, the grandmother was told that, if she did so, she would not be allowed to see Josiah. So she kept silent, and now her grandson is silenced forever.

In this death, therefore, the whole society is culpable. Josiah's family failed to fulfil their most basic duty — protect the life of their child. The community failed him, by refusing to get involved even to the extent of reporting the matter to the police. The teachers at Josiah's school failed, either by not noticing that anything was wrong, or failing to deal with the issue if they did notice. The social services failed from the time Josiah was born, by not identifying the mother and her baby as at-risk. And all the adults in Trinidad and Tobago who believe corporal punishment is justified have tacitly contributed to the cycle of violence which all too easily leads to the killing of children.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare.

For Our Former PM, Peace And Love As You Recover.

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:53:00 +0000

DONA LA PACE

Dona la pace, dona la pace ai nostri cuori, oh Signore!
Dona la pace, dona la pace ai nostri cuori, oh Signore!
Resta qui, insieme a noi, resta qui, insieme a noi.
E la pace regnerà.

Give peace, give peace to our hearts, O Lord!
Give peace, give peace to our hearts, O Lord!
Stay here with us, stay here with us.
And peace will reign.

Dona l'amore, dona l'amore, ai nostri cuori, oh Signore!
Dona l'amore, dona l'amore, ai nostri cuori, oh Signore!
Resta qui, insieme a noi, resta qui, insieme a noi.
E l'amore regnerà.

Give love, give love to our hearts, O Lord!
Give love, give love to our hearts, O Lord!
Stay here with us, stay here with us.
And love will reign.

Dona la pace, dona la pace al mondo intero, oh Signore!
Dona la pace, dona la pace al mondo intero, oh Signore!
Resta qui, insieme a noi, resta qui, insieme a noi.
E la pace regnerà.

Give peace, give peace to the whole world, oh Lord!
Give peace, give peace to the whole world, oh Lord!
Stay here with us, stay here with us.
And peace will reign.

Dona l'amore, dona l'amore al mondo intero, oh Signore!
Dona l'amore, dona l'amore al mondo intero, oh Signore!
Resta qui, insieme a noi, resta qui, insieme a noi.
E l'amore regnerà.
Resta qui, insieme a noi, resta qui, insieme a noi.
E l'amore regnerà.

Give love, give love to the whole world, oh Lord!
Give love, give love to the whole world, oh Lord!
Stay here with us, stay here with us.
And love will reign.
Stay here with us, stay here with us.
And love will reign.
..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

The 11th Commandment [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:48:00 +0000

"The 11th Commandment" by Collin Raye | Uploaded by lokngid

WARNING SIGNS OF CHILD ABUSE

Abused children often show sudden and marked changes in behaviour that are tell tale signs that they may be abused. Some behavioural signs to look for are:

• Withdrawal from activities, friends and family;
• Display of inappropriate/overt sexual behaviour;
• Unusual interest in, or avoidance of all things of a sexual nature;
• Visible sadness;
• Poor hygiene, unkempt appearance, malnourishment;
• Marked decline in school performance;
• Self-destructive or self-abusive behaviour or suicidal thoughts;
• Aggressive or disruptive behaviour; and
• Avoidance or dislike of visiting a particular relative or family friend.

Anyone who observes these behaviours in a child must notify the school principal/teacher/social worker in your community, or call
Childline at 131 or 800-4231. SOURCE

REPORT ALL FORMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OBSERVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY!!

For victim, perpetrator and third party advice call the
National Domestic Violence Hotline at (868) 800-SAVE (7283) for 24-hr telephone counselling, support and access to safe accommodation.

Call the police, even if you are more comfortable making an anonymous report.
Anti Crime Hotline: 555

The Lights Are On But No One's At Home.

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Man suspected of beating boy to death over homework.
By Jensen LaVende
Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 20, 2012 at 9:49 PM ECT

POLICE are probing the death of a six-year-old Laventille boy who was reportedly beaten to death by a male relative for not doing his homework.

Homicide detectives were up to late last night at Herman Scott Road, taking witness statements and searching for clues at the home where Josiah Governor lived with his 22-year-old mother and the male relative.

According to neighbours, the frail child would be constantly beaten by the 25-year-old relative and for not doing well academically with one neighbour saying that the suspect was a "bright boy" and the child was a slow learner.

"What that child could do to get licks like that?" one neighbour asked as members of the media spoke to neighbours who gathered near a parlour discussing the matter.

They said they were accustomed to hearing the child's screams, but no one ever intervened.

Lystra Salazar, a neighbour, said one time she threw a big stone on the roof of the home because she was tired of hearing the child screams.

"Them living here years now and he accustomed beating the child. One time I wanted to call the police but my mister tell me no. Last time I couldn't take it and throw a big stone on the roof," Salazar said.

Another neighbour who wished not be named said she would normally hear the child and the child's mother "bawling" but never thought to intervene because she "not getting in man and woman business".

Police said the child was taken to the Besson Street Police Station around 3 p.m. yesterday by the two adults who asked that the child be taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital. The officers who noticed the child was unconscious rushed the child to the hospital where he was reported dead on arrival.

Officers believed the child was beaten with a blunt object as there were several marks about his body. The child was brought to the station, police say, wrapped in a piece of cloth.

Police are awaiting autopsy results before determining whether the killing can be classified as a murder. The couple are assisting police with their investigations.

Sometimes, I am really sorry for us and what we have become. Aided ably over time by those who have had the power to contribute significantly to setting the tone and direction of our society, we are now all hapless children it seems. Every time there is another injustice, the babies begin to howl and wail in their cradles. No one responds out of genuine concern, and if they do, the concern has a time limit of three seconds. The babies continue to fuss, perhaps adding some coughs and frantic kicking for effect. If there is a response, we are told either to shut up and stop making noise or to direct our complaints to the previous caretakers. If a slap upside the head can be executed without leaving much of a mark, the hot spots are the targets of choice. An equally careless caretaker may throw us a pacifier coated with something sweet but injurious or sing us some vapid lullaby composed on the fly about what Santa will bring us if we don't pout. Most of us eventually cry ourselves to sleep with feverish brows, tear-stained cheeks and with rum or an unfinished prayer on our lips...six of one, half a dozen of the other, some may say.

Battered woman syndrome be damned! I am not waiting for the results of any autopsy. I charge you all with murder - woman, man and neighbours.

I am remembering the story about Sabrina Lalla-Mitchell and how she was stabbed to death to the rhythm of her co-workers' cowardice and her "husband's" rage. Same story, but this time the lifeless body is that of a tiny broken dove, another frail, defenseless child who did not have a fighting chance against the blows of an adult.

On three occasions in T&T, I was present when crimes were in progress and I did not stand by. I didn't even have the option of simply making an anonymous phone call to the police. People asked me after the first occasion if I was not afraid that my face would be "marked", meaning remembered by the criminal for later retaliation. That thought had not even crossed my mind when I had intervened and if the opportunity were to present itself again, I would not think twice to jump in. These neighbours however, sat on this situation for a period of months if not longer and enjoyed the sweet luxury of:

- witnessing that the child was frail and would be constantly beaten for homework and playing too much SOURCE
- becoming accustomed to hearing the screams of both the child and the mother
- growing tired of hearing the child screams
- observing the child “flying” through the window of the home before landing on the rocky ground almost 12 feet below SOURCE
- choosing deliberately not to intervene
- assessing that the suspect was a "bright boy" and the child was a slow learner
- musing about what that child could do to get licks like that
- recalling wistfully that "one time" they had ALMOST called the police
- pretending that a mister's "No" has ever stopped a woman from doing what she is determined to do.
- choosing to communicate jungle style, despite, I am sure, having possession of more than one cellphone, by lobbing a big warning stone onto the roof of the house of horrors
- mumbling about the travesty of interfering in "man and woman business."
- congregating AFTER the fact near a parlour to discuss the matter as a community.
- deciding only AFTER the death that the male relative would not be welcomed there anymore. Apparently the relative had crossed a line by killing the child. Before that his abuse could be tolerated by all. "You can’t kill little children and women. That not right." SOURCE

Who named this child? Who valued this soul enough when he came into this world to name him so beautifully? For Christians, this name, Josiah, is not a frivolous name. This name coming from the Hebrew literally means "healed by Yahweh" or "supported of Yahweh." Where was Yahweh, you may ask, when His child was being pummeled to death? He was persistently in the ears and voices and the hearts and the hands and the bodies of the community of persons who are now pretending that they did not know what God expected of them. They were fully aware of that child's distress and chose not to come to his assistance.

This is not God's handiwork. It is society's.

This is not Mr. Gibbs' doing, although by the time the murder statistics come out for the first quarter, most would have forgotten, or will choose to ignore the fact that this murder, as well as many others included, can be traced directly back to our own sins of omission and commission in the formation of our children. It is more convenient to put the blame on the Commissioner, even more laughable in this instance because Mr. Gibbs was imported from another society. Perhaps if we must blame him, we ought to accuse him of not hiring a team of ace psychics who can predict when and where every crime will occur in T&T so that the police officers can arrive on the scene an hour before instead of after. But we remain babies and babies, you see, cannot be expected to fathom such complexities. They just need their excreta to be removed and their bellies to be filled in a timely manner.

Josiah was another test and we FAILED! His mute, dead body lies as our conviction and punishment.

I still love you T&T but you have to take the lead, I mean, YOU, the people. You will be respected only as much as you respect yourselves.

Some time ago, Minister for Youth and Gender Affairs, Verna St Rose-Greaves announced her Gatekeepers Initiative. In the scheme, twenty persons "from each of Santa Cruz and Covigne Road, Diego Martin, would be trained as “Gatekeepers” on a new $3.2 million, three-year pilot project. They would become the “eyes and ears of their communities”." SOURCE

So much and too late for Josiah, but Minister St Rose-Greaves, while other communities wait for formal training, couldn't your office, together with the Police Service organise some informal community meetings using the social wardens throughout the country to remind people about how they can and must try to make a difference when they observe that their neighbours are at risk? It seems ridiculous that we should have to be taught how to find ways to love each other but for better or for worse, this is the world in which we are to be tested.

"Me Today, You Tomorrow." By Shadow | Uploaded by cool4rocknroll | Lyrics

Clean Heart [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:31:00 +0000

Uploaded by IsDePanInMe

CLEAN HEART
By Singing Sandra

Time to ease yourself from the struggle, time to ease yourself from the stress
'Cause so long we fighting this battle and yet we life in a mess
All where we turn now is drug abusion, so much young girls in prostitution
Tell me what is your expectation for the upcoming generation?
We blame it on world leaders, them is the first we does see to blame
And yet still we living in poverty and we lifestyle it is a shame
'Cause this man does feel that he dreader and this one does feel that he dread
But you could never know who's the dreadest man 'til you hear that one ah them dead.

Chorus:
Keep a clean heart and a clear conscience
This war and violence, it really don't make sense
Keep a clean heart, make sure your conscience free
You good in words and deeds, then you could jump and spree.

If your heart clean, put it in the air! Hear why...

Too much raping, too much kidnapping, child pornography pictures snapping
And if we live till 2K11 what the hell you think going to happen?
When fathers raping their daughters, mothers raping their son
Ah set ah five year old now in primary schools, they done know how to use a gun
Some fellahs doh want no hard-earned money, tiefing is dey only resort
But is to see them early Monday morning in a jail van going to court
And from that nothing them boy achieving, is everything they does loss
So is time to put down your gun, put down your knife
Give praises to de Boss!

Chorus:
A clean heart and a clear conscience
This war and violence, it really don't make sense
Keep a clean heart, make sure your conscience free
You good in words and deeds, then you could jump and spree.

If your heart clean, send it to heaven! Eh!

Single mothers, absentee fathers, our homes are run by the youth
While we chase the almighty dollar, the TV is we substitute
As we put up towers and buildings, calling them Centres of Excellence
Our children keep making children, though some talking 'bout abstinence
While we dream about 2020, I does pray for the good old days
Today in this land of plenty, poverty will leave you amazed
While we keep searching for an answer, more than cancer under the knife
For a group talking 'bout "Aspire" want to ambush the unborn life!

Chorus:
A clean heart and a clear conscience
This war and violence, it really don't make sense
Keep a clean heart, make sure your conscience free
You good in words and deeds, then you could jump and spree.

Clean heart!

You got to be good in all that you doing, keep God in your heart day by day
You can't sit down every day skylarking and weekend expect to get pay
Some fellahs don't want no hard-earned money, them only intend to rob and shoot
But them is the first, if you hear them saying,
"Police fighting down the ghetto youth."
I does 'fraid to put on mih TV, the way how this country confused
Because I sure every day you sure to hear 4-5-6 murders on the news
They say things will be getting better but things only getting worse
And the way how I see things going right now
Like mih country bless with ah curse!

Chorus:
A clean heart and a clear conscience
This war and violence, it really don't make sense
Keep a clean heart, make sure your conscience free
You good in words and deeds, then you could jump and spree.

If your heart clean raise it to heaven
When your hear clean you does dance. So my heart is clean so watch me now!

Raise your clean heart to the heavens!!...

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Unwritten Law [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:40:00 +0000

Uploaded by IsDePanInMe

UNWRITTEN LAW
By Chalkdust

Well, Mister Politician, with your right hand you swore honestly
With Bible in hand or with the Qu'ran, you pledged to serve we
A committed man with religion, you once used to be
But when the Treasury band pass by your station, man, you get greedy
So you -------- and you feel as man you get 'way scotch free
No Integrity Commission can't touch your stolen money
But you still must face something higher than any Commission
And that's the punishment ------ the calypsonian.

When you see Pink Panther and Cro Cro
Name you a thief in their calypso
As they pass that sentence on your head
You'll be called a big thief until you dead
And when you dead, there's still no relief
People will call all your generation thief
So before you join politics, you must know
In Trinbago, you must bow down to calypso!

Well, Mister Politician, you join the band to rape the Treasury
Kickbacks and grease hand from them businessman have you now wealthy
Up in Switzerland a big million you stash 'way tax free
But the calypsonian -----------------------------
Mister Politician, what you have done calls for harsh treatment
--------- granting you no bail is soft punishment
Charging you a fine mix with cat o' nine is like mashing your toe
But you will feel the blow when we jail you in calypso!

When you see Duke and Valentino
Find you guilty in their calypso
All in India where them CD's go
They'll call you a thief and a scamp also
People will dance to their tunes in Toronto
And call your name as a pappyshow
No future can't save you from that spirit blow
This ent chutney, you know, you must bow down to calypso!

Well, Mister Politician, the calypsonian throughout history
Has fought corruption from parliamentarians and skulduggery
British governors, prime ministers have all felt its weight
Albert Gomes, ----------, Eric Williams, they were laid out straight
Sparrow punish Patrick Solomon for freeing his stepson
And the whole world still 'fraid Karl for his laws on sedition
And in history all children will learn that Chambers duncey
And Gabby destroy Tom Adams in Bridgetown city.

When you see Brigo and King Sparrow
Name you a scamp in their calypso
Is best ten cobo pee on your head
You'll wish the hangman hang you instead
For when King Sparrow say so, is so
If Sparrow lie, is still true you know.
Look, Black Stalin make Dhanraj Singh know
You can't play macho, you must bow down to calypso!

Well, Mister Politician, the queen of England respects kaiso
She and Prince Charles know what they'll undergo if they tackle Crusoe
Colin Powell know that kaiso is the unwritten law
So he let Bush know he does sing kaiso before he fight war
Mister Politician, the great Imam, Reverend Farrakhan
Got his strength and determination from being a kaisonian
Kaiso make Eric Williams bawl out, "Let the jackass bray!"
So who the hell is Jack Warner, he's a small fish, I say.

If kaiso was born in America
George Bush would be humble as ever
Whenever he open his mouth in Congress
Aloes woulda hit him and give him bless
You might get 'way with bank accounts in Scotland
Bank under wife name up in London
But once you live here in Trinbago
We come like the Pharaoh, you must bow down to calypso!

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

"10 Reasons The U.S. Is No Longer The Land Of The Free."

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:23:00 +0000

10 reasons the U.S. is no longer the land of the free.
By Jonathan Turley
The Washington Post | January 13, 2012

Every year, the State Department issues reports on individual rights in other countries, monitoring the passage of restrictive laws and regulations around the world. Iran, for example, has been criticized for denying fair public trials and limiting privacy, while Russia has been taken to task for undermining due process. Other countries have been condemned for the use of secret evidence and torture.

Even as we pass judgment on countries we consider unfree, Americans remain confident that any definition of a free nation must include their own — the land of free. Yet, the laws and practices of the land should shake that confidence. In the decade since Sept. 11, 2001, this country has comprehensively reduced civil liberties in the name of an expanded security state. The most recent example of this was the National Defense Authorization Act, signed Dec. 31, which allows for the indefinite detention of citizens. At what point does the reduction of individual rights in our country change how we define ourselves?

While each new national security power Washington has embraced was controversial when enacted, they are often discussed in isolation. But they don’t operate in isolation. They form a mosaic of powers under which our country could be considered, at least in part, authoritarian. Americans often proclaim our nation as a symbol of freedom to the world while dismissing nations such as Cuba and China as categorically unfree. Yet, objectively, we may be only half right. Those countries do lack basic individual rights such as due process, placing them outside any reasonable definition of “free,” but the United States now has much more in common with such regimes than anyone may like to admit.

These countries also have constitutions that purport to guarantee freedoms and rights. But their governments have broad discretion in denying those rights and few real avenues for challenges by citizens — precisely the problem with the new laws in this country.

The list of powers acquired by the U.S. government since 9/11 puts us in rather troubling company.

Assassination of U.S. citizens

President Obama has claimed, as President George W. Bush did before him, the right to order the killing of any citizen considered a terrorist or an abettor of terrorism. Last year, he approved the killing of U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi and another citizen under this claimed inherent authority. Last month, administration officials affirmed that power, stating that the president can order the assassination of any citizen whom he considers allied with terrorists. (Nations such as Nigeria, Iran and Syria have been routinely criticized for extrajudicial killings of enemies of the state.)

Indefinite detention

Under the law signed last month, terrorism suspects are to be held by the military; the president also has the authority to indefinitely detain citizens accused of terrorism. While the administration claims that this provision only codified existing law, experts widely contest this view, and the administration has opposed efforts to challenge such authority in federal courts. The government continues to claim the right to strip citizens of legal protections based on its sole discretion. (China recently codified a more limited detention law for its citizens, while countries such as Cambodia have been singled out by the United States for “prolonged detention.”)

Arbitrary justice

The president now decides whether a person will receive a trial in the federal courts or in a military tribunal, a system that has been ridiculed around the world for lacking basic due process protections. Bush claimed this authority in 2001, and Obama has continued the practice. (Egypt and China have been denounced for maintaining separate military justice systems for selected defendants, including civilians.)

Warrantless searches

The president may now order warrantless surveillance, including a new capability to force companies and organizations to turn over information on citizens’ finances, communications and associations. Bush acquired this sweeping power under the Patriot Act in 2001, and in 2011, Obama extended the power, including searches of everything from business documents to library records. The government can use “national security letters” to demand, without probable cause, that organizations turn over information on citizens — and order them not to reveal the disclosure to the affected party. (Saudi Arabia and Pakistan operate under laws that allow the government to engage in widespread discretionary surveillance.)

Secret evidence

The government now routinely uses secret evidence to detain individuals and employs secret evidence in federal and military courts. It also forces the dismissal of cases against the United States by simply filing declarations that the cases would make the government reveal classified information that would harm national security — a claim made in a variety of privacy lawsuits and largely accepted by federal judges without question. Even legal opinions, cited as the basis for the government’s actions under the Bush and Obama administrations, have been classified. This allows the government to claim secret legal arguments to support secret proceedings using secret evidence. In addition, some cases never make it to court at all. The federal courts routinely deny constitutional challenges to policies and programs under a narrow definition of standing to bring a case.

War crimes

The world clamored for prosecutions of those responsible for waterboarding terrorism suspects during the Bush administration, but the Obama administration said in 2009 that it would not allow CIA employees to be investigated or prosecuted for such actions. This gutted not just treaty obligations but the Nuremberg principles of international law. When courts in countries such as Spain moved to investigate Bush officials for war crimes, the Obama administration reportedly urged foreign officials not to allow such cases to proceed, despite the fact that the United States has long claimed the same authority with regard to alleged war criminals in other countries. (Various nations have resisted investigations of officials accused of war crimes and torture. Some, such as Serbia and Chile, eventually relented to comply with international law; countries that have denied independent investigations include Iran, Syria and China.)

Secret court

The government has increased its use of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which has expanded its secret warrants to include individuals deemed to be aiding or abetting hostile foreign governments or organizations. In 2011, Obama renewed these powers, including allowing secret searches of individuals who are not part of an identifiable terrorist group. The administration has asserted the right to ignore congressional limits on such surveillance. (Pakistan places national security surveillance under the unchecked powers of the military or intelligence services.)

Immunity from judicial review

Like the Bush administration, the Obama administration has successfully pushed for immunity for companies that assist in warrantless surveillance of citizens, blocking the ability of citizens to challenge the violation of privacy. (Similarly, China has maintained sweeping immunity claims both inside and outside the country and routinely blocks lawsuits against private companies.)

Continual monitoring of citizens

The Obama administration has successfully defended its claim that it can use GPS devices to monitor every move of targeted citizens without securing any court order or review. (Saudi Arabia has installed massive public surveillance systems, while Cuba is notorious for active monitoring of selected citizens.)

Extraordinary renditions

The government now has the ability to transfer both citizens and noncitizens to another country under a system known as extraordinary rendition, which has been denounced as using other countries, such as Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan, to torture suspects. The Obama administration says it is not continuing the abuses of this practice under Bush, but it insists on the unfettered right to order such transfers — including the possible transfer of U.S. citizens.

These new laws have come with an infusion of money into an expanded security system on the state and federal levels, including more public surveillance cameras, tens of thousands of security personnel and a massive expansion of a terrorist-chasing bureaucracy.

Some politicians shrug and say these increased powers are merely a response to the times we live in. Thus, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) could declare in an interview last spring without objection that “free speech is a great idea, but we’re in a war.” Of course, terrorism will never “surrender” and end this particular “war.”

Other politicians rationalize that, while such powers may exist, it really comes down to how they are used. This is a common response by liberals who cannot bring themselves to denounce Obama as they did Bush. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), for instance, has insisted that Congress is not making any decision on indefinite detention: “That is a decision which we leave where it belongs — in the executive branch.”

And in a signing statement with the defense authorization bill, Obama said he does not intend to use the latest power to indefinitely imprison citizens. Yet, he still accepted the power as a sort of regretful autocrat.

An authoritarian nation is defined not just by the use of authoritarian powers, but by the ability to use them. If a president can take away your freedom or your life on his own authority, all rights become little more than a discretionary grant subject to executive will.

The framers lived under autocratic rule and understood this danger better than we do. James Madison famously warned that we needed a system that did not depend on the good intentions or motivations of our rulers: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”

Benjamin Franklin was more direct. In 1787, a Mrs. Powel confronted Franklin after the signing of the Constitution and asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got — a republic or a monarchy?” His response was a bit chilling: “A republic, Madam, if you can keep it.”

Since 9/11, we have created the very government the framers feared: a government with sweeping and largely unchecked powers resting on the hope that they will be used wisely.

The indefinite-detention provision in the defense authorization bill seemed to many civil libertarians like a betrayal by Obama. While the president had promised to veto the law over that provision, Levin, a sponsor of the bill, disclosed on the Senate floor that it was in fact the White House that approved the removal of any exception for citizens from indefinite detention.

Dishonesty from politicians is nothing new for Americans. The real question is whether we are lying to ourselves when we call this country the land of the free.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University

...............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

I have often found myself wondering if any reflection and self-examination was possible and Jonathan Turley's article has renewed my faith. I wish with all my heart on behalf of that country and the rest of the world, that the conscious people of USA can find a way to eventually elect a leader who will speak the truth, no matter how unpleasant, to the sleepwalkers who are forever damned it seems to not think for themselves but to provide the Pavlovian responses to the usual vulgar and baseless utterances of those who are violating them and laughing all the way to the banks or wherever it is they go to celebrate the Orwellian nightmare that they have created.

Trinidad and Tobago, be vigilant.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Meet, Learn From And Exchange Ideas With Nicaraguan Farmers.

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:32:00 +0000

Tours like these should be of interest to our local NGO's, agricultural and extension officers, researchers/teachers and agricultural policy makers. Thanks to Nicaragua's involvement in the production of some of the agricultural commodities which are now fetching high prices on the world market, they should be enjoying a windfall even if you factor in the increase in the price of their own food imports.

Nicaragua: Sustainable Agriculture and the Campesino Movement, March 25 – April 4, 2012

For thirty years, the Campesino a Campesino (Farmer to Farmer) movement, now with several hundred thousand farmer-promoters, has helped farming families in the rural villages of Latin America improve their livelihoods and conserve their natural resources. Nicaraguan farmers are at the heart of this movement, which has contributed greatly to the global food sovereignty movement. Coordinated and co-sponsored by NICCA – the Nicaragua Center for Community Action, this delegation will allow you to forge solidarity with Nicaraguan farmers and learn from the experiences of the Campesino a Campesino Movement.

Since 1989 NICCA has enthusiastically supported the Campesino a Campesino Program (PCaC), a project of Nicaragua’s National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG). PCaC is a comprehensive attempt to promote agricultural sustainability and enhance biodiversity by giving technical help to small farmers who learn and then teach others. The program has many emphases, including organic agriculture; soil conservation; crop diversification; the use of natural fertilizers and insecticides that can be produced at home; and the empowerment of women through kitchen gardens and animal husbandry. Most importantly, it is a program led by farmers, for farmers. In Nicaragua, one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere, PCaC has helped eliminate hunger in many rural communities where it once loomed over daily life.

On this delegation, you will meet with leaders of UNAG to discuss its national programs. You will visit a number of small communities and organic farms in the beautiful Matagalpa region, where NICCA’s partner, UNAG-Matagalpa, has been working for many years. Our visits will include small, diversified farms and places where the PCaC is just beginning; coffee farms and processing plants; and community-based sustainable tourism initiatives. You will also meet with the National Agriculture and Forestry Ministry (MAGFOR) to find out about Nicaragua’s Zero Hunger program, which has significantly reduced hunger since 2006. Throughout the trip, you will see and discuss sustainable agriculture techniques, local seed banks, environmental threats, and problems of agricultural commercialization. Community members will share meals and entertainment with the delegation.

To learn more about the Campesino a Campesino movement, see Campesino a Campesino: Voices from Latin America’s Farmer to Farmer Movement for Sustainable Agriculture by Food First Executive Director Eric Holt-Giménez.

Click here to download a sample itinerary.

Tour Cost: $1250

Price includes:

All in-country transportation during the tour, beginning and ending in Managua
Simple/basic hotel accommodations (double occupancy; single rooms available for an additional fee)
All meals (vegetarian options may be limited; flexibility is recommended)
NICCA trip leader, local guides, guest speakers and translators
Preparatory reading materials
All scheduled program activities
Food First membership

NOT INCLUDED: International airfare, most beverages, tips and personal expenses

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

For more information, please contact Suzanne at nicca@igc.org or by phone at (510) 654-8635

Submit your application to:
NICCA
P.O. Box 1004
Berkeley, CA 94701
nicca@igc.org

..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Please Tell Me Why [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:59:00 +0000

Uploaded by socachutney
PLEASE TELL ME WHY
By Mighty Sparrow

This is me, the Birdie!

Why, oh why, oh why, girl? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

Ever since you take your things and leave me
All I could do is grieve and grieve
I never believe that you will deceive me
And that is why I'm so bereaved.
I feel so bad to hear people saying
You have me like a mook underneath your spell
Making me feel like if I'm in heaven
But all the time you really giving me hell.
But you'll always be my pet 'cause I cannot forget
Your gentle, sweet embrace, nobody else could take your place
I believe you even when you lie and I know I getting mamaguy
Is only you, and you alone, could say why. Please tell me why?

Why, oh why, oh why? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

Just because of how you used to be shy, girl
When you were hurt, I feel I could cry
But now you leaving me high and dry, girl
You going without even saying, "Goodbye."
You are my one and only desire
Your behaviour now have me on my knees
With you, my soul was always on fire
Without you, I'm really feeling the squeeze
Deep down within my heart, I know we should never part
There's nothing that I wouldn't do, specially if you want me to
When I start, you know that I wouldn't stop 'til you satisfy
Any excuse you come with is lie, so don't even try.

Why, oh why, oh why, girl? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
A bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

If there really is a Paradise
That's when I'm cuddled in your arms
It took a little while for me to realise
The power and the magic of your charms.

Why, oh why, oh why, girl? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

The thing for me to rub with, I end up drinking
Because my heart couldn't take no more
I'm so bewildered, I wasn't thinking
You have the thing to cure me, I'm sure
I'm on my own, alone and I'm stumbling
Like a drunken man who ready to fall
The thought of losing you have me fumbling
I just can't take tabanca at all
The way you does walk and wine is permanently on my mind
Pretending I don't give a heck has made me a nervous wreck
You never know how hard I try not to believe you have another guy
Everything they tell me, I say is contrived. Please tell me why?

Why, oh why, oh why? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

I hear you tell your friends and them you using me
And you go keep me out of the comfort zone
You taking my money but you abusing me
You don't know what the heck I doing in your home
But is me paying the rent when the month done
Plus food and all the utilities
Me again for cable and then your cellphone
Tell them who bought you that SUV
Paid off your credit card and all the other bills you had
It wasn't easy but I tried to restore your credit with pride
That pie in the sky is expensive, I can't deny
I'll always be here for you, I don't know why. Please tell me why?

Why, oh why, oh why? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

If there really is a Paradise
That's when I'm cuddled in your arms
It took a little while for me to realise
The power and the magic of your charms.

Why, oh why, oh why? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

Why, oh why, oh why? [Please tell me why?]
A big man ent supposed to cry [Please tell me why?]
But a bad woman I could classify [Please tell me why?]
And a malcontent never satisfy. [Please tell me why?]

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Birdie, this is one sweet song about pain. With this song my heart goes out to all those suffering with tabanca - personal, ideological, political or national. You know who you are. Don't feel that you are all alone in your grief and that the whole world is happy while you are not. Trust me, plenty others are just going through the motions, plenty are throwing themselves into it to hide their sadness behind a brave, if not a drugged face, and plenty are not making the effort at all. These facts are not meant to comfort you or to paralyse you, but they are a reminder that suffering is a part of living and while you work your way through it, don't lose your hold on the people and the values that are truest. This is a new year and you can use this present discomfort as a springboard to take back control as you consciously launch yourself towards a better place.

GOOD NEWS: Coconut Production And Silk Destruction

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Coconut Water | Performed by Robert Mitchum | Uploaded by MusicForYourFunk
COCONUT PRODUCTION

UPDATE Jan 16, 2010: Returning from her state visit to India, our PM announced that:

"in a meeting with Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath and the coconut industry board of India, an Indian expert will arrive this week in the country to assist in riding the red palm mite that decimated the industry."

“The Indian expert will arrive in the country this week for a period of six months to be extended by another six months if necessary to get rid of the disease,” she said." SOURCE

I was thrilled recently to read the Newsday article which I have posted below. It was about the St Patrick’s Coconut Growers’ Co-op Society Ltd and their plans to rejuvenate coconut production in Trinidad and Tobago by reactivating the Cedros plantations. If I could see just one article like this every day in our newspapers, I'd have fewer worries about our future. Coconut and bamboo products are among the many that have been on my mind for some years because I live where those commodities are in high demand. Most of the imports are coming from Asia and I have been wondering what is preventing the nearby Caribbean and more specifically Trinidad and Tobago from supplying these products which grow like weeds in their backyards. Even if the export of surplus is not the priority right now, I am still very happy to know that the local market will benefit from easier and more affordable access to the beneficial products of the coconut industry. Please bear in mind that even the "waste" products from this industry can be recycled to provide the raw materials for other industries...various decorative craft industries, charcoal for cooking, coconut shell activated carbon for water treatment, potting soil from husks, plant growing medium [fibre for hydroponics and for orchids], coir can be made into twine and rope and used for packaging , stuffing and felting...and the list goes on.

A smooth sip of coconut water.
By Janelle De Souza
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday | Thursday, January 12 2012

It’s common knowledge coconut water is a healthy drink, not only for your daughter, but for most people. That’s because coconut water is composed of many naturally occurring bioactive enzymes that aid in digestion and metabolism.

It is also packed with simple sugar, electrolytes, and minerals to replenish hydration levels in the body... among other things.

However, at $6 a nut and $45 for a two-litre bottle in grocery stores, many people do without the healthy drink and popular alcohol chaser, which is especially inconvenient during the Christmas and Carnival seasons when drinking seems to be a staple activity.

Nonetheless, the St Patrick’s Coconut Growers’ Co-op Society Ltd hopes to change that within the next five years.

According to Pranesh Maharaj, chairman of the Board of the Society, its 60 members hope to replant approximately 5,700 acres of land in Cedros and later build a coconut processing plant with the help of the Government.

At the plant, they intend to use the wet processing method to produce coconut cream, coconut milk, virgin coconut oil, coconut vinegar, etc.

From the shells, activated carbon for air-conditioning units, water distillation and filtration; and organic mulch for food crop farmers from the husk. Naturally, the plant would also include a coconut water bottling facility.

“At 70 trees per acre and 100 nuts per tree annually, we would grow approximately four million nuts per year,” Maharaj explained.

“When we start producing three to five years after planting, we will help drive down the prices, maybe by 50 percent, and make coconut water more affordable to everyone.”

In the 1930s, the coconut industry’s business model consisted of one main processing factory to which farmers sold their nuts.

However, the St Patrick’s Growers, mostly from Cedros, were not among the farmers to benefit economically from that operation, and so could not realise their fullest economic potential.

Therefore, born out of economic deprivation, the St Patrick’s Coconut Growers’ Co-op Society Ltd was established in 1987.

According to Maharaj, who served as on alderman at the Siparia Regional Co-operation in 1996, there soon came a period of inactivity due to the government’s non-policy regarding the redevelopment of the coconut sub-sector.

In addition, the industry began to decline at an accelerated pace and members became de-motivated and inactive, leaving the Cedros plantation in a state of abandonment.

He said Cedros’ economy was based on two economic drivers - fishing and agriculture (coconut).

At the moment, the fishing beds are depleted and fishermen have to go farther out to sea in order to get a good haul. The increased effort and use of gas has caused fish prices to increase.

Maharaj said, up to the late 90s the coconut industry contributed to 50 per cent of Cedros’ economy.

Right now the industry is dead, therefore, he sees the organisation as one of the drivers for the re-establishment of one of Cedros’ Economic Platforms.

When the new Government came into place in 2010 and stated that one of its economic pillars was agriculture, the St Patrick’s Growers decided to take advantage of that opportunity and reactivate, which they did in October 2010 and by June 2011, the organisation was fully reconstituted.

“We realised the Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Affairs had an action plan for coconuts. The Ministry’s plan however, had major gaps and so we decided to be part of the process and corresponded with the Ministry since all the stakeholders in the coconut industry were not being consulted,” said Maharaj. “We felt we needed to present our position and so we did a position paper on the industry, giving our views and perspectives.”

The Co-op board met with Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath who decided to form a Coconut Advisory Committee to the Minister, on which the Coconut Growers Association, the Ministry and the Co-op are represented. They have all joined to develop the coconut industry into a robust sub-sector under the theme: Coconut nutritional value is equivalent to a complete food substitute which makes it integral to food security.

“I see the Advisory Committee as a stepping stone to the formation of a regional body called the CCIDB – the Caribbean Coconut Industry Development Board,” said Maharaj. “It will be a powerful regional coconut industry lobby group that would form linkages with the Asian Pacific Coconut Countries (APCC) and other coconut producing countries around the world thereby improving our policy making, the marketing and trade of coconuts, and encouraging the exchange of technology.”

Over the years, in Trinidad and Tobago, coconut redevelopment has not been a focus and so most of the coconut trees are aged, over 70 years old, and so produce less nuts. Research from the St Patrick Growers indicates that, in order to replant, the pests and diseases plaguing the industry in the country, needs to be eradicated. It is also necessary to identify high disease resistant and high yielding varieties of both water and kernel producing varieties of coconut.

“The industry life cycle is approximately 70 years. Under normal bearing conditions, the mature plant in TT produces, on average, 70 nuts per year. But there are other varieties can produce 150 to 200 nuts per year. It’s time to get different, high-yielding varieties into the stream,” said Maharaj.

In order to start the ball rolling on this account, the St Patrick Growers Board has communicated its interest in the sector’s re-development to the Coconut Development Board in India. Working through the India High Commission, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is being developed for the government to approve, sign off on and work out the details.

If the MOA is signed, the country will have access to India’s advanced research and expertise will be provided in the areas of entomology, agronomic best practices, clean and high quality cultivars (seedlings) and other details.

Maharaj estimates the cost to return the abandoned Cedros estates to its previous operational standard at approximately $100 million. This would include the clearing of the land, planting the new strain of seedlings and maintaining the estate for the next three to five years.

In the mean time, according to Maharaj, the Advisory Committee is in the process of putting a strategic plan in place. It is hoped Government develops a policy to enable Unemployment Relief Programme workers to do some agriculture work and offset labour costs.

“The Committee has done a tremendous amount of work getting to this point. How it develops from here depends on how well we articulate their views at the committee level to the benefit of all. However government intervention and political will is what will make it happen,” said Maharaj.

The Co-op understands the potential of the coconut industry and noted that disease and age stunts the expansion of the industry. Its members believe at least 1,000 jobs can be generated in primary production and processing.

“If Government were to assist, given that the industry life cycle is 70 years, the benefits will start to balance off in or before ten years,” Maharaj claimed. “Not only will the Government benefit from the taxes, the socio-economic impact will be greatly felt by all in Cedros… and it may have some export potential too.”
-Members of St Patrick Coconut Growers Co-op Society Ltd

SILK DESTRUCTION

Now, this is progress! I had been trying to avert my gaze from this silk issue, thinking pessimistically that it would go the way of most problems - plenty hot talk that would fizzle out into a cool sigh and inactivity. But then I read this article yesterday:

'Silk' to be abolished? Law body to decide.
By Rickie Ramdass
Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 13, 2012 at 1:59 AM ECT

THE recent controversy surrounding the awarding of "silk" to Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Justice of Appeal Wendell Kangaloo has resulted in members the Law Association agreeing on the establishment of a special committee to decide whether or not the awarding of Senior Counsel should be abolished.

The decision was arrived at yesterday following a special general meeting by the association at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain.

President of the Association Dana Seetahal SC said members of the association had unanimously decided during the meeting that the committee should in fact be appointed to decide on the issue.

"The resolution is that the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago appoint a committee of people drawn from its members to decide whether the appointment of Senior Counsel should be abolished and if not, to make recommendations for and to propose criteria for the appointment of Senior Counsel or the persons eligible for such appointments and the obligations of persons given this honour," she said.

However, Seetahal said she could not give a time frame outlining specifically when the committee would be established or whom its members would include.

"As you know, the association has over 1,600 members so we have not settled on who would be appointed as yet, but it will be decided in a short space of time," she said. Read more...

Well done! I had read and agreed with the comment posted below by reader, darenlyons, in response to the article in the online Express, "Anand to write Max on silk issue." The reader addressed our lingering colonial mentality, what Fela Kuti referred to as Colo-mentality in his song.

"darenlyons
50 years after "Independence" we are still concerned and enamored with the trappings of the British Empire ...the title of Senior Counsel has replaced Queens or Kings Counsel as if the nominal switch in title erases our fascination and tethering to the questionable vestiges of former colonial masters. Canada, which is still part of the
Commonwealth (another absurdity) has wrestled with this issue and in Ontario, the practice has ceased....isn't it enough that the Privy Council is ostensibly our highest court and our principal streets, squares and public spaces are named after Colonial masters and proxies. When will Trinidadians snap out of this collective coma and fealty to our colonial past and forge an indigenous, socio-political path framed within our cultural norms, impulses, needs, desires, future plans, mistakes and common narrative, We are having hissy fits about practices that were adopted in our pedestrian and embryonic stages-mainly adopted with sleepy and blurry eyes and as (Naipaul writes) "Mimic Men". Our inept politicians on both sides are versed in replicating outdated traditions we never crafted so mistakes and missteps abound. If we trip up or bump our heads, it should be while finding ourselves and not in the pursuit of self negating imitation. It's incumbent we stop these wig wearing, gown and breech adorning sessions that harken to a time when were effectively "far flung subjects". Let's chart the unknown possibilities of our existence and become real time Trinidadians and reject the varnish of present day serfs."

On another level, the award itself is devalued if the general perception is that it can be dispensed like Holly used to share Crix biscuits during his live shows. Even that was a more transparent process - whoever was near enough, and had the loudest voices or the longest arms would get. But our legal professionals, if they wish to be taken seriously, need their awards to be based on universally agreed upon standards of competence. When I say universally, I am also referring to the location specific requirements of our community of practitioners and teachers in the legal profession. The selection and award process must be transparent and without loopholes or susceptible to troublesome "precedents" which in this case conveniently acquired a sacrosanctity not usually attached to many other actions taken by past administrations.

An Irish saying about the goats in silk dresses goes: "Cuir síoda ar ghabhar ach is gabhar i gcónaí é." It means: Dress A Goat In Silk And He Still Remains A Goat. I am afraid that on so many levels, this award has lost its silky shine because while it may be true that silk cannot change the nature of goats, it is my suspicion that silk is not as immune to the persuasive influence of goatiness. After silk has been appropriated and worn with great determination by goats, it is permanently imbued with a certain unmistakeable pungency. I will not go so far as to say that the silk is forever duttied. To do so would be to run the risk of denigrating the essence of goat which I understand is held in high esteem in certain quarters, so I will say instead that the highness of the award is replaced by something else that is equally high - a scent, or a flavour if you wish, that is undeniably caprine.

So I am not at all disappointed that the legal fraternity seems ready to let the silk go the way of that other national award that was also considered an anachronism and affront. Take the silk and chuck it into the goat pen. They certainly won't look down their noses at it and since they'd rather eat it than give it back, you won't be saddled with the bother of finding a way to live with that Febreze defying odeur de chèvre.

Sweet Trinbago [Song]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:18:00 +0000

Uploaded by superavinashmaharaj
SWEET TRINBAGO
By Avinash Maharaj [2012]

Avinash! Trinidad and Tobago! My country!

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso.

In this land they have so many races
Which is not common in many places
Here we have a unique culture
We couldn't find a place that was better
In this land they have so many races
Which is not common in many places
Here we have a unique culture
We couldn't find a place that was better
Everybody, they singing so happily
And that is why Trinidad is such a beauty.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

Trinidad is such a wonderful country
We produce some of the biggest names in history
Sundar Popo and Machel Montano
Brian Lara, Hasely Crawford and Sparrow
Trinidad is such a wonderful country
We produce some of the biggest names in history
Sundar Popo and Machel Montano
Brian Lara, Hasely Crawford and Sparrow
Trinidad has done so much good things for we
And that is why we all love sweet T&T.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

When people come to this country they feel welcome
By the beats of the tassa and the steel drum
T&T could be called a melting pot
Because a lot of fusion we surely got
When people come to this country they feel welcome
By the beats of the tassa and the steel drum
T&T could be called a melting pot
Because a lot of fusion we surely got
T&T is a place where you will want to stay
From this sweet country you wouldn't go away.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

Trinidad and Tobago get ready to wave
Trinidad and Tobago get ready to wave....

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Avinash Maharaj for bringing your youth and energy and talent to this celebration of your homeland. I am not sure that I got the Hindi right so please let me know if there are errors.

It is refreshing to see the chutney giving T&T love. While I say this, I do not neglect to recognise the fact that chutney in itself is a product of T&T love. What I am welcoming is the love being put into words. We have come to expect that most nationalistic songs will be composed in English and in the calypso or soca genres so it is wonderful to hear T&T being loved in a different rhythm and language.

Regretfully, I do not have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the music being created in T&T, so if readers are aware of homeland loving songs being composed in Arabic, French, French Patois, Hindi, Chinese, Spanish, Nigerian, Filipino or any of the languages of the many immigrants who are continuing to make T&T their home, please let me know.

If you have any ideas to add to this discussion, feel free to comment. In the meantime, I continue to celebrate the increase in comfort and the appearance of more varied cultural inputs into celebrations through song and music of the treasure that is our national community.

India, Kitna Pyar!

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:10:00 +0000

Prime Minister the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar visits her ancestral village Bhelupur in Bihar, India

Uploaded by eyeonkamla

BACK TO THE ROOTS: An affectionate touch for the child
from Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar
during her visit to her ancestral village Bhelupur in Buxar district on Wednesday.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2793894.ece

Persad-Bissessar (centre) with her family in Bhelupur.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/trinidad-prime-minister-kamla-persad-bissessar-in-bihar/1/168472.html

"I appreciate this simple visit from the PM of Trinidad more than the grand Republic Day visit from Barack Obama or Putin or Sarkozy.
She has really spoken from her heart, rather than speaking from
the US State Department "Strategic Diplomatic Briefing Notes"."
---Mohan (Patiala) The Times of India | Jan 11, 2012

So said reader, Mohan, from Patiala - a city located in south-eastern Punjab, in northern India. I found this opinion among a sea of comments responding to the article, "Kamla Persad-Bissessar returns to village in Bihar for an emotional reunion." by Faizan Ahmad in the Times of India, Jan 11, 2012, 09.13PM IST. I am paying attention to the articles in the Times of India because there are many readers who are motivated to leave comments there. I like to get an idea of how people on the ground have responded to our PM's state visit to that country. So far it is only at the level of hearts that anything seems to be registering and much of it is positive. Only time will tell what the return on the investment will be for both countries. This is not the first time that a Trinbagonian Prime Minister has visited India and others are more qualified to comment on the benefits that came our way as a result of that last visit. One scholar, who mistakenly refers to Vasudeo Pandey [Basdeo Panday] as having been the PM of Suriname, remembers our Panday's visit to the village home of his ancestors in Lakshmanpur village of Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, on January 27, 1997. That sent me looking for responses to his visit to India and I found the book below from which I took some excerpts:

page 44

page 45

page 46

page 47

page 48

page 49

page 50

page 51

http://news24online.com/Trinidad-PM-visits-ancestral-village-in-Bihar_News24_38858.aspx

On a personal level, it is abundantly clear that our PM was deeply, deeply moved by this visit and I cannot help but celebrate with her. With all these blessings, I look forward to her returning energised and inspired to redouble her efforts to lead our homeland with grace and wisdom.

God bless our leaders
Give them grace to guide
Bestow on them thy judgment wise
To rule our land aright
To keep the flag of freedom high that we may sing most lustily
We take a pride in our liberty.
---God Bless Our Nation

Damned If You Do... Upasangrahan And The PM

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:04:00 +0000

I've been following some of the articles about our PM's state visit to India and I hope that the visit to her ancestors' village will be well documented because to be honest, this is the part of her trip that interests me the most. That homecoming must be underway as I write this. I also came across an article in the Times of India where our PM described her emotions when she first saw "Indian soil." She said that tears rolled down her eyes and I read about this with real interest, putting myself into her shoes and hoping to understand something more about our Prime Minister.

Indian President Pratibha Patil (R) and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago,
Kamla Persad-Bissessar (L)

Another very potent gesture was our PM's show of Upasangrahan at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas [The Day for Overseas Indians] Awards ceremony. After receiving her award from President Pratibha Patil, our Prime Minister bent over and reached down to touch the feet of the elder woman. This ritual is done as a sign of respect for the age, maturity, nobility and divinity that elders personify and recognition of the sacrifices that they have made.

Prime Minister the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar receives
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award in India.

Uploaded by eyeonkamla

I thought that it was a beautiful gesture but as I read the comments that followed the article, I was so surprised to learn that this appreciation was not shared by all. At the time when I read the article, three hundred and sixteen comments had already been left by readers from many countries. I proceeded to read them all because I wanted to understand the reasons why some believed that the act of humility was highly inappropriate and demeaning. It is important to note that the detractors are in the minority as far as this article goes. Directly below the article posted below are some of the comments for and against the gesture.

Tears rolled down my eyes when I saw Indian soil: Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad
By Srikant Tripathy & Saurabh Sharma,
The Times of India | Jan 10, 2012, 05.22AM IST

JAIPUR: They may have been away for generations and grown up thousands of miles away, but it appears that the emotions attached to the country of forefathers gets passed down through the genes and is kept alive through the culture. This was more than evident during Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar's visit to India this week. From a family which had migrated from Bihar, she rose to become the first woman head of the Caribbean nation. In an interview to TOI on Monday, she talks of her roots and deepening the bonds with India. After attending the Pravasi Diwas in Jaipur, she flies to Bihar to visit her ancestral village. She touched the feet of President Pratibha Patil when they met. "I was told that you in Rajasthan greet people by saying Ram Ram. We in Trinidad say Sitaram," she said at the start of the interview.

How satisfying has been your trip to your 'grandmother' country?
I am touched by the love, warmth, and hospitality I received here. There are lot memories to take home but the most emotional moment has been when I was touching down in New Delhi. Tears rolled down when I saw the red soil in Delhi from the plane. When I was travelling in Rajasthan people were waving hands, and it felt like I was visiting my own constituency. My son is not that emotional. He thought my trip to India is just another conference, But when he hearing about my visit on TV, he too got moved.

Are you looking to build cultural ties with India?
There are lot of similarities in custom and culture between the two countries. We would like to enhance our cultural exchanges with the country, as people in Trinidad and Tobago love to dance to Bollywood music and Indian movies.

Which are the sectors Indian Industry can invest in Trinidad and Tobago?
We have seven pillars of development. India has a cutting edge information technology industry. We are setting up a technology park. We would like to see technology penetration in education. Besides, we would like to see cooperation in industries like fashion, filmmaking , ship-building, education, health and energy. We have a hundred years of expertise in oil exploration and gas optimization. Trinidad and Tobago has lot potential for gas. We are going to talk to Reliance industries to develop downstream facilities.

READERS WHO SUPPORTED OUR PRIME MINISTER'S GESTURE

rakesh k kaul (new york)
11 hrs ago (01:37 AM)
commendable Mrs Kamala, it is a reminder to us indians/hindus that come what may stand by our traditions and culture, generations of suffering but stood strong by their traditions, honesty and truth, i know many other people of indian origin who now live in US from TT and mauritius, guiana,

drrb (mz)
13 hrs ago (11:05 PM)
India is humbled by your humility madam!! Your gesture will teach crores of young Hindu chidren about values like humility and respect. WELCOME to the land of your ancestors.The true Hindu is one who imbibes the virtues of all other cultures without loosing his identity. You are one such shining example.

Balakrishna Hegde (Bangalore)
18 hrs ago (05:57 PM)
The Indians those who went abroad to work or to migrate have done a great service to the nation. First of all they have rich multicultural and international experience which would immensely benefit the country whenever they return. They have earned valuable foreign exchange,adopted broad minded nature forgetting small differences of caste,creed and religion. But always they are proud of their country and love their country more than some of our misfit brothers who could not earn dollars and cribbing.

jai (UK)
8 hrs ago (04:29 AM)
Made every indian around the world very very proud with your gesture Madam Prime Minister Thank you very much.

hindu (fiji)
1 hr ago (11:22 AM)
yes hindus abroad think of india as their homeland but secular/congress india thinks only of them as cash cows. the humility shown by hon.kamla speaks volumes about us (the indians who were forcibly taken away by the british after being sold by the mughals) we have indias interest at heart but secular/congress only think of appeasment of so called minorities and ridiculing and shunning hindus-

Ramesh Maharaj (Toronto, Canada) replies to Rakesh
15 hrs ago (09:49 PM)
Rakesh, Touching someones feet represents humulity, not giving in to a superior complex. This has always been done in India and in places like Trinidad and Guyana, it is normal. I do it all the time and I am from Trinidad. I have been to India twice and love the people's humility. As for treating someone else as God, well the very Mahabharat that you quoted refer to all as Gods, we are all paer of the same Brahma... Ram Ram Bhai Ramesh

Pradeep (Coimbatore)
10 Jan, 2012 12:37 PM
Indian culture is well represented by the Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar which is demonstrated by her by taking blessings of the President of Indian by touching her feat. We do train our children to do that to the elders and when they do it, one can really feel the blessings being transferred. Even the blessed get the feeling of the blessings. There are inroads of western culture into India, through Media and modern media of communication like facebook, twitter etc. Let us hope, we Indians do take the benefit from modernization at the same time strictly follow our values and culture

indian aam admi (kerala)
10 Jan, 2012 12:21 PM
Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar has taught us indians what india truly is. Many of us indians have taken it as granted but it is these NRI's who show true respect and traditions of this land which we rarely do.
Satnam Singh (New Delhi)
10 Jan, 2012 12:15 PM
Am impressed by the way Smt. Kamla Prasad Bissesswar touched the feet of our President. This gesture of her really touched my soul. That is why I love my culture. I salute Smt. Kamla Bissesswarji.
Pradyumna (Bengaluru) replies to Jahind
24 hrs ago (12:54 PM)
Oye Are you a fool? Sonia is looting the country. This lady Kamla Prasad considers this land has her Matribhumi and respects the culture. What has Sonia done to restore the country's pride other than taking 1000s of crores to Italy and Swiss banks?
Murli (Shimla)
10 Jan, 2012 11:34 AM
This lady is indeed of high quality person. What a humility and modesty. Seeing such person make us proud of being Indian, if we same time feel ashamed of being Indian after seeing persons like Thackrays, Kalmadi, Ashok Chavan, Raja, Chidambaram, Lalu, Advani, Modi etc..who are eating this country and now shamelessly behave in total selfish manner.
Ajay (USA)
10 Jan, 2012 11:14 AM
Thanks to Kumar, Prasad and other positive comments. It's mot even any generation i came to USA from India. Folks common have some hope. I think Kamala per sad touched feet for no other reason more than she knew from her forefathers how to greet elders. It's her gesture that comes out clean
True Indian (Sydney)
10 Jan, 2012 11:12 AM
Proud of Kamla Persad.You are a True Indian,far away from India but and keep our traditions alive.

shoukat firfiray (kuwait)
10 Jan, 2012 11:06 AM
Being patriotic indian muslim I say "Al Hamdulliah" and wish to express my heartiest gratitude to H.E. PM of Trinidad and Tabogo Kamla Persad-Bissessar for honoring India's invitation in attending Pravasi Diaspora in Jaipur. Congratulations and best wishes to organizing Committee and distinguished attendees. Hope my govt. will now take serious steps to restore all frozen rights to NRIs who are proved tobe an active contributing driving force in national economy. Inshallah I wish if we move forward with such united and strong collective coordination (residents and non-residents), our nation will stand alone as strong role model being powerfull and self-reliance by all means. However, i appeal to all NRIs to extend their whole hearted support, morally, financially to their beloved country India and promote strong friendship and love abroad towards India. Also, I appeal govt. and all lawmakers to release all rights with immediate effect all frozen and restrictions sanctions imposed on NRIs. Allah Hafiz.
ashu (buxar(bihar))
10 Jan, 2012 10:58 AM
its emotional moment for me too that daughter of buxar is president in a foreign land she is inspiring me and making me believe that anyone can do anything proud moment for common people of bihar

gt (This great planet)
10 Jan, 2012 10:57 AM
I think she is great lady and her emotions are real and they have kept their religion, culture and even same names.Her touching of feet of our president was just a feeling in her mind of older lady whom Hindu culture respects.When i came back myself after long time to my birth country i felt like emotional and took its soil in my hand and some brought back with me.

Ranjan (jaipur)
10 Jan, 2012 10:56 AM
Guys It is our duty to give our best of affection to all Indians living outside India. I had a friend who was originally from Surinam but was living in Switzerland. He was so funny and affectionate. He was ready to send me a return ticket to Switzerland when I was in US. And he was just a net friend. He used to tell me that all indian origin in carribean believe that "surinam" was actually "SRIRAM" in the past. When I asked him if he knew anything about India and Hindi, he said his mother used to hit them and say " ga--d tor dega hum tumra". hehehe that made me laugh like hell. Let us respect them. They are pure and without deciet unlike many of us living in the mainland here. Let us write every word by caution and let us not mock their feelings. It wil be an insult to our history and to the generation of the history. Imagine the "sailaab of affection " that Madam Kamala carried with her first time in her life. Please Please don't disrespect that even in a joking fashion. Thank you very much.
abu Akram (Masab Tank)
10 Jan, 2012 10:53 AM
In Hindu traditions, touching the feet of elders,parents grand parents is normal as a respect. I remember Lata Mangeshwer touched the feet of Dilip Kumar, when Dilip Kumar made opening welcoming speech in her tribute( Sanmaan) few years ago.

TruthBknown (Kolkata)
10 Jan, 2012 10:46 AM
There is an interesting convergence of cultures in this one gesture which is possibly missed midst the din of the comments on this article. Two thousand years ago a man knelt down to not only touch but wash the feet of his disciples in an act of great humility and in that shining example preached that unless we are prepared to wash the feet of our fellow human beings irrespective of the colour of their skin, castes or religion we cannot hope to redeem ourselves in this life or the next.

Rohan (Kolkata) replies to TruthBknown
10 Jan, 2012 12:42 PM
Lord Krishna did the same to his childhood friend Sudama.
Ravi (HongKong) replies to vijay
10 Jan, 2012 11:49 AM
You will find that feet....I think you have to go out of the country (away from your loved ones) for few years and come back..... You will understand the difference.
bombyl (IN) replies to rava
10 Jan, 2012 12:10 PM
Emotion overruled the protocol and nothing to be ashamed off. Must have been genuine, impulsive burst of emotional expression, whats wrong in it?

Kumar (Kuala lumpur)
10 Jan, 2012 10:32 AM
My dear readers, what has happened to you. Why the insult and name calling. I am the grandson of an Indian. My son is 5th generation Malaysian. We love the land of our birth but continue to cherish India as the land of our forefathers. My dad died without ever seeing India. He was waiting to retire before taking the then ship journey to chennai. I have visited India 4 times in the last calendar year and attended the conference in Jaipur yesterday. I'm back in my office today remembering the good 3 days I spent in Jaipur. It was a weekend trip. Don't comment without understanding the feelings of the descendants of the labour migrants who travelled in search of jobs but never returned. Some lost contact with their kinsman and villages. Most of us retain our cultural roots and touching the feet of the Indian President is not subjugation. Its her way of respecting the symbol of India. The land of her ancestors.
Kumar replies to Tulano
5 hrs ago (07:06 AM)
I stand corrected but there was no kissing involved. I am not going to attempt to educate you on the merits of the Hindu culture of touching the feet of elders. I leave that duty to your parents and guru. I concur that a large number of the ethnic Indian community are in need of financial aid. The federal and state governments and the NGO's are working hard to improve the situation. The suit was misconceived. I trust it was more of a publicity stunt.you question my loyalty. Why? I remain a Malaysian loyal to my king and country. You want me to go back to India. Why? I can't understand your reasoning, I assume it's a reasoned argument. Why would you admire her for kissing the soil but not for respecting an elder. Keep your political thoughts out of this.
suresh (muscat) replies to Kumar
10 Jan, 2012 11:20 AM
We appreciated it, It is a respect showing by an younger Indian to Elder Indian. Nothing wrong in it. And we honour her as our Sister. There are many insects who write some funny comments here, We are sorry for them,and It is Our tradition (Indian) to respect everybody. You are welcome and India will never shrink or Perish by welcoming its old kith & kins.

sanjay (Delhi) replies to Kumar
10 Jan, 2012 11:08 AM
you are very true. Some people don't understand the respect. The Hon'ble PM of T& T touched the feet of our President to pay her respect and to show her emotions towards the country of her forefathers. whats wrong in it.

Kumar replies to Fellow Indian
10 Jan, 2012 11:45 AM
I can only guess that your hatred is political in nature. I am ready to discuss my views but not quarrel over them. Touching of the feet is part of my cultural upbringing. Washing of feet is called 'path namaskaram' I believe. It's reserved for separate occasions. Do ask your parents or Guru for further information. Cheers

Kumar replies to Fellow Indian
10 Jan, 2012 11:38 AM
Touching the feet is part of our culture, cleaning isn't. I am ready to discuss but not quarrel over something as beautiful as touching the feet of your elders. Strange that as it may seem we the people of Indian origin remain Indian in our ways.
Inbee (some where in the world) replies to Tulano
10 Jan, 2012 11:28 AM
Dear, the award that she got is for as a people /person, not as a PM. So that moment she done the thing that she learn from her parents to touch the feet of elders. And this is what reach culture of India means. I am sure nowhere your find this. Noting to feel shame for the same.
Poly (Some where in the World)
10 Jan, 2012 10:30 AM
Guys, Shame on ur slef by passing this type of nonsense comments, should be proud of it the one of the foriegn is giving respect to our president, donn see the personality, see the respect of the chair. By saying dum to the president, its shame on your's path.
preeti (Bangalore) replies to sam
10 Jan, 2012 11:50 AM
In India we give mata(Mother),pita(Father),gurujan(Scholars/Teachers) and others elders same stature as GOD.
Rohitas Batta (Sydney) replies to sam
10 Jan, 2012 11:32 AM
Indian culture, traditions and values were still with Kamlaji when she touched the feet of Mrs Patil. Take it as a sign of respect. Great lady deserves commendation and not criticism. Indians in Australia do greet their elders same way.
Rbhatia (Bangalore) replies to sam
10 Jan, 2012 11:12 AM
Sam, whether for or aginst you are also obsessed, Her Highness Kamla Persad has become head of her country.. she knows what she is doing.. Sam you are nobody to comment.. you owes an apology to Her highness for belittling her..
sunny (dubai) replies to sam
10 Jan, 2012 10:50 AM
Mr. Sam, You are definately not an India. Indian's will never forget their roots or their culture. What you said is true, if she did that with the intention of worship. This is a show of respect and culture. People like you are bad omen for Indians, because once you get passport of the country you have taken shelter, you forget where you were born and under what conditions. Never forget your roots nor defame.
venu (bangalore)
10 Jan, 2012 10:23 AM
hats off to Kamala Prased for not forgetting the Indian tradition and culture of touching the feet but Prathiba Patil doesn't deserve that respect.
akshay mehta (ujjain) replies to venu
10 Jan, 2012 10:56 AM
do u have any sense..even on good occasions people like u (definately u r RSS BJP CHAMCHA) SPREADS VENOM. after all she is president of India..and a lady..what wrong she has done..not looted like your yedurappa na..fool..
Indian custom (World) replies to lucky
10 Jan, 2012 10:29 AM
the respect was to the person and not to the post. Paying respect to every one old or young is the Indian custom
NST (PNQ) replies to vishal agrawal
10 Jan, 2012 10:18 AM
You and all those made similar comments are dead wrong. Touching elder's feet is a well entrenched good manner amongst Indians, especially Hindus, to show respect for elderly, no matter what idealogy or characters the elder might belong to. President Pratibha Patil is older than Prime Minister Kamal Prasad Bissessar, and that was not a wrong thing to do.
Nitin (US) replies to vishal agrawal
10 Jan, 2012 10:10 AM
She touched feet of President Of India. Pratibha Patil or the person does not matter.

neo (india) replies to Nitin
10 Jan, 2012 10:33 AM
not, it`s our culture and tradition that elder people always be respected no matter what post he or she occupied.

Girish (Noida) replies to Nitin
10 Jan, 2012 10:21 AM
thats correct..!! She touched the feet of head of Republic of India
ashu (buxar) replies to Girish
10 Jan, 2012 11:09 AM
she didnt touch the feet of head of india her country is rich and mighty than bangladesh but bangla pm never shows a tinge of gratitude towards india kamla prasad was only emotional to see her motherland and tried to do a indian thing in land of her forefathers
dean.deepthought (Dubai) replies to Nag
10 Jan, 2012 10:55 AM
Wonder we always have to shake hands, which is a western cultural tradition ? We may as well touch feet (of elders) which is Indian tradition and both the parties involved have Indian connection. Byu the way the Image of Trinadad and Tobago has not gone down in Indian minds , Its actually gone up for having the guts to follow Indian tradition, which incidently Indians don't have as they are worried what the western world would think. Way to go, Trinadad and Tobago.
gautam sinha (Delhi) replies to Nag
10 Jan, 2012 10:43 AM
Kamla Prasad arrived here as a Pravasi Bharatiya and not as a state head. So she has done nothing wrong.
ronny (riyadh)
10 Jan, 2012 09:54 AM
i should say she is a true indian more than our indian politicans who forget who they r being humbel n true to heart is true indian

JB (BluePlanet) replies to XYZ
10 Jan, 2012 12:16 PM
There is a Sanskrit (an Indo-European root language) saying from prehistoric times, "Mother and motherland are higher than even the heavens." It's not a master-slave sentiment, but a mother-daughter sentiment. Perhaps something akin to a European kissing his mother's grave. Indians typically see other Indians as mother, father, sister, daughter. It's because of a continuous culture of 10000 years when whole settlements were one big family. Even today neighbours are often addressed as aunt, uncle, from day one when they move in.
Truth (Delhi) replies to XYZ
10 Jan, 2012 11:23 AM
Morons like you will never be able to understand the depth of meaning and humanity behind each Hindu custom....That's why, fools like you prefer to be slaves of people who fool you with cunning stories of gradieurs, not the basic humanilty and humility ! Wake up and start thinking !

sunil.menon53 (Mumbai) replies to XYZ
10 Jan, 2012 09:50 AM
EVEN I CAN TOUCH YOUR FEET. WHAT IS SO MUCH SHAME AND FEELING SUBJUGATION WHEN I HAVE RESPECT FOR YOU. INDIANS ARE LIKE THAT AND INDIANS RESPECT FOREIGNERS AND SHOWER FLOWERS AND PETALS. WHAT CAN ONE DO? THIS IS INDIAN WAY OF WELCOMING ANYBODY FOR WHOM ONE HAS GOT RESPECT. SO NO SUBJUGATION PLEASE.

READERS WHO FOUND OUR PRIME MINISTER'S GESTURE INAPPROPRIATE

Rakesh T (Mumbai)
23 hrs ago (01:46 PM)
Our Indian Namaste would have been the best way of greeting each other. Well, why not touch someone’s head? Think why not? Touching anyone’s feet is part of our culture, True (it is accepted in a family culture to respect Elders?).But it should not have been between head of States. Sign of giving respect in terms of what? Age or wealth or power or caste ………? Treating the other person superior?. Is he not a Human being like us? Then, why treat another person like God? This is the same act being carried down from the beginning, the root, where discrimination between men started. Which gave rise to superiority to man over man? Then how this Dalits, the untouchables and other backward classes came into existence in our Mahan Bharat ? Well to conclude. It is an individual’s way of doing it. Let him show respect by touching anywhere, as long as the other party does not object, so why are we wasting our time.
Bhupinder S. Liddar (Goa)
23 hrs ago (01:04 PM)
Karla Persad is PM of T & T and NOT India. If she was still in Behar she will see what conditions she will be living ink. She went a bit too far to display her Indian-ness,
dsppraveen (Chennai)
10 Jan, 2012 12:11 PM
Where was she all this time? Why hasn't she visited her country all these years? Sure, she knows the tactics to touch the sentiments of local people and now all Indian people will be moved by her act... I pity for the poor Indians.
aditya (Bubaneswar) replies to True Indian
10 Jan, 2012 11:45 AM
Prasad you did a wrong thing. Now u r PM of another country you should feel more attached to that country not INDIA. of course you can boast your ancestor were Indian or so. If we go on by lineage theen AFRICA will become the motherland of all civilazations. it is been said that all lands belong to God not to human
sadanand (mumbai)
10 Jan, 2012 11:06 AM
The Lady PM of Trindad actually fell on feet to President P.Patil, due to her state of "delirium tremens". Master stroke by endorsing 'Reliance', who would be one to do good to her land of premiership. Sailing in same boat with Sonia.
rava (Bengaluru)
10 Jan, 2012 10:40 AM
Shameful of the tand T PM to touch feet of indian president. namasate could have been sufficient,

Chandanna Tonape (Mumbai)
10 Jan, 2012 10:32 AM
Our President would have stopped her from doing this and would have received her to chest. After all Kamla Prasad is a representative of their country. Better ignore this event on the basis of her sentiments.
Tulano (SA) replies to Kumar
10 Jan, 2012 11:27 AM
If this is the way you interpret this feet kissing then I understand why the Indians get the hell beat out of them in Malaysia. As it is the Indians are the poorest ethnic group in Malaysia committing the most crimes and most ruthless and violent of crimes. The Indians are trying to sue the British for bringing their forebears to Malaysia to "suffer" but I presume you are not one of them but where is your loyalty ? Bowing and touching of feet is not subservience ? If this is how you actually feel you should go back to India. As a citizen your first duty is loyalty to the nation, you don't "kowtow" to any other head of state or kiss their feet.I would admire her if she had kissed the soil of Bihar.

Fellow Indian (bangalore) replies to Kumar
10 Jan, 2012 10:53 AM
then why not clean her feet with emotion.there is some somethin called self respect being leader of a nation. Our president is also like you,she should have stopped her and hugged her instead. No manners.
Tulano (SA)
10 Jan, 2012 10:32 AM
Just imagine the Minister Mentor of S'pore Lee Kuan Yew kneeling down to touch the feet of Mao or President Clinton kneeling down before Queen Elizabeth !!! Never in 10 times your life time will you see it. Being proud of your heritage is one thing but subservience to the head of another country is another. I hang my head in shame for this Indian. Will foreigners ever trust Indian citizens in their countries ? BTW In1995 seventeen % of Indians in T&T were living below the poverty line.
Tulano replies to Inbee
10 Jan, 2012 12:38 PM
Will she go searching for this chap's feet to touch when she next visits India when he is no longer the president ? Presidents come and go but the soil of India goes on forever. Kiss the soil instead, like what the pope does when he visits. Other ethnic groups don't kiss a foreign leader's feet even if he is old.
sam (australia)
10 Jan, 2012 10:26 AM
Touching feet should be only reserved for god not for fellow human beings ,whatever race , religion or status he or she may be.Therefore one is degrading themselves by touching feet of humanbeing ,in our modern society every human is equal . a prime minister of free & independent nation touching feet of president of another nation is disgraceful.i think kamla persad prime minister of trinidad & tobago owes an apology to the citizens of her country.
sam replies to preeti
20 hrs ago (04:04 PM)
The prime minister of one country on official visit does not touch feet of the president of a foreign nation.will she do it to the president of her own nation? If it was a private visit no body cares.Take into account 50% of the population in trinidad is other races.I wonder what they have to say. she became prime minister of her country with votes from other citizen too,in this case she should have to respect their culture.
Nobow (SA) replies to Rohitas Batta
10 Jan, 2012 12:42 PM
If an Indian PM of Australia does that, he would be replaced and "deported" the next day.
vinod (dubai) replies to sam
10 Jan, 2012 10:48 AM
touching the feet is the way of getting blessing in India and hindu culture, we do to our elders.Its not fair on an official trip to do so coz she represent a nation and not an individual.
venu replies to akshay mehta
23 hrs ago (01:02 PM)
I do not belong to any party , I am an Indian and I have every right to express my opinion. In fact Kamala Prased has given respect to the PRESIDENT OF INDIA, not to the person who is holding the position. If you feel still feel Prathiba Patil deserves that much respect, then pray her every day for her blessings. All the best.
lucky (bbsr)
10 Jan, 2012 10:09 AM
Hats off Mrs.P.M of T&T for u r Gesture towards India...but u shouldn't touch the feet of Mrs. Dumb(President of India)...Mrs.Dummy President of India is not worthy of it...
vishal agrawal (mumbai)
10 Jan, 2012 10:02 AM
Pratibha Patil feet. How idiotic. She must be and idiot to have touched the feet of a petty thief.
Rishi (India) replies to vishal agrawal
10 Jan, 2012 10:14 AM
Agreed. I can't digest touching the feet of this filthy lady.

nair (pune) replies to Nitin
10 Jan, 2012 10:20 AM
if the President was of the calibre of APJ Kalam, it would have been really wonderful. But this lady - only God rest her "Sole" in peace

Nag (Victoria)
10 Jan, 2012 10:01 AM
PM of some country touching the feet of the president of other country " I feel this is some thing wrong because you are a representative of the whole country you should put respect of your country before your sentiments.

sunilg17 (US)
10 Jan, 2012 09:58 AM
Kamla Persad should have done some research on the state of Indian politicians and how corrupt they are before bending down to touch president's feet. More over touching one's feet is considered a display of inferiority in all parts of the world except India where they glorify it as a sign of respect. Respect, so it may be within a family but certainly not between 2 strangers senior or otherwise, there are other ways to show respect. BOTTOMLINE, NO ONE SHOULD BOW TO A DIRTY POLITICIAN.

George (lucknow)
10 Jan, 2012 09:47 AM
Why, Why, Why?, what has pratibha patil achieved apart from being a puppet, all through the period the whole corruption issue was burning and people were coming onto streets, when there is billions of dollars of money stashed abroad, when the terrorists are being treated as state guests, what has she done?. Shame on tobago or tobacco PM. Pathetic, makes me puke.

XYZ (Artic)
10 Jan, 2012 09:39 AM
"She touched the feet of President Pratibha Patil when they met.", doesn't matter what height a Indian achieves, he/she has no dignity. Touching feet is an international insult, but, Indians specialise in it. It is not out of respect, it is subjugation.

..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Seems like anything a person does is guaranteed to both offend and to please depending on the beholders. And when you are on the world stage, your beholders weigh in from Sydney to South Africa, Bangalore to Dubai, Mumbai to the USA. A luta continua.

UPDATE: See continuing local discussion in the following articles:

Clear need in T&T for multicultural lessons. By David Subran | Trinidad Guardian Online | Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

Show respect for traditions, Rowley. By Paras Ramoutar | Trinidad Guardian Online | Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

Who will follow in PM's footsteps? By Philip Nunez | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 23, 2012.

Is the Opposition Leader culturally insensitive? By Prakash Persad | Trinidad Guardian Online | Monday, January 23, 2012.

Fuelling the flames of megalomania. By MF Rahman | T&T Newsday | Monday, January 23 2012.

Prakash defends PM’s bowing to Indian president. By Azard Ali | T&T Newsday | Monday, January 23 2012.

Poverty of the spirit. By Ira Mathur | Trinidad Guardian Online | Sunday, January 22, 2012.

Humility rather than humiliation. By Shivam Rampersad | T&T Newsday | Sunday, January 22 2012.

Learn to bow, uncle, and save yourself. By Attillah Springer | Trinidad Guardian Online | Saturday, January 21, 2012.

I bow to you. By Reshma Baal | T&T Newsday | Saturday, January 21 2012.

Give Rowley some advice on protocol. By Valentine Young | Trinidad Guardian Online | Friday, January 20, 2012.

Be guided by humility, respect. By Imaam Iqbal Hydal | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 20, 2012.

Kamla: I will not apologise for showing respect. Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 20, 2012.

When bowing is a blessing. By Vedavid Manick | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 20, 2012.

Apologise for that insult. By Chris Arshad Hosein | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 20, 2012.

Bowing a sign of humility. By Nalini C Maharaj | T&T Newsday | Friday, January 20 2012

It's tradition: Kamla was right. Hindu leaders on PM bowing to India's president...
By Camille Bethel | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 20, 2012.

Rowley: T&T doesn't bow to anyone...Kamla wrong to kiss Indian president's foot.
By Joel Julien | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Jan 18, 2012.

"To Goar or Not To Lagay." By Stephen Kangal | Trinidad and Tobago News Blog | January 15, 2012

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

PM Kamla Persad Bissessar`s Speech - Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:10:00 +0000

Speech of T&T PM Kamla Persad Bissessar at inaugural session of PBD 2012

Greetings

Prime Minister of the Republic of India Dr the Honourable Manmohan Singh
Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mr Ashok Gehlot
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Vayalar Ravi
Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Parvez Dewan
President, Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr B. Muthuraman
Officials of the Government of India and Trinidad and Tobago
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
Brothers and Sisters of the Diaspora

Namaste and good morning.

Opening

I am deeply honoured to participate in this Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which marks the occasion of the return of Mahatma Gandhiji to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915.

I offer my sincerest thanks to the Honourable Prime Minister and Government of India and by extension the people of India for the invitation extended to me and members of my Government to be present at what has emerged as one of the most important gatherings of people of the Indian Diaspora.

As I stand before you, I am moved by the sense of cooperation and unity that the Pravasi represents.

I am reminded of a well-known profound statement made by Gandhiji who as a member of the Diaspora in South Africa led a struggle for equality of treatment and, then in India, the struggle for the freedom of India.

“I offer you peace.
I offer you love.
I offer you friendship.
I see your beauty.
I hear your need.
I feel your feelings.
My wisdom flows from the Highest Source.
I salute that Source in you.
Let us work together for unity and love.”

It is with this spirit of friendship, cooperation and the search for international and domestic peace that I join you here today.

The Power and Significance of the Diaspora

In the short time that I have been in India, I can already feel the warmth of its people and see its rich culture and diversity.

And yet despite the vastness of your country, I note with admiration the sense of community and national pride of the people of India, a nation of over 1 billion strong.

This sense of pride is also keenly felt among the members of the Indian Diaspora.

More and more countries are becoming aware of the power of the Diaspora to contribute not only to socio-economic development in their homeland but also to shape and sustain positive images of the country of origin thus contributing to its international stature.

It is true that today, with the rapid advances of communications technology, we live in an ever smaller global village.

It is thus easier than ever before for countries to reach out to their Diaspora community and establish relationships which can prove equally beneficial to their adopted homes, the countries of origin and the members of the Diaspora.

I feel compelled to note that India offers an impressive example of excellent leadership in the management of Diaspora relations and has in a significant way provided a model for other countries to beneficially engage their Diaspora community.

Through your Ministry of Overseas External Affairs, you have created a pragmatic and effective platform for engaging with the Indian Diaspora around the World.

Such a visionary approach to addressing issues relating to the Diaspora has indeed borne fruit, and today India’s Diaspora is one which remains strongly connected and engaged with India.

The potential mutual benefits to be accrued from maintaining close ties with the Diaspora are many, ranging from opportunities for technical cooperation on a national scale to exchanges between schools Organisations and institutions.

Trinidadian Freedom Fighter in India and Africa

Allow me to refer to a most illuminating example of the closely-intertwined histories of Trinidad and Tobago and India as I highlight the significant role played by a Trinidadian citizen in India’s independence struggle.

Inderjit Bahadursingh studied at Oxford University alongside Jawaharlal Nehru, with whom he established a firm friendship.

While at Oxford, Bahadursingh joined the University’s Majlis Society, through which he became immersed in the Indian struggle for freedom.

Nehru encouraged Bahadursingh to ‘return’ to India in service to his ancestral home, and this he did with great effect.

Not only was he involved in the Indian Independence struggle, but he also remained in post-Independence India, joining the Indian foreign service and serving as Chief of Protocol and as Ambassador to several countries.

Bahadursingh the freedom fighter also became involved in Independence struggles in Africa, where he was honoured with an honorary Kikuyu chiefdom.

Unity Through Diasporic Linkages

This example amply highlights the underlying, key message of what can be gained by reaching out to the Diaspora for any country, and also for welcoming the Diasporas of other countries.

This message is one of international unity- unity that does not stand isolated, but that crosses oceans, that transcends and blends different cultures.

By embracing the Diaspora and embodying this sense of international unity, the ways in which we can benefit and support one another as nations, as communities and as individuals are endless.

Through the many dynamic and active Diasporas across the globe, we are all reminded that the modern world is now, more than ever before, a melting pot of peoples and cultures.

And through significant occasions such as the Pravasi, we are called to reach out to one another regardless of borders or distance to the greater benefit of all.

Diasporas in Diverse Trinidad and Tobago

In my own country, Trinidad and Tobago, we enjoy a rich fusion of ethnicities and religions with a blend of peoples from across the globe: Africa, India, Europe, the Middle East, China.

And I am proud to say that we have come together in our diversity to create the colourful tapestry that is now Trinidadian and Tobagonian society.

While the large Indo-Trinidadian community continues to uphold the cultural heritage of their East Indian forefathers who travelled to Trinidad as indentured labourers in 1845, this cultural legacy does not only remain entrenched in the way of life, ceremonies, dress, names, food and music of Indo-Trinidadians, but it is also entrenched in the broader Trinbagonian culture.

Children of all races and religions light deyas in honour of Divali, just as Trinbagonians regardless of ethnicity dance to the beat of a tassa drum and the rhythm of Trinidad’s own hybrid chutney soca beat.

This is the true beauty of a Diaspora: the ability to maintain the culture of the land of origin and seamlessly incorporate it into the fabric of a new home, thereby enriching the culture of the receiving country.

Trinidad and Tobago stands as a true testament to this, where the cultural legacies of Africans, Chinese, Indians, Europeans and many more do not merely co-exist, but they come together to create a culture that is vibrant and dynamic.

Caribbean East Indians have held Mahatma Gandhi in high esteem and from the 1930s there were repeated initiatives for him to visit Trinidad and Tobago but sadly he was not able to accept. However, in 1945 when a group of young Trinidadians decided to publish the Indian Centenary Review, commerating the first century of their presence in their new homeland, they immediately asked Bapuji for a message on that occasion. Gandhiji responded promptly on the 25th of April 1945 and in his message he wisely advised our population “domicile Indians prove worthy of the motherland .

That reinforces my view that there is only one Mother, mother Trinidad and Tobago, there is no mother India, Africa, China, Europe. But there is Grandmother India, grandmother Africa, grandmother China, grandmother Europe. We all know the Great love that we hold for our Grandmothers. As a grandmother of Shiva Kristiano Bissessar and Kavita Sofie Bissessar I am experiencing the wonder and love of my grandchildren as I acknowledge their love. A very special kind of love.

Trinidad and Tobago Partnering with India

As our own population with its unique cosmopolitan culture continues to grow and make its mark in different countries across the World, my Government looks to the example of the Government of India so that we too may remain closely interconnected with our budding Diasporic community.

However, Trinidad and Tobago’s bilateral relations with India go far beyond simply drawing upon your efforts to engage the Indian Diaspora.

Our technical cooperation, trade and investment linkages and of course our longstanding historical ties which date back to the 19th century have all contributed to the present excellent relationship between our two countries, which is characterised by mutual support and respect.

Within the recent past, the interest in India by people in my country has been heightened.

This is so not only because of the emergence of India as a super power and economy, but also because of the excellent diplomatic relations shared between our countries and the frequency of cultural visits, technical cooperation and academic exchanges at the level of our Universities.

India has been and continues to be a great friend of Trinidad and Tobago and has extended this hand of friendship by providing hundreds of scholarships for our nationals to train in world class Indian Institutions.

For too long we have looked upon the former colonial masters for the answers to our problems; we must now also look inwards, tapping the vast latent resources which we undoubtedly possess.

When our first Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams, met India’s first Prime Minister in New Delhi, they discussed these very issues and the initial results of those discussions was the establishment of an Institute for Afro Asian studies at the Trinidad campus of the University of the West Indies.

Today the work started by that Institute has grown considerably and the Indian inputs have steadily increased.

It is now incumbent upon us maintain that dream of our founding fathers.

I have always regarded India as one area of light, of knowledge and wisdom.

Today, India has demonstrated this in no small way by its contribution not only to spiritual well being across the globe, but emerging as one of the fastest growing economies.

It has provided a model for social and economic transformation which developed countries grappling with issues of financial and economic sustainability as well as long term growth and the ability to attract direct foreign investments may well choose to study.

In particular, India has a lot to teach the world in terms of how to attain food security, as well as to make affordable computers and I-Pads which are basic tools in generating creativity and international competitiveness.

India perhaps understands and fully appreciates the fact that human development which combines the spiritual and the secular is the key to improving the quality of life in any society.

Even as India grows its economy at home, Trinidad and Tobago provides an excellent opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs and investors to set up manufacturing and service industries in my country where we are committed to a program of diversification and are offering attractive incentives to investors.

Further, Trinidad and Tobago has a number of trade agreements which will allow for market access into the 600 million Central and Latin American markets.

For those of us who may be unaware of Trinidad and Tobago, we are the world’s number one exporter of methanol and at times urea.

In fact the largest methanol plant in the world is located in Trinidad and Tobago.

With one hundred years of experience in oil exploration and our technological savvy in gas monetization, TT and India can develop a strong partnership to assist emerging oil and gas nations in the south, thus giving life to the much touted South-South Cooperation and Trade.

Mini-PBD in Trinidad and Tobago

I am aware that the Pravasi is meant to examine in the main the contribution of the Indian Diaspora to India’s development.

However I wish to sincerely urge that consideration be given to the holding of a Pravasi in the Caribbean and for which I pledge the support of my country.

In so doing we shall share new understandings, and develop appreciation for the Diaspora in their adopted homelands.

Even as India benefits and develops from the annual Pravasi in India, other countries especially small island nations will also benefit by way of a Pravasi in their countries. I speak here of the Trinidad Diaspora which resides in every country of the world, and can be found in the UK, Canada, and the USA.

It will become a type of pilgrimage that combines tourism, education and business development.

Closing

Prime Minister, you have paid Trinidad and Tobago and me great honour by having me as your Chief Guest.

I am deeply inspired by what is happening here today, inspired by the unity of purpose of this gathering which speaks of a desire to contribute through the application of one’s skills and resources for the benefit of humanity.

I see in this Pravasi the spirit of yagna, selfless sacrifice for the community’s well being and I applaud and draw inspiration from such commitment.

As I commend this important opportunity for the Indian Diaspora to come together with the Government of India, I wish to leave you all with the simple words of Rabindranath Tagore:

“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water”.

In order to effectively reach out to one another, to the members of our Diasporic communities, to nations, to our neighbours, we must be proactive.

We must not restrict ourselves to mere words, to ‘standing and staring at the water’, but instead we must take the initiative to reach out across the sea to one another to create a stronger, more tight-knit and supportive international community.

May God continue to bless each of you.

May God continue to bless both our nations.

May God continue to bless the nations from which the Diaspora have gathered.

May we pledge to work for the mutual benefit of the people of our own countries and the world.
..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

India’s Diplomatic Outreach To Far Abroad – Analysis.

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:54:00 +0000

Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamala Persad-Bissessar (L) gestures as she meets Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a welcome ceremonial at The Presidential Palace in New Delhi on January 6, 2012. Kamala Persad is in India for a 10-day state visit. Photo from First Post

India’s Diplomatic Outreach To Far Abroad – Analysis
Written by: SAAG
Eurasia Review | January 06, 2012
By Rajeev Sharma

Normally, Trinidad and Tobago does not have much media coverage in India. Not even if it is the largest among all small nation states that constitute the Caribbean. And yet, Trinidad and Tobago is justifiably in the limelight because its Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the first woman of Indian origin to reach this position, is currently on a state visit to India (January 5-14, 2012). The importance of this visit from the Caribbean tiny dot nation is two-fold. One, this is the first state visit of the year. Two, this also happens to be the first state visit by a woman Head of Government of Indian origin. Kamla is accompanied by seven ministers and two prominent cricket stars of the region: Brian Lara and Daren Ganga.

India rolled out the red carpet to Kamla and engaged with her at the topmost political level. Apart from the fact that she held delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday, she also had discussions with President Pratibha Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna. Kamla’s main official engagements in New Delhi concluded on Friday itself after which she is to visit Jaipur for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas as the Chief Guest where she is to be conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award.

The foreign dignitary will be in Bihar on January 11where she will visit Bhelupur, her ancestral village in Buxar, apart from her visits to Indian metropolises like Kolkata and Mumbai. During the delegation-level talks between the two Prime Ministers on Friday, the two sides vowed to intensify their bilateral cooperation. Five MoUs were signed: one pertaining to culture, one in technical education, two pertaining to Department of Ayush (one is for technical cooperation in traditional medicine and the second one is for establishing an Ayurvedi Chair in the University of West Indies), and the fifth is bilateral air services agreement.

The importance of Trinidad and Tobago cannot be over-emphasised as people of Indian origin constitute about 42 per cent of the population there, and are part and parcel of the economic, political and social fabric of the country. For at least half a decade, India has been pursuing vigorously its far-abroad diplomacy and strengthening ties with the Latin American and Caribbean region.This is reflected by the fact that in 2010 India’s trade with the Latin American and Caribbean region was US$ 23 billion and cumulative investments in that region were estimated to be about US$ 15 billion.

India’s pro-active engagement with this region, known in the diplomatic circles as LAC countries, is to be seen in the larger context of New Delhi’s aspirations for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council where every single vote counts. Trinidad and Tobago supported India for the non-permanent membership of the UNSC and voted for India. As regards the permanent membership, many of the smaller countries constitute and work together as groups, and they work within what is called the CARICOM. It consists of various other countries in the region. CARICOM has a generic view on this rather than Trinidad and Tobago individually. They work within the parameters of that view in the United Nations. It is this big picture that is the template for India’s diplomatic outreach to every nook and corner of the globe.

People-to-people interaction and exchanges constitute an important part of India’s bilateral relations with Trinidad and Tobago. People of Indian origin constitute about 42 percent of the population there, and are part and parcel of the economic, political and social fabric of the country. These historic and cultural linkages have become stronger with time. In 1966, India established the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Cultural Cooperation in Port of Spain. The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), an important tool for cultural diplomacy, has also set up long-term Chairs on contemporary Indian studies and on Hindi.Indian cultural troupes regularly visit Trinidad and Tobago. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago, since January 2011, has relaxed visa requirements for Indian nationals for tourism and business purposes, if the period of stay does not exceed 90 days.

The outlook for bilateral trade between India and Trinidad and Tobago has considerable potential. Indian exports have grown exponentially from US$ 8.8 million in 2001 to approximately US$ 420 million in 2008-09. However, during the last two years bilateral trade has declined on account of shortfall of Liquefied Natural Gas(LNG) exports of Trinidad and Tobago to India and also due to global economic recession. The bilateral trade between India and Trinidad and Tobago was pegged at a modest figure of $ 140 million. Indian exports include drugs and pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, petroleum products, IT services, auto components and gems and jewelry.

Trinidad and Tobago is rich in oil and gas resources and has the largest and most vibrant economy in the Caribbean. Indian companies have evinced interest in investing in gas and petrochemicals sector. India also offers 30 ITEC training slots annually to Trinidad and Tobago nationals for training in Indian institutions. Indian companies like Essar, Indraprastha Gas Limited (IPL) and Reliance are already negotiating for investing in Trinidad and Tobago’s oil, fertilizers and chemicals sectors. Reliance is interested to invest about a billion dollar in a bitumen plant.

In today’s world where distances have shrunk drastically, India needs to get more pro-active in pursuing its far abroad diplomacy. The on going visit of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is a part of this process. India has woken up quite late to the importance of its far abroad and China has already stolen a march over India in this regard. China’s presence in Latin America and the Caribbean is already phenomenal. India must take the cue from China in pursuing a vigorous diplomacy all over the world and economic diplomacy is, and should be, an important tool to make India a truly global power.

About the author: SAAG

SAAG is the South Asia Analysis Group, a non-profit, non-commercial think tank. The objective of SAAG is to advance strategic analysis and contribute to the expansion of knowledge of Indian and International security and promote public understanding.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamala Persad-Bissessar (2L) and her husband Gregory Bissessar (L) pose alongside Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2R) and his wife Gulcharan Kaur (R) during a welcome ceremonial at The Presidential Palace in New Delhi on January 6, 2012. Kamala Persad is in India for a 10-day state visit. Photo from FirstPost

Joint Statement by India and Trinidad and Tobago.
NetIndian News Network | January 7, 2012

The following is the Joint Statement issued by India and Trinidad and Tobago on the State Visit of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to India:
The Honorable Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago paid a State Visit to India from January 5-14, 2012 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar was accompanied by her spouse Dr. Gregory Bissessar and a high-level Ministerial and Business delegation.

2. Prime Minister Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar was accorded a ceremonial reception in New Delhi on January 6, 2012. She paid homage to the Father of the Indian Nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. She called on the President of India Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and the Vice-President of India Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari. The Prime Ministers of India and Trinidad and Tobago held talks and the Indian Prime Minister hosted a Banquet in honor of the visiting dignitary. Minister of External Affairs of India Shri S.M. Krishna called on the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her delegation will also visit Jaipur, Agra, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Buxar and Mumbai.

3. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago will be the Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Jaipur from January 7-9, 2012. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is the first woman of Indian origin to become a Head of Government in the wider Diaspora which is a source of inspiration to the Diaspora. Prime Minister Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in recognition of her contribution to the cause of the Diaspora in the development of relations between India and Trinidad and Tobago.

4. Prime Minister Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar will visit the Kolkata Memorial Monument from where her ancestors had set sail for Trinidad and Tobago in the middle of the 19th Century. She will also visit her ancestral village of Bhelupur in Buxar district of the State of Bihar.

5. Discussions between the Prime Minister of India and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere with full mutual understanding, characteristic of the close relations between the two countries. The official talks covered bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

6. The two sides expressed satisfaction that the bilateral interaction and partnership between India and Trinidad and Tobago encompassing political, economic, trade, investment, energy, tourism, agriculture, science & technology, medical, education and culture was progressing in a positive direction. At the same time, the Leaders of the two sides noted that there was considerable potential towards further development and consolidation of the historical relations between the two countries and agreed to work together for further enhancement of the multi-faceted relations to a higher level. Leaders recalled that the bilateral relations between India and Trinidad and Tobago were anchored on shared democratic values, respect for human rights, mutual understanding and cooperation and a similarity of views on major international issues.

7. During the visit, the following Agreements were concluded: a Bilateral Air Services Agreement; an MoU on Cooperation in Traditional Indian Medicine; an MoU on setting up of a Chair on Ayurveda in the University of West Indies; Programme of Cultural Exchanges and; Technical Cooperation Agreement in the field of Education.

8. Prime Ministers of India and Trinidad and Tobago highly appreciated the results of the first meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the two countries which was held at the Foreign Ministers level in November 2011 in New Delhi. They welcomed the results of the Ministerial Joint Commission which is an important institutional framework for providing a direction to the development of bilateral cooperation.

Trade, Economic and Investment

9. The two sides expressed satisfaction at the growing engagement between India and Trinidad and Tobago in trade and investments. They noted that bilateral trade has a vast potential which needs to be tapped with renewed efforts by encouraging participation in each other’s trade fairs, business seminars and conclaves and exchange of business delegations. They agreed to diversify trade and investments to prospective areas such as conventional and renewable energy, SMEs, ICT, Pharmaceuticals & Medical equipments and consumables, Health, Wellness Tourism, Ayurveda, Entertainment, Shipping among others.

10. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago welcomed the announcement by the Indian side to increase the number of ITEC scholarships from the current number of 30 to 50 commencing the year 2012.

Energy

11. The two sides noted that the importance of energy security to cater to their development needs. They reiterated their interest to collaborate in the energy sector for a mutually beneficial partnership. In this context, they noted Trinidad and Tobago’s strength in the energy sector and the possibilities for closer technical and commercial cooperation between the two countries in this regard. Both sides welcomed the fact that Indian companies from the public and private sectors have expressed interest in investing in Trinidad and Tobago. They agreed that at the invitation of Trinidad and Tobago, an Indian delegation led by the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas would visit Trinidad and Tobago in the near future to further concretise areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.

12. The two sides expressed support for closer bilateral interaction in the utilisation of renewable and alternative sources of energy and appropriate technologies as a basis for sustainable development and as part of the global effort in addressing the challenges of Climate Change.

Information Technology

13. Both sides noted the growing importance of Information and Communications Technology as a powerful catalyst in the development of their economies. The Trinidad and Tobago side expressed its keenness to transform its country into an inter-connected, technologically advanced society with modern information and communication systems for economic growth and social progress. They expressed their interest for partnership with the Indian IT sector in the development of an Information Technology Park which will drive innovation, conception and design of efficient technologies. The Indian side agreed to encourage the Indian IT sector, both public and private, to collaborate with Trinidad and Tobago in its endeavour to develop an efficient IT industry.

Health Sector

14. The Trinidad and Tobago side expressed its interest to develop Trinidad and Tobago as a hub of medical and healthcare tourism in their region. The Indian side agreed to assist Trinidad and Tobago in this endeavour. The Indian side also agreed to develop the Indian system of traditional medicine, especially Ayurveda in Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinidad and Tobago side welcomed the Indian proposal to set up a Chair in Ayurveda in the University of West Indies.

Education

15. Both sides expressed their interest to intensify educational linkages, especially in the technical and higher education areas through use of IT enabled services such as e-Education. In this regard they underscored that the bilateral Technical Cooperation Agreement in the field of education would facilitate closer academic ties.

Tourism

16. Both sides recognised that the vast tourism potential in each other’s countries needs to be fully realised through cooperation in training in travel and hospitality sectors and though greater tourist exchanges between the two countries. They noted that the Bilateral Air Services Agreement signed during the visit would facilitate better air connectivity between the two countries and help in the people-to-people exchanges and trade. The Indian side appreciated the decision of the Government of Trinidad & Tobago for according visa waiver facility to Indian citizens for a period of 90 days. Both sides recognised that this will further enhance business and tourist movement between the two countries.

Films

17. The Trinidad and Tobago side underlined the growing importance of its creative industry, notably in the areas of Fashion, Film and Animation. They invited India’s participation in the development of these areas through transfer of technology, investment and training. It was agreed to explore mutually beneficial opportunities in these sectors through institutional linkages and involvement of Bollywood production units.

Arts and Culture

18. Both sides recognised that the historical and cultural linkages between the two countries are being further strengthened through the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Cooperation in Port of Spain set up in 1996. The Trinidad and Tobago side expressed its appreciation for the active role of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in the promotion of Indian culture and arts through various activities as well as through setting up of Chairs on Contemporary Indian Studies and Hindi. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for the period 2012-14 noting that it will give fresh impetus to the existing cultural ties.

International Developments and Multilateralism

19. The two sides exchanged views on a broad range of regional and international issues of mutual interest. They discussed developments in South Asia and the Caribbean region. They reaffirmed their commitment to fight hunger and poverty, promote democratic values and foster economic development and emphasised the importance of implementing the Millennium Development Goals.

20. The two sides emphasised the central role of the UN in maintaining global peace and security; promoting the economic and social advancement of all people; and for meeting global threats and challenges. Both sides expressed the need to implement the process of UN reforms to make it more representative, legitimate and effective. They agreed that any expansion and restructuring of the Security Council must reflect contemporary realities, increased transparency and democracy and include developing countries in both categories of membership. The Trinidad and Tobago side reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership in an expanded UNSC.

21. Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and agreed to cooperate in the international communities’ joint endeavour in eliminating the menace of international terrorism. They also noted their cooperation in the UN in this regard and urged the international community to adopt a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the earliest.

22. The two sides recognised that Climate Change is a global challenge with strong economic, environmental and social dimensions. It impacts all countries, but is particularly severe for developing countries, given their vulnerabilities, inadequate means and limited capacities to adapt to its effects. They called on developed countries to take the lead in mitigation efforts and provide the necessary means of implementation, including financial and technological support.

23. The two sides expressed deep concern over the international economic and financial crisis and agreed that the current situation demands restructuring of the international financial and monetary system. They underlined that the voice of emerging and developing economies, in the international financial and monetary system, should be heard in order to avoid new and potentially more calamitous crises in the future and contribute to the inclusive growth.

24. The Prime Minister of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago sincerely thanked the Prime Minister of the Republic of India for the warm hospitality extended to her and the accompanying delegation. She invited the Prime Minister of India to pay a State Visit to Trinidad and Tobago. The invitation was duly accepted.

Prime Minister Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar attends bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister

Uploaded by eyeonkamla

Achyutam Keshavam [Bhajan]

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:40:00 +0000

Uploaded by nikitadaharwal
ACHYUTAM KESHAYAM
Sung by Nikita Daharwal

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram
[Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram]
Rama naraynam Janakivallabham
[Rama naraynam Janakivallabham]

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi?
[Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi?]
Tuum Meera ke jaise bulate nahi
[Tuum Meera ke jaise bulate nahi.]

Who says God does not come?
It's just that you aren't calling Him with the devotion of Meera.

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram
[Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram]
Rama naraynam Janakivallabham
[Rama naraynam Janakivallabham.]

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan khaate nahi?
[Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan khaate nahi?]
Ber Shabri ke jaise khilate nahi
[Ber Shabri ke jaise khilate nahi.]

Who says God does not eat?
You don’t feed Him like Shabri did.

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram
[Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram]
Rama naraynam Janakivallabham
[Rama naraynam Janakivallabham.]

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan Sote nahi?
[Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan Sote nahi?]
Maa Yashoda ke jaise sulate nahin
Maa Yashoda ke jaise sulate nahin.

Who says God does not sleep?
You do not put Him to sleep like Mother Yashoda did.

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram,
[Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram]
Rama naraynam Janakivallabham,
[Rama naraynam Janakivallabham.]

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan naachte nahi?
[Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan naachte nahi?]
Gopiyon ke tarah tum nachate nahin
[Gopiyon ke tarah tum nachate nahin.]

Who says God does not dance?
You don’t inspire Him to dance like the Gopis did.

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram,
[Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram]
Rama naraynam Janakivallabham
[Rama naraynam Janakivallabham]
Rama naraynam Janakivallabham
[Rama naraynam Janakivallabham.]

..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Nikita Daharwal. I am moved to tears by the message of this bhajan. One of the many reasons why I love bhajans is that they reveal the divinity in ourselves and everything around us. Although there is the element of transcendence and the acknowledgment of God's omnipotence, it is immanence which I often embrace in bhajans, God comes to man and embraces him and all of creation. God is greater than the sum of all our parts but each part is also of God. God is us and we are in God. Our gods are as dependent on us as we are on them. I am soothed, I am made more hopeful because of the invigorating beauty and the comfort that they exude.

I am blessed to have been born in Trinidad and Tobago. I have heard and loved bhajans from my childhood. Although my family is Roman Catholic and I had a totally Roman Catholic upbringing and academic education, it was in that same Roman Catholic education system that I actually learned to sing my first bhajans. One Divali, a Hindu teacher at my secondary school was invited to teach us a few and we assembled to learn. I was thrilled. Finally, finally, miracle of miracles, I could sing three bhajans and I have not forgotten them to this day.

Be kind to one another and if you cannot, try your best to remove yourselves from situations until you can see things more clearly. Many of the violent crimes being committed, I've noticed, are crimes of passion and I don't think that the guilty, even in their wildest dreams could have ever envisioned the tragedies they would eventually cause. This phenomenon is not restricted to our society. The entire world is roiling under stresses that are breaking the backs of those who are not deeply grounded.

I wonder if a 24/7 hotline could be made available [if it doesn't already exist] for people finding themselves approaching the brink, feeling themselves losing control and unable to handle their own frustration and rage or that of others. If it does exist then it should be be advertised so heavily that it comes to mind as naturally as the numbers for the ambulance, police and fire services.

Naam japate chalo kaam karte chalo
Keep praising the Lord, continue working
Har samay krishna ka dhyaan karte chalo
Remember Him all the time
Yaad aayegi unko kabhi na kabhi
Someday He will think of (remember) you
Krishan darshan to denge kabhi na kabhi
Krishna will appear one day or the other.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.Blessed is all of creation

Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

"We Are Just Transitioning..."

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:38:00 +0000

Uploaded by kirstendirksen
California shipping container tiny home & cargo trailer room.
Faircompanies.com

Lulu is a single mom who'd gone back to school and didn't have the time or interest in working full-time to pay for rent. So when she had to move out of her more conventional home, she decided to move herself and her daughter into a shipping container.

"I think I'm a little claustrophobic so the storage container was a little daunting, but I got the container for free."

DIY container home

With no building experience, Lulu spent just one month cutting windows and a door and installing insulation and a basic kitchen (complete with propane-powered campstove and on-demand water heater).

Then she and her daughter moved into the 8 by 20 foot square foot home, fitting a bed, couch, bookshelf and kitchen cabinets into the 160 square foot box.

A flatbed trailer bedroom addition

When Lulu decided they needed a bit more space, she went from shipping to trucking waste and began to build their bedroom on a used flatbed trailer.

"It's really mostly built like a shed. It's a nice looking shed, but it's really an 8 by 16 shed with windows in it."

Salvaged furniture

Using only recycled building materials- including used floorboards, windows, cabinets, doors, bathtub, toilet and sinks- she built the entire thing for about $4,000 (trailer included).

"When you don't have money you just get creative you know and I had to go to the junkyard many times and be like, 'okay, what am I going to do' and be like 'okay, I'll pick that' and ‘how can I convert that into a closet’ and ‘how can I make that a sink’ and ‘how am I going to make that fit’."

Living smaller, working less

Now Lulu and her daughter have 288 square feet, or a bit more if you include the square footage of her daughter’s lofted bed. She says her daughter sometimes loves her little fort and other times she complains, but Lulu doesn’t doubt her decision.

“I mean this was really a choice about, you know, how many hours do we have to our life and how do I want to spend those hours and really about do I want to go and work more than 10, 20, 30 hours a week so that I can pay rent to have a big house so that I can be a healthy normal mom. So this was my choice and she's definitely complained at times, but I also know that we have spent way more hours than I would have if I had to pay rent.”

Lulu didn’t want to add a mortgage to her student loans, but her choice of home was also a reflection of her love of imperfect beauty.

“I showed this to my brother in Argentina and he said, 'you've always like poverty with a lot of style. Always like elegant poor'… although now it's fashionable to be wabi-sabi right?"

Wabi-sabi home

Wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a Japanese aesthetic that values not only imperfection, but it’s also a worldview that appreciates that everything is temporary. Lulu likes living in a home that reflects the ephemeral nature of stuff.

“Material things, all of it is on borrow right, we're all just borrowing stuff... None of this is ours and we try to secure ourselves in these identities like my house, my wife, my car, my children, my career. You know the bigger the more, I'm sure that I am myself and it's like oh no, this house is really a prison and I'm tied to the bank.”

In this video, Lulu- while babysitting 3 other children, besides her own- gives us a tour of her container plus cargo trailer home and talks a bit about her wabi-sabi “elegant poor” style of life."

Ó Gente Da Minha Terra...Feliz Ano Novo!

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Uploaded by DonFreixinhoe
Ó GENTE DA MINHA TERRA
Composed by Amalia Rodrigues
Performed by Mariza [Marisa dos Reis Nunes]

[Dedicado ao meu avô.]

Happy New Year!! I seem to be at a loss for words these days, so I will let Mariza sing this fado for my homeland and in memory of my grandfather. Know that I wish you ALL only the best.

É meu e vosso este fado | This Fado is yours and mine
Destino que nos amarra | A destiny that unites us
Por mais que seja negado | No matter how much it is denied
Às cordas de uma guitarra | By the strings of a guitar.

Sempre que se ouve o gemido | Whenever one hears the lament
De uma guitarra a cantar | Of a guitar's song
Fica-se logo perdido | One is instantly lost
Com vontade de chorar | With a longing to weep.

Ó gente da minha terra | Oh people of my land
Agora é que eu percebi | It is now that I have perceived
Esta tristeza que trago | This sadness that I carry
Foi de vós que a recebi | Was received from you.

E pareceria ternura | It would seem a kindness
Se eu me deixasse embalar | If I let myself be soothed
Era maior a amargura | The greater the anguish
Menos triste o meu cantar | The less sorrowful my song.

Ó gente da minha terra | Oh people of my land
Agora é que eu percebi | It is now that I have perceived
Esta tristeza que trago | This sadness that I carry
Foi de vós que a recebi | Was received from you.
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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

"Did U.S. Give Latin American Leaders Cancer?"

noreply@blogger.com (Guanaguanare) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:48:00 +0000

According to this Reuters article today, Venezuelan President Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is suggesting that there may be a connection between the USA and the list of Central and Latin American leaders who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Did U.S. Give Latin American Leaders Cancer?
By Daniel Wallis
CARACAS | Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:10pm EST

(Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speculated on Wednesday that the United States might have developed a way to give Latin American leaders cancer, after Argentina's Cristina Fernandez joined the list of presidents diagnosed with the disease."

While he stresses that he is not making any accusations and just thinking aloud, he wonders:

"It would not be strange if they had developed the technology to induce cancer and nobody knew about it until now ... I don't know. I'm just reflecting," he said in a televised speech to troops at a military base.
"But this is very, very, very strange ... it's a bit difficult to explain this, to reason it, including using the law of probabilities....
"Fidel always told me, 'Chavez take care. These people have developed technology. You are very careless. Take care what you eat, what they give you to eat ... a little needle and they inject you with I don't know what,'" he said." SOURCE

When I read the news about Argentina's President having been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, I also added her name to the growing list of Central and South American leaders who have fought or are in the process of fighting cancer:

1997 - Argentina - Former president, Nestor Kirchner - Colon cancer.

2006 - Cuba - Former president, Fidel Castro - Abdominal cancer [To my knowledge, he has never confirmed this.]

2008 - Trinidad and Tobago - Former Prime Minister, Patrick Manning - Liver cancer.

2009 - Bolivia - Current president, Evo Morales - Nasal cancer [To my knowledge, he has never confirmed this.]

2009 - Brazil - Current president, Dilma Rousseff - Lymphatic cancer

2010, August - Paraguay - Current president, Fernando Lugo - Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

2011, June - Venezuela - Current president, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías - Prostate cancer.

2011, October - Brazil - Former president, Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva - Throat cancer.

2011, December - Argentina - Current president, Cristina Kirchner - Thyroid Cancer.

I don't know if President Chávez has ever seen the documentary, "The Men Who Killed Kennedy." I refer specifically to Part 8 which was prepared by The History Channel in November 2003 and which you can view below. Judyth Vary Baker tells the story about her work along with others on the creation of a virulent strain of cancer to be used as a biological weapon against Fidel Castro and other "nuisances." While I am grateful to Judyth Vary Baker for breaking her silence after forty years and affording us another chilling look at the workers of iniquity hard at work, I cannot imagine how she or Lee Harvey Oswald can ever hope to portray themselves as innocents.

The Men Who Killed Kennedy - Part 8 - The Love Affair (2003)
Uploaded by otingocni06
I have provided below the positions in the video of discussion of certain key points:

7:42 - Judyth learns about the weaponization of cancer project.

"To Judyth's amazement Ferrie began to talk about a secret government medical project against Castro involving himself and Mary Sherman, overseen by Alton Ochsner . I knew that Dr. Ochsner had been working on a variety of different projects and that because of his association with anti-Castro people such as David Ferrie this seemed very possible to me that Dr. Ochsner and Dr. Sherman might be involved with David Ferrie and of course he spoke knowledgeably of both people."

"When I went in, Dr. Ochsner began to explain to me, and I had already been apprised a great deal more more by Dr. David Ferrie, about the project that he had been working on for over a year and this clearly had to do working with the deadly cancer strains that he know I was well adept at handling. The idea was to try and get Castro ill, very ill, and eliminated through what seemed a natural cause. In this case, cancer. The attractiveness of the plan that Dr. Ochsner and Dr. Sherman and David Ferrie were working on, is that up to now attempts to kill Castro had to involve some kind of violence that could be traced to some country or individual and that could lead to war - World War Three maybe, if Russia intervened. This was considered in my mind a noble experiment, a noble attempt to do away with Castro without anyone getting blamed or with only a few people being involved because it was biomedical. At any rate, at the end of the summer, he promised me that I would skip two years of school and go directly into medical school at Tulane medical school. Of course, uhmm, how could I say no?

13:56 Details about the work on the cancer virus ultimately intended for Castro.

"We were after a vicious cancer, a galloping cancer and all the tumour material that seemed to be the most vigorous was then placed in a blender and blended together so that they could recycle and not lose that virus and the other thing that we were doing was making tissue cell cultures from the most vigorous and deadly cancers."

20:17 Cancer weapon as one of the products to be used against America's enemies.

"What Dr. Oshner and Dr. Mary Sherman and David Ferrie were doing was assembling various products that could be used by the CIA, perhaps by the Mafia, and they were involved with both, that could be used against Castro and against insurgents or mercenaries or groups that were communists that they felt were infiltrating Central and South America."

20:42 Judyth Baker's suggestion when the cancer virus intended for Castro was proving to be not potent enough.

"I convinced Dr. Ochsner and others that the real thing we need to do is pull down Castro's immune system by using several ploys and then when the cancer is introduced into his body it would be found in his blood system, they'd put him in front of the X-ray again and again and again. He'd be injected again and again. Supposedly he'd be getting treatments to kill the cancer when actually his immune system is getting destroyed. That could be done. In other words, Castro could be eliminated by using the X-ray and they'll think that it's the side effects from lung cancer... and that was my idea."

24:09 Testing the cancer virus begins on unwitting human "volunteers" from the Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola. These people did not know that what was being injected into them were live cancer cells.

26:31 Description of the team that carried out the testing and of how the virus would be brought to Cuba to infect Castro.

"Lee [Harvey Oswald] had to come along because he had learned all these special techniques to handle the materials. He'd learned them in the lab working with me and so if the experiment was successful he was selected as the ideal person to take these materials down to Mexico City where they would be handed over to a contact - a medical student or a medical technician and those materials would then be taken over to Cuba and handed over in Cuba to a member of Castro's medical team who could be trusted."

27:50 The tests appear to be successful.

30:37 How Hurricane Flora, 1963 caused the mission to be aborted and saved Castro's life from that assassination attempt .

So, what to do? Well, if we continue to monitor the health of leaders in the region who are devotees of the USA and observe that they remain suspiciously cancer free, we can choose one or more of the following possible explanations:

That leaders who choose not to be puppets of the wealthy or their external masters may be busier and may lead more stressful lives than those leaders who take the path of least resistance and choose to maintain the status quo. The stresses endured by the former group take a toll on their health, and stress, as we know, is like a welcome mat for many diseases including cancer.

That cancer has been on the rise in the region and it is only coincidental that it has chosen these strong leaders.

That based on the evidence provided here and elsewhere, we may conclude that this trend is NO coincidence and that it is obviously not the "healthy" choice to stand up for your rights against the "Defender or Human Rights." Speaking about standing up for your rights, Bob Marley comes to mind. Wasn't it also suspected that he had been assassinated?

"Only a handful of Marley's most trusted comrades knew of his whereabouts before the festival, but a member of the film crew, or so he claimed -- he didn't have a camera -- managed to talk his way past machete-bearing Rastas to enter the encampment: Carl Colby, son of the late CIA director William Colby. [11] And he came bearing a gift, according to a witness at the enclave, a new pair of boots for Bob Marley. [12] Former Black Panther and cinematographer Lee Lew-Lee (his camera work can be seen in the Oscar-winning documentary, The Panama Deception) was close friends with members of the Wailers, and he believes that Marley's cancer can be traced to the boots Colby gave him before the Smile Jamaica festival. "He put his foot in and said, 'Ow!' A friend got in there -- you know how Jamaicans are -- he said, 'let's get in here, in the boot, and he pulled a length of copper wire out -- it was embedded in the boot" [13] Had the wire been treated chemically with a carcinogenic toxin?" SOURCE

"Whosoever diggeth a pit shall fall in it
And whosoever diggeth a pit shall bury in it..."
---"Small Axe" - Bob Marley

For The Afflicted
A Navajo Healing Chant Sung By The Navajo & The Sioux
Peace - Inner Strength - Health
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