...have nothing at all to do with the Prime Minister of my country, Patrick Manning, or his Finance Minister, Karen Nunez-Tesheira, for they represent everything that you do not, that you dedicated your life's struggle to combat.
In case you don't know, sir, right now, in my native land, Trinidad and Tobago, these two -and others like them- are regarded with derision everywhere they go. Their ways have brought our beloved country to its knees with corruption, mismanagement and scandal in every nook and cranny.
Presently, vociferous calls for the Minister of Finance to resign go unheeded. These calls are being made because we, the people, recently discovered that she hid from us the fact that she has millions invested in the biggest local financial company, CL Financial Holdings -it's also the largest in the Caribbean- which just got a bailout with taxpayer dollars -we don't know what the final figure would be, as the last revelation hinted at $14 billion and counting, which, by no stretch, is chump change. (Read this Trinidadian journalist, Richard Lord's, MSNBC report about calls for Nunez-Tesheira to resign.)
It is also clear that these people have serious ethical issues, for they insist that they did nothing wrong, even though the records show that just before announcing the bailout, Nunez-Tesheira and her immediate family members prematurely withdrew their fixed deposits with CLICO Investment Bank -one of CL Financial Holdings subsidiaries- and they so did at considerable loss of interest, just because they wished not to suffer the fate of thousands of ordinary citizens whose small deposits are now stymied because the government has seized control of the bank and is refusing to allow anyone to withdraw their monies before maturity.
Mind you, this bailout was speedily arranged just after they refused to assist another major financial instution -The Hindu Credit Union (HCU)- on the pretext that the laws did not permit the government to assist!
Mr. President! Have you ever heard such nonsense, such contempt: that anything could prevent a government from helping the people when the people are in distress? Furthermore, sir, I need to point out that, to help out CL Financial Holdings, the government had to rush new laws through Parliament. They could have done the same thing when HCU buckled. But they didn't. Why? The only plausible explanation is that Cl Financial Holdings was rescued because the Finance Minister -and bigwig friends of those in government?- had millions/billions tied up in CL Financial Holdings, but not a cent in the HCU! (Read a related Trinidad Guardian article about the need to amend laws to permit the government coming to HCU's assistance.)
And all this has been happening against the backdrop of an ongoing Commission of Inquiry into massive corruption, insider trading and wheeling and dealing that, for many years, under Prime Minister Manning, has been taking place within a state-owned company named the urban Development Company of trinidad and Tobago (UDeCoTT). Billions and billions and then some, have been spent by this company without a satisfactory account -via our Parliament or otherwise- for any cent being to us, the people.
As citizens of a former European colony, we know full well that many of our own people who offer to lead us merely wish to get in power to fill their pockets at our expense. We know you understand fully what I mean. But, like i said, we know that you are not of that mold.
What we also know -and hope you, too, know- is that every oppressed person in the world regards you almost with messianic fervor. And why shouldn't we, given the reality as just described? It is a destiny you cannot shirk Mr. President. And you need to remember that, even if we were legally-barred from voting for you, our efforts -whether urging friends, family or strangers, whether relentlessly blogging in your cause and defence, whether embarking on fasts and invocations for your success and protection, whatever!- combined to topple the walls of Jericho so you could enter the White House.
Thus, the bond between us is sacred, even if not individually-recognized; and, being sacred, cannot ever be broken. Unless who break it wishes to embrace the whirlwind of vengance that surely would follow?
So! Yes, Mr. President! When you come to my native land, Trinidad and Tobago, for the two/three-day Summit, please DO NOT HOBNOB with those characters! You would lose a lot of our respect, love and goodwill if you do. Indeed, what we'd love very much for you to do is to call them out when you speak -you are a fearless man, plus, one who is feared by leaders such as those who currently, blight Trinidad and Tobago. And indeed, we urge you and The First Lady to bask in the warm hospitality of the common people of my native land, to share a meal at any of their humble tables -you may get one right next door to the Port of Spain Hyatt, at the waterfront Breakfast Shed (which some know-it-all heartless person contrived to rename as "Chateau des Femmes") if your tight schedule denies you the chance to mingle with us.
But, for Heavens sake, DO NOT HOBNOB with these people!
On behalf of the many, many, many thousands of Obamamanians in Trinidad and Tobago, please, sir, I beg of you to take the herein-offered advice.
And, may God bless you and guide you, always!
Kid5rivers,
Five Rivers, Arouca,
Trinidad and Tobago.
PS: Trinidad and Tobago's official language is English English, not American English, so, get accustomed to the way I spelt certain words, okay?
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