A life shaping moment from my childhood occurred the day I brought home a pencil which I found on Nelson Street.  In response to my mother’s query about the owner of the pencil, I innocently said that I found it on the street.  She unhesitatingly “cut my tail” and walked me back to the spot so that I could replace the pencil.  You might think this an extreme example but growing up “Behind the Bridge” I could not take anything into my humble home without my mother knowing exactly where it came from, who gave it to me and why did I like it?

This story flooded my mind while observing Press reports on the “Kamla/Santa” antics.  First the lady did not know where the toys or media gifts came from; then she didn’t know that there was money and food vouchers in the media gifts.  Eventually sources revealed that some manufacturers provided the gifts and significant discounts.  That’s good, except for the fact that the companies all manufacture foods, beverages and other consumables.  The question remains, who imported the toys and at what cost?  Were State funds utilised?  Should the Government be accepting gifts from unknown donors?  In any “two bit” company you are required to operate within the boundaries of the gifting policy and for good reason.  There would also be a register so that gifts would be recorded and known to all.  Where is the transparency and accountability?

What is the difference between “Kamla/Santa” pleading ignorance to the source of the gifts/toys and the parent also pleading ignorance to how their unemployed son/daughter is able to live a lifestyle of the rich and famous?

That feeling of Christmas is hard to come by because lurking in the shadows of my mind is the nagging question: What will it be like in January?

2014 will be remembered as the year of giveaway and freeness.  Come 2015, the pensioners will have spent their extra $5,000.00 Christmas gift; the prices of staples would have crept up beyond their pre-Christmas-gift level; the price of oil and gas would be even lower and the “Kamla promotional giveaways” would be laying around the house.  In the world of marketing, branded promotional give aways are sometimes called consumables.

The Communication Gurus behind the UNC’s political campaign have invested their entire spend in the notion that good brand visibility signifies the ability of your products/services to attract the attention of your target audience and therefore stimulate re-sale.   In this case, the feeling is that the more you see of the Prime Minister and the UNC, the more likely you are to vote for them at the appointed hour.  The literature also suggests that there is a saturation point – that point at which the audience becomes numb to the message.  There is no formula to prescribe that point.  The decision is informed by data and a good dose of common sense.   All that is happening in this Yuletide season can be summed up as “voter inducement” and the society is paying a significant price.

After the dust settles on the 2015 general elections some leader will be responsible for changing the way we do business in T&T and that culture change is probably the single biggest headache that will be experienced for years to come.

How will we move away from an attitude of entitlement?  How will we recalibrate the society into remembering that work precedes success?  How will we get our leaders to live the value that people do what you do and not what you say?  How will we inspire our people to give a fair days work for their pay?

These are complicated questions with no silver bullet answers. Our single assurance is that these questions must be answered and provision made to ensure that they are answered in a way that will benefit our society.

Sunity Maharaj spoke at the 2012 TEDxPortofSpain Conference.  Her talk was a reflection on our history and the courage of our forefathers to rise above their material circumstances and contribute to the development of what exists today in every nook and cranny of our beautiful nation.

She suggests that we must have the courage answer 2 basic questions: Who am I and What am I about?  Viewing this is worth 16 minutes of your time.   http://tedxportofspain.com/portfolio/sunity-maharaj/

Many years ago when I joined TEXACO Trinidad, one of my assignments was to interview pensioners wherever I could find them.  I met disgruntled, angry men because they could no longer support their life styles.  A couple of them revelled in their stories about drinking premium whiskey and supporting multiple homes in their day while I observed that their homes needed repairs.

20+ years later our retired judges are making out the same case for enhanced pensions. The question is: Who is responsible for your pension? Salaries are payed in exchange for service – it is a simple transaction.  Some employers arrange for part of that transaction to be allocated towards the payment of a pension in the future.  But the ultimate responsibility lies with the individual to put away for the rainy day.  Judges are persons of privilege in our society and they above all should understand the concept of “delayed gratification” so they “put things in place”.

I have no sympathy for the case of our retired judges because during employment their cash and non cash benefits were substantial including vacation travel, housing allowances and exemption from Income Taxes and taxes on the purchase of vehicles.  If you want to travel first class and maintain a chauffeur as a pensioner, then save for it but do not expect the state to help you maintain that unreal life style.

If the case for the Judges is that retirement must be indexed to the cost of living, then indexation should happen across the Board retirees from all sectors. What is the difference between the Nurse and the Judge?  Their contribution to the society is equally important but the judges are unequally rewarded.  If your case is that you can’t pay your medical bills, then welcome to the real world, none of us can.  It speaks to a necessary improvement across the health sector.

The big lesson that I took away from those interviews with Texaco retirees was that pensions as negotiated while employed are unlikely to be sufficient for retirement.

Retirement is a guarantee so we have personal responsibility to put aside a percentage of our current salaries as a pension for when we are no longer employed.

The next client who requests “a team builder” will be advised that the team should run the “UWI Half Marathon 2015”.  It will provide long term focus on a common goal and an experience of oneness that can only be earned by each person’s singular effort for the team.

UWI/SPEC INTERNATIONAL HALF MARATHON 2014 was an outstanding experience.  I am however disappointed that  24 hours later, the results are not yet on-line and available.

The Race organisers finally made the sensible decision to begin the race half hour earlier at 5:30 am and that made a positive difference especially to those of us finishing in more than 2 1/2 hours.   Thankfully the weather was on our side with great cloud cover for most of the race.  The course was well resourced with water and the Police did a great job of keeping the course closed.

The inclusion of drumming, tassa and steel band at strategic locations made for enjoyable distractions away from the focus on my aching body.  People line the course to cheer, jeer or heckle the runners as they see fit but Her Excellency seemed to be singled out for special treatment.  From the chant of “Go Reema!, Go Reema!, Go Reema!” to “Rachel Price waiting for yuh up de road”.  Along the way a friend handed me a beastly cold “Powerade” which I gulped but had to reject the “shot of white rum” offered by a group calling themselves “Road Rummers”.  They set up near to the seven mile marker with their table 

and beverages and warmly offered shots to the runners.  Not sure if they had any takers!

The finish was sweet as I simultaneously chased and urged on a young women.  As we bounded towards the finish line, the feeling of accomplishment was ripe.  Running a half Marathon is hard and there is so much to learn and so much to be thankful for.  It is always about the effort of the collective … the members of Trinidad and Tobago Road Runners Club (TTRRC) who selflessly give advice and guidance during training … family and friends who support the training efforts … the hundreds of volunteers manning the aid stations … the Police directing traffic and the Runners who just by putting one foot in front the other and refusing to quit inspire their fellow runners to do the same.

Well done UWI Half and First Citizen’s Bank!

Our Prime Minister, the first woman PM of Trinidad & Tobago broke our hearts.  2010 made us proud that a woman had taken over the leadership of the country and provided a moment for us all to dream of equalling this achievement in other areas.

The hallmarks of her leadership have been disputes and confusion.  4 years and 5 months later, she is mired in controversy of every kind: from corruption and bribery allegations to the callous response to Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh’s hunger strike.  I expected by now that she would have reached out in some way to put action behind her rhetoric that she will “serve the people, serve the people, serve the people”.  Instead there was the token 2-minute visit with her Minister of Health.

This has been followed by several attempts to discredit the “Hunger Strike” and suggest that Dr. Kublalsingh is not exhibiting signs of a person in crisis.  On each occasion that the PP Government has come up against any formidable opposition, they have used a similar strategy – to discredit the person, in the full confidence that some mud will stick and eventually doubt will be created about the issue.

In this case, the PM’s intention is to change the conversation and divert attention away from the Armstrong Report.  Here are 3 critical recommendations:

1. It is recommended that no further work be undertaken on the Highway site until all of the conditions contained in the CEC have been fulfilled, including the need for all plans specified in the EIA to be submitted to the EMA, and for approvals to be obtained from the relevant agencies. This includes the Storm Water Management Plan and the Water Management Plan, consideration of which involves stakeholder consultation and feedback via the Working Group which is required to be formed as part of the CEC conditions.
2. In accordance with the TCP Act no further construction work should be carried out on the site until all of the conditions attached to Notice of Grant of PP referenced T7M: 0440/2007 and Notice of Grant of PP referenced T8N: 0443/2007 have been fulfilled.
3. No further engineering operations are to be undertaken on the land at Petit Morne, St. Madeline on which it is proposed to relocate persons residing in the path of the alignment until all necessary approvals are obtained from the relevant agencies.

The HRM has received a fillip from some non aligned youths who have joined the struggle and are conducting their own fast for 40 days.  I am inspired to see young people participating in our democracy and wish that they attract many more from their cohort to occupy the HRM camp opposite to the Prime Minister’s Office.  Dr. Kublalsingh has done his part, it’s now time for us to support him. 

Madame PM, as your term in office comes to an end, please honour your promise to serve the people and come to the table with Civil Society and the HRM.  History will NOT absolve you!