Tag: #Government

From Territory Tax Leader to Minister of Finance

~ dennisedemming ~ Leave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-07-02 at 16.42.17The appointment of Miss Allyson West as Minister in the Ministry of Finance may have raised an eyebrow or two.  The raised eyebrows are understandable especially since several of us were appalled when former Judge Volney jumped into the political ring straight from the Bench.  We asked where was the cooling off period or the distance that is required for sober reflection?
Yesterday Miss West was the Territory Tax Leader of one of the biggest and most successful Accounting organizations in this country.  She would have been advising on tax issues where large businesses are seeking redress or resolution of Tax issues with the government.  Today she is on the other side!  She is directly responsible for assisting the Government with the collection of Taxes.
In PWc’s Pre-Budget Bulletin 2017, and referring to the Sandals deal, Miss West’s document stated:
“While we appreciate that agreements of this nature require some level of confidentiality, we would encourage GORTT (ME) to be as transparent as possible on the fundamentals of the arrangement, with particular emphasis on the costs GORTT has to bear and the incentives granted vis a vis the expected returns to be enjoyed by T&T”. 

By putting her hat in the ring, Miss West is now impaled on the horns of a dilemma where on the one hand, her latent memory will trigger issues she had been working on or providing advice for and on the other hand she could be asked to provide advice and or guidance to Officials on the way forward with the very same matters.
Further, PWc has a consultancy arm and the new Minister is now in close proximity to decisions about arrangements which could benefit her employer as of yesterday.  In whose interest will Miss West ultimately act? Of course she is a professional and will serve the best interest of Trinidad and Tobago.
I would like to believe that but must express my feeling of unease.  The jury will be out for a while!  Until then, congratulations to Miss Allyson West, yesterday’s Territory Tax Leader for PWc and today’s Minister of Finance with responsibility for Revenue Collection.

Sans Website?

~ dennisedemming ~ Leave a comment

office-of-the-prime-ministerLong time ago, when the internet was in the toddler stage, I asked a “techie guru” why do I need a website?  His response – “it’s like your home address”.  In today’s world everything on social media pivots to your website where you essence is communicated.  It is the place where you invite people to learn about you and  decide if they want to do business with you.  That rationale has not changed.

Why then when I google “Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago” I get an under construction message.  But when I google “Office of the Prime Minister of Canada” I get a dynamic website which even includes his itinerary.

office-of-the-prmie-minister-of-canada

In today’s world if you are interested in communicating with your population, you have to use the internet and the range of online tools which it offers.  Inviting yourself to a radio programme just allows you to speak to 18 percent of the population.  What about the other 82 percent?  And what about the youth cohort for whom the internet is their sand box?  Recently I was able to hear the Valedictorian on Facebook Live broadcast from one of the the graduation ceremonies at the University of the West Indies.  This just shows the power of the internet if used sensibly.

I can’t think of one reason why the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago does not have a functioning website.  It must be a new deliberate strategy to not communicate.  It must be because my Prime Minister and his advisers have no desire to engage  “Pradeep Public”.  It must be because they are have no interest in being inclusive.  It must be because they think they have all the answers.  It must be that the Government just does not understand that the future we must create requires an ICT strategy which enables our people to have information at their finger tips.

We keep talking about diversification.  If ICT does not form the backbone of the diversification strategy then we’ll be saying “welcome to the past”. 

Our country has the potential, the people and the creativity.  What we lack is the leadership!

Some Sorrel Juice Please Mr. President!

~ dennisedemming ~ Leave a comment

no_alcoholThere was a time, not so long ago when the only juices you could enjoy at President’s House were sorrel juice, grapefruit juice, mauby, star apple juice and any juice that could be made using local fruits.  I am told the fruits also came from the gardens on the premises. That was a period when the office still held some awe and mystique.  Today, the “The Hassanali’s” are still spoken of in glowing tones as part of the good “ole” days.  For that time, the serving of “home made juice” at President’s House was seen as disruptive.  Fast forward to today and the Office has its own wine label at the expense of the citizens.  There is inconsistency in the messaging here.  On one hand we are saying that there is need for austerity while on the other, we commission a private label wine for the President’s House.

The recent budget announced an increase in the sin taxes (meaning alcohol and tobacco) which is a good initiative but if we are aiming to change the alcohol palette of the Trinbagonian, it didn’t go far enough. It should really have been a one hundred percent charge for all imported alcohol.

If we’re serious about reducing the foreign exchange drain, why not temporarily  ban the use of alcohol at all government functions and on all government premises including the Diplomatic Centre and President’s House. At least we could implement this tax while the country moves towards economic stability. An old saying comes to mind: “People do what you do and not what you say”.   There is a tremendous move to authenticity in today’s world and people are looking for behaviour which they can pattern.  They do not respond to instruction. If you want to call out the best of others you have to be the best you possible.  If we want the population to understand the dire straights we are in, then our actions must be consistent.  The focus at the moment is on the Presidential label for his special wine but it is only a matter of time before someone leaks the bill for the Diplomat Centre and Household.  

How comfortable are you at the Trinidad Country Club?

~ dennisedemming ~ Leave a comment

Those of us who “took tear gas” in the 70s remember NJAC as our hope that “every
creed and race find an equal placeScreen Shot 2015-07-12 at 19.30.29“.  I now ask the question … will Chief Servant Makandal Daaga and Mrs. Liseli Daagaor or Bro. Khafra Kambon be at the UNC meeting at the Trinidad Country Club.  And if we rewound the clock to (2010) the year of their ascendency to political office how would this article have been re-written:  Continue reading “How comfortable are you at the Trinidad Country Club?” →

1/2 Mile Highway = 82 Mammography Units +

~ dennisedemming ~ Leave a comment

When your country has the highest rate of cancer mortality in the Americas, Cancer detection aPink ribbon. Breast cancernd prevention moves from being an NGO problem to a national problem.  And when the evidence indicates that Breast cancer has the highest mortality rate among women in T&T, you – as a Government and particularly the Minister of Health must be having sleepless nights over this mortality rate.  (That’s if you care!)

In this scenario, it is discomforting to read that “a bank has contributed 1M$ and is appealing to citizens to match their pledge in order to buy a mammography machine”.  On the other hand an NGO would have to stage at least one thousand 5Ks to raise funds to purchase the machine.  Somewhere the priorities are wrong.  

Mortality from Cancer and Breast Cancer is now a national epidemic which can only be stemmed by early detection.  For less than one eighth of one mile of the proposed Debe to Mon Desir Highway, we could purchase  2 machines for each constituency.  Then we could invite NGOs to help run the Mammography centres. 

Even if the published estimated cost of the Highway is exaggerated, we may have to forego half a mile, but the point is, it is mind boggling to consider that one mile costing more than three hundred million when weighed up against other urgent needs of our country.  

Using a hatchet where a scalpel is needed!

~ dennisedemming ~ 5 Comments
The offending Picture

In the field of Human Resource Management, it is often said that poor performance is a manifestation of poor selection.  If you invest in a rigorous selection process, your chances of having poor future performance will be minimized. This unfortunate “Pre Action Protocol Letter (PAPL)” from the Office of the President to a “2-bit” comedian is unfortunate and provides me with a little more evidence that the selection procedure was and is flawed.

Why is the President so sensitive about his wife’s dress?  What else is happening to raise his sensibilities?  What else is he trying to shield from public discussion via comedians and calypsonians?  Why would this President, who in a not so past life was an active participant in the culture of Calypso, Picong and Liming take such a heavy handed approach?  Why would the President so easily embrace the recently coined PAPL strategy to dampen discussion?

Her Excellency Mrs. Reema Carmona joins a list of bland but dignified first ladies whose occupation of office inspired little to no reaction or commentary.  I welcome her youthful vibrancy but this must always be informed by appropriateness.  In this case, the stark difference between the attire of Mrs. Ban Ki-Moon and Mrs. Carmona made me cringe.  In the past I have thought to myself: tacky, loud, simple when I have seen her outfits but this one was over the top.

It is unfortunate that it has become a legal issue.  A simple emissary whispering in Rachael Price’s ear would have made a difference.  Instead the PAPL has dignified poor humour and improved her popularity.