Sugar Revival|Foreign interest in 'Sugar Assets'

It was a stupid idea to dismantle Caroni Sugar limited... It was a stupid idea to accept the European lure to dismantle the sugar industry with a Euro subsidy while beet sugar production was boosted. It was a mistake of the PNM government to dismantle Caroni 1975 limited and misappropriate the lands for housing etc.  Yes, indeed I said stupid, and inappropriate and let's add scandalous.

Now we learn that foreign company's, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (Trinidad Express Article), are showing interest in buying the physical assets of the Sugar Manufacturing Company Ltd (SMCL). Why? It is simple my friends, there is a demand for sugar and now Cola companies are using and bragging about the taste of good ole cane sugar in their drinks. Everyone is going green and want to get back to the original natural ingredients to encourage "organic sales".

The PNM government claimed that Caroni 1975 limited was a drain on the treasury to the tune of about $200 million dollars per year while spending billions on office structures that make no money and no sense whatever. Instead they chose to close the industry and make us dependant of other countries for sugar. So instead of being a producer and exporter of sugar we became an importer of a product that we produced.

No one thought about the down stream industries that suffered because of the closure of the industry and the loss of jobs and income for many families.

Rum production depends of molasses so now we have to import that too. Indeed there is still sugarcane in production for 10Cane rum that is produced in St. Madeline but we should not depend on anyone for sugar - sugarcane is a renewable asset - that is a no brainer. We should have found new ways to cut cost and boost production by implimentation of new techniques including the use of new technologies for production and use of the entire product - nothing should be wasted!

So what has happened that there is now interest in Trinidad's Sugarcane industry and assets? Well the price of sugar has gone up tremendously and this started just after the PNM government closed down the industry. We can still benefit from this natural renewable asset. However, this should all be done by way of private enterprise. The government should not be involved in the production of sugar. The government should continue to encourage people to diversify the industry to benefit the country.  It would create employment and people who once cultivated sugarcane could revive their fields and benefit from the production of this renewable asset. It should not be difficult for those who planted sugarcane on private lands to do so again. Encourage the foreigners and local entrepreneurship to invest in the production of sugarcane for sugar production and other downstream industries. We can do it; we can re-tool and re-invent this industry successfully but take note that do it through private investments!

We can produce sugar and many food products requiring the use of sugar/sugar by-products for consumption and not spend valuable foreign revenue for sugar and sugar byproducts. We should also take note that there is the demand for bio-fuels. Bio-ethanol is in demand and we should seek to produce this fuel. Oil and gas are not renewable assets however sugarcane is a renewable asset. We need to think about the future and diversify now to deal with the chaos that would come when we run out of our petroleum assets.

Bring back the production of sugarcane now! Private money wants to invest ... Let it happen and watch growth take hold in many downstream industries.

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Facebook|Pain in meh Pwefen!

Do you have a Facebook account? Well if you are an internet socialite or just someone who likes to know what others are up to then yes, you do have a Facebook account. Now I have to ask you, has it lived up to your expectations? Did you get what you wanted when you joined or is it just a pain in yuh know what! In my case it has been a major 'pain in meh pwefen' - for real! Of course in their case "in yuh pwefen" literally means "take dat". I wish I could be just as obnoxious but that is not in my personality (well maybe). 

Initially it was good fun especially when I realized it could be used as a decent point of entry outside of my phone contacts. It was interesting at first because I was able to get in contact with people I had not spoken to in years. People from Trinidad whom I had not spoken to on a regular basis or for a very long time. Then I made some gains and contacted some friends from High School - that was cool. People I chat with in shout-boxes were added without thought... After all we chat on a regular basis so adding them to Facebook was expected. We all have various reasons for the people we added. We have also found ourselves adding friends of friends we know right!?  However, not everything goes as planned...

Well now I am fed up with much of Facebook. Some people just don't have a life. I can't believe it , some people use Facebook like a Twitter account giving details about their actions all day long. It becomes annoying to see the amount of updates and to tell you the truth it is a pain if you are accessing the updates on your mobile phone (smartphone). Listen people get a life you are clogging up the airwaves with unnecessary data packets - we are simply not interested.  I have had enough of all the invitations from FarmVille, Games, FishVille and pics of gift baskets of  roses etc etc. Some people love these applications but I can surely do without them. How about you?

Now don't get me wrong I really find some of the party photos good to look at and even revealing at times. However, one must feel some sympathy/passion for others on the site and desist from simply posting for posting sake. Another annoying thing to see is people posting hurtful videos and pictures of people pain and suffering - they think it is funny and get laugh from so doing. This is sick behavior! Some people post just about every bit of nonsense out there. Sometimes I wonder if these people have a life outside of Facebook. So please think before you act and find something productive to do that would enhance the virtues of this human race!

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Wayne Berkeley|Mas designer extraordinaire dies at age 70

Today we have to report the passing of one of Trinidad and Tobago's greatest and legendary Mas designer Mr. Wayne Berkeley. 'Newsday' reported that Mr. Berkeley died at 7:35 pm yesterday at the family home located at Clifford Street in Belmont, Trinidad.

Mr. Berkeley who had suffered a stroke in 2000 died from complications suffered from a third stroke. Mr. Berkeley won nine Band-of-the-Year titles in 1973, 1974, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994.

He also designed for other bands after he suffered his first stroke. Trinizagada extends our sincerest condolences to the Berkeley family. Mr. Berkeley, one of our greatest carnival designers will be missed!

Here is the link to his biography on nalis: Wayne Berkeley

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Part Time Lover

My friend Toby who lives in the US recently remarked, "dah is ah part time lover" in response to a conversation when one Allison remarked that, "people only talk trini when they hearing soca and calypso". Now read it again and take it in slowly... Do you consider yourself 'Trini 2D Bone'? Well the reference to 'part time lover' simply put is a reference to the fact that most Trinis are frauds and conveniently say they love their country only when it serves their selfish needs. 

Today I found myself on an Island of one... surrounded by a WACKY group of culture krazy aficionados who consider themselves the salt of Trini mud volcanoes when it comes to the musical culture of Trinidad and Tobago. I always knew that it was foolish to try and spin a top in mud but then again I always like to put to test sayings like "cockroach eh have no right in fowl party".  I am a lover of comess and starting it always leads to a barrage of calls and the hanging of santiwah several times over. Indeed it got so passionate that one caller termed my discourse 'senseless' while another sicko hiding behind an anonymous name had this to say about me: "Not just ass but a very big ass hole". Well it is my turn now so be prepared to be harangued!

Why can't we just get along (ahem, no copyright infringement here)? In other words, why can't we have a discussion and not insult each other. I did not insult anyone, but surely they enjoyed heaping their scorn on me. Why?

Ellsworth James is introducing a program to enhance the culture and lives of people of African decent living in Trinidad and Tobago while another show "Bridging the Gap" tries to bring a better understanding and significance of the African diaspora to the people at home. Significant attempts to do that which is right because if you don't know where you came from then how in heavens name can one truely forge ahead? A discussion about the show led to several calls including my call that led to a fork in the road of understanding. I guess in this case and in the eyes of the people calling in, including some at the station, I took the wrong turn and chose the fork that the little red devil brandishes. 

So what went wrong today?

I have been told that 'no good deed goes unpunished' and today I wanted to remark to someone that "the stench of their arrogance was indeed nauseating" but I refrained from so doing. Now remember just last Monday was a Holiday in Trinidad - Indian Arrival Day. I think it should really be Arrival Day but it is called Indian Arrival Day and so be it. Now what did WACK do for this holiday? They played retro calypso and a splatter of 'chutney music'. Nothing is wrong with that from a programming point of view and to be honest I enjoyed listening to the presenters compete. However, when one takes into consideration that "we are culture crazy" and on such a day nothing of significance was done to celebrate one sector of this cosmopolitan society with so many other shows coming on stream to celebrate other segments of the society then one has to pause and ask, why or why not?

Hold on now this is not about race or race jealousy. Remember, "We are culture crazy" and as such should be that way about every sector of our cosmopolitan society. Now when one listens to WACK whose culture do you hear? Yes it is the culture of Trinidad and Tobago but if you are one who is observant then you will know better. You know how we do it, so I will tell you how it is...Wack is really all about Calypso, Soca and Steelpan with a sprinkling of the rest that runs with the mood of the DJ at the controls! So are you Trini 2D Bone and when you are away from Trinidad do you only talk about crab  and dumplings, peleau and yard food or do you also talk about roti and doubles and chutney and boast that ours is the best? Do you only speak of calypso, soca and steelpan or do you also boast about chutney music  and Sokah (a blend of East Indian and African musical elements created by Lord Shorty ), local Indian music and Parang. Well... Do you? 

I want to know if you are a part time lover of the music and culture of Trinidad and Tobago, and  when you boast of being Trini 2D Bone, if that is the case only when you are living overseas and not when at home. The truth is that the mentality of Trinis at home and that of Trinis living abroad is totally different. Trinis living abroad become more conscious of the culture while those at home take it for granted.  So taking that into consideration I have to ask again, what does 'Trini 2D Bone' really mean to you? If you conclude that it should be all inclusive then don't you think that the programming of a radio station that boasts of being culture crazy should be 'all inclusive' too?  Don't just boast that you are the "true defenders of our culture", prove it by being all inclusive!

No, I am not wearing blinders here just because you may believe I have a cultural race axe to grind. I assure you that is not the case and more importantly I don't have any desire to awaken the spirit of my African great grand father at this time... So don't go there with me.

Oh no not again! Didn't we have this conversation before? Morpheus lied to me... This Matrix is surely ah Trini jagabat... We like it so!  Enjoy the songs below if you have the time...

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