No More Illegal Immigrants in Prison

The government is doing some good work and I want to give them kudos for it. Finally in Trinidad and Tobago we can boast of having an Immigration Detention Centre. Previously persons who violated our immigration laws were held in prison like common criminals, when it should only be the ones who also violate criminal laws that should be held in prison. The Government had been under fire for some time because this is a faux pas. Immigration offenders are not criminals. In many instances they are simply persons running away from their depressed lives in one country and looking for better opportunities in another. They only thing they are guilty of is illegally entering the country and other Immigration type offences.

Thanks to the hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of government meeting in a few weeks this much needed facility has been opened, obviously because the government does not want the bad publicity that would have come as a result of the imprisoned illegal immigrants. Especially since a number of the persons held for immigration offences are from African commonwealth countries such as Ghana.

The government has come under a lot of criticism for the hosting of the Summit of Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, however with all things in life there would be good and there would be bad. The Immigration Detention Centre is a good thing and it is a legacy item that would be here to stay for some time. This would be one less thing for Trinidad and Tobago to be blacklisted for by international human rights organizations and NGOs. So I don’t care why or how we got it the important thing is that we got it and it is something to make us look good.

The Stress of being a Single Woman in Trinidad and Tobago

I had an interesting conversation with a young lady who is much younger than me. In general the conversation was about a goal she had for herself which was to get married and have children in the next two years. This is a twenty-three year old woman with her whole life ahead of her. She has a good job, she is educating herself, good looking, great bubbly personality. So why is she upset, worried or even depressed about the fact that she may not be married with children by twenty-five. The only thing I can think of is SOCIETY. Why is it that there is so much pressure on women especially to get married and squeeze out babies? This is a current reality. It is not something that existed in the past. Young women are being given subliminal messages about when they should start a family.

My advice to her was to relax and enjoy life. Live. Go out. Have fun. We do not know how long we would be here for and while it may be good to have goals, at times goals cause us to live in the future and neglect the present. Of course we should all have goals and a purpose in life. But we cannot be so caught up in achieving those goals that we end up missing out on living. I am living a good life and enjoying it. There are a lot of things that I want and don’t have and I am still living just fine. What happens and when it happens it happens. Many times we have a goal and we are so caught up that when we achieve the goal we cannot even remember why we want whatever it was.

A single person male or female should be enjoying every moment that they are single. It is a time given to you by God to prepare us for the rigors of living with a spouse and having children. Candia highlighted this exact point quite nicely in an interesting story on her blog.

I am single. I am happy. I have no children. I have no prospects to make any children with. But guess what? I am one happy bastard. So relax people. Take a breath. Live each day to the fullest because tomorrow is not ours for sure. Finally be conscious of the pressure that we put on each other to achieve and over achieve.

Can you afford to fete for Carnival 2010?

I love carnival. If it wasn’t for carnival there would be no need for me to have a regular job. I am very serious about that. So every year I go through my ritual of fetes. Starting with Soca in Moka and ending with Lara. Anything else could jump up in between. With the average cost of fetes last year being six hundred hard earned Trinidad and Tobago dollars, I am wondering if for 2010 I would just be going to the first and last with nothing in between because that is all I could afford.

Like every true carnival lover, I have a budget to work with and every year it seems as though the prices are increasing faster than I can increase my budget. I estimate that the cheapest all inclusive would be five hundred with the most expensive being God only knows. Realistically I would average seven hundred and fifty dollars per fete. That is just my estimate for budgeting. That being said, I am obviously going to the fetes naked, because that budget does not include clothes. In light of this I have come up with some interesting ways to make carnival all I want it to be and more.

The first is that there are a number of events going on for carnival. Even if all the money in the world was available we would still not be able to go to all the events. So as soon as the list is published on Boxing Day decide which events you would be attending. Also have an alternate list just in case the promoter of the event of your choice is a St. Ann’s outpatient and prices the fete so ridiculous, it leaves you wondering if it is quoted in Guyanese currency. Then most important get the tickets early. The earlier tickets are usually cheaper. Remember also that there are several types of events from tents, to children shows. Many of the children shows are considerably cheaper and the artiste put on a very good show. Just try to at least to take along a child so you would not look like a paedophile.

Secondly, choose your clothes wisely. As much as possible use clothes that you already have. This can be done by making slight alterations to clothing. Removing sleeves from a dress, or cutting a long dress short. Dye a white dress red or drastically change the accessories so that the dress looks different. This year for carnival I wore the same dress to three different events. I mixed and matched that dress to death. It is important to visualize how clothes could be mixed, matched or adjusted after the first wear, before purchasing to ensure maximum use. Don’t even think about people who may notice that you are mixing things up because people with talk regardless. At least at the end of the season you would have money in your pocket.

Finally, try to go to as many places for free. I am serious. Ask a friend if you can get tickets for their company event. The trick is to ask early to ensure that you really get it. You may not get free tickets to every single event but with my estimated average of seven hundred and fifty dollars per fete, free or discounted is the best way to go. 3Canal has a cheaper version of their show the week before it actually starts for about half the price. I think it is like a full dress rehearsal. I don’t know, I don’t question I just go. There are several others that are similar in nature.

Essentially I think the key to surviving carnival financially is planning. It is also important to network to get stuff for free or discounted and also to get first edition tickets. In all of this I have made no mention of costume, boots, or carnival Monday wear. That is a budget by itself. We have been doing this every year, do we will get through this one and many more to come.

What is your estimate for the cost of fetes for Carnival 2010? What tips do you have to help make that money stretch a little further for Carnival?

Rituals Coffee Passa Passa Style

Rituals coffee shop could have a thriving business with me alone buying from them. I usually don’t discriminate on which shop I go to because they are all supposed to be the same, even in Antigua. Anyway I have visited the shop on the western main road on two separate occasions and it was the worst service I have received in a long time from any business in the food service industry.

The first time I went in I was greeted by the sound of loud music blaring from one of our fabulous urban radio stations. My perception of rituals is a place to sip on your favourite cup of joe and relax. I guess I was wrong. If that was not bad enough there was a young lady dressed in casual street clothes behind the counter bending over and gyrating or dancing or whatever. Stupid me did not just leave immediately, instead I proceeded to go to the counter to place my order. The gyrating young lady simply steps to the side and continues her lewd movements in the corner in plain sight. The worker who is cashing and making the drinks unwillingly takes my order, all while singing the unedited version of the song playing on the radio. Remember Ms. Gyration still in the corner. So while the drinks are being prepared I take a seat. The radio station goes to commercial so Ms. Gyration comes out from behind the counter and plops herself on the couch and proceeds to have a discussion about where she is going later with the worker behind the counter. When I eventually collect my drinks I see another worker strolling from a room in the back looking like she just woke up and her pants are unzipped and her under pants showing. There were a couple of things wrong with the scenario. The first being I am yet to figure out whether or not Ms. Gyration was a worker, because she left right before me. Secondly why wasn’t Ms. Gyration wearing a hair net. Thirdly why was she dancing behind the counter, exciting as it may be Rituals Coffee Shop was not the most appropriate place for her to practice for her villa audition.

Stupid me again went back to the place. Yes I enjoy punishment. I walked in to the sound of a male worker shouting at a female worker (the same cashier from the last time) to come and do her job. He then proceeds to quarrel complaining that she is lazy and have him doing all the work. While this may have been a valid complaint I just was not interested in hearing it. He of course was not speaking to me, but he was annoying me all the same. Mind you Miss Lady’s response was that she is looking for an apartment and she has no time with that. After I paid for my drinks he tells me that she will fix me up and proceeds to sit and relax just like her. So I wait and she gets up at her leisure to prepare my drinks.
Of all the experiences I have had in Rituals that one was the worst. I am contemplating saving some money and reducing calories and not going there at all. But I love it so much. I know for sure I would not be going back to the one in St. James ever again. I think I have been scarred for life.

The Trinidad and Tobago Flag

Today’s Express Online has an article outlining the cost for the flag and pole at the Stadium. The first amusing part of the story is that the Honourable Gary Hunt finds support for the flag on Facebook. I have a problem right there, as I cannot tell you the last time I went on Facebook because I have been so busy of late. Therefore as Minster of Sport and Youth Affairs he should have no time to be on Facebook.

The cost of the flag and pole was approximately two million dollars. This is no problem to the Minister because he obviously has a stock pile of money somewhere so that is small money to him. My concern is the maintenance cost for the flag. I am probably very cheap but if it cost two million in the initial stage then I think it should not need anything for the next three years. It should just stand there tall and erect billowing in the wind. However the flag would need to be replaced approximately every six months at a cost of 18,112.15. Thankfully they bought three replacement flags (not included in the two million) so for the next two years no more money should be spent on this flag. I just thought though that if they bought four flags they could have gotten a discount or something. Then there is consideration that this flag being replaced every six months would cost approximately 724,486.00 over the next twenty years. I am not sure whether I agree it is worth it.

The next thing is that I am confused as to the significance of hoisting the flag at this time. These days I really don’t have time to follow these people. So I am not sure if it was revealed previously. I would have thought Independence Day would have been a better time.

As far as I am concerned the real scamp in this thing is Fire One. When Fire One erected their flag in Macoya I wondered why a private company would want to do something like that. I wanted to know what profit they would get from doing something like that. Now I realize it was a ploy to chain up the government to do the same thing and possibly produce returns on their original investment. So I understand now. But why didn’t Fire One as great corporate citizens offer to erect the flag in the stadim in the first place.

Finally I remember growing up I always saw security officers lowering the flag at 6:00 p.m. I realize now that when we have big flag it does not come down. Flag Etiquette: Rules and Regulations Governing the National Flag of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago states: The National Flag should not be flown after sunset, except inside a building. However, on important ceremonial occasions the Flag may be displayed in the open after sunset when it should be floodlit if possible.

What do you think about this flag issue?