People are saying that two announcements made on the same day said everything you need to know about the mood of the country.
In one breath, leaders from the Inter-Religious Organisation and Pastor Clive Dottin warned that political rhetoric on the hustings has crossed the line from traditional picong into something hostile and dangerous to racial harmony; in the next, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation announced that Licensing Office staff nationwide will be sent for mandatory customer service training to learn courtesy and professionalism.
People are saying that a politician shouting on a microphone and a clerk slamming a window shut in Caroni might look like two different problems, but they come from the same place.
People are saying that you cannot legislate good manners with a training seminar when the people at the top of the society are setting a masterclass in hostility every evening on the six o’clock news. Whether it is inside a Tobago taxi, across a government counter, or on a political platform, the way we speak to one another has grown coarse and impatient, and fixing the attitude at the Licensing Office window is going to take a lot more than a pamphlet if the leaders of the country do not first clean up their own language.
The Toco pirogue express
People are saying that if you waited until the last minute to book a seat to Tobago for this weekend’s Carnival, the official ferries and the airbridge had nothing left to offer you but sympathy.
That gap in the market was quickly spotted by the enterprising boatmen of Toco, who began advertising one-hour pirogue charters across the Galleons Passage right up until the police and the Works and Infrastructure Minister stepped in to shut the whole operation down.
People are saying that the boat operator who defended the trips had a disarming kind of logic when he pointed out that Toco and Tobago people are family, the captain stays sober, everyone gets a lifejacket, and the tourists enjoy watching the flying fish and dolphins along the way.
People are saying that while nobody wants a disaster in the rough waters off the north-east coast and maritime laws exist for a reason, it is hard to be angry at the boatmen for trying. It is a classic local paradox that we spend millions of dollars marketing Tobago Carnival to the world, run out of seats on the planes and boats to get people there, and then we act shocked when seaside villagers with fast engines try to solve the problem themselves.
Nicki Minaj for WH Press Secretary?
People are saying that Nicki Minaj could emerge as an unexpected name in discussions surrounding the position of White House press secretary, following reports that a senior figure in US President Donald Trump’s communications team suggested the rapper for the role.
People are saying after the firing of Katie Zachariah, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung reportedly suggested Minaj as a possible candidate, prompting reactions from people associated with the White House, including Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz.
People are saying that Nicki responded with emojis, adding further fuel to the online discussion. The development has attracted attention because Minaj is primarily known for her successful music career rather than experience as a government spokesperson.
People are saying the position as the White House press secretary is responsible for communicating the administration’s positions, answering questions from journalists and representing the president’s policies during press briefings.
People are saying that there is no confirmation that Nicki is being seriously considered for the position, and no official appointment has been announced. The suggestion should therefore be treated as speculation rather than a confirmed personnel decision.
People are saying that the story began generating discussion about the growing intersection of celebrity culture, political communication and the Trump administration’s relationship with prominent entertainers.
Imbert v Hosein in Who say
People are saying that Colm Imbert is pushing back against the allegations made by UNC Minister Saddam Hosein concerning appointments at the Land Settlement Agency (LSA). According to Imbert, Hosein claimed that the People’s National Movement (PNM) had placed several individuals within the LSA and alleged that the agency’s Chief Executive Officer was hired following a recommendation from Imbert.
People are saying that Imbert has disputed that account, arguing that the CEO was first employed in 1999, under a UNC administration.
People are saying that the allegations have raised questions about the timeline of the appointment and the basis for the allegations surrounding political influence at the agency.
People are saying that the central issue is whether the historical employment record supports or contradicts the claims made about the CEO’s appointment and the alleged placement of individuals within the LSA.
People are saying that the public deserves clear answers, supported by employment records and documented evidence, whenever allegations of political interference in public institutions were made.
