The Rum Posse met once again for its end of week lime. They had not seen Anand and Rihanna for some time, and since it was hardly likely that the new mom would leave home and lime, it was decided that they would all descend on the Anand and Rihanna household. The new parents gladly agreed to this arrangement and even had no objection to each member walking with any dish they wished. Anand would provide all the drinks. It was also the opportunity to be introduced to two-month-old Anand Jr. The members of the Posse walked with all manner of gifts, wrapped up in blue paper, with streamers and balloons in various shades of blue.
Because the menu was not planned and every person was allowed to walk with a dish of their choice, the menu was as eclectic as the Posse itself. Nobody said what they would be walking with and if even there were two of the same dishes, it was guaranteed that each would be unique in its own right. There was an array of dishes that included wild meat, because the hunting season had officially opened – lappe, tattoo, ‘gouti, manicou, iguana and wild hog.
For those who did not indulge “in the wild”, there was the usual chicken and some pork, as well as sea food that included a baked red snapper and shrimp. Together with all that meat, there was ground provision; basmati rice; someone brought a breadfruit casserole; stewed pigeon peas; tomato/cucumber/green apple salsa and a big bowl of Mediterranean salad. Even dessert was part of the meal, with two tubs of pistachio ice cream; homemade sponge cake; and brownies for the chocolate lovers. It was a mouth-watering menu to tempt even the most fastidious of taste buds.
Since Anand and Rihanna did not have to prepare any of the food, they ensured that the bar was well-stocked and matched the food with the amount and kinds of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, the latter to cater to Rihanna who was breast feeding little Anand and not big Anand she jokingly said.
As expected, everyone was present – Big Bottom Beverly and her younger sister, Shirley; Alfred; Balkie; Barman; Ramesh; Roshan; and Sunil. Most of the talk for the week was about Tancoo’s second budget and Sparrow’s funeral. However, since they had already had a discourse on Sparrow, it was decided that his funeral could take second place to the budget.
Rihanna: Good evening, good evening. Oh gosh, it so good to see everybody. I really missed you guys these past few weeks. Ah love lil Anand to bits, but allyuh know ah love allyuh too bad as well, so I more than glad that allyuh agreed to come by us. We get one of my aunties to help with the baby who real take to her, so I could spend some time with meh Posse. And let me not start on the spread that allyuh put together! Anand wanted to show off a little bit and cook like it have no tomorrow, but I tell him let our friends do what they want, that it is their way of welcoming little Anand to the Posse family.
Big Bottom Beverly: Rihanna girl, no thanks necessary. You and Anand is part ah we. But I must say. Motherhood suit you. You looking nice and rosy. Note, I eh say you looking fat. I say you looking rosy and yuh beaming. Children nice eh? But you young in de business and you know you have we support. So, to observe the usual protocols, on behalf of de Posse members and myself, congratulations to you and Anand and big thanks for opening up the house to us and giving us the privilege of bringing the food to you. And I know you dying to get down to the old talk. We talking about Tancoo budget of October 12, where he say government planning to spend $63.368 billion with a revenue of $59.729 billion, and a projected deficit of $.639 billion.
Anand: Personally, I tired of all de budget ole talk. Every year is de same thing, regardless of the amount ah money. Parliamentarians will talk us to death, day and night, for the next two weeks; all de so-called experts go weigh in and at the end of it all, after the obligatory two weeks of old talk, the budget go still pass because de “ayes” will have the numbers.
Barman: Anand, for real. And that is why I watching de scenes with a cokey-eye. I want to see how this budget go affect we, whether good, bad, or indifferent. I feel is de last eh. I hear that $1.7 billion dollar in capital expenditure from the last budget went unspent. Imagine billions going back to de treasury! After each budget pass de government should have responsible people monitor each project and give people an update from time to time.
Alfred: That sounding like a good idea, Barman. You should be in de Senate and give some advice to government. Not as an Independent Senator, though. I know that if de Prime Minister take God out ah she thoughts and cuss you, you cussing she back same speed and that will be de end ah dat.
Ramesh: Serious talk taking place here and Alfred and Barman making joke. Anyhow, I want to talk about the $250 monthly increase they proposed for senior citizens and for Public Assistance and Disability Grants. I feel Kamla should be commended for thinking about de old people and dem. In this country, sometimes it does feel like is ah sin to be old. Kamla is de only Prime Minister this country ever had who does consider de plight of de elderly. And that is since 2010. Even in de best days when money was no problem, PNM never help our senior citizens. The $250 assistance start from January 1, 2027. It should ah be starting right away.
Roshan: I surprise Barman eh talk about the reduction of domestic excise duties on alcohol by some twenty-five percent. When dey hear dat, every drinker must be was in dey glee, thinking that Christmas 2026 go be sweet. But dey eh realise that it taking effect from January 1, 2017. But doh mind dat, Carnival early so things go still be sweet.
Sunil: I eh no politician, and I really don’t want to get involved in de bacchanal involving dem PNM Municipal Corporations complaints, but something wrong somewhere. De PNM MPs and dem shedding crocodile tears, saying how Kamla and dem cut de money for de PNM Corporations and increase it for UNC Corporations. But, like dey not listening. Kamla quote some figures that showing where the seven PNM Corporations get approximately $1.29 billion; and the seven UNC Corporations get approximately $799 million. A difference of roughly $490 million. Who get more and who get less?
Anand: What make me laugh is when Kamla accuse the PNM Municipal Corporations of mismanaging public funds. Madam PM say, and I quote, “the PNM Corporations got almost half a billion dollars more than the UNC but they still complain. It doesn’t matter if you give the PNM Corporations every cent of the budget, they will find a way to either thief, waste or fete it out, with nothing to show”. I say to myself like Kamla have court clothes. Is then ah remember that yes, she is a Senior Counsel (SC).
Shirley: But how come none ah allyuh eh saying nutten bout Penny’s presentation on the budget? She did describe de budget as being ” deceptive and deceitful”. She say it is all about fines and penalties and that it is not investor friendly. She say de government spent 18 months of doing nothing and that today de country is harder than ever. She even quoted de late Sparrow in song when she accused de government of being the “architects of economic slavery”. But she bombshell was when she said that de country is now in recession.
Anand: OK allyuh de country may be in recession but not we. So leh we go and make weself merry now nah.
Until next week
