THIS. IS. ELECTIONS!

So we have a date. The country took a breath and everyone started running around like headless chickens trying to get registered, and checking lists and so on. DeepThought has been telling you about voting for the last few weeks and should you want to read it you can read about "Why you should Vote," "Why the Numbers Tell you to vote," and "How to get registered." As of today, the EBC is in full registration mode only 5 more days to get on that golden list. So before I start thinking about the events of the last week I just want to say a few key things.

1. That I will try to update this page everyday with thoughts, it will be difficult as the shits going to be flying fast and furious for the next 40 days.
2. I am hoping to start posting the lists of candidates hopefully by the end of next week, as the PNM has already nearly finished it nominations, I'm just waiting on UNCOP/TOP to solidify their agreement and get the candidates out the door.
3. I will try to concentrate on the marginals and see what the feeling is on the ground.
4. No I won't tell you what constituency I am in, DeepThought has to have his own privacy!
5. and No. DeepThought will NOT tell you what he's going to do in the voting booth, BUT I think you already know!

So onto this week in review. Well we'll start with Friday. May 24th is the day of election. No fanfare, no trumpeting from the pulpit by the PM Pastor, he simply called up his partner Max and after all the bullshit talk about free tickets to this fete and who was at the other fete, he conversationally said "May 24th breds" and the notaries rushed to the one fax machine in the new PM's office, and started faxing to everyone. I wouldn't be surprised which radio station got it first, that would be Citadel Radio, run by our very own PNM-ite Louis LeeSing. Good for him, he got a sccop. So now the opposition has a chance to do what they couldn't do in 2007.

Meanwhile the PM continued his screening and Wednesday and Thursday were not free from Bobol. In fact Monday and Tuesday had even MORE bobol. The bobol for the PNM started on the weekend when Penelope Beckles was asked to take a "diplomatic posting" and car named Laurel, oooppss I meant a GIRL (for she is a VERY young girl) CALLED Laurel Lezema-Leesing (see a connection?) was put in Penelope's place. The Arima PNM-ites placarded late into the night shouting "No Penelope, NO VOTE!" Hmmm sounds familiar doesn't it? (excuse the language, I couldn't find the newspaper article) So the PNM-ites love to do the same things over and over. They placarded for Ken but the voted in that idiot Amery Brown, when they "claimed" they would vote for the COP. Hmmm What were the final results in that constiuency I wonder. Here check it yourself Amery Brown 9,301 votes. Not bad for the people who said they'd vote COP. (BTW the Vasant Barath people on the UNC side were saying the same thing. . . Trini's so predictable!)

So that leads us to the biggest bobol yet. Mr Keith "Rotweiler" Rowley. His seat is the ONLY seat I will consider a safe right now. The PNM knows it. The PM, KNOWS that he cannot lose Rowley this time around. See how politics makes strange bedfellows? Keith's nomination was secured and his crowd was just as big as Penelope. So how is this going to work? How is Keith going to go on a platform and extoll the virtues of his party, prepare speeches on PNM policy that has been proven bad for the country AND push the election of his Political Leader back in as PM. My thoughts are that Rowley can say ANYTHING at this point, even say vote for the COP, they can't stop him. So we'll just have to see what tricks he's going to turn on the hustings. We'll have to watch Mr Rowley over the next 40 days.

Now onto the Opposition. They've had the headlines for most of the week. Accommodation this and meeting that and "72 hour deadline" this. In the end what seems to have occurred is that Jack Warner has laid down the law. "Look we have 15 safe seats, you can give us MAYBE 4 more. You have nothing to bargain with. BUT we don't want you running off to your supporters and turning them away OR splitting the vote again. So here wha Dooks, you can run in St Augustine if you want, and other than San Juan/Barataria and our 15 seats and Tobago, you run anywhere you like." That leaves Tunapuna and the rest of the marginals for the COP to fight. Is this a good strategy? I will reserve comment on this until the analysts have sounded off some more as the election starts to get into full swing.

What I do know is that in certain PNM held seats if the voter turn out increases and enough people vote against the PNM, we could have a repeat of 1986. But we shall have to wait and see.

Kamla's speech on Friday night waffled some more and kept imploring people to vote out the PNM, but with no clear idea WHAT they plan to do when in Government, its seems that the only person to save Kamla and the UNC from itself is the logistics and policy making of the COP and THEIR track record hasn't been good at that either. How do you provide an alternative to something so solid as "Vision 2020?" while the "back to Basics" idea sounds nice, it DOES sound like a lot of hard work, and let's face it, Trini's lazy, they would rather someone TELL them that by 2020 they will be developed than someone tell them "You have to WORK to get 2020 status." So we shall see.

I am still formulating my last part to my "Manifesto for We." post on "culture" Stay tuned for that.

Everybody want change

"Fella, ah could get some change for dis here one dallar?"
Me nah give change, you need buy, get change, you want powwa mint? Dat give u 75¢ for dat dolla."
"But fella, ah want four 25¢ pieces, not three!"
"Why you no want tree instea ah four? You get powwa mint in bargin, get nice breath, win ova lady, eh? u gimme dolla I gi you 3 25¢ and a powwa mint."
"Yeah? well, you know, meh bret really ain't smellin dat good. . .ok gimme de power mint and de change. . ."

"Dat go be one dolla 25¢"

And that's how an election starts. One person promises you more for just one 25¢ piece, but in the end they take you for the whole dollar and more.

Everybody's wants change, but are they willing to fight and die for it? Not in this country. They want it for nothing. Simple rule to follow.

Chinaman say cheap ting no good!

And he's right. Don't sell your vote in exchange for some outer space concept like Visions and futuristic cities, these do not a country make. Hard work and sweat and tears build a country, not a ten days. So seek not the easy path, they are filled with good intentions by politicians to get you to "believe in them." Neither seek to find solace in your political "elders" they are no more a guru than an everyday snake charmer. Look not even to a tribe for the answer from a tribe is barrel of crabs each trying to climb over everyone else's back to get to the top.

Believe in yourself. Trust your instincts. Don't believe what other's tell you, seek the truth yourself and vote based on the issues.

What are the issues? They are many and far ranging but the central issue is, this government as representatives of the people, have failed. That INCLUDES the opposition!

"You no want an exchange now sah? You want change? You need buy someting!"

Just don't sell your soul. . . for change

Elections fever has started. Stop thinking now and VOTE!

How to get Registered to Vote.

I figured since I've thrown down the gauntlet and I'm encouraging everyone to get their friends and themselves registered to vote, I think I should provide a little help. So here is some useful steps on getting registered. I will repost the voting process in another post. Remember you need to get registered NOW because the EBC needs time to check the list and so on. If an election date is set for this May, you have ONLY maybe two weeks maybe three to get yourself registered! Don't be left out in the cold! And DON'T come to DeepThought and complain that the Government sucks. . . you didn't vote, suck salt.

Step one. Get yourself a ELECTRONIC BIRTH CERTIFICATE. This takes no time at all. Find out how to do this here.

Step Two. Find out WHAT constituency you live in and when you figure that out, look for the nearest EBC office for your district. USUALLY its in a borough or in the nearest large populated area. Here is the list of offices from the EBC. Find yours. Look at the opening hours. Get there EARLY. Get a form.

Step Three. Don't carry too much electronic junk with you. There are metal detectors that you have to pass through (security) Besides if you go early enough you won't have to wait long. Make sure you have ALL your documentation. You need the Electronic Birth Certificate, filled out form and anything else that the form tells you need to prove that you live where you live.

Step Four. You are APPLYING for an ID card. This puts you on the list of available services INCLUDING jury duty. Yes. Once you have your ID card you are now a citizen of T&T!

Step Five. Step up to the counter. Present your documents and they will tell you what to do next. You will have to take a picture and they take your height and eye color etc. I mean it IS an ID card!

They will most probably send someone to your house to verify you live there. Routine. And you will get your ID card pretty quickly.

Check the list or go here to see if you've been registered. If not call the EBC and let them know.

When you go to vote check the list again.

See how easy that was?

You need to find out more? Check the EBC's FAQ. Or get a ton load of info from ttconnect.gov.tt.

So STOP thinking and GO GET REGISTERED. Oh and take a friend too.

image via cosmodaddy.com

The Mother of All Battles

So I heard a little rumor today that Patos callin his election on 17th May. That's almost two months away. Can I handle another 6 weeks or more of noise, placarding, tomfoolery and bill posting and environment destroying paper wastage this time around? I'll tell you something I can deal with it as long as I know at the end of it it brings an end to PNM rule. . .

FOREVER

You hear me? FOREVER! So all that mudslinging, pain and suffering has to have some fruit and this time around someone in the COP should tell good ol Dooks, run for your seat, win and then we go make you Minster of Finance or something, because like the man or not, is Kamla who go win this election! If Kamla not in the leadership front in this thing, PNM win for sure! You don't have to go far to see the sentiment you know! "Kamla for PM" "Kamla is de best!" "I voting Kamla!" are common sentiments expressed in the papers and on the streets.

But youse STILL an asshole is you think like that!

I go tell you why. In the end Kamla may be the leader but its the REPRESENTATIVES who you will have to deal with AFTER the election, the one's you should be concentrating on. In other words this damn shit called "Voting party and voting leader" should stop. Is your "representatives" NOW, who playing the ass. . . so. . .

STOP VOTING PARTY!

You might as well be voting race if you do that!

We too damn stupid in this country! This is why the PNM keeps winning. They vote race yes, but party too and leader as well! Not who can do the job, but who can take the best on the hustings! You tink patrick go talk shit on the political platforms, like he talking now? Of course not, is milk and honey and the promised land for all from now till that magical date of 17th May. (IF that's the date!) and YOU will run like lemmings to vote. "Ah sorry boss, why did I ever doubt you! Vision 2020 IS a reality! we WILL be all prosperous by that magical year!"

lol All I can do is laugh yes. Reminds me of the Simpsons' episode when Homer went to vote between Quimby and Sideshow Bob. Even though he KNOWS Bob will kill Bart if elected. . .he votes him on ISSUES! lol "When are people going to realise that Democracy just doesn't work!"

Ok here's my prediction:

Manning going to go to his No Confidence motion, with PNM-ites in the square, WITH permission this time and Police "Protection" and before the debate can open, he will. . .

DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT

and call the election date.

Think I'm thinking nonsense?

Lets see what happens.

Now stop thinking and go DO something!

image via dsaltsman.blogspot.com

Pulling bull over people's eyes

I don't care whether Manning is bluffing about this election. I really couldn't give a fuck. What I DO care about is this fucked up opposition getting its act together. IN my last post I spoke about "possibilities" and out of 3 possible outcomes Manning and his cronies come out on top in two! You could disagree and write and say, Deep, yuh talkin shit, but hey, that's your right, as is mine to say, "fuck you" Its a free world. What I do know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that 500,000 people voting in an electorate of over 1 million REGISTERED voters, is unacceptable!

UNACCEPTABLE!

I cannot believe we're that apathetic. You know what? It starts right there in the schools. Yeah, our mis-education, pushing the "sheep follow the herd" mentality. Doh worry about your life boy, CEPEP will take care of you, just be happy wit yuh ten days!

Fuck off

Its time to start doing, stop thinking what a terrible situation the PNM have us in and start doing. I challenge EVERYONE of my readers (and there are a lot! because DeepThought knows all!) to make it their PERSONAL crusade to get ONE person to vote in the next election, whenever it is.

ONE.

PERSON.

The PNM takes granny tantie, who can't even walk, to the election booth EVERY Election and then re-deposits her back into the graveyard they call a "home" only to see her again, maybe five years later, "god willing" to vote again! Who you tink she will vote for?

"Dem PNM boys and girls nice eh, they take meh for a drive today!"

Allyuh ain't see what going on? Between the small church mentality of going in secret packs to vote, egged on by the pressure of the pastor, who watching every single one of his flock, and judging them based on their allegiance to God by voting Manning and the CEPEP workers who have no choice, or lose that nice Health Insurance plan as a result of being fired if they don't sign a paper saying they voted for the PNM. Yes that's going on oui. I know ONE supervisor in South who had to keep a register of ALL CEPEP workers in her charge, who went to the convention last Saturday. They ALL had to sign before they went on the PTSC bus to Chaguramas! You think this is a "good clean" fight?

Not with the millions at stake in this country! The PNM and Manning NOT giving that up for nothing! I know ONE individual who gave up his job to work in San Fernando East SPECIFICALLY to work with the PNM as an "Advertising advisor" how much MONEY you think he getting with that ONE client? YOUR MONEY! Yes that's right OUR money! Every time we submit a TD-1 form that tax we pay goes straight to the PNM. And lets not forget the secret funders of the PNM, the face of which is Gary the Cunt and people like him! Not to mention the "drug dealers" Manning so open he big shit mout and let cat out of bag about.

But I digress.

The ONLY way to get rid of the PNM is to get the OTHER 500,000 registered and non-registered voters to vote. Get them to stop saying shit like "Was the point? dem going to win anyway in my cuntstituency. . ."

BULL SHIT

So you live in a "safe seat?" So fucking what? You know how to make seats "unsafe" You fucking get everyone to vote for someone else silly people! It has happened BEFORE in 1986 and it happened AGAIN in 1995! It will HAPPEN again!

What you think the PNM people not fed up too? But you can't rely on them to vote out their own bread and butter, so you have to show them yourself!

Get you and a friend registered and make a lime and GO VOTE!

Now stop thinking and start doing!

BTW Happy Shouter Baptist Liberation Day!

There's blood in the water. . .

From the Trinidad Express story by Ria Taitt "Manning threw the cat among the pigeons, with his instruction to his party to begin the nomination process for the holding of a general election. The screening process is scheduled to begin on April 7 with the Political Leader’s San Fernando East constituency."

Kamla says bring it on.

Dookeraan's in India. . .

No doubt this will be a 1 on 1 fight that the COP has indicated and accommodation is probably best but what ever they have to do they now have to do it fast! Less haste and more speed though. The way I see it at this juncture is that Manning hasn't ACTUALLY called a date, so elections could happen at the time of 2012 for all we know. In fact he could just turn around and call local government, but as some people have said, this would be political suicide, so he's not going to do that.

But let's look at what the possibilities are, what the moves in the chess board could be?

Scenario A. Manning holds a "snap election" and the COP and UNC have some sort of loose arrangement where the UNC contest their 15 seats and COP contest against the PNM directly in the PNM strongholds. So lets say the COP wins half of the PNM's seats and the UNC the 15 that it holds (COP takes Tobago, which is HIGHLY dubious at this stage) So what happens next? Under "Panday-Robinson tactics" Kamla does NOT become PM but Dookeraan does. (Untenable for the UNC) In-fighting WILL occur, c'mon who doesn't want to be in charge in this banana republic? All fall down the UNC would "cross the floor" or something. Result: Back to the polls, COP is destroyed by the UNC and PNM and the UNC remain in opposition and the PNM gain power once again. Status Quo. Analysis: where the accommodation thing would work, the COP would NOT win that many seats this brings me to scenario B.

Scenario B. COP wins half of PNM seats, UNC retains its 15 and the PNM the rest. Now the COP becomes the 'lynch pin' in Parliament, like a check, a balance to the PNM and UNC's bickering. Voting or withholding votes as it sees fit. This is unprecedented. . . this has never happened as far as I know, and we may see the UNC or the PNM mashing it up once again. Result: Back to the polls BUT the COP remain, they split the vote since the UNC would not want to try this "accommodation thing" again, PNM wins their seats back, UNC remain with 15. Back to status Quo. Analysis: In my opinion we're getting closer to a better Government with a third untainted party in the middle, but our system cannot sustain such a scenario. It HAS to be an all out win for BOTH parties. A total route of the PNM.

Scenario C. COP and UNC create the UNCOP and fight all areas. the old UNC strongholds become question marks, the old UNC guard may not vote a "NEW" party and the COP supporters would probably not vote for Kamla in charge over Dookeran. This scenario in theory would work, but it depends entirely up to the UNC supporters to treat the COP with the respect it "deserves." and vice-versa. What needs to happen is another "internal election" with COP voters joining UNC voters to decide on a leader and a new executive, for UNCOP. Are we mature enough to do this?

Result: UNCOP will probably remain in opposition with more seats. But its hard to tell. It all depends on voter turn out for THIS scenario. Analysis: UNCOP needs at least another year to solidify, the PNM knows this that's why the snap election. Manning senses that the opposition is starting to repair its foundation, but trust remains a factor, the old guard of both parties are still hesitant. What do you do to a foe who's unbalanced? You strike the death blow.

In the end do you realise what the common denominator is? Voter turn out. The more people who vote against the PNM in ANY area puts them on the run. The figures are clear there is a voting block for the PNM no matter how many elections are called. A finite number (that's dwindling as a result of death mind you) all one needs to do is to get the non voters in EVERY area to get registered and vote the opposition. It NEARLY happened in 2007! It can happen again. Voting isn't something you just "do," its a message. Hammer that home to your friends. Put your money where your mouth is.

Get registered now!

Now stop thinking and go do something!

So much to talk about, so little time. . .

I mean this thing is moving faster than a freight train. There's the NAPA issue. Like two ships firing at each other in the old pirate movies as they pass they tear up each other! Added to this situation is the COP who have sat down on their laurels for far too long, even after proving that there is a connection between Sunway and Calder Hart/UDECOTT and the can of worms that that opened up, they have attempted some lame "protest" to "view the white elephant that might be NAPA."

COP who you foolin? Before you go and bring some Malaysian police officer to prove without a shadow of a doubt that those documents real, you running into a fight between a giant battleship that is called HMS (Her Massive Self) Marlene and the S.S (Sad Sack) Victor et Al. Doh be jumping on anyone band wagon to get publicity.

The COP "claim" that they applied for permission from the Ministry to view NAPA and the Ministry has stated that they would have gotten back to them with the permission, although it was a few days from now, and would have been a probable PR stunt only showing what the COP wouldn't want to see (i.e the defects et al.) So the COP not really using its brain, or maybe using too much of it, because Middle Class, Knife and Forks love to think too much, went running like Don Quixoite at the windmills, without really waiting on said approvals.

What was achieved? Nothing really. The COP could have gotten their approvals, went in officially, did the PR thing, take some pictures and MAYBE discover something that the SS Victor was talking about. But NOOOOOO, the allure of the press was more important to the COP (since they are irrelevant now anyway and need the press to keep in the public eye!)

Anyway it just shows that the NAPA isn't "the people's space" its really just for the PM and PNM flunkies like the "Divine Echoes." Who really fool up the COP into thinking they could pull a coup like the Malaysian documents on NAPA? HMS Marlene was ready for that, obviously! Doh be going into someone else fight. . .

Now onto the PM and his "81 year old man fight." You've all seen the video I posted up recently, no I didn't do it, a friend of mine did it and was nice enough to give my blog some "advertisement", he's quite talented, and fast! Well it turns out Mr Manning "claims" the poor old guy is a Canadian. I point you to the terrible online Trinidad Express article here. In it Mr Manning says "It turns out, Madam Deputy Speaker, that the 81-year-old gentleman is a resident of Winnipeg, Canada." and Tattoo in the corner, like the court jester he is, mouths "He (the old man) don’t live here,’" Well of course shorty, isnt that what the PM just said? But Roodal Moonilal was quick to point out "he (the old man) could be a resident of Tokyo, if he is there and occupying there (the house) in whatever legal capacity and he tells you ’please don’t come in my property and you are trespassing, to go’." Well said Moons. So the PM's trying to tell us that he knew the man wasn't a Trini even before he entered the man's gate!? The PM is not only suffering from delusions of grandeur, he's really got the God complex! "I used my psychic powers bestowed on me by my Spiritual Advisor, to sense that this man is not a Trini and therefore irrelevant!"

Yeah

That's where we've reached!

You know who also thought he had these same powers?

Right?

We've been in deep shit for a while and we're now tasting it, because we're up to our nose holes with it. Does it smell nice to you?

Want to get out of it? Vote. Get registered and vote. Don't fucking complain when you don't vote and the Government screw you over. . . just doh vote for these jokers ever again!