'That's Insulting!"

15^th August 2011

Situation: The Trade Unions want more. The government 'promises' 5% increase then pulls it back. The Unions threaten to shut down the country or else. Then the government airs a commercial with a scenario of a child asking for a raise in allowance from $5 to $50, but the mother calmly explains all the reasons they can't afford it. The child insists they want it anyway and threatens to stop doing any chores if the parent doesn't comply. The ad ends asking if the a shut down of the country is really necessary.

I'm sorry but I just find it so appropriate to quote from the former political leader of the UNC Basdeo Panday, because it is so blatantly ‘insulting!’ in soooo many ways. If you haven’t seen the ad, then tune into TV6 or any channel during the news hour 7-8pm and you are bound to see it at least once. I don’t know what the government was aiming at with the ad (frankly I think the person who suggested it is a spy trying to sabotage them, they need to check that!). Well, I know what  they wanted and hoped would be the response, a thoughtful deflation by public servants, maybe? Which would lead to no striking, perhaps? Here’s what has come about from the ad instead, from my observation that is.

First of all, people have either one, understood it or two, not understood it at all. I can’t count how many times I’ve had people comment about the ‘new commercial on tv with the rude lil’ child and what that all about.’

Once they understand of course, is another story, and none of them are in favour of the government.

The very comparison of a parent and child arguing over a greater allowance is viewed as insulting.

“So, the government is we mother and we getting on bad for more money,” one woman put it, “so we, the people who is the backbone ah dis nation is just lil’ children then?”

Which brings us to another point. How can a child shut down a house? It’s ridiculous, right? I’m sure every parent who saw that chuckled inwardly as they’ve probably been through that before and well know the outcome. But what then is the government trying to tell public servants? Is that the light they see their citizens in? As spoiled, mischievous children demanding more or else, even though they really can’t do anything  about it once the parents say, ‘no!’ Which also says that if citizens try to shut down the country, the government will take steps to ‘discipline’ them, like a parent scolding a child?

“They need to remember is we put them in government,” an older man reiterated, and I concur!

Frankly, I take a stance about the ad that few have. Do you know how much a full length commercial like that costs? Anything between $30,000 to $50,000 depending on the advertising agency you go with and THEN depending on the media house you advertise with it costs anywhere between $20,000 to $30,000 dollars, for each time you air the advertisement! !! This is the same government that has no money to pay public servants properly but has money to spend to tell public servants why they can’t pay them properly! I don’t know who told them that this would work, but all it has done is incense citizens even more.

NO BODY is going to believe that you have no money! Even IF it is true. Not when the police commissioner is being paid his weight in gold. (Many people don’t understand why this is but I believe it has to do with stupid taxes you are charged for being a foreigner working in another country which the government was trying to compensate for but that is why you don’t hire foreigners’ cause you have to pay them too much!)

Nobody is going to believe you when there are people giving contracts to their families left, right and center and talks of bribes even in the governments own backyard!

Not when soca artists can jump an wave on a stage and get TWO million dollars….for THAT! I love soca but that was ridiculous. If a promoter wanted to do that, fine! They can do what they want with the money they make. But for a government that has a country and a healthy economy to maintain and tax-payers dollars to invest properly that was not responsible!

Nobody is going to believe that the country has no money when a government makes such moves and STILL our health system is in tatters, and our policemen taking bribs because they don’t get paid properly so they are turning a blind eye to crime and there are still places where there are no infrastructure so people have no proper roads or running water and I could go on an on!

No-body-believes-you. Even IF, it is true. The facts are against you Peoples Partnership and you can’t fool all the people, all the time, so try again.

So, what do you, the people think? Does the government have the money or can they make it if they just commit to honestly switching around their budget to pump more money into what really matters?

Leh meh hear yuh nah?!

Trinbagonian Baby

Dealing with real, everyday issues in Trinidad and Tobago today.