WTF ????

I've lost it. Opened my blog to find it totally screwed up. The sidebars were down under all the posts. WTF...? So i changed templates. Lost all the additions I made. Links to utterkhaos, ana, my cool blogs. WTF ...?? Thinking of saving my posts, deleting the blog, and starting another Trinimuse. It will have to wait till I have some time though. WTF...? All who thinks my cousin did it raise your hands ?!?!?!?! WTF ... ?

Breaking News

4 Million TT Dollars worth of cocaine was seized at Crown Point Airport in Tobago at 5:30 yesterday afternoon. A Dutch woman was held and the cocaine found in her hand luggage while she was waiting to board a flight to Amsterdam.

More news later...

In country:
Senator Gillian Lucky and Dr. Fuad Khan becomes Independent UNC senators. Mr Yetming supports. A lesson in comparative morality. Pay attention, you will be tested...

Monday, April 11, 2005

Fire on Frederick Street

Fire gutted the People's (read Drag) Mall downtown Port of Spain on Saturday, with firefighters battling the blaze for 6 hours. Water problems, leaking hoses and faulty equipment all plagued the firefighters' ability to control the fire. Queensway fabric shop, and the flagship Pizza Boys restaurant among others were all burned to the ground. Value lost: TT 35 million and counting. What a waste, although some might see it as a blessing in disguise.

Above pic: Getting the 120 y.o. fittings to work on new hoses?

Below pics: Pictures from the blaze, Trinidad Guardian, Sunday 12th April 2005.
I'll post my thoughts later...

Child Prostitution

A 9 year old girl was accompanied by a teacher to the Couva Police Station last Friday, where she told officers that she was having sex with men in the village for a fee of five TT dollars each. This happened in Couva according to newspaper reports. The nine-year-old girl hid the dark secret from everyone in the village and it is estimated that she was "raped" by as many as 28 men before her rescue by police .

The resulting medical examination found that the girl was sexually active and HIV positive. Investigators believe the child was born with the virus. The mother is an HIV positive ex bar waitress and has 15 children. The state took away 14 of them leaving the girl child with her. The child said she was having sex with her mother's drug addict friends, brought to her by her mother. To support her addiction.

Eight men who were allegedly found waiting in line to have sex with the child have been questioned. A 71-year-old man who was caught in the act, was in police custody up to last night, and is expected to be charged with having sex with a minor. A woman appeared before Couva Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar yesterday to answer charges of failing to report incidents of sexual abuse against a minor. She was not called upon to plead as the charges were laid indictably. The woman was remanded in custody and is to reappear in court next Tuesday.

On the radio this morning, an announcer was wondering how this could happen in a residential area with nobody seeing or reporting. In this country, drug crime is as deadly as anywhere else. If you know there is a drug hole in your area, you see, hear, say or smell nothing for fear of your own safety. A caller was wondering how could this happen here? In our beautiful Trinidad?

It happens everywhere. I've been lucky enough to give guidance chats with various youth groups for some years now. I've seen it before. I've also seen the victims unwilling to change because of their misconceived "comfort" zone. I've seen the abuse people endure by trying to change. I've also seen the wonderful social support from our government.

I'm not shocked at the news report. I'm shocked at the naivety of the Trinidad people. Drive by Curepe, Independence Square, Harris Promenade, Mucurapo St, Marabella Main road, Arima, and you will see them. Open your eyes. There are children sleeping on the street. They have an aggressive exterior, street smart, ready to scam you for food.

Yet we do nothing about the ones we do see. How many more are there that we don't?

The Children of the Night faq says, "Generally speaking, if a child is 10 years of age or younger and involved in prostitution, the parents are usually involved in the sexual exploitation of the child."

Maybe for real action, it will take another senseless, avoidable death...still, we do nothing.

Warriors vs Costa Rica vs Jack Warner

T&T Warriors Fan. T&T vs Costa Rica.
Pic from REUTERS/Howard Yanes

Went to the game on Wednesday vs Costa Rica. It was better. Much better. We actually had a midfield. Now if they would only support Carlos Edwards on the right. The boy has loads of skill, but if one has no support, one is going to make the wrong decisions. Having said that, our defence looked stronger, like they knew what they were doing. Dennis Lawrence and Atiba Charles did yeoman's service. No more soft goals, at least not on Wednesday last. Dwight Yorke and Silvio Spann impressed me. Much. Terrific workrate, dey was all over the field, clinical passing. All we need now is a dedicated, goal hungry striker, someone who is not afraid to run at the opposing defense. Around the 17th minute, we strung together about 17-18 passes, almost brought tears to my eyes.

To recap:

T&T looked lifeless in a 2-1 loss at home in February against the US.

Next up came a demoralising 5-1 washout on the road vs Guatemala on 26 March. Though a win away from home was always going to be a tough ask for the side, their haphazard defending seemed to indicate a lack of grit and determination necessary to compete at the top level.

T&T's Silvio Spann (r) clashing with Costa Rica's Walter Cedeno.
Pic from REUTERS/Howard Yanes.

Finally they got a little closer to the mark in their Wednesday 30th March draw with Costa Rica. With a level of fighting spirit conspicuously missing from the Guatemala game, they ground out a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica at home to avoid the ignominy of going into the two-month halt in qualifying with zero points from three matches. Six points off leaders Mexico and one behind closest side Panama, all is not lost for T&T, though the outlook seems a little bleak for a finish in the top four.

The new coach is going to be *fanfare of soca music* Leo Beenhakker. This appears to be a very encouraging and positive move but credentials is one thing, the ability to work successfully in our cultural context is another. Small ting. I say that the only context that one has to relate to is the CULTURE of football. Its a good move in my mind, I think Bertille has done what he can, we need to move the team to the next level.

"Jack" Warner is loved, hated and criticised, but he is the best person for the job. No nonsense, critical, decisive and aggressive management is what is needed here; Mr. Warner provides it in spades. Jack has worked hard to do all in his power to raise the level of football in the region. Good move.

T&T's Nigel Pierre (number 18) leaving out Costa Rica's Carlos Hernandez.
Pic from REUTERS/Howard Yanes.

I going to de next game on June 4th 2005, we playing Panama in de Stadium.