CARIBBEAN TODAY


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(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9)
ral gas on the Eastern
seaboard. We are expanding
exports to Chile and Peru, and
other places. In addition, we
are focusing on non-oil manu-
facturing systems. We are
going into downstream indus-
tries from the oil, such as plas-
tics and polyethylene.

Q: One of the keys to becom-
ing a developed nation and
attracting investment is good
infrastructure. How is the gov-
ernment addressing that issue?

A: If you look at the last budg-
et, you will see where the min-
ister of finance mentioned that
as the developed countries, we
are now trying to make sure
that you can cover the island in
two-and-a-half hours. And so,
the government proposes to
build highways around the
island that will facilitate ease
of movement. The minister
pointed out very clearly that it
has taken the concept from
developed countries. That is
the kind of thing we do at the
consulate. We look at scientific
and technological advance-
ment; we bring them to the
attention of the government


and when it is fLihl,, they
will in turn implement our rec-
ommendations.

Q: Where does the govern-
ment, and the diaspora, stand
on the Caribbean as one com-
mon market?

A: We were out front in push-
ing for the CARICOM Single
Market; the economy comes
on stream hopefully by 2014.
The reason we did that is
because CARICOM is our
biLl trading partner. So, if
the CARICOM is prosperous,
we are prosperous. There are
plans afoot now to help coun-
tries like Grenada and St.
Vincent to train people so they
can function in critical
areas...The Summit of the
Americas, attended by
American President Barack
Obama and held in Trinidad
and Tobago, was very success-
ful. The highlight really, was
the fact that we were the first
CARICOM country to host
the Summit of the Americas.
And we did it, not only for us,
but also for the CARICOM.

Q: How strong is the relation-
ship between the Trinidad and


Tobago government and the
diaspora?

A: Our nationals know the
businesses out there; they now
know the services that we offer.
So, the diaspora can contribute
to making us more effective by
their networking efforts and
sharing that benefit with us. Of
course, we do it on our own as
well. We make business con-
tacts. We put companies in
Trinidad and Tobago in touch
with companies in Miami and
vice versa. But, we want our
nationals also (to) be part of
that process so that we might
stay connected with them.

Q: Caribbean culture is well
represented in South Florida.
How do make sure Trinidadian
culture maintains its presence?

A: In addition to attending
many of the events, we make
contact with schools and univer-
sities to encourage them to
teach "pan" (music). We
encourage the transfer of
knowledge to support innova-
tion and creativity.
0


We are the T&T gov't in Miami ~ CG


 I-

* "Are we satisfied as a
region, that our obligation
and responsibility to create
an environment and to pro-
vide an infrastructure which
cater for the rights of all our
people have been met? These
are critical questions in need
of urgent answers" St. Kitts
and Nevis Prime Minister Dr.
Denzil Douglas, who holds
responsibility for health within
the Caribbean community
(CARICOM) quasi Cabinet,
asks an important question in
his message to mark World
AIDS Day 2009, Dec. 1.

* "A dark pall
hangs over our
country; a
shroud over
our women.
Their freedom,
their rights,
their very lives
sees no sun shine in the dark-
ness of organized assault on
their person, their dignity,


Those dreaded words: It's over


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(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9)
you'll see that in most cases
the man was a simple, quiet,
humble man who just lost it
because his woman took him
for a fool.
 I spoke to various men
about this, and there was one
common factor they felt hurt
by being taken for a fool.
 "How could she really
expect me to believe that
management meetings would
be held every Friday and
Saturday until 3 a.m.? Better
she tell me a decent lie, like
her sister sick or something,
but don't take big man for
idiot," this guy told me.

POWER TRIP
 The need for power is
also a factor, and in these
modern times, with so many
women having big jobs and
earning far more than their
partners, it often leads to a
shift in the balance of power.
It often happens when the
wife lands a great new high
paying job, then suddenly
she's aware that her net worth
is great, she has money in the
bank, has a platinum credit
card, can buy stuff and doesn't
really need her man for any-
thing financial. She's now
worth more than him and will
let him know it.
 One day he wakes up and
he's wearing the skirt and
she's wearing the pants.
 Or it may happen sudden-
ly if he loses his job and now
has to depend on her income
to support them both. She


calls the shots, she makes the
plans, she pays the bills. It
also happens if he doesn't own
a place and moves into hers,
marries into her family and
has to live in her daddy's
house. Then there's also the
need for space which some
couples never seem to under-
stand. One party always seems
to think that being intertwined
like vines or snakes is healthy,
and living like conjoined twins
is the way to be. All that does
is smother the relationship.
 But if one dares to men-
tion that they want space, it's
instant grounds for breakup.
And don't believe that it's
only women either, for many
men want their women to
account for each hour of the
day. "It's work then home to
me, nowhere else, no gym, no
karate class, no bible study, no
girls night out, just me, yu
hear?!"
 The data is there, people
break up for different reasons,
while some remain and
endure the misery.
 But all is not lost, as some
couples are happy t< gL Ih1 r
they respect each other,
respect each other's money,
don't take each other for
granted, respect each other's
sexual needs, have no power
struggle and communicate.
They may be few and far
between and may also fall in
the older folks category, but
they do exist.

seidol@hotmail.com
0


their humanity" Opposition
Leader Lester Bird last month
calling on the Antigua and
Barbuda government to do
more to safeguard women
from rape.

* "Ralph would like to
entrench himself in power" -
Former St. Vincent and the
Grenadines Prime Minister
Sir James Mitchell last month
accusing the country's current
PM. Ralph Gonsalves of
being power hungry.

* "Wounded my (behind)!
He just applied a plaster to
those wounds, got right back
on his horse and carried on
riding all the way to yet
another two world records" -
British sprinter Dwain
( iinili o% admitting last
month that any weakness
Jamaican star Usain Bolt
appeared to have had before
this summer's World
( liiiiimpt, .iiqi in Athletics
were figments of his competi-
tors' imagination.

Compiled from CMC and
other sources.


I n T


December 2009