Today I wrote a piece about ” You get what you accept”.
Today the Trinidad Express reported that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago was about to visit China and then released a document outlying the purpose of this particular trip. This is what the Trinidad Express reported.
The Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, leaves tomorrow (Thursday) for an Official Visit to the People’s Republic of China.
Her visit also coincides with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In 1974, Trinidad and Tobago was a leading supporter of the “One China Policy” as articulated by the Government of the People’s Republic of China. ( Same as Jamaica, see below)
The Prime Minister leads a delegation which will also comprise the Hon Winston Dookeran, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon Vasant Barath, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investments, and the Hon Kevin Ramnarine, Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs.
A number of other proposals for deepening the bilateral relationship between the two countries will be introduced for further deliberation and these are related to:
· Trade and Economic Cooperation
· Energy Cooperation
· Tourism
· Infrastructural Development
· Cooperation in Security
· Technical and Cultural Cooperation
During the visit, InvesTT will have the opportunity to participate in interactive sessions with leading trade and investment officials, and in so doing be able to analyze and consider, on the ground, not only what opportunities exist, but how they can be taken forward to clear the path for increased bilateral relations.
The following agreements mentioned are proposed to be signed following the bilateral discussions between the Chinese Premier and the Honourable Prime Minister:
· The Memorandum of Understanding between the General Administration of Sport of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for Cooperation in the Field of Sport;
· The Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the People’s Republic of China concerning Cooperation in Energy and Energy-Related Matters;
· The Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of the People’s Republic of China;
· The Protocol between the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of the People’s Republic of China concerning the posting of a Chinese Medical Team to work in Trinidad and Tobago.
Read the full report here.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PM-off-to-China-tomorrow-246150281.html
What is the difference between the two leaders
They are both female
They lead a Caribbean country
Both countries celebrate independence about the same time.
So why is it that one reports to the people of the country and the other does not. Well in one country people demand accountability, while in the other the people accepts mediocrity.
Now look at the report of the Jamaican Prime Minister China trip as reported by a local paper , the Jamaica Gleaner
With hopes of wooing Chinese investment to the country, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has left for China where she will be meeting with high-ranking public- and private-sector interests during a five-day official visit.
Simpson Miller, who departed the island yesterday, will be in China from August 21 to 25.
She has been accompanied by A.J. Nicholson, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, and Robert Pickersgill, minister of water, land, environment and climate change.
The Gleaner report continued.
While in China, Simpson Miller will meet with the president and the premier of the People’s Republic of China.
Jamaica and China will also reaffirm bilateral relations, including celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries, established in November 1972. ( Same as Trinidad , see above)
strengthen cooperation
“An objective of this official visit to China is to further strengthen the forms of south-south cooperation as part of a broader development agenda between China and Jamaica.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130818/lead/lead5.html
What is the difference between these two reports?
Do you see the details provided by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and reported by the media vs the lack of specifics that was reported in the Jamaican paper.
Do you also notice that the report from Trinidad preceded the Prime Minister’s visit, while that in Jamaica came after the Prime Minister had already left.
YOU GET WHAT YOU EXPECT !
Call me anti-Portia, anti-PNP, pro-JLP as much as you want, but one thing you cannot deny is the facts as presented.
Yes , I am on a crusade, maybe a one man crusade to demand better leadership and accountability and if people think that is too much to ask of our Prime Minister then ” Ah sorry fu unno”
Filed under: Politics |
Warren's Blog 
Just to demonstrate to visitors to the blog that you are full of it, here are a series of articles by the JIS/OPM which correlate to your thesis. Further to that fact is that I found this information with a couple of clicks on the JIS website. Willful ignorance is not a pretty quality so I would suggest rather than the incessant tirade which fundamentally has no legs, you do a little research!
http://jis.gov.jm/prime-minister-portia-simpson-miller-to-visit-the-peoples-republic-of-china/
http://jis.gov.jm/prime-minister-simpson-miller-arrives-in-china/
http://jis.gov.jm/pm-welcomes-plans-by-chec-to-establish-offices-in-jamaica/
http://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-and-china-sign-four-agreements/
http://jis.gov.jm/pm-describes-meetings-with-chinas-top-business-leaders-as-very-productive/
http://jis.gov.jm/china-to-help-construct-two-new-infant-schools/
http://jis.gov.jm/prime-minister-simpson-miller-outlines-logistics-hub-benefits-for-jamaica-and-china/
Still searching the links provided for the details of the trip prior to PM leaving Jamaica ?
Perhaps you should look at the dates? I expect an apology not stonewalling.
So the PM is afraid to speak to the poor people she loves and cares about so much. Most of these people do not have internet or cannot read so how relevant is the JIS website information to them. You are comfortable with your PM speaking to you in writing?
When will we stop accommodating incompetence in governance irrespective of who is there? Loving someone and supporting them does not mean you cannot be critical of what they are doing wrong.
That’s what I’ve been saying for the longest while. Comrades find it sacrilegious for anyone to offer any form of critique to the government especially to the PM herself.
Jamaica is at the top of any list bad in the caribbean and we are so because we tolerate mediocrity. We only expect the best from our sports persons while we excuse poor performances by our elected officials.
The presentations of the PM are usually lacking in substance, remember this woman thinks she is a queen instead of apologizing to that journalist who was abused by a member of her security detail she opted to defend herself against abuses by the Press. Jamaica does do poorly on international rankings and most of our government entitis are failing but these people don’t care about anything
Criticise the PM all you want, just use facts. There is enough out there to criticise her for without resorting to lies & distortion. I have given indisputable proof that what Jay wrote was inaccurate, therefore trying to change the subject from what was written to what you perceive as the “comrades” issues, is a line or reasoning I would criticise my 3 year old for. I understand that in your rum bar echo chamber that it’s cool to sound smart without actually saying anything.. but simply put, you couldn’t argue your way out of a paper bag, with the logic you are displaying here.
Oh. So because our media does a poor job of reporting facts, it is the responsibility of the PM to do what exactly? What you are suggesting is that the PM only speaks via radio or tv because “most” Jamaicans are illiterate?? Do you even understand what you write in your haste to criticise? For your information “most” Jamaicans are not illiterate. Stop embarrassing yourself. The ability to write is not the same as the ability to comprehend, obviously, or else you wouldn’t put down this nonsense on record.
Lipton demonstrates a perfect example of false logic and rum bar intelligence. First statement, the PM presentations are usually lacking in substance. Ok, well most people would probably agree, myself included. However, because I am a avid student of politics, I would merely say that is par for the course globally because its in their (politicians) best interest to be light on substance merely because most people cannot absorb great detail and invariably walk away from a speech with more focus on style, delivery, and sound bites. Anyone who works for a living and utilizes email substantially can attest to the fact that if an email is more than 5-8 lines, most people come back to you asking for information contained in the email; cause dem caan bodder & lazy. IF Lipton had left it there, goal scored! BUt instead he cannot control himself & like a drunkard must conflate dumb arguments & soundbite propaganda to accuse the PM of:
a) acting like royalty b) against the press c) complicit with unlawful behavior! If this wasn’t enough he then accuses Jamaica & Jamaicans of: a) doing poorly on all international rankings b) having a failing civil service & a failing government by extension c) not caring about anything. He has no proof, cannot bring to bear any statistics,but because of his distaste for the PM and the present government he is somehow content to criticise every thing black, green & gold in his scorched earth policy. Oh dear, can you imagine if he was a politician? Not even his mother would vote for such a display of contempt & hate. My dear child, if you are so convinced that your scorched earth policy is such a winner, please run for office so that I may get the popcorn out and watch this debacle.
It takes the more time to pay taxes in Jamaica when compared with the other Caribbean countries, clearly you should have know this, you can go and check the worldbank. We declined on the HDI and the global technology report last year our energy infrastructure ranks 112 in the world and in terms of the quality of our math and science education we were ranked at 115. The public sector needs to be reformed this is one of the structural benchmarks of the IMF programme. Kwame, a recent study showed that Jamaicans were not sufficiently educated about the logistics hub or caricom, we hear about both issues all the time. Kwame I know you like proof and so do I, but I thought that by now you would have known that Jamaica is a pariah state and the public sector is bloated and inefficient. This is the problem with you people in Jamaica instead of ensuring that politicians perform you find their mistakes appealing, nothing is appealing about their asinine statements or the fact that agencies like JUTC are losing billions of dollars. I think I should run for office maybe then this country will go somewhere
I have been advocating public sector reform on this very blog as well as others for a very long time & I am very happy that we are being forced to do so by the IMF. The argument that this or any other government should have not needed the IMF to do what they had to do has no basis in reality.The IMF has been “forcing” us to do these things for years however now is the first time that they have had a partner willing to go all in on their recommendations.
This is what I criticise you for and yet you just not getting it…once again a perfectly acceptable criticism that we need to cut the size of our public sector descends immediately into chaotic nonsense about being a pariah state.The issue at hand is how do you go from a nation roller coasting on kpi’s to being a pariah state?? Where is the proof of this bombastic statement? Why is it that every paragraph that you write is a basic assault on the Jamaican public because they did not vote the way you wanted them too? Everybody else a eeidiot and you is JC/Einstein.
Check yourself young man as your hyperbole is without foundation and quite offensive. How you can link a bloated public sector and the need for public sector reform to being a pariah state is beyond scope & just plain DUMB. Do you even know the meaning of pariah?
Kwame, I do not dislike the people of Jamaica for voting for the pnp, I have a problem with the fact that they don’t seem to care about anything of substance. For example some years aho, this administration wanted to train workers in a particular field the programme fell apart and there was no outcry in the society, even today people are not trying to revive the programme and then when the economy goes downhill we blame politicians. People keep asking Portia stupid questions about her foreign trips, but they don’t ask about Public Sector reform and its targets. We are only interested in soundbites and many persons have become so apathetic that they allow politicians to get away with anything and others do not care. I have no problem with this blog, but I have been saying that we should be focusing on issues and international rankings and not politicians.
Kwame, I do not dislike the people of Jamaica for voting for the pnp, I have a problem with the fact that they don’t seem to care about anything of substance. For example some years ago, this administration wanted to train workers in a particular field the programme fell apart and there was no outcry in the society, even today people are not trying to revive the programme and then when the economy goes downhill we blame politicians. People keep asking Portia stupid questions about her foreign trips, but they don’t ask about Public Sector reform and its targets. We are only interested in soundbites and many persons have become so apathetic that they allow politicians to get away with anything and others do not care. I have no problem with this blog, but I have been saying that we should be focusing on issues and international rankings and not politicians.
Was that so hard? This is the first thing you have written that was not dripping with hatred and you easily produced material that most people can get behind and agree with. Listen, all of these politicians are friends outside of parliament because they all went to the same schools except for a minority and all move in the same circles. MY point to Jay in the past and you today, is that there is a wealth of issues that one can attack PSM or this administration on. However the constant dipping into personal attacks only revs up the rey rey crowd who frankly don’t have a damn thing to offer and worst; will not vote based on excitement but rather who they perceive to be in their corner or in other words the best of the worst.
Further to that point, by delving into personal attacks you force people who may be predisposed to agree with you on the government’s performance, to turn around and defend Portia because the attacks are unfair, disrespectful and smack of classism. Nobody cares about the PM trips and the polls have proven it yet the opposition continues down this dull route instead of prodding the government to reform the civil service! They (JLP) spent years writing the blueprint so they are intimately aware of what’s in the document.However they are hoping that the PNP will be forced to do it so that they can claim political points. Dumb thinking of course because the crafty PNP will simply say..you wrote it & the IMF forced us to do it, this blunting this thrust.
Lastly, to your point about the people not caring.. they have to know in order to care and frankly our journalists are weak at best, but in my opinion corrupt with rampant payola the order of the day. There is hardly any investigative journalism though the tools such as the information act is available. To take this argument full circle, if any acts of wanton waste and corruption do see the light of day, the jLP will always fall into their now custom clown mode and attack Portia directly, when in 40 years of politics Portia has never been mixed up nor is she perceived as being corrupt. They will then attack her education & call her all sorts of low class names. Well naturally the people of Jamaica in their infinite wisdom will clearly dismiss this as just another round of JLP belligerence and ignore them. THus losing the fight even when they have all the cards stacked in their favor. They do it time & time again yet wonder why they are not gaining any traction.
If you take this last paragraph in totality & look at it holistically, you will begin to understand why it appears people are disinterested in government performance.
This is exactly the kind of discourse that will have more people paying attention!