Thor vs X-Men

BC Pires, in his usual eloquent style, wrote about Ishmael Samad's recent protest against Calder Hart.  I think we can expand on his list of persons that Ishmael should aim his sledgehammer at.

Swing at Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira, who side-stepped questions about UDeCOTT on C TV's breakfast show earlier this week by saying none of her constituents raised it as an issue in her many walkabouts since 2007. She actually said she can't understand how folks could accuse the PNM of squandermania.  Whisper UDeCOTT and all PNM representatives break eye contact.  Ishmael will have to pick one reason for swinging because, frankly, the Finance Minister has given so many in her shortened term of office, his arm might dislocate if he swiped at everything she did.

A special swipe is reserved for the PNM Youth Vice Chairman, Mr Adrian Winter, who appeared on the same breakfast show after the Finance Minister to support her vacuous statement with one of his own. He advised youths to ignore the UDeCOTT issue with the phrase: 'Leave it to the older people!'  For all we know, his university lecturers must be swinging their heads against a wall seeing this product of their teaching on national TV.  So, to Mr Winter, youths are old enough to vote but not old enough to say how they feel about corruption.  Somebody should ask him to return his degree.

Knock all those who unplug their brains before stepping in front of campaign platform microphones. Like the Attorney General who said the coalition can't be unified since they were fighting each other a few months ago, blissfully ignoring the Keith Rowley vs Patrick Manning fight that's been going on for years.  Since being selected to re-run for Diego Martin West, Mr Rowley - the PNM's best platform speaker - has been inexplicably absent and quiet.

Like his Finance Minister, the Hon. Prime Minister might cause Ishmael to stop swinging for health and safety concerns.  Patrick Manning criticised Makandal Daaga in Tabaquite last Monday by saying '... he even still wearing a Dashiki (African wear) and I can’t remember the last time I see a Dashiki in this country ...' Further, he implied Mr Daaga should be ignored since he's a relic from 1970. Mr Manning entered Parliament in 1971, so is a well-qualified pot to criticise Mr Daaga's kettle.  Regarding his team's attempt to portray their platform as holier-than-thou, why do they ignore His commandment regarding lies?

Swing briskly, Ish, at all those Ministers appearing in interviews who want to take praise for things they're not involved in but shift blame when convenient.  Like Science and Tertiary Education Minister Christine Kangaloo who wants to bask in the glory of GATE but when asked by a caller why his son didn't get a scholarship for Cambridge results in 2006 (he alleged that the government changed their policy to reduce the amount of scholarships for Cambridge exams in favour of CAPE), she said: "Scholarships are given by the Ministry of Public Administration."  And so side-steps the concern.  No promise to take up the issue with her Public Administration colleague.

Swing at anyone, like Information Minister Neil Parsanlal, who would have you believe that the increase in government advertising in the run-up to this election was pure coincidence and not an authorised way to undermine campaign funding rules.  Swing heartily at folks who criticise artistes for creating political songs or appearing on political platforms, as if they don't have a right to support the parties they choose or earn a living.

The opposition shouldn't be excluded.  Like UNC's hopeful for Princes Town, Clifton De Coteau, an ex-principal, saying that he believes "the best channel to the brain is through the derriere ..." as his stance on corporal punishment.  In his case, following his advice, Ish needs to aim the sledgehammer low.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has some swings coming her way. What the heck is a Ministry of the People?  The Central Bank's most recent quarterly bulletin was released on 15 Apr 2010 and shows our Net Official Reserves are US$8.8 billion, so why does she fear the Treasury is empty, when it is clearly not?  The PNM might be poor financial managers, but I'd think even they would struggle to spend a latter-year's budget in a month (or maybe I deserve to be hit by Ish for my naievete).

Regarding sideshows like Imam Abu Bakr and Basdeo Panday, the sooner we swing them into history the better.

Boy, if we swing a sledgehammer every time politicians say or do foolishness, foreigners would think we're a nation of Thors.  Since Percy Villafana danced into the limelight, though, we might become X-Men.  I had to laugh when my Mum told me that constituents booed PNM candidate Peter Taylor - he of the 'Fat of the Land' rubbish that Marlon Miller responded to - when he turned up for a walkabout and several folks crossed their arms Percy Villafana-style.

The protesters' symbolic X against corruption and poor governance looks nice in news reports.  But it's the voters' X on 24 May 2010 that counts.  Will we be victims or heroes on 25 May?