The New Mimic Men (Part 1 1/2)

In this mini-installment we’ll deal with three topics engaging public attention:

 

 

Some people are better heard than seen, others the reverse. Which category Ms. Woods falls into, well you be the judge.

 

Having affirmed a feeling of liberation after posing top-less for a pageant-endorsed photo shoot, justifying it by claiming we do it here for Carnival and then claiming all publicity is good publicity one is left to wonder is “bimbo” a term reserved for the domain of blondes?

 

To begin with the choice to pose in the photo shoot was entirely discretionary and any thinking person would realize that with a competition of this stature (photo shoot endorsed or not) the image of a top-less Miss Universe (pasties or not) is not something the pageant organizers could easily get around. Is it a coincidence that none of the girls who participated in the photo shoot were eventually part of the top fifteen? I think not. With all the negative publicity and criticism generated by it (and in this case negative publicity is definitely not good publicity) the organizers had to distance themselves from the less than thought out event and more so ensure none of the participants featured in the final stages else they draw even more criticism for foisting a morally deficient (perception) person to perform the duties of Miss Universe. Lest we forget, the duties of a Miss Universe involve mainly charitable and humanitarian causes. By keeping her own counsel and not deferring to her team (you are after all representing a nation and whatever decisions you make affect the image you are presenting) before making the decision she unwittingly exposed her own brand of either arrogance or ignorance. Either of which precludes her from holding the crown. The parroting of the world-worn clichés confirms her status as un-original, un-thinking, pre-packaged and sorry to say it bimbo-incarnate. Her single decision cost her a better showing, and she has no one to blame but herself. Class and personal style cannot be pre-packaged or instilled. The feigning of it comes across artificial. Maybe Mr. Lee et al can focus more on preparing young ladies not to fit a pre-conceived mold but help them to forge their own mold where the nonpareil is encouraged and as we say here “counting egg in fowl(foul) bottom” is discouraged.

 

On to the Prime Minister.

 

 

According to my research the above-mentioned seventeen women are all the world

leaders currently in office. Whilst at work someone e-mailed a congratulatory message to Mrs. Bissessar for making the TIME/CNN Top Ten Female Leaders. In its relevant context the top ten of seventeen is not some indictment of omniscient greatness that is being proclaimed even in the local conventional media (for two days running!). Are we so starved for attention and approval that we cling to every morsel of idiocy played out in the international media? The fact that the great bastion of international journalism TIME/CNN conveniently left out the fact that there are only seventeen female world leaders is testament to their agenda (sensationalism sells newsprint). The list itself is an affront to the other seven women not recognized. The real story here is of the 200 plus countries in the world the seventeen extraordinary women who have shattered the glass ceiling in a world dominated by men deserve mention. Mrs. Bissessar’s response is what was absolutely needed to re-focus attention on what really is important to the Republic. Well-done Madam Prime Minister.

 

George Bernard Shaw once said, “When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.” Hypocrisy is a currency masquerading as righteousness in this country. The preponderance of its practitioners expands on a daily basis.

 “Caribbean Airlines’ chief executive officer Peter Davies could be in receipt of handsome salary and fringe benefits—anywhere in the region of £50,000 (about $655,000) a month.” Sunday 15 July 2007, Trinidad Guardian.

“Tesheira said Hart earned a monthly salary of $85,000 as executive chairman of Udecott. This was increased to $90,000 per month by the Public Sector Negotiations Committee (PNSC).” 19 December 2009, Trinidad Guardian.

 

The list of State Enterprise / Public Service heads (both local and foreign) earning large salaries is substantial. The simple fact is that the government of Trinidad and Tobago hired a firm to develop a plan to find the best-qualified person to fill the top posts at the TTPS. They were mandated to approach the process holistically and look both foreign and local. The bottom line was that they find the best. They found the best and the government had to do its purchasing on the international market. Hence, they have to pay at international rates. One could estimate that this issue in the TTPS is not so much about the CoP’s salary as it is their own salaries. In such a case their public posturing is a bit disingenuous.

 

Coming soon Roe v Wade announces their arrival in Trinidad and Tobago.