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Home » Blogs » Taran Rampersad's blog

Much Ado About CHOGM

November 24, 2009 by Taran Rampersad

Yes, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) has the media abuzz. Other events migrate around it; it seems that everyone who wants to be someone has something to say about anything will be either protesting somewhere or lurking in the shadows.

To me, as well as others, it's just another pappyshow. Or, for the more American inclined, a dog-and-pony show. It will cause traffic before and after it, as well as for its duration. People who have been given microphones will say a lot of things, and those things will be reported by the media. I considered getting in to cover the whole CHOGM affair, but I really don't see the use. Karel Mc Intosh (Caribbean PR Blog) postulated the ineffectiveness of the whole thing over the phone last night as we prepared for a Trini bloggers meetup. In fact, central to the call was the need to change venue from Mangoes (Ariapita Avenue) to somewhere else because of the CHOGM affair.

So what, really, is the big deal? I mean no disrespect to those who have things to say about CHOGM, but I'd like to know what the point is. According to the CHOGM website: 


The objective of this Summit is to engage leaders of the Commonwealth in discussing global and Commonwealth issues and to agree upon collective policies and initiatives.

What I'll say now is not anything particularly new but it seems to be new to CHOGM. While I like that they are using the Drupal content management system for the summit, and while the site itself is pretty well done (I didn't do it), I have to openly wonder why such a meeting couldn't take place electronically. Yes, face to face meetings do help in some things, but honestly - there would be a lot less expense and a lot more efficiency if the CHOGM folk embraced technology just a little bit more.

The answer to that, of course, is that the leaders aren't used to the leaps in technology we've made. And because of that I am forced to wonder if the CHOGM meeting isn't anything but a group of dinosaurs discussing the tar pits.

Just an opinion. Maybe they'll do something that will have me revise that opinion.

Anyone taking bets?

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November 26, 2009 by The Unofficial CHOGM Holiday (Steups) | KnowTnT.com (Beta) (not verified), 40 weeks 1 day ago
Comment id: 173

[...] due to CHOGM - for whatever reason. Apparently the powers-that-be think that another holiday for the dinosaurs discussing the tar pits is necessary for all of Trinidad and Tobago despite CHOGM only affecting a small part of Trinidad [...]

Why would they do that?

November 24, 2009 by Edmund Gall, 40 weeks 3 days ago
Comment id: 172

Nothing says I care for the environment more than jetting in a thousand delegates for a 5-day talkshop, does it?

Perhaps they don't really think IT is as secure as business-folk like to think it is for highly-sensitive state-to-state negotiations.  Besides, Skype et al haven't quite worked out how to get the all-important group photo done at the end of the session.  And without that group photo, well, how does one prove one was there (a pic of a Skype call log ain't as impressive as that of one's skin-teeth a few feet from the Queen)?

I know diplomacy requires events like this, eh, but my shitometer breaks whenever I hear the blurbs about 'major benefits redounding to T&T' from just hosting these jaunts.  As if the real world players would ever decide favourable policies just because you invited them to smell your air, taste your food, and watch trite national unity dances on stages in spangly-new theatres.

This thing seems to require as much faith as religion since the cost-benefit is so intangible at the moment.  Six months after the Summit of the Americas in April - what benefits have accrued to T&T so far from that practice run?  Wonder if the major press in T&T will do follow-ups next April and November to highlight what we got for spending billions on these two events.

At least the vagrants in POS get housed for a few days.  At the moment, it's even potentially messing up the scheduling of exams in one school in south (if the wise old heads declare Friday a national holiday) - and they don't even have any CHOGM events there!!!

Now, let me see - would I wish any of the above to be placed next to a photo of me on a billboard?... *Save*

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November 24, 2009 by Global Voices Online » Trinidad & Tobago: (not verified), 40 weeks 3 days ago
Comment id: 171

[...] KnowTnT.com would like to know what the point of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting actually is: “I am forced to wonder if the CHOGM meeting isn't anything but a group of dinosaurs discussing the tar pits.” Cancel this reply [...]

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