…in sugar divestment
Your Eyewitness was thrown for a loop when he learnt DDL pulled out of the bidding for Enmore Estate at the last moment. When DDL discovered the production from the three “grinding” estates couldn’t supply them with enough molasses to produce their world-class rums, they worked with the SPU to restart the Emmore operations to supply the rest, didn’t they? What did they learn?
Now, no matter how you slice it or dice it, DDL’s a very well-run outfit, and it behooves the SPU – if no one else — to examine clearly why DDL chose to remain on the side-lines and not the “middle walk”! They said they couldn’t “find a model that would fit with (their) current investment and development strategy”. What this means, in your Eyewitness’s estimation, is the SPU and Price Waterhouse structured a deal that just doesn’t make financial sense.
Most likely, they demanded too much money for factories (LBI was included?) that were cannibalised and fields that have been allowed to revert to bush. DDL said they’ll wait to see if anyone else will buy Enmore on the present terms, and then buy molasses from them. Why buy the whole cow when you can buy milk as you need it? Let others pick up the big tab; spend millions (US!) to fix up the factory, and then struggle to attract a labour force for the fields!! And if perchance they produce any sugar, they’ll produce the molasses as a by- product, which DDL can snap up.
DDL went on to say if there were no takers, then they’ll make another bid. Meaning, of course, they expect the SPU/Price Waterhouse will revise the “model” – read “asking price”.
But your Eyewitness isn’t so sanguine about some other bids – especially that one by the Trini company which has specialised for the last 50 years on importing car parts and fixing engines. Your Eyewitness could swear the SPU said they give the greatest weight to the demonstrated ability of bidders that could show how they’ll run the entity. And they were impressed by these fellas: who never ran a sugar operation in their lives, and never showed interest in the Caroni sugar operations that were shuttered nearly two decades ago?
Something ain’t kosher. Especially when the outfit had, a year ago, already submitted a bid to Go-Invest which just didn’t make sense. And talking about “kosher”, is that other bidder Kadem the Jewish condiment maker, who started out bottling grape juice?
And no takers for Wales?
…in LGE elections
Everyone and their (political) uncles conceded that the turnout in the LGE by the Disciplined Forces was “poor”. Meaning “miserable”! Now, if you have forces that have been explicitly called “disciplined” and who’re supposed to be patriotic and trained to obey orders, but yet don’t show up to exercise their franchise, something’s radically wrong with our country!!
Now all it would’ve taken to ensure a high turnout was for the officers in the GDF, GPF, Fire Service and Peoples Militia to give a direct order to their charges!! So the officers didn’t give the orders? If they didn’t, then something is wrong with the officer corps and their understanding of their role in a democracy – especially when most of them will end up running the Government!! And if the order was given but the troops didn’t obey, we have an even bigger problem!! Is this “poor turnout” going to be repeated if the Vennies pour across our western border? What’s going on here?
We expect President Nagamootoo to launch a CoI to find out!!
…on the succession
While we all expect the President to return all chipper and all that, we’ve got to plan for the worse. So will Nagamootoo be allowed to be President till 2020?
God forbid!!
