War-break… in Trinidad??

Trinidad has never experienced the open racial warfare between the two major race groups – Indians and Africans competing for political power – as we did in the 60s. Afro-Trinidadians were the majority and – mobilised by Eric Williams – ran the country under the PNM from 1956 to 1995 when the UNC slipped in with Indo-Trini support!! While the oil revenues flowed into a state-led economy dominated by African Trinis, enough trickled into Indian-owned businesses to keep that community off the streets!! Trinis sniggered at our racialised politics and smirked in self-satisfaction at their “Trini identity”!!
Well, they found out that while Eric Williams was right when he boasted, “Oil doan spoil”, he neglected to warn that oil does, however, run out!! And creates its own political dynamics of zero-sum race relations. The latter has become increasingly tense after the politics became more competitive after 1995, with the Indian-dominated UNC regularly alternating governance with the Afro-dominated PNM!!
And nothing exemplifies the callousing of their Trini “one people” ideal more than the fireworks that exploded during their Emancipation Day commemoration!! It seems that PM Kamla – who’s UNC! – was invited to a particular Emancipation event where she’d been billed as the feature speaker – but didn’t show up!! Even though she’d attended two other emancipation events – dressed in full African garb – all hell broke loose! The unmerciful heckling by a woman dressed in African regalia of her Culture Minister, Benjamin, might’ve explained her no-show!! As was that of her friend, African culture activist and UTT head Cudjoe at his university’s commemoration!
PNM leader – and leader of the Opposition Penelope Beckles – didn’t skip a beat as she tore into Kamla, claiming her “disdainful” absence was an insult to Afro-Trinis and was divisive to national unity!! At the same time, there was a leaked video from PNM elements that referred to Kamla as a “coolie”, and she responded, “This version of the PNM under Pennelope Beckles is the most hateful, racist and divisive. What they did to Michelle Benjamin and UTT Selwyn Cudjoe over the Emancipation weekend is disgusting. I don’t care if the PNM MPs and supporters insult and call me a “stinking coolie”, but Michelle Benjamin and Selwyn Cudjoe are wonderful people who were viciously attacked because the PNM believes that spreading coolie hatred and destroying Afro-Trinidadians supportive of the UNC is a political strategy.”
She immediately posted a video of a talk she had made on the subject a couple of years ago when Indian FM Jaishankar was visiting. “In Trinidad, Indians are still referred to as ‘coolies’ in some places. I feel no shame in that. I am proud that today a little ‘coolie’ girl is the Prime Minister of Trinidad.”
Whither T&T’s race relations?

…in Parliament
Meanwhile here in Mudland, we’ve broken the back of racialised voting under the twin pressures of an Irfaan Ali Government, vigorously and effectively bringing aboard African and Amerindian Guyanese in development, and the Indian-origin Sanction Man using his ill-gotten gains to cripple the PNC!! But having lost the racial advantage, the Opposition – Sanction Man’s WIN and Aubrey Norton’s PNC – look determined to shoot themselves in the foot!!
Controlling the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that audits the Government spending, they’ve complained that PPP members’ absences deny the quorum to hold meetings – to hold their feet to the fire!! Yet last week, when they DID have a quorum and the WIN chairman was ready to charge, you’ll never believe what happened!! The PNC decided to STAGE A WALKOUT – cause they couldn’t be in the presence of Juan Edghill – who’s one of the PPP’s members!!
While both Opposition parties have branded Edghill a “mass murder” who must resign, the PNC decided to play to the gallery!!
Survival’s a bitch!!

…against Big Oil??
President Trump came out swinging at ExxonMobil and Chevron for making windfall profits during the US war against Iran – to keep oil flowing!! He feels they should’ve cut gas prices at the pump!!
And Guyana??