India trip question..re the govt's party

[Habit7]

The same crowd that cried murder for a 2 million flag to adorn the largest arena in the country, whistling dixie as ministers rolling around town in Porsche Cayenne

Despite some may say they got theirs for cheap, I wonder what is the maintenance costs on that versus a Toyota Prado or Nissan Pathfinder.

If the Ministers paid for it by themselves what the problem though. They well paid and receive significant tax and MVT benefits which all Ministers use.

No I ain't talking about personal vehicles. I'm talking about Ministry vehicles with Ministry drivers under Ministry insurance and Ministry maintenance.

[Dizzy28]

[RASC]

Yeah we not trying to mess you up bro...you're just seriously not making any sense

Cool

[RASC]

The same crowd that cried murder for a 2 million flag to adorn the largest arena in the country, whistling dixie as ministers rolling around town in Porsche Cayenne

Despite some may say they got theirs for cheap, I wonder what is the maintenance costs on that versus a Toyota Prado or Nissan Pathfinder.

If the Ministers paid for it by themselves what the problem though. They well paid and receive significant tax and MVT benefits which all Ministers use.

No I ain't talking about personal vehicles. I'm talking about Ministry vehicles with Ministry drivers under Ministry insurance and Ministry maintenance.

Correct is right.
It was the Diesel one he ordered right?

[Habit7]

"allyuh violent PNM ppl beating up the small PP man, that's why all of allyuh from Laventille"

[MG Man]

Dizzy...Stop...
Yuh contradicting and messing your self up all at the same time.
Just...Stop!

yuh tink he /she hair straight?

[Dizzy28]

Dizzy...Stop...
Yuh contradicting and messing your self up all at the same time.
Just...Stop!

yuh tink he /she hair straight?

Maybe..maybe not.

[eliteauto]

pg 5 and 6 is the healthiest and possibly the most honest amt of political discourse I've ever seen on this forum
MG Man I have to thank you for your honesty, you have said things that had RASC or myself said would have been labelled racist and or PNMite (the terms are interchangeable for many here)

[crazybalhead]

^^^^ So what about Brian Lara and Ganga? Should they have been left back too? Of all the people who went, Brian Lara gave more publicity to this than anyone else. Some of the women who got photographed with him, got front page spread on many local papers and got hounded by the press because they wanted to know if they were his new woman (they don't understand professional and platonic relationships there apparently). There was a cultural exchange, so that would explain the musicians and some of them actually paid for the trip out of their own pocket like I said.

So the minister of public utilities cannot meet with manufacturers who want to export heavy machinery to Trinidad? This has not been our first trade/dipl mission, and it will not be the last (no matter who is in power). Like I said, there are many reasons to attack the PP govt that I agree with, and even I, a former avid supporter, am critical of them, but this is grasping at straws.

YUh saying lara didn't eatafood???

[RBphoto]

let's say that the cost of the trade mision is seen to be fantastic (I doubt 100,000,000.00, but let's see)... what charges of impropriety can be laid aginst who, what reparations can be made, and what contingent size/ cost woud be seen as a proper budget for future ventures such as this?

This reminds me of when Rudy Moonilal was chastizing "cookie Monster"...the woman expensed meals at the Hyatt, which is a convinient location near to where she was working, probably overtime, and was probably a reasonable expense seeing that she had to conduct her duties as a professional. Now, let us say she spent $400.00 on food for each day, for a year, that might add up to $97,600.00 for all working days for food only. Seems like a fantastic sum when everything is added up, but business has a cost, and perks are perks, and they added up. What do you think it took to support this contingent?... Or even the daily costs that are expensed as personal expenses of our MP's without even leaving Trinidad?

[Dizzy28]

pg 5 and 6 is the healthiest and possibly the most honest amt of political discourse I've ever seen on this forum
MG Man I have to thank you for your honesty, you have said things that had RASC or myself said would have been labelled racist and or PNMite (the terms are interchangeable for many here)

No thanks for me?

[Habit7]

This gov't has a habit of throwing out scandals in order to distract a need of accountability (Cookie Monster, SIA, Culture Scholarships, etc.) in the end it never ends up being as what they said it was and 9 day trinis move on forgetting the outcome but remembering the impact.

As the Mirror article said the Indian gov't paid for the first 11 and some of the contingent paid their own way (press, business, etc.). But there is a hand full that was borne by the taxpayers. Now government will try to mask it in other bodies paying for them, but these bodies are all state entities and which taxpayers contribute to anyway (CAL, UWI, UTT, etc). Even if one official/technocrat/musician/pundit/wife is found to be marginal to the trip and was covered by the taxpayer, the government needs to account for it in light of their criticism of the previous gov't trips abroad. In addition, the increase speculation is a result of the promises of benefits of other past trade missions that seem to elude the view of most trinis.

[rjaggs]

i was interested in politics until i started voting...now i say this thread is a WOFB

Political parties are, and will always be....same sh!t, different toilet

but I will still vote....its my civic duty

[RBphoto]

^^^^ So what about Brian Lara and Ganga? Should they have been left back too? Of all the people who went, Brian Lara gave more publicity to this than anyone else. Some of the women who got photographed with him, got front page spread on many local papers and got hounded by the press because they wanted to know if they were his new woman (they don't understand professional and platonic relationships there apparently). There was a cultural exchange, so that would explain the musicians and some of them actually paid for the trip out of their own pocket like I said.

So the minister of public utilities cannot meet with manufacturers who want to export heavy machinery to Trinidad? This has not been our first trade/dipl mission, and it will not be the last (no matter who is in power). Like I said, there are many reasons to attack the PP govt that I agree with, and even I, a former avid supporter, am critical of them, but this is grasping at straws.

YUh saying lara didn't eatafood???

Ah know all kinda ting.. along that vein... that I can't post here bhai

[pioneer]

$100,000,000.00

IBWTN

This have more 0's than some tuner's report book

[kevcam]

Suruj: PNM spent more on Far East mission

Here we go again with BUT THE PNM DO IT TOO...

As he addressed criticisms of the alleged extravagance of the trip to India, Foreign Affairs Minister Suruj Rambachan claimed the People's National Movement (PNM) spent a larger amount ($9.5 million) on a similar mission to the Far East.

And the PNM government assisted the private sector representatives who went on this mission to the tune of $1 million.

Making a statement in the House of Representatives yesterday, Rambachan said by Cabinet Note No 277 of February 1, 2007, the (PNM) Cabinet agreed to host a trade and investment mission at a cost of $9,511,853.95, from February 27 to March 12, 2007 to South Korea, Beijing and Shanghai, Mumbai and Delhi. He added that a cultural contingent accompanying the delegation cost $3 million. By contrast, Rambachan said in the case of this Government, the private sector paid its way.

Also on the trip to India, the cost of the Prime Minister's official delegation was paid for by the government of India. Furthermore, the Indian government provided an A320 Air Bus for the delegation's internal travel.

To comments that the Prime Minister was away too often and for too long, he said the Prime Minister was "but a 'touch' away from what is happening at home and governance was not affected by her absence. By appointing others to act, the Prime Minister has shown that she is capable of true democratic leadership and is capable of delegation, as any true leader must".

He added that the Prime Minister's visit could have remained a State visit and chief guest of Pravasi with no other meetings, but she expanded it to a trade mission, realising that "the ability to convince investors that we are open for business is buttressed by the direct interaction between the Prime Minister and the potential investors".

He said length of the visits overseas was necessitated by the fact that the Prime Minister had to pause in London during the trips to India (and Australia for Commonwealth Heads of Government ) "to facilitate her personal health and physical well-being". He also addressed criticisms of the size and composition of the delegation, noting that "the team for India was based on the outcome of the Joint Commission Meeting held in November 2011 as well as the pre-visit by InvestTT".

For those who criticised the number of State companies which went on the trip, Rambachan recalled that the Ken Valley mission of 2007 was accompanied by delegates from six state agencies. "We did not hear questions as to why these state companies and officials accompanied the then Minister," Rambachan said.

On the criticism of the Prime Minister's visit to India, he asked: "Those who have sought to make this an issue have demonstrated no appreciation for history. May I genuinely ask: what is wrong with a person wanting to find out from whence he/she came?"

However, the Minister did not respond to one of the main criticisms coming of the trip—the Prime Minister's touching of the feet of India President Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sur ... 99928.html

[DFC]

"i just want to fly"- sugar ray ft Kamla.

[Cid]

"who let da dawgs owt"- baha men ft Rowley

[pioneer]

Suruj: PNM spent more on Far East mission

Here we go again with BUT THE PNM DO IT TOO...

As he addressed criticisms of the alleged extravagance of the trip to India, Foreign Affairs Minister Suruj Rambachan claimed the People's National Movement (PNM) spent a larger amount ($9.5 million) on a similar mission to the Far East.

And the PNM government assisted the private sector representatives who went on this mission to the tune of $1 million.

Making a statement in the House of Representatives yesterday, Rambachan said by Cabinet Note No 277 of February 1, 2007, the (PNM) Cabinet agreed to host a trade and investment mission at a cost of $9,511,853.95, from February 27 to March 12, 2007 to South Korea, Beijing and Shanghai, Mumbai and Delhi. He added that a cultural contingent accompanying the delegation cost $3 million. By contrast, Rambachan said in the case of this Government, the private sector paid its way.

Also on the trip to India, the cost of the Prime Minister's official delegation was paid for by the government of India. Furthermore, the Indian government provided an A320 Air Bus for the delegation's internal travel.

To comments that the Prime Minister was away too often and for too long, he said the Prime Minister was "but a 'touch' away from what is happening at home and governance was not affected by her absence. By appointing others to act, the Prime Minister has shown that she is capable of true democratic leadership and is capable of delegation, as any true leader must".

He added that the Prime Minister's visit could have remained a State visit and chief guest of Pravasi with no other meetings, but she expanded it to a trade mission, realising that "the ability to convince investors that we are open for business is buttressed by the direct interaction between the Prime Minister and the potential investors".

He said length of the visits overseas was necessitated by the fact that the Prime Minister had to pause in London during the trips to India (and Australia for Commonwealth Heads of Government ) "to facilitate her personal health and physical well-being". He also addressed criticisms of the size and composition of the delegation, noting that "the team for India was based on the outcome of the Joint Commission Meeting held in November 2011 as well as the pre-visit by InvestTT".

For those who criticised the number of State companies which went on the trip, Rambachan recalled that the Ken Valley mission of 2007 was accompanied by delegates from six state agencies. "We did not hear questions as to why these state companies and officials accompanied the then Minister," Rambachan said.

On the criticism of the Prime Minister's visit to India, he asked: "Those who have sought to make this an issue have demonstrated no appreciation for history. May I genuinely ask: what is wrong with a person wanting to find out from whence he/she came?"

However, the Minister did not respond to one of the main criticisms coming of the trip—the Prime Minister's touching of the feet of India President Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sur ... 99928.html

Same minister who said reshmi ramnarine has a degree in IT from UWI when UWI had no record of her ever attending.

Yeah, we believe you

[Habit7]

Last year, Suruj first said that Manning spent $3.6 million in trips over 3 years http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Man ... 17768.html

Now because they have to justify their $10 million trip he "discovers" more trips. I hope he discovers the Ph.D that supervised his Ph.D

[DSM_05]

^^Rambachan should remove himself from the party. Ineffective and a complete waste. Just ask his former borough, and now his constituency.

[Greypatch]

1940's politics...

Suruj: PNM spent more on Far East mission

Here we go again with BUT THE PNM DO IT TOO...

As he addressed criticisms of the alleged extravagance of the trip to India, Foreign Affairs Minister Suruj Rambachan claimed the People's National Movement (PNM) spent a larger amount ($9.5 million) on a similar mission to the Far East.

And the PNM government assisted the private sector representatives who went on this mission to the tune of $1 million.

Making a statement in the House of Representatives yesterday, Rambachan said by Cabinet Note No 277 of February 1, 2007, the (PNM) Cabinet agreed to host a trade and investment mission at a cost of $9,511,853.95, from February 27 to March 12, 2007 to South Korea, Beijing and Shanghai, Mumbai and Delhi. He added that a cultural contingent accompanying the delegation cost $3 million. By contrast, Rambachan said in the case of this Government, the private sector paid its way.

Also on the trip to India, the cost of the Prime Minister's official delegation was paid for by the government of India. Furthermore, the Indian government provided an A320 Air Bus for the delegation's internal travel.

To comments that the Prime Minister was away too often and for too long, he said the Prime Minister was "but a 'touch' away from what is happening at home and governance was not affected by her absence. By appointing others to act, the Prime Minister has shown that she is capable of true democratic leadership and is capable of delegation, as any true leader must".

He added that the Prime Minister's visit could have remained a State visit and chief guest of Pravasi with no other meetings, but she expanded it to a trade mission, realising that "the ability to convince investors that we are open for business is buttressed by the direct interaction between the Prime Minister and the potential investors".

He said length of the visits overseas was necessitated by the fact that the Prime Minister had to pause in London during the trips to India (and Australia for Commonwealth Heads of Government ) "to facilitate her personal health and physical well-being". He also addressed criticisms of the size and composition of the delegation, noting that "the team for India was based on the outcome of the Joint Commission Meeting held in November 2011 as well as the pre-visit by InvestTT".

For those who criticised the number of State companies which went on the trip, Rambachan recalled that the Ken Valley mission of 2007 was accompanied by delegates from six state agencies. "We did not hear questions as to why these state companies and officials accompanied the then Minister," Rambachan said.

On the criticism of the Prime Minister's visit to India, he asked: "Those who have sought to make this an issue have demonstrated no appreciation for history. May I genuinely ask: what is wrong with a person wanting to find out from whence he/she came?"

However, the Minister did not respond to one of the main criticisms coming of the trip—the Prime Minister's touching of the feet of India President Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sur ... 99928.html

Same minister who said reshmi ramnarine has a degree in IT from UWI when UWI had no record of her ever attending.

Yeah, we believe you

[UML]

Rituals planning 50 India shops
By Carla Bridglal carlabridglal@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created: Jan 20, 2012 at 1:06 AM ECT

Story Updated: Jan 20, 2012 at 1:06 AM ECT

Local coffee house Rituals is planning to open 50 outlets in India over the next five years.

"We are negotiating a joint venture with an Indian group to enter the Indian market in New Delhi and Mumbai. We hope to have the first three stores opened before the end of 2012," said Rituals founder and chairman of the Pizza Boys group Mario Sabga-Aboud on Wednesday.

"We are very excited about going to India because of the huge market and growth potential there. There will also not be a language barrier to affect how we do business," he added.

Sabga-Aboud was the feature speaker at the 3rd Biennial Small and Medium Enterprise Conference, hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton Trinidad.

He said in addition to India, there were also plans to expand the brand into Nigeria, Guatemala, El Salvador and the United Arab Emirates.

He said the group will open one store in Guatemala later this year, and is in discussions with a Nigerian businessman to look at that country as a potential market.

He said that while Nigeria was a nontraditional market, the country was progressive, and in the capital alone, there were more than six million people who were very in tune to modern trends, like coffee houses.

Sabga-Aboud began the Rituals brand eight years ago, and gave the conference the anecdote of how he came up with the name.

"My wife asked what coffee meant to me, and I said it was a ritual. I haven't looked back since," he said.

Since then, the coffee house has become well established in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean. There are 48 stores in Trinidad and Tobago, with plans to open a further ten to 15 this year.

There are also 100 Rituals stores throughout the Caribbean, from as far south as Suriname and Guyana, to Jamaica.

Rituals serves more than three million people every month, Sabga-Aboud said.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business ... 34963.html


CARIBBEAN AIRLINES MEETS WITH AIR INDIA TO DISCUSS PARTNERSHIP

Piarco, 14 January 2012 – Caribbean Airlines is currently in discussions to form a significant partnership with Air India to discuss the possibility of the two airlines working together in areas such as special pro-rate agreements (SPR), ground handing, maintenance/repair/overhaul (MRO), training and code shares. Caribbean Airlines Board Member, Avendanand Persad, met yesterday, 13 January, with Assistant General Manager, Alliance Management and International Relations of Air India, Madhu Shorff.


This follows bilateral talks with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Minister of Transport, Devant Maharaj who signed an air services agreement with the Indian Government. Caribbean Airlines CEO (Ag), Mr Robert Corbie said “We are looking forward to providing the connectivity beyond the region as we expand our reach internationally and will keep our customers abreast of the finalized plans”.
http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/index ... artnership

Five fashion schols for T&T students
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created: Jan 9, 2012 at 11:50 PM ECT

Story Updated: Jan 9, 2012 at 11:50 PM ECT

Students who wish to pursue a career in fashion design can now do so in India with five scholarships being made available by the Fashion Design Council of India.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar made the announcement at a welcome ceremony in her honour by the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in India at the Lalit hotel, Delhi, last week.

Persad-Bissessar, who is currently on a state visit to India, is due to return to Trinidad and Tobago on January 15.

President of India's Fashion Design Council, Sunil Sethi, delivered brief remarks on the agreement last week, noting that people worldwide were inspired by Carnival and Indian designers would welcome the opportunity to share their ideas.

He said this can be a fruitful collaboration and he pointed out that Trinidad and Tobago was full of talent with Anya Ayoung Chee recently winning the Project Runway reality-TV fashion series.

Persad-Bissessar said this was an avenue to build the fashion industry.

"All of Trinidad and Tobago look forward to the outcome of this visit and these would indeed convey great benefits to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and also to the citizens of the Republic on India," she said.

She paid special tribute to the trade delegation led by Trade Minister Stephen Cadiz, adding that all members from the private sector on the trip were "self-sponsored".

Persad-Bissessar asked Cadiz how many were on the trip and he replied 165.

The Prime Minister said there were many benefits to be gained from India and "it is imperative therefore to note that India is not only recognised as an exemplar of a developing country that put itself on the global map through economic progress but also to its very domestic market and growing middle class, it is a highly desirable growing trade and investment partner".

"I always said there is only one mother for us in Trinidad and Tobago, that is Mother Trinidad and Tobago, there is no Mother India, there is no Mother Africa, there is no mother China, there is no mother Europe...but there is grandmother India, grandmother Africa," she said.

"Bilateral cooperation between this country and India will continue to be based on a solid foundation through cultural understanding which has developed through the presence of Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago.

"My nation is set apart by its diversity and I boast of our unique capacity to form synergies among ethically and culturally diverse people to produce the rainbow nation I proudly represent today," said Persad-Bissessar.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business ... 87703.html

[pioneer]

So they're making the already rich even richer.

What are the plans for equitable distribution?

Do they realize there is a large proportion of the population that is unemployed and in some cases underemployed?

Or are they gonna continue to pay back their financiers?

[trini mk5]

Oh boy...a little bollywood in the making.....fack u pp gov't

[teems1]

So they're making the already rich even richer.

What are the plans for equitable distribution?

Do they realize there is a large proportion of the population that is unemployed and in some cases underemployed?

Or are they gonna continue to pay back their financiers?

last i checked trinidad was a capitalist democracy.

as far as the government is concerned they're there to grant you proper education, healthcare, security, infrastructure etc. the rest is up to you and whatever ambition you possess to go out in the working world and make your own money.

the handout mentality, where those who do little or no work want the same rewards and benefits as those who do all the work, is what has trinidad in this giant mess.

[eliteauto]

wait is try UML trying to use the private sector non-PP work of Rituals' expansion to big up the Gov't?

[UML]

wait is try UML trying to use the private sector non-PP work of Rituals' expansion to big up the Gov't?

didnt officials of the private sector accompany the PM on the trip????

[De Dragon]

So they're making the already rich even richer.

What are the plans for equitable distribution?

Do they realize there is a large proportion of the population that is unemployed and in some cases underemployed?

Or are they gonna continue to pay back their financiers?

last i checked trinidad was a capitalist democracy.

as far as the government is concerned they're there to grant you proper education, healthcare, security, infrastructure etc. the rest is up to you and whatever ambition you possess to go out in the working world and make your own money.

the handout mentality, where those who do little or no work want the same rewards and benefits as those who do all the work, is what has trinidad in this giant mess.

Well said, the idea is that with increased trade between countries, the economy improves, and the trickle down effect may reach the poor/underprivileged etc.

[eliteauto]

wait is try UML trying to use the private sector non-PP work of Rituals' expansion to big up the Gov't?

didnt officials of the private sector accompany the PM on the trip????

do your research and come again.............. FAIL