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dadio wrote:well Manning start the racial profiling by saying we would hear "guinness & Puncheon" if they (the crowd) was at a UNC meeting.
Now...last night Colm Imbert came and says the theme song for a UNC platform would have been "Rum Till I Die" with a big grin on his face as though he real proud of his comment...etc etc.
my question is what would PNM 's theme song be?
sniper21 wrote:what a shame , if that was said in another country all now is riot .... for that sheit the pnm should be disqualified from contesting the election and automatic victory for kamla........
Woeful wooing of the voters
Saturday, April 24th 2010
Picong is part and parcel of Trinidad’s political culture. But what citizens have been hearing so far on the election trail is mostly mauvais-langue.
In the rich dialects of the Caribbean, these terms have quite exact meanings. The Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage defines mauvais-langue as ’malicious gossip; malignant rumours; injurious half-truths’. Picong, which originally referred to battles in song between calypsonians, is characterised by ’wit and humorous impact’.
There have been some good sallies delivered on both political platforms. Even then, however, the barbs have too often focused on alleged personal weaknesses of various political personalities, most of which have nothing to do with running a country. In this respect, many people will interpret as a sign of desperation PNM leader Patrick Manning’s resurrection of the infamous Scott Drug Report. This surely falls under the heading of ’malicious gossip’, while Mr Manning’s description of wife Hazel’s virtues was intended only to highlight malignant rumours about his opponent, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Worst of all, however, has been the transparent racial stereotyping, especially from the People’s National Movement platform, with Diego Martin North-East MP Colm Imbert going so far as to sing lines from chutney songs referring to rum-drinking. Mr Imbert’s ’explanation’ that he was merely stating that the PNM platform had no alcoholics, apart from being beyond his knowledge, was a perfect example of gutter politics.
The United National Congress platform speakers have been more restrained, save for their strategy of demonising Mr Manning at every turn, but their minions have also been criticising the PNM using racial terms and personal attacks. This mauvais- langue approach doesn’t improve the nation’s political culture. More importantly, from the viewpoint of the politician, it doesn’t win votes. After all, mauvais-langue appeals mainly to the hard-core supporters who already hold negative opinions of the members of the opposing party. But the votes of these persons are locked up, so playing to the converted is a waste of political resources.
Good picong, on the other hand, can appeal to fence-sitters, especially given the love Trinbagonians have for a good joke and clever word-play. Indeed, the politician who demonstrates his or her verbal dexterity in this regard can impress voters in a way no amount of rhetoric about principle and policy might. Barbed wit also effectively undermines political opponents while not denigrating them to the point where the already deep mistrust for politicians and all their works is exacerbated.
There was an era in our politics when these standards applied. The fact that politicians and their speech-writers are unable or unwilling to continue this tradition is unfortunate. Humour in the midst of serious discussion helps everyone to keep a balanced and civilised perspective.
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