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We are all human
No one wishes PM Manning anything but a speedy recovery from his recent surgery. His strength and composure are admirable. It is strange, though, to say the least, that most high-profile public figures rush off to foreign lands for health care, but condemn the rest of us to the local system.
It is a vote of “no confidence” in available local health care, in circumstances where we have some of the most skilled, experienced and respected doctors available. But the problem is not the lack of expertise; it is the malfunctioning system that cuts short the life of so many every day.
No relief
The public perception and reality for many is that the amorphous, faceless, nameless and blameless “system” treats the average patient off the street like dogs. What’s more, the official attitude and policy seem to be defensive, and cater more for the politics of convenience than genuine care.
Shiny new expensive equipment and photo ops with the minister posing with smiling little children at commissioning ceremonies do not change the raw reality that little or no relief occurs because the “system” swallows it up and overwhelms the value in a way that does not improve overall health care.
Word on the ground is that junior officials at the hospitals are being diplomatically asked to “alter” data, so that the dengue outbreak in the country would not be supported by statistics. When those in authority can adopt such a reckless position and manipulate such vital information, I have to say I fully support the PM’s decision to go to Cuba.
There is a dengue outbreak in the country, and the official response from the Government is appalling. Regional Corporations are blaming the indiscriminate illegal construction of walls that obstruct water courses, and the minister is blaming rich home developers who build in flagrant violation of the nation’s laws.
What, pray tell, is the position of the innocent, law-abiding citizen who constantly reported these violations to Town and Country Planning and the local county councillor but got no response? The “blame game” is an old trick, but it ignores the fact that the whole point in having regulatory bodies and agencies to detect, investigate and prosecute offences is to prevent such occurrences. Everyone knows that neither the regional corporations nor Town and Country Planning is capable of fulfilling the legal duty to enforce the law.
Bribes pass, and the enforcement process suddenly dissipates with the effluxion of time. The system is corrupt and unworkable.
The few serious public officials are overwhelmed by the fact that the law itself makes it so unnecessarily difficult to prosecute offences, that it really makes better sense to just turn a blind eye (especially when the tentacles of political connections intrude). On this note, we should all take great objection to the ridiculous effusive comments of St Vincent PM Ralph Gonzales on Manning’s operation. He said:
“Sometimes when I read the Trinidad press and I see some licks he’s getting, I say they don’t know they have a good man. He is a precious pearl that should be prized. When they have to beat you about and you are okay, (it is one thing), but when they are faced with the possibility of if not Patrick, who…”
Mr Gonzales is a known ardent supporter of Mr Manning, but he must recognise that he is the PM of an independent Caricom neighbour, and such comments are highly improper. It was widely-reported and suspected that his party received tacit and overt support from the PNM in the last general elections in St Vincent.
Potential leaders
His comments imply that the alternative political choices are not worthy when compared to Manning, and amounts to a condemnation of potential leaders in the PNM and in the opposition parties. Such partisan mutterings are unbecoming of a PM, and, perhaps, Caricom should develop a code of behaviour for regional PMs to preserve the integrity and independence of domestic local politics in each country.
The recent spate of medical problems that have afflicted many public personalities underscores the stressful nature of public service.
You are sometimes too busy looking after other people’s problems to look after yourself. Time management is a major challenge.
Vasant Bharart’s comments after his heart attack caused us to pause for a cause, as he reminded us of how easy it is for human compassion to trump conflict. He said:
“I want to publicly thank all MPs on both sides for their support. I was very touched by the support I received from government ministers in particular. At the end of the day, there is life before politics and life after politics. We are all human beings.”
(Now, if only Vasant could convince some of our leaders that there is a life beyond and outside politics!)
In closing, I wish all my readers a safe, happy and holy Christmas, and thank you for all the lovely e-mail in support of this column.
May God bless us all!
By Anand Ramlogan 2008-12-28
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"The public perception and reality for many is that the amorphous, faceless, nameless and blameless “system” treats the average patient off the street like dogs."
...well Captain, I think Anand is correct and has a "revelation" all in a sudden...as usual, he's right in that we are all humans..., but I also ask the question..."are we all people..."?
...the reason I ask, is that yes, Anand is well intentioned to say we are all humans, and that as "people" who we are, we will always wish our fellow human beings well, including good health...and almost everything else...but...!
...but the problem is the same "people" we are wishing all this good health, could not and have not cared a fig about us, the people, for the longest while, about 37 years to be exact, except himself...such selfishness and arrogance, and greed for one self is beyond reason and comprehension...as a "human being"...?
...it raises more questions than provide answers...just read one of today's "newspaper commentaries" about the same human being and our Trinidad issues on health for the rest of the people in the country and the very same questions being raised that we are talking about...looking after himself only but not the people...!...so where's all this compassion for him coming from...as human beings...?
... but what about him, the "compass of moral and spiritual values...?"...what does he give back to the "people" in return...? ..he who has more than most "people" and has been and is in a position of power to give more than most "people"...nothing...?... nada..?...zero..?...zilch..? nothing except sorrow, hardships, pain and suffering, fear, anguish and poverty...? ..all at the expense of "keeping him happy...and healthy..."..?..what selfish glutton would look at his people to keep praying and holding vigils for him, while he wallows in the lap of luxury all at his people's expense, all for himself...nothing to give back to "his people" in return...?...somehow I feel that this is another reincarnate of the true meaning of the "maha neemakharam"...?
...so when I say that Anand has a "revelation"...with all due respect, just last week he was espousing the virtues of our "Trini Constitution" and how lucky we were to have one in our country...and today he is "talking about how we are being treated like dogs on the streets" by our very same Government who is charged with the responsibility to govern and administrate, and to take good care of its peoples inclusive...all in accordance with our very same so called Trini "Constitution"...?
...so yes, we are all humans, but some may only be sub-humans, and then some are not even "people" in the eyes of a civilization that fosters so much respect for the human race...!...their deeds will eventually identify a cateory with which to lump them in with the rest of societies rejects...whatever they may be called in the course of time and history...!
...there comes a time when throughout our history, we separate the "sheep from the goats"...and on one hand we remember "the People" like ...Mahatma Gandhi, who had a vision for "Peace for the People"...without violence...and then we had Martin Luther King...who had a "Dream for the People"...."I saw the other side of the mountain"...and then we have Nelson Mandela...another "visionary for social justice" for "the People"...!
...and then on the other hand, we had the likes of Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin, Papa Doc, Il Jung, and Robert Mugabe...to name a few...and history will also remember these "names also..." ..but in quite a different way...selfish, savage, brutal and ruthless to "their very own people" at every turn...at every chance they got ...!...something less than human beings...?
...so its very good our very own Prime Minister has come out of his surgery in flying colours and his health is improving with each and every day...but what about the rest of our people...who speaks for them...? ...who looks after them...?...who looks out for them...?
...history has very long memories...and will ultimately repeat itself every so often...the burning question is however, what will history remember us for...? ...that side of the ledger with the Mahatma Gandhi and the other illustrious and noble visionaries...?
......or the Robert Mugabes' and the Idi Amins' of the world and the other selfish bunch of tyrants and dictators...!
...wake up Trinis and smell the coffee...or Oil...or Gas...if there's any left over by now...money included...?
...a Happy New Year to all those who deserve and want one...!...and to the rest who like it so...!
...good luck...Trini.t.o.o
"..what selfish glutton would look at his people to keep praying and holding vigils for him, while he wallows in the lap of luxury all at his people's expense, all for himself...nothing to give back to "his people" in return...?...somehow I feel that this is another reincarnate of the true meaning of the "maha neemakharam"...?"
Yes, that is a reasonable question. Is it any wonder that I've been looking at Zimbabwe. Because the answer to your question is Robert Mugabe. But Mugabe is not isolated as a political leader who has demonstrated the characteristics you refer to.
What we are seeing is a flaw in the way certain democracies are operated. This is not to say that democracy is a bad thing. What I mean is that the way various people operate their democracy - is what causes very serious problems.
This is why I relentlessly pile blame on the electorate - because they are ultimately responsible for whoever comes into government. And if the people sit by, adopt a hopless and given up attitude - as it appears to be the case on Monkey Rock - well they might as well tie orf dey tubes and testicles one time. Why? Because unborn innocent children do not deserve to be thrust into a world that is rotting. And at the rate T&T is going it is well on the road to Haiti and Zimbabwe. Watch what go happen when dat oil run out - crapeaud go smoke dey pipe!
So to cut a long story short, I advise all persons interested in Trinidad and Tobago to start looking at what's happening in Zimbabwe. Jes read one story a week on what's happened or happening over there - and arks yuhself how could a democracy fail so badly - and be allowed to perpetuate. And den arks yuhself why it cyah go so bad in Monkey Rock.
Well this woman was treated like a dorg (aka dog). She was treated at the hospital, was discharged and deteriorated. She returned to spend 3 days on a stretcher. Well eef 3 days on a stretcher instead of a comfortable hospital bed is not dorg treatment nothing is.
She said in Newsday 2009-01-03
"I was not feeling good at all. But doctors said that I could have been discharged and I wanted to spend the holidays with my family especially Christmas Day and New Year’s so I left the hospital.
When I reached at the hospital at 4 am on Old Year’s Day I was placed in a wheelchair inside the emergency section and left there for about three hours,” she said.
I thought that they were coming to move me to a bed. But I was moved from the wheelchair to a stretcher. I wanted to scream, but the pain was so much, my lips could not even open. I am just so grateful for the nurses and doctors who are trying their best to help me recover. But I am upset where I had to sleep for three days.
I don’t know how this happened when all I wanted was to spend the holidays with my children and husband.”
Ah have tuh wonda how she woulda be treated in ah average Cuban hospital.
Well, whilst I feel for her - because I would not like to be in that situation - I don't know how to mix compassion with the contempt I feel for the inertia amongst both the electorate and the regimes that have caused this kind of mess. Both parties have 'conspired' to create it. Which parties? Dee electorate and successive governments. No. Yuh jes cyah blame one govament. Look nah, man - we saw people like she above ketchin' dey royal ass 20-odd years ago on stretcher. So, how come t'ings so bad still.
Isolated case? Doh gih meh dat crap. Dey have too many isolated cases of dis dorg treatment - and I wasn' born yesterday, right!
Allyuh sit dong right dey and wait. I's mo' dorg treatment for all. Whey allyuh land o' milk an' honey boy? See eef eet een sight tah. Yuh want tuh hold strain - ah mean more strain - an' allyuh hol'in' strain mo' dan 20 years now? Daize why I find it diffcult to be compassionate. Dam nonsense I doh tolerate.
...its hard to imagine how our people put up with this "nonsense" from our Government - day after day, year after year and "election after election"...and just accept it as the norm in life...its hard to imagine, yes...?!
...but its even "harder and harder to understand"... what goes through the minds of our people as they "voluntarily lay bare their backs for more licks and punishment from the same idiots that they hand power to again and again, to control their lives, election after election...Why..."???...they just love punishment...???...are they "addicted to blows and helpless..".???
...so yes, Captain, they are being treated worse off than a dog...because dogs have better sense...they won't stick around for this type of nonsense...they will even bite the hands that feed them at times, or even attack and destroy their very "Masters" that treat them that way...don't try that with "Pit Bulls and Rotweillers"...they will eat them all up alive...!
...I can readily empathize with this lady patient, because she can be anyone's mother, wife or sister,... but then again, she is "No Ordinary Citizen"... you see Patrick is "an Ordinary Citizen", and the treatment he gets, well there is no comparison to what she is receiving...is there..?
...you see when Patrick got "ticked off" by criticisms and comments made by the two radio disc jockeys, he, as "an Ordinary Citizen" had no problem marching right up to the Managers of the Radio Station with his "Security detail in tow" and lodged his complaint(s), and "exercised his rights as an Ordinary Citizen..."!...and when the Managers said like "good cocker spaniels" (dawgs) they are,(not Pit Bulls or Rothweillers) that they would look into his complaints and report back to him, his response was... " what report"...?... they were there to run the radio station and he was there to run the country..." ...or so we were told by the news media ..!
...and then, the goodly station Managers, (being the good dawgs they are)...right off the back foot, hit the two announcers for a six, or ten or twelve days suspension,or whatever..?..all on the complaint by "an Ordinary Citizen"...wow , what power does an Ordinary Citizen have in this country of ours..???...we must be truly under-estimating our own powers of the "Ordinary Citizen..." don't we...???
...and so when "Ordinary Citizen" Patrick, returned from his "medical check-up" from Cuba, and told the Nation that he had "cancer of the kidney, and he had to have it removed"...Pronto...!!!...and so he again had no problem "jumping on a plane" - family included and going back to a hospital in Cuba and having the medical procedure done on him, all within a week and he returned safe and sound and "healed and healthy" as he showed off his scars to prove it...and he had it all for "Free, Gratis and For Nothing"...as an "Ordinary Citizen."..?...as a courtesy of the taxpayers of Trinidad and Tobago...or as "a gift of the people, the President of Cuba.."?
...but then, it was only this time when asked about it, "this Cuba 'ting"...that he said this was a "State to State" kind of 'ting...an' that there was some kind of reciprocal agreement with the Cuban Government or maybe its with President Castro, and that he had always been receiving this "Free Med-Care" going back all the way some ten years prior, ever since he had his "Pace Maker" installed in him back in 1998...and all his so frequent "Medical Check-Ups" were also done on him for free all this time ...?...Can you imagine that...he was getting all this Medical Care for Free from Cuba...as an "Ordinary Citizen"...of Trinidad & Tobago...or maybe he was considered by Cuba as "The State" eh?...Right...???...or maybe my good guess is that he was just "in a state"...???
...and to make 'tings even more confusing,...The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gopee-Scoon, telling the Press how "they insisted that the Trinidad Government pay for this Medical Care given to Patrick," but it was to no avail, since Patrick is well liked by the Cuban President, and that he is popular too, and he insisted that it was for "free, no charge"...all that horse manure...!...and then Patrick come home and saying to the same Press, that "it was a State to State kind of 'ting'...??? ..a reciprocal agreement for Caricom countries and all the rest of the balderdash...that went with it...?...the 'ting is who to believe...eh...?...like on a Stack of Bibles "yeah high"...who and what to believe...?...such "huge credibility gaps" and for what and why...???...and there's is too much of it going around...???
...you see, its these damn "Politicians" with the "Big P" thats been Peeing on us all the time, and to further insult us, they are now "Hitting on us" with a Big "S"...and to boot telling us that they are "Ordinary Citizens"...all with a "Big C"...at that...???...same as for "Credibility"...???...so its hard to believe any damn 'ting anyone of dem saying dese days...and the biggest culprit being the one with the "BIG P"...Mr. "Ordinary Citizen...my backpocket..."...?
...so now you can tell, that the lady patient is really worse off than a dog, all because she is "Less than an Ordinary Citizen"...because she cannot get what Patrick got and is still getting as an "Ordinary Citizen"...so she must be considered something much much less than any "Ordinary Citizen" in this our Balisier and PNM Country...but why we ask...? ...Why...?
...well, we must seriously take a look at this "Trini Constitution" we have again, because it looks like "some Ordinary Citizen's Rights are more equal and higher and better than some other Ordinary Citizen's Rights"...and to find out why...such huge discrepancy in the "Rights of our Ordinary Citizens..."?...and then what can be or should be done about it...Right...???
...but then it still leaves the unanswered question...why do we keep on putting these incompetent idiots back in power over and over again...is it just because we like it so...?...well if that's the case, then we keep on doing it to ourselves over and over again, all by ourselves and to to ourselves...???...so we should stop complaining, because more pressure to come...just because ...we like it so eh...?...but why...???
...goodluck...Trini.t.o.o