I Have A Right To My O'PEN'ion...

So if I am to understand tonight’s news reports properly, the goodly PM and cohort would now wish for the 5th Estate to pass all stories written for publication to the “Principal” for prior approval and editing??! Seriously? Really??? I know that I’m not word for word at this point, but this is the ACTUAL meaning of the PP’s statement of dissatisfaction with the media’s reporting. I find the situation laughable, since so many reports are already being shuffled in the newspapers like the proverbial deck of cards in order to allow the government to come up smelling like roses. The thing with decks, particularly Tarot decks, is that eventually, the Joker will indeed turn up. The Joker, or the Fool in Tarot decks, is the first card in the deck and the first Major Arcana or High card. It represents Individuality, New Expression and New Beginnings requiring Wisdom and courage. It is a symbol of Carefree Thought and Living, Impulsiveness and Enthusiasm. Think the Honeymoon period of the current government. This card, reverted, however, is indicative of Childishness, Recklessness, and a Lack of Motivation and Common Sense. BOOM!!! And we’re back… I wonder if the goodly powers that be are able to recall the fact that the supposed GIANTS of “Journalistic Fortitude” jumped ship to supposed greener pastures upon the election of the PP and went to work in the ‘Halls of Power’. Did it occur to the official mouthpieces that their propaganda machine is broken?? Their Magicians or Cobblers – another Tarot reference – who represent Creativity, Imagination, Willpower, Confidence, Communication and Skill are no longer standing ‘right side up’ because the nation is no longer willing to believe. They are inverted and showing layers upon layers of Indecision, a Weak Will and the blatant misuse of skills and powers. This is nothing but an excellent reflection of what is taking place inside the annals of government. Thanks to the actions of the Justice card, the citizenry have become aware of the Imbalance, the Insincerity, the lack of Harmony, Equilibrium and Indecision. The one thing that I know about Trinidad is that it is a small town divided between two islands, and everybody knows, is acquainted with or related to someone who works somewhere that information – significant or otherwise – is disseminated, and as a wonderfully comical result, every spun story that is released, is in one way or another, reversed, releasing the truth. There’s basically nowhere to hide. You can do what you want, the truth will out. It would be fun, and at the same time frustrating, to take the time to list all of the flaws and wrongs that are screaming at the populous on a daily basis, but I don’t have the space, time or inclination to do so. I will mention the need to cook the murder and other major crime figures and shift them to page 8 or some other forgotten page in the press; the misuse of governmental facilities and equipment by ministers – prime and otherwise; the fact that no one seems to be worried about the fact that our National Security Minister CANNOT TRAVEL BEYOND OUR BORDERS; the inappropriate behaviour of members of Government who sit in the upper echelons of Power. That being said, could this band of ill-equipped and power hungry ‘heads’ really believe that cutting the occasional ribbon is going to in some way trump stories that they create just by being themselves? Really??? These are the same people who harshly dealt with their predecessors in the very said media, and the media more than willingly acquiesced at the time. Did they think that by rewarding the ELDERS by presenting them with juicy salaried positions and perks, thereby rendering them toothless pit bulls that the juniors would resist the need to rise up and do their jobs? Why does a small country like ours require a STATE OPERATED MEDIA HOUSE, when we had a Department of Information that functioned and functioned rather well? Why do certain stories go to certain media houses while others are left in the dust to cypher what is taking place nationally? Please be advised that MATT stands for Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago, and not Floor MAT, so desist from attempting to walk on them. They know their job and they do it well. So, you don’t like your image in the media … so what? That’s YOUR responsibility, not theirs. They put out what you give off. Therefore, change YOUR IMAGE. Live your posts and cease from being fodder of legendary comedic proportions. Take heed of what happens when you attempt to strong arm a nation and laud if over the people (thankfully and proudly not me!) who put you where you are. Twelve to None much?? The people of Tobago rode the Chariot AWAY from you. How dare you attempt to tell them what they need, where they can and cannot go and then take Trinidadians to Tobago to campaign on THEIR behalf???! Not so! Our fortunes are constantly being spun on a reverted Wheel of Fortune, leading us down a path of failed enterprise that gambles daily with our lives and livelihoods. We are in stasis, financially and otherwise . The only thing that I wish for at this time is that the rest of us LEARN from ‘Bago, instead of settling for the life of the inverted hanged man who swings in futile sacrifice and selfishness, fiddling idly while Rome (well, Port of Spain) burns … while governmental buildings and campuses sit in idle incompletion as these ‘champions of the people’ SPITE the former government, as if they can’t get it through their Neanderthal-like skulls that they are simply spiting a nation by allowing their ‘friends’ to earn rent from government offices. Grease-hand much???! It is time for us to start acting our ages and not our collective shoe sizes. Hopefully and prayerfully, we will do that soon.