UWI Students support the National Gender Policy

Students of the University of the West Indies gathered in front Parliament on Friday 15th June 2012 to encourage Members of Parliament to support the proposed National Gender Policy. The students, carrying placards and dressed in red, white and black, were joined by members of the Coalition Advocating for the Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), Friends for Life and the Women’s Caucus of Trinidad and Tobago. Their action also gained support from motorists and pedestrians passing by.  Their goal was to get MPs to “cast ballots” in a ballot box provided as a sign of support for the Policy. The students also engaged the MPs in small discussions and debated on the topic. 

There has been much debate as to the content and purpose of the National Gender Policy, with many groups stating arguments for and against its implementation. Despite opposition from some MPs, such as Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, the Honourable Winston “Gypsy” Peters, spokesperson for the group, Carol Jaggernauth, stated that “No matter who you are, you are a human being first… We welcome the solidarity and support of all those who think it’s time that government budgets, programmes and agendas on gender issues ranging from agriculture to violence be guided by overall holistic policy built on human rights approach.” 

Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development, Senator the Honourable Verna St. Rose Greaves, stated that “This is about a human rights approach, you must respect the rights of others… Getting people to understand each other’s view but being respectful in the middle of it. But we must take care of all our citizens; no citizen is less than another.” Support also came from other MPs who cast their ballots, such as Ramona Ramdial, Dr. Fuad Khan, Jack Warner, Nizam Baksh and Dr. Glenn Ramadharsingh. 

The draft National Gender Policy is expected to be presented on the 6th or 13th of July, 2012.

For more information please visit the following Facebook pages

Institute for Gender and Development Studies, St. Augustine Unit

Pictures 

Support of the National Gender Policy
Photos from the HUB

For more information please visit the following Facebook pages

Institute for Gender and Development Studies, St. Augustine Unit

Pictures 

Support of the National Gender Policy

Photos from the HUB

Silence against abuse...

The Silver Lining Foundation hosted its Day of Silence event in the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus on Friday 20th April, 2012.  The silent protest was geared towards raising awareness about the abuse, harassment and discrimination of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in schools.

Despite critiques of poor advertising before the event, some of which I agree with, the days proceedings were undoubtedly a success.  If it did at least one thing, it was raise awareness about the LGBT presence on campus.  No longer is it a mythical group that people whisper about but it is now a tangible part of society, made up of your friends and family members; the people who you love and who love you.  More importantly however was that it was able to highlight that there is soon to be change in how people deal with issues such as this.  Given that many participants would not consider themselves part of the LGBT community, the support against bullying and discrimination was clearly evident.  This group of brave young men and women have taken it upon themselves to be a voice for those who are currently oppressed, challenging the social ideologies that exist in Trinidad and for far too long have gone without being questioned and challenged.  

The question now arises as to why this is even important.  For me, it is the mere public movement that makes it so.  It seems to be part of a growing local trend of utilising space disruption tactics to send messages.  This "alternative" form of message sending has proven very successful in the past as the audience can generally not avoid receiving the message.  How they receive the message is another story...  As a participant, I experienced many different reactions to the event.  People had to read small cards to get information and given the inquisitive nature Trinidadians, people came.  There was general support from the audience, with words of motivation, commendation and encouragement being offered to the participants.  The number of signatures on the banner after the even is a reflection of all the support received.

Those who were against it however, seemed to be lacking logical explanations for their feelings.  The comments, facial expressions and gestures received all came without any kind of reasoning.  I was actually looking forward to someone publicly challenging the event rather than making a comment  while they briskly walked away.  Yet again, I fail to comprehend the intelligence of some human beings.  Maybe I'm just different because I challenge what I see as wrong, as the other participants of this event, or maybe it is that those who don't are content with not having to think about anything that they believe.  There were numerous negative comments made but there seemed a lack of strength or courage to defend it, perhaps because these people don't know how to...

I put any sort of discrimination, abuse, oppression and repression under how I look at racism, which seems the simplest way to do it.  Why categorise and judge people based on characteristics that they can not control.  Should people be judged by what they are as opposed to who they are?  Categorisation causes too many problem in my opinion; it's too much to try to remember anyway.  Sometimes people are better left in ignorance... people should be ignorant of categorisation...

So with this step forward I wish the Silver Lining Foundation all the best with their future endeavours.  For those who never had a chance, here is an avenue to get support.  The road will only get rougher but perhaps there will be more positives than anyone can imagine...  Silence as the starting point to break the silence... far too many things are wrongs are aided by silence... As Rian asked at the end of the event, "When will you break the silence?"

The Silver Lining Foundation can be contacted through the following:
Email: thesilverliningfoundation@gmail.com
Facebook or YouTube

Gender, Sex, Sexuality...

It seems to me as if the educational institutions and global institutions such as the United Nations are not very clear about the differences about Gender and Sex.  The inability to comprehend that the two have related but very interdependent meanings annoys me when there is "Gender" in place of "Sex" on a form.  It's as if these people think that putting the word "Sex" will make those answering not take it seriously or make them feel to have intercourse... or some other strange reason that I don't get... 

Here's a little cartoon I found online that helps to explain what gender is an is not.

It possibly has something to do with the UN referring to "Gender" when they talk about women, with Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals being "Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women". For some reason the UN believes that "women" is a gender...  This also makes me wonder why Goal 5, "Improve Maternal Health", is not part of Goal 3...  But whatever, me believing that "women" should be a "Sex" category and "feminine" should be a "Gender" category is surpassed by me believing that there should be no categories to divide, separate and classify people.  After all, as is a statement used in Anti-Discrimination campaigns, "labels are for clothes".

I was very much annoyed when people were saying that my friend Wesley was an unsuitable candidate for the Faculty of Humanities Representative at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus because he was gay.  I fail to realise how being gay takes away from one's ability to do their job efficiently and effectively.  There was little question as to his capabilities though, which include much experience in the arts and management.  What I believe is that these people are so threatened by how open he is with his sexuality that they they react in this homophobic manner.

"Latent homosexuality can be defined as homosexual arousal which the individual is either unaware of or dent. Psychoanalysts use the concept of repressed or latent homosexuality to explain the emotional malaise and irrational attitudes displayed by some individuals who feel guilty about their erotic interests and struggle to deny and repress homosexual impulses. In fact, West stated, 'when placed in a situation that threatens to excite their own unwanted homosexual thoughts, they overreact with panic or anger.""

PBS.com "Putting Freud to the Test" by Henry E. Adams et al.

So if they people still seem intent on making "men" and "women" into "Gender" categories... we'll play along with it.  If they want to change meanings, then so can we...  Here's another wonderful little cartoon that shows, above all, that people should be not categorised by things that do not necessarily affect the quality of human being that they would are.

Maxine applied to Trinidad an Tobago

So I think that Maxine go it right in this cartoon here.  Even though she's talking about America, it's the same thing in Trinidad and Tobago.  People only talking about other people's business, family life and social life in Parliament!

Now it may not be so much of those "huge corporations" here in Trinidad and Tobago, but the association that state official have with the private sector is not really a secret.  Granted that these affiliations are not generally known, it does raise concern as to the legitimacy of contacts and media representation.

Still toating over the Undercroft... UWI Cultural Heritage GONE...

The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus sent a message from the Marketing and Communications department on Tuesday 2nd February, 2012 at 12:09p.m.  The message stated: 

"The UWI Campus Projects Office has advised of the following construction work on Campus:

·   Work on the Undercroft Enclosure at the Faculty of Humanities will begin tomorrow, Wednesday 8^th February, 2012.

The works will be executed by a Main Contractor and will run for a period of approximately 16 weeks.

The site will be properly hoarded-off during the execution of the works.

Please note that contractors will be transporting materials, equipment and refuse from the site through the passage way alongside Trinity Hall. Students and staff are asked to proceed with caution around these areas."

Thank you for a well detailed letter explaining your plans to destroy a part of the University that is unique and irreplaceable for countless thousands of past and present students.   If  there are plans that will affect students, it is only fair that they are not notified of all the details.  Why should they?  Their only purpose is to give the University millions of dollars, most of which comes from the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and then waste time.  Go to class, pass exams, get a degree... Not like they need or use the undercroft for anything productive...

The "Update on Construction at FHE Undercroft" came as follows on Tuesday 28th February, 2012 at 12:57p.m.  This is 11 days after destruction has started and STUDENTS were not notified of this move.

"On Friday 17^th February, 2012, the Campus Projects Office, together with the Construction Team (Architect and Contractor) met with the Guild President Mr. Amilcar Sanatan to discuss the way forward with respect to the construction at the Faculty of Humanities and Education’s Undercroft.

This discussion was held to fully inform the student population about the details of the project, and a decision was made to commence the construction of the Undercroft Enclosure.

The Contractor, Rio Claro Construction Company Limited, has since re-mobilized on site and utilized the Carnival weekend to carry out critical construction activities. At this time those are proceeding  on schedule and should last for only four months. Currently the site has been boarded off for the safety of all staff, students and visitors of the University. Every effort is being made to minimize the disruption during the construction period."

Clearly someone dropped the or their balls because the student population DID NOT KNOW about the work to be done during the Carnival weekend.  It went like this: Go for Saturday evening walk on campus... SURPRISE!!! The most diversely used undercroft gone!  Whatever, students only lime and waste time there anyway... No one will miss it.

I hope that after this semster has passed that people have realised the value of the now deceased Undercroft.  Rest in Peace my dear friend, clearly your purpose in this world could not have been tolerated or allowed... We'll wait for the promised replacement... someday... maybe after I get my PhD... for the second time?

More comments about the Undercroft's destruction can be found here: UWIs students talk about destruction of Undercroft on Facebook

My Sex or my Gender does not make me who I am!

Parking problems in Town

This year has been seeing much uproar from individuals of the public concerning the towing of cars from streets in Port-of-Spain.  There is talk on television talk shows, on celebrity blogs and now the newspapers are publishing letters of concern from the public.  As highlighted in one particular letter in the Daily Express on Saturday 17th March 2012, there appears to be a flaw in the systems that exist within the city currently.  Parking is usually available between 7:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. at most car parks.  The city however, continues to function outside of these hours.  The centralisation of commercial and recreational activities within the focal point for most of the island draws persons to Port-of-Spain for various reasons at varying hours of the day.  Port-of-Spain and environs provides a fully comprehensive range of facilities so that those from around the area seldom have to leave to access necessary or leisure activities.  One would assume that in the nation’s capital, there would be well structured transportation systems and routes, as well and adequate parking for city goers.

The increase in the quantity of vehicle being towed is a move by the Mayor of Port-of-Spain and the City Corporation to reduce the traffic that afflicts the capital city.  As such, many motorists are being towed during the day and night.  Granted that the abundance of vehicles parked on the streets at any given time, there is this problem because of a lack of designated parking spaces.  If there is no space in which motorists can safely park their vehicles, one would then assume that the best place would be an available space closest to where they are headed in the city.

This problem can possibly be linked to the underdeveloped ways in which urban systems overlap and connect with each other.  Car parks close early because there is no confidence and no reliance on the ability of the police service to keep these areas secured.   Security for car parks, if any at all, is privately funded.  Police patrols along the side streets of the city is relatively non-existent and if there is any police presence on the streets, they are usually there at high traffic time, ready to issue tickets rather that secure and guide.  These perceptions though lacking statistical evidence, is a reflection of what is ethnographically experienced during city visits and appear to have some sense of plausibility when related to the problem.  Again, this letter in the newspaper highlights the failure of the existing urban systems to address the needs of the public.  Rather than addressing the underlying issues that result in persons parking at the side of the road, city officials resort to removing what is seen at the surface level.  Everything is connected and failure to understand how they are within the nation’s capital city will continue to result in the city not functioning on a sustainable and beneficial level to all who use it.

“SAVANNAH PARKING WOES” – BY A. AUGUSTE - DAILY EXPRESS – SATURDAY 17TH MARCH, 2012

Flea infestation and chemicals at DCFA; Hostility and treatment refusal at Mt. Hope

Tuesday 3rd April, 2012

The Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education 

Senator the Honourable Fazal Karim 

The Minister of Health 

The Honourable Fuad Khan 

Campus Principal 

The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 

Professor Clement Sankat 

Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education 

The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine

Professor Funso Aiyejina

President

UWI Guild of Students, St. Augustine

Mr. Amilcar Sanatan

Re: Flea infestation and chemicals at DCFA; Hostility and treatment refusal at Mt. Hope

Good day,

This is an open letter to those officials mentioned above, to the students of the University of the West Indies and to the public of Trinidad and Tobago.

My first concern is focused around a flea infestation at the Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA) of the University of the West Indies, Agostini Street, St. Augustine. After numerous students were bitten by fleas, a petition was signed to be sent to the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education, Professor Funso Aiyejina. I have no evidence that the petition was actually delivered to Professor Aiyejina but a crew was hired to spray the site over the weekend and yesterday. Students returned to classes today after DCFA opened for operations as usual.

It was during classes this afternoon that students started to complain about burning of the eyes, nose and face. Some left the compound because of this but others remained for classes and rehearsals which ran their usual courses. Among those affected was the librarian on the compound who also had a swollen lip. My friend Candice called me at almost 7:00p.m. crying and complaining about the burning. After washing her face a few times we carried her to Mt. Hope Medical Sciences Complex as the burning continued and campus Health Services Unit was closed.

I am sure that the DCFA and the Faculty of Humanities and Education will now undergo exercises to clean up the chemical residue from the flea removal process. Student health, safety and well-being should be a prime concern at the University. It is startling though that these clean up exercises were not seen as necessary before. One would assume that reactions to chemicals would be considered before the reopening of the site. The fleas have now been removed and students are thankful, however, DCFA students continue to be adversely affected due to a lack of proper planning and a lack of proactive, well thought out tactics. The decision for operations to resume a day after chemicals were sprayed without proper clean up still perplexes me. My friend crying because of the pain from a burning face, eyes, nose and mouth is evidence of this. I am aware that other letters about this situation are being written as well calling for an enquiry into what has happened.

The other concern arises from our visit to the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex. We completed registration at the Accident and Emergency Department and waited for her to see the nurse. While seeing the nurse, a doctor told her that he sees nothing wrong with her and that she could not be treated in the Accident and Emergency Department. Without performing any tests he told her that she should visit a Health Centre. At this time her eyes are swollen, red, burning and filled with tears; she is not seeing very clearly. The Ministry of Health’s website states that “You should go to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Hospital only when you have a life threatening accident/incident or emergency such as… Allergic reactions.” 

Attempting to get her quickly to a facility capable of treating her, seeing that Mt. Hope lacks the capabilities, I asked the assistance of an ambulance driver and the driver of a Ministry of Health van that were both outside the entrance. I asked them both for a lift to the St. Joseph Health Centre which is on the outskirts of the Mt. Hope compound. The ambulance driver who was leaving at the time said that they could not give her a lift there. The driver of the van said that it was not policy to give persons rides and that we can walk to the Health Centre. Granted that the health centre is not that far for a healthy person, a person in pain with problem seeing apparently is not legible for an ambulance ride out of the compound, the direction that the ambulance was heading, or a ride in a Ministry vehicle.

Realising that as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, assistance in this public health facility seemed relatively non-existent, I knocked on the office door of the Patient Custodian (I can not recall if this is the actual title but the office is located on the left when you enter the Accident and Emergency Department. They are supposed to address patient complaints and concerns. This I know as I have has to interact with the office before).

She opens the door but before I can ask anything she begins to quarrel with me. She says that she is trying to leave work and that I should not be bothering her. She states that she told everyone that already and that I should speak to the security guards. I learned tonight that the security guards are hired by the Ministry of Health to attend to the needs and complaints of patients. She then goes back into her office. I understand that people have designated work hours but the manner in which she dealt with the situation was very disgusting.

I ask the security guard if there will be another custodian on duty, assuming than one should always be there. He says that they can never tell when one is on duty as they seldom know when one is in the office. At this time there are three security guards in the corridor along with other people who came in from the waiting room after the custodian raised her voice at me. I then begin to question the operations of the institution during which the custodian comes out of her office and barges through the group. One security guard starts making weird clicking noises at me; I assume that he has some speech impediment. Another security guard asks me to explain the situation to him, directing me away from the crowd. When I explain the situation he advises me that getting transport will take a long time. Thoroughly annoyed and disappointed at the way in which persons paid by the taxes of the patients treat the same patients, Candice and I left and walked across to St. Joseph Enhanced Health Centre. The pain became so unbearable that I had to help her walk part of the way. Despite the long wait at St. Joseph, she was at least able to examined by a doctor and get medical treatment. At least taxes are working for the people in one health facility.

This is not the first time that DCFA students have had issues around their educational space. They had to defend it at the start of the academic year and now it seems that they have to defend themselves in it. The treatment received at the Mt. Hope Medical Sciences Complex Accident and Emergency Department was absolutely disgusting. This field revolves around people but there seems to be very little respect or concern from people within the department. If the persons responsible for ensuring that patients receive the care that they deserve show no care for the patients, how can we then expect any care in the Health Care sector? Accountability seems to be lacking in the country. Perhaps social change will occur as people are made more accountable in whatever fields they may be in.


Sincerely,
LAWRENCE ARJOON

UWI Guild Elections 2012 and Social Media

I think that this year more than ever will we see social media used in the UWI St. Augustine Guild of Students election.  This presents a great opportunity for students to receive what the candidates have to say directly from the source.  My concerns come as to how students take advantage of this opportunity.  No longer should popularity be the basis of voting.  We have an opportunity to question and challenge what is said by the candidates.  The candidates also have the opportunity to defend themselves and prove to us why they should be managing our $4million Guild of Students.  


We need to also not just assume the worst in candidates but challenge them to defend their points.  While some may just be in it for the perks, some may actually want to make a difference.  This is where we get the opportunity to voice all that we have been voicing about an ineffective guild.  This is where we get to take them on publicly, one on one.  Let them use social media!  But also, let students act up and question.  Students are being given power by the marketing tools implemented this elections.


Good luck to all the candidates but more so to the student population!  Change can only be brought about by doing things differently.  Social media will hopefully be a spectacular tool in shaping the outcome of this elections!

Social Media: implying that the masses do not think?

There has been mush discussion about the "Kony 2012" video around the world.  I personally am annoyed by the  constant bombardment of this single source of selected information.  For some reason many people seem to believe that everything they see online is true...  Or perhaps it is because the video hails from an American organisation that provides the creditability?  From the war in Iraq and the US Government's general framing of information to the messages transferred in programming and advertisement in American media, why should the creditability American publications be questioned?

Again we see the "developed world" speaking for the "underdeveloped world".  Where are the voices, views and opinions of the people of Uganda in all of this?  As with all "development" tactics, the rest of the world is pushing for something without consulting the people on the ground.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/03/09/kony-2012-and-the-potential-of-social-media-activism/kony-2012-is-not-a-revolution

Angelo Izama, a Knight Fellow at Stanford University and a journalist in Uganda states that ""Kony 2012" leaves a false impression that there is a war going on in Northern Uganda... Besides getting the geography wrong, the video takes away attention from existing problems where the conflict festered fro 22years."

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/03/09/kony-2012-and-the-potential-of-social-media-activism/a-flawed-call-to-action

As Angelo Opi-Aiya Izama points out, "to call the campaign misrepresentation is an understatement".  He is in no way denying that Kony should be brought to justice, but is concerned about the way in which this viral video is portraying the situation, neglecting the successes of the combined efforts on those people actually involved.

http://thisisafrica.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/acholi-street-stop-kony2012-invisible-childrens-campaign-of-infamy/

As capitalism and consumerism also get to frolic via this event, it raises concerns about who is actually benefiting from all this 'activism'.  Aside from the merchandise sold by the video's authors, "Invisible Children", Kony 2012 items and apparel are now being produced and marketed at various scales worldwide.   In Trinidad, Kony 2012 T-shirts have hit the market via Facebook and may possibly be lucrative considering all the Blackberry broadcasting and social networking spamming of the issue.

Social media and the internet gives people the ability to seek out information from different sources.  Granted that one may be limited to whatever is available, it should not hamper one from trying.  There are many discussions, debated and publications around the Kony 2012 issue but the masses appear to not be concerned.  Clearly rhetoric with a strong emotional appeal is the easiest way to capture people's the attention and interests.  Considering that the dominant discourses around this issue are not based on ground-level input or not fuelled by a quest for accuracy, I am left to be even more concerned about the future of humanity...

US mass media for Reformation and Rehabilitation

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/CABLE-TV-FOR-INMATES-140986213.html

Cable TV for Inmates
Coming soon at Santa Rosa prison

Please click on the link about and then you'll ask yourself the same question... Seriously???  This is the ingenious plan by Commissioner of Prisons Martin Martinez.  Let us help a better Trinidad and Tobago by filling those deemed socially unacceptable with ideologies, ideas, meaning and concepts coming from America. Does he understand the power of the media or what is presented in US programming and advertising?

Do these people realise what it is that is popular on cable television?  I don't think that they do.  Give the inmates some books, art or music classes or something please, not cable TV.

Photo from "I fucking love science"

The Tale of the Golden Shoes

When told in a class of budding Public Relations professionals that the Prime Minister was in a pair of US$1795.00 golden Louis Vuitton sneakers, I immediately pictured golden running shoes... because they've been seen around.  I was quite confused and slightly appalled as to why Mrs. Persad-Bissessar would be wearing an all-black outfit with these sneakers, seeing that she is usually very nicely put together. 

Fig. 1. Regular gold sneakers

Had I known that she was actually wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton Punchy sneaker boot in grained leather and sequins, that I would not have been shocked at all.  

Fig. 2.  Louis Vuitton Punchy sneaker boot in grained leather and sequins

Differentiation, however important it may be to know (If you even plan to go to a nightclub) is not my goal.  It is actually to look at how the public interprets and understands what is reported in the Media.

"KAMLA'S PRICY BOOTS

US$795 a pair..."

By Susan Mohammed - Trinidad Express Newspaper - Thursday 16th February, 2012.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Kamla_s_pricey_boots-139413813.html

The article, referring to the Prime Minister as Kamla in the headline, gives the tale of the boots priced at US$795.  Every girl deserves a pair of Louis Vuittons and clearly she can afford it.  Don't ask me how, I'm not her accountant.  

The Media however is a powerful tool of socialisation, producing and re-producing culture.  The apparent disrespect for not only Mrs. Persad-Bissessar but the Office of the Prime Minister has spread through local society as people refer to the current and past Prime Ministers by their first name.  Here we see the media making it socially acceptable to do so.

Also,  those who heard US$1759 in class and did not read the article would say, as the one who first said it, that the PM has US$1759.00 shoes, thus public knowledge and opinion is formed and circulated from an error.  Social media takes control of this matter though and images of the boots with the price have been circulating on many of the popular local joke pages Facebook and by individual users.  Social media in theory gives the masses the power to choose what information they receive but popular culture transcends all form of media. With the Facebook "home page", popular posts are placed to be absorbed by those not knowing how it works.  It leaves one to questions how much information is someone actually free to choose.

A Free and Interdependent Media she says

"EXTREME ACTION

PM calls on Gibbs to explain raid on newspaper"

By Anna Ramdass - Trinidad Express Newspapers - Friday 10th February, 2012

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/EXTREME_ACTION-139135919.html

A Blog for Legal Coms

For my Legal Communications Course we have to do a blog around the idea of media literacy.  Check it out. It shall be incorporated into this one after the course is finished.

http://amediahat.blogspot.com/

Contesting Urban Space

“Energy Minister Under Fire from OWTU” – Renuka Singh

Page 16 - Daily Express – Thursday 9^th February, 2012

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Energy_Minister_under_fire_from_OWTU-138989194.html

Members of the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) converged outside the Ministry of Energy in Port-of-Spain this week demanding a meeting with the Minister of Energy Kevin Ramnarine.  This protest action created a temporary autonomous zone that exceeded the normal flow of life at the Waterfront (Firat & Kuryel, 2011) where the Hyatt Regency hotel and numerous Government offices are located on Wrightson Road, the always active main road passing through Port-of-Spain.  

Not only were the visual and sonic compositions of the spaces disrupted with the chanting, drum beating and horn blowing by the OWTU supporters, but participants brought new meanings and messages to this relatively public space that may soon be a popular event.  This unexpected “eruption of dramatic intensity” (Shawyer, 2008) that confused and subverted dominant cultural codes (Firat & Kuryel, 2011), seems to be the new action being taken by groups who have perceived pressing issues with the Ministries and Ministers who occupy this urban space. 

Perhaps it is the centrality of the newly relocated Ministry centres to one location that has highlighted protests more recently but this now allows protesters, as well as anyone with any form of Ministry business, to access and address Ministers and issues in different Ministries almost simultaneously with more ease that before.  The OWTU representatives were able to meet with Minister of Labour Errol McLeod on his way into his Ministry as well.  

This gathering not only affected and disrupted the social codes around the work space of the Ministries and the transit space of hundreds but coincided with the last day of the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference held at the Hyatt Regency and the unexpected meanings, messages and images would surely have impacted upon those in attendance.  

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Firat, B. Ö., & Kuryel, A. (2011). Cultural Activism: Practices, Dilemmas, and Possibilities - Issue 21 of Thamyris/Intersecting: Place, Sex and Race. Rodopi.

Shawyer, S. E. (2008). Radical street theatre and the Yippie legacy: A performance history of the Youth International Party, 1967--1968. ProQuest.

Down, Down the Media Hole

The unrestricted reach of technology has created a world where escaping from electronic media consumption is very much implausible.  My Blackberry is constantly available and my computer on when I’m home, sending or receiving messages, music is playing music while I shower or water my plants; there is no escaping the spiral into worlds that mass communication allows.
Down into the "desert of the real", as Baudrillard refers to it, allows one to constantly alter and reshape their reality at any given moment.


Let's look at my Media consumption:


6:00a.m.
Wake up to Blackberry's alarm
Check messages
Respond to messages
Go back to sleep
Wake up every half hour after to the snooze alarm.


At whatever time I wake up (varies depending on what time I have class)
Skype - Respond to missed calls and messages
Facebook - see what posts/comments/messages really need a reply or attention.  This possibly gets extended by clicking on the "HOME" page and being distracted by pictures or interesting feeds but it depends on the time I have before I have to leave.
Email - Check school email as it is the only one I can't recieve on my phone.  See if Marketing sends out any emails about the events that are happening on that day before I leave for school.  This seldom happens as they send messages later in the day so I miss whatever events that I could have attended anyway.
Music - as I do the dishes from the day before or get ready for class.  Morning classes never see me on time as the music can become a little distracting; no class should start before 10:00a.m. anyway.


All of this is done while I carry on conversation with people who BBMed while I was asleep.


Leave for school
BBMs sending on the way with message service slowing down as I get closer to campus.  Messages take forever to send while on Campus, possibly because of the high concentration of BBM/EDGE activity.


IN CLASS, PHONE IN BAG...
most of the times...  but there is the tendency to... amm... touch the phone…


Out of class
Check Twitter, look at anything interesting, and reply to interesting tweets.   There is ALWAYS something interesting on Twitter; news and crazy people have some cool tweets and Outlish always has something for me to reply to.  


By lunch time I've already experiences happiness, joy, excitement, amazement, surprise, horror, sadness, anger and disappointment solely because of my media consumption.  If I did not leave my room I would be on a constant roller-coaster of emotions comparable to that of physical human interaction.

My University Dilemma

I find myself at times during my University experience feeling as if I am still in secondary school.  I actually feel as if I now have less of a value, but more so, as if people think less than in secondary school.  Maybe I am just fortunate to have gone to a secondary school that promoted exploration and understanding of life, not just pushing students solely after grades.  For the experiences I gained there I will forever be indebted. 

Now at University, it seems as if people are just focused on graduating.  It upsets me that the quality of my degree is being brought down by people who are allowed to graduate with a G.P.A of 1.  When I have classes with people who display their lack of comprehension in their study area, areas in which they are employed in companies, I begin to understand why our country is in the condition that it is in.

What further startles me is how easily we stay quiet when we are concerned about something or how we simply accept what is given to us.  I am tired of being told to stay quiet when I raise issues at home, in class or with people.  I am pulled apart as I am guided when I state my views in some forums, but in the majority of others I am left with silence or brushed off statements.  People seem scared to talk about what they see going on, unless of course it is useless bacchanal.  I am torn apart as I try to move forward thinking in University.  It seems as if we are the microcosm of a complained about society.

Why are we so scared of questioning?  

Are we afraid to lose our jobs or be harmed or be regarded as fools?  

Will we simply accept everything that happens until we reach like other places where we revolt?  

Can we not find ways to develop the systems as we grow so that we all can move forward together and avoid future problems?  

Or is it that we are just no thinking at all?

Are we believing that we are thinking but, without realising, actually following along like sheep? 

This is my University Dilemma...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=albNykjWXsA&feature=youtu.be