Truth, I-Blog

An email witch hunt, ordered by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs (MYSA) Natasha Barrow has failed to find the person who leaked the information which led to iBlog's expose of the TT$91,910.43 joyride to Tobago by a delegation of 12 persons  led by Minister Darryl Smith. Ironically,  the emails requesting  the witch hunt and outlining the conclusion  have also been leaked. Ms Barrow went into overdrive on Tuesday May 23rd to find the source of the  leaked email "which was featured in an online blog post". It was on Tuesday night that she made a telephone call to Andre Hanief, the Manager of Information Communication Technology asking him to look into the “unauthorized circulation of an email message possibly originating from the Ministry’s Domain.” Haneif, however requested an  independent person to witness the investigation in an email which he sent the  following morning at 8 22 AM.  ...

The email requesting the inclusion of three uninvited guests to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Sports Awards Ceremony originated from the Personal Secretary in the Office of the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Maria Elena-Phillips. Minister Darryl Smith must say whether he  authorized the email because he has  already deflected responsibility for the twelve member TT$91, 910.43 all inclusive party at the Magdelena Grand (May 19-22) to his Permanent Secretary.

Inserted at the last minute, three women who “did not receive invitations” for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Awards turned out to be the guests of honor of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs (MYSYA) at an all inclusive weekend for a party of 12  at the Magdelena Grand, costing  taxpayers TT$91, 910.43. The hotel bill for the traveling party, including Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Darryl Smith, was TT$77, 910.43 for the three night stay (May 19th -22nd ) for the Awards ceremony, which was hosted at the Ballroom of the hotel where they were staying, on Saturday evening. The MYSA booked 11 Deluxe King Rooms and a Deluxe King One Bedroom suite, no doubt for the head honcho of the Tobago joyride, all of which came with Buffet Breakfast and all you can eat lunch and dinner as well, which this breakdown, as provided in the hotel bill, shows. An additional TT$10, 400 was used to rent four vehicles from Rollock’s Car Rentals even though the  hand w...

A Tony Sabga Chronicle    The first time that I set eyes on him, he was planting coconut trees on the Pigeon Point Beach with his wife Minerva. It was a Carnival Tuesday in Trinidad and Tobago circa 2003. Walking along the beach with plants in his hand,  the venerable  Anthony Sabga, a man who was legendary especially among those who knew that his business empire was built on being grounded and street smart was normal like everyone else around him. No drama, no fanfare, no visible bodyguards as he walked along a place that was clearly close to his heart as I later learnt.  Dr Anthony Sabga So when two masqueraders, covered in black oil and beating a paint pan for music and another with a wooden fork in his hand   surprised me demanding that I “Pay the devil”, I nodded in the direction of   Sabga. ‘Mr Sabga own this place, he have money,” I teased, at the same time pulling out the camera which was my constant  companion. The old ma...