Too much for Glenda

THE EDITOR: According to Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift, our PNM government has so far spent over $10 million to refurbish the official residence of the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom — former attorney general Glenda Morean-Phillip. Apparently, she could not occupy the official quarters because the building was in “dire need of repair.” Within a year, ?94,000 was spent on hotel/rent (I could buy ten houses with that), ?4,614 on official entertainment (she must be pretty hard to entertain), ?6,628 for “presentation of credentials” (whatever that is) and ?4,782 for her ceremonial day (bet she had quite a day!)

Gift added that while all of Morean-Phillip’s accommodation and official entertainment were provided for her, meals were not inclusive. Oh-ho! Of course, that makes me feel so much better. In a time when a substantial percentage of the population is living in poverty, chicken, gas and bread prices are increasing, people suffer from yam overdose (like me), escalating crime, so much so that pastors turning gun-slinging cowboys, police service without car, equipment and training, massive floods when 2 mm rain falls . . . it’s hard to justify that sort of expenditure, even for die-hard PNMites, I’m sure. But if something good does come out of it, I hope that when, after spending ?4,614 on entertainment, our goodly Glenda Morean- Phillip looks at the movie Gladiator and Russell Crowe asks “Are you not entertained!!???!!!,” she answers with a resounding “Yes!!!”

ASHRAM BEACHOO
Port-of-Spain