Thursday, March 11 2010

HOUSING Minister Emily Dick-Forde’s defence of Calder Hart, who resigned as executive chairman of Udecott in the wake of documents which appear to confirm a Hart family link to a Malaysian firm that got millions of dollars in Udecott contracts, has drawn angry reactions from several Trinis in cyberspace.

During the tea break at the sitting of the Upper House on Tuesday, Dick-Forde who is the line minister for Udecott, was asked to comment on Hart’s resignation and his fleeing the country.

“Mr Hart’s resignation would have been a surprise, but it also would not have been, because I think if any of you as human beings would have been hounded and treated the way he has been, I think you all would understand.

“So, a resignation is part of normal governance, people move on, but I think under the circumstances, we in Trinidad and Tobago should be very ashamed of what has happened — a person, a human being has been treated very, very badly, by us.”

Almost immediately, several Trinis on the popular online social network Facebook angrily posted remarks on Dick-Forde’s defence, castigating her for saying Trinis should be ashamed of the way Hart was treated. Some of the Facebook remarks are listed below with only the author’s first name being used.



Danielle: Emily Dick-Forde — Line Minister for Udecott says Trinis should be ashamed for hounding Calder Hart out of the country *blank stare* A next one of Patos’ minions talking nonsense.

Lauren: I rolled my eyes as I listened to her uneducated response on the news last night.

Hmmmm, who should be ashamed here??? Definitely not the people

Patrise: I really am ashamed yes! That is a minister!??

Wendell: SHAME? SHAME? SHAME!!! Madame Minister DICK. We should feel SHAME! What the Frog is this I hearing, what does really do these people? SHAME!!!!

Aarti: We should be ashamed??? We??? Is Emily serious?

Omari: That is what you does get from the BIG C

Jenny: We must all know when to SHUT.......UP!!!!!

Roberta: I am now sure that all of them gone MAD, because all of them can’t be so stupid

Jamela: In the midst of chaos, there is sometimes a comically sad moment

Anika: If she is talking about the Hart affair, the last thing I feel is shame. I have 99 feelings about this, but ashamed is not one of them

Natalie: Wait...didn’t all of these people sit quietly saying nothing just a moment ago? Emily and her colleagues had more opportunity than the rest of us to do something, and consciously chose to do nothing. And she wants to tell me about shame? Clearly HER shame bag burst a long time ago

Junia: Emily probably appearing on the next Comedy Fest

Neil: Oh please, Hart was paid multiple million dollar salaries, was authorised to spend billions of taxpayers money, all allowed by her innocent PNM....