Why I'm Voting PNM

People Want Real Services not Platitudes

I’ve never dipped my fingers in red ink.  I consider myself a social activist and feel that it is important to exercise what I feel is my civic duty to influence any election in my community or nation. 

I lived in the US many years and vaguely remember voting for a candidate who lost the election.  It did not really matter who won at the time, just the fact that I could vote in the US Primary Election was enough.

So five years ago, I returned to Trinidad a couple of years before the last election in 2010 when the People Partnership was elected into office.  My memory is still clear, I admit I was in full support of the UNC party over the PNM, It seemed like an easy choice, and Patrick Manning may have been suffering from Hubris.

Today I have a sense of déjà vu, in less than five years the UNC party proved itself to be the worst choice of governments.  Now it’s PM Kamla who is showing early signs of Hubris.  Her campaign is dubbed “Kamla 2015” She claims that the fight is between herself and Dr.  Rowley and he is a demon so she is the only logical choice.

Her NoRowley campaign, back fired like so many other mean spirited campaign Kamla 2015 have launched.  The latest in the news about that campaign were death threats that put a price on Mr. Rowley’s head of 15Million dollars.  That would effectively eliminate 99 percent of the people in TnT as having that money to pay anyone.  You connect the dots yourself.

I can’t see myself voting for ILP that is a phenomenon that really intrigues me.  That is almost as amazing as voting for Kamla 2015 by rationalizing and ignoring the some basic facts of life.

Quite frankly, I would rather vote to put an Independent into Parliament.  The way the Constitution is written now, every elected member of Parliament is beholding to their political leader.  He decides, they follow, and an Independent will always hold the needs of the people they represent first.

I’m voting for the PNM not because I love Dr. Rowley but because I will not stand by and vote for a government that has failed over and over.  A government that is fraught with dishonesty, corruption, racism, and nepotism; just to name a few. Those are my words formed from my observation over the last 5 years.

The Constitution needs to change. There is way too much power in that office of the Prime Minister.  This executive power infects the holder; it appears the weaker ones succumb faster when they taste the power.  It is the infectious nature of the office that concerns me about Dr. Rowley.  Do you remember he had a makeover when he first became political leader?  A people person would never need a makeover.  How long will he last before the power of the office infects him and the makeover melts away?

Unfortunately, at this point it’s not about Dr. Rowley, when I vote PNM it’s about the future of this country.

No amount of advertisement, in the newspaper, online, television or the radio that will change the minds of people who can see.  Promises were broken, there were typos in the manifesto, corruption festered and influence was a commodity with a price.  Trinbagonians will not sit by, well not all will, and let the country be dragged down to nothing because of one power hungry woman. Someone needs to advise the government that advertising is not effective in changing minds.  Advertising reinforces what people already believe.

There is something curiously similar to the 2010 election, ex PM Manning was delusional about his chances for victory.  What caused his gross misjudgment? 

He was wrong because the people he interacted with daily told him what he wanted to hear.  They, many of them, told him that the PNM would walk away with a mandate.   He believed them.  Is PM Kamla delusional?      

Here is the reality that hit the exPM Manning like a ton of bricks on election night, even if you have a 100,000 die hard Party followers; it does not mean you will win.  In other words, even if only 30 percent of the population of 1.3 million actually voted you would still lose the election.   

 I am voting for the PNM because I want to see improvements in the Health System, the Police Service, Education, a reduction in crime – just catch some criminals.  

Most of all I am voting for the PNM because this last government has wasted so much of TnT resources that the future for our country is at stake.  

If they had five more years the future of this country does not look rosy. .  

The Achilles' Heel of Small Business Success

Knowing Your Typical Customer

If you are a small business owner, the chances are high that you do not have a profile for your typical customer. You probably have not taken the time to write out a  description because you assume that you know; especially if you have been in business for any length of time. 

A typical customer profile provides specific demographic and psycho-graphic details that are unique to each product or service. Small bits of information like, what they do for a living, marital status, where else they shop or how often. 

It does seem like a lot of work; doesn't it?

If your product is selling already; why do all that?

If you asked that question, tap yourself on the shoulder.

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Nobody need to remind you that the customer is the source of your revenue, the reason you are in business, the only way you will stay in business. Somehow this first cog in the wheel to success is left to one side and the product, the marketing and controlling cost becomes more important. Without customers, none of those things will matter.

Life's contradictions say otherwise.

The reality is that many businesses stay in business for many years without ever taking the time to identify who their customers really are. Businesses view this as proof that there is really no need to know that much information about the customer.

We see it every day.

A business that is doing well will double and possibly quadruple productivity. For no apparent reason a business thrives while other similar businesses around are closing their doors. It appears as if a business owner is fortunate enough to have hit the nail exactly on the head with no apparent systems in place.

The fact, however, is not controversial. Knowing your typical customer will give you more leverage and generate more profit.

Without doubt, almost every customer who has purchased a specific item shares a common characteristic with other customers. The task for small business owners is to identify that common characteristic: a want, need or experience that the customer desires.
This common characteristic is the key to opening doors and attracting more customers. Preferably, this should have been done before a product is manufactured. However, given the nature of business the task would not be changed, it would just become more labour-intensive.

This characteristic should be included in the business value proposition and clearly shared with prospects and existing customers. It must offer a solution to satisfy the customer's need.

Getting to know your typical customer inside out is simple; however, it  does require in-depth research. The main benefit is that you will attract more customers, without incurring any costs.


Your customer is the reason for building your business in the first place.  This has been traditionally where most businesses have been most vulnerable.   Take the time to get to know them.  

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