Local programming a thing of the past ???

The programming on any given night is enough to make one wonder what country they are in. According to executive director of Gayelle TV, almost every country you may travel to has their very own local programs shown at particular times of the day. NOT IN TRINIDAD! Luckily, channel 4 has remained faithful in bringing us some outdated local programs that were filmed mostly before I was born, nevertheless, its one of the few stations that we can see 'we culture' highlighted.


Then why are there so many foreign tv programs (mostly American) - the answer is not a deep seated one. It's mainly economic. The United States dominates the world in film, video and music production and has a global distribution network for its productions.  Although piracy and the DVD market have eroded profitability in recent years, the United  States is able to sell its productions all over the world at very affordable cost. Europe has resisted American dominance with tough local content regulation and financial and other support for European work. Trinidad and Tobago has not yet come to realization that we have the ability save the rich heritage that is Trinidad through the subsidizing of local content.


Now, thanks to foreign media, we have:

1. Foreign tastes exemplified in our Americanized lifestyles, trying to life the life as shown on TV
2.  It can be said that some level of violence as shown on television impacts our willingness to 'act out what we see'
3. Our sense of community and our value system has now drastically changed due to american programming. Homosexuality is normal, teenagers have sex and having more that one partner is also normal, and women are still see and the housewife or the 'sexy one'.

To save our beautify twin island state we must be willing to invest in its future. Errol Fabien assures us that change can start within a community where someone with a camera share their story, make others aware of your neighbourhood in a fun entertaining way. All we have to do is be conscious as individuals and make our local stories go viral on this fascinating creation called electronic media.

Speak out - children have a right to live !!!

Tear rolled down my eyes uncontrollably when I heard the tragic fate of baby Aliyah Johnson, just 2 years of age and beaten to death. What kind of crazy world do we live in? For such a small island such as ours, why is it that violence against children is so prevalent? Are we then doing enough to save our future generation?

Pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov, after performing an autopsy on Aliyah, determined she died as a result of blunt force abdominal trauma and acute internal blood loss. The pathologist spent almost three hours at the Forensic Science Centre, St James carefully examining the body of the young girl, who died on Easter Sunday, to determine the cause of her death. There was no sign of sexual abuse.

Police reported, at about 7.45 pm on Sunday, they received a report by staff at the Siparia District Health Facility that an unresponsive two-year-old child had been brought to the hospital, bearing marks of violence about her body, and bleeding from her vagina. 

These occurrences must not be taken lightly, as a nation we can influence the hand of change. Join facebook groups against child abuse, support rallies & marches that speak out against violence toward women & children, support the Gender Bill; let us pass legislation that would deter child molesters and child abusers. As a nation we can rise up & not only use social media for networking but also use it to force the hand of change. 

Akiel Chambers, 11,Josiah Govenor, 6,Daniel Guerra, 8,Adrian Richards, 12,Akel Gafoor, 17,Amy Annamunthodo, 4,Dane Andrews, 12,Dario Mc Coy, 16,Devika Lalman, 15,Dion Barclay, 16,Dominic Thomas, 16,Etean Smith, 2,Hope Arismendez, 8,Jashouna Hypolite, 15,Jevon La Monte, 17,Kimo Richards, 15,Kyle Grant, 17,Kylie Garcia, 15,Leah Lammy, 8,Lily Seepersad, 7,Lisa Sammy, 17,Lorenzo Harridath, 10,Mastaq B......enoit, 16,Michael Forde, 14,Mikhaeil Alleyne, 13,Neil Clement, 17,Parmanan Persaud, 13,Radha “Pixie” Lakhan, 16,Riana Parag, 18,Ricardo McKenzie, 16,Ronald Palakdhari, 16,Sean Luke, 6,Shahida Phillip, 16,Shernelle Codrington, 16,Simeon King, 16,Tecia Henry, 10,Zakia Mitchell, 14,Zareen Ansara Mohammed, 15...all the children who will never have a chance to embrace life...and Aaliyah Johnson, 2

ANOTHER CHILD MUST NOT DIE BEFORE WE DECIDE TO ACT !!!!!!

D sexy woman in d picture - Is she real ?

How often have we as individuals stopped and given thought as to who is this 'sexy redz' in the white oak ad or the beauty on the 'Tile It' billboard, scantily clad, make up well done and portraying to the view public notions of beauty that society deems as acceptable. 

It's amazing how little Trinidad, a population of 1.3 million people have mastered the art of utilizing electronic media to tell young girls and women that they are not slim enough, or pretty enough, or your choice of dress just isn't revealing enough. 

Sut Jhally, media studies theorist, it in his works Catch - 22 of female sexuality examines the difficult position  that the media often place women and young girls in. The effect that media has on female identity is one that is almost impossible to comprehend as women are portrayed to be both innocent and experienced at the same time, both the virgin and the slut simultaneously. 

What then can be our recourse as women? Activism is the only logical solution that can influence effectual change. When we speak up things happen, if we take action maybe then our sisters and daughters may not be so pressured to live up to false ideals and hegemonic notions of womanhood. Let's talk about these touchy issues, after all why must we be used as objects to sell rum !