WHY?

When I was a young lawyer I worked for a while  in England for a rather large American company. My boss (an American who was based in Geneva) used to frustrate me to no end because he always asked me 'why' whenever I made any sort of proposal or statement. It was frustrating, because more often than not his constantly asking me 'why' made me realize that I was really talking absolute nonsense or was  just plain wrong. Armed with this experience, I have learned the value of asking 'why' when I see things going on or people saying things that at first blush seem to make sense but on deeper examination you realize that it is absolute balderdash.


It was with this in mind that I question the proposed trip of Trinidad & Tobago's erstwhile Prime Minister scheduled for this week to Montevideo, Uruguay, to discuss a way forward in the ongoing Venezuelan crisis with Messrs. Guaido and Maduro. Mr. Guaido has said that he simply ain't going and will send nobody. So? Why is Dr. Rowley going? To mediate what? The trip doesn't make sense. So? Why is Dr. Rowley going? What exactly does he hope to achieve? Why does he think that he can achieve what he hopes for?


In the meantime, Mr. Maburro ... I'm sorry ... Mr. Maduro has proposed that new elections be called for the National Assembly as a way out of the present crisis? Why? Nobody has suggested that the last National Assembly elections were tainted by fraud. But there is a large body of evidence that the last Presidential elections were illegitimate. So? As a way out of the crisis why doesn't the de facto (NOT de jure) President of Venezuela simply call fresh Presidential elections and allow his opponents to stand against him? Is he afraid that he might lose? Why? If he is so popular and the majority are behind him then surely he has nothing to be afraid of?


Dr. Rowley and Caricom keep on saying that they are neutral and offer their services to mediate. But are they really neutral? Why do you think so? They recognize Mr. Maburro ... I'm sorry, but the man really is a donkey ... Mr. Maduro as the legal President of Venezuela! Why? They obviously haven't read the Constitution of Venezuela. Why not? Or is it that they believe in the late Chairman Mao's statement that power comes out of the mouth of a gun and the Donkey clearly has the guns. But if that is the case, then why don't they just say that in plain and simple language?


And why should Mr. Guaido accept Messrs. Rowley et al as bona fide mediators when they have so clearly stated a preference for Mr. Guaido's opponent?


Dr. Rowley et al have condemned 'foreign interference'. So far, so good. But they haven't condemned CUBAN interference in Venezuela over the last three to four years. Why not? Is the United States the only country that cannot interfere without being criticized? Why? Why can't Russia, for example, be criticized for helping Mr. Maburro ship 20 tons of gold out of Venezuela last week? Why? Was this really in the best interests of the Venezuelan people? Why? You see, why does one get the feeling that 'no foreign interference' really means 'no AMERICAN interference'?


Why is it all right for Trinidad & Tobago's hapless Foreign Minister to refuse on public television to admit that there is a serious humanitarian crisis in Venezuela? Why? Why is it okay for the Donkey (aka Maduro) to refuse to say that he will not allow much needed humanitarian aid in the form of food and medicines into Venezuela because "Venezuelans are not mendicants"? Why is it better for a leader's people to die than for the leader to admit that they need help?


Why is there no criticism in the mainstream media in Trinidad & Tobago of Mr. Maburro's regime? Why is there little or no reporting in Trinidad's mainstream media of the real hardships that ordinary people are going through in Venezuela? Why does Trinidad's mainstream media not ask the hard questions of the Trinidad Government? Are they afraid of something? Why? Why has there been little or no reporting of the muzzling of the press in Venezuela by Trinidad's mainstream media?


Why does Dr. Rowley and his Government consider that it is in Trinidad & Tobago's better interests to remain friendly with the Donkey's regime than to express solidarity with the people of Venezuela?   Why hasn't Dr. Rowley's regime published the details of the Dragon Gas Field deal that it signed with Venezuela in the middle of last year? Is there something in there that Dr. Rowley doesn't want us to see? If so, what? And why shouldn't we be able to see it?


And why is it that so many people here like ... no, LOVE ... to criticize the Americans but overwhelmingly want to go to America either on holiday or to migrate? Why don't these people want to go to Cuba instead? Why?


Why has the average Venezuelan lost 24 pounds last year but the Donkey has gotten visibly fatter?


Okay, there are a lot of 'why's' here, but don't you think that they all require answers? Why?