Afra Raymond was interviewed by Fazeer Mohammed on TV6’s Morning Edition on Thursday 19th September 2019, on affordable housing in light of the upcoming T&T budget. His insights, particularly into the Housing & Construction sector, were examined. Video courtesy TV6
Programme Length: 00:28:50
Programme Date: 19 Sep 2019
AfraRaymond.net 
Afra,
Budgets are political promises that are as sincere as New Year’s Day resolutions. Your use of ‘macabre’ can also apply to the persistence of die-hard party supporters who sell their common sense for cash. The HDC Act, Section 24 of 2005 mandates the construction of affordable houses. If after 14 years and an expenditure of 12 billion TT dollars in 16 years by it, this law has been ignored, why will further laws (like the Procurement Law), be treated any differently by a Tobagonian PM (From Mason Hall to White Hall), whose island is under water and is flying out today, 22nd September 2019, to NYC for another UN conference at which no significant improvement to either island, known to me, has been a direct result of his presence there. When exemptions cannot be legally proclaimed (de jure), they are exempt in practice (de facto). Sadly too is the fact that those who comply with our laws are threatened, framed, not funded or staffed adequately and they suffer a host of other silent travesties that result in their re-allocations or resignations.
Modest houses can raise intelligent PMs and no politician wants intelligent opposition or competition so we are fed misinformation, drugs, weapons and toxic food and laws by all of them. Fazeer points out a few (Clico, Sandals) of the other gross misrepresentations of policies that drain our treasury and are defended by those who are paid and respected to protect and serve the masses who employ them. If you are nervous, we should panic, although traditionally we party and is not how we vote.