CARTE BLANCHE: EPISODE 30

(With the somber tunes of the African Flute playing in the background for emotional effects)

My spirit is broken.My body is in pain. I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust. My face is red with weeping and deep shadows ring my eyes. For I am a man in deep sorrow, I am a man in great despair. Sadness has filled my heart and I wonder if I can survive these trying times. The news of his death hit me hard like an unexpected slap. I am in mourning. I am in pain. These are the times that I need a shoulder to cry on for I’ve lost a hero and a mentor. He brought happiness to many who got to know him. His intelligence took the world by surprise, his accuracy was baffling.

His prowess did impress many though his methods were foreign to them. Not many expected him to move on to the next world so soon, not many expected him to be called to glory in such a short space of time. It’s true that the good die young but he’s gone too soon. I wish I could write him a ballad, a ballad of a fallen soldier, a ballad for the world’s greatest football pundit, a ballad for a mighty warrior. But I’m no Shakespeare, neither am I a Chinua Achebe…..and yes I’m not a Phil Ofori, they can write him a Ballad, mine is a simple mind and I can only write a plain tribute. The world mourns his departure, the departure of Paul the Octopus.

Paul the Octopus, da yie, Paul the Octopus, damirifa due, Paul the Octopus, God be with you till we meet again in the next life where mollusks are forever young.

[A minute silence for Paul the Octopus………………May his soul rest in perfect peace]

CARTE BLANCHE: EPISODE 29

History has demonstrated that life’s most notable winners encountered heartbreaking defeats before they triumphed. They won because they refused to be discouraged by their defeats.

–Bertie Forbes, Founder of Forbes Magazine.

Previously on Carte Blanche; UTAG and POTAG protests; Operation Know Your President; the 33 Chilean Miners; SBCooG and 2010 Population and Housing Census.

In today’s edition, we’ll be looking at……….

THE BLURB

• The Mis-Education of the Ghanaian Child
• “Kookooase Kuraasenii”-(that was predictable, wasn’t it??)
• Africa Watch Magazine ratings of Ghanaian Parliamentarians.
• Update on our Squeeze Breast Cancer out of Ghana (SBCooG Campaign).

It’s not like I’m not aware Papa Jerry has been in the news. I’m aware but I’ve pushed the ‘mute’ button on that. Like the way some African mosquitoes have developed immunity against these insecticides on our markets, I’m immune to his tantrums, for goodness sake. I don’t want to get into that. You probably want to. And if you do, then you are on your own.

More importantly, the UK government has announced that there’ll be massive cuts on government spending in the years to come. £81bn cut from public spending over four years. And I hear up to 500,000 public sector jobs could go by 2014-15 as a result of the cuts programme and justifiably many people are crying foul. According to their Office for Budgetary Responsibility this is the worst cut since World War II. Well, I sincerely hope the spending cut doesn’t affect our people there, knowing how crucial foreign remittances are to the Ghanaian economy. We beg. And yes, I want to know if it’ll affect government loans and grants?? Are you able to help me on that?

Also the striking lecturers (UTAG) look set to call off their strike today Friday 22nd October 2010. Its good news for all the stake holders involved especially the students. We thank the President for intervening in this matter. I hope he resolves the POTAG issue too as soon as possible.

And I can see some of you are mad at the judges choice of ‘Miss Malaika 2010’, others too aren’t happy that Uti won Big Brother Africa. Me, I even wonder why people watch these shows. There’s nothing in there for me. But that’s just me.

Anyways that was just by the by, lets get on with the agenda for today.

CARTE BLANCHE: EPISODE 25

Episode 25?? Yes you read that right, Episode 25. I can’t believe we’ve been doing this for the past 25 weeks-actually its 28 cos I missed 3 episodes. It all started on 25th February 2010 and 25 episodes down the road, here we are celebrating our silver jubilee. Carte Blanche @ 25, it’s a hit mehn. I think we should set up a committee, to set up a committee for the “Carte Blanche @ 25” celebrations?? Well you can send in proposals for activities for the silver jubilee celebrations. But whatever activities we plan for our big celebrations trust me there’ll be plenty of tea, chichinga and pampers for any and everyone regardless of one’s political persuasions.

What can I say but “Ebenezer”, for this is how far the Lord has brought us. I’d like to thank y’all for your support and encouragement, I really appreciate the love. “The lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree said he would praise himself if no one else did”.  And so congratulations to moi for reaching this milestone, it hasn’t been easy but then again who ever said it was going to be easy. We (you and I) plan on taking it to the next level and in the sweet by and by we shall get there. For it is little by little that a bird builds its nest and poco a poco we shall get to the Promised Land. Can I get an AMEN!!!

CARTE BLANCHE: EPISODE 24

“O Lord our Heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast brought us safely to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that today we fall into no sin; neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered in Thy governance, to do always that is righteous in Thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen”.

With that I welcome you to yet another edition of Carte Blanche.

This week has been fairly eventful; a ‘demo’ by Prison Officers in Kumasi, the Parliamentary ‘gay list’ that never was, the competition in the telecom industry cum George Andah’s move to Zain, Craig Murray’s revelations about the 2000 general elections, Champions League, Europa League, the Pope’s visit to London, the latest FIFA rankings, Obama’s new book , basically ‘nsem pii’ but I’ll like us to focus our attention on these stories…..

THE BLURB

• Single Spine Salary Scheme; matters arising
• Derrick Adjei and his “Gay” List
• Craig Murray’s book
• “Talk is cheap”

In Sports, we’ll look at Asamoah Gyan’s Sunderland debut, the opening matches of this year’s Champions League season, the GFA’s search for a new Black Stars coach plus this week’s matches among others.

CARTE BLANCHE: EPISODE 23

Hello there!!! How have you been? You good eh? Thank God. I’m not doing badly myself. Sorry about last Friday. I had other equally important engagements so I couldn’t publish Carte Blanche. I’m not making up excuses ooo, far from that. Like I said I had to attend the commissioning of two of the freshest Army Officers in Ghana, I had to be at all cost. Sorry about that.

Thankfully we are here today. And before I forget let me say “Baarka di Salah” (I hope I got that right) to all my Muslim friends. Charley where the party at?? Don’t tell me you are leaving me out of the festivities just because I didn’t fast with you. Oh don’t do that. Shw3, I’ll be waiting for my portion of the chow.

Anyways welcome to today’s edition of Carte Blanche. It’s a holiday edition so I’ll try to keep it short and crisp. Be my guest!!!

THE BLURB

• The Osu Children’s home wahala
• The Atiwa by election and matters arising
• Pastor Terry Jones and his “Quran burning” ambitions

I don’t think I always have to remind you that “News Flash”, “Health Tip”, “FSU of the week” and “SportsWorld” follows right after that? I do? Okay I just did. Can we get on with it? Thanks