(Following my colleagues at the APE blog, I will have a special little entertaining piece from now on, to start off each new week)
It is illegal to say
FUCK
in public in Trinidad & Tobago.
•••••
Creep with me as I crawl through the hood…
Rapper DMX was arrested again this weekend. This time, the rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was nabbed mid-concert Saturday night in Trinidad, where police officers accused him of using profane language. According to the Associated Press, the 28-year-old performer was taken from the stage because public use of obscene language is illegal in Trinidad (Foxy Brown’s July 3 concert was stopped for similar allegations). DMX spent the night in jail and is scheduled for a court appearance today…(source)
12 July, 1999
•••••
A Jamaican artiste was actually arrested recently for using obscene language while performing on stage. However, there are many people who believe that freedom of expression gives artistes the right to use obscene language and satanic lyrics in songs. No wonder our society continues to decay.
…a letter by Harrack Balramsingh of La Romaine, Trinidad, to the editors of Newsday, 19 July, 2001, reproduced by “Concerned Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago“
•••••
Charges to be laid against MP tomorrow:
By RICHARDSON DHALAI Sunday, May 6 2007
EMBATTLED Point Fortin MP Larry Achong, who is expected to appear in court on an obscene language charge tomorrow, was noticeably absent from the high profile People’s National Movement (PNM) contingent, led by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, at Borough Day celebrations in his constituency yesterday….(Newsday, Trinidad)
•••••
REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
COURT OF APPEAL
Mag. App. No. 81 of 1999.
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPEAL OF
POLICE CONSTABLE
HARRIPERSAD JAIKARAN NO. 11857
AND
ELIZABETH RAMKHELAWAN
“On Monday 30th March 1998 at Cocoyea a public place in the County of Victoria the defendant Elizabeth Ramkhelawan at Cocoyea, used obscene language in a public place to the annoyance of persons of the said street contrary to section 49 of the Summary Offences Act Chap. 11:02 and that she on Monday 30th March 1998 at Cocoyea in the County of Victoria did resist Harripersad Jaikaran Police Constable number 11857 in the execution of his duty contrary to section 43 of the Police Service Act Chap. 15:01.”…
The defendant said “…..whey the mudder cunt all you bothering me for,” at the location which was both well lit and a public place and that the complainant heard the obscene word/phrase.
•••••
Mitra Harracksingh Appellant
v.
(1) The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and
(2) P.C. Neville Adams Respondents
FROM
THE COURT OF APPEAL OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
—————
JUDGMENT OF THE LORDS OF THE JUDICIAL
COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL,
Delivered the 15th January 2004
….On arrival at the police station P.C. Adams said, “Throw the mudder cunt in the cell. He can’t get bail until Monday morning.”
….It was P.C. Adams’s evidence that, as the officers were about to leave in the van, the appellant said, “Is that all yuh come and focking harassing me for, it have focking bandit pushing coke and all you not arresting them.” He was immediately arrested for “making use of obscene language” to the annoyance of persons in the street…
•••••
IT IS ILLEGAL TO USE OBSCENE LANGUAGE IN PUBLIC IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
another law first instituted by British colonial authorities and upheld by successive post-independence regimes (and how suitable post-independence is here).
Similar laws were promulgated late into colonial rule, to prohibit DRUMMING and banning participation in SHOUTER BAPTIST practices: “It shall be an offence for any person to hold or to take part in or to attend any Shouters’ meeting or for any Shouters’ meeting to be held in any part of the Colony indoors or in the open air at any time of the day or night.”
•••••
Now, about that Internet thing…is it public or private in Trinidad? Because we would not want some anti-colonialist business causing moral degeneration, and if China can censor the Internet and if Saudi Arabia can censor the Internet, and if Brazil can ban YouTube and WordPress…then maybe we should ban…
DEM MUDDER CUNT WHO ABUSIN’ WE FUCKIN’ LAWS TROUGH DE INTERNET
•••••
THE FOLLOWING VIDEO WILL BE SEEN IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO…
thank you kindly Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog for your lovely lyrics…
ZERO ANTHROPOLOGY 
Maximilian Forte
I am Max Forte and I approve this message.
(Speaking of my fuck post above, which has pushed itself into the anals of Trinidad blog history.)
TriniSocialite
And your point being? We in Trinidad and Tobago are very demure creatures and cannot stomach obscenities. As a matter of fact, we do not tolerate hooligan or “wajang” behaviour of any sort. Big men have been chopped down for failing to observe these rules of societal etiquette.
Wappia Mouth
This is news to me. I really didn’t know about any such law. We live opposite a rumshop and we are often treated to alcohol-fuelled broadcasts about people’s mothers’ private parts along with the usual expert conjugations of the verb “to f–k”. If you have you ever noticed how the twang of rum-soaked voices can cut though the air, you can imagine how the effect is like Sensurround. We’ve never even thought to call the police. We’ve always accepted it as a natural corollary of inebriation and as objectionable as the honking of the frogs in the ravine. Maybe drunkards fall under some special clause because I’ve never seen a patrol car arriving on the scene…but then patrol cars have been known to be glaringly absent for much more horrendous crimes. Sigh!
Cussbud
“Wha de ass wrong wid dem modda fokkin modda cunt?”
Thanks boy, yuh know how long I dying to say dat in public. You tink Canada will gih me a refugee status now dat yuh uncover de pussecution we sufferin here? Help me nah? Ah have ah overactive cuss’ gland an since ah small is only carbolic soap in mih mout and police boots on de cussbud. Is real pressha here in Trinidad!!! WTF!
Maximilian Forte
The most comments on any of my posts! And each one has me in stitches! I am guessing: three Trini bloggers and a good set of RSS feeds. Thanks so much to each of you. I do disagree with the demure argument, obviously some will be, but there is little about Carnival that is demure.
Anyway, you don’t find that with so many, much larger social and political problems, that upholding Victorian norms should be shed completely?
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