An Expensive Mistake

I'm not sure how many of you saw (in yesterday's Express) the photo of the $100,000TT-per-plate invitation 'to converse over dinner with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.' (Oh ... I just read that 'negative publicity' has caused him to cancel it ...)

Anyway, for an event that is asking people to pay $100,000 per plate you would think that they would at least get the invitation right! When I first read the invitation in the papers, this jumped out at me:

The first line of the second paragraph blatantly begins: "Meaningful changes takes time" ...

So does proofreading!
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Below is a copy of the article:

$100,000 A PLATE

Dinner with Manning

Anna Ramdass aramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Thursday, August 23rd 2007

Specially invited guests will sit down to a campaign fund-raising dinner with Prime Minister Patrick Manning next week-at a cost of $100,000 each.

The event entitled "Conversations with the Prime Minister" is an initiative of the public relations committee of the ruling People's National Movement (PNM).

The black tie gala dinner is scheduled to take place next Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, which is owned by the family of Tourism Minister Howard Chin Lee. If the event recruits 200 paying customers it will net $20 million for party coffers.

Sources told the Express that the event was being handled with extreme caution and secrecy and invitations were sent to select persons.

A letter from committee chairman and Ambassador Plenipotentiary Jerry Narace says to contact Michelle Khan, Trinidad and Tobago Miss World representative in 1996 who runs a public relations and events management company, "to obtain your invitation".

Khan confirmed the dinner but was unable to divulge further details. Also Narace, when contacted, was unable to provide information as he was engaged in a meeting.

The notification of the event states that since the PNM was re-elected in 2002, the party has acted swiftly in an effort to develop all citizens as the Vision 2020 was pursued.

The PNM's commitment to improving infrastructure, revitalising communities and towns, developing the economy as well as challenging and supporting all citizens to aspire and achieve their dreams were included in the notification.

"Meaningful changes takes time and our ability to achieve the vision of Trinidad and Tobago as a prosperous, stable nation by 2020 requires that we sustain our present efforts with continuing stable, good and ethical governance," stated the invitation.

"In the circumstances, we have especially targeted you to join us and share ideas as we converse over dinner with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago," the invitation continued.

"We feel confident that a contribution of $100,000 per invitation will assist in funding our campaign which will enable us to continue on a progressive development path towards the achievement of 'First World' status," added the invitation letter.

Sources told the Express that some of the top PNM financiers have already pledged their commitment to attend and support Manning in his campaign for the upcoming general election.

Political analyst and researcher Derek Ramsamooj told the Express that a political party in this country must have the capacity to raise and spend between six and eight million US dollars in this year's election race.

He said this money covers two areas -media advertising and political organisation and management on the national and constituency levels.

"This increase in political expenditure can be attributed to competitiveness in the media advertising and rising expectation of the electorate," he said.

Ramsamooj, who heads the Caribbean Development Research Strategies company, told the Express that statistics on Caribbean political campaigns reveal that it costs approximately US$100 to win the vote of one person.