The Secret Blog of Patrick “Patos” Manning

Was deeply absorbed in the making of my 2009 list of resolutions when Mariano Browne dropped by the mansion to say he’d received a tipoff that a group of Chinese construction workers were seen leaving the Island People mas’ camp on Friday evening.

Browne said that upon receiving this intelligence he immediately called an Island People official, who confirmed that 132 Chinese construction workers had indeed registered to play in the band, primarily in the “Afrodisiac” section. Browne heard a similar story when he called TRIBE, D Krewe, Trini Revellers and Brian McFarlane: all of them had experienced an influx of Chinese masqueraders. Browne said it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, as some weeks ago he saw a comment on the Trinidad Carnival Diary blog suggesting that a Chinese cement-mixer operator has signed on as section leader of TRIBE’s “Brazilian Macaw” section. It also explains the rumour going around POS that a number of Chinese welders have signed up for wining classes at a popular Port of Spain gym.

Naturally, I expressed curiosity as to how these notoriously underpaid individuals could afford to purchase Carnival costumes costing upwards of TT$2,500 (US$400). Brown suspects the funds must have come from all the private jobs the Chinese workers have been doing for government ministers. (Duh).

“And Patos, is not mas’ alone,” Browne said.

A Pan Trinbago official told Browne that practically every steel orchestra except Carib Tokyo now has a handful of Chinese players, and a well-known fete ticket scalper has reportedly set up a service that makes the rounds of the various construction sites to sell workers tickets for popular fetes like UWI, Bishop’s, O’Farrell and Beach House.

“You know something, Mariano?” I said. “I glad for them. These fellas spend all day hauling cement and messing with substandard Chinese construction materials laced with toxic substances. They deserve a l’il fun.”

“But you missing the point, Patos,” said Browne. “What about the old Piarco terminal? With so many of the Chinese tied up over the Carnival season, who going to do the work for it to be ready in time for the Summit?”

Browne had a point. With the Chinese spending the next two months playing pan and fêteing and taking wining lessons, and most of the country’s native young male population tied up in the drug trade, who was available to do the job? Seventh-Day Adventists?