Why is it that Trinidad only gets recognized for negative things?

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The_Mouse

I don't think it is recognised for negative things. The way you describe it, it sounded like people simply don't know much about Trinidad or know it exists at all (I am assuming you are in the USA). But this is quite normal for the USA.

I am from Australia. No offense - but having read some of the questions here on Yahoo!Answers, I found that the average Americans know very little about anything else outside their own country.

Trinidad is known here in Australia. Goodness knows, our cricket team got beaten by the West Indies often enough last century.

TriniGirl

I have to disagree with your statement to a certain extent. It is embarrassing as hell when people want to bring up terrorist plot and Akon@Zen. But you know what, I cannot be held personally responsible for some jacka$$ behavior just because we happen to have the same passport.

Look at that Anthrax scare a few years back...turns out it was a white American male who perpetrated the whole scheme supposedly so he could expose weaknesses in US homeland security. How many Americans, far less, white male ones feel this fool's actions reflect on them? I am guessing ZERO.

My Canadians friends are well informed of the achievements of Ato Bolden, Wendy Fitzwilliams, the Soca Warriors and Machel Montano (to the point my name is Mrs Montano now).

As you say T&T is a unique country...I am not waiting for anyone else to give it royal assent..all I need to know that I love it!

Revenant Hamster

I have always heard of Trinidad & Tobago as if they were one... and as a tourist destination, they probably are....since they are a twin island Republic.

I'm not sure what immunisations I would need to visit your part of the planet... but I have heard your Islands are very pretty.

See? I am one person from the Great Lakes area of the US, and I don't think poorly of your country just because of one individual's actions.... and I'm sure that there are many others that think the same manner as I do.

Relax.

Gibbsy girl

Truth be told, we are not as well known as say Jamaica because we don't promote ourselves the way they do. I sitting in my living room in DC and seeing AirJamaica commercials on my TV and hearing all about the Jamaica Tourist Board on my radio. I have NEVER seen or heard a BeeWee ad anywhere in the donkey years I living here. In true Trinidad form we eh feel we bong to sell ourselves and to a certain extent I agree. This might sound really ignorant of me but allyuh know I have to say how I feel. In the grand scheme of things WHO CARES whether other people know us or not?? Seriously posse, we have enough love for and pride in our country all by ourselves. We eh lacking nuttin, we eh looking for nobody to sponsor us fuh nutting, we eh broke, we eh beggin. We are independent and self sufficient. Even without formal advertising, we have people coming to Trinidad in droves to celebrate Carnival with us and I have never heard of anyone who didn't love it once they got there. Machel, David, the Professor, our scholars, our authors, and our Soca Warriors not to mention our TWO Ms Universes and our Ms World, are out there showcasing our talents but they're doing that to bring glory to Trinidad not necessarily for recognition. We don't require validation from a soul! Even without widespread international recognition could we be a prouder people?? Could we be more accomplished?? And are those accomplishments any less sweet to us because the entire world doesn't know about them? Nope. Let Trinidad stay a sweet secret like the dinner mint in yuh pocket that yuh Mammy eh know yuh take...

Jouvert

The bottom line is, it is our responsibility as Trinbagonians to make sure that our country receives positive recognition. We need to not be afraid of healthy self promotion.

We as a people have lots to contribute to this planet. We were taught that tourism is to be shunned at all costs as something which promotes a mindset of colonialism because it is an industry which caters to foreigners, but it is also an extremely profitable source of revenue and a wonderful way to show off our natural resources. The promotion of tourism is only the tip of the iceberg as far as what we have to offer.

As we continue to introduce the world to the wonders and talents of Trinidad and Tobago with pride and support what is ours, we will see positive change.

Trinisoccer

All yuh missing the answer to the question. The question is why are we not well know.

Leh meh start: Jamaica, Barbados, St. Vincent, etc.. are all tourist vacation islands. Why I say that? Trinidad is like a little New York. We doh care wah yuh from once you reach Trini you are a Trini, therefore, you don't get the yes sir/yes madame greeting that you get from those other island. You will get it in Tobago but not in Trini.

Don't get me wrong, but I'm telling you some visitors think that when they come to the island they expect a comman man, but when they come to Trini they meet people with confidence. That is why we may not get as much publicity as the others.

Anyone, who know our people will realize that the fool in JFK t'ing is just an exception. We are totally a fun loving people no matter what is going.

And then It ha them Trini who aint go home for donkey years and talking the country bad (Them go meet it).

King David Rudder "Trini to the bone, Trini to the bone!"

Ashti

It have so many nice here in Trinidad and Tobago, but some tourists maybe had bad experiences, talked about it and all the nice things dey forget.
Also except for the proud trinis here on this site, the average person don't do a thing to promote the good of our beautiful land, and only lamblasting and making we look bad.
Yes ah understand exactly what yuh saying. People don't really know where in the world is Trinidad and Tobago.
Hey people we have bad and lots of good here, just like any other country.

pinke

gril u are so right i am from st.croix and the only way ppl regonize us is because it has the us stamp on it but look wah happen they other day in st.croix with the big post office drug thing the us leave us haging cause we black but if a white man had gotten hurt u would have seen how fast fbi de come these ppl(yankee)show no respect to our little island ah tal

Nikki

I'm not sure if I think that's true. We are a small island state, so the world at large isn't interested in our daily affairs because it has little direct impact on their way of life. As such we're only going to spark international attention if something really drastic happens, like the coup and this terror plot.

And as they say in media a plane crash makes front page, the 100 percent safety record doesn't.

As for the other islands, well Bob Marley was amazing, and he also had a producer who marketed his music as rock to an international audience...And then there's this whole palatable to an international audience thing...Rehanna sings R&B, Kevin Lyttle and Rupee had very popular songs that had great international appeal, their music very R&B, techno inspired so it is easy to promote them, plus all of the people mentioned come from countries where tourism is practically thr dominant industry...and therefore have systems in place to support anything (sports, culture etc) that promotes them to a wide audience via unusual channels.

Beside the Prime Minister says it won't hamper our international standing because our police force was instruental in help apprehend some of the suspects before anything tragic happened.

Tracie P

Because it is a Black country run by Indians and the news media will always portray blacks in any country wickedly. I say the same thing about the negative press, but alot of **** is going on in Trinidad unnecessarily. Look my husband was killed by the police in February. The police said he was shooting people but the autopsy report shows no gun powder on my husband his brother or the two fellas with them but they are dead.How can the country look good when them doing ****?There is no other jam packed party like carnival is, every other country knows TNT cause when you go to carnival everyone from around the world is there.

The Ninjalectual

What are you talking about? Trinidad doesn't get recognized for negative things--it doesn't get recognized at all! My first thought was their World Cup soccer team and an old college roommate from there.

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