Allyuh trini people bold yes. Obama is the president on the USA, not TnT. People want to meet him and thing. He is coming as a representative of the US and for the US. Not on a inspirational tour. Leave the inspiration up to your own father of the nation, Hon. Patrick Manning....
OBAMA ON TV ONLY Public will not be able to meet, greet US President during summit
Aretha Welch awelch@trinidadexpress.com
Saturday, April 4th 2009
IF you are expecting to see US President Barack Obama in the flesh, shaking hands and kissing babies while he is in this country for the Fifth Summit of the Americas, you will be disappointed.
At a community meeting which the Summit Secretariat held with residents of Cascade and St Ann's on Thursday night, when a member of the audience asked whether or not the public would get to see the US president in all his glory, Dennis McComie, the night's MC and member of the Summit Secretariat's communications unit, disappointed the crowd with his wry response. "You can see him on TV," he told the gathering.
The crowd responded with exasperated signs and a resounding "No!", but McComie quickly moved on to the next question.
Environmentalist Eden Shand questioned whether he could go to the Lookout (at Lady Young Road, Morvant) with his children to wave at the delegates.
He was told there would be no restrictions on that, however.
But those hoping to get a look at Obama in this way will have little to see.
Sources have confirmed that his official vehicle (otherwise known as "The Beast") is so heavily tinted that civilians looking in will not be able to see the object of their admiration, and unless he has a special desire to meet the locals, he will be making no public appearances outside of his summit meetings.
Media reports have said the US president, who will be touching down in Air Force One, will be accompanies by his contingent of over 1,000 people, which will include everyone from his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, to economic advisers, doctors and security personnel.
Sources told the Express that after his arrival (the time is still to be confirmed), a police detail will escort his vehicle along the West-bound lane of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway, down to the Hyatt Regency hotel off Wrightson Road in Port of Spain, where the summit events are set to take place.
Around the Hyatt will be the Red Zone, which will be sterilised of all non-accredited individuals beforehand.
Therefore, the public will not get to see Obama when he arrives or leaves the hotel either. It is not clear where Obama will be staying.
On April 19, when the international delegates visit the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's, the route will be equally enclosed, as the public will not be allowed to use the St Ann's Main Road between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., while delegates arrive, or between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., when delegates will be leaving the centre.
During the meeting, which was held at the Queen's Hall in St Ann's, summit security officials assured that they were pondering all scenarios which could occur during the three days, with one of them being crowd-control issues, which could arise due to the people's enthusiasm to see President Obama.