By Raffique Shah
December 06, 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog
FROM today and until such time as I lose faith in the many manifestations of God that most people believe in, I revoke my agnosticism in the interest of my country. Given the multiple blights that seem to have overrun this country, I have no choice but to turn to the deities in a bid to restore some semblance of sanity to the only nation to which I bear true faith and allegiance.
Continue reading Lords, hear ye my prayers
By Stephen Kangal
December 05, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog
Political observers are duty bound to pose the question, in the face of recent bizarre public posturing of the UNC towards the property tax (PT) whether non-opposition or neutrality towards the PT would appear to be a condition of the Manday Accord. In the post- budget debate the UNC, except for the MP for St. Augustine, has been lukewarm in its limited opposition to the PT even though its current and potential political support base stands to bear the brunt of the expected $7bn punitive revenue windfall.
Continue reading UNC Support for the Property Tax In the Manday Accord?
Newsday Editorial
November 03, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
What is the real agenda for the sudden meeting between Prime Minister Patrick Manning and embattled Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday?
According to the official line, Manning has invited Panday to the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s to discuss “national issues — crime and the constitution.” Basdeo Panday has jumped at the invitation, saying “It is my duty to respond…”
Continue reading Shoring up time?
By Raffique Shah
October 25, 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com
WITH the greatest deference to House Speaker Barry Sinanan, I think he should realise by now that he presides over a House of Clowns. If he values his integrity, he should run like hell, but not before he inflicts some choice words on the 41 jokers who sit in Parliament. In case the Speaker is short on gems from the “mooma-lexicon”, he can feel free to summon my help, since I co-authored the Obscene Dictionary.
Continue reading Leave this ‘House of Clowns’, Mr Speaker
October 22, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog
The recent dropping of charges against UNC’s “dissident MPs” and the meeting between UNC and COP representatives speak volumes as to the road to political maturity on the part of opposition parties in T&T.
In this era of democratically-elected dictatorship in T&T, both the UNC and COP must clearly realize and understand that their only enemy is the PNM. They must cease and desist from creating enemies within their own ranks if they are to remove the PNM government from office.
Continue reading Political maturity in opposition in T&T
By George Alleyne
October 21, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
We should move away from the old thinking that if a Member of the House of Representatives should cast his vote not in accordance with the dictates of his Party, read Political Leader, on even a routine matter that he is a traitor and a renegade.
Continue reading A leader can be challenged
Newsday Editorial
September 30 2009 – newsday.co.tt
ATTORNEY GENERAL (AG) John Jeremie did not exactly admit it on Monday in the Senate, but in our view he seemed to be trying to make a case for debt-forgiveness for the half-million dollars owed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning as unpaid legal costs to the State. Mr Jeremie said Mr Manning has so far paid $555,000 out of a $1.15 million debt incurred in 2002 when he lost his High Court bid to stop the defection of the then-Opposition MPs Dr Rupert Griffith and Dr Vincent Lasse to join the former UNC government.
Continue reading PM’s legal debts
By Raffique Shah
September 27, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog
It is depressing, to say the least, watching men and women who hold high offices, eschew discourse in favour of diatribe as they engage each other in matters of national interest. The latest salvo fired by Attorney General John Jeremie as he responded to statements by the Law Association, is a case in point. Clearly, the AG believes he and his colleagues in government are being targeted by political opponents, which is why he must descend into the gutter to snipe at the “enemy”.
Continue reading Discourse and diatribe
By Raffique Shah
August 23, 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com
Listening to well-informed people, some of them respected intellectuals, argue against a system of government that allows for an executive president, intrigues me. They invariably pursue their arguments using fancy-words-work, but essentially they are little different to the barely-informed masses, who, on the eve of Trinidad and Tobago adopting a republican constitution in 1976, cried “bloody murder” over that minor change in our system of governance.
Continue reading Executive President, yes…elected by the people
By George Alleyne
August 19, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com
The scarcely concealed leadership battle in the United National Congress (UNC) between the Party’s Political Leader, Basdeo Panday, and one of its Deputy Political Leaders, Jack Warner, as to which of them will command the UNC in the immediate days ahead is not uncommon to Caribbean politics.
Continue reading Rudi wanted to lead PNM