By Raffique Shah
November 05, 2024
My recent column in which I applauded Guyana President Irfaan Ali for sharing some of the petro-dollars with all citizens of that country appears to have suggested that I support such “share the wealth” schemes. I make it abundantly clear that that was never my intention. Indeed I have often lashed my own government for wanton waste of our wealth through a range of programmes and initiatives.
Continue reading Need for mature leadership
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 30, 2024
Speaking to hundreds of people at Progress Park, Grenada, on October 19, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell announced plans “to build a shrine at Fort George to honour deceased Revolutionary leader Prime Minster Maurice Bishop and others who lost their lives on October 19, 1983, as a result of internal conflicts between different factions of the Revolutionary Government”.
Although I welcome this gesture, I immediately became suspicions. A “shrine” sounded too much as the canonisation of the brother.
Continue reading Honouring our heroes
By Raffique Shah
October 23, 2024
It was with a degree of shock, certainly disappointment, I noted that many of my fellow Trinis appear to be envious of our Guyanese brethren over the one-off payment President Irfaan Ali promised them by year-end.
I wasn’t aware initially of the multi-billion Guyana dollars payout until it was brought to my attention by one of the Guyanese living in my village. Once the details circulated, I did some checking to see precisely what was on offer. It was GUY$100,000 per citizen, once the recipient was age 18 years or more. Some rough calculations told me that, based on current exchange rates: GUY$210 equals US$1 and it takes TT$6.77 to equal US$1. Each recipient will therefore receive US$475.10 come January 2025. The estimated number of persons entitled to the grant is 500,000.
Continue reading Don’t begrudge Guyanese
By Raffique Shah
July 17, 2024
It did not take me long last Friday night to switch gears, in a manner of writing, and focus this column on a politician to whom I owe at least an apology, Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali. If he does get around to reading this, he will wonder why an apology from me: I haven’t written or said anything about this young man ever since he came to office in November 2020, and with good reason.
Continue reading All praise for President Irfaan Ali
By Corey Gilkes
December 03, 2023 – coreygilkes.wordpress.com
Calypsonian/Philosopher Brother Valentino sarcastically sang how the average Trini “doh care if Ash Wednesday fall on Good Friday,” alluding to an acquiescent, happy-go-lucky, carefree culture of conformity in the face of exploitative authority figures. This can be a good thing sometimes, otherwise plenty places coulda (and shoulda) bun down already.
Continue reading Calling Arsonists to Quench Fires? Careful, Guyana
By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
October 24, 2023
As Americans have already celebrated Columbus Day, this article presents the real Afri-centric truth/analysis in regard to the so-called ‘Discovery’ of the West Indies/ New World by the Euro-centric historical criminal, Christopher Columbus — real name on his Spanish birth certificate is Cristobal Colon from whose surname are historically derived European systems such as Colonialism, Colonizer, Colonized and Colony.
Continue reading Christopher Columbus Exposed: HIS-STORY
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 23, 2023
The following is a lecture delivered at the Pa Gya! A Literary Festival in Accra, Ghana.
First of all, I wish to thank the hosts of this marvelous festival for inviting me to participate in it and for allowing me to share my ideas of how literature, art, and culture have helped in understanding, achieving and reimagining the histories that link West Africa and the Caribbean. This is an enormous assignment. I will speak of how the West African culture, literature, and the arts helped to shape the identity of my Caribbean people. I will pay special attention to what transpired in Trinidad and Tobago, and then relate those experiences to the larger whole.
Continue reading Art and culture in West Africa and the Caribbean
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 11, 2023
Two weeks ago I was invited to be a panel member of a conference, “The March on Washington: Its Legacy and Impact in the Americas”, that was organised by the US Permanent Mission to the Organisation of American States (OAS) in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington at which Martin Luther King Jnr delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
Continue reading Coming black on board
By Margaret Kimberley
BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
July 28, 2023
The U.S. is committed to invading Haiti but needs Black “leaders” to give them cover. They pressured Caribbean nations to be the face of intervention and called on Rwanda’s Paul Kagame to be the African diaspora front man.
It can be argued that Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame is the Black head of state most useful to the U.S. and its allies. There are many human tools in their box but Kagame is the most willing to act on behalf of the collective west. He can reliably be called upon to enthusiastically do the dirty work of the U.S. and Europe. When he arrived at the recent CARICOM summit it was clear that a terrible plot was being hatched.
Continue reading Kagame and Other Stooges Do U.S. Bidding in Haiti
By Raffique Shah
January 30, 2023
I suppose Trinidad and Tobago, being a small-island-state, very literally, has to be thankful for small mercies dished out by the super-powers of the world. In this case, big, bad USA, has finally agreed to issue a waiver on the sanctions it has imposed on Venezuela that will allow TT and Caracas to monetise an estimated 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas from the Dragon field, which lies close to the international boundary between the two countries, but which belongs to Venezuela.
Continue reading Thanks, USA – for nothing