Category Archives: Media

PM admits staying in house owned by NP favoured contractor

GOPAUL ARE MY FRIENDS

By Darcel Choy
May 18, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarPrime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday said the owners of the house she stayed at on Maraj Street in Pasea, Tunapuna, during and after last year’s general election, were her friends.

“We are not blood relatives, we are not related by blood, not by blood or marriage, they were friends,” she said.

Speaking to members of the media after the opening of the Bon Air West Early Childhood Care and Education Centre, Persad-Bissessar confirmed she stayed at the home of Ralph and Maureen Gopaul.
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Ex-PM Manning suspended

Patrick ManningSUSPENDED
Manning sanctioned for being in contempt of Parliament
“Mr Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning is accordingly suspended from the service of this House with immediate effect,” declared House Speaker Wade Mark last night.

Mark did not state for what period of time but a suspension cannot cross a session of Parliament, which is the maximum threshold for a suspension. This session ends on June 18.
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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar Fires Mary King

Minister Mary KingThe appointment of Minister and Senator Mrs. Mary King was revoked, today, 10th May, 2010 by the President, His Excellency George Maxwell Richards on advice of the Prime Minister. Mrs. King held the portfolio of Senator and Minister of Planning, Economic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs from May 28th, 2010.
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A full circle

By Raffique Shah
April 23, 2011

Raffique ShahFORTY-ONE years ago, almost to the week, tens of thousands of mainly idealistic young people thought we had killed and buried the “race bogey” in this cussed country. We had grown up knowing that race-tension lay beneath the veneer of peaceful co-existence that those in authority had proclaimed. Too often, we had heard the epithets “nigger” and “coolie” bandied about, suggesting that after almost 150 years of living together in this melting pot, our people of different races and cultures were clinging to prejudices of a distant past.
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Race Talk in the House

ParliamentRace Talk in House: Jack, Rowley square off
The People’s Partnership has achieved better ethnic balance in the appointments of boards, Works Minister Jack Warner stated yesterday. He was speaking in the House of Representatives on the motion filed by Dr Keith Rowley, asking the House to reaffirm its collective commitment to the principles of fairness and meritocracy in public affairs in the light of the “reckless and divisive statements” made by the former Police Service Commission chairman Nizam Mohammed.
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Duke accepts 5% …accused of ‘Sell out’

Emergency meeting, Duke takes pounding, accused of ‘Sell out’

By Corey Connelly
April 10, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

President of the PSA Watson DukeSeveral executive members of the Public Services Association (PSA) are said to be crying betrayal following Friday’s surprise signing of a five percent wage agreement between the Government and the union for public servants.
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National Service to Redress Imbalances

By Raffique Shah
April 10, 2011

Raffique ShahTHE race-ratios in the Protective Services I mentioned last week would have changed significantly since my generation broke barriers back in the 1960s. In fact, even as I write, an Indian officer, Colonel Kenrick Maraj, is set to take office as the nation’s next Chief of Defence Staff. He will become the first Indian to hold the highest command position in the Defence Force.
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Accounting for imbalances

By Raffique Shah
April 02, 2011

Raffique Shah“PA, ah joining the Regiment,” I announced, rather casually. “Whaaaaat?” my father Haniff screamed, Anil-like. “The Regiment? You mad! What you joinin’ as?” he probed. He had known something about rank because I had been a member of the Cadet Force when I attended college.
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Ish, Steve get bail

By Alexander Bruzual
April 1 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve FergusonBUSINESSMEN Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, who have spent the past nine months in jail, were yesterday granted bail by a High Court Judge.

Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, presiding over Court 20 at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain, granted bail to the men. However, the judge increased the original bail figure of $1 million per accused, to $2 million.
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