Category Archives: Law

General T&T, Law, Opposition Party, PNM, Politics, UNC

Guarding Our Laws

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
February 26, 2017

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIn 2011, shortly after the People’s Partnership was installed as a government, the GOPIO asked me to give a lecture on multiculturalism. I emphasized that Trinidad and Tobago will never reach its full potential unless all of us—black, white, Indian and African, protestant and Hindu—accepted our past as our national patrimony. Therefore, I was pleased when, Kamla Persad Bissessar, in her response to Faris Al-Rawi’s attempt to do away with the three-fifths requirement for the passage of certain legislation, recognized that our Independence constitution “was evolutionary and was the result of hard fought negotiations at Marlborough House by our forefathers.”
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Murder, PNM, Politics, Violence

Edge of Anarchy

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By Raffique Shah
January 24, 2017

Raffique ShahThe spontaneous eruption of a community close to the Maracas-St Joseph Police Station last week, which was triggered by the gunning-down of two men of dubious repute almost on the doorstep of the station, illustrates how this society has drifted to the edge of anarchy.

According to news reports, one of the men had reported to the station at around 3.30 pm as required by the terms of his bail for gun-related charges. The other had accompanied him. Seconds after they exited the station, six gunmen attacked their vehicle killing them.
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Finance, General T&T, Law, USA

Pass the FACTA or Face the US FATWA

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By Stephen Kangal
December 16, 2016

Stephen KangalThis simple headline encapsulates in its entirety all the infringements of international law, diplomacy, human rights and acceptable standards of inter-state relations that are impregnated in the modus operandi of the internationalization of the 2010 FACTA Law passed by the US Congress.

It was a tax-collection domestic legislation of the USA. It is now being imposed against several tenets of international relations with the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of unsuspecting T&T via US Treasury/IRS- issued deadlines and threats with the Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert on bended knees dodging bullets from US aggression.
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Crime in T&T, Death Penalty, General T&T, Law, Murder

Clueless on crime

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By Raffique Shah
December 16, 2016

Raffique ShahA tragedy of our time is when we are outraged by the gore of one of the daily dosages of murder, we erupt into a cacophony of protest, condemnation and cries for the return of the hangman, such expressions lasting no longer than the proverbial sno-cone in the midday sun.

I predict that before the dirt settles on Shannon Banfield’s grave, seasonal parang music, alcohol and black cake will numb the senses of all but her loved ones whose pain will, understandably, last forever. And an avalanche of Carnival-related activities will further distract us from the atrocities that are committed daily on the killing fields of Trinidad more than Tobago.
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General T&T, Law, PNM, Politics, UNC

Imbert Must Credit Kamla for the Gaming Bill

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By Stephen Kangal
November 16, 2016

Stephen KangalWhen beleaguered and now politically isolated Finance Minister, Colm Imbert introduces on Friday a Gaming/Betting Control Bill 2016 in the House designed to regulate and bring under strict legislative jurisdiction a mushrooming and widespread but illegal Gaming Industry he must abandon his penchant for flaunting his boyish political immaturity. He must give due credit to former PM, Kamla-Persad-Bissessar for all the hard work invested on the comprehensive and insightful law- creating process that commenced with the 2013 Budget Statement of intent announcing the new regime. These are the firm building blocks of the new gambling and betting shops regime.
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Court, General T&T, Law, Media, PNM, Politics, UNC

Imbert seeks clarity on LifeSport

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By Clint Chan Tack
October 27 2016 – newsday.co.tt

Colm ImbertFINANCE Minister Colm Imbert said on Tuesday that he will not comment at this time about the quashing of the 2014 audit report into the controversial LifeSport programme. In a ruling on Monday, Justice Mira Dean-Armorer quashed the report of the Ministry of Finance’s central audit committee into Life Sport. Imbert said he will not commenton this matter until he receives the written judgement or, “until I get clarity on excactly what the judge ordered.”
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General T&T, Law, Media, PNM, Police, Politics

Police probe ordered on AG’s children gun issue

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Images which surfaced online allegedly showing a cabinet minister’s relatives with high-tech weapons
Images which surfaced online allegedly showing a cabinet minister’s relatives with high-tech weapons

By Renuka Singh
Oxctober 14, 2016 – trinidadexpress.com

Acting Police Commissioner Harold Phillip has ordered an investigation into how the children of Attorney General Faris al-Rawi came to be holding high-powered military weapons.
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General T&T, Law, Media, PNM, Politics

AG: Leave My Family Alone

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By Sean Douglas
October 12, 2016 – newsday.co.tt

PNM Senator Faris Al-RawiAMIDST Opposition claims that photos exist of persons resembling children of top Government officials holding firearms resembling those commonly used by the Defence Force, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi could not ascertain if those featured in these photos are his children, but admitted members of his family have undergone “threat assessment” training at Cumuto Army Base as part of security protocols for families of State officials deemed to be at high risk.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, PNM, Politics

Powers he does not have

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By Raffique Shah
October 04, 2016

Raffique ShahThe unseemly public spat between President Anthony Carmona and Prime Minister Keith Rowley, if it gets any nastier, could bring both offices and office-holders into further disrepute, and add to the list of public offices, officials and institutions in which citizens have lost or are losing confidence.

We can take it as fact that based on the structural political divide in the country, at least half the adult population believes that Dr Rowley is wrong, that he is lying. We should not be ashamed to admit that most people judge politicians not on facts or evidence adduced, but on partisan politics, whatever the issue or whoever happens to be under scrutiny.
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General T&T, Law, Media, Parliament, PNM, Politics, Security, UNC

Carmona denies employee’s company used: ‘Wine from Italy was cheaper’

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September 29, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

President Anthony CarmonaPresident Anthony Carmona says “contrary to false and incorrect media reports, neither Ms Pramati Noe, former private secretary to the President, nor Antonio Piccolo purchased, nor imported quality wines on behalf of the Office of the President.”

Additionally, he said, Italian Import/Export Limited, a registered local company and/or its directors, neither purchased nor imported any wine on behalf of the office of the President.
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