Category Archives: Features

Caribbean, Fashion, Features, General T&T, International, Tourism

Anya Ayoung-Chee Wins Project Runway

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Anya Ayoung-Chee
Anya Ayoung-Chee

TrinidadandTobagoNews.com
October 28, 2011

Many Trinbagonians held their hands to their chests in anticipation of the nail-biting Project Runway finale. When Anya Ayoung-Chee, Trinidad and Tobago’s representative won, social networking sites and blogs were abuzz with praise, mostly from Trinis, for her victory. Many of them also spent time justifying her win to other commentators who felt that Anya lacked the dexterity and the know-how to win the show.
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Features, General T&T, PNM, Politics

Remembering Eric Williams

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By Raffique Shah
September 24, 2011

Eric WilliamsTHIRTY-FIVE years ago yesterday, I became an MP in the first Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It was an historic moment in many ways. I affirmed, meaning I did not take an oath using one of the holy books, which was not a first. But when I raised a clenched fist, symbol of the Black Power movement, as Clerk of the House Emmanuel Carter administered the affirmation, I glanced at Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams.
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Culture, Features, General T&T, Religion

The Writerly Pursuit

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 22, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeA writer does not write in isolation nor does he always know for whom he writes. A socially-conscious writer, as I see myself, always writes with a purpose. Sometimes it’s to entertain; mostly, it is meant to educate oneself and his public. From that mix one cannot remove the sheer bliss that one finds in writing and yes, even the pleasure of seeing one’s name in print.
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Features, General T&T, Passed on, Politics, Race and Identity

On Afro-Saxons and Trinbagonianism

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
January 12, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI regret I was not in Trinidad to share in the national grief when Sir Ellis Clarke died. My visit to Ghana over the past two weeks prevented me from attending his funeral. Michael Harris described Sir Ellis and those of similar ilk as Afro-Saxons. I disagree with such a characterization since it neither captures the essence of those gallant men and their contribution to our society nor does it tell us much about their location within the national landscape. Even in our grief we should resist a tendency to mischaracterize our patriots and set up false notions of who they were or what they ought to be.
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Features, International

Zimbabwe’s Road to Vindication

By Netfa Freeman
December 15, 2010

ZimbabweWhen Zimbabwe initiated fast track land redistribution in 2000 it was big news for corporate media to echo several patented denunciations, characterizing the process as rife with corruption, violence, and inefficiency and doomed to fail.

More than eager to join the fray was the liberal left whose pseudo analysis reiterated the same line accompanied by an imprudent aversion to anything that seemed even remotely favorable to Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party.
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Features, General T&T, Media, NJAC, Protest, Race and Identity

My Reflections on the Black Power Conference

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(Oh Yeah, It Actually Had One)

By Corey Gilkes
October 02, 2010

EmancipationFrom the 17th – 19th September the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies was the venue for a conference marking the 40th anniversary of the 1970 Black Power Movement. This conference was preceded on the 16th by a panel discussion at the Lloyd Best Institute of the West Indies.
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Culture, Features, General T&T

Nantambu’s “Old Time Days” List

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Best Ever Musicians, Calypsonians, Bandleaders, Entertainers, etc

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
With assistance from Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool
September 13, 2010
Updated: October 18, 2010

Mighty SparrowFor the purpose of this treatise, calypso is defined as (1) “expression of thought, deed and/or musical melodies wherein the calypsonian depicts/analyzes the multi-faceted problems of society in poetic form” and (2) the “people’s voice in song.”

Ergo, the following litany represents the best ever musicians, calypsonians, bandleaders, entertainers, etc, in T&T of all time.
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Culture, Features, General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, Race and Identity

A Society in Transition: A Community at the Crossroads

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Emancipation Lecture 2010

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
Posted: August 04, 2010

EmancipationThis lecture was delivered on July 31, 2010 at the Center of Excellence, Macoya, Trinidad

This evening we are pleased that Professor Maxwell Richards, the president of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and his wife Ms. Jean Ramjohn Richards, newly elected prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and her worthy colleague Mr. Jack Warner have consented to join us this evening at our tenth annual Emancipation Day Dinner. We are also pleased that Mr. Keith Rowley and his wife have been able to share this important day with us. I especially want to welcome Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to congratulate her on her victory and to say to her that we at the National Association for the Empowerment of African People and most African people in this society genuinely compliment you on your elevation as the first woman prime minister of our land. We share in the sentiments of Indo-Mauritian author Leel Gujadhu Sarup who observed: “I feel good about her victory. As someone who has researched indentureship, this result bring tears to my eyes. There are no limits for an Indian woman to prove her worth.”
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Features, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, Religion, Security

Probe into 1990 Attempted Coup

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Abu BakrProbe into 1990 Coup
Twenty years later, there is going to be a Commission of Enquiry into the July 27, 1990 attempted coup which was led by Imam Yasin Abu Bakr and members of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday during at the post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

PM: Why did it happen?
Cabinet has decided a Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances of the July 27, 1990 attempted coup will take place to find out “what went wrong” and to “bring closure” and relief to citizens traumatised by the event.
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Culture, Entertainment, Features, General T&T, Photos

False Rumours about Death of Sparrow

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NAPA Fest: Celebrating our Calypso Monarchs 1939 - 1980
NAPA Fest: Celebrating our Calypso Monarchs 1939 - 1980, presented by the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism
NAPA Fest in pictures

July 29, 2010

Sparrow doing well after surgery
Renowned calypso icon Slinger Francisco, popularly known as Sparrow, is resting comfortably at a private hospital in Maryland, United States, after undergoing emergency surgery.

…Sparrow well after surgery
Slinger Francisco (The Mighty Sparrow) was yesterday in good spirits and recuperating well following emergency surgery on Sunday to treat an incarcerated right inguinal hernia.
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