By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
January 27, 2011
One year ago Kamla Persad-Bissessar was elevated to the leadership of her party. In May of last year she was elected prime minister of the country. Since then she has shown herself to be incompetent; of questionable intellectual maturity, and deficient in judgment. As we enter 2011, I wonder how many persons feel she is steering the ship of state in a positive direction.
Continue reading Kamla’s Casual Carelessness
Newsday Editorial
January 23, 2011 – newsday.co.tt
WE are entirely dissatisfied with the turn of events at last Tuesday’s sitting of the Lower House that passed the Miscellaneous Provisions (Remand) Bill 2010.
We believe that in the recent swirl of late night sittings and rushed legislation, the far-reaching consequences of this Bill have not at all been spelt out to the general public, but for the cautions issued by Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert and Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene Mc Donald.
Continue reading Poor Excuses on Remand
By Raffique Shah
January 23, 2011
WHEN Attorney General Anand Ramlogan made a fool of himself in Parliament by insinuating that ex-prime minister Patrick Manning may have stolen or otherwise disposed of “one grand piano” (as auctioneers would say), many may have missed the irony of Ramlogan’s boorish behaviour. “Wey the piano gorn?” Anand brayed, looking pointedly at “Patos”.
Continue reading A case of poetic injustice
…at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s
By Anna Ramdass
January 14, 2011 – trinidadexpress.com
The grand piano has been found —in the very place it was alleged to have been missing from. National Security adviser to the Prime Minister, Gary Griffith, told the Express by phone yesterday that the piano was found after checks of the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.
Continue reading PIANO FOUND!
By Raffique Shah
December 26, 2010
I WAS reluctant writing this column on the eve of Christmas, knowing it will appear in print on Boxing Day, that it would probably upset some people. Then it occurred to me that a significant number of adults would crawl out of their beds or wherever they may have slept last night, feeling like faecal matter of one kind or other. So, if anything, my thoughts would blend nicely with whatever brand of antacid they pour down their hatches in preparation for another day of overindulgence. Mewey Cwismas, people!
Continue reading Mewey Cwismas, Trinis
By Dana Seetahal
December 18, 2010 – trinidadexpress.com
When I heard Mayor Louis Lee Sing’s statement that he was going to ask the Port of Spain Magistrate’s Court to set midnight as the hour that bars must stop selling liquor in St James and Woodbrook I wondered whether he appreciated there was a separation of powers between the judiciary and the executive.
Continue reading Law, order and our leaders
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 09, 2010
It is one thing to win an election. It is quite another thing to govern a country. It’s good to rule by consensus but disastrous when no one is in charge and the leadership functions by vaps. It is exciting when a leader is guided by a sense of good will. It is frightening when such a leader is not guided by any core principles and the ship of state is adrift and rudderless.
Continue reading Who Is In Charge Here?
PNM Walkout
Newsday Editorial
December 08 2010 – newsday.co.tt
Opposition Chief Whip Marlene Mc Donald may shut her eyes to reality, play word games and deny her parliamentary bench is split, but Friday’s partial walkout of the Chamber can leave few in doubt of the power struggle that is confusing the PNM side. Friday’s division of the bench showed TT what it has for six months suspected: since losing office, there has existed a tug of war in the Parliament between MPs loyal to new Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and representatives sympathetic to their former chief, Patrick Manning. Friday was a physical manifestation of the current PNM political reality.
Continue reading Split in the PNM?
By Kevan Gibbs
November 28, 2010 – guardian.co.tt
In the past six months, many political know-it-alls claimed former prime minister, Patrick Manning’s silence was part of a master plan. After all, what was becoming an uncomfortable silence from the San Fernando East MP must have been because he fancied himself a comeback kid that would reclaim the leadership of Patrick’s National Movement.
Continue reading Separating fact from fiction
By Raffique Shah
November 20, 2010
As I write this column, Government is before Parliament presenting the Interception of Communications bill, which it expects to pass in a marathon sitting. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she hoped to get support from the opposition PNM, which I feel certain she will.
Continue reading I spy, with my electronic eye…