General T&T

Little boy that Santa Claus ignored

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By Raffique Shah
December 30, 2016

Raffique ShahIf there is one universal truth about Christmas, it is that the festival is about children, most of all their innocence that runs so deep, for two thousand years adults have convinced them that there is a Santa Claus who dwells somewhere near the North Pole, and whose life-mission is to magically materialise toys and gifts that he distributes to little boys and girls across the world during that one night of the year.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Murder

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 25, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIt’s Christmas Day. All are gathered at home with their loved ones. You may have started your day by going to church, calling friends to wish them “Merry Christmas,” or even getting over a hangover, the product of too much partying.

As we come together on this holy day we remember the virgin birth; shepherds walking in the fields at night, following a star to the manger in which the Christ child, symbol of peace and love, lay.
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General T&T, Parliament, PNM, Politics, UNC, USA

How FATCA Infringes and Trammels Our Statehood

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By Stephen Kangal
December 23, 2016

Stephen KangalThere was a quite visible and audible dearth in the House lacking the requisite international relations expertise to analyze and dissect the internationally illegal imposition of US-domestic FATCA on T&T from a foreign policy/international law perspective.

That important missing dimension, after T&T has been an active international relations participant for 55 years of statehood/UN multilateral diplomacy/foreign policy-making, has tarnished our international image, national pride and reputation.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch, UNC

Race and Tribal Consciousness

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 18, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI wish to continue the discussion Keith Subero started in his two excellent articles of December 5 and 12. I agreed with many things he said. Some points are worthy of closer examination.

Subero interpreted the UNC’s performance at the local elections as a coming together of “tribal members, anticipating a threat, or an economic opportunity, to make it a moral duty to band together” (“T&T Caught in-Betweenity”).
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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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Africa, Caribbean, Cuba, General T&T, International, South Africa

The Challenge of Ideology

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By Dr. Selwyn Cudjoe
December 11, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeNo one who has followed Caribbean history over the last century could miss Fidel’s important role in helping Caribbean people to access their condition. Fidel had his faults.

However, his achievements surpassed his shortcomings and that is the salient point.

Fidel was to the 20th century Caribbean what Toussaint was to the 18th and 19th centuries. CLR James noted: “Castro’s revolution is of the 20th century as much as Toussaint’s was of the 18th…West Indians became aware of themselves as a people in the Haitian Revolution.”
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General T&T, PNM, Politics, UNC

Speaker George Mishandled and Scuttled the FACTA Debate

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By Stephen Kangal
December 10, 2016

Stephen KangalHaving regard to the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of T&T and the consequent urgency of concluding the FACTA debate by gaining the requisite 26 votes in the House on Friday last with the indispensable and exclusive assistance of The Leader of the Opposition I submit that The Honourable Speaker of the House, Madame Ingrid Annisette- George mishandled the earlier proceedings that had the effect of scuttling the substantive FACTA Bill 2016 debate.
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General T&T, Religion, Schools

Caroni Presbyterian Re-Enacts the Nativity Story

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By Stephen Kangal
December 06, 2016

Stephen KangalStaff and Students ably supported by the parents of the Caroni Presbyterian School recreated the events, using song, dance and skits that led to and culminated in the nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This they staged to enhance the formal opening of their annual Creche and Tree and Candle Lighting function held at the School on Friday morning 25 November 2016.
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Elections, General T&T, PNM, UNC

No longer blinded by our eyes

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By Dr. Selwyn Cudjoe
December 04, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThe People’s National Movement (PNM) ought to chill; ask what it is doing wrong; recharge its battery; and then take it from there. It lost the local government election and people are losing confidence in its leadership.

This is one situation in which loud talking and grand charging are unlikely to solve the problem at hand. The situation calls for calm, cool and reflective thinking. The election results are clear: The PNM won seven corporations (down from eight in the last elections); the United National Congress (UNC) won six. The PNM and UNC received four seats each in Sangre Grande. PNM lost about 12 seats to the UNC.
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