Real People Power

By Raffique Shah
August 16, 2014

Raffique ShahWhat the railroading of the runoff provision in the Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament last week showed is that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will not heed the voices of reason, even if they come from within her own ranks.

Hubris having enveloped her soul, and with an army of sycophants massaging her ego with every word uttered from their mouths, the lady sees in every critic an enemy bent on destroying her. On the eve of her political self-destruction, paranoia has compounded the toxic mix that will hasten her demise.
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Staining the Soul of Our Nation

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 15, 2014

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeTo hear Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Anand Ramlogan tell it, one would think that August 12, 2014, was a red-letter day for Trinidad and Tobago’s democracy. They seem to indicate that somehow our society realized one of its brightest moments when the PP voted legislation to recall parliamentary representatives after three years of service if the needs arises, to creating time limits for the prime minister and, most important, to require that each parliamentary representative receive more than 50 percent of the votes cast at a general election though not necessarily more than 50 percent of the total voters of that constituency. Although I have no problems with the first two resolutions, I don’t know what democratic magic occurs when 50.1 percent rather than 49.50 percent of a constituency votes for a candidate of their choice.
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Penny accuses Govt of deceit

By Julien Neaves and Marlene Augustine
August 13 2014 – newsday.co.tt

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeFORMER Arima MP and Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, says Government has been “misleading the people” that the issue of a runoff elections was included in the consultations by the Constitution Reform Commission and described the government’s attempt to introduce constitutional changes at this stage as “an exact replica” of what occurred with Local Government elections and proportional representation.
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The Passing of Activist Augustin Noel

By TriniView Reporters
August 11, 2014 – triniview.com

Augustin NoelOn the 11th July, 2014, Trinidad and Tobago laid a warrior to rest in the form of Augustin Noel after many years of service dedicated to the Chaguaramas land struggle. He was the voice of an unpopular struggle that was largely voiceless prior to his involvement. He was renowned for not backing down on the Chaguaramas land issue and fearlessly battled with the various corporate entities that encroached upon the picturesque community in which he once lived, even in the face of his personal misfortunes.
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Playing with Fire

By Raffique Shah
August 09, 2014

Raffique ShahBy insisting on going ahead with certain constitutional amendments that many, if not most, citizens find objectionable in the extreme, the Government is mischievously playing with fire. Knowingly, the trio of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar are leading the charge of a dark brigade that could well see the society rent asunder by political strife than allow reason to prevail.
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Emancipate Yourself from … Yourself

By Corey Gilkes
August 06, 2014

EmancipationYears ago, the late economist and social thinker Lloyd Best pondered over the question of how does one save a culture from itself. This is a question we have not collectively dealt with as we continue to entangle ourselves more and more in the destructive aspects of this culture that we’re partly responsible for creating. Somewhere along the line, Emancipation, understood as “freedom” – and I’ll come back to that later – was hijacked to become something that was tolerant of mediocrity, the spurning of ambition, industriousness and intellectual pursuits. Small wonder some people say “dey should bring back de white man” because we’ve made a mess of our Independence (and our Emancipation). I don’t necessarily subscribe to such a self-loathing sentiment but much of what we’re doing to ourselves and our space certainly gives credence to it.
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The Dualism of Wrong-doing

By Stephen Kangal
August 05, 2014

Stephen KangalPM Kamla: “…The election of this government has changed the political landscape. The expectation of the public that something will be done when wrongs are committed in public office are now the hallmarks of good governance…”.

The standard of political accountability changes according to the regime because after four years the PNM that was rejected in 2010 on the platform of persistent wrong-doing may be on the cusp of returning to Whitehall in spite of all the numerous wrongdoings it has visited on the people of T&T.
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PM’s Statement on Constitutional Reform

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarStatement by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar delivered in the House of Representatives about government’s decision to implement constitutional reform.

Following is PM Persad-Bissessar’s full statement:

I am pleased to make a statement on the first day of the epoch-making and revolutionary changes we have ushered in through the new Standing Orders.
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CARICOM Reparations Presentation to UK House of Commons

PROFESSOR SIR HILARY BECKLES
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles

ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PROFESSOR SIR HILARY BECKLES
CHAIRMAN OF THE CARICOM REPARATIONS COMMISSION

to the

HOUSE OF COMMONS,
PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN
COMMITTEE ROOM 14
JULY 16, 2014
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Lead us to temptation

By Raffique Shah
August 02, 2014

Raffique ShahNow, of course, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has to see this sordid affair, five tumultuous years in Government, to its messy end.

Never before in the history of this country, or, indeed, other countries where democratic elections determine who governs, has a ruling party been wracked by the forced resignations or firings or re-assignments of more than thirty officials who held ministerial portfolios or similar high offices, all within one term of office.
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