General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, UNC

Voice of reason way superior

6 Comments

By Raffique Shah
June 30, 2013

Raffique ShahAS I watched the political circuses perform in their big tents over the past few weeks, their patrons seemingly satisfied with the acts and acrobatics on offer, my mind turned to the adage, Vox populi, Vox Dei (The voice of the people (is) the voice of God). I sat in my chair and wondered about the wisdom—or folly—of this proverb that scoundrels through the ages have used to invoke divine blessings for their dastardly acts, based solely on the fact that the people supported them.
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General T&T, Labour

Labour pains

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By Raffique Shah
June 22, 2013

Raffique ShahI MONITORED this year’s Labour Day celebrations with mixed feelings. I was sorry to have missed the annual pilgrimage to the shrine of organised labour for the fourth year, but that’s another story. I felt a deep sense of nostalgia, a longing for the glory days when we rocked Fyzabad with solidarity that stretched for miles. Now, I see labour-power diminish before my eyes, something I thought would never happen in my lifetime.
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Gender, General T&T, Media, Religion, Sex

CONTROL YUH PROPERTY(?!)

1 Comment

By Corey Gilkes
June 19, 2013 – www.trinicenter.com/Gilkes

VictimThey say the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Regarding Trinis, that will have to be revised to include people who do NOTHING, close their eyes in denial and either expect different results or that the issues will somehow work themselves out – what the late Lloyd Best called “unresponsibility.” On Monday a boy who hadn’t even begun to live yet had his life taken away in a fight reportedly over a girl in the same school. Over the last couple days I listened to several talk shows and was almost lulled to sleep by the usual hand-wringing and cries of “oh how could this have happened,” “lord, wha dis place coming to” yap, yap, yap and all manner of nonsense.
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Africa, General T&T, International, Racism Watch

Mandela: From Prisoner to President

30 Comments

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
June 17, 2013

Dr. Kwame NantambuAs Nelson Mandela remains “in critical condition” in a hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, as a result of “a recurring lung infection” it becomes extremely imperative/vital to trace/recount his remarkable/heroic journey from prisoner/revolutionary to President of South Africa.

At the outset, it must be emphasized that the year 1994 was a watershed turning-point as the white minority-ruled South Africa joined the civilized nations as a de jure actor on the international stage of democracy.

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Complaints, General T&T, Integrity Commission, Media, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics

Gordon’s Big Error

12 Comments

By Andre Bagoo
June 16 2013 – newsday.co.tt

GordonTHE ACTIONS of the chairman of the Integrity Commission chairman Ken Gordon in holding a private meeting at his Glencoe home with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley was a serious error of judgment which has now compromised the Commission as well as the Office of the President, senior political analyst Dr Hamid Ghany said yesterday.

Ghany said the meeting, held on May 15 at the chairman’s resident at Newbury Hill, Glencoe, displayed “poor judgment” on the part of Gordon and now risks disrupting the appointment process which is currently being undertaken by President Anthony Carmona.
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corruption, Finance, General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics

Yes, Prime Minister, a fiasco

6 Comments

By Winford James
June 12, 2013 – trinidadexpress.com

Dr. Winford jamesNEVER mind Jack Warner’s denial, Prime Minister, it is a fiasco. Warner is focused on the rest of the Cabinet blaming him for it, despite acknowledging, in his usual convenient way, the doctrine of cabinet responsibility, but that is a red herring: it is still a fiasco. You could have said “bacchanal’’, “disaster’’, “catastrophe’’, “debacle’’, “shambles’’, “farce’’, “mess’’, “foul-up’’, or “screw-up’’. Yes, “screw-up’’. Everybody knows your government has been screwing up—monthly, weekly—but I’ll take the Italian word and its conservative figurative meaning: “failure in a performance’’.
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corruption, General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics

$49M rip-off

6 Comments

By Clint Chan Tack
June 13, 2013 – newsday.co.tt

Dr. Keith RowleyOPPOSITION Leader Dr Keith Rowley yesterday accused Government of using last year’s flooding in Diego Martin as a smokescreen to award millions of dollars worth of contracts to its friends. Rowley, who is also Diego Martin West MP, made this charge as he debunked the earlier contribution of Finance Minister Larry Howai during debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) (Financial Year 2013) Bill 2013 in the House of Representatives.
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General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, UNC

All the Queen’s donkeys

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By Raffique Shah
June 08, 2013

Raffique ShahTHE DILEMMA I face every week writing a column must be no different to what my colleagues in all the print media do: what can I write about that’s reflective of good things happening in the country? Surely, there must be positives in the society, nation-building initiatives, achievements by citizens that are worthy of public praise.
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General T&T, Law, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics

No to jungle justice

30 Comments

By Raffique Shah
June 01, 2013

Raffique ShahAT all times, human beings must be able to distinguish right from wrong; it is what differentiates us from other life-species. At all times, too, man must have the fortitude to stand up for what is right, to speak out against injustice, whatever the consequences he may face for his outspokenness. Today I feel compelled to make such stand on an issue that many may deem unimportant, and for which I risk being condemned.
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Gender, General T&T, Politics, Religion

Religion and the National Gender Policy – Keep the Myths Out

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By Corey Gilkes
May 30, 2013

BibleAnyone needing confirmation that our organised religious bodies are by and large irrelevant and stultifying entities should look no further than their views concerning the National Gender Policy (NGP) here in Trinidad along with the LGBTQ and abortion issues. By now it should be common knowledge that Minister Marlene Coudray announced that the issue of same-sex relationships and equality would not be included in the discussion on the NGP. Frankly, it is of no surprise to me that the NGP is being watered down in the way it is; much of the impetus behind this diluting is coming from, predictably, the conservative religious bodies in the country – and no doubt the instinctive bias and prejudices among those in the political elites. This is being done by the time-honoured practice of isolating such issues as the LGBTQ question (which really isn’t what the NGP is about), then eventually other topics, just wait and see.
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