By Jada Loutoo
April 6 2013 – newsday.co.tt
BUSINESSMEN Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, and 40 other persons, will face prosecution in their respective criminal trials having failed to get the courts to deem as unconstitutional the amendment to the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act, which prevented the automatic dismissal of their cases under the controversial Section 34.
Continue reading Ish, Steve Lose on Section 34
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
Published: April 05, 2013 – trinicenter.com
In the 1950s when I was growing up in Tacarigua, Trinidad, West Indies, there existed a large, faded mansion in the Orange Grove Savannah that had seen the last of its glories. It stood there as a colossus on this magnificent expanse of land which, at that time, was one of the largest savannah in the country second only to the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad. It reminded one of the glorious days of a time long past. I was a young boy then and could not have known that in this residence there once lived one of the most important men in the West Indies during the first half of the nineteenth century.
Continue reading Ignorant Negroes/Tyrannical Masters: William Burnley and the Caribbean Slave Experience
By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
March 31, 2013
Within recent times, the public domain has been over-flooded with a plethora of accusatory statements by some among the leadership of the People’s Partnership (PP) government.
Indeed, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has gone so far to adamantly/emphatically inform the nation that “rouge elements” exist in the media. And not to be outdone, National Security Minister Jack Warner has also publicly scoffed at “negative things” been revered in news reporting.
Continue reading Negative Reporting: Afri-centric Analysis
By Raffique Shah
March 30, 2013
IF THERE was anything surprising about the Prime Minister’s frontal assault on the media and journalists, it was the expression of hurt and outrage emanating from the nation’s newsrooms. Really, people, I cannot believe you were shocked when the PM labelled us “rogues”.
If anything, Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s declaration of war took a long time in coming—almost three years. Fellow scribes, be thankful for the lengthy grace period, be grateful that the lady wined and dined you lavishly before she turned on you.
Continue reading PM following predecessors
PM SEEKS CONFIRMATION
International news agency Reuters has identified Daryan Warner, son of Minister of National Security and former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, as a “cooperating witness” in a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe into alleged corruption in international football.
Continue reading PM Seeks Confirmation on Warner
By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
March 27, 2013
One of the most incredulous, simplistic and parochial articles this writer has ever read was “Fear Factor in US Society” written by David E, Bratt, MD and published in the Guardian dated 12 March, 2013 (p.A.23).
At the outset, it must be stated emphatically that the contents of the article revealed the writer’s ignorance of the political-societal complexity of American society.
Continue reading Contesting Dr. Bratt’s “Fear in US society”
By Susan Mohammed – March 26, 2013
www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Only-3-per–cent-of-cops–corrupt-200151191.html
Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams said yesterday that no more than three per cent of the officers in the Police Service were crooked.
Speaking following a tour of the San Fernando Police Station where officers had protested poor working conditions, Williams responded to the Selwyn Ryan report which indicated that as much as 50 per cent of the Police Service was corrupt.
On Monday, Williams told reporters the figure used by Ryan was “crazy”.
Continue reading Only 3 per cent of cops corrupt
Selwyn Ryan – March 26, 2013
www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-03-25/ryan-crime-report-soca-music-breeding-criminals
Soca, dancehall and hip-hop music are said to be influencing youths into criminal behaviour. This is according to a report by the Ryan Committee on Youth at Risk. The report was laid in Parliament by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Friday. The committee’s report said while it was impossible to draw a definitive correlation between violence or explicitness of lyrics and the level of criminality among youth, the lyrics of 2012 soca hits “tend to support the idea of a contemporary youth culture that is very consistent with the rebellious behaviour of previous generations of youth.”
Continue reading Ryan crime report: Soca music breeding criminals
By Richard Lord – March 23, 2013
www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-03-23/ryan-report-laventille-crime-dagger-aimed-pos-belly
Government is being warned to do “whatever is necessary” to silence the guns in the hands of the criminal element in Laventille. If those carrying the guns are allowed to run rampant, they could eventually train those guns on the capital city itself.
Continue reading Ryan report on Laventille crime: Dagger aimed at POS’ belly
By Raffique Shah
March 23, 2013
THE purpose of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2013 is to add soldier-power to Government’s crime-fighting initiatives, although if you read the one-clause legislation you would think otherwise. The bill simply speaks of extending to soldiers engaged in assisting the police in maintaining law and order “the same powers, authorities, privileges and immunities as are given by law to members of the Police Service”.
Continue reading Don’t demonise soldiers