Monthly Archives: December 2011

Court, General T&T, Law, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics

Appointment of 16 Attorneys-at-law to Senior Counsel

9 Comments
Appointment Ceremony of 16 Attorneys-at-law to Senior Counsel
16 Attorneys-at-law appointed to Senior Counsel

President: Silk comes with ability, good work
When it comes to high office holders, President George Maxwell Richards says the application for Senior Counsel (SC) status is not strictly followed. The President was speaking at the appointment ceremony of 16 attorneys-at-law to Senior Counsel—among them Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard—which took place at Knowsley yesterday. The President said in many instances, the individuals had “made significant contribution” and “a body of sufficient work preceding their appointment to public office.”
Continue reading Appointment of 16 Attorneys-at-law to Senior Counsel →

corruption, Court, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, UNC

Don’t Piss On Me…

9 Comments

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 27, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI am not a lawyer, I know nothing about legalese, but I do know when shit stinks and barely literate politicians tell me that I needn’t worry because they have the nation’s best interest at heart. Do I really have to believe the AG when he says that in making his decision about Ish and Steve that his only concern is that justice is served? Ah mean, is it that I have become so bey bey that I don’t know when someone is pissing on me even as he insists that it’s raining bucket ah drop. Ok, I stole this phrase from the title of Judge Judy’s book which reads “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining” but the intent is the same: stop all this legal chicanery and respect the public’s point of view.
Continue reading Don’t Piss On Me… →

Culture, General T&T, India, Race and Identity

Celebration of Wine to Rejection of Women

6 Comments

By Stephen Kangal
December 26, 2011

Stephen KangalThe infectious lyrics of chutney this Xmas have currently emancipated itself from the celebration and adoration of the rejected “rum till I die” theme to genuine social commentary/analysis of the deteriorating, dominating and lack-of-confidence conduct of the young Indian woman inside and outside of the marriage contract.
Continue reading Celebration of Wine to Rejection of Women →

Culture, General T&T, Media, Religion

Gifts that last a lifetime

4 Comments

By Raffique Shah
December 25, 2011

Raffique ShahA CHRISTMAS Day column could be a writer’s dream, or his worst nightmare. Many among those who revel in the spirit of the season would reason that it’s the best platform from which to extend greetings to a large number of people, thanks to the wide readership that the Sunday Express commands. Others might ask, in between “hics” and “burps”, “Who the hell reads anything on C’wismas Day?”
Continue reading Gifts that last a lifetime →

Court, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Media, People's Partnership, Politics

Major Hurdles in Pursuing Ish and Steve Case

2 Comments

By Andre Bagoo
December 24 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve FergusonMERE days after the United States expressed disappointment over the outcome of failed extradition proceedings against businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson potential hurdles have emerged.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is finding the situation very challenging in mounting renewed proceedings against the men in the local courts.
Continue reading Major Hurdles in Pursuing Ish and Steve Case →

Crime in T&T, General T&T, Media, Violence

Arson in Laventille: 4 Dead

6 Comments

4 DEAD, 7 INJURED

By Sasha Harrinanan and Alexander Bruzual
December 21, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

CrimeScreams for help from women and children trapped in a raging fire filled the night in Trou Macaque, Laventille where four people burnt to death and seven were injured as they leapt from the balconies on the top floor of a five-storey HDC apartment building which had been firebombed.

Tenants and neighbours tried in vain to help the families living in two of the top floor apartments of Building 2, one of which had been doused in gasolene and set on fire in a deliberate attack by a brother of the occupants who lived there at about 1 am yesterday.
Continue reading Arson in Laventille: 4 Dead →

General T&T, Media, People's Partnership

Christmas Truce

2 Comments

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 20, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThere were smiles galore; enough to fill the entire room and a little left over for langniappe. There, boldface in the front page of the Mirror (and the Guardian too) was Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Prime Minister of the country, in the tender embrace (or so it seemed to me) of Maxie Cuffie, the publisher and CEO of the Mirror. Another shot showed Wade Mark, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, clasping Cuffie’s hands with a broad smile on his face with Timothy Hamel-Smith, President of the Senate, equally gleeful, overseeing the tete-a-tete.
Continue reading Christmas Truce →

Court, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics

AG won’t appeal Ish, Steve case

8 Comments

By Jada Loutoo
December 20, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve FergusonATTORNEY GENERAL (AG) Anand Ramlogan will not pursue an appeal in the extradition of former UNC financiers Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson.

In a statement yesterday, Ramlogan said he came to the view that “the ends of justice” will be served by foregoing the appeal, and allowing the criminal prosecution currently before the local courts to proceed.
Continue reading AG won’t appeal Ish, Steve case →

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

Degeneration now

6 Comments

By Raffique Shah
December 18, 2011

Raffique ShahYOU would think that two years after he suffered the most severe political flogging in local history, Basdeo Panday would have long ridden off into the sunset, hoisted his grandchildren on his lap and sat back in luxury, enjoying an ex-prime minister’s generous pension and perks. But that’s not Panday’s style. He’s back into active politics…or so he says.
Continue reading Degeneration now →

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

The Prime Minister as Goddess

11 Comments

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 13, 2011

Annabella stocking want patching
She want de doctah to help she with dat
Johnson trousers falling
He want de doctor help he wid dat
Some want a zephyr motor car
Others want a piece of land
[Now] Dorothy loss she man
She want to complain to Doctoh Williams.

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIn 1958, as the demands upon Dr. Eric Williams grew, the Mighty Striker penned “Don’t Blame de PNM” in which he elevated Dr. Williams to the status of godhead. Dr. Williams may have been ironic in quoting this poem in his autobiography. However, Striker was on target when he satirized the fickleness of our people’s understanding of government when he observed that even when yo’ lose yo’ man, yo expect the prime minister to help yo’ with dat.
Continue reading The Prime Minister as Goddess →