Monthly Archives: January 2012

Culture, General T&T, Hindu, India, People's Partnership, Politics, Race and Identity

To Goar or Not To Lagay

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By Stephen Kangal
January 15, 2012

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar receives the Pravasi Samaan Award in Jaipur
PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar receives the Pravasi Samaan Award in Jaipur

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar attempted to touch the feet of The President of India, Shrimatee Pratibha Patil in true Trini Hindu-style of performing the “goar lagay” after receiving the Pravasi Samaan Award in Jaipur. The question is whether she has compromised the concept of the sovereign equality of states and infringed the secular configuration and contours of governance by this Hindu act of humility, respect, diplomacy and submission.
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General T&T, Religion, Schools

Boorish behaviour by schools’ boards

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By Raffique Shah
January 14, 2012

Raffique ShahTELEVISION footage that showed a hapless young female teacher being bullied by hard-backed men and a “be-hijabed” woman was the pannier that broke this jackass’ back. I had stupidly stayed silent when Sat Maharaj and sundry Maha Sabha persons, again men and women, hounded school principal Sita Gajadharsingh-Nanga. I thought that more than enough had been said and written about that unsavoury stand off to convince Sat and his people that they should improve their pedigree.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics

Karen Nunez-Tesheira: They ill-treated my husband

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By Andre Bagoo
January 13 2012 – newsday.co.tt

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarFORMER Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira yesterday for the first time revealed the personal reasons she had for taking her money out of the Clico Investment Bank (CIB) in December 2008, saying she did so in order to cut ties with Clico because her late husband Russell Tesheira – right up to his death in 2004 – had been badly treated by Clico and its former executive chairman Lawrence Duprey.
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Court, General T&T, Law, Media, USA

Trini Scam family sent off to prison in U.S.

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Mom, dad & daughter ripped off immigrants

By Christina Carrega
January 12, 2012 – nypost.com

A seething Queens judge walloped three members of a crooked Richmond Hill family yesterday, sending them upstate to serve a combined 418 years for a brazen immigration and real-estate scam.

The mom, dad and daughter — dubbed “The Ramsundar Gang” by Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder — paid a shocking price for defrauding 19 families of $1.8 million over six years.
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General T&T, Passed on

Remembering JaJah Onilu

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JaJah Oga Onilu
JaJah Oga Onilu

Jajah passes on: Trinidad and Tobago lost one of its musical pioneers with the death of percussionist Ja Jah Oga Onilu who died suddenly at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope last Friday night. Known as a master drummer, Onilu, who was 58-years-old at his passing, was also a well known artist and maker of “organic” musical instruments. He was also one of the members of Jewels of Nature organic percussion group along with his two sons Baba Onilu and Modupe Onilu. —newsday.co.tt

By Brother Resistance
January 11, 2012

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

Looking Backward

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
January 11, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeKarl Hudson Philip’s brilliant advocacy for a respect of legal tradition and his reminder that standards ought to be adhered to touched an important note in Trinidad and Tobago’s psyche. Reading Hudson Philip, I was reminded of a time when things were simpler, standards were more transparent and justice [or perhaps consistency] was among desired outcomes. One stands amazed as one contrasts the legal maneuverings of Ish and Steve, the shenanigans of Calder Hart and Laurence Duprey, and the audacity of Harrynarine of the Hindu Credit Union with the behavior of British officials during the days of slavery.
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General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics

Of Silkworms and Maggots

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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar receives her Senior Counsel appointment from President George Maxwell Richards
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar receives her Senior Counsel appointment from President George Maxwell Richards

By Michael Harris
January 08, 2012 – trinidadexpress.com

What is the difference between a silkworm and a maggot? This is the question which popped into my head as I reflected on the current controversy which has erupted over the recent appointment of senior counsel. Frankly I did not think that there was anything salient which could be added to the debate after the cogent and comprehensive submissions made by Messrs Hudson-Phillips SC and former CJ Michael de la Bastide.

I changed my mind, however, after reading the brilliantly lucid summation of the issues presented by Terrence Farrell in his article in the Express on January 5. It often happens that a particularly lucid exposition on any topic can serve to excite new and additional insights which help to develop the issue further.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, Protest, Security

Plot was not real

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Cops find no evidence to support plan to kill PM, Moonilal, AG, Sharma

By Akile Simon
January 07, 2012 – trinidadexpress.com

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarTHE police investigation into allegations that 17 men were part of an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and three Cabinet Ministers has been completed with no evidence to suggest the allegations were true.
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Finance, General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics

Fear for our future

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By Raffique Shah
January 07, 2012

Raffique ShahWITHIN recent times, I’ve had an uneasy feeling that this country is drifting around aimlessly. I sense that in the economic turbulence that has gripped much of the world, we have let go of the rudder of the ship of state, and cast our fate to the wind and the rough seas without even trying to steer a course to safety.
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