Monthly Archives: September 2015

General T&T, PNM, Politics, Religion, UNC

Ruminations on religion

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By Raffique Shah
September 28, 2015

Raffique ShahNot being a religious person, I must confess that religion (used here collectively) confuses me, and quite often frightens me.

Mark you, I am not disrespectful towards religion or religious persons. If I were, I’d be alienated from most of my family, relatives, friends and fellow-citizens, almost all of whom are praying people who belong to one faith or other among the scores that form the tapestry of this cosmopolitan country.
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General T&T, Racism Watch, Schools

An Unethical Dis(Invite)

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 27, 2015

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThe University of the West Indies (UWI) has produced many distinguished scholars and thinkers who have served the Caribbean and the world. Dr. Keith Rowley, the most recent example, was elected to one of the highest offices in Trinidad and Tobago. Yet there remain pockets of discrimination and racism within UWI that need to be eradicated immediately.

On August 30 Dr. J. Vijay Maharaj, a UWI lecturer at Department of Literary, Cultural and Communication Studies, invited me to address a conference, “Seepersad & Sons: Naipaulian Creative Synergies” at the end of October. I thanked her and asked what she would like me to speak about.
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Court, Elections, General T&T, Law, Media, Opposition Party, Passed on, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

AG served with election petition at Mahabir’s funeral

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By Vashtee Achibar
September 27, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

PNM vs UNCAttorney General Faris Al- Rawi, also the sitting Member of Parliament for the San Fernando West seat, was on Friday served with an election petition at the funeral service for former People’s National Movement (PNM) government minister Errol Mahabir.

The funeral service took place at the St Paul’s Anglican Church on Harris Promenade, San Fernando and was attended by hundreds of mourners including Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, former Prime Ministers Patrick Manning and Basdeo Panday, a line up of government ministers and senators as well as members of Parliament from both sides of the House and a list of other prominent persons in society.
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Elections, General T&T, PNM, Racism Watch, UNC

Panday: TT helpless after polls

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September 23, 2015
Newsday – newsday.co.tt

Mickela PandayATTORNEY Mickela Panday, daughter of former prime minister and UNC leader Basdeo Panday yesterday at an OWTU post-election forum said the citizens of this nation, who wielded power for 24 hours on General Election day, are powerless now that the election is over and a winner declared.
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Court, General T&T, Law, Politics, Schools

Lowest common denominator

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By Raffique Shah
September 21, 2015

Raffique ShahLast week, at the opening of the new law term, two main speeches were delivered.

The first was a feature address by former President of the Republic and principal of the UWI St Augustine campus, Professor Max Richards. The second was the customary speech by the Chief Justice, a kind of state-of-the-Judiciary report which, I submit, is a veritable regurgitation of judicial woes that can be re-read year after year with only minor changes to the text.
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Elections, General T&T, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch

Racial chupidness vs ethnicity in T&T

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By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
September 20, 2015

Dr. Kwame NantambuThe recent public simplistic, albeit ridiculous racial remarks as per social media by Trinbagonians, tended to false impression that that’s the human interactive reality in this country post 53 years of putative political independence, period.

At the outset, it must be stated quite emphatically and equivocally that “this our native Land” is NOT racially monologue; our “native Land” is a polyglot, multiracial, multi-religious, multi-ethnic society, period. Hey, my fellow Trinbagonians there were human beings as in peoples who inhabited this land in B.B.E. era long, long, long, those whom are now called Europeans came, albeit stumbled, after being totally lost, ‘discovered’ whatever….
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General T&T, Law, Media, PNM, UNC

Shooting the messenger

Newsday Editorial
September 19, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

President Professor George Maxwell RichardsFORMER President George Maxwell Richards must be doing something right. With just one speech, he’s managed to upset all sides of the political divide.

Before he had even finished his remarks delivered at the religious service held to mark the opening of the Law Term on Wednesday, detractors wrongly speculated he had made an error; that his remarks were not intended for the occasion.
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Court, Elections, General T&T, Media, PNM, Politics, UNC

UNC granted leave to file petition against EBC

Trinidad Guardian
September 19, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

PNM vs UNCThe United National Congress (UNC) has crossed the first hurdle in its challenge of the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s decision to extend last Monday’s general election voting by one hour due to rainy weather.

Lawyers representing the UNC, which lost the election to the PNM 23-18, last night received leave to pursue their petitions from High Court Judge Mira Dean-Armour after an emergency hearing in the Port-of-Spain High Court which ended after 7 pm.
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Court, Elections, General T&T, Law, Media, PNM, UNC

It could cut both ways for UNC or PNM

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By AZARD ALI
September 15, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

PNM vs UNCA British-based attorney yesterday, said the Opposition United National Congress’ (UNC) election petition could cut both ways, as the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) could claim it also lost votes due to the extension of voting time in the election held two Mondays ago.

Attorney Anand Beharrylal, who specialises in constituional law, however supported the UNC’s petition on the basis that the courts need to lay down the law on the powers of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) relating to extending the time for voting, without consulting political parties.
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COP, Elections, General T&T, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Tobago, UNC

Projections, not predictions

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By Raffique Shah
September 14, 2015

Raffique ShahMy last two columns, one titled “Rowley rising” and the other “lament for a falling leader”, were seen by many of my readers as being almost prophetic in the wake of last Monday’s election results.

Had I made public another document in which I analysed the results in all 41 constituencies from 2007 onwards, using historical data and trends, and projecting the 2015 results (which I circulated only to close friends), I might have been accused of being an “obeahman” or “seer”.
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