By Raffique Shah
March 25, 2016
A recent World Bank report ranked Trinidad and Tobago as the country that generates the most “municipal solid waste”, on a per capita basis, in the world.
According to the report, every man, woman and child in this country, on average, every day, generates a mind-boggling 14.4 kilogrammes of garbage:
The world average is 1.2 kilos.
Continue reading Waste worse than corruption
By Selwyn R. Cudjoe
Posted: March 23, 2016
[A lecture delivered at SOAS, University of London, at the launching of Narratives of Amerindians in Trinidad and Tobago, or Becoming Trinbagonian, March 17, 2016]
I want to thank Louisa, Nathan, and Josh for making this function possible. I also want to thank Tracey, my niece, and John Metivier, my former pastor from Tacarigua, and my God-brother Tookey, for coming in the cold to support my literary efforts. I also want to thank Riccardo Bharath Hernandez and the Santa Rosa Community of Arima for the assistance they rendered in making this publication possible, even to the point of securing a grant from the Trinidad and Tobago government. I also want to thank Ceri Dingle Worldwrite, producers of “Every Cook Can Govern: The Life, Work, and Impact of C. L. R. James,” the soon to be released documentary on James, for agreeing to film this event for wider circulation. It’s good to see all of you here this evening to welcome my most recent book, Narratives of Amerindians of Trinidad and Tobago, into the world of ideas as yet another manifestation of the tremendous gifts that those of us from our part of the globe have offered in terms of literary reflections on the world. It has been a long time coming but it is here. In this context, I would be remiss if I did not draw your attention to Glenn Roopchand’s grippingly beautiful art that adorns the front cover of this book.
Continue reading Looking Back to Look Forward
Express Editorial
March 20, 2016, 9:49 pm AST – trinidadexpress.com
IT is disingenuous for Members of Parliament to be offering to refund salaries paid to relatives in breach of parliamentary rules, to quibble over definitions of employment, to suggest that new rules should not affect old behaviour or to dismiss them as mere guidelines. The fact that one of those MPs is Wade Mark, former speaker of the House under whom the parliamentary rules regarding employment at MPs constituency offices were reviewed and changed before being implemented in the current term, is scandalous.
Continue reading Getting serious with errant MPs
By Gail Alexander
Sunday, March 20, 2016 – guardian.co.tt
Apart from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, two other Opposition UNC MPs had relatives employed at their respective constituency offices in this current parliamentary term, and a third UNC MP still has a “distant” relative employed.
They are Princes Town MP Barry Padarath, Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie and Mayaro MP Rushton Paray.
Continue reading Padarath to repay Parliament $60,000 for hiring relative
Opposition Leader accused of hiring relatives at Siparia constituency office
By Ria Taitt
March 19, 2016 – trinidadexpress.com
Allegations of a breach of the Parliament rules against the hiring of relatives gathered momentum yesterday with fresh claims that Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has broken the rules too.
Reports surfaced yesterday that Persad-Bissessar has employed two of her relatives at her Siparia constituency office for well over a decade.
Continue reading KAMLA MUST GO TOO
By Nalinee Seelal
March 18, 2016 – newsday.co.tt
PORT-OF-SPAIN South Member of Parliament Marlene Mc- Donald was yesterday fired as Minister of Housing by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley during a tense meeting at 6.30 pm, at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair. Well-placed sources told Newsday that during the meeting, which lasted for about 30 minutes, loud voices could be heard.
Sources added that McDonald later stormed out of the meeting, telling her driver that she had just been fired before making a call on her cellular phone as she entered her vehicle which sped off.
Continue reading MARLENE AXED
By Raffique Shah
March 16, 2016
Trinidadians are hell, I tell you.
Take their almost instantaneous sympathy with the 600-odd steel workers who found themselves jobless last week when ArcelorMittal shut down its plant in this country.
Sure, that means at least 5,000 family members facing very uncertain times if not utter devastation. Those who have mortgages or rentals could lose the roofs over their heads. Vehicles may be repossessed. Children’s education will be at risk, in particular those who attend university. And ultimately, putting food on the table might be a challenge.
Continue reading Don’t take Mittal’s mill even for free
By Cecily Asson
March 15, 2016 – newsday.co.tt
A TEACHER at the prestigious Naparima College in San Fernando, is under fire, for a rant against homosexuality, going as far as wanting a gun to deal with such persons and other problems in the world. The teacher is said to have made initial comments on the issue during morning assembly at the school on Thursday last and subsequently in a classroom session, in which she suggested dealing with homosexuals and other issues if given the gun.
Referring to the parents of a student who had openly professed to being gay, the teacher reportedly said: “He has two parents, who should not be parents.
Continue reading ‘MISS’ WANTS A GUN
By Raffique Shah
March 11, 2016
I am relieved to learn that the Cabinet “retreat” in Tobago last weekend did not have as a main item on its agenda achievements of the not-so-new Government during its first six months in office.
If it did, I would have screamed bloody murder, not to add rape of the Treasury, because although I’ve never been to Hotel Magdalena, I should think it’s an expensive place.
Continue reading Rating Rowley’s Government
By Richard Lord
March 11, 2016 – guardian.co.tt
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is reviewing the future of Cabinet Ministers Marlene McDonald and Camille Robinson-Regis and will act decisively at the appropriate time. So said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi during an interview with reporters after yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.
Continue reading PM reviewing Camille, Marlene matters—AG