Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

Business, Caribbean, Finance, General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, Politics

Cut CAL to the bone

4 Comments

By Raffique Shah
May 18, 2013

Raffique ShahIF ANYONE can produce proof that there was a time when this country’s state-owned national airline, in whatever incarnation, made a real profit over a sustained period, meaning at least one year, I would surrender my sanity and vote in the next election. I feel safely insulated from having to do something so unpalatable because I know that in the post-Independence history of BWIA, now CAL, taxpayers who may have never travelled on an aircraft have paid dearly to keep the airline afloat. In the process, they have funded generations of joy riders who are stricken with a stratospheric strain of “gas brains”, and affliction I call “plane brains”.
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Entertainment, General T&T

Suffering in silence

3 Comments

By Raffique Shah
May 12, 2013

Raffique ShahSHE had first contacted me a year ago, via a circuitous route, to relate a problem she faced at her Diamond Vale home and to see if I could offer any advice. Last week, the pensioner called again. Her problem remained unsolved. If anything, its impact on her health has worsened, and she had tried all avenues I had suggested, without success.
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Africa, England, General T&T, International, Protest

Margaret Thatcher: Sinner or Saint

7 Comments

By Raffique Shah
April 14, 2013

Raffique ShahSPEAK no ill of the dead, they say. It is an Omertá-like Mafiosi code that binds hypocrites international, that global brotherhood sworn to covering up the dastardly sins of leaders like Margaret Thatcher, who are lionised in life and eulogised in death, thus distorting history to the extent that the truth be buried forever.
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General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

PM following predecessors

20 Comments

By Raffique Shah
March 30, 2013

Raffique ShahIF 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.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, Police, Politics, Security

Don’t demonise soldiers

13 Comments

By Raffique Shah
March 23, 2013

Raffique ShahTHE 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”.
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General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, UNC

The Warner way

38 Comments

By Raffique Shah
March 17, 2013

Raffique ShahAND hypocritically, we wonder why the moral-social fabric of the society is torn apart, nay, shredded, by a culture of violence, of lawlessness, of nihilism such as we have never known.

We blame the young, easy targets, never admitting that they are misfits moulded in our own image and likeness, created by elders who are anything but exemplars. We blame foreign influences, television, alien music and art forms. We blame any and everything but ourselves. We never look into the mirror.
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CARICOM, General T&T, International, Latin America, Politics, Venezuela

Chavez – Catalyst for Change

7 Comments

By Raffique Shah
March 09, 2013

Raffique ShahHUGO Chavez cast a giant shadow over the Western Hemisphere during his relatively short life. Few world leaders can claim to have influenced the course of history and geopolitics the way he did. For more than half-a-century, visionaries formulated and articulated ideas for the creation of a new power centre that resided outside of North America and Europe. Chavez transformed those dreams into reality, however limited, and upon his untimely death he left behind the legacy of a new world order that seems set to redefine Latin America and influence global affairs in the 21st Century.
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General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, UNC

Carmona’s coming

12 Comments

By Raffique Shah
February 17, 2013

Raffique ShahPresident-elect Anthony Carmona will assume office in a few weeks amidst great expectations by a large number of citizens. Ever since the judge was named as Government’s choice for Head of State, people from all strata of the society have been effusive in endorsing his nomination. Across the political and social spectra, it seems that everybody loves President Tony—if I may be familiar with His Excellency the way we were with President Max and President Robbie.
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Culture, Entertainment, General T&T, Music

Carnival is happiness, harmony

10 Comments

By Raffique Shah
February 10, 2013

Raffique ShahWHATEVER our differing views on Carnival, one thing we can agree on is the heights of happiness that the festival engenders at all levels of the society. There is hardly a sourpuss left scowling as the music, the visuals and the spirit take possession of our beings, commanding us to listen, to look, to sing along, to dance and, most of all, to laugh and be happy.
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General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, THA, Tobago, TOP, UNC

Gambling on bare Jack

21 Comments

By Raffique Shah
January 19, 2013

Raffique ShahTHE ferocity with which the two main parties, the PNM and the People’s Partnership (yes, the PP!), fought the 2013 THA election, suggests that they see this battle for an anticipated 25,000 or so votes as a life-and-death struggle. Maybe it is, although I venture to add that this prognosis applies more to the Partnership than the PNM, as I shall argue. The intensity of the campaign, the media, ground and cyberspace advertising and propaganda blitz, which must have cost at least $50 million, certainly surprised me.
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