Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

corruption, Crime in T&T, General T&T, International, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, USA

Injustice Sows Seeds of Terrorism

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This picture shows a portion of the barrier being built by Israel in the West Bank. This part is in Abu Dis, close to the eastern part of Jerusalem.
This picture shows a portion of the barrier being built by Israel in the West Bank. This is close to the eastern part of Jerusalem.
By Raffique Shah
July 11, 2010

THOSE among us who keep abreast of international developments will have noted huge protest demonstrations in Israel most of last week. This kind of action is unusual. Small numbers of Israelis who oppose their government’s policies towards the Palestinians and atrocities committed by their military, hardly come out in the open for fear of their lives and liberty. Last week’s protests were not only big, but apparently supported by the state apparatus.
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General T&T, Law, Passed on

‘Desi’ Allum: patriarch and patriot

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Desmond Allum
Desmond Allum
By Raffique Shah
June 20, 2010

MY mother takes a seat in the limited space available in court. It is early June, 1970, and the preliminary inquiry into the charge of treason gets underway. She looks at her 24-year-old son sitting in the dock alongside 60-odd soldiers. A stern-looking Magistrate Roopchandsingh sits on the Bench, and Attorney General Karl Hudson-Phillips leads a formidable, impressive-looking prosecution team. Like other parents and families of the accused, she is nervous, worried.
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General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, Politics

Good start, some missteps

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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar with Govt Ministers
PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar with Govt Ministers
By Raffique Shah
June 06, 2010

THE People’s Partnership will hardly enjoy a honeymoon period in government. Because its predecessors were so delinquent in addressing real problems affecting citizens, the people are crying out for relief from the ills that affect them. Many voted for the People’s Partnership out of sheer frustration over the way ex-prime minister Manning and his key ministers treated their concerns with contempt.
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COP, Elections, Finance, General T&T, NJAC, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Imperatives: social equity, diversified economy

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PM Patrick Manning and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar
PNM Patrick Manning vs UNC Kamla Persad-Bissessar
By Raffique Shah
Sunday, May 16th 2010

WITH one week to go before ‘decision day’, the two parties contesting the general election are locked in a tight race. Whatever the pollsters may say—I expect some of their findings will be published today—I do not see either the PNM or the People’s Partnership (PP) gaining a significant majority that will enable the winner to govern the country comfortably.
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COP, Crime in T&T, Elections, General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Crime fighting out of focus

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UNC/COP and PNM Supporters
UNC/COP and PNM Supporters
By Raffique Shah
May 09, 2010

Contrary to what over-exuberant party fanatics trumpet during and after mass meetings, crowd-attendance at most of these seasonal gatherings has been disappointing. At Couva last Thursday, for example, I arrived at the People’s Partnership (PP) in time to hear Rudy Moonilal (I believe) and Jack Warner refer to the ‘8,000 people gathered here tonight’. If there were 3,000 persons, the PP could count itself lucky.
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Complaints, Elections, General T&T, Law, Letters, PNM, Politics, UNC

Response to Raffique’s “Election Errors”

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Herbert VolneyEDITOR: I am not affiliated to any political party in Trinidad and Tobago. However, after reading some of the blogs I felt compelled to respond to one in particular. Since space is at a minimum, I am forced to discuss parts, not all, of the article entitled “Tragedy of election errors.”

Raffique Shah, in his article, quoted the Law Association president, Martin Daly, who stated that “the swift descent of a sitting judge into the arena of competitive politics inevitably raises a concern in people’s minds about the judiciary harbouring persons with political ambition.”
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Elections, NJAC, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Tragedy of election errors

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By Raffique Shah
May 02, 2010

National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) leader Makandal DaagaHAROLD Wilson, Prime Minister of Britain (1964-76), is credited with the adage, ‘A week is a long time in politics.’ In Trinidad and Tobago, it seems that a day in elections campaigning can trigger changes that would eternally haunt one contestant or other. I had planned to write about platform promises by both major parties, whether or not they are empty rhetoric or offer practical solutions to the myriad problems that face the citizenry. In other words, they can talk and promise, but can they deliver?
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COP, corruption, Elections, General T&T, NJAC, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

History lessons for Manning

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By Raffique Shah
April 25, 2010

National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) leader Makandal Daaga‘DID you hear the Prime Minister lashing out at you on the PNM platform last night?’ It was the kind of telephone calls and greetings I received repeatedly over the past week. I informed my ‘informants’ that I did hear Mr Manning mention my name, among others, as he attempted to give PNM supporters ‘History lessons’. As a columnist who writes on political issues, I need to stay tuned to the ranting on the hustings if I am to write informed comments.
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COP, Elections, General T&T, NJAC, People's Partnership, PNM, UNC

Unity essential – but no guarantees

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By Raffique Shah
April 18, 2010

UNCI DON’T know if the two main opposition parties in Trinidad, Tobago’s TOP, and the trade unions and NGOs, will forge an alliance that is attractive to the electorate. As I write this column, top officials from the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP) have held several meetings.
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COP, corruption, Elections, Media, Parliament, PNM, Politics, UDeCOTT, Uff Report, UNC

Manning’s election gambit

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By Raffique Shah
April 11, 2010

PM Patrick ManningFIRST, let’s cut the bull over Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s reasons for calling a mid-term general election. The United National Congress (UNC) motion of no-confidence in the PM, which he cited as one reason, was doomed to fail-unless he feared his own members voting against him. There was no cause for concern or unpleasant surprises.
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