Tag Archives: Caroni

Flooding, General T&T, Politics

A Flood of ‘Dotish’ Talk

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By Raffique Shah
December 05, 2022

Raffique ShahIf you know the Caroni River basin fairly well, and you are familiar with the Caroni River, if you have seen it overflow its banks after, say, two days of torrential rainfall, you will have seen floods spread rapidly, inundating everything along its banks for miles. Ever since I came of age and a rode a bicycle, and later acquired a motor vehicle, I have had many encounters with the flood waters of the Caroni, starting with cycling through Madras Road when the water was maybe eighteen inches high, which was challenging, but nevertheless something of a thrill for us boys, to driving through Kelly, St Helena and Piarco villages, having to skilfully use one foot on the vehicle’s accelerator to keep the exhaust functioning, and another on the brake pedal to control its speed.
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General T&T, International, Recession

Crying over Caroni’s evaporated aged rums

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By Raffique Shah
August 02, 2018

Raffique ShahSometimes when you live long enough, you get around to enjoying the proverbial “last laugh”, or, in this case, the “last cry”, depending on your perspective.

On Republic Day 2000, I wrote a story in the now-defunct Independent newspaper telling of a report compiled by a professional “alcohol valuator”, American Robert Fuchs, that assessed the value of the aged rum stocks that Caroni Ltd held at its bonds on the compound of the distillery at Caroni Village.

Fuchs told Caroni that its 18,000-plus casks of rum of varying vintages, if converted into premium aged rums on a phased basis, could gross between TT $1 billion and $6 billion, depending on “intent of product”.
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Culture, General T&T, PNM, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch, UNC

A Cry for Social Justice

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 05, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIn his article “Black Caucus, Black Humor,” Raymond Ramcharitar pours scorn on the BCM’s (Black Caucus Movement) demand for “land in Caroni for ‘Africans’ and saying it’s a love thing” (Guardian, August 17). He sought to reduce its position to “black humor” and to deride its claim for social justice it wishes to bring to the public’s attention.
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General T&T

Dismantling the National Heritage of Caroni

By Stephen Kangal
March 27, 2015

Stephen KangalThe modernization and establishment of the dual carriage-way of the new Southern Main Road in Caroni that was formally commissioned by the Honourable Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday 18 March had the unfortunate effect of destroying a unique chapter of local history. A land-mark bus stop was built in Frederick Settlement in 1952 resulting from representations conducted by the village first County Councillor, the late Rangasammy Chatee served to insulate and provide shelter to residents from adverse weather conditions until 2014.
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General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics

PP’s Industrial Transfusion to Caroni

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By Stephen Kangal
November 20, 2014

Stephen KangalThe Five Caroni Villages long slumbering under the depressing yoke of the PNM’s policy of exclusion, rural isolation, neglect and marginalization has now awakened to the dawn of a new Janaam (era) marked by rapid infrastructural development/transfusion that has created optimism, excitement, expanding employment opportunities and credible hope, more equitable and better life for us in Caroni.
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General T&T

Establishment of the North Caroni Growth Pole

By Stephen Kangal
September 07, 2014

Stephen KangalThere would appear to exist in the North Caroni Area the basic building blocks including the most important that of unused land -space that can serve as the requisite triggers to launch the North Caroni Growth Pole as an aspect of regional development geared to spur growth in the domestic economy and employment.
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