Category Archives: General T&T

Royal Visit to UWI Highlights Lingering Colonialism

By Leslie
March 06, 2008

The Prince of Wales, Charles Philip Arthur George and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of CornwallThe Prince of Wales, Charles Philip Arthur George and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, paid a visit to the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus, on Wednesday 5th March, 2008, as part of their tour of Trinidad and Tobago to promote environmentalism and to reinforce British ties with former colonies. The couple made their way to the JFK Quadrangle to view the UWI 60th Anniversary Exhibition, to look at and to play the G Pan and to observe a skit put on by the Centre for Creative and Festival Arts.
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Manning And The Jet

By Heru
March 04, 2008

Manning And The JetUnder different conditions I could have supported the idea of the Prime Minister having a private jet at his disposal but not in this climate of increase crime, widespread traffic jams, double digit inflation and increases in the cost of essential services.

Patrick Manning denied that his government was interested in purchasing a private jet from Bombardier in 2006 after he and several of his ministers went for a test ride in one to Antigua. I am of the view that Patrick Manning only put his desire for a private jet on hold because the move was unpopular so close to an election, especially after the story broke that Bombardier was also bidding for the $20 billion rapid rail project. The conflict of interest together with the general unpopularity of using taxpayers’ funds to purchase a private jet for his use could have cost him dearly. Now that he has secured another five years in office, he intends to pursue his desire for a private jet to accompany the new Prime Minister’s mansion.
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One Caribbean, one love

By Raffique Shah
March 02, 2008

PeopleONE week spent in Jamaica is far too little time to assess the state of the country or to enjoy its many scenic and special attractions. Most of the latter are way up the mountains or beyond, on its tourist-oriented north coast. Kingston itself is a city of stark contrasts. Like most of its sister cities in the region, it has enclaves that exude wealth-colonial bungalows set on over-sized, manicured plots, with newer, impressive mansions perched on hillsides surrounding the city.
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Why Are We Giving Away Trinidad & Tobago?

Natural GasEDITOR: It has long been known, that our greatest resources have been given to big business or prominent men from all over the world, especially the United States. However, this didn’t hit home until I was looking up Oil Fields to see who own them. And, under the United States I found Tobago listed as “In Development.” It is amazing to see and hear of corrupt people at home, but I am disgusted by these people and can’t hold back any longer. Our natural resources belong to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and not to outsiders. Why should the people of Trinidad & Tobago get the smaller percentage?
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A Goon attacks a Vine

By Raffique Shah
February 24th 2008

Lakshmi MittalABOUT two weeks ago, a downright dangerous incident occurred offshore Claxton Bay, not far from where I live. Peter Vine, a UWI lecturer and environmental activist, was among a group of fishermen and nearby residents, protesting preliminary works being conducted by agents of the NEC in preparation for the reclamation of some 255 hectares of coastal land for the establishment of an industrial port.
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A Culture of Life

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
February 21, 2008

LaventilleThere is a frightening scene at the end of Emmanuel Appadocca, the first novel written by a Trinidadian in 1854 in which Emmanuel Appadocca, the major protagonist and son James Willmington, an English sugar planter, breaks into his father’s home in St Ann’s, seizes him and condemns him to death for abandoning him while he was a child. In this novel, author Maxwell Philip, examines the implications of the lex talionis–or the law of just revenge–and seeks to understand how it should be applied in the particular circumstance.
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A look at Fidel Castro’s Cuba

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
February 20, 2008

Fidel Castro in 2003Revered maximum leader Fidel Castro has decided to demit office as President and Commander-in-Chief of Communist Cuba due to ill health.

While the Bush Administration in the United States is euphoric to see Castro finally off the anti-America radar screen, the geo-political achievements/milestones of Comrade Fidel Castro “can’t be wiped away so easily” nor be down-graded.

Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba through armed revolution. He overthrew the pro-United States dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista on 1st January 1959. President Castro then proceeded to take the riches from the rich and give them to the poorest of the poor. The descendants of those rich, capitalist Cubans, now reside in Miami, U.S.A. They still harbor supreme acerbic anti-Castro sentiments.
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Fixing Our Relations with Barbados First

By Stephen Kangal
February 19, 2008

Patrick ManningIn the build up to Wednesday’s meeting with newly elected PM Thompson of Barbados, PM Manning must be briefed comprehensively and clinically on the problems and issues that contributed to the deterioration of T&T/Barbados bilateral relations during the regime of former Prime Minister Owen Arthur. He must work assiduously to pre-empt similar mistakes from recurring during the Thompson watch and to frame the development of our future relations in a mutually beneficial manner.
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Scrap URP, establish Labour Bureau

By Raffique Shah
February 17, 2008

LabourersLAST week, in another curious twist to Government’s off-and-on position on the $2 billion annual fuels subsidy, Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Mariano Browne, confirmed that it’s up for review. He gave no time-line for the exercise nor did he hint at the percentage being considered. These, I presume, will come after discussion and hopefully careful consideration of the implications, more so the impact on inflation.
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Ketching De’ Demon Early

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
February 15, 2008

ProstateOskie vex too bad. Friday morning, first thing, he wake me up to complain, “Why you put ma name in de papers?”

“Well friend, Ah didn’t really put yo’ name in de papers. I was writing an article and I felt our conversation best personified your resistance to my letting the public know about this dreadful disease among black men.”
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