By Stephen Kangal
August 01, 2018
With the shock- waves of the post-Helsinki outrage still manifesting itself both in Capitol Hill and the US media, President Trump’s invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to The White House this autumn without the input/ knowledge of national intelligence head Dan Coats is an overt diversionary tactic designed to pour oil on troubled waters.
Continue reading US Political Ecology Militates Against Putin’s Visit
By Danielle Frederick
May 22, 2018
One would have hoped that a nation such as ours, created from genocide and enslavement, one which has felt the destructive, manipulative forces of colonialism would want to raise its voice clearly against war, oppression, exploitation of human beings and anything that threatens humanity. Alas not. The Trinidad and Tobago government has failed to issue any statement, whether in support or condemnation with regards to the actions of Israel against Palestinians. Being the descendants and continuing victims of white, male, Christian dominance and violence, it is hoped that we would come to our senses and stand for truth and justice, the foundation blocks upon which tyranny cannot stand.
Continue reading As Israel murder Palestinians, where are we?
By Tyehimba Salandy
May 20, 2018
Ten years ago, British ‘royalty’, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visited the Caribbean and locals prostrated before them. Local leaders made arrangements for them to play the Steelpan and the sacred Rastafarian Nyabinghi drums. Leslie from Africaspeaks.com wrote an insightful article titled Royal Visit Highlights Lingering Colonialism that brought attention to the dynamics of colonialism in this visit. This article is as relevant today as it was ten years ago when it was written, given the celebratory eruptions at the wedding of British monarch Prince Harry and his bride Meghan Markle. Yet the region is poorer today for elevating fake royalty to dizzying heights of reverence while neglecting the royalty inherent in resistant Caribbean voices who have worked hard at improving Caribbean societies.
Continue reading The British Royal Wedding, Feelgoodism and the Colonial Jumbie
By Stephen Kangal
May 21, 2018
The Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and American-born Meghan Markle that was solemnised at the historic Windsor Castle was billed to be a showcase of the cultural and ceremonial embodiment of British aristocracy, tradition and indeed of the British Raj in all its regal splendour descended into the realm of subliminal politics and public/race relations.
It started with Prince Charles walking down his future daughter-in-law Meghan down the aisle instead of her mother Doria who was at the wedding. This was intended to symbolise Royal assent and acceptance of the mixed-race Meghan into the Royal Family.
Continue reading Royal Politics Shapes The Windsor Wedding
By Raffique Shah
February 27, 2018
While I empathise with the trainee teacher who was robbed at gunpoint on her school’s compound last Wednesday morning—I suffered a similar fate at my home back in 2002—I do not understand why people are shocked by the brazen, early morning robbery.
If we feel schools should be sacrosanct, that bandits and other criminals should show respect for our institutes of education, perish the thought. Some parents, teachers and students have long jettisoned that notion by their misbehavior, and students’ brawls captured on the ubiquitous phone-video-cameras are among the most popular fare uploaded onto sundry so-called social media Internet sites, providing perverse entertainment for people who seem to spend all their waking hours digesting cyber-garbage.
Continue reading No guns in our schools
Film: ‘Bengal Shadows’ by Joy Banerjee and Partho Bhattacharya
Continue reading Bengal Shadows
By Nalinee Seelal
February 17, 2018 – newsday.co.tt
US law-enforcement officers, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), tipped off TT’s Special Branch and the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) in December last year on plans by a certain group of local Muslims to bomb the US Embassy in Port of Spain between Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
Continue reading FBI tip on terror threat
Trinidad Express
January 22, 2018 – trinidadexpress.com
THERE ought to be no question that the authorities here must see the urgency of the need to establish effective safeguards for the preservation of national safety and security, with the return home of persons who were enlisted as members of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS).
Continue reading Meeting the ISIS challenge head-on
By Sir Ronald Sanders
January 13, 2018 – telesurtv.net
(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the OAS. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are his own)
The effect of the inappropriate depiction of Haiti, El Salvador and all African nations as “shit hole” countries is a matter that the people of the United States of America and their government and Congress should contemplate seriously.
Continue reading No regrets for making Haiti a ‘shithole’?
By Bill Quigley
November 27, 2013 – ccrjustice.org
Why does the US owe Haiti Billions? Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State, stated his foreign policy view as the “Pottery Barn rule.” That is – “if you break it, you own it.”
The US has worked to break Haiti for over 200 years. We owe Haiti. Not charity. We owe Haiti as a matter of justice. Reparations. And not the $100 million promised by President Obama either – that is Powerball money. The US owes Haiti Billions – with a big B.
Continue reading Why The US Owes Haiti Billions – The Briefest History