Category Archives: International

General T&T, International

Politics and oil—a deadly cocktail

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By Raffique Shah
November 30, 2014

Raffique ShahIn the current oil prices turmoil that has sparked much speculation, rumours of doom and gloom, and seeming indifference on the part of Government, the few in the country who know and understand what’s happening at the global level owe it to the nation to let their voices be heard.

We cannot believe the politicians. Over the past few months, as the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped from US$105 a barrel in June to below US$70 a barrel last week, Finance Minister Larry Howai and Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine were singing, “Don’t worry, be happy!”
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General T&T, International, Law, Murder, Racism Watch, USA

Decoding racial tensions in United States

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By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
November 27, 2014
Updated: December 05, 2014

Dr. Kwame NantambuThe 24 November 2014 “no indictment for officer Wilson” verdict arrived at by the grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, in regard to the shooting and killing of the unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown and the subsequent 3rd December “no indictment” verdict by a grand jury in Staten Island, New York City, in favor of a white police officer in the New York Police Department (NYPD), Daniel Pantaleo, for the “chokehold death” of another unarmed, forty-six year-old African-American man, Eric Garner, speak massive volumes as to the omnipresence of racial tensions/distrust between the Black community and white police officers across the United States.
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General T&T, International, People's Partnership, Politics

Decline of Our Diplomatic Relations

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By Stephen Kangal
November 26, 2014

Stephen KangalAn underlying worrisome diplomatic situation exists today in five of T&T’s Overseas Missions. Diplomatic relations are conducted in accordance with the principle and practices of reciprocity and the comity of Nations. In India, UK, Costa Rica, Canada at the UN T&T representation has been scaled down to the level of junior but also inexperienced young and up-coming diplomats. This resulted from the withdrawal of both career and political appointed Ambassadors.
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Drug Trade, Health, International, Law, Media, Politics

Ramlogan disturbed by lack of charges

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By Andre Bagoo
October 31 2014 – newsday.co.tt

Cocaine PacksATTORNEY General Anand Ramlogan yesterday said he was “gravely disturbed” by the lack of charges in relation to a report of a doctor failing to notify law enforcement authorities about cocaine said to have been surgically removed from the body of a patient. He did so as he called on Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to continue a probe into the matter.
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Africa, Caribbean, Cuba, General T&T, International, Media, USA

Ralph Maraj’s Myopia

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By Dr. Selwyn Cudjoe
October 22, 2014

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeRECENTLY, I had a lively debate with Ralph Maraj on Cuba and its successes on i95 FM Showdown programme. Mr Maraj insisted that nothing good could come out of Cuba because Cuba has failed as a socialist society and there is “no freedom in that country”. I tried to convince him that Cuba has emerged as a leader on the world stage in areas of health care and education and there is little crime to speak of in that country. He insisted that Cuba was worthy only of condemnation.
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Africa, General T&T, Health, International, Politics, Security

Ebola: panic paralyses nation

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By Raffique Shah
October 19, 2014

Raffique ShahPort of Spain, November 31, 2014: Reports that two persons stricken with the deadly Ebola virus were identified and isolated, one at the capital city’s general hospital, the other at the Mount Hope facility, have paralysed Trinidad and Tobago, literally shutting down the country.

There is an eerie silence across the country, at least those parts that this reporter reached by car, restricted as I was since petrol stations, like most essential services, ceased to function last Friday when rumours that Ebola had arrived sent the nation into panic.
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General T&T, India, Schools

CAPE TECTONICS AT HILLVIEW

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Stephen KangalStatement Made by Mr. Stephen Kangal at the Function held to Honour The Forty-One National Scholarship Winners of Hillview College on Wednesday 15 October 2014 at Hillview College, Tunapuna

Mr. Principal Mr Leslie Mahase Chaplain of the College, Rev. Adrian Seunarine, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Senator the Honourable Kevin Ramnarine, The Honourable Rudranath Indarsingh MP, Minister in the Ministry of Finance and the Economy, Mr. Ranjit Boodhoo, Chairman of the Administrative Committee of Hillview Colllege, Mr.Shivan Ramroop, Hillview PTA Rep., Mr Fareed Ali, Secretary of HOBA, Members of Straff of Hillview College, National Scholarship Awardees, Parents, Students, other guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
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India, International, Media, Race and Identity, Racism Watch

Update: African students recount racist attack in India

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African students from Noida recount mob attack horror


Niharika Lal, TNN
Oct 6, 2014, 03.15PM IST – timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The brutal attack on three African students at Rajiv Chowk Metro station hit headlines last week, reopening debates on racism experienced by Africans in the city. There is no official version yet of what the students – Yohan Koumba Daouda and Mapaga Yannis, both students of Amity Institute of Information Technology, and Guira, a first year BBA student of Sharda University – had done to incite the attack. One of the witnesses, who posted a video of the incident on YouTube, reportedly said that they were accused of ‘misbehaving with female passengers’ by making lewd comments at a woman on a train. Another report said that in the rush to board a train on the Yellow Line, one of the students was pushed aside. He apparently made a comment against Indians in protest, which then angered some passengers.
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General T&T, International, Iraq, Security, Syria, USA

10 Myths About Obama’s Latest War in Iraq and Syria

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By Reese Erlich
October 03, 2014 – reeseerlich.com

ISILVeteran foreign correspondent Reese Erlich was in northern Iraq at the start of the U.S. bombing campaign against Islamic State. He interviewed Kurdish leaders, peshmerga fighters and U.S. officials. He says the reality on the ground is far different from the propaganda coming out of Washington.
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