Category Archives: International

England, General T&T, Politics, Sports

No political blight

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By Raffique Shah
August 19, 2012

Raffique ShahI EXPERIENCED déjà vu last Monday, a feeling of “been there, seen that” as I watched the Prime Minister and her Cabinet colleagues milk golden boy Keshorn Walcott for all he was worth, and then some. Politicians can be merciless in extracting their mileage from achievers. Walcott, having endured two extensive world-class sporting events with all the in-built tension, not to add energy- sapping hours of travelling, was forced into an ultra-marathon homecoming to satiate the political appetites of the powers-that-be. In what should have been his hour of glory, I felt sorry for the boy.
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General T&T, International, Letters, Sports

A nineteen year old from Toco

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Keshorn Walcott at welcoming ceremony, Piarco International Airport
Keshorn Walcott at welcoming ceremony, Piarco International Airport

A nineteen year old, with no international senior experience, who is not on the Grand Prix circuit, who is not in college, who has not participated in Commonwealth Games or World championships, goes in one month less one day from being the World Junior champion to being the Olympic champion in his first major international outing.
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Business, General T&T, India, Politics, Racism Watch

Against All Odds

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 14, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeJust about when Kamal Persad Bissessar was celebrating the achievement of Trinidad and Tobago athletes who performed at the Olympics 2012 in Great Britain, I received an email from an African sister from Brothers Road. About ten years ago she had created a small company in that remote part of the country and was trying hard to make the best of herself. She wrote:
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Africa, General T&T, International, Nigeria, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch

Introducing A Black Supremacy Agenda into T&T/Nigeria Relations

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By Stephen Kangal
August 03, 2012

Stephen KangalPatriotic Trinbagonians, including the ESC must show their outrage and disgust against the statement made by The President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, at the Emancipation Day Celebrations when he accorded racial precedence and exclusivity to Afro-Trinbagonians in our national quest for attaining the good life (The Promised Land). This unfortunate statement was made at a function organised by the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) that received a Government subvention of $4m and at which the Indo- T&T Prime Minister of T&T and Cabinet Ministers were in attendance.
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Finance, General T&T, India, People's Partnership, Politics, Racism Watch

When Race Trumps Reason

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 18, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeYou work at an institution for ten years; you begin to like that institution. You grow to admire the intellectual caliber of the men and women who work there and you embalm those precious memories. Ultimately, you reverence that institution as a place where standards matter and excellence is the order of the day. You read Terrence Farrell’s Central Banking in a Developing Economy: A Study of Trinidad and Tobago, 1964 to 1989, you appreciate the origin of central banking in the nation, pre and post-independence. You realize the stature of the men who served this nation as governors (sadly there are no women) and you feel a sense of pride in your nation’s achievement. You realize that no matter what its limitations are, it tries to reward excellence signaling to the nation’s young men and women that achievement matters.
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England, Finance, General T&T, International

Countries, Citizens, Identity

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 11, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI have been in London for the past few days and will be here for several weeks. I am not here for the Olympics even though one can’t help getting caught up in the hype. I have taken a B&B within walking distance of the National Archives and will camp out here to get some work done on the biography of an important Trini.
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General T&T, Hindu, India, Law, Politics, Protest

Hello, Hindutva

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By Raymond Ramcharitar
July 4, 2012 – guardian.co.tt

lettersI could be mistaken, but it seems that the Highway Re-Route Movement activists are using their protests as a medium to deploy a Hindu-centric protest language to address the national community, and (presumably) the Government. Since, looking at the visual statements, a new vernacular is making its debut in the national conversation/cussout, it might be important to point out that we’re not really sure what they’re saying.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, International, Law, People's Partnership, Police, Politics, Security, Sports

Jack’s lawlessness and Corruptibility

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 03, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeLife in T&T is very funny business. Yo know way yo going; yo don’t know where yo’ likely to reach. The government declares a state of emergency, arrests over 8,000 black young men under the guises that they are/may be criminals. No charges made, no apologies offered and no compensation paid. In fact, we are told by the AG that if dey tink dey go make any money off the state for these illegal arrests, dey lie. He waiting for them. He would release the legal power of the state against them. They had better not even think about seeking compensation.
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corruption, Finance, General T&T, International, Politics, UDeCOTT, USA

Fake Society

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
June 19, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThere was a time I would be hurt whenever V. S. Naipaul called us mimic men and a false society. I used go after him mercilessly saying how wrong he was and why we were a young society, trying to get things together. When, at the end of From Columbus to Castro, Dr. Williams endorsed Naipaul’s view of our world, I was crushed. I felt betrayed.
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Education, General T&T, Hindu, India, Race and Identity

Rekindling the Bhadase Maraj Legacy

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By Stephen Kangal
June 19, 2012

Stephen KangalI wish to congratulate the Hindu Prachar Kendra for using their Indian Arrival Day function to remember and re-kindle the outstanding and unparalleled legacy bequeathed to posterity in T&T by the late Bhadase Sagan Maraj — trade unionist, religious leader, parliamentarian, land-owner and philanthropist par excellence.
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