THE EDITOR: Within recent weeks the country has been engaged in a lot of dialogue on the issue of race relations in T&T; the many different names that this issue is called demonstrates our dilemma in having a genuine debate on the state of relations between peoples of different ethnic origins domiciled here. The situation is further compounded by those who lead the discussions and their agenda, explicit and implicit.
Continue reading Is the Problem Really Race?
Category Archives: International
War on wastage
By Raffique Shah
April 16, 2011
RECENTLY, I posted on a popular local blog an article that purported to show Germans’ intolerance for wastage. Although the report was dated, as a few respondents pointed out to me, its contents are as applicable today, maybe more so, than they were in post-World War II Germany. The article spoke of a group of Americans visiting Hamburg, ordering food at a restaurant, eating little of what they paid for, and leaving much “waste” uneaten.
Continue reading War on wastage
Stop ‘Sampating’ Africans
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 13, 2011
Sometimes I don’t understand why so many false dichotomies pervade the thinking of my compatriots, Africans as well as Indians. If I write about how East Indians think (I call it an Indian narrative) I am accused of being racist. If I support the aspirations of Africans it suggests I am anti—Indian. If I favor the candidacy of a particular PNM member for the chairmanship of the party, my friends respond that I am out of touch with the thinking of those on the ground and so it goes ad infinitum.
Continue reading Stop ‘Sampating’ Africans
About that Imbalance
By Corey Gilkes
April 08, 2011
So finally the President revoked Nizam Mohammed’s appointment. About bloody time as far as I’m concerned since he should have been sent packing the minute he crossed swords with those two police officers. So we clear one time me eh have no sympathy for he.
Continue reading About that Imbalance
The Indian Narrative
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 06, 2011
The racial inanity that gushed out of Nizam Mohammed’s heart ought not to be seen as an aberration; the unfortunate comments of an ill-informed man. It can and should be seen as a part of what I call the Indian narrative that informs the behavior of many East Indians in our society; the reflection of a view that lay in abeyance while they were out of political power only to reveal itself once they came into power.
Continue reading The Indian Narrative
Race issue still to be addressed
April 5 2011 – newsday.co.tt
THREE members appointed to the Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday admitted that the issue of racial imbalance within the ranks of the Police Service is an issue that must be dealt with. But just not now.
Continue reading Race issue still to be addressed
Nizam’s Race Comments Lack Historical Perspective
THE EDITOR: Politicians in Trinidad and Tobago have always used cultural (ethnic) differences among our people to gain office, power and wealth. This ethnic baiting strategy is most notable at election time and goes back to colonial times.
Continue reading Nizam’s Race Comments Lack Historical Perspective
President Revokes Nizam’s Appointment
The following is a press release from the Office of the President.
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
TRINIDAD
REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
In the matter of the Constitution and of the Revocation of the Appointment of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, as Chairman & Member.
His Excellency GEORGE MAXWELL RICHARDS, T.C., C.M.T., Ph.D., President advises that he has, with immediate effect revoked the appointment of Mr. Nizam Mohammed as Chairman and member of the Police Service Commission.
Continue reading President Revokes Nizam’s Appointment
Nizam’s Conspiratorial Theories
Why Nizam Must Go
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
March 31, 2011
On January 20th, 2011 I wrote an article entitled, “Mother Trinidad and Tobago” in which I strongly rejected the People’s Partnership’s position on multiculturalism. I emphasized that Dr. Williams’ cultural policy as enunciated in his “Mother Trinidad and Tobago Speech” seemed a better position from which to base a national cultural policy rather than the nebulous, ill-informed multicultural thrust that the PP adopted. On January 20th I received the following response from Nizam Mohammed:
Continue reading Nizam’s Conspiratorial Theories
Replacing Privy Council with CCJ Not a Priority?
THE EDITOR: We must pay close attention to what our political leaders say, sometimes casually, sometimes not. In an interview with the BBC Caribbean Service (before it was shut down) while in London, our Prime minister said that replacing the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice was not a priority for her government.
Continue reading Replacing Privy Council with CCJ Not a Priority?