By Raffique Shah
May 19, 2017
I did a double-take upon reading Freddie Kissoon’s post-May Day column in the Kaieteur News of Guyana. I don’t know Kissoon personally, but I do know that he’s an activist and a writer who is not averse to controversy, who writes as he sees things, damn the consequences.
Continue reading Indian Tribalism
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 15, 2017
On August 1, 1849, the Friends of Freedom sponsored a dinner at Juteaux’s Building in Port of Spain to celebrate the anniversary of their emancipation. Two hundred and fifty of the most distinguished black and colored citizens attended the dinner. Only three government officials (white) attended: the registrar of the Supreme Court, the clerk of the Petty Civic Court and the police inspector. The celebrants were joyous at having been emancipated and proud of the achievement of their race in spite of the obstacles that had been placed in their way.
Continue reading Living in a State of No-Whereness
By Jada Loutoo
May 13 2017 – newsday.co.tt
AN ALL out attack has been launched against Government on the implementation of the property tax. In separate strikes, legal letters were fired off yesterday by a battery of lawyers representing three landowners threatening to take Government to court for what has been described as an “ambush” on citizens.
Two of the actions seek to have the courts review the implementation process of the controversial tax while the third is a constitutional challenge to the property tax. In the judicial review and constitutional claims former transport minister Devant Maharaj, United National Congress activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj and Chaguanas resident Lutchmidat Ramcallie, are asking the Government to hold its hand on the implementation of the Property Tax until it amends the legislative provisions and before the court determines the actions.
Continue reading PROPERTY TAX IN COURT
By Stephen Kangal
May 14, 2017
Since the current discussions began on the yet to be known illegal implementation date of Act No 18 of 2009 Prime Minister Rowley has never uttered anything sensible and correct on this issue. He has never read the two mutually inclusive Acts No 17 and 18. He is at loggerheads with the Minister of Finance and his AG.
Continue reading Rowley Erratic on Property Tax Provisions
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 10, 2017
“Grâce à Dieu [Thank God!]” many French people cried when it was announced that Emmanuel Macron had trounced Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s presidential election. Aware of the great divide in his society (Le Pen received 34 percent of the votes), Macron declared in his victory speech: “My responsibility will be to unite all the women and men ready to take on the tremendous challenges which are waiting for us, and to act. I will fight with all my power against the divisions that undermine us, and which are tearing us apart” (New York Times, May 7).
Continue reading Choisir La France (Choose France)
By Dr, Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 08, 2017
Villers-Cotterets, a small town in France, is about 75 kilometres north of Paris. On Sunday last, after having arrived at Gare du Nord, the main railway station in France, I traveled through the Retz forest and lush fields yellowed by the colza (canola) flowers on my way to Villers-Cotterets. I got to Villers-Cotterets in a heightened state of anticipation ready to explore the place in which Alexandre Dumas was born.
Continue reading En Marche! (On the move!)
Newsday Editorial
May 08, 2017 – newsday.co.tt
IT MAY well be that the $255 million TSTT/Massy deal announced last Tuesday is beneficial to the State, but there is more to this transaction than just signatures on a dotted line. At least two key issues arise. Firstly, there is need for clarity when it comes to appropriate boundaries of the power of state-owned companies.
Continue reading A win-win deal?
By Raffique Shah
May 06, 2017
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world;
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed; and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity…”
(The Second Coming, William Yeats, Irish poet laureate, 1919)
Continue reading The centre must hold
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 02, 2017
PART 1 – PART 2 – PART 3 – PART 4
Dr. Williams and Dr. Capildeo were astounded when they heard the news: “The UWI picks T&T’s Bermudez as next Chancellor.” While they did not agree on many things there was mutual consternation at this news.
Dr. Williams said: “I know Alfredo Fernandez. He was one of our MPs in 1961. But do you know who Anthony is?”
Continue reading The Great Betrayal – Part 4
By Raffique Shah
April 28, 2017
Trinidad and Tobago is one cantankerous country-we always quarrelling. In fact, we invariably have several quarrels raging at any point in time over issues or personalities such that we go off on tangents, forgetting who or what was in dispute in the first instance.
It is often said that you cannot please all the people all the time. With respect to Trinis, you cannot please anyone anytime. This characteristic is not to be confused with the proverb, “you can fool all the people some of the time…but you cannot fool all the people all the time”. In this latter regard, you can fool all Trinis all the time: just inform them via email that they have won the jackpot in a lotto they know nothing about, and you can relieve them of a “processing fee”.
Continue reading Arithmetic lessons for the Finance Minster