By Raffique Shah
April 05, 2015
The Easter weekend has always been a period of intense religious activities for Christians in the country, and one for recreation and relaxation for others in the society. As a child growing up in a Muslim home in the 1950s, I was very aware of its significance to Catholics and Anglicans in particular, since both had (and still have) churches in the Freeport/Boccarro districts where we lived.
Continue reading Age of innocence
Express Editorial
April 03, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
For reasons best known to itself, the ruling People’s Partnership has continued to defend its disgraced MP Vernella Alleyne-Toppin.
Not only have Government spokespersons tried to spin Ms Alleyne-Toppin’s crassness into a social concern message about rape, but UNC hacks on social media continue her denigrating diatribe against Opposition Leader Keith Rowley. But what could the UNC-led coalition hope to achieve by this? The widespread public condemnation has clearly harmed the Partnership’s image, including its trump card, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who will no doubt suffer a drop in approval ratings by her refusal to remove the Tobago East MP from her entirely inappropriate post in the Ministry of the Peolpe and Social Development.
Continue reading Citizens have risen above politicians
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 01, 2015
This is Holy Week for 1.7 billion Christians all over the world. It is a time when Christ overcame his detractors. Betrayed by one of his disciples and condemned to death, he rose triumphantly three days afterwards, which is celebrated as Easter Day.
Over the past week Dr. Keith Rowley’s detractors have berated him, condemned him to political death and sought to entomb him in a political grave. Rather than reject Vernella Alleyne Toppin’s venom unequivocally, the UNC hierarchy clings to the illusion that Dr. Rowley still has questions to answer. Our learned Prime Minister insists she accepts parts of Alleyene Toppin’s accusations against him.
Continue reading UNC’s Anansi Moment
All ah we is one, right?
By Reginald Dumas – March 31, 2015
In April 2014 Jaishima Leladharsingh said in an insensitive Facebook comment said that he was “glad (ANR) Robinson (had) gone forever.” Soon after, he launched a racial assault on Anthony McLeod, whom he didn’t know but who he obviously thought was black. McLeod’s photo in fact shows him a mixed race person. Leladharsingh was clearly misled by the name: he must have assumed that Anthony looked like Errol. The Minister should take note.
Continue reading All ah we is one, right?
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesar joined the Baptist community to celebrate Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day at the Empowerment Hall in Maloney.
Continue reading PM at Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day Celebrations
Express Editorial
March 30, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
We join the call for a full investigation into the payment of legal fees by the Office of the Attorney General during the tenure of Anand Ramlogan. A thorough forensic audit would be the best way to explain the phenomenal 300 per cent-plus increase in payments to private attorneys hired by the State during Ramlogan’s tenure. It would also serve to deal with the many questions and complaints that have been raised by some of the private attorneys involved since the payment figures were released. If there are discrepancies between the figures supplied to Parliament and the actual figures, these would need to be identified and resolved.
Continue reading Probe ex-AG’s spending
…for Beetham water recycling plant Only 45 % complete…
By Asha Javeed
March 30, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
Despite the project being only 45 per cent complete, National Gas Company (NGC) has already paid Super Industrial Services (SIS) close to $700 million (70 per cent of the cost) for the Design & Build and Operation & Maintenance of the Beetham Water Recycling Plant.
In March 2014, NGC awarded the billion-dollar contract to a consortium led by Super Industrial Services and its two sub-contractors, Foster Wheeler and Hyflux, for US$167 million (about TT$1 billion).
Continue reading NGC pays $700 million to SIS
By Raffique Shah
March 29, 2015
Desperation bordering on panic pushed the People’s Partnership into the abyss of indecency last Wednesday, which will be recorded as the day the Partnership lost the 2015 general election.
Driven by unbridled greed to hold on to power, hence the Treasury, by any means necessary, the Partnership members, all of them, even those who remained silent, are guilty of gang-raping Parliament, of reducing it to the biggest brothel this side of the Atlantic.
Continue reading ‘Lynching’ in the House
By Anna Ramdass
March 28, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said last night that she too condemns the controversial statements made by Tobago East MP Vernella Alleyne-Toppin but she has also accepted her apology.
Said Persad-Bissessar: ” I would like to add my voice to the voices of concern and condemnation for parts of the statement that the honourable Minister made and so I want to make that point up front.”
Persad-Bissessar said she expressed this to Alleyne-Toppin “directly”.
Continue reading PM accepts Vernella’s apology
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
March 27, 2015
Ever since Rodney Charles sent out his memo of instructions to his UNC colleagues they have been trying to depict Dr. Keith Rowley as big, black bad animal; a beast unbecoming of the office of prime minister. The present version of this attack started when Dr. Rowley took a wine, on carnival day, on an Indian woman. Many UNC politicians saw this act as verging on the sacrilegious. Now, they have sunken to the lowest of the low. They have branded Dr. Rowley and his descendants (that is, his children and his children’s children) as the products of rape.
Continue reading South of de Caroni