Unleashing Ramesh from The Panday Box

By Stephen Kangal
December 14, 2007

Ramesh Lawrence MaharajIn a crafty surgical strike designed to stem the upward political mobility of Winston Dookeran and political emergence of Anand Ramlogan, the master puppeteer has resurrected Ramesh from the proverbial political cemetery in which he interned him after the 18-18 tie, 2001 general elections. The predictably blind and politically naive of his declining UNC base supports this resuscitation even though he was stigmatised as the great betrayer.
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The Pursuit of Happiness

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 12, 2007

Trini PeopleThe people of Trinidad and Tobago are witnessing a decline of our civilization which no amount of money can reverse if we do not recognize the sovereignty of our people and that the goal of democracy consists in the sanctity of life, the preservation of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To be sure, the pursuit of happiness cannot be reduced to a mere license to do whatever one wants to do at any time one chooses to do it. It consists in conscious and thoughtful acts that enhance our human personality and advance our humanity. It goes without saying that the affirmation of life and the pursuit of happiness cannot be achieved in a climate of lawlessness and the inability of citizens to feel a sense of safety in their homes and in their communities.
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Almighty God, where art thou?

By Raffique Shah
Sunday, December 9th 2007

ViolenceImagine, if you will, the execution last week of a 20-year-old Iranian whose family was told to “collect the body”, the first they would learn of their son’s sharia-decreed death.

The young man’s crime? At age 13 he is alleged to have buggered three boys, an offence that draws the death penalty in most Islamic states. Now, many Trinis, would probably shout by way of approval: Way to go! After all, the savages who stalk our once-peaceful paradise have driven us to the point of exasperation. Their gruesome crimes compel even those among us who are against capital punishment to turn a blind eye to their summary execution, be it at the hands of the police or their foes.
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The Importance of Reading

By Selwyn R. Cudjoe
December 08, 2007

BooksI want to support Raffique Shah’s advice about giving a child a book for Christmas (Express, December 2) and add that each adult should read a book this Christmas holidays for the very simple reason that we, as a society, have lost the art of reading and continue to suffer from it. Shah has observed that many teachers–and I might add university students as well–only read the textbooks they have been assigned for exam purposes. Once they have passed their examinations then reading becomes a luxury they cannot afford. Reading ceases to be a pleasurable activity. It is something that possesses only a utilitarian value.
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Debunking the COP Vote Splitting Myth

By Stephen Kangal
December 05, 2007

Congress of the PeopleAfter undertaking one year of extensive mobilisation against the ingrained forces of political tribalism and maximum leadership styles both of which are deeply embedded in and have determined the contours of T&T politics for the past 52 years, the COP has now achieved 50% of its stated mission on the road to introducing caring, enlightened, issues-based and people-centred and driven politics in T&T under a style of new politics.
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Give a child a book for Christmas

By Raffique Shah
December 02, 2007

BooksAs the Armed Forces Veterans Association (AFVA) prepares for its annual Christmas party for selected children in Laventille (where its operations are based), my ex-soldier friend Selwyn Nurse asked: what toys do you think we should give them this year? “Books!” I responded, without hesitating. Books? He seemed somewhat puzzled by my response. I imagine the children, too, would be unpleasantly surprised when Santa (Brigadier Alfonso? WOII Gellizeau?) hands them books, not Nintendos or the latest tech-toys. Parents may even cuss Santa and storm out of the compound, probably pelting bottles and stones, if not spraying the “vets” with real bullets.
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Rev Paul: Now’s time to repent

December 02, 2007
Trinidad Guardian

Trini PeopleRev Cyril Paul of the Presbyterian Church is urging citizens to use the opportunity of Advent Sunday (today) with its emphasis on repentance, to apologise for wrongs done.

Paul, in his Advent Sunday sermon, while noting that the issue of repentance was often fodder for cartoonists and subject to distortions, said: “Advent Sunday, with its emphasis on repentance, provides us with the perfect opportunity to apologise as a nation and as citizens for wrongs done, for hurts inflicted on others, for opportunities wasted, for irresponsible behaviour, for deliberate wrong-doing.
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