Panday to form his own party

By Kimberly Mackhan
February 17, 2010 – guardian.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Basdeo PandayAttorney Ricky Harnanan has been mandated to pinpoint the requirements that Basdeo Panday would need to form another political party, and maintain his position as Leader of the Opposition, according to a well-placed informant.

“Ricky has been asked to prepare a constitution (for Panday’s proposed party) for consideration, in consultation with Ramesh Maharaj, and the discussions with Ramesh have been spearheaded by Kelvin (Ramnath),” said the informant, who was close to Panday. “It includes Ramesh being made chief whip and deputy political leader and political leader-in-waiting (of Panday’s new party).”
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Politics Takes Precedence Over Constitutionality

By Stephen Kangal
February 14, 2010
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

Basdeo PandayIt is pathetic to see an ageing captain who publicly boasted about his immortal invincibility to navigate the turbulent waters of the legitimacy of politics for forty years now seeking refuge by invoking the illegitimacy of constitutionality to shore up and salvage his all but sunken and ship-wrecked political career. He confessed that politicians have a limited shelf-life before becoming damaged/expired goods.
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Bas Spits Fire, fires Oudit

Chief Whip Jack Warner and Basdeo Panday
Chief Whip Jack Warner and Basdeo Panday
Panday fires Oudit
Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday yesterday “fired” UNC’s new deputy leader Lyndira Oudit from her senatorial post and replaced her in the Upper House with Public Services Association (PSA) second vice-president Christopher Joefield.

Bas Spits Fire
Axes UNC Senator Lyndira Oudit; warns Opposition staff about Kamla

Opposition Leader fires Senator Oudit
Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday made mas yesterday, firing Lyndira Oudit from the Senate forthwith and immediately appointing PSA Second Vice President, Christopher Joefield.
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Laventille, don’t fall for sweet talk

Guardian Editorial
February 11, 2010 – guardian.co.tt

LaventilleHaving had the absolute and unwavering support of the people of Laventille for the 54 years of its existence as a political party, it is highly contemptuous of the PNM’s political leader, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, to go into that part of the country, which is riddled with crime and sunk in underdevelopment, to name in an ad hoc manner a committee of ministers and parliamentary representatives to discern the problems of the area. Where have Mr Manning and the PNM Government been all this time?Specifically, as it relates to the stewardship of Mr Manning’s administration, between 2002 and 2007, Prime Minister Manning and his Government announced a plan for the rehabilitation of east Port-of-Spain, inclusive of the “behind the bridge” areas, Laventille and Sea Lots. Where has that plan got to beyond talk and the establishment of a company, presumably to effect the job?
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More fiscal discipline

Newsday Editorial
February 11, 2010 – newsday.co.tt
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Financial ComplexPRIME Minister Patrick Manning, at a PNM meeting in Laventille on Tuesday, re-ignited the debate as to how well, or if you like, how badly the Government has been spending public monies.

He raised the prospect of the Government having to borrow to fund its expenditure and thereby possibly incur strange looks from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Manning said the Government had last year suffered a $6.9 billion revenue shortfall, while this year’s shortfall is about $7.8 billion.
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Why the Oscars are a Con

By John Pilger
February 10, 2010 – johnpilger.com

The OscarsWhy are so many films so bad? This year’s Oscar nominations are a parade of propaganda, stereotypes and downright dishonesty. The dominant theme is as old as Hollywood: America’s divine right to invade other societies, steal their history and occupy our memory. When will directors and writers behave like artists and not pimps for a world view devoted to control and destruction?
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Karma, Bas, not Kamla

By Raffique Shah
February 07, 2010
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Basdeo PandayMost readers would interpret my headline as suggesting that UNC “founding father”, Basdeo Panday, is enjoying sweet chutney/soca music in keeping with the spirit of the Carnival season. For them, “Karma” is a music band whose lead singer, Ravi B, won the recent Chutney-Soca Monarch title. Ironically, Ravi’s winning song was titled “Ah Drinker”. Ravi was not referring to orange juice or WASA’s now-scarce potable water, but to the wanton abuse of alcohol.
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Kamla Falls, Injures Shoulder

By Clint Chan Tack and Sean Douglas
February 06, 2010 – newsday.co.tt

Kamla Persad-BissessarUNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was rushed to the St Clair Medical Centre yesterday after she fell hard in the Parliament Chamber at 4.20 pm during a sitting of the House of Representatives, sustaining injuries to her left shoulder.
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