Whirlwind of the Politicisation of the Public Service

By Stephen Kangal
March 31, 2010

PNMIs it not a contradiction that while establishing the rule-unto-themselves private state companies with precious little accountability and transparency in their operating culture to take over the delivery of services from public service entities, we the taxpayers are today inundated with all the sordid details of nepotism, corruption and exorbitant billion dollar and non-accountable disbursement of the public purse by UDECOTT?
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Local or Govt election?

By George Alleyne
March 31 2010 – newsday.co.tt

PNMThe surprise hint of an early general election thrown out by Political Leader of the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM), Prime Minister Patrick Manning, at last Sunday’s Special Party Convention, along with the circumstances which may have prompted it, has, oddly enough, provoked the feeling that Manning may be playing with the Opposition.
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American climate fashion change in T&T

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
March 28, 2010

Trinidadians“Good news, good news, good news”, “ring de bell”, climate fashion change has finally hit the shores of T&T.

To all intent and purposes, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has now moved out of tropical meteorological zone into the temperate zone, not by accident but by calculated design.
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Manning puts T&T in election mode

PNMManning puts T&T in election mode
Prime Minister Patrick Manning put the country in election mode yesterday, when he announced that April 7 would be the start of screening of 41 new candidates.

Manning sets the election ball rolling…
While the country was expecting the long-overdue Local Government election date, Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday went for the whole hog, and called for nominations for candidates for a general election.
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Mad Man-ning on the rampage

By Raffique Shah
March 28, 2010

PM Patrick ManningLest I am accused of consorting with the ‘drugs mafia’, or worse, being a drug lord posturing as a journalist, I need to be very careful how I couch my words in this column. With Prime Minister Manning on the warpath against enemies more imagined than real, the last I want is police swooping down on me, looking for ‘crack’ cocaine.
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Regrello: $20m to fix NAPA flaws

National Academy for the Performing Arts
National Academy for the Performing Arts
By Michelle Loubon
March 27, 2010 – guardian.co.tt

Junia Regrello, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs says it will cost about $20 million to attend to the niggling issues like lighting and flooring at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Princes Building Grounds, Port-of-Spain. Regrello came forward yesterday in his capacity as both performer and member of government. Along with recently appointed Sharon Christopher, chair of the management committee of the auditorium, Regrello admitted to flaws that need to be addressed.
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PM to hold private meeting with Syrian/Lebanese group

PM Patrick ManningPrime Minister Patrick Manning is to hold a private meeting today with members of the Syrian/Lebanese community, TV6 News reported last night.

The meeting will be held at a top businessman’s home in an upscale area in West Trinidad. It has been arranged at Manning’s request, by UDeCOTT’s new chairman, Jearlean John.
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Consultations Without Representations on the Rapid Rail

A Rapid Rail
A Rapid Rail
THE EDITOR: The financial and technical monstrosity of the Rapid Rail (RR) hitherto incubated in Imbert’s secretive nest has at last now reared its head in the public domain after two abortive consultations that were scheduled for 18 and 19 January. But although NIDCO is the designated operator for building the RR and to whom the EMA issued the final Terms of Reference (TOR) on 24 December 2009 relating to the procedures to be observed for conducting the requisite Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conditional to the granting of the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) the Monday March 22 public engagement held at Kampo Restaurant Chaguanas was hosted by the TRINITRAIN Consortium. Not any single official from the EMA and NIDCO was present to answer to public concerns. The media, allegedly now under drug-lords influence but the custodians of democracy was blanked.
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PM: Drug dealers against me

By Cecily Asson
March 24, 2010

PM Patrick ManningPRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning has accused the country’s drug dealers of being “against me” ever since his government’s acquisition of tens of millions of dollars worth in security technology including a radar system, fast patrol sea crafts, interceptors and helicopters to tackle the drug trade.

And in a strange twist, Manning said that as a result of drug dealers viewing him as “the man who standing in their way”, he is now being attacked daily in the media.
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