Apology for Slavery and Reparations

By. Dr. Kwame Nantambu
November 14, 2011

Dr. Kwame NantambuSince 8 January 1455, when Pope Nicholas V authorized the Portuguese “to subject to servitude all infidel peoples”, no Pope of the Roman Catholic Church has apologized for the European enslavement of Afrikan people.

In April 2006, the Church of England voted “to apologize to the descendants of victims of the slave trade” and in March 2007, considered paying reparations.
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Inequality Breeds Unrest

By Raffique Shah
November 13, 2011

Raffique ShahAS I watch the “Occupy Wall Street” phenomenon spread its wings of protest across much of the developed world, I cannot help but feel nostalgic.

Those of us who experienced the global rebellion of the 1960s and 1970s must also feel a sense of déjà vu, of having been there, done that. I ask myself: is this a generational upheaval that has erupted to complete unfinished business of that golden era of humanism?
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Sat Blocked Black Children

By Ria Taitt
November 11, 2011 – trinidadexpress.com

Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, Satnarayan MaharajPeople’s National Movement (PNM) MP Patricia McIntosh has slammed the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) for its conduct at the Tunapuna Hindu Primary School in denying equal opportunities to pupils of different denominations, particularly black children who reside within the catchment area.
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Two Doubles and…

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
November 09, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeOnce upon a time, there were two left-wing leading, has-been leaders of the working class movement of Trinidad and Tobago who proclaimed the values of proletarian internationalism and working class solidarity. They also preached the inviolability of people’s civil liberties and the right of people to govern their own affairs. As they explained in their heydays, “Any cook can govern” and those who labor must hold the reins of society.
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Ish and Steve Extradition Quashed

By Alexander Bruzual
Tuesday, November 8 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve FergusonAfter a year of legal battles, yesterday businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson won their judicial review hearing against the decision of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to sign extradition warrants against them on October 9, 2010.

The decision was delivered yesterday by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh in the Port-of-Spain Assizes Third Court.
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Diplomatic Blunders

By Raffique Shah
November 06, 2011

Raffique ShahTRINIDAD and Tobago’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Rodney Charles, took two rather curious positions over the past week. On October 31, the UNESCO’s General Conference voted on a motion to admit Palestine to that organisation. Mr Charles abstained. Then last Thursday, Mr Charles was one of only three ambassadors who accepted invitations to have lunch with Marine Le Pen, French presidential candidate and leader of the extreme right-wing party, the National Front.
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State of the African nation

By Rubadiri Victor
November 03, 2011 – trinidadexpress.com

EmancipationSo many of us cannot deal with history. We are frightened to stare down the naked horror that went into the creation of this modern world. It is simple. 500 years ago Western military conquest began a process that decimated hundreds of millions of people and created unprecedented wealth for itself. This wealth was predicated on a global apartheid caste system of white over brown over black. This passed through periods of Native American and South Pacific genocide, African slavery and holocausts, and Asian occupation and indentureship. This caste apartheid was practised in legislature, education, religion, and in distribution of resources like housing and employment. The only reason it is not as brutal as before is because people fought to reform it.
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Manning’s Machinations

Newsday Editorial
Friday, November 4 2011

Patrick ManningWe are really forced to wonder on the new roles Patrick Manning has been undertaking. As he distances himself from his own party and its leadership, gathering previously discarded acolytes like Gary Hunt and Ralph Maraj, he seeks to reinsert himself on a political scene which is rapidly moving beyond him.
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World History: Afri-centric Analysis

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
November 03, 2011

Dr. Kwame NantambuAs T&T celebrates the United Nations General Assembly-sponsored “International Year for People of African Descent”, this article conducts an Afri-centric analysis of world history.

At the outset, it must be stated that the European enslavement of African people only represents .01 per cent of the history of African people on this planet. Put another way, for 99.9 per cent of their history, Africans were a free people.
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Hindu Ethics and Morality

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
November 02, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeSpeak to any non-Indian in Trinidad and Tobago and one is asked the same question: What dese Indians want? It may be an unfair question, a paranoid response, or just the reflection of feelings of anxiety. Yet, there lingers in the minds of many non-Indians that there can be no pleasing Indians in Trinidad and Tobago. Do they yearn for equality or do they seek dominance?
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