Caribbean, Court, General T&T, International, Law, Media, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics

Talking From Both Sides of Her Mouth

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 23, 2010

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeA few days ago the Honorary Prime Minister, Kamla Persad Bissessar addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Among other things she recognized that “the passport out of poverty is through education, community empowerment and social entrepreneurship.” She also acknoweldged that 16.7 percent of our people still live below the poverty line; 11.7 per cent are considered working poor whereas 9 per cent are deemed vulnerable. The goal, she says, is to reduce poverty by 2 per cent per year.
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COP, Finance, General T&T, Politics

Inclusive Development and Growth Poles in the Budget

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Finance Minister Winston DookeranTHE EDITOR: Finance Minister Winston Dookeran has woven, in his own inimitable and unique style, an underlying development and ideological philosophy/ substructure that permeates, underpins and sustains the visible superstructure/fabric of his 2010/11 fiscal and development package The concept of inclusive or balanced development that is a fundamental pillar of the economic strategy of the Partnership regime was initially conceived within the womb of the COP partner. It is pivotal to the COP Mission and Vision Statements.
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Culture, Features, General T&T

Nantambu’s “Old Time Days” List

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Best Ever Musicians, Calypsonians, Bandleaders, Entertainers, etc

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
With assistance from Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool
September 13, 2010
Updated: October 18, 2010

Mighty SparrowFor the purpose of this treatise, calypso is defined as (1) “expression of thought, deed and/or musical melodies wherein the calypsonian depicts/analyzes the multi-faceted problems of society in poetic form” and (2) the “people’s voice in song.”

Ergo, the following litany represents the best ever musicians, calypsonians, bandleaders, entertainers, etc, in T&T of all time.
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Complaints, Court, General T&T, Law, Parliament, People's Partnership, Politics

PM: Volney’s views reflect his personal opinion

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PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Herbert Volney“That several members of her People’s Partnership administration have had a past history in politics and social activism as defenders and upholders of the rule of law and the independence and separations of all the time honoured Estates of a Democratic State as Trinidad and Tobago.
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Complaints, General T&T, Law, Media, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Race and Identity, Violence

PNM still attacking media

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By Andre Bagoo
September 19, 2010 – newsday.co.tt

PNMTHE PNM is no longer in government, but its members are still attacking the media. In response to last week’s column, former Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne, who was one of the key players behind the disgraced former Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira, sent me two e-mails to three different e-mail accounts. He did not agree with me, so he sought, as was his norm when in power, to attack my integrity. When a journalist simply does his job with the utmost dedication in the face of mounting oppression from an insidious Government, they don’t know what to make of it. Surely, there was something in it for me? Surely it was for a job in the PP Government?
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Court, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics

Refreshing voice of reason

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By Raffique Shah
September 18, 2010

Chief Justice Ivor ArchieIN the midst of the never-ending cacophony that has come to characterise our politics, it was refreshing to hear at least one voice of reason coming from someone who holds high office. I refer to Chief Justice Ivor Archie, whose speech at the opening of the new law term was so different to the din that emanated from Parliament during the ongoing budget debate.
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General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, Politics

Taking Stock of Our Democracy

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 16, 2010

Andy JohnsonEveryone remembers when Justice Herbert Volney bus’ it and became the victorious representative of the people of St. Joseph. One day he was a justice of the court the next day he was a UNC candidate. Although Sat Maharaj pointed out that other members of the judiciary had ties to politics and politicians the Volney bomb touched a delicate part of the nation. We made a lot of noise about Volney’s defection but everyone in Trinidad and Tobago – the country that God has especially blessed – knows everything is a one-day wonder. Folks made noise about his ethical nature of the defection but soon it was yesterday’s news.
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Caribbean, Entertainment, Politics, Tourism

Tourism from Carnival to Divali

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By Derren Joseph
September 16, 2010

CarnivalOn August 26th, there was an interesting article in the International Tourism press. President of the Sychelles, James Michel called upon his tourism industry to engage with the government to map out a new national tourism development plan. On the face of it there is nothing special about such an announcement but three things about that article that struck me.
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Business, Complaints, Finance, General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics

Rapid rail and productivity

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Rapid Rail
Rapid Rail
By George Alleyne
September 15, 2010 – newsday.co.tt

The decision by the People’s Partnership Government not to proceed with the rapid rail project will result, if implemented, in the continued overcrowding of the nation’s roads and loss of productivity in the work place and the classrooms.
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Business, Elections, Finance, Law, People's Partnership, Politics

Minimum Wage, Maximum Farce

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By Raffique Shah
September 11, 2010

TrinidadiansLET us be realistic about this burning issue of the minimum wage: no employer who is worthy of being called an entrepreneur pays anyone in his establishment $9 an hour. Put another way, no worker worth his or her sweat, however desperate she may be, would work for eight hours to take home $72. He would be better off hustling on the sidewalk, picking pockets, or robbing others of their valuables.
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