International, Latin America, USA

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on How to Tackle Climate Change: “We Must Go from Capitalism to Socialism”

December 23rd 2009
by Amy Goodman – Democracy Now!
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

President Hugo ChavezVenezuelan President Hugo Chavez spared no criticism of the climate conference in Copenhagen. At a joint news conference he held with the Bolivian president Evo Morales on Friday afternoon—this was before President Obama announced the accord—Chavez called the proceedings undemocratic and accused world leaders of only seeking a face-saving agreement. He described President Obama as having won the “Nobel war prize” and said the world still smelled of sulfur, referring to his comments about President Bush at the United Nations last year. Well, shortly after the news conference, I caught up with President Chavez for a few minutes.
Continue reading Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on How to Tackle Climate Change: “We Must Go from Capitalism to Socialism” →

Caribbean, Haiti, International, Race and Identity

Report says 225,000 Haiti children work as slaves

2 Comments

By Evens Sanon and Jonathan M. Katz
Associated Press writer © 2009 The Associated Press

HaitiPORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Poverty has forced at least 225,000 children in Haiti’s cities into slavery as unpaid household servants, far more than previously thought, a report said Tuesday.

The Pan American Development Foundation’s report also said some of those children — mostly young girls — suffer sexual, psychological and physical abuse while toiling in extreme hardship.

Full Article : chron.com

Law, Politics, Protest, Violence

Riot Squad Provoked The Picketing Fracas

18 Comments

By Stephen Kangal
December 20, 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

ProtestAs a participant in the peaceful, legal and orderly picket conducted on the northern precincts of Parliament on Friday 18 during the debate on the controversial property tax bills I can say categorically that these armed to the teeth riot squad policemen acted on pre-meditated decisions and intentions to arrest Comrade David Abdullah. They in fact indulged in an act of unnecessary provocation while the picket was proceeding smoothly and being conducted in a most orderly, peaceful and legal manner to create a basis to arrest him.
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Africa, International

Lancaster House revisited

By Phyllis Johnson
December 21, 2009

ZimbabweTHIS is the first in a series of eight articles on the events of late 1979 and early 1980.

Thirty years ago, on December 21 1979, an agreement was signed in London that set in motion a series of events that put Zimbabwe on the course to where it is today.

The signatures appended reluctantly to that agreement beneath the chandeliers and subterfuge of Lancaster House ended the war in a place that some called Rhodesia and signalled a different route to independence for a country that the majority called Zimbabwe.
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Culture, General T&T

Mairoon Ali’s Send-Off: A Celebration…

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Update: December 24, 2009

Mairoon Alis Send-Off: A Celebration of Life
Mairoon Ali's Send-Off: A Celebration of Life

Mairoon Ali’s Send-Off: A Celebration of Life in pictures

Mairoon Ali given spectacular send-off
Beautiful! That’s the most appropriate word that can be used to describe the celebration ceremony of the life of Mairoon Ali at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, yesterday. An almost packed auditorium of family and friends, who came out to pay tribute and bid a final farewell to a treasured woman, were treated to nothing short of the many colours of Ali. Among the gathering were Ambassador Joan Yuille-Williams, MP for Mayaro, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, Peter Minshall and Minister of Information Dr Neil Parsanlal.
Continue reading Mairoon Ali’s Send-Off: A Celebration… →

International, Race and Identity

When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like “Avatar”?

21 Comments

By Annalee Newitz
December 18, 2009 – http://io9.com

The Movie "Avatar"Critics have called alien epic Avatar a version of Dances With Wolves because it’s about a white guy going native and becoming a great leader. But Avatar is just the latest scifi rehash of an old white guilt fantasy. Spoilers…
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General T&T, PNM, Politics, UNC

Backing Bas …or Ramesh

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Basdeo Panday, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj
Basdeo Panday, Kamla Persad-Bissessar & Ramesh Maharaj

By Raffique Shah
December 20, 2009
trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

As a Christmas gift to my colleague of many, many moons ago, I am backing Basdeo Panday for leadership of the UNC in the upcoming party elections. I have taken this decision, not after long and hard examination of the issues at stake, or any analysis of the future of UNC, but purely because Bas is a man. And this country of warped minds where people are whimsical in their outlooks, man must back man.
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Finance, General T&T, PNM, Politics

Rowley hits property tax

6 Comments

By Sean Douglas
December 20 2009 – newsday.co.tt

Dr. Keith RowleyDIEGO Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley believes that people from all walks of life are angry at the Government’s property tax which they blame on squandermania. Rowley was speaking on Friday in the Lower House on two bills to bring the new tax, the Property Tax Bill 2009 and the Valuation of Land (Amendment) Bill 2009.
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International, Politics, USA

Obama Pledges Action With Or Without Climate Deal

United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark

President Barack Obama — December 18, 2009

President Barack Obama spoke on the last day of climate talks at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. The President called on all major economies to put forward decisive national actions that will reduce their emissions and turn the corner on climate change.
Continue reading Obama Pledges Action With Or Without Climate Deal →