Complaints, COP, Finance, General T&T, PNM, Politics

Getting our priorities right

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By Raffique Shah
October 04, 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

HouseTHE battle over Government’s proposed property tax has intensified. On the one hand, the vast majority of citizens, civic organisations and NGOs have been very vocal in their bid to have government reverse “this oppressive new tax that will pauperise the working and middle classes.” On the other side, the Government has undertaken a media campaign to convince people that the tax is not a new imposition, nor will it be harsh and oppressive.
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Finance, General T&T, Law, PNM, Politics

Ministers Doing a Demolition Job on Finance Minister Tesheira

By Stephen Kangal
October 01, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Karen Nunez-TesheiraIt is palpably unsettling to witness the pathetic display of Ministers in the Ministry of Finance (not for the first time), Minister Imbert and including Local Government Minister Hazel Manning attacking with full force the credibility and integrity of Finance Minister Tesheira’s “done deal” property tax. This tax reinforced by Finance Ministry vaulting- ambitious aspirants may very well hasten her imminent political waterloo because she has now been relegated to cold storage. She does not speak on her draconian fiscal measure any more. She has been muzzled.
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Finance, General T&T, Law, PNM, Politics, UNC

PM’s legal debts

Newsday Editorial
September 30 2009 – newsday.co.tt

PM Patrick ManningATTORNEY GENERAL (AG) John Jeremie did not exactly admit it on Monday in the Senate, but in our view he seemed to be trying to make a case for debt-forgiveness for the half-million dollars owed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning as unpaid legal costs to the State. Mr Jeremie said Mr Manning has so far paid $555,000 out of a $1.15 million debt incurred in 2002 when he lost his High Court bid to stop the defection of the then-Opposition MPs Dr Rupert Griffith and Dr Vincent Lasse to join the former UNC government.
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Complaints, Culture, Finance, General T&T, Media, Politics, Race and Identity

Louis Lee Sing pushes for compulsory national service

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Use money from URP

By Corey Connelly
September 29 2009 – newsday.co.tt

Louis Lee SingExecutive chairman of Citadel Limited, Louis Lee Sing, yesterday suggested that the monies allocated to the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) be directed to the proposed National Compulsory Service initiative.

“If ever you had an opportunity of killing two birds with one stone, that is it,” he said while delivering a comprehensive presentation on the company’s proposal for compulsory national service.
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General T&T, Law, PNM, Politics, Race and Identity, Religion, UNC

Discourse and diatribe

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By Raffique Shah
September 27, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Raffique ShahIt is depressing, to say the least, watching men and women who hold high offices, eschew discourse in favour of diatribe as they engage each other in matters of national interest. The latest salvo fired by Attorney General John Jeremie as he responded to statements by the Law Association, is a case in point. Clearly, the AG believes he and his colleagues in government are being targeted by political opponents, which is why he must descend into the gutter to snipe at the “enemy”.
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General T&T, Politics

The President’s 2009 Republic Day Message

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Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Address to the Nation by His Excellency Professor George Maxwell
Richards TC, CMT, Ph. D, President of the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago, on the Occasion of Republic Day, Thursday 24th September,
2009

President Professor George Maxwell RichardsFellow Citizens

At the outset, let me wish you all a happy Republic Day, 2009. These greetings go also, to the diaspora and to all who have adopted our beloved country as their own.

This Republic Day comes at a time when convulsions are taking place, all over the world. And we have not been spared. While the world-wide economic downturn has not, so far, impacted us, as severely as it has other countries, we must maintain caution, lest our decisions, in this regard, move us into crisis, even as there are indications that the situation is easing, in other parts of the world.
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Complaints, General T&T, PNM, Politics

Caroni Villagers Condemn Property Tax and Call for its Withdrawal

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By Stephen Kangal
September 23, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

HouseThe Caroni Assembly of Villagers during their meeting held on Tuesday evening at the Vishnu Boys College in Caroni condemned the proposed high level of property tax as being unprecedented, unduly harsh and oppressive in the taxation annals of T&T. It was held as being “punitive, disruptive, draconian, illegal and onerous in its implications” according to the text of the Resolution that was adopted unanimously at the end of the Public Forum, a copy of which is attached.
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Complaints, Finance, General T&T, Politics, Race and Identity, Religion

Govt to pay Maha Sabha $3M for radio licence delay

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By Sacha Wilson
Published: 23 Sep 2009 – guardian.co.tt

Satnarayan MaharajThe State has to pay the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, which operates Central Broadcasting Services Ltd, close to $3 million in damages for its unequal treatment and delay in granting them a FM radio broadcasting licence.

Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh awarded compensatory and vindicatory damages yesterday by way of a video conference at the San Fernando High Court.
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Finance, General T&T, Law, Politics, Tobago, UDeCOTT

No to Increase in Property Tax!

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By Sylvan N. Wilson
September 20, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

HouseThe Government and in particular the Minister of Finance have been attempting to justify their murderous property tax by arguing that the value of properties has changed since 1948. They have astutely deciphered that properties have increased in value over the last sixty-one years.
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