Tag Archives: T&T Govt

General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, Protest

Labour Movement Versus PP Gov’t

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By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
January 17, 2011

PSA ProtestYear 2011 has witnessed the continued acerbic relationship between the membership of the labour movement and the seven-month old People’s Partnership (PP) government.

The powers that be in these unions/associations need to realize and understand very clearly that the mammoth, outstanding sums of money owed to them are the irresponsible, anti-labour legacy of the former PNM government under Patrick Manning.
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Features, General T&T, Passed on, Politics, Race and Identity

On Afro-Saxons and Trinbagonianism

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
January 12, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI regret I was not in Trinidad to share in the national grief when Sir Ellis Clarke died. My visit to Ghana over the past two weeks prevented me from attending his funeral. Michael Harris described Sir Ellis and those of similar ilk as Afro-Saxons. I disagree with such a characterization since it neither captures the essence of those gallant men and their contribution to our society nor does it tell us much about their location within the national landscape. Even in our grief we should resist a tendency to mischaracterize our patriots and set up false notions of who they were or what they ought to be.
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General T&T, India, International, People's Partnership, Politics

Conceiving the Inconceivable

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
January 10, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeAh never hear Becky vex so yet. “Uncle Selwyn,” she said, you know Rambachan and dem people (meaning the Foreign Affairs Minister and the People’s Partnership) just letting dem Indian people and dem come into Trinidad jus’ so. Dey ah even need a visa to come into the country now.”

She was referring to the unilateral decision of the People’s Partnership to allow Indians and Russians to enter the country without visas.
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General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, Protest

A long, hot dry season?

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By Raffique Shah
January 08, 2011

Raffique ShahTHE industrial relations climate in the country seems poised to take us into a long, hot dry season. Last week’s “double whammy”, protest action by a number of trade unions and a strike by maxi-taxi operators, signalled the start of what may well be a year of turmoil. Government seems to be unwilling to offer more than five per cent in salary increases to public servants. Should there be no compromise, other public sector and State enterprises’ employees would be forced to accept this as a benchmark for the 2008-2010 period.
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Business, corruption, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Politics

A year pregnant with possibilities

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By Raffique Shah
January 02, 2011

Raffique ShahBARRING being victims of unpredictable natural disasters or another global economic “meltdown”, Trinidad and Tobago seems set to enjoy an encouraging 2011. There will be no boom similar to what we wallowed in from 2005 to 2007. The crime rate will not drop precipitously because of a change of heart among heartless criminals (surely an oxymoron), or a significant improvement in the policing and justice systems. Poverty will not disappear. The nation’s roads won’t be transformed into highways to heaven.
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General T&T, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Mewey Cwismas, Trinis

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By Raffique Shah
December 26, 2010

Raffique ShahI WAS reluctant writing this column on the eve of Christmas, knowing it will appear in print on Boxing Day, that it would probably upset some people. Then it occurred to me that a significant number of adults would crawl out of their beds or wherever they may have slept last night, feeling like faecal matter of one kind or other. So, if anything, my thoughts would blend nicely with whatever brand of antacid they pour down their hatches in preparation for another day of overindulgence. Mewey Cwismas, people!
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Parliament, Politics

Politics of distraction in T&T

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By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
December 19, 2010

ParliamentTo all intent and purposes, a new genre of politics has become the norm in T&T. And this new political modus operandi is the politics of distraction.

For while the country is burning, the murder rate (445 as of this writing) has surpassed Brian Lara’s 400 highest test score and is feverishly and uncontrollable heading to surpass his 500 highest county cricket score also.
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General T&T, Law, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UDeCOTT

Law, order and our leaders

By Dana Seetahal
December 18, 2010 – trinidadexpress.com

Dana SeetahalWhen I heard Mayor Louis Lee Sing’s statement that he was going to ask the Port of Spain Magistrate’s Court to set midnight as the hour that bars must stop selling liquor in St James and Woodbrook I wondered whether he appreciated there was a separation of powers between the judiciary and the executive.
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Africa, Culture, Elections, General T&T, India, People's Partnership, PNM, Race and Identity, UNC

Cudjoe’s Indian Time Ah Come

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Cudjoe’s Indian Time Ah Come Part 1

By Sat Maharaj – December 02, 2010

Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, Satnarayan MaharajWhen my friend Prof Selwyn Cudjoe invited me to deliver the feature address at the launch of his latest publication, Indian Time Ah Come In Trinidad and Tobago, my first response was that this was a set-up. Was Selwyn attempting to portray Sat Maharaj and Indians in general as a group glorifying in the political success of the People’s Partnership in a boastful way?
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