Tag Archives: T&T Govt

Mystery Church

Newsday Editorial
February 24, 2010 – newsday.co.tt

PM Patrick ManningWE were most disappointed at Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s silence over the controversial church that Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner alleged is being built by the Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) in the Heights of Guanapo.

Last Friday in the House of Representatives, Warner made his startling claim which raises crucial questions over the alleged use of public resources for a private venture. He held up a photograph of the construction site, which is reportedly manned by Chinese labourers.
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Politics Takes Precedence Over Constitutionality

By Stephen Kangal
February 14, 2010
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

Basdeo PandayIt is pathetic to see an ageing captain who publicly boasted about his immortal invincibility to navigate the turbulent waters of the legitimacy of politics for forty years now seeking refuge by invoking the illegitimacy of constitutionality to shore up and salvage his all but sunken and ship-wrecked political career. He confessed that politicians have a limited shelf-life before becoming damaged/expired goods.
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Laventille, don’t fall for sweet talk

Guardian Editorial
February 11, 2010 – guardian.co.tt

LaventilleHaving had the absolute and unwavering support of the people of Laventille for the 54 years of its existence as a political party, it is highly contemptuous of the PNM’s political leader, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, to go into that part of the country, which is riddled with crime and sunk in underdevelopment, to name in an ad hoc manner a committee of ministers and parliamentary representatives to discern the problems of the area. Where have Mr Manning and the PNM Government been all this time?Specifically, as it relates to the stewardship of Mr Manning’s administration, between 2002 and 2007, Prime Minister Manning and his Government announced a plan for the rehabilitation of east Port-of-Spain, inclusive of the “behind the bridge” areas, Laventille and Sea Lots. Where has that plan got to beyond talk and the establishment of a company, presumably to effect the job?
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More fiscal discipline

Newsday Editorial
February 11, 2010 – newsday.co.tt
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Financial ComplexPRIME Minister Patrick Manning, at a PNM meeting in Laventille on Tuesday, re-ignited the debate as to how well, or if you like, how badly the Government has been spending public monies.

He raised the prospect of the Government having to borrow to fund its expenditure and thereby possibly incur strange looks from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Manning said the Government had last year suffered a $6.9 billion revenue shortfall, while this year’s shortfall is about $7.8 billion.
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Karma, Bas, not Kamla

By Raffique Shah
February 07, 2010
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Basdeo PandayMost readers would interpret my headline as suggesting that UNC “founding father”, Basdeo Panday, is enjoying sweet chutney/soca music in keeping with the spirit of the Carnival season. For them, “Karma” is a music band whose lead singer, Ravi B, won the recent Chutney-Soca Monarch title. Ironically, Ravi’s winning song was titled “Ah Drinker”. Ravi was not referring to orange juice or WASA’s now-scarce potable water, but to the wanton abuse of alcohol.
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How Low Can You Go Mr. Panday?

By Stephen Kangal
February 04, 2010

www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

Basdeo PandayIn 2005 when Mr. Winston Dookeran was elected unopposed as leader of the UNC Mr. Panday used as the facade for discrediting, marginalizing and hounding him out of the UNC with the support of the same cabal, the excuse that the former had not met nor fulfilled the conditionalities for leadership. He cannot lead, Mr. Panday alleged.
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PM: PNM does not wash dirty linen in public

by Michelle Loubon
January 25, 2010 – guardian.co.tt

PM Patrick ManningThe PNM does not wash its dirty linen in public. Prime Minister Patrick Manning made this comment during the party’s 54th anniversary celebrations interfaith thanksgiving rally at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Its theme was “We’ve come this far by faith.” Although he maintained the PNM did not interfere in the politics of other political parties, Manning boasted that the PNM model was the best with regard to internal organisation and discipline. “We take careful note of what goes on in other political parties…We want to know what not to do,” he said. He then waded into the practice of washing dirty linen in public. “If you find dirty linen being washed in public, it has to do with the method of selection,” Manning said.
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COP In Win-Win Post UNC Elections Scenarios

By Stephen Kangal
January 22, 2010

Congress of The PeopleContrary to the uninformed view of Selwyn Ryan that victory for the Hon. Kamla P. Bissessar in the UNC internal elections will result in the political demise of Winston Dookeran and the COP I believe that based on all the post-elections scenarios the COP will derive political capital and find itself in a win-win situation. The COP is the common denominator in all post-elections scenarios and will emerge as the principal beneficiary post January 24 UNC elections.
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Annisette and Seetahal Have No Credibility

By Stephen Kangal
January 03, 2010
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Senators Dana Seetahal and Michael AnnisetteWhen will MP’s and Senators begin to factor into their parliamentary stewardship and daily conduct that T&T is looking on and listening to them via Channels 4 and the Parliament Channel late in the night? Their late arrivals and at times their early premature departures from parliamentary sittings are telegraphing the wrong negative and disappointing signals to their respective constituencies.
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