General T&T, PNM, Politics

Enshackled thinking

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 28, 2024

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI wanted to finish my series on our valiant black women ancestors before I responded to the superficialities of people who assailed me on behalf of their leader (Express, August 6).

Although the press release of the PNM Women’s League purported to be the wisdom of its membership (close to 20,000 people, I guess), there is no way the League could have canvassed its members overnight to arrive at the claims that their leader offered “a powerful message”. Nor could they have constructed a collective response overnight. The missive of the PNM Women’s League was authored by one or two people.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics

Columbus dead, Prime Minister

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By Raffique Shah
August 28, 2024

Raffique ShahIf Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is not careful with every word that “cometh” out of his mouth between now and whenever the general election is held (in 2025, he says), he could become part of the list of political leaders who have thrown away significant advantages they held before general elections.

Indeed, the advantages he and his colleagues have fought hard to establish and maintain after nearly a decade in power in Trinidad and Tobago could vanish in the putrid elections environment by him uttering inappropriate words and policy statements.
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Culture, General T&T

Hear ye; hair ye: listen and be enlightened

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 21, 2024

Part IV

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeSlavery ended offi­cially in 1834 while apprenticeship ended slavery in practice in 1838.

The 5,000 people who took part in the Revolt of October 1, 1849, were ex-slaves. The women were at the forefront in this battle. While the attempt to cut their hair ignited the revolt, there were other causes that led to their revolutionary activities.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T

A time to kill

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By Raffique Shah
August 17, 2024

Raffique ShahIt was the Freeport address that piqued my interest. Six bandits (the police did not use “alleged”) shot dead in Freeport. Normally I would pay passing attention to such reports since the killing fields of criminals operating in this country can be anywhere, given our small size.

I paid closer attention now as I sat talking with my brother, Feroze, trying to figure out if we knew any of those who were killed by the police earlier that day, as we’d spent most of our lives in what I call “Greater” Freeport. As the television presenter continued with what was little more than a routine story, I realised the culprits did not belong to Freeport. They had, in fact, rented the house in a district that had expanded way beyond what I knew it to be. For all we know, one could be from Cedros and another, Toco.
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General T&T

Hear ye; hair ye: listen and be enlightened

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 16, 2024

Part III

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThe revolt of October 1, 1849, one of the most momentous occasions in our history, was led by women of the lower order. They took the initiative in fighting one of the most oppressive pieces of colonial legislation that was designed to prevent their economic enterprise and dignity as a proud people of colour. In fact, they berated the men for not having the testicular fortitude to fight this injustice.
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General T&T, Passed on, Sports

Relief from grief

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By Raffique Shah
August 10, 2024

Raffique ShahI thought I would never get over her. That night when everybody had left and just a few members of the family remained to keep us company, comforting words from my dearest relatives and friends hardly helped. I was just seeing her face everywhere.

Rosina must be laughing wherever she was: I feel sure she was in our room because I heard her laughter, her voice, and even saw her face smiling at me. Readers might become bored with this 78-year-old geezer who has just lost a wife. That happens almost every day to someone or several people worldwide, and when people read this column they’d probably laugh at me pining away after Rosina.
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Africa, Books, General T&T

An ideologue’s pirouette

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 07, 2024

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIn his address to the nation on African Emancipation Day, the Leader of our Grief called upon his distraught citizens to focus on Afro-Trinbagonians who have made outstanding contributions at home and abroad.

He urged the universities of the West Indies, of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Southern Caribbean “to research further, then highlight and promote the African heritage in the country’s art, literature, music, religion, drama, fashion, cuisine, technical and empirical skills”. (Express, August 1, 2024.)
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Culture, General T&T

Hear ye; hair ye: listen and be enlightened

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 31, 2024

Part II

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThe Council meeting began shortly after noon on October 1, 1849. Charles Warner, the attorney general, moved that the Board go into committee to give further consideration to the Gaol Regulations. He also informed the Council members that Governor Harris had received a delegation of citizens prior to the meeting and he assured them that he would alter the offending clause to which they objected.
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General T&T, Passed on

Passing of a beautiful soul

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By Raffique Shah
July 31, 2024

Raffique ShahOn July 18 I lost my life partner, the woman whose beautiful face was the first thing I saw when I awoke, and the last thing I saw as I drifted off to sleep at nights. I must have had a hard day the day before, because for some reason on the morning she passed, I was lying next to her between sleep and wake, as close relatives of hers drifted in and out of our room, praying for her in between sobs and whispered words. If the last few weeks have been tough on my family, the last few days leading up to her death and funeral were sheer torture.
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Africa, Education, General T&T, Schools

Hear ye; hair ye: listen and be enlightened

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 24, 2024

Part I

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI wanted to add my two cents to Oke Zachary’s comments about educators freeing themselves from mental slavery as it related to the SDA dragging two students from their graduation because they cornrowed their hair (Express, July 14).

Zachary gave us an informative history lesson about the important role that hair plays in the lives of African people. He started with Bob Marley who had one of “the nappiest dreadlocks” and worked his way back to the inception of the cornrow style in 3,500 BCE before going to China “with the staircase braid from 1644 straight to the Caribbean with modern cornrows from the 1970s”.
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