Category Archives: General T&T

General T&T, Politics

No easy road to national unity

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By Raffique Shah
May 24, 2025

Raffique ShahThere was almost unison in the plaintive cry in the appeals for national unity by a significant section of the population. This festival of nation building and patriotic songs and music, that was a treat by itself. I know this country is gifted with a prolific compilation of rich ballads, lyrics and music that can “make mih pores raise”, as Trinidadians and Tobagonians are wont to say.

The occasion was the inaugural meeting of the 13th Parliament of the Republic. Time was when this was a routine parade for the military and other top brass who paraded. When Independence Day coincided with such sitting, pomp and ceremony oozed out of the uniforms of service officers and other ranks.
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General T&T, International, USA

Defending black excellence against Trump’s academic assault

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 17, 2025

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeLast Thursday morning, I left Boston to attend the graduation of my second grandson from Morehouse College, “the storied Atlanta school” (The New York Times, May 13). This was a change in the institutions of higher education my immediate family attended.

I attended Fordham University, received my doctorate from Cornell University, and taught at Harvard University. My first daughter did her undergraduate work at Stanford University and got her law degree from Harvard; my second daughter attended Hampton College, received a Master’s from Yale University and a doctorate in theology from Duke University. Tomorrow she will deliver remarks on behalf of the Yale Divinity School Alumni Board, of which she is the president. My son-in-law received his undergraduate degree from Columbia and law degree from Harvard Law School.
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Elections, General T&T

Race no longer the dominant factor

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By Raffique Shah
May 17, 2025

Raffique ShahSomething positive is coming out of the political and social networks, if I may so refer to them, what with social media having given any such interaction a bad reputation in the past.

Amidst the cheering and other expressions of joy that emanated from the new UNC ministers, and the graceful acceptance of defeat from inside the PNM camp, I heard my call for the new Government to move with quiet authority, grounding with the masses and, more importantly, reaching out to them on the issue of preparing the nation for adverse weather conditions which have become near-normal for us.
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Elections, General T&T

No longer blinded by their lyin’ eyes

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 10, 2025

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeSome years ago I wrote of a conversation I had with Aaron St John from East Port of Spain. He spoke about the dilapidated condition of the South East Port Spain Secondary School and its surroundings: “I have been reading your articles for a while and I want to invite you to come and take a look at East Port of Spain where we live. I am 41 years old and was born in this city. It has not changed for all of my life. It remains the same dirty, nasty, undeveloped, unprotected place and it’s only getting worse and more dangerous…
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Elections, General T&T, UNC

Madam PM, the hard work starts now

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By Raffique Shah
May 10, 2025

Raffique ShahI do not know if the UNC-led coalition that came to power two weeks ago by spectacularly defeating the PNM government in the general election believes it has the luxury of time and incumbency on its side, and the victory assures it of ten years in government. I focus on this continuous campaign mode that has taken hold of, it seems, the majority of the electorate. Having changed governments, disposing of the PNM from power in seven elections since 1956, it could be that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, those who are actively involved in elections, believe that’s the way to go.
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Elections, General T&T, UNC

Magnanimity in victory

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 03, 2025

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThe United National Congress’ (UNC) overwhelming victory last Monday was nothing short of spectacular. One of my colleagues called it an Eric Williams moment, meaning that Trinibagonians had inaugurated an important turning point in our social and political history: the decimation of an old stultifying order as they ushered in a new social and political era.
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General T&T

Dump the Privy Council

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By Raffique Shah
May 03, 2025

Raffique ShahI would be the happiest person in post-election Trinidad if, three months from now, the new Prime Minister achieves 50% of her goals in any one of her objectives after scoring an emphatic win over the PNM. If, in my gaiety, I make no mention of the occasion that I celebrate and appear to be claiming “victory” as my own, does it matter anyway? When UNC wins, everybody wins, including Raffique. Seriously, though, I should first congratulate Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar on a resounding victory. That was a performance political leaders only dream of—one she will have worked hard at in the ten years she laboured in the vineyards or wherever.
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Elections, General T&T

The Mother of Our Nation

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 26, 2025

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeWhen we achieved national independence on August 31, 1962, Dr Eric Williams became the FATHER OF OUR NATION. When Kamla Persad-Bissessar is elected tomorrow she will become the MOTHER OF OUR NATION. It will be a necessary corrective act: after all, we cannot have a father of a nation without having a MOTHER OF OUR NATION.
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Elections, General T&T

A fickle electorate

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By Raffique Shah
April 26, 2025

Raffique ShahIn the histories of nations such as our Trinidad and Tobago, there are times when challenges that seem insurmountable are thrown in our pathways. In such grim situations when the fabric of a nation is subjected to competing forces, warring tribes or, worse, battling gangs, the outlook is bleak. Negative forces that lay just below the surface crawl out of their caverns in their bid to capitalise on our misfortune. The general election that takes place tomorrow is one such volatile event that threatens a war for the soul of our nation.
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Elections, General T&T

Five dogs and a shovel

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 19, 2025

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeOnce John Jeremie, Kennedy Swaratsingh and yours truly supported UNC publicly, darkness would seek to prevail over light, stupidity would try to dwarf intelligence, and moral degeneracy would erupt with diabolic fierceness.

I couldn’t conceive the conversation would descend to the vulgarity to which the former Leader of Our Grief and Sorrow took it: “I have five dogs and I’m handy with a shovel, so John Jeremie does not faze me or the PNM.” (Guardian, April 15); Jeremie was “a dog in the PNM. I can call him that” (Express, April 18).
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