Monthly Archives: January 2011

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

Open Letter to Bro. Dookeran and the PP Gov’t

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lettersDear Bro. Dooks,

When it come to books, I can’t win you at all, but when it come to common sense, I ahead by ah mile. I could understand yuh strategy in not wanting to continue in the vein of the previous regime, spending the people’s money willy nilly. And the fact that you will need some time to settle in before making your adjustments. But, when yuh saying and doing every thing to convince me that the treasury is empty, and the country don’t have money, please stop it. Like yuh taking we for ah ride to get we giddy headed.
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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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General T&T, International, Internet Issues, Politics

Curbing Cyber Terrorism

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By Raffique Shah
January 15, 2011

Raffique ShahNOBEL Laureate Paul Krugman (Economics, 2008) referred to it as the “Climate of Hate”. In his New York Times column last week, he pointed to “incitement” coming from politicians and media commentators on the far right in America that factored in the murderous carnage in Arizona. Democrat Representative Gabrielle Giffords and Judge John Roll were victims of a wild shooting spree by a mentally disturbed 22-year-old man, which claimed five lives.
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corruption, Entertainment, General T&T, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UDeCOTT

PIANO FOUND!

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…at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s

By Anna Ramdass
January 14, 2011 – trinidadexpress.com

The Bosendorfer Strauss Grand PianoThe grand piano has been found —in the very place it was alleged to have been missing from. National Security adviser to the Prime Minister, Gary Griffith, told the Express by phone yesterday that the piano was found after checks of the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.
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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, NJAC, Protest, Race and Identity

Legacy of 1970 events: Revolution, what revolution?

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By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
January 10, 2011

EmancipationFor many decades, the notion has been bandied about that a “Black Power Revolution” occurred in T&T between February – April 1970; however, the purpose of this article is neither to posit a definitive critique of the events of 1970 nor to question its historic legitimacy.
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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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Crime in T&T, Culture, General T&T, Law, Media

Another lose, lose situation

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Newsday Editorial
January 6 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Maxi TaxiThe current dispute between the operators of maxi taxis and the Government, represented by Minister of Works and Transport Jack Warner, will have no winners. Even if the maxi taxi operators prevail, and prevent in some way, the proposed “regularisation” of PH taxis, the travelling public will end up losing a form of transport upon which many people depend. The operators will have lost their earnings for Wednesday, and for any other days which they decide to withdraw their services. PH drivers, many of whom are honest (outside of their “PH breach”) hard-working individuals, may lose the opportunity to become a legitimate part of the economy. And the travelling public is suffering.
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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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