Fulfilling Prophecy

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 14, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeWilliam Hardin Burnley was the biggest slave holder in Trinidad and Tobago. In 1813 Sir Ralph Woodford arrived in the island as the governor. One of his first tasks was to secure sufficient laborers for the island, Trinidad being notorious for not having sufficient laborers to till its soil. One year after he arrived he asked each member of his Board of Council to come up with suggestions to induce laborers to settle in the country.
Continue reading Fulfilling Prophecy

China Offers Caribbean $6 Billion in Loans

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (rear left) and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (rear right) attend a signing ceremony for an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries at the Diplomatic Centre in St. Ann's Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Monday, September 12, 2011.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (rear left) and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (rear right) attend a signing ceremony for an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries at the Diplomatic Centre in St. Ann’s Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Monday, September 12, 2011.
Click here for more photos

$6B for region

By Andre Bagoo
September 13, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

IN A BOLD declaration of his country’s bold ambitions for the Caribbean region, China’s Vice Premier Wang Qishan yesterday unveiled a suite of measures including a $6.3 billion loan to regional governments, aimed at deepening cooperation between the People’s Republic and the Caribbean.
Continue reading China Offers Caribbean $6 Billion in Loans

21 MEN FREED

By Alexander Bruzual
September 13, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

State of EmergencyIt was an exuberant moment in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Eighth Court yesterday morning when charges against 21 men accused of being gang members were dismissed by Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar.

The courtroom erupted in loud cheering, clapping, and words of thanks to both God and the Chief Magistrate after it was announced that the 21 men were free to go.
Continue reading 21 MEN FREED

Remembering September 11…Somewhat Differently

By Corey Gilkes
September 11, 2011

September 11As you know today is 10 years since a horrific tragedy occurred in New York City, one in which thousands of lives were snuffed out and led to many more tragedies and atrocities. As is the custom today we will see the emotional services as those who lost their lives in that event are remembered and rightly so.
Continue reading Remembering September 11…Somewhat Differently

Emergency Notes

By Raffique Shah
September 11, 2011

Raffique ShahTHE best crime-fighting measures emerging from the Emergency thus far are the medium-term initiatives Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced when she wound up the motion that saw Parliament extend the State of Emergency for three months. The Selwyn Ryan committee that will look at curbing criminality, the case-flow-management team of attorneys, the proposed amnesty for minor offences and the possible release from prison of convicts who no longer pose a threat to society, if aggressively pursued, would yield more benefits to the society than the steep drop in crimes during the Emergency.
Continue reading Emergency Notes

Killers do not respect race

Newsday
September 07, 2011

State of EmergencyNewsday today continues an edited version of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s contribution to the debate on the motion to extend the state of emergency for three months in Parliament on Sunday. The motion was passed with 29 Government MPs voting for the extension and with ten votes against by the Opposition MPs.
Continue reading Killers do not respect race

Jack Wept

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 06, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeAnd Jack wept just as Peter wept after he betrayed Christ. Brigadier John Sandy bemoaned: “We must recognize that it is people looking like me who are being murdered, mothers like my mother, God rest her soul, who are out there weeping more than any other race.” There is no doubt that Brigadier Sandy loves black women. He is married to an Indian woman.
Continue reading Jack Wept

Of Vulgar Politicians and Ethnic Bashing

By Cecil Paul
September 04, 2011

State of Emergency“We must recognize that it is people looking like me, who are being murdered, mothers like my mother…weeping more than any other race”…”When we see the accused being led away, being led to court, it is people who look like me”…”When one looked at the prison population in 2011, 51% are Afro Trinidadians”. (Minister of National Security John Sandy)
Continue reading Of Vulgar Politicians and Ethnic Bashing

Fallouts from the Emergency

By Raffique Shah
September 04, 2011

Raffique ShahNOT surprisingly, the Government has extended the State of Emergency (SoE), citing its “successes” thus far, and all but promising citizens a crime-free country by the time it is lifted. Although no one in Government made this commitment literally, daily, ministers and top officers of the national security agencies dazzle us with statistics that look impressive.
Continue reading Fallouts from the Emergency

Keep race out of criminal behaviour

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
September 02, 2011

State of EmergencyIt is ridiculous for some public officials to opine/conclude that “the only reason (Trinbagonians) were charged under the Anti-Gang legislation was because they are black.”

Such public insanity was further compounded when the leadership of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) also publicly contended that the People’s Partnership (PP) government’s anti-crime policy was “treading on slippery slopes” in regard to the targeting of African communities in T&T.
Continue reading Keep race out of criminal behaviour