State of Emergency Nothing to Do with Crime

By Gerry Kangalee
August 23, 2011 – workersunion.org.tt

State of EmergencySo in the midst of the joint unions’ mobilising for the general strike, the government has declared a state of emergency under the guise of dealing with crime. It is clear that this latest desperate act by the PP government has nothing to do with reining in crime, but everything to do with beating back the rising tide of working class discontent. On July 21st the website of the National Workers Union published this article.
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Time for Action: ‘The war is on…’

State of EmergencyTIME FOR ACTION
SAYING desperate times require desperate measures, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan yesterday declared war on criminals as the State unveiled a programme of heightened police action and appealed to citizens to stay home during the curfew hours of 9 pm to 5 am at six listed regional corporations.

‘The war is on…’
Persons arrested and detained under the limited state of emergency in force throughout north, south, east and central Trinidad for the next 14 days, will not be immediately allowed bail, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan indicated yesterday.
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The Writerly Pursuit

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 22, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeA writer does not write in isolation nor does he always know for whom he writes. A socially-conscious writer, as I see myself, always writes with a purpose. Sometimes it’s to entertain; mostly, it is meant to educate oneself and his public. From that mix one cannot remove the sheer bliss that one finds in writing and yes, even the pleasure of seeing one’s name in print.
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Breakdown of State of Emergency ‘Hot Spots’

State of EmergencyAs part of the state of emergency announced by the Prime Minister a curfew will be in effect from 9 pm to 5 am for the next two weeks in a list of hot spots.

Residents in the designated areas engaged in activities that require them to be outside during those hours can seek a permit granting the necessary clearance by making an application at the police station nearest their residence. (trinidadexpress.com)

Affected areas are as follows:
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PM Declares “Limited State of Emergency”

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has Announced a “Limited State of Emergency” in Crime Hotspots from Midnight

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarThe PM said that this decision was made “after much deliberation with the National Security Council and members of the Cabinet,” and that the current crime spree must end.

The limited state of emergency is part of a plan using the police and army in response to the “spate of murders over the past few days”.
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Confusing ‘Dookonomics’

By Raffique Shah
August 21, 2011

Raffique ShahMinister Winston Dookeran confuses me. He insists that the Budget deficit for fiscal 2010-2011 remains at around $8 billion, as he projected last year. Yet, he admits that Government collected $2 billion in unanticipated revenue from delinquent taxpayers who responded to the tax amnesty. He also admits that oil prices have been higher than budgeted, and prices of other downstream commodities (methanol, ammonia) have been buoyant.
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Cultural Icon Pat Bishop Passes Away

Cultural icon Dr. Patricia Bishop

Dr. Pat Bishop’s Memorial Service “In Pat’s House” (in pictures)
Dr. Pat Bishop’s Memorial Service “In Pat’s House” held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain on August 28, 2011

Cultural icon Dr. Patricia Bishop better known as Pat Bishop passed away today, Saturday 20th August, 2011. Ms. Bishop, who attended a meeting with a cabinet appointed committee of high level experts on culture and the arts collapsed from her chair. She died while at hospital where doctors’ attempt to revive her proved futile. The cause of her death remains unknown at this time.
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Cameron’s multiple morality disorder

By Suzanne Mills
August 19, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

British Prime Minister David CameronBy blaming the English riots not on poverty, unravelling race relations, government’s austerity measures, the global crisis, but on the perverse and criminal behaviour of some English people, British Prime Minister David Cameron is arguing that in the case of the rioters, bad behaviour triggered bad behaviour and that in general, conduct is not a symptom but a cause.
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Hon. Prime Minister diagnosed with Dengue

From the Office of the Prime Minister
August 16, 2011

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarPrime Minister the Honourable Kamla Persad Bissessar has been recently diagnosed with Dengue fever (Classical type). It is the less severe strain.

The Prime Minister is now resting comfortably and would like to assure citizens that she is receiving medical care and supervision.
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Messengers of the Invisible

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 16, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeAugust and anyone who is anyone has left Paris (and other Europeans cities) for the country for vacation. As one looks at the shuttered apartment windows, the empty streets (except for places such as Champs Elysees Avenue) and the barely-filed cafes that inundate the city and its sidewalks one realizes that everything will remain in abeyance until September when Parisians return to work and attend to their business again.
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