Tag Archives: Patrick Manning

General T&T, PNM, Politics, UNC

Executive President, yes…elected by the people

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By Raffique Shah
August 23, 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

Raffique ShahListening to well-informed people, some of them respected intellectuals, argue against a system of government that allows for an executive president, intrigues me. They invariably pursue their arguments using fancy-words-work, but essentially they are little different to the barely-informed masses, who, on the eve of Trinidad and Tobago adopting a republican constitution in 1976, cried “bloody murder” over that minor change in our system of governance.
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Finance, General T&T, Politics, Security

Answers needed on helicopters

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Newsday Editorial
August 13, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

HelicopterThe first deal under consideration began back in November 2005. Prime Minister Patrick Manning, on a visit to Israel, announced that he had met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and had discussed the issue of crime with his host. Then, in a television interview, Mr Manning stated that the talks with the Israelis might include the acquisition of four armed helicopters as well as patrol boats. He said that the Israeli Air Force used armed helicopters and he had initiated discussion to “effect a transfer”.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, PNM, Politics, Violence

Paranoid Prime Minister

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By Raffique Shah
Sunday, August 2nd 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

PM Patrick ManningI often wonder what grave sins we Trinidadians and Tobagonians have committed to warrant the kinds of politicians we have been saddled with for generations. It’s not that they are the worst in the world, although some people may swear they are. Look at it this way: we could have had really brutal dictators like the monsters who have wreaked untold suffering on billions of people across the planet. Mercifully for us, we have been spared that kind of horror.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, PNM, Politics, UNC, USA, Violence

PM Tells of a Plot to Assassinate Him

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www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

A PLOT TO KILL ME
PM tells of shocking event before coup anniversary last year
By Anna Ramdass – Published: 28 Jul 2009
PM Patrick ManningPrime Minister Patrick Manning claimed last night that there was a plot to assassinate him last year. Speaking at the PNM’s meeting in Arima, Manning reminded the crowd of an incident that took place in July last year, when a marked police vehicle attempted to “peel off” one his security detail vehicles as he and his wife, Local Government Minister Hazel Manning, were on the way to the gym.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, PNM, Politics, USA

Another look at 1990 coup

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By George Alleyne
July 22, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

1990 Coup: Yasin Abu Bakr is arrestedAny Inquiry into the July 27, 1990 attempted coup by the Jamaat al Muslimeen should seek to find out who was behind the supplying of the then militant group with weapons and ammunition, who orchestrated the move to seize power and was the planned coup specifically designed to overthrow the leadership of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) Government.
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General T&T, Health, PNM, Politics, UNC

‘PoS General, an African hospital’

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By Sean Douglas
July 18, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

Dr. Tim GopeesinghCARONI East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh alleged an “ethnic cleansing” of Indo-Trinidadian doctors at Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH), but Leader of Government Business, Colm Imbert, dismissed these charges as “scandalous, false and outrageous.”

The heated exchange shook up a dull debate on the Emergency Ambulance Services and Emergency Medical Personnel Bill 2009 as amended by the Senate.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics, UNC

A conscience vote

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By George Alleyne
July 15, 2009 – newsday.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

Jack WarnerIssues of personal conscience with respect to policy positions held by two of the nation’s legislators — Independent Senator Gail Merhair and Opposition United National Congress Chaguanas West Member of Parliament, Austin “Jack” Warner — have dominated national public issues thinking within recent days. Senator Merhair, with respect not only to her support of the controversial Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, but the comments she made immediately prior to her casting of her vote, and Mr Warner’s voting in favour of Government’s Securities Bill 2009.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics

Montano adds insult to Merhair’s injury

Guardian Editorial
Published: 12 Jul 2009 – guardian.co.tt
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

ParliamentSenator Gail Merhair injured the public interest not for voting, as an Independent, in support of the Government, but for the reasons she has given.

An Independent Senator is answerable to no constituency, no parliamentary whip, or to any party-line enforcer. Appointed in the President’s own, non-advised, wisdom, an own-way Independent Senator may pitch and roll indefinitely as a loose cannon aboard the ship of state.
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COP, General T&T, PNM, Politics, UNC

Dawn of a new era

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By Raffique Shah
Sunday, July 12th 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

PNMEVEN as this column appears in print today, there is a “unity rally” being held at Skinner Park in San Fernando. Its promoters have invited people of every political persuasion, even those who do not belong to any party, to attend. The rally, they say, is intended to send a strong message to the Patrick Manning Government that people are fed up with its high-handed form of governance.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics

Unfair treatment

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Newsday Editorial
Friday, July 10 2009
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com

PM Patrick ManningWednesday’s decisions of the Appeal Court in upholding two crucial appeals, one against the quashing by the Prime Minister of a Foreign Affairs officer’s appointment to a position at the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London, the other against the PM’s vetoing of a promotion in the general public service, clearly followed the clumsy handling by the Prime Minister of both matters. As a result, the Appeal Court, in both cases comprising Chief Justice Ivor Archie, and Justices Margot Warner and Allan Mendonca, ruled that they were “unfairly treated.”
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