An Open Letter To President Olusegun Obasanjo

By Linda E. Edwards
Dated: December 26, 2006

Your Excellency
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Sir:

AfricansI e-mailed a Nigerian friend the article from the New York Times this morning, with a brief comment, “O God, Again?”

Again, because I am tired of seeing articles about a ruptured pipeline, with people stealing gasoline, which explodes and kills them. Another few hundred are dead, in Africa’s most populous country. Maybe that is less than the children who will die of AIDS related diseases today, scattered across the continent. Maybe that number, two hundred and sixty and still counting, may have starved to death by the time I am finished typing this letter, and so, maybe, that is a small number. None of the people to whom I sent the article, however, thought that two hundred and sixty city dwellers in Lagos were so dispensable that they behaved as if these people were not to be missed. The sounds of the mothers wailing because their children have died, the sounds of the girl looking for her brother, and getting only the ring tones of his phone, would not go out of my ears.
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Afrikan concept of God

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
December 31, 2006

AfricansEvery Afrikan society has beliefs, ideas and teachings that emphasise the existence of a Supreme Being. These beliefs, ideas and teachings are found to be original with the Afrikan way of life. But, beliefs, ideas, teachings and even practices may differ from society to society and from shrine to shrine.

These differences may be found in customs, rituals, norms and sanctions. They may be found in spiritual languages as instruments of communicating ideas, beliefs and practices. They may also be found in spiritual representations like shrines, temples, relics, costumes and the application of beliefs and ideas in the numerous activities of life.
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They made sure Saddam took his secrets to the grave

Saddam Hussein was executed

Remember that this execution (assassination) of Saddam Hussein was carried out by the U.S. installed government in Iraq while the U.S. is illegally occupying Iraq. The U.S. had physical control of Saddam up until the time of his execution and transported the body afterwards. Simply put, Saddam Hussein was executed by the U.S. government. It is also important to remember that the U.S. illegally invaded Iraq and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. –Ayinde
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Resolutions: Wishful Thinking

By Errol F. Hosein
December 30, 2006

Red HouseThere has to be an element or component that actually fosters a sense of morality and fairplay in our society. In reality, this is missing in T&T. So, let us begin at the top. The government is the largest wage earner in the nation as a result of its utilization of the natural resources and by products that belong to all of its peoples. Here is where the examples should begin.
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No Happy New Year for the destitute

by Raffique Shah
December 31st 2006

DestituteForget those never-fulfilled New Year resolutions as the not-so-magical midnight hour approaches tonight. Let’s be realistic: we hardly ever adhere to our wishes because we simply do not have the will, the discipline to break bad habits or to adopt new, supposedly good ones. I can visualise it even as I write on Friday. Sloshed-to-bollocks, as the Brits would say, wealthy men and women with those gaudy, comical (and conical) hats, whistles and champagne glasses competing for space in their mouths, shouting in drunken stupor: Happy New Year!
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New Year Resolutions For The Business Community of Trinidad and Tobago

By Linda E. Edwards
December 29, 2006

TT MoneyAs the year 2006 draws to a close, some people have made a lot of money in Trinidad and Tobago, and some have become distinctly poorer as the cost of living soars to the sky. Money is flowing in the land, it seems, but it is not circulating. The flow is in one direction, from the pockets of wage earners to the pockets and bank accounts of “businessmen”. Many businessmen seem to give nothing back.
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Designing a Pro-Israel Middle East Policy

Middle EastTHE EDITOR: During the recent Heads of Mission meeting held in POS Prime Minister Manning indicated that in the face of increasing purchases of security equipment from the State of Israel T&T will have to review its foreign policy in the Middle East. In my view, it is clear that PM Manning did not realise that there was a hidden quid pro quo for being granted access to Israeli spying technology. He is now being forced to forge a pro-Israeli foreign policy in the Middle East that will in fact constitute a radical departure from our traditional Middle East Pro-Arab-Palestinian, Group of 77 policy.
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Indian leader likens caste system to apartheid regime

By Maseeh Rahman, The Guardian UK
December 28, 2006

IndiansIndian prime minister Manmohan Singh became the first leader of his country yesterday to compare the condition of low-caste Hindus with that of black South Africans under apartheid.

Mr Singh drew the parallel at a conference in New Delhi on social and caste injustices saying it was modern India’s failure that millions of Dalits (meaning “oppressed”) were still fighting prejudice.
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Chatham residents win smelter war

By Corey Connelly
http://www.guardian.co.tt

Aluminum SmelterGovernment has decided to immediately discontinue all plans to establish an Alcoa aluminium smelter on the Cap-de-Ville estate, Prime Minister Patrick Manning signalled yesterday.

“Instead, we shall accelerate development of a new industrial estate offshore at Otaheite Bank from which aluminium production can now be pursued together with other industrial plants,” Manning said in a televised Christmas Day address to the nation.
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Cheap Politics and Racism Cannot Beat the Steelpan

By A. A. Hotep
December 23, 2006

SteelpanWhy try to deny the legitimacy of the Steelpan being our national instrument?

The Steelpan is globally recognized as the only acoustical instrument developed in the 20th century. The fact that this instrument was created and developed in Trinidad and Tobago out of the experiences of Africans seems to be troubling to a few Indians in Trinidad and Tobago.
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