Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

corruption, Crime in T&T, General T&T

Cradle of corruption

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By Raffique Shah
June 20, 2023

Raffique ShahI haven’t given much thought to the local government election due to be held in August, nor have I paid much attention to the ongoing debate on reforming local government, a cornerstone of PNM’s vision for new governments.

In the first instance, besides creating three new boroughs, the Government is seeking to instil the decentralisation of governance, the precise details of which I have not studied. However, I am aware that the contentious issue of property tax which the PNM sees as not only a source of revenue, but more importantly a source of power to the local government bodies, remains a gap between the Government and the Opposition UNC, which is totally against property tax.
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Finance, General T&T

Shame on you, FCB!

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By Raffique Shah
June 11, 2023

Raffique ShahI never thought the day would come when I would find it necessary to write a column like this—coming down like the proverbial tonne of bricks on a financial institution that thousands of patriots like me breathed life into well before it was born, and certainly before the people who currently occupy its management chairs were even ideas, far less born.

But after my experiences over the past few weeks, and listening to other customers complain, I felt compelled to raise the issues in the public forum.
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General T&T, Health

Life after Parkinson’s? Maybe.

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By Raffique Shah
June 06, 2023

Raffique ShahLeila found it hilarious when an interviewer, who is chronicling the lives of ‘prominent people’, asked his penultimate question: What’s next on the radar for you, Mr. Shah? He had covered much of the multifaceted life I’ve lived. He found, as I had done, that my life had indeed been intriguing especially upon reflection since having been struck with Parkinson’s Disease thirteen years ago. Except for my weekly columns in this space, and I have been trying to complete a few books that are mostly written, I’ve done little else in what many might see as an important periods in my life’s journey. I could not help but laugh out loudly, though, at the question about my future at age 77, stricken with this debilitating disease that can be crippling several times a day, every day without fail. What next for me? Death, I responded, laughing raucously. Everyone within range, joined me. I have that infectious effect when I talk about mortality.
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Elections, General T&T, Opposition Party, Parliament, PNM, Property Tax, UNC

‘Informed’ voters will decide election

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By Raffique Shah
May 30, 2023

Raffique ShahNot for the first time in its 67-year history, the People’s National Movement goes into a local government election as the underdog. In 2019, as I recall it, the main opposition United National Congress, and some other parties with which it had forged alliances of sorts, seemed confident they would flog the PNM in the wake of a sluggish national economy, job cuts and its failure to secure support for local government reforms that intended to increase the powers of the municipal corporations.
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Crime in T&T, Drug Trade, General T&T, Law

Poverty is a crime

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By Raffique Shah
May 22, 2023

Raffique ShahNothing I have ever written in this space can be misconstrued to suggest that I proffered poverty as an excuse for crime. To the contrary, I have advanced many reasons why the link between poverty and crime is not axiomatic. And, I have warned the poor to stay clear of crime since they will be made to pay heaviest for it, while the real criminals have the wealth to retain high-priced attorneys, whose jobs are to keep the crooks out of prison.
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corruption, General T&T, Politics

Is What We Go Put

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By Raffique Shah
May 15, 2023

Raffique ShahWhile members of parliament, on both sides of the divide debated, argued, and almost came to blows over a relatively minor issue— in this case, the supplementary appropriation bill— they could not see the herd of elephants in the House, not one in a room, set to stampede demanding an equitable place on Earth. I watched with consternation as MPs got close to blows over the Finance Minister’s proposal to increase expenditure for fiscal 2023, I thought: These people must be mad.
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Canada, General T&T, International

Mass Exodus of Trinis?

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By Raffique Shah
May 8, 2023

Raffique ShahMy good friend Mike swears there is a mass exodus of bright young professionals from Trinidad, many of them with their families, their destination of choice Canada, which they see as a vast country with countless opportunities.

To support his contention, he asks me rhetorically: when last have you driven past the Canadian High Commission in Port-of-Spain early morning? I didn’t reply that I do not know where in the capital city the Canadians have their offices. He continued; It’s like J’ouvay morning downtown…if you see people. Raf, this is real…people are leaving in droves…it’s not just the crime, it’s the hopelessness. They see no future here for themselves and their families…
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General T&T, Protest

Validating Letter

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By Raffique Shah
May 01, 2023

Raffique ShahHistory is often a blend of recognizable names, established dates and accounts of actual events cleverly blended with outright lies, ego-boosting anecdotes born in the stupor of what Trinis call ‘rum shop talk’, and enhanced by time as even those who know the facts become victims of fiction manufactured in their fading memories, all of which end up published as ‘true stories’ that sometimes progress to documentaries and other cinematic productions.
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General T&T, Law, Police

Anarchy order of the day

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By Raffique Shah
April 23, 2023

Raffique ShahIn warfare, any kind of warfare, whatever the size, strengths and weaknesses between and among the combatants, what any general will enjoy fighting against, is an enemy divided. In World War II for example, the Allied Forces comprised most of Europe except, of course, Germany and Italy on one front, Japan on another and remnants of the Ottoman Empire on a third. Among themselves the impressive Allied leadership— Generals such as Montegomery, Eisenhower, Wavell among a phalanx of highly experienced and well respected, one might say tactical geniuses, had to cope with the egos of Charles De Galle and Winston Churchill, both of whom were themselves military geniuses.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Violence

Three Patriotic Tinis

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By Raffique Shah
April 16, 2023

Raffique ShahThe criminal underworld has expanded and intensified its war against mostly law-abiding citizens by mounting brazen attacks against selected targets in open thoroughfares, damn the innocent victims who are seen as collateral damage. They have expanded ‘home invasions’ to the extent they now dominate the news.
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