Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

CARICOM, General T&T, International, Latin America, Politics, Venezuela

Chavez – Catalyst for Change

7 Comments

By Raffique Shah
March 09, 2013

Raffique ShahHUGO Chavez cast a giant shadow over the Western Hemisphere during his relatively short life. Few world leaders can claim to have influenced the course of history and geopolitics the way he did. For more than half-a-century, visionaries formulated and articulated ideas for the creation of a new power centre that resided outside of North America and Europe. Chavez transformed those dreams into reality, however limited, and upon his untimely death he left behind the legacy of a new world order that seems set to redefine Latin America and influence global affairs in the 21st Century.
Continue reading Chavez – Catalyst for Change →

General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, UNC

Carmona’s coming

12 Comments

By Raffique Shah
February 17, 2013

Raffique ShahPresident-elect Anthony Carmona will assume office in a few weeks amidst great expectations by a large number of citizens. Ever since the judge was named as Government’s choice for Head of State, people from all strata of the society have been effusive in endorsing his nomination. Across the political and social spectra, it seems that everybody loves President Tony—if I may be familiar with His Excellency the way we were with President Max and President Robbie.
Continue reading Carmona’s coming →

Culture, Entertainment, General T&T, Music

Carnival is happiness, harmony

10 Comments

By Raffique Shah
February 10, 2013

Raffique ShahWHATEVER our differing views on Carnival, one thing we can agree on is the heights of happiness that the festival engenders at all levels of the society. There is hardly a sourpuss left scowling as the music, the visuals and the spirit take possession of our beings, commanding us to listen, to look, to sing along, to dance and, most of all, to laugh and be happy.
Continue reading Carnival is happiness, harmony →

General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, THA, Tobago, TOP, UNC

Gambling on bare Jack

21 Comments

By Raffique Shah
January 19, 2013

Raffique ShahTHE ferocity with which the two main parties, the PNM and the People’s Partnership (yes, the PP!), fought the 2013 THA election, suggests that they see this battle for an anticipated 25,000 or so votes as a life-and-death struggle. Maybe it is, although I venture to add that this prognosis applies more to the Partnership than the PNM, as I shall argue. The intensity of the campaign, the media, ground and cyberspace advertising and propaganda blitz, which must have cost at least $50 million, certainly surprised me.
Continue reading Gambling on bare Jack →

General T&T, Media, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch, Tobago

Race in our politics

18 Comments

By Raffique Shah
January 13, 2013

Raffique ShahHILTON Sandy’s Calcutta ship gaffe may well sink the stalwart’s personal political pirogue—after the elections, not before. The furore his Freudian slip has triggered would hardly influence the outcome of the THA election. Battle lines were drawn long before polling day was named, and I sense that the “swing votes” in Tobago hardly make a difference. So Sandy’s punishment for a thinly veiled racial innuendo must come from his party since the electorate, at least a significant number of them, are not offended by it.
Continue reading Race in our politics →

Culture, General T&T, Media, Religion

Make poverty history

18 Comments

By Raffique Shah
December 23, 2012

Raffique ShahIF there were tabloids at the time, two thousand and however many years ago, their editors would have delighted in the heart-rending story that would sell their newspapers, headlines screaming, “No room at the Inn!”. The drop-head, “…woman gives birth in manger”. The text might read, “A very pregnant Mary of Galilee, accompanied by her husband, Joseph, rode into Bethlehem last night on the family’s ass and immediately sought accommodation because there were signs that Mary had gone into labour.
Continue reading Make poverty history →

General T&T, Politics, Violence

No peace and goodwill here

12 Comments

By Raffique Shah
December 16, 2012

Raffique ShahTHERE was a time, maybe I should write “once upon a time” since this may sound so much like a fairy-tale, when nations at war suspended hostilities on Christmas Day, such was the pervasiveness of peace and goodwill associated with the birth of the Christ child.

The most memorable such occasion was on the night of Christmas Eve 1914, during the First World War, along the Western Front.
Continue reading No peace and goodwill here →

Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Protest

PNM problem, PNM solution

12 Comments

By Raffique Shah
December 09, 2012

Raffique ShahTHE tragedy of the crime-infested, poverty-stricken, pitiful and problematic ghettos located on the eastern fringes of Port of Spain is that they ought never to have degenerated to the mess they are today. There was a time when they could have been salvaged. Maybe that possibility still exists. But for as long as the politicians see Laventille, Beetham, Sea Lots and surrounding districts as permanent problems deserving only of temporary quick-fix solutions, the festering sores will spread, infecting and affecting the entire society.
Continue reading PNM problem, PNM solution →

General T&T, Politics

Wine, Trini, wine

7 Comments

By Raffique Shah
November 24, 2012

Raffique ShahLAST weekend, the City of San Fernando marked its whatever anniversary in a most unique, creative and celebratory way: it held a Carnival, complete with music trucks, Jouvert, thousands of gyrating bodies, barrels of alcohol, parade of bands—the works, if you get my drift.

The (pretend you have a lisp) city Mayor, young Navi Muradali, was so excited over the success of the two-day mas, he promised a bigger and brighter “Sando Carnival” next year.
Continue reading Wine, Trini, wine →

General T&T, Hindu, India, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch, Religion

Let Charity Guide Our Utterances

16 Comments

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
November 14, 2012

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeSometimes in our enthusiasm, we say extraordinarily silly things; such as the mutterings of Dr. Neil Parsan, our Ambassador in Washington, D.C. What is one to do with the following statement: “The Indian diaspora is a formidable force in Trinidad and Tobago, the largest numerical representation in the entire Caribbean; the most well-to-do and culturally strong and progressive ethnic group in the uniquely plural society of T&T.”
Continue reading Let Charity Guide Our Utterances →