By Raffique Shah
July 28, 2013
The tragedy of tomorrow’s by-election in Chaguanas West is that all of us—politicians, commentators, journalists, publicists and people—treated the exercise, more so the campaign, as a big joke, a comedy festival of sorts. In other words, we have all helped to perpetuate the unholy mess that passes for politics in a country where buffoonery triumphs over rationale, in a land where crapaud is king – or queen.
Continue reading Buffoonery reigns
By Raffique Shah
July 21, 2013
“When thieves fall out, honest men come by their own,” says a centuries-old proverb. I think though, that when friends fall out, dubious men and women tumble into disrepute in unimaginable ways and pillars of political society are reduced to pillars of salt.
Continue reading By-election a blessing
By Raffique Shah
July 13, 2013
IN THE euphoria of the People’s Partnership resounding elections victory on the night of May 24, 2010, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in her acceptance speech, identified only one member of the UNC executive for praise: Jack Warner. Before mentioning Warner by name, she had thanked only God and the people who voted the Partnership.
Let me quote the PM (from the written text): “Tonight I want to thank the chairman of the UNC Jack Warner…Jack Warner, thank you!”
Continue reading It’s time to pay the Devil
By Stephen Kangal
July 10, 2013
Warner chose the maximum advantage-minimum cost political strategy to enhance and repair his damaged post-FIFA image and to restore the political status quo ante- the Palmiste debacle.
All that he is alleged to have committed and not proven took place outside of the jurisdiction of T&T within the largessse of the FIFA culture of gift-giving. He did not steal from the people of T&T. The four legal opinions have discredited the Simmons Report as being legally and procedurally flawed and therefore worthless.
Continue reading The Charge of the Warner Brigade
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 04, 2013
Two of my dear friends are reputed to have suggested that the Hindus and the Christians may be responsible for the plight of young Africans who find themselves in trouble with the law. They also seem to suggest that a Hindu-based government is to be blamed for out plight. I should hope that this is not what they intended to convey to the public. Such statements tend to inflame national feelings and deepen the national divide. I am a member of the PNM and count myself to be as conscious of my blackness as anyone else. However, I think we ought to be careful about what we say.
Continue reading Don’t Blame the Hindus or the Christians
Newsday Editorial
Wednesday, July 3 2013
JUST a week before Nomination Day for the Chaguanas West bye-election, on Monday the gloves came off between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and former MP Jack Warner.
Continue reading Battle-lines drawn
By Raffique Shah
June 30, 2013
AS I watched the political circuses perform in their big tents over the past few weeks, their patrons seemingly satisfied with the acts and acrobatics on offer, my mind turned to the adage, Vox populi, Vox Dei (The voice of the people (is) the voice of God). I sat in my chair and wondered about the wisdom—or folly—of this proverb that scoundrels through the ages have used to invoke divine blessings for their dastardly acts, based solely on the fact that the people supported them.
Continue reading Voice of reason way superior
By Andre Bagoo
June 16 2013 – newsday.co.tt
THE ACTIONS of the chairman of the Integrity Commission chairman Ken Gordon in holding a private meeting at his Glencoe home with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley was a serious error of judgment which has now compromised the Commission as well as the Office of the President, senior political analyst Dr Hamid Ghany said yesterday.
Ghany said the meeting, held on May 15 at the chairman’s resident at Newbury Hill, Glencoe, displayed “poor judgment” on the part of Gordon and now risks disrupting the appointment process which is currently being undertaken by President Anthony Carmona.
Continue reading Gordon’s Big Error
By Winford James
June 12, 2013 – trinidadexpress.com
NEVER mind Jack Warner’s denial, Prime Minister, it is a fiasco. Warner is focused on the rest of the Cabinet blaming him for it, despite acknowledging, in his usual convenient way, the doctrine of cabinet responsibility, but that is a red herring: it is still a fiasco. You could have said “bacchanal’’, “disaster’’, “catastrophe’’, “debacle’’, “shambles’’, “farce’’, “mess’’, “foul-up’’, or “screw-up’’. Yes, “screw-up’’. Everybody knows your government has been screwing up—monthly, weekly—but I’ll take the Italian word and its conservative figurative meaning: “failure in a performance’’.
Continue reading Yes, Prime Minister, a fiasco
By Clint Chan Tack
June 13, 2013 – newsday.co.tt
OPPOSITION Leader Dr Keith Rowley yesterday accused Government of using last year’s flooding in Diego Martin as a smokescreen to award millions of dollars worth of contracts to its friends. Rowley, who is also Diego Martin West MP, made this charge as he debunked the earlier contribution of Finance Minister Larry Howai during debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) (Financial Year 2013) Bill 2013 in the House of Representatives.
Continue reading $49M rip-off