Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

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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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Religion

Has God Forsaken Us?

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By Raffique Shah
April 10, 2023

Raffique ShahI believe it was the night before Holy Thursday, listening to news on radio or television, I paid attention up to when the announcer counted past seven murders. They might have been over a period longer than 24 hours. They might even have been less than the full day’s score. What did it matter? I asked myself—and continued doing whatever I was doing.
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General T&T, Protest

Old Friends

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By Raffique Shah
April 03, 2023

Raffique ShahAs we mature in life, reaching what most people consider their mid-years, we may occasionally pause and consider what older folks have been preaching for as far back as we remember: you lose so many friends in your latter life, it’s not funny. I am seventy-seven, and I often consider that in my tiny community, there are only two other men, no women, of similar age who can reflect on events that occurred when we were, say, forty.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics

Please read, Excellency

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By Raffique Shah
March 27, 2023

Raffique ShahOnce in a while, when the nation’s ruling elites are summoned to put on display their airs and wears, we at the lower rungs of the social ladder get opportunities to view how those who consider themselves the upper castes parade like peafowls in the finest garments their TT dollar can buy. Fortunately for us lesser mortals television cameras are just about everywhere, especially when ceremonies, rituals and often times plain bad manners come under close scrutiny of the ordinary citizens who look on with expressions of disgust at these pseudo-elites. The installation last week of Christine Kangaloo as president of the republic steered pretty clear of pomp, splendour and those delightful breaches of etiquette that set off gossip among those not invited, those invitees who chose to deliberately stay away and the public who, for entertainment from the upper classes, would otherwise watch ‘Keeping up Appearances’.
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