Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

Elections, General T&T

For whom you stain the finger

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By Raffique Shah
April 12, 2025

Raffique ShahIn the 45 years I have been writing a weekly column for one newspaper or other, I have never advised my readers which candidate or what party they should vote for. I started with a satirical column, “MP for the Masses”, in 1980, in the run-up to the 1981 general election, the first since 1956 that Dr Eric Williams was not at the helm of the PNM, having died in 1980.

I wrote a combination of humour, addressed the economic fortunes of T&T, took potshots at politicians—by then I had completed my one term as the elected MP for Siparia where, in 1976, I had polled the third highest number of votes—6,601—with only PM George Chambers and Boodram Jattan polling more votes.
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Elections, General T&T

Gimmicks vs governance

By Raffique Shah
April 05, 2025

Raffique ShahDiscomfiture was writ large on the face of Prime Minister Stuart Young, SC, as he engaged in what many a Trinidadian would term “gimmickry”, serving the people their wants and not necessarily their needs.

At a public meeting in San Fernando he felt compelled to respond to the UNC’s bulging bag of election promises to the electorate. The UNC leadership knows well that the cost of implementing a slew of tax-breaks, increased salaries and services to the people and the host of other “goodies” they appear to be drawing from a magician’s hat, will be prohibitive. They are not practical, given the fall in revenues from our main goods and services. But, audiences at their meetings react to their offers like children at a party when the piñata bursts.
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Elections, General T&T

Elections free from fear

By Raffique Shah
March 29, 2025

Raffique ShahMany people in this rainbow country do not know how lucky we are to have so many citizens of so many ethnicities, religions, cultures and varying mixes who could have given us reasons to fight wars of one kind or another, and destroy the dream of most citizens who want only for us to dwell in harmony, respect each other and share the national pie in an equitable manner.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics

PNM leaps ahead

By Raffique Shah
March 22, 2025

Raffique ShahWhen the history of politics in Trinidad and Tobago is written, those who are shaping our future and those who are making our history will be alarmed at how easily an epoch was erased, how a new era almost slid past the hands of historians, with hardly a note written about it. Not even the men and women who were reshaping our history were aware of this momentous change, focused as they were on winning an election.
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Elections, General T&T, PNM

A new-faced PNM?

By Raffique Shah
March 15, 2025

Raffique ShahI imagine by the time readers get through today’s column, the People’s National Movement (PNM) will have completed its processes and revealed its full slate of candidates minus Dr Keith Rowley, who, as far as I can translate what is happening, will not be prime minister but will remain political leader of the party.

Yeah, I know: I’ve just burdened you with a long-winded sentence; bear in mind that the narrative reflects what is actually happening on the ground. So, if people are confused by what is happening, hopefully they will not be confused by my writing.
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Culture, General T&T

A good year for calypso

By Raffique Shah
March 08, 2025

Raffique ShahThis has been a bumper year for Carnival-related cultural art forms. I have no authority, nor do I have any qualifications to intervene in any debate or discussion on how 2025 matches up with 1962, 1964, and so many other occasions when our calypsonians gave us songs that were timeless. I most definitely will steer clear of engaging in any debate with Dr Hollis Liverpool, The Mighty Chalkdust, a calypso legend, four or five times over during his lifetime.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T

Of crime and cowards

By Raffique Shah
February 22, 2025

Raffique ShahNow more than ever, I am convinced that this society is so steeped in corrupt practices that no one can claim to not know what has been happening for 50-60, whatever, years. So confident am I in laying this charge of universal theft, banditry, if my editors will only agree, I shall pronounce that in this jurisdiction, everyone is presumed guilty unless or until he can prove innocence.
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Elections, General T&T

Time to administer zebapique

By Raffique Shah
February 15, 2025

Raffique ShahIt seems that some fifth columnist in the ranks of the Opposition United National Congress has hijacked the party’s offices and is training its activists and the leader, I need add for emphasis, in how to lose another election. The PNM in government was always destined to be beaten halfway to death in the run-up to the polls. It happens every five years—or if you can mastermind consecutive victories, in ten years.
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General T&T

Hiding our inhumanity

By Raffique Shah
February 08, 2025

Raffique ShahOld age is a B!!ch. Growing up as a boy in rural Trinidad, I would often hear that refrain coming from the mouths of people who were, well, old. In those times, anyone who had a couple grey hairs or whose skin looked like leather, or who walked around seeming to have difficulty in making their next step, was classified as old.

They may have been 40 or thereabouts and would utter such refrains when commenting on some inadequacies they experienced. And, I would think, what are they complaining about? They should be happy. Mostly, they had retired from some job they held so they did not have to commute to work every day. They lived seemingly relaxed lives. Except for some infirmities, they looked in pretty good shape, so why the complaints?
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