By Stephen Kangal
July 21, 2012
If Tobago were to be accorded full and effective internal self-governance in the current climate, it is mandatory that boundaries separating the domestic jurisdiction of both islands have to be established to demarcate the maritime limits of the reach of their respective law –creating capacity to avoid over-lapping or concurrent jurisdiction and reduce potential conflict.
Continue reading ‘Tobago’s Self-Governance and Legal Separation from T’dad’
By Stephen Kangal
July 11, 2012
Current proposals originating both in POS (The Green Paper) and Scarborough (The Draft Bill of the THA) now in the public domain and geared to accord a higher level of self-governance to Tobagonians must not result in another façade Legislature exercising political and administrative autonomy merely to achieve peace, order and good governance in the sister-isle. There must be fundamental changes both in structure and substance. Tobago must be treated with dignity, the inalienable right of its people to self-determination respected and their ownership or sovereign rights over adjacent maritime resources to be exploited for the welfare of its people recognized and legitimized.
Continue reading ‘Tobago’s Internal-Self Governance — No Façade Structure’
By Stephen Kangal
June 19, 2012
I wish to congratulate the Hindu Prachar Kendra for using their Indian Arrival Day function to remember and re-kindle the outstanding and unparalleled legacy bequeathed to posterity in T&T by the late Bhadase Sagan Maraj — trade unionist, religious leader, parliamentarian, land-owner and philanthropist par excellence.
Continue reading ‘Rekindling the Bhadase Maraj Legacy’
By Stephen Kangal
June 07, 2012
Ralph Maraj’s advice to the PNM is simplistic, cosmetic and fundamentally off the radar. He deludes himself into believing that the deeply embedded and fossilized, original, organizationally-driven culture of ethno-nationalism and secrecy can be easily changed when in fact the electorate has grown fed up and disenchanted of PNM’s several public relations reincarnations. The demographics have changed but the PNM remains insensitive to this political reality. It will not re-brand itself to pander to the new cosmopolitanism.
Continue reading ‘The PNM Leopard Cannot Change Its Stripes’
By Stephen Kangal
(Address delivered at the MTS Indian Arrival Day Function
on Monday 28th May 2012)
Mr. Chairman, The PS/PM and Head of the Public Service, Mr. Reynold Cooper,
Mr. Dhaniram Ramkissoon, Vice- Chairman of MTS,
Members of Board of MTS,
Mr. Lennox Rattansingh, CEO of MTS
Divisional Managers and Members of the Staff of MTS
Ladies and Gentlemen- Namastay, Assalam Alaikum, Good Evening
I thank the management of MTS for inviting me to speak at this IAD function and congratulate the Staff for the effectiveness of the décor that emphasizes the theme of Indian Arrival.
IAD is a celebration of the cultural impact of the distinct Indo-T&T personality during 50 years of Nationhood and One Hundred and Sixty-Seven Years of contributing to T&T.
Continue reading ‘Emergence of Indian Arrival as a Vehicle for Mobilisation and Cultural Assertiveness’
By Stephen Kangal
May 01, 2012
Let me categorically state that the printed media especially since 2004 when the TT/Barbados boundary dispute first erupted and counting, has never gotten it right in reporting about our very specialized maritime boundaries matter. They have done a great disservice to T&T. I cannot identify any single journalist past or present who has taken the time to research and/or to consult responsibly on this matter that the freedom of the press demands of media houses.
Continue reading ‘Get it Right Before You Write on TT’s Maritime Boundaries’
By Stephen Kangal
April 24, 2012
During the recent visit made to her ancestral homeland, Bihari village of Bhelupur PM Persad-Bissessar issued a most profound, conclusive, unnoticed and defining statement on her nature and nurturing en route to becoming Prime Minister. She confessed quite categorically to the Bhelupuris gathered that “…whatever I am today is because Bihar is in my DNA and whatever my ancestors taught me…”.
Continue reading ‘Nature and Nurturing of a Prime Minister’
By Stephen Kangal
April 06, 2012
As a frequent flyer to London for the past 30 years I am totally confident that CAL’s long-awaited re-entry, using the originally familiar BW 902 flight designations to London beginning June 14 via London Gatwick will be viable and cumulatively successful. We must recall that when BWIA terminated its London route using Heathrow its Tri-star and Airbus flights were always full and were the most lucrative in the BWIA network.
Continue reading ‘CAL Gatwick Route to London Viable’
By Stephen Kangal
March 29, 2012
Years ago T&T’s former HC to India, Mr. Reginald Dumas went visiting the rural villages of the Indian state of Bihar assiduously looking for “jhandis” and found them. Last week another Afro-Tobagonian, Opposition Leader the Hon. Keith Rowley used the occasion of the CPA meeting being held in India to search for the elusive “jhandis” and according to him found none. And this after the PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar just returned from her Indian safari when the question of the rurally remote, sometimes inaccessible villages (pur) of the States of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from which the “girmitiyas” came to T&T bearing their ‘Jahajee bundles” was well-documented.
Continue reading ‘Rowley Went To India Looking for Jhandis?’
By Stephen Kangal
March 19, 2012
It was culturally fulfilling, timely and enlightening to attend the public presentation of a ground-breaking PH.D dissertation produced by renowned cultural activist, Kathak dance exponent par excellence and former distinguished Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sat Balkaransingh held at NAPA on Wednesday last. The work is entitled, “Trinidad Space Speaking through Indo-Trinidadian Rituals and Festivals” will contribute immensely to cross-cultural understanding beyond the confines of the Indian community of the culturally persistent linkages that exist between ancestral India and its culturally-rich, diasporic community in T&T.
Continue reading ‘Exploring Linkages Between Indian Places and Cultural Spaces in T&T’
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