Tag Archive for 'T&T Govt'

Ferries fiasco symptom of systemic societal problem

Published on August 15, 2017 in General T&T, PNM, Politics and Tobago. 16 Comments Tags: , , , .

By Raffique Shah
August 15, 2017

Raffique ShahIt is incomprehensible to me how two boards of directors at the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT), two line ministers responsible for the operations of the ferry service between Port of Spain and Scarborough, and a battery of senior public officers in the employ of the PATT and Government, could make such an unholy mess of the sea-bridge, culminating with the acquisition of a defective old tub that failed to even arrive in the country.
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Remembering Malcolm Jones

Published on August 11, 2017 in General T&T, Oil and Gas, PNM, Politics and UNC. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

By Raffique Shah
August 10, 2017

Raffique Shah“I’ll share with you a personal secret…I. Don’t. Like. Pone!” said Malcolm Jones, emphasising every word he uttered. I couldn’t believe what he revealed: a Trinidadian who did not like pone, that cassava sweetbread whose taste and texture are sinfully irresistible to natives of this country? We eat pone by the slabs, not slices. “Malcolm,” I responded, “what kind of Trini are you?”
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Keith Rowley’s Glorious Moment

Published on July 31, 2017 in Finance, General T&T, PNM, Politics and Recession. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , .

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 31, 2017

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeLast Sunday, Jonathan Fenby, author of The General: Charles de Gaulle, suggested that Emmanuel Macron, President of France, was following closely in the footsteps of Charles de Gaulle, founder of the Fifth Republic, by using his office with the same majesty, grandeur, and decorum that de Gaulle did. He clarified: “Both are (or were) very well read, formally courteous and with an attention to detail. Though not as rousing an orator as the general, Mr. Macron uses speeches, as his predecessor of a half a century ago did, as instruments of pedagogy, notably with his address last weekend on the 75th anniversary of the round-up of Jews in Paris, when he did not hesitate to criticize de Gaulle by name for the pretense that the French authorities were not responsible” (Financial Times, July 22).
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The Four Ks of Our Destruction

Published on July 24, 2017 in Crime in T&T, General T&T, PNM and UNC. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
July 24, 2017

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeFor the past seven years the two Ks (Kamla and Keith) have ruled the land. On Tuesday they introduced two other “Ks” to the unsavory mix: Kamauflage, another kamikaze-like maneuver designed to hoodwink our people. Basdeo Panday, characterizes their approach as “playing smart with chupidness.” One could also use the French aphorism to describe their carryings-on: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose: the more things change, the more they remain the same.
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Was the Valuation of Property Scheme Really Voluntary?

Published on July 20, 2017 in General T&T, Law, PNM and Property Tax. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , .

By Stephen Kangal
July 20, 2017

Stephen KangalThe last minute submission/alibi by SC Deborah Peake to the San Fernando High Court presided over by Mr Justice Frank Seepersad on May 19 that the valuation exercise was voluntary was indeed rejected as unconvincing and inadmissible by the Judge who proceeded to grant the injunction requested.
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Lost generations amidst free education

Published on July 12, 2017 in Crime in T&T, Education, General T&T and Politics. 7 Comments Tags: , .

By Raffique Shah
July 12, 2017

Raffique ShahAnd we wonder why, in this land of plenty, we are seeing increasing numbers of young delinquents who invariably, in their middle to latter years, become dependent on the State for all their needs and much of their wants, some of them turning to crime as a rewarding enterprise that is the safest route to garnering, maybe amassing, wealth, faring better than their contemporaries who burnt the proverbial midnight oil, who sacrificed and struggled to earn an education they believed would equip them for life.
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Imbert Misled Parliament on First Phase of The Property Tax

Published on July 12, 2017 in General T&T, Parliament, PNM, Politics and Property Tax. 3 Comments Tags: , , .

By Stephen Kangal
July 12, 2017

Stephen KangalTaking into account the startling but incredible disclosures made by the Acting Commissioner of Valuation, Mr Baldeo Ramoutar in his 21st June affidavit filed in the San Fernando High Court, it appears to be pellucidly clear that the Minister of Finance, Mr Colm Imbert deliberately and knowingly misled and misinformed Parliament on the measures being undertaken for the first phase implementation of the Property Tax regime.
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PM admits Burke has edge with HDC contract

Published on July 8, 2017 in Crime in T&T, General T&T, Media, PNM and Politics. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , .

Govt’s hands may be tied

By Shaliza Hassanali
July 08, 2017 – guardian.co.tt

MP Marlene McDonald, Cedric Burke (centre) and President Anthony Carmona
MP Marlene McDonald, Cedric Burke (centre) and President Anthony Carmona

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has admitted that the Housing Development Corporation may have no choice but to allow Sea Lots community leader Cedric Burke to complete the contract he has on a development in Bon Air, Arouca.

He also admitted his Government did not undertake due diligence in appointing the board of directors of the East Side Plaza and New City Mall, Port-of-Spain.
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Has God abandoned this cussed country?

Published on July 5, 2017 in Flooding and General T&T. 7 Comments Tags: , , .

By Raffique Shah
July 05, 2017

Raffique ShahI am convinced that God, in whatever manifestation the people of this multi-religious society pray to him, has given up on Trinidad & Tobago. How else can we explain the near-total breakdown of systems that define a functioning nation? The economy is in a mess. Criminals are in control, striking at will. Lawlessness reigns supreme. And rather than work together to rescue the country from collapse, the politicians resort to jammette-like behaviour in Parliament, cackling like yard-fowls, literally saying to us, well, didn’t you elect Jean and Dinah to represent you?
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Using a National Disaster to Polarise the Country

Published on July 5, 2017 in Flooding, General T&T, PNM and Politics. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , .

By Stephen Kangal
July 05, 2017

Stephen KangalBoth during question time as well as during the debate on the definite matter of urgent public importance that the Speaker accorded to the major flooding disaster that occurred in the wake of tropical storm Bret, the Rowley Government on Friday demonstrated the deep divisions and further polarisation that it is fanning and embedding in this country to serve its nefarious electoral agenda.
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