By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 23, 2024
Two weeks ago, I responded to Nigel Seenathsingh’s letter that appeared in the Express. I wrote: “When I warned…about the dangers inherent in the Leader of Our Grief’s statements about women, I was not trying to demonise him or Stuart Young. I was only alerting my readers to be on guard about the violence against women [I emphasised women] that exists in our society and the role that language plays in this regard.”
Continue reading Language matters
By Raffique Shah
October 23, 2024
It was with a degree of shock, certainly disappointment, I noted that many of my fellow Trinis appear to be envious of our Guyanese brethren over the one-off payment President Irfaan Ali promised them by year-end.
I wasn’t aware initially of the multi-billion Guyana dollars payout until it was brought to my attention by one of the Guyanese living in my village. Once the details circulated, I did some checking to see precisely what was on offer. It was GUY$100,000 per citizen, once the recipient was age 18 years or more. Some rough calculations told me that, based on current exchange rates: GUY$210 equals US$1 and it takes TT$6.77 to equal US$1. Each recipient will therefore receive US$475.10 come January 2025. The estimated number of persons entitled to the grant is 500,000.
Continue reading Don’t begrudge Guyanese
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 16, 2024
After the People’s National Movement came into power in 1956, Eric Williams took an inordinate length of time (sometimes as much as three hours) to deliver his budget speeches. He used them to reach his fellow citizens since the means of communication were not as widely available as they are today. It was also a way to expand the democratic process.
Today we live in an era of Facebook and TikTok. It is anachronistic for a minister of finance to spend five hours delivering a budget speech. It reflects an attitude of someone living in the past.
Continue reading The leader’s schizophrenic behaviour
By Raffique Shah
October 16, 2024
It is said that if you live long enough, you would have seen and heard “Everything”. I am closing in on 80 years and based on my last 30 years’ experience, I do not think I have seen close to everything. I guess the wise men who made that statement lived in the “donkey cart” era, not cars-powered-by-electricity era.
In today’s world, say over a generation (30 years), pace of change is so dizzying that one can suffer multiple medical conditions just trying to keep abreast of technology alone. If for nothing else, I’d like to be here to see the noiseless cars powered by electricity, silently whizzing up and down the highways and the byways. I want to see “Bounce mih nah!” Trinis shout at motorists whizzing past silently.
Continue reading Lead by example, PM
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 10, 2024
“And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea” (Matthew 14:25)
On Friday September 27, I flew to Charlotte, North Carolina (NC), to spend the weekend with friends and family. I was also interested in the gubernatorial and presidential races that were taking place there since it is the home of Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, one of the most notorious politicians in the US. NC is also a pivotal state in the next presidential election.
Continue reading The Darkest Hour
By Raffique Shah
October 10, 2024
There I was, citizen Shah, last week Wednesday night, having secured the best seats money could never buy to watch my team, Trinbago Knight Riders, register a flogging on rivals Barbados Royals in a virtual semi-final of the Caribbean Professional League 2024, when it happened.
Not that an electricity failure was unexpected. I know a thing or three about such mundane matters because I have taken the pain to study it as I wrote many articles on power generation and consumption as Trinidad would go on to become one of the most industrialised countries in this part of the world. I was also a director on the Plipdeco Estate board where the then biggest power generation company, PowerGen, was located.
Continue reading Hire T&TEC, Irfaan
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 01, 2024
On Republic Day, letter writer Nigel Seenathsingh scolded me for “attacking” his leaders.
On that same day the Express published a full-page story about a PNM senator in a domestic violence matter.
The Express editorialised the following day: “Given the lead story in yesterday’s Express about a protection order placed by the court against Government Senator Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing, and not pronouncing on either innocence or guilt, it is assumed that domestic violence against both men and women will be a part of the discussion” at the AG’s consultation on domestic violence.
Continue reading On being relevant
By Raffique Shah
October 01, 2024
Some day last week, several of my one-time associates and long-time friends managed to breach the hurdles TSTT has implanted on my ancient landline to isolate me from what passes for civilisation today. They called to ask if I heard Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley crowing like a “fowl-cock” when he rolled out a new programme his Government was about to embark on, one tag-line proclaiming: “Making agriculture sexy!”
Continue reading Rowley’s ‘sexy’ agriculture
By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 25, 2024
There he was, resplendent amidst the splendour of the PNM Women’s League as he asked their members to get ready for the 2025 election. Acting as the titular head of the party in the absence of the Leader of Our Grief and in the presence of his “political Mother” (Camille Robinson-Regis), he signified his desire to achieve his next career objective: the leader of the storied People’s National Movement.
In his elation, he didn’t tell these women what to expect from a reincarnated party under his leadership. Nor, for that matter, did he tell them how he hopes to reverse the downward slide of the nation. A protégé of his leader, crafted in his style and embodying his essence, Young was a parody of the man he was hoping to replace.
Continue reading Time for PNM members to speak up
By Raffique Shah
September 25, 2024
Once upon a time not so very long ago, Trinidad and Tobago had a handful of older citizens, alive, if not kicking. Many were reclusive, perhaps eccentric. So it seemed, anyway. Mostly they would stay by themselves, hardly mix even with others of similar age. And, since it seemed difficult to get a word out of them, far less the mangoes from the trees in their yards, one would just steer clear of them.
Continue reading When madness is not gladness