Category Archives: UNC

Elections, General T&T, Law, Media, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

A clear and present danger

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By Michael Harris
May 11, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarThe suspension from Parliament of the Leader of the Opposition by the UNC-led Government last week is a total abuse of power, a denigration of our Parliament and a threat to our democracy.

It is a total abuse of power because in the absence of any final report of the investigation into the e-mail affair from the police or the Integrity Commission the UNC Government went to the Parliament and, acting as investigator, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner all at the same time, used its majority first to censure the Leader of the Opposition and then to banish him from the Parliament for the rest of this term.
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Elections, General T&T, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, Politics, UNC

Vengeance could strangle you

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By Raffique Shah
May 09, 2015

Raffique ShahI seldom agree with pronouncements made by Basdeo Panday, such is my mistrust of a man I came to know before he became a big name in politics.

From early o’clock, meaning in 1973 when he was parachuted into leadership of the sugar workers union by the PNM (yes, you read right…check your history) to take up from where the other puppet, Bhadase Maharaj, had died leaving a vacuum, I recognised Panday for what he was—an opportunist posing as a pragmatist.
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corruption, Elections, General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, UNC

Rowley exposes new e-mails

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By Anna Ramdass
May 8, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

Dr. Keith RowleyON THE heels of being suspended from Parliament over Emailgate, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley last night exposed more e-mails.

This time he has shown new e-mails which allege that $60 million was transferred from First Citizens bank to three foreign banks.
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Elections, General T&T, Media, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Down a provocative path

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By Sheila Rampersad
May 08, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarWhen incumbent Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was an opposition MP, she read into the Hansard a letter written by People’s National Movement (PNM) councillor Dhansam Dhansook. The letter, addressed to then-Prime Minister Patrick Manning and read in Parliament by the Siparia MP on April 28, 2005, alleged Dhansook paid then-Energy Minister Eric Williams a $75,000 bribe and then-Works and Transport Minister, Franklin Khan, a $120,000 bribe. Dhansook further alleged he had received death threats in relation to the matter.
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corruption, Elections, Finance, General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Behind the promise of a causeway

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By Michael Harris
April 27, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

CausewayEXTRACT:

But there are more serious issues behind the promise of a causeway.

First of all while there is no question that the UNC did “tief” the PNM promise, we do have to ask ourselves why this particular promise. One answer has to do with what the Government is doing to the Chaguaramas peninsula. According to Planning Minister Bhoe Tewarie, the Government’s plan is to “monetise” the peninsula.
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corruption, General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, UNC

Before Vernella’s vile bile

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By Keith Subero
April 14, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Vernella Alleyne-ToppinYes, Minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin’s contribution in the House caused the UNC Government’s no-confidence motion against the Opposition Leader to implode—rather than explode, as planned.

Yes, Minister Alleyne-Toppin offended our collective sensibilities, and we remain offended, probably more so because the Speaker allowed the House to be reduced to the Minister’s barrackyard gossip.

Yes, other political minutiae—such as the recent Express poll which rates the Prime Minister, in spite of her Government’s daily mis-steps, as being more popular than the Opposition Leader—are now occupying our attention.
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General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, UNC

Bulwarks of democracy

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By Raffique Shah
April 12, 2015

Raffique ShahCollectively, the so-called trolls on social media may be a pain in the rear for bona fide journalists and columnists in the mainstream media, operating as they do behind anonymity and bound by no rules of engagement or laws of libel and slander, while we have so many strictures, from word-count to sanitised lyrics, we write under the gun, in a manner of speaking.

And yes, it hurts when these mindless cowards spew their venom, delving into journalists’ private lives, distorting facts, promoting fiction and wallowing in half-truths. The current crop seems to have taken a fancy to attacking female writers, probably believing that they would drive their victims to tears, or worse, into depression.
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Elections, General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Sex Crimes, Tobago, UNC

Citizens have risen above politicians

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Express Editorial
April 03, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Vernella Alleyne-ToppinFor reasons best known to itself, the ruling People’s Partnership has continued to defend its disgraced MP Vernella Alleyne-Toppin.

Not only have Government spokespersons tried to spin Ms Alleyne-Toppin’s crassness into a social concern message about rape, but UNC hacks on social media continue her denigrating diatribe against Opposition Leader Keith Rowley. But what could the UNC-led coalition hope to achieve by this? The widespread public condemnation has clearly harmed the Partnership’s image, including its trump card, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who will no doubt suffer a drop in approval ratings by her refusal to remove the Tobago East MP from her entirely inappropriate post in the Ministry of the Peolpe and Social Development.
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General T&T, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Racism Watch, UNC

UNC’s Anansi Moment

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 01, 2015

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeThis is Holy Week for 1.7 billion Christians all over the world. It is a time when Christ overcame his detractors. Betrayed by one of his disciples and condemned to death, he rose triumphantly three days afterwards, which is celebrated as Easter Day.

Over the past week Dr. Keith Rowley’s detractors have berated him, condemned him to political death and sought to entomb him in a political grave. Rather than reject Vernella Alleyne Toppin’s venom unequivocally, the UNC hierarchy clings to the illusion that Dr. Rowley still has questions to answer. Our learned Prime Minister insists she accepts parts of Alleyene Toppin’s accusations against him.
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General T&T, Media, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch, UNC

All ah we is one, right?

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All ah we is one, right?
By Reginald Dumas – March 31, 2015
Trini PeopleIn April 2014 Jaishima Leladharsingh said in an insensitive Facebook comment said that he was “glad (ANR) Robinson (had) gone forever.” Soon after, he launched a racial assault on Anthony McLeod, whom he didn’t know but who he obviously thought was black. McLeod’s photo in fact shows him a mixed race person. Leladharsingh was clearly misled by the name: he must have assumed that Anthony looked like Errol. The Minister should take note.
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