Tag Archives: Raffique Shah

Carnival, Culture, General T&T

When music ignites passion

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By Raffique Shah
February 13, 2024

Raffique ShahI can see it clearly today as I did back then 70-odd years ago. My brain at eight years young focused on the sweet melody that came from the one steelband that passed through Freeport Junction. By 6 a.m. when the junction came alive with about 800 people of varying races, colours and cultures, swaying, jumping and shouting loudly to the sounds of Lord Blakie’s “Steelband Clash”, I stood there in awe of what I was witnessing.
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Crime in T&T, Health

Parkinson’s patients mission

By Raffique Shah
January 23, 2024

Raffique ShahEleven years ago, when I first reported that I was diagnosed by several doctors with Parkinson’s disease, I thought I knew then much about this neurodegenerative condition for which there was no cure. Back then, the only persons I knew who had PD were actor Michael J Fox, my boxing idol Muhammad Ali, and my political guru of sorts, CLR James.
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General T&T, Passed on, Politics

No HOPE, only disappointment

By Raffique Shah
January 16, 2024

Raffique ShahTrust Trinis to set the stage for another type of public misbehaviour. It’s as if the near-collapse of good manners and social graces that have led to a behavioural pattern that span the spectrum of classes from young miscreants and criminals, to parliamentarians and holders of public office, have become the norm.

At the state funeral last Tuesday for former prime minister Basdeo Panday, we witnessed some spectacles that would cause shame and disgrace in the ­average society anywhere in the world. Here in Trinidad, though, we have once again managed to make everything into a joke.
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General T&T, Politics

All ah we corrupt

By Raffique Shah
January 08, 2024

Raffique ShahLittle did Desmond Cartey, who held a doctorate in something-or-other, suspect that he was about to write his name in this country’s political history— not in a flattering way, I should warn. Cartey, a burly Laventillian, was running for a seat in Parliament in his hometown, once again I don’t recall which one. It was the 1986 general election and the PNM, which had held power for 30 consecutive years, was under threat from the united opposition running as the NAR.
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General T&T

Citizen of the Year

By Raffique Shah
December 31, 2023

Raffique ShahFor many years now, I have considered naming some national of Trinidad and Tobago, who has performed with sheer excellence over the year, as citizen of the year. I have stopped short of actually doing it by one consideration or another. In my school of thinking, a singular act by some citizen could merit the title, which is little more than being honoured by one’s compatriots since it will hardly carry a monetary value.
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Christianity, General T&T, Hinduism, Islam, Religion

Never leave out the ham

By Raffique Shah
December 26, 2023

Raffique ShahThere is a kind of universality about Christmas that makes it impossible to ignore what it means to more than 30% of the world’s population whose spiritualism is anchored in Christianity. Christmas, whether its story is fiction or fact, remains a religious beacon to fewer people in contrast to the expanding populations across the world. There is no evidence, too, that Christianity maintains a leading position when the religions of the world are assessed on their impact on global affairs.
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General T&T, International, Palestine, USA, Venezuela

There will be no war

By Raffique Shah
December 11, 2023

Raffique ShahYou’d think the bloodletting in The Gaza, especially when seen through the lens of Al Jazeera, would deter any country that is involved in disputes over territories from sliding into war. But, because of man, history is often doomed to repeat itself.

Let me say I have tried, on my own, to limit the exposure by television to the genocide that Israel is inflicting on the Palestinians. It does not always work. Rosina will sit quietly and cry, watching children of different ages, but mostly one ethnicity, screaming in pain after Israeli bombs destroy the hospitals they call shelters.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T

Return to good manners

By Raffique Shah
December 04, 2023

Raffique ShahIf the crime situation were worse than it is today—and that is hard to imagine—one can easily see the bulk of the population reduced to spasms of laughter as we watch politicians, police and public officers offer lame excuses for us being in a virtual stage of siege, imposed by the criminals in the country who are the only people who seem to have some control over their turf.

For example, the daily dosage of murders appears to be under the total control of gangsters, with the police incapable of doing anything to decrease the numbers. The wider population, held spellbound by the ease with which crime has become almost an industry, offer a mishmash of solutions every Monday morning on media shows. Before the week is over their prognoses become irrelevant. They must once again dip into their magic boxes to churn out some new tricks for the next week.
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General T&T, International, Israel, Palestine, Violence

Oh Palestine

By Raffique Shah
November 28, 2023

Raffique ShahCloistered as we are in our tiny space in the wide world, Trinidad and Tobago often resorts to grandiose statements to appear to be playing critical roles in global affairs. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, except you can delude yourself into believing your inflated ego and end up being the butt of many a barb in social circuits you have breached by false pretences.

I am not suggesting here the Dr Keith Rowley administration is guilty of dereliction of duty in international affairs, that it has missed out on important interventions that might have brought us more than goodwill. Au contraire, I believe Dr Rowley has grasped opportunities as they arose, and created others where none seemed to exist.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T

Crime and rewards

By Raffique Shah
November 21, 2023

Raffique ShahI thought, not hard and for long, I need add, but for long enough to determine, well, if Police Commissioner Erla Christopher could fire the first round of heavy artillery that had the effect of jolting her audience into full alert, which is not normally associated with this “Commish”, or most of her predecessors, coming to think of it, and even better for the sake of argument or a bout of Trini “bacchanal” one Sandhurst-trained Gary Griffith, who responded with a “spray” of machine gun fire that rivalled the ongoing attacks on The Gaza…
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