“[…] We don’t see here as part of Trinidad. We see here [as] a diseased part that we wish would go away. I tell people if your left kidney is cancerous and you ignore it, it will kill you. “If you focus on the parts of your body that are …

“[…] The last government never did anything like this (the Clean-up and Beautify Trinidad campaign). This is a great opportunity for the residents and the surroundings. “Beetham Gardens was plagued with many health hazards, especially affecting children: the stagnant drains, the mosquitoes, the flies, the non-collection of garbage on time …

In the mid-60s, there was a proposal to move people out of what was then called Shanty Town to Morvant. Lord Blakie (1965) summed up the resistance among the people there: How they want them to move/ They say they eh going nowhere/Build big house in Morvant/ But if they …

Akeal Hosein, the latest West Indies cricket sensation, described his father, in an interview published on CricInfo, as “the perfect role model” who worked two jobs and one evening collapsed with exhaustion upon walking through the door. He was a man who spoke to him with respect and as an …

“[…] The police, they’re going after the young kids on the streets…the big fish don’t come to do deals directly. “The big fish are […] politicians and businessmen; them is the men, and they’re the ones who are bringing the drugs in, too. Dem is the men who behind the …

Last week’s column quoted an INTOSAI (the global body of auditors general) statement: “Independence does not mean an adversary relationship… Collaborative spirit must be the governing rule. “Good relations can help […] to obtain better results. Independence is not only a privilege—it also entails obligations and should not be viewed …

The ongoing saga of the auditor general and the understatement of the country’s revenue reveal the quality of our leaders. Did Dr Keith Rowley exhibit due diligence in approving the nomination? We have long harped on the notion of seniority in promoting leaders. But is that the best approach? In …

“It is hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness, and a mood of helplessness prevail.” Lech Walesa, 1983 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. As a country, we are becoming more shameless. The scant regard that the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) staff displayed to Dr David Picou is galling. …

Last week, we marked the tenth anniversary of Dana Seetahal’s murder. Justifiably, her family bemoaned the slow pace of events. Legal luminaries piped in with their observations, primarily focused on the trial. Some were performative in content. We forgot the chilling words of the US Assistant Secretary of State William …

Every child of a certain age would have grown up with a parent who taught them, “Drunk or sober, mind your business!” The lesson being imparted was, “Do not get distracted. Stay focused. Do not get caught up with other people’s drama.”   The sound and fury around Massy’s encounter …

“Look for three things in a person: intelligence, energy and integrity. If they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two.” Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. As a young child, I used to hear scary stories. La Diablesse, Socouyant and Douen were staples. Telling scary …

When we witness injustice and the brutal acts that plague our nation, it is not easy to be grateful. We groan under the weight of many human failings, and our first reaction is not gratitude. Indeed, difficult times and circumstances are handy excuses to be disgruntled and ungrateful. We become …