Last Wednesday, amidst much ceremony but little pomp, Major-General Kenrick Maharaj took his last parade as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and proceeded into retirement, one month short of his 56th birthday. Brigadier Rodney Smart was named as the new CDS. Presumably, some other adjustments were made, or will soon be …
Read More »Recession was predictable: Save the country and jail the culprits
This recession did not creep up on us like the proverbial thief in the night. It was long in the making. In fact, from as far back as the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, when Clico collapsed and the price of oil plunged from a brief high of US$140 a …
Read More »Sending the wrong signals: Why Raffique is wary of ‘Santa Colm’
If “Santa Colm” assures the populace that their Christmas will be bright, not blue, then we have no reason to doubt the man. After all, Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert is the substantive Minister of Finance, in which capacity he has access to data and information pertaining to the state …
Read More »The last ‘pahalwan’: T&T says farewell to era of maximum leaders
The battle for leadership of the UNC has ignited a discussion on leadership in a broader context, with the party’s founder, Basdeo Panday, weighing in on the issue. According to my columnist colleague Sheila Rampersad, Panday told her that Indians tend to seek a “pahalwan”—Hindi for warrior or strongman—to lead …
Read More »Boors will be boors: Raffique Shah wades in CHOGM controversy and fireworks furore
I address two issues of public importance today. First is the emerging controversy over this country’s attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting to be held in Malta next week. And second, I join the chorus of frustrated voices crying out for something to be done to curb …
Read More »Stop Trinis from joining ‘Jihad?’ Raffique Shah says charter a plane for them!
I cannot understand the national outrage over the video posted on the Internet that shows several Trinidadian Islamic “jihadists” somewhere in Syria, dressed in combat gear, firing rifles on what appears to be a range, and inviting their Muslim brethren to join them in holy battle in “Hijra”, wherever that …
Read More »The party’s over: Raffique weighs in on UNC’s internal catfight for leadership
Choosing a leader to take the United National Congress forward, backward, sideways, or keep it stagnated, is the business of members of the party. It is not for me, who never belonged to any party other than the original United Labour Front, and that very briefly, to tell UNC members …
Read More »Police under fire: Raffique blazes local officers for unsolved murders
With crime, especially murder, being the number one issue on the national agenda for more than two decades, the police cannot escape being targeted as the most blameworthy for the barrels of blood in which the nation is swirling. In the most recent sensational case, the Tobago double-murder, the police …
Read More »Mind-boggling squandermania: But Rowley must loose lions on culprits
If a mere ten percent of the sums of money quoted by almost every new PNM minister as having gone to waste or astray under the previous government is factual, then at least a billion dollars was squandered or stolen during the tenure of the People’s Partnership. If the …
Read More »Up today, down tomorrow: Shah throws a wary eye on the new House Speaker
I switched on my television last Friday just in time to see and hear a stern-looking House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George say to former minister and current MP for Caroni Central Bhoe Tewarie, “You have three seconds to wrap up… starting now!” I did a double-take, wondering if I hadn’t mistakenly …
Read More »Weathering the storm: Raffique gives his financial forecast for T&T
Tomorrow’s Budget presentation by Finance Minister Colm Imbert is the most eagerly anticipated Appropriation Bill in many years. The main reason for heightened interest is the depressed state of the economy. With low oil, gas and commodities prices, hence lower-than-normal revenues accruing to government, citizens are waiting to see just …
Read More »Ruminations on religion; Shah shares his inner-feelings on faith
Not being a religious person, I must confess that religion (used here collectively) confuses me, and quite often frightens me. Mark you, I am not disrespectful towards religion or religious persons. If I were, I’d be alienated from most of my family, relatives, friends and fellow-citizens, almost all of whom …
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