Guest Columns

“Trinidad and Tobago must now plan for its post peak Covid-19 future within the confines of the ‘new normal’, at least until such time that a vaccine is developed and tested—which could take between 12-18 months. “[…] An important first step in developing the Recovery Road Map must be to …

Over the weekend of 15 March 2020, the Minister of Labour pronounced on the need to implement Pandemic Leave in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, approximately one month later, we are yet to see what is the policy for Pandemic Leave, which has become more relevant now than …

“[…] We are deeply concerned that the decision by the Ministry of Education to implement a programme of home-based learning conducted by teachers using an ‘online platform’ will seriously discriminate against the children whose parents are either unemployed or whose incomes are barely able to put food on the table. …

I learned a beautiful question from TedX speaker Brené Brown: What is the story you are telling yourself? Many people believe they are successful because of their hard work and intelligence. They discount the impact of external factors. A story they tell themselves is that success is the result of …

As the global community grapples with an insidious pandemic, creative and tourism sectors worldwide have already incurred substantial losses due to significant economic contraction, triggered by the suspension of events and the closure of borders. Undoubtedly, stakeholders within the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival industry have already begun to wrestle with …

Easter 2020 meets the world ‘on its knees’, humbled by a virus that has catspraddled us. One day we were invincible; or so we thought and behaved. The next day, racked with physical and emotional pain, our voices curdle in our throats. Our hearts fail us for fear. We are …

April 7th marked the 55th month of Trinidad and Tobago being under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr Keith Christopher Rowley and no one could have predicted the current scenario. Not in our wildest dreams did we contemplate that we’d be engaged in a daily tally of deaths versus confirmed …

“So we can assume that the restrictions now in place worldwide will only be lifted gradually over the next 12 months. Some semblance of normalcy will not return until the middle of 2021. “There is no way that the private sector and the government can carry the labour force for …

‘I have never understood Nakhid and I still don’t, but a truth teller if ever there was one, no sycophant eat ah food mentality like so many of our commentators” — Mt D’or resident and Santos legend, Big Red, in his critique of Wired868 article, ‘Fire next time’. ‘If people …

Imagine the day when the minister of health announces that we have not just flattened, but broken the COVID-19 curve, and no new cases have been reported for the required number of days. For some, it will be a joyous attempt to return to life as we left it before …

“[…] Ultimately policy is made by politicians who of course, may have other considerations which influence their decisions. However, just as it would be folly for politicians to ignore the advice of medical professionals in dealing with the coronavirus public health crisis, so too the laws of Economics are inexorable. …

Disclaimer: I hold no brief for any political party in T&T. I am neither red nor yellow; an explanation that hardly seems necessary, as these are no longer partisan times. Unprecedented threats that create uncertain times call for courage, calm and cajones. In that regard, the sitting government of T&T …