View Point

With great dismay last Tuesday, I read the lamentation of three government ministers concerning the state of crime in Trinidad & Tobago and the incidence of drug use amongst youths. One of them, Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, felt “helplessness” in the face of violence. The obvious response is to invite her …

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 …

“[…] Many people in Trinidad are apprehensive about insurance. This is because there is a belief that all insurance agents are just salespeople who are only interested in one thing: the commission. They don’t care about you—you’re just a sale. “[…] Not all insurance agents are like that… The genuine …

“[…] We are not serious/Very few conscious/So I cannot agree with mih own chorus!…” from the first verse of Dis Place nice by Brother Valentino. “[…] Your silence will not protect you…” Audre Lorde, on the false beliefs and toxic consequences earned from calculated or cowardly silences. “Last call to …

An indication given in a weekly column to deal with an identified topic “next week” is one that is difficult to implement. Things keep rapidly falling apart and the nasty quarrels between those in public life who are responsible for our governance burst into the news cycle with an intensity …

When Erla Harewood-Christopher assumed the role of acting commissioner of police in December 2022 following the vacation of her predecessor, McDonald Jacob, I was optimistic that things would change and our approach to crime would improve. Her official appointment in February 2023 as our country’s first female commissioner of police …

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 …

On Thursday, the Express reported on a surprising conflict at the St Augustine campus of The University of the West Indies. It seems the Institute of International Relations had arranged a virtual seminar, Unravelling the complexities of peace in the Middle East: An Israeli perspective, to be delivered by the …

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 …

I begin this week with a thank you to those in the airport who welcomed me home on the Saturday after Easter with the knowing look of having ‘made me out’. That includes the officers on duty commencing with the friendly immigration officer and I specially acknowledge the charming smile …

On Friday 5 April, the Express headline screamed, “Things you see in movies”. Little did the writer know that more horror stories would come within the week. The newspapers do not have to worry about the frequency of headlines that cause us to gasp. They can do it every day …