If any of the emails, releases and obviously planted stories circulating within the last 36 hours have any substratum of fact, then the fact of interference in the selection process for a new commissioner of police and now apparent interference in the attempts to settle the attendant litigation seem confirmed. …
Read More »World Migrants and Refugees Day: T&T society must ‘counter xenophobic thoughts and actions’
“[…] The Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) and the Archdiocese’s Ministry for Migrants and Refugees (AMMR) call upon the society of Trinidad and Tobago to come together in the spirit of community and counter xenophobic thoughts and actions so that we may best ‘welcome, protect, promote and integrate’ the …
Read More »Daly Bread: Continuing institutional failures; PolSC now looks as pliant as the rest
The manipulations of the appointment of a commissioner of police (CoP) consequent upon the expiry of the term of office of Gary Griffith are now out in the open and in the court. The court may provide such enlightenment as may be necessary concerning the character of employment governed by …
Read More »Noble: Looking after the poor is a good investment; T&T’s Budget should reflect that
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.’ These words of Nelson Mandela should resonate as we approach our upcoming budget debate. A national budget is more than an economic forecast; it is a declaration about …
Read More »October webinar on life of ‘mighty’ Joe Young, trade unionist extraordinaire
“[Joe Young] was in his 30s when he led the bus strike that changed the nation, and when he spoke at the funeral of Basil Davis, one of the revolutionaries killed in 1970. “As a young person he was making real change, not just for himself but for a large …
Read More »Dear Editor: Griffith is a victim?! What about Jacobs, Diamond, Clinton and ‘Solo’ Morris?!
“[…] Now we have a national brouhaha about the legality of GG’s leave and whether he was told not to return. Forgive me but the degree of hypocrisy has reached Everest-like suffocation levels…” The following Letter to the Editor discussing the public reactions to the issue of the appointment of …
Read More »Dear Editor: Should Trinidad and Tobago not give Abu Bakr his due: a national award of dishonour?
“[…] There is no greater example of our misapplication of the national watchword, tolerance, than the way we treat Yasin Abu Bakr… He hosts press conferences, and participates in national discussions as if he is qualified or worthy. He is not. His very presence at the table is an insult …
Read More »Daly Bread: Smoke and mirrors—the NGC’s ‘negotiations’ and CoP commess
In Smoke and Mirrors, Demi Lovato doubts her lover and asks: “Now that I see you clearer, I wonder, was I really happy? Now that I see you clearer, was it just smoke and mirrors?” An eighteenth century smartman is credited with the first use of a light projector to …
Read More »MATT condemns ‘Nicki Minaj’s celebrity gangsterism’ towards Guardian reporter
The following is a press statement from outgoing Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) president Dr Sheila Rampersad: Nikki Minaj’s celebrity gangsterism towards Guardian Media Ltd’s (GML) reporter, Sharlene Rampersad is textbook cyberbullying and intimidation of a free press in a young democracy. While Ms Minaj may be justified …
Read More »Thane: T&T heading to ‘national security predicament’; why PSC’s behaviour is untenable and dangerous
At a time when the country needs strong institutions to uphold the principles of our democracy, the deafening silence of the Police Service Commission is untenable and simply inimical to the public interest. In the midst of what can quite easily escalate into a full-blown national security predicament, the PSC …
Read More »Demming: Thank you, Nicki Minaj, for this big break; the ball’s now in our court
Where is Trinidad? Thanks to rapper Nicki Minaj, that question topped the Twittersphere recently. This came about after Minaj tweeted that her cousin’s friend had taken the Covid vaccine and ended up with ‘Swollen Testicles’. Her tweet led our hard-working, super-busy minister of health to admit that he and his …
Read More »Hola, tout moun! Caribbean Yard Campus offers attractive language package for learners
Since physical travel remains risky in these times, Caribbean Yard Campus is offering an inclusive package of virtual education and Caribbean tours in its Rainy Season Programme 2021. Many of us may have ‘done Spanish’ at some level in school, yet cannot speak the language. The course ‘Vamos a Hablar’ …
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