I grew up hearing an anecdote that the late former member of parliament for Diego Martin West, Johnny O’Halloran, and a contingent went to Venezuela to negotiate the purchase of a boat, and the only member of the contingent who could translate Spanish into English was the cook. So, the …
Read More »‘Dangerous to the extreme!’ MSJ points to ‘disturbing’ amendments proposed for Public Procurement Act
“[…] The proposal to amend the act by making the procurement by ‘public bodies or state-controlled enterprises of legal services; financial services; accounting and audit services; medical services; or such other services as the minister may, by order, determine […] subject to negative resolution of Parliament’ exempt from the requirements …
Read More »NJAC Rededication: Tobago stood as ‘one family’ in 1970 movement
The following is the tenth column in a NJAC series on their contribution to Trinidad and Tobago society after the ‘Black Power Revolution’ of 1970: Reflecting on the 1970 mass people’s movement in Tobago brings to mind Lord Nelson’s calypso All Ah We Is One Family. Tobago’s entry into the …
Read More »US sanctions China tech firm that provides Venezuela’s internet, reaffirms Guaidó support
“[…] With this latest action, the United States reaffirms its commitment to promoting accountability for all those complicit in the illegitimate Maduro regime’s efforts to undermine democracy…” The following release from US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, reveals sanctions against Chinese company, CEIEC, which is allegedly responsible for 70 percent …
Read More »Daly Bread: Is there a real distinction between a ‘zesser’ party and a ‘pool’ party?
Last week, Natalee Legore, the host of Morning Brew, spoke for many when she stated: ‘we are not very clear as to why the police is able to take action in certain circumstances where people are gathered and not in others’. It seems, she said, ‘that what is public and …
Read More »Dear Editor: Young not ashamed of treatment of Venezuela children? He has skin like ‘crapaud leather’?
“[…] The children were treated in a cruel, inhumane and unusual way. It is utterly ridiculous for Stuart Young to pull some verbal sleight of hand, arguing that they were ‘escorted’ and not ‘deported’…” The following Letter to the Editor on the deportation of 16 Venezuelan children was submitted to …
Read More »Anna Levi: The right of asylum; the Venezuelan escape—in prose
And when they enter the waters of Delta Amacuro One last look at Tucupita The wind numbs everyone Blowing kisses Venezuela te amo En mi corazon The sign of the cross Ten Hail Marys The fishermen lifted the children on top of their mother’s plastic suitcases Then they stuff their …
Read More »Media Monitor: Chalkdust’s advice, Fourth Estate allies and education today
Until David Rudder came along to fill our hearts and minds with his inspirational repertoire, Ah Fraid Karl ranked up there with the best. And Ah Put on Mih Guns Again was among my top dozen favourite calypsoes. So having long recognised his worth as a calypsonian, I have no …
Read More »Noble: We’re witnessing governance crisis on education, POS reform and Venezuelan migration
“We will never bring disgrace to this, our city, by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks. We will fight for the ideals and sacred things of the city, both alone and with many. “We will revere and obey the city’s laws …
Read More »Dr Browne: T&T is a good neighbour, but we cannot simply open borders to Venezuelans
“[…] This hospitality continues even as our economy faces significant challenges that have affected all our people… “[…] Even developed nations with far greater resources face major challenges dealing with crossings of their borders, and no nation accepts non-nationals without due process…” The following statement on the government response to …
Read More »Demming: If we don’t address shortcomings, Venezuelan crisis will lead to harrowing disaster
Our history records Trinidad and Tobago’s fisherfolk dodging bullets from or being arrested by Venezuela’s Guardia Nacional for supposedly being in Venezuelan waters. Today we continue to metaphorically dodge different kinds of bullets from our Venezuelan neighbours. For years, the back-and-forth confrontational posturing was a trickle—the fisherfolk dispute, or the …
Read More »Dear Editor: Our treatment of Venezuela migrants will reveal Trinidad and Tobago’s true character
“[…] We should ask ourselves, ‘what would compel a mother to embark on a treacherous and uncertain seven-mile journey with her young child?’ They are human, not faceless migrants/refugees. This simple fact seemed to have been forgotten and disregarded by the authorities…” The following Letter to the Editor on Trinidad …
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