Wellness

Chapter 9: I didn’t know what I didn’t know… I have realised that TV and social media sell dreams. As if I were unsure before this… From the point of diagnosis, to surgery, to chemotherapy, there is a growing list of things I did not know. For those who are …

“[…] The Picton 1 EMBD Development in Barrackpore [is] an area that has waited far too long for progress. “[…] For people who have had water once every 14 days, moving to three times a week is a major shift in quality of life. This isn’t just a pipeline, it’s …

It’s a struggle deciding what to write about every week. Often, so many issues seem to be competing for attention: pick me! pick me! Sometimes, when things around us seem too dreary and dismal, the instinct is to trudge away seeking a happier, lighter place to alight upon. There’s no …

It is not surprising to hear Bob Marley’s Redemption Song around the time of our Emancipation Day celebrations. The lyrics rouse us to free ourselves from ‘mental slavery’, as advocated by Marcus Garvey. Some of us may not know that Marley knew his time on earth was limited while writing …

“[…] Despite Trinbagonians having one of the highest tertiary and post-graduate levels of education and international travel, our leaders believe the electorate to be entirely ignorant of US law or lack the ability to research it for themselves. “Stand Your Ground (SYG) is not a federal US law. It is …

Breadfruits are back in season, and I have been obsessively experimenting. I used to avoid cooking them, deterred by the difficulty I had peeling the coarse green rind. Once I’d figured out that if I wrap it in a paper towel and put it in the microwave for five minutes, …

“[…] How many more accidents must occur due to defective tires, missing lights, or overloaded trucks before enforcement is taken seriously? “[…] Many trucks spew toxic emissions unchecked, while traffic police turn a blind eye. The Demerit System should include emissions violations, penalising offenders as it does for tinted windows. …

More than a decade ago, when the People’s Partnership Government provided laptops to students entering secondary school, it was seen as a wise and progressive thing to do. It was reported that 95,000 laptops had been distributed. I witnessed something then that had startled me at many levels. This is …

My experience at the Arima hospital today was mixed. It was mostly sweet, mind you. Everyone who I came into contact with—from security to medical staff—was polite and professional, while the facility itself was clean and orderly. The wait for a simple procedure was long, though. For a synopsis of …

“[…] Public figures—especially elected officials—have enormous influence. Their actions speak louder than their speeches. “When they film themselves while driving, they send a dangerous message to their followers, especially impressionable youth: that risk-taking and rule-breaking are acceptable if you’re important or influential…” The following Letter to the Editor which criticises …

Last Tuesday, Gwynne Dyer headlined his Express column Stupid old men. You could substitute all sorts of adjectives before the words ‘old men’ to describe the characteristics of the cohort that has had the most influence on the world we inhabit. Greedy, self-righteous, racist, arrogant, selfish, a multitude of negative …

“[…] What kind of country are we living in if our trained soldiers are behaving this way in broad daylight? “[…] Someone with this kind of violent temper and lack of respect for civilians has no place in uniform. If this is how he behaves in public, just imagine what …