Tag Archives: children

“To make me stop sipping my coffee, she came closer, made eye contact and asked again: “What is in place to either recycle, crush or even collect used face masks, shields, vials (that held vaccines), one-use plastic containers for sanitisers and other detergents?” The following Letter to the Editor on …

“[…] In primary schools, it is 2,475 from 4,960 students or 49.8% [who are inactive due to Covid-19 regulations], while it is 2,838 from 4,750 students in secondary schools or 60%. That means a combined total of 5,313 from 9,710 students in Tobago, or 58%. “If Trinidad and Tobago had …

Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus issued guidelines today to employers, unions and employees designed to deal with the Covid-19 virus and ‘mitigate the obvious personal and family logistical inconveniences and the consequential significant workplace adjustments which are expected to be faced, as a result of the inevitable decision which had to …

“[…] I consider it a very dangerous precedent that the Government can so easily take custody of people’s children. If the argument is that the boys need some sort of specialised care that the mother cannot provide, then why won’t they still placed with her and visited by relevant personnel?” …

“What was the point then of saying that the mother had not reported it, if not to paint her an indifferent and uncaring lout? “This of course was to set the stage for the follow-on narrative of: ‘why should the government care if the mother doesn’t’—and to deflect attention away …

Trinidadians are amazing people. Glorifying each raid led by Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith, we ignore his 21 November prophecy, in Chaguanas, of 100,000 new criminals in the next five years. “It is really important for us… to look at secondary crime prevention… If we do not deal with this …

“[…] The doctor asked me no less than three times if I was sure I wanted to tie my tubes. I had to give her my life story and a bullet-point list of logical reasons why I didn’t want children. “Even after all of that, she couldn’t help but write …

“Good idea!” was my initial reaction when I read that President Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona is advocating that 16- and 17-year-old citizens have the right to vote for their leaders. I can think of no argument against involving youths in initiatives and activities, especially sporting and cultural ones, which require …

Soca star Machel Montano secured his ninth Road March title yesterday after his collaboration with Super Blue, “Soca Kingdom”—an okay song but a brilliant marketing slogan—beat Iwer George’s “Savannah” and Patrice Roberts “Carnival Sweet Fuh Days” into second and third place respectively. Even more important, Machel got a clean bill …

For many years I have described the low self-esteem plaguing many of our youngsters and its relationship to violent crime and anti-social behaviour.  The now widespread fighting in schools is a related phenomenon. Much of my personal knowledge of the self-esteem crisis comes directly from dialogue with some youngsters to …

“Any incidents of violence in schools, society is always quick to say that the teacher is never there. Teachers have their plates full. Society doesn’t understand that we have no support [and] limited resources. Half the schools in Trinidad and Tobago are dilapidated, hot, do not have fans, water is an issue …

It is amazing, though not surprising, how easily our people can be distracted from the important issues that we face as a nation, currently galloping crime and an economy in crisis. Last week, everyone—from captain to crook—was consumed in debate over a rather stupid statement that Harrypersad Maharaj issued on …