“[…] Almost daily, the discourse has been filled with opinions on Cepep and Cepep workers: UNC/PNM supporters, radio commentators and newspaper columnists present opinions and arguments on one side or the other. “These are all useful for taking the public temperature. But, after nearly 20 years of Cepep, absent from …
Read More »Daly Bread: T&T must avoid ‘democratic backsliding’, in face of a three-fifths majority
Against the background of recent attacks on the Independent senators, I outlined last week the two constraints on three-fifths special majority legislative power contained in our Constitution. I conclude the examination of these constraints this week. First, however, I pursue the question why such constraints are necessary. Next week, I …
Read More »Daly Bread: Bouncing divided heads—can T&T prevent itself splitting in two?
The level of divisiveness in our small island nation—about which I gave examples in my recent columns—will undoubtedly compound the difficulty of getting the country as a whole behind the serious fights to survive, which now so starkly face us. It seems to me that, despite the end of the …
Read More »Noble: Democracy and the Vote—reviewing the 2023 Local Gov’t election
At the core of democracy is the vote. This single act is how we, the voters, signal how we feel to the politicians and their parties. It is a means of control. When we vote, we tell the nation which candidate we want and which policies or programmes are crucial. …
Read More »Missing the Faris for the trees? Mr Live Wire gets another political lecture from a mysterious man
(Scene: A dapper gentleman examines a humble lodging with notable admiration.) FAR: I love the more intimate office space, boss. I can get from one end to the next far quicker than at my last office, which is bound to make me even more less-dynamic. The decor is more than …
Read More »Dear Editor: ‘Biden’s no better than Trump’; Cuban group wants help to spread the message
“[…] It seemed that (…) the Trump Administration had taken aggression against Cuba as far as it could go. But displaying stunning cynicism, not only did his successor fail to put an end to the criminal policy but he even, in practical terms, reinforced it. “[…] Washington continues to take …
Read More »Dear Editor: By what logic is Dr Rowley’s solution to the Tobago impasse ‘autocratic’?
“[…] Both the PNM and the PDP sought to resolve this issue by seeking to reach some sort of compromise solution/consensus in order to establish a workable bi-partisan administration. All such efforts failed miserably. “Good governance demanded that the issue be resolved as quickly as possible. What better way to …
Read More »Demming: Trying to put pandemic in pan’s way is putting democracy at risk
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) is now run by a non-elected normalisation committee appointed by the sport’s world umbrella body, The Federation of International Football Associations (Fifa). Led by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, our Parliament acted to override the collective will of Tobagonians when their election results …
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 »MSJ: ‘Hypocritical’ USA and OAS smell end game in Venezuela, respect democratic process!
“[…] We note that the European Union has been totally silent with respect to the voter suppression in the US and the attempts, which have failed so far, by Donald Trump, Michael Pence, Mike Pompeo and other top Republicans to carry out a veritable coup d’etat in the US by …
Read More »Salaam: Why we should take President Weekes’ advice and reject partisan politics
“Unite to move country forward,” so said our President Paula-Mae Weekes in her maiden Independence Day message; and in the midst of the closure of Petrotrin’s 100-year-old refinery in Point-a-Pierre, we have no choice but to answer the call as suggested by the President for a unified Trinidad and Tobago. …
Read More »Despite popular belief, there’s no ‘F’ in democracy; why T&T has only known maximum leadership
I must give credit to Kyle Skeeto Amos for the headline of this piece. His contemplation on the nature of our democracy is nothing short of brilliant. That said, I want to use another story, the one about the hikers and the lion, to perhaps identify why there is no …
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