Tag Archives: democracy

When in government, the People’s National Movement (PNM) speaks with the certainty of authority—decisions are made, policies defended, and dissent dismissed as misinformed or politically motivated. The tone is top-down, and messaging emphasises competence, legacy and control. Consultation becomes performance, not practice. But in opposition—or after electoral defeat—a different voice …

“[…] Dr Eric Williams was clear in his articulation—in a democracy, citizens have both rights and responsibilities. The government, too, has responsibilities to citizens. This is the social contract: the underlying rules that govern how citizens behave towards each other, and how the government and citizens behave towards each other. …

“[…] 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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …

(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 …

“[…] 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 …

“[…] 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 …

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 …

“[…] 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 …

“[…] 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 …