“Pan is in good hands,” they said—after experiencing the energy and exuberance of the Junior Panorama finals at the Queen’s Park Savannah. But is it? The Presbyterian schools dominated the 2023 competition. Guaico Presbyterian Steel Orchestra scored a hattrick by winning its third National Primary Schools Trophy. NAPs Combined (students of Naparima …
Read More »Dear Editor: We can’t increase Caribbean integration when it’s cheaper to fly to Miami than Barbados
“[…] Decreased airfare is one way to stimulate intra-regional travel for both business and leisure. “Studies show that increased visitor arrivals lead to increased economic activity—more tax collection, increased employment, and general stimulation of economies…” The following Letter to the Editor on the disproportionately high airfares within the Caribbean was …
Read More »Demming: Please, PNM, we need an efficient transportation system if we are to move forward
Public transportation is a quality-of-life issue. Sometime in 2015, this statement caught my attention and gave me hope that Trinidad and Tobago was finally beginning to take action to bring our country out of the doldrums of the 20th Century. Seven years later, transportation continues to be chaotic, dangerous, and …
Read More »Demming: We need to fix the system, not subvert it to suit our friends
The perception that if you are within the inner circle of the government, you can get anything you want was solidified in my mind with the recent announcement by the Prime Minister. Clarence Rambharat, former agriculture, lands and fisheries minister, we were told, is coming back into government and will …
Read More »Demming: Order in the House! Is Prime Minister Rowley a tone-deaf role model?
“Order!” shouted the Speaker of the House Bridgid Annisette-George. “Order!” “Prime Minister,” the Speaker had already said three times while on her feet. Ignoring her, the Prime Minister continued his rant in response to what seemed to me to be a reasonable question from Naparima MP Rodney Charles. The Speaker …
Read More »Demming: Open letter to Bliss Seepersad on ‘hidden hand of power’ that manipulated CoP Merit List
Dear Bliss, On behalf of the Prime Minister and the people of Trinidad and Tobago, I apologise for any anxiety and pain you have experienced over the past six months because our Prime Minister refused to admit that he was the official who, on 12 August 2021, intervened and diverted …
Read More »Demming: Paria, LMCS blame game exposed lack of preparedness at both companies
The blame game continues about what really caused the death of the four divers employed by LMCS Ltd (formerly Land and Marine Contracting Services Limited) on premises belonging to Paria Fuel Trading. The public blaming and shaming are coming from all directions and continue to fuel confusion about what happened. …
Read More »Demming: Caribbean Games was perfect forerunner for the Olympics— I’m still toting over cancellation
Making mention of the cancelled Caribbean Games, the Honourable Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Jamaica’s minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, wondered aloud why the event had not come off. This happened at the two-day Community Development Partnership Forum (CDPM-V), during one of the sessions about more regional collaboration in sport. …
Read More »Demming: Minister West’s persistence with dress code in govt bldgs betrays colonial hang-ups
Minister of Public Administration Ms Allyson West is reported as saying that Government has more important issues to deal with than a dress code. Of course you do, Minister West. Therein lies the problem. It is a problem of politicians losing touch with the needs of ordinary folks and forgetting …
Read More »Demming: Thanks for transparency, Imbert; now we need repercussions for Scoon party boat
‘When the lights go on, the cockroaches scatter’, is what popped into my mind when I read about the Ministers of Finance, Health and Trade and Industry, the Attorney General and the Adrian Scoon party boat issue. A special restaurant licence was issued to businessman Scoon without the approval of …
Read More »Demming to PM: Never been to a whore house? Are you okay, Mr Prime Minister?
Dear Prime Minister, When you speak, I listen like many others young and old, we all listen closely. If we miss your message, we go to social media and that is where I found a shocking clip from a recent News Conference on Anslem Gibbs’ Twitter feed of 3 December …
Read More »Demming: Griffith’s low jibe at interviewer epitomises T&T’s lowered bar for public discourse
In a recent media interview, the interviewee was asked this very direct question: ‘Have you ever accepted a bribe for a firearm?’ Gary Griffith, former commissioner of police, former government minister, former senator, former captain in the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force who is now husband, father and private citizen, …
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