In the mid-60s, Paul Simon wrote: “And in the naked light I saw/ten thousand people maybe more/ people talking without speaking/people hearing without listening/ people writing songs that voices never share/and no one dared disturb the sound of silence..” These lines are about us, our crime situation and the impertinent …
Read More »Noble: How to create a ‘hotspot’ 101; why HDC must do right by Oropune and other developments
Like a socially awkward dinner guest who knocks down the glass of water, Colleen Holder and her committee have disrupted the myth of public housing management. Oropune Gardens is not a den of ‘do-nothings’ who live off the public purse. The residents want to live there and have created several …
Read More »Dear Editor: Inaction from Lyons and HDC is allowing crime to spiral at Oropune Gardens!
“The blame for the spiralling crime in the community rests with the HDC. They are fully aware that they are not enforcing the rules that will allow the community to remain safe. “[…] Illegal occupancy, use of unoccupied / vandalised units, poor street lighting, poor lighting in car parks and …
Read More »Daly: Mas not done, check the Judiciary; Justice Jamadar should stay in his section
Mr Justice of Appeal Peter Jamadar should have stayed in his section. His statement in the capacity of Acting Chief Justice attempting to set boundaries for the long established tradition of satire and calling out ‘mocking pretenders’ during the Carnival season was surprising. Returning from my usual chip with All Stars …
Read More »The genesis of the Eden Gardens matter; what the media might usefully pursue
In November 2016, the State filed a lawsuit against certain former public officials for alleged fraud in the HDC’s 2012 purchase of 50.5 acres at Eden Gardens in Freeport. The former officials named in that lawsuit were Jearlean John (former HDC managing director), Henckle Lall (former HDC chairman), Greg Davis …
Read More »Why pave Paradise? (Pt II): Govt needs thoughtful, collaborative approach to fix T&T; and the odd maxi taxi ride
Now believe me, Madam Minister, I understand the pressure you are under to be seen to be delivering the goods. And as far as PR and Photo Op visibility in our society goes, few events rank higher than a ribbon cutting or key distribution ceremony. The honeymoon period is well …
Read More »Daly Bread: Beware the ides of March; what might lie in store for CJ Archie
Julius Caesar, the maximum leader of Roman times, was assassinated in the year 44 BC. The dates in the Roman calendar were denominated differently from the manner to which we are accustomed. The mid-point of every month was known as the ides. Caesar was assassinated on the ides of March, …
Read More »Destroying the judicial guardrails; why we will all pay for Archie’s alleged HDC forage
It is not surprising that the issue of the allocation of public housing is front page news once again. What is astonishing is that it is allegations concerning the conduct of the Chief Justice that have put the issue back on the front page—but first, a little recap. In April 2016, …
Read More »Dear Editor: A house for Mr T&T? Country FirsTT asks citizens to back bid for HDC fairness
“There are currently—and this is a figure that comes from the HDC itself—180,000 applicants on the HDC’s books, which is just about 12% of the entire population. That is no surprise. “The surprise is that, despite the length of the waiting list, there are several developments all across the country …
Read More »Je ne suis pas Baldeosingh: Trinidad Guardian angel shamed again in housing faux pas
“Crass”, “offensive”, “gratuitously insulting”… And that was just what satirical columnist Kevin Baldeosingh’s patron—the Trinidad Guardian newspaper—thought about his recent work. God forbid you asked the opinion of IBN television host and activist Inshan Ishmael, who led a protest outside the Trinidad Guardian headquarters yesterday on the Uriah Butler Highway …
Read More »Give us our due! Why T&T’s sprint quartet wants more than shinier medals
Trinidad and Tobago’s 4×100 metre relay quartet of Richard “Torpedo” Thompson, Keston Bledman, Marc Burns and Emmanuel Callender finally has the silver medals to match the performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games. But whether the sprinters have the ‘right reward’ to go with their silverware is another story, which continues to frustrate the …
Read More »Sailing on the Awesome Conjob; the Naipaul-Coolman case and soca on the seas
The digital and social media now regularly facilitates the uncovering of many matters that in earlier times might have slipped through the darkness of political obfuscation, including taking blatantly inconsistent positions on the same issue. One example of a significant revelation is the massive wrongdoing that has occurred in the …
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