Over more than a decade, my columns have contained an explanation of what I discern to be the deficiencies of the systems by which we are governed and reference to some possible solutions. These columns also seek to show the link between those deficiencies, leadership condonation of them and the …
Read More »Shuffle, reshuffle, we still in trouble: Daly explains why Rowley’s changes won’t deliver results
I entirely agree that the Cabinet reshuffle announced last week is not likely to produce better or cleaner Government. Our governance structures and processes are out of date, unreformed, tainted with partisanship and in some cases riddled with corruption. They lack public trust. By analogy to Chalkie’s “The Driver Can’t Drive”, …
Read More »Beware the ill winds: Martin Daly on racial sensitivities, drugs and politically-fuelled hate
Last week, I wrote of the ill wind of deep-seated race and class divisions. Let me acknowledge that the use of the ill wind description was one put to me in conversation with someone for whose intellect and creativity I have high admiration. I asserted that this ill wind drives …
Read More »When good people win: To T’dad All Stars, Bishop Anstey choir and late Allan Alexander
I was unable to attend the funeral of my colleague Allan Alexander SC, whom I held in the highest regard, owing to my commitment on that day to attend a meeting of a regional organisation—one on which he had also served. However, I was privileged to attend the gathering at …
Read More »Play the devil: Daly plugs new local film on sexuality, morality and socio economic power
Abigail Hadeed, the photographer and filmmaker, is my cousin. To be more precise, as her beloved grandfather and my uncle constantly reminded us, Abigail is my first cousin once removed. That is because her mother, who was born Daly, is my first cousin. I mention these relationships as a form …
Read More »The real issues with our crime “plan”: Daly says politicians too busy supping with the devil
The respective teams led by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition met two Fridays ago on violent crime. The main promise afterward was that there would be co-operation on anti crime legislation, including the Government giving the Opposition early notice of the Bills it intended to introduce …
Read More »A swansong for Birdsong? Best laments for evicted pan side and national instrument
“Oh gorm,” David Rudder bawl out like Sprangalang. “Shot call!” The feckless, gutless, witless lot who are not “in charge” waited, it seemed, for an edict from the top. It never came. True to form, Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly passed the buck. She had heard, said one report, that …
Read More »Wishful thinking of Olympian proportions: Daly looks from Dick to Hypolite and in-between
There is no reason to be harsh towards the Trinidad and Tobago athletes who represented us at the Rio Olympics 2016. They tried their best. However it is clear that a precursor to the negative feelings was the country’s outrage at one of the selection processes and the apparent supervisory …
Read More »Victimisation, hatred and bias! Thema’s historic TTGF suit sullies Dick’s Olympic bow
On 7 August 2016, 19 year old Marisa Dick will become Trinidad and Tobago’s first ever gymnast to participate in an Olympic Games. But the cost of her achievement could be the financial ruin and permanent loss of reputation of the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF) and, in particular, …
Read More »Get ready to tumble! Thema sues TTGF officials for destroying her Olympic dreams
Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF) president David Marquez, first vice president Akil Wattley, second vice president Ricardo Lue Shue and his wife and assistant treasurer Donna Lue Shue will have to defend their controversial omission of 20 year national gymnast Thema Williams in a local courtroom. At just after …
Read More »After the speeches, what? Daly muses over the aftermath of Manning’s State funeral
Our Prime Minister Keith Rowley made a splendid speech on the occasion of the state funeral of former Prime Minister, Patrick Manning. Dr Rowley kept it light and anecdotal, with reminders that he was his own man in the course of his rocky relationship with his deceased former “chief”. In …
Read More »Heartfelt Harris and hyping Harry: Daly looks at IRO controversy
When I saw the headline “Age has nothing to do with maturity” in last Tuesday’s Trinidad Express newspaper, I wrongly assumed I would be led into an explanation why a majority of Independent Senators would so easily allow themselves to be drawn into an apparent formation of a caucus. I …
Read More »