Tag Archives: Noble Philip

I am no prophet. I would not attempt to replicate the famous BC Pires, who used to write a column with predictions for each new year. He noted: “Some of my predictions are included only to make you laugh; the others are deadly serious and, if accurate, will make anyone …

“[…] A thrill of hope! The weary world rejoices. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till He appeared and the soul felt its worth…” Excerpt from the carol O Holy Night. 2024 has been a very tough year! The word ‘pining’ captures our mood after the battering of …

“[…] I’m a slave from a land so far/ I was caught/ And I was brought here from Africa…/ I’m a slaaaave from a land so far/ I was caught/And I was brought here from Africa/ “Ah toil, ah toil/ Ah toil, ah toil/ So haaaard each day…/ I’mm dying…/ …

“[…] I am saddened by those among us who cannot restrain ourselves from spewing bitter bile at this moment of great tragedy. “[…] Is there not a John McCain—the Republican presidential candidate who defended Barack Obama as a decent person—among us? No holding back the vile trolls on the Facebook …

“They say mih country so stressful, so tense/ With race hate, young jail bait, too much violence. Girl, pack up and go, this sweet Trinbago/ I tell dem no way (no way)/ How de people small-minded, macocious and loud/ Of bobol and scandal they boastful and proud/ Yet somehow I …

The autocratic nature of our politics is most memorably captured in the sordid 1962 episode featuring Dr Patrick Solomon, minister of Home Affairs in the People’s National Movement (PNM) government—with responsibility for the police service. His stepson was arrested and incarcerated for throwing missiles in a public space. Solomon allegedly …

“When your neighbour’s house is on fire, wet yours!” is an excellent Trinidadian proverb applicable now. We have been consumed with the goings-on about succession planning cum election preparation in the People’s National Movement. Not forgotten is the troubles of the Dissident Five, who have been sidelined after the United …

“Across the region, approximately 11% of the survey respondents of both sexes reported experience with domestic violence,” the report noted. For Trinidad and Tobago, the rate was 8.3%. Across the seven Caribbean countries surveyed, the average injury rate for men was 6.7% and 10.7% for women. Domestic or spousal abuse …

“Foodstuffs have a shortage daily, business places burning in the city/ Before they watch these things seriously, the whole meeting is a comedy/ “Ridicule —- fatigue giving, and all of the members laughing/While they having a good time, we catching we royal behind.” Explainer, Kicksin in Parliament (1979). It was …

What do the 1937 riots, the 1970 Black Power revolution, the 1990 attempted coup, and the current crime wave have in common? They are all eruptions of dissatisfaction over the distribution of the national income earned from our energy sector. We will continue to have these episodes until we reset …

Finance Minister Colm Imbert delivered his version of Black Stalin’s Wait Dorothy Wait. His budget was the reverse of Stalin’s lyrics: That oil money come, and oil money go, and poor people remain on the pavement and ghetto, aah when Mr Divider start to divide the bread equally, I go …

In 1976, Elton John penned these words: “What’ve I gotta do to make you love me?/ What’ve I gotta do to make you care?/ It’s sad, so sad/ It’s a sad, sad situation/ And it’s getting’ more and more absurd/ It’s sad, so sad/ Why can’t we talk it over?/ …