Today, when Finance Minister Colm Imbert unveils his budget, we will see whether the Dr Keith Rowley-led administration, too, is guilty of confusing the private sector with big business and big business with entrepreneurship. If this government, too, is locked in the conventional economic paradigm, we might as well pucker …
Read More »The view from pit: Daly muses on hypocritical response to State appointments
Following the recent appointment of former Independent Senator Helen Drayton to chair a state enterprise Board, a strange concept emerged that persons not having blind affiliation to a political party become “tainted” if they serve the country at the behest of a Government. Although responsible opinion has dealt well with …
Read More »Mistah Shak: Why I’m not fully satisfied despite PNM’s electoral victory…
PHEW! FINALLY JAH! This period of electoral campaigning, which most certainly overstayed its welcome, has finally reached its conclusion! So we will now have a new Government which will be formed by Dr Keith Rowley and the PNM, having defeated the UNC/PP 23-18. This is a victory and a change …
Read More »PNM or People’s Partnership? Live Wire gives his final word before September 7
Scene: A haggard figure knocks firmly on a white, wooden door and then sits on the step to catch his breath. Suddenly, the door swings open and sends the visitor catspraddling into a parked car. A mystical figure emerges from behind the door… Patriot (shaken): Mr Live Wire, I presume? Live …
Read More »Politics With Honour; Sunity explains how to replace the PP with People’s Power
So the Extempo King has fallen victim to the extempo politics of an extempo party—and he’s vex? Really? Winston “Gypsy” Peters should know that he can’t play mas and ‘fraid powder. He has been lucky to enjoy five years on the biggest extempo stage in the land and now that …
Read More »Sancho collected Central FC qualifying money while Sport Minister
Sport Minister Brent Sancho could feasibly find himself reported to the Integrity Commission after leaked documentation showed that CONCACAF money due to the Pro League club was diverted into the minister’s personal bank account. Then Central FC operations manager Kevin Harrison admitted that he directed CONCACAF to wire US$40,000 (TT$253,000) …
Read More »Making Sense of Manifestos; Sunity considers value of policy documents
Columnist Sunity Maharaj considers the value offered by political manifestos to the electorate; and how the public might better utilise policy documents for better governance: With just two weeks to go to the election, there is not much that can be done with recently released party manifestos, apart from oooh-ing and aaah-ing, …
Read More »Honeypot Rottweiler and Hindu/Krystian PM; Bas and Patos talk Elections 2015
Scene: Residence of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning. His old Parliamentary colleague, fellow Presentation College, San Fernando alumni and ex-Prime Minister Basdeo Panday takes a seat. Patrick Manning: What would you like to drink old friend? Basdeo Panday: Ahmm… Gimme a Carib there, old man. Ahmm… Stiff and cold like …
Read More »The Incredible Shrinking Campaign; Sunity scrutinises Kamla2015
Voters looking to support the prime minister on September 7th might be astonished to discover that there is no party listed as “Kamla” on the ballot paper. Given the huge investment in marketing “Kamla”, a voter should be forgiven for assuming that “Kamla” was the newest party in town. Imagine …
Read More »Blunder after plunder: Kamla discusses Reshmi, LifeSport and Vikings in odd Q&A
“Have you ever seen a TV show called Vikings?” Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar asked Dr Morgan Job, who was one of her three interviewers last night. ‘Vikings’, in case you don’t know, is an Irish-Canadian television drama that is not short of historical inaccuracies but big on sacking and plundering. …
Read More »Fuad Abu Bakr: The Jamaat is stronger than ever, politically
In part two of this two-part series, Fuad Abu Bakr, political leader of the New National Vision (NNV), responds to suggestions that he has no business in politics because of his father Yasin Abu Bakr’s history and gives the NNV’s position on same-sex relationships and marriage and campaign financing. Abu …
Read More »Fuad Abu Bakr: Jamaat acted to save T&T; my father is a scapegoat
Fuad Abu Bakr, political leader of the New National Vision (NNV), accuses the Government of using his father and Jamaat-al-Muslimeen Imam Yasin Abu Bakr as a scapegoat, reveals why he clashed with the Imam over the 1990 Commission of Enquiry and explains why the NNV is not a Muslim party, …
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