The battle for leadership of the UNC has ignited a discussion on leadership in a broader context, with the party’s founder, Basdeo Panday, weighing in on the issue. According to my columnist colleague Sheila Rampersad, Panday told her that Indians tend to seek a “pahalwan”—Hindi for warrior or strongman—to lead …
Read More »To whom will UNC turn? Sheila Rampersad reviews a party at a crossroad
During an interview for the Industrial Court’s 50th anniversary publication, Journey to Gold, Basdeo Panday told me that ‘Indian people’ tend always to search for and support a pahalwan—a wrestler, gladiator or strongman—to fight on their behalf. ‘Bas’ himself was finely suited. He was a real wrestler donning the presidency …
Read More »Politics abusing children: has T&T always been a dark, violent place?
A homemade video of a child being abused and forced to drink milk is yet another window opened into the culture of violence in T&T. You can be sure that had the perpetrator and amateur filmmaker known that police would be searching for them, they would not have uploaded that …
Read More »Memo to Dr Rowley: Somebody’s watching you, PM
The new Government deserves time to settle in. Dr Keith Rowley is a first time Prime Minister, he is leading a team of wide-eyed inexperience and it has been a long, tense campaign getting here; we are all tired and bruised. Alas, after eight years of Patrick Manning and Company …
Read More »Public interest in private lives: Reshmi, Kamla, Jack and sex in the media
Less than eight months after Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the People’s Partnership skilfully navigated the crest of a high wave in a sea of yellow and assumed governance of a nation, the name Reshmi Ramnarine entered the national vocabulary. The PP government was elected on May 24, 2010. News of Ramnarine’s …
Read More »Why we walked: The Guardian journalists speak out
The following is a joint press statement from former Trinidad Guardian public affairs editor Dr Sheila Rampersad and investigative reporters Denyse Renne and Anika Gumbs-Sandiford: When we staged a Wednesday July 10 walkout from the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, we were and remain clear on the issue: there was a significant …
Read More »Guardian floor MATT for sale; unused and unloved by journalists
Faced with a crisis of journalistic integrity and political pressure, the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) did what it does best: fired out an eloquent press release, curled into the foetal position, counted to a thousand and then went back to work. MATT vice-president and Trinidad Guardian editor-in-chief …
Read More »