Tag Archives: societal change

Elements of the trade union movement now sits inside the coalition that governs Trinidad and Tobago. That should have brought working-class concerns closer to the centre of national decision-making. Instead, we’re seeing silence, especially on the issues that matter most to working people. There may be voices in the room, …

“[…] Almost daily, the discourse has been filled with opinions on Cepep and Cepep workers: UNC/PNM supporters, radio commentators and newspaper columnists present opinions and arguments on one side or the other. “These are all useful for taking the public temperature. But, after nearly 20 years of Cepep, absent from …

“[…] Social capital trumps educational capital every time. In Trinidad and Tobago’s business and politics, social capital—your surname, your old boys’ club, your Carnival band, your golf foursome—often outweighs your degree.  “[…] Trinidad and Tobago doesn’t reward talent. It protects power. It preserves privilege. And it punishes those who try to …

The level of divisiveness in our small island nation—about which I gave examples in my recent columns—will undoubtedly compound the difficulty of getting the country as a whole behind the serious fights to survive, which now so starkly face us. It seems to me that, despite the end of the …

“[…] Far less visible [than the upper tier citizens at yesterday’s World Cup qualifying match], was a single, unemployed mother from one of our struggling communities, who had made an extraordinary effort to bring her young son to the game. “[…] Whether by sacrifice, missed bills, or borrowing, she gave …

“[…] Governments come and go, and with them their pet projects, regardless of whether those initiatives were making a difference. “What happens next? The same communities, the same youth and the same families are left once more to pick up the pieces. “[…] This goes beyond dollars and cents and …

“[…] Why, in the aftermath of each young life lost, does the immediate response so often centre on government coffers as the primary answer? “[…] Successful grassroots initiatives demonstrate that, with the right support and management, community-led programmes can make a real difference…” In the following Letter to the Editor, …

“[…] Trinidad and Tobago belongs to all of us. Patriotism isn’t about red or yellow… It’s about loving this country enough to push it forward, regardless of who holds office. “[…] We need citizens who hold leadership accountable, not just blindly follow; and most of all, we need each other. …

“[…] The PNM’s defeat was not merely a result of shifting political allegiances but a reflection of deeper dissatisfaction among the electorate… Many citizens felt alienated, as the government operated with an air of ownership rather than stewardship. “[…] The new government, a coalition of interests, has made ambitious promises …

Congratulations to the people of Trinidad and Tobago on a relatively peaceful and safe electoral process. Now that the ‘carnival is over’, to quote the late great, grandmaster: let’s see who is who, and who is made of what. Like many, I too anticipated the change—though I did not think …

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.” Nelson Mandela, May 1995. Ezekiel Ramdialsingh’s murder on 15 April received wide coverage in our newspapers. One even had it as a front-page story. But the description given to him was “an aspiring …

“[…] Surely, we are supposed to be fed up and tired of the mess perpetrated on us by politicians who profess to be spiritually moral and incorruptible, yet they and their fanatics on social media, radio talk shows and letters to the editor, encourage and promote: “Lies, half-truths, innuendos, picong, …