Tag Archives: Sunity Maharaj

Of all the photos following ISIS’s horrendous assault on Paris, among the most moving are those of the long lines of people waiting to donate blood outside hospitals where the wounded had been taken. There’s a good chance that among them were persons of Islamic faith standing in line to …

Over and over, the deep-seated self-devaluation lurking deep inside the Caribbean psyche keeps tripping us up.  At every opportunity to step forward and declare ourselves boldly to the world, the degenerative disease of self-doubt bites hard and forces us back. No, we can’t. Not we, insignificant sardines in a world …

In an interview with i95.5’s Dale Enoch last week, Mr Gregory Aboud, the President of the Downtown Merchants Association (DOMA), was once again lamenting the state of his city besieged by wreckers. He seemed convinced that business in downtown Port of Spain has fallen victim to a wrecker conspiracy driven …

Under the deluge of data and detail, Trinidad and Tobago remains a society run by the old privilege of “contact” with power rather than the individual’s right to information. Know the right person and all is yours; demand your right to know and chances are you will hit the wall …

So thorough has been the brain-washing that it is virtually impossible for many to connect our present dysfunctions to their obvious origins in the past. The social values and taste patterns that drive the high import bill, the historic fear that inhibits the productive sector and ostracises risk-takers, the power-seeking …

Political patronage is like a sno-cone with plenty syrup and heavy condensed milk. Even when it is bad for you in the long run, it feels so good as to banish all thought of the long run. For as long as it lasts, it is delicious—until it becomes dangerous. Then, …

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 …

All governments come to office with a chance at greatness. Many never even recognise it, most are too afraid to acknowledge it, and very few ever achieve it. Of our governments, none has scaled the heights. Some have done good, others have done better, all have done some things worse. …

It feels like a morning for poetry. Cool as rain, cutting as razor. Poetry that syncs with the soul, tempered by mood and tailored to taste. After the extended bout of political excess, this morning-before is thirsty for the clarity of Art’s truth as prescription for hangover. Perhaps you, too, …

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 …

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, …

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 …