The Trinidad and Tobago electorate, both major political parties agreed, sent a clear message to its politicians at the Local Government Elections yesterday. And that statement was: “Meh.” November 28 was pretty nondescript, even for a Monday. There was no band launching or Soca Warriors match; nothing new from House of …
Read More »Rising to the challenge: Daly SC on local elections, violence, self-esteem and Kung Fu Panda
“The potential to soothe the savage beasts of the nation whenever they appear in your communities and to put disagreement into less destructive modes. That is a challenge to which you must all rise. “Meeting that challenge must be prefaced by a search for self-esteem. I say this is the …
Read More »Shuffle, reshuffle, we still in trouble: Daly explains why Rowley’s changes won’t deliver results
I entirely agree that the Cabinet reshuffle announced last week is not likely to produce better or cleaner Government. Our governance structures and processes are out of date, unreformed, tainted with partisanship and in some cases riddled with corruption. They lack public trust. By analogy to Chalkie’s “The Driver Can’t Drive”, …
Read More »Beware the ill winds: Martin Daly on racial sensitivities, drugs and politically-fuelled hate
Last week, I wrote of the ill wind of deep-seated race and class divisions. Let me acknowledge that the use of the ill wind description was one put to me in conversation with someone for whose intellect and creativity I have high admiration. I asserted that this ill wind drives …
Read More »Political games: Best take on how politicians play with us—and with our money
Many games are played most intensely by disturbed people. Generally speaking, the more disturbed they are, the harder they play. That’s not coming from me. It comes from Dr Eric Berne, in a late chapter of Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships, which he titles “The Players.” Here’s some …
Read More »Letter to Editor: Ralph Maraj is trying to rewrite Kamla’s political legacy and fool T&T
“What [Ralph] Maraj failed to indicate in his column [“Kamla’s Return”] is the fact that the UNC administration either changed the names of already-existing units, or simply completed projects started by the previous People’s National Movement (PNM), in the area of fighting crime?” The following Letter to the Editor on …
Read More »FATCA or fiction? Live Wire offers perspective on a potential financial Armageddon
Mr Live Wire has heard the questions: “What the arse is FATCA?” “Dem politicians wouldn’t be playing the fool if this so serious, right?” “PNM just trying to scare we again, nah?” “That have something to do with Marlene coming back?” Well, despite the legitimate interest in pompous Pussyfoot’s petty …
Read More »PNM: The UNC is being anti-PNM and not pro-country in FATCA snub
PNM general secretary Ashton Ford has accused the Opposition party, the United National Congress (UNC), of being anti-PNM rather than pro-country in his Letter to the Editor on the Opposition party’s failure to support the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). The following is Ford’s full release: The United National …
Read More »How the West was won: Live Wire on Chaguaramas controversy; and Faris’ Enquiry into Enquiry!
Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi looks set to create a new milestone for State idiocracy, wastage of funds and donkey logic, after suggesting that the Government is considering launching a Commission of Enquiry into a Commission of Enquiry. Trinidad and Tobago, we ent going to hell again. We …
Read More »The real issues with our crime “plan”: Daly says politicians too busy supping with the devil
The respective teams led by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition met two Fridays ago on violent crime. The main promise afterward was that there would be co-operation on anti crime legislation, including the Government giving the Opposition early notice of the Bills it intended to introduce …
Read More »Closing GATE on opportunity: The problem with the PNM’s education reform
In my previous pieces, I often referred to George Orwell’s 1984. Indeed in this country maintaining sanity is a Sisyphean task. Your concept of reality is questioned on a daily basis. Just when you think you have your wits about you, your grasp on reality is challenged and you spend …
Read More »Law Association showdown: Anand-led group aims to oust Armour and Brooks
Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) president Reginald Armour SC and vice-president Gerry Brooks will need the support of their membership to keep their respective positions, as they attempt to stave off a vote of no confidence instigated by a faction that includes former Attorney General Anand Ramlogan SC …
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