Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has put his political leadership of the People’s National Movement (PNM) into play, but he did so by ambiguous remarks in the House of Representatives (the House). As a consequence, there have been all kinds of rumblings. Moreover, we are still awaiting “the further positions” …
Read More »Daly Bread: Understanding political risk of T&T’s reliance on Venezuela gas
Exposure to assessing business risk, including the political risk of doing business in unstable environments, underlines that political and geo-political risks are volatile factors. When Prime Minister Rowley (the PM) recently exhorted that we “hold the fort”, he reportedly linked “a better position with the energy industry in the second …
Read More »Gilkes: Why T&T should be wary of USA’s “gift” of Venezuela’s Dragon Field
Is it too late to post this? Our 9-day memory cycle kicked in already? I was thinking we should forget cricket and football and make chess our favourite game, like it is in Russia. For one thing, it will teach us to think several moves ahead. And another thing, we …
Read More »Noble: Playing chess with The Dragon; Dr Rowley’s gas gamble
“For any developing economy dependent on a single export commodity, powerful economic and political forces, both domestic and external, qualify the choices open to governments and structure their incentives. “[…] It is tempting to put the blame on poor leadership and examples of questionable public policy. In the end, governments …
Read More »MSJ: Maduro and Guaidó MOU is ‘positive development’, which exposes ‘UNC’s political opportunism’
“[…] Some of the main items agreed to in the MOU include the recognition by the Opposition of the legitimacy of Nicolás Maduro’s government, a renouncing of violence and a commitment to work for the well-being of Venezuelans, and a pledge to request that US sanctions and restrictive measures be …
Read More »‘Maduro and his backers—not sanctions—are to blame’; US reject culpability for Venezuela crisis
“[…] It is Maduro and his backers—not sanctions—who are to blame for the Venezuelan people suffering dire economic, political, and human rights conditions, and have caused millions to flee their homes since he assumed power. “The Venezuela sanctions program is designed to limit the Maduro regime’s sources of revenue and …
Read More »MSJ: ‘Hypocritical’ USA and OAS smell end game in Venezuela, respect democratic process!
“[…] We note that the European Union has been totally silent with respect to the voter suppression in the US and the attempts, which have failed so far, by Donald Trump, Michael Pence, Mike Pompeo and other top Republicans to carry out a veritable coup d’etat in the US by …
Read More »US sanctions China tech firm that provides Venezuela’s internet, reaffirms Guaidó support
“[…] With this latest action, the United States reaffirms its commitment to promoting accountability for all those complicit in the illegitimate Maduro regime’s efforts to undermine democracy…” The following release from US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, reveals sanctions against Chinese company, CEIEC, which is allegedly responsible for 70 percent …
Read More »Dr Browne: T&T is a good neighbour, but we cannot simply open borders to Venezuelans
“[…] This hospitality continues even as our economy faces significant challenges that have affected all our people… “[…] Even developed nations with far greater resources face major challenges dealing with crossings of their borders, and no nation accepts non-nationals without due process…” The following statement on the government response to …
Read More »US ambassador: Maduro responsible for Venezuelan crisis, not sanctions!
“[…] It is [Nicholás] Maduro and his backers, not sanctions, who are to blame for the millions of Venezuelans living in dire economic conditions and who have fled their homes since he assumed power…” The following is a press statement from United States ambassador Joseph N Mondello on the Venezuela …
Read More »Dear Editor: Why Cudjoe’s linkage of ‘unpatriotic’ Venezuelan stance to race is ‘sloppy’ and ‘poisonous’
“Attributing the Opposition’s awful stance on the Venezuela question to them being Indian is race-baiting, plain and simple. In the Caribbean, colluding and conspiring with foreign powers are hardly the sole preserve of Indians. “[…] Consider again the case of the late Prime Minister of Dominica, Eugenia Charles, who made …
Read More »Claude’s Comments: When CIA plotted to remove Dr Williams; and how USA is violating Rio Treaty
I couldn’t resist beginning by paraphrasing from calypsonian Bally’s 1987 masterpiece ‘It’s party time again’: five years nearly done, so let’s ramajay… if you see ram goat, join the bacchanal, just to get your vote. I intended to sit this one out, but for the statement by US Ambassador Joseph …
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