‘Sprangalang’ was mih partner. We worked together on many productions. Sprang did not tell jokes; he told stories. He was a true standup comedian who would have held his own on any stage with the likes of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock. I recruited Sprang into radio broadcasting …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2020
Calypso as film: How does Dr Bird stack up against the director of The Birds?
De lizard run up she foot, An’ it disappear. Everybody still searchin’ everywhere. Wey de lizard, Teacher Mildred? …. …. …. …. De way she jolly an’ happy Ah sure de lizard must be ticklin’ she. There are many directors, screenwriters, DOPs, storyboard artists and cutting room assistants who would …
Read More »Covid counter: Two deaths and 48 positives today—five deaths this weekend
The Ministry of Health announced 48 additional positive cases of Covid-19 with two deaths today, which meant Trinidad and Tobago suffered five deaths with 134 positives this weekend. The twin island republic has had a total of 81 Covid-19 related fatalities and 4,763 positive cases of the virus from 29,249 …
Read More »Daly Bread: Lilies in the sand; T&T needs right conditions to grow our human capital
Like us, canna lilies are colourful children of the tropics. Our culture, as I shall explain, shares characteristics with these lilies but crucially departs in the nurture requirements. My Mayaro beat continued for much of September to include the dry hot sun of petit carême, in the course of which …
Read More »NJAC rededication: Gene Miles, Errol Pilgrim and Makandal Daaga come to the fore
“[…] Gene Miles’ evidence before Karl De La Bastide-led commission of enquiry exposed corruption in very high places. The one-man commissioner, Karl De La Bastide, recommended that all evidence recorded at the enquiry ‘should be, without delay, transmitted to the Public Service Commission’ to enable enforcing of ‘Disciplinary Laws of …
Read More »Covid counter: Three deaths and 86 new cases today; MoH point to 35% decrease
Dr Avery Hinds, technical director in the Epidemiology Division, announced today that Trinidad and Tobago had a roughly 35 per cent decrease in Covid-19 infections over the last two weeks. However, the novel coronavirus gave a reminder of its menace today with three deaths and 86 new cases in the …
Read More »Commissioner misses out as Griffith III features for Northern Ireland team, Coleraine
Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith had to make do with a second-hand appraisal of his son Gary Griffith III’s first step towards his dream of a professional football career yesterday. Griffith III, an attacker, featured as a trialist with Northern Ireland top flight club, Coleraine FC, last night along with …
Read More »NACC: ‘If laughter is the best medicine, Sprangalang was one of the best doctors T&T ever produced’
“[…] He was certainly a man of deep and original thought. Dennis ‘Sprangalang’ Hall will always be remembered for his ability to take serious and complex issues and portray them in a manner in which everyone could understand, appreciate and enjoy…” The following press statement on the passing of cultural …
Read More »Noble: Our young men can change, if we try—addressing domestic violence
The police commissioner, in April 2020, estimated that domestic violence reports would double this year (232 in 2019 to 558 in 2020). This is consistent with what the UN calls the ‘shadow pandemic’—a global increase in domestic violence amid the Covid-19 health crisis. ‘How do you reach out for help …
Read More »Vaneisa: The Gentle Observer—remembering the ‘Cultural Sprangalang’
The following column on Dennis ‘Sprangalang’ Hall, who passed away on Friday 2 October 2020, was first published in the Sunday Guardian on 30 January 1994: “Why you want to write about me?” he asks suspiciously on the telephone. “I doh like publicity. I’s just ah ordinary man making mih …
Read More »Covid counter: 59 new infections and 1,824 active cases
The Ministry of Health announced 59 new positive cases of Covid-19 today, which took the total since the onset of the pandemic to 4,629 positives from 28,864 unique patient tests. There are 1,824 active cases at present. As of this morning, there were 103 persons hospitalised for the novel coronavirus …
Read More »Deyalsingh prepares for flu season, 39 new Covid cases with no deaths
Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh got his Influenza vaccine today and is urging members of the public to follow suit, as Trinidad and Tobago braces for the 2020-21 flu season. The Ministry of Health tallied 41 fatalities in the last flu season and, with the Covid-19 pandemic already testing the …
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