A long time ago, I had a discussion—maybe an argument—with a newspaper editor about what constituted “soft” news. He thought that issues affecting women were soft, and should be relegated to pages headed by labels that suggested they were for women only. Instinctively, I rejected that. It seemed to me …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2023
Thompson: Imbert’s gamble—what Budget could mean for recent Heritage and Stabilisation Fund gains
After listening to Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s 2023 budget presentation last September, I felt a certain disquiet that I have not been able to deal with satisfactorily. Something did not feel right about what he was telling the country but precisely what it was kept eluding me. Contemplating the performance …
Read More »Hadad: “You can’t play football with the Vatican and Tobago!” Fifa extends TTFA’s normalisation
Trinidad and Tobago will remain under the direct grip of Fifa for at least another year, as the world governing body today unilaterally declared that it extended the mandate of its normalisation committee on the two-island republic. The decision, made by the Gianni Infantino-led Bureau of the Fifa Council, was …
Read More »Demming: “Our society must urgently navigate potholes of life… We need a deep, systemic redesign”
Forty years ago, while I was pregnant, I fell into a pothole. Fortunately, the fall did not terminate my pregnancy, but I still have the scar on my foot as a reminder. Forty years later our country continues to be haunted by potholes, despite owning the Pitch Lake and producing bitumen …
Read More »Najjar: Is it “about attitude”? T&T U-17s did well but lacked ability and application
“[…] That the USA and Canada did not steamroll the young Warriors showed we possessed that fighting for all-the-marbles, attitude… But truly, is it only ‘about attitude’? “We showed the right attitude in all four games but did not win a single game—not even against Barbados whose only goal was …
Read More »Orin: White vest, sneakers and Wallabees: Bunji was the boss—but I won’t forget Nailah either
“[…] Bunji’s clever ragga-style rapid-fire toasting managed to include a range of references, from isosceles to Wallabees… Their joint ownership of Hard Fete is itself more powerful than anything either of them said in defence of it, and they had plenty to say. “[…] Nailah and Skinny’s offering is a …
Read More »NLCL 23: Miller & Noel punish World Class as Soccer Made Simple lift back-to-back titles
Back to back! Soccer Made Simple (SMS) have done it again. The Arouca/Trincity-based club copped the Next Level Consulting Ltd (NLCL) Under-19 Community Cup for a second straight season yesterday, as they got by fellow easterners World Class Soccer Clinic (WCSC) by a 2-nil margin at the Larry Gomes Stadium …
Read More »Daly Bread: Are we seeing a Carnival evolution, or a free-for-all?
The hyped-up Carnival 2023 has concluded, but the lack of changes in the traditional infrastructure and other provisions continue visibly to hurt the annual festival. Immediately after Carnival 2020, the last one preceding the forced cancellation for two years because of Covid-19, I asserted that Carnival post-mortems are usually futile …
Read More »Noble: T&T society is too unbalanced for harmony; only bitter medicine will bring crime relief
As a young boy, I learnt that Buckley’s cough syrup was the cure when your cold turned into a cough that wracked your chest. It tasted awful, but it worked! The makers were making a product that cleared up your congestion and colds. They were not interested in creating a …
Read More »Vaneisa: Finding room in the little hut; a parable for unpacking problems
Snippets from childhood can pop up arbitrarily and stick in your head. As a wee reader (from the age of three), I read anything I could find, and some things have obviously lingered. I kept hearing this line from what was probably a morality tale during a difficult period these …
Read More »TUCO president on Road March rules, Fay-Ann’s fourth title and Machel/Patrice
Does soca empress Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez now have four Road March titles, on the back of her credit for current hit tune Hard Fete? On Wednesday, TUCO (Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation) announced that Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez and Fay-Ann were co-winners of the 2023 Visit Trinidad Road March title, which might …
Read More »Bunji: “When you have a family, there’s no longer a thing as MY win!” Road March champ fires back
“[…] Our family will have our names on everything together just like cooperate institutes, groceries, shops, stores and other businesses. “And if that is a problem for you then… there’s cliffs all over the island that have no barriers and no need for parachutes. Feel free…” The following is a …
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