Amanda Gorman, aged 27, is a poet, writer and activist. She was the first US national youth poet laureate. She frequently urges that society turn away from divisiveness. I heard Amanda Gorman speak at the widely televised US Democratic Party National Convention last year. She said this: “Empathy emancipates, making …
Read More »A bacchanal foretold: Has new Govt worsened CoP crisis?
“[…] If my contract has ended, how can I be sent on any binding vacation leave that extends beyond the life of the contract? The only way that can realistically happen is if, and only if, said contract is going to be renewed, with the person it affects being remaining …
Read More »Daly Bread: Change or exchange? Gov’t must address CJ, SEA, panyard model and economic diversification
Our changes of government frequently receive a verdict of “no change only exchange”. The current apparent dead end in the search for a gas supply to revive certain of our petrochemical industries is illustrative of the peril of governments having no appetite for fundamental reform. Added to all the unimaginative …
Read More »Dear Editor: When will we stop losing Zwades and truly invest in our children?
“[…] Why, in the aftermath of each young life lost, does the immediate response so often centre on government coffers as the primary answer? “[…] Successful grassroots initiatives demonstrate that, with the right support and management, community-led programmes can make a real difference…” In the following Letter to the Editor, …
Read More »Dear Editor: Forget red or yellow affiliations, let’s put T&T first
“[…] Trinidad and Tobago belongs to all of us. Patriotism isn’t about red or yellow… It’s about loving this country enough to push it forward, regardless of who holds office. “[…] We need citizens who hold leadership accountable, not just blindly follow; and most of all, we need each other. …
Read More »Dear Editor: Prime Minister should withdraw reckless comments on alleged “UNC lawyers”
“[…] As a former attorney general and current holder of the designation ‘senior counsel’ (senior advocate of the Supreme Court), Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar ought to know—indeed, is expected to know—that a lawyer’s previous or perceived political affiliation has no bearing whatsoever on their capacity to act ethically, independently, and professionally …
Read More »Daly Bread: Dear Kamla, 2025—can we shift from “blame and shame” to empathetic governance?
Dear Kamla, Fifteen years ago, at the time of your first election as prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago (PM), I greeted you in a column published on 13 June 2010, in which I explained why I may take the liberty of addressing you in familiar terms. Let me begin …
Read More »Dear Editor: UNC has opportunity to shift T&T’s political culture—but are they capable?
“[…] The PNM’s defeat was not merely a result of shifting political allegiances but a reflection of deeper dissatisfaction among the electorate… Many citizens felt alienated, as the government operated with an air of ownership rather than stewardship. “[…] The new government, a coalition of interests, has made ambitious promises …
Read More »Dear Editor: Can T&T hinge its gas future on USA’s political whims and fancies?
“[…] All other requirements being considered equal, the Dragon Gas Field is Trinidad and Tobago’s most feasible option. The obstruction is simply Donald Trump and the […] USA’s policy [which] can change at any time according to its whims and fancies. “So, what should an independent, sovereign country do under these …
Read More »Daly Bread: The fix that failed—PNM collapse started with Rowley’s sneaky succession moves
In October last year, almost immediately after a strong intimation in Parliament from then People’s National Movement (PNM) prime minister Dr Keith Rowley that he was having his swansong and would be leaving the Parliament, the PNM tersely announced that: “its 51st Annual Convention, as well as the internal election, …
Read More »Kamla names Cabinet; Tancoo gets Finance, Sturge is Defence Minister, and Watts inherits Sport
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar selected her Cabinet today to serve Trinidad and Tobago, five days after her United National Congress (UNC) party was elected with 26 seats to the People National Movement’s 14. Persad-Bissessar was sworn in on Thursday, alongside her attorney general John Jeremie. Today, she appointed a further …
Read More »Kamla dedicates term to T&T’s “forgotten people”; vows to improve citizens’ lives in six months
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar began her term in office with a message of love and optimism today, as she took the oath of office alongside new attorney general John Jeremie at President’s House in Port of Spain. The rest of the Cabinet should be sworn in on Saturday. Persad-Bissessar, who …
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