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 »Noble: ‘Disruption or disturbance?’ T&T appears trapped inside perfect storm
What a horrendous week! On Friday 18th, Dr Terrence Farrell, discussing the future of our economy, pointed to the need for disruption in the way the country’s business is done—using as an example BP’s strategic pivot (‘bold, fraught with uncertainty, risky but highly socially responsible’). He asked us a most …
Read More »NJAC Rededication: The Birth of a Mass People’s Movement
“[…] This series examines the conditions, circumstances, personalities and forces which came together and gave birth to the most dynamic show of people’s power ever witnessed in the Caribbean. We also examine some of the achievements of the Revolution, as well as the principles and philosophy which guided the Revolution. …
Read More »Noble: The sound of a dying democracy; the problem with Bayside party exchange
One can be forgiven for mistaking last week’s public quarrel as the harmless flaring of tempers. It is not. The sound we heard is the whimpering sound of our dying democracy. Like 1990’s guns and fiery fury, this unseemly quarrel is one more corrosive chipping away of our long-standing political …
Read More »McIntyre: Kamla Persad-Bissessar: A Cautionary Tale—from pioneer to parody
The trajectory of Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s political career is a cautionary tale to any who would assume that gender presupposes good governance. In the months before the 2010 election, there were valid queries about questionable construction projects and a frightening escalation of the crime rate under then leader of government and …
Read More »Demming: Isn’t it time to move past PH-taxis and create comprehensive transit system?
Every time I board a ‘PH’ taxi, my heart races because I am not sure I can trust the driver not to harm me. This experience is not unique to me. Several women and girls have the same experience but are faced with no alternative because we have a dangerous, unregulated, …
Read More »Noble: How Hinds’ suffocating arrogance and Kamla’s noisy Senators are ‘disses’ to the nation
The Urban dictionary defines dissing as ‘utterances of a (dis)respectful nature’ and goes on to add ‘not doing right thing… not showing common decency’ and ‘not creating balance in our world’. Twice this week, we were forced to witness our leaders dissing us and contributing to keeping our world off-kilter. …
Read More »Curriculum starts between 7-14 Sep with SEA results on 8 Oct, 65,000 can’t access online learning
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly confirmed today that the school curriculum will begin between 7 and 14 September, as Trinidad and Tobago prepares to enter a phase of remote learning. Schools closed to students in March, due to the novel coronavirus, with learning since then reliant on the resources …
Read More »Demming: TTHTI collapse means another restart to education in hospitality Sector
Can we survive another restart to education in the Hospitality Industry? This question has been on my mind since the recent announcement of the voluntary winding up of the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI). It weighed heavily on my mind because I sat as chair for a …
Read More »Budget 2021 preview: Devaluation on top of Covid-19 is recipe for disaster; but agriculture can be key
“[…] To make these already bad matters worse, there was Covid-19. The unplanned relief measures put in place for this epidemic have exacerbated an already difficult budgetary position. “[…] From all appearances, having already overstayed its welcome, Covid-19 has no plans to take its leave soon… The survival strategies are …
Read More »Noble: ‘Did business leaders choose comfort over constructive conflict?’ How Ramsaran’s discourse soured
Since 2002, the annual ALJGSB ‘Distinguished Leadership and Innovation Conference’, with cutting-edge lessons taught by global thought leaders, has been chock full of our local business leaders. Yet the recent Ramsaran imbroglio unmasked glaring shortcomings by some of these same business leaders. These missteps have real-life consequences for us as …
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