“[…] We are not serious/Very few conscious/So I cannot agree with mih own chorus!…” from the first verse of Dis Place nice by Brother Valentino. “[…] Your silence will not protect you…” Audre Lorde, on the false beliefs and toxic consequences earned from calculated or cowardly silences. “Last call to …
Read More »Demming: What criteria were used to measure Erla’s performance?
When Erla Harewood-Christopher assumed the role of acting commissioner of police in December 2022 following the vacation of her predecessor, McDonald Jacob, I was optimistic that things would change and our approach to crime would improve. Her official appointment in February 2023 as our country’s first female commissioner of police …
Read More »Noble: The battering of Lady Justice—the controversial backdrop to Dana’s assassination
Last week, we marked the tenth anniversary of Dana Seetahal’s murder. Justifiably, her family bemoaned the slow pace of events. Legal luminaries piped in with their observations, primarily focused on the trial. Some were performative in content. We forgot the chilling words of the US Assistant Secretary of State William …
Read More »Vaneisa: Combatting the cruel human invention of war
On Thursday, the Express reported on a surprising conflict at the St Augustine campus of The University of the West Indies. It seems the Institute of International Relations had arranged a virtual seminar, Unravelling the complexities of peace in the Middle East: An Israeli perspective, to be delivered by the …
Read More »Noble: Minding our business; how Massy’s performance affects everyone
Every child of a certain age would have grown up with a parent who taught them, “Drunk or sober, mind your business!” The lesson being imparted was, “Do not get distracted. Stay focused. Do not get caught up with other people’s drama.” The sound and fury around Massy’s encounter …
Read More »Noble: Lack of integrity scares me—does Mr Harford think crooks wouldn’t jook him?
“Look for three things in a person: intelligence, energy and integrity. If they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two.” Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. As a young child, I used to hear scary stories. La Diablesse, Socouyant and Douen were staples. Telling scary …
Read More »Noble: This is Madness! Sparrow warned about slaughter of our young
On Friday 5 April, the Express headline screamed, “Things you see in movies”. Little did the writer know that more horror stories would come within the week. The newspapers do not have to worry about the frequency of headlines that cause us to gasp. They can do it every day …
Read More »Vaneisa: Perhaps we should replace, not reform, our Constitution
I suggested that people might not be offering their views on constitutional reform because they do not know what is contained in the country’s Constitution. I may be familiar with its nitty-gritty, but I can’t say I have a total grasp of what it covers. And that’s a point I …
Read More »Remembering Teacher Percy and our journey into education
Bring back the old-time days… Do you remember the primary school days when we sat in the dusty school yard under the tambrand, tree, the downs tree, the immortelle tree, the padoo tree, or whatever tree that was in the yard while teacher Percy preached hellfire and brimstone and brought …
Read More »Vaneisa: Paying to learn—the lingering issue with VAT on books
In the late 1990s, in response to one of my weekly columns, retired Professor Emeritus Desmond Imbert called me. It was the beginning of a rather odd friendship that went on for years—when he died in 2010, we had still never met in person. Communication was always at his instigation, …
Read More »Noble: Unending pain and suffering—save grieving communities from Hinds’ arrogance
“The area is dominated by gangs. Thus far, the police have had only limited success in eradicating the gangs. “It can be done, but it requires a multipronged approach, including all aspects of the state’s possible response; most of all, a genuine desire (my emphasis) on the part of the …
Read More »Noble: Is Griffith positioning himself as T&T’s J Edgar Hoover? Or Donald Trump?
“A lawless, indisciplined and corrupt nation cannot fight crime.” Pastor Clive Dottin, The People’s Roundtable, January 2024. At The People’s Roundtable, Pastor Dottin discussed the distinction between a street military revolt and a spiritual revival. He saw the nation as having a decision: either we allow the streets to be …
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