Letters to the Editor

Once again, the calypso fraternity and the nation of Trinidad and Tobago have been plunged into mourning with the passing of Anthony Emrold Phillip, affectionately known as Brother Valentino, The People’s Calypsonian. Born in Grenada on 7 July 1941 and brought to Trinidad as a child, Brother Valentino’s journey was …

I am not a politician. I’m certainly not a senator. I am just a citizen who pays attention. So, when the Prime Minister called independent senators “Satan’s helpers” for voting against the Special Operations Bill, I did not just feel peeved. I felt like something important was being hidden. Not …

Today, Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed the Caribbean, bids farewell to a true cultural giant. With the passing of Dr Slinger Francisco, the Mighty Sparrow, affectionately known as the Birdie, we have lost far more than a legendary calypsonian. We have lost a storyteller, a social commentator, an entertainer, a …

“[…] It is nothing short of amazing how this current political directorate can go from conceptualization of 30 ‘police post’ to delivery, in a matter of days. Meanwhile, the issue of body cameras has been simmering on the back burners since Columbus’ arrival. “Each time the topic comes up, we …

Thirteen years have passed since health care workers, Lake Asphalt employees and other workers last received a salary adjustment. In 2026, they remain stuck on 2013 wages while the cost‑of‑living climbs higher every day. Postal workers have fared even worse, still bound to 2010 salaries—16 years without relief. The People’s …

“[…] To the ‘UNC family’ she offers the old tired hymn: lagoons, cane fields, salt and rice, ponds and springs—the ancestral ledger of one community, recited as if the rest of the country were furniture. “To the country she offers a different sermon: the British left you a prosperous, functioning …

“[…] The media release by the heads of judiciaries—that seemed to focus on the leak of the emails and breach of confidentiality, risked thereby missing the critical issue—which is that leaks of that nature occur when there is real organizational stress and upset and institutional integrity is at stake. “[…] …

“[…] Neither African nor Indian communities benefit from this… In cases where division arises unintentionally, accountability must fall on leaders, organizers, media voices and political parties to clarify intent, calm tensions and redirect focus to the real issues. “But if division is deliberately stoked, then consequences must follow. Heads should …

Three thousand dollars a month. That’s the minimum National Insurance pension a citizen receives after a lifetime of work. It’s also, for many, the difference between paying for food or medication in a given month—not both. A few weeks ago, more than 22,000 people shared, commented on, or followed my …

“[…] We are dealing with a very insecure administration here. Lloyd Best would always point out that these administrations come into office pre-collapsed. “[…] Faced with the just demands for food, clothes and shelter, for bread, peace and justice, the ruling class and its representatives in government have opted for …

“[…] The old Caribbean fowl thief occupied a strange cultural category. He (mainly men were the culprits) was a criminal, a nuisance, folk trickster, survivalist, but rarely an existential threat. He stole chickens, your pet birds, mangoes, goat, maybe coconuts. “[…] What many people mourn today is the transition from …

I write on behalf of the thousands of working men and women of Trinidad and Tobago who spent their entire productive lives contributing to the National Insurance Scheme, only to retire on a minimum pension of TT$3,000 per month. Three thousand dollars. That is what a lifetime of work is …