“The great Karl Marx, for example, declared the Haitian Revolution ‘the most significant victory toward the advancement of universal freedom’. Without excluding the contribution of every ethnic constituency, the fact remains that, in the 20th century, African peoples maintained that leadership role. “According to [Dool] Hanomansingh and other like-minded activists, to include …
Read More »Dear Editor: Kambon’s eviction speaks to high-handed, lowbrow behaviour at The UWI
“Professor Copeland’s [alleged] designation of Kambon as ‘persona non grata’ and his subsequent eviction for daring to make a contribution on the proposed renaming (was), in my opinion, a clear violation of (his) constitutional right to freedom of speech which, it has to be noted, is at the foundation of the University’s …
Read More »Demming: Give us our dignity! PM must prove women are equal and act now at Angostura
“This cry for action is not new. Recall ‘Die with my Dignity’ by Singing Sandra. She was singing about sexual harassment in its worst form, yet, as a society, we did nothing. We took no action.” The following letter to the Editor which calls for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to take …
Read More »Dear Editor: The political shots Beetham is calling: joint concerted action now or anarchy tomorrow
“We are on the brink of civil war between those who have power either by the gun, their physical strength or their money and those of us who perceive themselves as having less. The majority of us have neither guns nor much physical strength so we become trapped between the …
Read More »The UWI agrees to change Milner Hall name; CRFP celebrates historic decision
“The spirit of Independence and the Treaty of Chaguaramas which created the Caribbean Community are not dead. It sends a clear message to the world that the people of this region have the capacity to understand their past, the courage to confront it and the will and moral character to …
Read More »Dear Editor: Is it too much to ask for more inspirational front page photos from the media?
“Just look at the back pages of most of papers—or any of their sport pages for that matter—over the last few months. They have been packed with tons of fine T&T accomplishments. “Why, I ask, are such beautiful and proud moments such as those wasted on our back pages versus …
Read More »TTMCA claims PNM bias; says gaming industry not to blame for tax shortfall
“Why does Minister Imbert not address the foreign exchange leakage by the NLCB? According to the terms of their contract, IGT are supposed to transfer technology to locals. Yet, after a 30-year contract, no such transfer has occurred and Trinidad and Tobago continues to lose over US$350m annually.” The following …
Read More »Dear Editor: UWI’s Milner Hall an enduring monument to post-colonial mindlessness
“Built in 1927, The UWI’s oldest hall of residence on the St Augustine Campus still pays tribute to a man who was in the vanguard of the genocidal late 19th Century European imperialist project in Africa, which brutally wiped out large numbers of many ethnic groups while using forced labour to plunder the …
Read More »Dear Editor: A ‘one-off holiday’ for First Peoples? Are they children of a lesser god?
“Is it really proper that, when the list of 14 public holidays includes Indian Arrival Day and Emancipation Day, Eid-ul-Fitr and Divali, there should be no annual national celebration of the autochthonous group? “Is it really proper that, when the list of 14 public holidays includes Good Friday, Easter Monday, …
Read More »Dear Editor: MP Olivierre should stop politicking with child welfare and corporal punishment
“School violence in Trinidad and Tobago did not start with Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s term of office as Education Minister. That is a false premise, and when you start with a false premise, your argument is dead in the water.” In the following Letter to the Editor, novelist and social activist Merle …
Read More »Dear Editor: Authoritarian or authoritative? Are calypsoes more poetry than reliable history?
“Sparrow literally put words in Dr Williams’ mouth to great effect. “Since Dr Bird—thankfully!—is still alive, I am sure that he would be eager to tell journalists/researchers what statements in his calypso ‘Get to hell outta here’ and, for that matter, his other calypsoes were historically accurate and where he simply used …
Read More »Dear editor: Jumbies, laws, bush doctors, believers, naysayers and sheer human stupidity
“Science is wonderful; it has given many truly wonderful gifts, negative and positive, from the atom bomb through computers to thalidomide to television to telescopes to space travel. “But will it ever be able to treat human stupidity—in buyers and/or in sellers? In doctors or in ducktors? I doubt it.” …
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