View Point

“For the President to issue a Policy that restricts livestreaming, broadcasting and publication of her name and image without permission is a direct threat to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Unlike those constitutionally entrenched rights, there is no constitutional protection for the President’s name and image.” The …

Let us call them simply ‘moments.’ I use the neutral term to refer to those momentous instances when you spot an error that is so glaring that you could not ignore it even if you wanted to. On Wednesday 26 June, I had four such moments, which I should like …

Last week, in the course of the latest Parliamentary debate on crime, talk of ‘big fish’ came up again in the speech of the Minister of National Security, Stuart Young. First, let’s set out the context. The terms of the Opposition motion for debate asked the Senate: “to take note …

“The Office of the President therefore advises members of the public—inclusive of advertisers, promoters, event organisers, publishers, broadcasters, practitioners and users of traditional and digital media, and all others whose functions may come into contact with the Office and/or person of the President—to refrain from use of the President’s image, …

Like many—dare I say most—citizens of this rock, I, too, am fed up. Fed up of the illiteracy which poses and passes for governance; fed up of the sorry excuses with which citizens are provided; fed up of excuses parroted as reasons for their massive and collective incompetence. I am …

The Evil Queen in the story of Snow White repeatedly asks the magic mirror: “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all.” The mirror would invariably give the mamaguy answer ‘you are, my Queen’. In Shrek when the magic mirror is brought to Lord Farquaad, he …

“Never before in the United Nations’ history have we had so many refugees, displaced people and asylum seekers… the world must do more to prevent forced displacement, address its root causes and support solutions for those affected by it. It requires greater resources, and more political leadership… unprecedented cooperation by …

“Had the information been disclosed upon my request the State would not have incurred any legal costs… It was the Minister’s and Cabinet’s refusal in the first place and belligerence in the second place that cost the State over $400,000 in legal fees and not my attorneys trying to milk …

The allocation of foreign exchange to Jane and Beharry Public continues to be inequitable and discriminatory. The ordinary citizen cannot get foreign exchange but franchises keep popping up all over the place. Clearly if you operate in the right circles you can get foreign exchange at will. Who needs another …

It is readily apparent that, as predicted, the registration process for migrant Venezuelans is taking the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago into much deeper commitments than those anticipated. Credible estimates put the number of Venezuelan migrants here at 40,000. A 14-day registration process—if well patronised by half that …

I am making an urgent humanitarian plea to the Ministry of National Security, to extend the registration time for children, pregnant women and parents of the Venezuelan migrant community. It is traumatic to separate children from their parents when they are detained or deported. Children deported back to Venezuela can …

The Police’s seizure of Mr Devant Maharaj’s phone in pursuit of information, re the recent credible bomb threat, raises important questions about the evolution of the media and the preservation of press freedom. The importance does not arise merely on the issue of the action taken but we need to …