View Point

Social, political and news opinion pieces

The cost of marginalising Tech-Voc Education (Pt 3): corporal punishment, “weak” students and loss of teacher time

“In the old 10%-entering-secondary-school days, some schools allowed students to follow an accelerated four-year programme to take the external examination. “Would it not make sense to have a similar programme which provides six or maybe even seven years as the norm to cater for the weaker students or, alternatively, have …

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From romance to reality: Why we deserve the truth about Compte de Lopinot and his “contented slaves”

Responding to the National Trust’s declaration to elevate the Lopinot Historical Complex to a heritage site, a Trinidad Guardian article in 2013 commended the villagers for preserving vital elements of the built landscape of early nineteenth century. Presumably, the “colourful history” to which the writer alluded is the abstract on …

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Tribute to Professor Ken Philmore: the steelpan pioneer T&T never fully embraced

“Professor Ken Philmore should have been one of our immortal monarchs and champions… Without assistance, without adulation, without even our cursory attention, Professor went about spreading the gospel of our sound and our instrument. “He would continue to push the international profile of pan further appearing with giants: Tito Puente, …

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