You pick up your Thursday Express and begin reading, as so many do, from the back. There’s a bold two-word headline reflecting the presumed attitude of the West Indies cricketers who just lost the First Test in England to two men. And below it, seven more words. With an error. …
Read More »Daly Bread: Mayaro resumed; problems in paradise
I wrote this column sitting adjacent to Mayaro beach enjoying a slice of the August holidays. It is about two hours to sunset on as glorious a day as it gets in this piece of paradise. A little earlier in the day I had—unusually for me—a daytime snooze, on the …
Read More »Master’s Voice: Too paralysed to analyse; fossilised Afro-Indian attitudes to European realities
I was going to delay my ranting until Independence Day. But a couple things—including the events in Charlottesville—pushed me to decide to leggo the ramble one time and done. Almost immediately after I wrote my piece on “model” policing, two early comments illustrated exactly what I was speaking about. One person offered up a …
Read More »Media Monitor: NeRowley dazzles while seabridge burns but Bassant not blinded by BS
And underneath is written, In letters all of gold, How valiantly he kept the bridge In the brave days of old. Take a bow, Mark Bassant. The brazen attempt by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to bramble the population into thinking that the bungling government is taking serious action on …
Read More »Farcical, Dr Rowley! Fixin’ T&T slams appointment of ‘sole investigator’ for procurement scandal
To label as farcical Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s appointment of Mr Christian Mouttet as the “sole investigator” on matters regarding the procurement of the Ocean Flower 2 and the Cabo Star would be generous. Madness or abject stupidity would be more apt. The Prime Minister, Minister Stuart Young and …
Read More »Media Monitor: TGIF, UNC! Why, despite PNM shortcomings, I mute Opposition politicians
TGIF. Tim Gopeesingh is farse. And outta place! He was on the radio the other day. And Rudy Indarsingh. And Roodal Moonilal. And Gerald Ramdeen. And Devant Maharaj. And, probably Wade Mark and Rodney Charles. And, of course, Kamla Persad-Bissessar. I have a queasy stomach so I have no idea …
Read More »Daly Bread: Drops to clean the wounds; T&T can find inspiration in cultural ambassadors
The ill winds of deep-seated race and class divisions have blown continuously for more than a decade. Beware of them. Their velocity is increasing. This warning is not new. I wrote it in October last year. At that time I reminded readers that, for more than a decade, I have …
Read More »Master’s Voice: Police modelling and model policing; why we need back the Union Jack
Right. Everybody who is NOT a millennial––and you of the Independence Generation in particular––I have one polite, humble request. Before 31 August, anywhere you pass and see the Red, White and Black flying, please, PLEASE stop, pull it down and hoist the Union Jack back up for me. Please. Seriously, …
Read More »Street Vibe: Invest in your people! Why the Gov’t must find money for education
At a very early age my parents, who were unable to read and write, stressed education as they understood it to be the future. The then Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams, reminded us that “the future of the nation is in the book bags of the children.” This was the …
Read More »Daly Bread: Not pointing fingers; the problem with Amcham’s crime-fighting tips to Dr Rowley
The major business groups last week reportedly temporarily arose from their customary indifference, alarmed by the prolonged and unrestricted crime spree. In passing, it should be noted that it is apparently the rising cost of doing business in a crime-ridden environment that has set off the alarm from slumber this …
Read More »On a higher note: Best asks if are we raising the bar for pan’s fans
“You’re going to love me,” she sang, raw emotion inhabiting but not inhibiting her voice. And the crowd roared. “She” is Arielle Cowie, the passionate young singer who performed with Renegades at last month’s International Steelband Foundation’s BIG 5 concert. And she was right; I loved her. As did, as …
Read More »Where potholes come from: Engineer urges MoWT to tackle commercial vehicle overloading
“Hauliers of aggregates and hardware material often install a ‘greedy bar’ in order to extend the truck’s capacity beyond the stipulated maximum gross weight. “The ‘greedy bar’ is removed whenever the truck has to be inspected by the Licensing Authority.” The following Letter to the Editor, which deals with aspects of the …
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