In the year of our Lord 2017, when we routinely hand money to indiscernible faces behind tinted windows—at places ranging from the gas station to a government office—spend thousands in online transactions with no personal interaction whatsoever or troubleshoot complex issues over the phone with people we will never meet; …
Read More »BPTT announces go-ahead for Angelin project, significant Savannah and Macadamia wells
BP Trinidad and Tobago LLC today announced the sanction for the development of its Angelin offshore gas project. The project, according to a BPTT media statement, will feature the construction of a new platform—bpTT’s 15th offshore production facility—60 kilometres off the south-east coast of Trinidad in water-depth of approximately 65 …
Read More »Hijabonomics explained: Baldeosingh responds to column that saw him axed by Guardian
“The entire column makes the point that, rather than being a symbol of repression, Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab do so for cogent and rational reasons. It appears that Mr Umar Abdullah either does not understand this, or is pretending to not understand it.” The following is …
Read More »Fire Baldeosingh immediately! Islamic Front responds to Guardian’s controversial hijab column
“Kevin Baldeosingh has crossed the line to suggest such, and enough is enough! We are calling for his immediate dismissal. “If this is not done Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) together with the entire Muslim Community of Trinidad and Tobago will have no reason but to believe Guardian Media Limited …
Read More »Suffer the children: Turbulence and threats; under-fire director Noel tries to tighten reins
At the end of two turbulent years of existence, the Children’s Authority was shaken by the launch of an investigation into the questionable decision taken by Director Safiya Noel to “adopt” without observing the normal protocols a teenage boy who had been assigned to the Authority’s care. SHEILA RAMPERSAD continues …
Read More »How roadside cameras can help T&T fight crime; and the legislative problems under the bonnet
“I came to understand (…) that such a programme can easily become a boondoggle with several avenues for corruption if the powers-that-be are not careful. “It has to be understood that the costs involved in setting up a speed or red light camera programme are considerable. The going rate for …
Read More »Fixin’ T&T: Sinanan and Hinds playing loose with facts on Tobago sea-bridge; Superfast Galicia timeline
Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan is perpetuating a narrative that seems entirely inconsistent with the facts about the present disastrous state of the Trinidad and Tobago sea bridge. FIXIN’ T&T is convinced that this most recent collapse could have been avoided and was the unfortunate result of inertia, ineptitude, …
Read More »Suffer the children: How the empowered Children’s Authority is failing T&T
Operationalised in May 2015, the Children’s Authority marks its second anniversary this month. SHEILA RAMPERSAD has been looking at what impact it had in confronting the bogey of child abuse and whether returns match expenditure. This is the first installment of a three-part series. Parts Two and Three will be …
Read More »DALY BREAD: Senator Incitatus would appreciate horseplay of Darryl, Shamfa, Faris, Sinanan and JLSC
Just two Sundays ago, I discussed the inability of our public officials to beg our pardon when they blunder. They show contempt for our intelligence and our own experience when they spin improbable explanations for obvious blundering. The Government has had a very bad fortnight of blunders and ‘no beg-pardons.’ …
Read More »MEDIA MONITOR: Radio and TV in T&T; not voice and vision but vice and division
“You know how many programmes I could buy for $100,000?” The speaker is the programme director at a local television channel. He is responding—with a straight face, I am told—to a suggestion by a group of excited young men smitten with the television bug and naïve—or rash—enough to think that …
Read More »SALAAM: Attitude lessons for T&T: seeing tomorrow’s salvation in today’s customer service
Once in a store in Canada, I saw a sign that read, “Customer service is not a department…it’s an attitude.” In Trinidad and Tobago, we have a serious problem as it relates to the attitudes of people who have to deal with customers and clients. For years, people have complained …
Read More »Day in the life of a school teacher: Some students work after school packing groceries…
“Any incidents of violence in schools, society is always quick to say that the teacher is never there. Teachers have their plates full. Society doesn’t understand that we have no support [and] limited resources. Half the schools in Trinidad and Tobago are dilapidated, hot, do not have fans, water is an issue …
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