View Point

Put plainly and simply, it is not possible to maintain the socio-economic status quo and at the same time expect to reduce violent crime. That is one reason why the announcement by the Prime Minister that there will be “talks” on crime is not impressive. This announcement was made in …

Straight out of the gates, on 2 January 2023, the news hit like a bucket of cold water. As though we did not know enough about the new year’s challenges, Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF managing director, predicted: “[…] 2023 will be ‘tougher’ than last year… We expect one-third of the …

“[…] The Electoral College will meet later this month to choose President Paula-Mae Weekes’ successor, and there’s been much discussion about the presidency as it is—whether it should become an executive office, and even whether it should be abolished. “[…] With an executive president, [former prime minister Basdeo] Panday argues, …

“[…] Some people may feel justified in seeing our existence only through the prism of the negative lenses, and believe that runaway criminality is the hallmark and highlight of our efforts. “[…] As a people, we have been resilient, over these recent difficult years. It has been my honour and …

To all my readers, good morning this New Year’s morning. Can we reach out to each other and resolve to make the ritual “Happy New Year” greeting mean that we will co-operate on a sustained basis to mitigate the adverse effects of the neglect of our needs and partisan political …

We are at the end of 2022. What will 2023 bring us? The recent past has worn us down, making us more apprehensive about the future. The pervasive uncertainty drains our optimism, making us more guarded in our expectations. What lies ahead? What lessons should we take with us into …

“[…] Black Stalin was one of our region’s finest masters of calypso. Both his lyrics and his melodies expertly captured the rhythm and vibe and voice of the Caribbean. “He was acutely conscious of our shared history, culture, passions and concerns and expressed them in his songs in a way …

“[…] Black Stalin was a standard bearer of Carnival traditions whose work spans from pre-independence to the present. In the 1950s, Stalin began as a limbo dancer, then later devoted the next 60 years of his career to developing the Calypso art form…” The following statement on the death of …

As Christmas is upon us again, the lyrics of Away in a Manger appear relevant today. Away in a manger/ no crib for his bed/ The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;/The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay/ The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the …

What a week! The events that tumbled over each other added to the exhaustion and frustration of the long road from 2020. Do we, as a country, have a clear path to success? Let us consider a few of the incidents. Firstly, the THA’s Chief Secretary announced that he and …

English colonialism has left a long and often miserable legacy. Cricket and tea have often been cited as the most positive contributions to its former colonies, but my interest today is not in exploring the quality of those exports. Something else triggered me. I was thinking of the impact of …

“How much for the vehicle yuh driving?” This question was one amongst the torrent of words thrown at Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan and Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi (demoted from attorney general) in the course of a walking tour in Bamboo No 2. …