Congratulations to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on his departure from Whitehall and return to Mason Hall. His administration leaves behind a new airport terminal in Tobago, perhaps its final claim to success. As he transitions to retirement with a TT$87,847 monthly pension, the citizens who entrusted him with leadership …
Read More »Pardy prevails! Machel joins Kitch on 11 Road March titles—but one accolade remains distant
Soca star Machel Montano landed a joint record 11th Road March title in Carnival 2025, as his song, Pardy, edged Ian ‘Bunji Garlin’ Alvarez to the prestigious title. The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) announced this afternoon that Pardy was the song of choice on the road with 267 plays …
Read More »Dear Editor: Time to bury thongs; let Carnival costumes return to bikini and beads
“[…] The modern thong and beads era, while bold and unapologetic, often leans too far into the realm of impracticality. The disappearing thong, in particular, vanishes in part into crevices of unknown depth, leaving little to the imagination and often sacrificing comfort for shock value. “The bikini, on the other hand, has …
Read More »TUCO sacks judge over Pardy comments; plus an all-time Road March tale
The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) has sacked tabulator, Samantha Richards, for “unauthorised” comments on the then ongoing 2025 Road March race. TUCO revealed its decision early on Ash Wednesday morning, a day after Richards updated CNC3 on the competition to select the dominant soca song for carnival masqueraders in …
Read More »MSJ: T&T must stand up to US bullies; don’t surrender sovereignty to Trump/ Rubio
“[…] The MSJ is calling the Donald Trump/ Marco Rubio position for what it is. An act of an imperialist bully. “This is the 200-year-old Monroe Doctrine on steroids. That doctrine underpins the belief by the US that every country and every individual in this hemisphere is subject to US …
Read More »Daly Bread: Pondering T&T’s joy/ grief paradox of pardy and pain
Carnival Sunday 2025 is upon us. It falls within a period so violent that it compels me to begin this column with a prayer that, in keeping with the Carnival season so far, our two days of artistry and celebration in the streets will take place without violent disruption attributable …
Read More »Daly Bread: Reality, front and centre—we can’t pardy away from T&T’s challenges
Current reality is significantly at odds with the much touted joy and unity of Carnival. It is front and centre of its own stage, which grimly rivals the dazzling Carnival stages. Such reality can no longer be easily pushed aside and become invisible during the Carnival season. The murderous challenges …
Read More »Fire Tender: If you know you doh give a damn; Leave she alone!
Calypsonian Fire Tender, aka singer-songwriter Gillian Moore, offers a suggestion to men who pretend to love women in order to get sex with her Carnival 2025 ‘womanisfesto’. Leave She Alone is arranged by Phil Hill, and includes drummer Gerard Rajkumar, bassist Joanna Hussain, guitarist John Hussain, and jazz horn player …
Read More »Noble: The Business, the Hothead and the Preacher—the problem with the TTPS
It is folly for us to be absorbed with the issue of the sniper rifles and not address the more significant problem of crime. The rifles are not missing. Our appreciation of how much our security forces are struggling with the criminal developments that plague us is our business. The …
Read More »Daly Bread: Word from the ground, on panyard tours and public service succession
Tonight marks the start of the National Large Conventional Band preliminaries. I have described the magnificence of this evening in the Northern Region. (See for example Magnificent Monday, a column published some years ago and available in The Daly Commentaries.) In addition to the magnificence of the music, a pleasing …
Read More »“Energy cannot be destroyed, only transferred!” One-on-one with soca legend, Machel Montano
“[…] If you’re trying to build something, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re looking for fame, a quick joyride, or a genuine connection that grants you the ability to positively impact people. “Once you decide what you’re building, then you’ll know what kind of foundation you’ll …
Read More »Daly Bread: Mysteries and ongoing manoeuvres of Rowley’s long goodbye
February has arrived. It is a month that is usually the prelude to our annual carnival, which culminates in two days of what used to be ingenious and artistic masquerade, (colloquially known as mas’). However, some mas’ has introduced a Mardi Gras strut that contains an unwelcome shade or classist …
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