“[…] Makandal Daaga placed great emphasis on people and the indispensable need for the participation of the population in the building of any new society. “[…] It was on this premise that he mobilised the nation, not just to change social, political and economic conditions, but above all to enlighten, …
Read More »NJAC: Budget shows Dr Rowley has abdicated responsibility for citizens to ‘rich elites’
“[…] Lacking in creative ideas or solutions, the government has decided to accelerate the process of privatisation and free itself of responsibility for the people’s welfare, wherever it can. “In NJAC’s estimation, what needs to be understood is that with privatisation, there are certain core concepts such as trimming the …
Read More »Dear Editor: Five reasons Christopher Columbus is no hero
“[…] the way this history is taught and culturally remembered casts a shadow over our collective consciousness, reifying imperialism and white supremacy … the idealisation of Columbus’ so-called discovery means romanticising oppression, corruption, mass murder and rape…” The following is a joint submission from the Warrao Nation, Partners for First …
Read More »Calypso vs film—Epilogue: Sparrow’s Lying excuses and marriage of the two media
There is much common ground between the mechanisms inherent to the narrative of film and calypso. Departing from the same basic treasure (‘the story, the story and the story’), the two media call for different types of interplay between creators and audience. The merit of the really good calypsonian is …
Read More »To the Ministry of Culture: culture is about more than events and entertainment
Culture. It’s a fairly amorphous word; difficult to pin down to a simple meaning. Slippery to define, except perhaps by looking at various characteristics that have come to be associated with it. For me, it is essentially the way people live. That is big and broad and open to all …
Read More »Daly Bread: Bake, dumpling, cereal and banking czars—a people out of touch
As a small boy, I grew up knowing that my single parent mother was in a sou sou. Many decades later I have lived to read that the current governor of the Central Bank was surprised to learn of the extent of the practice of sou sou. The czars of …
Read More »Noble: Understanding the now; facing the future—T&T needs data to advance
What do Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s rebuke of the civil servants and the closure of Chaguanas’ MovieTowne have in common? Are these connected to the car tax exemptions furore? Why is there chatter about the foreign exchange rate and fear of liquidity and solvency for businesses and our government …
Read More »‘Spectacularly disingenuous and misleading!’ DPP response to Chief Justice’s criticisms
“[…] The Judiciary’s decision [concerning the filing of indictments by the Office of the DPP], taken unilaterally and without any prior warning or timely communication, to renege on the agreement which had been arrived at in good faith and which it was sought to maintain equity and fairness in the …
Read More »Gender-based violence ‘increased by 500%’ during Covid lockdown, but the T&T public can help…
“[…] In all the instances that we have dealt with as an organisation, they go back home to the situation. It is a cycle. It goes round and round…” In the following guest column, Groots T&T founder Delores Robinson speaks to journalist Robert Clarke: Delores Robinson took a late-night call. …
Read More »Calypso as film—Pt 3: Grandmaster Kitch, gothic chill and Hitchcock’s thrill
It is not only Dr Bird who goes head-to-head with the director of The Birds. Sir Alfred was a master of reminding audiences of what may lie beneath surface reality and of bringing them chillingly close to it. Grandmaster Aldwyn ‘Lord Kitchener’ Roberts’ does so in ‘Love in de Cemetery’ …
Read More »“Since the lockdown, I couldn’t pay rent for my booth…” Day in the life of a nails technician
“[…] Since the lockdown, I have had two clients last week, and the week before I had one client. I have not received any calls for appointments this week. Before Covid, I would get four clients a day, give or take…” Just when Trinbagonians thought that we were ‘marked safe’ …
Read More »NWU: WASA workforce to be reduced by 50% in 2021, thousands will lose jobs
“[…] There is a projected decrease on personnel expenditure from the 2020 figure to the 2021 figure of $377,504,500. Personnel expenditure, therefore, is being slashed in half. “WASA employs approximately 5,100 permanent, temporary and so-called contract workers. If personnel expenditure is to be reduced by 50%, it is only logical …
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