“At first, the questions seemed reasonable: name, age, address, place of work, position… But then I was asked weight and height. “[…] Why has TTPS not said they are collecting this data and why are they violating the Data Protection Act, which was partially proclaimed in 2012?” The following letter …
Read More »Covid-19 must be turning point for how gov’t operates and who our economy benefits
For about 30 years, we have been told myths about our economy. Many of these myths have become commonplace and embedded in our psyche and national consciousness—through the media, the education system, and, more concretely, enacted in the laws and policies by every government since the late 1980s. Covid-19 has …
Read More »MSJ: Police roadblocks are more nuisance than useful; Griffith: We’re saving lives
“[…] As has been repeatedly stated by the Prime Minister, ‘Stay at Home’ is an appeal to the good sense of citizens to do the right thing. However, it is not a legal requirement. The TTPS therefore cannot stop anyone from being in their car or force anyone to turn …
Read More »Rowley: Time to chart T&T’s new course; the framework for post-pandemic road map
“Trinidad and Tobago must now plan for its post peak Covid-19 future within the confines of the ‘new normal’, at least until such time that a vaccine is developed and tested—which could take between 12-18 months. “[…] An important first step in developing the Recovery Road Map must be to …
Read More »Daly Bread: Contemplating the road to recovery; gov’t must prioritise the arts
In August 1959, at the peak of his fame, Miles Davis was taking a break from a recording which he was making downstairs an equally famous club called Birdland Jazz Club. He was on the pavement when a white policeman told him to move on. “Move on for what? I …
Read More »We’re all in this together, so gov’t needs more compassion for small businesses
Over the weekend of 15 March 2020, the Minister of Labour pronounced on the need to implement Pandemic Leave in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, approximately one month later, we are yet to see what is the policy for Pandemic Leave, which has become more relevant now than …
Read More »SJBA: September school re-opening could affect job security of parents
“The decision to not open school until September will impact upon business and in particular female employees with children. “The San Juan Business Association (SJBA) is concerned [that] with the length of time female workers are forced to stay at home, their jobs will then become redundant…” In the following …
Read More »MSJ: Gov’t ‘recovery team’ lacks creative minds; NJAC: ‘Human factor’, ‘small business’ missing
MSJ: “Regrettably, the composition of the ‘Recovery Team’ does not suggest that the opportunity to bring about solutions to these problems will be seized. The MSJ does not have any problem with the bona fides of any member of the Recovery Team. The issue is that of balance. “It is …
Read More »MSJ: Education Ministry’s proposed online schooling will exacerbate inequalities
“[…] We are deeply concerned that the decision by the Ministry of Education to implement a programme of home-based learning conducted by teachers using an ‘online platform’ will seriously discriminate against the children whose parents are either unemployed or whose incomes are barely able to put food on the table. …
Read More »Are Covid-19 party-goers crazy? Or just motivated by a different logic?
I learned a beautiful question from TedX speaker Brené Brown: What is the story you are telling yourself? Many people believe they are successful because of their hard work and intelligence. They discount the impact of external factors. A story they tell themselves is that success is the result of …
Read More »Dear editor: I don’t for one second believe they listened to ‘WE’! Give us truth on security contracts
“This is the same government who, when in opposition, criticised the then UNC-led People’s Partnership Government in 2014 for introducing a similar initiative called Community Comfort Patrol—saying that untrained, unknown people were driving through neighbourhoods in strange vehicles pretending to be police. “[…] The initiative has now been cancelled but …
Read More »Post-Covid-19: Why our next Carnival is likely to be in 2022, and how to plan for it
As the global community grapples with an insidious pandemic, creative and tourism sectors worldwide have already incurred substantial losses due to significant economic contraction, triggered by the suspension of events and the closure of borders. Undoubtedly, stakeholders within the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival industry have already begun to wrestle with …
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