“[…] The Committee identified several weaknesses in the management of the response, including ineffective communication with the public, with heavy reliance on the internet and social media which was negatively impacted by the blackout; the absence of the involvement of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management; the lack of …
Read More »Demming: Please, PNM, we need an efficient transportation system if we are to move forward
Public transportation is a quality-of-life issue. Sometime in 2015, this statement caught my attention and gave me hope that Trinidad and Tobago was finally beginning to take action to bring our country out of the doldrums of the 20th Century. Seven years later, transportation continues to be chaotic, dangerous, and …
Read More »Early Bird: By the sweat of Cepep’s brow, we shall eat zaboca… or maybe not!
Planting fruit trees is a great idea. And even better, on public property—if there is buy-in from the community. Former agriculture minister Clarence Rambharat’s hands were probably too full, we now guess, for him to provide direction on that issue. And the new man in there? Well, we’ll have to …
Read More »Demming: We need to fix the system, not subvert it to suit our friends
The perception that if you are within the inner circle of the government, you can get anything you want was solidified in my mind with the recent announcement by the Prime Minister. Clarence Rambharat, former agriculture, lands and fisheries minister, we were told, is coming back into government and will …
Read More »MSJ: Workers and poor people can’t afford to pay more for transport, withdraw fuel hike
“[…] Minister Colm Imbert said that the $1 increase is so that the burden of adjustment can be equally shared between the Government and people. This is utter rubbish. “The real issue is how is the burden of adjustment to be shared between the rich and the poor—between those who …
Read More »Early Bird: Covid, Blaxx, our glee and why we walk on mornings
At 5.15am on this day the Lord has made, Marie Howe’s name tops my inbox. She’s a poet, a completely unfamiliar name. Below hers is Bobby’s. He’s my vaccinated bosom pal with whom I take my fo’daymorning walks. ‘M2 was a secondary contact,’ his brief email says, ‘and now I …
Read More »‘We measure ourselves against intn’l standards’: NGC becomes T&T’s first GRI Community member
The National Gas Company (NGC) has laid claim to being Trinidad and Tobago’s first business to be registered as a member of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Community. GRI is the global standard-bearer for impact reporting and its network comprises over 500 private and public organisations from more than 70 …
Read More »Demming: Paria, LMCS blame game exposed lack of preparedness at both companies
The blame game continues about what really caused the death of the four divers employed by LMCS Ltd (formerly Land and Marine Contracting Services Limited) on premises belonging to Paria Fuel Trading. The public blaming and shaming are coming from all directions and continue to fuel confusion about what happened. …
Read More »Dr Rowley: We hoped in vain for a miracle… now we will determine how tragedy occurred
The following is a media statement from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on missing divers Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Yusuf Henry and Kazim Ali Jr, who have now been declared dead by Paria Fuel Trading Company: It is with great sadness that we have just received confirmation that four citizens …
Read More »Demming: Paria Fuel’s shameful response to tragedy betrays absence of communications protocols
Let me begin by addressing myself directly to the families of the divers whose lives were snuffed out in the Paria incident: those of us who have lost family members and friends understand your pain. So we hope that eventually you will remember those who were lost more with joy …
Read More »Demming: Govt’s failure to pass Beverage Container Bill reflects our environmental neglect
After 22 years of passing the buck, the government has failed to pass the Beverage Container Bill which was intended to provide a structure for the collection and safe disposal of beverage containers. Their collective incompetence has facilitated the degradation of our environment, the clogging of our waterways, and litter …
Read More »Daly Bread: Going out with a bang! AG’s fireworks ‘solution’ exacerbates the problem
Cabinet members Stuart Young, Clarence Rambharat and Marvin Gonzalez are to be commended for taking a public stand on legislation regarding the sale and use of fireworks—in disagreement with the proposed legislation with which the Attorney General is taking centre-stage. The AG has again gone out on a limb, unaccompanied …
Read More »