“School violence in Trinidad and Tobago did not start with Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s term of office as Education Minister. That is a false premise, and when you start with a false premise, your argument is dead in the water.” In the following Letter to the Editor, novelist and social activist Merle …
Read More »Suffer the children: Some changes at Children’s Authority but protection challenges remain
Will the recently announced Board of Management of the Children’s Authority be able to rise to the challenge of resolving the many problems that have plagued the organisation over its two years of operation? SHEILA RAMPERSAD concludes her investigation into whether the Authority is fulfilling its promise. Among the Authority’s …
Read More »Suffer the children: Turbulence and threats; under-fire director Noel tries to tighten reins
At the end of two turbulent years of existence, the Children’s Authority was shaken by the launch of an investigation into the questionable decision taken by Director Safiya Noel to “adopt” without observing the normal protocols a teenage boy who had been assigned to the Authority’s care. SHEILA RAMPERSAD continues …
Read More »Suffer the children: How the empowered Children’s Authority is failing T&T
Operationalised in May 2015, the Children’s Authority marks its second anniversary this month. SHEILA RAMPERSAD has been looking at what impact it had in confronting the bogey of child abuse and whether returns match expenditure. This is the first installment of a three-part series. Parts Two and Three will be …
Read More »Letter to the Editor: The real discipline problem; Govt must take steps to train T&T’s parents
“Our big problem is that we abolished corporal punishment but did not put anything else in its place. Our children are, therefore, operating in an environment where there is, in effect, no consequence for bad behaviour. That has resulted in a general breakdown of discipline, nationwide. “Discipline is much more …
Read More »Discussion: Should T&T be reaping the benefits of the end of corporal punishment by now?
Corporal punishment was removed from schools over 15 years ago and there seemed to be a strong moral argument to abolish “violence” against children. But should that not mean young people—at least below the ages of 23—ought to be significantly less violent? Whether or not you believe that abolishing corporal punishment was the just …
Read More »T&T national women’s player murdered: TTFA mourns for 15-year-old Abiela Adams
“It’s heartbreaking [and] you still cannot understand how the mother or family feels right now. What could a young girl like Abiela [Adams] do to deserve what happened to her? “We really need to deal with what is happening in our society today. All my players right now are in …
Read More »#iamcorbeau… Shannon-ploitation, perverted justice and Countess Camille of Chaguaramas
The national bird of Trinidad and Tobago should not be the Scarlet Ibis or Cocrico. It should be the corbeau! In the season of peace and goodwill, “Raisa” might have had something else in mind entirely when “she” created a Facebook post to hawk #iamshannon caps at TT$250 each. “All …
Read More »Emma’s Mama: A tragic, moving short story on a victim of incest
“Hold she down dey!” her mother said to her two brothers. “Yuh is too much of a bad little girl, always lying and making up story. And now look what you gone and do!” “Leh mih go! Leh mih go!” Emma Thomas screamed, twisting her little body this way and …
Read More »Smoking Joe vs Sat the Hack; Live Wire reviews smouldering holy war over child brides
It. Just. Got. Flipping. Real! The Hindu community were supposed to be celebrating Arrival Day—no doubt at public expense too—but Maha Sabha general secretary Sat Maharaj used the occasion to tell Roman Catholic archbishop Joe Harris to get lost instead. “Archbishop, mind your own damn business,” said Maharaj. “(…) If …
Read More »Holy crap! Dirty Harrypersad, Back-pedalling Berkley and child marriage
You know you probably need something strong to drink when the least controversial bit of an interview is the complete rejection of a woman’s right to an abortion. Brother Harrypersad Maharaj, head of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), made it clear in a Power 102 FM interview—in 2016 mind you—that under no …
Read More »Working women: No corporal punishment; Dillon will only increase school violence!
National Security Minister Major Edmund Dillon will only encourage increased violence in schools if he reintroduces corporal punishment, according to the local civic group, Working Women for Social Progress. The following is the press release issued today by the Working Women: We accept that it may become necessary to remove …
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