“We are of the respectful view that the impugned legislation contravenes a citizen’s constitutional right to the enjoyment of property and not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law. “While it is accepted that a bona fide change in the form of legal tender may serve a …
Read More »‘Shameful, reprehensible, misogynistic, attack on women!’ Smith investigator slams Rowley and Faris
“The very public and pejorative characterisation of the report as ‘unusable’, and words to the effect that the methodology used by the Committee resulted in the denial of natural justice, callously sacrificed the professional credibility, competence, and reputation of anyone who served on the Committee, including myself. With every public …
Read More »Noble: Powerful men, vulnerable women: exposing sexual harassers
‘Haters gonna hate’ is the thought that comes to mind as the opportunistic warriors of both political parties spar over the Darryl Smith sex scandal. They do not spend a moment to ensure that our women are protected and to voice disgust at the cavalier use of the continued suffering …
Read More »Daly Bread: Are the malls becoming crime hot spots? T&T’s state of anxiety is growing
Two ladies in the early afternoon—to which we refer colloquially as after lunch—park a vehicle in an area, not isolated from one of its entrances, and enter a shopping mall. An hour later, as they are exiting the mall, they see a man standing adjacent to their vehicle. They have …
Read More »Dear Editor: Is Rowley hiding Smith sexual harassment report so disgraced MP qualifies for pension?
“It is certain that both [Darryl] Smith and the Prime Minister are aware that once the issue is postponed sufficiently, and this disgraced legislator is allowed to remain in office for five unbroken years, he will automatically qualify for a Pension paid for by the taxpayers of approximately $8,900 per …
Read More »Dear Editor: State’s belligerence to FOIA requests drove up my legal costs, not greed
“Had the information been disclosed upon my request the State would not have incurred any legal costs… It was the Minister’s and Cabinet’s refusal in the first place and belligerence in the second place that cost the State over $400,000 in legal fees and not my attorneys trying to milk …
Read More »Why Venezuela ‘borderline jam session’ could be Keithos’ biggest challenge since Gumbs
There is no denying it now, people damn vexed. Last night, Trinis offered the first visible sign of dissent against a boldfaced, illegal presence on our shores, cheekily defying eviction and gorging on the seemingly unending patience of the State and relevant authorities. But enough about Jack Warner’s extradition battles. …
Read More »Stealth and craftiness at play! Dumas, Daly slam attack on FOIA and proposed pension spike
“Why is a Government which says it is committed to transparency proposing to make it more difficult for citizens to access information from official sources? “[…] [And] why, at a time of economic belt-tightening and obviously rising unemployment—whatever the official pronouncements on that issue—does the government consider it a good …
Read More »Dear Editor: AG Al-Rawi is creating a wedge for persons using the FOIA
“What the AG seeks to accomplish is put a wedge between persons requesting information and the public body holding the relevant information, that wedge being himself. “He clearly strokes his own ego as the person who knows best whether the information comes under FOIA or not, thus usurping the role …
Read More »Crowne: Copyright and the Privy Council; why AG’s wrong on Petrotrin complaint
The Privy Council decision in Maharaj v Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd, [2019] UKPC 21 (20 May 2019) has shone a Guaracara-esque spotlight onto Petrotrin’s decision to abandon its $97 million USD claim against Malcolm Jones. According to the Court, based on the evidence available to them, ‘there …
Read More »Demming: Zessers Come in all forms, AG; not just with gold chains!
Take away the gold chain and the ‘Zesser’ descriptor fits several other people in Trinidad and Tobago. Some of them drive Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, BMW and other high-end cars. Some of them live in specially outfitted high-rise apartments; they pay for tables where their friends lime or …
Read More »Daly Bread: The boundaries of Attorneys General; from Cox and Barr to Ramlogan and Al Rawi
Two weeks ago our current Attorney General, Faris Al Rawi, and the former AG, Anand Ramlogan SC, engaged in a public dispute over Mr Ramlogan’s appearance in a case heard in the Privy Council on 20 March 2019. The proper boundaries of conduct for attorneys general have also been a …
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