“[…] There is often a misconception that MPs are exempt from the strict rules governing civil servants. The legal reality is the opposite. They are unequivocally public officers and a trustee of the people. “Because MPs wield immense political and legal power, often with very little daily oversight, the law …
Read More »Dr Harris: Why the ground no longer carries it—the cultural shift affecting our Carnival
“[…] What is perhaps most instructive from the data on Trinidad and Tobago’s national culture is our incredibly low score on long-term orientation (17 out of 100 vs 77 out of 100 in China and 50 out of 100 in the US). “It demonstrates a low propensity to sufficiently consider …
Read More »Dear Editor: Political commentary isn’t all that Calypso is missing—where is the fun?
“[…] Where is the music to ‘turn a woman’s body into jelly’? Where is the fun? The celebration? The ‘Spirit of Carnival’? (Fun fact: that actually used to be a judging criterion in Calypso). “Long gone are the days when a calypsonian could win with a rum song paired with …
Read More »Ula: How two T&T deaths will test legal boundaries of US kinetic strikes in international waters
“[…] Advocates of this strategy contend that traditional interdiction efforts intercept only a fraction of maritime drug trafficking operations, whereas the systematic destruction of vessels and the targeting of personnel establish a more robust deterrent effect. “The strikes have implications that extend beyond the immediate legal proceedings. Critics contend that …
Read More »When moral authority meets historical reality: the problem with Ramdeen’s religious defence
“[…] Consider slavery. The transatlantic slave trade was not opposed by scripture—it was justified by it. Genesis 9:25–27 legitimised enslavement of Africans. Ephesians 6:5 instructed slaves to obey masters. Leviticus 25:44–46 explicitly permits buying slaves and passing them as inheritance. “[…] The sexual abuse crisis represents the starkest contemporary failure. …
Read More »Roses without thorns—the hollow trumpet of selective morality should be T&T’s real concern
There is a troubling pattern in our public life: moral leaders who sound their trumpets loudly, yet hollowly choosing the easiest battles while leaving the hardest untouched. Their sermons bloom like roses, but without thorns: ornamental, perfumed and harmless. They raise their voices against costumes, symbols and sensuality but fall …
Read More »Beyond the bacchanal: Why cancel culture cannot dismantle our colonial legacy
In the rhythm of life in Trinidad and Tobago, and across the wider Caribbean, we know the power of a good “bacchanal.” One moment, a public figure—or perhaps a private citizen caught in the crosshairs—commits a transgression; the next, the digital hive mind descends. On Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram, …
Read More »Dear Editor: It’s not just coaching vs recruiting—are we coaching at modern international standards?
“[…] The question isn’t just ‘who is coaching?’ but ‘how are they coaching—and is it modern enough to compete?’ “Yes, assembling talent without growing match IQ is a dead end. But the issue extends beyond schools and clubs ‘collecting’ players. The real failure lies in a persistent lack of strategic …
Read More »Dr Harris: Trust me, if you can—why Trinidad and Tobago is poorer with societal distrust
“[…] Trinidad and Tobago has very low levels of reported trust given its GDP per capita… Most people do not trust the police. Most people do not believe justice is meted out fairly… There is even mistrust in the Road March competition with year-on-year allegations of the ‘Soca Mafia’. “[…] …
Read More »Dear Editor: ‘Azaad is an unsung hero of Trinidad and Tobago football’
“[…] He was the oil in the machine, always smoothing the way, always ensuring, no matter how difficult the obstacle, that everything was in place. This was his character and his gift. “[…] He was never one to seek the limelight—quietly enjoying the thrill and glow of success in his …
Read More »Dr Lutchman: “What they call will is but an echo in an empty hall”—addressing addiction
“[…] The midbrain doesn’t know the difference between a hit of cocaine and the ‘win’ of a social spotlight or a piece of band merch. It simply flags the object as a vital resource. “When that happens, the brain’s priority-sorting software gets a bug. It starts assigning a ‘survival score’ …
Read More »Dr Teelucksingh: The Evil Eye—when science meets ‘superstition’
“[…] There is also something profoundly human about the evil eye that modern medicine struggles to acknowledge: the role of envy and comparison in illness. “We live in an age of social media, where admiration is constant and unfiltered. Eyes everywhere. Watching. Liking. Measuring. “If the ancients were worried about …
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