Tag Archives: Office of the President

When a public official who has undoubted legal power exercises that power, a question of the legitimacy of the exercise of that power can arise. Legitimacy concerns the exercise of legal power in a manner that is appropriate and justifiable and does not otherwise disturb the public conscience. Our governments …

“[…] Looking ahead to the seventh presidency of Trinidad and Tobago, some of the things I hope to see are a demystification of the role of the president; advocacy for the adoption in our communities of year-round, youth delinquency prevention programmes like the panyard model; protocols attending the Office that …

Over the last two weeks, we have witnessed an unceasing commentary on Ms Christine Kangaloo’s supposed lack of fitness for the presidential office. At first, there was the sentiment that there was no need for a president. This position quickly got corrected when the legal ramifications of the post were …

The arts and culture milieu is my ground and grounding. By that I mean it is both my happy place and helps to keep me “reel”—best translated, I suppose, as the opposite of becoming a blinged-out, undiscerning and indifferent poser. And so it was that, on the first Saturday of …

“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.” Aldous Huxley, English writer. In the present furore about selecting a new president, it appears that we, as a nation, and our leaders have rubbished our history. We …

On 20 January 2018, women in this country were extremely happy when the electoral college unanimously elected our sixth president of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Madam Justice Paula Mae Weekes, who was our very first woman president. The mood was one of excitement, hope, and optimism. It was …

“[…] The difference between 31st December and 1st January is but a change in date… as we see the old politricks being played out in this new year. Firstly, there was the Prime Minister’s New Year’s Message in which he announced that there will be a series of public consultations …

“[…] The Electoral College will meet later this month to choose President Paula-Mae Weekes’ successor, and there’s been much discussion about the presidency as it is—whether it should become an executive office, and even whether it should be abolished. “[…] With an executive president, [former prime minister Basdeo] Panday argues, …

It ought to be becoming clear to all that the lame excuses which are offered for the dire results of our failing governance are reflections of rudderless leadership, of which we have been excessively tolerant. Public dissatisfaction has condemned the Office of the President to regular memes. I only bother …

George Washington Carver was born into conditions of slavery but nevertheless became a prominent agricultural scientist and innovator in crop farming. I mention him in the context of our leaders masking reality with excuses.   Carver stated his view in a single sentence: ‘Ninety-nine per cent of failures come from …

Two weeks ago, the President of the Republic in her words ‘spoke to the issue of the substantive appointment of commissioner of police’ and confirmed that ‘an order of merit list was delivered on 11 August 2021 to the OTP and withdrawn almost immediately’. OTP is a reference to the …

Many readers will recall the political controversies in which President Anthony Carmona, the immediate predecessor of our current president, was involved—arising out of the purported exercise of powers that he thought he had. As a result, citizens hoped that the presidency would return to calmer waters, not made turbulent by …