“[…] When Sally Sooman emerged as the [Andrea Bharatt] family spokesperson, I felt a familiar sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I pushed it aside because I sincerely hoped that Ms Sooman would not allow her personal politics to arise. Unfortunately, I was wrong. “It was on Facebook …
Read More »Dear Editor: T&T’s two-tongued on issue of violence and the women whose lives matter
“[…] Gender-based violence is often separated from the larger problem of violence that has pervaded this society. The violence is symptomatic of a country built and driven by bloodshed, which is then propped up by widespread corruption. “[…] If it is acceptable for the police to unlawfully assume the role …
Read More »Gafoor: Sir Hilary Beckles truly is the Caribbean’s Martin Luther King Jr
“[…] I have a dream; a dream in which the University of the West Indies upholds Sir Hilary [Beckles] as the Martin Luther King Jr of the Caribbean. “A dream where his phenomenal contribution to academia, sports and reparation justice for those who endured the dehumanising shackles of slavery and …
Read More »Noble: As USA learns cost of lies about equality, will T&T remove scales from its eyes?
“The truth does not care about our governments, ideologies, religions. It will lie in wait… I once would fear the cost of truth. Now I only ask, what is the cost of lies? “[…] Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is …
Read More »Tye: Trump vs Biden: Loud, overt racism vs polite, subtle racism
I remember when Barack Obama won his first term as US president in 2008. Late that night I heard a massive noise of joyful screams and applause from the neighbourhood, the moment his victory was confirmed. At that point, I knew we were in for a rough ride. In the …
Read More »McIntyre: Kamla Persad-Bissessar: A Cautionary Tale—from pioneer to parody
The trajectory of Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s political career is a cautionary tale to any who would assume that gender presupposes good governance. In the months before the 2010 election, there were valid queries about questionable construction projects and a frightening escalation of the crime rate under then leader of government and …
Read More »Race, politics and coronavirus; President Weekes targets T&T’s biggest challenges on Independence Day
“[…] The lead-up to the [2020] election and its immediate aftermath saw political differences couched in vitriolic racist rants, complete with the most foul language. “[…] While some of these exchanges may have taken place at close quarters, social media provided a convenient and safe vehicle from which to launch …
Read More »Noble: ‘Did business leaders choose comfort over constructive conflict?’ How Ramsaran’s discourse soured
Since 2002, the annual ALJGSB ‘Distinguished Leadership and Innovation Conference’, with cutting-edge lessons taught by global thought leaders, has been chock full of our local business leaders. Yet the recent Ramsaran imbroglio unmasked glaring shortcomings by some of these same business leaders. These missteps have real-life consequences for us as …
Read More »Hotep: Complicit businesses and CoP lack moral authority to frame response to racism
“[…] Aside from the Ramsaran’s text-book apology and ‘firing’ of the owner’s daughter, how has the company demonstrated appropriate remedial action? “Business owners are attempting to hold the public to ransom: they claim that the public’s boycott of their businesses, for their racist behaviours, will affect the livelihood of workers. Even …
Read More »Noble: Beware long-time beneficiaries from gov’t policies who pretend to be self-made men and women
Trinidad and Tobago is a nation of immigrants. We may have come on different boats, but we are in the same boat now. Between the drop in oil and gas prices and their depressed demand, the consequent lack of foreign exchange and the Covid-19 economic shock, we could be set back …
Read More »Dr Rowley ‘unreservedly apologised’ for sari skit—don’t mangle facts to make racism point
“[Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley] unreservedly apologised for the skit on his own behalf, on behalf of his party and all PNM supporters… [Letter writer Sanjay Dhalla] seemed to have missed all of that. “[…] More than 70-75% of the students [at Presentation College, Chaguanas] were Indians. If some of …
Read More »Dear editor: Don’t justify ‘cockroach’ slur, commissioner—it is a slippery slope
Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith obviously realised that his use of the word ‘cockroaches’ was at risk of being construed in a racist way. That is why he had to come out to ‘clarify’ his position. [Daily Express, 14/08/2020: ‘Griffith: Tone down race talk’]. But having recognised the danger of …
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