Tag Archives: Senate

In the recent past, governments both of the United National Congress (UNC) and of the Peoples National Movement (PNM) have had the then president of the Republic proclaim states of emergency said to be directed at the level of violent criminal activity. The dates of the proclamations were respectively 21 …

“[…] Almost daily, the discourse has been filled with opinions on Cepep and Cepep workers: UNC/PNM supporters, radio commentators and newspaper columnists present opinions and arguments on one side or the other. “These are all useful for taking the public temperature. But, after nearly 20 years of Cepep, absent from …

Against the background of recent attacks on the Independent senators, I outlined last week the two constraints on three-fifths special majority legislative power contained in our Constitution. I conclude the examination of these constraints this week. First, however, I pursue the question why such constraints are necessary. Next week, I …

Several readers have pressed me to say how I felt on the merits of the Prime Minister’s Pension (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by a special majority and took away from Stuart Young SC MP a very substantial pension. Young would have had this pension even though he held the …

I have re-examined the long-standing perils of our manipulable state enterprise system, focusing last week on how inadequately prepared we are for oversight in terms of appropriately trained personnel and available or reliable data. This week I wish to emphasise that it was into that same manipulable environment that the …

“[…] The T&T constitution is defective in one important respect. Too much power of nomination and appointment resides in the premiership and presidency; and therein lies suspicions of cronyism. “The Constitution effectively leaves the lid of the cookie jar unsecured. It then seems to operate on the expectation that those …

“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 …

Mark Antony’s speech from Julius Caesar is worth recalling at this juncture in our country’s history. It speaks to how honourable men, seduced by the drama of the moment, can wreak great evil upon a nation.   This is the sum of the events of 21 October in our Parliament; …

The media  and others were plainly wrong to inform the population that the government needed only one ‘yes’ vote from one of the nine Independent senators, in order for the government to succeed in its proposal in the Senate to amend the procurement legislation.  The government was seeking a simple …

It did not take long, did it? We all knew it was coming but less than a month? “One law for them. Another for you.” This stunning insight on the state of the Republic, brothers and sisters, comes down to us from the Upper House via Facebook. More accurately, it …

On a sunny afternoon the light blue sky accessorised the navy blue ocean. Later, at sunset, the crests of the waves on the east coast were pink. The sky to the north was also pink. The pink was oddly situated given the sun was, of course, setting in the west; …

It’s an ill wind, we have long heard, that blows nobody good. Ditto, I think, Anil Roberts. Which may be why Kamla Persad-Bissessar has seen it fit to return him to the national parliament as a senator. If every current UNC Member of Parliament were somehow able to make a …