“Oh gorm,” David Rudder bawl out like Sprangalang. “Shot call!” The feckless, gutless, witless lot who are not “in charge” waited, it seemed, for an edict from the top. It never came. True to form, Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly passed the buck. She had heard, said one report, that …
Read More »The birdsong eviction: Ignoring the performing arts leaves room for dark arts
Makandal Daaga’s funeral took place yesterday. The 1970 Black Power movement may have frightened many but it was a necessary part of our evolution and a shake up of those values that still make us think less of ourselves and keep us indifferent to our indigenous movements, like the pan …
Read More »Understanding The Thing: Daly muses over T&T’s curious self-esteem
As mentioned in this column recently we are a society pock-marked by destructive shade preference practiced by citizens of all descents, even within ethnically kindred groups. I had intended to return to the subject because in my view there is an inextricable link between the violent crime that is again …
Read More »Planting the garden wrong: Daly frets over T&T’s bitter cassava as values go astray
The instability, corruption and favouritism—as well as enduring shade, class and foreign preference—and just plain, but twisted, foolishness have become so overwhelming that I have been unable to write about some of my favourite things that reflect the resources capable of making Trinidad and Tobago a happier place. I had …
Read More »Our other oil: How the T&T economy can benefit from arts and culture
The proceeds of our oil and gas production are no longer sustaining the high life. As they say in Grenada, “the money can’t reach.” For decades there has much talk about diversification of the economy, but no action. This is a pity because we have other oil. I refer to the …
Read More »Champion Dynamics: Daly suggests how to save Rowley’s “monsters”
From my very first year as a columnist in 2002, I criticised our dysfunctional national security system and took up then, by their names, the cases of several murder victims. I have consistently continued to do so. Even then, murder was already being carried out with impunity. There was no …
Read More »POS Mayor pays final disrespects to dead Carnival masquerader; Mr Live Wire fires back
Here’s a brain teaser for Wired868 readers. A well known member of society gave the following quote: “I spoke of some of the things that I see women do, assisted by men of course, but the woman has the responsibility that they ensure that they are not abused.” Is the …
Read More »Carnival in transition: Raffique explains why the festival is not dying
I don’t think Trinidad’s Carnival is dying, as many people say it is. For the traditionalists, it’s a case of wishful thinking. They want to see the jarring noise that passes for music—songs that have no melody, only hook lines and tempo—consigned to the dustbin of Carnival history. And they …
Read More »Is murder a lifestyle choice? Daly ponders how to reclaim the streets of T&T
Port of Spain suffers from personality disorder, for a long time now, and so does many of its environs. This disorder, sometimes described as split or multiple personality disorder, is defined by Psychology Today as “a condition wherein a person’s identity is fragmented into two or more distinct personalities.” Each …
Read More »Laws, culture and Carnival; the Martin Daly SC column
Last Sunday’s appreciation of Jit Samaroo was warmly received. One of my Trinidad All Stars comperes suggested that I deliver some more evocative J’Ouvert morning descriptions. I will do so shortly with the added stimulus of the material he provided, but I must first return to the great economic uncertainty. …
Read More »Blue tinsel: Daly remembers Jit Samaroo and Renegades’ magic
A few of the Caribbean’s finest entertainers like Alison Hinds, Superblue, Marcia Miranda and Mairoon Ali, along with Canboulay, East Indian and sailor dancers have performed at my home. They have done so on the little home made stage next to the mango tree that Farook and Steve would build when …
Read More »Humility was Jit’s hallmark; Raffique Shah pays tribute to late pan master
“I don’t know who Jit Samaroo was, but listening to others speak, he must have been a great man…my condolences to his family.” The Princes Town caller had phoned in to the TV6 Morning Edition show on Friday, which was devoted to pan arranger Jit Samaroo, who died the day …
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