Amanda Gorman, aged 27, is a poet, writer and activist. She was the first US national youth poet laureate. She frequently urges that society turn away from divisiveness. I heard Amanda Gorman speak at the widely televised US Democratic Party National Convention last year. She said this: “Empathy emancipates, making …
Read More »A bacchanal foretold: Has new Govt worsened CoP crisis?
“[…] If my contract has ended, how can I be sent on any binding vacation leave that extends beyond the life of the contract? The only way that can realistically happen is if, and only if, said contract is going to be renewed, with the person it affects being remaining …
Read More »Daly Bread: Change or exchange? Gov’t must address CJ, SEA, panyard model and economic diversification
Our changes of government frequently receive a verdict of “no change only exchange”. The current apparent dead end in the search for a gas supply to revive certain of our petrochemical industries is illustrative of the peril of governments having no appetite for fundamental reform. Added to all the unimaginative …
Read More »Dear Editor: Prime Minister should withdraw reckless comments on alleged “UNC lawyers”
“[…] As a former attorney general and current holder of the designation ‘senior counsel’ (senior advocate of the Supreme Court), Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar ought to know—indeed, is expected to know—that a lawyer’s previous or perceived political affiliation has no bearing whatsoever on their capacity to act ethically, independently, and professionally …
Read More »Vaneisa: Governance with empathy—Kamla and ‘Penny’ promise refreshing change
Miriam Castellano, the name by which a prolific social media commentator goes, responded to a column I had written on the distressing impact of global warfare. “Disengage! You sound like an empath. For your own mental health you should train yourself to know when a Time Out is necessary,” she …
Read More »Daly Bread: Dear Kamla, 2025—can we shift from “blame and shame” to empathetic governance?
Dear Kamla, Fifteen years ago, at the time of your first election as prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago (PM), I greeted you in a column published on 13 June 2010, in which I explained why I may take the liberty of addressing you in familiar terms. Let me begin …
Read More »Dear Editor: UNC has opportunity to shift T&T’s political culture—but are they capable?
“[…] The PNM’s defeat was not merely a result of shifting political allegiances but a reflection of deeper dissatisfaction among the electorate… Many citizens felt alienated, as the government operated with an air of ownership rather than stewardship. “[…] The new government, a coalition of interests, has made ambitious promises …
Read More »Dear Editor: Can T&T hinge its gas future on USA’s political whims and fancies?
“[…] All other requirements being considered equal, the Dragon Gas Field is Trinidad and Tobago’s most feasible option. The obstruction is simply Donald Trump and the […] USA’s policy [which] can change at any time according to its whims and fancies. “So, what should an independent, sovereign country do under these …
Read More »Kamla names Cabinet; Tancoo gets Finance, Sturge is Defence Minister, and Watts inherits Sport
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar selected her Cabinet today to serve Trinidad and Tobago, five days after her United National Congress (UNC) party was elected with 26 seats to the People National Movement’s 14. Persad-Bissessar was sworn in on Thursday, alongside her attorney general John Jeremie. Today, she appointed a further …
Read More »Kamla dedicates term to T&T’s “forgotten people”; vows to improve citizens’ lives in six months
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar began her term in office with a message of love and optimism today, as she took the oath of office alongside new attorney general John Jeremie at President’s House in Port of Spain. The rest of the Cabinet should be sworn in on Saturday. Persad-Bissessar, who …
Read More »Dear Editor: Much can be accomplished, once UNC doesn’t alienate any segment of T&T’s population!
Congratulations to the people of Trinidad and Tobago on a relatively peaceful and safe electoral process. Now that the ‘carnival is over’, to quote the late great, grandmaster: let’s see who is who, and who is made of what. Like many, I too anticipated the change—though I did not think …
Read More »Daly Bread: Buying cat in bag—T&T politics remains policy free
Throughout the now concluded last week of campaigning for tomorrow’s general election, the lack of articulation on the campaign platforms of specific plans has persisted, as has the nastiness. It is not clear how the competing parties will deal with violent crime, drastic revenue shortfall in the economy, foreign exchange …
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