“[…] Both parties have now dug their heels in, and would regard any compromise on this matter as a sign of weakness and incompetence. They are playing to the gallery. “Where does the national interest feature in this soap opera? […]” The following Letter to the Editor on the need for …
Read More »Daly Bread: Has Farley caught the maximum leadership disease?
Despite the short-sightedness of those who should be deploying our artistic and cultural output to diversify the economy, my depictions of pan and culture are of accomplishment. By contrast, commenting weekly on the latest of the unpleasant results of thoroughly deficient governance is a painful exercise. I would like sometimes …
Read More »Dear Editor: I support Kamla’s call for 25-year sentence for home invasions; and the PM should too
“[…] Please Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, do not let this opportunity go to waste. Accept without hesitation the proposal of Mrs [Kamla] Persad-Bissessar at the minimum. “[…] We are at war with the perpetrators of violent crimes. This is no time for partisan bickering. Drastic measures are required to …
Read More »Daly Bread: Many Emperors, no clothes—T&T suffers from decades of poor governance
During an Easter Sunday break from my column, I was forcibly struck by the disconnect between the official messages about Easter from those clothed with high constitutional authority and the grim reality on the ground. Many persons would have been engaged in pleasurable activities over the Easter weekend. However, the …
Read More »Noble: What’s going on, with open season on Office of the DPP?
These days I feel like Marvin Gaye, the singer of the 1971 Billboard hit “What’s going on?” Confronted by the incessant kangkalang, his lyrics become most relevant. Mother, mother/ There’s too many of you crying/ Brother, brother, brother/ There’s far too many of you dying Father, father,/ We don’t need …
Read More »Noble: When will we hold accountable those “honourable” members who lead?
“When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.” Ecclesiastes 8: 11 Last week’s avalanche of news robs any politician of the right to criticise any citizen for being cynical. It was like a hit parade list of things that can go wrong. The …
Read More »Dear Editor: Piarco quartet are not victims—despite what Opposition Leader says
“[…] The truth remains that not only are these gentlemen the subject of ongoing court matters in the Florida jurisdiction, but several of their co-conspirators have already served sentences for their crimes related to the Piarco Airport contract…” “[…] To be clear, just because you have run the clock down, …
Read More »Daly Bread: Disgusting politicking with human trafficking undermines public trust
A disgusting exchange of sly political innuendos erupted and similar exchanges between politicians continued all last week over the possible identity of “senior government officials” allegedly involved in human trafficking activity in Trinidad and Tobago. The highest level of leadership in the two main political parties—PNM and UNC—participated in these …
Read More »Noble: The problem with vilifying Christine Kangaloo; and how it makes us poorer
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 …
Read More »Daly Bread: Deny, deflect, denigrate; T&T damaged by political default mode
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 …
Read More »Noble: Our Presidential Journey, and lessons from T&T’s history
“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 …
Read More »Dear Editor: Parliamentarians and senators should snub Kangaloo and find consensus on next president
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 …
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