Tag Archives: US – Venezuela conflict

Christmas is over and the New Year, 2026, is just ahead. Writing a column for publication today was stressful. This is different from times past when, despite the governance failures of the months preceding Christmas and misgivings about the coming New Year, “the time for putting smoke in the kitchen” …

“[…] Today Christmas—and many other religious observances—has become totally commercialised as a rapacious capitalist system sees the opportunity to make significant profits at this time, almost to the point where the religious significance of Christmas is lost. “[…] Surely the Prince of Peace would have called out the hypocrisy of …

“[…] It is clear that this Administration, having outsourced its decision-making with respect to relations with Venezuela, has not learnt from or are not aware of Henry Kissinger’s warning—though uttered in a different context—that: ‘it may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal.’ “[…] …

A little over a week ago, on 29 November 2025, the Washington Post identified “the Caribbean allies helping the US against Venezuela” and stated that “the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago are hosting US forces and facilities”. This report formed a stark contrast to our Government’s limited disclosure of …

I don’t recall ever seeing such a high level of apprehension in our space. Do you? It’s coming from a multitude of shadowed places, so many that it is difficult to put a finger on any one thing as the root. Armadas and squadrons loom on our horizon. Conflicting reports …

October and Calypso History Month are behind us now. February and Season 2026 beckon. What lies ahead? What is in store for us in the tents—if tents there are! No official Independence celebration, remember?—in Skinner Park and eventually in the Savannah? What we know is that, barring the unforeseen, Helon …

A common pipeline fuelling the vitriol that is passing for discourse online has been the blatant racism and political partisanship that are obviously intertwined. It is tempting to ask how we got to this rabid state, but it has been festering for so long that we know it is not …

This week, two quotes came to mind as I read the local newspapers. The first was from Benjamin Franklin, who was accused of treason (by leaking letters) in 1774. These letters criticised the colonial rebels even though it was clear that his own loyalties were to the American colonies. He …

“[…] For neighbouring countries [of war sites], output falls by 10% on average after five years while inflation rises by five percentage points over the same period. “These results should be particularly concerning for Trinidad and Tobago […] because we are not like the average country in the Kiel Institute …

Our honourable Prime Minister, Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, decided to mount a tiger to get access to the promised riches of the Dragon. We need the gas from the Dragon Field because our local output and reserves are declining, and we will be in a crisis by 2027. We also need …

“[…] The narcotics trade continues to devastate Caribbean societies—eroding lives, futures, and the very moral fabric of our communities. This is a grave crisis for the Church and for families everywhere, and one we are duty-bound to confront. “Yet, the arbitrary and unwarranted taking of life cannot be justified as …

“[…] While the government has made much of fiscal consolidation and social spending, it has left precious little fiscal or strategic room to manoeuvre should Trinidad and Tobago find itself caught in the crossfire of a conflict between Venezuela and the United States. “Regardless of the duration or intensity of …