Stories about Trinidad & Tobago from March, 2012
This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere
Again this week, the regional blogosphere was dominated by talk of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Cuba. With reports of repression at an all-time high, Cuban bloggers were dismayed by the outcome of the trip.
Caribbean: Talking to Giselle Rampaul of ‘The Spaces Between Words’
An interview with Trinidadian literary scholar Giselle Rampaul, producer of the literary podcast series The Spaces Between Words.
Trinidad & Tobago: Divisive Politics
The Eternal Pantomime is critical of what she considers to be divisive politics on the part of the ruling government, which “has also sought to promulgate the good old colonial stand-by practice of divide and rule to ensure that it keeps its party base solidly behind it and in support of all...
Trinidad & Tobago: Bloggers Question Relevance of “Congress of the People”
The Congress of the People began as a break-away party from the United National Congress, but the two entities came together to contest the 2010 parliamentary elections - and won. But with the recent defection of San Fernando Mayor Marlene Coudray to the UNC camp, two political bloggers in Trinidad and Tobago are questioning the continued viability of the Congress of the People as a separate entity.
This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere
Activity in the Caribbean blogosphere this week has been predominantly coming from Cuba and its diaspora, as the country prepares for the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI amidst frustration about the human rights situation on the island and dissatisfaction over the pontiff declining to meet members of the Cuban opposition during his stay.
Trinidad & Tobago: Same Old Politics
The Eternal Pantomime is disillusioned with Trinidad and Tobago politics, saying: “A lot happened this week to paint both the ruling Government and the Opposition in a bad light, if you ask me. And in all instances the public’s reactions and responses revealed that as a country many of us...
Trinidad & Tobago: Protests & Parliament
The Eternal Pantomime suggests that the number of protests taking place is the country is indicative of “the population giving…their response to that Pappy Show of a Parliamentary sitting that happened on March 2nd”, adding: “You don’t insult the intelligence of tax payers and feel that because you have a...
Trinidad & Tobago: “Bocas” Shortlist
The Bocas Lit Fest blog announces its shortlist for the 2012 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature.
Trinidad & Tobago: Political Fiction
The Eternal Pantomime says that it is becoming “very hard…to keep up with the many stories and angles to this new scandal with the PM’s travel assistant”, adding: “This govt is a fiction machine and churns them out faster than the Sweet Valley High series.”
Trinidad & Tobago: The Gender Card (and other political missteps)
The Eternal Pantomime is upset that the Prime Minister has played the gender card in her attempt to justify the state paying for travel expenses for her sister: “If you take what is fundamentally an issue of misuse of public funds and turn it into a plea for sympathy because...
Trinidad & Tobago: Constitutional Reform
Of “the Constitutional Reform Series being piloted by the Congress of the People”, Plain Talk says: “The [issue] that sticks in most people's craw is the inability of the people to fire non-performing or abusive public officials, especially members of Parliament and the Prime Minister.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Poverty of Spirit
As another gang leader is killed, B.C. Pires says: “The poverty he grew up in – poverty of education, opportunity, example, love, poverty of everything except prejudice and licks – prepared him fully for the final deprivation: 50 more years of life.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Bagoo Raid Raises Question of Press Freedom
Just over a month ago, the offices of Newsday, one of Trinidad and Tobago's daily newspapers, were raided by the police. They were looking for information and sources related to an article written by journalist and blogger Andre Bagoo, whose home was also placed under surveillance and searched. While much of the online discussion was happening within the confines of Facebook, there was also a fair bit of blogger commentary on the issue.
Caribbean: International Women's Day Message
In honour of International Women's Day, chookooloonks shares the Top 10 things she wants her daughter – and all youngsters – to know, while the Livesay [Haiti] weblog‘s key message for the day is that “No woman should die giving birth.”
Trinidad & Tobago: More Carnival Pics
“I suppose it is only the well trained observer who can see how much Carnival has changed over the years”: aka_lol shares his photos from Trinidad and Tobago's 2012 Carnival celebrations.
Trinidad & Tobago: Political Performance
The Eternal Pantomime shares her take on the latest political bacchanal.
Trinidad & Tobago: Lack of Confidence
“The motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister has been defeated, arguably an outcome predetermined from the start based on the division of numbers in the Parliament”: Plain Talk says that “the biggest losers in this matter has (sic) to be the people of Trinidad & Tobago.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Cost of Carnival
“With the post Carnival cool down over, it’s back to real life and figuring out the bills”: Rishi Sankar posts a spreadsheet that proves how expensive participating in Trinidad Carnival can be.
