Parliament

So the State of Emergency is extended. Effective today, the curfew as announced by the Prime Minister will be from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. We all knew it would happen; the government has a luxury of a strong majority that made the Opposition no more than a lubricant for all of this. In fact, the Opposition was as effective as oiled brakes - a result of their own time as government and it's democratically judged efficacy.

But I'm apolitical. I'm more interested in issues. And in the issues department, the best equivalent of most of the debate was, "my mummy can beat up your mummy". It was a true embarassment to watch. But the grandstanding was in full force, I suppose, with live cameras on the scene and a captive audience of those who want to know what's going on in Trinidad and Tobago.

Let me get to the issues.

Quoting Trinidad and Tobago newspapers and media in Parliament is like quoting toilet paper in the lavatory.

Comments?

While perusing an online forum where Trinbagonians discuss national issues, I engaged a long-time contributor who has been crying out for stronger campaign finance regulations as a key solution to our disturbing legacy of political corruption.  I had been a supporter of his call, but sometimes wondered if such regulation would be a central solution, or whether other types of reform may be more critical at this time.  After relentlessly pressing him for online articles that shaped his views, and analysing same, I have concluded that, while important, there may be two other more urgen

It's being reported today that our House of Representative's Privileges Committee has recommended that Newsday reporter, Andre Bhagoo, be banned for the remainder of this Parliament's session for being guilty of contempt of Parliament, arising from premature publishing in the Newsday of the activities of a House sub-committee before it reported its findings to Parliament (which contravenes both the Standing Orders and Erskine May Parliamentary Practice).