Breathalyzer Legislation- Trinidad and Toabgo (Click to read)

Trinidad and Tobago's Tobacco Control Bill, 2009 (Click to read)

Coalition Governments of the World

Going forward, the possibility of an increased role outside of Europe for coalition politics and the politics of cohesion is perhaps borne out of Henry Kissinger’s description of the place the world finds itself in 2008. Kissinger, writing in the Economist’s World in 2009, says that the world has gone through a period in which “the absence of restraint encouraged a speculation whose growing sophistication matched its mounting lack of transparency…an unparalled period of growth followed, but also the delusion that an economic system could sustain itself via debt indefinitely.” The comment carries with it more than a suggestion that the world will not move forward without greater transparency, greater accountability and greater public influence and those things will require a different approach to the business of government and governance.

Towards the end of 2008 most global opinion leaders have emphasised a new economic order, shifts in the balance of power and the prospects for the strengthening of the still emerging countries. Few have crossed national lines and said anything about the way in which the business of government and governance and the potential for coalition politics and the politics of cohesion across traditional party lines will influence national global economic policy and development agendas.

Click the link to read  this December 2008 Newsday column.

1974: Ras Shorty's "Om Shanti Om" caused a major uproar for itsd use of a Hindu Chant.(click for Song)

Terry Joseph recalls that "Ras Shorty, whose calypso sobriquet was a parody of his imposing height, first came to public attention in 1963 with the song “Cloak and Dagger,” catapulting him to the art’s major league at a single bound. A close friend and associate of the acclaimed calypso composer Maestro, Shorty carved his own space from the 1964 Carnival and rose swiftly in the calypso world.

Shorty's first Calypso title came in 1970, when he was crowned Calypso King of San Fernando, beating former monarchs Bomber and Black Stalin into second and third place respectively. By 1984, the was able to command the respect and trust of a stable of superior singers, who he presented for that calypso season in the yet upscale setting of Queen’s Hall, as The Professionals. But he was best known for premiering a new rhythm that fused Indian percussion instruments with the traditional calypso engine room to produce soca, defining the new beat as “the soul of calypso”.

In that vein, he produced some of calypsoes enduring masterpieces, including the seminal Endless Vibrations album. Apart from its infectious title-track and other catchy songs like “Zena”, the album offered an insight into revolutionary possibilities for calypso music, most notably the Hindu-oriented “Om Shanti”, a song that caused more than a mild uproar in certain quarters for its use of the chant in its chorus line.

Shorty went on to become The Love Man, singing songs in that idiom, some of which caused him to run afoul of the authorities. He was, however equally adept at social commentary, with his “Money Eh No Problem” (1984) becoming one of calypso’s all-time classics.

But by the turn of the 1980’s Shorty became disenchanted with the very image and music he had created, saying that soca was being used for all the wrong reasons.He then underwent a dramatic change of image, taking a deeply spiritual direction and going back to nature. In the process he became Ras Shorty-I, changing his style to composing and singing deeply devout songs.

In 1997 he released “Watch Out My Children” an anti-drug song that stayed at the number one slot throughout the Caribbean for many weeks and sold well in North America and the UK. The song was translated into several languages."

Surprise: I just turned 40.

When I turned 40 in October, there wasn’t a lot of time at that “Pirates of the Caribbean-” themed surprise birthday party for reflection. Most of the time went in trying to come to terms with the surprise and shock that a plan of that magnitude could be executed without my knowledge. Age slows you down but it would be an incredible thing if the rest of my life sneaks up and surprises me the way this party did. Speaking of age, more shocking than a room filled with people shouting you out on your 40th birthday, is deciding to leave your much needed eyewear at home that evening. The loss of that assistance coupled with the immaculate costuming of these pirates, made the first few minutes very uncomfortable.

Equally frightful is the fact that most people mistook that initial hesitation for the early onset of memory loss.

Click the link above to read my Newday Column.

Money is No Problem- Click for Ras Shorty's Calypso