Trinidad and Tobago trade union

Q: Which trade union would you recommend that I join in Trinidad and Tobago?

A: Just like lawyers, choosing the wrong trade union will make getting justice almost impossible. And unfortunately, many trade unions make workers sign up just to get their dues by promising them all sorts of favourable outcomes, when in most cases they have no case. 

If you want a knowledgeable trade union executive team with strong legal background, and who isn't focused on ripping you off, the trade union that I would recommend is the Trinidad and Tobago Workers' Association. 

Consequences of parent breaching an access/visitation/contact order

I get a lot of questions from parents asking what can be done about another parent who breaches a court order for access/visitation/contact.

The simple answer to that is filing an application for contempt of court. Contempt of court is basically an act of deliberate disobedience of, or disregard for the instructions of a Judge.

In today's Trinidad and Tobago Newsday newspaper, there is an article with the headline Mom faces jail if she fails to give up son to ex-husband.

In the article, Dianne Dabiedeen, refused to allow the father, Rajpat Dabiedeen to have access on weekends and during school holidays to their 14-year-old son, Richard Matthew Dabiedeen.

The order, which was made in March 2014 was never followed, so Rajpat filed a "Contempt of Court" application.

As a result of that application and hearing, Dianne must now follow the order or face seven (7) days in jail.

Which option do you think she'll choose?

Worldwide police brutality

In Sange Grande, Trinidad: 12 cops charged for burning man.

1. Woman SRP Giselle Skeete
2. acting Insp Kenneth Rampersad
3. acting Cpl Allan Khan
4. PC Anil Mootoo
5. PC Keron Nanan
6. PC Joel Boodoosingh
7. SRP Ryan Williams
8. PC Ashki Charles
9. PC Marvin Mendosa
10. SRP sergeant Glen Elder
11. acting Cpl Ravi Doon
12. Cpl Nicholas Vialva

Charges against these 11 were laid indictably and they were not called upon to enter a plea:

• Skeete, Rampersad, Khan, Mootoo, Nanan, Boodoosingh, Williams, Charles, and Mendosa, were charged with misbehaviour in public office.
• Elder and Doon were charged with perverting the course of public justice.

Vialva, however, was charged summarily for failing to act after receiving information.

He pleaded not guilty to this charge.



Then we have the April 4, 2015 shooting of Walter Scott by North Charleston Patrolman 1st Class, Michael Thomas Slager. 





Now watch this clip from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” which dealt with such systemic police racism and brutality in an episode called “Cased Up” that aired in 1991.