Is Lasana Liburd a journalist or a pen with a vendetta?

[diamondtrim]

Is Lasana Liburd a journalist or a pen with a vendetta?

Can anyone honestly answer the question?

[Socapro]

Is Jack Warner your Father or your Sugar Daddy?

Honestly answer that question and then we can answer yours!   

[injunchile]

The man ask for an honest answer- Both

[YoursTruly]

Lasana Liburd, is a feature reporter for the Sunday Express newspaper, Trinidad and Tobago. A St Mary's College and Arima Senior Comprehensive alumni, Liburd entered the field of journalism into 1995 at the Trinidad Guardian newspaper after a stint as an English language English literature teacher in Elizabeth's College Tobago.

After working on the news and sports desk there, he moved to the more high-profiled Trinidad Express in 1997 where he as covered everything from sport to crime and politics. His achievements at the Guardian include being awarded Best Sport Story for 1996 for an overview of Trinidad and Tobago's failed world cup football qualifying campaign.

As a sports writer, Liburd has since spread his wings. He was the writer for the BWIA Caribbean Magazine and Internet sports news agency Soccer Age among other publications.

He is also the holder of a Commonwealth Press Un certificate having successfully completed a course in: Investigation reporting in the Caribbean Protecting the Vulnerability of small Island States.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:o8o9ydto640J:www.playthegame.org/knowledge-bank/author-profile/lasana-liburd.html+lasana+liburd&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=tt

[Brownsugar]

The man ask for an honest answer- Both

Is ah good thing he have a vendetta....

[palos]

The man ask for an honest answer- Both

Is ah good thing he have a vendetta....

Remains to be seen if you go have a "vendetta" on Birchy  

Tork bout bein between a rock and a hard place

[D.H.W]

Is Jack Warner your Father or your Sugar Daddy?

Honestly answer that question and then we can answer yours!   

lol

[gothic]

To me this

Can anyone honestly answer the question?

To me questions like this show that there isn't a problem with Lasana, but a problem with the rest of the media in Trinindad and Tobago. In many other countries the story of Jack Warners questionable business pratices would be huge news and every media outlet would fight for the chance to link such a high profile government official to irregularities but it seems that only Lasana is interested in this story, from the others you barely hear a peep. This then looks like only one reporter with a personal mission is writing about Jack but if there is a story out there the question should be why are the other so call investigative reporters not writing about it.

The first day that World Cup tickets went on sale in 2005, a friend and I were at the concacaf offices as soon as they opened hoping to purchase tickets, we were then directed to the LOC office above Simpauls where the office staff told us about the Simpauls package that was the only way to get tickets, this of course is the infamous 'Take it or leave it' package. As they were explaining this package to me Mr Warner walked into the office and could clearly hear everything that was going on. Knowing that FIFA rules clearly stated that World Cup tickets couldn't be sold exclusively as part of a package i refused their offer and immediately sent emails to every Newspaper in T&T and every sport reporting website I could find. I got three responses that day; playthegame.org, the gaurdian in the UK and a phone call from Lasana Liburd.

Because of the lack of investigative journalism in T&T, as the only reporter who was breaking the story about him, Jack Warner then proceeded to create the confrontation with Lasana. He took the fact that a reporter was looking into his business and writing about it personally and then after a confrontation at a press conference, if i recall correctly, proceeded to pull Lasana press credentials from covering the 2006 WC. IMO, this is not a case of a 'pen with a vendetta' but a case of one of the only journalist doing his job and reporting on a subject who continues to create new under-exposed stories while relying on the curious habit of T&T reporters of forgeting anything that didn't happen in the last two months.

[diamondtrim]

Correct on all points sir. However, can I ask if Lasana Liburd has done any other investigative pieces?

[STEUPS!!]

lasana = fearless journalist

he have nottin to gain from publishing dese articles an he eh makin up anything. is pure FACTS he bringin.

[Socapro]

Correct on all points sir. However, can I ask if Lasana Liburd has done any other investigative pieces?

Ah man just give you some factual evidence that Lasana is one of the few journalists in T&T who is doing a proper job of investigating and writing about the facts.

What you need to do is ask that question of the many other journalists in T&T who don't seemed to be on the ball about doing prompt and proper investigations and bringing the public the facts without fear or bias!

[MEP]

People like this diamondtrim seem to have their own agenda ...maybe perhaps they were in conversation with someone close to the Warners so he, she or it chose to come on here with bare subtlety to talk not about what the man has written but about whether the man on a vendetta.
If you have issues with what Liburd has written why don't you post it and perhaps discuss it...
show people where you think the man is on a vendetta and show where the man as an investigative journalist has failed to provide cogent analysis to what he has written...

[Bakes]

Correct on all points sir. However, can I ask if Lasana Liburd has done any other investigative pieces?

What is this... Twenty Questions?  Yuh get yuh question answered and that not enough?

[Brownsugar]

The man ask for an honest answer- Both

Is ah good thing he have a vendetta....

Remains to be seen if you go have a "vendetta" on Birchy  

Tork bout bein between a rock and a hard place

 

[Brownsugar]

If it were not for Lasana Liburd we would have had to pay $30,000 for a travel package to Germany which didn't include airfare (the boldfacedness of that particular aspect of the package still boggles my mind up to this day).....

I for one will forever be grateful to him....write on brother, write on!!

@ Gothic,  slight correction, Jack/TTFF didn't pull his credentials to WC 06.  The application the Express made to the Gestapo on his behalf was rejected on the basis that Lasana was on a blacklist at FIFA.  The Express then contacted FIFA and was told there was no such blacklist and gave Lasana the accreditation....I stand to be corrected but that's how I remember the story....

Fight on Lasana!!  Fight on!! 

[Big Magician]

gie  dem Lasana..gie dem...FOREVER

[Sam]

Lasana is a boss. !!!

De rest of press is sheman, when they see Jack they does put they tail between they leg and hide.

Lasana is we local Andrew Jennings.

And noting wrong in investigating corruption, that is part of de wok to.

[dreamer]

Lasana is de best and could get a job with CBS's 60 minutes easy peasy as he is moving like a true investigative journalist, amongst largely a bunch of slackers, some of whom are probably given sumpum to shut up. Y'undustan? Go breddah. Indisputable hero for his country and dis blog!

[vb]

None of Lasana's pieces are yet to be successfully refuted.

He has forced JW's hand and clearly made him contradict himself in public.
A man who boldfacedly lied about not knowing his family was selling WC tickets.

He has done what most local Journalists don't have the balls to do.

Well done Lasana.

VB

[Bakes]

I does nitpick and pong him on li'l stylistic things here and there... but substantively, in my lifetime I would commpare him only to Keith Smith in terms of his gift with the pen.  As an investigative journalist, I only have his exposes on Jack to go on, and would do a disservice to the many others who come before him to call him the "best".  All that qualifying aside... he's the best, most incisive writer in TnT. 

The guy is principled... which is the highest quality a journalist can hope for, second to impartiality.  He's not the most impartial when it comes to Jack, but really and truly, there's not much on the scale to balance out the negatives when it comes to Jack.  Restraint from cussing he name is the best that one can hope for when it comes to impartiality towards Jack.

[Football supporter]

Bakes, you mentioned Keith Smith, who I am sure is the man behind the Express editorial, or at least one of the main authors.

With regards to Liburd and Jennings, I believe that once you get so close to a story and you know there is injustice, you just won't let go. Look at Woodward and Bernsteins' persistance with Watergate and Donald Woods fight to publish the truth about Biko. Investigative reporters have a tenacity that won't allow justice to be left unserved.

I don't think these guys have a vendetta per se, maybe an obsession to see the story through. However, when you see the personal attacks made upon them, it is understandable that the journos and the players want to see Jack under the cosh and made to pay the penalty for any wrongs he may have comitted.

[weary1969]

 

The man ask for an honest answer- Both

Is ah good thing he have a vendetta....

Remains to be seen if you go have a "vendetta" on Birchy  

Tork bout bein between a rock and a hard place

  otherwise dis thread would not have worth a response

[Bakes]

Bakes, you mentioned Keith Smith, who I am sure is the man behind the Express editorial, or at least one of the main authors.

With regards to Liburd and Jennings, I believe that once you get so close to a story and you know there is injustice, you just won't let go. Look at Woodward and Bernsteins' persistance with Watergate and Donald Woods fight to publish the truth about Biko. Investigative reporters have a tenacity that won't allow justice to be left unserved.

I don't think these guys have a vendetta per se, maybe an obsession to see the story through. However, when you see the personal attacks made upon them, it is understandable that the journos and the players want to see Jack under the cosh and made to pay the penalty for any wrongs he may have comitted.

Agree with yuh on all points.  Lasana problem is that he may have allowed himself to get... just ah little bit... sucked into the battle with Jack and it may have compromised his objectivity.  But at the same time, objective or not his reports are always factual.  If yuh meet de devil and see fuh yuhself he evil, kinda hard after that to be impartial and say he's not ah bad fella.

Keith as Editor of the Express no doubt had some input in that editorial would be my guess.  I know he's been ill though, not sure how much he's been working, so...

[Football supporter]

You know what they say, Bakes:  If it looks like a dog and barks like a dog....it probably is a dog lol

[Brownsugar]

Bakes, you mentioned Keith Smith, who I am sure is the man behind the Express editorial, or at least one of the main authors.

With regards to Liburd and Jennings, I believe that once you get so close to a story and you know there is injustice, you just won't let go. Look at Woodward and Bernsteins' persistance with Watergate and Donald Woods fight to publish the truth about Biko. Investigative reporters have a tenacity that won't allow justice to be left unserved.

I don't think these guys have a vendetta per se, maybe an obsession to see the story through. However, when you see the personal attacks made upon them, it is understandable that the journos and the players want to see Jack under the cosh and made to pay the penalty for any wrongs he may have comitted.

Agree with yuh on all points.  Lasana problem is that he may have allowed himself to get... just ah little bit... sucked into the battle with Jack and it may have compromised his objectivity.  But at the same time, objective or not his reports are always factual.  If yuh meet de devil and see fuh yuhself he evil, kinda hard after that to be impartial and say he's not ah bad fella.

Keith as Editor of the Express no doubt had some input in that editorial would be my guess.  I know he's been ill though, not sure how much he's been working, so...

Remember that lil tete-a-tete Gary Hunt had with Fuentes/TTFF a while back?  Lasana was the only journalist in the room to ask Mr. Hunt why he asked Fuentes to leave......I think in his mind he saw it as wrong and had the balls to call Gary on it.  He could have sat there like the rest of the lap dogs and said nothing.  But he didn't......if only we had about 10 more Lasanas we would be a better country.....

[Sando]

Big up Lasana

[asylumseeker]

Pleasantly surprised to see an article by him in World Soccer's July edition.

[Dansteel - The Iceman]

People I think it's a fair question. I believe in what the man doing but in truth I don't recall investigative pieces on other subjects by him.

Correct on all points sir. However, can I ask if Lasana Liburd has done any other investigative pieces?

[Trinitozbone]

Lasana is one of our best investigative journalists in T&T . He is not afraid to bring out all the facts and is in no one"s pockets like  our other  sport journalists except for Fazeer! Because of this he has faced the ire of JW on exposing some of his dealings!
I wish we had more like him , Sport especially football would have been in a better place than it is now!
Big up Lasana!

[Jack Horner]

Warriors hold El Salvador 2-2 in Gold Cup opener
wired868.


The Trinidad and Tobago national football started its 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against El Salvador tonight in the opening Group B match-up at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

Kenwyne Jones and Keon Daniel scored in each half for the “Soca Warriors” in a thrilling encounter although, at the final whistle, new head coach Stephen Hart may have been grateful to goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams for a stunning save in the dying seconds to deny El Salvador substitute Mark Blanco.

The Warriors will now travel to Miami where they will face Haiti in their second Group B assignment at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. A win against Haiti should assure Trinidad and Tobago of a berth in the knockout round with a game to spare since four points is likely be enough for at least one of two available spots for the best third placed teams.

There are 12 participating teams in the 2013 Gold Cup finals and only four will be eliminated in the first round. The Warriors would always have fancied their chances of progression, especially as they avoided heavyweights like United States, Costa Rica and Mexico in the group draw. But Hart’s men gave more tangible reason for optimism tonight.

Hart spoke of the need to make a quick impression on Trinidad and Tobago’s Central American opponent and the Warriors did not let him down.

In the tenth minute, Carlos Edwards cut inside from the left on a mazy dribble through the El Salvadorian midfield and tried to thread the ball through to Jones on his left. The opposing defence kept the ball away from the intended recipient but it deflected into Daniel’s path and the Philadelphia Union midfielder reacted quickly to steer home at the near post.

So far, so good. But a cheap free kick conceded by Kevon Carter offered El Salvador a half-chance in the 21st minute and Rodolfo Zalaya responded with a curling effort that didn’t quite find the corner but zipped past Williams and into the back of the net.

Williams was beaten again in the 42st minute as Rafael Burgos drove goalwards from an outrageous angle but saw his effort rap the heel of the far post before rebounding harmlessly away.

The second half saw both nations threaten as Burgos and Edwards went close before El Salvador struck again through Zalaya who forced a header past Williams from close range off a right side cross.

Zalaya, who turned 25 last week, is becoming a regular source of goals for El Salvador. That was his 15th international goal from 35 appearances.

In contrast, Jones had just seven goals from 50 full international games before tonight. But the Stoke City man gave a reminder as to why he has been on the books of three England Premier League clubs with a fine individual effort to pull the Warriors back level.

There were two defenders in attendance when his namesake, Joevin Jones, played a long ball into his path. But Jones (K) chested the ball down and spun around El Salvador captain Victor Turcios in one fluid movement and held off Steven Purdy before lashing left footed past goalkeeper Dagoberto Portillo and into the far corner.

Turcios, incidentally, plays for RoPS in the Finland Premier League alongside Trinidad and Tobago playmaker Ataullah Guerra who is absent because the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) waited too long to apply for his visa. Another talented young defender, Sheldon Bateau, is absent as a request was not sent to his Belgium employer, KV Mechelen, in time.

Perhaps such cock-ups are the difference between three points and one at this level.

The Warriors, who fluctuated between steady and sloppy in midfield, did seek out a winner as Daniel and Edwards failed to beat Portillo with two half-chances.

But, in the end, the Trinidad and Tobago team was thankful for the solitary point as Osael Romero stepped inside Power but struck his effort off the heel of Williams’ post again. And Williams, who captained the Warriors through the qualifying rounds, saved the day with a brilliant one-handed save after a cushioned Romero header was met by a stunning overhead kick by substitute Mark Blanco from close quarters.

In 10 meetings with El Salvador over the last three decades, Trinidad and Tobago won four and drew three but two of their three losses came in this competition. Both teams might have been satisfied with a draw at the final whistle.

It has been 13 years since Trinidad and Tobago won a match at the Gold Cup and then, under coach Bertille St Clair, the boys in red, white and black went on to storm their way into the semifinals.

Hart can dream of doing at least as well if he can help his troops outwit Haiti on Friday. Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti played to a goalless draw at the Caribbean Cup tournament last December and the Warriors have significantly enhanced their team since then with the inclusion of Khaleem Hyland, Justin Hoyte, Darryl Roberts, Edwards, Daniel and Jones (K).

Hart and new director of football, Leo Beenhakker, were supposedly brought in to strengthen Trinidad and Tobago’s technical staff. A result against Haiti would arguably be a step in the right direction for the new coaching duo.

Was that necessary ?

How stupid can Lasana really be?

In the past 13 years T&T has missed out on the 2003, 2009 and 2011 Gold Cup.

Not to mention its hosted every 2 years.

So 13 years divided x 2 = 6.5

Minus 3 additional years 2003, 2009 and 2011 that will leave you with 3.5 years.

Nothing never positive and without Jack Warner he have nothing really much to write about or no one really cares to read it garbage.