Trinidad and Tobago: Captain, the Ship Is Sinking

Captain, the Ship Is Sinking Muslim nationalists nearly deep-six a Caribbean government

Trinidadians traditionally express their political feelings in satirical calypso songs. Prime Minister A.N.R. Robinson won a landslide four years ago to the tune of Captain, the Ship Is Sinking, a telling commentary on the island nation's economic decline. But the conservative Robinson almost lost the helm himself last week, when a group of fanatic black Muslims took him and 54 others hostage in an attempt to bring down the government.

After five days, at least 30 dead and 150 wounded, Yasin Abu Bakr, leader of the abortive coup, emerged from the television-broadcast building in Port-of- Spain and laid down his rifle....

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