Dear forumites, visitors and posters,
Isn’t wonderful to be ah trini? Trinidad and Tobago is such a sweet place, our people love the joie de vivre, our women are of unparalleled beauty. Our nation is blessed with natural resources and is considered paradise by most. Inventive people, land of the steel band, calypso, soca and limbo. Who can dispute that we have de best limes in sweet La Trinity? Anyone who ever make ah cook by de Caura River, lime down Las Cuevas, Maracas or Toco can attest to the wonders of ah good trini lime. Visitors are amazed at our affable nature and welcoming disposition, and in Trinidad we never deign to spoil ah perfectly good curry by adding yogurt to it…ent Palos?
We have doubles, crab and callaloo, pelau, we stew chicken is de best in de world, our carnival is unmatched and the biggest bachannal in the world. Tobago has Bucco Reef, and the reputation as being Robinson Crusoe’s Isle. In sports we have Haseley Crawford, Ato Boldon, Brian Lara, Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Dwight Yorke, Claude Noel, Leslie Tiger Stewart and George Bovell.
Janelle Penny Commissiong, Wendy FitzWilliams, and Giselle La Ronde showed the entire world how beautiful and desirable our women are. Hurricanes barrel menacingly towards our twin island republic only to veer away before striking our blessed shores, prompting many to proclaim that “God is ah trini.”
But there is also something sinister happening in Trinidad and Tobago. Murders, kidnapping, bandits and gangs are holding entire communities in terror. Impotent governance, lack of accountability, and a laissez faire attitude threaten to destroy the very things we trinis hold so dear. While the country’s coffers are overflowing with bounty from oil and natural gas sales, unemployment is high, schools are in dire straits and the nation’s hospitals and health clinics need emergency treatment to resuscitate them.
As this is going on, the hapless government buys more anti-crime materiel and puts it on display. The effect this pappy show has on crime? None. Laws remain ineffective in dealing with crime as the police are stymied and call for the public’s help in solving/combating crime. The public has a failing confidence in the police’s ability to solve crime and the crooks are emboldened by this lack of leadership and vision. No amount of Blimps, attack helicopters, or radar equipment can solve crime.
The Government continues to invest heavily in what can be termed “white elephants” while the Ship of State flounders in a dangerous storm of apathy, corruption, and antiquated laws and systems. Schools are nests of violence, crime and drugs. No longer institutes of learning and knowledge, schools have become prey to gangs and hip-hop culture. Teachers are frequently absent and many have no degrees. The education Minister was appointed through the spoils system and has no qualifications for the job. Many citizens are seeking refuge abroad and many ex-pats are refusing to return home because of escalating crime and incidences of kidnapping. Rumors are abounding concerning the possible police collusion in the spate of kidnappings and murders are rarely solved by the police.
The Jamaat Al Muslimeen continues to be a thorn in the side of the authorities in Trinidad. They have been accused of illegal mining and quarrying activities on State lands, with reports stating that they have made many millions of dollars from their illegal digging. The Government stated recently that they were powerless to act because there were no laws on the books in the Nation to deal with illegal quarrying. Many bandits and murderers have links to the Jamaat, but the Mucurapo Road based institution appears beyond the reach of the T&T justice system. These same people attempted the infamous coup in June 1990, when many were killed and millions of dollars worth of personal and State property destroyed. It appears that successive governments have pandered to these people who act as if they are above the law.
In an attempt to gain political favor from the people, the Government hands out work in the form of the corrupt and gang run CPEP much like the Caesars of Ancient Rome did. This adds to the morass and corruption that plagues the country at this time. No longer is honest work the standard for accomplishment and gain in T&T. for many, who see life through the eyes of common crooks and bandits. Why work when you can simply mug?
Where are our leaders? Do we have any leaders? Where is the voice of the Church? Who is going to lead by example? More jails, the death penalty, and more police cannot be the solution. In fact these things are reactions to the increase in the brutality and crime in the nation. We do not need leaders who react, we need leaders with the vision to implement the “one ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure thinking.” We need leaders with the testicular fortitude to speak the truth and to implement programs even if these programs are not popular. Our leaders need to step up in 2006 and ensure that the ship of state is on an even keel. They must deliver on the promise of doing all that they can do to serve Trinidad and Tobago.
Then we can mean what we say when we proclaim that Trinidad and Tobago is ah paradise.
Truetrini
12/31/2005
