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I don’t know what plans he has for his vacation, but I strongly recommend to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that he spend all of it in solitary self-confinement seeking guidance from whatever deity or deities he believes in regarding his leadership capabilities.
I don’t care whether it’s an ashram, a monastery or Papa Neezer’s shrine, I honestly believe that Keithos can benefit from a mega-dose of divine intervention to help him determine whether he has what it takes to lead this cussed country out of the morass it has been mired in for decades.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
By now, he must recognise that his leadership of the nation has fallen short of the expectations of most citizens. That after almost one year at the helm his Government has nothing tangible to show.
So much so that, if it continues in this mode, it would be stricken with rigor mortis and, rather than mark its anniversary with a celebration on September 7, it should hold a wake.
This Government has not cleaned a drain, fixed a pothole, installed a street light, brought water to the thirsty, reined in galloping crime, created new jobs, built or completed a new school…
The only thing it can boast of is that, thus far, none of its ministers or top officials has stolen from the public purse. And that might be more because the coffers are empty rather than any moral rectitude on their part.
To misuse a scientific term, the inertia in governance is explosive.
Look, those of us who are not sycophants of one brand or other know that Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her gang raped the country every which way and blew close to TT$300 billion in five years with precious little to show for it.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
They borrowed money to increase the public debt, and owed every dog and his brother more billions when they were booted out of office.
In fact, their abuse of power and misuse of money were what caused the electorate to kick them hard in their butts one year ago.
We also know that energy revenues fell precipitously since the PNM took office. For example, it dropped from TT$6.15 billion to TT$1.67 billion between October 2015 and January 2016—and possibly worse between February and July—rendering management of the economy a nightmare.
But you know what, Keithos? We are fed up hearing what Kamla and her gangsters did or did not do.
The only time you and your Cabinet colleagues should mention their names henceforth is to announce their arrests, detail the charges against them, and to tell us what cells they occupy in prison.
Failing that, I’ll say like CLR James used to: shut up!
While money is important to do most things a government needs to do, there are many more things that a good leader can say or do to inspire or motivate his or her people. Britain’s economy and its war machinery were inferior to Nazi Germany’s when Winston Churchill rallied his countrymen to make immense sacrifices, millions of lives included, to turn the tide and defeat Hitler.
(Copyright news.gov.tt)
But to achieve such goals, one must lead by example—drive ordinary vehicles, eliminate lavish receptions, eat local and let people see you do that. And, most of all, ensure that you, your family and Cabinet colleagues are above reproach.
I know the ideals I’m setting out are tough on a people who have grown accustomed to living the good life. But if you want to change people’s work ethic, their lifestyles and adjust their expectations during harsh times, you must first change and adjust yours.
The motto at Sandhurst, the military academy where I was trained and from which I graduated exactly 50 years ago, is simply: “Serve to lead”.
What am I asking of the Prime Minister? Example one: runaway crime, especially murders, is of urgent and critical concern. Inspector Michael Seales, president of the representative association, is reported as saying to a call by Minister Edmund Dillon for an intensification of joint army-police patrols, we’ll cooperate—but pay us our money first.
In other words, your money or your life, which is preposterous, coming from a senior police officer.
(Copyright 103FM)
As leader of the nation, the PM should address police officers directly and rally them to engage in a massive, sustained assault against the 10,000 or so criminals who are terrorising the nation.
With no apologies to General Dillon, this is no time for “architecture”, this is a time for war, a fight to the finish.
Likewise, the PM must “ground” with public servants, daily-paid workers, teachers, energy sector workers, CEPEP, URP, farmers—in other words, everyone from whom you are demanding productivity—and motivate them to rescue the nation from the brink of becoming a failed state.
This is not about micromanagement, this is about leadership of a calibre we’ve never had in our history.
It’s a tall order.
Keithos either has it, or he doesn’t.
(Copyright News.Gov.TT)
Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read Raffique Shah’s follow-up column as he offers an apology and expresses concern for the health of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley; and opens up on his own life with Parkinson’s Disease.
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..Who talked about magic?..
Hey, don’t we have these discussions every year? I’m sure we covered the SIngapore and Mauritian model here already> RS needs to read Wired. We sorted it long time! :-p
Never said that..did I?…agitate and advocate for better, have think thanks, pressure groups, enlighten entrenched supporters to hold their leaders to a higher standard and account for their stewardship better etc…but waiting /expecting this magical “third force political party” to just appear and lead us to de promised land is fool’s gold
Then let’s just eat the shit and hush..
This “viable third force” of which you all always speak of and cling too…that was the COP…no?…how did THAT turn out?!..lol…the reality is the any “third force” would be citizens of the same country which produced the PNM and the UNC…reality check this “third force”…eh…go…be…better…bank on it!, They would sound beytter, market themselves better, etc but ultimatley they are BOUND to disappoint…there is no magical bullet people, this is Trinidad & Tobago..and this is who we are
Leadership? What leadership? Rowley is severely incompetent and is incapable of anything closely resembling leadership.
Hoped you felt the same during and after Kamla’s nearly 6-year reign.
Steups. What that have to do with the stupidity and incompetence we are witnessing now? Stop making excuses for bullshit.
Pnm people hav no sense they own government hav them so
Claudine Abraham apparently you now get up from your long nap.
Ron Dell I wonder how much UNC pay u to be talking so much garbage on these blogs. The evidence after 5 years was overwhelmingly clear. Kamla was not a fit leader. You have the nerve to talk about stupidity and incompetence? Have u been in a coma from 2010 – 2015?
Well obviously not as much as PNM paying you to defend their shit and lack of performance. Again I would ask you as I ask all blind PNM supporters. Where is the evidence that you say is so clear? What has the PNM done in the last 10 months that the PP had failed to do? How much better is the country and your quality of life than it was before September?
Lead lol colm imbert have been the Priminister more than him
Strange eh Simon Dr.Rowley jaunt has seen good day ahead none of Kamla jaunt can say the same funeral fund raiser and the works plus wine to the ground eh SMNH
..I have long declared myself a citizen of the Free State Of Jones. At least in my mind..
Raf has also spoken for me!!
..NOBODY here is trying to convince you UNC better than PNM Lasana. We agree. We need that Holy Grail – a viable third force that has a clear alternative philosophy about our history, our sad current predicament, and the way forward. And this could only come from the Left. (Does that exist in Trini any more?)..
Well I think a lot of people like myself, who support neither the PNM nor the UNC, have given the new government a fair chance – almost one year in office to see what moves they would have made and what would have been their priorities. As a small business person, corruption and theft is just as harmful to me as poor performance and incompetence. That’s why for me it’s not about whether Kamla and Moonilal are worse and whether they could have done better. For me it’s what can we do other than choose between the UNC and the PNM…I am willing to be part of that solution.
I think when you have to line up at a bank to buy a limit of $100 Canadian dollars a day, we’re pretty close to lost. Also, Shah talks about two things: action and leadership. Yes, it’s difficult to effect action in a year, but surely after a year your leader should be able to give a clear picture of where you’re heading and how you will be getting there? Shouldn’t govt be reporting back at least on a yearly basis where they are in achieving their manifesto promises?
I think that we should have a PM report to the Nation every 6 months so that the country knows where we are going – the good and the bad. All governments, present and future. And it is not called ‘the Budget’.
Judy-ann Stewart Wouldn’t that be something? We’d finally see some transparency. Why don’t you suggest it to Maxie?
Bonnie Khan, if I start writing with suggestions to the government, It might be opening a floodgate! I will be like those people who write letters that no one reads. I have been thinking about it though.
Maxie Cuffie… Won’t it be great to have the PM report to the nation every six months on where we are heading and how those campaign promises are going.
So there’s a suggestion for the Gov’t. 😉
Bird on the ball as always!
Only the large companies will survive. We have a small start-up, company doing well, serious potential, but cannot get any foreign exchange to being in our stocks. Not asking much, just 10k USD. Worse, the banks cannot give you any idea of when they will be able to fill. Lots of small businesses will have to close doors while the big boys get bigger…. We lost or very close to lost….
Good point on those promises. And early signs of leadership.
So Lasana – the Parliament sessions and Cabinet briefings don’t provide that information? Just asking.
And really, I fully agree that we have issues to address but to suggest that we are lost is a bit much. Our economic situation is far from dire as well and we are nowhere close to being a failed state. Let’s not fall into hyperbole.
Kendall, I pointed to certain incidents already during their term in which the behavior fell short of what I would want from any government.
I’m not sure what that has to do with parliament channel or being a failed state.
Even though, you will struggle to convince that we are a functional state. No matter what Webster says.
I was referring to the need to report on what the government was doing. I was asking if these avenues do not provide the information you were asking for on a recurrent basis.
And as for our not being a functional state, if you truly think so, I would suggest that you look up the meaning of what a non-functional state truly is and then tell me if we are such.
Here is a starting point.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-most-failed-states-on-earth-2013-6?op=1
We have problems we need to address but we are far from a non-functional state.
I know you would give me Webster Kendall. So predictable.
Showing me list of most failed states is like an abusive husband explaining how much more abuse his wife could actually be getting.
I’m not going to read that because i don’t care. I’ve travelled off this rock quite a bit.
I know what we are being denied and I know our self inflicted wounds as a people.
No amount of nonsense in Zimbabwe or wherever will ever make me feel better about that.
You think this is a functional country Kendall Tull?
As I said very clearly more than once, we have issues Lasana Liburd but we are NOT a failed state by any stretch of the imagination. As you yourself pointed out in a different thread, degrees matter. Or I guess they do only in certain matters?
Lemme try again. Kendall Tull show me where I said we are a failed state.
And it is a matter of fact, not opinion, as to what constitutes a failed state.
What I said is we are not a functional one. If you ignored Webster you would understand what I mean by that.
A non functional state is not a failed state?
Well then tell me your definition. What’s the distinction?
If it doesn’t make sense to you then forget it Kendall Tull. But they are not interchangeable terms to me.
Or let me put it like this. Are we a functioning state Kendall Tull?
Yes we are Lasana. Why do you think we are not?
I would ask you to give me one example of something that is functioning. But we clearly won’t agree on whatever that might be anyway.
Kendall Tull this country has no law and order whatsoever. The only thing that keeps us going is the fact that enough people haven’t accepted that, didn’t notice or are too disciplined to act on that information.
We can agree to disagree. In no way shape or form is this a functional country in my opinion.
We haven’t even thrown off our colonial mindset yet. Look let me try not to go full VS yes. Lol
Kendall Tull No they don’t. A major problem with this and other PNM governments is the inability to communicate. Cabinet briefings are more as a reaction to something rather than providing good information.
If you think that saying that we have no law and order Lasana and can’t see that statement as being hyperbole, I can’t help you. If you insist that we are a non-functional state, you really need to check your frame of reference. Our problems aren’t unique so if we aren’t functional, who is?
Nowhere is perfect. I lived in UK for about three years. There is law there. You can break it. But you know you are taking a chance and there is a real chance of being caught.
My frame of reference is from traveling and experiencing other cultures Kendall.
You have a very charming view of Trinidad and I won’t deprive you of it.
Maybe being in the media helps me to see behind the curtain more regularly than most.
Me saying there is no law and order is no hyperbole at all. But we are not going to see eye to eye here.
I wish I saw your Trinidad and Tobago.
Lasana,
You don’t have a chance of winning this one. Give up. Saying there is “NO LAW AND ORDER” in T&T is, emphatically an overstatement.
Now I understand why someone might say that. However, I can’t understand why an intelligent man like you would, having said it and had your error pointed out to you, defend it. It’s indefensible.
There’s all the difference in the world between a society where SOME people RITUALLY break laws and an anarchistic society (I am deliberately avoiding the failed/non-functional state debate). We are far from anarchy. And you really don’t want to insist that that is NOT the case, which is what saying there is NO LAW AND ORDER is.
When three or four aeroplanes crash in a short span of time, people say that flying is unsafe. But there are literally thousands of flight that took off and landed safely in that same span of time. But who’s looking in that direction?
Earl, what do you call a country where you can do almost any crime imaginable and have a 90 percent chance of getting away with it? And one where the people who write the law and the people who enforce it are probably right next to you doing even worse?
A place where law and order reins.
I’m sorry. But I am just telling you what I see.
I resent your implication that I live in a bubble uninformed by experiences outside of our country and devoid any interaction beyond what is said in the media. But whatever.
Lol. Ok kendall. I’m sorry. But I don’t know what to say.
I can tell you about police selling weed and criminals giving out hampers. About politicians and money launderers and bankers and…
I mean people don’t hide to do stuff in Trinidad.
In functioning countries, criminals hide. Not here.
I’m really taken aback that you haven’t seen what I have. But I don’t know how to describe it to you over Facebook.
You make feel like I am from the seedy part of the country. Lol.
It’s not that I don’t know what you are saying. I said we have issues. These things also happen in other jurisdictions, including the much lauded US in which the solution rates aren’t that different than ours. I posted that in another thread and you expressed shock at the numbers.
My point was simply that to say we are a non-functional state because of the problems we have is hyperbole because by that definition, every state is non-functional.
And no – I am not excusing our government nor am I saying that we don’t have problems. What I am saying is that we should not denigrate ourselves and suggest that we are a non-functional/failed/insert your terminology state. It isn’t correct to say so.
Anyway – carry on smartly. I am out of here.
And maybe every state is failed Kendall. I’d say Britain is better than us because I lived there. Doesn’t mean it is near perfect.
And I don’t see a problem with all states being different distances from acceptable.
Americans walk around with assault weapons during peacetime. Their choice of leader is between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
But that takes me back to a point I made a few times Kendall. I really don’t care about those other countries. I care about fixing mine.
And for me, the fact that it needs major work–an overhaul even–proves it is non-functional.
If you thought I was comparing Trinidad and Tobago with elsewhere from the start, I wasn’t. I don’t care about anywhere else. Not more than I care about here anyway.
I live here by choice. And I want here to be better and function the way it says on the box.
I want to see the full VS
Ok. No law and order whatsoever is overstating it. Some order, a little bit of law and, in my opinion, not properly functional. 🙂
Let’s all pat ourselves on the back now. T&T is not a non-functional state it’s just very dysfunctional
Pardners, I tell you I seeing things happening and it look to me like I’m somewhere I don’t want to be. So I am alerting the driver.
Clearly Raffique thinks like me. We not waiting until we see the cliff approaching.
That’s our right too, not so?
Look how early I told David John-Williams in football, for instance. Why wait when you know exactly where certain streets lead?
I know Arrogance Avenue and Lack of Transparency Highway quite well, Sir. So I am asking the driver to make a U-turn.
‘Lost’? Really? We’re there already??
How long do you wander about before you realise you’re lost Richard Zen O’Brien? Lol. When I see some tell tale signs, I’m telling the driver: “This ent look like where I want to be heading pardners.”
You never read the Death by SatNav stories?
It’s a bit premature for this. Judging where we were heading, the fact we haven’t gotten ‘there’ is a hell of an achievement. (I know, it’s hard to prove a negative didn’t happen based on your actions.)
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to be done, but it’s unrealistic to have grand expectations in 12 mths. There are institutional challenges to contend with the Presidency, Police Service, Judiciary, to name a few, where individuals have been strategically placed as allies of the Opposition.
It’s only been a year. Shah could hold back a bit.
Even if one agrees that FINAL judgement is premature, what’s wrong with a coursework grade? All Raffique is saying is that if we are in fact moving ahead, there’s precious little evidence of it.
I, for one, agree wholeheartedly; from where I stand, we’re merely marking time…and threatening to start moving backwards any minute.
..The problem is that both parties may differ in style and even some actions, but both parties are DECIDELY THE SAME. What is the philosophical difference between them? The last time either party had a clear ideological – yes, ideological – position was the nationalist, anti-colonial PNM and the pro-labour, leftist ULF. Now both of them just fight each other for the right to manage the shit..
On point Keith
I would agree that neither party seems to be pro-voter. I won’t say that makes them the same though.
I think we saw the dangers of that idea more than once.
That’s like saying “men are all the same”. Lol. They are not. Even the bad ones are different from each other.
..They differ in degree. That’s all. Same shite..
Degrees count. Even though I agree with you. Give me the same choice tomorrow and I vote exactly the same. So the problem is deeper than the bad governance which we are definitely getting.
..Yes. Given the same choice PNM gets back in. So abandon all hope ye who enter these gates. Fifty years later we don’t know is the same shite no matter who?..
There is a difference between falling in a swimming pool of shite and an ocean of shite. That’s the one thing we seem to differ on Keith.
..Yes bro. Agreed..
“What is the philosophical difference between them?”
Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee, Bim and Bam, half a dozen and six, this and that. You couldn’t be more on point, bro, although I have to say that, like Lasana, I’d vote exactly the same way next time given the same choices.
But that’s what we have to hope for, that we’ll be given real options next time around rather than damned if you do, damned if you don’t!
MIC DROP….
Seems sad when the choice in a pseudo democratic country is to choose the lesser of two evils! Oh how I hate Obama, who for all his ideological inexperience at least had the integrity to walk the talk-setting me up to believe not all politicians are absolutely corrupt! And to those who say not all politicians are corrupt-remember the quote-the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. That statement did nit come with a fence lol
I am not forgiving as I should you Shah yes in 1970 you were to defend my country and you use racial behaviour to influence the stupid african to kill one of their own and in 1990 your brother step up your game give my P M a dam chance
Hmm he is no different from abu them lucky is Trinidad they living
Sure bet
best article
Problem to me is great expectations of having everything benefit wise met without the expectation that the government has to do hard things. They cannot please all the people all the time.
Which people are they pleasing?
Trying to please. All those people who want their backpay NOW. Cane farmers who want their money NOW. We seem to have forgotten that the Treasury is supposed to be low but then we take money out of the HSF so pay us all.
There are always people that the Gov’t is pleasing. One good indicator sometimes is the budget.
Not everyone has a hand out for money and is criticising the govt based on that alone Judy.
There is no reasonable person who is going to say $x million for BL stadium but no medicine in hospital. Kamla tief, poor administration etc are excuses-u were put there to solve the problems-we already know what they are! What are you doing about it! Ihu wrt legislation but again, if legislation needed to tighten up, the pnm had more than ample time to address those issues over the years in office. The obvious question is why are we arguing to implement new legislation when we can’t enforce what we already have on the books. Moreover, why were our antiquated laws and their loopholes plugged and updated.
..Occupy..
. Business as usual..
..Business continues..
http://www.cnc3.co.tt/press-release/nine-trinidad-and-tobago-nationals-held-turkey-trying-join-isis
As the truth begins to hit Trinis – both the PNM and the UNC are ill equipped to lead a country. They BOTH have some serious flaws. So do we still think the answers to our problems lie simply in voting out governments?
And there are many, many people who do so. And it dilutes the powers of the rest of us.
And that is why they know they can say and do nonsense for 5 years and get away with it…because people are quite happy to defend incompetence, poor performance and corruption once their party is in power. When will Trinis wake up?!?
If we don’t know or understand what we want, politicians will do as they please.
Well when we defend politicians based on party loyalties and ignore their performance or behavior, we are saying to them, I am willing to put you before my well being and the well being of the country.
Narrisa Mandol, well said. Partisan politics is largely the reason that these regimes can do what they do and walk away without any liability. Until people vote on the issues and hold the government accountable for their actions (toothless commissions of inquiry, with no enforcement of law for guilty parties are a waste of taxpayers monies), incompetence will be the order of the day.
When I saw Rowley’s immediate responses to Marlene and Camille, I knew that we hadn’t broken tradition at all.
Nobody can accuse him of ushering in any new element for sure. By now, we wear corruption and incompetence as comfortably as a bedroom slipper.
Lasana Liburd there is a part in the article, that speaks about ” lead by eg.- drive ordinary vehicles, eliminate lavish receptions, eat local,……cabinet coll. Above reproach” i so endorse !!!!!!
Wait a second, they have done something tangible, they’re pursuing the appeal process started by the last Minister of Finance, who has been roundly (and justifiably) criticized, against the Court judgement that ordered the state to reveal the names of financial recipients and monetary figures associated with the CLICO bailout. Okay, okay, so it’s not the best definition of ‘tangible’, in the public service sense of the word, but hey, at least it means they’re upholding the true spirit of business-as-usual, i.e.supporting the usual vested interests against the public right to know how its taxes are being spent….
OK Different….
At least we know what we are getting eh. A little black eye and slap from time to time. But we will live. We get this before. Right?
And apparently a whole bunch of people like it fine…..
Because they only ever had abusive politicians. Hard to know what a good one looks like when you’ve grown accustomed to a choice between kinda creepy, pretty creep and damn creepy!
That isn’t to say that every politician is bad eh. Not at all. A big part of the problem is the electorate doesn’t know what it wants, which makes us hard to please in the first place.
Disagree. Name a good one from the last and present admin. Just one. or two.
Hahaha. I can’t. But I know sweeping generalisations tend to be wrong. So I’m leaving room open Jamela.
I can name a few whose reputations have not been harmed though.
In this country Keith, everybody has a right to an excuse except the young athletes.
If Michelle Lee Ahye don’t win gold, nobody cares about what funding she didn’t get and opportunities that were not provided to her.
But touch the big hardback man and woman who in a job for how long without effecting change… And watch the excuses pour out.
We are a style over substance ppl. Those at the top aren’t going to forego the trimmings to make a point.
Having said that though… Our system also doesn’t allow for the kind of leadership that the author is talking about. It’s difficult to lead a country where half the ppl meet you with ear plugs.
It’s even harder to do when you can’t offer what they want.
Overhauling legislation to make meaningful systemic changes would be great. But when the opposition is going to oppose for the sake of opposing, how much progress can you make?
I agree that one man cannot overhaul a system. In particular, the bit about the police service being transformed with a pep talk is pie in the sky.
All the same, I think the PM can definitely do more to make his side beyond reproach and to lead from the front. To show some of the wit and resilience that we will all need to flourish.
The legislative agenda is looking like there are definitely plans to put structures in place. It cannot happen overnight, but certain things seem to be flowing. It also seems as if they are trying to group actions and workplans, so that things may happen quickly once they start on that bundle.
..Yet again, Raf speaks for me. Before a country reaches failed state status – before it sinks – it drifts. And Trini is drifting aimlessly – decades now. But UNC had to go and some of us went in with our eyes wide open. Dat doh change the price of bean doh. PNM got to stop managing the drift and needs to start LEADING the country forward. But are they able, is the question..
I guess increasing the debt level so dramatically fails to impress most?
Change seeking radicals are never easily impressed. Damn hippies. What’s so wrong with a minor cosmetic procedure? :-/
Stuepssssssssss
I don’t think we’ll ever all be in a situation where we’ll like to be..we’re in a democracy, and that’s how it works. The people are usually able to get a ‘feel’, ‘flow’ or ‘feed off’ the tone of governments and I don’t the population is with Shah and you yet. Theres a learning curve to be applied to a new govt, they must be given time to establish their terms of governance. Yes, we haven’t seen criminal charges yet, but it’s clear there are a lot of investigations going on holding officials accountable for past practices. That’s part of governance too!
I’m not suggesting you should ignore what you see as concerns- not that you would listen to me anyway 🙂 – but we should be careful before we prematurely point to a ‘falling sky’.
I listen. I like listening. Tell me when would be a good time to call on your government for promises made? If you were Rowley, what would you do?
There’s no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ time to hold a govt accountable. However, there should be realistic expectations, taking various factors into consideration.
Richard Zen O’Brien Especially when you have to dig out of an unfathomable hole, literally.
Exactly, Glenda
But I think we all agree some kind of reporting would be good, even if it has to say things like how difficult it is to get out of that hole. It moves away from the blame game and starts showing a way forward and a different kind of governance that we’ve become too used to.
And I think we have seen that, Bonnie. It started with the statement from the PM last December and it has continued in parliament.
Rafique this is our best PM and we give him our full support
you living in la la land
Yea
Three important reminders…1-..keep your promise…2-..speak out for what you think is important…3-..do what you say you are going to do…walk the talk!!!
What I like about this article he not only nails the problems but he offers some very simple and workable solutions. Agree with Raffique that it seems we are limping along and he should take a cue or two from Singapore’s success with no natural resources. So far there’s nothing in my view to celebrate on September 7th. You can come better Keithos.
At the same time, the police service and the like ent going to be changed with no pep talk. Rowley can do better. But he cannot change the country by himself.
Agreed Lasana but while I think he is genuine I also think he has put some square pegs in some round holes and he needs to change them like yesterday. The crime is now at a horrific level and the health system is the worst it has been in years. These two matters are critical and I do hope he visits the Dalai Lama while on vacation.
Good article
I’m all for calling out the PNM and letting them know we are unhappy and they need to change direction. Certainly.
Of course we need to demand more from politicians. But I will never be convinced that Kamla and Moonilal and Fuad and the gang can do better.
So unless there is a new opposition, it will be about the people taking it upon themselves to be an opposition movement and try to force change however possible.
Lol
..Easy. Easy. We disagree. We are not “delusional”. Easy. LOL..
I will say the PNM has not delivered anything near to expectations. I will say that our political system is not designed to cater to the people.
I will say that we continue to be let down by successive governments.
But I cannot say that the PNM and the PP are interchangeable. I think that it is crazy and even dangerous to say so.
the two govts are definitely not the same…anyone who believes they are, is quite delusional and should seek therapy…and it is not a happy thought that neither party has done the job the country needs, but shouldn’t we give Rowley’s PNM a fair chance before we vilify them? KPB’s so-called coalition had their full five years (and she was still asking for more time after that) … it’s good that we can challenge the existing govt to do more and to do better but to rail against them after such a short space of time, seems rather premature…
Of course we deserve better Narrisa. And we have to work to get better. But it doesn’t make the statement untrue. That there is worse.
Things can always get worse and it is sensible to recognise that too.
Lasana, I have to respectfully disagree. This talk about who less corrupt or who is the lesser of two evils has gotten Trinidad and Tobago absolutely nowhere in the last 20 years. Look where we are – Marlene and Camille less worse than Anil and Anand. We deserve much more than that my friend.
If the difference in two abusive partners is the difference in the level of abuse, I would say there still is a very real difference.
I’m happy to say that neither party has done the job the country needs. But I will not say the two are the same because that suggests they are interchangeable.
And I would take Marlene, Camille and Colm over Anil, Anan and Jack any day.
I am not fond of either trio. But I think the latter bunch is more dangerous.
..Precisely. True democracy is hard work. And the average person just wants to get on with life. They ain’t able with that..
Keith this is such an accurate description of our politics…but not many people are willing to hear it. They convince themselves that there are REAL differences between the PNM and the UNC…but these two parties are more alike than we want to admit. Maybe because it would mean we have to do something more than just vote a government out every 5 years? Yuh know once we vote out a government we think, yes, we have done our part to help build a better Trinidad and Tobago.
“The only thing it can boast of is that, thus far, none of its ministers or top officials has stolen from the public purse. And that might be more because the coffers are empty rather than any moral rectitude on their part.”
Raf, I’m not sure it’s an achievement but I think it’s something the PM is likely to boast about so you need to add to your list that the current government has been able to borrow $10.7 billion in the short time it has been in power. The figure comes from former Works Minister Suruj Rambachan in yesterday’s Express so don’t expect it to be accurate; it’s very difficult for PP people not to play politics with everything.
And at the moment, not too many people are going to go with the affirmative answer.
And on the evidence, who can blame them?