Democratic Aristocracy

With utter dismay I read, moreover, I feel anguish at the present day politician’s sprint for conventional wealth at the expense of the natural resources of our Trinidad & Tobago. Gas, ammonia and oil are spewing like water from a damaged water hydrant in La Horquetta, only this time, we do not see bare-baked children playing and laughing under the cool, spouting water, relishing the ‘bath’ under the heat of the trini sun, ignorant of the plight of millions who do not have the luxury of a handful of water to wash their faces, however, we see the political puerility of our politicians revelling in the revenue, showing disregard, at the highest level, for the dirge of the ‘owners’ of these resources, whose lifestyles warrant not the sly, manipulative dealings of those put in charge of their welfare.

We, the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago do not deserve the mistreating by any Government, the disrespect shown to us is unnecessary, as we struggle to get the simple basics provided economically and consistently. We would like paved roads instead of shiny rail tracks. Has anyone bothered to think of what it feels like to be sardined in a train carriage, under that unforgiving trini sun, with the mixture of smells, temperaments, voices, mobile phone conversations and fare-evasive arguments? Think of a red-band maxi, in rush hour, ten times more expensive and just as uncomfortable. Leave the train for the sugarcane, dreamy politicians.

We, the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago want improved social care. We want our public hospitals running like St Clair Medical Centre. That money you want to use on a private jet for yourselves, use it wisely to improve the health care system and infrastructure. Imagine a hospital in Tobago being given an ultimatum to clean up its act. How did it get to that stage in the first place? We want public facilities for the youth operating like Ellerslie Plaza Gym. What determines the stark differences in operational mentality between the private and public sectors? Why, that cash you want to throw at Bombardier can go a long way in improving the salaries of a good few thousand ‘low ranking’ public sector workers, who may greet us a with a smile instead of a steups in receipt of such a gracious gift!

The Government is public sector. Let us not forget that they are put there by the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago. They have to serve us. When did the roles become reversed? We sweat and toil to fatten their pockets, and we let them get away with such brazen greed and disrespect for us, for our children, our future, whilst their diplomatic passports absolve them of accountability? It should most definitely be the other way around. They should stand accountable for every aspect of socio-economic failure or success of this country. They should be the lowest paid public servants in the land, for their cause, by nature, should be humanitarian. This is not a FTSE listed business; these are the lives of people you are constantly fucking up. When will you wake up and realise that a new BMW, a refurbished Red House for your personal glory, a private jet, free this, free that, is draining the life blood of this country! Your legacy does not depend on how much money you’ve spent, or how many new buildings you’ve sanctioned, this is not Roman times, this is life in the twenty-first century and you have starving, homeless people to take care of. You are not King in this land. We are.