Crunch Time

It is crunch time for Trinidad and Tobago. The 2007 election finds the nation at a crucial juncture whereupon the result of this election determines the trajectory of the country in far more ways than the governance of the people for the next five years. The feedback from the people indicates that those that recognise this fact are coupled with the archaic practice of voting based upon ethnicity, social standing and traditional allegiance. As we are engulfed in the haze of campaigning, the minute differences that separate the contenders and the desperate attempts to woo your vote through the need to berate each other while ignoring policy, it is vital that we give ourselves the reality check to rise beyond the promises made on party platforms over the next fortnight.

In my article in August 2006 regarding the draft Constitution I outlined the reasons that the Ellis Clarke drafted document did not suit the political climate of T&T. A little over a year later the matter is of premier importance as the ruling party readies itself for implementation of this document, removing those that may object to it in a new Cabinet, at a time when a common complaint amongst the public is a lack of checks and balances to keep decision making democratic. Why then, one would ask, would you reinstate a Prime Minister already well versed in the practice of autocracy and nepotism (witness the Minister of Education) to an even more powerful position of Executive President? Even considering the lame behaviour of the office of President of late, why would you consider the removal of the office that acts as a major obstacle to bestowing almost totalitarian power to one man, the PM. Mr. Manning may not consider this as he exhibits the symptoms of myopia associated with those that consider that their decisions are absolute but it is a classic example of power corrupting and T&T does not need it to be escalated to absolute power corrupting his ‘vision’ absolutely.

In this reality check amongst the party’s promotions consider the alarming crime situation to which we have allowed ourselves to become accustomed, taking ever more precautions in the hope that when the crime does affect us it will not be of the violent variety. The failure of the PNM and its predecessor the UNC to arrest the appalling crime situation is reason enough to follow the example of St. Lucia and remove a government for failure to curb crime. And if a succeeding Government also fails to make a meaningful dent on crime the same applies. Governments do not throw money at crime in the hope that this maintains some control. Instead investment directed towards training, detection and social programmes that eliminate the scourge of the next set of potential criminals, eliminating the lure of gang culture, while taking a strict approach, with accountability, to a situation that would be considered to be of emergency proportions elsewhere. The role of courts and justice system as the vital support to the police has to be addressed. Crime exists in every nation but think about it while you step away from the silly season arena, T&T: officially less than one arrest per police officer per year, a daily murder statistic in a nation of just over a million and the abysmal failure from a succession of Security appointments. As stated, the crime situation alone, that failure to provide the basic need of a secure environment, warrants thought to your vote. Why reappoint any administration that has seen the situation grow progressively worse during its time in power?

Trinbagonians have to remove their minds from the tradition of being a die-hard (insert party name here) as well as the cult of personality of party leaders before casting this most vital of ballots. You would not put your money in a bank in the midst of disarray, being run without clear direction, changing its managers undemocratically as proof of its instability, so why vote the current Opposition into any position of power? Similarly you would not place your savings in a bank where you have no control over what is done with it, so why not put this thought into how you are governed? Breaking ranks is not the domain of brave politicians alone; voters can, for their own benefit, break their voting traditions.

The majority of the electorate will have already decided their vote, even without the parties producing manifestoes, yet the country has to shake its election foundations to the core. Those same manifestoes need to outline groundbreaking policies; they need to state a novel approach to governing with clearly defined check points and real accountability for failure to perform. The idea of the recall option for MPs is but a start. But for any of this to be meaningful, the electorate have to be willing to listen and therein lays the real problem, voting blindly followed by five years of regret or complaint. The people need to see past the pontificating and force the about turn that our governing requires. This is the cross roads for the nation. The real purpose of this election should be about the maturity of the electorate but the approach of the power-hungry defies this, as the bacchanal and verbal attacks continue to be lapped up by party faithful that, truth be told, have little reason for their allegiance. It is as if we believe that we should not demand better or that we sustain the complex of knowingly having the wool pulled over our eyes. This allows the type of politician that we have in our midst, where with 3 weeks to the voting date, various associations and people are still asking for policies.

Sadly, the need for the electorate to vote with real purpose is a pipe dream, that the choices on offer can be applauded for stating not very much or their past and present actions not causing alarm (party unification, no unification, Executive Presidency, dictatorial practices within their parties far less a Government) highlights this. My fervent hope is that we vote with intelligence and long range vision come November the 5 ^th otherwise we remain political gold fish, harbouring a five seconds memory, locked in a glass bowl and being fed a few daily crumbs of comfort from our masters while hoping that the bigger, bad fish is not going to get to us today.

Sheldon Waithe