THE EDITOR: Soldiers, police personnel, coastguardsmen, judges, magistrates, licensing officers, custom officers, immigration officers and senior public officers are all supposed to ensure there is order in our society. These are the people who we depend on to protect us from lawbreakers and people with ill intent, even elected officials. When these people are compromised anarchy reigns.
In TT we are barely clinging on to order as many of our officials still hold on to the values expected from their office. Daily, however, these people are failing due to pressure from the criminals. They are compromised by financial inducements and in many cases by threats of violence or death against their person or their families.
In areas like water distribution and pipe repairs, community projects and landscaping, the criminals have been able to make their presence felt. They control the crowds at political events and are deeply involved in political campaigning.
Consequently, simple things like repairing a leaking pipe, patching a pothole on the roadway and completing a construction contract has become increasingly difficult as the criminals demand protection money.
Add to this extremely dangerous situation police protecting drug blocks and aiding in the transportation of guns and drugs. Additionally, there is the situation of extremely delayed justice allowing criminals to reign free of prosecution and imprisonment after committing several crimes.
On the other hand, there are the good people who send their children to some of our best schools and who proudly see them graduate. They must now sit in despair as at best many of our talented and educated children must wait in line for an opportunity to access a government job that cannot allow them to access a mortgage or rent a decent apartment. In desperation and out of necessity, many of our best minds have no choice but to seek employment abroad.
How can a people watching the daily deterioration of their living standards find hope? They know that we have more than enough water to supply every home and have the distribution system fixed within 12 months. They know that 2,500 cameras cost much less than $30 million and that there is more urgently needed action like secured licence plates that would be more effective in combating crime.
They know that within two years our roads can all be repaired and new roads constructed in rural areas to encourage economic activities in our communities. They know that regardless of our problems together we can solve every challenge and position our country for prosperity and peace.
They also know that the solution is not with the two parties that have governed by sending out subliminal messages of hatred for people of another race.
The answer is to find the strength to vote for people who offer hope. Honest people and a government that would offer economic opportunities for all. The answer lies in playing one's part in ensuring change occurs.
