Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said in her New Year’s greeting that 2022 has been a difficult and challenging one.

She said, “My hope for 2023 is that we all remember that despite the difficult challenges we face as a people, the power to make a positive change is within us. In 2023 let us discard the negative mentality that is being forced upon us that says, ‘Things could be worse.’ If we accept that apathetic mindset we will constantly lower the bar for ourselves and for generations to come. In 2023, let us instead say to ourselves, ‘Things should be better.’”

Persad-Bissessar said 2022 was the year TT witnessed the infamous industrial accident at Paria Fuel Trading Co which resulted in the deaths of Fyzal Kurban, Kazim Ali Jr, Rishi Nagassar and Yusuf Henry.

She said that year was also one in which she saw the Constitution “come under direct assault.”

She said, “By way of government and state officials sabotaging the independent selection of a substantive Commissioner of Police as well as conspiring to undermine the administration of justice in attempting to influence state witness Vincent Nelson.”

She said in addition to that, TT also saw severe flooding in Diego Martin, Oropouche, Moruga, Caroni and many other areas.

“These floods also destroyed infrastructure such as the Manzanilla/Mayaro Road which like many of our roads was already suffering from seven years of neglect and poor maintenance,” said Persad-Bissessar.

She added that people are also still being affected by rising unemployment, food prices and cost of living. Persad-Bissessar said 2022 will be remembered as the year with over 600 murders, the highest in history.

Persad-Bissessar also said, “The divers who lost their lives at Paria deserve justice, government officials who abuse and undermine our democratic constitutional values deserve to be condemned and held to account, and each and every citizen in our nation deserves to live free from fear, in peace, prosperity and security.”

She added, “Let us make 2023 the year we demand positive change for our nation and discover that we all have the power within ourselves to make it happen. The people of TT deserve a better future.”

She then wished TT a Happy New Year.

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