THE EDITOR: The electorate urgently needs to be educated on the fundamental principles of democracy in order to understand the great power they hold in shaping the nation's future.
It is essential for citizens to understand that their vote is not just a right, but is a critical tool for ensuring accountability and good governance.
The tenure of the Keith Rowley-led PNM government provides a compelling case in point.
Over the past nine years, this administration has been entrusted with managing the nation's resources and addressing its economic and social challenges.
However, the results have been far from satisfactory – and everywhere you turn there is tangible proof of its failure to fulfil the mandate given by the citizens over the course of two five-year terms.
Despite spending over $500 billion in nine years, with an additional $50 billion-plus being borrowed, the economy remains flat and in some areas, in disarray.
The consequences of government's failure to properly manage the country's resources are clear: a tottering economy, rampant crime and lawlessness, especially murders and home invasions, an escalating poverty base which has bred pervasive inequality and injustice.
It raises the question: if the current leadership has not been able to rectify these issues over nearly a decade, can we reasonably expect them to do so in the future, for another five years?
Basic principles of democracy, good governance and accountability dictate that leaders who fail to deliver on their promises, and who mismanage public resources, must be held accountable and if found wanting – as is clearly the case in Trinidad and Tobago – removed from office.
As responsible citizens, we must critically evaluate the performance of our elected officials and make informed decisions at the polls in 2025, or if Dr Rowley rings the election bell, earlier.
Allowing a government to remain in power despite clear, patently evident failures undermines the very essence of democracy and perpetuates a cycle of inefficiency and despair.
It is time for the electorate to demand better governance, greater accountability, and a renewed commitment to justice and equality in the people charged to lead.
Only through honest, informed and decisive action can we ever hope to build a brighter future for our nation.
CURTIS OBRADY
Arima
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