FERDIE FERREIRA
NO OTHER public holiday/national celebration provides us with a better opportunity for national introspection than independence, and to ask ourselves, "What have I done or can do to enhance our overall national development?" In this context, we must first ask ourselves as citizens of the republic the following questions:
What did TT look like in 1962?
How do we compare ourselves, our achievements or otherwise with most of the former colonies that obtained their independence after the Second World War?
What have I done or can do to further enhance our national development?
Those of us, like myself, who were fortunate to be around pre-1962 and are still around, I can say with some level of authority that we have very much to celebrate, yet so much not to celebrate.
The things we can celebrate:
1. Whatever our shortcomings, unlike so many former colonies, we have been able to preserve and maintain our democracy. We continue to enjoy basic fundamental freedoms.
2. We have successfully withstood two unsuccessful attempts to overthrow our democratically elected government.
3. Seven prime ministers have been elected, coming from the north, south, central and Tobago. Three of them are products of the University of the West Indies. They have all complied with the Constitution, re the calling of general elections – 13 of them – without any major national conflict, racial or otherwise.
4. Our economy, in spite of its problems and imbalances, continues to be vibrant, progressive and growing, providing generally all with the opportunity to develop their potential. Most of today's rich were yesterday’s poor. Most of them non-Caucasian.
5. Our social services have grown beyond the imagination of those of us who remember the PH-ward, going to the village pharmacist with a prescription for medicine. Whatever the ailment, you were issued with a brown or white vial labelled “shake well before taking three times daily.”
6. Whatever today’s problems with our health service, which sometimes require urgent attention, we have come a very long way from then to now. Whatever the sometimes critical reviews of our citizens, the management structures, both in the private and public sectors, have been revolutionised.
Every creed and race have benefited from this progressive development, through the commitment of all our governments to develop and expand our educational facilities, providing us with increased opportunities to enhance our economic and social status. No one was left behind. Like in all societies, some will always do better than others.
7. Sports, the arts, culture and entertainment have not only given us Olympic gold medals and international stars, but very successful entrepreneurs. From the steelpan and calypso to the likes of Nicki Minaj, Machel Montano, Peter Minshall, Shaka Hislop, Brian Lara, Dwight York, Ato Boldon, and several others now internationally recognised.
8. Our private sector, small as it is, comparatively speaking, has given us the now controversial CL empire, ANS
