Dear Editor,
Too often over the last 30 years, citizens of Trinidad have complained about the rise in crime, while the Government and the armed forces have been unable to stop it or bring it under control.
One of the main reasons, it is argued, is that the two major political parties in Trinidad are driven largely by ethnic politics. Many of the most heinous crimes, including murder, kidnapping, home invasions, and robberies, are said to originate from areas associated with a particular ethnic and regional political base known as the East-West Corridor.
Other parts of Trinidad also experience crime committed by various ethnic groups from time to time. However, the main hub of criminal activity is alleged to be the East-West Corridor, whose residents are commonly associated with the PNM (People’s National Movement) voter base.
The PNM “Anchor Babies” Voter Bank Following Independence, it is claimed that the first Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams, and members of his inner circle sought to keep the DLP, which was largely supported by the Indian community, in opposition. Among the methods alleged were gerrymandering, election rigging, and the encouragement of migration from other Caribbean islands.
According to this view, many Caribbean Blacks were invited to settle along the East-West Corridor primarily to strengthen support for the PNM through the creation of a reliable voter base.
These voter-bank communities were established in Trinidad not to work or contribute to nation-building, unlike the descendants of former slaves, referred to here as Foundation Trinidad Blacks (FTB), but rather to remain dependent on the PNM through political patronage and government assistance. The intention, it is argued, was to maintain their loyalty as contractual voters by providing enough support for survival while discouraging economic advancement and independence from the party.
Today, some of these PNM-supported communities, frustrated with their circumstances and possessing few marketable skills, are said to have turned to crime in what was once described as “Paradise” Trinidad.
Vassan Ramracha
President, Trinidad Hindu Party
