It appears that when citizens in this country express genuine grievances, they are being manipulated by the Opposition according to Dr. Keith Rowley. How irresponsibly can a Prime Minister be in protecting a Minister!
The Prime Minister continues to lecture the Opposition on the “wrongness” of their actions. For example, this Prime Minister had the audacity to charge the Opposition for inciting the people to use social media to say that they are hurt and the Government is heartless. Is the Prime Minister saying that citizens don’t have a mind of their own?
But the PNM remains fixated on the ability of the Opposition to incite the people. The accusation against the Opposition continues with the results of the THA elections. Despite the UNC repeatedly saying that they did not have any influence in the THA elections, the PNM is linking the UNC with the growing popularity of the PDP led by Watson Duke.
Again, the PNM is insinuating that Tobagonians cannot think for themselves and they were misled by the UNC to vote against the PNM. This is insulting and Tobagonians has a duty to let the PNM understand that they would not entertain him insulting their intelligence.
The PM continues to accuse the UNC of refusing to cooperate with the Government in its fight against COVID-19 but failed to provide evidences. What is remarkable about what this government is doing to fight the COVID-19 that is worthy of special praise? Has the Government discovered a vaccine that is providing immunity from the virus? What is it that it is doing other than denying citizens their fundamental right to return to their country of residence?
Interestingly, the PM knows about the right of diplomats under the Vienna Convention but appears to forget that the Constitution Trinidad and Tobago provides fundamental rights to its citizens. The Attorney General rose on his feet to correct the Opposition Leader when she said that 17 people were allowed to go to Guyana and return to Trinidad two days later.
Even Rowley was so detailed in defending the rights of the diplomats under the Vienna Convention. But the question, must be asked: Why can’t those Conventions be suspended in the time of a pandemic like the world is experiencing today? The reality is that the PM and his government are ready to secure the rights and privileges of foreigners while ignoring their very own citizens!
It was disheartening to learn that after attorneys filed legal submissions on behalf of Radhikar Ramoutar, a 74-year-old pensioner, demanding that National Security Minister Stuart Young immediately remove his “arbitrary, illegal and unlawful policy regarding entry to citizens into their beloved homeland, Trinidad and Tobago”, the Minister’s immediate response was that Ms. Ramoutar had not applied and then he went on to offer her an exemption to facilitate her return. This certainly cannot be the working of a mind that has the best interest of the citizens at heart. It definitely points to gross disrespect for basic human values!
Politicians must learn that the rules of the game have changed given social media and the rise in education. Trinidad and Tobago is no longer a slave-plantation or a banana republic with a ruling elite at the top overseering a sea of poverty and mass illiteracy. Even the so-called 1% need to tread carefully because citizens are not going to settled for pan, soca and chutney. With windows opened to the world our citizens are viewing events and comparing notes with what is happening/not happening at home. The PNM has much experience in power to know that the citizenry is not prepared to tolerate disrespect. Both 1970 Black Power Uprising and the 1986 33/3 electoral defeat of the PNM happened when the PNM was in power.
There is so much a people can take! And the results of the recently concluded THA election clearly point in that direction.
