It is so difficult to explain to my many friends, colleagues and patriots that seeing one’s name in the media contributes nothing to the development of Trinidad & Tobago. Being successful at a general election by itself does nothing to the development of Trinidad & Tobago. Our recent history has proven this without a doubt. Our Country needs our best people working collectively to make our Nation safe, prosperous, and beautiful.
That requires all of us understanding the nature of the task that confronts us and arriving at a plan that is realistic and sound. This is not an easy endeavour. We live in a society that is divided in many ways. There are racial divisions, social divisions, division depending on shades of brown in one’s complexion, religious divisions, political divisions, divisions with regards to address, employment, education, access to travel abroad and health. It is against this complex background that the following are required:
· Economic stability and development.
· Restructuring the Nation’s income to allow for less reliance on the energy sector.
· Safe Communities.
· Reliable water supply.
· Good roads.
· Agricultural development towards food security.
· Education that prepares the citizenry for life in a global economy.
· Sports and cultural development.
· Reduction of bureaucracy to allow for ease of doing business and easy access to government services.
· Restructuring the governance model to allow for greater participation from the citizenry. This requires local government reform.
Only when the formula is agreed upon for attempting to achieve these fundamental objectives, can there be the effort and energy expended on election campaigning.
Starting a new party, seeing oneself on television, having one’s name on the lips of the many may seem attractive to some, but it does nothing for the people of Trinidad & Tobago.
Over fifty years and many political administrations have passed and there are still young men daily fighting with the corbeau at our Nation’s dump for discarded scraps. That cannot be acceptable to any developing country.
We continue to embark on large construction projects for repair or renovation rather than embark on a structured system of maintenance.
We have paid little attention to the ills of our elderly, as they are seen continually struggling with the general population to access government services.
These and many other aspects of our present situations are what we must address if we want real change. That must happen through all of us looking past our differences and focusing on the red, white, and black. More political parties with sectors of our society showing up to add legitimacy to the grouping is not the solution we require.
Unity is the answer. Our best minds, our youth, our legal minds, our experienced and our patriots must answer the call for unity and rescue Trinidad & Tobago.
If our political aspirants are serious they must call each other and agree on a plan to address the Nation ills before seeking national attention.
God Bless Our Nation.
Steve Alvarez