Society of mocking pretenders

THE EDITOR: “God bless our nation of many varied races…that binds and makes us one.” A national song in the form of a prayer or vice-versa. In La Trinity we are always challenging God when we are out of options.

People at the pinnacle charged with making this place blissful can never agree on philosophy, principles and policies. They operate as aliens speaking two different languages from two separate worlds. To them harmony and selflessness are reserved for celestial beings.

In their heavily guarded ivory tower drapes are used to blank out the darkness and dross of the outside world that is tainted with mischief, subterfuge and double-dealing. Their heart beats are never affected by the injustices running through the ministries of the land. Their anniversary speeches are classy enunciating ideals and parables they believe will make all our problems vanish into thin air.

With a misstep here and a misstep there, here a miss, there a miss, everywhere they are missing the mark. Yet still salaries and perks are insufficient to manage 1.4 million people and 1,864 square miles of land.

A former (now deceased) prime minister once remarked that TT had become very difficult to manage, as if to justify the increases in remuneration requested.

The arrogance of the people in authority is two billion times worse than the oil spill. The disdain for John Public and the disrespect for national structures for governance have made their actions unholy, shady and questionable.

Even when they acknowledge the moans of the nation, more laughing stock is used to staff probes, investigations and commissions of enquiry. This is now the diplomatic way of suppressing revolting thoughts and actions.

In and out of Carnival there are those whose actions and sometimes inaction even people in authority are critical of. Their opinions determine if you are free to roam the planet or will be transported to another. The queue for trials could mean waiting in jail for 20 years.

Even pickpockets and handbag grabbers have been legitimised in the society. These always have a higher price for old goods and services. Quarterly, they boast of the profits their efforts brought them and they revel in the belief that the society cannot do without them. Their excuse/shield is called inflation, that metaphor for insatiable greed.

When it is time for national awards, mauby drinkers are never recommended and do not receive tokens. If your dress is inappropriate you will be denied entry to the hall. Invitations and awardees are mostly reserved for people who did what they were paid to do and what was expected of them.

The unsung heroes, the garbage collectors and vagrants, never come up for honourable mention. The former work for minimum wages, starting in the wee hours of the morning, sun or rain, keeping the nation clean with little or no protective gear.

When the upper echelon has to protest the non-appearance of the garbage collector, only then the importance of these people is acknowledged.

The other group, the vagrants, I am sure served TT at one point in time but did not blow trumpets before they got derailed. Disillusioned and rejected, they sit at the bottom of the ladder.

They have taught us the illusory nature of the comforts of this life; how the things we acquire are as tangible as shadows and the protection we seek from guns can be had from nurturing the spirit.

The ignorance continues even when the great equaliser, death, comes. Great fanfare to dispose of the corpses of those who had monetary gains in exchange for their so-called contribution. Long mourning periods; lying in state; sometimes gun salutes and then a prominent resting place at the front of the cemetery where their physicals return to soil.

But for the lowly, there is an unannounced departure; no entourage to the place of internment; no tombstone and an unmarked grave.

In loneliness these unknowns return to the unknown unknowingly.

LENNOX FRANCIS

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