COP leader: A better tomorrow begins today

 COP political leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.
COP political leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.

THE journey of transforming this nation begins today.

Political leader of the Congress of the People (COP) Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan said the crises the country now face is symptomatic of one thing – a lack of clear leadership, vision, integrity and governance.

"It is now clear that for our country to succeed, we cannot continue along the same old path, but must now begin transforming our nation for the future. This includes dismantling the racial, religious and cultural divides, inculcating respect and care for our elderly, protecting our women and children, investing strategically in the development of our human capital and empowering our people as a nation’s power is people power."

Seepersad-Bachan, in her 2019 message to the nation, said all the experiences of 2018, whether good or bad, will follow into 2019 and beyond.

She said while TT had the historic appointment of its first female President and after ten years, the 4x100 Men’s Olympic team was rewarded for their honesty with the Olympic gold medal, this country has had its share of tragedies.

"In the midst of these joyful experiences, our beloved nation was shaken to its core by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake, experienced unparalleled flooding wreaking havoc across communities and the upsurge in criminal activities gave rise to the highest murder toll ever recorded."

However, according to records, the highest murder toll was in 2008 when 550 murders were recorded. The murder toll for 2018 stands at 517 at this time.

"We also experienced the virtual shutdown of the Tobago economy with the collapse of the sea bridge and to add insult to injury, the uncertainties of the Galleon’s Passage. The unprecedented mass retrenchment across all sectors and the inefficiencies in Government services have already impacted negatively on the quality of life of our citizens. All of these, together with the clandestine approach to the closure of Petrotrin and the secrecy of the Sandals project have left all of us patriots, including our youth, in dismay and despair."

Seepersad-Bachan said she hoped that everyone realised a collective responsibility that all had to unlock this country’s untapped potential and restore TT as a Caribbean paradise once more.

"Together, we can make the change but it will require our commitment as never before."

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"COP leader: A better tomorrow begins today"

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