Please, sirs, watch your language

THE EDITOR: It is with deep disappointment that I listened to one of our senior officials, the “super minister,” as he berated members of the opposing political party both inside the Parliament and on national television. His use of language, that is, his choice of words, such as “racist, idiot, imps etc,” to refer to those opposed to his party’s views took me by complete surprise.

Most people welcomed his appointments to various high-profile positions, despite his youth, because of his normal calm, suave manner of presentation and communication, which act as an appropriate foil to the outpourings of other high-ranking officials who appear to have difficulty with controlling their emotions, giving way to accusations of arrogance and gutter behaviour.

I shudder to think that power has gotten the better of him and prefer to see these transgressions as resulting from his increasing workload and his bowing to provocation.

I wish to exhort him not to dwell on these transgressions nor to continue in this vein but to reflect on his brilliant, humble, normal communication style, being mindful that those opposed to him will be the winners of any departure from the style he has so carefully and skilfully crafted and what the people have come to expect of him.

I urge him not to disappoint us. I look forward to his continued warm, humble and controlled communication.

Additionally, I observe that another well-applauded senior public official has also adopted the style of referring to certain citizens in very demeaning terms, such as cockroaches. I sincerely hope this style does not become an epidemic with young people gravitating towards it.

D THOMAS
, Port of Spain

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"Please, sirs, watch your language"

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