Is our independence being eroded?

THE EDITOR: As TT celebrates its 57th year of independence on August 31, our citizens have many reasons to be proud of our nation. As a people we have done extremely well to be united in purpose to achieve goals and success on par or even beyond the level of some "larger nations" on the world stage.

Independence was not only about the installation of our own government or the hoisting of our own flag but rather it was about the installation of our own hopes as a people beyond those of others as well as the hoisting of our own potential as a nation within the global community. As citizens we must admit that we have held true to many of the principles that we built this nation upon while our citizens have valiantly accepted the challenge of creating a nation which has stood strong in the face of many forms of adversity.

Independence Day is significant because it marks the day when our people earned the right to govern themselves, set the path of development they desire as well as determine the economic and social direction they require. However, today when we analyse the issues facing our people, when we analyse the decisions being made by the present administration, we must question if our independence is being eroded.

The question becomes relevant as 57 years ago our nation took a step to ensure that prosperity, safety and the sustainable progress of our citizens would be guaranteed, especially by those elected to serve in our government. Today we see these three aspects are constantly being diminished by the actions of this government.

In the past year we have seen thousands suffer due to the closure of Petrotrin. Surely this was not an economic or social decision our citizens desired. In the past year we have seen a national icon in the form of Raymond Choo Kong lose his life due to the rampant crime situation facing our nation. Surely this was not the social direction our citizens desired. Only on Friday, 199 employees of the University of Trinidad and Tobago were sent home, crippling the campus which citizens need to progress. In the past week we have seen a politician and union leader charged for sedition. Even worse, we have a Prime Minister who is satisfied at times to blame the Opposition, the media and even citizens for the crisis we are facing, clearly indicating that he has abdicated his responsibilities to this nation.

As we celebrate the brilliance of our people, the beauty of our nation and the successes of the past 57 years, we must truly ask, is our independence being eroded by the current administration? We must question, is the ability to choose what is right for the people of this nation and the ability to choose what is best for the success of our people being taken away by an administration who are keen on their own sustenance as opposed to the welfare of the national community?

Nicholas Morris

Former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador

Arima