Judge: TT is in a dark place

High Court judge Frank Seepersad said the country is in a dark place.

Justice Seepersad was delivering the Sunday morning sermon on Divali Day at the Marabella Presbyterian Church.

In his sermon, Seepersad said it was evident that there were now heightened levels of criminality, intolerance, and divisiveness in TT.

He said another pressing dilemma, and one which is yet to be truly acknowleged, is the state of the economy.

Seepersad also said he had seen an increase in the number of matters instituted by mortgage companies seeking repossession of homes and increasing numbers of claims for monies due and owning.

“This type of litigation also signals that all is not well with our economy. In spite of the misinformation which we may receive. In spite of the promises which are unrealistic and founded in delusions of grandeur that (there is) continued dependency on the State, we need to remove ourselves from the darkness,” he said.

"We need to take off the blinders and, as a people, confront the truth of the reality which befalls us."

He urged citizens to work together to form a robust plan for economic revival.

"A plan that is not contingent upon increased energy revenues. We simply cannot continue along this path because it is a path that poses no promise and future," was his suggestion.

He said serious decisions had to be made if TT's children are to live peaceful productive lives.

But, he added, the question all citizens must ask is: “Are we prepared to pursue a path of illumination? A path that leads to transformative change? Or are we prepared to simply sit back and continue upon a road of discord division, disunity and disingenuous information?”

He told worshippers the country's revenue, generated through blessings of oil and gas, were fast coming to an end.

"And it may very well be that the blessing of black gold was a curse because we followed the money but entered into a state of complacency.

“There was a lack of productivity, a lack of innovation and an unwillingness to affect institutional reform. Productivity and proactivity were not prioritised and perhaps the greatest evil perpetrated upon us,” he bemoaned.

Seepersad said change lies within all citizens and urged everyone to take each other’s hand and to walk a path together as brothers and sisters of mother Trinbago to stimulate the economy.