Criticism, discussion must be encouraged

THE EDITOR: Covid19 presents many challenges to our modern society. Some are familiar, while others are as novel as the virus itself. There is little experience in living memory to draw upon, and experts in most fields, including medicine, find themselves figuring it out as challenges arise.

By no means is this a walk through the park, and I salute the leaders and policymakers at this time of crisis. Yours is a difficult challenge, and I pray that wisdom, humility, and courage will always be yours as you make challenging and perhaps unpopular decisions.

Now is a time for maturity as a people. Maturity, however, does not mean we should remain quiet about every decision before us.

TT is a democratic society and democracy should always grow from healthy discussion among all voices. The many views of the objection and the legal challenges emerging are mere symptoms of democracy. If these result in us doing things better, then that is all that matters.

Sadly, it does not seem that we are doing well on the surface. Whenever legitimate concerns sprout, our general tendency has been to criticise and shoot down these voices. If the opinion seemed to inconvenience us either ideologically or tangibly, we have sought to vilify the complainant.

An alarming example of this was the subsequent vandalism of an eating establishment when an attempt for equality seemingly was chronologically linked to the closure of many fast-food establishments.

I look forward to a change in the national conversation towards one of openness and constructive outcomes. In these novel times, no one can claim to have all the answers.

The implications of this pandemic are likely to be far-reaching and long-term. The unity that we need is not necessarily always the same voice, but must always be the same outcome – the welfare of TT.

DR VEDAVID MANICK

Sangre Grande