Creeping oligarchy?

THE EDITOR: An oligarchy is a society where a few people have all the power. TT seems to be heading in that direction based on actions of the Attorney General, the Minister of National Security, and the Police Commissioner.

The AG has boasted about passing more amendments that any other AG. But have you noticed that most of his accomplishments either take away people’s rights (civil asset forfeiture, communications interception) or place additional burdens on the public for revenue collection (new traffic fines).

More importantly, why would anybody alter things so the Chief Justice can appoint judges/magistrates? What’s the reason for this?

As for the Police Commissioner, I am disappointed in his attitude towards the public and his lack of performance in measurable progress. The only thing he is interested in seems to be militarising the police (why do police require camouflage uniforms?), which, if you look at what is going on globally over the past month, is the opposite direction that societies are heading. Not to mention that TT has had many instances of police brutality/mysterious deaths involving the police.

Let’s remember that the taxpayer pays for the legal costs in judgments against the State yet we can’t equip all officers with bodycams. (To fix police brutality simply take state costs out of the police pension fund and see how quickly the problem fixes itself.)

Everybody mentioned seems to have taken a page out of Colm Imbert’s “they haven’t rioted yet” playbook in terms of what they can get away with. The usual response to any criticism from Minister Young is something involving a “UNC plot.” As a result of improved education, internet, etc the silent majority (the people who don’t show up at political rallies) is not as easy to misguide or scare as in times past. Failure to understand this could easily decide the next election.

Young claims people are “jittery” over the upcoming election. I say people are jittery over a government trying to assert dominance over them and passing laws that could see it target anyone for any reason. History shows this does not end well for those in power and all political parties should remember this.

R SAMAROO

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