Govt clueless about good governance

THE EDITOR: TT, after 58 years as an “independent” nation, seems to have extraordinarily little of real substance to show to the world by way of substantial qualitative gains as a people.

Yes, indeed, we do have isolated instances of brilliance that might attract global attention. These true beacons of intellectual brilliance, like many others in our global community, are quietly doing their work with little fanfare and certainly are not disposed to trumpet their achievements publicly.

Yet, if we are to make meaningful strides as a society, we need to cultivate “good citizens” who will add quality to our existence, often at tremendous personal sacrifice.

We have been gifted with natural resources, but where is the depth in our humanity? Have our resources added anything at all to our humanity as a nation? Indeed, if anything, their existence has had an overall negative impact on the formation of “good citizens.”

Great statesmen whose thoughts have been indelibly etched in the history of humankind have been few. They were driven to innovate almost exclusively by concerns that centred on the upliftment and humanisation of ordinary people. They were the first great thinkers because they were sincerely serious about the development of their respective societies.

Many were involved in active politics as this used to be the vehicle of choice when one wished to improve the lot of men. Politics, as an art and profession, has been stripped bare of “quality.” The result is that societies have degenerated into messy disorganised and amorphous collectives that are bereft of real creativity.

It is the reckless, unthinking vindictiveness of the present PNM government that has inspired my loss of hope in our current political leadership. Like impressionable and immature prepubescent children, the leadership has fallen victim to the bigotry of its making and has lost sight entirely of the purpose of its existence.

It has, over its 64 years of life as a political party, had a relatively free hand over the reins of power. It is a power that it has used at times sensibly, but most often with abuse. The leaders have infected themselves with their vices in a way that makes it impossible to see the world in any way but through their eyes.

They have taken no account of the good that the UNC has done for the people of this country. They have refused to consider the positive changes that the previous government may have brought to the production and distribution of water, and other goods and services.

They have wholly scrapped the Ministry of the People and, therefore, discontinued the many benefits previously made available to ordinary citizens who find themselves suddenly rendered destitute and openly vulnerable. They have convinced themselves that their penny-pinching ways will genuinely save this country.

GATE is at risk; Commonwealth scholarships have been discontinued; even the Ministry of Health, headed by a man who is ignorant of all that pertains to health, has depleted its human resource base. Grumbling always about “standards of care,” he has discontinued access to continuing professional development made available to medical professionals through initiatives like Dr Fuad Khan's "Infozone."

The PNM government is clueless about real governance and is willing to destroy many good citizens on a whim with its contrived “audits” ex-post facto.

STEVE SMITH

via e-mail