Let’s unite for good of the country

THE EDITOR: We, the sound thinking citizens, take umbrage with the statements made by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on June 12:

"The seeds of civil unrest are being planted and watered” and “we cannot have a repeat of 1990.”

Then followed provincial pontifications by the Member of Parliament for Pointe-a-Pierre, David Lee, that “everything that the Opposition Leader has said in her releases has come to pass.”

For that reason, the public is strongly encouraged not to allow the idiosyncrasies of the Opposition be the cause of internecine conflict, especially during such a poignant time in our nation.

am assured, as the public must be, of this Government's responsiveness to what is before us, albeit the political broadsides by the Opposition are usually acerbic and errant.

TT should not forget the state of emergency and curfew declared in 2011 under the People's Partnership, led by the same Persad-Bissessar. There was a heavy cost on the State of more than $300,000 in damages to eight men as a result of their unlawful arrests.

What was the purpose of the SoE? The BBC cited on August 23, 2011, that "crime hotspots" was the reason given. Such actions were criticised as a "panic response" by the opposition at that time.

Still, there was no significant decline in crime in 2010-2015. The porous borders were created with the removal of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) in 2010, which had greatly boosted the country's national security before and which does so today.

Such statements made by Persad-Bissessar are surreptitious and unwarranted.

It would be better if the Opposition accepts culpability and steers this country to work together with the Government. Too many people lost their lives including those in the line of duty and it is a great disservice to only seek after political ascendancy. We are all deeply affected by this macabre pandemic.

Again, let us come together for the greater good of our nation. We are weary of the clandestine efforts and obstreperousness.

ANCILLA ASHLEY KIRBY

Port of Spain