Why you lost THA elections, PM

THE EDITOR: This is an open letter to the Prime Minister.

I’m writing this to share some thoughts on the probable causes of your party’s election loss in Tobago and what could be an impending defeat at the next general election.

Now I am not saying you will lose, nor am I saying that I am in any way an expert on this matter. However, you might find my thoughts worthwhile as they might be shared by enough of voters to cause you to have to seek alternative employment after 2025 – or whenever the election is held.

Firstly, there is the way the transition to the new polymer currency notes is being handled.

Now some of us have access to the internet and various news cable channels. We’re seeing China and other countries transitioning to electronic currencies – the e-renminbi in the case of China. I think in Sweden they use e-kronor.

In TT we are taking the Palaeozoic step of changing the physical composition of our currency, which I imagine would be incurring some cost to taxpayers.

Then we see the commercial banks advertising that as early as December 15 they would stop taking the old currency even though your government has clearly stated that December 31 would be the cut-off date. Some shops and supermarkets have already put up signs saying they won’t be taking the old currency.

These seem to be clear violations of your monetary policy and they are led by the commercial banks that would be normally tasked with implementing such in a place where things haven’t turned ol’ mas and where the Finance Minister and by extension you aren’t asleep at the wheel.

Secondly, there is the labyrinthine procedure for filling out the property tax valuation form.

Like most panicked law-biding citizens, I was frantically trying to fill out the online form in time for the then November 31 deadline.

All I would say about this exercise is that if ever you want to carry out our own version of the Spanish Inquisition, get the person or people who designed and programmed that online form. It’s exquisite torture. While doing it, I would have gladly signed over the entire property and put my family up for adoption if you had asked me.

The instructions given do not allow the proper negotiation of this exercise and I strongly advise you make an instructional video on how to do so.

In the meantime, citizens are stressed and frustrated with your government at the moment.

Thirdly, I would like to point out what is happening in the health sector from a layman’s perspective by recounting an experience I had.

I went to the Tabaquite Health Centre where the doctor prescribed a number of tests including those to diagnose kidney disease. This was in August.

To date I have had some blood tests but not the critical kidney tests, even though I had been given appointment after appointment. Then a couple weeks ago, the person who takes the blood explained that the reason the tests aren’t being done is because there are no reagents to perform these diagnostic tests throughout the public health system.

I have since confirmed this by asking friends of mine’s in the public health system in San Fernando and Princes Town. Yes, I was trying to pull strings but there were no strings to pull.

So eventually I had to bite the bullet and pay to get the critical tests and hopefully they’ll point a way towards healing. Then again if the condition isn’t curable or if the cure is too expensive, I’ll have to do like the many citizens of this country who can’t afford to pay for these tests and hope that death comes quickly and painlessly.

All of this while your Minister of Health trumpets his covid19 measures which I do support, but he's acting as if that is all that threatens our health.

So to summarise, the citizens are seeing things turn ol' mas, the Government asleep at the wheel while they are panicked, frightened, stressed and frustrated by the very measures you yourselves have put in place. And many of us are quietly waiting for death and hoping that when it comes it will be quick and painless.

KURT SEUCHARAN-FUENTES

via e-mail