Gonzales: Don't be fascinated by negatives

PEOPLE should be thankful for the blessings they have in their lives and not be distracted by everything negative around them.

Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales expressed this opinion at the reopening of a Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPost) office in Gasparillo on Wednesday.

As an elected MP and government minister, Gonzales takes pride in improving the quality of people's lives, he said. He recalled this feeling at the commissioning of a new water treatment plant in Lopinot on Tuesday. Gonzales is also Lopinot/Bon Air West MP.

"Often when you are not hearing problems in TT in any particular area, it means that things are going very good."

People in TT often have a fascination with negative news, Gonzales said.

The new Lopinot water treatment plant replaced a facility opened in 1972 which was challenged to provide its surrounding communities with a reliable water supply since then.

In 1972, Hector McClean was MP for the area. Gonzales recalled that McClean was a member of the PNM and UNC at different times in his political career.

Referring to Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes, who was sitting at the head table with him, Gonzales observed, 'It's a coincidence that I am sitting next to my UNC parliamentary colleague."

The new facility meant meant 2,000-3,000 people will now get a 24/7 water supply. While indicating he was not criticising the media, Gonzales said, "This is something that we would have expected that the media would have celebrated. I think this is something we should celebrate in TT."

He added, "But I assure you, if 2,000 or 3,000 people had taken to the streets and burned tyres and protested for a lack of water supply, it would have been celebrated on the front pages of TT."

Gonzales reiterated, "I am not criticising the media. I'm just saying often in TT, as people we don't celebrate God's blessings. We can sit and think about all the things in life that we don't have, oftentimes omitting the blessings of God in our lives."

The new TTPost office in Gasparillo should be seen as a blessing, Gonzales said. TTPost should be thanked for its reopening, he felt, and Haynes should be commended as the area's MP for her advocacy on it.