Focus on own failures and not WI team, PM

THE EDITOR: Prime Minister Rowley took to social media to publicly deride and belittle the West Indies cricket team for its performance against the Netherlands.

On his Facebook page Dr Rowley wrote: “Today I saw THE WORST CRICKET MATCH ever played by a West Indies team. This amateurish demoralising embarrassment has to stop.”

Can you imagine the hurt, shame and humiliation that the players, the coaches, the families, the fans must have experienced on reading or hearing about the Prime Minister’s post?

To the players who would have already been dejected and depressed by their painful defeat on the field, Rowley’s words would have pierced them to the core like daggers being slowly driven into their bodies.

Leadership must not be taken lightly. Those in leadership positions can make or break people. True leaders are uplifting, motivational, inspiring, encouraging; they look for the best in people. They lift the downtrodden and help them restore their confidence in themselves; they do not further denigrate, deprecate and destroy.

TT is ill-fated to be burdened with a prime minister who spews venom and hatred, who denounces, derides and tramples on those who are already broken, a prime minister who cares nothing for people. While Rowley may not be prime minister to all the players of the West Indies team, the other players are our neighbours, they are our friends.

Their prime ministers are our Prime Minister’s colleagues, they sit together and formulate plans and policies for the region. What must the citizens of those countries be thinking? What must the leaders of those countries be thinking? Their hearts must go out to us for being saddled with such an uncaring, heartless, ranting-and-raving Prime Minister.

It is quite possible that Rowley was expressing his deep disappointment that the West Indies cricket team could not match its number of runs with the number of murders and other crimes under his watch. Maybe he and his failed Minister of National Security could advise the team on how to reach that hallowed number.

Instead of condemning the West Indies team, Rowley should assess his own abysmal performance. A high murder rate does not translate into “exceeds expectations.” Water in taps once every three weeks is not “satisfactory.” Pothole-ridden roads, collapsed bridges and a failed public health sector do not qualify for a bonus. He should also undertake a review of the performance of his ministers and allocate failing grades to every man jack.

Rowley should focus on his own miserable lack of accomplishments and leave the West Indies cricket team alone.

JASODRA RAMPERSAD

Couva