Unity the only way

THE EDITOR: There are times I wonder if anyone evaluates what is happening before rushing to make statements. Some 30,000 voters who turned out to vote at the 2019 local government elections did not vote in the 2023 elections. Yet, rather than deal with what can be seen as a disenchanted electorate, many are rushing to claim victories.

There was a news report of a woman in a HDC apartment living with faecal water dripping into her apartment for over two years, yet there was no alarm. The murders continue to grow with over six on one weekend. And the national airline seems to be struggling with manpower issues.

Folks, things are not great in this twin-island state. The solutions are not insurmountable, but it calls for a collective approach to solving our problems. Crime tops the list of things to approach with urgency. It requires a dedicated leadership, willing to use the resources of the State to end the levels of gun violence that have affected almost every community in TT.

This is not a party or sectarian problem; it is a national problem. It requires strong legislation to deal with gun possession, and a rapid response from the judiciary. These are all political solutions and must be approached by both political parties that represent the people in the Parliament.

We can easily with resolve, good management and dedication deal with water distribution, flooding, the economy, education, land ownership, government services, corruption, healthcare, and the many other aspects of governance that seem to be difficult to fix.

Let us not delude ourselves; we cannot fix these things as a divided people. The local government elections have indicated that the country is divided. This is not new. No one seems to want to zero in on the problem, but it remains clear in front of everyone. Racial voting is a major factor.

In his book The Cutlass is Not For Killing, Dennis Mahabir, on page 50 confronted the real issue first hand. He wrote, “No one group must rule anybody. This is a multi-racial country, unique in the world, and we should live in unity.” That unity remains elusive.

The reality is very difficult for many to grasp, but until the people of TT are willing to embrace a political entity dedicated to ensuring that all our people, regardless of race, work together for the welfare of the country, then the murders and inefficiencies will continue. For us there must be no we and them, no north and south of the Caroni Bridge, no behind the bridge, no “dem people.” It must be us, our country, our people.

We must find a way to embrace and be proud of our diversity and not let it take us to a path of distrust and mayhem.

It is time to hope again. To love each other.

STEVE ALVAREZ

via e-mail