More urgent issues than changing coat of arms

THE EDITOR: Prime Minister Rowley has promised to alter the coat of arms by replacing the ships with the steelpan. This specifically seems as politricking, although for generations we have been taught a false narrative about Christopher Columbus discovering our islands. While this debate might carry some symbolic weight, it raises crucial questions as to why now, and is this where our focus should be?

When we consider the other pressing and urgent issues that plague our nation, it becomes crystal clear that our resources and attentiveness would be far better spent on tangible improvements that directly impact the lives of citizens. Problems such as solving the persistent flooding in Port of Spain, addressing crime, and repairing our crumbling infrastructure.

Every time there’s a little more than a drizzle the capital city’s drainage system fails and streets are turned into rivers. This alone is a major concern as it severely disrupts daily life. Cars become stranded, commuters are left to wade through knee-deep water, and businesses suffer losses due to damage by flood and reduced customer traffic.

The drainage system needs an urgent upgrade as it is not only about convenience. It’s also about safety, the ease of doing business in the city, and quality of life.

Then there is the crucial issue of crime, which is crying out for urgent attention. TT has been facing rising crime rates for years under the current administration, and this has dire consequences for every citizen. More resources for law enforcement are needed urgently, more community programmes, and more crime prevention strategies.

It’s time the Government focuses on getting crime under control, increasing detection rates for murders, thereby creating safer communities and restoring public trust in the its capabilities to protect our citizens.

Many citizens are in great fear for their lives and the continuity of their businesses. If the Government can actually look at this threat seriously instead of wasting money changing our coat of arms, that would make more sense. The cost of redoing all birth certificates, all passports, all building logos, all school books and all currency will be astronomical.

Every official document would need to be updated to reflect the change. This is not a minor change, it’s a very costly, time-consuming change and will require significant financial resources. Resources we can’t spare and even if we can spare it, there are more pressing needs to address.

Another focus that would makes more sense is our roads that are in serious need of repair. We have potholes we can swim in, we have uneven surfaces, and general poor maintenance of our roads. Travelling on our roads is a nightmare. They contribute to accidents and damage our vehicles.

The cost to motorists is high because of the poor roads. Better roads mean easier commutes, less vehicle damage, and easier connectivity across the nation. It also means that emergency vehicles can respond quicker and goods can be transported more efficiently.

At a time when citizens are crying out for protection from gangs and criminals, when we are plagued with numerous murders, when we lack proper allocation to deal with drainage to control floods, when we don’t have a reliable supply of water to many communities, and when not enough being done to give us better roads, it makes no sense to prioritise a symbolic alteration of an emblem that will have little impact on our daily lives.

Changing the coat of arms pales in comparison to the immediate needs of our nation. The more pressing issues that directly affect our lives are more important to focus on and they should take precedence. By prioritising these areas we can create a safer space, improve the economic environment, and make TT a prosperous place, resulting in this prosperity of the people becoming the symbol of national pride.

DR NEIL GOSINE

Port of Spain