If only the Government cared

THE EDITOR: A friend encouraged me to drive past the Mayaro village to Galeota Point. It was a very revealing trip. I noted the number of houses on the coast that were beautifully simple. They reminded me of the many other villages and towns in TT where people live the simple life.

Think for a moment about life’s best experiences: watching a movie all cuddled up with the one you love, and moved to the point of joyful tears; having dinner with family and friends and enjoying every tasty morsel of food and drink, walking and enjoying the beautiful environment, a river lime, moments at the beach, going to the movies, fishing and sharing sporting moments with the people who make you laugh.

In TT we have come to understand, perhaps better than most, the beauty of the simple life. Having a wet tasty doubles with pepper just right, and finishing it with a cold soft drink. Floating in the water off the islands for hours, pausing only to have a drink and a hot meat off the grill as the boat is anchored in the calm clean waters. Watching a T20 cricket match and shouting at the top of one’s voice. Prayers on Sunday morning, or simply going to the temple or mosque to meditate. Liming at the bar where for some reason the beer always seems to be colder than at home. Planting one’s kitchen garden and appreciating how things grow and flourish.

The citizens of TT just want to live a simple, beautiful life that is possible with the more than adequate resources that is available for allowing every citizen to live their best life. It is alarming when we hear figures like $40 million to repair a school, when we know that it could have been done for half that amount. There is simply no excuse for the extremely inflated prices that governments pay for goods and services. One is likely to conclude that most of that money goes to people or places where the citizens do not benefit.

What the people want are safe communities. With every murder, shooting incident and robbery properly investigated and the perpetrators held – if the Government was serious about crime.

It should be able to tell citizens why TT remains one of the few places where criminals can simply place a false vehicle number plate on their getaway vehicle as there are no state-issued licence plates. Something that can be fixed in weeks. Why there is no gun court. Why legal firearms are so very difficult to access. Why there are no structured police patrols, no air surveillance equipment manned by the police, and why no marine police at critical ports of entry.

We can deliver a very high quality of life for all our citizens if only we had a government that cares. That includes the opposition.

STEVE ALVAREZ

via e-mail