Things to celebrate, things not to

FERDIE FERREIRA

NO OTHER public holiday/national celebration provides us with a better opportunity for national introspection than independence, and to ask ourselves, "What have I done or can do to enhance our overall national development?" In this context, we must first ask ourselves as citizens of the republic the following questions:

What did TT look like in 1962?

How do we compare ourselves, our achievements or otherwise with most of the former colonies that obtained their independence after the Second World War?

What have I done or can do to further enhance our national development?

Those of us, like myself, who were fortunate to be around pre-1962 and are still around, I can say with some level of authority that we have very much to celebrate, yet so much not to celebrate.

The things we can celebrate:

1. Whatever our shortcomings, unlike so many former colonies, we have been able to preserve and maintain our democracy. We continue to enjoy basic fundamental freedoms.

2. We have successfully withstood two unsuccessful attempts to overthrow our democratically elected government.

3. Seven prime ministers have been elected, coming from the north, south, central and Tobago. Three of them are products of the University of the West Indies. They have all complied with the Constitution, re the calling of general elections – 13 of them – without any major national conflict, racial or otherwise.

4. Our economy, in spite of its problems and imbalances, continues to be vibrant, progressive and growing, providing generally all with the opportunity to develop their potential. Most of today's rich were yesterday’s poor. Most of them non-Caucasian.

5. Our social services have grown beyond the imagination of those of us who remember the PH-ward, going to the village pharmacist with a prescription for medicine. Whatever the ailment, you were issued with a brown or white vial labelled “shake well before taking three times daily.”

6. Whatever today’s problems with our health service, which sometimes require urgent attention, we have come a very long way from then to now. Whatever the sometimes critical reviews of our citizens, the management structures, both in the private and public sectors, have been revolutionised.

Every creed and race have benefited from this progressive development, through the commitment of all our governments to develop and expand our educational facilities, providing us with increased opportunities to enhance our economic and social status. No one was left behind. Like in all societies, some will always do better than others.

7. Sports, the arts, culture and entertainment have not only given us Olympic gold medals and international stars, but very successful entrepreneurs. From the steelpan and calypso to the likes of Nicki Minaj, Machel Montano, Peter Minshall, Shaka Hislop, Brian Lara, Dwight York, Ato Boldon, and several others now internationally recognised.

8. Our private sector, small as it is, comparatively speaking, has given us the now controversial CL empire, ANSA McAL, Vemco, Massy, Associated Brands, Coosal, Junior Sammy, etc. All owned and managed by citizens of the republic.

In the words of a calypsonian, “our scholars have sit and passed every test. We are rated among the best."

These are but a few of our outstanding achievements, that our young and restless citizens continue to take for granted, unlike those of us from Rudder’s Long Time Band, many now unfortunately old and useless, many old and priceless, who remember then and now, as we look on with nostalgia, sometimes great discomfort, at today’s TT.

The things we cannot celebrate:

1. The unprecedented and what appears to be the uncontrolled crime situation, and the low level of detection. Not that we did not have criminals before. How can we forget Mano Benjamin, Boysie "the Raja" Singh, the Poolool brothers, Saywell Gordon, Horace Lewis, the Peru brothers, the Madinga Tigers, Abdul Malik, Samuel Jacob, "the Black Archer," and several others?

The fact of the matter is that the then colonial-trained constabulary successfully dealt with most, if not all, of them.

2. The sometimes questionable level of performance and non-confrontation of our politicians across the political divide. Has mediocrity now become the rule rather than the exception?

3. The unprecedented breakdown of customer service, and the disappearance of the good manners we inherited from our parents and the colonial masters. The colonial masters apparently took all the virtues back with them and left us with all the vices. Leaving us victims of the new culture of disservice and disrespect.

4. Our new culture of dependencies, "the pork barrel syndrome." Almost every Tom, Dick and Harry, Millie and Tanti Merle want something free. From our business tycoons to "one-foot Visina," the name of the game is freeness. Take more, pay less.

Lest we forget, pennies from heaven have stopped falling a long time ago. Money, like mangoes and hunting, have a season. “Sunshine today, prepare for the rainy day.”

5. Our general lack of accountability. No one is accountable to anyone, and the taxpayers are now the victims of this lack of accountability. This is fuelling the fastest growing industry in the country, litigation, the pre-action protocol factory. From government right down to the ordinary supervisor, they continue to engage in questionable industrial relations malpractices, resulting in costly judgements against the State.

Those are some of the things we cannot celebrate.

As I proceed hopefully to my 93rd birthday, our 63rd independence anniversary next year, both as a witness and participant on this historical and challenging journey, all I ask of my fellow citizens as we continue the journey is to be patriotic, positive, vigilant and productive – always putting country first.

Happy anniversary.