No place in Trinidad and Tobago for political thuggery

THE EDITOR: The National Transformation Alliance (NTA) is calling for calm and a lowering of tensions in the aftermath of a video on social media showing an elderly man being followed and verbally abused by someone recording the interaction, all because of the jersey the older man chose to wear, which displayed his support for a particular political party.

While we understand the strong emotions that politics has been eliciting in the past few years, and the need to remove the present government for its long list of failures, as a society we must never descend to political attacks simply because of someone's choice of political affiliation.

Some comments on the short video were also very disturbing, and the NTA wants to remind all citizens that, as we soon go to the polls, we can be political opponents but never enemies, and that we must always be guided by the principles of democracy, which condemn political violence and thuggery.

In that regard, we also urge the public not to fall victim to the dangerous and divisive rhetoric of those who aspire to lead. Calling for people to be burned and using derogatory names against women should not be the cues we follow, as such behaviour goes against our country’s long and distinguished history of political tolerance.

The NTA will remain committed to its foundation of uniting, not dividing, because after it is all done we have to live side by side, united as Trinidadians/Tobagonians, not as supporters of one party or another.

GARY GRIFFITH

political leader, NTA