Diversifying with yam?

THE EDITOR: In what can only be described as a performative political charade, four sitting government ministers, including the Prime Minister and the prime minister-designate, Stuart Young, gathered with pomp and ceremony to plant yam. Yes yam! A full production was staged, complete with microphones, a podium, a tent, chairs, and an audience, all for the symbolic planting of a root crop. We reach yes.

This grand display raises serious questions about the government’s understanding of economic diversification. Are we truly meant to believe that yam production will become a major driver of economic transformation in TT? Have we abandoned the pursuit of meaningful industrial, technological, and service-sector expansion for going after the exporting of yams?

Meanwhile, the PNM government has strangled the economy, destroying the country’s foreign exchange (forex) supply through the closure of Petrotrin. This reckless decision has left countless small and medium-size businesses struggling. Many have been forced to close their doors, because they simply cannot access the forex needed to purchase goods.

Rather than addressing these economic failures, the government stages these theatrical distractions, hoping to convince the public that planting yam is a viable path forward.

The absurdity does not end there. If history is any indication, this initiative will likely be accompanied by the establishment of a new state enterprise – let’s call it YAMdeCoTT – complete with a well-paid CEO, a politically appointed board, and an army of bureaucrats.

What will follow? Lavish office spaces, expensive vehicles, foreign “consultants,” and a few jobs that do little to uplift the wider population.

The farmers will not benefit from this, nor will unemployed citizens get any jobs from this. Maybe only a select few of the political and corporate elite.

This entire staged event reeks of political gimmickry, designed to create the illusion of progress while the nation grapples with real economic challenges. The people of TT deserve more than these elections stunts. They deserve leadership that understands and pursues real diversification, not just the planting of distractions.

It’s time to call the election and make a change to this administration.

DR NEIL GOSINE

UNC treasurer