Fixing Trinidad and Tobago our duty

THE EDITOR: There are some children who profess to love their parents a whole lot. Yet, rather than emulate their hard work and sacrifice, the children continue to extract whatever they can from their parents, always seeking more assistance.

It is not much different for many citizens of TT; they claim to love their country but are always seeking to extract as much as they can from the country without attempting to enhance their community.

As we begin the Christmas season, I am publicly appealing to our people to clean up their community. Volunteer to cut some of the overgrown grass, stop dumping garbage in areas that are not authorised for dumping, and help the poor and elderly in whatever way you can.

The duty to country must, however, be more than the aesthetics; it must be that if we consider the laws being imposed on us to be ridiculously punitive, we should say something.

If we cannot understand the government’s long-term plan for economic survival, sustenance, and growth, we should make suggestions for improving what is presented. For 2026, the people should try as much as possible to help the government rebuild our country, starting with our communities.

In every town and village, we should seek to minimise the number of potholes on our roads. Residents can get together and fill those holes with concrete until the authorities get around to a more permanent repair.

If there are leaking pipes they should not be simply left to flow for weeks, and in some cases months. Daily call the authority and, if possible, attempt to fix the pipe with compression fittings. How about coming together to buy sporting equipment for the youths in the community?

Regardless of one’s political affiliation, TT is our country, our home and we must fix it together. Not all changes and fixes are done at the polls. The building of communities, of people addressing their concerns and producing solutions are far more powerful and rewarding than simply waiting for the government to fix things.

Let us rebuild our nation together. One community at a time.

STEVE ALVAREZ

via e-mail