Crime, economy the key issues

UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has lamented that crime and the economic downturn continue to be key issues as the nation prepares to celebrate its 56th anniversary of independence.

She was addressing an Independence dinner organised by the Let’s Unite foundation at the Embassy Suites, Tampa, Florida on Saturday night.

In a wide-ranging speech, she said the nation had come a long way after its independence from Great Britain in 1962 and urged the TT diaspora in the United States and Canada to “keep the fires of hope always burning” despite the country’s present situation.

“Whilst we have come a long way, there is still a lot of work to be done – a crime scourge and an economic downturn, I know the issue of health, crime and safety is a very important one.

“Our country is now besieged by criminals, and those in charge seem clueless and hapless in turning the tide of criminality backwards.”

And while she applauded those present for their interest in the daily happenings in TT, she said they should not only rely on the traditional news media, which she described as being only interested in “bacchanal and sensationalism.”

“I want to warn you, caution you, because you see the media? God bless them. The media carries sensation and snippets of what is happening day to day. That is their job.

“And the media in TT is really a media that is concerned with bacchanal and sensationalism, so you don’t get all the news, you really don’t. And this is why in TT, when I speak, I say, please go on the social media – social media is going to be what is going to take us out of where we are and will take us out to victory in the next election.

“So I need you, we need you, TT needs you on the social media…you can find the daily news very disappointing and misleading.”

She also contrasted her style of leadership with that of the Prime Minister, saying immediately after Tuesday’s earthquake she had sent out messages of “prayers and hope,” while “the man who wanted to be in charge” had issued a statement the next day.

“That earthquake was really scary, but thank God not one human life was lost. We thank God for that. Whilst there was some property damage, physical damage – again, no personal injury, up to when I left, has been reported.”

Persad-Bissessar said her vision for TT included a digital transformation of the economy, as TT cannot “continue to depend on oil and gas.

“We have to diversify the economy.”

She said this included the tourism sector and reiterated that the previous PP administration had put plans in place to create education, health and sports tourism.

“This is why we built the campus down in south, so from the region they can come and they will pay foreign exchange. Our vision is for St Augustine to become an education city. The other field was in medical tourism; that is why we built the hospital in Couva.

“After 2015, everything is on hold. The country has gone into autopilot.”