Pt. Gyandeo Persad, Spiritual Leader of SWAHA Sukh Shanti Bhakti Mandali and SWAHA Dharma Jyot Mandali
Trinidad and Tobago is affected by Sahara dust, the Venezuelan influx, crime busts and Mr. Trump’s non-invitation. To make matters worse, in a country where we have no cents, “bucks” are reigning and have created a constant flow of men of the cloth who go south to cash in on a few bucks by professing to know how to handle bucks. Apart from the Sahara dust, the impact of the other issues on our country is as a result of government’s policies. Even the shortage of foreign bucks in the banks can be linked to government’s policies.
The word, “govern”, is crucial in “government”. If a government does not manage the economy effectively, then it can be called a failure. What are the yardsticks for measuring the success of any political regime? There are the economic, social and political indicators that are used. These should be juxtaposed with the actual pulse of the taxpayers and, if there are similarities in outcomes, then this can be used as a true indicator of the performance of any regime. For example, Central Statistical Office (CSO) statistics show a 5% unemployment rate in 2019. Remember, the statistics may be official but not necessarily right.
The general opinion of the population is that the lower-income and middle-income bracket persons are undergoing tremendous suffering and the unemployed are hurting the most. Chronic Disease Assistance Plan (CDAP) is in need of an injection of capital. Scholarship winners, on whom the government has spent millions of dollars, are now losers in the job market. The list of frustrations in our country is well known and is regularly highlighted on any given day in the media. The sudden rush to build roads, to revamp the On-the-Job Training (OJT) programme and to complete many long outstanding projects for the taxpayer is mind boggling, especially since elections are just about a year away.
One word that is being abused for public relation purposes is the word, “taxpayer”. Petrotrin has been shut down in the “interest of the taxpayers”. It has become fashionable for politicians to say how much money they have saved the taxpayers by engaging in certain actions. We hear politicians saying that they have to account to taxpayers. The reality is that, over the last few years, the much-touted term, “taxpayers”, is becoming more and more an endangered species, not only because many people have lost their jobs and can’t pay taxes, but also because the majority of murders are committed against persons who have jobs. Apparently, when a taxpayer is killed, that seems to be collateral damage in an economy where crime may be the largest industry.
Those in power can’t shun their duties by blaming others as a justification for their failures. Those who were given the mandate to govern must do so with the resources at their disposal while keeping in mind the negative long-term effects of poor economic investment programmes and political patronage. The taxpayer expects their needs to be filled by the elected regime in a manner where there is astute management, prioritizing of public investment projects and a deliberate and sustained effort at job creation. The blame game serves no constructive purpose either in public or private life. The government’s duty is to look after the best interests of the citizens, taxpayers or not.
When a regime begins to tinker with democratic institutions and state enterprises, then there will be an ensuing loss of confidence in the sustainability of taxpayers’ freedoms and rights. In the recent past we have the dictate of new birth certificates. Some see this as a sinister move to legitimize aliens and to give them voting rights. This becomes more of a concern given the announcement that the influx of Venezuelans will be offered some kind of registration process. Added to that scenario is the fact that general elections are due in 2019.
The accepted norm is that decisions are made based on relevant data. The Central Statistical Office will be replaced and now there is the National Statistics Institute Bill that is before Parliament. While the intent may be noble, the roll-out suggests that its board will be appointed by the Planning Minister, who is a politician. This situation cannot galvanize confidence once there is political interference. We have seen recently where persons have been fired because of apparent association with opposition forces. Where institutions such as schools and hospitals are denied public access by ministries because, and here we can only assume, that it was not the “party project”. We would like to know if the Population Council of Trinidad and Tobago is still functioning.
We would like to congratulate the police on their recent successes. We would like to know what are the statistics concerning how many of these are repeat offenders. It becomes, as we say, “spinning top in mud” if we hold persons for crimes and then let them out to commit more crimes to cover their legal costs and maintain their criminal lifestyle. The judiciary has an important role in contributing towards a reduction in crime. Can we really say these police interventions or raids are really serving the intended purpose of reducing crime? Only when we get the figures will we know whether the police raids are only providing jobs for bailiffs and lawyers, or really reducing crimes. Regardless of the police statistics, again, the pulse of the community is not in synchrony with the notion that crime is down.
When and how can the population get authentic statistics on job losses and crime? Once the political directorate is in charge of these institutions that provide the information, there will always be scepticism by the taxpayers. We hope that the bucks’ situation is sorted out and taxpayers, including pilgrim hopefuls, will receive their bucks for overseas travel. The bottom line is that Trinidad and Tobago has a shortage of bucks and this is petrifying both the God-fearing and God-loving souls. The government has to deal with it effectively!
