Democracy and Freedom are relative terms. For example, a resident citizen of Trinidad whose existence is immersed in abject poverty with no end in sight, will find no comfort in either observation.
Strangely enough, this same individual will not be hard pressed to respond "God willing" with a sense
of optimism about the prospect of some relief in his future.
This is symptomatic of the adage that religion is the opiate of the masses in a society that is, even with it's vast array of natural resources; thriving in crime and criminal activity with this and sussessive Governments that in actuality lend credence to tiny dictatorships.
It is apparent to me that after forty years of Independence,we are still deficient in credible and accountable governance.While we as citizens may be in denial about our circumstances, there are those in Caricom who may be keenly observant and will, when the opportunity presents it's self, exploit our shortcomings. The flying fish incident may just be the tip of the iceberg.
While inept governance must bear the brunt of my criticisms, the population at large must accept it's share, except when it comes to carnival, because this is one singular element that unites us as one people in search of excellence in the various presentations. What does this tell you about us and where do we go from here?