A very foolish and misguided political strategy has dominated the country for some time by most of our political thinkers. It is the need to do one of two things. From the government side it is to blame every problem on outside forces, especially as it relates to crimes. The opposition has opted for another ploy; bash everything local as being without merit, while they encourage selective citizens to run for foreign shores, or to look with glee at every foreign based policy, strategy, or system, as the perfect model .The objectives are obvious for the astute among us. However those of us that fit that mole are in the minority, or should I say that we are not as loud and influential as these our devious counterparts.

What has the government and their cohorts said about escalating crimes? Our plans are fine and we have crime under control. We have the perfect programs in place to take care of all our citizens and have spent the billions in oil dollars astutely. It is the foreign criminals that come home to our shores and are ‘stinking up the joint.’ Those are my words of course. What rubbish and utter nonsense! This PNM government has squandered and mismanaged our resources with repeatedly lame and backward policies that it is beyond reason as to why they have lasted so long in power with so little to show for their efforts over the past forty six years. Care to doubt; just take a look at their respective base constituencies. The last time I checked there are still sections of the country that have consistently voted for this party since its inception and to date have no sound running water, police station, public school, or decent health care facility.

I hope that the party of hate-that constitute the opposition- as I like to call them isn’t overjoyed as I believe that they are a deep part of the problem. There never seems to be willingness by its constituency members to own up to or accept responsibility for actions. Every crime that takes place is by someone else, corruptions allegations are dismissed off hand as witch hunts by others. So because they are incapable of finding a solution, and are unwilling to work with other progressives in a spirit of meaningful compromises they will forever remain a fringed political party that is destined to remain in the opposition and therefore relics of the past. How sad indeed.

For an East Indian leader in Trinidad and Tobago or hierarchy to make some of the ludicrous suggestions that are often spewed in explanation for the sate of the country often borders on sacrilege. Citizens must run abroad because crime is out of control. Indo Trinidadians are deprived of positions and power in the country because of their race. The implications by these backward thinking leaders are that Afro Trinidadians have somehow benefited as a result of the rule by black leaders. Show me the proof.

What to me is most interesting is that there are people willing to believe such nonsense. One would believe in this technologically advance global world, folks can get a chance to see what is happening in the major metropolis to understand that crime is a global phenomenon. I hope that soon one of three things happens. Our people would start calling out these two political parties for what they are- fraudulent. Short of that some serious introspection starts occurring and new progressive leaders emerge from both parties that have no use for cronyism and nepotism. They might have a truer understanding of national interest over sectarian interest and begin working together. It would in the end remove the politicization of almost everything in the country. A truly independent party emerges that cares for our country and is prepared to ensure it assumes a position of leadership in the region. It must first take care of the needs of citizens irrespective of race or class.

The people and country must begin to matter to our leaders. There must be a systematic effort to bring private and state initiatives together for the benefit of all. If not, we will continue to be the perennial laughing stocks across the globe. Let’s then selectively reach out to collaborate with others that share that interest and desire to become relevant and not remain some footstool for some foreign entity merely interested in utilizing our resources for their own benefit. Now is the time for action.