Re-charting our Ruins

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
May 4, 2020

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

—James 1:5 KJV

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeFifty eight years ago Eric Williams (PNM) and Rudranath Capildeo (DLP/UNC) went to Marlborough House to discuss the path forward to create an independent nation. Williams was determined to take the country into independence while Capildeo wanted to make sure that Afro-Trinbagonians, the majority group, did not discriminate against Indo-Trinbagonians. Subsuming their party interests to the national interest, they inscribed a minority platform into the country’s constitution that protected the rights of Indo-Trinbagonians and other ethnic groups.

Eight years later the Black Power Revolt reminded us that there was still much unfinished business. Although we had won independence, Afro- and Indo-Trinbagonians were not included in the economic arrangements of the new state. This Afro-centric thrust sought to include Indo-Trinbagonians in our mutual quest to deepen our democracy.

Raffique Shah, a fellow columnist and participant in the 1970 uprising, argued that Dr. Williams declared a state of emergency on April 21, 1970 because “Indian-African unity, which was being forged from the bottom up, not imposed from a leadership that was looking for tokenism, had to be stopped at all costs.” (trinicenter.com, June 2000.) However one reads this analysis, Indo- and Afro-Trinbagonians were aware of the imbalance of the economic arrangements within the society at the time.

But history is an uncanny master. It takes many avenues to right the wrongs of the past and carry forward the liberation process, albeit in a jagged manner. Now with the outbreak of the coronavirus, we have another opportunity to carry on the work of those who went before and the legacy of those two landmark-events (independence and the Black Power revolts). In spite of the Prime Minister’s desire, no one can disconnect the outbreak of the coronavirus from our historic struggle for justice.

On April 20, the Prime Minister (PM) outlined his “Conceptual Framework for the Formulation of the Road Map for Trinidad and Tobago Post COVID-19 Pandemic.” In a section, “Inclusiveness, Collaboration and Partnership,” he announced boldly: “COVID-19 has unmasked the inequalities that exist in the economy and at the wider societal level. But, it has also demonstrated that all segments of the society are at risk. The Road Map must, therefore, be based on collective action and strong collaboration among all sectors of the economy and all segments of the society.”

This is the challenge. How can we achieve such a noble objective when duly elected representatives of the people, consisting of about 40 percent of the electorate, are excluded from this committee? It is not sufficient to say that the members of the committee could elicit the views of the public. One expects them to do so. But it’s a serious lapse of judgment to exclude the Leader of the Opposition (LO) and some of her colleagues from this committee. The LO should have been one of the co-chairmen of the Road Map Committee if the PM wanted the fullest buy-in of the Indian community.

I also agree that our society must chart a new course from December 2020 but that new course cannot be disconnected from December 2019 or December 2030. We must think in the future even as we seek to understand the past. However, if we are thinking in the future, we cannot put together a committee in which Indo-Trinbagonians are woefully underrepresented. Indo-Trinbagonians consist of about 38 percent of the population. In ten years they will be about 44 percent while Afro-Trinbagonians will remain at about 38 percent. If we are concerned about the future of all members of our society, more Indo-Trinbagonians should be on this committee.

The PM’s committee consists largely of economists, businessmen, and financiers. As I noted previously, his party continues “to emphasize the sovereignty of finances over and above social and cultural capital” (October 22, 2019). A. Hotep, an astute observer of his society, put it best: “Dr. Keith Rowley’s ‘Road Map to Recovery’ team is mostly the same tone-deaf people who have us in our financial and social crisis today. There was no inclusion of members of the African community who advocate for addressing our racial and cultural issues which remain at the heart of disunity, insecurity and discriminatory social behaviors in this country. Why was the Opposition Leader not invited to be part of this group? I am not aware of members of this team placing environmental concerns at the top of their agenda. Where are those who are concerned about the development of our agriculture and water management sectors? I rather suspect that some feminists would also have similar concerns about being omitted” (trinicenter.com, April 17) .

In The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon observed that the Roman Empire fell because the Athenians preferred security over freedom. “They wanted a comfortable life, and they lost it all-security, comfort, freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society but for society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for most was freedom from responsibility then Athens ceased to be free and was never free again.”

This emphasis on self-responsibility of which Gibbon speaks might be similar to the self-responsibility that the PM advocates. It is a virtue we need to cultivate in our society.

I suspect a majority of the Road Map Committee members is more concerned with cushioning their own nests than with creating a just and moral society. It is entirely possible that Rondell Feeles, the chairman of the Single Fathers’ Association, can best represent my interest. Only time will determine the accuracy of my observations.

3 thoughts on “Re-charting our Ruins”

  1. There are a number of disputable assumptions in Selwyn’s article, some should be addressed at a different time, others which are more relevant and should be addressed now. 1) There seems to be some historical revisionism in Selwyn’s account of the black power “revolution”. The PNM under Dr. Eric Williams was instituting a radical reform of the economy in the period that was mentioned. The realities of transforming an economic system is something that “revolutionaries” and “pragmatists” see differently; both may have the interest of the country at heart, their methods for achieving their goals may be different. 2) That the leader of the Opposition should be included in this Road Map Committee is laughable, she should be LOL not LO. Her actions just recently trying to get sanctions applied to T&T is just her latest insult to the people of T&T. She has shown that she is more interested in attaining power through any means whatsoever than in the welfare of the people of T&T. No wonder there is a move afoot to replace her as LO. She would have the opportunity to undermine and sabotage the process without any responsibility since the PM will be judged by the opposition on the outcome whether they sabotage it or not, and history shows they are willing to do just that. Would Donald Trump put Joe Biden on a recovery team? Would Boris Johnson put Keir Starmer on such a team? Would Angela Merkle put Alternative for Germany (AfD) leaders, Gauland and Weidel, on her team? Would Macron put Marine Le Pen on his team? Would Modi put Sonia Gandhi on his team? And at least those opposition leaders seem to be interested in the welfare of their country. 3) Although Selwyn quotes Edward Gibbon as the author of the quotation about the Athenians, some have traced that quotation not to Gibbon but to Margaret Thatcher. In any case the Athenians were Greeks, it was in Athens that democracy was said to have been born. The Athenian Empire did fall hundreds of years before the Roman Empire was established, in 404 BC. The reasons for its decline are interesting and perhaps relevant to our situation. Athens was involved for many years in the Peloponnesian War with Sparta. Some powerful Athenians (for example Critias, one of the ringleaders) collaborated with Sparta to sell out Athens. Athens was defeated and the rule of the “Thirty Tyrants”, a pro-Spartan oligarchy, was ushered in. The Thirty instituted a reign of terror where they murdered and exiled hundreds of Athenians with the aim of changing the democratic laws and bringing about a despotic oligarchy. The lesson for T&T is clear. Beware of traitors.

  2. The PNM is again up to their mischief again. They are giving out millions in a pre-election plan to their supporters under the Covid19 cover. They have emptied the already emptied treasury to the tune of $21 billion. They claim to be helping the nation but no one knows where the money is going except the balisier brigade.

    As for 1970 uprising that was pale in comparison to the 1990 seven day coup. Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj negotiated the freedom of Abu and some 86 Libyan trained killers. The astute Manning seeing an opportunity met with Abu and entered into a quarry deal. Along with a deal to demoralize the indo population. PNM leader have it in their DNA to destroy TnT and created a pariah society. What followed under Manning leadership was a targeted list of Indo businessmen whose children were kidnapped, brutalized and some killed in exchange for ransom money. Under Sharia law if you not a muslim you pay the tax (jizra). Many men in long white garb was seen going to these businesses seeking “protection money”. Manning himself informed the nation that these kidnappings was “targeted”. That they had a list….hmmm

    Eric was friends with dictator Burham and gave him the national patrimony oil to the tune of $1/2 billion U.S. Burnham did whatever he wanted confiscated lands own by Indians and drove about 300,000 away. Manning friendship with Abu and Gang members is well known, meeting in fancy hotel and giving away housing contracts in millions. Now we have Keith Christopher Rowley, emailgate, fake oil and Maduro lover. Eric had Burnham, Manning had Abu and the gangs, Rowley have Maduro and the 1%.

    The PNM supporters have never held Rowley to account for anything. Even secretly assisting the Maduro regime. One must wonder how many millions in drugs is passing through TnT ., Two major drug bust based on American intelligence and a one Mr. Stuart who usually like to boast is silent as a church mouse. The PNM propaganda machine has been on high gear lately blaming KPB for soon to be sanctions. Well show me your friends and I will tell you who you are. Paria will spell national demise. I suspect the PNM have a plan with Maduro to steal the next election. The PNM never help anyone if they can’t benefit from it.

  3. Birdie, Dr. Rowley took the doc advice and appointed Vasant to the post covid19 spending extravaganza committee. This is historical in nature since Vasant a knife and fork Indian whose credentials are impeccable will be giving his expertise. But will the PNM listen or seek to control this committee to the point that they are waiting on Rowley for guidance on all matters. The committee is laden with 1% people, so we know who benefitting from the empty treasury.

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