The National attention span of our country on matters critical to our personal safety does not exceed a typical weekend. This observation is prompted by a number of continuing social events. There was a time when Abu Bakr the leader of the failed coup in 1990 in which former Prime Minister ANR robinson was shot by one of the assailants was deemed a terrorist by the upper social and economic class of our citizenery.

Subsequently, as a result of the pardon tendered by the acting Prime Minister while under duress to Abu Bakr and those of his ilk who were charged with this heinous offence, Abu and his legions beat the rap. No one disputed the failed coup and the fact that our Prime Minister was shot. However, in a dysfunctional society such as ours Abu Bakr rose to become a confidant of future Prime Ministers; Manning and Panday embraced him while the religious fraternity and the upper social and economic class remained mute on this demonstration of political filth.

In recent weeks the protestations of those accessing the media are calling out for positive role models to help in the fight oagainst spiralling crime. Usually, role models are individuals whose lives warrant such adulation. Tragically, the roles that Manning and Panday played by consorting with Abu Bakr does not elevate them to that status. If anything, their obscene theatrics may have emboldened many impressionable wannabe youngsters to aspire to become hardened criminals: their status elevated. Meanwhile, the religious fraternity and the upper social and economic class are pointing fingers at the ghetto citizens whose enclaves dot the entire country, allowing Manning and Panday to disavow their personal contributions to our spiralling crime. Only in T&T.