Death for politicians stealing from State

Anyone, whether politician or citizen, if convicted of stealing from the State during a period of national recession and economic hardship, should similarly be put to death for treason. Stealing from the nation’s purse is a zero sum game that satisfies the selfish greed of the thief, thereby depriving other citizens who are made to suffer and at times may even die because of the austerity policy choices of the State arising during a recession.

The sentiments expressed above arise out of regard for what Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC revealed recently concerning the acquisition of two additional boats by the Dr Keith Rowley administration.

Prolonged, preventable and unnecessary strife has arisen through incompetent State agents who have failed to resolve the existing inter- island transportation issue that has impacted negatively on national commerce and which has contributed to the unrequited financial losses experienced by the business community.

Citizens are being made to endure unprecedented financial stress and mental and physical affliction, all of which manifest in increased morbidity and, at times, preventable mortality as a result of the PNM Government’s failure to resolve air and sea transport problems between Tobago and Trinidad.

Indeed, national transportation policies are today in most countries considered a public health issue, and they must satisfy the rigours of comprehensive health, environmental and social impact assessment before being formally approved and implemented.

Not only do we in this country not link the impact of ill-advised and woefully incompetent public transportation policy to health, but the Government has demonstrated a willingness to persist in frustrating the legitimate right of citizens to the availability of adequate public transportation.

The Government has been less than transparent in not disclosing the owners of these vessels and has not accounted to its citizens regarding the procurement process.

The Opposition Leader has raised questions regarding the likelihood of gerrymandering in the process of procuring the vessels. If her accusations are valid, then there are questions that more than one State agency need to answer.

The Government demands “sacrifice” and imposes hardship on citizens because it claims it does not possess the financial resource base to provide even for the socially vulnerable among us adequately.

The same Government has been willing to turn a blind eye to an ongoing saga that suggests persistent and intractable corruption and conniving thievery in the provision of a simple transport service between our two islands.

It is nothing short of a treasonous dereliction of duty by the Government that such an abominable situation be allowed to continue when it is one that can be quickly resolved through the application of competent skills by honest people.

It is not for want of competent skills that this transport imbroglio has not yet been resolved. The intractable failure to solve this dilemma arises from the entrenched and immutable habit of dishonesty among some people.

STEVE SMITH via email