Return of exchange control?

THE EDITOR: The news that the PM’s proposed new anti crime measure (a paramilitary force?), announced in his Budget Speech in early October, will now be coming online early in the New Year is yet further manifestation of the poor level of administration and governance that exists in our nation today. “It is still in the teething stage,” according to the news report, whilst the criminals and bandits amongst us have been permitted to grow fangs, not teeth, with impunity! How long does it take to get from teething to maturity? We all know that that is a long hard road — just look at what is happening in our schools today.

Some in the nation were hoping for a crime free Christmas — looks like it will have to be another PNM “crime free Carnival” promise — our Minister of National Security is after all a Carnival man. Unfortunately, however, their early start kick off festival has already marred that record with an attack on a foreigner, so they will not even have that to boast of. It can be deemed nothing less than a disgrace that under two years of the PNM we have achieved the dubious distinction of being linked in the same category (God help) for crime as Jamaica in our hemisphere, Columbia in Latin America, and Chicago in North America. We are now amongst the world leaders in crime and what is happening in our nation? Police stations are closing down and we still have an Acting CoP — rather than more “teeth,” less! The same PNM is being permitted to lead our nation further downhill on the economic front. The news that there is a shortage of foreign currency (US dollars) in circulation should come as no surprise to any. We will no doubt soon see exchange control reintroduced in another retrograde PNM revisitation to “control” — and devaluation.

Is the business community not yet worried? Where exactly is that amorphous Vision 2020 taking us? From all accounts right back where we started — before “Corruption” with a capital C got its hands on us and we became a progressive nation. When will you believe that the PNM has no intention of tying themselves up by signing Integrity forms. Constitutional reform? Think again. If they cannot deal with Integrity forms in two years, no one should expect that they can manage complex constitutional reform in five? A simple Cabinet reshuffle is apparently a major ordeal. No one knows what to believe when they talk — so often it turns out to be just an idea “floating!” New Parliament, pipelines, and a mammoth bridge to Tobago whilst the natives beg for handrails on a bridge to protect their children who have to cross open planking to get to school daily. Kidnapping no longer shocks anyone — only the victims and their families are left traumatised and “in shock.” How many honestly believe that they are capable of “turning things around?” I doubt even Patrick Manning.

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain