Where is the Opposition’s love for country?

THE EDITOR: What sort of country do we live in? Why do we seek the truth but dwell on lies? Why do we look elsewhere for the truth whilst it faces us? I refer to the state of criminality, violence and kidnappings in our country. The UNC, its leaders and supporters are crying all over the place about violence, etc in Trinbago. What are they doing to help? Don’t they also belong to this country? In the developed countries of the world when a common enemy such as war, famine etc faces a country, the nation binds together — Government and Opposition — to face and conquer the common enemy. In Trinbago, we do the opposite, we divide or stand aside, politically or racially and apportion blame.

A good example of this was the Police Reform Bill. The Police Service needed purging, healing, direction and strengthening to name a few of its urgent requirements. We wish to rid our country of crime. What better place to start than to make effective the Police Service? I mean, it is elementary. The Government goes to Parliament to gain approval to do as much as possible to address the problem. The Opposition (including Gillian Lucky) opposes the Bill totally. In a developed country the Opposition’s approach would have been to constructively criticise the Bill and put forward ideas and suggestions to strengthen it and finally support its passage in the Parliament. Not in Trinbago.

In this country the Opposition votes vehemently against the passage of the Bill and the next day, the next month, all of the period thereafter, it criticises the Government for doing nothing to fight crime and strengthen and improve the Police Service. And sad to say, the journalists, the Independent Senators, the non-party-aligned members of the public, and non-political organisations in the country remain silent and apparently disinterested, whilst the country hurries on its way down the drain. Very lately I see several branches of the Chamber of Commerce beginning to wake from their slumber in this regard.

I wish the public, and organisations of good intention and love for country would get up and make their voices and good intentions heard. In days of old, the population of this country would have identified where the problem was and marched the roads against it, compelling the Opposition to honour its duties and responsibilities to the country. It would not have been allowed to get away with such negligence. The marches that take place in this country occasionally against crime are meaningless and of no effect. The marches should be directed at getting the Opposition to support or initiate legislation to rid our country of crime. Please wake up Opposition and people!

ALDWYN J W JOSEPH
San Fernando