Falling standards at Government, Opposition levels

The seemingly minor incident is a manifestation in the writer’s opinion of the new culture of incivility and bad behavior which is now permeating our society.

The exemplars in our country are to blame and I must zero in on our politicians who callously disregard etiquette and decorum and now assault us with their bad manners at almost every opportunity.

Two recent examples are submitted:- A group of talented young jewellers were asked to display examples of their craft at the National Museum last Thursday September 29. The Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, Joan Yuille- Williams was scheduled to open the event at 6:45 pm. Guests arrived on time, probably to avoid the difficult parking challenges in the area.

At 7:47 pm, not only did the Minister not arrive, but it was also that her minions were unable to contact her, and after a while a minister official, obviously embarrassed, declared the exhibition open.

The other incident has already been reported in the form of a letter to one of the dailies. The Trinidad Chamber of Commerce arranged a meeting to discuss this year’s budget and invited a minister and an opposition member to attend.

These two gentlemen heckled at each other, much to the alarm of the businessmen who were expecting some intelligent responses to their questions.Some have experienced waiting for an hour in the sun for a Minister or some other official to turn a sod somewhere, or they have attended meetings where a Minister of Government proceeds by his or her body language to say that they would prefer to be elsewhere.

They take or make several telephone calls on their mobile phones while seated at the podium. When did our leaders become so gauche, impolite and downright insensitive? Some say it is an example of the escalating culture of arrogance, hostility and violence in our society. What have we done to deserve this? Perhaps the more disturbing question is, what we do about it?

MONICA GOPAUL

Curepe