How low can we sink?

Without going into the merits or demerits of the judgment against Mr Panday on legal grounds, that a 72-year-old former vibrant and efficient leader of our country with acknowledged medical problems should be sentenced to “hard labour” and denied bail certainly seems excessively hard. That subsequent appeals for bail have been denied by a member or members of the judiciary is reprehensible.

Were all the others who had filed inaccurate reports with the Integrity Commission (and given an opportunity by that board to amend or regularise them), now facing similar charges no one could quarrel either with the Court’s decision or the Integrity now Commission’s initiation of charges? Righteous leadership is not having the effect that Mr Manning had hoped for. Quite the opposition in fact. When the citizens demand that the charges made by Mr Vernon Paul are properly investigated and a Commission of Enquiry instituted, I will consider that we are perhaps still a democratic nation. Until then, I am afraid that this case has only confirmed to me that TT is now really and truly a banana republic and certainly not operating in a truly democratic manner. In addition, I anticipate further deterioration in an already desperate crime situation and a social situation leading to ethnic confrontation. The law is an ass, but then so are any who are enjoying this situation — you could be next!