Give them the money they crave

THE EDITOR: I just knew this would happen one day given the police inclination to allow testimony from gangsters to be used to prosecute their fellow criminals. Criminals certainly cannot be expected to suddenly become holy and tell the truth when they face a judge or magistrate. They are largely contemptuous of the law. Laziness has definitely backfired here. The entire “rigmarole” has been laid out on page nine of Newsday, Sunday June 27 of cases where this practice was adopted. If this is all the police can do, then small wonder that the criminal industry is thriving profitably. So murders, kidnappings and other crimes will go largely unsolved just because one or more gang members cannot be found who will testify against their fellows? What a joke! After all, what incentive do they get? Huh? Throwing up my hands in despair I will say “give the police the mo’ money they crave, why don’t they?” Likewise the teachers, just ask how much will it take to make them perform effectively for the next ten years and dish it out for them. That way the time taken to whine, complain, protest, march, campaign for a next term in office and play they not working (actually that is not playing), will go down to zero.

At least that is what they say. Who wants to believe that crap is their business. That will eliminate the unions who live off the fat of union dues and sound so illiterate when they have to fight for anyone’s rights. They only come off sounding mercenary. One has to look at the whole thing objectively here. The criminals do nothing but hold up people, steal their valuables, terrorise their families, kidnap children for ransoms, kill some for the heck of it and get money into the bargain. Sounds like a fun job for the criminals. To top it off, no police arresting them because many criminals have relatives in the service who just turn the other way. Whenever one is caught to show that the police are doing their ‘job’, there is always a battery of high profile lawyers to defend them. Is it only me who can see why a criminal may not be found who will testify against his bro in crime, except if he is given resident status in the States? Now we have the teachers who once taught these present criminals in elementary school or Junior/Senior Sec etc. Now the roles are reversed and the former students are teaching their former teachers how to get money without exerting yourself. So teachers, start protesting for mo’ money.

They start practising extortion. They not teaching until demands are met. The only things missing really are the guns in hands of teachers. Police have their own form of non-performance for more money. They say they have no vehicles when a crime is supposed to be investigated. Meanwhile, police cars are seen at rum shops and dropping children off to school, they are seen driving around on roads where someone is driving dangerously or parked blocking traffic or using the shoulder of the highways to stop on a Sunday after a wedding and have a few drinks. They are seen minding their own business on those occasions or overtaking other vehicles at full speed even using sirens for the purpose. They have guns but are only using them presently to kill unfaithful spouses and then turning said guns on themselves. Sometimes they use guns on hapless and already frustrated citizens who happen to use words that belittle their uniforms or office.

So to avoid anyone, especially those dignified teachers, having to brandish guns and hold up the Minister of Finance, I say do away with those ineffective unions and share the money. If within ten years students do not become scholars and more excuses are given for failure, and if within the next ten years crime and criminals do not disappear, then the government will be asking back for the monies given. While we are doing away, can we do away with the whole licensing system of drivers’ permits only being given after some bogus regulations and tests which everyone pass because they “pass the change?” Obviously no one bothers about following road rules and regulations once they get the laminated card. Licensing officers can now stand on the roadside and give out a license to any passerby within a certain age (ID cards first please) and if they ask for a bribe report them to the now effectively working police. That will certainly stop corruption in licensing departments and I will not have to feel jealous every time I pass by the palatial house of any licensing officer.

SUE SANKAR
Chaguanas