Noble sentiments

THE EDITOR: Morality, spirituality and the rule of law are not merely “noble” sentiments, they are the underpinnings of any civilised society worthy of that term. They also represented the justification on which, by Presidential decree, a minority supported Manning PNM was elevated to power at the expense of the majority supported incumbent UNC on 24/ 12/ 01. Unfortunately for the vast majority, those sentiments, as defined by the subsequent performance of that “elevated” political directorate, have assumed meanings somewhat alien to what hitherto was considered acceptable.

Morality:
Under its revised definition it became moral to place upon the breadline, 9000 plus Indo Trinis perceived as the bedrock of UNC support, on the basis of the financial drain which sugar had become. That this has been so even before Williams bought out the interests of Tate and Lyle in Caroni Ltd. makes cruel mockery of that justification. That boost to unemployment might have escaped censure were it not for the following. It made no provision for the services of effective drainage and road maintenance which were the responsibility of Caroni Ltd. to the detriment of surrounding towns and villages, all areas of solid opposition support. The resulting flooding, transportation and economic woes thus inflicted, offend traditional standards of morality. This is  more so, since their plight engenders nothing but hollow promises.

While financial haemorrhage was cited for this development and promises to displaced workers are yet to be met, the PM boasts of $billions diverted from oil revenues to a discriminatory, non-productive and politically expedient CEPEP, as well as massive bail outs to surrounding territories. A similar tragedy is still unfolding around Government’s decision to pull the plug on NBN with no viable forethought either to sustainability of public information, education or entertainment or the survival of dismissed employees. Several similar examples of the new morality may be culled from the law courts where public servants have successfully prosecuted their employer for wanton acts of discrimination based upon ethnicity and/ or party affiliation.

Spirituality:
This too has failed to evade the scourge of redefinition. It has since 24/12/01 been limited to superficiality of Biblical quotation and a blessing spree by a newly elevated PM. It may more accurately be measured in the level of hostility and suspicion generated by political rhetoric against the significant non Christian element of the society, in which not surprisingly, the opposition is based. More tangible examples of the new spirituality may be found in recent attempts by the state to wrest from organised religion any vestige of control over the education of children. It is inescapable in the politically expedient disparity between grants to the majority Hindu and minority Spiritual Baptist faiths. No clearer example may be found than that now before the courts concerning the denial of a broadcast licence to the Hindu Maha Sabha.

The rule of law:
None of the noble sentiments cited in justification for the Presidential elevation of the PNM has suffered such a drastic and bloody revision as the rule of law.  Having effectively eroded all respect for law and civil authority via an unprecedented 10 month campaign of allegation, accusation, inquisition and persecution mounted by an unelected, minority supported, elevated administration against a deposed incumbent, the birds of anarchy thus hatched have predictably, come home to roost. Crime has been in ascendancy since 24/12/01. Annual unprecedented totals in violent crime of every description have followed each other with disgusting and terrifying predictability and 2005 will prove no exception. With the prospect of a PM consulting on matters of national security with unrepentant terrorists and criminal dons whom he has anointed as “Community Leaders”, criminals and scofflaws of every stripe have assumed the vestment of respectability; the only proviso to the foregoing being firm support of the ruling dispensation. 

Hence an unprecedented 260 murders in 2004, a m marked increase in extra judicial police killings, legal confrontation between commissioners of police, armed confrontation between lower ranks, unprecedented road deaths and rampant crime are only predictable.  They are all logical consequences of the prostitution of democracy on redefined sentiments of “morality, spirituality and rule of law,” all since 24/12/01 significant by their absence as we once knew them. I trust all will have made the most of Carnival 2005 since it is safe to posit that another conservatively estimated 500 citizens will by 2006 have perished as a consequence of “noble” sentiments, ignobly utilised.

T G MENDES
Port-of-Spain