Time for drug, polygraph testing

Since we are serious about building communities and moving on, then it must be a step in the right direction to embark upon drug and polygraph testing for persons who hold responsible and influential positions in our society. For example, we can start with members of parliament, members of the integrity commission, judges, magistrates, bankers, attorneys-at-law, media personnel, talk-show hosts, medical doctors, businessmen, EBC commissioners, police officers, soldiers, coastguard officers, fire officers, calypsonians, rapso artistes, soca singers, footballers and all sportsmen and sportswomen, camera crews of radio and TV stations and teachers, especially those in secondary education.

Soca artistes, calypsonians and performers have very great influence on youth behaviour so they must be included. We surely have noticed that persons, who plead ‘Not guilty’ to offences like Drug Trafficking, corruption and illegal transfer of public funds before our courts, plead ‘guilty’ to the same offences, with the same evidence, in foreign jurisdictions. They obviously know how to manipulate our system or as a legal mind said two years ago, they know that ‘‘we have a legal system with a crumbling foundation.’’

All the protests, affidavits, appeals to this body and that committee, reviews, applications and constitutional motions are set aside and plea bargaining begins with the foreign courts because seriousness has started and everyone respects seriousness. Maybe we need to teach those developed countries about ‘legal technicalities’ and breaches of ‘constitutional rights.’ Also, they need to know how to postpone cases until the prosecution witnesses become frustrated, then dismiss the matter and blame the police complainant for the decision given in the case. The time to stop the nonsense has arrived. We want people among us whom we can trust. Let us show the world that we are serious. Bring on the drug and polygraph testing now for persons in key positions and get rid of all who fail. Take care we end up without a country, yes.