WHERE IS THE HOPE?

And, let me add — some very big man, or some very big men, are blatantly lying to us. When, if ever, might we know the truth? Not too soon, for it seems the official examination of this ugly scenario will all be done in secret.

But why should we be surprised at all of this? Old people say that the fish rots from the head down, and never has this been more apparent than in our leaders’ actions today.

The ongoing revelations of corruption, malfeasance, ineptitude and mismanagement of everything, by both the PNM and the UNC, and now, apparently in the justice system, must raise the question: Where is the hope? I find it astonishing that, as our country crumbles around us, none of the major institutions — business, labour, religion, the University, the media, the Independent Senators, can even begin to think of any initiative, beyond their own woefully narrow interests to reverse the rotting of our country. No one is willing to give a damned thing — at least no one with any strength or power is willing to consider any short term sacrifice to confront what is going on. And while all of our major estates remain transfixed on what they can still take while the economy is “good,” and investment is “high,” small groups of very concerned citizens are forming new active groups, brainstorming among themselves, networking with each other, trying to find ways to save our country from our politicians, and for the major estates who are doing nothing to help save the country. As I stated a few weeks ago, hope and salvation are going to come From the Ground Up, without help, without funding from the institutions which have the wherewithal to assist. Let us look at some examples.

Business will not commit to organisations which appear to be “anti-government” — not anti-PNM Nor anti-UNC mind you, but merely anti-corruption and anti-mismanagement. Big business will pat the individuals involved on their backs, but will do nothing meaningful to support initiatives which they know are needed. We must “understand” this you see. These businesses may need licenses, or planning approvals, or tax concessions in the short term, and cannot be expected to jeopardise these needs for anything as mundane as an end to corruption, nepotism and mismanagement.

Oh! 19 business groups will hide behind a newspaper advertisement calling on government (this hapless government?) to “do something” about crime. Yet when a businessman — Stephen Cadiz — formed the Keith Noel 136 Committee, business gave it no support. Well, you see, they have been told that Government is “marking” those who support something as subversive as the Keith Noel Committee.”

The media is gorging itself on the government’s shockingly dishonest public relations campaigns. Full page and double page ads tell us how good our health and education systems are, how lucky we are to have CPEP, YTEPP and Udecott and CRAPCOT (my word folks!), while every facet of every ministry becomes worse with each passing day.

In an interview published last weekend, UNC MP and former journalist — Harry Partap — adamantly insisted that there was nothing wrong with a sitting Prime Minister’s wife accepting millions of dollars from a major business player. The lack of condemnation anywhere in the media (including the interviewer) for this admission should tell us all. That’s how it is now folks — politics has its own morality. Learn to live with it, nourish it, and use it for your own advantage. No section of the media, including MATT, will condemn Partap for his outrageous comment that he sees nothing wrong with such a “gift” to a PM’s wife.

The rains will soon be here, and so will the flooding. The underground drains in Port-of- Spain have still not been cleared. Dirt and debris have been forced into these drains during the long dry season, so the flooding will be worse than last year, and will take longer to recede. The Minister of Works will blame everything and everyone but himself. He must be still analysing the tenders he said he needed a year ago. Or did he ever invite any tenders? The woeful incompetence and mismanagement in getting anything done is beyond comprehension. How many years of flooded streets must we endure in the name of transparency in getting the job done? I mean — it’s cleaning drains we are talking about. If the Ministry cannot do it, then create another development company — call it DrainCoTT — and let them bring Chinese contractors to do the job.

Soon it will be election time again. Will the corporate sector pour — like before — millions into the coffers of the corrupt and incompetent PNM and UNC? Will they continue to do so even though eight former government ministers — from both parties — are before the Courts on corruption charges? Will the advertising agencies and media happily profit from these donations by creating and publishing blatant lies in support of the politicians they detest, but they take the money anyway?

When will our major institutions join the grassroots organisations, the people coming together in the name of decency, transparency, patriotism, and give momentum to the consensus for change that is stirring in this land? Will you all wait until the consensus for change has swept away the corruption and the current political clowns —hopefully without violence — and then come and say that you really supported this all along, but you really could not show it before? You know — just like you place your logos on our athletes after they win - not before!

Where is the hope in this land? It is there in the hearts and in the work of simple, dedicated people, who risk their jobs, their mortgages, and maybe their lives to try to bring decency back.

If our major estates can follow their example, these hopes will become reality. There are choices to be made, and actions to be taken.