Pressure from Opposition and Govt now over

The Bill has been passed in a Carnival environment fraught with National Carnival Commission, Pan Trinbago and Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation controversies. Would it be fair to ask if the timing of Carnival 2017 will be remembered as having been divinely inspired to act as a people’s vent for the pentup frustrations brought on by the shenanigans of our politicians? For the time being, the “robber talk” in Parliament is over.

But neither the Government nor the Opposition know how much pressure they placed on the average citizen re the passage of the Bill: * A Bill designed in 2013 during the reign of what was left of the People’s Partnership government.

* A Bill that the present PNM Government initially agreed be brought to a joint select committee and subsequently reneged on this undertaking.

* A Bill that gave rise to the Opposition Leader writing to the President-elect of the US for his input re its future.

* A Bill that had the business community running scared if its passage deadlines were not met, thereby impacting negatively on the banking sector in particular.

* A Bill that, had it not been passed in a timely fashion, could have pauperised Joe Public and his family because of the negative implications of further delays.

Agnostics aside, may I suggest that divine intervention be used by believers of all faiths as a tool for getting things done? Don’t give up on our leaders, our attitude to customer service, our challenging educational system, our politicians, our Carnival etc.

But do not become addicted to religion in your attempts to control what may seem to be uncontrollable.

Let’s do everything in our individual and collective power to have a peaceful and crime-free Carnival.

John Henry Petit Valley