Who teaches our population?

THE EDITOR: The symposium on “Critical Thinking” at UWI couldn’t have come at a better time or place. Trinidad is indeed a virtual laboratory for the testing of the theories and learned treatises on the subject.

A few examples will suffice. 1) “Businessmen and politicians have money and ill-gotten gains so it’s okay to kidnap them.” (Kidnappers are modern day Robin Hoods actually doing a service to society by fighting corruption.) 2) “We cannot find work, so we have to turn to crime.” (Crime is a viable occupation or option). 3) “No cooperation on legislative matters until electoral reform.” (Let’s hope that enough of the population is left around to enjoy the benefits of electoral reform when it comes). 4) “We have a wife and kids to mind, so we should be allowed to sell on the streets” (the possession of a wife and kids justifies selling on the streets.) 5) “The country is moving towards vision 20/20” (What is this vision 20/20? Whose vision is it?) So the eternal question remains: Whose job is it to teach or guide the population?

PATRICK QUAN KEP
Princes Town