Check your vision, Mr Manning

THE EDITOR: From mere observation, I think this is Patrick Manning’s personal concept of Vision 20/20. 2020 Vision on Cost of Living Expenses: The price of foodstuff particularly has been escalating due to internal and external factors.  Given this fact, the Government does not offer sufficient incentives to farmers thereby making Trinidad and Tobago less self sufficient. The Government tells farmers who decide to utilise Caroni lands that they are engaging in illegal farming. 2020 Vision on Employment: Thousands of Caroni workers have been retrenched and there are no future employment opportunities available to them. However, a glorified social welfare programme has been created and you have the audacity to call it “sustainable employment.” Mr Manning, having CEPEP workers painting stones white and having twenty of them clean a small area does not add to the economic growth of Trinidad and Tobago.

2020 Vision on Crime: Crime has been growing at a phenomenal rate with police officers “fearing for their lives.” What that leaves for citizens when the police are supposed to be trained in defence tactics and most are in possession of a gun? Furthermore, without proper research, a sky watch unit has been imported with two more on the way. Millions of dollars down the drain, as the Ministry of National Security could not foresee that such a device has limited use in Port-of-Spain as the tall buildings obstruct the view. 2020 Vision on Law and Order: There is one law that works in favour of PNM ministers and another for UNC ministers and the general public. In this country, a PNM minister can angrily throw a teacup across the room and openly threaten violence to an Opposition member and the DPP refuses to make an example out of him. So Mr DPP your silence has loudly endorsed this misconduct as acceptable behaviour.

2020 Vision on Ministerial Representation: Mr Manning, were you too busy helping with the preparation of “breakfasts” that you did not notice the ministers you selected never seem to know what are the current issues affecting the people in their respective constituencies? These ministers seem to be too preoccupied assisting with their wives’ Tobago housing project. 2020 Vision on Flooding: Long before the rainy season, rivers are to be dredged properly and alternative watercourses developed with the preservation of the mangrove. Instead, the ministry has put the blame solely on the general public that the high incidence of illegal dumping caused flooding. If that is the case, Mr Minister did you put a monitoring team in place to penalise individuals for engaging in illegal dumping of rubbish? There is also the matter of landslides caused by extensive excavation of the hills to accommodate large scale housing projects. The good minister even went so far as to say he does now know how these land developers continue to get approval.

2020 Vision on Healthcare: Cuban doctors have been imported yet there never seems to be available medical personnel to attend to you speedily. One has to deal with long waiting periods, the shortage of drugs, lack of medical equipment and unpleasant nurses. However, ministers can seek medical attention abroad with our tax dollars while we have to tolerate this poor treatment. Moreover, millions of dollars designated for PAYE have vanished into thin air and the Government does not seem too bothered by this. There is even talk about introducing a new national insurance scheme. So I ask the question, how is this different from NIS? What will happen to all the contributions I have already made?

2020 Vision on Housing: Land designated for agriculture or deemed as unfit by NHA sometime ago is now being used for housing. I understand that people need somewhere to live but what makes this “unfit land” suitable now? There have also been several reports that these governments houses have cracking walls and leaks. Instead of just building houses, please encourage building of communities since some housing projects completed by the government are referred to as “ghetto.” These housing projects lack a community police post and recreational facilities for residents. 2020 Vision on Caribbean Alliances: As the self-proclaimed godfather of the Caribbean, Mr Manning keeps running to the rescue of our Caribbean counterparts. While I have no problem with relief given to these suffering islands, the same energy is required for locals as well. Instead, these workers sent to Grenada were subjected to inhumane conditions and farmers who lost crops and livestock in floods were given taxi fare as compensation for their loss. What an insult!

2020 Vision on Congestion and Road Safety: Without proper consultation with the Maxi Taxi Association, the minister wants to import larger vehicles holding more passengers. There is a lot of talk about a light monorail system and the construction of the overpass (finally!) but please ensure that proper planning, execution and control strategies are devised so that it’s a smooth transition without additional traffic and the wastage of taxpayers’ money. As for road safety, dishing out tickets for broken number plates and illegal parking on Independence Square will not  reduce the amount of carnage on today’s roads. Stiffer penalties are needed for reckless drivers and highway patrol is necessary at all hours of the day and night. You need to have your vision checked again Mr Manning!

TIM MOHAMMED
Chaguanas