Playing the game of the devil

Basdeo Panday picked up golf.

No longer was he viewed as the champion of the grassroots and working class, but joined the bourgeois clan at the expense of the working class who fought to get him into power.

Our present Prime Minister has met the same fate. He was a champion of the people.

He turned against his own for what he thought was morally right in the interest of the people of TT , against the corruption demon that was raping this country. Then as Leader of the Opposition, he continued the charge. Since his ascension to the throne, he has picked up golf. The murder rate has been steadily increasing from 410 in 2015 to 463 in 2016 and as of June 30, 255. Murders everywhere.

Yet, bit by bit our country’s resources are being sold to the top one per cent. For grassroot members of the PNM to think that the man from Mason Hall is in charge and running this country is folly. However, I guess, the grassroots might take comfort in seeing a face of their own as Prime Minister.

The PNM is led by the financiers who are profiting from every aspect under this Government. Yet, the citizens are caught in a battle of races, struggling day to day and encouraged to point fingers at each other from both sides of Parliament.

The latest killing of Videsh Subar, a 13-year-old, has finally stoked some members of the citizenry out of their slumber.

Unfortunately, the seeds of race and politics have rooted themselves too strongly for we, the people, to do anything about it.

The Prime Minister said he is not the police. However, if you were to look at the PNM’s manifesto of 2015, you would notice that the first area of government introduced in the manifesto was national security. The very first line of this section says, “The UNC-led Government has been an abject failure at controlling crime and ensuring the security of our citizens.” This suggests that the PNM believes it is the duty of the Government to control crime and ensure the security of us, the citizens.

It is the hope that the recent killing of Subar will not be tainted with views of race and politics. While his murder is not different from all others, while the screams of his mother are not different to the screams of other mothers, we the people must come together to take back this country. This killing must not become another nineday topic like the murders of the past.

If these events do not galvanize the citizens of this country, to throw away the veils of race and politics, then nothing will.

Therefore, the next time you pick up that golf club, ask yourself if you are playing the game of the devil.

R SHARMA via email