The selling of political snake oil

The goodly doctor/educationist is offering snake oil to rub on the wounds of disappointed chronic underachievers and their parents.

The fake news being peddled is political.

The adults are being fed the idea that a change in government will instantly improve their children’s minds to genius level. A vote for the UNC-led Partnership will lead you back into the TT lala land of milk and honey.

The problem with snake oil therapy is that it affects both sellers and imbibers. It lulls you into also believing that there will be no further retrenchment of workers; there is no worldwide recession; there will be lavish improvements in salaries; everybody will get a food card; crime will disappear because crime is a manifestation of People’s National Movement (PNM) behaviour; There are no bandits in central, south Trinidad, the east/west corridor or Tobago. And, importantly, there will be no more flooding as the garbage dumped in the rivers will magically disappear. If returned to government in 2020, a guaranteed possible minimum of $100,000 each will be given in post-flood money.

The problem with political snake oil is that the sellers are allegedly drunk on it and some people actually get to quite like the oily taste.

Hidden in fine print on each label are the words: “Nothing is for free.”

LYNETTE JOSEPH Diego Martin