Let’s find solutions to problems, not just talk

Rowley’s “Conversations with the PM” invites questions, not scripted beforehand, from members of the audience, who are free to criticise the Government on all fronts. That is open democracy.

Columnists and editorials have criticised Rowley about the economy. At the Point Fortin Secondary School on Monday, Rowley made some startling revelations about the economy.

The bottom line is we cannot get more out of less. Government has over 60,000 people on its payroll. At times it is very difficult to meet the monthly commitment of wages and salaries. Despite this people are still saying “nothing is happening.” A well-known columnist only writes about the gloom and doom of this administration.

He is very strong on identifying all things that are wrong in this republic but very short on prescribing solutions. I call him the gloom and doom columnist.

I want him and other editors to tackle the following:

* The plethora of gangs in Trinidad.

* The high failure rate of SE A students of 2,000 plus. This failure rate has been constant since the 1990s.

* Finding the correct formula to distribute the scarce foreign exchange to manufacturers rather than importers.

* Reducing the crime rate at the white-collar level.

* Attracting direct foreign investment to ease the forex crunch.

* Making the curriculum relevant to today’s needs.

* Making trade unions leaders, local contractors and others understand that these are harsh economic times when we must “eat little and live long.” The days of lavish spending are over. You can no longer rip off or make a fast buck on the head of the Government.

In short, we all must understand that we are in this together. If this ship of State sinks, we all drown. Let us suggest solutions rather than talk, talk, talk and fluff, fluff, fluff.

JOHN JESSAMY Fyzabad