Civil Service is pro-PNM

THE EDITOR: Editorial commentary which lauds the triumph of social justice and posits the necessity for “fairness, transparency and efficiency” in the public sector in response to Devant Maraj’s successful court battle against the SAC, if sincere, must first confirm and condemn historical abuse, as a prerequisite to success. Devant Maraj and many like him have always been victims, not as suggested, of some insidious colonial heritage, but rather of one of the more malign legacies of the late and in some quarters still lamented “Father” of the nation. Despite Mr Maraj’s court victory, minorities in the TT civil service will continue to suffer victimisation in the work place so long as the PNM wields political power.

Discrimination, oppression and victimisation have from inception been cornerstones of PNM political culture. Since the election of 1956 when civil servants of a certain ethnicity, even then a majority, were on election day encouraged and coerced to utilise their own and official vehicles to transport PNM supporters to and from the polls, that hitherto apolitical service became the PNM’s largest party group. As such, from that day to this, it ceased to all intents and purposes, to serve the interest of society, save where those interests coincided with those of a PNM, in our out of office. Confirmation of the foregoing may be obtained from ex-PMs Robinson and Panday; both of whom can testify to the obstruction to progress at every level, the bane of every non-PNM administration since seduction and penetration by the Williams PNM in ‘56.

Rather than liberalise a system dominated via a colonial governor, directed from London, Williams, nothing if not politically astute, retained existing constraints, calculated by former masters to discourage indigenous initiative and ambition. He simply substituted his ruling PNM for departing colonialists. TT is therefore yet to achieve freedom from colonialism, it merely traded complexion. Nor has efficiency benefitted from this change of hue. Political hegemony necessitated the installation at every level of party faithful, to whom a party card was the only qualification required. The resulting inefficiency of square pegs in round holes was further compounded by unwarranted and unnecessary mind numbing layers of entangled bureaucracy.

The Civil Service of TT thus became and is still, an inefficient sinecure for party hacks and their unemployed relatives.  It is thus a major disincentive to progress in every sphere of national life. It goes without saying that since opposition to the PNM was always firmly rooted in the Indo community, the few Indos admitted into the ranks of that service who failed to experience the epiphany of political conversion were of necessity severely limited, regardless of ability or qualification, in their prospects beyond certain redetermined levels. Thus it was and will remain, unless and until that service is gutted, drastically overhauled and forced to comply with current realities. Who, pray tell, under the current dispensation is going to bell this cat which still purrs contentedly between the nation, true progress and the quality which permits every creed and race to find an equal place?

T G MENDES
Port-of-Spain