The first type of politician is called a patriot; these are the men and women who care deeply about our country, our compatriots and about rights and justice for every person living within our borders; regardless of race, religion, or country of origin, and will always do whatever it takes to ensure the success and progress of our twin-island republic. They are a rare breed, but we’ve had several of them grace the halls of our Parliament; the quintessential example being former prime minister and president, ANR Robinson. Robinson cared little about political longevity and much more about what decisions were most beneficial for Trinidad and Tobago.

To fall into this category, one must have unwavering integrity, class, intelligence and fearlessness to do what is necessary regardless of the prospective political backlash. And in addition to possessing all these traits, this politician must be a practical visionary like former prime minister, Patrick Manning.

The second type is called a traitor. Not much explanation is required to explain who falls into this category, but, simply put, a traitor is any politician who uses his/her political power to pillage and plunder the treasury and other vital resources of the country. The traitor is the type of politician that the patriot would have investigated, exposed and passed laws to imprison – preferably for lengthy periods. These people do not deserve much of our attention outside of investigations into their finances and media coverage for their trials.

The third type is the swamp monster who has lived in the swampy corrupt waters of politics for decades and they love it. The swamp monster does not care about the future of the country as a whole because they have significantly benefited from the perks of the position and s/he and his/her family are already set for life. This type of politician still pretends to care by using all the nefarious political language and skill attained over the years while touting their experience as a benefit to the people. Swamp monsters are skilled at spinning tops in mud to give the impression of trying, but are as useless as a glass hammer.

The fourth type is the useful idiot who actually wants to do good for the country, but lacks leadership aptitude. In Trinbago, useful idiots are sophists who may actually be reformed swamp monsters at the end of their political careers, trying to make amends before riding into the sunset; however, their attempts do more harm than good because they use old strategies to solve current issues and ignore any and all advice, similar to Dr Eric Williams’ attitude towards all his political opponents right before using his favourite insult: idiot.

Notwithstanding the forgoing, there’s another option in the words of former senator Mark Thomas Inskip Julien on April 15, 1975 during a debate of an amendment to the Industrial Relations Act: “It might seem strange that I have come to the conclusion that what this country needs at least for a short period of five years is a benevolent dictatorship.

Its main task would be to get rid of all lawlessness and indiscipline which now exist in this country.

The next task is to put the economy of the country on a proper footing, getting rid of all the obstructionists and to inculcate in the hearts and the minds of the citizens a sense of loyalty – loyalty first to their God; loyalty second to their country, and thirdly, loyalty to their fellowmen.

After that period we can have an assessment made to see if it has worked and what is the next course we should take. Before I die I should like this country get back to what it was: the happiest and most peaceful country in the world.” This is what Trinbago needs.

In 2020, the disengaged public must wake up and demand more by rejecting the current breed of pseudo- politicians and only offer support to a young, strong political leader who puts the national interest above that of his own and his party.

Ultimately, we should accept nothing less than a patriot who is willing at times to be a benevolent dictator as our next p r i m e minister.

A region that bleats on about the mistreatment of black people and the preferential treatment of whites and how an atrocity is reported either seriously or dismissively, depending on the colour of the victims’ skin, patently doesn’t give a damn when a terrorist attack far away, in London, results in maiming and loss of life. Because the victims weren’t black.

It was reported in the media, of course, but largely in a “let’s hope it doesn’t happen here” way.

It is a sign of how the world has become emotionally bankrupt when each of us will only be driven to impassioned comment if hostility and tragedy are directed against our own people.

And yes, of course that is what inspired these 800 words from a commentator who would normally be looking for something to get humorous about.

You know how Donald Trump uses social media, especially Twitter, to get his message across because it cuts out any input, alteration or dilution, by the traditional media? It’s exactly what the private individual does in the 21st century, to broadcast a point of view, not due to contempt for the news organisations but because he or she has no other platform.

Thus we grit our teeth as a Facebook “friend” gets all self-righteous about something, speaking up as a little-known voice of reason for a sector of society that doesn’t have a focal point, or at least not one with the clout to make itself heard on a national scale.

I was thinking about that just the other day when a Trinidadian friend – a highly intelligent woman who could be a significant voice in the country’s media but who instead ploughs her own furrow – made some glib, populist comment about how, in the case of a missing person, no one gets worked up about it unless it’s a “pretty white girl”.

Coincidentally, a quick glance at the TT media the same day produced two stories about precisely that: missing black girls who had been found.

The attack at Westminster might seem inconsequential when you’re doing the school run in Arima or putting the finishing touches to your political agenda in Scarborough, but it’s real to some people.

And there was a wide range of nationalities involved in the Westminster attack, because it was right in the middle of the city, where tourists go to have a look at the famous Houses of Parliament.

Medical staff ran to the scene from the nearby St Thomas’s hospital. My son works there.

He’s a nurse.

It was his day off, as it happens, but he could quite easily have been walking across the bridge when the first element happened: the strangely modern barbarism of ploughing a car into a group of people.

So okay, it might take an event in some way “close to home” to wake us up, but wake up we must.

Why shouldn’t a terrorist attack happen in TT ? Sure, it’s a relatively low-profile place in comparison with London and Paris, but then why attack Bali? What’s that little country got to do with anything? And why mow down a lot of holidaymakers on a beach in Tunisia? Who cares about Tunisia? Well, Tunisians do, for a start.

And most of the people killed and wounded were foreigners anyway. Perhaps what makes Islamic State so dangerous is that it isn’t a country itself, so everyone who doesn’t belong to it is a foreigner.

Its aim is to make the world unsafe for everyone. And because the civilized world is so politically correct, the do-gooders who refuse to call a spade a spade maintain that fighting back is wrong.

That is until IS pops up in their neck of the woods and destroys lives at random there.

Fighting back against Islamic extremism isn’t fighting in the name of another religion.

It’s not a religious war in that sense. The point is that global aggressors must be stopped, regardless of why they are doing it. And if one argument is that peaceful Muslims must sort the problem out themselves, then fine, but they had better get on with it before it’s too late.

There is a comparison to be drawn with the school playground, where children will keep quiet as the bully picks on others, for fear of becoming the target themselves if they speak up.

Like it or not, the USA and the UK will always support an innocent underdog, and if the role of international policeman attracts derision, again, just wait until there’s a blinkered zealot driving a truck into people down your street and then see if you can stay balanced and non-judgemental.

The country is in need of figures of hope at every level and in every institution. Jesus, man of hope, died on the cross, giving himself literally and figuratively for something greater than himself.

The parallels between Jesus’ week of Passion from Palm Sunday to his Good Friday crucifixion and our own country at the present time are quite striking. Our country needs not only figures of hope, but also people who are prepared to lay down their lives for a better nation, both literally and figuratively.

The choruses on talk shows, blogs, Facebook, WhatsApp and letters to the editor all seem to diagnose the ills of our society. Much energy is being applied in assessing the needs both of our nation and our institutions.

This is good in and of itself because the converse of this is social numbness, which must be vehemently rejected. Notwithstanding the value in social engagement, we must move from recommendations to personal action. Those who act and are prepared to lay down their lives for the common good would be the figures of hope we desperately need at this time.

Our diagnosis of our country’s ills whether, scientific or not in methodology, is just one part of our social and moral responsibility. We need to channel the energy of marches, walks, symposiums and so on into selfless volunteerism at the service of the common good.

We need to apply the same kind of energy to working towards structural solutions that would help our institutions evolve. Any sociologist, social psychologist or trained social worker will tell you we need a lot of work at all levels of society in order to reverse the current trajectory towards social and institutional collapse. The time and energy to do so is the “cross” and the willingness of individuals to take up this “cross” is the hope we need.

We thank God for the figures of hope that do exist in our police service, in our teaching profession, our medical institutions and in other areas of the society. Clearly, however, the problems are so huge that we are in need of a grater commitment in all spheres, to work through what needs fixing.

Hope and creativity are cousins. To create something new or bring fresh perspectives in dire circumstances such as ours is a cause of hope for others.

The judge or magistrate who is creative in his or her custodial sentencing is a reason for hope. The prison officer who is rehabilitative rather than punitive is a cause for hope. The businessman who chooses to farm the land and create agri-industry instead of putting up a concrete jungle is a sign of hope. The corporate media giants who give time and media space to help get the message of volunteerism out are sources of hope. In summary, government and all stakeholders must find creative ways of generating hope. The creativity of all our people must be unleashed allowing them to stand boldly and courageously as figures of hope.

I am wondering whether, in so doing, the police were aware of the almost complete non-existence, even in Port-of- Spain and San Fernando, where the overwhelming numbers of revellers and onlookers would have been assembling in their thousands, of facilities where one can “spend the (proverbial) penny?” Where the few public conveniences happen to exist, they are not only conspicuously situated far apart but, even more distressing, are so woefully insanitary as not to encourage any decent individual to enter, far less to venture to use them.

What a disgrace.

Indeed, this is but one of the unsatisfactory social welfare and public health aspects of the country which have, for far too long, been “taken for granted” but which cry out for attention.

It would be interesting to learn the number of people who would have been arrested and charged for the subject offence identified by the police. I suggest the answer would be a resounding “none,” indicating realism and “make-believe” on their part – laughable were it not a matter of grave public importance and concern.

Of course, police officers in uniform (the vast majority at Carnival time) would have been spared embarrassment by being able to access toilet facilities such as would be available at bars etc. Not so the general public who, be it Carnival or not, has had to become accustomed to making use of “makeshift” toilets and urinals in areas which give even a rudimentary semblance of privacy.

One would recall a media story, some time ago, revealing that a female customer, while standing in a queue at a bank, having sought “refuge” by requesting use of the bank’s toilets, had her request refused on grounds of “security.” However, this woman was advised by the bank’s security officer to “try” the fast foods outlet opposite — an advice which, in my opinion, she quite rightly refused to accept. Thereupon, she “emptied” herself in full view of other customers.

One would have thought that establishments such as that would have addressed the matter.

Not so, as apart from one or two supermarkets, things have not changed. Certainly, is the public not entitled to more humane treatment? I am suggesting, therefore, that all 14 regional corporations as well as the Tobago House of Assembly be mandated to provide and to properly maintain, as with garbage collection, public conveniences as part of their statutory duties. Of course, establishments, publicly and privately- owned, being frequented by large numbers would be expected to do the necessary.

ERROL OC CUPID Trincity, Tacarigua

Most of the roads in south Trinidad, especially in the surrounding areas of Monkey Town, Barrackpore, Lengua, St Croix and Princes Town, are virtually impassable.

Imagine having to drive to work daily on those roads. How painstaking it must be for everyone.

It is high time those highly paid MPs get off their comfortable seats and go and experience for themselves the misery the citizens have to endure.

Mr Minister of Works and Transport, hurry up and do something urgently to relieve the suffering. The roads are death traps.

JOAN KING Tacarigua

I wonder where are these same organisations and individuals when innocent, law-abiding, hard-working citizens are injured, maimed, robbed, shot or chopped to pieces and placed in barrels, bags or buried in graves? Do they hold press conferences to denounce such gruesome crimes? Alas, they simply hop on a plane and jet back to London, Brussels, or Strasbourg and leave us with no potion to love and counsel.

On a lighter note, I saw where LIAT’s pilots are calling for the removal of the airline’s management. I wonder if CAL’s pilots can ever do such.

DAVID MOORE Valencia

This isn’t only about policing, however, but about the law itself.

Same-sex partners (male or female) are written out of our Domestic Violence Act passed in 1999, which defines even members of a household as people related by blood or marriage.

Barbados removed this gender discrimination when it updated its legislation last year, leaving TT behind.

Douglas also reported that the panel indicated that gay men were “recently killed, probably because of their gender identity” and “the conversation had ended there.” Far from true.

Since February, an unusual series of three murders has motivated six LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) and feminist organisations to come together to develop a community safety empowerment campaign, to engage police at the highest levels, and to publicise social work support available to victims of violence.

LGBTQI people are disempowered by public policy. We are also always made vulnerable by our gender, though police will not confirm any pattern of hate motivation linking these murders. But our organisations aren’t letting the conversation end at all. We are taking action at protecting each other. Both the media and our allies can support our communities’ empowerment.

TERRY-ANN ROY LUKE SINNETTE Alliance for Justice & Diversity

This scenario placed the economy almost totally in the hands of investors as we did not own the ships, rigs or expertise to access these resources. There was no effort to diversify the economy as other investments pale in comparison to the energy sector .

A few cents rise in the prices of oil and gas translated into millions of dollars in increased income for the Treasury. The impact of this one sector of the economy led us to become lazy, dependent on others for our survival and almost totally killed our innovative spirit .

With a source of income that demanded very little from us, our business sector grew into international traders that sold very little into the international market but simply imported goods and sold them at inflated prices, consequently reaping huge profits .

We neglected our responsibility to feed ourselves and simply imported most of our food. We almost destroyed our agricultural sector .

We neglected the need for improving our infrastructure as a factor in improving our tourism and industrial sector. Rather than improve public transportation, we simply imported more and more cars to clog our already congested roads. Our politics degenerated into who can afford to pay for bigger crowds and offer more freeness rather than who possessed the vision and better plans for the development of our country. In this scenario, the basic management structure for the maintenance of law and order in our communities was neglected .

Today, we are faced with a major decline in energy revenue while we remain saddled with dilapidated infrastructure, a failed agricultural sector and an economy almost totally dependent on foreign investment in our energy sector .

Our people, used to foreign goods and food, continue to hope for more oil and gas rather than face the fact that urgent action is needed to seek alternative sources of income .

The future must see several new alternatives all working in a concerted effort to replace the income from the energy sector .

With a tenor pan selling on the international market for US$1,400, the private sector should work with the Government in setting up a state-of-the-art pan factory aimed at exporting our national instrument .

We must immediately invest in food production, food processing and exporting exotic fruits like avocados and mangoes that are fetching high international prices .

We must revitalise our cocoa plantations and convert our old sugar cane lands into pasture for livestock and cultivating other food crops .

We have one of the best eco-tourism packages in the Caribbean .

With some attention to infrastructure and security, we can transform our rivers, caves, mountains, waterfalls and swamps into major tourist attractions .

The island of Chacachacare offers opportunities for major investment into a world class marina or cruise ship complex .

We have limited time to turn things around. We are in this together and everyone, regardless of past politics, race or religion, needs to contribute to rebuilding TT .

The few misguided criminals that continue to engage our attention must be dealt with. Almost everyone in our country knows who they are, where they live and how they operate. The time has come to deal effectively with that menace .

TT has no other option but to start turning things around now .

STEVE ALVAREZ via email

I have held my tongue for much too long because I figured time would heal our social wounds. This was not to be. Things and circumstances change as life goes on, but in our case things have been steadily changing from bad to worse. Our people are hurting daily with no solution in sight. We are presently in an abyss of fear, mismanagement and social and spiritual decay.

We lived in much better times and enjoyed a much better life, but instead of progressing and moving forward we delved into darkness.

The ones that were given the mantle to rule failed us miserably. They squandered our money, with nothing much to show for the economic windfall that we were blessed with.

In over 50 years of independence there is still not a steady flow of clean drinking water for our population, our healthcare is in shambles, crime has flooded the land like a tsunami.

How long can we go on this way? Where are we heading? Some say prayer is the answer. The nation is in a serious situation and if nothing is done soon, be it prayer or any other divine petitions, our land may become like our neighbour Venezuela or even Haiti.

Lord have mercy on our beloved country and please heal our land.

VALENTINE YOUNG Brooklyn, NYC

He was ready to go, said his niece Debbie Vieira, who had been caring for Gonsalves at her Miami home.

“It was amazing. He died peacefully.

He was ready to go and wanted us to let him go,” Vieira told Sunday Newsday yesterday.

Gonsalves was the creative director of Jogo Productions Ltd, Tobago Graphic Design, a former judge on Digicel Rising Stars reality TV show, and music producer with the band, 2nd Imij.

Those who loved him dearly kept company with him until he took his last breath. They included Gonsalves’ life-long partner Amado Duerte, sister Janet de Lima, niece Sharon Fitzwilliam, great nieces Kristyn and Amanda Vieira, brother-in-law Alfonso de Lima, friend Christian Grini, Vieira and her husband Bernard.

“He was surrounded with a lot of love and caring. We gave everything he wanted in his last days. He was happy on his last day,” his partner Duerte told Sunday Newsday.

One of Gonsalves’ last postings on his facebook (fb) page was “Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want…” on March 29, at 10.01 am.

The night before he posted: “Don’t forget to THANK GOD for keeping you safe through the night and every time you awaken to see a beautiful new day! Dear God, grant me the strength to be content where I am. The patience to wait on your timing, and the faith to remember that you have your hand always on my heart.

Say ‘Amen’ if you pray this!” On December 12, 2015, Gonsalves underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his pancreas and his spleen. Vieira said said his funeral will take place on a Monday but a date is still to be chosen.

Digicel’s head of communications Penny Gomez said Gonsalves will be missed and spoke of his role in Rising Stars, beginning as member of the inaugural judging panel in 2006.

“He will be remembered as being a stickler for professionalism and driving the budding artistes to aspire to excellence in his role and judge and mentor on the reality TV show. His judging style was always focused on the development of the budding star along with a clear position on whether the talent was present or not. He was careful not to dash hopes but firm in his decision,” she said.

Even so, Gomez said Gonsalves had a keen sense of humour and was charming.

“Off the stage Johnny was a nurturer to so many in the music industry – his willingness to share his wisdom and knowledge of his craft with others in the hope that it would inspire them to greater heights was outstanding.

Gonsalves’ friend and fellow musician Joey Ng Wai, musical director of Imij & Co, expressing his grief in a Facebook post said, “I hate you cancer!” Ng Wai later told Sunday Newsday of his last meeting with Gonsalves when visited him in Miami last week.

“We had so many stories to touch on and he was totally coherent, and his memory was crystal clear. We spoke of the band and my (deceased) dad (George Ng Wai)….but he was a man who had battled a good fight and was wearing thin, however his pain was controlled. He wanted so much for every one.” Ng Wai said it was hard to see Gonsalves in a declining state. “It was like a bullet ripping through me. It was very hard to see my best friend in pain,” he said.

Ng Wai and Gonsalves’ friendship and musical partnership date back to 1985 to 1987 when they started the band Frantic then 2nd Imij from 1989-1994, before Gonsalves moved on to his own company Jogo Productions.

“There was nothing that he didn’t excel in. And he had so much more to share in the business, especially for the young people and that is where the industry would have lost,” said Ng Wai.

Entertainer Denyse Plummer said Gonsalves could never say no to anyone.

“He has been a friend of mine for over 30 years. I am so saddened.

He messaged me only last week to offer condolences to me on the passing of my sister, Arlene.

He will be so missed.” Music producer Carl Beaver Henderson, in his tribute said, “Another soldier has gone.” Many music personalities shared their thoughts of Facebook.

Radio station owner and producer Tony Chow Lin On posted: “Pioneer, music man, gentle soul.

Fly high my brother, thank you.” Radio host Junior Saldenah posted: “This one is for you…

Bro…RIP..we will miss you….

famileeeeeeee.” Attached to that message was Anthony Ventura- Fernando’s 1978 version of Don’t cry for me Argentina on youtube.

Calypsonian David Rudder described Gonsalves as a gentleman.

“I worked with him on a Christmas album and he was such a nice person and a good soul,” Rudder sang Go Tell It On the Mountain on the Christmas On the Hill (My Christmas) album by Johnny Gonsalves & Friends.

Other artistes on the album included Nigel Ferreira, Gillian Sheppard De Gannes, Michael Zoom Salloum & H2O Phlo, Machel Montano and Ray Holman.

The Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts also hailed Gonsalves contribution to the music industry.

“We are deeply saddened at the news of the passing of musician and producer Johnny Gonsalves Since the 90s Gonsalves distinguished himself as a musician and producer with Jogo Productions and 2nd Imij. Our condolences to his friends and family in life and music.”