wake up

there is something that really irks me about the election fever that has swept across T&T like a swine flu (actually there are a lot of things about it that irk me, but this one stand up like man among boys); it seems that in the great pnm/unc rivalry, one of the most hotly contested issues is "which party do more for the country". given the history, and the present circumstances surrounding the governance of the country, i find these discussions to be proof that some very important concepts are flying over the head of most citizens like a shot from keiron pollard's bat.

"great is the pnm" was the the facebook status of one of my former schoolmates earlier today. upon my inquiry, he explained that under the pnm government, the country had seen great prosperity. i asked him what he meant by "great prosperity"; he explained to me that it was the pnm, under dr. eric williams, who secured independence for the nation, and who which put into place an effective education system for the people. he said that the pnm devleloped the country and caused it to see great economic growth, turning it into the industrial capital of the Caribbean. he completed his argument by larging up the patrick manning regime for continuing the great work of their pnm forefathers.

the unc ppl does also talk up abt how the unc did so much for the country when panday was in power, how things went much better than any pnm government ever has it going.

people, lets get something straight....if you have a leaky pipe, you hire a plumber, and pay him/her to fix it, and they fix it....thats their job...so u put a government into power, ITS THEIR JOB to fix roads, create jobs, fight crime, implement social programs and all that stuff...so dont go singing songs of praise like if its a big charitable act on their parts....and the thing is...if the plumber fix the pipe, and it still dripping, u wudnt sing songs of praise to him now wud u? so if a government does a few things, but there's still corruption, crime and underdevelopment, then dont be running around the place bawling they did such a good job...

just to put a few things into perspective: eric williams secured independence for trinidad and tobago at a time when the federation was failing, when the british empire was crumbling and many of their occupied lands (including other Caribbean islands) where getting independence as well....and the "great education system" put into place was the british education system; the "local" versions now are just carbon copies which have been copied and pasted and stamped with a local seal, so no real innovation there...did dr. williams do a lot for the country? yes he did, but at what cost? the fostering of this notion of dependency, or that "the state owes us something always at all times?" wake up....

and what has the manning regime "improved upon" ? continuing to try to industrialize the country, while failing to recognize the non-sustainability of such a line of thinking, and failing to make any significant attempt to diversify? our cup runneth over with oil and gas, but for how long? and thats to speak nothing of the mercurial increases in crime, in inflation, in violence and in corruption (chruches, "ex"-priests and harts, for example), while the people STILL dont have regular supplies of water, and the average man still ketchin they tail while manning playing big spender to host obama and company...wake up ppl....

as for the unc supporters, particularly the advocates of basdeo panday, i ask u this...if your fallen hero's reign was so great, why did he fall out of power and out of favor with practically all of his colleagues? i will admit, the panday regime improved the nation, which was left in disarray after manning's first tenure..he did so when oil was dog cheap...but i say to you, can't you see how much better off the country could have been ? people dont understand the extent of the resources we have at our disposal, and the potential this country has to be head and shoulders above the rest in terms of human development and quality of life...but still, people have no water, still the roads mashing up every 2 weeks, still people are without jobs, etc etc...and when it was time for panday to step down gracefully, he went down kicking and screaming like like a lil child or a bitter old man...did he have the country on his mind, or his own ego ? wake up....

and its not even about "who tief less money"...as rachel price put so very well, "they not supposed to tief AT ALL"...

so wake up fellow countrymen and countrywomen, see the government for what it is, and judge them not on what they do alone, but on what they are supposed to do for us...i hope that the people's partnership is put into power (manning needs to get out NOW).... and that they are truly the change the country so desperately needs...

pleases exercise your right to vote, and be safe....