- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 15/Jul 09:31

Challenging UNC government’s push to raise age limits

THE EDITOR: In recent months, the UNC-led government has proposed sweeping changes to national age restrictions, including raising the legal age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21, and the legal age for marijuana use and gambling from 18 to 25. These proposals follow a previous change to the age of sexual consent, increased from 16 to 18. At face value, these policies are being promoted as “protective measures” designed to safeguard the youth. The government claims to care deeply for the welfare of young people and seeks to shield them from “adult temptations” and harmful behaviours. But behind the veil of compassion lies a more troubling reality: an erosion of individual freedoms and a calculated political move designed to manipulate public sentiment. Let us be clear, 18 is the age of legal adulthood in TT. At 18, one can vote, be tried as an adult, sign legal contracts, enlist in the military, and be held accountable under the full weight of the law. Yet, under these proposals, that same adult would be legally barred from making personal lifestyle decisions such as having a drink, gambling, or using marijuana – activities deemed legal and acceptable by society. This contradiction exposes the hypocrisy of the proposals. How can someone be responsible enough to elect a government, serve on a jury, or be imprisoned in an adult facility, but be considered too immature to have a beer? How can the same society that entrusts 18-year-olds with its democracy turn around and label them too vulnerable to make recreational choices? Globally, many democratic nations set 18 as the age of legal adulthood for voting, drinking, and sexual consent. Countries like the UK, Canada, and much of the EU continue to uphold 16 or 18 as appropriate ages for these adult responsibilities. Why, then, is TT adopting a regressive stance that infantilises adults and limits their autonomy? This reeks not of genuine concern, but of soft authoritarianism – a government cloaking itself in the language of care while quietly tightening its grip on civil liberties. It is a strategic psychological play: use the “youth card,” play on parental fears, and present moral superiority while curtailing rights – all to win votes and consolidate control. The proposed changes will not prevent harm; they will only criminalise personal decisions and undermine trust in governance. If the government truly cared about young people, it would invest in education, mental health resources, addiction support services, and employment opportunities – not just legislate them into powerlessness. The people of TT must not be fooled by performative politics masquerading as moral leadership. True care lies in empowerment, not restriction. If someone is old enough to carry the burden of adulthood at 18, they are old enough to enjoy its freedoms. We must resist the normalisation of overreach and speak up for the rights of adult citizens. If the state begins stripping away freedoms under the guise of protection, it is not care – it is control. And that, citizens, is the most dangerous drug of all. RAVI C RAMKISSOON Tunapuna The post Challenging UNC government’s push to raise age limits appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.