- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 05/Aug 09:50

Shake off poverty chains for freedom

THE EDITOR: On August 1 we celebrated Emancipation Day, commemorating the end of slavery. We rightfully honour the legacies of those who fought for freedom. However, it's a bitter irony that today many of our citizens are still in chains – unseen shackles that bind our people in a new form of servitude. The topic of "eat ah food" should be a thing of the past, but for far too many it’s a daily struggle. The minimum wage of $20.50 an hour is simply not a liveable wage. How can anyone survive when a basic lunch costs $35. A tiny one-bedroom apartment is no less than $3,000 a month, and a studio apartment is $2,000 with shared spaces. The financial burden extends far beyond rent and food. A simple doctor’s visit now costs $300, while health insurance premiums are skyrocketing, leaving low-income citizens and seniors behind. The old age pension of $3,000 or $3,500 per month is woefully inadequate; the NIS pension is $3,000. This forces our elders to choose between basic necessities. This widespread lack of funds is a major driver of unethical behaviour at all levels. The shackles of financial hardship are everywhere – from citizens who can’t afford to renew their car insurance, their driving licences, to those who take chances on the roadways, are involved in accidents, and are targeted by police, adding to the daily stresses of life. Our society suffers from a general malaise, and it’s time to shake off these modern chains. We need our administration to do the real work of uplifting the population. True emancipation will not be found in historical celebrations alone, but in the day we finally break the modern chains of poverty and ensure every citizen can stand with dignity and respect. CAROLINE WILLIAMS via e-mail The post Shake off poverty chains for freedom appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.