Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 25/Aug 08:00

Tone deaf and living in 19th century

DEBBIE JACOB EVERY August, when Independence Day rolls around, I am reminded of how many people are clueless about the meaning of independence. The pending parade and dreaded evening of fireworks spark those feelings. This year, Opposition Leader Penny Beckles’s reaction to the UNC cancelling the Independence Day parade and calling for the UNC to explore ways for “...protecting national pride” reminds me of what independence is not. This newspaper reported Beckles as saying that cancelling the parade had “left the nation bewildered.” I am not bewildered. I, for one, along with many others, have continuously questioned wasting taxpayers’ money on Independence Day parades and fireworks. It’s a useless display of power and a symbol of colonial retention – an empty gesture with no tangible results. Cancelling that parade will not “impact the morale of the citizens,” as Beckles worries – at least not law-abiding citizens who practise empathy, believe in fairness, and support laws against noise pollution. Fireworks terrorise animals, sick people and the elderly. That is what we need to consider the most. Newsday reported Beckles saying, “The youth look forward with pride to celebrate the independence and sovereignty of Trinidad and Tobago.” But do they really understand independence, let alone sovereignty? I doubt that. Instead, we need to search for real ways that youth can feel connected to this country. How about starting with relevant education? Claiming that we are depriving the armed forces of their purpose by cancelling the parade is misguided too. She said, “The armed forces of any nation expect and look forward as a matter of civic duty to leading the promotion and preservation of national patriotism and pride.” That is best achieved by how the officers in our protective services treat people daily. How does a parade succeed in “lifting and reinforcing a sense of civic duty and responsibility?” What does it stand for other than wasting money, insensitivity, empty symbolism and inaction? How has that parade contributed to national community-building activity? Does that parade inspire people to clean up their neighbourhoods, beautify the streets, stop dumping garbage in the rivers or keep the grass cut in public parks? When the PNM was in power, how did the party use the Independence Day parade to promote anything tangible in terms of patriotism and nation-building? And really, how dare the honourable Opposition Leader talk about an Independence Day parade as a meaningful symbolic historical event when this country does not honour history in any meaningful way? How many historical buildings have been torn down? Under the PNM regime, what did the government do to develop a meaningful, impactful and enjoyable history syllabus in our schools? Beckles called that parade “a living classroom where our young people see history in motion; where they learn about the sacrifices of those who came before, the discipline of our armed forces, and the values that bind us together.” Really? I've never sensed this. I do agree with Beckles’s suggestion for community events honouring independence. There should be something to improve the environment or to celebrate the arts and literature and their contribution to independence. I’m not here to bash the PNM, but to question how any past government has contributed to a disillusioned, disgruntled and degraded nation’s sense of pride and independence. If we’re going to talk about how past governments have not fostered national pride and patriotism, we also have to look at a story last week about the flood in the police headquarters. Initial reports were that invaluable files were destroyed. Why is the government operating in the 19th century when we’re living in the digital age? Why are we still basically a paper-based nation when it comes to government records? There’s no excuse for not having digitised government files. It’s inefficient and anachronistic. Why are the police still taking notes for reports in a station diary, which is utterly useless for keeping track of data in any meaningful way. I spent 30 years going to immigration for my citizenship, only to be constantly told my file had been lost. I’m still reeling from the loss of canine police files I relied on to write Police Dogs of Trinidad and Tobago, which were lost in the Caroni flood of 2018. Those were priceless records, but we don’t really care about that in this country. Lost paper files and insensitive celebrations affect morale and patriotism – not cancelled parades. Independence is a lot more than a parade passing us by. The post Tone deaf and living in 19th century appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.