Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 16/Jan 04:55

Are we not a lawless dump?

THE EDITOR: So much is being said about the Prime Minister's "lawless dump" label. How much of it is fair comment? Two questions arise. Firstly, was the PM referring to every citizen in TT? And, secondly, what is the truth relative to her labelling of TT as a lawless dump? Let us look at the situation at Licensing Offices. Has anyone considered that if people had been adhering to the law we would not have had the chaos that now exists at Licensing Offices. Let us look at the matter of defective vehicles and for which tickets are being issued. The law has not changed. The fines have been increased. If people follow the law they have nothing to fear. Incidentally, I support a grace period for fixing minor defects and commend the government for making the amendments allowing the grace period. Take the matters of the increases in fines for drunk driving, the use of cell phones while driving, the non-wearing of seat belts, indiscriminate parking. On all of these matters the citizenry have been negligent. The very people who are complaining have also been saying they want a more orderly society. This is not going to happen if the consequences for lawlessness are not strong enough to cause self-discipline. The country is a lawless dump when it comes to environmental cleanliness. All over there is indiscriminate dumping of garbage. The fines for littering should be drastically increased. Despite the presence of litter wardens, people are disrespectful of the environment. We are a dirty people. Look at the beaches. Why do NGOs have to keep cleaning the beaches. Sure they are demonstrating a high level of civic consciousness, but let’s face it, the matter of wanton littering qualifies us a lawless dump. The PM has been bold in her description. Look into your conscience, not the political one but the one that loves country, the one that is crying out for order and security, the one that supports truth ahead of propaganda and, above all, the one that is willing to admit that Kamla Persad-Bissessar has put a mirror before the eyes of the nation, a mirror we don’t like. Are we guilty of criticising Persad-Bissessar for what she said because we like living a lawless life, or are we looking for a reason to be nasty towards her because we are on the other side? Are we just resisting change? And, by the way, we have not even touched on police corruption, Customs corruption, criminals ruling the country, tax evasion, etc. Are we not a lawless dump? Let us be real about a truth that everyone knows but, unlike Persad-Bissessar, was afraid to articulate publicly. SURUJRATTAN RAMBACHAN via e-mail The post Are we not a lawless dump? appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.