Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 01/Jan 05:59

My wish for the new year

THE EDITOR: As TT steps into a new year, my wish is a simple but urgent one: unity. Not the superficial kind paraded at rallies or echoed in slogans, but a genuine national unity grounded in respect, responsibility, and an understanding of our fragile social fabric. Ours is a nation blessed with diversity, yet burdened by political tribalism. Over the years, political loyalty has hardened into identity, and disagreement has too often descended into division along racial and cultural lines. In such an environment words spoken by national leaders carry extraordinary weight. They can heal – or they can inflame. It is within this context that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s description of TT as a “lawless dump” must be addressed. While the frustration behind the statement may be understandable, leaders must be careful that their language does not deepen existing fractures. This is not Barbados. TT is a divided, multicultural nation where language is interpreted through the lens of race, class, and long-standing political suspicion. When such a phrase is used, even without racist intent, it can come across as dismissive and demeaning – particularly to communities that already feel unfairly blamed for the country’s challenges. We have seen this pattern repeatedly: when a black man commits a crime, some UNC supporters are quick to label it as “a PNM person.” The unspoken implication is clear and dangerous – that black people are the primary source of lawlessness in the country. This narrative is not only false, it is corrosive. Crime in TT is not a racial issue; it is a national crisis driven by poverty, inequality, weak institutions, and decades of policy failure across multiple administrations. Reducing it to race or political affiliation may score points among loyalists, but it does irreparable damage to social cohesion. Equally troubling is the reflexive defence that follows whenever a leader steps out of line. When Persad-Bissessar makes a statement that is questionable, the immediate response from loyalists is to point to something a former prime minister said or did. But bad behaviour cannot be justified by comparison. Wrong does not become right simply because someone else was also wrong. Leadership demands accountability, not deflection. If we are serious about building a better TT, we must reject this tit-for-tat politics. We must demand higher standards from all our leaders, regardless of party colour. Unity will never be achieved if half the population feels insulted, targeted, or dismissed, while the other half cheers from the sidelines. As we begin this new year, let us choose our words more carefully – especially those entrusted with power. Let us remember that leadership is not just about enforcing laws or winning arguments; it is about bringing people together. My wish for TT is not perfection, but progress – and that progress begins with unity. SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas The post My wish for the new year appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.