Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 03/Jan 04:35

Rediscover statesmanship, leaders

THE EDITOR: In recent times the national conversation – across traditional media, social platforms, and, regrettably, even within our Parliament – has taken a deeply troubling turn. The tone of engagement between our two principal political parties and their supporters has grown increasingly hostile, resembling a kind of political trench warfare in which the objective appears less about advancing ideas and governance, and more about the mutual destruction of credibility. Such rhetoric – often marked by invective, distortion, and deliberate misinformation – weakens public confidence in our institutions and contaminates the democratic well from which all citizens must draw. When leaders abandon restraint and truth for ridicule and propaganda, they do more than demean each other; they diminish the dignity of public office and erode the respect upon which democratic authority depends. The people have spoken. An election has been held, and a government has been chosen. One side has assumed the responsibility of governance; the other now holds the equally vital role of constructive opposition. Both, however, remain bound by the same overarching duty: to serve the national interest within the framework of our democratic conventions. Adversarial politics is not a flaw in our democracy – it is one of its essential strengths. But there is a profound difference between principled disagreement and destructive division, between firm accountability and reckless hostility. We can scrutinise policies and expose wrongdoing without descending into distortion, personal attacks, or contempt. Too often, our public and parliamentary spaces have become theatres of insult rather than forums of ideas. Many citizens, weary of the noise, now withdraw altogether, yearning for leadership that unites rather than fragments. This erosion of civility carries a heavy price: it breeds cynicism, disengagement, and a loss of faith in the very processes that give our republic legitimacy. TT deserves better. Our political leaders (and I use this word in the broadest sense) – on all sides – must rediscover the discipline and honour of statesmanship: to debate vigorously yet respectfully, to speak truthfully even when inconvenient, and to regard opponents not as enemies, but as fellow citizens engaged in a shared national project. And we, the public, have our own responsibilities. We must reward integrity, reject the politics of insult, refuse to amplify misinformation, and insist that our leaders rise above the fray. Above all, we must remain mindful that our children are watching and learning. The tone we set today will shape the kind of citizens and leaders they become tomorrow. The future of our democracy depends not only on the structures we have built, but on the character we choose to display. Let us therefore recommit ourselves – leaders and citizens alike – to the higher calling of national service, grounded in respect, truth, and a genuine desire for the common good. DERWIN HOWELL via e-mail The post Rediscover statesmanship, leaders appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.