But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

For years I have been saying "Trinidadians of the post colonial era have been very bad custodians of the country", that the 'quality of life' has deteriorated under successive governments (all of them) since Independence.

So what do many counter with?

1. Yuh mad? look how much nice cars on we road?

2. Look how much nice house it have

4. Look how rich some ah we are

5. Look how much big macco sky scrapers we have lining the waterfront, (all built by the government not private investors)

6. Look how much nice new buildings we have (again built by the governments, and many of them sitting partially empty)

7. Look how much concert halls and stadia we have (again built with government's money)

8. We could buy anything here that you can buy in 'foreign'


I counter with..

1. What about all of those houses, nice or other wise, (in urban as well as sub-urban areas).. Do they all have running water, electricity, and proper sewer hookups?

2. What about your schools and hospitals? What condition are they in? How many of them are in a state of disrepair? Are they well equipped?

3. What about your education system? Why are children still competing for places in a 'good school' (meaning there is still a recognized disparity among Publicly funded schools)

4.What about the medical services being delivered? Why do you still need a 'bag of money' when you go to see a Specialist? Why are your doctors first and foremost in a 'for profit' profession? Do nationals still have to travel 'outside of the country' in order to receive quality health care and treatments?

5. What about your law enforcement? How well educated, well equipped, well trained are these people who are responsible for not only keeping you safe, but addressing cases when it is not. How efficient are the facilities they work within? the tools they work with?

6. What about your Seniors as your population ages? What facilities have you invested in to take care of your Seniors? or programs to assist them as they get older? (and no, not just handing them a pension cheque)

7. How about your public transit system? Is it reliable and able to meet the needs of the nationals (so that the government in earnest can appeal to most of the residents of the urban area to "leave your car home and take public transit, it is more efficient?") , so that they can relieve the congestion on your roads, to save the nationals for the endless hours of 'commuting time'.

8. Is your country able to 'feed itself' yet? (or even produce the lion's share of what you need?).. Or are you still at the mercy of other nations who you hope will continue to 'offer goods' at a fair price? And what when they don't? Do you suddenly make the decision to 'go without'?.. or 'pay more'?


And yes, I have heard it all... "we are a Young Nation"... we are just experiencing 'Growing Pains'... growing pains my 'fat aunt Harriet'.
In this information age, Trinidad should be learning from other nations who have gone through those pains, they should know enough to avoid the pitfalls of others.

You do a good job of 'copying' some of the things you see from other countries.. why not try to copy the things that truly matter.. the things that afford you QUALITY OF LIFE... NOT QUANTITY OF LIFE.


but ah kno...."Yuh kar want fer dem wat dey doh want fer deyself" ... problem is, it is one thing to be as bad as when the Colonials ran things.. it is quite another story to be 'wuss'