Looking on at the world crises over the past couple of months, I was particularly moved by the spirit of the people of Egypt.
I note Mubarak's corruption and so near destruction of Egypt, but people power reigned.
It is my hope that Gadaffi will follow the same path to the freedom of Libyans sooner than later.
What struck me most and really hit home for me is the level of corruption that was tolerated over decades, and this shifted my focus to my own country.
As a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, I have observed the exchange in power and reign of two political parties over three decades and each term of office proved more detrimental than the next, always leaving the treasury somewhat empty and the country so robbed of its billions that poverty and crime have inevitably risen.
With no transparency, no accountability, no integrity, no evidence for these political 'crimes', and no real opposition party, you can well imagine the exploitation of funds and people that have occurred.
Over the years Trinidadians have become slowly broken down.
In the past couple of years, corruption has gone by with such perversion and excess, added to which Trinidad is a trans-shipment port for cocaine and other drugs from South America, that crime has escalated to the point where even children are being murdered, gruesomely: Tecia Henry, Hope Arismendes, Sean Luke and the most recent, Danielle Guerra, bringing the 'execution by hanging' policy to the fore-front in parliament...
of course to no avail so that the opposition party can gain ground.
It is a well known fact that political corruption retards development, growth and progress of a country and its people.
In recent times, I have become very attentive to public affairs of Trinidad and the political corruption on all levels, has become unnerving.
Whilst my indifference and 'blindness' would make me part of the corruption, I'm not sure how to make a difference.
I am certainly having anxiety for the future of my country and people, who seem to be losing the power to choose their course in life.
At the same time I empathize with the Trinidadians who have migrated and given up hope either due to brutal loss of family members or fear of crime and 'stagnation' as it were.
Trinidad, with its natural resources of oil, had and has the potential to be one of those countries where everyone could have enjoyed a high quality of life.
The funds available from oil alone are enough to provide proper health care, good wages, social benefits and safety nets for the well being of children, adults and the elderly.
Unfortunately, over the years, the government has failed to provide any of this for obvious reasons associated with abuse of power for personal gain.
And so, whilst education is free, children are unmotivated and uninterested due to poor living conditions and lack of material well being.
Many desperate, poverty stricken citizens are unemployed, frustrated and have joined drug related gangs and resorted to the levels of baseness found in all men to survive and provide for their loved ones.
I would like to see all these politicians brought to trial and perhaps if the 'execution by hanging' bill ever gets passed in Trinidad, though I do not agree with it myself, rather than hanging the murderers, the corrupted politicians should perhaps be hung for ruining the lives of so many families, and crushing the spirit of the people in Trinidad and Tobago.
I would also like Trinidad to no longer be a trans-shipment point for drugs.
I would like to see the spirit of our people rekindled, empowered and flourish again.
These challenges I give to our first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the honourable Mrs Kamla Bissessar-Persad.
Three quarters of the world is corrupt.
One billion people are living in poverty while one trillion dollars is being embezzled by an elite few prime ministers and/or governments.
The world is in a position to demand transparency, accountability and integrity, for the sake of the well being of community and family life, for the freedom of all people.
Let people power prevail.
by Simone Galy-Laquis
I note Mubarak's corruption and so near destruction of Egypt, but people power reigned.
It is my hope that Gadaffi will follow the same path to the freedom of Libyans sooner than later.
What struck me most and really hit home for me is the level of corruption that was tolerated over decades, and this shifted my focus to my own country.
As a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, I have observed the exchange in power and reign of two political parties over three decades and each term of office proved more detrimental than the next, always leaving the treasury somewhat empty and the country so robbed of its billions that poverty and crime have inevitably risen.
With no transparency, no accountability, no integrity, no evidence for these political 'crimes', and no real opposition party, you can well imagine the exploitation of funds and people that have occurred.
Over the years Trinidadians have become slowly broken down.
In the past couple of years, corruption has gone by with such perversion and excess, added to which Trinidad is a trans-shipment port for cocaine and other drugs from South America, that crime has escalated to the point where even children are being murdered, gruesomely: Tecia Henry, Hope Arismendes, Sean Luke and the most recent, Danielle Guerra, bringing the 'execution by hanging' policy to the fore-front in parliament...
of course to no avail so that the opposition party can gain ground.
It is a well known fact that political corruption retards development, growth and progress of a country and its people.
In recent times, I have become very attentive to public affairs of Trinidad and the political corruption on all levels, has become unnerving.
Whilst my indifference and 'blindness' would make me part of the corruption, I'm not sure how to make a difference.
I am certainly having anxiety for the future of my country and people, who seem to be losing the power to choose their course in life.
At the same time I empathize with the Trinidadians who have migrated and given up hope either due to brutal loss of family members or fear of crime and 'stagnation' as it were.
Trinidad, with its natural resources of oil, had and has the potential to be one of those countries where everyone could have enjoyed a high quality of life.
The funds available from oil alone are enough to provide proper health care, good wages, social benefits and safety nets for the well being of children, adults and the elderly.
Unfortunately, over the years, the government has failed to provide any of this for obvious reasons associated with abuse of power for personal gain.
And so, whilst education is free, children are unmotivated and uninterested due to poor living conditions and lack of material well being.
Many desperate, poverty stricken citizens are unemployed, frustrated and have joined drug related gangs and resorted to the levels of baseness found in all men to survive and provide for their loved ones.
I would like to see all these politicians brought to trial and perhaps if the 'execution by hanging' bill ever gets passed in Trinidad, though I do not agree with it myself, rather than hanging the murderers, the corrupted politicians should perhaps be hung for ruining the lives of so many families, and crushing the spirit of the people in Trinidad and Tobago.
I would also like Trinidad to no longer be a trans-shipment point for drugs.
I would like to see the spirit of our people rekindled, empowered and flourish again.
These challenges I give to our first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the honourable Mrs Kamla Bissessar-Persad.
Three quarters of the world is corrupt.
One billion people are living in poverty while one trillion dollars is being embezzled by an elite few prime ministers and/or governments.
The world is in a position to demand transparency, accountability and integrity, for the sake of the well being of community and family life, for the freedom of all people.
Let people power prevail.
by Simone Galy-Laquis
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