debut: 2/16/17
39,857 runs
Symbolism, Substance, and the Stubborn Realities of Trinidad and Tobago
As the United National Congress marks its first 100 days at the helm of Trinidad and Tobago, the country stands at the crossroads of longstanding challenges—problems far too entrenched to be unravelled in a mere hundred days, or even within a single five-year term.
But nation-building is not a sprint; it’s a relay. Each administration inherits the baton, expected to build upon the work—whether flawed or fruitful—of its predecessors. In Trinidad and Tobago, the reality is that meaningful reform takes time: the first two years of any term are typically consumed by recalibrating policies and laying foundations, while the remaining three years are spent embedding these decisions and, ideally, producing tangible results. Only then can the viability of a government be fairly assessed.
Public safety is the most urgent issue among the many others. The alarming increase in crime is particularly concerning. to common assumptions, Trinidad and Tobago’s escalating murder rate has not mirrored economic hardship. Even as the economy expanded from 1999 onwards, murders surged—from fewer than 50 annually in the 1980s to 97 in 1998 and now exceeding 600 in 2024.
The government responded with more prisons, more courts, and—since 2011—three states of emergency. Yet, these measures have yielded little more than temporary lulls. The alleged masterminds behind major criminal plots remain at large, untried and unpunished.
Meanwhile, the rot has seeped into the institutions meant to protect us. Over the past year, 15 police officers accused of a litany of offences—bribery, extortion, robbery, and misconduct—walked free, not because they were innocent, but because procedural failures and negligence crippled the prosecution. Missed deadlines, absent witnesses, and unfiled evidence point to systemic dysfunction. These 15 cases are likely just the visible portion of a much larger problem.
The Police Complaints Authority has repeatedly flagged these failures, highlighting a pattern of ignored recommendations by successive police commissioners. The question remains: who holds our guardians accountable? What the nation needs is not simply more officers, but a complete overhaul of police administration and culture. Cosmetic consultations, like the widely reported stand-your-ground law debate, don't really solve the underlying problem.
There are other pressing issues that require attention besides crime and justice. The country’s foreign exchange reserves continue to dwindle, pressuring the government to make hard decisions about exchange rate policy and economic diversification. The National Insurance Scheme faces existential threats as the population ages, raising uncomfortable questions about retirement age and contribution rates. These are not problems that can be deferred; they require clear, courageous action and should be reflected in the government’s next budget.
As the 100-day milestone passes, the real test for the United National Congress will not be in symbolic achievements, but in its willingness to confront these deep-rooted challenges head-on. There is more to the future than band-aid solutions or showmanship. It demands vision, discipline, and the persistence to see reforms through—over months, years, and across successive administrations.
A collection of ideas.
Sarge
As the United National Congress marks its first 100 days at the helm of Trinidad and Tobago, the country stands at the crossroads of longstanding challenges—problems far too entrenched to be unravelled in a mere hundred days, or even within a single five-year term.
But nation-building is not a sprint; it’s a relay. Each administration inherits the baton, expected to build upon the work—whether flawed or fruitful—of its predecessors. In Trinidad and Tobago, the reality is that meaningful reform takes time: the first two years of any term are typically consumed by recalibrating policies and laying foundations, while the remaining three years are spent embedding these decisions and, ideally, producing tangible results. Only then can the viability of a government be fairly assessed.
Public safety is the most urgent issue among the many others. The alarming increase in crime is particularly concerning. to common assumptions, Trinidad and Tobago’s escalating murder rate has not mirrored economic hardship. Even as the economy expanded from 1999 onwards, murders surged—from fewer than 50 annually in the 1980s to 97 in 1998 and now exceeding 600 in 2024.
The government responded with more prisons, more courts, and—since 2011—three states of emergency. Yet, these measures have yielded little more than temporary lulls. The alleged masterminds behind major criminal plots remain at large, untried and unpunished.
Meanwhile, the rot has seeped into the institutions meant to protect us. Over the past year, 15 police officers accused of a litany of offences—bribery, extortion, robbery, and misconduct—walked free, not because they were innocent, but because procedural failures and negligence crippled the prosecution. Missed deadlines, absent witnesses, and unfiled evidence point to systemic dysfunction. These 15 cases are likely just the visible portion of a much larger problem.
The Police Complaints Authority has repeatedly flagged these failures, highlighting a pattern of ignored recommendations by successive police commissioners. The question remains: who holds our guardians accountable? What the nation needs is not simply more officers, but a complete overhaul of police administration and culture. Cosmetic consultations, like the widely reported stand-your-ground law debate, don't really solve the underlying problem.
There are other pressing issues that require attention besides crime and justice. The country’s foreign exchange reserves continue to dwindle, pressuring the government to make hard decisions about exchange rate policy and economic diversification. The National Insurance Scheme faces existential threats as the population ages, raising uncomfortable questions about retirement age and contribution rates. These are not problems that can be deferred; they require clear, courageous action and should be reflected in the government’s next budget.
As the 100-day milestone passes, the real test for the United National Congress will not be in symbolic achievements, but in its willingness to confront these deep-rooted challenges head-on. There is more to the future than band-aid solutions or showmanship. It demands vision, discipline, and the persistence to see reforms through—over months, years, and across successive administrations.
A collection of ideas.
Sarge
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