Dear Editor,

There are times I wonder if anyone evaluates what is happening before rushing to make statements.

Some 30,000 voters who turned out for the 2019 local government election in Trinidad and Tobago did not vote in the 2023 election. But rather than deal with what can be seen as a disenchanted electorate, many are rushing to claim victories.

The murders continue to grow, with over six during one weekend. And the national airline seems to be struggling with manpower issues.

Folks, things are not great in this twin island State.

The solutions are not insurmountable, but a collective approach is needed to solve our problems. Crime tops the list of things to approach with urgency. It requires a dedicated leadership, willing to use the resources of the State to end the level of gun violence that has affected almost every community in Trinidad and Tobago. This is not a party or sectarian problem; it is a national problem. It requires strong legislation to deal with gun possession and a rapid response from the judiciary. These are all political solutions and must be approached by both political parties that represent the people in the Parliament.

We can easily, with resolve, good management, and dedication, deal with water distribution, flooding, the economy, education, land ownership, government services, corruption, health care, and the many other aspects of governance that seem to be difficult to fix. But let us not delude ourselves, we cannot fix these things as a divided people.

The local government election has indicated that the country is divided. This is not new; however, no one seems to want to zero in on the problem. Racial voting is a major factor. In his book The Cutlass Is Not For Killing, Dennis Mahabir confronted the real issue first-hand. He wrote, “You want those ni****rs to rule us? No one group must rule anybody. This is a multiracial country, unique in the world, and we should live in unity.” But this unity remains elusive.

The reality is very difficult for many to grasp, but until the people of Trinidad and Tobago are willing to embrace a political entity dedicated to ensuring that all its people, regardless of race, work together for the welfare of the country, then the murders and inefficiencies will continue.

For us, there must be no “we” and “them”, no north and south of the Caroni Bridge, no behind the bridge, no “dem people”. It must be us, our country, our people.

We must find a way to embrace and be proud of our diversity and not let it take us down a path of distrust and mayhem.

It is time to hope again, to love each other. God bless our nation.

Steve Alvarez

Trinidad and Tobago

bilcoa@hotmail.com