Party Done!

Everywhere we turn we’re bombarded by news headlines of the latest politricks in our country; every story even more ludicrous and morbidly comical than the last. We’re fifty-two years into independence and consistently proving to our colonial masters of the past that we are indeed INCAPABLE of running our own affairs. Too bad they’re too busy with progress to interject with an, “I told you so!”

It seems that we’re the rebellious teenager who no longer wanted to be controlled by our Mother, and boldly strut off into the great unknown. I’m all for independence, but THIS… this is just sad. In the wise words of our past President, “Political development must not end with the attainment of independence; independence is a culmination only of the movement toward self-government.” (Robinson, 2001, p.xi)

Party politics of Trinidad and Tobago are literally that- a party! It’s wild, out of control and filled with nothing but scandal and drunken ordeals. We are not, and have not been seeing political parties that postulate poise, patriotism and prudence. When we think we’ve gotten to the last straw that supposed to break the camel’s back, we think the party done… it seems like the party now getting started. And the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, like the camel, trod on wearily.

 Politics are about scandal, slander, race and reproach. As MacDonald rightly noted, “In the increasing complex realm of Trinidad politics, the ethnic factor would grow to overshadow the class factor on a nationwide basis…” (MacDonald, 1986, p.67) The truth is that for so many credulous citizens, their duty belongs to their Almighty race. What this means is that no matter how outrageous the party gets, we ignore that irking feeling of discomfort because we’re a _ _ _ till we die! It’s either that or the OTHER party with people of the OTHER race come into power… and we can’t have that! No way!

When two political parties battle for ‘Baptist’ publicity, when Parliament discussions involve linking the negative attributes of an Opposition leader to him being a child of rape, when statements like, “If yuh name man, come outside!” can be made in Parliament and political leaders can say, “”She could jump high, she could jump low, she could drink this, she could drink that, she could bark at meh dog, I go ignore she cat” … we are in trouble! It’s long overdue, but the party needs to done, the people done rile up!

 

References:

Chan Tack, C. (2015, April 1). PNM, UNC battle over Baptists. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.newsday.co.tt/politics/0,209109.html

Julien, J. (2015, March 25). Rowley: Sorry about that “cat” talk. Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Rowley-Sorry-about-that-cat-talk-297539641.html

Kowlessar, G. (2015, April 4). T&T politics at a new low. Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-04-04/tt-politics-new-low

MacDonald, S. (1986). Trinidad and Tobago: Democracy and development in the Caribbean. New York: Praeger.

Robinson, A. (1971). The mechanics of independence; patterns of political and economic transformation in Trinidad and Tobago. Cambridge, Mass.: M.I.T. Press