TT will not achieve Vision 2020 goal
Trinidad and Tobago has become a society obsessed with materialism. The Government tends to invest in vote-catching projects.
Trinis see no end in sight to the monster traffic jams on the roads following the recent announcement that the Government has decided to place on hold its project to build a rapid rail system in Trinidad.
It might stay there forever given the current economic realities.
An improved bus service could help ease traffic congestion but some critics contend that most of the country’s ailments are being caused by its economics. The Government tends to invest money in projects which it believes will win them more votes.
The life style of Trintobagonians is deteriorating with this country suffering from the ailments of some developed countries with few of the advantages they offer.
‘These ailments include monster traffic jams, escalating crime, the bad manners of urban dwellers and a myopic selfishness which creates disharmony and sress. The PNM Government’s vision of making Trinidad and Tobago a developed country by the year 2020 is fading because its emphasis on materialist development ignores the potential of its human resources.
“All that glitters is not gold” and “iron bars do not a prison make” wrote controversial British playwright Oscar Wilde.
Soaring high rise buildings and fancy goods in the shops and expensive cars on the roads are merely showy displays of wealth and are akin to people wearing expensive gold chains and jewelry to show how rich they are.
Trinidad and Tobago has become a society obsessed with materialism which pays little attention to the development of its human resources.
Trinidad and Tobago is using its oil and gas wealth to follow an economic development path largely fashioned by US economic guru Milton Friedman, a champion of free trade and free enterprise.
This model favours as little government control of the productive sectors of the economy and is the answer to unbridled socialism.
It is based on the very basic human desire to prosper though hard work and initiative and posits greed as good for the economy. /This model works fairly well in wealthy countries like the United States with a strong Protestant work ethic.
But the US model is riddled with corruption of which the major financial crisis there last year was a prime example.
With proper controls and regulation and with emphasis on less greed and the education of citizens this model can help fashion development in a fashion which could benefit the majority of the population.
But the unfair distribution of wealth and resources and the neglect of certain sectors of the society can lead to a social explosion.
The so-called social democratic countries of Western Europe now promote a mixed economy which benefits most of their citizens and, theoretically, does not permit the accumulation of excessive individual material wealth.
In the Western Hemisphere, Chile is the closest adherent to this model and that country now has the best social and economic indicator of any regional developing country.
Chileans are very proud people andits Socialist President Michelle Bachelet has shown that her government cares for its people.
Trinidad and Tobago’s mixed economy favours the wealthy and mainly PNM supporters.
The Government pays technocrats and skilled professioals six figure salaries while those professionals it dislike usually collect monthly pensions worth about $2,000.
The usual advice of PNM supporters is: “if you do not like the way the country is being run you can emigrate.”
This selfish culture was aptly demonstrated recently when bus drivers went on strike for one day.
The drivers of the Pubic Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) and the mechanics stopped working to protest working conditions.
Both the workers and the managers did their best to avoid talking to the Press, giving the impression that it was mainly a family dispute.
The daily newspapers carried brief reports on inside pages about the strike the following day, indicating they thought it was of minor importance since those affected were mainly pensioners and poor people.
The PTSC, like most Government run entities here, has a reputation for inept performance and having rude and discourteous employees.
The Government’s social services are poorly managed and the main function of the police seems to tobe to harass minor traffic violators and to stare menacingly at law abiding citizens.
This political culture and economy will never achieve 20/20 vision, even by the year 3060.