How to Fix This...

Many people have been talking about fixing Trinidad & Tobago for so long we have even ended up with a group branding themselves after the intention, but how do we really fix T&T? What are the obstacles to progress that keeps this rich and blessed nation mired in such shameful and dehumanizing mediocrity while simultaneously allowing for schemers and the corrupt to pilfer and loot at will? Many look to the shortfalls at the delivery of services level and say that we cannot fix our broken systems without constitutional reform, but I put to you that the broad term 'constitutional reform' is a sop and a distraction because even those promoting it know full and well that, due to the antagonistic nature of our politics that Trinbagonians will probably never unite on this issue or the approach to the issue in sufficient numbers to make it a reality. Those talking constitutional reform should rather tackle the thing in bite size pieces similar to the United States, where shortfalls in the constitution are managed through ammendmendts, the approach I strongly recommend we emulate and adopt.

With that in mind I would like to suggest the following Constitutional Ammendments:

Citizen's Bill of Rights – Our Constitution deals with this issue in broad strokes but leaves much to be inferred or, to those bent with contrary intentions, to be skirted. This ammendment should deal in depth with freedom of speech, of association, of the press among others, with clear limits as to governmental intrusions that can be tolerated under the law. This one ammendment will deepen our democracy and provide the platform from which many more of our citizens would feel sufficiently emboldened to trust the process and to get politically involved.

Representation of the People Ammendment – this ammendment would address the shortfalls that plague constituents and would make for a more meaningful Parliament. This ammendment should insist among other things that MP's must live within the constituency they represent so as to give them first hand knowledge of the plights that plague the people and shorten the distance between problem and solution at a governmental level and should include recall legislation to remove non performing MP's from office.

Local Government Reform – When we say this,what do we mean? What are we asking for when we say this? I put to you that the local government should be greatly empowered and accessible and answerable to the constituents for their posts.

Campaign Finance Reform – This one thing has such a potential for change in the delivery of goods and services as well as procurement and the allocation of state contracts it should be placed at the top of the list. Cash for contracts in many cases has become the de facto way businesses interact with government in T&T and this needs to be brought to a swift end.

Police Service Amendment – The Police Service should be reorganized where advancement and tenure are concerned, and all in service should  be rewarded based on merit and not on seniority. Nothing breeds success like competition, and in circumstances where advancement and improvement are based on performance, this one change would drive a personal redevelopment across the board to the greater good of all. Police Inspectors should be both highly paid and easily removed so as to create an environment of healthy respect for achieving and keeping the position through performance.

Teaching Service Amendment – Similar to the Police Service, teachers to need to be rewarded and rewarded well based on merit and not automatic advancement. School principals, similar to Police Inspectors, should be both highly paid and easily removed so as to create an environment of healthy respect for achieving and keeping the position through performance.

While there are many more issues that must be addressed, this is a suggestion and a guide as to how we should be approaching both the conversation as well as the redevelopment of Trinidad & Tobago if real change is in fact our intention. This process should be begun by inviting the citizens to comment and to suggest the issues that they themselves feel warrant ammending and also as to the approach they think would best serve us all.