Rebuilding Camelot... (Citizen Solution to Saving T&T)

"Freedom isn't free. It shouldn't be a bragging point that 'Oh, I don't get involved in politics,' as if that makes you somehow cleaner. No, that makes you derelict of duty in a republic. Liars and panderers in government would have a much harder time of it if so many people didn't insist on their right to remain ignorant and blindly agreeable."

Those aren't my words, although I wish they were, they are political comedian extraordinaire Bill Maher's words, and they are as true as truth gets. Think about it for a second, the impact on the performance of politicians if everyone not only paid attention, but offered an opinion. Think about the effect on Office holders if they knew those active voices belonged to voting fingers, and that those informed and vocal opinions translated directly to the bottom line at election time? Wow. Overnight transformation of the performance paradigm would occur, with public servants vying for popularity based on results and not on slick marketing. Imagine that. Imagine advisors basing strategy on 'people and nation building' policies over fluff and sound-bytes, working hard to make sure that manifesto and campaign promises were kept, not excuses and finger pointing. What a revolution that would be, and not a single tyre need be harmed in the process.

I keep returning to a quote by actor Sean Penn at the end of the movie 'Fair Game' and I go there again to make the point - “The responsibility of a country is not in the hands of a privileged few. We are strong, and we are free from tyranny as long as each one of us remembers his or her duty as a citizen. Whether it’s to report a pothole at the top of your street or lies in a State of the Union address, speak out! Ask those questions. Demand that truth. Democracy is not a free ride, man. I’m here to tell you. But, this is where we live. And if we do our job, this is where our children will live.”

If what we focus on grows, shouldn't we focus on the type of governance and government we want? Who among us (die hard supporters included) are not aware that both the United National Congress and the People's National Movement are first and foremost, masks for their investors and financiers and vehicles through which they access the treasury? And if we all know this, why then have we capitulated our future and our children's future to such a fate? Every year an estimated twenty five billion dollars goes unaccounted for through make work silly projects, fraudulent billing, ghost contracts and outright corruption. That is twenty five thousand million dollars, more than enough to build all the houses, schools and hospitals that we need, to give better working conditions and substantial raises to our police officers, our nurse and our teachers, to create sustainable employment and advanced educational facilities to transform all of our people from economic slaves to highly actualized contributing members of this society. So why do we allow this to happen? What is broken in us that makes us choose mindless powerlessness over active involvement?

Revered philosopher Plato once said - “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.”

I remarked to someone right after the tragic Sea Lots accident that claimed those three lives and ruined several more that the average Trini does not seem to comprehend that, based on annual income, equity and resources, this country is worth an estimated ten trillion dollars, meaning that every citizen alive is worth on average ten million dollars, give or take a couple hundred thousand. Each. And that the reason many do not see or enjoy their fair share of the national pie is because of a lack of basic understanding as to their entitlement as citizens of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, and of poor, compromised leadership that sells them out cheaply. Would the powers that be handling the aftermath of that accident have handled it differently if they were aware that the victims were worth ten million dollars each? Imagine the handling if those three people were well heeled members of society, crossing the road in an upscale community? Where would that case be now? Where would the off duty officer? The breathalyzer and blood test results?

I say all of the above to level the field in the hope that something sinks in and to make this point: That until we the people of Trinidad & Tobago start to see our roles and responsibilities as citizens of this country as important nothing of real value is going to change; until the politics that drives the economics that underpins our lives become important enough to us that we get actively involved on a daily basis, others are going to continue to make off with our share; and until we learn to pay attention to all that is in our own selfish interest, until we develop the patriotic sense of service required to get informed and to stay involved, all that is wrong with our society will not only continue, it will probably get much, much worse. American cartoonist Doug Larson was quite right when he said - “Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.” This is where citizen politicians comes in, the role of the activist in society and I for one could not agree with him more.