State of Fear

"When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing."- Enrique Jardiel Poncela

Michael Crichton died last week after a very private battle with cancer. Crichton was many things; a writer, a producer, a novelist and a critic. He was one of the first authors I was ever dedicated to reading and my introduction to his work at an early age helped to form a basis of interest in many spheres, from science, to medicine, to engineering to history and the arts. If Crichton was anything, it was that he was a jack of all trades when writing. His work was easy to read, which is a testament to his greatness as a writer. His legacy will undoubtedly live on. May he rest in peace.

Another's whose legacy is sure to live on, should the status quo be maintained, is Patrick Manning's. Though not for the glowing reasons attributed to Crichton earlier. Manning's latest flexion of his ever increasing intoxication with power came when he recently 'visited' a radio station to complain about the 'disrespect' shown to him and his government by two broadcasters during a newscast. Ignoring the obvious undertones of a Prime Minister personally visiting a media house, no doubt in an effort to intimidate, it is even more disturbing that the CEO of 94.1FM, 'O Brien Haynes, would immediately suspend the individuals in question without at least a hearing for their side of the story.

Whether Haynes acted out of support for the Prime Minister or fear of him is unknown, but highly inconsequential at this point. If anything, he should have been at pains NOT to have taken any action at all, until formal procedures were set in motion. This isn't an issue of a crime, a murder, a rape. It is an issue of two of the most basic rights enshrined in the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, namely, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Media. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is frightening that the Prime Minister of a country can casually walk into a media house and saliently have individuals fired, regardless of the spin that Manning and his equally disappointing Minister of Information, Neil Parsanlal, a man who emerged from the bowels of the media, want to put on the incident.

But it speaks to a greater dimension that has now pervaded our society. It is as a result of the windfall revenues that the government has experienced over the last four years of hyper-inflated hydrocarbon prices. Intentionally or inadvertently, the government has succeeded in instilling a state of fear in the vast majority of citizens. And it has come about in subtle ways and in the name of progress, social justice and handouts.

While the obvious fear of being a victim of crime has exponentially increased in every sector of society, regardless of race and class, a more silent, insidious fear is being inculcated in specific sectors of the population. Sectors that any truly developed society require in order to function democratically and efficiently.

In the first instance, there is a fear amongst the unskilled or semi-skilled sector, highly involved in the CEPEP and URP projects, that protest or a show of disapproval against the government would be met with their termination and therefore, loss of income. So they stay quiet and accept the pittances. Their children are brought up to believe that this is their only means to survival and a dependency syndrome develops that keeps these workers enslaved and loyal to the state.

In another instance, contractors and business people who depend on government investment in their companies are fearful of losing lucrative opportunities should they be perceived to be acting or vocalising dissatisfaction with the current administration. Therefore, they don't say anything when corruption is blatantly practised under their purview. It is in their interest not to whistle-blow, and so the country loses.

Yet another, more relevant example is seen with the very media. The government provides many media houses with the revenue they require in order to keep functioning. It is by no fluke that 7 television stations, over 20 radio stations and almost 10 newspapers manage to stay afloat in a country with a market of just over 1 million people. This supersaturation of media has not made government more transparent or accountable, as is clearly evidenced by the comedy, nay, tragedy, that is a post cabinet news conference. Instead, many of those in the media would rather keep a fairly neutral line in terms of its editorials lest it be the focus of the withdrawal of government sponsorship and ultimately, bankruptcy. It is this fear that prevents the emergence of an activist media, intent on finding the truth, rather than simply reporting the spin fed to it by the Parsanlal types.

In the final, saddest anecdote, the government has successfully managed to silence the voice of the young intellectual class. Tertiary students, usually the most liberal, activist individuals in any society have been muted. They are fearful to speak out against the administration that pays their fees in full. A noble effort by the government to increase the number of university graduates has had the effect of enrolling many who see a degree as nothing more than a means to an end, with no sense of social activism. So when the media is attacked, the Guild of Students is strangely quiet. There are no longer any protests on campus because students no longer worry about their fees being raised. They are, what I like to call, the fearful complacents.

Ultimately, a government that rules from a throne of fear has more to fear for its own survival when things go south. They cannot continue to spend their way into garnering support and silence. One can hope that democracy prevails. But hope is not a strategy. Slowly but surely, people must be willing to rise from fear and challenge the government on their policies. The media must not be afraid to ask the hard hitting questions and demand transparency and accountability on behalf of its subscribers. The businessmen should not be fearful of losing a contract because they stood for integrity. Students should put aside their fear of victimisation in the name of standing up and demanding that our leaders lead by example and with responsibiliy.

For all our riches and aspirations, our pride and successes, Trinidad and Tobago has, now, more than ever, become a State of fear. And nothing but slivers of courage will be able to rescue us from our deepening abyss.

Dreams from his Father

Tomorrow is historic, regardless of the result of the election. America will either have its first non-white president or non-male vice-president. It will be the first time in more than a generation that a senator will be elected President and it will be almost 100 years since the last time neither a sitting president or vice-president will have their names on the ballot. It will be the first time in almost 200 years that the winner will assume office on the heels of consecutive two-term presidencies. And more, even almost mischievously, it will be the first time that the US will have a president who was not born in the land mass traditionally recognised as the United States of America.

Hardly surprising, I'm going all-in for Barack Obama. Not that I live under any misconceptions that an Obama presidency will cause the Bush turds to suddenly smell like roses. But that I believe that if anyone gets it, it's Obama. He's educated, a child on the tapering edge of the baby boom and the tonic that America needs if it hopes to regain respect and standing among other nations in the world.

He's also liberal and progressive. Words that the right have demonised, but which have been embraced by Western European societies to advance their civilizations by leaps and bounds, while leaving the New World behind. He supports the rights of minorities, the rights of women, is a supporter of stem cell research and doesn't believe that global warming at the hands of humans is a myth. He supports a tax code that will bring relief to the middle class. And importantly, he will be able to appoint judges that can balance a conservative leaning Supreme Court. But you know all this. So why reiterate it?

Well, for one, there's never much harm in overstating positives. But the real reason I restated it is because they're the reasons I'd like to see Obama become president. Not because he's half-black, or his campaign is historic or he's the less worse alternative to a potential Palin presidency (knocks on wood, revives my dying 4 leaf clover and does a rain dance). Because he IS already all of these things. It's because I support his stands and his policies.

And that brings me to hypocritical Trinis. It brings me to the ones who, a year to the DATE of this US election, had the opportunity to vote for change. To hope and believe that things could be better. To (use a quote sent recently from a good friend) see things for what they COULD be and not as they are. Because it's these same people who now parade around beating their chests for Obama. They flood the airwaves voicing their support for his historic candidacy. And for what reason, other than the color of his skin? Could they name a single Obama policy that they agree with? As a matter of fact, I'm sure these Manning loving, holier than thou, Bible-quoting types would disagree with the #1 ranked most liberal Senator and his #3 ranked running mate on issues of abortion, gay rights and embryonic stem cell research.

It's simply racism repackaged and a dearth of objectivity and constancy on their part. It's not sour grapes. Our elections are done and dusted, at least for another 4 years. But it speaks to our political immaturity that we can support the candidate professing change in a foreign land, while our own Rome burned and we twiddled our thumbs while staining our index fingers for the status quo.

But tomorrow night, by all accounts, will be Barack's night. Whether he gets to 270 early on, if at all, is left to be seen. But his campaign has broken barriers and given people a reason to be energised. It has levelled the competition and organised its supporters in unprecedented fashion. And come tomorrow night, the coronation of audacious hope will signal the end of the beginning, as he inherits a land broken, a people more in need now than they have been for over 70 years and a world looking towards him for guidance in the face of global uncertainty.

Raindrops keep Falling...

Have you ever seen the rain fall in the wrong direction? Its silvery wisps gradually intensifying to crystal drops then to angry, pounding waves, each trying to outdo each other. The lush, green hills have faded into obscurity, veiled now by a white sheet of precipitation. The birds have gone silent.
The rustling leaves, gently portending the impending deluge have been replaced by battered foliage.

And unlike the way it began, it stops suddenly. Lightning crashes and the wind picks up where the cloudburst left off. Silence is replaced by more silence. Eerie pervasions tempt the heavens once more. This time, the downpour begins, accompanied by its supporting cast of light, sound and air. Unrefined souls may curse the deities. I turn off the music to listen to the symphony that has been provided by Heaven. I turn my head around to engage the beauty of the Earth.

The camera can capture but a fleeting moment; no substitute for the first hand ocular experience and a grave injustice to the magnificence that has just been witnessed. It reinforces an appreciation for life. It hastens us to put into perspective, life’s petty and petit dramas. It calms and brings sanity to the insanity of daily life. For others, it may be a twenty minute spell of rain that brings inconvenience, damp and cold. For me, it is a welcome interlude and a new beginning.

The birds sing again to pierce the deafening silence, no doubt prompted by the feast unearthed by the driving monsoon. It is over now. The breeze will blow chill tonight. Lovers will entangle in embraces, fuelled by the aphrodisiac of the air. And me? I will sip graciously from the vino chalice. I will appreciate the moon. I will think of my own. I will promise. I will dream fearlessly for if the rain can fall in the wrong direction, then so can I.

The Audacity of Hope

'There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and latino America and asian America - there's the United States of America.'-Barack Obama

Barack Obama has all but sealed the deal. And for the first time in America’s illustrious 231 year history, a major party will not send a white male to the presidential race. That he should emerge from the Democratic party never seemed in doubt, but in an election year where change is the theme, it cannot be more fitting that it is embodied by the son of a Kenyan immigrant with Muslim roots.

Tragic though it may be, Hillary Clinton’s inevitable coronation fell flat in the popular wave of support that has now landed Obama the nomination. It may have proven to be Hillary’s first and only shot at the nomination. What must be even more disheartening for her is Hillary’s calculated approach to it, refusing in 2004 to challenge the incumbent Bush 43 on the grounds of inexperience and being a first term junior senator from New York. Obama in 2008 is what Hillary could have been in 2004. The only difference is that he took the risk and challenged the mainstream thinking.

Now that the nomination is secured, she and her campaign have resorted to desperate tactics. They want to change the yardstick by which the nomination should be decided. In essence, they claim that she is the more electable than Obama and would pose a greater challenge to John McCain in the general election. What then, is the point of holding 54 primaries if, at the end of it all she assumes the ‘elitist’ position of telling the people that they don’t know what’s good for themselves and that superdelegates should decide the nomination.

Secondly, she is trying to have the votes in Michigan and Florida count, even though those states were forewarned about the consequences (ie. loss of 100% of their delegates at the DNC convention) of holding their primaries too early. At best, it is a dishonest way of adding to her delegate count since, following the rules as set down by the party, neither Obama nor Edwards campaigned in Florida and did not even have their names on the ballot in Michigan. It is exactly the kind of politics that Obama has denounced on the trail. It is a guttural, do-whatever-it takes, bring-down-whomever-gets-in-my-way politics that Americans seem to have found a way out of, through Obama.

And Obama himself, dogged lately by accusations of elitism and Rev. Wright, has emerged above the fray and positioned himself to become, if elected, perhaps the greatest statesmanesque president since Kennedy. And for good reason. His speeches inspire. His message is one of hope. It is, ironically, in the midst of change and a look to the future, a throwback to the past, where America was viewed as a nation of hope. Where dreams could be realized if one worked hard. Not the capitalistic mess that it has become, where health is in shambles, veterans are taken for a ride and spending is out of control. Obama is the voice of hope. He is the agent of change that people choose to believe in.

But he will have a myriad of challenges. He has to deal with a record deficit and an unpopular war. He will, if elected, for the first time in living memory and discounting the Cold War, inherit a battle that neither he nor his party initiated. And he may even have to battle more than John McCain leading up to the fall election.

Clinton is mortally wounded. The rising tide of young voters and widespread apathy for what passes as normal behaviour in Washington has denied her what she viewed was an entitlement. The Clinton brand is damaged. Bill has hurt his standing in the African American community. There seems to be no respite from the hemorrhage of supporters defecting to the Obama camp. Clinton will want another shot at the presidency. At 60, she probably will have only one more realistic chance, in 2012. And unless she plans to mount an insurgent campaign against an incumbent Obama, it would serve her better if McCain is elected this year to the White House. The impetus that she will gain should McCain fail to vastly improve on his predecessor will once again set in motion a much better prepared Clinton machine to assume the Presidency from what will more than likely be a one-term stint from McCain.

It is Obama’s Achilles’ heel. He may have won the nomination this time. But for all intents and purposes, it will be his only chance. He will either create the most significant bit of history since the abolition of slavery or will fade into the background as another ‘has run.’ It is a challenge and a tragedy for a man of 46. But it is the embodiment of the message that he has disseminated since he announced for the presidency. The message of hope. It is perhaps an indictment on American society as a whole that such a message should resonate so deeply. That things have gotten so bad that they see Obama as a knight in shining armor coming to rescue them. Moreover, foreign policy has been so bad that the world looks on, almost urging Americans not to screw this one up.

They are expectations that Obama will have to play down. Tangible change will not be immediate. In a world of mass media and the internet, he will be the most scrutinized president in history. Any faux pas will be pounced upon as evidence of inexperience and naivety. Success will bring the inevitable challenges, but more so, it will bring to an end the 20 year old Bush-Clinton dynasty. And unless Obama decides to offer Clinton the Vice Presidential post, it will be the first time in almost 24 years, that neither a Bush nor a Clinton would have their names on the ticket. It is this paradigm shift that will allow Obama to capitalize on the notion of change but it is also from such high levels of approval initially, that the only way to go would be down. It is almost surreal that Americans will know the result of their vote on Guy Fawkes day. In a fairytale world, it couldn’t be more perfect.

His rhetoric is almost flawless. His taglines are catchy and they resonate. He has risen above the challenges of name recognition versus the Clinton machine, to name vilification (Osama anyone?), to defending his religious affiliations. He has won the most states, the most votes and the most delegates. He has won the admiration and respect of millions. He is the presumptive nominee, despite the machinations of the Clinton campaign. And, for whatever it’s worth, he has my endorsement. America needs Barack Obama. The world needs Barack Obama. And for 12 hours on November 4th, 2008, if Americans vote with the courage of their convictions, audacious hope would have gotten a man elected to the most powerful position in the world.

'Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.'- Barack Obama

Vote of Thanks

No quotes. Just one of a few lines that my indomitable cousin uttered:

‘Always be grateful.’

It is simple and short, like most things uttered in wisdom. But on this Thanksgiving, I really don’t have a choice. Things aren’t perfect but what would life be like if everything were? So here it goes:

Thank you for allowing me to appreciate life so much more. An obscure Sunday evening in November turned into mayhem by an accident that changed so many lives forever.

Thank you for allowing me to appreciate death. You were one of the most generous and genuine souls I had ever met and your death on the eve of Christmas’ own eve made me understand how finite and fickle life can be.

Thank you for being a friend when I thought that I had none. You may not realize it and I have not yet had the courage to revisit that time but your tolerance of me even when it must have been to the point of annoying is something I can never be grateful enough for.

Thank you for willing to be my friend and while I know it has not been reciprocated, it is I who must take the blame for being the lesser person.

Thank you for showing me that I can move on regardless of how bad things get. Your absorption with yourself and the world around you only served as fuel that drove us apart. Maybe it’s too late now.

Thank you for not calling when you came. It allowed me to assimilate things in a different perspective.

Thank you for calling. It was the one call I least expected but was most appreciated since it was one of only a few I received for my birthday.

Thank you for making my life that much more difficult because it brought out a courage in me that I didn’t realize I had.

Thank you for being the selfish, pretentious, untrustworthy snakes that you turned out to be. There can be no excuse for what the three of you did. You are bound to a higher standard. Now, I can recognize insincerity from a distance.

Thank you for listening to my venting.

Thank you for trying to make me be true to myself. It will come in time but you are responsible for starting the ball rolling and helping me to disregard the expectations of conformity from others.

Thank you for being there during the hardest time of my academic life. Your support and concern were not unnoticed and it is partly because of that that I can appreciate fully where I am now.

Thank you for putting up with a far from perfect son. It is almost automatic that you are taken for granted, but it could never be right.

Thank you for your words of wisdom. Never would I have thought that two simple lines would have such profound effect on the way I live my life.

Thank you for putting up with my less than bearable antics. I could have been a much better brother.

Thank you for believing in me. You seemed to be the only one that did or cared.

Thank you for giving me something to believe in. If not in 2007, then maybe in 2012.

Thank you for nothing. You taught me that I should work for what I want most and not expect instant gratification. Now I appreciate it so much more.

Thank you for being my partner in crime. We may be taken advantage of or trampled upon. But our intentions are always true and if one person is genuinely grateful for every ten that walk all over us, it still makes it worth it.

Thank you all for everything that has happened in the last year. It has made me who I am today and while it could have been better, as all things could, I regret not one day of it.

Thank you for life. It is only by your grace that I opened my eyes this morning and will do so tomorrow.

Vive la Revolucion

‘Remember, Remember the fifth of November’- Guy Fawkes Night

Come what may, November 5, 2007 will be remembered in the history books as the day that the electorate of Trinidad and Tobago took a stand. Whether or not history will record that it was the right one is left to be seen. About 700,000 people will let their voices be heard in what could be the most important general election ever to be held in this country.

The incompetence of the PNM and the bacchanal of the UNC-A has not caused, on the face of it, to have eroded their respective bases significantly. It speaks volumes about the maturity or lack thereof of the voters of this country. It makes you wonder whether the poor Laventille grandmother who has had children murdered or the destitute Barrackpore father without an avenue for escaping poverty will have any hope after tomorrow’s election and if in fact, they will be contributing once again to the vicious cycle of electing representatives to prop up a government that does nothing to address their needs, on a personal and national level.

All the crowds were impressive. All the supporters seemed committed. The true test will come once every finger is stained. Then we’ll know whether the country is steppin’ up, having an orange revolution or just movin’. Maybe it’ll have to be a combination of those three but for the second time in our history (other than 1981) T&T will choose from three very strong parties. The only difference is that for the first time, the ‘third force’ may actually win some seats. If that happens, it will have Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini turning in their graves for democracy would have won. And T&T would have grown just that little bit.

The sun creeps above the horizon as the deathly silence is pierced only by a few awakening fowls. This is the calm before the storm. The nation waits with bated breath. The majority of those who I speak with will stain their fingers for the COP, the party representing, to them, the best chance for some semblance of proper government. They represent a new hope. And while they have their fair share of geriatric members, they have also been able to capture the imagination of the youth, a notoriously difficult segment to corner. I, too will be staining that right index finger for the COP. I moved with them on September 10th 2006 at the Centre of Excellence when they were launched and I moved with them on November 3rd, 2007 at their final rally. On November 5th, thousands of us will be moving with them. We will be making a statement, starting a mini bloodless revolution and when the accountants of the election return their report, if the people of this nation have made the right choice, we’ll be moving to the Red House with them.

For too long we’ve searched the barren desert for the ilk of the COP. For too long we’ve clamoured for the strength of a third force to rule the land with a sceptre of equality and justice for ALL. For too long we’ve waited for a party to serve as a responsible guardian of our future. Come what may tomorrow, the COP is that manifestation. And if unelected, the people of this nation must examine themselves and ask why. Why did they let the chance to elect good men slip by? People get the government that they deserve and tomorrow will be no different.

Whether the hunger of the poor, the pain of the sick or the cries of the wronged will be arrested by the party assuming office on Tuesday is left to be seen. But until 6pm tomorrow, the nation waits in hope. And I, for the first time in a very long time, turn my head to the heavens and ask a favour of God. It is one of the hardest things to accept that despite knowing what is good and right, people will let mere animal instincts dictate their voting patterns.

We stand 24 hours away from the opening of the floodgates. All systems are go. The sun will provide the lights, the media the cameras and the citizens the action. And when the editing begins and the final cut is screened, let us hope that we get an Oscar worthy cast rather than a disappointing horror flick. I be movin’ so will at least 51% of the electorate if we are to see our hopes translated into reality. A reality that would have been borne from the frustrations of our people with the hands that they have been dealt in the last 50 years. And come tomorrow night, if I do cry, it would not be because the COP would have lost. It would be because my people would have once again let themselves down by not recognizing that governance should not be measured by who can throw the best picong or concerts. Governance is serious business.

Life will go on. I will be at the hospital on Tuesday even as friends finish up their degrees or start lives in other countries. Change will remain constant and the universe will continue to conspire to give us that which we most desire. But at least, for a little more than a year, the passengers and driver of the COP vehicle gave this not so little boy the hope that we could have done it.

Whether the dream ends tomorrow or a new wave of euphoria washes over T&T as the COP assumes even a single seat in the Parliament, I can say that for once, I have supported a political party and was not, in the least bit ashamed to say so.

Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, and I beg the good people of T&T to move with me and the Congress of the People.

‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’- Edmund Burke

We built this City

The sun rises slowly above the hills of the Northern Range and one by one, the headlights dim as the cars march incessantly into Port of Spain. God, I never thought I’d see the day that I’d be watching the sun rise in the rear view mirror as I head into the smoggy capital city. From two, then three and now about six ‘skyscrapers’ litter the skyline of Trinidad’s finest city, edifices that confirm the monetary wealth of a nation that could be great.

Like zombies, the masses head out before the break of day in a valiant but more often unsuccessful attempt to head off the permanent traffic. Children awake at dream-weaving hours to commute to school. No one feels anything save and except frustration at the time spent in traffic or anger at the guy in front who just gave you a bad drive. But still they soldier on, heading into the big city, hoping to make a day’s wages so that they can enjoy the niceties that T&T has come to offer, whether it’s their after work lime at Ruby’s or their teenager’s lime at Zen or their 12 year old movie at Movie Towne.

They all have their escapes. But from what? And why? And what of the old lady with seven grandkids to mind on a monthly pension that could barely even support her alone? Where is her escape? Or the man who doesn’t want to leave the hospital because his alternative is a lonely house with no one to talk to? We classify them and sometimes blatantly discriminate against them. They’re just ‘social cases’. Not our problem. It’s the government’s problem or the relatives' problem or someone else’s. As long as it’s not ours.

But the same sun still rises above each of our heads every morning. And like a neat cross section, the city provides an insight into the inner workings of the country. The flashy neon lights of the night and the newest BM-double Vays serve only to betray the poverty that the nation embraces daily. More than 300,000 souls who will go hungry today, who went hungry yesterday and who will go hungry tomorrow, even as the fat cats feast on the largesse provided by their well connected friends and family.

One day, one night, one moment,
my dreams could be, tomorrow.

Or it could never come. But I know this: If I don’t try it’s a lock that it’ll never come. So I’ll keep on trying. Even when it pains most. Especially when it pains most. Because if I’m to believe in the probabilistic, then things just might work out.

One step, one fall, one falter,
east or west, over earth or by ocean.
One way to be my journey,
this way could be my Book of Days

If you want it enough, the universe will conspire for you. I’ve learnt that. But it won’t happen by just wishing. You’ve got to get up and become involved. So instead of sitting by and letting things happen, we have to go out there and make the difference, first in our lives, so that we gain respect for ourselves. It is only when we gain a respect and love for ourselves that we could even hope to help others. And while each person’s journey will inevitably different, we all want to reach the same destination: Happiness.

And while I don’t profess to be the Happiness Guru, one sure way of being happy is by making others happy, as the old chorus goes.

No day, no night, no moment,
can hold me back from trying.

I can’t remember when it did become my journey, but it did. And because of it, I’m more patient and more understanding. I appreciate more of what I have and I appreciate the problems that people have. I appreciate people more and am thankful for those who’ve stuck by me all this time, even if they number in the low single digits.

And I wonder what it will take for more and more people to appreciate others. Yes, they have their jobs and their kids, their wives and lovers, mistresses and husbands, but can’t we all just take a collective breath and look up from that piece of paper or computer screen to just take in the scene around us? Let’s pretend for a moment that a world exists beyond our noses and get involved in making our environment a product of who we are not vice versa.

It’s grandiose a thought because it hinges on the belief that the majority of people can be selfless and spare a though for others or the things around them. But if enough do or at least try to, then maybe we can get back on track and drag the others with us.

The sun sets in my rear view mirror. Sixty skyscrapers litter the Port of Spain skyline, each indistinguishable from the other. The masses flick their headlights on, looking to home to escape from their day. An old lady begs with her husband at the side of the road, their shriveled frames belie their strength. Countless others await the fate this night will bring. We have gone nowhere fast. May heaven have mercy on our souls, for we did not. We are safe, none of us.

This way became my journey,
this day ends together, Far and Away.

Painful Practice

Medicine has long been regarded as a noble profession and its practitioners respected as men and women of honour and integrity. Lately, however, it seems as though doctors have become the target and reason for everything that is wrong with our health system. The myth, perpetrated by none other than the Minister of Health himself, that the reason for poor healthcare in this country is as a result of incompetent, lazy and selfish doctors has caught steam with the general public, justifiably frustrated by the worsening manner in which health care has been delivered under this administration.

Minister Rahael cannot continue to use isolated incidents involving a few doctors to paint the entire profession with a brush that taints all. This is especially true when dealing with a profession, such as medicine, where reputation is essential in obtaining the trust and respect of your patients. If we are to use his yardstick, then we will be justified in painting all politicians as corrupt, including Mr. Rahael, himself, who came under scrutiny recently over the establishment of a nationwide pharmacy chain linked to his immediate family.

There has been a slew of controversies within the last five years that has led one to conclude that the government is determined to deal with doctors in a confrontational manner, unbecoming of the profession. Whether that has been over salaries, working conditions, questionable hiring and firing practices by the Ministry or the claim by those in government that the entire medical profession is sympathetic to the cause of a political party opposed to them, it is clear that doctors and medical students in this country have had to deal with more than their fair share of mauvais langue from the powers who claim to have the health of the nation as a primary concern.

It has become almost cliché to say that basic amenities have not been addressed even after the expenditure of close to $200 billion dollars in the last six years. There has not been the construction of a single general hospital. Instead, there has been the premature abortion of one in Tobago, while the rest of the nation contends with three under-staffed, poorly-equipped institutions that continue to run only on the dedication of their staff and the grace of God.

Surely, Mr. Rahael must be accountable to the nation when it comes to answering questions regarding the reasons why there are not enough dialysis machines or functioning Intensive Care Units (both adult and neonatal) or proper quarters for doctors and nurses at our hospitals. Are doctors responsible for the purchase of these machines? And then there is the question of drugs. Why are the pharmacies at the hospitals always woefully short of some medication at one point or another? Is it that there is a vested interest in forcing the public to go buy these drugs at private establishments, such as the one owned by his son?

Then there is the issue of admission criteria at the University of the West Indies, Medical Faculty. Why has this suddenly become an issue and why is race being considered as a factor? Is the government suggesting that the doctors produced over the last 20 odd years from Mt. Hope have failed the nation when it comes to providing adequate care? If so, then are there proper statistics or research to back that claim? Where is the current research that shows that a single ethnic group is being favored over another for admission into the medical school? And who exactly is in charge of making decisions regarding health in this country? Is it the Ministry of Health and their experts or is it the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education? Under whose jurisdiction does the University fall and how can, with one fell swoop, the Government mandate change without proper research and consultation? And, if admission criteria need to be changed, then when does it take effect? If it takes effect immediately, then doesn’t that place, at a significant disadvantage, those students currently entering 6th and 7th years of secondary school who would have taken certain subjects on the premise that that was the acceptable criteria?

As if all that was not enough to frustrate even the most experienced of professional, there is the issue of hiring and firing practices by the current Minister and his cohorts. There was the claim that there was a shortage of doctors in the system and therefore the need to hire foreign doctors to meet the needs of the populace. Again, was any research conducted to determine the extent of the shortfall and therefore the number of doctors required to fill the void? Was consideration given to the fact that approximately 120 doctors graduate every year from Mt. Hope, so that contracts given to foreign doctors should be on a diminishing basis to account for the incoming new doctors?

There was the recent firing of two nurses at the Mt. Hope Maternity Hospital after an incident where a newborn was burned with a hot water bottle. By all accounts, published in the press, this directive came from the Minister himself. Apart from wondering whether the Minister has better things to do than to micromanage the hospitals, isn’t there something to be said about having a proper inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this horrific incident? As professionals, who would have spent a significant amount of time and expense training to become nurses, aren’t they entitled to a hearing where they would have been allowed to give their side of the story? Perhaps a hot water bottle was used to keep the newborn warm because the incompetent administration of the hospital and by extension, the Minister, were unaware that there were an inadequate number of incubators at the hospital and that the baby would have died, had he not been kept warm. But these stories never come to light. It’s easier to fire the nurses because it’s good Public Relations. The rabid population calls for blood and the Minister obliges, disregarding totally, the rights of any he may have trampled on.

In addition, we now hear of the firing of 30 recently graduated, local doctors from the hospitals. Is it that the chronic shortage is now over? If so, then why are our wards still heavily populated with foreign labour? If the excuse is that the doctors were not under contract, then perhaps the disingenuous perpetrators of that excuse would like to see all those doctors currently not under contract justifiably walk off the job, since they have no right to be on the wards. The exodus would be astounding and then the Minister would have yet another opportunity to posture himself on national television and accuse doctors of endangering the lives of their patients.


Mr. Minister, the system is broken badly and getting worse. Serious change needs to be made with respect to the proper administration of Health in Trinidad and Tobago. The report of Gladys Gafoor following the Commission of Inquiry into the Health Sector should be made public and its recommendations heeded. Instead of antagonizing the very people who have to provide health services to this nation (doctors, nurses, attendants, drivers etc) why don’t you expend more time and implore your Prime Minister to spend more money to properly upgrade the woeful facilities that currently exist?

You have had six years in government. Can you honestly face the nation and tell its citizens that the system, not incidental accomplishments, but the system as a whole is better off now, even after the most prosperous economic times that this country has seen? What is our life expectancy now, compared to five years ago? What is the infant mortality rate now compared to five years ago? How has the health system been able to cope with the rise in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cancer? How has our economy and productivity suffered because of inadequate or improper health care? If these questions cannot be answered at the drop of a hat, Mr. Minister, it is you and your government that has failed the people of this country when it comes to providing health care.

There are surely many other things that can be done to address the state of our hospitals than finding scapegoats in the very individuals who keep the sinking ship of health barely afloat by their dedication and compassion for their patients, rather than vindictive discrimination or the love of money. It wasn’t doctors that got whopping increases in salaries since you took office in 2001. I hear the Salaries Review Commission is meeting again soon. No doubt at least 67 parliamentarians will be better off following their recommendations. What about the rest of us?