Maraval Meeting

May 13, 2009

Garvin Edward T. Nicholas

Speech at Adam’s Bagels

12^th May 2009

Good evening - Diego Martin North East, Diego Martin Central, Diego Martin West, Trinidad and Tobago.

A special good evening to my colleagues at the head table and to the members of the press here to cover this meeting.

I am here this evening not to wallow in the morass that we find ourselves in as a nation today, but, to offer an alternative to the constitutional crisis we find ourselves in and to RE-ASSURE you that all is not lost.

I know, that when we look around, and we see this government giving away our patrimony via the untouchable Hart of Udecott; when we read of the almost 200 murders committed for the year to date (representing somebody’s daughter, son, mother, sister, brother or father); when we witness the failed billion dollar summit and a mamaguy signing ceremony; a Prime Minister who rules not for his people but by his ego and for his small clique of friends whilst seeking more power to control the lives and institutions of all he surveys; the crumbling institutions of the State; Ministers without moral fibre governing over our finances propped up by this Prime Minister; a tainted police service out of control; the degradation and threatened total destruction of our once treasured environment; and a government and a large segment of a nation driven by victimization, greed, racism, selfishness, hypocrisy, corruption and inhumanity …. I know it may be difficult to be HOPEFUL.

It may also be difficult to be HOPEFUL when your government after earning the most money in history, also borrows the most money in history.

Especially, when the borrowing is NOT to build schools, hospitals or playgrounds BUT to build a chemical plant we don’t want, on a site we want to preserve. When, the contract to build it is given to the country lending the money and we are mandated that the key labour comes from that country. When, we sell natural gas to the owners of the plant at a loss to us and on top of that we give them tax exemption for about 20 years whilst repaying the loan with interest using tax payers’ money.

It may be even more difficult to be HOPEFUL when we reflect on what has happened over the last week with the integrity commission and the behaviour of the President. Who, has in my view discredited not only the nation’s highest office, but also the University of the West Indies. By, allegedly mis-leading Justice Hosein, by allegedly brushing off the plagiarism confessions of Fr. Henry Charles, by appointing Mr. McFarlane who was ineligible to serve not only legally but morally in my view, and by maintaining a position of silence on these issues almost a week since the first resignation.

If the claims of Fr. Charles are accurate, then President Max Richards has dismissed plagiarism as something that “happens” among academics. This is particularly disturbing. After all, this President is a former UWI Principal.

Then there is the moral question. How could Mr. McFarlane have ever been considered as a candidate, when he is such a close associate of one of the most controversial figures when it comes to matters of integrity in Trinidad and Tobago?

And to top it off the President shows continued contempt for the nation by refusing to comment on this national debacle.

I must tell you that I am not surprised, given the recent behaviour of the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister.

BUT I BELIEVE WE CAN STILL BE HOPEFUL, WE MUST!

WE CAN because faced with all that I have described, WE still have the power to change the direction in which our society goes.

 “I believe however that we need to dream a great dream.”

Governance

In have started this dream and it, I see a Head of State that is none partisan, elected not by a simple majority in the Parliament BUT by a special majority, ensuring that he or she has the mandate to serve not the Prime Minister’s interest BUT the interest of the people.

I see, a Prime Minister with less power NOT more …. and in turn I see the people rising.

I see a Prime Minister limited to two terms of service. Elected by a process of proportional representation so as to make the vote of each individual really count.

Where members of Parliament are subjected to the power of recall when they play the fool.

I see the Chief Justice, the Commissioner of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Solicitor General, and all Commissions and Commissioners being elected by special Parliamentary majorities after being scrutinized by the Parliament …. so as to de-politicize these offices and restore public confidence in them.

In this dream, there are stronger parliamentary institutions monitoring the workings of government and preventing the comedy show that we are subjected to on a weekly basis. 

Local Government

I see a strong local government brought about by genuine decentralization and devolution of power.

Where CEPEP, URP and the special purpose companies which have been set up to subvert tendering procedures and emasculate local government by politicizing labour are closed down AND INSTEAD I see local government  taking control of the cities, boroughs and regions they serve, ensuring the prompt and efficient delivery of services to the people they serve, by a large cadre of people with permanent jobs who are entitled to humane benefits that include vacation, maternity and pensions.

I see the decentralization of services that provide meaningful jobs to people in every city, borough and region where there is no longer any need to converge unto the cities every morning with the accompanying traffic problems.

I see the billions planned for the racket rail diverted to local government to enable it to provide the necessary infrastructure to communities by allowing it to issue substantial development contracts to community based companies and so spreading the wealth from the ground up.

I see local government being able to provide proper recreational facilities in every city, borough and region. And, complementing this development by providing organized sporting programmes to develop and harness the talents and abilities of our children.

I see a re-building of our communities where our children are protected and provided with a safe environment to enjoy their childhood.

Most of all, I us winning the battle over the gang culture that now threatens the lives of our children.

Education

More than 2 years ago, the government promised to provide 80 new pre-schools per year to ensure that there would have been 400 new pre-schools by 2012. To date just a fraction of the quota for 1 year has been fulfilled.

This is so even though many studies have shown that exposure to pre-school education puts children at an advantage. And, maintaining the status quo, ensures that the poor will always have a steeper hill to climb.

In this dream of a decentralized existence, I see high quality pre-schools, primary and secondary schools available to every child in every nook and cranny throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

This is to ensure real equality of opportunity.

I see the children in our nation enjoying their childhood once again.

I see children able to go to school and recreate where they live, not being forced to endure hours of traffic on a daily basis.

Healthcare

In my dream our healthcare system is people oriented and community based built around local healthcare professionals who are well trained and well respected.

The vulnerable have timely access to drugs that work.

Patients have beds and linens to lay down on.

And, importantly, leaders are so confident in the health system that they receive their personal healthcare right here instead of having to go abroad to a nation starved by 50 years of embargo to get superior healthcare. 

Judicial System and Magistracy

I see a nation no longer gripped by fear, because the crime issue has been addressed by a competent Minister of National Security; proper policing; the widespread use of forensic science and the crack down on the illegal drug trade.

I also see a judicial system that functions in the interest of justice and the people it is meant to serve.

Where trials are speedily dealt with, where preliminary inquiries are removed as a waste of time and money, where matters in the Magistrates’ Court are prosecuted by qualified attorneys, where clear sentencing guidelines are set out for certainty in the system.

And, we surely we must all see a prison system where the focus is not only on punishment, but on rehabilitation. To ensure that when people have served their sentence they can re-enter society and contribute positively INSTEAD of guaranteeing repeat offenders because of the further criminalization of citizens who have done some wrong.

The Environment

Human beings in Trinidad and Tobago have average life spans of 70-75 years, some happily live much longer, but whatever the life span granted to us, we owe a duty to those who come after us. It is our sacred duty to use only what we need and to protect the rest for the generations that will follow.

Instead, many of us have become very greedy and very selfish. We destroy the environment that has taken hundreds of thousands of years to develop, an environment that provides us with fresh water, nourishing provision, fresh fish and fresh air to breathe, to make a quick buck for a few of this generation without thought for who comes next.

It is time we govern not just for today but for tomorrow as well.

The Philosophy

There is much more to this dream and we will continue it on another occasion.

Already, some may say that the dream is too great, to complex, to difficult to achieve.

As someone before me has said, (and I do not want to be accused of plagiarism) …. “Before your dreams can come through, you must first have a dream.”

This government tries to fill us all with apathy, they want us to stop dreaming, to stop believing in a better society.

BUT my philosophy is different. I encourage you to dream lofty dreams, for (as someone else has said) “As you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.”

It is important to NOTE that for any dream to be realized we need to work at it.

We need to have the courage to set the example.

Change does not come about by words alone but by deeds.

We cannot therefore preach democracy and cuss people for the choices they make when we don’t agree with them.

We cannot preach harmony and then find all kinds of reasons to discriminate against others.

We cannot preach integrity and choose corruption when it suits us, or when no one is looking.

To embrace change, we too must change.

Let our actions be our words.

Let us show respect to gain it.

Let us show trust so that we can be trusted.

Let us show love so that we can be deserving of governance, now more than ever we need to be nurturers ….

This nation is consumed by the politics of hate …. that, needs to reversed.

If you love the other guys and their parties …. Continue to love them …. I Just ask that love yourself and your children more.

I don’t hate my political opponents, I dislike their policies and the effect these policies have on ordinary citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

If you share the dream articulated here this evening …. I encourage you to go share it with all that you meet.

Let the dream become infectious so that it consumes all of Trinidad and Tobago …. and, remember that the things that bind us together, are far greater than those that pull us apart.

Good night.

All Position Statements