Ryan Hadeed
It's that time of year again–the flags and banners of red, white and black have been strung about the country's buildings and fences. Our independence pride is out on display. Since celebrating our 50th anniversary, my father and I have developed something of a tradition to mark the occasion. We discuss, and more often than not argue, as to whether or not T&T was ready to be an independent state. In the spirit of fairness, it is necessary to disclose that I am a colonialist, which is to say that I am of the opinion that we should not have severed our ties with the United Kingdom.
In the years following the conclusion of the Second World War, the UK, though victorious along with the allied powers, found itself exhausted both politically and economically, and no longer capable of maintaining its global empire. The days of "Rule Britannia" were over, and with the fervour of self-determination sweeping throughout her colonies, she was more than willing to grant it.
However in the haste to be masters of our own destiny, we may not have fully understood the political construct we so desired. And with hindsight as our best indicator, it could be said that we have been mishandling it ever since.
Let's use the metaphor of a teenager receiving a brand new automobile. We all remember that phase–the impetuousness of youth, thinking we knew everything and too arrogant to realise we still had so much to learn; well that was us in 1962. So our British step-parents gave us the car we wanted, and we all jumped in and sped off towards the future. The driver, the government, is convinced that they know the best route to take, and swears there is more than enough petrol, ie money in the treasury, to get us there. The opposition is in the front seat, and constantly criticises the decisions while making accusations that some of the gas-money is being pocketed.
There are two people sitting in the back, each representing the major ethnic groups. They get along well enough, but secretly mistrust each other. And the only time either one is truly happy is when they have their choice of driver. By the way, they both also suspect whomever it is of stealing, but feel they can't do anything about it.
Money is spent on things the car doesn't necessarily need, while comforts like air-conditioning and suspension, akin to our public infrastructure, don't function efficiently. And the carnival music is turned up so loud that the passengers are too distracted to hear the chassis rattle around them.
If the car represents our country, and the engine is the democracy that runs it, then it's in desperate need of repair. If we don't it's only a matter of time before it breaks down.
The coincidence that our general election takes place a week after Independence Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on the meaning and connection of the two events. There is no greater expression of being independent than choosing our own representatives as opposed to being governed by a far away authority. But the true virtue of a democratic society isn't simply the rule of the majority, but that the opinions of the minority are also taken into account when deciding national policy.
What we've been doing is the complete opposite if half the population feels ignored, and a lack of all-inclusive representation means that the process has failed.
It's been 53 years since that fateful day in August when the Union Jack was lowered for the final time. Are we better off now than we were as a Crown colony? Our divisions continue to run deep, woven tightly throughout our social fabric. As a nation we still lack mutual respect for one another and the time has come for us to grow past this political adolescence. If we can't then we might as be singing, "God save the Queen," instead of, "And may God bless our nation."