A long list of promises unfulfilled

When he was the Minister of Works, the now national security minister constantly reminded us that rivers were so clean, “you could eat out of them” and flooding would be a thing of the past. He was to build retention ponds all over; and when the floods came, he told us it was an act of God. Of course nothing was ever built. He spoke of tunnels between Maraval and Diego Martin and one to Maracas also. He promised many times, to bring laws to prevent the indiscriminate cutting of the hillsides. He was to restore President’s House in a short time. Two years later it’s in the same condition. The new lane of the Diego Martin Highway, to ease traffic between Victoria Gardens and Acton Court, he told us and Parliament, had “started months ago” and up to today no one could see any form of construction work. A simple wall by Country Club could not be replaced. This “no one above the law” minister promised to legalise “PH cars,” and gave permission for all private car drivers to use their cars for PH hire. Today every other car now stops anywhere, to pick up anyone and the use of private cars for hire is still against the law in Trinidad and Tobago. 

 

He was part and parcel and lead vocalists on the West Port-of-Spain traffic plan, and now that it has suddenly ended, not a word.  When he was given the portfolio of national security he wasted no time in telling us of a clinical and surgical crime plan that would be swift, however we still cannot see any evidence of a plan as the murder rate continues to rise.  He visited the relatives of a murdered Chinese couple complete with lights, cameras and no action and promised to visit every murdered victim’s home, leaving the opposition leader to comment that he would soon be part of Simpson’s and Allen’s funeral homes; and when the murder rate continued to rise his silence became more deafening. He announced the possible replacement of CCTV cameras with bomb-proof ones because bandits were shooting up the ordinary ones. Evidence we are still to see. He then informed bandits of high-tech equipment that will allow the police to detect where a shot is fired and have them arrive on the scene within minutes. And so the entertainment continues non-stop. He has promised to go after the big and small fish in the drug and money laundering trades, but with his track record, this may turn out to be flying fish he is referring to. This minister springs out at every opportunity and has successfully put the minister of information out of business with his side shows, has now taken to using expressions of the late Dr Williams such as “Let jackasses bray,” so I guess it’s only a matter of time before we hear “Who don’t like it, can get to hell out of here” as he continues his charade of endless promises. 

 

C Peters

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