It is of concern that the anti-government protest march does not go viral to the outside world–for all the wrong reasons.More than 10,000 people will find themselves in downtown Port-of-Spain on May 23. The Government will rightly expect to control any whiff of unseemly behaviour.But there are some true-blue Trinis, who, when you put them on camera, believe that they have to "get on bad."
The "look I on TV" element works two ways. You either make yourself and your country proud by demonstrating in an educated manner; or the police and other protective agents will have the authority to close down the whole march.Steal an idea from the now-silent Stephen Cadiz and arm yourself with a small shoebox coffin. For greater effect, everyone protesting should have a sticking plaster or a bandage over his/her mouth. Leave the talking until the end of the march.
I believe that it will be instructive if the unions put their officers to monitor crowd control.As a nation we all will lose if the army and police are given the chance to "gallery" with their riot gear and tear gas. It is true that everybody cannot be arrested all at the same time. It is also true that we have a supply of body bags at the offices that deal with disaster preparedness.
Lynette Joseph
via e-mail