After briefly perusing our $65 billion budget in the daily newspaper and considering what our society has become over the last 15 to 20 years, budget after budget, it sometimes puts me at a loss as to what we have really gained over this period apart from new buildings, roads and the ever-increasing welfare programmes.How many genuine policies have been put in place to improve the quality of life of the citizens of T&T? Perhaps a few, but it's too few to mention.
I'm sure if a poll was done now most people will say the country is fundamentally "off-track."
It feels that the values and bonds that hold life, families and communities together are collapsing. Our streets are not safe anymore. Too many marriages are not working; too many children are not being loved and protected; too many families are falling apart; too many politicians are not trusted; too many corporations value profits above all else; too many schools are not providing quality well-rounded education; too many people are falling between the cracks; and too many children are being left behind.
We are a society where violence seems to be the appropriate way to deal with misunderstandings; where vulgar displays of sexuality is showcase and represents having a good time; and where false materialistic values prevail over principles and good character.
In both the personal and public spheres of life promises are not being kept, commitments are not being honoured, and our responsibilities are not being taken seriously. The economic gap between the rich and poor is growing, threats to our natural environment are hovering over us. Human life no longer seems sacred.
So what does the budget have to do with the above mention you may ask. Well, absolutely nothing, because those thing don't require a huge budget allocation but they do require a change in thinking, attitude, values and patriotism to country.
The simple implementation of proactive government policies both from an executive and administrative level is all that is needed to start the ball rolling in changing the current inefficient government-run institutions and the personal dependency syndrome we currently have on the state, to a more productive and efficient society.
A Britain,
Maraval