Trying to justifythe unjustifiable
The only two local programmes on television I look at are the news and Beyond The Tape. After Monday's performance by Inspector Alexander, I will be down to one, the local news.
For almost one hour, Alexander attempted to insult our intelligence with this nonsense of trying to justify the unjustifiable. Know this, Mr Alexander, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.
I have lost all respect for police. But worse yet, the Minister of National Security publicly announces that he did not believe that this was industrial action!
Is this what passes for leadership in this country? And guess what–no one will be held accountable.
What a disgrace.
F Mouttet,
Westmoorings
Police lose stripes
Inspector Alexander's response to the roadblocks highlights the sad state of the police service in T&T. By his response he clearly thinks that the citizens he is mandated to protect and serve suffer the same affliction as the system that has sanctioned his promotion to a level, it would appear, clearly above his capability.
It will be indeed interesting to discover how many criminals were appended in this exercise.
We wait with bated breath the outcome of the investigations but do not expect any action as the various Service Commissions seem powerless to discipline.
Richard Trestrail,
via e-mail
Episode reveals deficiencies intransport system
Who ordered the myriad of police roadblocks on Monday morning that virtually shut down T&T?
As we await this answer with bated breath, the thousands of vehicles that were trapped inside this gridlock opens up a serious debate on the deficiencies of our existing transport system.
Many motorists spent hours trying to get to their destinations. Buses and maxis turned away. Schoolchildren walked for miles. Medical appointments/surgeries were painfully cancelled. Airline flights were grounded.
Does this disaster emphasise the need to re-examine the construction of a railway system?
There are over 700,000 registered vehicles operating in this country presently and this number is growing daily. The nation's highways and byways are literally bursting at their seams.
Traffic congestion, migraine headaches and declining productivity vigorously complement each other in this day and age.
An efficient transport system feeds the economic activity of a country.
The next Government must address this burgeoning problem as a matter of urgency.
Reza Abasali,
El Socorro
Mission, focus of police must be overhauled
It appears to many ordinary folk that the people who have pledged to protect and serve us have turned on us in the most cruel of ways. In a sad way this has echoes of a protection racket of sorts. How can we ever trust them again?
This serves to make two larger points:
First, the protective services have indeed been neglected in many ways–from training to compensation to working conditions and equipment. Equally as important is an overhaul of mission and focus–geared at restoring trust and the expectation of fair treatment.
This has reverberations that are far-reaching. I propose a Commission of Enquiry into the protective services be done to give us some direction on how we can all arrive at a better place.
Secondly, if the regular Monday morning "smashup-and-backup" on the nation's roads hasn't taught us this already, we should now see the folly of investing solely in road transport on this island. I hope the much-ignored water taxi and perpetually proposed railway projects now foist themselves strongly upon decision-makers in this country.
Evron Legall,
Macoya Gardens
Take back $1,000 allowance
As a result of the losses to the economy occasioned by the recent roadblocks by the police, the relevant authorities should take back the monthly $1,000 allowance that each police officer receives. The same way that Peter paid for Paul when they affected everyone, so too every police officer should pay for the actions of their fellow officers.
Take back the allowance until the loss is recovered.
B Smith,
via e-mail