Apart from being too little too late, the Third Force Movement was doomed to failure because, on the face of it, they appeared, and I repeat the word "appeared," to attract mainly those Trinbagonian citizens who respond best to a political Pied Piper of similar outward appearance.We have Afro- and Indo-based political parties and then we have a minority of citizens who consider themselves 'unrepresented' because there is no blonde, blue eyed leader.
Out there in "foreign," these citizens are called black. You could look half-white, half-Chinese, half-Indian, half-Portuguese, or whatever mixture that might consider yourself, but out there in "foreign" you are just another black/Afro/Asian immigrant or tourist. But, even so, all of us "nable string" as we call it, buried in Trinidad and Tobago.
Sad, but true, we have well-educated people who believe that lightness of skin and straightness of hair equate intelligence.There is no true political "under representation" in T&T.Instead, there are citizens who have to move out of their comfort zones and choose the political leader who offers the better idea for equitable governance.
There is and has always been room in both supposedly race-based political parties. There is no leader who is too Afro or a leader who is too Indo. Forget about complexion. It does not pay your bills and it certainly will not prevent you from dying.The issues facing the electorate in 2015 remain the same as in 2010, only this time in triplicate, some might even say quadruplicate.
Crime, corruption, carnage on the roads, the homicides, money laundering, ineptitude in business affairs and the non-diversification of the economy. Add to that there is the inability to access sufficient US currency, rising food prices and a dwindling Treasury.The upcoming general election is going to be based on believability. This is Trinidad and Tobago circa 2015, not 1815.
No slavery, no indentured labourers, no Caribs and Arawaks, no pirates and buccaneers sailing the Caribbean, no Christopher Columbus and definitely no El Dorado.Just us, right here in Trinidad and Tobago.
Lynette Joseph
Via email