Former government minister Vasant Bharath wants citizens to start their own MeToo movement to demand strong leadership, good governance and a better standard of living in T&T. Speaking at Twin Walls, La Romaine, at the launch of a series of Citizens Assembles to be held across the country, Bharath reminded those in attendance that people hold the power to effect change.
Sitting at the head table with Bharath during the session were former People’s National Movement member Louis Lee Sing, Denise Demming, a former chairman of the Tourism Development Company and former Senate president Timothy Hamel Smith.
“I am vexed and the reality is that I am damned vexed and I am vexed that after this country has spent hundreds of billions of dollars over many decades Trinidad and Tobago finds itself on its collective knees. That’s where we are on our collective knees looking for some kind of beacon of hope that will pull us out of this,’Bharath said.
“The reality is that in the last ten years alone we would have spent $500 billion and look around you and see what we have and see the poverty that exists. The reality is that after 55 years of independence almost every institution of state has failed, whether it is the Judiciary, the police service, education, health care, the transportation network, the financial and economic institutions, public utilities, everything has failed or is failing.”
He said poor leadership and race politics are the reasons why T&T is in this situation.
“The character, the intentions and actions of leaders determine societal outcomes, particularly in developing countries where economic institutions are weak and they are controlled by political institutions and we do that in Trinidad. The politicians are able to control the economics in Trinidad and Tobago as they have done in Venezuela.”
Bharath said while technology has changed the world, T&T politics remains the same.
Referring to the #MeToo movement, he said, “We have to get rid of the political Harvey Weinsteins in our midst that believe that we do not have the choices in life and as a result of that we are beholden to them and they can do what they wish to us because our choices are limited and they control the wheels of old power and so, therefore, they feel because they do that we have no choice.”
Calling on citizens to take charge, he added, “Embrace your future, control your destiny. Let us start that MeToo movement.”