Letter: An ironic independence
|
| Published on Saturday, August 30, 2008 |
Email To Friend Print Version |
Dear Sir:
The Indo-Trinbago Equality Council [ITEC] cannot but notice the glaring ironies of this year’s Independence observations.
As we celebrate our nation’s independence from the colonial power of Great Britain the Manning Administration is rushing to sacrifice our 46 years as an independent and sovereign nation as Prime Minister Manning rushes to foist a political union with Grenada, St. Vincent, and St. Lucia. Many of us were born into the independent nation of Trinidad & Tobago, ITEC is not sure how many of our nationals wish to become citizens of this new political entity and Prime Minister Manning appears not to care.
Prime Minister Manning is jetting across the Caribbean to lobby for this political integration while ironically never spending a fraction of the time, effort, or funding to achieve integration within Trinidad & Tobago. Indeed the policies of the Manning Administration have significantly contributed to the divisiveness within our nation state.
After former Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams managed to achieve political independence from Great Britain which enjoyed widespread public support, Prime Minister Patrick Manning unilaterally announced a Memorandum of Understanding for a political union with these Eastern Caribbean states.
Only after this intent was publicly signaled did Prime Minister Manning declare that public consultations on the political union proposal would occur. Interestingly Prime Minister Manning also indicated that the public would not be asked to participate in this decision by way of referendum as the PNM does not believe in referenda. In such an important decision as giving up our sovereignty the least one would expect a referendum on the subject in a democratic and civilized state. The comprise of the sovereignty and rights of citizens of this nation has already begun.
In these end days of as an Independent nation Prime Minister Patrick Manning has exhibited nothing short of Democratic Authoritianism. It is obvious that those who are quick to give away our independence obviously never valued it in the first place.
Devant Maharaj
Chairman | | | | Reads : 212 |
|
