Fellow Trinbagonians, your nation is facing a dire crisis and needs you now. We have a lot to be proud of but at this time we are on the brink of being shamed globally.
It has been more than 21 days since Dr Wayne Kublalsingh began his second hunger strike, having exceeded the number of days of the previous strike, and as each day passes we are now in uncharted territory. His health is declining and we must all unite and do our part to prevent things from getting any worse. If serious harm should come to him, the world will know.
The colours red, white and black define our flag but there is no space for any more blood on it. The guilt and shame will not be on just the Prime Minister, who refuses to act with reason and compassion, but on us all. We need to get her to act now. So many of our finest upstanding countrymen have spoken out in support of Dr Kublalsingh, but the Prime Minister also needs our support.
It is easy for anyone to choose sides in this standoff—truth and selfless heroism versus lies, selfishness and greed—and the numerous facts have been clearly stated and restated so many times that they practically scream in our faces so that any sensible person must agree that the construction should not be taking place and the PM should yield. So why hasn’t the PM responded as the populace has demanded?
When my aunt was leaving for Port-of-Spain last week to lend support to Dr Kublalsingh, she told me to pray that the hearts of the PM and her ministers will be touched. I countered that any normal human being should be feeling compassion, so there must be something else preventing the PM from doing the right thing.
I can only guess that she might be under external pressures. With corruption and hypocrisy too common among our politicians, she might be protecting others or perhaps is even being threatened. She has received outspoken support from businessmen in the very same area that the HRM movement is protecting—one went so far as to threaten a hunger strike for the highway so his business can benefit. These selfish individuals clearly are shamelessly driven only by greed and do not give a damn about the people or environmental impact.
The PM does not need that kind of support (and the local community should consider boycotting those businesses); she needs support to do the right thing. Whose side are you on? Either side will lose if Dr K does not end his hunger strike now. Let us as a nation urge the PM to stop the highway construction and await the courts.
Whatever wrongdoing might be hidden now, the truth will come out eventually when the courts are involved and guilty parties are exposed. It’s now or later and there will be a price to pay, but you can lessen the cost by ensuring no harm comes to Dr K. If the Prime Minister is too ashamed of herself for her stubbornness and failure to act, let her know that to admit error in judgment and do the honourable thing is leadership that the people will respect her for.
Madam Prime Minister, don’t play “wrong and strong,” the nation wants to help you…we clear and light the way…all you need to do is go down the path. Be honourable and take the political road less travelled—stop the Mon Desir Highway construction and agree to abide by the Armstrong report. May God bless our nation.
Gary Jaggernauth