By Johnny Commansingh
Whether it was Seneca or Euripides, the statement: “Whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad” elicits some attention as it relates to present-day Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Whomsoever uttered this quip is probably restless in his or her grave because of the present sorry state of T&T assured that I am not bludgeoning T&T.
What I want our readers to note is that something is abhorrently wrong in the system, and trying to cover our “sins” is not the solution. I am more than certain that he or she was not entertaining the islands of T&T when those words were said. Once-upon-a-time, I worked in the ministry of agriculture, lands and food production as a press officer/public relations person in the minister’s office. From that vantage point, I could have seen a little clearer about whom the gods would surely have to destroy.
Many moons ago, in the year 2000, I read Keith Smith’s opinion on the Trinidad Express newspaper about the destitution of the country. From his article, it seemed that one cannot do any better but to conclude that it is highly possible that the gods will not only destroy the mad politicians in Trinidad but eventually wipe Trinidad off the globe.
Does anyone remember the true meaning of the word “Trinidad?” I suggest that we go back into the corridors of time and recapture the moment when this country was labeled with this name. We must realize that the words for he name came from the lips of a devout Roman Catholic “La Isla de la Trinidad.” This meant that Trinidad is the island of the Trinity—the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. I am in no way pushing or advocating a pro-Christian head here, but the name has some merit because it is altogether a holy and noble title, and this did not happen by chance.
Ever so often, the deceased Reggae singer, Bob Marley reminds us: “Don’t forget your history. Know your destiny. In the abundance of water, the fools are thirsty.” How many citizens of Trinidad really know their history? How many in T&T are there that know who they are, where they are, and in what direction they are heading? This brings to mind one of my favourite maxims: ‘If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.’
During my graduate studies in the United States of America, I was tenaciously hooked on the Trinidad Express newspaper. It’s not so much now because it seems that a certain group of ‘politicians’ and their ‘one percent’ friends have full control of the newspapers and other forms used for the dissemination of “news.” I stopped when the online version required a fee. I was too poor a student to participate in such luxury.
From what I gathered, I was not at all delighted with the bad news from my homeland. Almost every front page story carried ‘bad news.’ If anyone did a ‘Content Analysis,’ it would show that nine out of ten stories that appeared would bear the gory details of violence, murder, incest, rape, robbery, political corruption, child sacrifice, and human trafficking, not to mention the ever present threat of muzzling the press. Has this stopped? Was there any hope for more uplifting stories in the future? Heaven knows!
I did not blame the press. The press doesn’t have a choice. It was the news! They published what happened in the society, especially the bad news. During my sojourn in the USA, ‘bad news was good news;’ juicy news. Many Trini citizens claim that the media in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) belong to the jefes, the ‘one percent’ and the stories convey only what they want the people to hear and know.
As I reminded us all in my last article, ‘So what’s the real problem?’ published in Caribbean News Global (CNG), I reasoned that the philosophical iceberg was lurking in the mists; somewhere out there in the darkness. It was only a matter of time before the ship struck, and here we are groping around in the sea of the darkness of our economic indigence. The whole world knows that T&T has lost its position as “the tiger in the sea of pussycats.”
However, despite all the rumors and chaos that continued to rob society of its elegance and pristine beauty, there were a few good men and women still standing. Men and women who were prepared to stand for the right, though the heavens fall. Although some of them have gone past the others to the other side, I still recommend posthumous awards.
Back then, I said to myself that if I were to give Trinity Crosses, now replaced with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT), the highest honor of T&T to some people, I would unreservedly bestow such an award to Tony Deyal, Peter Minshall, Bertille St Clair, Ken Gordon, Marlon Taylor (Pink Panther), Zeno Constance Obi, Andy Narrell, Molly Gaskin, and Donna Yawching while they are still living. The following are deceased: Dr Denis Solomon, Raoul Pantin, Dr Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin), Dr Winston M. Bailey (Shadow), Ellie Mannette, Torrance Mohammed, Dr Stephen Benneth, Sundar Popo, Professor Julian Kenny, William Freeman, Marilyn Sheppard, and last but not least, Keith Smith.
Do you know why I made such a selection? These are the people who projected the truth in script, song, and science about our freedom, our culture, our style, our sports, and our political choices. They also showed exactly what we as citizens are doing to mess up a good country. I was tempted to add Jack Warner, but that’s for another story… he became a politician.
You would have seen that I did not mention any of our politicians. The reasoning here is simply what I learnt in primary school: ‘Politicians think in terms of the next election while statesmen think in terms of the next generation.’ And as I rummaged through the political dustbin, it was Kamalludin Mohammed, affectionately known as ‘Charch’ (uncle), now deceased, who once told me face to face that “Trinidad is a nine-months country,” meaning that any atrocity committed by the political directorate will be forgotten in a mere nine months or less.
In my estimation, he branded the citizens of Trinidad with a “fowl-brain” mentality, as stupid! This means that chickens tend to forget, especially when they have eaten. Charch eventually became the ambassador to CARICOM. Many people would want to disagree or argue with me, but how interesting that a man so selfish, uncouth, bossy, full of himself, and altogether domineering could be given such a portfolio? I know, I was ‘sentenced’ to work with Charch, which actually is also a derogatory name for a German soldier.
Don’t doubt me Keith Smith. I worked with Charch for a period of my life and heard him literally ridicule, denigrate and berate senior learned men in front of me (a lesser mortal) when I worked in the Ministry of Agriculture. Do you see why we are what we are today? Talk about the classy watchwords we Trinis have? Discipline, Production and Tolerance are really wonderful and powerful suggestions, but do we really appreciate their value and how, if adopted, what a great nation T&T could turn out to be?
Not even Terrence Deyalsingh, the minister of health in the former government of the People’s National Movement (PNM) didn’t know the watchwords. He mixed them up with the motto and the anthem of T&T. I am still wondering where he went to primary school. He mentioned that ‘Together we aspire. Together we achieve’ is our national anthem; he did not pay attention in class! It’s like ‘he who knows not that he knows not is a fool.’
When politicians are disciplined and tolerant, they will in no uncertain terms, produce! Yes, Trinidad has the best-coined watchwords of the century, but talk is cheap. Money talks and bullsh*t walks. I used to believe that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was the answer, but I have to rethink my position. What contribution did Charch really make? The bourgeoise politicians sit in their ivory towers, eating caviar and drinking champagne; they come and go, leaving the proletariat in a state of want, struggling to catch the crumbs that may fall from their tables. Colonialism did not leave. Apparently, ‘Massa Day’ is still here.
“Who We Go Putitis” is a syndrome, no, a serious contagion from which T&T is suffering. This disease has been with us since Yesterday, now Today, and I am certain it would be the same for Tomorrow. Are we a people who are afraid and totally scared of the process of change?
I do not want to make this a political diatribe and I did not have to do a SARA poll to have figured who would have been the next prime minister in 2025. The Arabian adage comes to mind: ‘The caravan is moving and the dog is still barking.’ What I know is that ‘Pride goeth before a fall.’ Saint Paul said, “When thou thinkest ye standest, take heed lest ye fall.” The arrogance and haughtiness displayed by the PNM resulted in them losing the general elections held on April 28, 2025.
The flashing of red cocoyea brooms, balisier flowers and red cloth tied up all over T&T did not prevent the people from steering away from the PNM. The PNM remained with 13 seats while the UNC took 26. Even the people of Tobago replaced the PNM with the Tobago People’s Party (TPP). It didn’t even cross my mind but someone hilariously remarked that the number 13 represents ‘crapaud’ in the Play Whe lotto game. Power corrupts and ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely.’
I am not a “seerman,” obeahman, soothsayer, shaman, wizard or witch doctor, but once- upon-a-time I told Patrick Mervyn Augustus Manning, in the presence of Lenny Saith that he would be the next prime minister and indeed, he became. It could have been that he also became a project manager for a church that he was building at Guanapo. He died before the church building was completed. What remains on the site is a concrete skeleton of the structure, a place taken over by squatters. His dream did not come true.
It’s approximately two months since the general elections. The 2025 prime minister, has an agenda that hopefully would provide potable water in every home, smoothly paved roads, an effective transport system, no major interruptions in the electricity supply, a worthy and effective health system, firearm users licenses (FULs) and most of all security for the citizens, which means the removal of all, I said “all, all, all” illegal guns from the streets. Is that asking too much? At the moment, the winds of change are troubling those who are in the seats of the opposition as well as some of their followers. If change, real change, does not occur, T&T will remain a ‘nine-month country.’ Nuff said!
