Dear Editor,
I sent you a letter on Sunday and within four days my point was proven. Instead of bringing policies to the table, they are accumulating what they consider blunders or shortcomings and lay waiting to be able to ridicule government and, as seemingly has become part of the constitution, strive to topple the government.
Nowadays when I tell people that I believe in “know better do better” I get answers like “a donkey is no dog”. When I disagree with those kind of observations, an answer would be “at least you can train a dog”. Like I have said before I will not agree with such an answer but it confirms my plea for education in civics which would enable the MPs to at least have an idea about political decorum.
I hope that MP Doran glanced to his side while agreeing that unity is needed. On occasions word gets back to me that “some people in there does say that Russell don’t know what he is saying”. I always remain responsible for what I write, but if a Minister or MP declares that people who voice their opinion do not know what they are talking about, I agree, but that is because, like I always claim, there is no transparency of government.
While I was preparing to write this letter I followed a radio interview concerning the “50 years of Carnival” number plates. I stand to be corrected but I believe that those number plates are the property of the government and not the individual. Our government is, while painful to say, clearly demonstrating insecurity by permitting individuals to make three Ministers and the Receiver look like kindergarteners. Are we on our way to become a government which will need daily referenda to be able to make decisions?
I also was not contented with the talk-show host, because it seems that he did not do his homework. There was much lack of pertinent questions in spite of the fact that the guest could not finish his point. Owing to the fact that government did not consult with the people before putting “The Friendly Island” on the plates, if there is a protest against that next year, what will government decide then?
We are constantly hearing and reading answers from the side of government that “we are looking into it” and having the plates in the car and all kinds of futile explanations. Looking into it is not the law. That decree for the original plates is what the police can act upon and every other change should be amended the same way, otherwise again we are setting up ourselves to be ridiculed.
I would like to know what is the real reason for trying to appease. But I cannot complete this letter without asking the following: Why does it take three Ministers plus the police to waste so much time, energy and effort along with extra money for 33,000 stickers to appease protestors against a very legal and normal decision of government, but no kind of effort is being made to appease to the senior citizens of which the majority for years now are collecting less than the livable wage. When are we going to get it right? What about the MPs who, as it has become of late, year after year go to the seniors for their vote, should they not also get in the seniors’ corner?
Russell A. Simmons
