This is an open letter to God. It is a prayer for divine intervention to help the Government realise and desist from its dogmatic compulsion of wasting money on non-essentials and turning a blind eye to issues that really matter. The latest squandering para-digm is Sports Minister Gary Hunt's national flag initiative at a cost of $2 million. That outrageous expenditure was seemingly authorised for the erection of a 130-foot flag which the goodly minister espouses to be a great symbol of national pride and for which no cost is too great. Lord, we pray that the Government soon understands that national pride is not and cannot be derived from the mere sight of a huge national flag that may be seen from miles around.
Jesus, show them that fostering a proud and happy nation comes through consistent provision of the more basic commodities like an uninterrupted water supply, affordable food and housing, adequate healthcare, a sense of security, reliable transportation, a functional education system, sufficient jobs and roads, sustained electricity and proper drainage, to name a few. Teach them, Lord, that national pride runs deep and is aligned with how one feels about his/her country. Though there is much to be proud of in T&T there are too many negatives that stifle pro-gress. Father, in helping government officials to further understand what constitutes national pride, please give them the wisdom to see what does not. Let them understand why the following transgressions are contrary to nation building and national pride.
Recently, MP Keith Rowley raised questions in Parliament relative to his concerns and perceptions of corruption within the construction industry. Chief of which was the tendering for the new Academy of Arts building in Port-of-Spain. PM Manning's response two days later, instead of addressing the concerns raised, attacked Rowley's character in an attempt to discredit him. That move was a blatant side-stepping of the real issues and the populace was not fooled. Lord, help our leaders to realise such actions are averse to national pride. In April, a summit was held in T&T that cost the country somewhere between $500 million and $1 billion. The stage is literally being set to host yet another conference towards the end of this month with similar costs as the first.
And all the while the Government is mindful of the global economic crisis. Does T&T really need to host two of these meetings at such a time? Can the country afford it? Moreover, property owners are being forced to pay 30 times their current taxes beginning 2010. So some perceptions tell that the citizens are paying for unnecessary extravaganzas. We pray that the ones in power see that no pride can come from this. Jesus, many times in the past, former franchise holder for the Miss T&T contests for Miss Universe and Miss World, Peter Elias, beseeched the Culture Ministry for funds to prepare local contestants to enter the international contests.
He became fed up of having to use his own money, as funds came too late or not at all from the Government. Oh God, help the respective minister to know that national pride comes when all of T&T sees our young women holding the spotlight on an international stage with 1.5 million viewers worldwide. Most of all, Lord, we ask that the relevant selectors and selective process provide a Police Commissioner that will make the difference in crime statistics that we, the people, so desperately need and deserve. In short, dear God, we are really begging for truly caring governance, which by extension will nurture national pride.