raphael.lall@guardian.co.tt
Businessman Balliram Maharaj is disappointed with the way T&T has evolved over the last 60 years. He blames a lack of moral values and economic mismanagement by successive governments for the “sad situation” T&T faces today.
As T&T prepares to celebrate 60 years of Independence from Britain, Maharaj shared memories of that historic moment in 1962 and reflected on what has happened since then.
The CEO of ADM Import/Export Distributors, former president of the Supermarket Association of T&T (SATT) and a prominent member of the business community was 20 years old when T&T achieved Independence and clearly remembers that day and the hoisting of the flag.
“I remember August 31, 1962, as if it were yesterday. A couple of friends and I went to the raising of the flag with a van. After we went to St James to drink and lime. The cost of the bottle of rum and chaser at that time was $6 and we couldn’t even afford it. We had to raise money to buy those drinks,” he recalled.
Maharaj said those were optimistic times for a newly independent nation but he laments that T&T has failed to live up to the hopes and dreams of his generation. They expected the country to move beyond the poverty of the colonial era and build a new, united nation.
“I was already into business at that time. I was gardening and selling. Fig was a cent and a half a pound. I used to sell tomatoes for ten cents a pound. We use to transport the produce from the estate in Toco to the market,” he said.
Maharaj is saddened that after 60 years of Independence, the old values are gone and in every sphere of society there is controversy and a lack of respect.
“Are we in a better position than we were 60 years ago? We had religion and culture in those days. We played cricket and football as one. When the tit for tat in politics came in that was diminished. In the past, people belonged to other political parties but they maintained respect for each other. Those days are gone. People will do anything to scandalise each other’s names. We are now using religion and politics to divide each other,” he said.
According to Maharaj, society has lost respect for women. Referring to recent verbal attacks from United National Congress (UNC) members against the wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley he said: “There is no respect for women. They did it with Kamla Persad-Bissessar and now they are doing it with Sharon (Clarke-Rowley). They are both mothers, they are sisters, and they are aunts and grandmothers. My wife died last year and I know what that loss is of an important woman in your life.”
He also expressed concern about the level of hate and anger in society and said people have lost all values.
Lack of economic diversification
Commenting on the economic crises facing T&T and the rest of the world, Maharaj contended had the economy been diversified, citizens would have been better prepared for the challenges.
He said: “We used to have a sugarcane factory here and it disappeared. We had the train line and that is gone. We can’t get sugar, we can’t get enough corn to grow enough chickens, we can’t get every type of peas we want from split peas to channa. The reason Trinidad and Tobago did not pay attention to food security and agriculture is that we got excited by the oil boom in the 1970s and after. I was in Guyana about five or six years ago and I told their leaders not to abandon agriculture when their oil boom starts, not to make the same errors as Trinidad and Tobago.”
Maharaj said the big issues globally are food security and access to natural resources like water and T&T has failed in those areas.
“COVID-19 did not do justice to the lack of agricultural policies. When the pandemic started and it shut down places it reduced food supplies by 50 per cent. After, when the population grows by two or three per cent, the food shortage will worsen,” he said.
Looking into the future, he said the country can change but new leaders and ideas are needed for that to happen.
“We need people who have creative, intelligent and innovative ambitions.”
Maharaj said the large emerging economies of China and India are examples T&T can follow. Both were considered poor by western countries but with economic reforms, both are rapidly developing.
“Look at where India is today. I remember going to India with former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and we visited the Indian city of Bengaluru. Today it is one of the world’s top technology cities. Over 50 per cent of India’s income is from technology. India is also a top food producer. We have a lot to learn from the Asians.”
Looking to the future, Maharaj warned: “Trinidad and Tobago is heading down a slippery slope. We must change the course the country is on.”
