A FRIEND of mine posted a momentous question on Facebook this week, “Top 10 Things We Still Waiting On…” This said friend is one of my favourite rabble-rousers and social commentarians (not sure if that’s a word, but it is today), naturally, the answers to this question from Facebook land did not disappoint.
They ranged from the hilarious, such as a certain minister to get his pubescent growth spurt and for red woman to stop being so evil.
Mostly, however, the answers revolved around the inefficiency of government services, accountability for crime and corruption, and the starting and results of the countless enquires into serious national events.
Because I have a semi-restricted word count, it would be impossible for me to touch on all the things we are waiting for. However, I can explore the things that I do find most troubling.
Firstly, the inefficiency of our Government services in terms of digitalisation. We literally have a Ministry of Digital Transformation yet have seen little to zero true transformation when it comes to our Governmental services.
Take for example the process of renewing a passport. Why can’t this be done online? Fill out your forms online, upload scans of the necessary documents and pictures, have an online payment option and poof, your new passport will be ready to collect in a few days.
Nah, let’s make people line up in the sun, bring in a bunch of paper forms and documents that some poor cleric will have to manually input into what I am sure is an extremely outdated system, have people wait in an extremely cold waiting room, praying the cashier reaches to work on time or don’t go for a long lunch.
Same thing with the licensing office, where all records are kept in books and filing cabinets, easy to lose and easy to interfere with.
In the case of the Licensing Office, I can understand why some people are resisting a full system of digitalisation. With things digitalised you can’t get away with corruption and if you fudge up royally (like give two people the same license plate) you might lose yuh wuk… doubtful though, you’ll probably get paid for your suspension while they “investigate”.
Also, the unions have pretty much-convinced people they would lose their jobs, rather that gain vital IT skills, which would make them more competitive in the job market. You see if Gail has IT skills, she might find a better paying job in the private sector and that’s one less person paying unions dues.
Why are we still waiting? It comes down to our Government lacking the will to do what needs to be done to pacify their potential supporters come elections and not to tick off all their partners who running racket.
Now for crime and corruption. From illegal quarrying, on going cases against high ranking members of society and government officials charged with corruption to the revealing of the “Big Fish,” the public has yet to see anyone make jail.
Does anyone find it extremely puzzling that our law enforcement is aware of gangs and leaders, but has never caught them in the act of their illicit business?
Likewise, have you ever noticed that every member of the government and opposition has some evidence or knowledge of someone on the other side involved in criminal activities, but has never revealed it or pushed to start a proper investigation?
Again, those in power know what to do, what is needed, but simply do not have the will to do it. Therefore T&T will always be the place where crime truly does pay.
Lastly, let’s all take a deep inhale and hold our breath for findings of the numerous enquiries that our tax dollars fund… yeah bad idea, you’ll die before those findings come out and completely decompose before anyone is held accountable.
Investigations into the blackout, the suggestions of the Road Map to Recovery, the inquiry into the deaths of four LMCS divers, all pending.
These things shouldn’t take this long, it should not be a tooth-pulling process to get justice or reveal the findings.
But then again, if these things show fault in the government or demand accountability, then they may never see the light of day or will forever be dragged out.
And, let’s say wrongdoing is found, we all know it will be announced that the report has been turned over to the DPP, where it will be sucked into the black hole of backlogged cases probably tucked into one of the many filling cabinets located at the Licensing Office.
T&T can best be described as the world’s largest waiting room. We wait and wait, buying excuse, after excuse.
My question is how much longer will we wait until we blow.
*Special thanks to Brent Acosta for lighting the fuse.
Things We Waiting For Before We Blow
A FRIEND of mine posted a momentous question on Facebook this week, “Top 10 Things We Still Waiting On…” This said friend is one of my favourite rabble-rousers and social commentarians (not sure if that’s a word, but it is today), naturally, the answers to this question from Facebook land did not disappoint.
They ranged from the hilarious, such as a certain minister to get his pubescent growth spurt and for red woman to stop being so evil.
Mostly, however, the answers revolved around the inefficiency of government services, accountability for crime and corruption, and the starting and results of the countless enquires into serious national events.
Because I have a semi-restricted word count, it would be impossible for me to touch on all the things we are waiting for. However, I can explore the things that I do find most troubling.
Firstly, the inefficiency of our Government services in terms of digitalisation. We literally have a Ministry of Digital Transformation yet have seen little to zero true transformation when it comes to our Governmental services.
Take for example the process of renewing a passport. Why can’t this be done online? Fill out your forms online, upload scans of the necessary documents and pictures, have an online payment option and poof, your new passport will be ready to collect in a few days.
Nah, let’s make people line up in the sun, bring in a bunch of paper forms and documents that some poor cleric will have to manually input into what I am sure is an extremely outdated system, have people wait in an extremely cold waiting room, praying the cashier reaches to work on time or don’t go for a long lunch.
Same thing with the licensing office, where all records are kept in books and filing cabinets, easy to lose and easy to interfere with.
In the case of the Licensing Office, I can understand why some people are resisting a full system of digitalisation. With things digitalised you can’t get away with corruption and if you fudge up royally (like give two people the same license plate) you might lose yuh wuk… doubtful though, you’ll probably get paid for your suspension while they “investigate”.
Also, the unions have pretty much-convinced people they would lose their jobs, rather that gain vital IT skills, which would make them more competitive in the job market. You see if Gail has IT skills, she might find a better paying job in the private sector and that’s one less person paying unions dues.
Why are we still waiting? It comes down to our Government lacking the will to do what needs to be done to pacify their potential supporters come elections and not to tick off all their partners who running racket.
Now for crime and corruption. From illegal quarrying, on going cases against high ranking members of society and government officials charged with corruption to the revealing of the “Big Fish,” the public has yet to see anyone make jail.
Does anyone find it extremely puzzling that our law enforcement is aware of gangs and leaders, but has never caught them in the act of their illicit business?
Likewise, have you ever noticed that every member of the government and opposition has some evidence or knowledge of someone on the other side involved in criminal activities, but has never revealed it or pushed to start a proper investigation?
Again, those in power know what to do, what is needed, but simply do not have the will to do it. Therefore T&T will always be the place where crime truly does pay.
Lastly, let’s all take a deep inhale and hold our breath for findings of the numerous enquiries that our tax dollars fund… yeah bad idea, you’ll die before those findings come out and completely decompose before anyone is held accountable.
Investigations into the blackout, the suggestions of the Road Map to Recovery, the inquiry into the deaths of four LMCS divers, all pending.
These things shouldn’t take this long, it should not be a tooth-pulling process to get justice or reveal the findings.
But then again, if these things show fault in the government or demand accountability, then they may never see the light of day or will forever be dragged out.
And, let’s say wrongdoing is found, we all know it will be announced that the report has been turned over to the DPP, where it will be sucked into the black hole of backlogged cases probably tucked into one of the many filling cabinets located at the Licensing Office.
T&T can best be described as the world’s largest waiting room. We wait and wait, buying excuse, after excuse.
My question is how much longer will we wait until we blow.
*Special thanks to Brent Acosta for lighting the fuse.