By Prior Beharry
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley is calling for more local content in the broadcast media in Trinidad and Tobago.
In his Independence message for 2023, he said, “At this point, I want to appeal to the Broadcast media — Radio and Television to review their programming, with a more indigenous cultural perspective, in mind. We can find many positives if we look in their direction and grant them a little space to grow into our support bases.”
He said in recent times, the nation has experienced some ups and downs, particularly, the menace of increasing levels of crime, drugs, and violence, alongside the personal trauma that many suffer from the still, lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, both of which are among our general areas of concern.
Dr Rowley said, “Another significant area is the recent Local Government elections, which, in conclusion, may be offering us some interesting insights into the mindset of some citizens and, probably, the mood of our Republic.
“In the main, the electoral process has been finalised, so it is now time to move on to the promised legislated reforms, which propose to devolve significant aspects of Central Government authority to municipal bodies, creating, in effect, greater citizens’ participation in our cherished democratic process.
“I feel assured that these reforms will improve the lives of citizens, build new lines of communication among neighbourhoods and communities, creating new avenues for people’s involvement in the process of government.”
He admitted that citizens have been complaining, for some time, that they feel far removed from “the Government” and, overall, they hold a sense of being remote and excluded. This has been a perennial grievance.
Dr Rowley said, “The opportunity to seriously address it is with us now so let us grasp it enthusiastically and make it work towards building that better nation we often talk about.
“We, legislators, must now acknowledge that there are many citizens who do feel marginalised, even so alienated that they see their lives as having little value to the majority. We need to reach out to them by giving them hope and the very real prospects of a better tomorrow.”
He said the proposed Local Government reform measure is one response.
Dr Rowley added, “It is just another step in building a new process of citizens’ participation and confidence in our democracy, involving the population further in the process, activating citizens’ sense of nationalism, offering more opportunities and building our national identity.
“Every citizen recognises that we must make demands of the Government as we expect responsibility and accountability, from the country’s leaders – but at the same time, we also accept, as citizens, some responsibility for our personal choices as we are collectively and equally answerable for our individual contributions to the society and the nation-state.
“This country is at a crossroads in an increasingly more difficult world, where every citizen should now look, inwardly, asking him or herself some deeper questions about our very existence in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Today, as we celebrate our sixty-first Independence this is a good point to begin.”
