- Buy half a stick of butter.;
- Ride a bicycle to work;
- Roast breadfruit with a coal pot;
- Learn to sacrifice; and
- Tighten your belt.
POLITICIANS are, broadly speaking, elected to office to achieve betterment for their citizens. Yet it seems in this country, of late, they are constantly finding ways to increase the already high cost of living.
And in spite of that – “They ain’t riot yet” – infamous words uttered by our Minister of Finance Colm Imber in the context of raising the price of fuel.
It boggles the mind the ease with which politicians justify their actions e.g., raising gasoline prices without putting in place viable alternatives to address our transportation needs; increasing the price of basic food items by adding VAT; raising the price of electricity and water without addressing the failure to deliver a proper service; with outrageous statements like ride a bike to get to work. In this country, our crime rate is so high, chances are you’ll never make it to work because you’ll have likely been robbed and beaten along the way.
People have rioted and protested, legally and illegally, for less in other countries. I recall back in early 2010, the mood of the country was quite unsettled. The Manning administration was coming under heavy fire for the way they were managing the country. Do you remember his now infamous words: “ Tighten your belt”? Back then we reached a point where, on the ground, there were fears citizens were at a bursting point, about to erupt into disorder and intense protests. This was diffused when PM Manning called a snap election and was voted out of office.
If I may say so, I see a parallel now in terms of citizen frustration. But, unlike then, while there are calls in some quarters for protest action on the ground, organised and effective protests are not really happening. Instead, my observation is that it appears social media is now the chosen method to vent frustrations and express dissatisfaction. This manifests in memes, Tik Tok videos, viral posts and the like.
Social media, such as Facebook, is providing a safe space for people to vent as they don’t even have to use their own name to create a Facebook account. Venting is quick, easy and has the potential to go viral in hours. People can speak their minds without the politically correct coming to censure them.
But, is venting on social media sufficient to promote change? My theory is that letting off steam, anger and frustration on social media is a temporary band-aid that addresses feelings on the surface, but without legitimate protests on the ground, has little impact on hardnosed, wealthy and insensitive politicians.
It is arguable, the Honourable Colm Imbert has made it clear nothing but on-the-ground protests is his party’s threshold to be broken in order for them to consider changing their minds on their policies. Venting on social media may then not be good enough. Food for thought. Whatever you decide, stay on the right side of the law. Be safe Trinidad and Tobago.
Copyright © 2022 Neela Ramsundar, LL.B (HONS), L.E.C is a Civil Litigation Attorney at Law & Certified Mediator.
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