A Systems Failure in Trinidad and Tobago

The problems plaguing Trinidad and Tobago are systems problems. Systems thinking is a separate field, evolved from handling complexity and problems that cannot be resolved through simplifying. It looks at variables and connections/interrelationships, and looks at where small iterations or influence can affect meaningful change. Trinidad and Tobago suffers from many such complex problems, but each of those problems are connected to the other so you can see that there are systems nested within systems, or sitting parallel to the systems. Complexity and chaos is the result. It is not helped by corruption, lack of critical thinking and downright stupidity. The last 10 years of political governance is a prime example.

Let us deal with national security. I note that Roger Alexander is already mouthing off. Nothing surprising there. His internal character was on full display during his television programme – a bully, lack of critical thinking skills (and probably qualifications), and resorting to the "brute squad" mentality of the Randolph Burroughs era. It seems he did not learn anything from Gary Griffith. Shutting your mouth and go about your job quietly. I trust that we will soon see police officers wearing and using body cams and full investigations for all these extrajudicial killings.

Firearms users licences – I suppose soon we can load up the "matic" and empty the clip. There is a disturbing shortsighted thinking coming from the newly installed Prime Minister. She seems bent (from her actions so far) in following the failed USA (Ministry of homeland security? Please!). The solution is not more guns, but the opposite. Statistics and real-world examples abound where countries that do not have armed citizens are safer. In fact, many of these countries do not even have armed police. What we need is more effective policing. Over the last 20 years I have written that the purported solve rate of serious crimes is 6%. This itself is a misleading figure because the robustness of evidence presented to the court for a conviction remains at 1% of that 6%. This means that the police are either not trained sufficiently to gather forensic evidence in a robust manner sufficient enough to satisfy the court and rules of evidence, or that the police force remains generally lazy and prone to shortcuts and corruption. The public sphere is inundated with cases of police officers taking bribes to forego prosecution. There is also a notable lack of will to take disciplinary action against police officers by its leadership.

In terms of the economy, the entire countries know that we are in for a hard time. Clearly, the country is bankrupt or nearly so. Billions have gone missing with no explanation. The former minister of finance was an arrogant pompek. There is more than one prima facie case of corruption sitting in his lap. Steps must be taken to diversify income streams, decentralise public services, build/repair the decades-neglected infrastructure, find ways to bring wages to match living costs without further bankrupting the country. Reduce national debt, manage the collection of income tax, and put a curb on imports. A harsh measure, I know, but a temporary solution.

Remove egos from all members of the new government. Accept criticism, chew on it and digest it. It is a sign of maturity and growth to do this. Take on-board that you do not know everything, and members of the public may have solutions also. You are not expected to have all the answers. But you can seek answers from those with the correct expertise. In doing so, do not use it as a means of corrupting the process, by hiring unqualified family and friends.