The still-explosive situation in Linden, Guyana which claimed three lives and left a significant number injured, should serve as a warning to all Trinidad and Tobago. For it shows how quickly, and how little it takes, for the delicate social balance of Caribbean societies to become undone with damaging consequences for all.
As of now, no one can say exactly how the situation that developed in Linden on Wednesday will eventually play out. President Donald Ramotar has promised a Commission of Enquiry but the atmosphere remains heavy with anger over the heavy-handed police response to public protest over a hike in electricity rates.
This, combined with the political tension inherent in having a minority government, adds a worrying dimension of volatility. Anyone who remembers Guyana’s fearsome days of the Burnham era would be hoping that its leaders will reach across the political divide to defuse the situation.
For us in T&T, the Linden tragedy holds important lessons. While we can still afford to sidestep terms like recession and austerity measures, it is a fact that we are spending more than we are earning and that prudent management of the economy requires that we hold the line on expenditure wherever we can.
As in the case of Guyana, there is every indication that the Trinidad and Tobago Government will explore the option of subsidy reduction in the next budget.
In Linden, analysts blame the fatal confrontation on the government’s failure to anticipate the impact of the rate increase and, therefore, to mount an effective response in managing public pain and anger.
Linden has now become a cautionary tale about the critical importance of communication and sensitivity in government policy and action.
Difficult times require greater cogency and transparency if governments are to lead their populations to understanding and general buy-in. It doesn’t help when governments are seen to be profligate in their spending, partisan in their support and selective in distributing the burden.
Between now and the 2012-13 Budget, we urge Finance Minister Larry Howai to take the time to lay the basis for greater public understanding of the state of the economy and the policy and management options that will guide government decision-making.
Two years ago, in voting out the Manning administration on grounds of economic mismanagement and waste, the public was prepared for policies that would shore up the economy and chart a course towards transformation.
Disappointingly, politics has continued to trump economics as repeatedly, the People’s Partnership Government has chosen the softer options. However, even as we continue to count our petro dollars, the people of Trinidad and Tobago know that they will not be able to escape the hard choices ahead. In this, effective, fair and well-communicated policies will be critical.
If we are to escape the Linden outcome, the time to start sowing the seeds for social understanding and peace is now.
