June 16, 2023
Under the Westminster system of government, the only chance we have as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago to sanction government policy is on election day.
Is it with this understanding, we the citizenry should demand more from those who are anxious for our support.
It is time that we come together as communities and religious organisations with our list of demands, by creating a community manifesto.
it is the only way we the people will benefit from the electoral process as the system gives very little in continued engagement after the votes have been cast.
The power of the people lies in their ability to organize and make their voices heard. The government is supposed to work for us, the citizens, not the other way around. We need to hold them accountable, and this can only be done through active and sustained engagement.
We cannot afford to sit idly by, expecting the government to simply do what is best for us. We need to take charge of our future, and that starts with creating a list of demands, working together, and communicating with our elected representatives.
Our community manifesto should be a comprehensive list of the issues that affect us the most, including infrastructure, healthcare, entrepreneurship, crime, and the environment, to name a few. This manifesto should be created in collaboration with all members of society, regardless of political affiliation, and should reflect the interests and needs of the people.
Once the manifesto has been created, we need to present it to all political parties and demand that they include our concerns in their policy platforms. The political parties must be made to understand that they work for us and that it is our votes that allow them to govern.
Through sustained engagement and the creation of a community manifesto, we can ensure that our voices are heard and that our needs are met. We must take an active role in shaping our collective future and demand more from those who seek our support. Only then can we truly benefit from the electoral process.
Dane J.B. Harper
It is so difficult to connect with our elected leaders. After general elections the governing party and the opposition instantly begin to attack each other, it is almost like our expectations for our communities just fell by the wayside. When they come to ask for our vote are they even listening to what we are saying about the wrongs in our communities that need their attention. We really have to combine our efforts and confront anyone we honoured by electing them to lead our country, they owe us their undivided attention.