LETTER: Spare us the Gutter Politics!

As we enter into my least favourite season in Trinidad and Tobago, Election season, I wish to publicly state my utter disgust at some of our nation’s politicians and the distasteful approach to politics that they have taken. 

As a young person, I always encourage others to take an interest in what is taking place on the national front because I believe that in order to critically assess the government’s (and opposition alike) performance, we must be informed citizens.

However, when baseless allegations are the main attraction on the political platform, it instantly turns away any sound minded individual with an aversion for bacchanal and gutter politics. I would have thought that those days would be far behind us as we like to think of ourselves as a developing nation on the road (and a long road at that) to first world status.

Recently, I was absolutely annoyed and disgusted to hear of allegations being thrown around from the opposition’s ILP and PNM about the Prime Minister’s private life. 

And I must ask, what does an individual hope to gain by insinuating to the public that the Prime Minister, who is somebody’s mother, grandmother, wife and sister, has a questionable relationship with her neighbor? Have we really sunk this low? Has the parties alluding to this really run out of national issues to speak about? Are you trying to tell me that there is absolutely nothing left to fix or improve in Trinidad and Tobago so the next option is to talk about the Prime Minister’s personal life, which you have no knowledge of?
 
As though this was not enough, we saw a picture of a minister on the front page of a tabloid magazine in a compromising position with someone other than his wife. How is that my business? Does it affect the country? Why should his private life be my business? As a people we need to learn where to draw the line. But I believe it’s a cultural mindset as we tend to mind the business of others more than we do our own… so why not a government official’s?
 
Does section 4 (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago does not apply to them? All are supposed to be equal under the law – the Prime Minister and Government ministers included. They still have the right to their private and family life.

Keshav Maharaj | via email