Ordinarily, perhaps in another more cooperative political culture, a call by an opposition leader on the government to come together in a non-partisan manner to counter the number one problem of the country—violent crime— could bring real hope to citizens.
However the invitation from Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to meet with her and her team to come up with solutions to the crime raises political cynicism. Why?
There have been several such meetings in the past between government and opposition including when the parties have changed roles as government and opposition. Not much has come out of them, and these fruitless encounters have fuelled cynicism.
And this is so because often the objective of whichever party has been in opposition and is making the call, has been to seek to score political points.
The government would then ignore the proposals made, so the non-partisan initiative falls down.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has accepted in principle the offer of Opposition Leader Mrs Persad-Bissessar with the qualification that he hopes it is not an attempt to gain political mileage.
With the nature of criminality facing the country—a nine-year-old boy caught in the crossfire between criminals—we must demand positive action notwithstanding the record of largely unsuccessful ventures of co-operation in the past. In this respect a few choice words must be said to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
Utilisation of all of the national resources to combat this two-decade old scourge should be above all political objectives of the individuals and their parties.
The country must make it known to the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader that the national interests come first—that ordinary citizens cannot continue being hostages in their homes, or in their communities.
The criminals have become brazen and quite open in their activities—almost as of they don’t fear retributive consequences.
They must be made to know that above most else, the safety and security of the country is the job they signed on for as Parliamentarians and as government and opposition.
They must be made to know that whether in government or in opposition, they have the responsibility to frame and pass anti-crime legislation, adopt policies and programmes to combat criminality and they have to answer to public opinion for their joint failures if they fail to co-operate.
In the instance of the Opposition, members must be reminded that but for the last almost 12 months, they did precious little to break the criminal gangs and their culture when they were in government; they therefore are in no position to be without responsibility for what is happening today.
As for Prime Minister Rowley and his government, citizens are aware that during their campaigning for office when in opposition, they had the answers to crime and did not hestitate the criticise the approach of the then-government.
They must remind the Prime Minister of that boast and that the country is now expecting him to fulfill his promises.
There is no sheltered ground, no protected space into which either the Government or the opposition can slip. They must also be reminded of the fact that almost every other aspect of national life, whether it be the economy, our humanity as a people, the state of the medical facilities and all else are contingent upon having peace and security in the society.