By STEVE ALVAREZ DPTT Political Leader
I challenge every political leader to tell the people of Trinidad & Tobago why they want to be the Prime Minister. The following is my reason.
Each week when a bakery on Charlotte street changed its supplies, one of their employees would put the discarded items in a bag and take it home on the hill in East Dry River. On his way home he would pass through the yard of the St. Martin’s Welfare Association where two poor young men and myself shared a room.
We eagerly waited on that man to share his discarded baked items with us. For the first time in my life, I knew what it meant to be very hungry. In our room, we had a coffee percolator. Periodically we placed rice and everything else that was available in that kettle and left it to boil to make a meal. We called that meal a “melau” as it resembled a pelau without meat. That was my exposure to city life at seventeen after my early life in Moruga. Shortly after, I invited my roommates and other youths that formed our St Martins Youth Group to Moruga. We made that trip almost every weekend as in Moruga there was food, fruits and the beach.
From my early beginnings, I saw poverty as a temporary condition that can easily be overcome with innovation, love and hard work. Consequently, I can say without fear of contradiction that almost everyone who crossed my path has seen a major improvement in their life regardless of their wealth or social status. Why? Because I care about people and am dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people. Moreover, I understand the plight of the needy.Together we can end poverty
I know that together we can end severe poverty on an island that is rich with natural resources and has a literate population. I know that within two years every house in Trinidad & Tobago can have a reliable water supply.
Within three years we can have a mass transit service to ensure that anyone willing to take public transport can get to their jobs in no more than one hour regardless of where on this small twin island state they live. Within the time it would take to process the order and guarantee delivery, there can be enough beds in our hospitals. We can in months have access to the required quantities of drugs at our health institutions. Within five years there can be two new major highways in the East West corridor and along the east coast from north to south.
During that time there can be a new roadway to Chaguaramas, a reliable sea and air bridge to Tobago, school buses, trains and safe reliable taxi service. Individuals who ply their private cars for hire can have easy, structured access to become taxi drivers. In my first term in office, the cases before our courts will be reduced to manageable levels. Our prisons will be transformed into places of rehabilitation. Our economy will be booming through policies that encourage business and reduce the negative bureaucracy that discourage entrepreneurs.
Agriculture, tourism, steel pan production and marketing, food processing, bunkering and marine service will augment our energy industry to boost our economy. Crime will be greatly reduced through structured community policing and community management. Our sports personnel will once again excel to be among the best in the world.
We will reduce flooding within two years and end our reliance on desalinated water within three years. One might ask if all that is possible why hasn’t anyone achieved those tasks before now?
They just do not care
The answer is simple. They just do not care. A few days ago, South Africa won the Rugby World Cup. It was heart warming to see black and white players hug each other in sincere love as they celebrated their victory. Who would have thought that was possible a few decades ago?
If we dare to love and embrace each other in service of our country, we will see that our challenges can be overcome with unity and determination.
Together we can divert the millions on overpasses, concrete monstrosities, extremely high construction costs, ridiculous government office rental, desalinated water and projects for party supporters to provide adequate beds and drugs for the poor and rebuild our nation. I want to be your Prime Minister because I trust in God and you to position Trinidad & Tobago to be the best place to have a family for generations. The position of Prime Minister is not one that one can win through a Prime Ministerial election. The majority of elected representatives choose that person.
Therefore, for me to be your Prime Minister, you have to do your part to be one of the elected representatives. Do you care enough to join me? If you do, I will be contacting you soon.
