THE EDITOR: So this is where we reach. The man who was elected to lead this country is now saying he needs $50 million to "entertain." And where does this extra money come from? The underprivileged, of course.

They are planning to cut food cards. Do you know there are families begging at traffic lights? Mothers, fathers sometimes, babies, small children, they are begging. Do you know there are folks sleeping on the sidewalks of our capital city?

Why do we have a Ministry of Social Welfare and Family Services? Whose welfare are they meant to be looking after?

There are unemployed, unemployable, disabled, and aged people relying on food cards. This government decides they don’t really need so much money, so why give them a whole $1,800? They will be rich.

Instead, the government needs to have frequent bar-b-que and backyard limes at the PM’s residence. Give the money which the Finance Minister says is scarce for fetes. Last year the spending is said to be less than $1 million. And now the Prime Minister needs 50 times this. Is this for real?

Welcome to Trinidad, the land of fete!

The real disappointment though is the silence of the chambers of commerce, those bastions of good governance. They who hold themselves up as good managers of money. Really? This is what they consider to be good use of money?

Silence of the media – silence is all that is needed for evil to flourish.

Silence of the elites – those who are not bothered by this disparagement and disrespect of those who have less.

Holy or religious people – why are they silent?

I call on the government to reverse or change this allocation, and reconsider the food cards, as there are more people who need help than those who need to fete.

ANNE DE SILVA

St Joseph

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