STANLEY LEE POW

Can Watson Duke be the next Prime Minister? Don't laugh, I am quite serious. Consider the following scenario.

Following the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections it is quite possible that the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) could win the two seats in Tobago - with Duke taking Tobago East - in the next general election. If Trinidad is shared, say, PNM 20, UNC 19, no party having an overall majority, Duke therefore becomes the kingmaker. The PNM will go alone as usual the UNC would likely join with the PDA. Will Duke accept anything less than PM? If no parties decides to unite, will the President select one party 'on moral grounds,' as Arthur NR Robinson did? Is this reason enough to seek constitutional reform?

Why I hate opposition politics

I wish, for starters, that the term 'opposition' is replaced by 'alternative government.' Unfortunately, in TT we seem to slavishly copy US politics where the Opposition tries every stratagem possible to make the Government look bad and would willingly support measures that could win tit votes although it is fully aware that such measures may not be in the country's best interest.

For example, the Opposition appears willing to wreck the Revenue Authority when they know fully well that Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue are inefficient. The same applies to the property tax. The best and most dangerous example though is its opposition to a vaccine mandate.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that '…the Opposition would not support forced mandatory vaccination.' This will probably win the UNC a lot of votes, especially from the followers of JTUM who vigorously oppose vaccine mandates. But I respectfully ask: Isn't the wearing of seat belts a mandate? Isn't the prohibition of drinking alcohol and smoking in public a mandate? Most importantly in the context of vaccinations, isn't the necessity to have your child vaccinated before entry into primary school a mandate?

In most countries that, like TT, have tried everything to persuade the public to vaccinate and have failed, they have turned to vaccine mandates and face bitter opposition (eg, St Vincent). The opponents do not offer a viable alternative but what is sad is that many of them are vaccinated (on the down-low, especially if they want to travel) but are willing to mislead their unfortunate followers who may be vaccine hesitant.

I cannot understand why anyone would ignore the advice of the World Health Organization, the Caribbean Public Health Agency and our own Ministry of Health in favour of non-medical 'experts' and social media. Do we have to see backhoes digging mass graves for the hundreds of bodies packed in refrigerator containers and patients in hospital corridors and tents before we do the simple logical thing and take the vaccine?

Constitutional reform

The government institutions are horribly dysfunctional. Does our judiciary really dispense justice? Do any