THE EDITOR: The world needs serious and in-depth leadership, TT included. But this is not the case here, when one reflects on the statesmanship of our first prime minister, Dr Eric Williams, in his speech to the nation on democracy on Independence Day 1962.

I say without a shadow of doubt that the whole concept of Burnham-type democracy has fully landed here. I am referring to the decision of the Government to delay the local government elections which are postponed for a year. I join the chorus for the Government to rescind that poor, weak decision and call the elections.

I am surprised that Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi did not say that the Opposition is employing delaying tactics, hence the Government could not proclaim the entire act. We must remember that the Municipal Corporations Act was passed some months ago and today he comes to tell us only sections 1 and 11 are worthy of action.

There is no logic in just proclaiming those two sections and leaving the rest to be proclaimed later on. I firmly believe they would not be proclaimed at a later stage. The Government is just seeking to enact those sections 1 and 11 so it could impose the property tax, and when that is done the rest would be left in abeyance.

In my ten years as a councillor, I always advocated that local government must be inserted in our republican constitution, thereby giving it the required status as the second layer of governance. There would always be weak excuses for it not being done.

I also advocated for the Tobago House of Assembly model, but this must be done with incoming councillors/aldermen having the required level of articulation and knowledge of their responsibilities.

Some councillors may be happy that they have another year in office with all the attendant perks, but democracy is being trampled upon every day. It is time that the governors and the governed take our politics seriously as we continue to have our democracy being grasped from our hands.

President Paula-Mae Weekes should refuse to proclaim the parts of the act in question.

As a mature people, with 60 years of experience as an independent nation, all of us must now take charge and make serious inputs in the working of our Parliament and in the fullest application of our laws for the general good and welfare of us. Do not leave it to the parliamentarians.

Big Brother continues to manipulate our governance process, even without us knowing it. Wake up and smell the coffee.

PARAS RAMOUTAR

via e-mail