THE EDITOR: A friend said to me over the holidays that poverty is not the absence of money, it is the absence of hope. I thought about it and wondered if it made sense. How can someone without money be anything but poor.
That caused me to reflect on my own life. My family were among the poorest in the village in which I grew up. Trips to the shop for critical goods meant that my grandmother had to wrap a few coins in a handkerchief for me to get basic items like rice and butter. All my life I understood what it meant to be poor.
Despite my position, my brother and I always speak of the fact that at no time in our upbringing did we feel that we were poor. So, what is poverty? I imagine that poverty in its truest sense is a point of one's existence where there are very little possibilities for progress. I can imagine the feeling of stagnation, of feeling that there are no avenues for development and growth.
As a child I always dreamt of better tomorrows, of a good job, of family and of leading people towards experiencing a better quality of life. That dream guided me towards achieving and accomplishing economic and social levels that seemed impossible. I had hope.
Reluctantly, I must agree that the absence of hope really makes one poor. I think of TT in that context. The future for this country must incorporate hope or all is lost. Politically the country seems stuck with two very incompetent major political parties whose support is mainly based on ethnicity and sectarian support. There is very little consideration given to competence, ability to deliver on promises, vision for tomorrow and ability to unite a nation.
TT must immediately find new and innovative means to raise foreign exchange. Our business community must transform from buying goods with limited foreign exchange and selling them at high profits to generators of hard currency. Our agricultural sector must be transformed to not only arrive at food security but to once again be an exporter of agricultural products. Tourism must be a major factor in a new economic transformation. Moreover, every community, every street, every township must be a safe place for all our citizens.
The future of TT must be anchored in hope. Hope for an end to sectarian political voting patterns. Hope for the best among us to manage our affairs regardless of past political affiliations. Hope for unity among all our people regardless of race, religion, class, or social status. Hope for better employment opportunities so that our children pursuing their educational objectives can find meaningful employment and homes in TT.
As we approach 2024, it is critical that we embrace hope and all its promises. We either live in hope or embrace poverty. Poverty of the mind is perhaps more devastating than just the absence of money.
Here is to wishing all a hopeful 2024. God bless our nation.
STEVE ALVAREZ
via e-mail
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