Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.---- Woodrow Wilson

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

Government in Economy. What is its role?

The inconsistency with respect to the economic policies of the present government coupled with the unexpected announcement of a State of Emergency has resulted in an atmosphere of 'uneasiness' throughout the general public but mainly within the business community of Trinidad and Tobago. One year into the administration of the Peoples Partnership, the nation finds itself in a 'State of Emergency' and on the brink of industrial unrest. However, one of the most important concerns that many Trinbagonians have failed to give due attention to is the issue of State participation within the nation's economy and its overall impact on the economic and social condition of its citizens.

    Numerous influential individuals and organizations have publicly begun to question the government's competence with regards to the formation of economic policy. Labour Unions have clearly shown their frustration and disgust toward the government's propositions through protest action; furthermore, others have claimed that the negotiation process within private enterprises and the overall climate itself is much more conducive to cordial relations between employer and employee and on this basis in addition to others, the government should systematically reduce its participation within the economy.

    In an attempt to express her sentiments concerning the role of the State in the nation's economy and its present condition, the Prime Minister is quoted as stating that (Express Business issue 15^th June 2011) "The Government has been competing with the private sector in every regard and it has not worked…in housing, in looking for employment, for jobs." In agreement with the Prime Minister's stance the Chamber of Commerce also stated that they therefore expect that the "Government will immediately conduct a scrupulous review of its entire asset base with a view of applying criteria driven by this philosophy of the Prime Minister, the objective being divestment, mergers, acquisitions and where no feasible alternative is workable, closure so long as this is in the interest of the country."

    The statement of the Prime Minister makes clear that a shift is taking place with regard to the fundamental economic policy that has been consistent within Trinidad and Tobago regardless of political party. Eric E. Williams considered as the Father of our nation espoused his economic philosophy in the following statement, "The PNM perspectives reject both liberal capitalism (with its concomitant of penetration and take-over of the economy by multi-national corporations) and the communist organization of the economy and society. Instead, we follow the pattern that is being increasingly developed in developing countries, of State participation in the economy, to the extent of up to 51 percent in particular enterprises, to ensure that decision making remains in local hands."

    State participation within the economy is a critical aspect in ensuring that the government fulfills its most important mandate of serving the collective interest of the people. The Prime Minister in her assessment however has failed to acknowledge the many Trinbagonians (who in most cases occupy the lower echelons of society) who have benefitted from numerous government programs in diverse fields. With respect to employment, the M.U.S.T, O.J.T, C.E.P.E.P, and Y.T.E.P.P. programs have been critical in ensuring that many citizens are employed and educated. The Housing Development Corporation has also allowed for affordable housing to reach those who would otherwise be left-out.

Throughout the history of Trinidad and Tobago the State has maintained a presence within the economy for the purpose of contributing to the improvement of citizens and to also provide an alternative to the services provided by private enterprises. This must be continued. The government should not attempt to escape their responsibility to the citizens of this country but should work side-by-side with private enterprises to ensure that the highest quality of service is afforded to the public in all areas.

     Within a democratic nation the role of the State is sometimes negatively construed by those who support the prominence of private enterprise within the economy. However, State presence within the economy and various fields such as housing and education is simply the manifestation of a government's commitment to its people; the expression of its desire to contribute to the development of the 'small-man' within the society. Elected officials must be made to ensure that the wealth of the Nation is directed towards the people of the nation, and social programs are essential in guaranteeing this. It must be ensured that private enterprises are not allowed to control and dictate the economy of a nation to the extent that their influence creates an ever-growing gap between the rich and poor.

 

                                        Mikhail E.D. Byng

State of Emergency in T&T

It is worrying and mystifying to witness how willingly Trinbagonian people have relinquished their rights as citizens. A State of Emergency has been called on what basis? Only two times before has a State of Emergency been called in Trinidad and Tobago (since independence) and such was under extreme circumstances consisting of armed conflict. The Constitution states that "A Proclamation made by the President under subsection (1) shall not be effective unless it contains a declaration that the President is satisfied -… c. that action has been taken, or is immediately threatened, by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger the public safety or to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community of supplies or services essential to life." The Constitution entrusts the President in consultation with the Prime Minister to discern whether a situation merits the call for a State of Emergency. It was surely not intended that the powers to restrict the 'sacred' Constitutional rights of citizens would be used recklessly.

    There has been no acceptable justification for the calling of a State of Emergency. A State of Emergency would do very little to handle criminal activity in the long term; the calling of a State of Emergency was originally intended to be used under the condition of an immediate threat. The Prime Minister was recently quoted boasting that "crime is down to zero." However, she would soon find out that a State of Emergency cannot last forever. Any government could ensure a reduction in crime by restricting the freedoms of individuals (the Soviet Union showed us for eighty years) but the dilemma that all governments must face and that this government would be forced to face is how to maintain law and order in a society of free-men. A State of Emergency cannot solve the problem that exists in Trinidad and Tobago, for it started a long time ago, when leaders and the mass of Trinbagonians themselves began condoning, in the words of Ramesh Deosaran, 'illegal activity for legitimate reasons.'

    The present State of Emergency would undoubtedly lower the crime rate which would serve the immediate political interest of those in power, but would do little to solve the social problems that exist within our society of which crime is only a symptom.

True respect for laws and moral values in Trinidad and Tobago must be regained and this could only be done when the numerous hypocritical leaders who occupy the seats of power begin to reform firstly themselves; when the many delinquent parents accept responsibility for raising a generation plagued with criminals that they themselves hypocritically rebuke, and when the numerous media houses take at-least partial responsibility for engineering a society of young adults who are more knowledgeable of foreign culture than their own, then and only then would this great nation of ours begin to come to terms with itself.

Mikhail E.D. Byng     

Quotes concerning the World’s last Super-power

George Washington (1732-1799) "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible."

 
 

Jedidiah Morse (1761-1826) "Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our (U.S)
present form of government, and all blessings that flow from them, must fall with them."

Forced Sterilization in America and Population Control

 During 1977 Dr. R.T. Ravenholt, director of the United States Agency for International Development (office for population control), said that the United States hoped to sterilize 25 per cent of the world's roughly 570 million fertile women. Ravenholt linked such control measures to the "...normal operation of U.S. commercial interests around the world." These statements were published in a news story in the St. Louis Dispatch. 

Question by Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago. Article by Trinbagonian editor

Topic: What is the role of State Media in a democratic Nation?

 

Within a democratic nation it is the mandate of the government and by extension every governmental organization to serve the collective interest of the people. Throughout the world and particularly in Trinidad and Tobago, we have seen the introduction of numerous private media companies, all contributing to public awareness but most importantly to shaping public sentiment and opinion with respect to domestic and international issues. These companies, although claiming to abide by the ethical statutes of media reporting and television broadcasting, do not only exercise the freedom to promote their own agenda (whatever it may be) but also to make a profit. The Media Houses of today depend very much upon advertisement revenues to the extent of which content is sometimes affected; never should this be the case with State Media. Furthermore, State Media is to be free from political interference of any kind; it is to be ensured that the collective interest of the people is placed before the narrow individual interest of politicians and other influential groups.

    Contrary to the views of many, the primary goal of State Media is to create a level of awareness throughout the public with regards to government policies and to investigate and report matters objectively. It is to ensure as its main priority the promotion of its nation's culture above all else. Its agenda should consist of seeking the interest of the collective society by providing a forum for public discussion. A State Media Company's main goal should not be the generation of profit; if such is the case, its true purpose is not being fulfilled.

    It was stated by one of the 'founding fathers' of the United States and former President Thomas Jefferson that "experiences hath shown, that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." We are afforded within a democracy the freedom of speech and freedom of the press, it is necessary that such rights be fully utilized to ensure that Jefferson's statement does not in any way come to fruition. The role of both private and State Media is critical to ensuring that democracy is protected. Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, "Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people." Elected officials are only the representatives of the people and it is the responsibility of the Media in this present age to be the guardian of public interest by ensuring that government officials are kept in check and faithfully adhere to their duties in office. Democracy requires the active participation of the public and the Media contributes to creating an informed and knowledgeable society equipped to make enlightened decisions.

    However, some have argued that the presence of the State within the Media industry is obstructive and contributes little to democracy mainly because political interference may be too great. Nevertheless, the State consisting of the elected representatives of the society must have a stake within such an industry for the purpose of ensuring that the people themselves have a stake. As is the case within liberal capitalist societies multi-national media corporations (which hold great influence) have little obligation to the public, as one author puts it 'they answer solely to the gods of profit and loss' therefore, it is of paramount importance that through State Media the people of the nation are given a voice.

    Within a democratic nation the State does not hold a monopoly over media operations (as in the case of totalitarian regimes) but rather becomes a competitor within the industry. With the freedom of the press being a fundamental characteristic of a democratic nation the State assumes the role of a competitor within an industry where competition is necessary. State Media's role is therefore not only to articulate government policies but to also function as a 'watchdog', not only against political corruption but anything that proves a threat to the well-being of society. An example of such is natural disaster. Nobel Prize recipient Amartya Sen proclaims that "A free press and the practice of democracy contribute greatly to bringing out information that can have an enormous impact on policies for famine prevention…a free press and an active political opposition constitute the best early-warning system a country threatened by famine could have."

    Within a democratic nation where the government has limited control over the flow of information, State Media is supposed to contribute to the democratic process. The people are to be constantly informed of their rights and responsibilities as citizens. State Media is to provide an avenue for improved relations between the government and the public thus contributing to a greater understanding of one's place within his/her country.

    With Trinidad and Tobago as an example, it is clear that State participation in the economy and various industries have been viewed as a safeguard against foreign and private domination. Dr. Eric Williams, considered to be the 'Father' of the nation of Trinidad and Tobago, propounds in his writings the need for State participation in the economy in order to protect national interest. He is quoted as stating, "The PNM perspectives reject both liberal capitalism (with its concomitant of penetration and take-over of the economy by multi-national corporations) and the communist organization of the economy and the society. Instead, we follow the pattern…of state participation in the economy to the extent of 51 percent in particular enterprises, to ensure that decision making remains in local hands." Such a policy laid out by Dr. Williams gives the reason for the presence of State Media and an explanation of its role. The role of State Media in general would be to promote and protect national interest; which includes the history, culture and mores of the society.

    Within a democratic nation the role of State Media is sometimes negatively construed by those who support the prominence of private enterprise within the economy. However, State presence within the economy and various industries such as the Media industry is simply the manifestation of a government's commitment to its people, the expression of its desire to contribute to the democratic process by educating, informing and communicating with the public, thus ensuring that the citizenry body is fully equipped to make informed and knowledgeable decisions that would have great impact upon the direction of the nation.