The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) says Republican status should bring with it a new level of citizen involvement in national life, a new sense of responsibility and a higher standard of accountability by public officials particularly the politicians who are in office.
In its Republic Day message the party said: “We have the spectacle of the Prime Minister’s Office issuing statements which state untruths, such as the Chief State Solicitor writing a letter to a citizen (Dr Wayne Kublalsingh). The Parliament passes amendments to the Constitution which will alter the way in which we elect MP’s and therefore choose governments yet these amendments were never discussed by citizens. The criminal justice system has almost collapsed with less than ten per cent of violent and white collar crimes being punished by the arrest, trial and sentencing of those who are guilty. “Successive governments (PNM and UNC/PP) have between them spent close to $700 billion in the last 15 years and yet 150,000 people—15 per cent of the population—still live below the poverty line and sustainable economic development is still not a reality.”
The MSJ said citizens must recognise the problem really lies in the construct of the First Republic and that “the mere changing of the guards by voting out a government every election simply gives us exchange and not real change. “The second challenge is to fashion a consensus on a vision for T&T. The third challenge is to arrive at policies that can move us from where we are today towards the achievement of the shared vision. The fourth challenge is in the implementation of the policies in an efficient and effective way,” the party said.