Sometimes I wonder if there is ever a time when the good people win. I see money and power influencing world politics to the point where facts, common sense and just plain goodness are sacrificed at the altar of personal gain. One feels like one must join in the lack of morality or suffer.

It reminds me of a story in the Bible where Lot was conversing with God, saying certainly there must be a few good people in the whole country. In the end the entire country was destroyed as all or most of the people were evil.

I think of TT, a place where there is wealth, clean water, fertile land and an educated population. Yet murderous crime has become a daily norm, with Tobago rushing to join in the chaos.

I see those in authority compromising the institutions that citizens depend upon for justice and protection. There are cars allowed to tint their windscreens so no one can see who is inside. The helicopters for aerial surveillance are no more. Criminals can just shoot and drive away with impunity, sporting false licence plates.

The penalty for illegal guns is no deterrent for criminals and legal guns are being made more and more difficult to access. Thus, criminals can just walk into someone’s property and rob them, knowing that it is very unlikely the inhabitants will have a weapon to defend themselves.

Furthermore, the criminals know that even if arrested they can access bail and be allowed to continue with their activities, knowing that it would take almost a decade before they can face justice. This allows them enough time to dispense with those who dared to oppose them.

The politicians seem to have no interest in getting guns into the hands of good citizens. They appear interested in ensuring that criminals can just put any licence plate they wish on their car. They are uninterested in harsh penalties for illegal gun possession. They are not concerned with the length of time it takes to get justice.

They are simply interested in ensuring that they remain in power and that may require some level of co-operation with those intent on causing harm and disorder in the society.

The blame must not lie with the politicians in office and the opposition only. Most if not all the blame lies with the citizens who fail to support and encourage real change. The citizens who cry while their loved ones are being buried due to criminal activity remain loyal to the system that allowed the injustice. The citizens who see the varying levels of poor governance, or very poor representation, of bacchanalists parading through the aisles of our Parliament, still support the incumbent main parties.

It is up to us the people to make the change. Somehow I don’t see among the population the spiritual and moral courage to take the steps necessary for the change we require. Hopefully it doesn’t end as Lot’s country did.

STEVE ALVAREZ