TT’s new Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has promised that within six months we will see positive national changes enabling us to “live in a safer and happier Trinidad and Tobago.” Alternatively, former MP for San Fernando West, Faris Al-Rawi, has declared that within six months there will be "terror, torture, lies, frivolity and persecution" under the new regime.
New Thought writer/metaphysician Florence Scovel Shinn said: “Your word is your wand. The words you speak create your own destiny.” As individuals, and as a nation, which of the above statements will we choose to believe as predictors of our destiny?
I am not alone in preferring to believe in and work towards the first aforementioned statement. Putting aside any politics, doubts, fears, disillusionment, "bad mind," etc, why would anyone consciously believe or contribute towards the manifestation of the second-mentioned statement?
Within the context of a "safer and happier" TT, each of us has specific areas of focus in which we would welcome betterment – even if in steps and stages, acknowledging that Rome was not built in a day.
For many of us, animal welfare is a focal concern.
I bring to the attention of our new government the following three needs to be addressed with utmost urgency, as they have been on the back burner for longer than is acceptable:
(i) Enforcement of amended animal cruelty laws
(ii) Government-funded/subsidised spay/neuter initiatives
(iii) Abolishment of fireworks
The fireworks issue, in particular, must be addressed before the fast-approaching August 1, Emancipation Day. That national holiday is one of many annual occasions on which "festive explosives" terrorise all animals and many people islandwide.
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The words used by the former MP for San Fernando West aptly describe the effects of the senseless fireworks onslaught:
Terror and torture – experienced by many people and all animals throughout TT
Lies – can be perceived as the former administration’s failure to fulfil promises of actions to be taken to protect us from the negative effects of fireworks.
Frivolity – the wanton detonation of "festive explosives" without any regard for the animals and people who suffer as a result
Persecution – the continued torture (sometimes fatal) of zoo animals by exploding fireworks in the savannah on national holidays, despite continued public appeals to discontinue the practice.
We do not want this within the next six months or thereafter.
Dare we believe that our current government cares about animal welfare and will bring about necessary change where fireworks (and other issues) are concerned?
Various new ministers openly appear to be animal lovers.
In various photos and videos from his pre-election walkabouts Minister of Justice Devesh Maharaj was seen playing with dogs and cats.
A home video showed Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander playing with his two dogs. In a mutually-loving interaction, he referred to
