PM Manning’s attitude towards crime has always been one of casual indifference. His flippancy is manifested in public statements that constantly seek to downplay the true state of social decadence and the chaotic breakdown in law and order. As head of the government, his attitude will inform the priority and policy of his administration towards crime.
So, to all those who keep asking ‘why isn’t the government doing more to solve the crime problem?’, I say take him at face value: he simply doesn’t care because his head is either so far up in the clouds or up a certain part of his anatomy, that the poor chap just cannot see the daily suffering on the ground. The frustrating search for a rational answer to this question may very well lie in Professor Selwyn Ryan’s suggestion that Manning is suffering from some form of mental or psychiatric disorder that afflicts those intoxicated with power beyond redemption called the hubris syndrome.
According to Ryan, the symptoms of hubris syndrome include “a narcissistic propensity to see one's world primarily as an arena in which to exercise power and seek glory; a disproportionate concern with image and presentation; a messianic manner; excessive confidence in one's own judgement and resultant contempt for advice; exaggerated self-belief; the belief that one is accountable solely to history or God; and loss of contact with reality.”
Ryan’s conclusion that we have empowered a hubristic leader and that now, ‘absent mindedly, we are slouching towards dictatorship, even if the symptoms are of the soft and benign variety’ is a damning indictment on Manning.
The attempt to create a parallel political union outside Caricom, the hosting of international conferences, globe trotting to meet world leaders, the construction of the emperor’s palace and the modern kingdom of imitation sky scrapers that remain empty are all manifestations of Manning’s ill-fated hubristic tendencies.
How else can you describe a leader who constantly addresses his grand visions that have nothing to do with the source of the fire that is consuming Rome? Crime is a worse pandemic worse than swine flu because there is no treatment for it and it is killing more people. Camille Danielle is murdered in front of a police station in her quest for refuse. A whole generation of children is now fatherless because of greedy, lazy young men who want easy money to buy gold chain, sneakers, clothes and concert tickets.
When our children were being kidnapped and raped, PM Manning said they were bogus and suggested that the UNC was behind them because they wanted to make the government look bad. When people were being bombed outside Smokey’s N Bunty’s Manning said he knew who “Mr Big” was and hinted that he will be arrested soon. When public executions started and people were being shot and killed outside Movietowne, Manning said it was simply “collateral damage”.
And now, as if to add salt into the wounds of our national conscience unremembered dead children such as Vijay Persad, Sean Luke, Radha Pixie Lakhan, Amy Annamunthodo and Akeil Chambers have inflicted, Manning tells his sycophantic flowing that the public outrage and sympathy for little Tecia Henry is misplaced. "Don't take it at face value," Manning told PNM supporters at the party convention. Not a hint of sympathy or concern.
With confounding and unbelievable arrogance he hinted that the Government had inside information he could not disclose. "I wish I could share the facts," he said, "but that is not for me to say." What part of the bible does Mr Manning read that could justify the callous murder of a ten-year old girl with a smile that could melt the heart of any enemy?In full political flight, our emperor boasted about the economic assistance he will dole out to hand picked Caricom neighbours so that he could expand his empire by creating new dominions. (Who do you think will be the king of the proposed union?) The economic hardship facing our people will intensify in 2010. Ordinary Trinbagonians are struggling to make ends meet. Instead of helping his own, Manning intends to pursue his grand egotistical political ambitions. Charity, it seems it will not begin at home.
The scare tactic of suggesting that there will be an influx of people from these islands in times of economic hardship is ridiculous. Whatever happened to the effective immigration policies and policing of our borders?
Is this a plan to permanently dilute the local Indian vote? Barbados has been kicking out hard-working Indians from Guyana because of pure racism and the self-appointed Godfather of Caricom, Manning has not said a word about this. Right here in T&T, there has been a silent, unwritten immigration policy to the same effect. I wonder why? Take nothing Manning says at face value.
By Anand Ramlogan