POLL: Do you think there is an -effective- democratic process in T&T?

[Synchronomyst]

As the topic title states...

I don't particularly care for your "Who/Why/What?" or reasons to the cause because it is glaringly irrelevant. No offense intended, though, as this is a board for discussion and you may and -can- state your detailed opinions whether called for or not.

...but I just inquire as to your concise, individual viewpoints.

[wesleigh]

i dont like it, but i think its as effective as it can get

[TrinireturnofGamez]

 there is NO democratic process in trinidad , once elections done the politicians forget the people and Promises Never Materialize , we turning into an Unsafe Nation of Criminals thanks to the nonsense going on.
   Its the people's fault to begin with, them who suffering in laventille and beetham voting PNM every time and want to bawl descrimination and victimization after, voting is still done on race , not on issues or morality .
   Only way we can change this is perhaps to dissolve party politics as it is , with a seperate election for the prime minister , and one to assign indipendant senators to each constituancy .  Even if most of the h people are loyal to the phantom organizaton that the PNM may become ,they will never be in majority , plus the prime minister may have no allegiance to any of the parties .
   As it stands , no would vote in manning as prime minister unless he was a packaged deal with the PNM : he taking away your smokes, drinks and all fours .  Kamla might get a woman power thing moving and win , or Dooks if his reputation isnt too tarnished amid more infighting

[W1nTry]

I put yes, but its a bit of a relative view. If yuh look at it from the perspective that we sucessfully elect a party to power then yes. Whether it is totally honest and the padding doesn't swing the votes to the loser we won't know but I would like to think even with padding, that merely helps the winning party confirm its position as opposed to sway it to them whilst they losing. On the other side... we seem to elect absolute MORONS... so I guess thats where it falls apart.

[Saxito Pau]

The only decromatic proesses that seems to be effective in Trinidad and Tobago is Police Speed Traps, Police Wreckers, and rising food prices.

everything else is jus f*** up

[Spazosaurus]

Amen @ speedtraps and wreckers. I'll always say...the futher away from politician and a court or similar institution you can run the better. If you get caught in the "system" as a small man with no links, you're screwed.

[Cross]

I think the democratic system is effective cause even after all these years you can still vote by race and get away from it.

PNM, UNC, whoever else......IF we as a nation do eventually decide to mature and go beyond the whole "I voting for my ppl/ i voting cause i getting a job (cepep or otherwise)/ I voting cause they fix the road (poorly)" and think about the future of the country maybe then we will be able to see the democratic system work

Also i think the area where the process has failed is in part where MPs fail to address important issues and get away with it...C.O.P and Minister of National security.

[Saxito Pau]

Well, Laertes.. is just my sarcastic way of mocking the so-called democratic proces in this country.

But seriously, this place is a mess. I opted to look up the definition of "democratic process", and this is what I found:

The Democratic Process is a style of government where the citizens have the right to participate in the decisions of their government. This is the foundation of democracy. The citizens of a democratic nation have elections to decide who will create, modify and remove laws, for that political region or subdivision. Included in the process, are the rights of its citizens to question, comment and usually by majority, change the activities of their government or its officials.

Based on this definiton I would say that  this country is in a really bad state. consider the easy scenario of  the smelter. There is enough "democratic" outcry for the government ruled by a particular political party to take notice. So far the response has been to effective silence the opposition, in particular those living near to the smelter's site.

Up to now we STILL have roads in a deplorable state. We  supply much of the world with asphaly and can't maintain our roads unless it's election time. My first ever trip to the pitch lake was last year and the roads are the worst there..

You put on the radio and listen to Dale and Tony, George Umbala, Dr. Marogan job or 'The Gladiator'. People are always calling to complain about something lacking ... successive government seem to fulfilltheir own desires.

Food prices.. this week the price of chicken goes up AGAIN: bet your bottom doller KFC goes up again before Carnival next year. Bread gonna go up becasue TTEC rasie the cost of electricity for business.

But for all my ranting.. i now attack the people of this country. we who have to live day to day without the benefites that our parlimentarians enjoy see all these things and wil cry foul for a few days when a questionable decision is implemented but will quite literally accept it. Is a terrible way for society to operate. Come on, we voted in these people.... we can vote them out if someone better can do the job!

In closing, Mr. speaker, I dare to say that we are statistically due for a next civil unrest in about 4 years time..... somebody in government better start doing things right... because "vision 2020' may not occur before 2120..... if ever.

[TinyGrasshopper]

My problem with the democratic process in T&T is a political culture lacking in transparency. I think the system is a little bit too complicated for its own good. I feel very ignorant as to how the administration gets anything done and I think they do not disclose enough. My greatest fear is that they actually have no idea how to get anything done and are stuck in their own organizational quagmire unwilling to leave cuz they have such a cushy life.