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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Trafigura and the PNP an unholy alliance</SPAN>
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Tuesday, February 13, 2007
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</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Dear Reader,<P class=StoryText align=justify>I suspect that the reason that the Trafigura scandal is seemingly dying a natural death (perhaps unlike the current Cockpit Country debate) is because nobody has sought to connect the issue of corruption with the plight of the poor in a way that the masses can understand and appreciate, and the middle and upper classes couldn't care less. After all, "everybody is corrupt", one man said to me, "and when I say everybody, I mean everybody - the private sector, the banks, the Opposition, the media - even the church. So why would anybody want to be bothered to continue to talk about Trafigura?"<P class=StoryText align=justify>As I have said before in this column, the biggest tragedy of our country is not the over 1,000 murders committed every year. The biggest tragedy is that our country has lost its moral centre to the extent that wrong is right and right is wrong. "But it's worse than that," a friend of mine added, "we don't even care whether it's right or wrong. We have become what they call in medical terms a 'no affect' nation. That is when the patient doesn't react to anything at all. We definitely have lost our energy for justice." One person puts it this way, "Sister, I just a look out for myself. I just want what I can get, and to hell with morals and principles." Only a fool would not be able to tell that this is the mark of a degenerating society.<P class=StoryText align=justify>As far as I am concerned, the Trafigura matter is more than one of an "inappropriate" gift. Even more troubling to my mind, is the moral depravity of the governing political party of this country which should be setting the moral tone and example for the nation. Worse even, is the fact that the rest of us have simply acquiesced.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Not only have we capitulated, but we are willing to consider re-electing to another term in office a political party that has lost its moral credibility. In any other accountable and functioning democracy, the head of government would have had to step down, either by force, moral suasion or through his or her own conviction of conscience. Not so here. In fact, the very opposite has happened, in that the very person who was identified as the "hit" man is still functioning as a part of the governing apparatus. What a paradox, and what an insult!<P class=StoryText align=justify>But I'm not sure that you can blame the government, if we the people don't care. Of course, there is the issue of fear and intimidation, however subtle. Very few people have the nerve or the courage to stand up and be counted. The political machinery is so well oiled with the lubricant of subtle-yet-deadly intimidation, that only those in the society who have counted the cost and are prepared to pay the price, can really speak publicly. There is no issue of national importance (even that of the abominable state of the nation's children) that one can speak about where you don't find yourself being squeezed into one partisan political corner or the other. To criticise, however constructively, is to set yourself up as an enemy of the state. The same is true if you criticise the Opposition.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Even those in the media who are bold enough to speak, become weary and disillusioned. For weeks, my colleague contributor to this newspaper, Mark Wignall, hammered at the Trafigura issue with some well-researched and thoug
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=350 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Dear Reader,<P class=StoryText align=justify>I suspect that the reason that the Trafigura scandal is seemingly dying a natural death (perhaps unlike the current Cockpit Country debate) is because nobody has sought to connect the issue of corruption with the plight of the poor in a way that the masses can understand and appreciate, and the middle and upper classes couldn't care less. After all, "everybody is corrupt", one man said to me, "and when I say everybody, I mean everybody - the private sector, the banks, the Opposition, the media - even the church. So why would anybody want to be bothered to continue to talk about Trafigura?"<P class=StoryText align=justify>As I have said before in this column, the biggest tragedy of our country is not the over 1,000 murders committed every year. The biggest tragedy is that our country has lost its moral centre to the extent that wrong is right and right is wrong. "But it's worse than that," a friend of mine added, "we don't even care whether it's right or wrong. We have become what they call in medical terms a 'no affect' nation. That is when the patient doesn't react to anything at all. We definitely have lost our energy for justice." One person puts it this way, "Sister, I just a look out for myself. I just want what I can get, and to hell with morals and principles." Only a fool would not be able to tell that this is the mark of a degenerating society.<P class=StoryText align=justify>As far as I am concerned, the Trafigura matter is more than one of an "inappropriate" gift. Even more troubling to my mind, is the moral depravity of the governing political party of this country which should be setting the moral tone and example for the nation. Worse even, is the fact that the rest of us have simply acquiesced.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Not only have we capitulated, but we are willing to consider re-electing to another term in office a political party that has lost its moral credibility. In any other accountable and functioning democracy, the head of government would have had to step down, either by force, moral suasion or through his or her own conviction of conscience. Not so here. In fact, the very opposite has happened, in that the very person who was identified as the "hit" man is still functioning as a part of the governing apparatus. What a paradox, and what an insult!<P class=StoryText align=justify>But I'm not sure that you can blame the government, if we the people don't care. Of course, there is the issue of fear and intimidation, however subtle. Very few people have the nerve or the courage to stand up and be counted. The political machinery is so well oiled with the lubricant of subtle-yet-deadly intimidation, that only those in the society who have counted the cost and are prepared to pay the price, can really speak publicly. There is no issue of national importance (even that of the abominable state of the nation's children) that one can speak about where you don't find yourself being squeezed into one partisan political corner or the other. To criticise, however constructively, is to set yourself up as an enemy of the state. The same is true if you criticise the Opposition.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Even those in the media who are bold enough to speak, become weary and disillusioned. For weeks, my colleague contributor to this newspaper, Mark Wignall, hammered at the Trafigura issue with some well-researched and thoug
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