HYMC NATION

NAZMA Muller’s blunt placard – “Imbert HYMC” – is a political message of the ages. 

It succinctly expresses the aggravation of the common man across the land. 

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, in a revealing Express newspaper interview, has labelled the frustration on the ground as “irritation.” 

Rowley suggests that the problem is messaging, with government officials using inappropriate language. 

The Prime Minister has gotten it wrong. 

Yes, people are disgusted over the uttering – and arrogance! – of ministers and Members of Parliament, who are living nice off taxpayers even with no record of accomplishment. 

But the HYMC mood is more deep-rooted than that. 

People are appalled that the rich is getting richer while the small man is slipping into poverty, unable to pay bills and eat nutritious meals. 

Yes, they are offended by a minister insisting that business is blooming while they also see no efforts at reviving the thousands of small enterprises that collapsed during the Covid-19 shutdown. 

The man in the street hears of no plans to kick-start an economy from seven years of steep decline and to rescue the working class from ever-reducing spending power. 

The cost of food basics has gone up by 20 per cent since 2015, and most workers – those still employed – are living on decade-old salaries and wages. 

The grassroots hear of the Prime Minister’s frequent and costly travels while they line up for a nominal social welfare cheque to feed starving children.  

People are horrified at the continued absence of a programme to feed ourselves, even as a single baigan costs $70 and the government moves to erect houses on the treasured lands of St. Augustine Nurseries. 

The disastrous state of roads and bridges, downstream impact of another fuel price hike, steady flight of foreign investors, inequitable distribution of foreign exchange, and imposition of nuisance taxes are governance issues. 

They cannot be blamed on poor communications. 

The closure of Petrotrin and Point Lisas plants, including the steel mill, has had a crippling effect on the petro-servicing sector and virtually all providers of goods and services south of the Caroni Bridge. 

Some can’t meet monthly commitments to banks, which, by the way, are raking in billion-dollar annual profits while they zap defaulting clients.  

The common man hears of no viable plan to challenge the crime epidemic, so they spend more on security measures and seek to ship their children abroad.  

United States President Joe Biden, leader of 330 million people, has visited and shown empathy for Florida hurricane victims, but flood-hit Caroni residents endure their annual pain without official intervention. 

Some are still awaiting compensation for last year’s loss of property, livestock, vehicles and crops. 

People are not seeing light at the end of the tunnel.  

They are also frustrated at the comatose state of trade unions, which had historically provided strident leadership in their struggles to clutch onto their share of the pie. 

Civic and faith organisations are coldly silent, and business bodies are self-serving, with certain of their leaders being contractors in the State sector. 

The consensus among the aggrieved is that they are stranded in a desolate place, besieged by high crime and higher bills, and managed by a callous administration without a rescue plan. 

Communication – the antagonistic remarks of government ministers – is fuelling a raging fire. 

It is not the core issue. 

Ms. Muller effectively captures the public’s indignation. 

When times are tough, it does no good to sugar-coat the issues.