De numbers say about 125 ah week since May 2^nd, close tuh 175 ah dem at night. Is once ah read dem statistics, ah realize dey had implications beyond any success dey suggested. However, since nobody eh tork about what dat is, is up tuh me tuh point it out just in case any good could come from doin dat.

Like all places, Triniland have challenges. Like all places, only one entity have de power an resources tuh address dem challenges. Sometimes, part ah de solution involve puttin in place appropriate punishment fuh who insist de solutions doh apply tuh dem so dem eh care.

From since ah could remember, it did seem once dese problems aired in T&T, dey get stamped as unsolvable. Why ah say dat? Well besides it being true, whenever de powers dat be discuss any ah dem problems de result was endless debate an ole tork.

So far me eh say nuttin new. Where I part company wid who agreein is in what I tink is de impact ah all dat ole tork.

Take garbage collection.

As late as about 12 years ago, somebody who have DNA similar tuh mines, try dey best tuh jump dong mih troat as soon as ah open mih mout an say ah tort ah had ah solution tuh de problem.

Dotish me figure watchin how udder places did handle dey garbage plus mih Trini culture did put mih in ah unique position. Yuh cyar be more dotish tuh believe dat. Ah get tell one time it eh go wuk. When ah ask why, ah hear is because, “dis is Trinidad” an mih baxide doh live dey no more. When ah ask eef ah could at least say what mih idea was, ah get approval tuh waste mih time eef ah want. Leh mih stop dey cause mih blood pressure like it want tuh raise just rememberin.

Is dat same mindset what had dis udder Trini askin mih eef I know is Triniland ah torkin about. Dey was complainin how dey still had tuh pay de phone bill even doh TSTT was always diggin up de road by dem leavin everybody wid no phone service. Dotishness went an kick in again. Ah ask why dey eh band tuhgedder an tell TSTT sorry buh eef dey eh gettin full service, dey deductin ah lil someting from de phone bill. We conversation done right dey.

How many times de poleece plead wid people not tuh drink an drive? How about not speedin? Dem pleas had me tinkin poleece tort people used tuh leave home tuh go an lime, get drunk den drive like lunatics until dey find somebody else car tuh crash into. Or eef no udder car was orn de road at dat hour, den crash dey own car into ah lamppost an dead or worse, kill udders an not deyself.

Den one day recent, almost just so it did seem buh long after I did stop readin about de ole tork , de TTPS start usin breathalyzers. No big set ah fuss. Was like usin dem was no big deal. Well actually it was given how formal de process is. Ent ah doctor does still have tuh jook yuh wid ah needle tuh draw blood fuh testin?

Ah used tuh wuk in dis smallish tong, where not important. It did feel like ah went back in time all doh everybody did look normal. One day, ah new supermarket open. It was goin an stay open 24 by 7. People like peas line up outside dis new place. Ah was ready tuh join de line cause ah tort dey was givin way free ting. Say free gifts an I dey oui, yuh cyar get me wid just ah gift. Buh dat wasn’t de case. Ah end up shakin mih head, not sure eef was more in disbelief or sympathy.

I eh shake mih head de same way when de poleece start usin breathalyzers in Triniland. Any disbelief was because it did happen too easy after so much ole tork over so many years. Any sympathy was fuh people who did come tuh believe all dat ole tork did mean it was next tuh impossible tuh introduce breathalyzer testin or any solution tuh ah problem.

Dat bring mih tuh de article ah see.

One hundred an twenty-five speedin tickets ah week since May 2^nd. Close tuh 175 ah dem written at night.

Dat is what it all boil dong to?

Dat is all it take tuh have de Maria an Mario Andrettis ah T&T slow dong— five, six or seven radar guns? Nah nah. Ah must be missin someting profound. Where de guerilla attacks preventin dem guns from gettin used? Doh tell mih durin all dem years ah endless tork everybody was orn de same side. It eh had two sides battlin one anudder while innocent people was gettin kill? Most people was against recklessness orn de roads all dis time? Serious? Ah have tuh guess so given how easy de TTPS went from no radar guns one day tuh givin out expensive tickets fuh speedin, even at night. Is only only one question dat matter. I eh care eef ah mixin up acquirin wid implementin, ah vex like ah was dat day almost 12 years ago.

Why it take so long eef was dis easy tuh do all de time?

Trinbago would ah be so much closer tuh realizin it full potential eef simple tings or tings dat needed decisive action did get done sooner. I eh meanin like weeks or months sooner; I mean years sooner. People shouldn’t have tuh dead because life in T&T only worth hot air from politician mout.

Me eh lookin tuh stifle quarrelin, mauvais langue, ole tork or fatigue; dem is part ah being Trini tuh de bone. Dis is about someting subtle. It based orn de onlyest water people does drink is Triniland’s an de onlyest air dey ever put in dey lungs is Trini too.

Is about everybody being ah expert in everyting an havin tuh verbally prove it. About ah govahment keepin de people safe even when is from dey own dotishness. It is about believin yuh lyin eyes dat want tuh tell yuh tings cyar get done widout years an years an more years ah attempts tuh prove dat is true. About believin Trinis fundamentally different from udder people when all it is, tuh me anyway, is ah universal truth at play: People will do whatever dey could get away wid.

Two wins doh mean ah new dawn buh peep better nah. It have people feelin more safe now when dey orn de roads. I wouldn’t mind joinin dem. Ah tired sittin dong in de back seat watchin de speedometer all de way tuh Piarco wonderin eef de driver tink ah close tuh missin de plane.

I say finish rebrandin T&T.

Ah mean, how much ole tork it need before every Trini know, if not believe, anyting possible regardless where de air an water from?

Surely not endless.