MSJ calls for citizens to ‘assemble’ with solutions to T&T’s problems

As the country grapples with crime and other societal issues, the Movement of Social Justice (MSJ) will host a citizens’ assembly at Presysal Government High School on September 21.

Making the announcement at a news conference yesterday, MSJ political leader David Abdulah invited all citizens, including business owners, farmers, fisherfolk, trade unions, community-based groups and other organisations, to the event under the theme Better Living For All.

He reminded the population that the MSJ has been advocating for a second Republic, he said that’s why they chose a date close to Republic Day.

Abdulah said the MSJ genuinely cares about the well-being of citizens and has several ongoing campaigns to educate and assist workers.

He said the purpose of the citizens’ assembly is to bring citizens together to discuss the situation in the country and to hear their proposals and ideas.

The MSJ, he added, believes a different kind of democracy is needed in the country. In the current system, he said people vote every five years, but claimed those elected into office use their power to attack and abuse the people who elected them, rather than improve their quality of life.

The MSJ leader said, “After listening to you we will share some of our ideas about how to deal with the problems in the country.” He noted some people live obscenely well, but many others are “barely living at all,” said Abdulah.

Abdulah was adamant that the country has enough resources to ensure everyone can live a decent and good life. Deputy political leader Radhaka Gualbance said thousands struggle to survive and put food on their table.

“I recall I went recently to a supermarket in my little village, a normal corner supermarket and this elderly gentleman was sitting on the ground. He had a loaf of bread and he asked me if I could buy something for him to go with that bread. The owner of the supermarket will tell me that he sometimes takes a small block of butter, and cuts it into pieces so that people could buy that to go with a loaf of bread to feed their children,” he added.

Noting that 18 years ago the Mighty Shadow sang a calypso called Poverty is Hell, Gualbance said those lyrics were still very relevant today.

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