THE EDITOR: Congratulations are in order to the new government headed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Her resilience, energy, brilliance and experience paved the way for her second stint as prime minister.

The task of rebuilding and restoring the citizens' hopes seems to need a herculean approach.

For almost ten years this country has had a turbulent coaster ride with that PNM and the Rowley-led government. Citizens were distressed with many bouts of incompetence in all governmental ministries.

The main national sectors which were brutally affected by the last PNM administration are:

NATIONAL SECURITY – with a clear upsurge in criminal activities and the callous "open border" influx of Venezuelan nationals.

EDUCATION – with insecure, incomplete buildings and school books under-evaluation leading to syllabus mismanagement.

HEALTH – with negligent patient care, an inordinately long wait time and a lack of basic medicine.

ECONOMY – lack of proactive planning policies leading to high food and fuel prices.

AGRICULTURE – lack of sustainable policies to assist local farmers and soft loans to start up food crop cultivation.

UTILITIES and AMENITIES – deplorable conditions of the nation's roads, drainage and an unreliable water and electricity service to many.

CITIZENS' WELFARE – unreliable social assistance in disability, house repairs, medicine and food grants.

UNEMPLOYMENT – even qualified academics struggled to find jobs. The heightened influx of Venezuelan migrants who directly competed with locals for jobs and this influx could also have factored in spiralling criminal activities.

It is hoped that this new government will satisfy these and other needs within a reasonable passage of time. For whom much is given, much is expected. We the citizenry, now await.

COLIN GHOURALAL

Couva

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