Together we aspire

Two weeks ago, I published statistics compiled by Richard Thomas on the ethnic composition of the hierarchy of the boards and upper management of state enterprises. The grave racial imbalance against Indo-Trinis prompted a virtual avalanche of e-mails. Many complimented the laborious tasks undertaken by Thomas in compiling these statistics, and offered further evidence in other state corporations that served to worsen the imbalance. For example, a visit to TTPost’s Web site shows that Indos are excluded from its board and management team.

I was at pains to highlight the fact that the reverse of this racial imbalance probably existed under the UNC Government. This past week we have been trying to compile similar statistics to do a comparative analysis under the PNM and UNC for the same corporations. Unfortunately, T&T does not compile race-based statistics, and hence this task is proving to be a herculean one. One explanation for this is the obvious fear of what these statistics may reveal about the approach of both parties to governance, as our political culture has created a handicapped nation forced to hop on one ethnic foot at a time.

Our concept of participatory democracy is limited to a dip in the ink every five years, and the accepted virtual exclusion of the other major ethnic group in the intervening five-year period until the next general elections. I welcome assistance from anyone who may be able to help in the compilation of comparative data during the tenure of the UNC and/or NAR. In the meantime, however, I now publish the present situation under PNM in the form of a pie chart and bar graph. A picture, as they say, tells a thousand words. Together we should aspire so that we can achieve.

By Anand Ramlogan