RESETT 1962 - A Welcomed Development

RESETT1962 - A Welcomed Development

A week ago, a new political organisation, described as a "pressure group" was launched in Port of Spain with the name RESETT 1962.

The objective of the new group was reported as:
".....to create and foster a platform for the development, discussion and dissemination of ideas and opinions towards:

• Increasing commitment among all our citizens to the principles of participatory governance.

• Advocating for the development of political, social and economic institutions rooted in the principles of participatory governance.

• Insisting that our governments respect the principles of participatory governance in their respective policy-making and implementation.".

The emergence of this new political organisation is another reflection of the demand of the current period - to involve the majority in society, the broad masses of the people in the decision-making process. People want to be able to decide their future!

This demand has arisen as our governance system is increasingly being understood to such that the MINORITY rules over the MAJORITY of the society. The notion of DEMOCRACY as the RULE OF THE MAJORITY is turned on its head.

More and more people are expressing the view (based on their own experience) that the ELECTED do NOT represent the ELECTORS,(the majority) but, act on behalf of a minority with economic and political clout.

It is, therefore, no surprise that in the polls, more than 30 percent of the population are skeptical about politics, about political parties and are described as "the undecided".

The only thing about which they are undecided is What to do to change the situation with which they are dissatisfied.

To be able to respond to the demand for a REAL SAY in DECISION-MAKING, people need to be able to argue things out, to understand the basis and direction of events that are unfolding and to KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM.

There is need for UNDERSTANDING, for Discussion and Analysis of the experience of the society as a whole, of the collective and of the individual to allow for raising the level of THINKING of the people and MAKING THEM CAPABLE of participating with clarity and organisation in the decision-making process.

In this context, we must welcome the emergence of RESETT 1962 and other organisations and individuals who see the need to engage the people in Politics (with a Capitl P) rather than politics (with a common p) - the party politics that is now practised and which is being seen by more and more people as not providing REPRESENTATION to the MAJORITY.

While the discussion and dissemination of ideas proceeds, there is need to engage in building the practical movement for NEW governance which includes the people in decision-making.

Perhaps the leaders of the RESETT 1962 may wish to consider that 1962 may be best left out of the name since 1962 marks the beginning of the consolidation of the party political system of governance which has been the basis for the denial of the right of the MAJORITY of the society to participate in decision-making.

1962 the time of independence is also the time of the Constitutional definition of a system of governance of Prime Ministerial and Executive Dictatorship which alienates the MAJORITY from participating in decision-making and Politics.

We must sum of the experience of the present and the past 53 years and set the agenda for the future.

The demand of the times is to RESET for the tomorrow we want.