Port of Spain, Trinidad: The Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals (HFYP) has noted with grave concern the Leader of the Opposition’s recent commentary and while vehemently condemned, her public utterances come as no surprise to the Foundation. After all, it is this same Leader of the Opposition who said to her supporters that “there will be blood in the streets” if they were to be defeated at the polls.It is this same Leader of the Opposition, who in 2011 as Prime Minister reigned over a failed limited state of emergency in which the rights of many citizens were trampled. It is this same Leader of the Opposition who thwarted public health efforts with claims that “sunlight kills covid.” And it is this same Leader of the Opposition, who could not even awaken her humanity to wish the Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley well, when he was initially diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus earlier this year. It is within this context that last Saturday’s utterances by the Leader of the Opposition come as no surprise to the Foundation.
The Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals also takes serious objection to the Leader of the Opposition’s open attack on the credibility and efforts of our distinguished healthcare heroes and public servants- a most callous and disdainful act that should be overwhelmingly denounced by every citizen of this country. Our healthcare professionals have given yeoman’s service to country, have laboured tirelessly to keep us all safe during this pandemic and are undeserving of such disdain. Ingratitude is the essence of vileness.
Such attacks on the credibility of our healthcare leaders and public servants are unwarranted and pose a dangerous threat to our nation’s public health efforts. The Foundation applauds our national healthcare heroes for their unwavering sacrifice and commitment and reposes full confidence in them and their ability to steer us to a place of safe landing.
The Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals also stands in solidarity with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, and the distinguished members of his government who, even in the height of great adversity continue to demonstrate an unparalleled commitment to securing the lives and livelihood of all the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Undoubtedly, in years ahead, the classrooms of history will favourably record Prime Minister Rowley for his courageous leadership of the vaccine equity agenda on the world stage and his government’s resilience in this time of crisis.
Unfortunately, it is abundantly clear to the Foundation that even in a time of great crisis, where the common enemy (COVID-19) is pilfering our lives and livelihoods, the Leader of the Opposition refuses to champion a renewed sense of national unity and to oppose constructively without burning down the house. This is a glaring reminder that the Opposition Party has selfishly dedicated itself to making this country ungovernable and should be wholly dismissed from the minds of the citizenry as an alternative government.
At this time in our country, we require constructive, responsible, solution-oriented contributors to the national discourse. And so, in closing, as many of our parents would have taught us as children, we urge the Leader of the Opposition for the greater good of our country, “if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”
Heliconia Foundation Communications Office
Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals (HFYP)
Website: www.heliconiafoundation.com
Email: heliconiacommunications@gmail.com
