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The Green Party of Trinidad and Tobago (GPT&T)is committed to our national motto: "Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve", with a focus on rejuvenating the old but still valid themes of  Discipline, Production, and Tolerance
 
We aspire to making Trinidad and Tobago a FanTasTic Trinidad and Tobago;
a Trinidad and Tobago that is more caring and compassionate.
 
 We aspire, in the words of the Czech poet leader, Vaclav Havel, to a new politics which is anti-political,
​ which fosters new starting points for a “meaningful human community”, namely: love, friendship, solidarity,             sympathy and tolerance.
​We aspire to achievements in the following areas over a 5-year period of governance: 

1. EDUCATION: Priority #1 

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​Our  Education System needs a total transformation. A fantastic, progressive Trinidad and Tobago can only emerge on the foundation of an inspired education system, beginning with a quality education in the earliest years, from birth to age 16, focused on building a people of good character, with a sense of a common good, and not focused on having to pass transitioning exams. This is fundamental: We fix education, we fix crime; we fix education, we fix our economic transformation; we fix education, we become a less venal society; we fix education, we fix our environment.

We propose a new focus on quality early childhood education, from the moment of birth to pre-school and kindergarten, and then nine years of a compulsory, superb, comprehensive school education, with no burden of transitioning exams like SEA (Secondary Entrance Assessment). At age 16 children can choose to pursue an Associate Degree in the Arts and Sciences (academic) or in Applied Sciences (vocational) for 2 years. Children may then proceed to further tertiary education, pursuing an academic Bachelor’s degree or applied sciences/vocational Bachelor’s degree. No more prestige school nonsense.  

All education including University education will be free.

The evidence is overwhelming on the critical importance of early childhood education on the development of the brain and the development of good character, especially in the first two years of life. According to Finnish child development specialist Eva Hujala, "Early education is the first and most critical stage of lifelong learning. Neurological research has shown that 90% of brain growth occurs during the first five years of life, and 85% of the nerve paths develop before age 7.”

Our education responsibility must extend to helping parents educate their children from the moment of birth. Universal child care for those under three years of age should be part of our “education” mandate.
 
We propose a total transformation of the physical infrastructure for our primary schools. Most of primary schools are older than 50 years. True, a proper school building alone does not guarantee a quality education. We need talented, skilled, committed teachers and an engaging curriculum for developing a kind, compassionate and caring nation. But without adequate physical facilities, our aspirations will die. There are hundreds of primary schools which should no longer function as schools.
 
For the total population of  school children up to the age of 16, we will build 200 new government schools over 4 years or less. Each school will have the following: Air conditioned classrooms with effective air circulation; well-equipped, sound-proof separation between classrooms; sport and recreational grounds; swimming pool; music rooms; performance halls; arts and crafts rooms; internet technology in each classroom; a sick bay; a library; gardens; forested area; a kitchen and cafeteria (free lunch and breakfast for all students); and child care facilities for the very young. A few existing schools may be considered for modifications to meet the new school standards.
 
We will have a new curriculum for comprehensive school education. There will be no transitioning exams. Dozens of countries do without such examinations. There will be testing and assessments during the academic year as part of the teaching process and to enhance learning.  Each child will be guaranteed a quality comprehensive education. But the focus of the curriculum will be good character development (and not just passing exams), alongside academic development in science, technology, and the arts. There will be no homework for younger children and very little homework for the older children. Homework does not advance learning. 
 
Our comprehensive education schools should focus on developing qualities such as persistence, tenacity, compassion, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence; These have been shown to be more crucial than sheer brainpower to achieving success.  Resourcefulness, empathy, creativity, imagination, collaboration, non-violent conflict resolution skills, sensitivity to gender equality, are also qualities to be engendered. And in pre-school and kindergarten, play should be the process for learning and not academics.
 
We will have a teaching corps of committed, passionate teachers who will be highly paid, beginning with talented and skilled pre-school teachers, commensurate with their critical role in developing a new Trinidad and Tobago. All teachers will eventually have a Master’s degree plus two years of teacher training, with a major part of the training being in the practice of teaching. We will adopt some of the teacher development ideas from Finland where teaching is a cherished and well-paid career.  All current teachers who qualify to continue in a teaching career will need to meet the new qualifying criteria in due course.
 
University education and other tertiary education options need a fresh examination. Each student by age 18 will graduate with an Associate Degree. They may then choose for another two years to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in an academic field or in the applied science/vocational area.  Far more of our nationals should be receiving a University education. The University of the West Indies/St. Augustine should be serving  many more undergraduate students, perhaps five times more than now served. Our various tertiary education efforts need substantial consolidation, perhaps under the University of the West Indies. 
 
The cliché is worth repeating: The foundation of a new Trinidad and Tobago, one with less criminality, less corruption, less venality, less greed, less evil, rests with a quality education in the early years, focused on developing a people of good character, a NICE people – Nurturing, Imaginative, Compassionate, Empathetic.
 

... and then
​2. HEALTH​

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​If you are lucky, you can have excellent free health care in Trinidad and Tobago. But excellent free health care should not be a matter of luck; luck in getting to a decent health care facility in time; luck in having skilled health staff look after you; luck in getting on-time medical tests.
 
If you are rich, you can have superb health care in Trinidad and Tobago. But superb health care should not be a matter of your wealth.
 
Health inequity abounds in Trinidad and Tobago.
 
A transformation of our health care system is needed. And this requires further in-depth examination of our current system, with the outcome being a plan for addressing this profound inequity and ensuring Universal Free Quality Health Care.
 
For a start, this calls for enhancing all our health facilities, especially community-based health centres so as to put less burden on the few major hospitals we have. We need to reexamine the use of so many Regional Health Authorities with their inconsistencies among  them. Our population of 1.3 million is a small district in China or Nigeria or India  – do we really need so many regional health authorities?
 
We need more emphasis on preventive care at the community level when it comes to major Non-Communicable Diseases (our biggest killer) such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer. We need a network of trained volunteers as Better Health Ambassadors, each family having one such Ambassador assigned to them, to advise on measures to be taken by each family for better health.
 
We need far more extensive provision of mental health care at the community level. Every community health facility should have a process of ensuring the provision of psychiatric and psychological care on a systematic, regular basis.
 
We need to expand the provision of free emergency ambulance services so that the response time can be under 15 minutes.
 
We need a fresh look at our hospital facilities leading to a concrete, specific, immediate action plan for addressing inadequacies in hospital performance.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL)

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This covers a number of areas which impinge on  our Quality of Life (QOL) in Trinidad and Tobago and all of them calls for further exploration.
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​Environmental Issues
​Better Environmental Management: Enhanced Forest Management and Expansion of Forested Areas; Better Solid Waste Management; Better Sewerage Waste Management;  Less public littering; No traditional Land Fills (examine Singapore’s methods of waste management); More Efficient Recycling;  Less Reliance on Fossil Fuel – More Sun, More Wind. Transition to almost all electric vehicles.
 
24/7 availability of clean water in all homes.
 
We need to implement a clear action plan for dealing with Climate Change – involving National/Community/Family/Individual actions.
 
Deliberate action on steps to prevent flooding in the country and clogged waterways.
 
Parks and Recreation
Major improvements need to be made in this area. A family should be able to reach a recreational park within 10 minutes of walk from their home. And such parks need to be equipped with children’s play facilities, walking/jogging/bicycling/skating tracks, and other facilities  for play and recreation.
 
Let’s build an environmentally-sensitive  walkway/jogging path /bike path all around the coastline of Trinidad and Tobago.
Can our old railway tracks (if not used for building mass rapid transit) be turned into recreational trails for walking/jogging/riding?
 
Queen’s Park Savannah will be developed into a better public park with more recreational facilities, ponds, walking/jogging/biking paths, relaxation and restaurant areas.
 
All beaches should be national parks…with walkways/board walks, and accessible to those with disabilities. Quality beach facilities including eating facilities should be available at beach national parks.
 
Let’s have environmentally-sensitive small national parks at Mount El Cerro del Aripo and  Mount Tucuche, with well-groomed trails to each peak,  bird-watching/relaxation sites along the way; maybe a small guest house at the top?
 
Mass Rapid Transit
Like Singapore, we need to develop a mass transit system which connects all our major towns. We can no longer rely on more highways and cars; there is a limit to expansion of highways and cars on an island. We should be able to get from Icacos to Port of Spain in rapid time, as an example. So too from Chaguanas to Mayaro to Toco to Tunapuna to Port of Spain to Maracas.
 
We should build an air gondola from Laventille/Port of Spain/St. Ann’s area to Maracas Beach. Perhaps also a tunnel through the mountains to Maracas.  And rapid transit to our other beaches.
 
Arts and Culture
We need a revival in our arts and culture: music, theatre, dance, art, film. More exhibits – local and global. More global music events. We should have a national art museum, perhaps in Laventille,  drawing a national, Caribbean and international crowd, with exhibitions reflecting our own art and that of the globe. We need a National Dance Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
 
Enhanced Community Life
More community libraries. More localized continued education opportunities.  More community-based  theatre, dance and music. More planned community events. Expanded use of post offices as part of community life.
 
Free Internet
Internet access is a human right, says the UN. Let’s provide free universal basic internet access.
 
Urban Planning
Port of Spain needs more structured, aesthetically-pleasing planning. It can be made into a living city, not just a miserable day-time shopping city. Port of Spain can become a world class city. Check Singapore.
 
How about a streetcar/tram car on Frederick Street and around the Savannah. Or maybe turn Fredrick Street into a pedestrian-only street, with pedicabs?
 
Our other cities are pretty much a mess. We need a fresh exploration of how to plan urban development better, with more affordable housing.

AREAS TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED


​THE ECONOMY
  • Diversification:
    • No more dependence on oil and gas.
    • Agricultural development with a focus on food production, export products and small farming, including marijuana cultivation.
    • Tourism development: We have far more to offer tourists than say Singapore. Tourism development has not received the inspired attention it deserves for many years.  Many of the QOL issues above have links to tourism development.
    • Entrepreneurial development: Our private sector needs to be infused with a new crowd of young entrepreneurs. Small item: Registering a new business is quite a burdensome process in Trinidad and Tobago. What takes 5 minutes online in several states in the U.S.A. can take weeks and months in Trinidad and Tobago.
    • Trinidad and Tobago can become a global center for Internet Technology.
  • Universal Basic Income UBI): Each citizen over the age of 18 guaranteed a basic income (e.g. TT$5,000 per month), regardless of employment status.
  • National Consultation on Income Inequality: A fundamental issue to be further explored.

CRIME
  • Prison Reform: Are we rehabilitating prisoners or simply sending them back out to continue a life of crime?
  • Adopt methods of Restorative Justice.
  • Much of what is presented above impinges on crime. Better Education + Better Health Care (including Mental Health) + Better Quality of Life (QOL) = Less Crime, Less Corruption, Less Venality
  • Criminal Justice: Enhance our abilities to solve and prosecute criminal acts, including "white-collar" crimes.
 
FOREIGN and CARIBBEAN AFFAIRS: Seriously strengthen Caribbean integration. Build more of a global presence for Trinidad and Tobago

GOVERNANCE


​1. No elected Member of the House of Representatives will be appointed a Minister, except the Prime Minister as per the Constitution (which should be revisted), even though this cheats the Electoral District represented by the Prime Minister of full representation in the House of Representatives. Perhaps we should consider a change in the constitution to allow for direct election of the Prime Minister, so that an electoral district does not lack for full-time representation in Parliament. Or we need to find a way to have an alternative process for the Prime Minister’s electoral district to receive full-time representation in the House of Representatives.

2. The main job of members of the House of Representative is to represent their electoral district. To also serve as government Ministers is to underrepresent their communities.

3. All government Ministers will serve as Senators.

4. CORE Group: A Council of Responsible Elders (CORE) will be established to offer advice and guidance to the Prime Minister and government Ministers on implementation of the agenda described above. Members of CORE will not include current members of parliament.

5. COMMISSIONS: Six (6) Commissions will be formed to monitor implementation on the above agenda and to report to the public on a quarterly basis. They may also be invited to report to the House of Representatives. These Commissions will have the authority to call on appropriate Ministries and other government entities for implementation progress reports on  relevant topics.
     a. Commission on Education
     b. Commission on Health Care
     c. Commission on Quality of Life, with sub-commissions for Environmental Management, Parks and Recreation, Mass Rapid 
​         Transit, Arts and Culture, Community Life , Internet Access, Urban Planning
     d. Commission on the Economy
     e. Commission on Crime
     f. Commission on Foreign and Caribbean Affairs

PARTY LAUNCH AND POST-LAUNCH CAMPAIGN


​GREEN PARTY LAUNCH
DATE: October, 2019
LOCATION: California, Trinidad (Birth place of  Green Party Political Leader, Dr. Everold Hosein.)
 
POST-LAUNCH CAMPAIGN
The political leader of the Green Party of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Everold Hosein, will undertake a national run-walk (extended over several months) through all the electoral districts of Trinidad and Tobago, more or less following the road route shown in the maps below, beginning with his home village, California.
 
On this run/walk road trip, Dr. Hosein will visit pre-schools, primary schools, hospitals, health centres, local parks, community centres, garbage disposal sites, etc.  Update:  The first phase of the run/walk took place from October 21, 2019 to Oct 25, 2019.  It started in California and ended in LaBrea. It was not resumed in 2020 due to COVID. It will be resumed in 2022

RUN/WALK TENTATIVE MAP BELOW: