President Anthony Carmona said T&T was neither a banana republic or a failed state and chastised nationals who refer to the country in such derogatory terms.
Addressing the Scout Movement Colour Parade and award ceremony at the San Fernando Hill last week, Carmona said: “As a (former) United Nations prosecutor, I can tell you what a failed state is and we are very far from that.”
He called on nationals to get their act together and take an example from Americans, who, he said, in spite of the many injustices taking place in their land, would never define their country in those derogatory terms.
“I often hear Trinidadians and Tobagonians refer to our country as a banana republic. Why don’t they (Americans) call the United States of America (USA) a banana republic, where 300 bike men meet in a car park and have a big shoot out resulting in some 15 persons dead, where terrorists are bombing left, right and centre.
“No, those people do not define America. They are citizens of America but they do not define America and nobody will call America, because of the slaughter that takes place in America, a banana republic.
“And nobody will call America a failed state because many men have been executed innocently in America because of prejudice and biasness and racial disharmony. No, because that will not define a country.”
Carmona said it should be the same for us as T&T was a great country. He persuaded the young men not to let anyone tell them differently.
He said adults were the greatest bullies and were not doing a great job of raising the standards of conduct and behaviour in our community.
He called on them to become upstanding citizens and ensure young people were taught proper values and respect.
He also advised the youths against engaging in social media, “where vicious, negative things are said over and over.”
He added: “You will not engage in social media, which I often refer to as a minefield of cowards, hiding behind some nom de plumes and fake names and fake emails, to insult and denigrate people.
“You would not do that because the Scout Movement is not about that. It is about sharing love, engaging in a philosophy of humanity to each other.”
He said while we have our share of problems in T&T, once the Scouts were prepared to stand up they could be part of the solution.
He advised against cowering in small corners to denigrate or talk people bad but instead take their selfless effort to a different level of patriotism which would lead to problem-solving.