Navigating fearful times: How fear is used for control in Trinidad and Tobago

Fear, a fundamental human instinct rooted in our evolutionary past, serves as a vital survival mechanism. However, leaders often weaponize this instinct, employing perceived threats or "bogeymen" to maintain control, justify stringent measures, and expand their authority beyond legitimate bounds.

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The fear of crime has been used to justify a state of emergency in Trinidad and Tobago, running for almost a year now, granting extraordinary powers to the political directorate while the rights and freedoms of citizens have been restricted.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the government has invoked a state of emergency, now in its nearly year-long duration. This measure grants extraordinary powers to the ruling political directorate, while simultaneously curtailing the rights and freedoms of citizens. The justification for these actions has centered on the emergence of new "bogeymen" – alleged threats against the government and its members, including claims of potential rocket attacks on buildings.

These extraordinary powers, however, have cultivated a different kind of fear within the populace. Dissent is increasingly met with the full force of the state, leading to the arrest of protesters and restricting the ability of citizens, organizations, and trade unions to express disagreement or assemble freely. This climate has fostered a pervasive fear of speaking out, as individuals worry about potential detention by ministerial order, even without formal charges.

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There is a fear by many to speak out, wondering whether freedom of speech is under threat, when individuals have been and can be detained, by order of a minister of Government.

The article highlights the anxieties felt by various segments of society, including the "one per cent" community, whose members face detention under ministerial orders. It also touches upon the economic insecurity felt by tens of thousands who have lost state jobs, fearing for their own livelihoods. This pervasive atmosphere of apprehension leads many to discuss the government's perceived failings only in hushed tones, afraid of being overheard and facing repercussions. The narrative suggests a growing trend of labeling individuals as enemies of the state, often under the protection of parliamentary privilege, further intensifying the climate of fear.

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Teteron awaits.