‘Local leaders must stop abusing their power’
Trevaughn Todman
Religious educator Trevaughn Todman has called on local leaders in the territory to desist from ‘abusing their power’.
Todman made the call while delivering an address known as The Youth’s Perspective during the annual Emancipation Service held at the Sunday Morning Well in Road Town, August 5.
He also made the call while asserting that a social ‘cleaning up’ needs to be done in the territory.
“… Cleaning up from the abuse of power, particularly in the political arena [but] not in government alone, but [also] in the church, and all other organisations. We have lost focus of the prize, that prize is Jesus. It is time to refocus.”
According to the educator, while it may seem ‘inappropriate’ to speak politics during emancipation, it has become necessary to do.
“Politics has shaped these islands to what it is today. The small mistakes – we didn’t deal with them then, and today, they have festered and now we are gravely ill and we need that great physician,” he said.
Be watchful
Todman also called on the persons to be more watchful.
“We have the vigilante and it says ‘to us to be watchful’. Have we been truly watchful today? I say we haven’t. If we were, we would be a lot better off today.”
“I grew up old-fashioned. I spent so much time with my grandmother behind goat, cow, pig. These were the things that helped to shape me. Church, of course, was a must and it was that discipline that paved the way. It was these things that paved the way for many in early days, but because of the dollar which led to greed, jealousy and envy – we saw something better than a life that reflects the God that lives within us,” he said.
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Brave speech….I rented a place once that was owned by a Church Minister (won’t say the person/denomination) but sadly he was a greedy and deceitful man that refused to return my deposit – instead choosing to fabricate a list of alleged damage even though we left the property in a better state than when we entered…unfortunately I was told that this was something regularly endured by expats that rent from belonger’s as they feel entitled to claim whatever they can as theirs unfairly…I agree there needs to be a mind set change and do to others as you would wish to be done to you….sadly their are many hypocrites on our Island and many are present in Government!
Jamsie has a politician/pastor in the making?
“Local leaders must stop abusing their power.” The answer this question is in the mirror. Our leaders, political and others, abuse the authority given because we let them. Political patronage, tribal politics……..etc is part and parcel of the current political landscape. On Election Day, some of us race to the polls to exercise our constitutional right and then we go into hibernation.
As long the tap is turned on and we are feeding at the trough, we are content and could care less about what is happening nationally. We have no interest in holding our leaders accountable and responsible. It is only when the faucet to the trough is turned off and we are personally impacted that we find the courage to speak out on all wrong doing that has been occurring. We put our personal self interest ahead of the national interest. Again, the answer is in the mirror.
Thank God you are not in the public service because the present minister would have given you, your walking ticket. Thank God you serve a great master that is better and bigger than Myron. Keep preaching the truth.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely is the relevant aphorism here. That said, if the leadership worked on implementing viable solutions to the Territory’s problems, chances are they’d get forever re-elected.
Moving forward the people have to hold the elected men and women accountable. Speaking out is important as we move forward. Well said.
Who bestows these titles of Pastor, Reverend, Bishop and so on?
I wish to be known as Cardinal from now on and I expect all to kiss my ring.