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THE EDITOR: War? Nobody wants it. That’s a basic yet powerful truth we must all recognise when discussing global conflict. But you wouldn't know it, with all the noise around the deployment of US warships in international waters close to Venezuela and TT. It feels like a political game, tossed around in local debates and throughout Caricom, often drowning out the genuine worries people have.
Deep down, everyone’s asking the same thing: why?
We're not blind to the official narrative: taking on drugs, arms, human trafficking, and shady trades. Those are real threats that fuel violence and heartbreak in our neighbourhoods. And we, Venezuela and TT, as sovereign nations, will probably engage with the US to sort this out. There’s a glimmer of hope, maybe even a belief, that somehow humanity can find a peaceful way forward.
But that hope is balanced by a harsh reality. If Venezuela were thriving, why would over thousands of its people be searching for safety in TT? Why millions elsewhere? Their numbers aren't just statistics; they're a vivid reminder of a deep humanitarian crisis. When they talk about home, you can hear the longing; no one leaves their homeland without a serious reason.
This hits close to home for us in Trinidad. We all dream of a better future, often seeing the US as that “land of milk and honey.” But let’s be real, that view is only part of the story. America has its own problems, with citizens grappling with their challenges every day. The pursuit of a better life isn’t restricted to one place; it's a global hope.
So, with the spectre of war looming, we have to ask: what does it achieve? History is filled with grim lessons.
Take Ukraine. After years of conflict, who will actually come out on top? The landscape tells a tale of devastation, lost lives, destroyed homes, shattered hopes. Or look at the ongoing strife between Israel and Palestine. Is there any light at the end of that tunnel? The cycle of violence seems never-ending, with generations caught in the crossfire, sacrificed for a victory that continually slips away.
It’s clear: war doesn’t solve anything; it showcases our failure to imagine better outcomes. It ruins economies, tears apart communities, and creates the very conditions of hopelessness we claim to be battling.
The true enemy isn’t a nation or its people, it’s the tangled web of despair, economic downturns, criminal greed, and failed systems that drive folks to the edge, pushing them into perilous trades and journeys.
In an ideal world (a bit of a fantasy, I know), we’d band together, Americans, Venezuelans, Trinidadians/Tobagonians, and tackle these root issues head-on. Let’s pour resources into development, open up legal avenues for trade and migration, bolster institutions, and confront the humanitarian crisis that forces people to leave. We have the smarts for this collective problem-solving. But do we have the heart?
The drums of war may be deafening, but their melody is misleading. They promise quick fixes but gift us only ruin. Meanwhile, the whispers of reason, collaboration, and shared humanity are softer, yet hold the only true solution. As the world watches this situation unfold on our doorstep, let’s stand up for that quieter, yet stronger truth. We must push for a peace that truly addresses the root causes and honours the fundamental truth: nobody wants war.
ELIJAH MOTIERAM
via e-mail
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