The Election was just the beginning, now comes the work

By Dr Marlene Attzs, Economist

Email: marlene.attzs@gmail.com

The ballots have been cast, the people have spoken, and the dust is beginning to settle on what has been one of the most passionate and polarising election campaigns in Trinidad and Tobago’s recent history.

As the celebrations began in some quarters and disappointment weighed in others, there is one indisputable fact that must now guide us all: at the end of the day, we must live together.

From my perspective, the 2025 General Elections were intense, emotionally charged, and, in many ways, bruising. Social media was ablaze with attacks, misinformation campaigns sowed division, and some political platforms fed a diet of fear more than hope. At times, we lost sight of our basic values of decency in the heat of election battle.

The campaign trail saw language that was often corrosive. Families were split, neighbours disagreed, WhatsApp groups erupted into silence or conflict. But now that the results are in, we must pause and ask: what do we do with the wounds we’ve inflicted on each other?

This is where citizenship must rise above partisanship. It is time to put the red, yellow, blue and other colours aside—not losing sight of our democratic rights to critique and hold leaders accountable—but to remember that beyond being PNM, UNC, NTA, TPP or otherwise, we are Trinbagonians first. How we vote is NOT how we party.

The victory and the responsibility

The victory of the United National Congress (UNC) in this election, led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar in her return to power as Prime Minister for a second time, marks a significant political shift. Most of the population has clearly expressed a desire for a different direction, new leadership.

Persad-Bissessar now carries not only the hopes of those who voted for her but the weight of national unity and national development on her shoulders. She must lead not only as the head of government but as a healer of a divided society. Her language in the coming weeks must signal reconciliation, inclusion, and maturity.

Likewise, those who supported the People’s National Movement (PNM), or any other political movement, must also resist the instinct to retreat into resentment. The democratic process is not always comforting in its outcomes, but it is sacred. To honour it is to accept both victory and loss with equal grace.

A nation bigger than its politics

Trinidad and Tobago is bigger than any political party. Our diversity—ethnic, religious, cultural—is both our gift and our challenge. We have always navigated our way through differences, through elections, storms, Carnival, floods, and pandemics. This moment is no different.

Amid the fever pitch electioneering, we in T&T joined millions of Catholics worldwide to mourn the loss of our beloved Pope Francis. Mere days before his passing, in his Easter message on April 20, Pope Francis reminded us, “The light of Easter impels us to break down the barriers that create division and are fraught with grave political and economic consequences. It impels us to care for one another, to increase our mutual solidarity, and to work for the integral development of each human person.”

We in T&T would do well to take this to heart—political competition must never become political cruelty.

The new government must therefore prioritise not just economic growth and legislative reform but also restoring social trust. The Opposition too must embrace its role as constructive critic and guardian of democracy.

As the new government settles in, one of its most urgent responsibilities will be to exercise prudent fiscal management and engage in honest, transparent communication with the public.

The time for sugar-coating the country’s economic realities has long passed. Citizens deserve a clear, fact-based understanding of the challenges we face –whether it’s public debt, revenue shortfalls, the cost of maintaining essential services or the promised payment of higher salaries.

Only through open dialogue and responsible stewardship of the nation’s finances can trust be rebuilt and shared sacrifice justified. In addition to sound policies, T&T needs a government willing to tell the truth and lead with integrity.

To our elected officials, remember: leadership is not power—it is service. Every minister, and every Member of Parliament must now shift gears from campaigning to governing. The tone must change, and the work must begin.  Pope Francis warned, “A good politician always has the good of the people at heart and knows how to listen.” I suggest this be the standard by which all our leaders—regardless of party—are judged moving forward.

In the days ahead, there will be legal challenges, post-election analyses, and more than a few political autopsies. But in our homes, schools, places of worship, and workplaces, we must begin the work of repairing wounds inflicted by political fervour.

Let us remind ourselves that what unites us is far deeper than what divides us: a love for our country, our children’s future, our communities, our shared identity.

Let us take a cue from Pope Francis, who also reminded us, “The world tells us to seek success, power and money; God tells us to seek humility, service and love.”

May we, as Trinbagonians, choose service over self-interest, humility over hubris, and love over lingering bitterness.

The ballots are behind us. The building must begin. And let us always be reminded that at the end of the day, every creed and race MUST have an equal place in T&T. That’s my point of view!