I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. Yes, big men do cry. I also wanted to round up a group of similarly affected people and make a public display (I didn’t care what form it took) of the anger swelling inside.

These emotions were evoked by the tragic killing of Ashmead Baksh and the unbelievable reaction of citizens (callers to a radio programme who are really nothing more than political zealots) who appear more bent on furthering the racial division that has unfortunately surfaced since the UNC won the 1995 general election.

Our leaders, especially those in the political engine room, must be extremely careful about the manner in which they steer this country and Prime Minister Patrick Manning still doesn’t seem to have both hands firmly on the wheel.

At his party’s family day function Sunday, he quite rightly expressed his and the Government’s condolences on the brutal killing of the young mechanical engineer whose body was found the day before at Platanite Trace in Penal.

But to my horror, while taking in the fun with his PNM devotees, he in the same breath called on Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday to stop “playing the fool” with proposed legislation which he thinks would assist his Government in its battle with the criminals.

That immediately would bolster his supporters’ views that the UNC was responsible for the runaway crime situation in T&T, which has done our reputation abroad extreme harm.

And as if to take the cue from his beloved leader, the host of a radio morning talk show, Ricardo Welch (“The Gladiator”), on Monday morning made an incredible supposition that set the tone for a vitriolic war of words between PNM and UNC fanatics.

Welch started off saying he would not indulge in speculation as to the reason for the murder of Baksh, but five minutes later he declared—without the slightest evidence—that he felt something was “politically stink” in the episode.

About half hour later, Welch arrived at the amazing conclusion that the murder was politically motivated. Nothing to back up that potentially volatile assertion.

And his loyal and fanatical PNM listeners supported him by suggesting the UNC was behind the killing to gain sympathy for the party. Welch, playing smart, asked “Mr Chaguanas” (a staunch UNC apologist) if he did not think people would engineer killings for their own selfish gain.

That whole morning the radio station was bombarded with disgusting cross talk between supporters of both sides, all losing what should have been the main issue at this time: how do we as citizens unite against the common enemy—armed and extremely dangerous criminals?

Panday was not to be left out of the unpalatable stew, renewing his call for talks with the Government on constitutional reform before the UNC could support anti-crime measures.

I really don’t know what the relationship between the two is.

I wanted to express my various emotions because by Monday morning I was convinced that political and racial polarisation in T&T is travelling almost on a path of no return.

I really dislike having to say that but I detect a kind of satanic stridency by some of our people who see things in only two lights (blinkered as they may be) —PNM or UNC.

I mean, oh God! When would this silly, stupid and counterproductive mentality come to an end?

Do you think Manning or Panday would put down their supporters and say, “Look, this is our country, let us stop this nonsense and work together for the sake of our future?” No way.

Panday and Manning are on their way out and I think it is selfishness on their part that both men cannot take the high road, sink their differences — especially out of an election period—and try to wrest our country back from the lawless breed.

Because of their stridency and not putting their heads together, the criminals are running away with the country. Manning is in office surrounded by permanent security. So why worry? The other one, as he has professed on so many occasions, is not there to make the Government look good.

So where does that leave us vulnerable and peaceful citizens? In the murderous jaws of criminals.

One would have thought that the nation had reached the end of its patience and decided to take the fight to these people with one common weapon—united to defeat them. But no. I am PNM and you are UNC. Talk done.

What a shame where we have gotten to. Allah, Jesus, Krishna, Jah, please help us. Time is running out.