There is much discussion on whether the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) should contest the next general election in Trinidad and Tobago alone or join with others in a coalition. If UNC Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar decides to form a coalition, with whom should she join?
David Abdullah has forgotten that it was Kamla who had appointed him as a Government Senator in 2010-2012, and many of his MSJ (Movement for Social Justice) followers as Directors of State Boards. These are prized positions that David and the MSJ would never enjoy again unless he joins the PNM. And that would not be surprising.
David would never share the stage with the Opposition UNC today. But in 2012 and 2014, he joined forces with the then Opposition PNM (People’s National Movement) in Port-of-Spain to protest against the People’s Partnership (PP) Government.
Roget, Ramesh and Rowley together
David showed solidarity with the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) and its president, Ancil Roget. They joined PNMites Dr Keith Rowley, Jennifer Baptiste-Primus and Camille Robinson-Regis at a rally. Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Jack Warner also spoke.
Roget was incensed about the treatment of the PP government towards the Petrotrin oil company. During the march, Roget shouted: “We are prepared to do everything within the law to ensure that they go, that they go, that they go.” Now that the PNM Government has closed Petrotrin and sent home 8,000 workers, why are David, Roget, Vincent Caberra, Michael Annisette and JTUM silent?
Why is Roget not now marching up and down Port of Spain and publicly vowing “not to rule out closing down the country in T&T’s interest, if necessary” and declaring, “We’re not prepared to rest until they [PP Government] leave!” Why is Roget not undressing and dragging a mannequin of Rowley as he did of Kamla.
Why are the trade unions, NGOs and civic groups such as the Roundtable Group not joining the UNC in its Monday Night Forum in a show of solidarity? Would Kamla ask Kirk Waithe and his one-man show, Fixing T&T, to join her?
Kirk gave Kamla plenty pressure during her term in office, going around asking people to sign petitions on legal State matters. Why is Kirk not petitioning Rowley to act on matters involving Chief Justice Ivor Archie in relation to a mysterious man, Justice Marcia Ayers-Caesar, the Law Association, and the composition of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC)?
Phillip, Panday, Kirk, Volney, et al.
Would Kamla ask Phillip Alexander and his Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) to join her? Phillip, Kirk and Comrade David Abdullah combined cannot attract enough voters to fill a bus to a polling station on election day. But their active commitment to national development cannot be discounted.
And what of Basdeo Panday and his daughter, Mickela? As a charismatic politician and public orator par excellence, Panday was twice a Prime Minister (1995 & 2001). He was also the lead figure to break the PNM hegemony in 1986 (33-3) with the formation of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR).
Kamla must seek his experience and wisdom as an elderly statesman (guru). But Panday is unlikely to cooperate because he wants his attractive, bright daughter to succeed him. However, Mickela’s place in the politics is in the future, not now.
Herbert Volney must know that the political road has ended and it is time to park. The fired Justice Minister had caused the PP Government irreparable damage by allegedly misleading the Cabinet over the early proclamation of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Bill 2011.
Would Kamla accept her former Gender Youth and Child Development Minister, Verna St Rose-Greaves, again? With about 1,670 murders in three and a half years under the PNM, and 80 in the first 52 days in 2019, why is Verna not ringing her bell and screaming hysterically in and out Parliament: “It cannot be business as usual. Our children are dying. Our children are being killed. Do something! Oh God!”
Would environment activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh join the UNC on a platform? With his “farce”” protest against Kamla to stop the Debe to Mon Desir leg of the new highway, this Mahatma has denied commuters the free flow of traffic in the south-western part of Trinidad. On the eve of the general election in 2015, he vowed publicly “to use all his strength [??] to ensure” the PP lose. Why is Wayne not camping against the construction of buildings on the Curepe nurseries and near the mangroves in Guyamare and POS MovieTowne?
Goatman President Shiraz Khan, car salesman Inshan Ishmael and community activist Juliet Davy have lost all political integrity. They would hang their mouth on any side of the fence the food flows. Inshan, in particular, is namakharam [ungrateful] to the UNC who gave him undeserved land near the Divali Nagar.
is a full-time anthropologist at the University of Guyana (UG) and Fellow of The Eccles Centre for American Studies, British Library (2022-23). He is a former Assistant Professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). He obtained his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Florida (UF). As a doctoral student, he won a Florida Caribbean Institute Award, an A. Curtis Wilgus Grant, and an Organization of American States (OAS) Fellowship.
Mahabir received a National Award (Hummingbird Silver Medal) for his contribution to education in his country in 2011. He was among 50 recipients who received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the UWI Alumni Association.
Mahabir is the author of 12 books to date.