Opinion
- Editorial- Commentary
Trinidad
Express: Who
would have thought?
When significant social change occurs-for better or for worse-it seems to happen
suddenly. It isn't sudden, of course, but it seems like it. Perhaps the unavoidable
nature of media coverage-glaring headlines one day announcing the invasion
of a country, a coup, a new government, a new democracy, eruptions of violent
confrontations, the death of influential people, visible and popular protest
action-contribute to the impression that change occurs suddenly. One day we
pick up a newspaper or turn on the radio/television and are told that something
important has changed.
The noticeable differences in this year's election
campaign seem surprising, although analysts and
close observers will say they really are not. Who
among us ordinary folk expected the Congress of
the People (COP) to be the main story of the election
campaign? Who would have expected the return of
ONR-like sentiment and expectation more than 20
years after that party swept votes but won no seats?
Who, a few months ago, would have anticipated a
Ryan poll to put the new party on the block, the
Johnny-come-lately, neck and neck with the political
institution that is the People's National Movement
(PNM)?
Who
would have expected the recently beleaguered,
embattled economist, Winston Dookeran-for so long
a reticent, retiring, self-effacing semi-politician-to
be the bearer of something different, the figure
around whom many desirous of political change have
gathered, the speaker of a new political language?
One night last week, I heard him on the platform
saying, "I am not here to ill-speak anyone";
I switched radio stations to hear the outgoing
Camille Robinson-Regis, shrill and fertile with
picong: "They wicked! They nasty!"
The UNC Alliance speakers, meanwhile, have taken
malicious aim at Anand Ramlogan; the Mirror newspaper
suggests some of the nastiness spoken on the
political platform. Gillian, too, has been an
unlucky target.
Who knew that in 2007 there would be a three-way
battle for political office, that the traditional
two-party contest (others were not to be taken
seriously) would change, that there would be the
possibility of two significant opposition parties
in the Lower House?
With the three-party contest has come less talk
about race. After decades of race politics culminating
in an 18-18 standoff, three elections in three
years, and renewed racial antagonism, who would
have thought that race would be such a small factor
this time around? With many Indians on the PNM
slate, Jack Warner as United National Congress
Alliance co-political leader, and everybody and
anybody in the COP, there are no longer clear racial
demarcations to be attacked. I'm not hearing about
alienation, marginalisation, Indian brothers and
sisters, etc this time around, reinforcing what
most of us knew all along: that racial sentiment
was manipulated for political expedience.
It's not expedient this time around.
Who
would have expected the PNM to be embroiled in
internal conflict? The institution's traditional
wall of secrecy is showing some widening cracks.
Patrick Manning has managed to do what PNM leaders
of the past couldn't; he has attracted such distaste
from his party that Ken Valley called him a dictator
in the making. He has managed to so anger some
PNMites that they have reached into their history,
plucked out and inverted a canonical insult: "We
eh want no crapaud in Sangre Grande!" Well
take that!
Who would have thought, too, that sleepy Tabaquite
would emerge as a hot seat? Last week, in Gran
Couva, Pepper Village and La Vega-small villages
en route to Tabaquite-Anand Ramlogan was by the
tamarind tree with COP supporters. Further along,
between Stella's shop and Salty's shop, there were
more COP folks. Along the La Vega main road, cocoa
estates on either side, the chutney champ walked
with his PNM supporters.
One or two orange shirts were also visible but
it seems the UNC candidate was not present, just
one or two T-shirts. Heeralal Rampartap, Anand
Ramlogan and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj-big boys
engaged in a big fight in this quiet place where
villagers either steupsed and stayed indoors
or leaned over banisters on their verandahs wearing
light, curious smiles.
And what of Kamla Persad-Bissessar? Who would
have expected her redemption as a serious political
figure? She looked like someone to watch in 1995
then degenerated along with her party. Now she
has returned, renewed her commitment, shown her
political and personal maturity and, are we seeing,
finally, one prospect of a female prime minister,
if not this time around perhaps in the near future?
And as the time closes in for the publication
of this column, some are saying that the COP is
losing momentum.
What intrigue there is this election season! What
interest is being generated!
The
Trinidad Express is
one of the most important newspaper in Trinidad.
Petroleumworld not necessarily share these
views.
Editor's
Note: This article was first publish in Trinidad
Express, Sunday, October 21st 2007 . Petroleumworld
reprint this article in the interest
of our readers.
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10/21/07
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