He made it prevail

If, as Opposition-for-life Leader Basdeo Panday claims, Kamla is “not ready to lead,” then who is? By implication, it would appear that only he is. If so, what do we make of his numerous public statements that he understands that some of the corruption mud the PNM has flung has stuck, and it is time for a new leader to emerge? How can a new leader emerge unless he facilitates the process of change? It’s no secret that the Pandays were backing Carlos John to win Ramesh and Kamla in the last leadership fight. Ramesh won and Panday turned his back on him; and the rest, as they say, is history. That internal election was prompted by Panday, who signalled his intention to leave after he returned from India. The unconditional support by UNC parliamentarians for Panday is disappointing, to say the least. It shows that they are as out of touch with the cry of the people and the reality on the ground as the PNM.

Over five years ago, retired Justice Deyalsingh published a column entitled “A one-party state looms.” A weak opposition facilitated this, and he forewarned of the disaster it spelt for our fledgling democracy. What he said of the UNC back then is as relevant today as it was in 2003. I can do no more than quote the learned judge: “What is needed is not only clear thinking and independence on the part of UNC parliamentarians and its supporters, but also the courage to put the party and the country first. “Mr Basdeo Panday has shown a painful lack of leadership qualities while the UNC was in power. “He allowed a state of corruption to emerge and flourish. He deserted the thousands and thousands of his faithful followers, and all too eagerly and quickly joined the ranks of the ‘parasitic oligarchy’ he had so vehemently condemned.

“He failed to deal with the ‘Caroni’ issue, leaving it to the PNM to scatter his faithful supporters with one swift surgical stroke; and in their moment of anguish, neither he nor his colleagues was there to comfort them. “He refused to accept the results of the internal elections of his party, and then banished Mr Ramesh Maharaj and Mr Trevor Sudama, his two faithful colleagues, from his government and the party, because they dared to take a principled stand on corruption. “And when there was the tie in the 2001 general election, he gave the President the opportunity to appoint Mr Manning as Prime Minister. These were fatal mistakes. “The UNC is out of power because of Mr Panday. And now that he is no longer Prime Minister, we witness over and over the sad spectacle of a faded figure who rants and raves and hurls insults at perceived enemies as he sees his supporters slipping away.

“He has now become a sorry spectacle and an embarrassment to the UNC and to decent folks everywhere. “Mr Panday, we regret to say, is now completely discredited. He is seared with the mark of corruption by the branding iron of public perception. “And this, together with his rantings and ravings in public since losing power, disqualifies him in the eyes of many for the high office of Prime Minister. “Unfortunately for the UNC, the contamination which Mr Panday carries is a blight on its honest parliamentarians, and their continued association and support for him tarnishes them even more so in the public eye. “What, then, must be done to save the UNC from collapsing into the old DLP and suffering the fate of forever being the Opposition in Parliament?”

The trouble is that the UNC was never really a party in the accepted sense. The UNC was Mr Panday, and since he is no longer acceptable to the public at large as a credible choice for the office of Prime Minister, the first thing on the agenda for the UNC must be to settle the leadership issue. Until this is done, the party will be in limbo, and will not be able to move forward. Mr Panday has said, time and again, that he is ready to quit politics. We suggest that this is the time for him to graciously bow out. Many of the UNC parliamentarians and followers know that this is the best thing for the party, and they must persuade Mr Panday to resign, not only in the interest of the party, but of the whole country.

If Mr Panday refuses to leave, the parliamentarians should do the right thing and seriously consider withdrawing their support from him as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and as political leader of the party.” Without change in the leadership of the UNC, T&T is destined to become a one-party state, with a rampant PNM ruling by default. There will be a repeat of 1956-1986. A balisier will adorn his coffin when he is lowered into the political cemetery and his epitaph will read: “Great was the PNM, but he made it prevail.”

By Anand Ramlogan