Who is popular today?

THE EDITOR: The sun has long begun its descent on the United National Congress (UNC). Some may say it began when the party split into two at the hands-on Winston Dookeran’s COP. Others will argue it was the removal of Basdeo Panday which signalled its fall from grace. But most will say it is Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s leadership over all things.
There are years between each of these incidents, but whatever opinion you may have one thing is agreed – this is not the UNC of old.
Recently, Persad-Bissessar did selected MPs and senators with little to no experience in government. Inclusive of the Senate, the UNC has 25 members in Parliament. In the lower house there are 19 opposition members, 16 of whom have never held ministerial portfolios and eight are first-timers to the halls of Parliament. That is to say they have never been in the Senate or an MP prior to 2020. Even from the remaining members in the lower house, inclusive of the political leader herself, only three members have previously held portfolios in government.
With the numbers being as they are, it is no surprise that the Opposition often hears words such as “the law degree of the Honourable Senator Saddam Hosein should be revoked,” a statement made by the Attorney General on November 8, 2018. Even headlines have read, “Rambharat slams UNC MP over ignorant claim.”
Notably, whenever these new parliamentarians are under attack there is little to no assistance from the few senior members of the party. That alone may be a sign of things to come or at the very least an indication that not everyone within the inner circle agrees with the decisions of the party.
The silence of the few senior members is deafening when compared to the all-out defence and praise launched for the political leader. Rarely has an opposition member said more than a few lines without praising a long-forgotten act of their beloved Persad-Bissessar.
Even the former UNC members, long-time stalwarts and fighters, have begun changing their tune. Former MP Dr Fuad Khan said, “Under Kamla the Opposition is going nowhere”[1]
This reaction may not be so unexpected when one looks at the state of Parliamentary debates. Debates used to be filled with the best orators and negotiators throwing sharp-tongued comments at one another, and in the end the country received a well balanced and thought-out law.
Now the Opposition members are reduced to asking for the public to help them sign a petition to repeal a bill that they themselves abstained from voting on. Such is the case with their call to repeal the Procurement Act. In fact the strength of this opinion can be found in weekly documents marked “press releases” not signed by anyone spewing a political agenda.
A total of 309,188 people voted for the UNC in the last general election and it is for the reasons above many of us find ourselves lacking a voice in Parliament. As one of those 309,188, I long for the day I can march and protest behind a cause I believe in again. I await a leader that will inspire positive change. If you will, I await another Basdeo Panday.

ALEEM MOHAMMED

via e-mail
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