PUTTING A CROWN ON THE HEAD OF A CLOWN

 It is difficult, if not impossible, to come to any other conclusion that the sole purpose of having PNM's internal elections spread over a three day period was for there to be an opportunity to cheat. Nobody has been able to give any logical reason why the one day voting for a new executive has been changed to three days and the resistance by the authorities in the Party to the proposal to change to three days of voting from one speaks volumes. I was always taught that if you can't say something in one sentence then you can't say it at all. And I defy anybody to explain how changing the voting from one day to three days will be cost effective and prevent cheating in one sentence.

A lot of people enjoy horror movies, though , for myself, I have never understood the attraction. But when you boil down all of the plots they always follow more or less the same line: in the final act, horror movie monsters that seem unstoppable - zombies, vampires, sharks - always shock the good guys who presumed that their terrifying enemies had been killed once and for all- or at the least, are set to be killed once and for all. Keith Rowley, like one of these monsters seemed to be about to be killed politically in the PNM's internal elections. Clearly, that ain't gonna happen. Though he is gravely wounded, with the attempt to prevent or at least delay the expected efforts to cheat having been thwarted he is likely to threaten not just a handful of teens in the woods, but the PNM and, beyond it the whole democratic process in the country.

It is possible, of course, that the thinking behind putting the internal elections over a three day period and seeking to delay the local government elections for a year is that everything is 'hunky dory' and that there are no hidden reasons for the present actions - possible, but most unlikely!

The PNM is a major political force in this country. Its internal elections are therefore of paramount importance to the country as a whole - the result is obviously important not just to non-members, but to opponents of the PNM. It is most unlikely at the present time that Dr. Rowley's Government enjoys majority support in the country and that most members of the PNM are not happy with either him or his leadership - not to mention his team. If this is correct that would go a long way to explaining the two propose actions referred to earlier. And, of course, they would be acutely aware of their unpopularity. For example, the Finance Minister's bold claims of economic reform and development - which to date have not been backed by tangible and sustainable results - are they mere expressions of personal vanity and hype or are they real and substantial and something that we really can count on? And let's not forget the issue of runaway crime!

Let me put it this way: if you put a crown on the head of a clown you do not make him a king; you simply turn the palace into a circus.

THE SNAKE OIL SALESMAN

 Keith Rowley, the Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister, emerged as a serious political force at the end of his predecessor's (Patrick Manning) term. But probably the most significant thing that we can note about him is the fact that he is not a creator. His talent lies in marketing (himself) rather than in any type of organizational leadership or in taking a novel concept from its inception to a premium place and thus benefitting the country. He has adroitly played to racist and xenophobic fears that attached to Mrs. Persad Bissessar's re-election bid in 2020. He has continuously lied  and pontificated on just about everything from emailgate to crime to corruption and every thing in between. He has made ridiculous statements and ran with them and has surrounded himself with weak, incompetent and ineffective people who are making ten times more money as Ministers of Government than they could ever earn in the world that the rest of us inhabit. Little wonder that they remain so loyal to him despite all the evidence that the country is falling apart!

Rowley did not single handedly inject the strains of intolerance, racism, belligerence and a durable sympathy for anti democratic behaviour into the PNM and there is no reason to believe that his absence would cause them to evaporate, UNLESS the PNM replaces him with a more moderate and tolerant leader - which is likely to happen IF there is no cheating in the upcoming leadership elections. Unfortunately for the country that seems unlikely at the present time.

For critical observers, it is apparent that everything Rowley has offered the country came slathered in Snake oil. That is either a statement about the willful blindness of the T&T electorate or a barometer of haw many Trinbagonians view these dangerous liabilities or assets. In either case, at least one other insight : fixating on the salesman, misses the point. The problem is, and always has been, the size of the audience rushing to buy what he is selling.

SUE ME IF YOU DARE, MADAM SPEAKER

 It is time to remove the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Parliament is supposed to be a place where matters of public importance are discussed and debated. But this Speaker, sensing that the present administration is vulnerable to some high profile licks, is almost continuously looking to use her office to protect the Government. She is SUPPOSED TO BE NEUTRAL, for crying out loud! 

What could be more urgent for Parliament to discuss than crime? Flooding? Well apparently she doesn't think so either. She shut down a debate on crime last week and now has decided that the flooding that several hundred thousand people have recently suffered is not definite, nor is it urgent, nor is it a matter of public importance!! So, Madam Speaker, what is definite, urgent and of public importance in your book? You can't answer that and make sense, can you?

Look, I have court house clothes. I invite Bridgette Anisette George, the Speaker of the House to sue me for defamation for what I am about to write: You, Madam Speaker are not fit to be a Speaker of the House of Representatives in Trinidad & Tobago. You are incompetent, biased and awful at your job. You seem to think that you are the last bastion of defence for a failing and incompetent Government, and you are using your office  corruptly to stifle legitimate debate. And yes, by doing what you are doing that is corruption. Sue me for saying that you are corrupt. I dare you. But I would remind you of the case of Oscar Wilde more than a hundred years ago.

In that case, Oscar Wilde, who was a famous author and playwright, was also a homosexual at a time when homosexuality was a crime on the statute books of England. He (Wilde) was having an affair with the son of the Marquis of Queensbury (of boxing's Queensbury rules). The Marquis went to Wilde and begged him to leave his son alone. The Marquis said that he (Wilde) was a wealthy and famous man and could have anybody he wanted, but please leave his son alone. Wilde (rather arrogantly) sent the Marquis away with the proverbial flea in his ear.

But the Marquis wasn't done. He went all over London saying that Wilde was a homosexual (and remember, this was at a time when homosexuality was against the law). Wilde sued for defamation AND LOST! The truth and fair comment is a defence in defamation matters. The authorities took note of the civil case and launched a criminal case against Wilde. He was found guilty and sent to prison in the town of Reading, where he wrote what was arguably his most famous poem - The Ballad of Reading Gaol. After serving his time on being released Wilde went into a self-imposed exile in France where he died a few years later.

So just to be clear, Madam Speaker, I am saying that your refusal to allow urgent debates on either crime or flooding is motivated by your very obvious political biases rather than any reasoned thought. And I am saying that because your motives in refusing these debates was to protect the Government rather than to allow free debate in Parliament, In other words, your motives were corrupt and as a result you are guilty of corruption. 

Sue me if you dare. My defence will be the truth and fair comment. (But you already knew that.) And let us instruct our lawyers to fast track this case. I will readily agree to just about anything that causes it to be heard in record time. I hereby waive my right to a pre-action protocol letter. File your writ now. I will not apologize and will continue to say what I have said here all over the world. And if your lawyers decide to apply for an ex parte injunction to prevent me from repeating what I have said here, please show this article to the honourable Judge and tell him (or her) that I would like to be heard at the ex parte hearing. {For your information (although I shouldn't be giving you legal advice)  if you do not comply with my request I can go ex parte before the same Judge and have the injuction thrown out.} 

But I don't want to waste time. Let's get this show on the road. I challenge you. Sue me, if you dare.

P.S. I hope you don't use Government monies to fund this litigation.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF TRUST

It is clear to any unbiased observer that the real reason for postponing the Local Government elections which were due shortly, is because given the present state of disaffection in the country the ruling PNM has figured that they will lose. So, the PNM is gambling that things might turn around in 12 months time and if not they cacan always kick this particular can down the road again.

The problem with this strategy is that it starts to push the local elections that much closer to the general elections, and a massive loss in the local could create a kind of tsunami that would be impossible to hold back resulting in a potential major defeat for the ruling Party.

While I understand the reasoning in favour of delay, history has shown that the closer local elections are to a general election that the results of the local election can be mirrored in the general. Remember the massive defeat of the PNM in the local elections a year or two before the general election in the mid nineteen eighties? My own view is that the PNM might be better off in taking the licking now, rather than later. Because, the truth is that most voters are fed-up. People perceptions are that they are worse off today than when Rowley & Co. took power. And they feel that there has been more than enough time to fix things. Unless, of course, the Government is privy to certain information that it hasn't shared with us as yetwhich would or could change the picture completely.

Added to this perception is that a lot of people simply do not believe anything that the Prime Minister or his minions do not tell the truth. Most people, for example, do not believe that Dr. Rowley has contracted Covid for a seemingly unprecedented fifth time. While this may (or may not) be true, what is so sad is that people generally do not believe that their Prime Minister is telling the truth about this. And a photo of the Prime Minister  in social media allegedly taken just last Saturday doesn't help. The trust is simply not there for most people, and except for the diehard supporters, who would vote for a crapaud in a balisier tie, they simply don't believe anything that the Government says.

You have, for example, the ruling by what is probably the worst Speaker this country has ever had, who decided that the burgeoning crime rate is not urgent nor is it of public importance. According to her it is certainly not definite! And so, in the highest court in the land the ruling Speaker has effectively prevented the country from hearing what the Opposition has to say nor how they would fix it! It's not of sufficient public importance to be discussed in the Parliament! Unbelievable!! What in the name of heaven does she think Parliament is for?

Of course, the ever growing list of victims of crime might disagree with her, but their opinions won't count until election time when (she might hope) other matters can take prominence and this rather "piffling" matter of crime will be forgotten (or at least moved far enough away so that enough people might forget her idiocy).

But the mistakes and the missteps keep piling up. That the Opposition has so far failed to convince the majority of the voting population speaks also to their incompetence. and inability to get their message across. It is as if the politicians on both sides believe that running a negative campaign will pull more votes (' vote for us because the other side will do worse and you will be worse off') is better than admitting that there are problems and presenting positive solutions as to dealing with them. But at the end of the day, it is our fault, because we put up with the lies and half truths, not to mention the incompetence. And this is on both sides!

SOME REASONS WHY PNM HAS MANAGED TO STAY IN POWER

 I'm certain that many of my (few?) readers have wondered at one time or the other  as to why the PNM has managed to hold power for about 60 years. The Party retains considerable latent support, resilience and mobilization ability, even if the present regime is inept at capitalizing on those issues. There is a reason the PNM factors so prominently in the country's political history over the last 60 years: the Party frequently uses, misuses and eventually restores hard ground support. 

On top of that, the Party's founder, Dr. Eric Williams, laid down a blueprint  for a decision making system that is more of a pyramid, with all lines of authority flowing  or descending from the Political Leader's office. This means that all major issues are ultimately settled at the top. 

Of course, Dr. Rowley doesn't decide everything himself. He often kicks matters down to a level where elite factions bargain - or fight-them out. But on high priority matters- or when the bosses can't agree - Dr. Rowley steps in to impose "manual control", often with the television cameras rolling to show his decisiveness.

An overcentralized system can work tolerably well in quiet times. The clear lines of authority can help in solving minor problems. But the need for the Political Leader to weigh in personally becomes a serious issue when the more complex problems are fast developing. The centre is quickly overwhelmed, which can lead to cascading mistakes. The Prime Minister has  had to simultaneously deal with a pandemic, elite conflicts, economic failures, shrinking budget resources, unrest and unhappiness over crime as well as other issues.

Then of course, like all authoritarian rulers, Dr. Rowley's second area of vulnerability is the need for him to project strength. He tends to rely on an elaborate game - most of his supporters  are motivated by corruption rather than conviction, but they act out of faith that the system will survive, meltdown is certainly not inevitable. But if meltdown happens , how would it play out? As problems intensify they would likely tend to exacerbate each other.

What is happening right now in the country is that there is a general draining of confidence. Dr. Rowley has hinted that he might be prepared to throw in the towel and quit. But he would want to control not only who his successor might be, but also to control his successor. Of course events might just overtake him and he might find himself so hated by the electorate as being the person who brought the various disasters (crime, the economy, etc.) that he finds no way out.  On the other hand, he might just be able to hold on. Certainly, the whole situation is most unpredictable at the moment as the opposition UNC has been unable (for whatever reason) to capitalize on Dr. Rowley's many mistakes.