MERRY CHRISTMAS

 I LOVE T&T. This is probably the only country in the world that where the Christian population is a minority,  just about everybody celebrates Christmas. Down here in this, the Southernmost island in the Caribbean, even people who are not Christians put up a Christmas tree in their homes and go to Christmas parties and indulge in other Christmas pastimes. (not to mention the delicious traditional Christmas foods). For the record, there is a very large number of Hindus and Moslems down here, but in all my years  I have never met one Trinbagonian that doesn't celebrate Christmas in one way or the other - and in a country where some 55 percent of the population is not Christian!  If the tolerance that we have for others (especially at this time of the year) was universal, the world, would be a much happier place.

Even in the hardest times there is still a certain "joi de vivre" and excitement in the country that is palpable and which seems to grow the closer we get to the big day. That a lot of people who are not Christian pay little attention (if any) to the religious aspects and overtones of Christmas is a given. But if I might suggest, the spirit of Christmas is much bigger than whether you believe or not that Jesus was born on the 25th December or that he was/is the Son of God, but  has more to do with love and tolerance.

And that's what I love about this place  - the Spirit of Christmas that is celebrated by just about everybody! Despite the best efforts of some politicians on both sides of the political fence who try to divide the country racially, the fact is that most people in this country are very tolerant of others and are even more so in this Christmas season. And this is what is so important!

Can life be hard for some - especially down here in T&T? Absolutely! But that still doesn't stop the excess of goodwill that is so abundant down here. Merry Christmas, everybody. And I wish you all that you desire in the coming new year.

THE DEFAULT PARTY IN T&T - THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

 Well, the default Party has done it again: the PNM is obviously counting on the hope that no matter how badly it screws up, people will still prefer it to the Kamla led UNC. And they might have a point! Certainly, poll after poll has indicated that the UNC led by Mrs. Bissessar is not a viable alternative to the Rowley led PNM and so the very narrow PNM electorate has reasoned that the Rowley led PNM can and will win again as Kamla obviously has no intention of moving and there is no credible alternative to her leadership. At least, that is probably the thinking.  So the PNM is obviously the preferred political Party by default and the UNC in its present carnation remains as not being a viable alternative.

Of course there is obviously the thought that there was cheating in the PNM polls and that this internal election that endorsed Dr. Rowley and his team was "t'iefed". Of course, this is a possibility that can't be discounted, but there is no justiciable evidence that there was "hanky-panky" and nobody can say that. Then there is always the very remote possibility that the rank and file PNM membership might revolt against this result- but this is obviously as possible as snow falling in Trinidad. (Although with climate change that may no longer be a good analogy!)  If this were true, then the polls are wrong and the UNC is back in with a chance as many PNM supporters will simply sit on their hands and not vote.

So? What happens now? Reportedly, the turnout of eligible voters was a little over ten percent of the PNM membership - hardly a ringing endorsement, but nevertheless, one that the victors can "take to the bank". Based on present performance, it remains that it is most unlikely that the wider electorate will be tempted to turn to Mrs. Persad-Bissessar and her team. Can Mrs. Persad-Bissesar turn that around? Yes, she still has time, but there would have to be a wholescale demolition of her present team and replacing them with really attractive and powerful people - something that the lady has been obviously reluctant to do. Clearly, she is hoping that the wider public will get so fed-up with Dr. Rowley et al that it will feel that it has no choice but to turn to her - hardly a winning strategy!

Dr. Rowley himself could decide, for example, to change his front line - the fact that the false report about his firing his Minister of National Security was greeted with such obvious joy from just about every section of the society before it was announced that it was false would hardly have gone unnoticed by him - and then call elections soon after that and before his new team had a chance to fail. In other words, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar's gamble that the PNM is screwing up so badly that the electorate will turn to her will have been for nought. The default Party will win again. "Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't"!

THOSE PNM LEADERSIP ELECTIONS

 Try to forget for a moment whether you are a supporter or not of the People's National Movement (PNM).  I know that it's hard, but try and look objectively at this political Party which has dominated T&T's politics for more than 60 years.  With its leadership elections drawing to a close this coming Sunday (4th December) I have been trying to view the Party and its leadership as objectively as I can. I know that half of you will think that I have been too kind to Dr. Rowley and the other half will think that I haven't been harsh enough in what I am about to say. There is an old saying about fools rushing in where angels fear to tread, but I have always looked with scorn on people who are afraid to voice their opinion on any given subject and so I devised a little test for myself which I have decided to share with you on how best to assess Dr. Rowley's leadership of the country. I asked myself nine questions about him and marked each question out of a possible 100 points. So, here goes with my so-called "survey". (I think that when you read it you will understand the questions; the questions are all based on the perception as to how well/badly he is doing today -not yesterday - and are not meant to  compare Dr. Rowley with anybody else):

Political persuasion score                                                     40

Crisis leadership      score                                                    20

Economic management score                                              15 

Moral authority              score                                              20

Industrial relations         score                                              30

Administrative skills      score                                              30

Vision/ability to set an agenda score                                    20

Pursued equal justice for all     score                                   10

Performance within the context of the times score              20

Total overall score                                       185 out of a possible 900 or 20.56 percent

Obviously, I am of the view that the result that I got is a fairly accurate impression of Dr. Rowley's performance as a Prime Minister. Equally obviously, your impression is probably very different from mine. But perhaps you might try and answer the criteria set out to yourself as honestly as you possibly can. After all, nobody but you will see the results and if you are a PNM supporter/voter in the leadership elections if I have made you think then I will have achieved my purpose.

It goes without saying from the above that I believe that Dr. Rowley has failed the country miserably.  If you agree with me, then the next question will be who to put as Party leader. There are two other choices: Ronald Boynes and Karen Teishera. I have already said who I think is the better of these two and why - and it ain't Karen!