Dear Editor,
Gabrielle Jamela Hosein (‘In the Diaspora’ SN, February 15) has given the best analysis of Trinidadian politics since the 2007 election. Her take on Kamla Persad-Bissessar is quite on the button as is her assessment for the future of Trinidad and Tobago.
I met Ms Kamla Persad-Bissessar before the 2007 election with two colleagues, who can bear witness to what transpired. Persad-Bissessar has maintained the poise required for the leadership of the United National Congress (UNC) since our meeting. We had a few dialogues with the UNC and the Congress of the People (COP). What we found was quite revealing. Persad-Bissessar’s opposite number, Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan of COP was my alternate feminine choice for the future of Trinidad and Tobago.
Basdeo Panday maintained his ‘bullish’ disposition, even in the midst of the suggestion for a coalition of the UNC and COP. The public showing of COP, with Seepersad-Bachan as deputy leader was fabulous, but there was a visible scarcity of Winston Dookeran, the leader.
The 2007 UNC Delegates Conference drew a good attendance, but there was still the antagonism against COP and the battle lines were drawn. The 2007 COP pre-election rally at Woodford Square drew a massive turnout of over 40,000. But I pointed out to the COP leaders this would not translate into winning constituencies under the first-past-the-post system.
We sat with Basdeo Panday and witnessed the most barefaced downplaying of COP’s support at the Woodford Square rally by none other than Panday’s daughter and heir-anointed. I was appalled when Makela Panday arrived after we did and said there were about 10-15,000 at the rally. Perhaps she went before the build-up we witnessed. I gave a nudge to my colleague.
This misinformation was the basis on which Basdeo Panday perked up and announced he had forty years’ political experience and was coming with guns blazing. My colleague remarked, “Bas, you have one year experience forty times over; don’t bank on it.”
That was where I intervened to temper the heat that was building up to point out the need was for a unified front with COP. My appeal did bring down the temperature and a dialogue ensued.
Our last meeting was with the COP leadership (Chairman Roy Augustus and Deputy Leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan) at the Centre of Excellence. The morning newspapers announced the demitting of office of eight MPs for the purpose of the upcoming elections.
I took the data garnered from the news and argued the case that 40,000 attendees did not guarantee one single seat. There were eight seats up for grabs if the COP and UNC gave indication of a coalition. Their joint votes in these constituencies would have beaten their opponents.
The rest is history. COP did not win one seat in the 2007 elections. The UNC under Basdeo Panday orchestrated its own demise by denying the need for a coalition. He listened to the falsehood of his trusted messenger and did not bother to listen to reasoned dialogue.
The combined votes of UNC and COP in the eight vacant constituencies showed a coalition would have been the decisive winner of the seats up for grabs.
Now Persad-Bissessar has to initiate the dialogue for a coalition with COP to win the next elections. And while Mr Panday is having tantrums he should not be sent out into the sunset silently. There should be bigness in the heart of Persad-Bissessar (should she win the next election) to recognize her mentor and favour him for the Office of President for the contribution he has made to Trinidad and Tobago politics. This is my ‘up close and personal’ outsider’s view of the T&T political scenario.
Yours faithfully,
Seopaul Singh
