Credibility

At a time when cynicism about the motives of politicians in general abounds in Guyana, it would perhaps come as no surprise that the credibility of politicians in other parts of the region is also being seriously questioned.

In neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, the announcement by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s People’s Partnership government last week that it had foiled an attempt to assassinate her and three Cabinet colleagues was met with widespread scepticism in the media and amongst a populace jaded by the shenanigans and doublespeak of politicians, regardless of party affiliation. Trinidad is, after all, the land of carnival, masquerades and masks, where assuming different roles comes naturally to people and nothing is ever taken at face value.

From the beginning of the state of emergency, declared on August 21 and due to end on December 5, the government’s rationale that it was responding “to security intelligence that demonstrated a clear and present threat to the public safety” and that “a criminal uprising” by drug gangs had been averted, was met with general public disbelief, especially because the government failed to support its claims with specific information. The critics, with the opposition in the forefront, contended that the state of emergency was intended to divert attention from the government’s failings and aimed at heading off the threat of a national strike by the labour unions.

Now, with regard to the alleged assassination plot, the Minister of National Security and the Commissioner of Police have stressed that “the threat is real” and 16 suspects have been served with detention orders under the state of emergency, identified either as persons involved in a conspiracy to assassinate government officials on November 24 or behind a plot to destabilise the country and cause major panic.

Curiously, the alleged ringleader, Selwyn ‘Robocop‘ Alexis, had already been arrested on August 30, when the police claimed they found material in his possession suggesting an assassination plot against the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the Minister of National Security. Mr Alexis was, however, slapped with a murder charge, dating back three years, later dropped for lack of evidence. The question now arises as to why the original allegation of involvement in an assassination plot was not pursued to a satisfactory conclusion during the first arrest.

The government’s position has not been helped either by its unwillingness to divulge details of the alleged conspiracy, on the grounds that to do so would be “to compromise national security,” in the words of the police commissioner, and “reckless” according to the Prime Minister. Such a stance can never help to win over the doubting Thomases. The Police Commissioner, who hails from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, might have been naïve in this regard, but the politically savvy Prime Minister should have known better.

Granted, Mrs Persad-Bissessar took the commendable step of personally briefing the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Keith Rowley, on the matter and instructed the security forces to provide him with all relevant intelligence. Dr Rowley has, however, criticised the government for overreacting, accusing it of “hysterical political expediency” and trying to manufacture a reason to extend the controversial state of emergency.

The basic problem is that Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s government has been losing public credibility steadily since its election in May 2010, as it has been guilty of several missteps, if not serial blundering, during the first year and a half of its tenure. In this particular case, the imperative of presenting a watertight case to the disbelieving media and an impatient public seems to have escaped its security advisers, political strategists and communications experts.

Notwithstanding the fact that the opposition, elements of the media and many people remain unconvinced, it would be cynical in the extreme to dismiss out of hand the very grave allegations of an assassination plot. Indeed, it beggars belief that any government could, in this age of rapid access to information and increasing public scrutiny, expect to get away with a charade of this magnitude. The political repercussions would be catastrophic. But the onus is on Mrs Persad-Bissessar and her government to lay compelling evidence before the people, for their credibility is at stake and this case will be judged in the court of public opinion as much as it is in the court of law.