Over the years of its existence, the PNM has developed into a cult which now poses a potential danger to our country.The PNM is truly great and is more likely to prevail over the others which continue to be seriously divided.
However, my fear of the PNM is the leader’s disclosure before the last election that the party usually accepts the leader’s choice of candidates. Indeed, we saw several of the people’s choices rejected by the leader and replaced by neophytes who were then beholden to the leader.
These neophytes witnessed what happened to the old PNM guard who displeased the leader in any way. Prior to the leader’s selection to the PNM slate, many or most of these were nonentities in the country.
Manning taught them a lesson: “allyuh see what happen to them.” The PNM mantra that recently came forcibly to my attention prior to the last election is “whatever happens in the PNM must stay in the PNM.”
I think there is great danger lurking in this mantra. There has been much controversy arising from the decision of Justice Narine to refer Abu Bakr’s affidavit to the DPP and the CoP for investigation.
I seem to recall that when the issue of the affidavit was argued in the Appeal Court, there was no denial of Abu Bakr’s allegations. The State’s argument or the judgment of the Appeal Court was based on irrelevance, “scandalous and frivolous.”
Anyway I will leave this point to the lawyers for, as the saying goes, “cockroach must not get in fowl business.”
Now there has been an allegation which recently came to my attention—that there was in fact a proposal to waive the State’s recovery of the court’s award to the State.
It is also alleged that two senior ministers (unnamed) raised strenuous objection to this proposal, causing it to founder. We know that “what happens in the PNM stays in the PNM,” but is this allegation (of the proposed waiver) fact or fiction?
If it is a fact, we may never know. And in my opinion therein lies the danger lurking in the PNM cult and its mantra.
Serious issues as mentioned here are not only the business of the People’s National Movement. Such issues are the people’s business and the people ought to know what kind of directors are managing our business.
We are entitled to know the character of our “board of directors” as it were. We are the “shareholders” and should be allowed the opportunity to vote the directors in or vote them out.
We are entitled to full knowledge of the quality of their judgment and their principles. To quote the Canadian filmmaker Paul Saltznan: “Evil lives in the shade. We need to shed light on it and talk about it.”
A well known politician told us that “politics has a morality of it its own.”
However, I quote from U.S. President Obama’s famous speech in Cairo on June 4:
“The last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others.
“No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party.
“Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.”
Thank God for Obama.
I hope PNMites will open their eyes to President Obama’s wisdom.
Patrick Jay Williams | Via email
Via e-mail
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