Letter: Kamla has the experience to lead UNC

Much has been made of this issue of track record and experience as it pertains to political leadership of the UNC.

There is no doubt that competence can be increased by experience but that does not translate to good leadership. Basdeo Panday and Patrick Manning are the longest serving Parliamentarians in Trinidad and Tobago.

History has shown time and time again that so called inexperienced political leaders have been quite successful.

Interestingly, Basdeo Panday returned to T&T in 1965 after his studies in England and by 1966 was contesting a Parliamentary seat for the Workers and Farmers Party.

By 1973, a mere 7 years later he challenged and won the office of President General of All Trinidad and Tobago Workers’ Union and by 1981 he had exploited the fractured opposition, formed the ULF and became Leader of the Opposition just 13 years after returning home as a graduate student.

Eric Williams completed his D. Phil in history at Oxford in 1938 but did not immediately return to T&T. In 1939 he moved to the United States where he pursued an academic career and was promoted to professor.

In 1944 he was appointed to the Anglo-American Caribbean Commission where he remained until his contract was not renewed in 1955. It was only then that Dr. Williams decided on a political career and launched the PNM as its leader on January 15th 1956.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) returned to India in 1915 at the age of 46, he organized protests by peasants, farmers, and urban labourers concerning excessive land-tax and discrimination and by 1921, 6 years later, he assumed the leadership of the Indian National Congress.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar has been a Member of Parliament since 1995, some 15 years. She has served as Attorney General, acting Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago.

She has more experience than Basdeo Panday, Eric Williams or Gandhi had before assuming political leadership.

Good leadership has nothing to do with experience. It is all about caring for the people with passion and selflessness. It is not about family or personal interest or life-long personal dreams.

Political leadership is about doing what is right for the majority at the point in time.

Garvin Nicholas