The Trinidad Express reported Friday that NH International boss, Emile Elias, has publicly endorsed Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the UNC coalition. "You will be known throughout the world after May the 24 as Kamla. You are a person who has come across to me as genuine and sincere and I just wanted to say that you and your colleagues are leading a revolution," the Express quoted Elias as telling the UNC leader.
"I want to make a pledge to you today that we will present to you shortly after May 24, when you are Prime Minister of this country, we will provide you with a list of essential projects that are waiting so that we don’t have a situation where the country grinds to a halt and everything is being reviewed," the paper quoted Elias as saying.
It happened at a meeting between the leader of the United National Congress (UNC) and members of the Joint Consultative Council (JCC).
The paper said Persad-Bissessar promised the JCC that a UNC government would introduce a right to recall Parliamentarians.
The measure will ensure that MPs who don't perform will have to answer to their constituents. She said a UNC government would make sure that those who are expected to serve are fairly compensated.
The paper reported that the opposition leader insisted that when someone has been given responsibility "there must be benefit, and therefore an elected Member of Parliament, if expected to perform 24/7, should also be compensated for 24/7."
It said she spoke about the need for a special development fund for each constituency.
"This fund will not be run from the MP’s pocket, it will be run in the same way as any fund that has been set up with accountability and transparency," she promised.
Head of the JCC, Winston Riley, presented Persad-Bissessar with a document outlining the JCC's proposals for good governnance. he said the same document is availabe to all all political parties, including the People’s National Movement (PNM).
The first recommendation on the document is for government, within 90 days of taking office, to implement the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act with amendments, the Express reported.
Persad-Bissessar had spoken about that matter on the political platform before and she pledged that with 30 days of taking office a UNC government would take such legislation to Parliament.
She said she would enlist the JCC's assistance so that the legislation that would go to parliament would include the recommendations of the Uff report on UDeCOTT and the constutction sector.
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It is better to have a lion at the head of an army of sheep than a sheep at the head of an army of lions. Daniel Defoe.
It took over two weeks to fashion and when it was signed it took another two days before we could see some details of "The Coalition's Declaration". The primary declaration is that the parties have agreed that the Leader of the Partnership and Prime Ministerial Candidate is Mrs Kamla Persad Bissessar followed by Seat Allocation. Who ever said that was in question ? The Principles and Values are all secondary as outlined in the document.
Why did this take so long, and why was there so much mystery surrounding it's deliberations ? The answer is simple, it lacks moral authority. All the signatories combined do not possess the moral authority of the troika of Panday, Maharaj and Ramnath. Nelson Mandela has integrity, dignity and charm. Because he endured many years in jail he acquired the moral authority to ask his fellow countrymen and women to accept difficulties and hardships on the long road to national unity and prosperity.
Basdeo Panday through his many years of struggle for workers acquired the same moral authority and thus gained the stature of a colossus. Ramesh Maharaj's competence and prowess in challenging oppression by the state forms part of our legal and political history. His entry into the politics in 1991 saw the UNC into government and has caused Patrick Manning to call two snap elections; and Kelvin Ramnath apart from being another formidable parliamentarian he has been instrumental in forming and organizing political parties, the ULF, CLUB 88 and the UNC. The moral authority of these three men individually and collectively is unshakeable and unchallengeable. Each can stand on his own. To attempt to disregard this will be tragic especially in light of the fact that one of the members of the UNC's screening committee was identified on radio in September 2008 as being involved in car stealing and kidnapping. Persad Bissessar must move with haste to embrace these gentlemen or else all will be lost. Jai Bhagwan !
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