Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song' preceded the speech Monday night by UNC Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar as she proclaimed that May 24 is redemption day in Trinidad and Tobago."Tonight I want to pay tribute to one of our best MPs ... the honourable Jack Warner," she said as she declared the gathering at Felicity to be the "father of all meetings".
"We will rise together! We will rise, we will rise!" she declared.
"During this campaign I have told you why we must make change and put a new government under my leadership in power....we need to change the style of leadership," Persad-Bissessar said.
"We will do things differently, we will do them better, we can make T&T a better place," she said.
"We are not going back, forward ever, backward never. As long as we unite we will free ourselves...free our country from the arrogance of Mr Manning."
She spoke about the incident relating to the "bullying" of American political strategist Bernie Campbell, who was denied entry to Trinidad to assist the UNC in its election campaign.
She said the issue must not disappear since it defines what the election is all about. It shows Patrick Manning's autocratic behaviour, she said.
The UNC leader spoke about the reversal of the Minister of National Security who advised that the order against Campbell was being withdrawn and that Campbell is free to return.
She said it is another example of how the Manning government has had to buckle under pressure both at home and internationally.
"The people have scored a victory...your opinion counts, you can effect change," she said.
She called on the Manning government to apologize to Bernie Campbell and his family and to the government of the United States. And she asked for an explanation about why Campbell was deemed an undesirable visitor.
And she said the PNM is hypocritical because it is working with foreign consultants while trying to expel Campbell. Commenting on the PNM campaign, Persad-Bissessar said the Manning team is in a state and desperation because they know that "we will rise and we will win".
Persad-Bissessar also criticized the police for harassing COP Leader Winston Dookeran in the Queen Parks Savannah on Sunday but "they cannot catch criminals and murderers."
"We will vote them out, we must make change happen...but first we must unite against Mr Manning and his cronies," she said.
She also higlighted some of the misdeeds of the Manning administration and its misplaced priorities and asked:
- What about buildings before people?
- What about Summits before hospitals beds?
- What about foreign workers before citizens?
- What about a private jet before food security?
The UNC leader said Trinidad and Tobnago must strengthen the local business sector to ensure that it becomes competitive so that it could play a greater role in the development of the economy.
She said that is why education is the centrepiece of the united opposition. Education is vital and everyone in a small society like Trinidad and Tobago everyone must count, Persad-Bissessar noted.
At the present time, she said, T&T is ranked at 86 out of 130 on the world competitiveness index, a major drop from the rank of 38 under the UNC government.
She said the youth must be given the opportunity to develop their full potential and spoke of the need to develop an education system with the needs of the new demands of a knowledge-based society.
"Not one citizen must be left behind," she declared. "Together we will rise. Every man, woman and child, we will rise!" she said.
She pledged to establish a commission for higher education as part of the vision to create a diversified, knowledge-based economy. The plan includes a partnership with the private sector to accelerate development of diversified economy.
Persad-Bissessar said the government must be the facilitator of development and must not interfere in everything, adding that such a position would guarantee competitiveness and stability to encourage development.
She said labour must be an integral part of the development of the country. "We will be a people government," she said.
"Tell them there is a new day and a new day forward for everyone in Trinidad and Tobago...tell them each and every citizen will benefit from the change sweeping the country...we will rise, we will rise...tell them we will rise."
She said Manning is against such unity but it will not work because "we are not afraid, Mr Manning. I will pledge to you tonight, Kamla will always stand with the people," she said.
"Kamla will never let you down and the people's partnership will not let you down. together we will never let you down...we will rise...as one people as one nation united together in the people's partnership...when they ask you for your vision tell them it about the people. Tell them People first, people second and people third," she said.
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