Kamla Persad-Bissessar told supporters in Arouca Saturday she sees Arthur N.R. Robinson as a patriot and statesman "whose love for country and society is beyond question. I see him as a true father." She described her meeting with Robinson on Thursday as "a most inspiring and visionary" experience.
And she took the opportunity to quote from a speech Robinson made in Parliament on August 2, 1996.
At the time Robinson was a member of the UNC-DAC coalition government led by Basdeo Panday. Patrick Manning had been in government from 1991 and had called an early election, which he lost.
He was sitting as opposition leader when Robinson addressed the House of Representatives, commenting on the PNM’s style of governance.
“They sought to lock me up on several occasions. They locked me up twice, wrongfully. They terrorized the population of Tobago saying that arms and ammunition were hidden.
"They spread the report that Cuban arms were brought from Cuba and deposited on the island. They sent policemen all over the island searching people’s homes. They terrorized activists of the party that I then led.
"They did not find any guns and ammunition. When they locked me up they had to set me free and had to pay damages, yet they have continued a pattern of attempted character assassination.
"If they cannot understand why they are on that side of the House, it is because of the dirty campaign that they have been conducting over the years against the people of this country whom they do not particularly favour.
"This is the personal level to which they have reduced politics. Their leader came to the island of Tobago to take away what had been granted by this Parliament - to nullify the laws of this Parliament - and substitute himself for the laws passed by the Parliament.
"They do not even have shame. No shame...I can spend a lengthy time but the whole country knows their pattern of behaviour.
"When they were in trouble with their own citizens, they sent for foreign arms to defend themselves. It was the Minister of Defence of the United Kingdom, Mr. Dennis Healey, who revealed to me...that they sent telegrams which would have meant the British moving back into Trinidad and Tobago and taking over.
"Venezuela was asked to send arms to defend their skins when they were in trouble....What I want to emphasize is this pattern of behaviour by the party that has turned out the most corrupt characters this country has ever seen and wasted the money of this country in the most incredible fashion...
"They had 10 times as much money to spend in one year as they expected to spend and blew it...One can understand what comes from that side and why they behave in the manner that they do, and one can understand that that kind of behaviour would continue.
"Mr. Speaker...I stood up against guns in a village called Ste. Madeleine when the police came to stop a constitutionally convened and conducted meeting.
"The police were sent to stop it. I stood up against them. They set the police against a people and they were becoming hostile to the police...They persecuted persons who warned or gave a different point of view, and one of the principal persons targeted for this persecution, character assassination and even physical destruction was the Member for Tobago East. After 40 years they have not learned...”
Persad-Bissessar told her audience 14 years later the PNM style has not changed but has become worse.
She noted that the PNM has been in power for almost half a century during which it has had "a history and legacy of corruption". Patrick Manning is continuing in "this fine and proud PNM tradition," she declared.
"That is why, the theifing and corruption has continued. They infiltrate and undermine the independent institutions. They control the police service," she said.
The UNC leader said despite what the PNM has done to damage the country and its people she has great hope for and confidence in the future of Trinidad and Tobago.
"Hope because we stand at a crossroads where T&T can make a great change to govern in unity, reaching across generations of divide on ethnic and gender lines, to forge a partnership that includes men and women from all parts of T&T to overcome our problems of crime, poverty and rising prices," Persad-Bissessar said.
"We can make this choice for change and reject the old pattern of governance...I stand here today with hope for my country, our country, united as one in a single purpose to treat all of Trinidad and Tobago as equal; men and women; African and Indian; Asian, Syrian, and White.
"All brothers and sisters working toward a common goal of a better future for Trinidad and its children...because if this diverse group can unite, we can solve any problem.
"I stand before you as a woman who is a confident...because if we come together, listen to each other, and work together, we can meet the needs hopes and aspirations of the people who are the soul of our nation," she said.
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