"With great power comes great responsibility.''This is a simple concept known by children everywhere; it was taught in three recent Spider-Man movies.
However, this concept has clearly eluded the university lecturer/Minister of Health, Therese Baptiste-Cornelis.
Upon mounting a political platform for the first time, having never faced the electorate, having never faced the polls, this individual took it upon herself, among veteran politicians of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, to take centre stage, interrupt incumbent councillor Felisha Isahack, to impose her power on the public.
What was an insignificant number of hecklers, a matter of no importance, suddenly became a matter only she could deal with.
Intoxicated with her own power, she rose from the head table, proceeded to the podium, cut off the speaker, and stated: "We heard you, now shut up!''
All at once an awareness swept through the crowd. This person wanted to deny the public their freedom of expression, as if it was her own personal classroom, while rendering Councillor Isahack seemingly powerless and weak.
The right of freedom of expression is held dear and closely guarded in the hearts of all members of the United National Congress.
To deny this right is to force a candidate down the throat of the electorate. Mrs Baptiste-Cornelis, by her action, makes this appear to be the case.
The action of these few hecklers is part of the process of democracy at work, and to tell them to shut up clearly indicates a "classroom'' attitude to the workings of democracy.
What a dangerous attitude!
Had this been done on a PNM platform, every UNC member would have accused the PNM of a galloping dictatorship.
Sarah Connor | via e-mail
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