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| File: Early days in the UNC: Trevor Sudama (left) with Basdeo Panday and John Humphrey |
Sudama was sharing a "rerouters" stage with Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, who was part of the 2000 conspiracy to kick out Basdeo Panday and install Manning as Prime Minister. So it's no surprise that he was bad mouthing the present government in what was clearly an anti-government affair.
"Rerouters" leader Wayne Kublalsingh was there as well as David Abdullah, the leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), whom Ancel Roget duped into leaving the governing coalition. It seemed like People's National Movement (PNM) reunion; the only one from the original trio missing was Ralph Maraj (or perhaps he was there too and the media didn't notice).
The chorus at the event was familiar. The government was making a mistake by building a $7 billion highway to Point Fortin, that the roadway would not attract any commercial development and that it would destroy agriculture. This is the same highway that Patrick Manning was going to build, but no one had a problem when Manning was building it.
Over the next few months many more Sudamas would emerge as the anti-government campaign gains momentum. Local government elections are constitutionally due in 2013 as well as the election for members of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The People's partnership would be wise to start paying attention.
Jai Parasram | 11 September 2012
The chorus at the event was familiar. The government was making a mistake by building a $7 billion highway to Point Fortin, that the roadway would not attract any commercial development and that it would destroy agriculture. This is the same highway that Patrick Manning was going to build, but no one had a problem when Manning was building it.
Over the next few months many more Sudamas would emerge as the anti-government campaign gains momentum. Local government elections are constitutionally due in 2013 as well as the election for members of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The People's partnership would be wise to start paying attention.
As expected Ramesh, Trevor and the others were accusing the government of corruption without advancing any evidence to support their charges. That's not surprising at all. In 2000 when Ralph demanded that the government do something about corruption he didn't have any evidence either. But that didn't stop him and his fellow MPs from making a deal with Manning to usurp the government.
They are counting on the gullibility of the people, hoping that voters would buy into their slander and vote against the People's Partnership. But they might be making a miscalculation this time.
You know there is an old saying that you can't fool all the people all the time. This time the people are seeing through the propaganda; the people are asking questions as they should.
Anyone who makes an honest assessment of the state of Trinidad & Tobago under the Manning regime that ended in 2010 and compares it with what has happened since then would have to conclude that we are better off today than we were under Manning. And that is what really matters!
We still live in a free and democratic country. So Trevor, Ramesh and their anti-government friends have the right to speak out against the government, even if they are not being entirely honest. The challenge for the government is to effectively communicate to the nation what it has done, is doing and proposes to do.
If it does, and the media fairly and objectively report all the issues, people would have an opportunity to compare notes and make an educated decision on the direction in which they wish to go. And my guess is they would stick with the people they overwhelmingly elected just over two years ago.
Jai Parasram | 11 September 2012
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