The dismissal of Lyndira Oudit came as no surprise to me. She had it coming from the day she ditched Basdeo Panday and hopped on to the Kamla Persad-Bissessar bandwagon. Panday waited first of all to see the result of the internal election, but having received a result that neither he nor his loyal supporters expected, he moved at the opportune time, just ahead of the Carnival celebrations to allow the story to cool off during the canker of the mas.
His decision, as the dismissed Senator noted, is based on Panday's constitutional authority to fire and hire Senators. So she has accepted it.
Many UNC supporters say his move is of no major significance, arguing that Panday is showing the signs of a dying politician and this would be his last hurrah since it is Kamla Persad-Bissessar who is the UNC leader and she will soon have the majority of MPs to oust Panday and end his political games.
It is significant that Panday waited this long to move. He wanted to be sure that he still has the support of the majority of MPs in the House of Representatives - three Pandays, Kelvin Ramanth, Hamza Rafeeq, Vasant Bhaarath, Tim Gopeesingh and Ramesh L. Maharaj.
Gopeesingh's constituency executive had been pressuring him to support the new leader but he rejected that, saying it was an act of intimidation from an executive that was not properly installed.
JYOTI's sources say Gopeesingh had a lengthy meeting this week with Panday and decided that he will stand firm with the ousted leader. Panday obviously made a convincing argument that Gopeesingh should stand with him.
As for Maharaj, he has been supporting Panday even while running against him for the leadership of the UNC and he continues to attack new UNC leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
He has challenged her decision to appoint Jack Warner as Chief Whip and, like Panday, wants a public investigation of what they both say are gross irregularities in the election process.
So what really is Panday's doing?
He is holding on to his "strength", which lies only in a few people who are obviously out of touch with what the UNC membership is saying.
In his past battles, Panday has always resorted to going to the people and regaining their support. But this looks like a lost cause this time because of his poor showing and 10-1 defeat in the election.
It was compounded this week when the executive of the constituency he has held since 1976 threw in the towel and said they could no longer work with him.
The last straw was the telling picture of long-time Panday devotee Orlando Nagassar on the front pages of the local papers hugging Jack Warner.
Now that Panday cannot go to the people, he must have a plan. And that plan is to pull the rug from beneath the feet of the new leadership.
This blog reported before that sources very close to Panday have said there is no reason to believe the "chief's" political career is over.
Panday is likely planning to launch a new party. And if you are tempted to say that makes no sense since he has no popular support, think carefully about this scenario, that doesn't require any support from the people.
Act 1: A new political party. That requires the support of a few people, the appointment of a general secretary and registration with the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).
Act 2, Panday's loyal MPs will advise the Speaker of the House of Representatives that they have changed allegiances, are no longer members of the United National Congress and now support the new party, led by Panday.
Act 3: With no law forbidding the crossing of the floor and no right of recall from constituents, the pro-Panday MPs would have enough clout to become the official opposition party and Panday would again be both leader of the party (who he now legitimately holds) and as leader of the party in opposition, which he would also legitimately hold.
Act 4: As the official opposition, Panday can appoint his own whip - perhaps Ramesh Maharaj - and push the UNC to the back benches since the UNC would have become the minority opposition party
Act 5: Panday would have all the legitimacy to determine opposition policy and might even offer Prime Minister Patrick Manning the constitutional majority he needs to pass the new constitution, creating an executive presidency.
Epilogue: Despite the opposition and those opposed to the government, Panday would have the last word.
The real danger with his power play is that if it goes the full distance and Manning gets his new constitution, the PNM might stay in office for a long time to come, despite the outpouring of support for the new UNC leadership from members and non-members alike.
Nobody should underestimate Panday.
But at the same time, the voices of the people are the strongest element of a democracy and they must now make the right moves to make sure that their MPs answer to them, not to a rejected leader.
For all the good that Panday has done in his four decades in Trinidad and Tobago politics, the people have rejected him. He had promised to go 'with joy in my heart" if that happened.
And now is the time for people remind their MPs that they represent THEM, not Panday.
Jai Parasram, Toronto - 12 Feb. 2010
3 comments:
It is obvious that tghe MP's are bent upon getting Kamla to falter. They seem to have decided that they want Panday. What a shame that big men like Tim and Roodal continue to show such fear of Panday. Panday is proving to be a nasty vindictive old man whose greed for power supercedes his love even for his family and particularly his children. He is a man of low morals and low spirituality.
The games beoing played by TIm and Roodal will come to an end except that the victory will be by the people who will boot out Tim and Roodal as MP"s in teh next election. Both of these men lost in their own constituencies. By defying the membership they have lost the moral right to criticize people like Mugabe and Chavez and to speak about democracy and democratic traditions. Both of these man who shoiuld be signing the letter to the President have lost credibility in that they can no longer stand up in Parliament and speak of freedom whern they cannot make a righrt moral choice consistent with the wishes of the membership. They are as guilty of killing the hopes of Indian people in particular as is Panday. They should be scorned and spat upon, these bastards of the old UNC.
Tim is a rich man, so what the hell does he care about the poor Indian people. He should never be allowed to ride Indian back again. Rudy Moonilal is hiding behind Pundit Rabindranath Maharaj. Up to today Rudi has not spoken to his Pundit. Why is he lying?
I am disgusted at both of these men's behavior.
Ramlal R Singh
Most interesting, and if this were to become a reality, then we are in fact doomed. No wonder why Manning spits in the faces of those who condemn his policies and laugh at those who support his regime. I hope that politics does not in fat have it's own morality.
What this elections has shown is that after a multi-million dollar campaign, power has not been wrested from the scarbad.
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