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| File: patrick Manning speaks in Parliament |
Patrick Manning, aided by Keith Rowley and other PNM allies, employed that strategy when faced with near annihilation in 1987 and it worked.
Ramesh L. Maharaj did it successfully in 2001 and Rowley himself was trying to do it when Manning inflicted the mortal blow on his own administration, which led to the People's partnership getting into office.
In 2008 when Rowley and Manning were at war, Manning rallied his troops to shore up his own support. And in his contribution to Parliament on September 30, he spoke about the "pull down the leader" strategy that the PNM has used more than once.
Rowley is employing that strategy for Friday's no confidence vote because he knows that the greatest strength of the current administration is the leadership and popularity of Kamla Persad-Bissessar. It is instructive to read Manning's speech, taken from HANSARD.
"Mr. Speaker, I went to Woodford Square and I said to the people in Woodford Square: If I fall everything falls. The Member for Diego Martin West has taken great issue with that, suggesting, among other things that could not be true, and,
indeed, it is not the PNM’s way.
"What was I talking to the people in Woodford Square about? It was a Motion of no confidence. We made the point then and I make it again that in our jurisdiction, a Motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister is indeed a Motion of no confidence in the Government, so if the Prime Minister falls, the Government falls; all fall down.
"That is the point I was making. How could my friend from Diego Martin West (Keith Rowley) take issue with that? I cannot understand it.
"Clearly, my friend forgets that in 1987, when we faced the juggernaut of the NAR, 33 of them in the lover House and three of us on the other side, we were outnumbered, outgunned and inexperienced. Outnumbered and outgunned.
"It was reported in that general election they spent $40 million; first time any party had spent that kind of money. We spent nothing close to that. In fact, in the local government election that followed in 1987, we were able to raise only $33,000. They were all over us.
"We sat down, three in the Lower House and six from the Upper House, and asked ourselves: How do we neutralize this thing? We were outnumbered and outgunned. Everything stacked against us. Do you know what decision we took?
"My very good friend from Diego Martin West (Rowley) was a part of it.
"We took the decision that if we are able to assail the leader of the party, then all fall down. We neutralized all the advantages that they had. That was the decision we took. That was the strategy we pursued.
"In circumstances where everybody felt that the PNM would be in opposition for 10, 15 of 20 years, we said we will take them in five and in five years we returned to the corridors of power in Trinidad and Tobago; a successful strategy.
"The leader fell and everybody fell with it.
"Mr. Speaker, I draw the attention of Hon. Members to Club 88. Remember Club 88? They pulled out. I understand the strategy that the Member for Diego Martin West is pursuing. I understand it well.
"That was the strategy they pursued and the effect of it was that the Government fell.
"The very distinguished Member for Tabaquite (Ramesh L. Maharaj), he too, could talk to my friend from Diego Martin West because he tried it in 2001. Was that the year? He succeeded in bringing down the leader. What was the effect? All fall down. That is the reality.
"Why would my friend take umbrage to that and give the impression that by saying that I am setting myself up, apart and above from what the norms are? I am in a position to say that is the fact. We successfully pursued that policy and the policy worked then."
Excerpt from PARLIAMENTARY HANSARD - Tuesday Sept. 08, 2008
Research courtesy: Richard Wm. Thomas, kid5rivers.com 5 Rivers, Arouca.
In 2008 when Rowley and Manning were at war, Manning rallied his troops to shore up his own support. And in his contribution to Parliament on September 30, he spoke about the "pull down the leader" strategy that the PNM has used more than once.
Rowley is employing that strategy for Friday's no confidence vote because he knows that the greatest strength of the current administration is the leadership and popularity of Kamla Persad-Bissessar. It is instructive to read Manning's speech, taken from HANSARD.
"Mr. Speaker, I went to Woodford Square and I said to the people in Woodford Square: If I fall everything falls. The Member for Diego Martin West has taken great issue with that, suggesting, among other things that could not be true, and,
indeed, it is not the PNM’s way.
"What was I talking to the people in Woodford Square about? It was a Motion of no confidence. We made the point then and I make it again that in our jurisdiction, a Motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister is indeed a Motion of no confidence in the Government, so if the Prime Minister falls, the Government falls; all fall down.
"That is the point I was making. How could my friend from Diego Martin West (Keith Rowley) take issue with that? I cannot understand it.
"Clearly, my friend forgets that in 1987, when we faced the juggernaut of the NAR, 33 of them in the lover House and three of us on the other side, we were outnumbered, outgunned and inexperienced. Outnumbered and outgunned.
"It was reported in that general election they spent $40 million; first time any party had spent that kind of money. We spent nothing close to that. In fact, in the local government election that followed in 1987, we were able to raise only $33,000. They were all over us.
"We sat down, three in the Lower House and six from the Upper House, and asked ourselves: How do we neutralize this thing? We were outnumbered and outgunned. Everything stacked against us. Do you know what decision we took?
"My very good friend from Diego Martin West (Rowley) was a part of it.
"We took the decision that if we are able to assail the leader of the party, then all fall down. We neutralized all the advantages that they had. That was the decision we took. That was the strategy we pursued.
"In circumstances where everybody felt that the PNM would be in opposition for 10, 15 of 20 years, we said we will take them in five and in five years we returned to the corridors of power in Trinidad and Tobago; a successful strategy.
"The leader fell and everybody fell with it.
"Mr. Speaker, I draw the attention of Hon. Members to Club 88. Remember Club 88? They pulled out. I understand the strategy that the Member for Diego Martin West is pursuing. I understand it well.
"That was the strategy they pursued and the effect of it was that the Government fell.
"The very distinguished Member for Tabaquite (Ramesh L. Maharaj), he too, could talk to my friend from Diego Martin West because he tried it in 2001. Was that the year? He succeeded in bringing down the leader. What was the effect? All fall down. That is the reality.
"Why would my friend take umbrage to that and give the impression that by saying that I am setting myself up, apart and above from what the norms are? I am in a position to say that is the fact. We successfully pursued that policy and the policy worked then."
Excerpt from PARLIAMENTARY HANSARD - Tuesday Sept. 08, 2008
Research courtesy: Richard Wm. Thomas, kid5rivers.com 5 Rivers, Arouca.
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