Never take the electorate for granted

THE EDITOR: On April 8, I wrote the following in the Trinidad Guardian “make no mistake the screening process is not an easy one.”

It is a very difficult assignment sometimes becoming quite intimidating and frustrating many times forcing the leadership into questionable compromises with unforeseen consequences. The current situation in our nation and the international community now more than ever not only requires but demands that our leaders exercise the highest standards of statesmanship, good judgement, impartiality without prejudice and vindictiveness in their efforts towards ensuring that the best available to them be made available to the nation.”

This brings me to current impasse facing the screening committees of the PNM and the UNC. So far little is known of what is taking place in the UNC on the other hand most of what is taking place in the PNM selection is fed to us on a daily basis.

Bravo to my party for keeping us informed of its prospective candidates, on the basis of this information my above mentioned comments on the process appear to be fairly accurate. There is no doubt in my mind that both parties are on political fishing expeditions desperately searching for candidates not only to replace what they consider non-performing incumbents but candidates whom they assume will attract the electorate in the forty one constituencies. I reserve my comments on what so far has been made available to us from both sides except to say that I am yet to be convinced. However, my party, the PNM, appears to be experiencing far more difficulties than the UNC.

In its 64 years of history the party as far as I can recall has never replaced so many incumbents. To date 10 incumbents have been replaced. Replacing 10 incumbents out of 23 while in government, most of them (9) newcomers, is a serious indictment against the previous selectors hence my reasons for statesmanship and good judgement. The screening process like our Carnival is seldom concluded without some controversy and Trini bacchanal. Today, the centre of attention is the constituency of La Brea. The young incumbent appears in the eyes of the leadership to have faltered as an OJT. The choice of the party members in the constituency was Mr Robert Le Hunte, vice chairman of the party, former minister of public of utilities. Once touted as another Garfield Sobers, he has certainly earned the wrath of the party leadership for his untimely resignation from the Cabinet and what appears to be his questionable behaviour at a Cabinet meeting. Le Hunte is now persona non grata to the leadership. However, he has earned the respect and admiration of his fellow party members in the La Brea constituency.

My question as a party member is: Is the resignation of a Cabinet minister – timely or untimely, appropriate or politically inappropriate – sufficient grounds for the confinement to political purgatory?

Moreso by a party whose own leader was himself a victim of political persecution for not only expressing himself on both party and government issues which he thought was not in the best interest of the party and country. I am in no position to know exactly what happened at the Cabinet meeting and the events that followed – it must have been serious enough for the dropping of the vice-captain.

Dr Rowley has no doubt been a stalwart of the party. Standing up for he always thought was in the best interest of the party and the country.

He paid a heavy price, like me, for what he thought was right. He was finally rewarded in 2010 becoming the leader of the party and subsequently the prime minister in 2015.

His legacy as a political survivor is recorded in his autobiography “From Mason Hall to Whitehall” tells the story of perseverance in adversity. I can only hope that his experience and judgement is guided by my own experience of “never taking the electorate for granted.”.

Over to you, Mr political leader.

Ferdie Ferreira

founding member of the PNM