PNM seeks victory for the people

THE EDITOR: On May 24, 2010, citizens made an important decision: who would govern the country for the next five years. They reversed the results of the 2007 general election and gave a clear mandate to the UNC-dominated People’s Partnership coalition. However, the ensuing five years were an emotional roller-coaster ride for the nation. During that period, there was a serious crisis of confidence in the leadership of the country.

The Section 34 debacle, in particular, demonstrated that the PP administration was the most dangerous in the country’s history and in the court of public opinion that government could no longer be trusted.

It simply lacked the moral authority to continue to govern and while it continuously defined morality on its national platform, it appeared there was none. The standards of decency and accountability had already been eroded.

Due to the national wave of concern which swept across the country on the Section 34 fiasco, a well-informed electorate, realising that vigilance was the key to our survival, voted it out of office in the 2015 general election. Today, that same party, with some of its former players, is asking the electorate to give it another chance.

While the proclamation of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act was quickly repealed and made retroactive to deal with those who had filed applications during the short period the legislation was in force, nonetheless the Section 34 transgression remains a permanent indictment on the UNC.

As the former UNC regime tries to regain office, trusting in the belief that our society is truly a nine-days wonder and that the electorate would not remember the Section 34 debacle, the UNC rallies ahead in the hope of a resounding victory over the PNM, which replaced it and went on to bring the country back to a period of stability and normalcy.

Therefore, what the PNM seeks from the August 10 general election is not merely a victory for the party, but a victory for the people.

RISHI LAKHAN

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