Wade Mark: War, if Kangaloo nomination not withdrawn

OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark is threatening “war” if the Prime Minister does not withdraw his nomination of Christine Kangaloo as Paula-Mae Weekes' replacement as President.

Speaking at the UNC's weekly Sunday press conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader in Port of Spain, Mark promised to “fight and march” to prevent Kangaloo being elected if her candidacy is not withdrawn.

He said Kangaloo's nomination is a very serious issue as she is an active PNM politician by way of being a Member of Parliament and Senate President.

This is a person, he reminded, who publicly called for the spreading of the gospel and teachings of the PNM in all homes, villages and communities.

He said her election to the presidency would not only be a frontal attack on the Constitution but an attack and assault “on our very democracy, rights and freedoms; on our ability to hold free and fair elections...all of these matters are in danger.”

Referring to the powers of the President in appointing members to commissions, including the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and the Police Service Commission, Mark said every right-thinking citizen must be very concerned about the leader of the ruling PNM seeking to install a PNM member in President's House.

“This is going to determine whether we remain as a united country or whether we would have to go to war to ensure our freedom and rights are not snatched away from us," Mark said.

During his discourse, Mark used such words as puppet, rubber-stamp, totalitarian, authoritarian and dictatorial as he referred to the current state of politics in play.

“If we are not careful, President’s House can become the new Balisier House," Mark warned. Balisier House is the PNM's headquarters. He said Rowley's intention, by this nomination, is to hoist the balisier flag in President’s House.

“Fluttering in the wind as they seek to establish a full authoritarian state in our beloved republic. These are the real challenges and dangers we face as a nation," Mark said.

Mark said that after her role in the firing of then Central Bank Governor J'wala Rambarran (Kangaloo was acting President at the time) the Senate President should have resigned after the courts deemed that firing to be illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

The UNC has nominated Criminal Bar Association head Israel Khan, SC, as its choice for the presidency. The electoral college sits on January 20 to elect the new President. With Government holding a clear majority in the electoral college, Kangaloo's elevation would be a mere formality.