The best news in years

THE EDITOR: For some time now, the single most repeated and generally accepted assessment about the core of politics in this country is that the two major political parties depend on separate ethnic bases for achieving and holding on to their alternating roles of being the government or opposition.

This assessment, when applied to our current situation, therefore, sees the ruling PNM, when the next general election is held later this year, dependent on its Afro-base to hold on to power. And it is believed that, likewise, the opposition UNC, if it is to have any chance of becoming the next government, it will, at a minimum, have to hold on to its full Indo-base.

This scenario of tribal, ethnic-based politics has been with us to our detriment for all of our history as an independent nation – and appeared to be permanent.

Now, suddenly, almost out of the blue, but not, the Afro-based PNM has selected an individual from a minority ethnic group – the Chinese – to be the country’s prime minister.

We should not be completely surprised by this development because Young has been appointed by and worked closely with the Prime Minister in high-level governmental capacities for several years. And, perhaps even more significantly, over two years ago he was elected chairman of the Afro-based PNM.

It appears to me, and I expect also to most independent observers, that Prime Minister Rowley for some time now has been grooming Young for leadership of the PNM – and the country.

And his Afro-based party has not only gone along with this but supported it – as is demonstrated by the latest decision to agree to Young’s appointment as prime minister when Rowley leaves office.

Now, whatever the actual details of these developments and whatever the future holds for us as a nation, as a completely non-partisan apolitical citizen and patriot, I am personally very pleased with the decision taken by the PNM general council to agree to the selection of Stuart Young for the post of prime minister. This is for me the best news I have had in many a year.

And because of the consequential impact of his decision on electoral politics in this country – now and into the future – Dr Rowley will go down in history as one of the most positively and fundamentally impactful prime ministers and leaders in this country and, indeed, in the region and hemisphere.

Regardless of which political parties win power in the coming years, this nation will owe him a huge debt of gratitude for the most positive messages his actions in this matter have sent to the voters of the country. Voters will know that from now on they will be valued for who they are and not what they look like.

Thank you, Dr Rowley, and best wishes for success to you, Minister Young.

And now it's over to the UNC. Changing the party colour from yellow to blue is not enough.

ASHTON S BRERETON

Champs Fleurs