UNC 28 no match for PNM 13

THE EDITOR: For the second time last Friday the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) was outmanoeuvred by the ruling United National Congress (UNC) government forcing out the PNM's further participation in a debate on financial matters in Parliament. The government forced the closure of the debate on the Finance Bill, 2025 even though there were opposition members still to speak.

The practice in such debates, as I knew it, is that the chief whip indicates to the leader of government business how many members on his side would be speaking. That information is usually communicated to the Speaker. To have the debate closed when the opposition still had members prepared to speak is counter-productive in a democracy.

The first time such shenanigans took place was during the debate on the 2025/2026 budget about a month ago. This is a tarred feather in the government’s cap and is a departure from the transparency and accountability mantra of the UNC while in opposition.

Happening for a second time sends the message that the UNC is hostile to the very practice that catapulted it into office. The UNC seems to rely on every trick in the bag to avoid opposition scrutiny of its financial policies.

The UNC’s 28 MPs in the House appear to be mortally afraid of the PNM’s 13 MPs on financial matters. And they should be, considering the beating they got during the finance committee meeting last month. The PNM called them out on every issue that reflected a sleight of hand.

It seems to me that the UNC’s 28 is really no match for the PNM’s Colm Imbert (Diego Martin North/East), Brian Manning (San Fernando East), Stuart Young (Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West), Marvin Gonzales (Arouca/Lopinot) or Dominic Romain (Malabar/Musica) on financial matters. Undoubtedly the PNM has a good speaking team always fully prepared to expose the UNC’s political chicanery.

I keep saying the PNM will get no help on the Parliament floor from Mr Speaker. So, the battle is in the trenches out there.

HARRY PARTAP

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