Government policy only from government offices

THE UNC overwhelming won last April's general election 29-12 and then its Tobago allies, the TPP, swept the board 15-nil in the January 12 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election. There is surely no need for any signs of triumphalism.

Therefore we are at a loss as to any conflation of party with government, yet this is what is being alluded to in this past month of government ministers delivering government policy not from government offices but from UNC party headquarters in Chaguanas.

While this had been the practice when the UNC was in opposition – to hold regular briefings at the Mulchan Seechan Road building, the party must realise it is now in government and adjust its patterns of behaviour to suit. What is being delivered now by spokespersons are no mere partisan arguments but official government policy.

On January 4, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sean Sobers and Minister of Housing David Lee held a briefing at UNC headquarters.

Party headquarters also hosted Transport Minister Eli Zakour and NCRHA chairman Dr Tim Gopeesingh on January 7, Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste and Social Development Minister Vandana Mohit on January 11, plus Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin and NCC head Peter Kanhai on January 18. Most of these briefings were publicly announced only as online events, with reporters having to find out the exact venue.

Each speaker at the podium was flanked by a TT flag but also a UNC flag.

Fortuitously, a briefing on January 14 by Attorney General John Jeremie and Minister of Lands and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein was held at the former's ministry.

The government has held official briefings at its ministries, the Red House and the Diplomatic Centre, as should be.

We imagine these venues remain available for use by MPs even at anti-social times such as Sunday mornings.

Even if distance were a problem, with many government MPs coming from constituencies far from Port of Spain, and the intent was to facilitate them on weekends, there are government offices in central Trinidad that could be accessed for briefings.

Reporters had asked UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo about the seeming conflation of party and government by having ministers announce policy at UNC headquarters.

"Our members form the government and that is government policy," he declared, quite simplistically.

"The UNC forms the government. We were voted in by the majority and that is how democracy works."

If the former government had developed a practice of convening at Balisier House in Port of Spain – PNM headquarters – for the intent purpose of dispensing government policy, we do not imagine that the UNC would have let that pass without critique. We'd strongly advocate a separation of party and state.

Using state offices for state announcements is one way to ensure democracy in TT is heading in the right direction.