Politicians, especially the senior ones who hold high offices like prime ministers or ministers of government, should not live in ivory towers and behave as if they are better than the electorate -- the people who put them in office. They should remember that they work for the people and behave as such and not project the image that they are demigods.
I make the comment because of the situation in Trinidad and Tobago, where outgoing Prime Minister Patrick Manning was humiliated by his own supporters at his PNM party's General Council meeting. He was booed by angry PNM members, who shouted "Manning must go" and, as he was leaving, his vehicle was mobbed by angry party members, which forced officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) to rush to his assistance. It is unfortunate that a man who served 23 long years as political leader should be chased out from his own party headquarters, Balisier House. Observers pointed out that never in the history of the party did a leader have to leave the headquarters in such a unpleasant manner.
At the General Council meeting, Manning read out his resignation as leader of the PNM, and explained to the meeting that the constitution does not provide for the General Council to appoint a political leader other than through a convention and there is a procedure to be followed. He added that, in the circumstances, he was prepared to stay as Political Leader and as Opposition Leader and appoint senators for that duration. After he said that, the entire General Council hooted, "No. No." and exclaimed that Manning must go immediately
After Manning departed, a motion was passed by the General Council advising the PNM parliamentarians to write to the President informing him that they were supporting Keith Rowley, who was at loggerheads with Manning, to be the Leader of the Opposition.
Earlier, Diego Martin North East Member of Parliament, Colm Imbert, had indicated that he would like to run for leadership of the PNM, but a hostile crowd vigorously rejected his offer stating, "We want Rowley, we don't want anybody else. Rowley is the man. Manning make we lose the election."
Manning was flying high during his last few years as leader of the oil rich country. He ceased to use commercial airlines, but jetted to countries with large entourage and spent tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in hosting two high powered international conferences last year, which were attended by Queen Elizabeth of England, US President, Barack Obama, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and scores of leaders from the Commonwealth and other parts of the world.
It is said that, in his last couple of years, he was far removed from the people and spent large sums of money in renovating and redecorating the Official Residence of the Prime Minister. Some critics say that they are glad that he only enjoyed the luxuries for a short while, because he had to leave for the new prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
A woman posted this on the website, "It is a shame Manning had to end his reign like that. Ah glad he gone. There is nothing wrong with PNM or UNC, the problem is the picaroon politicians who stood under the PNM and UNC umbrella. Well, now T&T will see how true WOMAN IS BOSS.”
Another said, "What a sad day... shame on the PNM supporters for their uncivilised behaviour, but that is what Patrick encourages, so it has come to haunt him, unfortunately."
Over in Jamaica, Prime Minister Bruce Golding believed that he was the boss of all time and refused to extradite drug lord, Christopher "Dudus” Coke. When he finally decided to do so after mounting pressure, there was and still is chaos, and up to the time of writing more than 75 persons were brutally killed. Now Golding’s own supporters want him to go, and former leader of his Jamaica Labour Party, Edward Seaga, who was also prime minister, said that Golding should resign immediately and added, "I have never known a prime minister to display such a lack of moral rectitude."
It is said when prime ministers are in office for a very long time, they believe they own the country and they do as they please. But Golding only took over from Portia Simpson Miller on September 11, 2007, and is a first term prime minister and should not behave in such an arrogant manner.
May 29, 2010
caribbeannetnews
