Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s landslide victory over Basdeo Panday for the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago’s main opposition party, the United National Congress (UNC), has sent journalists, observers and citizens into a frenzy of superlatives and hype that is typically Trinidadian.
Perhaps they have been carried away by the fact that she has comprehensively defeated the 77-year old party founder and patriarch, when many felt that the ‘Silver Fox’ still controlled the party machinery. Perhaps it is because Ms Persad-Bissessar’s slate, including the colourful, wealthy, international football powerbroker, Jack Warner, took all the UNC’s top positions but one to put a new public face on the party. Perhaps it owes something to the low public approval ratings of Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his People’s National Movement (PNM) government, matched only by similar feelings about Mr Panday, even among his traditional support base. Perhaps it is the overwhelming sense that both Mr Manning and Mr Panday have lost touch with reality, with the respected political scientist, Professor Selwyn Ryan, often linked to the PNM, going so far as to suggest that Mr Manning is suffering from the “hubris syndrome.” Perhaps, after years of poor governance, worsening economic conditions, suspicions of serious corruption and mismanagement at high levels, escalating violent crime, inequitable distribution of the country’s wealth derived from its oil and natural gas, and inadequate health and education systems, most people in Trinidad and Tobago, regardless of race, class or party affiliation and including long-time PNM supporters, are desirous of change, beginning with the need for a vigorous and effective opposition in parliament. Perhaps it is simply because Ms Persad-Bissessar is a woman. Or maybe it is just the euphoria of the carnival season…
Whatever the reason, and it may be a combination of all of the above, some of the journalistic outpourings have been quite remarkable even by Trinidadian standards. There has been talk of a “political earthquake,” “the dawn of a new era”; there have even been comparisons with Barack Obama’s transformational campaign for the US presidency and a new word has been coined: ‘Kamlamania.’ One Trinidad Guardian report, in particular, gushed that “Persad-Bissessar now joins the ranks of other illustrious female politicians, such as Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, Eugenia Charles, Hilary Clinton, Dora Bridgemohan and Marilyn Gordon,” notwithstanding the fact that practically nobody outside the twin-island state has heard of the last two ladies; or not to mention the slight matter of Ms Persad-Bissessar not having yet won a general election. The ecstasy, though understandable, may therefore be somewhat premature. But as retired Trinidadian academic, Lloyd King, once said, albeit writing in a different context, “Trinidad is a place like that.”
Nonetheless, even with this historic triumph of reason and politics (how often do we see these two words juxtaposed?) in the election of Ms Persad-Bissessar to lead the UNC and eventually to challenge for the post of prime minister, the reality of the political situation is very different and the way forward for Ms Persad-Bissessar, vis-à-vis the UNC and Trinidad and Tobago, still uncertain. For, at the time of writing, Mr Panday, who last November had declared that he would die with his boots on, was steadfastly refusing to yield centre-stage, even in the face of his Waterloo.
Mr Panday has still not conceded defeat and is still holding on to the position of Leader of the Opposition. Constitutionally, he may be able to retain that post if he can convince the President that he still commands the support of a majority of the UNC members of parliament. It is an undignified and unbecoming position being taken by someone who should be regarded as an elder statesman and who should underline his years of service to the nation with one final act of magnanimity. He should ride off into the sunset now.
Now, even as Ms Persad-Bissessar has been gracious in victory, speaking of the need for healing after a particularly nasty, personal campaign of which she was the main target, speculation is mounting as to where MPs will pledge their allegiance. She will therefore need to parlay her political strength, popularity, charisma and intelligence, into a final push for control of the UNC, if she is eventually to form a political alliance with Winston Dookeran’s Congress of the People (COP) and present herself as a credible opponent against Mr Manning in the next general election, whenever that is.
It will take formidable political skills to overcome the bad blood stirred up by Mr Panday and the erstwhile leader’s continuing obstinacy can only hurt the UNC. But Ms Persad-Bissessar seems to favour an approach based on inclusiveness and consensus, and she appears to be working to win over MPs from the Panday camp and other Panday loyalists, as she puts together her shadow cabinet and new party committees.
She will however have to work quickly to make the UNC truly united again and to present a new, stronger UNC to the voting public. The next days, weeks and months promise to be fascinating for politics in Trinidad and Tobago and there will inevitably be lessons for the rest of the Caribbean. Perhaps the hype and excitement are justified after all.