Dear Editor,
Trinidad’s oldest political party, the Peoples National Movement which was founded over 50 years ago by, among others, the late Dr Eric Williams, is expected to have a new interim political leader this week until a convention in June chooses a regular leader.
The party has had only three political leaders in his long history: the late Prime Minister Eric Williams, late Prime Minister George Chambers, and outgoing Prime Minister Patrick Manning who reigned from 1987 until this week.
Manning submitted his resignation after he led the party to a humiliating defeat a week ago in a snap general election with 30 months remaining in his term. Manning said he accepts responsibility for the defeat and felt it only appropriate to step down, which is quite different from political leaders in Guyana.
All indications are that Keith Rowley, a Tobagonian, is expected to succeed Manning. Rowley was Manning’s deputy during the 1990s when the PNM was returned to office. After the PNM was defeated by Basdeo Panday’s UNC in a snap election in November 1995, Rowley led an unsuccessful effort in 1996 to topple Manning as leader and the two of them have had a war of words ever since.
The PNM returned to office in December 2001 with Rowley backing Manning. But Rowley accused officials of the government of corruption in 2008 and Manning sacked him from the cabinet in 2009.
Rowley called for an investigation into corruption leading to an official inquiry that criticized the government forcing Manning to call early elections last week and his defeat.
NACTA conducted an opinion poll over the last few days to find out people’s views on who should replace Manning as leader. Rowley leads followed by former Member of Parliament Penny Beckles. Other contenders were Colm Imbert, the outgoing Majority Leader, and Dr Amery Browne, a rising star. Rowley, who is loved by the African grass roots but has very little support among Indians. Beckles enjoys support among all ethnic groups and many feel she will be a better leader.
However, Beckles is not an MP having been denied a seat by Manning. Beckles had represented the safe Arima seat since December 1991 until Manning pulled the plug on her last month resulting in the loss of the seat.
Arimans told Manning “No Penny, No vote” and they held to their word with one of the lowest voter turnouts among all the seats. Rowley is the new opposition leader (the President appoints the person best able to command the support of the greatest number of MPs who do not support the government) and is likely to win the leadership contest in a special delegate Assembly in late June.
Last week, a mob went after Manning jeering and taunting him. Most people interviewed by NACTA, including supporters of Kamla, the new Prime Minister, condemned those acts of hooliganism. Everyone felt Manning should be treated with dignity as a former PM.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
