Dansam DHansook’s allegation that he had bribed two
government ministers has now led to their indictment.
The ministers, who have professed their innocence, have both
appropriately tendered their resignations.
Prime Minister Manning acted in a manner consistent with his
solemn oath of office. On receipt of Dhansook’s written
communication, without fanfare and prodding from anyone, he
referred, what were undoubtedly serious allegations directed
at two Cabinet Ministers, to the Attorney General and the
Integrity Commission, to pursue in accordance with their mandates,
free from any political interference from the executive.
The Attorney General and members of the Integrity Commission,
with commendable fidelity to their oaths of office, ignored
the Opposition’s vulgar partisan pressures to act irresponsibly,
thereby instilling confidence in the integrity of their operations.
It comes as no surprise that the UNC is avidly seeking to
capitalise on these developments. Will they, in consequence,
be propelled back to office in upcoming elections—whenever
called?
Given the dismay in the land over crime and corruption, will
the T&T electorate ever entrust political power to a UNC
with a leadership which has stubbornly refused to make any
effort to cleanse its Augean stables?
If UNC’s small modernising cadre thought they had found
a Hercules in Dookeran, they must now be wondering! Panday,
still Opposition Leader, is demonstrating that in the mould
of the mythical King Augeas, he remains able to keep UNC’s
stables soiled.
UNC is unwilling to cleanse itself. If those who inhabit UNC’s
stables like it so, T&T’s electorate will not share
their preference. Nothing about the UNC now makes it an attractive
political alternative.
It cannot claim that the current political system prevents
it from achieving office; it does not. Indeed, it was during
UNC’s tenure that the allegations of ministers abusing
the public trust arose.
Six former ministers, including the former Prime Minister,
now Opposition Leader, are before the courts, with other investigations
still in progress.
Significantly, the UNC remains unrepentant and unapologetic
in the face of this record; the Opposition Leader, though
under indictment, has refused to resign, while those demanding
his resignation have cynically switched sides or are systematically
being sidelined.
The new political leader is being obstructed and embarrassed
at every turn. The obstacles being put in Dookeran’s
way are legion, as he attempts to transform the UNC’s
image by introducing what he calls "the new politics.”
Dookeran outlined some of its elements in his address delivered
to a party seminar he organised: "Ethics, Unity and Politics:
Separation of Party and State; Maintaining a Secular State;
Discouraging the Politics of Patronage and Clientelism; addressing
the politics of managing our diverse society; being credible
in the pursuit of unity; ensuring the integrity of the political
process; recognising and accepting the need for principled
compromises.
Mere buzz words or expressions of serious intent? The proof
of the pudding is always in the eating. Will the UNC give
Dookeran the opportunity to try to convert rhetoric into reality?
If the truth be told, many of the elements of Dookeran’s
“new politics” are anathema to UNC’s fundamentalists.
Even the title of his address would seem threatening to them.
Panday remains their standard-bearer. His philosophy that
politics has a morality of its own is more congenial to them.
Any wonder that Dookeran is encountering such obstacles?
Take, for example, the abrupt and astonishing about-turn by
Jack Warner from total support for Dookeran to, once again,
uninhibited support for Panday.
Was the obvious chasm in the world views of Panday and Dookeran
a factor, with Warner being more comfortable with Panday’s?
This must have come as a devastating shock to Dookeran. Given
Warner’s volte face, he must have regretted bitterly
his decision to have him serve as the sole investigator into
the contention which arose when Yetming’s (a Dookeran
supporter) clear victory for UNC’s vice-chairman’s
post was overturned on a recount in favour of Panday’s
choice.
The recount was upheld by Warner. All of this may have been
perfectly above board, but in the circumstances it appeared
so Byzantine, so questioning of confidence in UNC’s internal
operations, so typically UNC.
It must now be evident to Dookeran that advancing the cause
of ethics, unity and decency in the UNC will be an uphill
struggle. The party’s internal election, expected to
facilitate this, has had the opposite effect of exacerbating
matters.
The election and its aftermath have presented ethical challenges
for the UNC. There is now the distinct possibility that residual
bitterness left in the wake of these events could result in
UNC’s irretrievable fragmentation.
Quite clearly, the unregenerate UNC, still under Panday’s
dominance, is not a viable political alternative for T&T
at this time. None of the recently-launched parties is resonating
with the people.
Some are being led by politically-unattractive or mistrusted,
recycled politicians, at least one other by youthful new entrants
on the political stage.
But having announced its arrival, it now seems to have gone
into hibernation. This objective reality places a heavy responsibility
on the 50-year-old PNM to provide T&T with honest, competent
government.
This must always be the goal of political parties. But given
the current absence of any credible alternative, the responsibility
devolving upon the PNM becomes that much greater.
Perceived rampant corruption led to the compromising and political
downfall of UNC and many of its most influential figures.
It continues to be an ever-present challenge.
PNM must lead by example to maintain its legitimacy. There
can be no compromising with corruption. While acknowledging
that human frailty is a concomitant of human activity, its
manifestations must never be condoned.
Political leaders in particular have the obligation to demand
and enforce the highest standards of morality on their organisations,
especially among its principal executives.
This test the UNC leadership failed miserably. PNM’s
leadership has adopted the contrary approach in consonance
with the public’s expectation of good governance.
It is non-judgmental and relies on due process to determine
outcome.
