Some of my acquaintances say they do not intend to read the
newspapers for a while. They say they cannot take the intensity;
too much is happening too quickly in T&T. And while this
intensity might be a good thing for the media, it is not for
the public at large.
They cite recent revelations of child killings, allegations
of interference in the administration of justice and lastly,
reports of pornography and sex abuse in schools.
These matters might be traumatic, but I believe it is better
to know than to live in ignorance; to have things revealed
rather than be swept under the carpet. Having said that however,
I would like to highlight certain newsworthy events in the
last few days that might be considered unusual in constituting
good or funny news.
Kidnappings for ransom
The Guardian reported that so far for 2006, there have been
five kidnappings for ransom. And of those, it appears that
at least three have been solved and five persons charged.
This is certainly a far cry from 2004 and 2005.
It is evident that something positive must have occurred somewhere
to have these results and I don’t think it was the so-called
no-bail for kidnappers legislation. Nonetheless a fair number
of persons said to be involved in kidnappings for ransom have
been arrested in recent times and the population seems to
have emerged from that stricken fear of kidnapping that engaged
it for two years.
Matters of amusement
Last Friday, I was greatly entertained by a radio interview
with two members of the Dookeran-led faction of the UNC. At
the start of the interview, Carol Cuffie-Dowlatt was emphatic
that “there was no split in the UNC.”
Amazingly, she contended that all that was going on was just
normal party conflict that would be resolved in due time but,
there was no split.
One of the reasons she offered for this was a statement by
Mr Panday that there was “one political leader”
of the UNC and “one opposition leader. This supported
her claim that the UNC is one.
This, in the face of highly publicised reports of dissent,
letters written by members, releases to the media and statements
at public meeting all alluding to a split: Pro-Dookeran vs
Pro-Kamla/Panday.
Ms Dowlatt’s statement must make you smile. If that is
not politics I don’t know what is.
Another matter that may be deemed funny had to do with a column
I wrote some three weeks ago headlined Scandal in the Judiciary.
At that time I wrote, “It may well be that it is either
because the political divisions in the country are skewed
along racial lines or that the CJ is an Indian and his accusers
of African descent, but the country has, in my view, never
been so polarised.”
In the context of that polarisation, I commented later in
column: “I am not sure how many have heard this already,
but making the rounds for the last year or so is the rumour
that there is a PNM plot to get rid of all “Indian icons.”
Some people have pointed to Vijay Narayn-
singh, Basdeo Panday and now to Chief Justice Sat Sharma as
evidence of this plot. People who believe this will disbelieve
anything the CM or even the AG says if it is against the CJ.”
I thought nothing of this assertion until a person in authority
asked me a few days ago, whether I had said/thought that there
was a plot to get rid of all
Indian icons.
Apparently, someone who had read my column told him this was
what I had said, as if it were my opinion. I found the whole
thing so ludicrous that I had to laugh.
It just clearly proved my point that T&T is so polarised
when different persons can read or see the same thing and
interpret it differently depending on their political or other
loyalties.
Cricket
As I write this, West Indies has won three One Day Internationals
in a row to win the series against the mighty Indians. Certainly,
this is something to be thrilled about and it is exceptionally
good news in light of our dismal failures in international
cricket in the past few years.
I am sure that many people did not expect that West Indies
would do so well. I certainly did not and I know numerous
fans felt similarly even desisting from viewing cricket lately.
Our cricket, coupled with our soon-to-be participation
in the World Cup, ensures that we
will be in sports euphoria for at least another month.
Democracy alive and well
On the CJ issues, I have heard so many things. Among them
is the statement that the last bastion has been breached:
the people look up to the judiciary as their final hope against
oppression and if they lose faith, all fall down.
There has been talk of a dictatorship. All kinds of remarks
suggesting that the administration of justice and democracy
is at risk have been made.
Despite the predictions of the naysayers, we are surviving
all of this and doing so very well. People have not become
more lawless than they were a year ago, more corrupt, more
angry etc.
In fact, it may well be that they might perceive that there
is some truth in the maxim “No one is above the law.”
They might now actually believe that the powerful might be
required to account just like they too must give account.
In fact, it is my view, shared by many locally and regionally,
that recent events in T&T demonstrate that democracy is
alive and kicking here. Certainly, some persons in Guyana
and Grenada share that view.
This was the tenor of an article in a Guyana newspaper last
week and the Grenada Bar is interested in discussing the Integrity
in Public Life law and separation of powers in T&T.
Many in the region seem to think we are managing our business
very well.
