By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 01, 2015
This is Holy Week for 1.7 billion Christians all over the world. It is a time when Christ overcame his detractors. Betrayed by one of his disciples and condemned to death, he rose triumphantly three days afterwards, which is celebrated as Easter Day.
Over the past week Dr. Keith Rowley’s detractors have berated him, condemned him to political death and sought to entomb him in a political grave. Rather than reject Vernella Alleyne Toppin’s venom unequivocally, the UNC hierarchy clings to the illusion that Dr. Rowley still has questions to answer. Our learned Prime Minister insists she accepts parts of Alleyene Toppin’s accusations against him.
But during this Easter week, I can say with certitude that in the next three or four months Dr. Rowley would emerge in glory from his intended political demise. The UNC has thrown its best shot but have entangled itself in its Anansi moment.
For those who have forgotten, one version of the Anansi story reads as follows. Once upon a time, an old woman planted a large field of pigeon peas. Unwilling to plant his own field, Anansi pretended to be dead so he could steal this old woman’s peas. Fed up with the constant thieving, the woman’s son, got some tar, painted a stump and put a hat on it.
One evening when Anansi came to steal more peas he saw a figure protecting the field. He said: “Good evening, sir!” He received no reply. Again he said, “Good evening, sir!” He received no reply. He then said, “If you don’t speak to me I’ll kick you!” He kicked the stump with his right foot and the tar held it there like glue.
He then said: “Let me go, or I’ll knock you down with my right hand.” He struck the stump with his right hand which also got stuck. Then he raised his left hand and said, “If you don’t let me go, I will hit you with my left hand.” Eventually, his left hand as well as his left foot got stuck, which left him suspended in air where he remained until the next day, the laughing stock of all.
The next morning Anansi felt so ashamed that he retired to his hole where he remains to this day
The rogue element of the UNC may see Africans in all the derogatory terms in which Jaishima Leladharsingh described us. They may even see us as a benighted beings. However, they do not understand that Africans are a strong, resilient people whose culture gives them the strength to prevail. In other words, the more one tries to kick us down, the more we arise reinvigorated and re-strengthen.
Africans have always been a God-fearing people. In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul, admonished: “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” He advised them further: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The 542 million African Christians take these admonitions seriously.
African people understand there are those who will come in the name of the Most High offering manna of every kind-be it a secondary school or a trade school-to those whom Leladharsigh describes as “stinking, low-class niggers;… bastards who never had to fight or work for anything.”
Africans are neither overwhelmed by such manna nor besmirch by aspersions cast in our way. We remember Matthews’s warning: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
We are also helped by our folk wisdom which says: “If the frog tells you the crocodile has sore eyes, believe him.” Translated: “In the testimony of one man concerning another, his neighborhood and similarity of habits and living should be allowed great weight” (J. J. Thomas, Theory and Practice of Creole Grammar.)
The country has heard the imprecations of our detractors and the malignity of our own used as an instrument of evil. But it is the destiny of all of us-the people of goodwill–to heal the nation’s wounds. In spite his tribulations Dr. Rowley shall quench “the fiery darts of the wicked.”
Like Anansi, his detractors shall be unmasked, forced to run back into their holes and allow him to take his rightful place in our society.
That story on Anansi is a stretch my mother used to read it to me as a child but it is good to read it again. As for Keith Rowley you are right nothing sticks, even the mud thrown at him from fellow Tobagonian Vernella a woman who knew intricate details of Dr.Rowley life. I must admit living in small communities you does know.
I lived in a small community and I can tell you I knew everyone business. I knew stuff that no one else knew, like the neighbour daughter who was intimate with her youngest uncle. No one knew but me and my friend. So when Vernella spoke the PNM propaganda machine got to work, it is the most well oiled machine in TnT. PNMites in the media print, radio station, Internet suddenly was abuzzed at these revelations of rape, underage girl, child outside marriage etc. Could this be their “dear leader”???Within a day an Express reporter broke the story and it made headlines Vernella lied, next day a video emerges with the alledged victim and her son. The video is commical at best. Balisier spokesman Al-Rawi confirmed that Rowley did in fact have a child before he was married and was the “proud father” of 46-year-old Garth Alleyne
AL RAWI Says Garth Alleyne is “46 yrs old”
According to his mother he was born June 17, 1970 that would be “45 yr old” this year.
According to GARTH ALLEYNE in the 2014 video he would have been “43 yrs in August 2014” making him 44 years old this year.? In the video the son looks at his mother and tells her her age she not sure when she was born. Then the mother looks at the son and tell him his age. It is Comedy Central at its best. The worst of course in Keith bio there is no acknowledgement of a boy, mentioned are 2 girls. While Al Rawi talks about Keith son in glowing father / son relationship Keith is dead silent. Huh.
You are aspiring to be PM there is a “vetting” process where your life is held up to the glare of the public mirror as such dirty images of the past is reveal. The “cock and bull” story that the PNM is selling for public consumption is distasteful and disgusting. The truth eludes them….sadly. If u cannot be trusted to tell the truth in small things then you will not tell the truth in big things…please Al Rawi the truth only we are tired of these horrendous lies.
Happy Easter to all remember barabas… And Judas.
“That story on Anansi is a stretch my mother used to, read it to me as a child?”
Mamboo de Mayaro lifetime drunkard
Ahhh shucks,and ‘get out of here, ‘Mamboo! -as we like to say on de streets.
Again,your mom read to you as a child , you said with a straight face?
How de hell did she manage that, while raising 25 ,runny nose kids-all before age 30,plant 50 acres of bodie ,corn,corili,and melongen,then sell same along the highway,and daily fend off dat sex crazy,drunken ,foul mouth ,Papa of yours,while attempting to prepare lunch, dinner, and breakfast ? No wonder the poor woman did not make it to age 50,while Mamboo Snr, at 98,is still pretending to care for the young girls that pass near Cuz Sinanan ,rumshop,in Palmin rd Mayaro?
This Lying creature ,is trying to convince us, his mama read to him,yet never send him to school.
Seriously Mamboo, ain’t it time ,you and fellow PP apologist TMan,use you all influence, and speak to Siparia Queen Kamla?
One cannot help but think dat de woman has a secret,political death wish,as perhaps she ,and cronies, made enough dough/money,over her single term as PM.
What’s this I am hearing ,where she claimed ,she had a bush bath as a child, .. was baptised in healing ,and cleansing water,and so,she ain’t no fake?
http://m.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-04-02/kamla-school-baptists-no-bribe
Yeah,we get it,she knows how to limbo dance ,can make roast bake,grew up eating breadfruit oil down,with hog features,and better yet, know in her heart, growing up as a child,how to wear colorful ,West African garbs.
Yeah Kamla tell dat to the five Ghanaians ,you deported -and in the process ,left 80 Trini kids fatherless-all at a cost of 10 million dollars,over the Caribbean Air line Flight, back to Africa.
Hey guys ,tell de good lady,no one cares if she can speak in tongues ,in the absence of Mr Bissasar.
Folks do not care if she had a serious crush on Reverand Johnson ,tom cat son,and secretly was knocked up,then shipped to Barbados ,or a Swedish finishing school,where she produced a secret Dougla baby,who today ,can speak fluent Hindi,Kiswalli,and EBo.
This fact won’t translate to much in the pools,come next elections.
Why is this so you ask,when the woman is willing to build a church for Baptist?
Well,de war cry today is this:-Fool me once, shame on you,but fool me twice ,then I’m de idiot!
Last I checked, my people weren’t idiots.
They have always done the right thing, after initially, holding their nose,every 15 years, and voting for these political clowns .
It’s 1 term, and back to the political wilderness, where they belong.
Stay vigilant T&T!
Hey Neal! I have been talking notes on the blogs written by TMan, Mamboo and read the speech delivered by Christine Newallo-Hosein and my suspicions leave me to believe that they were all written by the same person. You and know that on any given day, your good friend TMan almost never writes more than five lines. Bamboo likewise, writes five lines. All of a sudden they are posting lengthy comments. Also, there is distinguished similarities in the writing styles of Christine, TMan and Mamboo. It is something that just caught my eyes. You care to comment?
Psalm 35:20 “They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.”
“What’s this I am hearing ,where she claimed ,she had a bush bath as a child, .. was baptised in healing ,and cleansing water,and so,she ain’t no fake?”
Please don’t use your diatribe to spawn such hatred of ones belief. When the PM occupied public office where she goes what she does what she says become a matter of public record, it is the credo of democracy.
Your DNA allows you to pour contempt on her open confessions. She is woman of a complex background and she connects to people through those complexities. I am sure your friend Keith is having political diahrreah every time she meet with these religious groups. But that is nature of those who lives south of the Caroni.
Don’t hot your head too much Nealos. Have a happy Easter and stay off the valium.
So we are now invoking blasphemy into the equation. Oh poor Rowley. And horay to the conquering Europeans that brought this religion to its shores.
What utter tripe.
To say the least, the comparison of Rowley to Christ is not only absurd but blasphemous.The PM has to accept part of Toppin’s allegations against him because he really does have a son which he did not make part of his biography in his quest to become prime minister. The PM, as well as most of the country rejected all of the rape accusations as being inappropriate rather than untrue. Jaishima Leladharsingh, as confirmed by Cudjoe is a rouge who does not represent the policies or true feelings of the majority of UNC members and supporters.He got what he deserved, which was dismissal by Tewarie. Cudjoe is resorting to exaggeration and sensationalism to campaign for Rowley and the PNM.
” The more one tries to kick us down, the more we arise reinvigorated and re-strengthen”
This type of inflammatory and sensational language really serves no useful purpose in a multicultural society. African Trinboganians are not disadvantaged, discriminated against, exploited or being deprived of a livelihood in T&T.The state of certain African communities have not changed for over fifty years, even under the former PNM administrations, in spite of efforts to improve the lives of people in these communities. Cudjoe repeats many of the cliches and rhetoric used in the USA to describe African people.These characterizations are not applicable in T&T, where Blacks have been in control for over five decades and where the present government more diverse than any other government in the history of T&T.
Cudjoe’s piece is good election campaign material, but very offensive to most people who live in harmony in communities where people of all races coexist and go about their daily lives in the land of their birth.
There is no doubt that if Rowley and the PNM is successful at the polls,the country will go on as it always does.There will be new PNM appointees in a variety of positions all over the country and Indians will be complaining that they are being deprived of opportunities. And carnival will come next year.
Steve Smith presents an objective view:
Mrs Vernella Alleyne-Toppin’s contribution to the motion of no confidence in Dr Keith Rowley as Leader of the Opposition warrants comment. I am truly amazed at the profound bias, the emotion, the gullibility and the extent to which Trinidadians are simply unwilling or indeed unable to ventilate issues through objective and reasoned discourse. Ours is sadly a deeply dysfunctional and unthinking society that is governed more by irrational emotion, bigotry and an infantile belief in superheroes who are above reproach. The range of ad hominem criticism is absolutely amazing!
In virtually all developed societies, every aspirant to high office is subject to scrutiny through systematic interrogation of his/her personal history, legal record, dubious activity, ideological leanings, etc. All of this is done with a view to establishing the psychometric profile of a candidate. Why should Dr Rowley be exempt especially when almost all that he does is to attack people? In undeveloped countries, no such examination is done. Charismatic leadership is the order of the day. Unfortunately, those with the most infectious and endearing personalities often exhibit the greatest emotional instability.
In our peculiar case, we are intoxicated by communitarian ethnic loyalty that has become a real impediment to reasoned judgment. Objective character assessment is not the way things are done here. Our initial appraisal is aligned to ethnic phenotype and influenced by wishful thinking. How many have been calling for Mrs Alleyne-Toppin’s blood and her immediate censure without a shred of evidence that her concerns are either specious or mischievous? Descriptions of her comments from learned contributors have ranged from scandalous to disrespectful, describing them as low-life, all because of an empiric and irrational fundamental assumption that her questions are disrespectful to the person to whom they are directed. Is any individual above moral reproach?
Interestingly, the opposite holds true in respect of the ill-founded and arrogant fabrications that Dr Rowley has repeatedly brought to the Parliament. His utterances are accepted as gospel truths and beyond reproach. His character assassinations are never questioned; his sloppy carelessness in raising issues that have no more merit than rum-shop gossip are construed as factual and trigger emotive and irrational support.
Mrs Alleyne-Toppin has seen it fit to raise an issue that impugns the character of an aspirant to the office of Prime Minister and rather than seek to have these issues properly aired, our deeply rooted dysfunctional bigotry completely blinds us to this reality and renders us impervious to objectivity.
This type of bigotry, this irrational refusal of objective reasoning and our complete reliance on emotion and the willingness to drunken ourselves on the wine of charismatic sweetness have led many poor countries into a spiral of underdevelopment. Similar blindness would never have allowed the world to know of the shenanigans of respectable people like Mr Berlusconi, Strauss-Khan or even President Clinton.
We need to seriously grow up!
Finally the truth has come to light! It is hardly a coincidence that this is all happening around Easter when so many Christians celebrate Christ rising from the dead.
The truth is that this government is nasty, corrupt, unprincipled and loaded with criminals at all levels. From the prime minister, AG to the idiotic nincompoop speaker (who got his qualifications by association with other PP criminals), they must feel the wrath of all righteous thinking people of this country at the polls.
No PNM old talk & Propaganda can beat this PERFORMANCE
• Settled 83 wage negotiations 34 of which was left outstanding by the PNM
• Settled $20 billion CLICO Crisis
• Turn around a recession economy from negative 3.5% to positive 1.7% growth
• Turn around the agriculture sector
• Created the Children life fund
• Reduced poverty by 4%
• Created the Single Electronic Window for ease of doing business
• Built the Couva Interchange
• Converted Chancery Lane office complex into a teaching hospital
• Replaced the Navet South Trunk Main which improved water supply to over 250,000 households
• Paid $1.5 billion owed to contractors by the PNM
• Completed the Aranguez Overpass
• Constructed the St. Helena Delta Bridge connecting Kelly Village to Piarco
• Completed the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway Extension
• Constructed a Third Lane to Uriah Butler Highway
• Rehabilitated the Tarouba Link Road.
• Construction of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension from Golconda to Debe
• Completion of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway/Uriah Butler Highway Interchange
• Built 72 new schools
• Built 8 new police stations
• Provided 500 new vehicles to the Police Service
• Created over 40 New Bus routes
• Processed more than 1,000 Certificates of Comfort (COCs).
• Commissioned 12 community centres at Gulf View, Marac, Waterloo, Union Claxton Bay, Malabar Phase IV, La Gloria, Hindustan, Bon Air West, Ste. Madeleine, Sisters’ Road, Second Caledonia, Duranta
• Built over 30 Bridges
• Ministry of Local Gov’t paved 1150 local roads in fiscal year 2012/13
• FOREIGN direct investment increased by over 400% since 2010 from $3.5 billion to almost $16.1 billion.
• Given out 95,000 Laptops to Form one Students
• Reduced Inflation from 16% in 2010 to 4% in 2014.
• Opened 17 MIC Technology Centre
• Increased 24/7 Water Supply from 18% in 2010 to 69% in
2014
• Installed lights at 157 Recreation Grounds
Delivery for Tobago
• Completed the long awaited Tobago hospital improving health care in Tobago
• Completed the Magdalena Grand improving rooms for Tourism
• Opened a new gas station at Roxborough.
• Fixing the problem with obtaining land title
• IMPROVED BUS SERVICE
• $150 million upgrade for ANR Airport
• New Fire Station for Black Rock (In Progress, See Udecott site for status)
• New MET Office (In Progress, See Udecott site for status)
• Opened the Tobago Technology Centre at Bon Accord
• The establishment of an integrated campus for UTT
• 100% OF TOBAGO WILL HAVE 24/7 WATER SUPPLY BY JULY
and the list goes on…
To polish and sanitize the behavior of Kamla and Vanilla in using the people’s parliament to derogate Dr. Rowley to the lowest form of human dignity is sinful and mamaguy is the most crude and hypocritical form. One of the things that God has endowed mankind with if the ability to be humane even to our worst enemy.
Parliament is the venue for the passing of laws, discussions and debate of the peoples’s business. It is the place where one would assume that we send our best and brightest to represent our needs, desires and wishes to satisfy our present and future placement of us as a nation. Some of the best sayings, customs, proverbs and noteworthy words of aspirations have come from ‘the people’s house’. It is where men and women of stature use their most invincible rhetoric and formidable words of wisdom to uplift the lives of citizens. It is where we expect these men and women to exhibit wisdom and statesmanship to the glory of nationhood. It is where triumphant deeds are glorified and mentioned for the historical records of coming generations. Few men and women of class, power, grace and substance use the cover of Parliament to mortify a fellow parliamentarian. Most of the well-meaning people of this country have solidly disgraced Kamla and Vanilla for this kind of mortification of one’s character. In order to revive this callous idea of Dr Rowley being born of rapists, is a rapist, has children that would be rapist etc is asinine in the highest degree and ONLY FOOLS would want to be associated with that kind of folly. Lately, Kamla’s other ministry of the people minister Christine Newallo-Hosein found it fit to inject a kind of sinister nuance of meaning to Vanilla’s diatribe. She has in fact compared Vanilla’s tactics to that of a hero, bringing to public notice the hidden crime of rape. So she in essence is commending Vanilla for the courage of being a champion of women’s rights. What a disgrace! What nonsensical piece of showmanship of the insane! Do they want to get the the bottom of RAPE? Then let us start with Kamla’s own religion. In Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla;’s former Gender minister, Verna St Rose has been a champion of that kind of criminal behavior. But she was FIRED, yes FIRED! by Kamla herself for exposing the practice of marrying men and little girls as young as 11 or 12 in Kamla’s own religion. It is because Kamla’s guru, Sat Maharaj was angry by Verna’s championing this cause, Kamla fired her. So, tell me people, here is a woman prime minister, digging below the garbage of heresy to stink the character of Dr. Rowley’s past to now come and tell us that he is unfit to be prime minister. What utter disdain and contempt for a prime minister to foster and promote heresy. The fact is that all the stories vented by Vanilla is heresy, her authority comes from folk’s tales from Tobago. Did id come from Dr. Rowley himself? – NO. Did it come from Dr. Rowley’s parents? – NO. Did it come from any relative of Dr Rowley? – No. Did it come from any authoritative source – No. Did it come from any Investigative source like the Police or private Investigator? Did it come from any documented source? – No. Well then if the answer is no to all these questions, how come it ended up in Parliament as a private motion in the nations’s highest law making body of parliamentarians? In any REAL country, Kamla and Vanilla would be chained and driven off to Jail for making scurrilous allegations of rape against an upright and decent like Dr. Rowley. The there are the minions, still trying to make decency out of this sad chapter in the annals of our history of this fraud of parliamentary behavior. Former British prime minister and author Banjamin Disreali once described people who are otherwise weak and coward like Kamla as telling “Lies, damn lies and statistics” in order to shore up their power. They have nothing else in their character to persuade people to their thinking so their only recourse is to say the most damnnest things about another fellow human being in order to make them look ‘good’. There is little or NO GOOD that can come from this charade of justice perpetrated by Kamla and Vanilla. The media tried it’s best to present points of views of this whole story BUT what MUST be kept in mind and be remembered by ALL is that there is ABSOLUTELY no authenticity for the behavior that Kamla and Vanilla has brought to the fore! None nada nyet! So to give credence to this story is not only foolish, it is criminal and I do suggest that all the ‘evidence’ of this story be saved and brought up later for criminal behavior on the part of members of parliament partaking of this venture to use mauves langue to convict a fellow member. In this regard another conspiratpr is none other then the Speaker of the House Wade Mark. How do these people go home to their families at the end of these shenanigans and hug them and tell them how much they love them? How do these people watch us in the eye on TV and tell us how wonder they are putting and making “your government is working for you”? I bow my head in shame for the cowardice and tripe rendered on our behalf in the house last Wednesday. Kayla and her minions should hold their heads in shame and infamy for putting us through this.
Those who forget:
No one has explained how the PNM scholarship that they gave to their supporters and children secretly was given out.
Also the Sants Rosa highway project that was not tendered but was given to a supporter who messed it up.
The LAS ALTURAS housing project was approved by Rowley.
Rowley NEVER explained these.
Who gained from CLICO selttlement. Where is HART?
Bowe
“Who gained from CLICO selttlement…. No one has explained how the PNM scholarship that they gave to their supporters and children secretly was given out.”
Bowe
” Well Bowe ,we might not know, who gained from CLICO settlements,but we were certainly brought up to speed, by it’s Chief Fox Hound Officer,Uncle Duprey , which PM,two duncy -head daughters, got,their entire University tuition paid ,via the stolen funds, of it’s distraught Shareholders,didn’t we?
Tell us Bowe,since de ultra corrupt bastard,won’t ever get charged,much less do jail time ,for this ,and numerous other acts of neo tribal ,political banditry-is that crooked Faddah of your nation, Pappa Basdeo ,planning to one day, repay ,that alleged, soft loans,given to him, by his pal Duprey?
Hey Bowe Constrictor,and how about Kamla close,and dear,spiritual adviser, Sat Maraj .Is that coward, still ,begging for police protection,and wearing his bullet proof vest,as disgruntled HCU ,and yes,chiefly Caroni Ltd, Sugar/Rice paddy pensioners, ,aim their shot guns at him ,for demanding that they take all their savings from dem African dominant, Financial institutions, and put same in ‘we people, owned,mismanaged HCU,’where the returns,were more favorable?
How much interest,did that,criminal, pro Ponzi scheme, nut job -Harrie Harinarine , offered to lure gullible,sheeplike ,members of the tribe again ,Bowe?
We know how much his Costa Rican diplomatic drinking buddy got,then ran away with. We know much dem several ,tribal ,elitist , ‘South ah de Caroni,’fat cats stole,including Harinarine, to expand his Florida bungalow .
We know how much he has been bawling like a constipated Erin jackal,so as to stay out of prison since his Kamla led,UNC dominant, PP barbarians, came to power ,but dats a different story, for another occasion.
You know folks, in 81 ,Randy Fox Borroughs, was at de helm of our now desecrated Police Service .
Yours truly , was a then naive ,short pants police trainee ,and along with 199 other, bright eyed recruits,would March along the St James Barracks Square ,and simply gaze in amazement, at a Young ,energetic Drill instructor,by the name of Fitzgerald Hinds,and was he good!
He has since moved on to better things. 1st as an Insurance salesman, then an executive, and eventually a trained lawyer,along with his lovely Siparia wife.
‘Me think ,’Uncle Rowley, can do no wrong ,in making this trusted lieutenant, either his National Security Minister, or better yet, AG.
Hopefully, The Mason Hall kid, would make anti corruption, a priority in his government. My wish is he would move with full speed, against all them tribal children abusing,underage marriage adoring bums,who love hiding behind religion, to mask their pedophile predilections.
To think dat these hypocritical ,corrupt ,self serving,country hating creatures,and idiot fans, have de temerity ,to try and flip the script, and ‘point fingers ,at the other ,’for alleged ,unlawful acts, that historically,are most prevalent, in their camp.
‘Go get em big fella,’ąnd Bowe-you petulant fraudster-don’t forget to rend de tribe about , chapter 5 of de Bagwas Gita,as well as 72,of de Holy Koran, states, ‘whosoever diggeth de pit,shall fall in it.’
Ain’t it about darn time, our T&T, experience some semblance of overdue, good governance, and more importantly ,long ignored,sustainable development.
Let’s make it happen people , si?
One team, and then sent them back to the political wilderness, where they belong ,hmmmmm?
trinicenter.com
Rowley’s Failure
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
April 20, 2011
The hiccups PNM is going through have more to do with Keith Rowley’s failure to lead than Patrick Manning’s political intransigence and nostalgia for power. Manning, the insane victim of his own ill-judgment, is suffering from the failed-leader syndrome to which many past leaders fall prey: an inability to recognize they messed up and ought to leave the political stage quietly if they cannot do so gracefully. This is the difference between great leaders (such as Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania) who knew how to demit office peacefully and stubborn autocrats (such as Ben Ali of Tunisia, Hosni Mubarack of Egypt and Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivore) for whom power is an entrancing aphrodisiac.
Rowley is turning out to be an inefficient and perhaps uninspiring leader for which the PNM will pay dearly if he does get his act together. Rowley believes that leadership consists in attacking continuously and vehemently everything the Government does (and does not do); holding an occasional press conference; and calling on the government to fire every one from office. In some cases he is right; in others he is irrelevant. If the government takes his advice soon there will be few office holders.
Perhaps it was an omen for the future when, after the PNM’s defeat in the last local government elections, Rowley claimed that the PNM lost because it did not have enough evidence of PP’s failures. This was a negative strategy. He seemed to suggest, “Just wait until they begin to govern, then we will have sufficient ammunition to attack them.” This is exactly the path he is following.
But is this a sufficient strategy on which to become the next government?
Leadership consists of a different mettle. A leader must be able to inspire and fortify his troops with uplifting sentiments and, more importantly, an alternate vision of the world. He must be prepared to devote his life to his work. This is what Dr. Williams did. He did not start his political career only by attacking the government in power (1950-5). He also offered systematic, well-worked out programs in economic development; constitution reform; race relations; and the pros and cons of a West Indian Federation.
He drew on the economic experience of Arthur Lewis who worked with him at the Caribbean Commission; the political savvy of George Padmore whom he knew during his London days; and a strong cadre of middle class intellectuals (mainly teachers) upon whom he built his political foundation. Between June 1955 and June 1956 Dr. Williams addressed 154 meetings throughout the country.
President Barack Obama has been under the gun for the past year from the Republicans who defeated his party in last year’s midterm election. After that, they thought they had him cornered on questions such as the deficit, poor performance on job creation-in spite of the fact a Republican President created the economic disaster– and health care. He compromised with the Republicans on some issues and his numbers went up again.
A week ago he seized the initiative from the Republicans by outlining his vision of the economic trajectory of the United States and made it clear that the smoke and mirror policies of the Republicans (exemplified by Paul Ryan’s “Path to Prosperity”) would not solve the nation’s economic woes. Martin Wolf of the Financial Times, one of the major thinkers of the 20th century, savaged Ryan’s plans (he called it “a reductio ad absurdum”) whereas Paul Krugman, columnist of the New York Times and Nobel Laureate in Economics gave Obama’s plan the thumbs up.
Rowley started out impressively when he announced his vision, “Reflection and Resurgence” at the PNM’s convention that presented its candidates for the local elections. In that speech he announced broad themes around which a new PNM would locate itself: decentralization of the government at the physical, psychological and social level and fiscal federalism that seeks, among other things, devolution of spending and, to a lesser extent, revenue raising responsibilities to local government. He also emphasized the importance of human development since we are more obsessed with the quantity of our physical possessions rather than the quality of our lives.
Since then Rowley has not outlined one policy initiative. For example, what is PNM’s position on public sector wage negotiations? Rowley’s political mode is attack, attack, attack. All one sees within the PNM is a tendency to cannibalize its own, something for which the PDP, ULF and the UNC were famous years ago. The “he say, she say” of the last General Council was the worse manifestation of this behavior.
Rowley has not undertaken the hard work required to rebuild a defeated party. In this he can learn a lot from Dr. Williams, Manning and Jack Warner, the modern prototype of such an ideal. Jack took on Panday and won; he took on Ramesh Maharaj and won; he took on the PNM and won. He is responsible primarily for putting the PP together and they won. If he becomes the leader of the PP it will be in power for the next decade.
Jacks’s most important achievement within T&T’s racialized climate was his winning the chairmanship of the UNC which he did fairly and squarely. He was not elected UNC’s chairman because he is black. He did it because of his efficiency and hard work. It helps that he has mucho money. But money was/is no substitute for hard work and the services he provides to his constituents. You many not like him but he gets the job done.
Rowley has not been mobilizing, inspiring or uniting his party. If he had, Manning’s antics would be seen for what they are: the tabanca of a jilted party leader who still harbors a desire of returning to the helm of the party. When a past political leader refuses to attend the legislative caucuses of his party he reflects disrespect for his colleagues and his party that tells us more about his character than the party’s attempt to develop a unified position.
Rowley must recommit himself to rebuilding the PNM and demonstrate steadfastness of purpose. He must articulate clear political alternatives if he wishes to convince the country it will be better served under a PNM government. He still has some time to do so. If he believes the PP will wither and die he has another thought coming. It is not likely the PNM will win by default the next time around.
Professor Cudjoe’s email address is scudjoe
Cudjoe’s words on Rowley are as true today as they were in 2011.
Failure to lead
Inefficient
Uninspiring
Rowley believes that leadership consists in attacking continuously and vehemently everything the Government does.
A leader must be able to inspire and fortify his troops with uplifting sentiments and, more importantly, an alternate vision of the world. He must be prepared to devote his life to his work.
Rowley has not outlined one policy initiative.
Rowley’s political mode is attack, attack, attack.
All one sees within the PNM is a tendency to cannibalize its own…happening now!
Rowley has not undertaken the hard work required to rebuild a defeated party.
If he believes the PP will wither and die he has another thought coming. It is not likely the PNM will win by default the next time around.
AHHHHHHHHH,get out of here ,with this pathetic ,fairy tale !!!
Cudjoe is a friction writer,poet,and playwright,and so ,no one gives a rats behind, about his views on prospective leaders ,of our country,so you can give it a rest,my country hating piasano.
It’s a few months away from the next long overdue election folks,and all that the voters need to consider ,can be encapsulated under these basic questions:-
1.They took a chance ,and voted for a political nobody /neophyte ,named kamla,because they were tired of the stewardship of an arrogant ,nepotestic ,visionless,self serving,fake religious clown,named Patrick Manning,and was it worth their while?
They’ll have to decide that on election day.
2.Did their lives improve dramatically,from what it was, 5 years ago,before buying into the phony “change ,” mantra ,that was parroted by kamla,and her PP goons?
The answer is a resounding no,unless you were a small elite minority.
3.Is Dr Kieth Rowley,-as characterized-‘some vicious ,sex freak ,with an ‘insatiable hard on ,’for underaged girls ,be it a ,17/18 year old fiesty student,when he was a 20 year Roxborough teacher,or 35 year old looking ,17 year old ,Indian chick today,as the Opposition leader,and PM in waiting?
Maybe so,but who is checking,or really cares? If making a baby with a teenager is a crime ,then half of T&T should be in jail.
4. Is Dr Rowley, a siamese twin brother of Patrick Manning,or the reincarnated embodiment of George Chambers,ANR Robinson,or Dr Eric Williams?
‘Me think not!’ He is his own man. The voters were able to make a distinction between Kamla ,and her Mentor Basdeo Panday,and so they will likewise do the right thing ,come election day.
If however,Dr Rowley,in similar fashion to Siparia Queen Kamla,proved to be just,another uncaring,self serving ,non visionary bum ,just simply hooked on /contented with,enhancing the lives of cronies,party hacks ,and ‘tribal -eat ah fooders,then he too will face the exact fate ,she is about so to do- be quickly shown the exit door-after a single term as PM.
May good governance ,sustainable development,economic transparency,equal playing field justice, and empowerment of the weak/ needy, be a reality one day ,in resource laden,yet underachieving T&T,si?
Let me add for de record ,that it ain’t for yours truly,to say that Dr Rowley,is the person to bring about all the changes ,I have laid out,but here is what we know .The PP under Kamla,has done absolutely nada to advance this country in a positive direction.
Using any yardstick available,it is quite obvious,that our country has regressed immensely,under her sub par stewardship,and no amount of ‘sugar coating,’by the typical ,cyber yapping comedians,or the ‘former Journalist,’and now her well paid ,image enhancement Chief -Andy Johnson,should make any self respecting person ,with a brain , think otherwise.
Love Humanity ,and stay vigilant people!
This is to inform all and sundry, and Mamoo especially, that the items in the shopping list were not done as a favour by the UNC led PP, but had to be done by whomever was in power.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Danas-murder-an-act-of-terrorism-302324351.html?m=y&smobile=y&clmob=y&c=n
I can’t read this through to de end people,for it’s beyond ridiculous.
These phony security -eat a food -experts! If everytime someone ‘pass wind,’we scream to thr high heavens ,”terrorism,”and we can add -for the benefit of Dr Gopiesing -genocide,what de hell,would we do, when something serious ,stink,and sticky ,hits the symbolic fan,hmmmmm?
Yeah Kamla,Dana murder was an act of terrorism,done by some opaque ,evil, East Trinidad gangbangers.
‘Me think,’they forgot to add,(for your benefit)with major backings ,from high end ,political opponents.
They are probably planning as we speak to stage another Coup,reminiscent to that of Lennox Phillip,aka Yasin Abu Bakr,and his Islamist criminals,ain’t that de truth?
Now ,you would like that to be the case/come to fruition ,don’t you,since it would give you a chance ,to postpone the Constitutionally due elections,and allow clueless Commander Alfonso,and his Tethron,Gangreen weedheads ,to run roughshod over citizens rights,with your second illegal curfew,si?
These undemocratic bums/power mongrels,and their penchant for idiotic,political distractions!
Pray someone,tell me ,who exactly were the perpetrators of this criminal ,terrorists monstrosity,trying to intimidate,when they assassinated Dana-the legal fraternity she is a part of ,the PP government she worked for presently,the PNM government she moonlighted with in the past,her Yankee FBI friends ,she maybe consulted with,her media buddies ,at the Guardian,or dem hundreds of old ,fellow casino, big spenders,she enjoyed hanging with ,7 nights a week,after meticulous research, in her law library?
The question is -are Trini voters ,that stupid ,to fall into de trap of the Sipari Queen,with the angel smile ,and devil heart ,again?
Over 10,000 murdered since she, and her party assumed power,but all she is fixated on ,is the demise of one individual,with more enemies ,than Hitler,Saddam,Syria’s Assard,and Satan ,all put together.
We ain’t buying Auntie K,so tell us instead,how many guns ,entered our porous borders,since you scrapped the OVP ships,which were carded for our Coastguards ,that the savvy Brazilians, promptly grabbed ,again?
Did any of your overpriced security intelligence reporting agents ,talk about un-inspected business containers,that entered T&T,laden perhaps ,with small arms weapons ,or poisonous drugs ,for many of …..ummmm of de UNC dominant PP financial supporting criminals?
How about that Caroni Central comedian MP ,suspect Doctor,who seem to enjoy, breaching T&T laws-be it on an national airlines,where he hides behind his drunkenness,and tenuous power ,to abuse hard working female Stewardess,(then threaten to fire them if they squeal)or worst yet, try to slip through Piarco Airport Customs,with his 94 member entourage,without one piece of luggage getting inspected?
Give it a rest Kamla,and leave the Police to do their job! You and your undemocratic PP goons ,led by your 4 National Security jokers ,have done nothing short of destroy their moral,and tarnish their names.
Don’t worry ,their Hollywood/Bollywood/Nollywood acting Commissioner,would outlast you,and eventually get the respectability he deserves,once Dr Keith Rowley,becomes -‘First Amount Equal,’come next election.
Our soon to be ,new Minister of National Security,Fitzgerald Hinds,’gots this’-as we like to say on the streets.
More importantly,our no nonsense PM,Dr. KW,will put the necessary initiatives in place ,to rectify the tilting Ship of state ,from an economic,security,and wider ,Socio political standpoint.
And no,he would not -under de guise of attending every stupid ,insignificant conference -attempt to visit the other 194 States across the globe,during his 5 year tenure ,while his Foreign Minister,is relegated to soley voting Yeah /Nay, at the UN,and or ,eating Russian caviar,French frog legs ,Chinese Rat brains,American pumpkin pies,and English muffins.
Hey, my fellow T&T progressives ,yours truly,have said it once,twice,and three times my lady,but it’s worth repeating ,especially,for de benefit of dem well paid, self loathing,often boorish ,condescending ,typical ,cyber yapping bozos,who like to stink up de Trini Nation joint,with their putrid ,neo tribal bile:-
‘The man/woman,who can make me hate this land of mine,ain’t born yet!’
Let me reiterate-I luv this land,Y tu?
Long live the Republic of Tobag….ummmm..lo siento,T&T!