By Michael De Gale
November 20, 2007
It took me a while to recover from the shock of the cesspool into which local politics had fallen, and to fumigate my mind from the stench that permeated political discourse in the recently concluded general election in T&T. I will not rehash the unsightly displays and personal attacks that took precedence over numerous opportunities to articulate a vision for the country, propose feasible solutions to pressing social issues and to demonstrate enlightened leadership. However, I still can’t get over the petty miscreant whose battle cry was “let ME go out in a blaze of glory”, when the future of the nation was at stake, nor the acrimonious remarks used by the sore losers to conceded defeat. But all that is behind us now. The universe has unfolded as it should. While there is need for consultation and strategy, the job of running the country must continue without pause for a honeymoon. At the core, it must be born in mind that a government was elected to lead a nation, not only to serve those who lent their support when political barbarians were pounding at the gates. That’s what democracy and leadership is about.
Continue reading Forward Ever – Backward Never
Now that Patrick Manning and the PNM have convincingly won the 2007 general elections, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues need to lace their work boots, adjust their coveralls, and get back to work without even a pause for refreshment or celebration. There is no honeymoon after a third marriage. Manning must have sensed a PNM victory well before elections day-as sober observers did-those who were not carried away by highly inflated crowd numbers, especially the paid-for versions. So now, as George Chambers said after his 1981 victory: fete done, it’s back to work.