June 02, 2010 newsday.co.tt
PNM chairman Conrad Enill yesterday told Newsday that Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley has received the support of all 11 PNM MPs to become Leader of the Opposition.
Enill scotched previous reports that only ten MPs were backing Rowley, amid claims that Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert was not supporting Rowley but was himself seeking to become Opposition Leader. Enill said a letter with the names of all 11 of Rowley’s colleagues was sent yesterday to President George Maxwell Richards, indicating support for Rowley to become Opposition Leader.
“That was communicated to the President today. That process is now complete. The President today received all the signatures supporting Dr Rowley.”
He said the ceremony for the President to present Rowley with the instruments of appointment as Opposition Leader would be held at 4 pm on Friday. Enill noted that meanwhile, Rowley has until June 14 – the date tentatively set for the opening of Parliament – to select six Opposition Senators. “He is consulting widely,” remarked Enill of Rowley. Otherwise Enill said he was now simply trying to ensure that the PNM’s transitional arrangements– as it moves from the leadership of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning to Rowley– are done “without acrimony or negatives” that often mark such handovers.
Full Article : newsday.co.tt
I am so glad Mr. Imbert joined the team. This is not a time for a party stunned by defeat, to be fractioning off and backing different factions.The comeback of Kamla, from the doghouse Panday consigned her to just a few years back, the comeback of Dookeran too, are lessons for realpolitics in the Caribbean. A team is not one voice, they need not sleep on each others couches, or eat with the same soup spoon, but when speaking publicly on behalf of a party, they MUST seak with one voice.
Unless there are major, life changing, philosophical differences, the sort of things you would risk your life for, when the team speaks, it must speak with one voice. This means no individual press conferences to air the gripes of one person who di dnot get his/her own way. Discipline!
Just think how much spit-swallowing the UNC MEN must have had to do to accept leadership by a woman. It goes against their religious philosophy. Lakshmi and Lord Krishna are not interchangeable, the way the God of the Christians can be both god of love and God of war in the same being. BUT, apparently, they did it, and it has not fallen apart by today, the ninth day.Fractionization is good for oil and gas processing, but not for politics.
So, PNM people, rally around Rowley. He is the person,singly, that the party in power now fears. He knows how to kick butt. He did it with the Integrity Commission. He has a vision that is good for the country. He well may know also, where the bodies are buried, but most of all, he is an intelligent thoughtful leader. The UNC people tried before to derail him, and failed, Patrick Manning tried, and failed. Choose success. Move forward with positivism and strength.
Linda Edwards wrote:
“they need not sleep on each others couches, or eat with the same soup spoon, but when speaking publicly on behalf of a party, they MUST seak with one voice”.
The “speaking with one voice” is what caused the defeat of the PNM. Manning’s minions blindly pledged their undying support for his ill conceived actions as PM of T&T.
In the words of Tony Fraser:
“For decades PNM members have extolled the virtues of the party being a lodge, a cult in which no one speaks out against decisions of the oligarchy, of being an organisation in which the word and actions of the leader are sacrosanct. It is the same thinking which fashioned the national constitution and the political culture, all predicated on a dominant “strongman” and a subject oligarchy in tow to rule the masses. Yesterday it was Manning, and frankly it could have been anyone, tomorrow it could be someone else. To avoid returning to the dictatorship, the population will have to force change. History has demonstrated that change will not be initiated by a strongman waiting in the wings or popular woman and populist movement now on stage: transformation and reformation must be deliberately forced into existence; it will not be ceded by those at the centre. When Manning started to undermine political figures inside the party, Mitchell, Seepaul, Maraj, Beckles, Eddie Hart, Hinds, Valley and Rowley, no one said a word. They were all quite willing to cede the unchallenged lead to the political leader as such a supine posture allowed them to remain in the spotlight”
Many of those who believe in the divine right of the PNM to rule T&T are blinded by their perceived ancient ethnic prejudices.Neal is still paralyzed by the defeat, Linda is hoping for the PP to err and Mr. Daniels continues to spew hatred and bile. When are you people going to realise that a new day is dawning.
All kind of people sending me Tony Fraser’s words, how many political parties has he led again? Remind me please.Journalists write, that’s all they do.
I have never been in politics either, but I have been president of a branch of the National Education Association(USA), the secretary of a civic association, served on the evaluation team of at least three American high schools, and led a section of the Human Resources Dept. of a major state enterprise. I have served on the board of the Caribbean Conference of Churches, and I am currently serving as a board member of an internationally oriented group in Houston.
When an organization speaks, it speaks with one voice. The wrangling about what that voice should say could last for weeks, until an agreement is reached. Some juries, and the American Supreme Court allow for dissenting opinions.It is very detrimental to political parties, as well as family relationships.Colm Imbert seems to know that, thank God.
If a dissenting voice is so strong, and cannot get through to the leadership, that voice either becomes quiet, or goes out and form your own group. Its what boys do, when they are tired of listening to the old man who is their father.
You are the expert on everything and all else should shut up? Give us a break!!! Allyuh turn Manning into a madman.
Rowley starts PNM revival today
This country’s Opposition Leader, Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley, says he will be keeping a close eye on the policies of the People’s Partnership Government while focusing on rebuilding the People’s National Movement (PNM).