By Raffique Shah
December 04, 2024

I expect a bruising political year ahead of us as general election 2025 looms large. The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) has never really stopped campaigning since their loss in 2015. The margins of victory—the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) polled in 2015 and 2020—were close enough to keep the PNM uneasy, but the UNC probably blew it by turning to the courts in constituencies where they were behind by relatively small numbers of votes, causing them to lose goodwill among the electorate.

I make these general statements as someone who has had a keen interest in the politics of the country to the extent that I keep very good records, analyses and viewpoints on all aspects of politics. Because of my affliction, I do not have the energy I enjoyed up to a decade or so ago; nevertheless, I give as much as my body and mind can deliver in projecting possible results even as I try to write entertaining commentaries.

Last week, for example, as I watched the UNC hold their town hall meeting, I thought: why do they insist on following the PNM’s campaign style? It was the PNM who started the relaxed town hall forum that the UNC has now adopted belatedly. Nothing is wrong with mimicking a good thing, but there are many reasons why the UNC should choose to create their own style of public meeting. Any party in the same position should choose their own style.

As the population grew over the decades, migration of electors from election to election sometimes changes dramatically. This feature, that was largely new to electors in T&T, generated suspicion of unfair or even illegal practices by political parties and the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) personnel, with the nation polarised by race, colour, and religion. The question of trust arises as a main stimulant to suspicion, which has triggered unease. This causes greater tension between the rival parties, leading to litigation and sometimes, political unrest.

For the first time, in the aftermath of the 2015 and 2020 general elections candidates who believed they had been “robbed” mounted demonstrations, filed lawsuits, and kept these actions going for far too long. I may need to have a word or five with cousin Alloy Hunt and friend David Nakhid who were to indicate how their post-election behaviour brought the electors on the ground close to blows. They also made unflattering remarks about the EBC, which could have brought that agency into odium (or maybe did).

Our general elections over the past 60 years have been relatively peaceful affairs. It would serve no purpose for candidates, especially high-profile individuals, to make matters worse by taking to the streets—which, if it explodes, could lead to unwelcome consequences. I thought I should interject with this observation to advise party candidates and activists that they are playing with fire. In my decades of activism and participation in demonstrations and protest meetings, I always approach very carefully the option of taking my audiences and supporters over the edge and into a cockpit that we must avoid at any cost. Look round the world and see how many countries are crippled by political and internecine warfare. Yes, people actually descend into violence that is ugly and has no place in our relatively peaceful Trinbago.

The points I made above will hopefully influence those politicians who do not know the power of their articulation, and innocently lead the masses into unnecessary violence. I trust those who are tempted to test such powers that they may have, will steer very clear of the mob rule that could trigger unintended consequences.

It was not my intention to make violence in our politics the focus of attention, but having been part of that gayelle in my youthful days, and having seen the ugly results of such irresponsible behaviour by leaders, I think it’s only fair that I advise the younger ones who will be called upon to occupy leadership positions that it will place grave responsibilities on their shoulders. Mob and other political violence are alien to our culture—but we can never tell when it will go awry and bring tears, blood, and grief to our beloved homeland.

I trust that elections ahead of us—there are two, local elections and general—will be free and fair, and free from fear. Law-abiding citizens have been put to the gun by heartless criminals who make life a misery for so many people, day and night. It would be refreshing to have our politicians show how peacefully they can make it through the electoral process and transfer of power, if that is a result of the polls.

We do not have to fight wars to exercise our rights.