Tuesday, August 18 2009

WHO would have thought that the unremarkable site of Chaguanas Borough Corporation (CBC) would have grabbed the nation’s attention as the site of the battle for control of the Opposition?

With Parliament on break, recently much attention has instead been given to the fight between the factions of the UNC led respectively by Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday, and Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner, Tabaquite MP Ramesh Maharaj and Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters (RamJackG). Every blow by blow detail grabs attention.

Even as Panday sent the trio to the UNC disciplinary committee and “replaced” them in and outside of Parliament by “surrogate MPs”, Warner has hit back by opening a new office in Panday’s Couva North constituency and by threatening to sue Panday for alleged libel and to sue the UNC National Executive over alleged disciplinary charges.

Panday in turn dared Warner to resign his seat and try to win it without Panday’s support, declaring that elections are not won in law-courts but on the hustings.

Last week saw Warner, for now, apparently take the upperhand by opening his Jerry Junction office in Panday’s home-turf, while depriving Panday of his perch in the CBC office of Deputy Mayor Orlando Nagessar to meet Warner’s constituents. Panday has vowed to sit under a tree, if need be, to meet the Chaguanas West constituents.

Basically from day one, the replacement of former Chaguanas Mayor Suruj Rambachan by newcomer Natasha Navas was simply the initial skirmish for the eventual battle between Panday and Warner, who would each personally descend onto the premises of Chaguanas Borough Corporation. Many observers lost sight of the real issue. It was not about 54 contract workers at the CBC, as much as we care about their livelihoods, but was a much bigger battle over the Opposition and over this country’s political landscape over the next decade.

While all eyes watch the daily chess game played out by the two men, it is vital to also keep in mind the bigger picture.

UNC supporters- members, post-holders and financiers — will soon keenly size up their prospects with each side.

Which man, Panday or Warner (with Maharaj), is the best bet to get the UNC back into government?

Some might say that at age 77 years Panday has simply run out of steam and just doesn’t give the impression of a man trying to get anywhere. He might be seen as unelectable due to taint by his ongoing court-case. Is he just biding his time until his daughter, Oropouche West MP Mickela Panday, is ready to take over the party, some will ask?

On the other hand, others would say Panday has a kind of “political magic” seemingly unmatched by any of his rivals. His backers would say he remains a charismatic leader with a unique political flair and vitally well-honed political instincts. Indeed, he is called the Silver Fox.

Warner and Maharaj are men of action. However, do they have a demographic base? How palatable are they seen by the general population? While Warner can grab news headlines by winning the hearts and minds of grateful beneficiaries of his largesse, other folk would question such generosity which could in fact become his Achilles heel. Some people might simply feel uneasy that a private citizen has such wealth to splash around in the political arena.

Quite bluntly, is Mr Warner simply trying to buy himself a political party?

Yet Warner gives the UNC a sorely-needed injection of dynamism. He projects success and a “can do” attitude. He is a winner and a man who is going places, say his supporters. After three general election losses, and without much prospect of improvement (especially after the hiving off of half the party to form the COP), the UNC cannot now simply sit on its laurels. And what is the state of affairs within each camp? Did Maharaj make a freudian slip when he accused the Panday-faction of trying to divide him from Warner? Are they divided?

What about the others in the Panday camp? Those such as Senator Wade Mark, Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, have laboured long and hard in the political vineyard. How do they see the UNC’s civil-war affecting their political aspirations, such as becoming a possible future Leader of the Opposition?

So while the recent news reports at a first glance appear to be about who is able to sit in which office-space in central Trinidad, behind all the antics is a very real batttle that will likely continue in September and inside Parliament, that will determine the future of the Opposition and the governance of Trinidad and Tobago. Stay tuned.