- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 20/Jul 07:02

Marvin, racial taboos and an SoE

Before we get into Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales’ bombshell “Bangladesh and Delhi” declaration, we note Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro’s firecracker announcement of a state of emergency (SoE) without a national curfew, but mainly to give additional powers to the police and to tackle an “organised crime syndicate.” While the population anxiously awaits the results, the CoP gave a rather persuasive press conference presentation on the intelligence-based threats to some public officials and the way he plans to deal with them. His optics were impressive. Of course, arguments will arise as to whether an SoE is really required. But for now, given our state of crime and damaged reputation, I say give the new commissioner a fair chance. His reference to police officers allegedly involved in the prisons’ inside-outside connection is unsettling. The major point is that the police service itself needs fixing, especially its recruitment and human-resource challenges – eg too many unresolved disciplinary matters, too many cases dismissed because of police absence, etc. Serious caution is therefore required with regard to the entry of 800 SRP officers into the police service. Last week, PNM chairman Gonzales boldly made this divisive declaration: “When I look at (state-board political appointments), I wonder if we are living in Bangladesh or Delhi.” This implied that the boards have “too many Indians.” The expected uproar started. Loudly rejecting Gonzales’ racial insinuation, UNC deputy political leader and Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jearlean John, quickly retorted: “We are committed to deepening racial justice and cultivating ethnic harmony in this country.” Many keyboard warriors published pictures of previous PNM-appointed state boards, showing “racial imbalance.” So, overall, does it seem that the political system is balancing itself? The racial taboo got further with UNC’s termination of several PNM’s short-term appointments, notably at CEPEP. And we thought the country had passed that stage. Now it is obvious that the PNM front-liners remain hurt and desperate at losing the election by getting just 13 of 41 seats. Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles has a huge task internally and externally, and Gonzales should help, rather than keep the PNM racially labelled. And then there are corruption allegations swirling around. Gonzales is right to tell the government: “The PNM position is that where there is corruption, take it to the police.” PNM leaders are obviously pushing a certain “head” to bring back the 100,000 voters who have apparently left the PNM. This is a short-term strategy. Do you need “racial fears” and propaganda to bring back the 100,000? Or should you do it through a thoughtful list of alternative policies, correcting mistakes of the past, and an expressed determination to hold the new UNC government to financial and policy accountability? So all in all, the PNM political leader and her executive have a lot of substantive image-building to do. And rather than alienating the Indian community, they should devise credible ways to win over at least some of them. The “Bangladesh and Delhi” insult will cause racial friction, but, like the “Calcutta ship,” this too will sink in time – but still leave a political stain. Now let’s get down to brass tacks, leaving aside the illusions of equality and “biased” appointments. A political party here depends in a life-and-death manner largely on political patronage as a reward for its hardworking members and supporters. If the PNM wins the next election, it will do the same thing. The political party must be kept alive. If party members and supporters have the required character and relevant competence, they are entitled to be appointed. A party leader cannot push merit where there is no loyalty. PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar said so. Opposition Leader Beckles knows that. Our political system allows patronage in appointing the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, and even the President. I don’t like it and have publicly called for the required reforms. Jamaica is now wrestling with creating a mixture of “independent” and party-member board appointments. In last week’s column, I said: “As long as we live with our very divided political system, structured with political appointments, and given the inevitable effects of political perception, we will have an endless struggle with “political bias." Ms Beckles’ public query about “how much the UNC government paid for Indian PM Narendra Modi’s trip” here is not only a diplomatic faux pas for someone hoping to be PM in a changing world. It shows surprising short-sightedness and unnecessary unfriendliness to a friendly global economic and political power. Shouldn’t a political party put the country first sometimes? The post Marvin, racial taboos and an SoE appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.