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By
Peter Balroop
Is Prime Minister Patrick Manning a creeping dictator? The
debate rages on as T&T lurches from crisis to crisis—the
latest being the debacle surrounding the appointment of
a Commissioner of Police.
UNC-A Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj sees Manning as
the Robert Mugabe of the Caribbean.
In fact, he believes Nelson Mandela’s comment about
there being a “tragic failure of leadership” in
President Mugabe’s Zimbabwe would apply just as well
to Manning and T&T.
Maharaj also has alluded to the born-again Christian Manning’s
penchant for relying heavily on the advice of soothsayers,
notably the female of the species.
Former head of the Public Service, Reginald Dumas, said
he would not have to put water in his mouth to say the way
Manning conducts himself as Prime Minister is symptomatic
of someone who sees himself as maximum leader.
That style prompted lots of clashes with the people of T&T,
said Dumas.
“We
have the remarkable situation where the Government is in
constant war with the people of the country...This is incredible,”
said Dumas.
Political analyst Derek Ramsamooj, on the other hand, said
there was a public perception that Manning was demonstrating
a behavioural pattern that could be interpreted as signs
of dictatorial tendencies.
But Ramsamooj said to many of his party supporters, what
was interpreted as dictatorial tendencies would be defined
as decisive leadership.
“In
the political arena, it is the job of an effective political
leader to have a clearly defined vision of his country and
to be decisive when it comes to the implementation of decisions
to fulfil such a vision.
“The
question is not whether Mr Manning is behaving dictatorially,
but more fundamentally Mr Manning is displaying a proper
understanding of the decision-making process, and understands
the flaws of our Westminster political system when it comes
to decision-making.”
However, political scientist Prof John La Guerre sees PM
Manning as being decisive, leading from in front, rather
than having dictatorial tendencies.
And La Guerre feels this is as it should be, because the
buck stops with Manning, and he has to govern the country
in the best interest of all.
Former trade and industry minister Kenneth Valley, who was
discarded as the Diego Martin Central candidate for the
November 5 general election, was at the time vociferous
in his view that Manning was clearly exhibiting dictatorial
tendencies.
Diego Martin West MP Keith Rowley, who was fired by Manning
in April, has said Manning was part of a small clique running
T&T.
Mum’s the word
Former PNM San Fernando West MP Diane Seukeran, who was
denied an opportunity to contest the seat again in the November
5, 2007, general election, said she was unwilling to comment
on Manning’s leadership style.
She had not taken her standing down as MP personally, and
in fact was of the view Manning had never committed any
act against her.
She felt in the areas of education and health, Manning and
the PNM Government had provided excellent opportunities
for nationals of T&T, and must be given credit for that.
Former Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma has suffered more
than most at Manning’s hands.
But on Thursday, he said as a former head of the judiciary
he did not want to comment on Manning’s leadership
style.
“Anything
I say can be misconstrued,” the retired Sharma declared.
But he did wryly observe that one of his friends had called
to say that while he had been virtually hounded out of office
as Chief Justice, former Attorney General John Jeremie,
who had aided Manning in his quest to have him impeached,
had been rewarded with the post of High Commissioner to
London.
“This
country really upside down,” Sharma declared.
PNMites not talking
Oddly enough, while Maharaj, La Guerre, Dumas and Ramsamooj
were willing to comment on the perception that Manning has
shown dictatorial tendencies since the PNM regained power
on December 26, 2001, influential people within the party
were not eager to support publicly Manning as the benevolent
leader.
PNM chairman John Donaldson’s secretary promised he
would contact the Sunday Guardian with a comment on how
Manning had been providing exemplary leadership for T&T.
Reached at her Airports Authority workplace, Rose Janniere,
the party’s assistant PRO, promised to offer an opinion
of Manning’s leadership. But she, too, proved elusive.
Information Minister Neil Parsanlal, normally so effusive,
was reticent to the extreme when asked to pour cold water
on the sceptics who felt his boss had dictatorial tendencies.
“I
have considered it, and I have no comment. This is a debate
I prefer not to get into.”
Former San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly said he had shared
a great relationship with Manning in the past, but it was
a pity he had been cut off at the knees in mid-2006 after
just one term as mayor.
He said he was sticking with the PNM and Manning, however,
because it was the best political party around.
Mugabe of the Caribbean
Maharaj said Manning clearly demonstrated a Mugabe-style
government, in that he had taken action to get rid of a
Chief Justice whom he believed would not serve the Government’s
interests.
“He
has taken action to control the Police Service, and in particular
by creating a parallel service in the Special Anti-Crime
Unit (Sautt), which is directly under his control.
“He
has allowed the Commissioner of Police’s office to
become politicised because he wants to hand-pick his own
commissioner.
“And
he has shown total contempt for the wishes and rights of
the people, in that notwithstanding calls for the removal
of the Minister of National Security Martin Joseph, he has
refused,” Maharaj said.
Maharaj also said:
* Although poor people are suffering and can’t even
buy food, Manning wants to buy an executive jet.
* He was slow to implement laws that have been passed by
Parliament, such as the Equal Opportunity Legislation, if
he did not think they suited the Government’s interests.
* Manning was showing true dictatorial colours by flexing
his parliamentary majority to keep Opposition Leader Basdeo
Panday suspended from sittings of the Lower House, cramping
his style as Couva North MP.
* Manning had demonstrated nepotism and favouritism by appointing
people who were not fit to be ministers isters, because
he could control them.
*
He fired Dr Keith Rowley from the Cabinet because he raised
issues of corruption in Udecott.
* Manning was dragging his feet on appointing the chairman
of the construction industry probe, because he knew he would
be called to give evidence and he wanted someone in the
chair whom he could control.
Maharaj said by no stretch of the imagination could Manning
be considered a benevolent dictator.
“His
former Cabinet colleague, Kenneth Valley, said Manning is
a dictator; Rowley said the same clique headed by Manning
is running the PNM and the Government. The evidence is cogent
and compelling.”
Maharaj added:
* He is an open dictator; he wants more power and his government
is denying people information they should have.
* The Government is not saying how much fees it has paid
to lawyers for handling cases for the State.
* In the case of the University of T&T, it has taken
steps to reduce information that could be acquired under
the Freedom of Information Act.
* The people of T&T should be warned that deploying
soldiers in Richplain, Diego Martin, was a Manning tactic
that was geared to strengthen his grip on power.
* Manning is intent on generating public emotion for the
people to clamour for protection and give him an excuse
to disregard the constitution and the law.
“Mr
Manning has committed a coup against the T&T Constitution;
he is no different from any terrorist who has taken over
the country,” said Maharaj.
Iron fist
On whether Manning had dictatorial tendencies, La Guerre
said sometimes nationals used terms and concepts without
thinking them through.
He recalled that at one time the country’s first Prime
Minister, the late Dr Eric Williams, was compared to “Papa
Doc” Duvalier, Haiti’s dictator, but that was
done without taking in the realities of Haiti, compared
to Trinidad.
“What
one has to look at is whether the constitution is being
ignored, and whether the rights of the people are being
trampled on.
“You
have to look at whether there is a revolt against Manning
in the PNM, and whether the party machinery is working as
it is supposed to work,” said La Guerre.
He said this was because if Manning really had dictatorial
tendencies it would surface first within the PNM.
“If
a leader is decisive, it does not mean he or she is dictatorial.
Because, ultimately, the buck stops with the leader.
“The
making of decisions—and decisiveness—must not
be mistaken for dictatorial tendency,” La Guerre said.
He noted that in countries where dictators ruled with iron
fists, there was no freedom of speech nor were political
parties free to form and exercise democratic rights.
As far as he saw it, there was not even a creeping isters,
because he could control them.
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