No Change of Heart
The bacchanal over Rowley’s sudden firing is not likely to weaken the PNM. The reason for this is the party draws its sustenance from a well-entrenched, hard core African voting bloc that is more inspired by the fact that it does not want an Indian Prime Minister. Performance, policies and political philosophy is secondary, if not totally irrelevant.
The UNC is no different, but its Indian hard core base has been more accommodating, some say. The support for ANR Robinson as PM in 1986 is referred to as evidence of this. I disagree. This was an act of political necessity as the Indian base had realized it simply could not win government by itself. More importantly, it was grudgingly accepted that new party would not be able to pull enough votes from the PNM unless it had an African leader. That is why Panday facilitated Robinson.
The hard core base of both parties is intact and the hope that it might be dwindling with the new generation of young voters is not supported by the empirical data. Children are culturally schooled into the ways of their parents and this guarantees both parties a steady supply of new racial recruits.
Rowley’s firing reminds me of the famous “Not a damn dog bark!” statement from Dr Williams which captured the contempt of the PNM leadership for its racial flock. It explains why Panday could have told supporters in the last general elections, 'Forget the candidate and vote for the symbol'. The ‘symbol’ referred to here is not the rising sun, but rather the coded idea of Indian leadership.
Both leaders know that their racial tribe will support their race. The ‘opposite number’ is precisely that: the racial and political opposite of you. You are taught that you simply cannot trust the other group to be fair; they will not allow you to feed at the trough of government. This explains why people will dissent, but incredibly say that they remain PNM to the bone. PNM supporters want to protest and march against the government because of crime and high food prices, but not against their political party from which the government is drawn. Difficult as it is to reconcile, they manage to separate the two.
They will remain PNM even if they think the government is failing them as if they are ignorant of the fact that it is their support for the PNM that creates and re-elects this very failed government which is the object of their protest. Conversely, UNC supporters will remain firm regardless of how clear and predictable their political destination on the opposition benches is.
At the end of the day, this country is being held to ransom both hard core groups who vote for a racial ideology that is disguised as a political philosophy. There is little difference between the two tribes on this score.
Panday’s comment on Manning’s treatment of Rowley illustrates this. He lacks the moral authority and political credibility to criticize Manning because he was no different. His statement that, “If I were prime minister and someone behaved in a manner that weakened the power of the Government to deal with the people's problems, I would fire him/her. In this regard, my record speaks for itself. But if such behaviour resulted from a genuine attempt to expose fraud, corruption and mismanagement, I would promote him." is amusing. I am certain Ramesh wore a smirk when he read that comment.
Rowley will learn an important lesson: the love and adoration of the PNM tribe is conditional. It is inspired by their desire for African leadership and this is what comes first. That is why the PNM could not allow Errol Mahabir or Kamaluddin Mohammed to succeed Dr Williams and the dour George Chambers was selected.
Manning is strengthening his leadership. He simply does not want strong people capable of independent thought around him. He has removed his natural successor and there is now no heir to the PNM throne.
Dr Rowley must see the opportunity in this crisis. The nation must hope that he will learn to appreciate and enjoy the new intellectual and political freedom. His statements thus far have been disappointing. It reeks of, 'I was born a PNM and will die one no matter what'. So much for sharing a cup of tea now, with Chandresh, I guess.
A towering figure in parliament, he can carve a place in our political history by articulating his criticisms of the government outside cabinet in the interest of the nation. A quiet retreat on the backbenches into political reticence (if not oblivion), in the hope than papa Manning will someday forgive him for doing his duty, will damage his credibility.
by Anand Ramlogan 2008-04-26