Senior Political Reporter
United National Congress chairman Dave Tancoo has heaped scorn on acting Prime Minister Stuart Young’s plan to curb the social media abuse of women - and Tancoo says the Opposition is absolutely ready for general election whenever Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley “or new PM” Young calls it.
Tancoo spoke on both issues at yesterday’s UNC media briefing.
During the People’s National Movement’s National Women’s League’s International Women’s Day celebrations at Signature Hall in Chaguanas on Saturday, Young vowed to bring legislation to reform social media and target the irresponsible use of it by individuals targeting women in particular should the PNM win the next general election.
On Young’s plans to curb social media abuse of women, however, Tancoo said, “Is Goverment saying they’re going to limit or ‘police’ the use of social media? Social media is there for a purpose and a lot of the information coming out against this Government has been via social media. It’s very interesting that has become the issue for the minister.”
“It’s also an unfortunate situation, as this is the same gentleman .. (regarding whom) social media provided evidence of his misconduct - his attack against a female Parliamentarian ... Is Young looking at policing social media because he was caught abusing a female Parliamentarian?” Tancoo added in an indirect reference to the remarks Young made about UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Parliament last year and subsequently apologised for.
Lee said, “It’s a good soundbite as an individual who’s aspiring to be the next prime minister but I really don’t believe Young will keep his word, as for the last 10 years he sat with individuals in his Government who said the most degrading words on women and he said nothing. So he wouldn’t do anything different.”
Tancoo added, “The media has given Stuart a ‘free pass’, as they seem to have forgotten he was a major player in the Government in the last decade ... all these plans, policies and actions that he’s suddenly revealing, why didn’t he do it then? It’s all election PR for elections, but under PNM ‘promises never materialise.”
Meanwhile, he said UNC’s candidates will be named as and when required in the course of the buildup of the election.
“The UNC will announce candidates when we’re ready, we have a wealth of personnel and information to select from ...”
The UNC has so far announced 11 candidates out of the 39 Trinidad constituencies it’s contesting. Lee said UNC’s leader has always revealed plans whenever she speaks and the party’s manifesto will be rolled out as she speaks.
On persons leaving the UNC to join other parties, Tancoo said, “This is a free and democratic country, the UNC’s a disciplined productive party. People are free to go wherever they want. I’m glad to see people offering themselves for public office. But running a country isn’t a tea party, it’s not about looks or speeches. I’ve had the benefit of sitting in the Cabinet as financial adviser to the prime minister - running a country is serious business.
“Citizens should look at persons offering themselves and determine if they’re truthfully capable of running a country and what these people can do if they ever end up in office. We’ve seen what PNM can do and what UNC has been able to. So, people will be very aware of people entering this for other reasons.”
Tancoo said he’d seen this before in the last Local Government polls.
“There have been structured group issues where people would have left UNC in a coordinated, orchestrated way. That’s par for the course, it’s politics. But you’ll also have noticed more people joining UNC,” he said.
Lee called on Government for accountability on the State of the Emergency.
“The three months is almost over and Government’s yet to account on what we’ve gained for the suspension of our rights.”