The recent furore that erupted over Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s comments at a UNC cottage meeting last Monday has provoked an immediate response from Gary Griffith, leader of the NTA. The core question that must be asked is whether Griffith was the intended target of her remarks or whether she is not dealing with something else going on inside of her own parliamentary caucus which could be more ominous for her continuation as Leader of the Opposition.
For months now, there have been rumours circulating about a possible attempt by some of the UNC MPs to solicit the support of ten of those 19 MPs to approach the President with confirmation that they no longer support her as Leader of the Opposition and that they support someone else.
This would not be the first time that changes in the Opposition have happened. In 1967, Vernon Jamadar replaced Dr Rudrunath Capildeo after Capildeo’s seat was declared vacant. In 1972, Roy Richardson defected from the PNM, which had won all of the seats in 1971, and he became the only MP in opposition to the Government. In 1977, Basdeo Panday was replaced by Raffique Shah and again in 1978, Panday returned after Shah resigned because one of the original Panday defectors returned to Panday. It happened again in 1990 after Panday replaced Patrick Manning as Leader of the Opposition after he and some of his colleagues left the NAR and formed the UNC.
In 2006, Kamla Persad-Bissessar succeeded Panday after he had been sentenced to jail by Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicholls. After the 2007 general election, Panday resumed the position of Leader of the Opposition as his conviction and sentence had been quashed by that time. After the January 2010 UNC Executive elections, Kamla Persad-Bissessar replaced Panday when she was elected political leader of the UNC.
In William Shakespeare’s famous play, Julius Caesar, there was a betrayal of Caesar by his close associates who assassinated him on March 15, 44 BC. The 15th of March has been described as the Ides of March. Is something being planned inside the UNC to make a move to replace Kamla Persad-Bissessar on or around the Ides of March? In the play, Caesar was warned by a soothsayer, “Beware the Ides of March!” as something adverse was going to befall him that day.
Brutus and Cassius were key organisers, while Casca was the one who was portrayed as the first to make a move on Caesar. In the play, “damned Casca, like a cur, behind struck Caesar …” Who is the equivalent of Casca, and who are the equivalents of Brutus and Cassius? Who is lining up to be the equivalent of Mark Anthony whose funeral speech turned the minds of the public?
Persad-Bissessar’s speech last Monday appears to have been meant to address whatever tensions may exist inside the UNC by putting the party on alert for a general election. Her speech may have been designed to link any move against her leadership with unidentified external parties and internal MPs by seeking the support of the party membership against such a move.
Some have suggested that the apparent rift between Persad-Bissessar and Griffith is unreal and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is not convinced that there is a rift. Jack Warner has indicated that he will mediate between Persad-Bissessar and Griffith to bring peace between them. Rowley does not appear inclined to make a “Sobers declaration” similar to the early dissolution of Parliament by Patrick Manning in October 1995 instead of holding a by-election in San Fernando West after the resignation of Ralph Maraj. The appearance of a rift between Panday and Robinson in 1995 disappeared after the 17-17-2 outcome when ANR Robinson delivered the premiership to Panday despite their public animosity. Panday later delivered the presidency to Robinson in 1997.
So, returning to the current situation in the UNC, will their caucus fracture later this month? Will someone step forward to challenge Persad-Bissessar? Based on the timing of their move and who else is involved, would Persad-Bissessar have to say the equivalent of “Et tu Brute?” which is what Caesar said when he saw that Brutus, one of his most trusted supporters, joined the others to assassinate him. Is there a Brutus who will betray her or is this all smoke and mirrors?
Prof Hamid Ghany is a Professor of Constitutional Affairs and Parliamentary Studies at The University of the West Indies (UWI). He was also appointed an Honorary Professor of The UWI upon his retirement in October 2021. He continues his research and publications and also does some teaching at The UWI.