?For a second week running, UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar turned heads–and headlines–in the Parliament yesterday. Last week's victorious election spotlight, however, gave way to concerns yesterday following the new leader's fall in the Parliament chamber two weeks after taking UNC's helm. Wearing what is now her signature colour, wine red–the shade she donned for her parliamentary debut as leader last week–Persad-Bissessar had earlier in yesterday's sitting been busy and in jovial spirits shaking hands with Chief Whip Jack Warner over former leader Basdeo Panday's empty chair. A comforting thought for Persad-Bissessar amid her recuperation now is that she may be filling that seat herself shortly–if not by next Wednesday's sitting–with a swing of support from MPs initially supportive of Panday. After Persad-Bissessar's fall yesterday, she was assisted by PNM MP Esther Le Gendre who was close by when she fell.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning also extended sympathy to Persad-Bissessar in a statement to MPs just before 7 pm. Ups and downs of the House aside, the ruling party though has not lost strategy focus. PNM's constituency mobilisation conferences are coming increasingly closer together–al-most every few weeks–with the next meeting set for February 20. PNM officials also said plans are in works for a special PNM convention between April-May, by which time the local government reform report may be ready. Last July, Local Government Minister Hazel Manning had identified January or March 2010 for submission of the reviewed reform package to Parliament.
Considering traditional low voter turnout for local government polls and the electorate's focus in such elections–drains, roads over national issues–some PNM officials are not banking totally on that election for anything beyond a cursory sample of public opinion regarding any unified opposition force Persad-Bissessar may lead. After Manning's Couva North walkabout on Monday, one PNM MP said: "That seat is clearly under-attended and can be won by PNM with a split Opposition vote." Manning's tour managed to land punches on two sets of political adversaries. While seeking to get a handle on the fallen UNC leader's seat in the Opposition heartland, Manning threw a stab in the direction of former Housing Minister Keith Rowley with criticisms of the Housing Development Corporation's previous state.
Uncharted UNC waters
Rowley, for his part, voted with the Opposition yesterday in the House to facilitate debate on a UNC motion regarding Wasa problems. Rowley gets his chance to weigh in on the January 24 shift in the Opposition's political firmament at a forum at the National Library next week alongside former NAR Minister Brinsley Samaroo and others. Continuing to produce aftershocks, as UNC fetes at Rienzi tonight, a fuming Panday appears hardly about to go quietly into the night following Wednesday's walkout from UNC's caucus. Vice chairman Khan says: "You must get turbulence especially where there are aggrieved parties–we're in uncharted waters." Panday was more philosophical: "These are the convulsions through which a nation goes before it can purify itself." There had been a lot of pride on the part of Persad-Bissessar's supporters prior to her fall in the House yesterday and the incident, if anything, may increase sympathies for the UNC's new leader, who made it clear in an interview last Sunday that she wants to be Prime Minister.
Ahead of that location, the road to the Opposition Leader's Charles Street office appears closer. This, following confirmation that Persad-Bissessar will likely receive the requisite three more votes of support from fellow MPs who are falling in line to help her wrest the post from Panday. Hence recent confident sentiments by herself and Warner that the issue will resolve itself. Following Persad-Bissessar's fall yesterday, MPs Tim Gopee-singh and Chandresh Sharma rushed her to hospital. Supporting the show of solidarity in UNC ranks was MP Subhas Panday, who had walked out of Wednesday's caucus with his brother Basdeo. The brothers Panday, plus MP Mikela and Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath, left without their other colleagues. (MPs Vasant Bharath and Ramesh Maharaj were in London.)
Whether this group will remain outside of Persad-Bissessar's loop is yet to unfold. Full extent of the UNC bloodletting also remains to be seen following Persad-Bissessar's plan to meet with UNC's Couva North and South constituencies, telegraphing that she may be weighing representative delivery there and how to manoeuvre with those two key MPs. Since one of Persad-Bissessar's mantras has been the populist line that the "voice of the people is the voice of God...," such strategy is hardly surprising. In that regard, for instance, apart from what may transpire regarding the Couva North/South MPs following her meetings with their areas, the constituency pressure on MP Gopeesingh to support Persad-Bissessar for Opposition Leader may well save Go-peesingh questions he may face if he shifts loyalties from Panday–whom he supported for the election–to Persad-Bissessar. A shift may not be as easy for MP Roodal Moonilal, who chaired Panday's campaign and–after being set to act as Chief Whip the previous week–was stung by Warner's appointment as Chief Whip. By yesterday's House, however, Moonilal, who conferred with Warner on issues, seemed comfortable with arrangements.
Election test
Hours after Persad-Bissessar's briefing on Monday, Warner hosted an Esmeralda meeting of Citizens For Social Justice–comprising four communities in Warner's seat–featuring UNC MP Gopeesingh and COP deputy Prakash Ramadhar. Following quickly on the heels of Persad-Bissessar's unification announcement, it appeared to be a quick start to the effort. Having hustled to begin work on the unity mandate on which she was marketed–and which last week's column noted she will be held to by the electorate–if Persad-Bissessar's unity plans bear fruit, local government polls may see the first signs of a united opposition. COP's council tomorrow is expected to discuss unification, COP deputy leader Wendy Lee Yuen said Thursday. Fellow deputy Robert Mayers says the basis for any talks remains COP's Peoples' Charter which was presented to the Panday leadership but which went nowhere.