It was not all evident in Parliament on Wednesday. At the height of last week's march against the Government, Opposition Leader Keith Rowley declared of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, "uneasy lies the head beneath the crown," and DNA's Kirk Meighoo told marchers, "They're frightened of us."
On?Wednesday, Persad-Bissessar, bedecked in a royal purple and gold sari, showed sign neither of unease nor fright. (Or crown for that matter.) Following Parliament, she shepherded colleagues sporting Divali wear to take photos requested by the media. Rowley tentatively joined at the rear of the group.
"Wait for me!" PNM MP?Donna Cox said as she rushed up. At the end, with Persad-Bissessar, appearing very much in charge of the group (a silent Rowley included), told photographers, "Ok guys, thanks." The PM's best response on the march, though, may be interpreted from her Divali message on Thursday when she related the story of Drupadi's devastating trials by foes, faith and Lord Krishna's help towards good conquering evil.
Persad-Bissessar echoed the late Ken Valley's philosophy when he was rejected by the Manning screening team in 2007: "Let go and let God,"?she advocated. Prior to Wednesday's sitting, Rowley was the focus of attention from the PP's Collin Partap and Rodger Samuel for his Indian-style Nehru-collar outfit.
A parliamentary first and a quite obvious further step in the rebranding of Rowley and PNM's moves to groom him for prime ministership and to foster national appeal. Samuel didn't look worried that PNM lady vice chairman Penny Beckles' reinforced profile may threaten his seat, which he won in 2010 after Arima PNMites split on the rejection of Beckles by Manning's screening team.
Nor did former MSJ?head Errol McLeod seem disturbed that his OWTU and MSJ friends had marched against his Government along with the PNM whom they once fought. Asked about it, McLeod shaped his answers as criticisms of the PNM, adding, "I stand by the Government."?
The PP will hardly dwell for comfort on Tuesday's win by the Obama administration, which uses a similar "change" platform. Last week's march, copycatting protests worldwide from the Middle East's Arab Spring to demonstrations in the US and Europe, would have shaken PP's platform, though local issues are much different from those internationally. The UNC, however, has signalled an offensive.
Ministers can now expect calls for other heads perceived to have erred. Unions' plan for a shutdown of T&T, an assembly at "certain places" and other action loom over the coming weeks, it was confirmed.
The timing appears aimed at undermining PP's Tobago House of Assembly election campaign which will help shape the political fortunes of the PP and PNM and during which speakers at the Government's recent Tobago rally complained of an anti-Indian stance being dragged into the campaign.
Along with that, abuse on the basis of race and the Hindu religion-during the Divali season-which was hurled at the Government during the march prompts deep queries about the credibility of groups in the march, including PNM and MSJ, seeking to be viewed as a national political alternative for T&T's diverse society.
Rowley's new Indian garb (bought by him and his wife, according to PNM deputy Rohan Sinanan), his attendance at last night's Piarco puja and other similar events that the PNM says he's attending will hardly do damage control on the situation, karma from which threatens his makeover and any national leadership potential.
PNM?PRO?Faris Al-Rawi, product of a Hindu grandfather, Presbyterian mother, Iraqi Muslim father and married to a Christian, said the march invective wasn't reflective of the PNM and the only way is "to ignore it." Similarly, while Warner may be upset the COP distanced itself from his refusal to attend the Divali Nagar opening alongside Rowley, his refusal was ill-timed considering his remarks about the march's composition.?
While that was prime PNM support-Afro-Trinidadian-Warner is in Government, one which has made unity its mantra and part of its dharmic thrust. Also, COP, holding seats in the predominantly Afro-Trinidadian East-West Corridor, will want to retain those.