So ferociously energetic was UNC Senator Wade Mark in Tuesday’s Senate with his motion on Tobago’s oil spill vessel, that flying fever pitch to crescendo, he concluded slightly breathless, on cause and claim regarding the calamity.
Mark’s noise about the vessel added different standards to his well known ... style, now at a level which some party colleagues later professed new acquaintance with; and non-UNC senators looked on agog and amused.
With increased Sturm und Drang delivery, UNC can’t purport to be completely unlike PNM. Mark’s vigour, vitriol, volume and body-bouncing emphasis has been seen in some of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s platform performances. But minus breathless conclusions.
Also: if Prof Selwyn Cudjoe on Monday offered UNC a tagline, a copycat close to PNM’s “Great is the PNM and it shall prevail”—and it was used in one UNC leadership statement—original political stylings will be unveiled by both parties in the next 18 (minimum) to 21 (maximum) months to general election. Antics like Mark’s will be balanced with new vanguard styles and current issues with fallout developing, which will help determine what’s offered.
Monday’s UNC anti-crime consultation continued seeking to broaden Opposition profile and attractiveness with personalities like Cudjoe, as the Opposition collects initiatives towards what will likely become its manifesto. Election planning meetings occurred this week.
Developments included UNC Marabella West councillor John Michael “Makamillion” Alibocus, who said yesterday he’s filing nomination next week or thereabouts for San Fernando West, into which he took UNC in 2023 Local Government polls with his breakout victory.
Boasting big brand, 34K social media strong followers and self-actualised personality beyond his family’s “Charlies Pudding” fame, Alibocus’ victory was instructive not only for the PNM on “ground” connection, but also UNC regarding public choices beyond leadership’s picks. Connection is particularly key with parties seeking to reboot “ground” rankings and win youths in a landscape where some older voters, now cold to PNM and UNC, want alternatives.
Gary Griffith’s NTA movement toward its own 41 candidates, once achieved, will strengthen its negotiation position as UNC’s election partner. And the PEP, riding favourable legal currents, is preparing for re-emergence under Phillip Alexander, it’s confirmed. A meeting next Saturday includes election participation.
TSTT’s cybersecurity breach also holds implications - and outcomes for the PNM - beyond security. “Dust-up” between fired CEO Lisa Agard and TSTT’s board and management pits different PNM generations against each other: the Government-appointed board of new faces against veteran Agard, the Government-appointed chairman of the North West regional Health Authority.
Monday’s “tag-team” appearance by Agard and fired CFO Shiva Ramnarine before Parliament’s Joint Select Committee, revealed enough to raise questions for TSTT’s board. It’s now on whether answers - including on the hacking incident handling, Agard’s “muzzling”, conflict with the board, and the female employee whose laptop was breached - emerge from another JSC round, or in the March and May external and internal probe reports.
Or if the internal documents UNC’s seeking from TSTT will lend the Opposition an edge after Agard and Ramnarine’s blows focused on TSTT management and UNC’s worked to maintain negative spotlight on Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales. Still ahead: if the JSC’s focus on cybersecurity breach management “before, during and after” occurrence, encompasses Gonzales.
After Government’s rejection of acting ACP Wendell Lucas for one of the three Deputy Commissioner posts, the Police Service Commission (PolSC) now has to see if among the DCP Order of Merit list, there’s a suitable candidate to send to the President for the third DCP post - or if to re-advertise. The PolSC also begins gathering information for CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher’s March assessment: public surveys, reports successes/failures.
Security’s among issues for Caricom’s 46th conference opening tomorrow in Guyana where PM Rowley is. By Thursday’s conclusion, decisions would be on hand regarding regional food security thrust and trade, regional transport, climate change, Haiti, regional cricket, reparations, free movement and other issues.
It was confirmed yesterday that Government still awaits information it requested from Guyana on the culprit vessels behind Tobago oil spill, which involved bunkering fuel. It’s now ahead if preliminary inquiry of the incident’s cause - and recommendations to prevent recurrence - might include Government outreach to international maritime authorities for assistance with investigators. And what Mark may say on developments.