He is sometimes referred to as the jokester on the UNC bench but all laughs aside Dr Roodal Moonilal has had and is having quite the career in public life. There are many ways to refer to him—MP, lawyer, doctor, former government minister, former trade unionist and former teacher—just to name a few. These days he has his sights set on the general elections of 2020 and is hoping to play a key role for his party. He sat down with Guardian Media at a doubles shed on Debe junction to speak about his personal life and career.
What is one of your favourite songs?
I have many favourite songs. My favourite song depends on my mood at the time. I love a lot of Hindi songs but particularly love songs. There is a recent song now Marvi Ve . . . that is really my favourite song.
One of mine is called Billionaire by Bruno Mars and Travis McCoy. I always wanted to know how it feel to be a billionaire you know. Would you happen to know how that feels?
No, I don’t. First I’m not sure who is Bruno Mars but I am certainly not sure what that feels like.
I’m sure it’s not foreign to you that your name has consistently appeared on richest people in T&T list for the last few years. How come?
I don’t want to talk too much about it because you may not know but it is the subject of a court matter right now. A year and a half ago I sued in the court in civil action the T&T Mirror and one Julia Davy (sic); I sue for that type of promotion which I believe was very unfair to me and almost criminal because somebody on the internet actually paid money; it is a paid commercial almost and paid money to suggest that I was the third richest person in the country. The first two I think died so I probably am number one. But, I took the matter to court because it was a serious matter because it also suggests wrong-doing, because everybody knows I am in public life…we are awaiting a judgement on it. During that time it was very difficult for me, I had to take extra security for my family, for my home, people who do that are extremely malicious. People like me we file our business with the Integrity Commission every year, I am one of the few people who actually has certificates of compliance from the Integrity Commission…I thought it was terribly unfair not only for myself but for my family as well to subject them to criminal action and kidnappers and so on, it was a dastardly act; I took it to court and I also reported it to the Cyber Crime Unit of the police as well because my enemies are extremely rich; for people to actually pay for that to stay on the website means that they have money to spend to undermine my own character and credibility.
In the recent rollout of the new polymer $100 notes were you once of the unfortunate people who had to go and line up in the bank to change money?
Well I did have a few small dollars to change but I just went to the bank on other business and I just made a deposit of what I had at home, so there was no need to get in line to get any new dollars that way.
Getting into the essence of the interview now..
I thought that was the essence of the interview?
Of course not. So, you are an MP, former minister, doctor, lawyer, former trade unionist; which do you like the most?
I also lectured at the university for like nine years. Every path I have taken career-wise brings reward, but I get a lot of satisfaction from academic work.
Let’s start with the doctorate, that is in what?
If it tell people my qualifications, it sounds like I’m boasting. I have a BSC degree in Political Science, I have a Master’s degree in Development Studies, I have a PHD in Employment and Labour Relations, I have a LLB degree in law and a LEC diploma from Hugh Wooding Law School… I spent 13 years at university.
Okay, so tell me a bit about your trade union days, how was that for you?
Those days were rough days; politics in those days was rough, sometimes even physical. A lot of demonstrations, marching, agitation and that trained me with the sort of courage to go to the street and be involved in protests. And it gives you also a sense of rights; you develop this feeling, you feel almost personally offended when the rights of others are violated. That is the value you learn from trade union work.
And if my memory serves me right you got called to the bar while being part of the PP government not so?
The story that really defines that time is in the 2010 General Election I was doing law exams at Hugh Wooding, final year, and I had a meeting with the registrar, Kathleen Rochford, to ask her to postpone my exams because the exam came at the same time May 24 /25 as the election. I sat with her and she took all my record and she said to me, ‘you have been in parliament all the time you never failed one subject, you never failed one exam, you never brought in one paper late, you never asked for an extension to do any paper,’ she said from all the grades you had before, go and write the exam. And I remember studying in the back seat of a car when I going to political meetings to talk…When we won on May 24, I celebrated for an hour or two at Rienzi Complex and then I went home, I took a short rest and then I wrote a 3 1/2 hour exam in the morning; I got a B.
Was it natural to get into law being a politician or did you have some other inspiration?
Since I was young I always had an interest in law and when you in politics and in Parliament. I recommend to all young politicians that they do law, because law is a very critical part of policy making and you are in parliament, you are a law maker.
Any hopes of getting silk?
The only hope of silk I have hopes of getting is a silky parata roti.
As I mentioned politics though, what year did you get into politics and what or who was instrumental in that happening?
I was in university and I was involved with the university guild and that is where I got involved in politics…(In terms of party politics)I got involved with the NAR and when there was a split with the NAR and Club 88 I had gone with Club 88 and I became the first youth officer of the UNC.
What has been your most gratifying moment being an MP?
The most gratifying moment/s is when you distribute houses to people who are so desperate.
So you have been in active politics for over 20 years and was a part of a Panday administration as well as a Persad-Bissessar administration, is there a fundamental difference between the two?
There are several differences I don’t know if they are fundamental. There are differences in leadership style; one is much more unitary and authoritarian, one is much more collaborative and participative.
Mrs Persad-Bissessar is extremely participative and collaborative in her leadership style. Mrs Persad-Bissessar is probably defined more by a ultra-compassionate character. In 2015 you contested the post of party leader, what has your relationship been with her since then? Have the wounds healed?
Our party is like a family in some cases, you have times when you have disagreements but people are generally rooted in the values of the party and in the mission of the party. So, I would say that even when we were contesting there were no wounds in fact few people know we were actually in touch a lot even during an election of that type and that is why when the elections were finished it was so easy to reconnect so to speak and continue the party work and the parliamentary work…we never had fall out, we never had problems, we never had nothing you know.
Does she have your full support?
She has 100 per cent of my support and I am assured of 100 per cent of her support.
Do you still wish to be leader of the UNC one day?
Well let’s put it this way, I have no interest in the leadership of the party now because there is no vacancy…Later in life if an opportunity ever presents itself I could consider.
As we speak about your political future, I’ve noticed a lot of new young faces in the party, are you worried that you would soon be replaced?
No, not at all. In fact I am excited that a lot of young people are emerging and young people, I must say, with a lot of potential. But to convert potential into performance it requires seniority, it requires a few people with experience and I always see myself in that role.
Will be offering up yourself to the UNC to contest the 2020 General Elections?
Yes. That to me is a no-brainer.
How good do you think the UNC’s chances are in defeating the PNM in the general election next year?
We not over-confident at all and we ought not to be complacent. America has a different impeachment system because of their constitution, we don’t have an impeachment constitutional role but I think on December 2 the impeachment proceedings against Keith Rowley began. So that he’s on his way out. I think the results of that election is a good barometer and litmus test that the UNC has a very good chance of removing the PNM. It requires a lot more work and it requires keeping momentum. If we do that and don’t score any own goals you could have a situation where we could be returned to office.
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What are your thoughts of Dr Keith Rowley as a Prime Minister?
When he started I thought he was unfit to be Prime Minister, I’ve changed my mind, I think he’s unmade to be Prime Minister. The office cannot match his character and his temperament and his crassness, quite frankly, I think he would be a footnote in Trinidad and Tobago’s history.
Name one thing he has done right?
I thought he was courageous to call the Local Government elections within the time… I can’t think of anything in a policy sense that he would have done right. If you want me to tell you the things he’s done wrong then that would take another interview. But sometimes I feel that he is dying to be kicked out of office.
In the last administration you were Housing Minister, how do you think the HDC has done since you left office?
The HDC has collapsed on itself more or less, it has become a small cabal for the Prime Minister and his partners and I think that anything that could go wrong has gone wrong. We are going back to the bad old days of housing.
On a personal note, I remember when you became a father for the first time in 2014 I believe, how has fatherhood changed you?
I get more tired now. He is doing great, he is a handful and on the move. Christmas time is a special time so I took him to the mall, shopping and he had a wonderful experience in church a few nights ago in a banquet so that has been a fulfilling part of my life. I go home earlier now because I want to see him before bedtime; he reads a lot so every night I have to read a story. So fatherhood has been a defining period in life as well. It brought an enormous amount of joy and satisfaction…And Mrs Moonilal has been very supportive and a very strong person.
It is also quite noticeable that you would have lost a significant amount of weight while in office, how important is health for you?
I have a lifelong battle with obesity, I believe its genetic. My parents, both deceased now, were also big, my brothers and sisters are not slender. So, I am constantly having to go into programs and the gym, sometimes with doctor advised diets; next year I am going on another important diet as well because I want to get in shape for the election.
In terms of the other indicators of health all is well. As I told the WPC from Arouca/Maloney, I said the day when she stood in Parliament and read what purported to be a warrant with my name on it, the next morning I checked my blood pressure it was 120/79.
I am glad you brought it up, it there any concern that you might be arrested one day before the election?
There is always a concern because the PNM has been a brutal party, it goes without saying that they are a party capable of brutality, dictatorial tendency and for many years now part of their strategy has been to arrest and jail political opponents. I am probably one of the biggest targets that they have ever had; they target me because I target them. I know I could be the subject of search, arrest, jail if it has to because over the year I am a person who has stood up to not only the government but to the Prime Minister himself…I feel sorry sometimes for my family. I remember once, three or four years ago there was a rumour on a weekend that they had arrested Mr Ramlogan and Mr Ramdeen and I was next and my sisters in Canada and New York were traumatized and it was a rumour but rumours are also very hurtful to family. But people like us in politics you can’t have skin like tomatoes, it has to be like crapaud back pumpkin, rough and rugged.
So outside of your public life, what else do you do?
Dr Moonilal: I enjoy occasional beverage with some of my friends in the constituency. I enjoy very much sport. I actually do play golf.
(Interjecting) With the Prime Minister?
He doesn’t play well so I don’t think we would ever play together. So, I enjoy a game of golf, when I was younger I used to play a lot of football. I watch a lot of tv sport…travelling as well, and when you have time you spend with the family. Family time brings a lot of joy and fun. I enjoy a lot of movies too, there are some movies I have seen 24 times.