There comes a time in the life of every nation when we must ask ourselves a difficult but necessary question.
Are we governing for the country, or are we governing for the next political advantage?
The call to “rise above partisanship” is therefore not a call for Government to be given a free pass, nor is it a request for the Opposition to soften its scrutiny. Quite the contrary. It is a call for both sides to elevate the quality of governance, accountability and national discourse in Trinidad and Tobago. Government and Opposition have different constitutional and political roles, but they share one fundamental responsibility: the people and the national interest must ultimately come first.
Our Westminster parliamentary system is deliberately structured around this tension. Government must govern, but Parliament must scrutinise. The Opposition must challenge, but that challenge should contribute to accountability rather than simply becoming an instrument of political warfare. Parliamentary oversight exists precisely because power must be examined, questioned and held accountable.
But what happens when political allegiance becomes more important than principle?
This is not a problem belonging exclusively to one political party. It is a political and cultural challenge that can affect Government and Opposition alike. We must therefore be courageous enough to examine ourselves on both sides of the parliamentary aisle. Rising above partisanship requires more than eloquent speeches and well-crafted political statements. It requires a willingness to apply the same standards of integrity, transparency and accountability to ourselves that we demand of others.
For the Government, the message is straightforward: does winning an election confer the authority to govern, or does it confer immunity from scrutiny? Clearly, it is the former. An electoral mandate is a responsibility entrusted by the people, not an exemption from public accountability.
Government must be prepared to explain its decisions, defend policies with evidence and accept legitimate criticism without automatically interpreting every challenge as political hostility. Good governance requires transparency, measurable outcomes, responsible stewardship of public resources and respect for the institutions established to hold those in authority accountable.
The objective must always be better governance, not merely winning the argument.
But should the Opposition not be held to an equally demanding standard?
The constitutional and democratic purpose of the Opposition is critically important. It must challenge Government, interrogate policy, expose weaknesses and ensure executive power does not go unchecked. However, there is a significant difference between effective opposition and perpetual opposition. Not every Government initiative is wrong simply because Government proposed it. Not every policy should be rejected because it originated on the opposite side.
Perhaps the most important test of political integrity is this. Would we apply the same standard if the political circumstances were reversed?
If transparency is demanded from one administration, should it not be demanded from every administration? If accountability is required from one party, should it not be required from all?
This is where integrity moves from being a political slogan to a governing principle.
The Constitution provides a powerful reminder through the oath taken by Members of Parliament, which requires them to uphold the Constitution and the law and to “conscientiously and impartially” discharge their responsibilities to the people. These words speak to something higher than party allegiance. They speak to duty, responsibility and service.
What, then, does it mean to serve impartially in a deeply contested political environment? It means recognising that democratic institutions must be stronger than the political interests of those who temporarily occupy positions of power. Parliament, the Judiciary, the Auditor General, the public service, law-enforcement institutions and other accountability mechanisms must be respected as essential components of our democratic system. They should not be embraced when their findings support our political position and discredited when those findings become inconvenient. We should want institutions capable of protecting the country.
Political parties are temporary custodians of political power, while the nation is permanent. Governments change. Oppositions become governments. Political leaders come and go. But T&T remains. Our children will inherit the institutions we strengthen or weaken. Our businesses, investors, communities and families will experience the consequences of the decisions we make today.
I would therefore respectfully challenge both Government and Opposition to conduct an honest examination of their governance, political conduct and commitment to integrity.
Perhaps the most important question for everyone in public life is this: What is in the best long-term interest of T&T?
That question may not always produce the easiest political answer, but it must remain at the centre of our national conversation.
Rising above partisanship means rising above political allegiance so that accountability can be applied objectively, consistently and in the national interest.
Trinidad and Tobago deserves nothing less.
Country first. Always.
