I refer to the recent protest marches that took place in Port-of-Spain and wish to make the following observations. These marches were engineered and largely supported by the opposition PNM and its supporters. Other groups and individuals provided peripheral support.
It must be noted that out of an electorate of close to one million people, the PNM can count on approximately 30 per cent who would provide core support. This has been more or less the case since 1956. Their actual support would vary from election to election. Translated into numbers, this would result in a core support of 300,000 people.
This is a significant number of people and as a group they have proven to be very passionate, emotional and fanatical to their cause and political organisation, ie PNM til ah dead. They have flooded the letters to the editor, airwaves and talk shows pursuing their party's agenda ever since the People's Partnership came into Government.
There is nothing wrong in expressing one's feelings and opinions in pursuing an agenda. This is perfectly within one's constitutional rights. However, this agenda has been aided and abetted by a significant segment of the national print and electronic media. One cannot help but notice that there have been examples of inaccurate, unbalanced and spin reporting carried out by sections of the media against the Government.
I must admit that this unbalanced media reporting also occurred against the previous PNM administration. Some more fairness and professionalism are required from the media. One must also note that Port-of-Spain and environs are strongholds of the PNM and as such it would not be difficult to fill the streets of Port-of-Spain with thousands of their supporters at short notice to carry out protest action against a non-PNM Government.
Be that as it may, these protest marches, although very political in their make-up, are still a legitimate expression of protest by a significant portion of the population. The issues raised, especially the Section 34 episode, are rallying cries and are providing fuel to the fire to keep the anti-government sentiments boiling over.
The Government must take heed of these protests and work towards finding a way to lower the current politically tense atmosphere. At least take measures to bring about a return of confidence to the middle-of-the-road, non-partisan section of the national community.
I am seeing many parallels between the present scenario and the period just before the attempted coup of July 1990. In this respect, the Government must be careful and not let down its guard. The country cannot afford another similar or worse upheaval.
As far as the general demands of the protest action, ie dismissal of the attorney general and the minister of national security, I doubt very much that even if the prime minister were to accede to these demands the main group of protesters would be placated. I suspect that nothing short of the Government resigning and fresh general elections called would satisfy this group.
For the sake of our democracy this cannot be a solution to our present predicament. Cool, sane and sober minds are required to ease us off this crisis. My final comment is for the Judiciary. There are several people who have submitted applications before the high court to have their cases dismissed as a result of the proclamation and subsequent repeal of Section 34.
I believe that the court should tread very, very carefully in handing down judgment. It is one thing to carry out the letter of the law. It is another thing to hand down a judgment that would cause the place to mash up.
L Thomas
Diego Martin