Monday's opening of the Second Session of the Tenth Republican Parliament may well be the last time some MPs will be in the Red House. It's not because PNM MP Patrick Manning has declared he's in the "departure lounge" and is serving only until term's end. Or because Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner is under siege. Or that the Prime Minister's promised Cabinet realignment might see a changed Government side for the new session. But merely because the Parliament moves next month to the Waterfront Complex on Wrightson Road to facilitate renovation of the Red House. This will be over "three years in the first instance" as, according to Government projections, it is unlikely to be completed by term's end.
The relocation will be the Parliament's first in 21 years, having held sittings at the Central Bank complex following the 1990 coup attempt. The Red House had to be repaired after that assault. During the last sitting of the Lower House on June 3, Warner, debating the Anti-Terrorism Bill, noted that 21 years after, questions lingered about the 1990 event. That knowledge may equip him to better understand the climate surrounding his current situation. Warner had spent the last weeks of the first session in glum -downright doghouse-demeanour following FIFA's probe on bribery allegations against him. Last Saturday it was noted that Warner had recently "taken in front" of any action, hinting that if he had to choose between FIFA and Government, he would choose the latter.
At that time, unknown to the public, Warner's resignation had already been submitted to FIFA-on Friday, June 17-in an about-face weeks after he had threatened to unleash a "tsunami" on the football body.
While Warner's resignation removed him from FIFA questioning, he-like key players of 1990- has remained the focus of questions on his issue. Leaked reports and claims from the UK have painted to T&T (and the world) a picture of Warner choosing to cut his losses and fleeing FIFA-with pension intact-ahead of any possibility of being taken down on a "guilty" verdict and its attendant consequences.
Even the New York Times headlined the resignation "Power Broker is out after years of whispers..."
And Warner has not responded to the most recent statement from a member of FIFA's Ethics Committee that he would have been found guilty of corruption if he hadn't quit FIFA.
After a year in Government, Warner's resignation vindicated critics who said he could not simultaneously serve an international master and a local mistress. In current circumstances by which Government has (painfully) learned this lesson, blithely moving on to making T&T his "sole" focus will be equally difficult for Warner considering subsequent events. The sharp double-take at Dr Hamid Ghany's initial comment on Monday -that Warner had "retained his integrity" (sic)-was allayed by Ghany's subsequent view that clouds will remain over Warner. Add to that Government, since Warner's role as a PP cornerstone has been sanctioned by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The situation though may have shifted Warner's status as political asset.
Ghany's "clouds" may also apply to:
n Warner's silence on the claim he would have been found guilty. n What exactly transpired at the Hyatt, Port-of-Spain, meeting with Qatar's Mohamed bin Hammam on May 10-11. n His reluctance to enter American soil to assist the probe. n The level of altruistic intent behind the "self-determined" resignation, particularly having regard to his FIFA pension.
• The Integrity Commission's opinion of this.
• What effect the entire issue has on the image and credibility of Jack and his Government.
Widely regarded as the man who took the PP to power, a week before the May 24 anniversary, Warner felt compelled to point out that he "played a role" in this. The coalition's ascent was based on a pillar of anti-corruption sentiment and promise, which now could crack under the negative weight of the issues surrounding one of those who erected it for public consumption. Or eventually-amid persistent questions and "clouds" dogging him.
Resign or reshuffle
It is a particularly difficult situation for Persad-Bissessar who already has issues closer to home, apart from her husband's heart surgery. Warner's headline-grabbing resignation granted the PM breathing space on another simmering issue concerning her events adviser, Sasha Mohammed, and police investigations regarding alleged e-mail attacks on Express media personnel. The shadow of that matter threatens the image of the PM's office where Mohammed is based. That division was already shaken months ago with the Reshmi Ramnarine/SIA issue in which Mohammed's name figured and where questions linger. Indeed, the latter issue could lead to a reigniting of the former.
Persad-Bissessar's silence on her party boss (and her adviser) may be eloquent testimony to the magnitude of the situation since the issues could shake her Government's foundations and test her leadership skills beyond the capacity needed in the Mary King matter. Persad-Bissessar has always acknowledged the significance of public perception alongside credibility, both of which weigh heavily in the two matters. One of the keys to PP's election success is that it was public perception which fuelled PP's campaigning that the past adminis- tration had done wrong and that the coalition would operate better. The PP inherited the 3.6 rating which T&T holds on Transpa-rency International's Confidence Perception index, where countries perceived as free of corruption rate 10.
Whether this will be affected by the current situation will be known in the next index in October. Warner has said his role post-FIFA is to "look after the Government and people." One school of thought-including among some PP jefes-is that Warner can best "look after the Government" and redeem his credibility by offering his resignation rather than being asked to. (Or having his appointment revoked by Persad-Bissessar, or being "realigned" in a Cabinet reshuffle.) With Persad-Bissessar expected to attend Caricom's annual summit in St Kitts from next Friday, unless her promised June Cabinet realignment materialises between today and Thursday, it may have to be viewed as a casualty of Warner's issues.
Before the FIFA furore broke, Persad-Bissessar described Warner as one of her performers. Her treatment of his portfolio in her realignment-as others-will signal her view of her staff complement, what may be lacking (or not) and what is needed to preserve her administration's image and integrity.
UNC vice chairman Fuad Khan believes the storm surrounding Warner will fall to T&T's "nine-days wonder" syndrome and Warner could best public perception with performance records. "He's astute; he may yet unleash his 'tsunami' on FIFA with a tell-all book," Khan added yesterday. Once the toast of royalty and republicans seeking FIFA boons, Warner's world will now be scaled down from the international capitals he once traversed on FIFA's behalf.
Lacking the international power he once commanded-to cellphone prime ministers and presidents -it remains to be seen what effect this will have on Warner's political stocks. And whether he will be considered as indispensible as he once was (beyond his 28 years worth of FIFA pension). PNM's Fitzgerald Hinds and ex-UNC leader Basdeo Panday seemed concerned Warner's free time would allow him space to eye Persad-Bissessar's job. His current circumstances however could mitigate against the capacity to fully explore that. Following his FIFA fall, it remains to be seen if Warner's luck in reinventing himself will be maintained.
2-man COP race in home stretch
The situation also has implications for the Partnership. MSJ, while supportive of Warner, has given the thumbs down on the Mohammed issue. Both matters are also being factored into COP members' decision-making process in next Sunday 's leadership election. Final-week campaigning in the four-person race has narrowed down to MPs Anil Roberts and Prakash Ramadhar ahead of Vernon de Lima and Nalini Dial. If the vocal power of supporters at Tuesday's Port-of-Spain debate translates into votes, Roberts, who's has campaigned since January, could pip Ramadhar. "It was a circus," said COP deputy leader Robert Mayers. A fast-talking Roberts wore a slightly smug expression throughout debate while serious-faced Ramadhar was more measured.
De Lima fared less well and Dial-though apparently sincere in her unpretentious approach-worse with the noisy audience. Ramadhar and de Lima have toed COP's line on Warner and Mohammed.
Roberts, who once demanded Mary King's resignation, has not asked the same of Warner. Suspicious COPers have grilled Roberts on whether Warner is backing his campaign and his view regarding political entrepreneurs. Though Roberts vowed to remain COP regardless of the winner, officials say sharp divides in the campaign could spell for post- election fragmentation, depending on the winner.
Dookeran's political image was COP's stabilising force. With that being indirectly critiqued and various groups backing different styles, it remains to unfold how the party-and PP-will fare after next Sunday.
PNM defends 'work' with Jack
Past and present PNM leaders- in San Fernando and Tobago-took turns hammering Warner.
PNM leader Keith Rowley's first-year leadership anniversary last Saturday was marked by challenging statements during the party's General Council. Rowley, members said, defended deputy Marlene McDonald against criticism of her recent joint effort with Warner-assisting Laventille taxi drivers. PNMites said Rowley noted Opposition MPs had to work with Government to get things done in constituencies. Members said an executive officer said that Louis Lee Sing should apologise for recent statements on Manning's walk. They added that Diego Martin Central's call for a mediation team on perceived issues between Rowley and Manning didn't fly, since Rowley indicated the "PNM was one."
T&T Political Dictionary
• "Resignation"-Preferred escape mechanism to quell political heat. (Though sometimes likely to increase it.)
• "FIFA"-As of Monday: Fall (from) Interna-tional Fame and Authority.
• "Hung Out to Dry...."-What the Opposition wishes applied to Jack permanently.
• "First Session of Parliament"-Freshman period of reliance on joint select committees, grandstanding, "gun talk" and growing-slowly-into parliamentary roles of Government and Opposition.
• "Second Session"-Hopefully: legislation to further national development rather than merely react to situations or international deadlines. Higher level of debate, healthy use of diction coach.
• "LMA"-Gary Griffith-defined as "Limit Media Access (to PM)."
• ...Media defined as "Laughing My A-- (off)" at Griffith's decree.
• "Understandable"-That some former jour-nalists don't like being lumped as "former jour-nalist" considering what some former journalists are being investigated for.
• "Balisier Boost"-PNM's monthly member-ship dues raised from $2 to $8, the first hike since 1956.
• ...Mechanism to stave off the need for new term: "Balisier Bust." © (G.A.)